The Magic Winery Bus wine tour is one of the best things to do in Nova Scotia and it only costs $50 to tour 5 wineries.

When I grew up in the Annapolis Valley it was an apple valley. But so many has changed over the years and many orchards have been replaced with vineyards and are now producing amazing wine in Nova Scotia.

Every time I return to the Valley I visit the new wineries with my aunt and my kind mother as the designated driver. Years ago I lamented how it was unfortunate that there wasn’t an easy way to get around without someone forgoing the wine.

But that has all changed with the Magic Wine Bus!

This Wolfville wine bus is a great way to also explore Nova Scotia’s unique wine. We have our own terroir (fancy term that just means the soil we grow in) that makes wine in Nova Scotia unique – we’re not creating big bold California reds but we do have our own appellation.

An appellation is another fancy name that refers to a specific region. The most famous is Champage, which is a sparkling wine from the Champagne region. It can only be called Champagne if it’s from that region – otherwise it’s known as sparkling wine. 

In Nova Scotia we have Tidal Bay. It can only be grown in Nova Scotia and is held to a strict level of specifications over 4 pages long. Each year the newly created wine is judged by a blind tasting panel of experts ensuring that each winery’s Tidal Bay is within the standard.

A crisp wine reflects the cooler climate in Nova Scotia and pairs perfectly with our seafood. What I love about the Magic Winery Bus is that all of the stops have Tidal Bay so you can compare one winery to another.

What is a Magic Winery Bus Anyway?

It rained during our wine tour but we had a fabulous time anyway. You don’t need sun to drink wine!

It’s basically the best thing that happened to Nova Scotia wine. I have been visiting the Nova Scotia wineries for years, but as a local the hassle was that you really do need a designated driver – thanks Mom. 

Sure you could bicycle from valley winery to winery but they are far apart – and honestly I don’t see the lure of drinking wine then biking tipsy down a road I’ve never been on.

Finally, a few years ago the Magic Winery Bus launched, making it easy to visit 5 of the Nova Scotia wineries. And it’s on a big British double decker bus!

It’s a hop on hop-off bus that runs a one-hour loop all day. It begins in Wolfville and if you leave by 11:30am you have time to spend one hour at all five wineries. Although the wineries are (somewhat) close to each other, they all have very distinct personalities.

But what I love most about this experience is that this tour is done with typical Maritime hospitality. You visit the newest, oldest, smallest and largest Annapolis Valley winery.

Our tour guide was Magic Mike. He’s grew up here and everyone knows him as he acts and directs in the local theatre. You’ll also find him at TAN Coffee in Wolfville where he’s singing along to his playlist, which includes Islands in the Stream. It’s coffee and a show.

This is not a stuffy wine country tour. Sure you’ll learn a lot but expect lots of laughs, friendliness and singing on the bus too.

How Do I Take the Magic Wine Bus Tour

The Magic winery bus operates from the end of May (Victoria Day weekend) until mid-October. It only runs Thursday through Sunday.

If you don’t like crowds Thursday is a great time to go as the wineries are usually the least busy. 

The bus pick up/drop off is at the Wolfville Visitor Information Centre on Willow Avenue. There is parking, but it’s also a short taxi from most of the local accommodations.

Departure times

Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
May 23 – October 13, 2019

• 10:30 AM
• 11:30 AM
• 12:30 PM

The first pick up is at 10:30am (arrive at 10am) and the last loop is between 4:30pm to arrive at 5:30pm. If you want to see all 5 wineries you need to take the 10:30 or 11:30am slot.

If you want to eat lunch you don’t have time for a tasting and lunch. We took the 10:30 stop so we could have lunch at 12:30pm at Luckett Vineyards, which meant a 2 hour stay. Fortunately there’s so much to see as it is the largest producer of wine and it also sells local and international food products.

Magic Wine Bus Prices

$50 Includes HST (15% Nova Scotia sales tax).

There is no refund on tickets but you can contact them to either change to a different day or to a different person. You can buy tickets here.

Don’t miss the red phone booth at Luckett Vineyards where you can make a free call anywhere in North America.

Featured Nova Scotia Wineries

There are two routes that alternate weekly for the Magic Wine Bus. I’ve included the Nova Scotia wineries in the order that we visited. 

What I love about Nova Scotia wineries is that while everyone has the standard Maritime friendliness, each winery on the wine bus tour has its own vibe. It’s a great mix of styles and each  offers something unique for participants.

Allow an hour for each winery to try a complimentary welcome glass, learn about the wine, take a winery tour, taste additional wine and make a purchase.

• If you buy wine you do not need to carry it around all day. It will be delivered to the drop off spot at the Wolfville Visitors Centre at 5:30pm. 

Allow two hours if you want to eat at one of the wineries, you’ll simply catch the following bus.

I’ve included some tips for each winery including what wine I personally recommend trying. 

Gaspereau Vineyards

This was a great spot to start. I’ve been to Gaspereau Vineyards many times and I love it. It’s in a beautiful area of the Gaspereau Valley. Walking into a big red barn as a tasting room, it sets the tone.

The winemaker Gina Haverstock spent time in Germany and while you taste her experience, the wine is uniquely Nova Scotian. Staff here are so friendly, and if you know nothing about wine they won’t make you feel stupid. 

The group is welcomed warmly and served two different wines, one being Tidal Bay. Afterwards there is time for additional tastings, wander the vineyards or if you prefer you can order a glass on the patio.

Although we didn’t eat at this stop I’ve been to Gaspereau Vineyard a few times to eat, the pizzas are fantastic and the lobster sliders are delicious bites. And while I never order chicken when I’m out, the chicken sandwich is AMAZING. 

MUST TRY WINE: They have maple wine (fermented maple syrup) served in chocolate cups which are DIVINE and a great souvenir. It’s only $3 to try it. Everyone loved it.

PRO TIP: A group on our bus arrived and immediately ordered a pizza to go. This was brilliant as they each had a slice at the next stop, while everyone else looked on with envy as we had forgotten to bring snacks.

Additional Tasting Fees: Any three for $7. If you buy two bottles the tasting fee is waived.

Gaspereau Vineyards website

L’Acadie Vineyards

The only vineyard which is owned and operated by the winemaker, Bruce Ewert, who lives on the Estate with his family. He has been making wine all over the world and is very accomplished.

The first time I visited was eons ago but I knew that L’Acadie was a premium winery specializing in traditional method sparkling wine – aka the way Champagne is made. I worried that this would be a boring and the staff would be snooty.

I was completely wrong!

It was actually my favourite stop for learning about wine. We didn’t go into the tedious explanation of sparkling wine.

Instead Mike actually stepped out into the drizzling rain as we stayed dry under the tent and looked out onto the vineyard.  He explained how they make organic wine, that serendipitously they have an eagles nest that scares away a lot of animals and joked that he thinks Gaspereau Valley is more beautiful than France.

It was so approachable and refreshing. We tried a sparkling rose and a sparkling cider and I left having such a great appreciation of how they are serious about sparkling, but do it in such an approachable way.

There is no food at this stop, but everyone was kind of hungry. Which is why we were all envious when people from our group pulled our the pizza from Gaspereau Vineyard – trust me you’ll want it too.

MUST TRY WINE: Not wine, but I loved the cider. It’s a great option if you want something sparkling at the table but prefer lower alcohol.

Additional Tasting Fees: Tasting fees begin at $7 depending on what you’d like to try.

L’Acadie Vineyards Website

Luckett Vineyards

More commonly known as Pete Luckett’s winery, Pete Luckett is a Nova Scotia legend although he wasn’t born in Canada. 

A Brit that moved to Canada in the 70s, I first saw Pete Luckett in the 90s on Nova Scotia’s Live at Five new program. Twice a week he introduced a new fruit or vegetable that I had never seen before with tips on how to use it. 

Later he opened a series of Pete’s Frootiques they were my favourite grocery stores. Built like European markets or delicatessens, there are lots of little hubs with international food and produce you can’t get anywhere.

It may not seem like a big deal now and you can get so many different foods and flavours here. But back then we considered kiwis exotic so I was mesmerized.

So when he sold the markets to Sobey’s and decided to get into wine I knew his winery would be amazing. And it is.

Enough of me fan-girling over Pete, let’s get to the winery.

The largest producer of wine in the Annapolis Valley and second largest in Nova Scotia next to Jost Vineyards in Malagash. His family runs the business and even though it’s wildly successful you’ll still see Pete when you’re there.

It’s also home to Crush Pad Bistro, the restaurant that looks out onto the vineyard with a gorgeous view of the valley and the Blomidon Penninsula. This is really an iconic site for valley residents, when we’re returning from away we know we’re home when we see Blomidon.

As it was still raining we sat under a tent. But staff pulled up one side so we still had a view in the rain and it was beautiful. I highly recommend the steak and mushroom pot pie and of course the seafood chowder. You can ask servers to recommend a glass of wine with your meal.

And don’t miss the perfect photo opp. Lucketts has a British phone box (a nod to Pete’s heritage) in the vineyard with free phone calls to anywhere in North America.

MUST TRY WINE: There are SO many to try here. But I really liked the Buried White, which is 8 feet underground for 28 months in Hungarian Oak barrels. If you’re looking for a good entry level red the Phone Box red is great. 

Additional Tasting Fees: $12 to try 5 from the core selection of reds, whites or rosé OR three premium collection of reds, whites or specialty dessert wines.

Luckett Vineyards Website

Domaine de Grand Pré

The oldest winery in Nova Scotia, from 1979 – yes Nova Scotia is a new wine region. It’s officially called Domain de Grand Pre but most locals call it the Grand Pre Winery.

It’s no longer under original ownership, but the S family has long owned Grand Pre and it’s still very much a family business with each member managing one of the aspects of the winery from the restaurant to the tasting room and gift shop.

The tasting aspect of this stop was in a separate tented area and included two tastings but was given with little explanation. I really felt this was a miss because Grand Pre has so much to offer. So I highly recommend going to the tasting room as they have some really knowledgable staff.

It’s also home to one of the best Nova Scotia restaurants, Le Caveau. The pergola, outdoor garden dining space is as beautiful as the food.

The in-house charcuterie board is fantastic and Chef Jason Lynch makes a killer chowder with a nod to Spain’s cold almond soup ajo blanco – in this case it’s warm and filled with seafood. It’s so popular with locals he can’t remove it from the menu.

If you are ambitious and wanted to visit a sixth winery, Google says Mercato Vineyards is a 23 minute walk away. 

MUST TRY WINE:  We did not have the Tidal Bay in our tasting, and it’s one of my favourites so I highly recommend it. The traditional method sparkling wine is called Champlain a cheeky nod to Champagne and references one of Canada’s explorers.

If you’re a Chardonnay fan you’ll love the Ortega and the Pomme D’Or, which is a apple cream liquour is a fantastic souvenir. I haven’t tried the local haskap berry sparkling wine yet but I’ve had my eye on it for a while.

Additional Tasting Fees: Regular tasting of 5 wines is $8. Premium tasting, including the sparkling wines is $15. White wine only tasting of 5 wines is $8. Red wine only tasting of 4 wines is $7. Vidal ice wine tasting is $4.

With purchases over $100, two tasting fees are waived.

Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards

The newest winery in the Annapolis Valley, it is proof that newcomers can enter the scene and provide a completely different but fantastic experience.

The family has been farming in Nova Scotia for eight generations and were initially grape growers for other wineries before deciding to venture into winemaking.

Without a doubt they have the most beautiful wine labels, but also make fantastic certified organic wine to boot, including Nova Scotia’s first Pinot Meunier. While a small portion of the grape is often used in Champagne, they turn it into its own red wine.

The tasting is on the outdoor patio with a gorgeous view of the vineyard. Inside it’s a large space with a long tasting bar.

It’s tempting to stay outdoors but the most interesting are their small lot wines that you cannot get anywhere else. They aren’t on the tasting bar menu but you’re encouraged to ask what is available that day.

There’s also a great restaurant on site with pizza, smaller bites and main dishes. If this is your last stop and you’d rather stay, it’s just a short taxi ride back into town.

MUST TRY WINE: If you’re looking for something different the Scheurebe starts tropical and ends with a citrus punch. Lightfoot & Wolfville is also known for its sparkling roses which sell out quickly.

Additional Tasting Fees: Three 1oz tastings for $10, additional 1oz tastings for $3. Tasting fee waived with purchase of $50.

Lightfoot & Wolfville Website

What Does the Wolfville Magic Winery Bus Include?

• Transportation to five Annapolis Valley wineries
• A really fun but professional guide on the bus who shares details about each winery
• Complimentary greeting wine at each winery 

The Magic Winery Bus Doesn’t Include

• A full tasting at each winery – although like at most wineries the tasting fee is usually waived if you buy a couple bottles
• Food at the wineries. Four of the five wineries have food available for purchase
• Transportation to the Wolfville Visitors Information Centre (VIC)

Lightfoot & Wolfville tasting room

Is the Magic Wine Bus Tour Worth it?

I was given two tickets to the Magic Winery Bus so it’s easy to think that of course I’d love it, it was free! But as I grew up in the valley, I’ve visited all of these wineries on my own as well as on the bus tour. 

I would NOT recommend booking a Saturday. The wineries will already be busy, if you can swing a Thursday (like I did) or Friday things are less hectic.

The bus is a great deal and here’s why:

• $50 includes 5 glasses of wine AND transportation
• It cost less than many formal NS wine tours
• You can take it at your own pace, see all or just a few of the wineries
• You don’t have to worry about having a designated drive, you can just enjoy
• Its social, you meet others on the bus, check out what others have posted using #magicwinerybus on Instagram 

Also read what others have to say on TripAdvisor.

Do Not Choose the Magic Wine Bus If:

• You want to learn a lot about wine or have a lot of questions
• Don’t like traveling in large groups
• Like to go at your own pace

Instead consider taking a private tour. Valley wine tours are more expensive but also more intimate and you have more time to learn in a much smaller group.

I visited three of the wineries with Laila from Uncork Wine Tours and learned so many interesting things about wine in Nova Scotia. 

Both the bus and the tour have their pros and cons, it just depends on what kind of day you’d like to have. I had a lot of fun on the Wolfville wine bus and absolutely recommend it as a primer to Nova Scotia wine.

Gaspereau Vineyards

Magic Winery Bus Discount Code

The Magic Wine Bus is so popular that it’s often sold out. There are no group discounts or Magic Winery bus coupons in general because it’s already a great deal: 

• admission includes HST
• day-long transportation
• the service entertaining guide on the bus to curate your journey
• chance to visit five wineries
• an abbreviated tour and complimentary greeting wine at each stop

Magic Winery Bus Hotel Packages

For Thursday departures the Magic Winery Bus has partnered with the Old Orchard Inn on this experience package. They have not partnered with any other accommodations.

You can read reviews of the Old Orchard Inn here.

You don’t need to bring your own smoked salmon.

What to Bring on Your Magic Wine Bus Tour

Check the weather for the day but understand that weather in the Annapolis Valley often changes every half hour. It’s common to appear overcast in the morning and then the sun comes out.

All of the wineries accept both debit and major credit cards. But here’s what else you’ll need:

• Reusable water bottle. In between the wine you’ll need some water. Nova Scotia tap water is perfectly fine to drink. The wineries do have water but if it’s busy you may be waiting.
• A small snack like nuts or a granola bar
• A light sweater
• A hat 
• Sunscreen
• Mosquito repellent. If it’s been raining they’ll come out!
• Bring a phone charger – there’s nothing worse than a low battery. This charger is small enough to fit in any purse.
• Cash to tip your guide if you enjoyed your time. How could you not?

Magic Winery Bus Tour Map

Pin it For Later: Nova Scotia Wine Tour

Disclosure: This post is part of a paid program with Nova Scotia Tourism and as stated above I did not pay for the tickets. However, I grew up in the Valley and am thrilled to be working on a program where I can share the best of what we have to offer. If they hadn’t given me tickets I would have bought them because I think it’s a great tour.

Photos: white wine glasses (c) Matthieu Joannon, grapes on vine (c) Amos Bar-Zeev, green grapes on vine (c) Alex Block

Magic Winery Bus Tour – Nova Scotia’s Ultimate Ride is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Not another list right? There are lots of top 10 things to do in Nova Scotia lists that begin with: Peggy’s Cove, the Cabot Trail and the Bluenose. 

But as a Nova Scotian, I must do better. I have the local insight!

I’ve traveled the world and coming home I see Nova Scotia in a new light. I appreciate all the things that were just wallpaper to me growing up.

You can count on me to share the best Nova Scotian food. But also I have a unique perspective of someone who grew up here and also travels for a living. So when I see something interesting to do in Nova Scotia, I compare it against everywhere else I’ve been.

And you know what, we have a lot of awesome things to do in Nova Scotia. And what I love the most is that very few things were created for tourists. When you come to Nova Scotia you are experiencing our culture, not one created for tourism.

We may not be the fanciest but we are the friendliest.

