Join me as I explore the vibrant towns of New Glasgow, Stellarton, Pictou and the spirited community of River John. Highlights include delicious meals featuring local, seasonal produce, shopping for artisanal hand-crafted goods, learning about the Scottish heritage of Nova Scotia and enjoying the natural beauty of the Northumberland Shore.
I’ve pulled together some of the best spots along the beautiful Northumberland Shore to shop for local foods, enjoy a cold brew, grab a pastry on-the-go and to sit down to enjoy a meal – along with some legendary Pictou County hospitality.
I love to plan my travel around food and drink experiences. If you’ve followed along for any amount of time or know me in person, I’m sure that comes as no surprise. In particular, I really enjoy and appreciate craft beverages, with a strong affinity for wine. I’m so grateful to live in Nova Scotia where we can easily get outside to enjoy nature, visit local communities and support local businesses along the way.
If you haven’t been to Wild Caraway Restaurant and Café in Advocate Harbour, then you are missing out on a truly unique Nova Scotian culinary experience.
Each year, owners Sarah Griebel and Andrew Aitken host their annual Foraging Dinner, where they gather a variety of foods from nearby producers and forage for wild ingredients to create a locavore’s multi-course dream feast.
I recently had the opportunity to attend a Wild Feast & Foraging Hike, hosted by Avery Peters and Chef Nelson Penner of Wild Feast NS. Sarah d’Apollonia of East Coast Wild Foods also joined in on this event. It was a lovely evening in Wolfville with the lupins in full bloom; the perfect setting for a culinary experience inspired by wild foods.
Open City, organized by I Love Local HFX, is such a fun annual spring event! For me, it's a chance to reconnect with local business owners I have come to know over the years and to visit some new exciting restaurants and shops here in Halifax and Dartmouth.
It's finally starting to feel like spring and I'm excited to get out for a few Nova Scotia road trips. I like to plan my mini-vacations around amazing food, so Wild Caraway Restaurant & Cafe in Advocate Harbour is an annual visit for me. They host a Wild Foraging Dinner each year and it's truly a unique Maritime dining experience.
Every Saturday morning at 7am, you can find Chef Ben Kelly looking down on the Halifax Seaport Farmers' Market from the second-floor balcony, watching vendors arriving and setting up their booths. With a hot cup of coffee in hand, it’s a nice, quiet way to start a market visit before the crowds arrive.
How many of us tend to regularly miss breakfast? It’s not uncommon – mornings for many of us are busy, stressful, and as much about racing the clock as it is nourishing ourselves for the day to come.
Laura MacLeod, owner of The Old Apothecary, is the creative force behind the colourful bakery and cafe located on Barrington Street in downtown Halifax. TOA is filled with delicious croissants, pastries and breads made from scratch on-site, with mostly locally-sourced ingredients.
Traditionally served with salt and vinegar, sometimes with ketchup or brown sauce, maybe some mushy peas on the side… my favourite dipping sauce lately is curry mayo.
Wow this past week has been a busy one and I loved every minute of it! I'm excited to share my experience of this year's BlogJam event, one of my favourite days of the year.
Shannon-Blue Nanibush, Emily Orr, Anne Marie Bungay-Larose and I collaborated on a photoshoot at Field Guide to share with you a cocktail of their own and to discuss what it is like to be a woman bartender in 2017.
Helloooo autumn! Every year I get excited for the the shift of season that ushers in fresh crisp air and cozy evenings spent with friends sharing food, wine and stories.
I first attended Devour! The Vines, hosted by Le Caveau Restaurant and Grand Pré Wines last summer as a guest. It was an unforgettable food and film experience: an outdoor seating for only twelve people in the luscious vineyard, a delicious five-course meal paired with award-winning wines and five short films curated by Devour! The Food Film Fest.
Summer salads are my go-to meals this time of year. There's so much to choose from for fresh local produce and I love adding grilled elements to my salads. The combinations are endless! I have an intuitive way of meal planning... I pop into Pete's Fine Foods to see what is fresh and seasonal, and choose ingredients that go well together.
I love the comforting simplicity of a classic Nova Scotian Hodge Podge. Traditionally made during the summer months when fresh beans, peas, carrots and potatoes are readily available, this dish can be adapted to include local meats like bacon or lamb and any vegetables you have growing in the garden.
My first introduction to Rousseau Chocolatier went something like this… I stumbled into the shop on Hollis Street wide-eyed and excited and blurted out “Hi, I’m Michelle and I love chocolate.”
With 16 local eateries, 16 local craft breweries and 2 local cideries, the Craft Beer & Local Food Celebration was a great event to kick off a new year of fantastic food and drink!
Showcased in colourful rows were a gorgeous spectrum of flavours – classics like lemon, lavender, raspberry and rose as well as seasonal flavours like pumpkin spice, gingerbread and crème brûlée, and these were just the macarons!