45+ Things to Do in Nova Scotia

Car rentals are an absolute must if you want to see more than just Halifax and Dartmouth. My experience is that in Canada Expedia tends to have the best rates – but you can check here.

This list may be a bit biased as much of it is focused on the best things to do in Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia – but only because I know it the best!

I’ll continue to update the post as I discover new activities and I’m always up for suggestions – just leave a comment below!

And to get a rounded, unbiased perspective I reached out to other travel and food bloggers to discover their favourite attractions in Nova Scotia. As you know I’m not much of an adventure traveler but thankfully my bloggers friends are wildly adventurous.

Paddle Blue Rocks

Pleasant Paddling offesr kayaking tours, rentals and lessons in Blue Rocks, just outside Lunenburg. 

Blue Rocks has more islands per paddle stroke than anywhere. It’s these multitude of islands make our area an amazing paddling location. The islands protect kayakers from the wind and waves and form a barrier from the elements that allows us to paddle in calm water.

Around every corner there are new things to see. We paddle to a seal colony with grey and harbour seals, see scores of birds, sea creatures and mammals swimming between the rocks.

The islands also hide an old island fishing community that is only accessed by boat. Eastern Points did boast a school, a store, a boat building operation and a gas station for fishing boats. Now less than ten homes remain and is mostly used in the summer. Our kayakers are some of the few visitors to this once bustling spot.

This is Nova Scotia’s best paddling location and we are excited to share it.

What makes this experience even more special is that I grew up with the owner, Karl Marsters, who started this business from scratch. I really appreciate the work it takes to be an entrepreneur and run a small business. And I’m not the only one, everyone raves about his paddling tours – here’s what people are saying on TripAdvisor.

Pleasant Paddling is also host to the Nova Scotia Rock Skipping Championship. The Blue Rocks Skip is one of their annual charity events.

The rocks there are made to skip and their kayaking trips stops on the secluded island beaches allows people to throw a few of the best skipping stone in the world.

Find out more about Pleasant Paddling here.

White Point Trail in Cape Breton

Cape Breton is definitely a must-do when you’re visiting Nova Scotia! It’s full of rugged cliffs and amazing trails with breathtaking views – it’s truly the perfect destination for anyone who loves being outdoors.

One of the best things to do in Cape Breton Nova Scotia, without a doubt, is the White Point Trail. It was recommended to me by locals, and I’m really glad I decided to listen to them!

The White Point Trail is a beautiful coastal trail, around 2.5 kilometres long. It leads out to a lookout point, but the whole trail is stunning – you’ll have an incredible panoramic view over the cliffs, mountains and the ocean.

The trailhead to White Point is located on White Point Drive, pretty much in the middle of Neil’s Harbour and South Harbour. It’s a rather flat trail and it’s classed as easy. Allow yourself around an hour to have plenty of time to enjoy this lovely trail.

Walk the trail while admiring the beautiful mountains and the sound of waves. If you’re lucky, you might spot some birds or even whales. If you have the chance, I highly recommend walking the White Point trail at sunset to get that magical light that makes everything even more beautiful!

By Amanda at My Backpacker Life

Discover Tidal Bay Wine

Much more fun than a place, it’s our appellation wine. It’s a crisp and bright white wine that can only be made in Nova Scotia – like how Champagne is only made from the Champagne region in France.

Most people don’t know Nova Scotia wine. That’s because we’re a newer wine region and locals love it so much most wineries can’t keep on top of the demand.

And while 12 Nova Scotian wineries make Tidal Bay, they are all a bit different to reflect just how different each winery approaches the wine in our region.

I took a small group tour with Laila North of Uncork Nova Scotia with Go North Tours, where I learned so much about wine here. including two key facts:

• Nova Scotia has the same climate as the Champagne region
• Acadian settlers made wine here in the 1600s, making Nova Scotia the oldest wine region in North America

Along with facts we had a lot of fun. It wasn’t a snooty wine tour and the group was great. Perhaps the most fun was a blind tasting of Tidal Bay from three different wineries.

We all laughed as some people got it all right, and then others like me were completely wrong but enjoyed the wine nonetheless.

Read more to see if this wine tour is right for you.

Kayak on the Bay of Fundy

The Bay of Fundy is a renowned body of water famous for its extreme tidal changes and abundant marine life. Every single day the Bay of Fundy lets in and out 16 billion tons of water, with tides reaching over 48 feet during high tide.

While during low tide, you can walk along the ocean floor. Beyond its unusual tidal changes, The Bay of Fundy is also home to marine life such as whales and spotting them within the Bay is quite common.

The best, and most exciting, way to experience The Bay of Fundy, is by going sea kayaking on the waters. This is the best way to see the extreme rock formations, sea stacks, tidal changes, and maybe even some whales!

The kayak tour companies in the Bay of Fundy are all very well trained and know all the best places to bring you to ensure you experience a whirlwind of an adventure. Sea kayaking the Bay will show you a whole new side to these waters.

This is an adventure like no other, and after kayaking on the Bay waters, you can say you have kayaked on the most astronomical tides on earth.

By Samantha at Sam Sees World

Dining on the Ocean Floor

You cannot visit Nova Scotia without stopping at the Bay of Fundy. Home to the highest tides in the world, it rises and falls twice as day and can as high as a five story building. 

You can’t go to actually see the tides unless you want to be there all day as they rise about an inch a minute to full the Bay with 160 billion tons of water. When locals visit we check the tide times, which are usually announced on the radio a couple times a day as we’re looking to visit when the tide is out. 

At Burntcoat Head Park it’s possible to have a very exclusive dinner and tour on the ocean floor, with a view of the red sandstone cliffs looking out onto the sea.

I wrote about my experience dining on the ocean floor and while tickets are tough to get, I also included how you can DIY your own experience. 

There’s nothing like eating with the fresh air of the ocean.

Ironworks Distillery

Lunenberg is a cool place to wander around. But the coolness factor goes up a notch when you stumble upon an international award winning micro-distillery in an old marine blacksmith shop at the corner of Kempt and Montague Streets.

From the wharf area, walk up the hill past the Dory Shop. Opened in 2010, Ironworks Distillery creates small batches of artisan spirits sourced from local Maritime ingredients and throws the doors open for anyone to walk in to the shop.

Entering through the front doors of the old blacksmith shop, you’re struck by the history and attention to detail in the distillery shop. The aromas from what’s distilling in the iron kettles entice you to try the award winning liquor selections.

And trying all the unique flavours is free. The samples are a thumbnail size, but it’s enough to taste and allow the flavours to perk your senses. Utilizing local, maritime ingredients, vodka and brandy are made from apples from the nearby Annapolis Valley.

Other handcrafted specialties include pear eau-de-vie, rum, gin and various assortment of seasonal fruit liqueurs.

Tours of the distillery are available during spring, summer and fall for a nominal charge and must be booked in advance. Bottles of liquors are sold at the shop and are also available at the Halifax airport before you depart.

By Kathryn at Kathryn Anywhere

Smell the Roses at Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens

I mistakenly thought this was a smaller city garden like the Halifax public gardens but a map is required if you want to see the best parts on site, including the Victorian Gardens which feels a bit like walking into Narnia.

Not just for gardeners, you can wander through the wooded area from the wildflowers to evergreen section to the small Acadian house, displaying how settlers lived here. There’s also an experimental section, area growing vegetables in small spaces and sculptures all over.

But perhaps the most fragrant was the rose garden which explains different types of roses and how they evolved over past centuries. 

If you’re looking for a quiet walk in a beautiful outdoor space this is unparalleled.

Annapolis Royal is worth staying a night or two, check out these great hotels ranging from budget to luxury.

See the Lighthouse – At Peggy’s Cove

The Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse is one of the most photographed icons in Canada. Of the over 160 lighthouses in Nova Scotia, none stand out as much as this vibrant red and white classic.

The lighthouse sits majestically on the rocks just outside the colorful fishing village of Peggy’s Cove. This location is one of the perfect places to catch the extreme volatility of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

At any point, the Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse could be an idyllic monument perched proudly over calm waters or a majestic icon standing against the massive waves that threaten the very ships that the lighthouse is there to protect.

Explore the town to experience traditional East Coast fishing life. Or scramble across rocks worn smooth by the ocean. Peggy’s Cove is a small town with just one restaurant.

How much time you need to visit Peggy’s Cove really depends on how lost you want to get in the Maritime feel. You could spend an hour, or a day here with ease. Enjoy a bowl of seafood chowder, talk to the friendly locals, and breathe in the salty air of one of the most classic Maritime towns in Canada.

by Kevin at Wandering Wagars

Eat at the Local Pie Shop

My family has been eating at Stirling’s in Grand Pre for generations. It opened in the 1940s and made pies, over the years it expanded. I grew up eating lobster sandwiches there, but my Nanny usually skipped the meal and went straight for the pie. 

The funny thing is that it’s not called Stirling’s at all. It’s actually the Evangeline Inn Cafe. But in true Maritime fashion, as it is run by the Stirling family (to this day) we call it Stirling’s. This can be confusing for tourists as they often end up at Stirling Farm Market down the road in Greenwich. 

And while people love the homemade hamburgers and chowder, no one skips dessert here. On my last visit the women behind us were talking about how they’ve never had bad pie here. It’s always a generous portion at a fair price. 

As Stirling’s is only open from Mother’s Day weekend through the end of October it’s common for locals to visit often to eat fresh pie through the season…strawberry pie, raspberry pie, peach, blueberry. If you’re not a pie fan get the seasonal crisp – it’s worthy of the high ratings it gets on TripAdvisor.

Sail the Bluenose II

One spot in Nova Scotia may look a little familiar… probably because you have seen it on every Canadian dime since 1937!

The historic town of Lunenburg is often on a visitor’s must-see list while touring Eastern Canada, but many don’t realize a Canadian icon is sitting in their midst! Make your way to the harbour where you’ll find the Bluenose II.

While the original Bluenose met her fate in 1946, the Bluenose II is a spitting image of her predecessor – built by many of the same people who created the first one. Since being gifted to the Government of Nova Scotia in 1971, you can hop on board and set sail on this beautiful ship.

Watch as the crew works their magic to make her come to life! Cruises on the Bluenose II are available from early June until late September, often with two sailings each day.

Or if you’d like to get up close and personal with the boat, you can see what it’s like to work onboard by becoming a deckhand for a day! You’ll set sail to Mahone Bay as you learn the ins and outs of this iconic schooner.

In case you were wondering, yes, you’ll even get your turn at the wheel!

By Lindsay at I’ve Been Bit!

Tackle 235 Stairs to Balancing Rock

Located just outside downtown Digby, the balancing rock is also called Nature’s Time Post. It is worth the trek through the 2.5km nature trail and down the 235 stairs for the view. 

The column weighs more than 20 tonnes of basalt volcanic rock that balances on a tiny ledge facing St. Mary’s Bay.

The stairs have railings so it’s a fairly easy walk down, although at about stair 150 you start to feel the burn walking back up.

Digby is a gorgeous spot to spend a few days, there’s lots to do and the scallops are world class. Hotel options range from luxury to very reasonable budget options, which cost much less than in Halifax.

The good ones book fast as people return year after year. Check availability for these Digby hotels.

Driving the Cabot Trail

One experience not to miss when visiting Nova Scotia is driving the Cabot Trail. Located in Cape Breton, this 297-kilometre scenic highway forms a loop around the northern tip of the island and draws road trippers from far and wide.

The Cabot Trail is considered to be one of the best drives in the world. It offers non-stop spectacular vistas; drivers have forested highlands to one side and a rugged coastline that drops into the Atlantic Ocean on the other.

The Cabot Trail was named after John Cabot, or Giovanni Caboto. He was an Italian navigator and explorer, who was one of the first Europeans of modern times to reach North America in 1497.

Though the exact location of his arrival is unknown – historians have proposed both Newfoundland and Cape Breton as possibilities.  Today it is this route around Cape Breton that bears his name.

Though the Cabot Trail can be driven in one day, it’s best to do it over a few days. You can spend some time hiking through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, visiting the French and Gaelic communities along the way.

Don’t forget to enjoy the delicious seafood this part of Nova Scotia has to offer.

By Audrey at That Backpacker

Grab a Glass of Wine at a Local Wine Bar

This new wine bar boasts it is the most beautiful wine bar in Annapolis Royal. Everyone agrees, as it is the only wine bar in Annapolis Royal.

Tucked behind a book shop, the Mad Hatter wine bar has a beautiful back patio looking onto the Annapolis River complete with outdoor electric fire pits. 

Wine is available by the glass and has both international and local options. On a warm day it’s a beautiful place to have an afternoon drink. They also have beer and cider and offer charcuterie plates along with other snacks.

Cycle Historic Grand Pré

In the beautiful Annapolis Valley, the Grand Pre National Historic Site commemorates the area as a centre of Acadian settlement from 1682 to 1755.

Grand Pré is well worth a visit by any account, but to take your experience from very good to awesome, bring your bicycle and get ready for one of the best things to do in Nova Scotia!

Begin with brunch at the Naked Crepe Bistro in Wolfville, the picturesque college town adjacent to Grand Pré. A short jaunt down the main street will bring you to the King’s County Rail Trail, a flat, easy and inspiringly beautiful 5.5 km cycle to the Grand Pré interpretation centre.

What makes the scenery so happiness-inducing is the dykelands, pastoral farm fields created by the Acadians when they built dykes around and through the then-existing salt marsh – in essence, the Acadians painstakingly reclaimed the marsh from the sea and created one of the most fertile farming areas in the world.

With the wind in your hair, rectangular fields in every shade of green stretching as far as the eye can see, and lavender wildflowers lining the trail, you may decide to pass the Grand Pré historical site itself and keep on cycling!

However, the site is engaging and shouldn’t be missed. Eespecially the film that describes the Acadian Deportation by the British, and the guided tour of the outdoor exhibits.

Allow an hour and a half to visit Grand Pré and then continue cycling for as long as you like, ultimately returning to Wolfville.

Finish off your adventure with a bottle of the Annapolis Cider Company’s “Old Fashioned Gravenstein” cider – honestly one of the best ciders I’ve ever had – basking in a day well spent on a “best-of” Nova Scotia experience!

From Zoe at Wandering Family

Walk Through a Sculpture Forest

Quite literally a hidden gem, it is located behind Cosby’s Garden Centre in Brooklyn (just outside Liverpool) without any sign indicating you should walk behind the business. 

It’s incredible that many locals don’t know about it as it’s one of the most underrated things to do in Nova Scotia – and completely free (there’s a spot to leave a donation for the groundskeeper).

It’s about a 45 minute walk through a well worn forested path that is lined with concrete sculptures throughout.

Sculptor Ivan Higgins creations mammoth fantastical creatures from fairies to acrobats to dragons. They are so impressive that it’s unbelievable that he creates them in the greenhouse behind the garden centre and then they somehow transport them into the forest.

The walk is so delightfully tranquil and uncrowded. You’ll find when you encounter others you stop to chat about how wonderful this place is and how others should know about it.

Cruise One of Nova Scotia’s Seacoast Drives

Highways are only good if you need to get somewhere fast. As a tourist it’s hard to get off these roads when Google Maps is recommending it as the fastest route.

But let me break it down like a local:

Like most places in Canada and the United States, roads were created to connect all the towns and villages together. Because they weren’t the fastest, later we created highways to make it faster to drive long distances.

But we still use the older roads because they are far more interesting to drive through. And most often you can go 80km/h so taking them only mean extending driving time by 10-20 minutes.

If you ask a Nova Scotian how they got somewhere they’ll say the new highway and the old highway or the new way, the scenic way and the old way. 

But that doesn’t help tourists looking at maps. Yet, it’s quite easy:

• You can take Trunk 1 (old highway) or Highway 101 (new highway)
• Or take Trunk 3 (old highway) or Highway 103

Wikipedia has this great list of all the trunks – but basically we love the trunk highways. It’s where all the good things are. 

Don’t Forget Our Seacoast Drives!

Growing up different highways were also designated as specific routes. My favourite is the picturesque Lighthouse Route in Nova Scotia. But basically you can drive the parameter of the province and it’s beautiful.

Check out this list of the six seacoast drives in Nova Scotia. Allow yourself extra time to drive slowly and stop for photos as the view is stunning.

Solve A Mystery at Citadel Hill

Halifax Citadel Hill has been used as a military overlook since 1749. It later became a military fortress to protect Halifax during major wars such as the American Revolution, French Revolutionary Wars, American Civil War and World War I.

Today, it is a piece of history that is preserved allowing visitors the opportunity to relive the past. Everyday the Citadel National Historic Site comes to life with reenactments of military life in the 1800’s. At noon the royal artillery fires a cannon. This a tradition that may be one of the oldest in the world.

The site is open 9 am – 5 pm year round (until 6 pm in July and August). Admission fees vary with the season. Guided tours are available May – October. We were very impressed with our tour and loved interacting with the soldiers.

If you love history you can become a soldier for the day! You will be outfitted in authentic attire and be given the opportunity to learn to fire a rifle and be taught drills. This is a 3 hour experience and requires pre-booking.

There are two programs for kids. The Xplorer program is for children 6-11. It comes with a booklet of activities. Once completed they will earn a Parks Canada Souvenir. The second program is, The Citadel Adventure, and is geared toward 9-15 year olds. It has a comic and spy kit to solve clues in order to save the citadel.

By Lisa at Planning Away 

Ride the Magic Wine Bus

A great option if you’re looking for a day to wine and dine and no one wants to be the designated driver. The Magic Wine Bus is a fun way to see five wineries in one day including: the oldest, the newest, the smallest and the largest!

Although the wineries are (somewhat) close to each other, they all have very distinct personalities.

It’s a hop on hop-off bus that runs a one-hour loop with departures at 10:30am, 11:30am and 12:30pm. It begins in Wolfville and if you leave by 11:30am you have time to spend one hour at all five wineries.

Allow an hour for each winery to try a complimentary welcome glass, learn about the wine, take a winery tour, taste additional wine and make a purchase.

The Magic winery bus operates from the end of May (Victoria Day weekend) until mid-October. It only runs Thursday through Sunday.

A great deal because:

• It’s only $50 and includes 5+ glasses of wine AND transportation
• It cost less than many formal NS wine tours
• The bus guide Magic Mike shares his favourite things about the valley along the way
• You can take it at your own pace, see all or just a few of the wineries
• You don’t have to worry about having a designated drive, you can just enjoy

Play on the Cabot Trail Beaches

As you drive around Nova Scotia, enjoying the scenic Cabot Trail and the fresh seafood, don’t forget that Cape Breton is home to some amazing Canadian beaches.

The waters in recent years have been warm enough to swim in and you can splash in the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of St. Lawrence in addition to many brooks and lakes. There’s nothing quite like a relaxing beach day on a lovely hot summer day on the East Coast. If you can pack a picnic or a lobster roll for lunch, that’s true perfection!

There’s no shortages of beaches on the Cabot Trail or in Nova Scotia but Black Brook Beach is our favourite because it isn’t as busy as Ingonish Beach (which is also quite lovely, mind you!). There’s also a waterfall that one can easily bathe in.

And there’s also a secret swimming spot near the Acadian village of Cheticamp, which can be found behind the gypsum cliffs. It has a stunning view of the Gulf of St Lawrence. You also swim in gorgeous turquoise water IN a gypsum quarry!

Golfers will enjoy knowing that they can take a quick dip after a round of golf at Cabot’s Landing Beach and surfers should definitely head towards Point Michaud.

By Yashy at Baby & Life

Picnic Lunch in a Vineyard

The wineries in Nova Scotia have some fantastic restaurants, but there’s something about having a picnic in a vineyard.

Wolfville’s Mercator Vineyard is one of the newest wineries in Nova Scotia. It is located in a historic farmhouse that was once a farmer’s market and home to an apple processing operation.

The gourmet picnic basket costs $25, serves two and includes:

• Freshly baked baguette (gluten free options available)
• Hummus
• Local meat plate (vegetarian options available)
• Local cheese plate
• 1 Mason Jar of pickles
• 1 Mason Jar of jelly

Unbelievably, you don’t need to call ahead to order the picnic basket, Mercator Vineyards can make one on the spot for you.

Lobster Dinner

When tourists ask me the best spot to eat lobster it is difficult for me to answer. The truth is that Nova Scotians often buy lobster from directly from the fishermen and steam or boil them at home. We have lobster on Christmas Eve and it’s my favourite holiday meal, who needs turkey when you can have lobster.

That said, going to a lobster dinner in a hall is a long-time tradition. Churches and fire halls often have lobster dinner fundraisers. But what are the chances you’ll be in the right community in the right time for that?

Thankfully the oldest lobster dinner hall in Nova Scotia is still running strong. Located next to the scenic Hubbard’s Beach, The Shore Club has been serving lobster dinner for over 80 years.

Although they have a surf and turf option and vegan option, people come for the lobster, which includes free mussels, a salad bar and dessert.

Tubing Gaspereau River

Tubing on the Gaspereau River just outside of Wolfville has been a cherished summertime activity for many years. Some local residents have turned a community interest into a tourist attraction renting inner tubes for a daily fee of $5.

Tubing is dependent on water level in the Gaspereau. However, the season generally runs from the start of July through early-September.

The water along the Gaspereau River isn’t that deep. And if you do plan to spend the day tubing, know that tubing is at your own risk.

Young children should wear personal flotation devices, and you should refrain from drinking alcohol, or bringing glass bottles into the water while tubing. Because the length of river where tubing takes place is 2.5 kilometres long, your best bet is to bring two vehicles, and leave one at each end of the tubing stretch.

One of the local tube rental spaces runs a Facebook group called Tubing Gaspereau River which you can request to join and find more information. The page is updated almost daily during the tubing season.

Also note, the end of the tubing route is literally around the corner from Gaspereau Vineyards. Be sure to schedule in a glass of Muscat on the patio when you’re finished if you have time.

By Kelly at Kelly Neil

Tidal Bore Rafting

Fun for all ages, there’s nothing like the rush of riding a Zodiac up the Bay of Fundy tidal bore.

One minute it’s a calm river, where you learn about the tides and the area. Quickly it changes into a wild rapid ride.

This is caused by the rise and fall of the Bay of Fundy, which happens twice a day. The reversing of water in and out of the Bay causes rapids in the river.

Absolutely everyone I know who has taken one of these tours raves about it being so much fun. 

Kayak LaHave Islands

One of the most amazing things to do in Nova Scotia if you love the outdoors is kayak through the Cape LaHave Islands, an archipelago off of Nova Scotia’s south shores.

On the way be sure to ride the Cape LaHave ferry. It is one of the only cable river ferries in Nova Scotia to Cape LaHave Bakery for a snack, meal, or coffee.

After, we recommend renting kayaks and taking a guided tour through the Cape La Have islands. Along the way you’ll pass seals and other wild life while island hopping and passing through scenic inlets.

After your multi hour adventure, we recommend taking your car to Crescent Beach. The only beach in Nova Scotia you can drive your car on for a 2 kilometre stretch!

For kayaking we recommend checking with Cape LaHave Adventures who will pack you snacks, water, and provide an experienced guide to navigate the islands for an unforgettable day along Nova Scotia’s south shores by water.

By Megan at Bobo & Chichi

Oceanside Dinner Followed by Dark Sky

White Point Beach Resort is an iconic resort that most Nova Scotians will try to explain as similar to the lodge in Dirty Dancing. It’s a family resort and is great for kids with lots of activities. As adults my family still returns because Hunt’s Point is such a great spot to spend a few days.

White Point has more activities for adults that I can list, but includes: yoga, spa, boat rentals, and surfing lesson.

It also has a great culinary program led by Chef Alan Crosby such as the Stellar Beach Feast with an oceanside four-course dinner paired with Nova Scotia wine.  It’s followed by an evening walk with Dark Sky Interpreter Paul Lalonde into the dark and ends with a blind tasting of local wine.

This was my favourite part as our group of 12 were getting along so well that by the time we were blindfolded we had so many laughs about what we thought we were drinking.

They also have a winter event that looks amazing:

“Lobster Fishing Feast … go lobster fishing in our winter season onboard a working lobster fishing boat, help haul traps, learn about the sea creatures that share the traps and learn about the heritage and culture of our fishery … then pick out YOUR own lobster to being back to White Point to aid Chef Alan at the Lobster Boil before sinking your claws into the days catch – you caught!”

Lot’s of people have weddings here too. It’s very popular yet manages to have cottages or rooms if you book at the right time – check availability and rates here.

Sunset Barbecue at Cottage Cove

Located on the Bay of Fundy in Annapolis Valley, Cottage Cove is a beloved destination for both local residents and travellers who want to enjoy a quiet but spectacular sunset.

During most summer evenings at the cove, you’ll find regulars gathering together to enjoy the brilliant display of red, orange and yellow sun setting into the ocean.

Small groups of people also brave the rocky terrain along the beach, it is quite a scramble to get to the water. But if you persist you might be rewarded with a close up view of the seals that also call Cottage Cove home. The seals play close by but never venture onto the shore, preferring to play in the waves and catch their fishy dinner.

The long narrow crevices in the enormous flat rocks on the beach are also a perfect place for a bonfire. Bring a blanket to sit on and supplies for making s’mores for a fun evening at the cove. A sweater is also recommended because even in the height of summer, evenings along this part of the Nova coast can be surprisingly cool.

Cottage Cove in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley is the perfect place to head to for your next Instagram worthy sunset photo while enjoying the cool breeze on a hot summer night.

By Dian at Girls Getaway

Devour the Vines

The Devour! Film Festival is hugely successful drawing big names from around the world, while also highlighting local food.

It is held each autumn with a series of events from chowder competitions to formal dining experiences. But the group also holds events throughout the year, including Devour the Vines at Domaine de Grand Pré.

Chefs Jason Lynch and Michael Howell prepare a multi-course meal served in the vineyard. It is paired with award-winning wines and delicious short films curated by the team at Devour.

Find out more about this event and others here.

Whale Watching

Along the Bay of Fundy coast of Nova Scotia, you can find the highest tides in the world as well as an abundance of whales.

The whales come to the bay to breed and then nurse their young in the bay, feasting on the schools of fish and krill to be found there. The best month to see whales is August, but they can be watched from around June to October.

Up to 12 different species can be seen, from finback and minke whales, which are normally the first to arrive, to humpback whales as well as dolphins.

A trip out to see the whales normally lasts between three and four hours, but we found that time went pretty quickly as the expert boat captains seem to have a sixth sense as to how to find the whales.

If you are super lucky you might see a breach, where the whale leaves the water and crashes back down or two whales dive together in perfect unison as we were lucky enough to witness.

Whales are curious creatures, so they tend not to be scared off by the boats and you should be able to see multiple animals along with abundant other sea-life on a whale watching trip.

By Lee and Stacey from Discover Nova Scotia

Make a Call to Anywhere in North America for Free

The most well known winery in Nova Scotia is Luckett Vineyards. Owned by Pete Luckett, who has been a television personality, boutique grocery store owner and renown entrepreneur – Pete has the golden touch.

Originally from England, he moved here in the 1970s and just seems to understand what Maritimes want and he does it so well. One of the largest producers of wine in Nova Scotia you never feel like the winery is too big – in fact you often see Pete there!

Friendly staff, great food, an incredible view, Luckett Vineyard is all about the details. No visit is complete without heading to the red phone box in the vineyard where you can make a free phone call to anywhere within North America,
 

Hiking the Keji Seaside Adjunct Trail

Two hours south of Halifax is the Kejimkujik Seaside Adjunct Trail. This scenic looped trail is 8km long and takes about 3 hours to complete.

Kejimkujik National Park Seaside trail is a combination of shaded forest paths, open trails along marshland and seagrass, and rugged seaside paths with panoramic views of the ocean.

About 1km along the trail you are awarded with a white sand beach lined with sand dunes. The ocean water is clear and a tropical aqua blue. Sandpipers run along the beach, and groups of seals like to sunbathe on the large rocks in the water.

The beach at the end of this hike is so beautiful, that it’s photo is on the Nova Scotia health card!

The trail is dog friendly, well groomed and clearly marked. It has the option of either walking around the entire loop, or just to the ocean and back. It’s a perfect place for spending the day hiking, bird-watching, or having a picnic at the beach.

By Natalie of Natalie Explores

Climb Jacob’s Ladder 

Victoria Park in Truro is one of the best things to do in Nova Scotia. This natural woodland park is  3000 acres in the heart of town and the park has been around for over 130 years. 

You can spend an entire day here wandering the gorge, chasing waterfalls and trekking through the Eastern Hemlock forest. There is a playground for kids and even a heated outdoor pool.

But the crowds come for the challenging 175 step climb to conquer Jacob’s Ladder up the side of the steep gorge.

It’s not for the faint of heart, but the view is incredible…so others say!

Lightkeeper’s Seafeast at Cape Forchu Lightstation

Nothing beats a sumptuous seafood dinner and crisp glasses of wines. In Nova Scotia, you can enhance the seafood feast with a crimson sunset at the Cape Forchu Lightstation!

This unique foodie experience starts at the Yarmouth waterfront where you will meet your Acadian host, private chef and sommelier.

Fresh shucked oysters and aperitif welcome you aboard the fishing boat. It takes you through the harbor to the mighty Cape Forchu Lightstation. This is the most photographed lighthouse in Nova Scotia. The evening only gets even more amazing from here and will impress you with everything Nova Scotia has to offer.

After arriving at Cape Forchu, savour fresh seafood (think seafood-stuffed lobsters and steamed mussels!). It is expertly paired with award-winning Nova Scotia wine as you hear live Acadian songs and seafaring stories.

Take some time to explore the rugged landscapes in between the courses and watch the sun sets. Cape Forchu Lightstation is also a certified Starlight Tourist Destination. So if the sky is clear, you will get a chance to see the stars at the nearby observatory and speak with a dark sky expert!

The small group size makes this Lightkeeper’s Seafeast tour an intimate adventure. It is highly recommended to food lovers who plan to explore the Yarmouth and Acadian shore of Nova Scotia!

By Cat Lin of For Two, Please 

Take in the View from the Top of Cape Split

Here’s a fun anecdote to show just how naive I am:

The first time I hiked Cape Split it was on a school trip. I was in high school and did not know what to expect, but my teacher mentioned offhandedly it was a short hike and was an ice cream shop at the top.

So obviously I showed up in jeans and my soccer turf shoes, like a ridiculous teenager. I had no idea that in April it could be muddy or that I was unprepared.

Two and a half hours we made it to the top. I had mud all over my jeans and there was no ice cream shop!!!

Other than people making fun of me, I really did mind because Cape Split is a gorgeous hike and the view is better than any ice cream. After that I hiked it several times, knowing I better bring my own snacks.

Back then it was private property that the owners allowed people to hike. It is now one of the provincial parks, close by Scott’s Bay provincial park and Blomidon provincial park which is also a fantastic hike.

Hike the Skyline Trail

Ready to embark on one of the most exciting hikes along one of the most gorgeous stretches of highway in the world?

The Skyline Trail in Cape Breton is a moderate 5.4-mile hike on the western side of Cape Breton Island between the towns of Chéticamp and Pleasant Bay in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The Skyline Trail is right off the world-famous Cabot Trail and features majestic vistas and incredible wildlife-viewing opportunities.

The trail is fairly flat, gaining 377 feet in elevation as you head toward the coast. If you hike early in the morning or late in the evening, you have a very good chance of spotting wildlife, including coyotes, bears, eagles, and moose.

The highlight of the trail, and the reason thousands of visitors hike it each year, is the boardwalk down to the headlands with spectacular views of the Cabot Trail, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the town of Chéticamp in the distance.

This is the spot where the crowds convene. But sharing a sunset moment with nature lovers from around the world is one of the best ways to enjoy the beautiful coast of Nova Scotia.

Explore One of Easier Nova Scotia’s Trails 

Sure I like a bit of exercise, but just enough to feel like I deserve a treat. And Nova Scotia has some tasty trails:

• Chowder Trail: While everyone comes to Nova Scotia for lobster, the truly local thing to do in restaurants is order chowder. In fact, a very Maritime offering is a cup of chowder and half a sandwich – as if half a sandwich is practical for a restaurant kitchen to make. 
• Good Cheer Trail: One of my favourites, this includes over 50 spots for great local wine, beer, cider and spirits.
• Lobster Trail:Not only featuring whole lobster, but where you can a list of lobster dishes like lobster roll, lobster taco, lobster poutine, lobster quesadillas, lobster fondue, lobster club sandwich…you get the idea.

All of the stops will have passports for the trails and with 3 stamps you can enter to win a prize.

Glenora Distillery

Perhaps one of the most surprising things to do in Cape Breton Nova Scotia, Glenora Distillery is the first single malt whisky distillery in North America.

There are tours and tastings on site for a very reasonable $7/person. Also it’s possible to splurge on the VIP Single Malt Tasting Experience for $125

It’s a gorgeous site and you can also stay at the Glenora Inn (availability and rates here). It’s also home to its own pub where they say a good meal is “…the second best way to chase a sip of our whisky.”

I haven’t been here yet, but you can bet this is on my Nova Scotia travel bucket list.

Shop Nova Scotia at the Point General

The Point General feels like a secret worth keeping. It’s tucked away in beautiful Blue Rocks down at the end of the winding Point road. Surrounded by fish shacks, lobster traps and the Atlantic Ocean, it’s the perfect escape from the everyday.

The shop is small but packed full of care. It holds stories from the past with old buoys, oars and fishing gear hung from the rafters and displayed proudly on the walls. There is an assortment of curated prints, books, jewellery, and ceramics by local artists, as well as hot drinks, cold treats and delicious baked goods.

Everything is made in Nova Scotia. Coffee and tea are served in local handmade mugs and folks are encouraged to take a moment to enjoy the sea air and stroll along the shore. There are no to-go options because really, there is no where else to be. Spend the day in Blue Rocks and explore the many islands by kayak with Pleasant Paddling.

Stay for lunch, there are lobster rolls, BBQ sausages and made-for-you picnic baskets with cloth napkins, a cutting board and a selection of local bread, cheese, meat, fish and veggie options. Really there is something for everyone. The Point General is a detour, it is a retreat, and it should not be missed.

Delight in Nova Scotia’s Crazy Ice Cream Flavours

Nova Scotian’s love ice cream, who doesn’t?

We have a lot of fun with ice cream. In fact, Jonny’s Dairy Bar in Berwick has a sign that says:

I scream. You scream. The cops come. It’s awkward!

We have all the standard flavours, including everyone’s infatuation with caramel and sea salt. However, there are 3 flavours of ice cream you must try in Nova Scotia:

1. Moon Mist: only in Nova Scotia, it’s a mix of banana, grape and bubblegum ice cream.
2. Privateer’s Bounty: black licorice ribbons and crunchy pieces of butter toffee.
3. Lobster: gourmet ice cream shop Get the Scoop in Mahone Bay has a season lobster ice cream with real chunks of lobster in it. 

Throw an Axe Like a Canadian Lumberjack

Who needs a bowling league when you can throw an axe. Axe throwing leagues have popped up all over Canada, including Nova Scotia.

Don’t worry if you’re only visiting as you don’t need a league. Places like HaliMac Axe Throwing in Halifax and Kentville offer by the hour bookings and will show you how to do it. 

Cycle the Harvest Moon Trail

In Canada most of the old CN Rail tracks have been removed and its path repurposed for recreational use. The same is true in Nova Scotia and they are some of the most scenic paths in the province.

One of the most interesting sections is the Harvest Moon Trail. It runs 110-kilometres (68 miles) from the  UNESCO World Heritage Site of Grand Pré to the historic seaside town of Annapolis Royal. 

My favourite stretch is from Port Williams to Wolfville, alongside the Acadian dykes.

The dykes were created between 1680-1755. The Acadians had a good relationship with the local Mi’kmaq community. This was an unusual relationship in North America with European settlers. Because of this the Acadians traded with them and transformed the existing salt marshland, without objection. These elaborate dyke lands were used to travel through the region, and still exist today. 

The Harvest Moon Trail is a popular spot to go for a walk, or more ambitiously cycle between towns. Birdwatchers also love the marshland, and can pop into Mercator Vineyard, which conveniently has a road leading to its tasting room in an old farmhouse and a spectacular patio view. 

Trout Point Lodge wood fired hot tub.

Experience the Luxurious Side of Nature

There are a number of luxury fishing lodges and wilderness retreats throughout the province. They are home to some of the best restaurants in Nova Scotia, world class spas, spectacular views, outdoor saunas. Plus all the trendy forest bathing opportunities you could ever want.

Honestly, this is my kind of adventure travel. I like to see the views, but I also want to see it from a wood fired hot tub.

Trout Point Lodge in Yarmouth, is a favourite and it’s often fully booked (you can check availability here). Keltic Lodge and Cabot Links in Cape Breton are also often booked a year in advance.

Check out the best luxury lodges in Nova Scotia

Chow Down at the Lobster Pound

I know I said that locals don’t go out to eat lobster in restaurants. But the Halls Harbour Lobster Pound is one of those exceptions to the rule. 

Located in Halls Harbour, if you’re visiting someone from the Annapolis Valley, it’s very likely they will take you here.

The food is straight up seafood choices, although now the lobster poutine and lobster quesadilla are very popular. Having had the poutine I think it’s best to stick with the classics – straight up lobster.

Afterwards stop for an ice cream at Parker’s General Store across the street. And if the tide is out enjoy an ocean stroll.

Miners Marsh

A Ducks Unlimited site in downtown Kentville, as marshland that wasn’t really suitable to develop into commercial or residential land.

Thankfully they stepped in to preserve this wetland habitat. It’s a popular spot for morning walks, dogs are welcome on leash (although some owners break that rule) and families. There are interpretive signs to share all the wildlife you may see.

It’s also a great spot for wildlife photographers as there are so many birds. Locals often post their photos to the Friends of Miners Marsh facebook group.

At Halloween there is also an evening jack-o-lantern walk. Students at the community college and local businesses carve lanterns that line the walking trail through the marsh.

Annapolis Royal Candelight Graveyard Tour

There are several evening graveyard tours around Nova Scotia. It’s an opportunity to do something truly different. To learn about things like graveyard art on tombstones and a bit of local history.

The Historical Association of Annapolis Royal runs a candelight evening tour that doesn’t require reservations. Every evening from June 1 – October 15 tours meet at 9:30pm rain or shine. Look for them at the Fort Anne National Historic Site parking lot.

It’s been running for 28 seasons and was created by heritage interpreter Alan Melanson. Participants rave that it’s full of great storytelling and lots of laughs.

A family friendly event, admission for adults is $10, teenagers $5 and children $3

Watch Theatre Around a Bonfire

There is lots of fantastic theatre in Nova Scotia from Shakespeare by the Sea to the Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre. 

But the most experience I’ve had is at Two Planks and a Passion theatre at Ross Creek Centre for the Arts. This summer I watched a musical performance of Frankenstein around a camp fire. 

These are not simply community players, but ACTRA card holding actors. The theatre company provides blankets and you sit around on a circle of risers. The characters come in and out of the scene, acting around the fire. Afterwards there’s marshmallows to roast.

Many people come early to have a picnic, drink some local wine and play bocce ball with the equipment on

Here’s a full list of theatres in Nova Scotia

Hang with the Locals at Food Festivals

As an agricultural and fishing region we have so many little festivals all over the province. Whether it is the Avondale Garlic Festival or the world renown Devour Film Festival in Wolfville. 

A great way to keep track is to follow the weekly Taste of Nova Scotia’s What’s Cooking announcements or view all 550 festivals and events in Nova Scotia here.

What other things to do in Nova Scotia did I miss? Let me know in the comments below.

Pin it For Later: Things to Do in Nova Scotia Canada

This post is a paid content partnership with Tourism Nova Scotia. I’m thrilled to be promoting my home and was given free rein to travel the province independently to share what I truly recommend.

Images: Dark Sky (c) White Point Beach Resort; Citadel Hill, Jacob’s Ladder, Cape Split, Annapolis Royal Adirondacks, Gaspereau Vineyards wine tasting, Tidal Bore, Harvest Moon Trail (c) Tourism Nova Scotia, Two Planks and a Passion Theatre’s Frankenstein by Fire 2019 (c) Claire Milton, Pleasant Paddling (c) Pleasant Paddling, Annapolis Royal Graveyard Tour (c)  www.ExplorerGuide.ca

45+ Best Things to Do in Nova Scotia is a post from: Bacon is Magic

I ate this mixed berry crisp dessert last week and it was good I cajoled Stirling’s into giving it to me.

Perhaps one of the most popular places to eat pie in Nova Scotia is at Evangeline Cafe in Grand Pre. In true Maritime fashion, locals have called it Stirling’s since the 1940s, as it’s owned by the Stirling family. 

This really confuses tourists because when we tell them to go to Stirling’s. They often end up down the road in Greenwich at the Stirling Farm Market, confused and looking for pie. 

Evangeline Cafe has a full menu of food. As a kid I was always excited to have the lobster sandwiches. The burgers and chowder also get great reviews – here’s what other’s have to say.

But you really do need to leave room for pie. While I was here splitting the butterscotch pie and mixed berry crisp with my mother we overheard two women talking about how they’ve never had bad pie here. And it’s true, over the years some things are better than others but the pie is always great.

Stirling’s is open from Mother’s Day weekend through the last Saturday of October. Some people are such pie fanatics that they will come to chase the pie seasons – trying each fresh berry crisp and pie as it becomes available.

But if you can’t make it to Stirling’s in Grand Pre, the next best thing is enjoying their mixed berry crisp recipe. Although I technically ordered butterscotch pie, I couldn’t help but stab my fork into my mother’s berry crisp.

Is a Crisp the Same as a Crumble, Cobbler or Buckle?

All these of these fruit desserts use a similar recipe with minor differences:

A crisp is a baked fruit dessert with a topping of oats, spices and sometimes nuts.

And because a crumble is VERY CLOSE to a crisp, the baked fruit desserts are sometimes thought to be the same. But grandmothers know the difference. Yet crumbles usually don’t have oats or nuts and instead are like a streusel of sugar, flour and butter.

A cobbler is also a baked fruit dessert BUT it instead of an oat streusel it is topped with a biscuit or pie dough. And they say it’s called a cobbler because the biscuit topping looks like cobblestones.

A buckle often looks like a classic coffee cake. It’s called a buckle because when the batter rises the berries weigh it down causing the dessert to buckle.

Can I Substitute Strawberries or Other Berries? Can I Make  Fruit Crisps?

Absolutely, a crisp recipe is very versatile. While this is a triple berry crisp, my favourite kind of crisp is an apple crisp. Pear crisps are great as well as cherry, or strawberry rhubarb. It’s basically cooked fruit with an oat crisp topping.

Can I Use Frozen Berries?

Yes. But they must be fully thawed. If there’s any berry liquid, drain the berry mixture before adding to the baking dish.

How Can I Make This a Vegan Berry Crisp?

Easy peasy. Substitute the butter for margarine and skip the vanilla ice cream.

How Can I Make This a Gluten-Free Berry Crisp?

This is a great gluten-free dessert option. Pure oats are already gluten-free.

That said you need to be careful as oats are usually processed where there is barley, wheat and rye. Contamination is very common.

But to be safe, look for gluten-free oats or go to a speciality store where they can confirm there is no cross contamination.

Does This Crisp Recipe Work as a One of Two Servings?

Yes, living alone I’ve made lots of single serving crisp recipes in ramekin dishes or these small baking dishes.

However, you do need to watch the cooking time as it can be 15-20 minutes. Once the crisp is golden and fruit is bubbling you are done!

Mixed Berry Crisp Recipe

Yield: 9 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

This summer fresh mixed berry crisp is an easy recipe that can easily be a vegan dessert by substituting margarine for butter.

Print

Ingredients

• Filling:
• 4 cups Raspberries
• 2 cups Blackberries
• 1 cups Blueberries
• 1 cup White Granulated Sugar
• ¼ cup All Purpose White Flour
• Topping:
• 1 cup All Purpose White Flour
• 2 cups Quick oats
• 2 cups. Light Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Nutmeg
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a baking dish (10x10 or 9x13) with non-stick spray.
2. In a large bowl, lightly mix berries with flour and sugar by hand. It's okay if you bruise some of the berries as it's going to be cooked. Place in baking dish.
3. Melt butter. As it is melting combine other ingredients and mix well. Add it to top of berries.
4. Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check it at 45 minutes. If the crust has browned and the berries are bubbling you're done. But everyone's oven is different so it may take up to one hour.

Notes

This is great on its own or topped with French vanilla ice cream.

Recommended Products

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• Porcelain Ramekins 6 Oz 
• Porcelain Round Ramekins for Baking, 6 Ounces
• 9x13 Baking Dish

Suggested Wine Pairing

I asked Laila North who runs Uncork Nova Scotia. I took one of her wine tours and LOVED it. Laila completely understands the balance of having fun and learning interesting things like Nova Scotia has the same climate as the Champagne region in France.

She suggests Gaspereau Vineyard’s Maple Wine made with fermented maple “juice” or the Pomme d’Or Apple Cream Liquor from Domaine de Grand Pré. I’ve had both and they are delicious – plus they make great souvenirs and gifts for family.

If you’re coming to Nova Scotia and want to learn about Nova Scotia wine, I highly recommend her tour.

Pin it For Later: Triple Berry Crisp

This mixed berry crisp post is part of a paid partnership with Tourism Nova Scotia where I independently explore where I grew up to share what I think is the best food and wine in the Annapolis Valley. I am thrilled to work with him as it’s a dream job to promote my home. And big thanks to Stirling’s…err Evangeline Cafe, who graciously gave me their crisp recipe.

Stirling’s Razzle Berry Crisp Recipe is a post from: Bacon is Magic

If you’re planning a trip to the Maritimes you’ll probably been told to try the seafood and have heard of this mysterious meat dish we call a donair. But Nova Scotia food is far more than lobster rolls and spiced ground meat.

For the last year I’ve been compiling a list of traditional food in Nova Scotia, or food that you can only find in Nova Scotia. Originally I wanted the list to be 99 essential eats but I’ve only landed at 73 items.

But I consider it a work in progress, so help me get to the coveted 99 by sharing what is missing from this list!

I’ve also included wine pairings for these Nova Scotian foods. I loathe that when people suggest wine that they say white for fish and red for beef. It’s a bit more complicated than that!

So I went to the Nova Scotia wineries with this list of food and asked them to tell me how to pair wine with seafood and other food in Nova Scotia. I loved their enthusiasm as we laughed at some of them (rappie pie) and others (mostly Lunenburg sausage) I had to explain what they were.

But hey sometimes you just want to chew on some dulse and sip on a glass of local wine, right???

Nova Scotia Food

Lobster Dinner

So many people ask me where to eat a lobster dinner in Nova Scotia. The truth is Maritimers eat lobster at home. 

It’s simply too expensive for us to justify eating out when we can buy it directly from the fishermen and boil or steam it at home. We spread out the newspaper and go crazy.

If you’re in the Annapolis Valley the place to go is Halls Harbour Lobster Pound. You can choose the size and sides (coleslaw and potato salad for me) or they also have other seafood options. Lobster quesadilla and lobster poutine is very popular.

It’s at Halls Harbour, a working harbour that hasn’t just been created for tourists to visit. If the tide is out you can walk along the beach and check out the tidal pools. 

Outside the Valley, The Shore Club next to Hubbards beach has been a family owned lobster dinner joint for over 80 years. It’s also a dance hall at night so you can stay for a dinner and dance.

Although they only serve lobster (with the option of a turf menu as well) there are free mussels and a salad bar. This is a small lobster in my hand. While some people think bigger is better, I would never order anything above 2.5lbs as the meat gets tough. 2-2.5lbs is the sweet spot.

Brown bread

This brown bread is made with fancy molasses and a bit sweet.  I also love oatmeal brown bread and am happy to eat it with just a bit of salted butter.

Although it’s so simple and delicious it’s easy to eat half a loaf…

Suggested wine pairing: Mercator Compass Rose, Planter’s Ridge Riesling

Mackerel

A fish commonly found in Atlantic Canada, although stocks are down in recent years. It’s a slightly oilier fish with lots of great omega 3 fatty acids. Because of the oil it is often fried, smoked or barbecued.

Lobster Roll

While Nova Scotians don’t eat lobster dinners outside their home, the lobster roll is so popular there’s even a McLobster.

Some places like to get fancy but I think lobster with mayo on a white dog bun that is buttered and toasted is perfect. Nova Scotia food is simple and doesn’t need truffle oil and all the other things outsiders do to “improve” lobster rolls.

Although I’ve never turned down a lobster roll because it was too fancy…

Suggested wine pairing: Avondale Sky Cheverie, Benjamin Bridge Nova 7

Brothers Pepperoni

We owe this pub dish to two brothers who immigrated from Poland in the 50s.

You can buy it at the grocery store in the deli department. Also, it’s a popular dish at pizza shops and pubs where it’s deep fried and served with honey mustard.

Suggest wine pairing: Luckett Vineyard Leon Millot

Fat Archies Cookies

Soft molasses cookies from Cape Breton island that often have cinnamon and raisins. It was also sometimes made with bacon fat, perhaps that’s the reason they are called Fat Archies.

Molasses has been in east coast households for centuries, and we used it even after the rest of the world shunned molasses when refined white sugar was available.

There’s something about the depth of molasses that neither maple syrup nor sugar can replicate.

Digby Scallops

An iconic Nova Scotia food, scallops from Digby are known around the world. And while you can get great scallops all over Nova Scotia. There’s nothing like eating them the same day they were harvested out of the Bay of Fundy.

Scallops can be cooked many different ways. Pan-seared, bacon wrapped, deep fried and even raw at Half Shell in Lunenburg.

While I normally avoid deep fried food, there is no better place to eat scallops than at Ed’s Take Out in Digby. It’s a small family-owned roadside joint with only 2 tables inside and picnic tables outside. 

But the lightly battered scallops are like butter melting in your mouth. It’s worth a drive to Digby for these scallops alone. Bring cash as they don’t accept debit.

Runner up is Crow’s Nest in Hillsburn just outside Annapolis Royal, which also brings in fresh seafood each morning.

Wild Blueberries

I love Nova Scotia blueberries. It’s the only thing that makes the end of strawberry season bearable.

Most of the blueberries in Nova Scotia are cultivated in either British Colombia or Nova Scotia. Ontario and Quebec don’t really grow much outside local demand.

And while I grew up picking u-pick blueberries at Blueberry Acres, and still do today (so much cheaper) I have to say wild blueberries are completely different.

You don’t have to go foraging for them yourself. Lots of the farmers markets will have them. They are much different from cultivated berries. They are smaller and more tart and worth trying, I think they make a great road trip snack.

Rappie Pie

A traditional Acadian dish, this is a Nova Scotia food you’ll either love or hate. 

But I think it really depends on who makes it. It can taste like wallpaper paste or a comforting casserole. I’ve had both. My advice is if you’re at someone’s home, take just a small portion to try it first. Also, ketchup helps.

Somewhat like a shepherd’s pie, yet not at all. Rappie pie is made by shredding potatoes, pressing them to remove the moistureand then adding meat and broth to the dish. If it’s not crispy it can be tough to eat.

You can find rappie pie in many restaurants along the Acadian shore but it’s most well regarded at Red Cap restaurant in Pubnico.

Suggested wine pairing: L’Acadie Vineyard Passito, Domain de Grand Pre Champlain

Molasses Sandwich

An old school treat, molasses spread on bread and eaten as a sandwich. Easy peasy.

Summer Savory

I grew up with summer savory being a common ingredient in our kitchen. It wasn’t until I tried to make turkey dressing for a Thanksgiving in Toronto that I realized it was a Nova Scotia food. 

Despite all the places to buy herbs and spices in Toronto, the closest I could get was winter savory. Little did I know that I could buy summer savory on Amazon.

Summer savory is a Mediterranean herb that European settlers brought. Similar to thyme or marjoram, but more peppery and fragrant. There is no real substitute.

While it’s more commonly known as an ingredient for food in Provence, it somehow adapted to our tough Maritime climate. When it grew stronger, it also developed a more intense flavour.

While summer savory is synonymous with Acadian food where it is known as sarriette d’été Ancienne d’Acadie it is prevalent throughout all Nova Scotia cuisine.

Lunenburg Pudding

It doesn’t look the most appetizing as it’s grey. A German-style sausage that is similar to a pâté, pork, liver and beef is boiled and them combined with onion, coriander and summer savory.

Victor Greek of Greek’s Quality Meats created the sausage in the 1940s and became so popular the shop was selling 1500 pounds a week. Although Victor retired and sold Greek Meat’s in 2018, the shop continues to use the original recipe. You can also find it at the local Foodland in Lunenburg.

Suggested wine pairing: Blomidon Estate Winery Riesling

Lunenburg Sausage

A fresh sausage variant of the Lunenburg pudding. 

Tancook Sauerkraut

Produced on Tancook Island, this Nova Scotia sauerkraut has been produced for nearly 200 years. It is made from smaller cabbage that are shredded by hand and fermented in wooden barrels.

You can buy it in most supermarkets, often in the meat department.

Quahog Clams

The most popular way to serve clams is fried. But you can find this Nova Scotia food in chowders, soups, seafood boils and clame bakes.

But if you’re looking for great fried clams check out Foote Farm Market in Centreville, Seaside Seafoods in Hunt’s Point and John’s Lunch in Dartmouth.

Blueberry Soup

Served chilled, blueberries are cooked with spices and served with a dollop of cream. It’s a nice light dessert. 

The Main Street restaurant in Ingonish, which is well known for seafood always receives rave reviews for its chilled blueberry soup.

Smoked Eel

Long before the English or French arrived in Nova Scotia, the Mi’kmaq indigneous people lived here. Known as kat in Mi’kmaq, eel is an underrated delicacy. It was not only eaten but eels had medicinal uses and would bind tools. 

While it may be difficult to find eel on a menu, you can find smoked eel in markets throughout the province.

Haddock

If you don’t have haddock in Nova Scotia you haven’t eaten. While haddock fish and chips or haddock chowder is fantastic, you can’t beat a pan fried haddock.

Storm Chips

Storm chips are a recent phenomena that I have not yet experienced. But when Hurricane Dorian was coming our way everyone went looking for storm chips.

Not simply potato chips that you eat during the storm. This is a food ration specifically to get you through a snow storm. In Nova Scotia, you can be stuck inside for days during a storm. The power may go out and hopefully you have a wood stove or generator. 

But most of all, you must have snacks.

Storm chips started as a joke, a way to celebrate a storm by having a treat. But then a company in New Brunswick was smart enough to make them.

You can now buy bags of storm chips that have four different flavours all in one bag: ketchup, dill pickle, sea salt and vinegar and barbecue. 

Donair

Most people I know don’t eat donairs on a regular basis. It is definitely a late night after drinking food, next day hung over food, or a special treat.

While Nova Scotia has a long history of English/Irish/Scottish descendants, there were also a number of Greek and Lebanese immigrants. And thank gawd, because we needed to diversify Nova Scotia cuisine.

Donairs are similar to gyros. Spiced ground meat cooked on a spit and then shaved. It is served on a Greek-style thick pita topped with onion and tomato, from afar donairs look like gyros. 

But Donair sauce is like nothing you’ve ever seen and it’s an acquired taste. Some love it and others think the mix of condensed milk, icing sugar and vinegar is repulsive.

As a Nova Scotian I adore it.

Locals love their donair sauce so much that they couldn’t enjoy it solely on donairs. Garlic fingers are popular throughout North America, but it’s only in Nova Scotia that you’ll find people dipping them in donair sauce! Pro tip: Go to the grocery store and stock up on a few bottles of donair sauce while you’re in town! Donairs are so engrained in our culture that we just need a reason to eat them.

When Hurricane Dorian was approaching someone realized Dorian had the same letters as donair. Instagram was filled with Nova Scotians enjoying Hurricane donairs while the power was out and trees were crashing down.

Donairs are the official food of Halifax. There are fancy spots now like Johnny K’s, but if you’re in Halifax go to the OG. King of Donair (or as we call it, K.O.D.) and get the small, even if you are splitting. 

Suggest Wine Pairing: Avondale Sky Winery Sparkling Rose, Planter’s Ridge Riesling

Boiled Dinner

I did not grow up eating this. But boiled dinner is exactly what it sounds like, a boiled dinner. Well I Should say it is a braised meal, with meat, root vegetables and spices.

Sometimes it includes salted brisket, a bone-in ham or some African Nova Scotian families used pigtails – which frankly I think sounds like the tastiest option of the three.

Mustard Pickles

Cucumbers, cauliflower and bell peppers pickled with dry mustard and turmeric. It’s a traditional condiment from Cape Breton.

Fish and Chips

If you think you’ve had good fish and chips outside the Maritimes you better think again. It’s such a simple dish but you need a hot fryer, fresh haddock and great fries.

Vicky’s is known for excellent fish and chips but I have to give my top pick to Islandview Restaurant just outside Mahone Bay. You can get their fish breaded or battered,

It’s a little roadside spot that has been family owned since the 1960s. It’s also a great bakery must also have great soup as I saw tons of the soup of the day heading toward the dining room. I’d skip that scene and head outside as the view at the picnic tables is as good as the view.

Dulse

You can’t eat all seaweed but you can eat this red seaweed from the Bay of Fundy. It has a salty umami flavour and is great as a dried snack on its own.

But it’s also really good to crumble and add to soups even savoury shortbread cookies.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Benjamin Bridge can of Nova 7

Smoked Fish with Cream Egg Sauce

Originally a dish from Scotland, it made its way to New Scotland. There are many variations of this dish. My grandmother made a version of this as a milk sauce with regular haddock. 

This is a dish often cooked in people’s homes and occasionally found in cafes that serve home cooking.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Mercator Sauvage, Luckett Vineyard Ortega

Solomon Gundy

The peculiar sounding Nova Scotia food is actually herring pickled with onion and spices. 

It’s said the name originates from an English salad that contained anchovies, called salamagundi. Interestingly, Solomon Gundy is found in the Caribbean and is a typical Jamaican food. 

On the South Shore you may find pickled herring wrapped around cucumber and onion. This pinwheel was considered to be a reliable hangover cure.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Avondale Sky Nirvana, L’Acadie Vineyard Sparkling Rose

Digby Chicken

It’s not chicken nor does it come from Digby, in fact this strong flavoured Nova Scotia food is cured herring.  

Mussels

Mussels in Nova Scotia are a no brainer. They are great in pubs, formal restaurants and even better at home.

If you like mussels don’t miss the cream of mussel soup at The Knot Pub in Lunenburg.

Haddie Bits and Fries

Haddock is popular in many many forms. Haddie bits are ends of haddock deep fried and served with fries. If you’re on Highway 1, or as locals call it – the old highway, stop by Pearle’s in Paradise for Haddie Bits and ice cream for dessert.

Snow Crab

Snow crab from Cape Breton is shipped all over the world. Our cold waters make for very flavourful crab meat that you don’t get in the warmer waters where you typically get crab.

Seafood Chowder

Pretty much any self-respecting local restaurant in Nova Scotia has chowder.

The one constant in Nova Scotian chowder is that it is milk/cream based. Even Le Caveau‘s version which is a riff on Spanish ajo blanco and uses ground almonds – still has some cream in it.

But other than dairy, Nova Scotian chowder recipes can vary.  Some use clams, others do not. If you’re lucky there will be lobster, but others are haddock and potato only. Some recipes use cream although chowder in Nova Scotia tends to be less thick.

Chowder is so diverse that I have three chowder recipes on this site including: mussel chowder and this seafood chowder from Prince Edward Island.
 

 
Some spots thicken with flour – which, I don’t like at all. But it’s also dangerous for celiacs and those with gluten intolerance. Crystanny’s in Canning is the first 100% gluten-free restaurant in Nova Scotia and offers a great haddock chowder.

A true local spot, will even offer the option for a cup of chowder with a half-sandwich. This is a classic Nova Scotian lunch.

Suggested Wine Pairing: Gaspereau Vineyards Tidal Bay, Benjamin Bridge Vēro 
 

Fish Cakes

A common dish to have at home or in a restaurant. Fish cakes are a comfort food in Nova Scotia. Simply made with salt cod, onion and mashed potatoes. They can also include fresh herbs, celery, spices and sometimes bacon. 

It’s common to have them at home or with a salad at a restaurant. If we don’t have fish we simply make potato cakes.

Popular spots for fish cakes are at the Old Triangle in Halifax, Union Street Cafe in Berwick or Bluenose 2 in Halifax, which has been around since the 1960s.

Periwinkles

It’s not common to find snails on menus across Nova Scotia but they are delicious with garlic butter.

Dragon’s Breath cheese

Pairs beautifully with Domain de Grand Pre Ortega. It is most often described as similar to a Chardonnay.

Creamed Peas on Toast

A throwback to our roots in English cuisine.

Tourtiere – Meat Pies

From the Acadians, shredded or ground meat under a pastry crust.

Green Tomato Chow Chow

Sometimes Nova Scotia food is heavy, especially the cream or potato dishes so condiments are key. 

Chow chow is made from pickling everything from green tomatoes, to beans – basically any fresh summer vegetable that is available. It’s used similar to a relish so it’s a great condiment for fish cakes or even on top of a hot dog.

Locals make their own chow chow but you can also find it at farmers markets.

Oysters

While Prince Edward Island is better known for its oysters, we can hold out own in Nova Scotia. Nova Scotian oysters range from salty and meaty to having a mushroom taste and a sweet finish. It really depends on where they were cultivated.

You can find PEI oysters in Nova Scotia along with New Brunswick oysters. But if you’re looking specifically for Nova Scotian oysters see if they have the following:

• Aspy bay 
• Belon 
• Bras D’Or
• Cap-Breton
• Chedabucto
• Eel Lake
• Fox Island
• Lady Chatterly
• Little Harbour
• Merigomish
• Pugwash
• Rocky Side
• Ruisseau
• Shan Daph
• South Lake
• Sweet Point
• Tatamagouche
• Thrumcaps

Pictou County Pizza

Specifically Acropole Pizza, I had no idea that Pictou had a pizza so great that so many people would recommend it. 

It turns out that it’s because of the brown sauce on the pizza. It’s so beloved that Sobey’s grocery store now stocks it in the frozen pizza section.

Hodge Podge

Best described as a vegetable chowder. This Nova Scotia food is a summer dish as it features summer fresh vegetables like wax beans, green beans, potatoes, carrots and peas. 

If you see “hodge podge” on the sign of farmer’s market it means they are usually selling the mix of vegetables so that you can make it at home. It’s made by gently boiling the vegetables and adding butter, cream, salt and pepper.

Suggested Wine Pairing:

Chicken Fricot

A type of stew, this is another Acadian dish that is often made with leftover chicken or turkey. The broth is made with the carcass, root vegetables are added along with summer savory and dumplings.

Stew and Doughboys

Similar to Acadian fricot, stew and doughboys are dumplings dropped into a beef stew. It’s also common to find this in Newfoundland.

Haskap Berries

We’re an agriculture region and so we can grow a lot of interesting berries. I didn’t grow up with haskap berries but now Nova Scotia is famous for them. 

Also called, blue honeysuckle and sweetberry honeysuckle. They are common in Japan, and it turns out we have a similar climate.

Haskap berries look like wonky oblong blueberries and taste like somewhere in between a wild blueberry and a raspberry.

They are so popular that it’s sometimes hard to find them fresh unless you know someone who grows them in their backyard. But keep an eye out for jams and Grand Pre winery also sells a haskap sparkling wine.

Fiddleheads 

Fiddleheads are young ferns before they unravel their frond. Found early in the Spring, they are a delicious green vegetable that tastes fantastic pan fried. I also love this deep-fried fiddlehead recipe, as it’s easy to master the first time cooking this foraged plant.
 

 
Fiddleheads are so commonly foraged that you don’t need to go out in the forest to scope out the wet grounds yourself. You can find them in most farmers markets in the spring, around the same time as ramp season.

Red and Green Pepper Jelly

Nova Scotia is a province of preserving to get through the winter. Hot pepper jelly is very popular here. Both red and green pepper jelly is common in Nova Scotia, often served on fresh bread. 

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

It’s not from Nova Scotia, but it certainly is a popular meal here. Since we have such great producers here it’s a local favourite.

Foraged Food

It’s becoming more common to see foraged food, especially from the sea, at farmer’s markets. Keep your eye out for Bay of Fundy sea lettuce, sea asparagus, rose hips and ramps.

Nova Scotia’s Fast Food Favourites

When I put the call out on Facebook for Nova Scotian food I was surprised at how many people gave me specific things to eat at specific places.

These are not traditional food in Nova Scotia per se, but definitely local favourites so I wanted to include them. They really do reflect our quirky culture as the food is diverse and sometimes questionable in the best way.

Donair Egg Roll

We love donair any way we can get it. Not only is it available as a pizza, but you can also get it as a egg roll.

The Hantsport Kwik Way convenience store is known as one of the best spots for this quirky Nova Scotia food.

Sweet Maria Burger

Jonny’s is a cookhouse featuring burgers, hot dogs and poutine. The burgers are ground in house and made on buns made daily.

It’s also a dairy bar with indoor and outdoor seating and it’s always crowded, but its usually with takeaway food and after dinner ice cream.

The Sweet Maria has bacon, pineapple, sweet chili sauce and mayo. If you’re feeling hungry splurge on the Jerry, which includes these toppings on two patties.

Fried Chicken

An agricultural area, Nova Scotia raises a lot of chicken. While we may not have the famous name of Kentucky or even the spiciness of Nashville Hot Chicken we do have great fried chicken.
A & K Lick a Chick in Little Bras D’or is the place to go.

The Chickenburger

The oldest drive-in diner in Canada, it still uses the same recipe for chicken on a bun that it did in 1940. If you feel like hamburgers have gotten too crazy in the last few years and yearn for simpler burger times then you’ll love the hamburgers here.

Pizza at Pizza Corner

A rite of passage for anyone going out drinking in Halifax. Nothing tastes better than a slice of greasy pizza at 2am with donair dipping sauce.

Peanut Butter Burger 

If you ever wondered what a peanut butter would ever taste like on a burger that already had bacon, lettuce, tomato and cheese then head to Darrells restaurant.

With gourmet burgers, fries and milkshakes you’ll wonder how you’ve survived without peanut butter as a burger topping.

Fries from Bud the Spud

Sure you can get great fries everywhere but everyone knows where Bud the Spud is. And it’s often used as a point to give directions.

This chip truck has been on Spring Garden Road in Halifax before food trucks were trendy. They used to cook the potatoes in lard, which made them delicious. But I’m not sure if that is still true.

Jimmy Dogs 

Raising the bar to what we think hot dogs. Made from naturally raised pigs without antibiotics, Jimmy Dogs are from Meadowbrook Farm Meat Market. There is no gluten, whey, soy, dairy, MSG, artificial dyes or animal by products. It’s just pure muscle meat making these hot dogs stand above the rest.

Garlic Fingers with Donair Sauce

While I’ve already explained what a donair is, the truth is the sauce is what makes it special. You can get it as a dipping sauce from pizza and instead of marinara sauce, it’s more common for Nova Scotians to get donair sauce.

If you love it like I do, you can grab a bottle for home. Head to the deli department of a grocery store and they’ll have a few by the pizzas and garlic fingers to-go.

Smelts

When I grew up smelts were considered a poor man’s fish. But with the focus on eating sustainable fish, and people getting over their snobby selves, smelts have made a comeback.

Fried whole, most joints will take the head off for you. You could try to eat around the bones, but they are so small I usually just chew through them.

Nova Scotian Desserts + Sweets

Nova Scotians love dessert, so much so that I probably could have written a list of 99 Nova Scotian desserts. 

Strawberry Shortcake

We didn’t invent strawberry shortcake but we do eat a lot of it. Strawberries are everywhere in Nova Scotia over the summer. My first job was picking strawberries and it’s my favourite season.

Blueberry Grunt

A traditional Nova Scotian dessert, blueberry grunt is cooked blueberries cooked with dumblings. It’s often served with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Egg Tarts 

Nova Scotia may seem small to some, but even we have our regional foods. Egg tarts are mostly found around Digby, particularly around Digby Neck. Traditionally they were only on Brier Island and Long Island, but mainlanders needed to make their own.

Absolute musts are a homemade pastry shell, never frozen and a good custard filling. Brier Island is famous for tempting visitors with its unique recipe that also uses vinegar. It sounds odds but if you think egg tarts are too sweet the vinegar helps balance the sweetness.

Coconut Cream Cake

While coconut isn’t a local ingredient, the cafe at Wheaton’s furniture store has been serving coconut cream cake for so long that it’s become a Nova Scotian mainstay.

Moon Mist Ice Cream

The original unicorn coloured dessert, moon mist is a mix of banana, grape and bubblegum ice cream.

The colourful treat is meant for children. But I can’t resist ordering moon mist ice cream even if it’s just once each summer. The flavours aren’t natural tasting but they are delicious.

I’ve heard you can get it out of the Maritimes, but it’s rare. But there’s nothing like eating it at home.

Oat Cakes

Originally from Scotland, it’s a common Nova Scotian dessert or just a sweet for tea time. 

Oatcakes can be served plain, but many bakeries in Nova Scotia make them with drizzled chocolate for an extra treat.

Fruit Pie

Friends gave a long list of pie suggestions including strawberry rhubarb, apple, blueberry and even coconut pie. All using seasonal fruit, except the coconut as they will never grow in our cold climate.

The place to go for pie in the Annapolis Valley is Stirling’s. This is a very misleading piece of advice because while all the local’s call it Stirling’s, that was its original name and changed decades ago to Evangeline Motel and Inn Cafe.

But Maritimers are persistent. Visiting Stirling’s in the summer for pie is a tradition.

Privateer’s Bounty Ice Cream

This ice cream may be newer but has a nod to our history, and certainly Nova Scotia’s unofficially song, Barrett’s Privateers.

Most by the scoop shops will have Privateer’s Bounty, which has black licorice ribbons and crunchy pieces of butter toffee.

Apple Crisp or Pie

Being home to an apple valley we grow over 35 apples in Nova Scotia. While the Cortland is the most popular apple to cook with, every home cook has their own opinions. 

Apple pie is always available, but there’s nothing like a good homemade apple crisp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A friend brought me treats from home #NovaScotia #EastCoast #ClearToys #barleycandy #ChickenBones #CinnamonandChocolate Forgot how much I loved these.

A post shared by Chantelle Muise (@chantellemax) on Nov 10, 2016 at 6:44am PST

Barley Toys

These hard candy treats are popular at Christmas. Made from barley sugar and water, you can buy bags of this red and white sugar candy, which come in odd shapes like a rooster or rocking horse.

Chicken Bones

The most bizarre Christmas candy, my mother loves them. They are rose pink cinnamon flavoured candy with a chocolate interior. 

Strawberry Freezer Jam

My family jokes that my grandmother would live off tea and toast (with jam).

In the summer we would finish dinner and then the whole family would go to a strawberry U-Pick patch. It was a mandatory post-dinner activity because my grandmother would make enough jam for the entire year. 

Berries aren’t cooked in freezer jam so it tastes more like summer with fresh berries. But as it’s not processed in a water bath like regular jam it must be kept in the fridge or freezer.

Nova Scotian Drinks

Nova Scotians fall on the spectrum from teetotalers to rum drinkers. It simply reflects our past.

And today we still drink a lot of tea and a lot of rum, but a few other drinks you should keep an eye out for.

The Good Cheer Trail is Nova Scotia’s winery, craft brewery, cidery and distillery trail. It outlines 35+ great spots to have a local drink in Nova Scotia.

Tidal Bay Wine

Nova Scotia’s appellation wine, you can only grow it here. It’s so popular with locals that wineries don’t have enough to export much of it.

Nova Scotia is a newer wine region but has really evolved into defining what the region is all about. In 2012, Tidal Bay was launched as the wine of Nova Scotia.

It is made by 11 wineries in Nova Scotia and while the flavour varies of each winery’s interpretation, it falls within a spectrum. It’s a cool climate white, which means it’s aromatic, with great acidity and pairs well with seafood.

Beep

If you grew up in Nova Scotia, you drank beep as a kid. It wasn’t 100% juice, but this sugar mix of orange, pineapple, plum, apricot and prune was so delicious.

Why it was taken off the shelves in 2010 is beyond me, but probably the best for the next generation. Every once in a while they bring it back seasonally and we all rejoice in the cavities we’ll get from it. 

Cider

As an apple valley, cider is found everywhere but it’s not all the same as it can be made from a variety of apples. Spots like Elderkin’s farm market has tastings and we finally have an alcoholic cider house in Wolfville.

Annapolis Cider Company is a fantastic spot to try a bunch of cider, but it’s best to go mid-day or during the week as it’s popular enough for the second location (hint hint).

Tea

Linking back to our English/Irish/Scottish roots, many people drink tea in Nova Scotia. There are lots of fun tea shops for afternoon tea. The Tangled Garden Tea Room in Grand Pre with its vintage china is beautiful. Although, really we just drink it everywhere, including our homes.

What other Nova Scotia food should be on this list? Leave your suggestions in the comments below!

Pin it For Later: Nova Scotia Food

Disclosure: This post is part of a paid series with Tourism Nova Scotia. I had the idea to write this post a year ago but it remained an unfinished draft until this program. I’m so thankful to great partners who make posts like this possible.

Nova Scotia Food: The 99 Essential Eats is a post from: Bacon is Magic

With the latest trend of people trying to eat less meat I wanted to share this traditional hodge podge recipe. It’s a Nova Scotia classic and has ALWAYS been vegetarian because we’re not just a land of amazing seafood. 

I grew up in the Annapolis Valley. It was once a booming apple valley, but many of the orchards are now vineyards making incredible Nova Scotia wine.

Yet we’re still an agricultural area in the Valley.  I didn’t grow up wearing a souwester and hanging out with fishermen, the backdrop of my childhood was farmland.
 

 
We ship apples, blueberries (especially wild blueberries) throughout Canada and all over the world. And while I didn’t grow up on a farm (thankfully as I’m too lazy for that) I did grow up with the culture of visiting farmer’s markets and stands first.

The best produce isn’t in a grocery store. It is in one of the MANY farmer stands as you drive through the small villages in Nova Scotia.
  
And this is why I love this hodge podge recipe. Because it celebrates the simplicity of fresh vegetables. I must admit I didn’t even try hodge podge until this year. Perhaps that’s for the best as I can truly appreciate. 

If I had eaten it while I was young I would have scoffed at the idea of having vegetable chowder when I could be having seafood chowder.

But when I researched the history behind hodge podge I was able to see so many parts of Maritime culture that I don’t notice because it’s just normal life here.

I’m sharing this Nova Scotia hodge podge because it’s not something you can find in restaurants outside the Acadian shore. It’s something that you buy ingredients for and make at home.
 

What is Hodge Podge?

You can find “hodge podge” all over the world. It means using whatever ingredients are available to make a soup or stew. In many countries it’s a beef stew, or uses chicken and other meat.

But in Maritime cuisine, Nova Scotia hodge podge is very different. While it follows the same versatile spirit of adding what you have available, it’s a bit more streamlined. The recipe for hodge podge in Nova Scotia is farm fresh vegetables in butter and cream.

But this is where it gets interesting.

Nova Scotia hodge podge celebrates early summer vegetables. It’s not about waiting for the carrots to grow large or potatoes to be stored.

It uses the OG baby carrots (not the ones manufactured in the store) and new potatoes that are freshly dug and haven’t yet been cured in a storage cellar. 

Nova Scotia Hodge Podge History

The word hodge podge originates from Old French. In France there’s an old stew recipe for vegetables and meat called hochepot. Hocher means to shake in French and it was basically a bunch of ingredients thrown or shaken in a pot. 

So it’s most likely that hodge podge came from our Acadian settlers, who farmed the new world land.

They didn’t have the luxury of waiting for the vegetables to mature completely, they needed to eat all season long. Acadian hodge podge makes most sense that the new settlers adapted this dish to fresh, seasonal vegetables without meat.
 

What Vegetables are in Hodge Podge?

Fresh young vegetables bathed in cream, the beauty of this simple recipe is that it is extremely versatile.  Farmer’s markets will often have hodge podge mixes and they are basically whatever is seasonal at the time. 

However, it’s most common to see new potatoes, green and yellow wax beans, new carrots and peas. But it’s also possible to find turnip (gross), young onions with silver skins, asparagus and garlic scapes. Most often the vegetables are thoroughly scrubbed and skins are left on.

The vegetables are young so no need for peeling. 
If you’re not familiar with the term new potato it means small potatoes that were dug 2 months after planted. They are small with thin skins and you never need to peel them.
 
 

How to Make Hodge Podge

I’ve included a full recipe below but there are basically two traditional ways to make hodge podge:

1) Boil or steam the vegetables and then add them to cream and butter. You can cook the vegetables separately (potatoes and carrots for 15-20 minutes, beans 7-10 minutes, which is great because the carrots and potatoes will take longer than beans and peas. You put all the ingredients in a mixture of cream and butter

2) Simmer the vegetables in the cream and butter for up to 45 minutes. This method makes for a richer flavour as the vegetables cook in cream. But it takes longer as the potatoes take a while to cook so you should add potatoes and carrots before beans, unless you like mushy green beans.

And then there’s MY third way, which is longer but I think better:

The challenge with cooking vegetables together, whether it be sheet pan recipes, kabobs or stews is that some vegetables take longer to cook than others. You either get undercooked potatoes or overcooked beans. 

Plus simmering and boiling is a great way to cook the vegetables in hodge podge. BUT it also makes them less vibrant. This is a great recipe as an easy main dish for entertaining. But you eat with your eyes, no one wants a greyish green bean.

This recipe combines the control benefit of boiling AND the flavour benefit of simmering. 

I blanch each of the vegetables to keep the brilliant colours and to control how long each has been cooked. If you are entertaining guests and don’t want to be cooking the entire time this is a great option. You can begin by blanching the vegetables and then put into the cream when you are ready to finish the dish.

When guests arrive, simmer the vegetables until they are done. You get control + flavour.

How to Blanch Vegetables: 

1. Create an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water.
2. Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
3. Boil small vegetables (beans, asparagus etc) for 60 seconds, carrots 90 seconds, potatoes 2 minutes
4. With slotted spoon remove vegetables and plunge in ice bath, which stops cooking process.

Hodge Podge Wine Pairings

I visited local wineries armed with questions of pairing Nova Scotia wine with typical food in Nova Scotia. I thought this would be a tough pairing question as there’s a combination of butter and cream with spring green vegetables.

I’ve always been told that green vegetables are tough to pair wine. Yet no one skipped a beat when I asked about pairing with a hodge podge recipe. Here’s are some great options:

• Avondale Sky Canadian Oak L’Acadie Blanc – suggested by Winemaker Ben Swetnam
• Benjamin Bridge Non-Vintage Brut – suggested by Assistant Winemaker Alex Morozov
• Blomidon Estate Winery Chardonnay – suggested by Winemaker Simon Rafuse.
• Domaine de Grand Pre Rosé – suggested by Oenologist Jürg Stutz
• Gaspereau Vineyards  – suggested by Winemakes Gina Haverstock
• L’Acadie Vineyards Estate L’Acadie – suggested by Winemaker Bruce Ewart
• Luckett Vineyards L’Acadie – suggested by Assistant Manager Geena Luckett
• Mercator Vineyards Sauvage Sur Lie – suggested by Winemaker Becca Griffin
• Planter’s Ridge L’Acadie – suggested by Wendy
• Chardonnay (Blomidon) or L’Acadie Blanc – suggested by Laila North of Uncork Nova Scotia

My Hodge Podge Recipe

Nova Scotia Hodge Podge Recipe

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Hodge podge is a Nova Scotia vegetable chowder using fresh summer vegetables bathed in cream and butter.

Print

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh vegetables (whole green and yellow waxed beans, small carrots, quartered new potatoes, fresh peas etc)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 cups 10% cream
• 1 cup water from blanching pot
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh seasonal herbs (chives and dill)
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Blanch vegetables (see timing in notes below). Boil small vegetables (beans, asparagus etc) for 60 seconds, carrots 90 seconds, potatoes 2 minutes.

2. Heat heavy bottomed pot over medium. Add unsalted butter. When melted add vegetables to warm through.

3. Add cornstarch to water and mix thoroughly.

4. Add cream and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Then turn heat down to low to let simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chives and dill and serve warm.

Notes

Vegetables should be 3/4 done with blanching. As no vegetable is the same, think of it as al dente to be finished in simmering process.

I've given approximate times but you may need to check. I always go light on the smaller veggies as I don't mind them firm, and more time on potatoes as they are ok to be overcooked but not undercooked.

How to Blanch Vegetables: 

1. Create an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water.
2. Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
3. Boil small vegetables first, peas 30 seconds, (beans, asparagus etc) for 60 seconds, carrots 3 minutes, potatoes 4 minutes. Peas
4. With slotted spoon remove vegetables and plunge in ice bath, which stops cooking process.
5. Keep 1 cup of water from pot for later use.

Can I Use Lower Fat Milk or Cream?

Absolutely. But I would personally not go lower than 2% milk. I find when cooking with milk with lower fat percentages the texture starts to become a bit odd.

I’d rather use a higher percent milk and cut it with water or broth. I have no science to explain why, it’s just personal experience. If I had guests over I’d use the 35% cream, but at home use whatever you have available.

Is this Hodge Podge Gluten Free?

Yes, I’ve used corn starch as the thickener for this recipe instead of flour to keep it gluten free.

Can I Add Bacon?

You don’t need to ask twice. I did keep this as a vegetarian recipe. But many Nova Scotia hodge podge recipes use a bit of bacon with the butter to give it flavour.

Some cooks also add in a bit of fish when simmering the vegetables to make a hearty hodgepodge soup recipe.

How Do I Make Vegan Hodge Podge?

Pin it For Later: Nova Scotia Hodge Podge

Disclosure: This Nova Scotia hodge podge recipe is in partnership with Tourism Nova Scotia. I am so thrilled to be able to work on a program that shares the best of where I grew up.

Nova Scotia Hodge Podge Recipe is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Do you wish you could have visited Napa before the crowds? How about Tuscany? Discover Nova Scotia wine before the crowds and learn what the locals have been raving about for years.

Did I get your attention by comparing Nova Scotia wine to Napa Valley? What if I said the views here were as beautiful as Tuscany?  I’m not crazy but I do want to get people excited about this emerging wine region in Canada.

I swear I’m not biased. Sure I grew up here but when I was a child the Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia was known for its apples. But back then no one was talking about the valley as Canada’s wine country. But where apples grow, grapes can also flourish. And just as I changed, so did agriculture in the Valley with new wineries opening up.

Throughout the years I’ve been buying Nova Scotia wine, even when European wine was cheaper and better. I believed if I didn’t support them now, they’d never become better.

But I’m so pleased to say this is no longer a sacrifice. Nova Scotia wine is excellent.

There are now 20+ Nova Scotia wineries, but most of them are concentrated in the Annapolis valley, specifically the Wolfville/Gaspereau area.

And just like other wine regions, we have the views to go along with it. 

11 Reasons to Love Nova Scotia Wine

In cooler weather Lightfoot & Wolfville has Nova Scotia tartan blankets.

If you’re planning to visit Nova Scotia, you MUST try our wine. With our cooler temperatures it really is a unique experience. And I’ll be honest, it hasn’t always been good – but now it’s really great.

We have the same climate as the champagne region – and we also make traditional method sparkling. We can’t call it Champagne because it’s not from the region, but we also won’t charge you the steep price along with it.

I wrote this guide because as a local I discovered so many interesting things that I did not know about wine in Nova Scotia. If you’re a wine nerd like me, you’ll love this post.

The pergola at Domaine de Grand Pre is one of the prettiest spots to dine outdoors.

The Same Climate as the Champagne Region in France

Most people don’t see Canada as a legitimate wine region because…well winter. But Nova Scotia is a cool climate wine region, and so while we can’t make big bold reds like California or Italy we can produces excellent sparkling wine.

And that’s because the Annapolis Valley has a similar climate and soil as the Champagne region in France. Perhaps the world’s most famous appellation wine, while we can’t call it champagne, we are making it in the same traditional method. 

Today Nova Scotia is making some of the best traditional method sparkling wine in Canada. So on those special occasions don’t spend the money on the Veuve Clicquot or Moët & Chandon. Instead look to Benjamin Bridge or L’Acadie Vineyards – not only making incredible sparkling but it’s organic to boot.

I also love the cheekiness of Domaine de Grand Pré naming their sparkling Champlain. The explorer Samuel de Champlain mapped Nova Scotia during the first settlers.

Having a picnic dinner before live theatre around a bonfire at Two Planks and a Passion – Ross Creek Centre for the Arts

It Was the First Wine Region in All of North America

Forget Napa Valley, Texas Hill Country or Niagara, people were making wine in Nova Scotia long before all of them.

Some say it dates back to the 11th century with the Vikings, although no one can prove it. But even if we skip ahead to the 17th century, Nova Scotia is still the oldest wine region in Canada and all of North America.

In fact, it started in the 1600s with the French Acadians planting vines from Bordeaux. Unfortunately part of our history includes their expulsion by the English settlers. Many went to New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and of course Louisiana where Acadian became Cajun.

Perhaps the English should have rethought this strategy because while they enjoyed wine, they didn’t know how to make it. Needing some sort of alcoholic beverage they turned to what they knew – cider. 

And it turns out the Annapolis Valley is great for apples. So I grew up in an apple region and apple orchards were a common landscape. Cider ruled and wine was put on the backburner.

That started to change in the 1970s when a Californian came to Nova Scotia and believed he could make wine here. While the rest of the world laughed at him he saw potential in this agricultural area – wine may seem swanky but really a vineyard is a farm.

But he knew he just needed the right grape. In Ontario they had failed to cultivate a grape because southern Ontario was too warm for too long. He saw potential and asked if he could try the grape in Nova Scotia.

It wasn’t an issue as it was not going to grow in Ontario and no one wanted the grape. As it hadn’t been named yet he requested that it be called after our heritage –  L’Acadie Blanc.
 

12 Nova Scotia wineries make Tidal Bay wine, only found in Nova Scotia.

Tidal Bay: The Only Appellation Wine in North America

Appellation wine is a swanky wine term to explain that you can only get a specific wine from a specific region. It’s governed by a board and a protected name. Here are a few of the most famous:

• Champagne
• Chianti
• Rioja

Most appellation wines have been around forever because you need to coordinate a region all agreeing on the rules. This is likely why we haven’t appellation wines in the United States. Perhaps back in 1975 the 25 wineries could have agreed, but now there are over 400 wineries in Napa and Sonoma Countries.

Sometimes being small is good.

Launched in 2012, the regions wineries were able to agree on what the expression of Nova Scotia appellation wine. Tidal Bay reflects the cool climate region and pairs well with traditional Nova Scotian food.

Tidal Bay must abide by a set of standards and are approved each year by an independent blind tasting panel. The standards include:

• Grapes must be 100 percent grown in Nova Scotia
• Use a combination of the approved grape varieties
• Must reflect distinct Nova Scotian flavour profile: lively fresh green fruit, dynamic acidity and characteristic minerality
• Low in alcohol at no more than 11%

Currently, 12 Nova Scotia wineries making Tidal Bay.  Wineries are able to express their own unique vision for Tidal Bay, within a spectrum.

But some are sweeter, others have more minerality. In fact Gaspereau Vineyard doesn’t use the L’Acadie Blanc grape at all. It’s great to take a wine tasting tour to see what your preference is, some are too sweet for my liking.
 

View of Cape Blomidon from Lightfoot & Wolfville. A symbolic view for locals when we’re away – we know we’re home when we see Blomidon.

New Grape Varietals: It’s Not all Merlot and Pinot Grigio Here

Everything is different in the Maritimes, from the food we eat to the grapes we grow. It is a cool climate wine region. So we grow grapes that you’ll see in northern France, Germany and Switzerland. But here they still grow differently, and that’s because our land is different and we’re close to the water.

Weather in Nova Scotia can be unpredictably cold or wet. Wine in Nova Scotia requires grapes that are hardy and disease resistant. Typically grape varietals in Nova Scotia are hybrids, but winemakers have also been experimenting with common grapes (vinifera).

You can find these varietals in Nova Scotia:

Vinifera

Vinifera sounds like a complicated wine term. But it simply refers to grapes that were originally from Europe or Asia. These are the OG grapes and are not hybrids.

• Cabernet Franc
• Chasselas
• Chardonnay
• Gamay Noir
• Muscat
• Pinot Noir
• Pinot Gris
• Riesling
• Sauvignon Blanc

Hybrids

• Baco Noir
• Cabernet Foch
• Castel
• Cayuga
• Cayuga White
• De Chaunac
• Geisenheim 318
• L’Acadie blanc
• Leon Millot
• Lucie Kuhlmann
• New York Muscat
• Maréchal Foch
• Maréchal Joffre
• Marquette
• Mischurnitz
• Ortega
• Seyverni
• Seyval Blanc
• Triomphe d’Alsace
• Vidal Blanc

Domaine de Grand Pre Vineyard

 An Attitude to Create Rather than Replicate

We can be inspired by other regions and styles, but at the same time we have our own identity. – Ben Swetnam, Avondale Sky Winery

Across the board the one consistent message was that Nova Scotia wine isn’t trying to be something it’s not.

Wine here doesn’t try to recreate big reds of California or whites of New Zealand. Winemakers were looking at regions with similar climates to see what could grow well but then also creating a wine that reflected the region.

There’s lots of experimentation and it’s an exciting time to visit Nova Scotia. Staff at wineries are enthusiastic about small lot wines, sharing how one year was different from the last because of a late summer or early frost.  

And locals are supporting producers, making up a significant number of sales so that wineries are often selling out. Although Nova Scotians may not be the most knowledgeable wine drinkers, this means they have fewer preconceived notions.

Nova Scotians aren’t stubborn about only drinking one type of wine, thet are open to new varietals. Most importantly as an agricultural region Nova Scotians understand how weather affects everything. Locals remember the frost last June, or that summer started late, which affects everything from strawberries to grapes. 

And in that way we’re not apologetic because you’re not getting what you expect somewhere else. Nova Scotia wine simply expresses where it was produced.
 

Mercator has sparkling wine weekends? Yes please!

From Down Home to Upscale There’s a Winery for Everyone

The main Nova Scotia wine region is divided into: Annapolis Valley, Gaspereau Valley, South Shore, and the Malagash Peninsula. 

There are technically 20+ official wineries in Nova Scotia. But not all of them are producing wine from grapes as fruit wine is very popular as well.

While most wineries are organized through the Wine Association of Nova Scotia, it is a voluntary membership so the fruit wineries and smaller wineries are not members. There are currently 12 members with a lucky thirteenth opening in 2020.

Each one has its own vibe and style in wine so it’s impossible for me to answer what is my favourite winery in Nova Scotia, or what is the best winery in Nova Scotia. They all complement each other in that they are different. 

The best way is to decide for yourself. 

Avondale Sky Winery

This Nova Scotian winery is not in the main Wolfville/Gaspereau winery hub but on the way from Halifax to the Annapolis Valley. It is well worth the drive just to see the building.

Avondale Sky is in the former St.Matthew’s church, which was built in 1837. The Nova Scotia winery saved it from destruction. But it’s called the church that walked on water as they needed to transport it by floating it down the river.

It also one of my favourite restaurants in Nova Scotia. I loved the cherry tomato salad so much I asked for the recipe!

Winemaker Ben Swetnam spent time in Germany and returned to Canada to open Avondale Sky Winery. Speaking to him you get the immediate sense that he’s both modest and earnest.

His off-dry style that is the most popular with customers. Although he assures that they always have a classic Nova Scotian balance of acidity. When I press him for a suggestion for a great wine that often is overlooked he suggests the Petite Milo as it has a flavour profile that is very different than other Nova Scotia grapes.

Other than the small lots, the wine is named after local points of interest to give a sense of place. The best selling wine, Avondale Sky’s Tidal Bay focuses less on the muscat driven aromatic that some wineries lean toward. If you like Sauvignon Blanc, this is a great Tidal Bay for you. 

Winemaker Favourite: Blanc de Noir Extra Brut Reserve

Avondale Sky Winery
80 Avondale Cross Rd, Newport, Nova Scotia

Read what others have to say about the winery here.

Benjamin Bridge

Benjamin Bridge is a certified organic winery, but do not expect to find that certification on the labeling or boastfully on their website. Nor do they find it necessary to chase wine competition accolades; instead, they let the wines speak for themselves.

I love that they also sell their popular Nova 7 and Pet Nat by the can, it shows that they can be serious but not stuffy in their approach to wine.

Buy wine online by emailing them to find out if they can ship to your address.

Most popular wine: Nova 7
Underappreciated wine: Riesling
Winemaker’s Favourite: Brut 2013

“It has this nutty factor. It was a drought driven year it wasn’t hot but it was dry in the middle of summer. It ripened in a different way.”

Benjamin Bridge

1966 White Rock Rd, Wolfville, Nova Scotia

Read what others have to say about the winery here.

First stop on Uncork Tour is Blomidon Estate Winery patio for a tasting + charcuterie

Blomidon Estate

While this winery is outside the Gaspereau Wolfville hub I think it’s SO worth visiting if you have time. As an estate winery, 100% of its grapes are grown on site. Located in Canning, it has a gorgeous view of the Minas Basin from its patio.

Winemaker Simon Rafuse says they’ve always favoured a drier style of Tidal Bay, mostly because “that’s what we like to drink!”

It’s a perfect patio wine with a blend of grapes (L’Acadie Blanc, Seyval Blanc, NY Muscat) to craft a crisp, citrusy wine that’s lighter in alcohol and really fresh on the palate. 

Although it was sold out, I now have my eye on Blomidon as they produced Lambrusco wine this year. I have so many fond memories of eating salumi and drinking this sparkling red in Bologna Italy. Sadly what gets imported to Nova Scotia is the sad sweet version of Lambrusco that no one drinks in Italy. So I’m patiently waiting for next year to try the local Lambrusco.

Winemakers Favourite: 2011 Brut Réserve.

“This wine really proved to me that our climate is perfect for traditional method sparkling wine. The grapes were just fantastic at the end of a long season, and after 6 years aging in the cellar, the wine is just singing. I love drinking it.”

Blomidon Estate
10318 NS-221, Canning, Nova Scotia

Read what others have to say about the winery here.

One of the oldest wineries in Nova Scotia, it’s also home to Le Caveau, a fantastic restaurant with a house charcuterie program.

Domaine de Grand Pré

The oldest winery in Nova Scotia, it’s not so old as it’s only been a vineyard since 1976. It changed ownership for the third time in the mid-90s and is now owned by Hanspeter Stutz. It’s another family-owned winery where members are hands-on, from his daughter Beatrice managing the tasting room to his son-in-law as the chef of the winery restaurant.

I visited Domaine de Grande Pre five times over six weeks and learned something new each time. But what impressed me most was my discussion with Chef Jason Lynch. No doubt the food is some of the best in Nova Scotia, but I was most curious that he also produces a line of products – including a white hot sauce.

He explained that wineries in Nova Scotia are seasonal. This means most people who work in the Nova Scotia wine business aren’t employed all year round, and that can be difficult for many people. So food production happens in the off season and so he’s able to keep some staff employed.

Often called the Grand Pre winery by locals, it has a beautiful outdoor dining area and is great to pop in for a glass of wine and a bite to each. 

Winemaker Jürg Stutz explained that his approach to Tidal Bay is to look at the signature aromatic component (i.e. Muscat, Ortega), the acidity (i.e. Vidal, Seyval), but also at the overall volumes that available from each variety.

Consistency is important and Stutz has used the same five grape varieties since the first vintage. 

Winemaker’s Favourite: Riesling

“I think we have the ideal climate here in Nova Scotia to produce world-class Rieslings and it certainly is one of my favourite varieties to work with and my favourite style of wine as well.”

Domaine de Grand Pré
11611 Highway 1, Grand Pré, Nova Scotia

Read what others have to say about the winery here.

Every time I’ve visited Gaspereau it’s rained so this photo is completely unfair. However winemaker Gina Haverstock gave me a tip that there is a red picnic table at the top of the vineyard with an amazing view. Next sunny day I’m hiking to the top to replace this photo.

Gaspereau Vineyards

A family favourite, I’ve visited Gaspereau many times over the years and it’s always a great time. Three kilometers from Wolfville, it’s in the heart of the gorgeous Gaspereau Valley. 

The vibe here is relaxed and friendly. The vineside patio menu is kid-friendly with pizza, sandwiches and gigantic decadent desserts. Saturday nights there is live music on the vineside patio.

And so when I met the winemaker Gina Haverstock, I wasn’t surprised that I liked her immediately. Much like the winery, it’s apparent that she’s serious about wine, but is also incredibly approachable. She’s producing stellar Rieslings but also introducing guests to new wine only available in the winery, like White Rock, which is an experimental blend of seven, predominantly Estate-grown varietals.

People often ask me about the best part of my job and I always say it’s meeting people truly passionate about their work. Gina is one of those people, her excitement and energy is infectious. And it extends to the staff you encounter at the vineyard.

For something fun, also try the Maple dessert wine from fermented maple syrup served in chocolate cups. It’s a nice after meal treat if you’re like me and prefer to pass on dessert.

Winemakers Favourite: Riesling
Most Popular: Tidal Bay

Gaspereau Vineyards
2239 White Rock Rd, Wolfville, Nova Scotia

Read what others have to say about the winery here.

Jost Vineyards

I now regret not going to Jost. Growing up I had such a bad impression of Jost wine. And before this trip it wasn’t the first Nova Scotia wine I’d choose to drink. But after speaking to the wine makers I have a new appreciation for the winery.

As the oldest winery consistently running in Nova Scotia, it did a lot of the heavy lifting. At that time it was a wine industry of one – Jost. Unlike now where there are a group of winemakers who collaborate, Jost had to do it all on its own. And the wine isn’t the same as what I tasted back in the 90s.

But most importantly, across the board winemakers spoke to highly of Hans Wilhelm Jost. Many of them started at Jost whether it be a summer job or an internship. When Avondale Sky was looking for a winemaker Hans called Ben Sweten’s family as he was working in Germany. And today they still look to him for advice.

It’s tough to be the trailblazer.

Jost Vineyards
48 Vintage Ln, Malagash, Nova Scotia

Read what others have to say about the winery here.

L’Acadie Vineyards

Winemaker Bruce Ewert not only owns the winery but his family live on the land. Originally from British Colombia, he has made wine all over Canada and finally settled in Nova Scotia.

A sparkling wine house, it’s one of Nova Scotia’s smallest wineries but Ewert has had a lot of influence on what we drink today. 

L’Acadie Vineyards was the first certified organic winery, since then many have followed. He also bucked convention by planting his vines facing northwest when everyone else was facing south.

But he was confident from previous experience and his desire to produce sparkling wine, that it was the right decision. And he was right. L’Acadie Vineyards was the first to produce traditional method sparkling wine (aka Champagne). Not only has it won national and international awards in France, but it inspired other Nova Scotia wineries that they could do it as well.

And while you’d think a winery focusing on sparkling wine would feel stuffy or pretentious, I found it to be the complete opposite. The building is made from sustainable materials and geothermal heat pump. And staff don’t focus on the complex and tedious explanations of how to make sparkling wine, instead speak about the vineyard as farmland. During my time there they shared stories of an eagles nest keeping rodents away and this year’s weather. 

Tucked in between Luckett Vineyards and Gaspereau, it’s a refreshing way to learn about sparkling wine.

L’Acadie Vineyards
310 Slayter Rd, Gaspereau, RR1, Wolfville, Nova Scotia

Read what others have to say about the winery here.

Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards

The newest winery in Nova Scotia, you cannot miss the vineyard driving through Wolfville as it is a gorgeous barn-style building. 

The Lightfoot family may be new to winemaking but they aren’t new to the area. They have farmed on the land for eight generations and were initially grape growers for other vineyards. Finally they took the plunge and started making wine to much acclaim. The expression of Tidal Bay has no Muscat, and is very popular.

The tasting room is a modern, sleek interpretation of a loft barn with a long tasting bar, and comfortable couches to relax. Outside there is a number of seating options from picnic tables at the entrance to the vineyard to Adirondack chairs around an outdoor fireplace. The view of Cape Blomidon is spectacular.

Not only is Lightfoot & Wolfville a certified organic winery using biodynamic agriculture practices in their vineyard. But also they are growing vegetables for the patio restaurant, which offers a kids menu, pizza and main dishes.

For those that are tired of wine (does that happen?) there’s also a cocktail menu with local spirits.

Most Popular: LW Rose, Sparkling Rose, Flora + Fauna the featured house wine

Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyards
11143 Evangeline Trail, Wolfville, Nova Scotia

Read what others have to say about the winery here.

Luckett Vineyards

The most popular Nova Scotia winery, it’s also the largest producer in the Annapolis Valley. Luckett Vineyards is a great spot to spend an afternoon with a killer view. 

Family-owned and operated, not just in name. You’ll see family on site working. With a British heritage there are lots of cute touches like the British phone box in the vineyard with free phone calls to anywhere in North America. The signature house wine is also called phone box red.

I really liked the Buried White, which is 8 feet underground for 28 months in Hungarian Oak barrels. The Old Bill is a surprisingly robust red that is fantastic with the steak and mushroom pie served at its restaurant.

If you’re the kind of person that likes to chat and ask questions during a tasting I suggest arriving at 11am as it gets very busy. Then head over to Crush Pad Bistro where they also make a seafood that’s as spectacular as the view.

Most Popular Wine:  Phone Box Red and Tidal Bay

Luckett Vineyards
1293 Grand Pré Rd, Wolfville, Nova Scotia

Read what others have to say about the winery here.

Planters Ridge

Originally from Ontario John McLarty and Lisa Law started a winery on this beautiful 7.5 acre farm in Port Williams in 2010. 

Its name reflects the region, and the tasting room is a a refurbished 150 year old barn. The historic farmland dates back to 1760 when it was granted to the New England Planter families after the Acadian Expulsion.

Wine at Planter’s Ridge is a bit different than other wine in the Annapolis Valley. Winemaker John McLarty explains Planter’s Ridge wine is more “international Old World style, keeping the acidity lower so you don’t have to have a lot of residual sugar to balance the wine. A prime example is Tidal Bay, our Tidal Bay is and has always been the lowest residual Tidal Bay in the province.”

Planter’s Ridge offers full tours from the vineyard to the winery to the barrel cellar. There’s no intention of becoming a big winery, small and intimate experience. 

Most Popular Wine: Tidal Bay
Winemakers Suggestion: Chardonnay

Planter’s Ridge Winery
1441 Church St, Port Williams, Nova Scotia

Read what others have to say about the winery here.

Mercator Vineyards

One of the newest vineyards in Nova Scotia, it is quietly making a name for itself as the most stylish farmhouse you’ll ever visit.

The rustic chic tasting room is purposely small and quiet. There are no big groups or the bus stopping here. The staff serving you wine don’t walk away while you’re tasting, instead they are close to answer questions without feeling rushed.

It’s a much more relaxed Nova Scotia wine experience. There is no restaurant but you can have a tasting with snacks, chocolate or splurge on a picnic lunch in the vineyard for only $25. The winery also rents bicycles to explore the Harvest Moon Trail and surrounding region.

The cool sleek design doesn’t invite snobbery. This is all about the connection between the farm and the wine. Staff are knowledgeable, they’ll teach you about the wine without being tedious. There’s a warmth that is similar to its sister winery, Gaspereau Vineyards. It’s clear that hospitality is important no matter what level of wine knowledge you have.

Oenophiles love this spot for their old school techniques like lee stirring that they try not to intervene so there’s native yeast/spontaneous fermentation. They do some apassimento style and carbonic maceration to bring out the best in the fruit.

The previous winemaker has departed but I was able to speak with Becca Griffin, the newly appointed winemaker. Not a stranger to Mercator as she previously managed the vineyard and says she’s excited about the next step as “Since I’m primarily a grape grower…I want to follow my fruit right to the end.”

Most popular wine: Compass Rosé
Winemakers favourite: Upper Ridge Marquette and Sauvage Sur Lie

Mercator Vineyards
88 Dyke Rd, Wolfville, Nova Scotia
 

Read what others have to say about the winery here.

Sainte-Famille Wines

The second oldest winery in Nova Scotia, it’s a very popular spot for weddings and it’s easy to see why as it’s so scenic in Falmouth.

The winery is family owned and all of the wine is from Nova Scotia grapes with 95% are grown at the vineyard. While the vineyard has won many awards, the most popular wines are its Tidal Bay and 2017 Wild Seyval with a wild ferment is on the sweeter side with notes of honey and crisp green apple.

The fortified red (think Port, but not from Portugal), called Kingston is very popular but you can only get it at the winery so another great reason to go.

They have a tasting room on site and offer daily tours at 11am-3pm. Open year round, just call ahead during the winter to ensure someone is at the door.

And for exciting news they have a new winemaker from Portugal. He previously worked in Ontario and has decided to now take on Nova Scotia. A Portuguese winemakers take on Nova Scotia wine could be a very interesting perspective.

Saint-Famille Wines
11 Dudley Park Ln, Falmouth, Nova Scotia

Read what others have to say about the winery here.

Bent Ridge is a small batch winery and pico brewery, located in one of Nova Scotia’s most popular u-pick orchards. They don’t have Tidal Bay but they do have great pizza.

Additional Wineries in Nova Scotia

There are 20+ Nova Scotia wineries. I visited the wineries that make Tidal Bay in the Annapolis Valley wine country. However there are so many more small winemakers in Nova Scotia. While I didn’t have time to visit, I’ve included them on a map at the bottom of this post.

I’ve also included links here to reviews of the other wineries:

• Bear River Vineyards
• Beavercreek Winery and Cafe
• Bent Ridge Winery and Cucina
• Bulwark Craft Ciders and Muwin Estate Wines
• Casa Nova Fine Beverages
• Lunenburg County Winery
• Petite Riviere Vineyards

Alex Morozov is (gasp) not a Maritimer, but jokes that he’s CFA (come from away). Yet he seems to have adapted well to Nova Scotia life and the spirit of collaboration amongst the winemakers.

Winemakers Who Collaborate Rather than Compete

I’ve often heard romantic stories of what Napa Valley was like in the 1970s before it blew up to become a commercial machine and everyone became competitive.

The wine industry has been cut throat for so many years I’m always suspicious when people try to feed me a story that everyone gets along and is collaborative.

But this is actually true in Nova Scotia. Most Nova Scotia wine sells out before the year is over. One of the biggest challenges is actually keeping more of the bottles so they can let it age.

And that has created a unique bond amongst the vineyards as they aren’t competing with each other to survive.

While many of the winemakers are of the same generation, making it easier to relate, they also look to others who have more experience. Gaspereau Vineyard’s Gina Haverstock credits learning about sparkling from Hans Jost – with whom she once worked.

I wouldn’t have a sparkling program at all if it weren’t for connections at the other wineries – Ben Swetnam.

Avondale Sky winemaker Ben Swetnam shared that he reached out to Gina to learn more about making a sparkling wine and spent time at Domaine de Grand Pre and L’Acadie Vineyards. The protocol for making sparkling came from Simon, the winemaker at Blomidon Estate Winery. Moreover, Benjamin Bridge has loaned equipment they have outgrown so that Avondale Sky can produce sparkling wine.

Benjamin Bridge’s assistant winemaker Alex Morozov says he chats almost daily. The day we chatted the group had been texting about how they were dealing with last night’s frost in the vineyards.

Magic Wine bus runs Thursday through Sunday.

Nova Scotia Wine Tours

There’s a number of ways to explore Nova Scotia wine. There really is no ONE best way, it just depends on what kind of experience you want. While you can do a wine tasting in Halifax, there’s nothing like having it on the vineyard where it was made.

Go North Tours

Small group tours under 10 people, I explored Tidal Bay wine from different wineries and learned so much. Laila North, the owner and guide has so much enthusiasm for Nova Scotia wine and shares the most interesting tidbits.

She also runs private tours and if you have a small group I highly recommend it. She knows her stuff and is really fun. Go North will pick you up from your hotel in Halifax for the tour.

Read More Reviews Here.

Magic Wine Bus

A hop-on-hop-off double decker bus that visits 5 wineries. It’s an extraordinarily affordable $50 if you don’t mind joining a bus of other people. The experience isn’t as intimate as a traditional tour but it can be a lot of fun.

Grape Escape Wine Tours

A larger tour company, the bus brings groups of about 20 from Halifax to tour the region. I’m a fan of smaller tours but the TripAdvisor reviews consistently praise the tour.

Smoked chicken sandwich and lobster sliders from Gaspereau Vineyards.

DIY Nova Scotia Winery Tours

If you can’t take a formal tour it’s easy to get a local car rental for the day and plan your own trip.

Budget Itinerary

• Start at Luckett Vineyards, which has a very reasonable tasting fee:$12 to try 5 from the core selection of reds, whites or rosé OR three premium collection of reds, whites or specialty dessert wines. Don’t miss the red British phone box in the vineyard where you can make a free call anywhere in North America.
• Picnic lunch at Mercator Vineyards – one of the most romantic things to do. Mercator offers a picnic lunch for two for $25 to enjoy in the vineyard. If it’s the weekend they also offer a great sparkling weekend special.
• Domaine de Grand Pre is only a 23 minute walk (says Google Maps). The regular tasting, which includes 5 wines is only $8. A 5oz class of wine on the wine shop deck is $6 – it’s a steal.
• Dinner at Evangeline Inn – this cafe is a local favourite, it is licensed and also serves Nova Scotia wine. Do not miss skip the dessert as locals come here specifically for the seasonal pie. The mixed berry crisp recipe is also a stand out.

Where to Stay

Evangeline Inn. This a great option close to Mercator Vineyards and the Harvest Moon Trail. You can rent a bicycle from Mercator or walk the trail which takes you along the scenic Acadian dykes. You’ll find lots of locals out here.

Family Itinerary

With Maritime hospitality, you can really take children anywhere. So you shouldn’t feel that you need to eliminate any Nova Scotia wineries or restaurants because you’re traveling with children.

• Start with a wine tasting at Lightfoot and Wolfville and stay for lunch. They offer a separate kids menu and have a pizza oven.
• Head over the Luckett Vineyard for a tasting. Kids love the red British phone booth and can make a call to anywhere in North America
• Dinner at Gaspereau Vineyard a laid back atmosphere and lots of space for kids to roam. The vine side patio has a menu that includes pizza, the best chicken sandwich I’ve ever eaten and gigantic desserts. Some nights there is also live music so call ahead.

Where to Stay in Gaspereau

The Old Orchard Inn. It’s not the most modern but it’s a good price and has an indoor pool and hot tub. Check rates here. 

If it’s booked the Evangeline Inn also has a pool and is a great spot for families.

Splurge Itinerary

• Stop in at Avondale Sky Winery for a tasting and lunch. One of my absolute favourite restaurants in Nova Scotia. I loved their cherry tomato salad so much I asked for the recipe.
• Tasting at L’Acadie Vineyards for their traditional method sparkling. This is the place to splurge.
• Pop into Benjamin Bridge for more sparkling and be sure to try the Pet Nat.
• Head over to Dinner at Le Caveau at Domaine de Grand Pre. Dine under the pergola if the weather is warm and ask your server to pair Domaine de Grand Pre. If you’re there on a Tuesday they also have martini night, which is popular with locals.

Where to Stay in Wolfville

The historic Blomidon Inn is one of the most popular choices and also has a good restaurant. It’s often booked so best to book well in advance – check availability here.

If it’s fully booked, also check out the Tattingstone Inn and The Victoria Inn. For something more modern, the Micro Boutique Hotel is a popular option.

Where to Buy Nova Scotia Wine outside the Wineries?

If you don’t have time to visit all the wineries you can shop the:

• NSLC, our provincially owned store that sells beer, wine, cider and spirits
• Halifax Seaport Farmer’s Market, Avondale Sky Winery is usually there amongst others 
• Bishop’s Cellar in Halifax, which has wine from Nova Scotia and small international wineries
• WestSide Beer Wine Spirits in Halifax, the largest private wine store in Atlantic Canada
• Harvest Wines and Spirits in Dartmouth

Awesome Nova Scotia Wine Events 

There are lots of food and wine events in Nova Scotia all year long. Here are a few you should keep an eye on:

Dining on the Ocean Floor

There’s nothing like eating with the fresh air of the ocean. This exclusive dinner is held at low tide on the ocean floor at the home of the highest tides in the world, it rises and falls twice as day and can as high as a five story building. Read more about my experience dining on the ocean floor.

Stellar Beach Feast

The iconic White Point Beach Resort has culinary and wine events all year round. This summer I went to the Stellar Beach Feat
for an oceanside four-course dinner paired with Nova Scotia wine. It’s followed by an evening walk with Dark Sky Interpreter Paul Lalonde into the dark and ends with a blind tasting of local wine.

Check availability for rooms and cottages and find out what events are happening during your visit.

Devour the Vines

The Devour! Film Festival is hugely successful drawing big names from around the world, while also highlighting local food.

It is held each autumn with a series of events from chowder competitions to formal dining experiences. But the group also holds events throughout the year, including Devour the Vines at Domaine de Grand Pré.

Chefs Jason Lynch and Michael Howell prepare a multi-course meal served in the vineyard. It is paired with award-winning wines and delicious short films curated by the team at Devour.

Taste of Nova Scotia also has an excellent list of events happening each week. It’s a great resource for food in Nova Scotia.

The Maritime Experience

Wine isn’t just a drink. It’s an experience. So yes lots of Nova Scotia wine is shipped to other provinces but it’s not the same. 

You don’t have the freshly made seafood. The down home hospitality. The cool salty air when the wind blows a certain way. In Nova Scotia life is a bit slower. People take their time. You talk about the weather, and reminisce about last year’s frost or how this summer started late, with hopes it will run late.

It’s different here. We’re the friendliest wine region in the world. And that’s what makes the wine so special.
 
 

Nova Scotia Wineries Map

Pin It For Later: Nova Scotian Wine

Disclosure: This post about Nova Scotia wine is a paid partnership with Tourism Nova Scotia. I feel so fortunate to have been able to work on a program in my home province and am so thankful to the winemakers took the time, in some cases hours, to speak with me.

Images (c) Pinterest images (c) photo-nic.co.uk nic, Louis Hansel, Kevin Kelly. Facebook social share image (c) Maja Petric. Lightfoot & Wolfville Vineyard (c) Destination CanadaDomaine de Grand Pre pergola, Go North Tour (c) Tourism Nova Scotia, 

Nova Scotia Wine – Where All Ships Rise With the Tide is a post from: Bacon is Magic

There are many things I love about Luckett Vineyard, but the newest is that they shared this steak and mushroom pie recipe, so I can make it when I’m not in Nova Scotia.

Without a doubt, the most well known winery in Nova Scotia is Luckett Vineyard. It’s been around since 2010 but has changed SO much since I first visited nine years ago.

To locals it’s known as Pete Luckett’s winery. Originally from England, Pete Luckett is a beloved Nova Scotia legend even though he’s technically come from away.

I first saw Pete Luckett in the 90s on television where he twice a week he introduced a new fruit or vegetable on the news. He later owned a series of successful Pete’s Frootiques that I loved with international products. But he sold it all to open a winery.

The wine industry jokes that to have a winery make 1 million dollars you need to start with 2 million dollars. 

So if you’re going to get into wine, you better do it well.

And Luckett Vineyard does it very well.

Luckett Vineyard continues to hold my attention, just as Pete did on television back in the 90s. It manages to blend the history of culture of Nova Scotia with international influences in a way that makes it truly memorable.

As a traveler I love coming home and tasting their interpretation of Nova Scotia’s unique grape varietals. But I also end up spending so much time looking at their grocery pantry, which sells international and local products I’ve never seen before.

And while the business is successful and quite a bit larger than other wineries in Nova Scotia, the staff maintain the typical Maritime hospitality that locals expect. 

Luckett Vineyard Tasting Fees: 

$12 to try 5 from the core selection of reds, whites or rosé OR three premium collection of reds, whites or specialty dessert wines.

You can make a phone call free anywhere in North America in the British phone box.

Nearly ten years after opening it is the largest producer of wine in the Annapolis Valley. A family-run business you still see Pete and family members working. This is refreshing because I’ve visited lots of large conglomerate businesses that are technically family owned but they don’t feel like it.

Luckett Vineyard is also home to Crush Pad Bistro, its restaurant that looks out onto the vineyard with a gorgeous view of the valley and the Blomidon Penninsula.

I would absolutely recommend it as one of the best restaurants in Nova Scotia. I can honestly say I’ve never had a bad experience at Luckett’s. I’ve always enjoyed the food service and wine. 

Even when we took the Magic Wine Bus and it poured rain the entire time. We still had a fantastic time. We sat outside underneath the tent, staff folded up the front flaps so we could still have a view in the rain.

And the food is consistently good.

Our first visit this year we tried the roast beef sandwich which was fantastic.

I also loved the seafood chowder but I already have 3 chowder recipes on my site so I didn’t ask for the recipe.

Our last visit my mother ordered the steak and mushroom pie. The dish is a culinary nod to Pete’s British heritage. The individual pot pie has slow roasted beef, sautéed mushroom and onion, celery, carrots, fresh herbs and Black Cab gravy. 

I honestly didn’t expect much. I find pot pies usually use off cuts of meat that don’t taste very good. This was the best beef pot pie I’ve ever tried.

Sadly it wasn’t my order – but my mothers. So I only took a few bites instead of having more. After all I was enjoying Tidal Bay wine and the seafood chowder. 

When I got home I kept thinking about the steak pot pie. It was just so much better than anything I’ve elsewhere. 

Thankfully they obliged to sending me the recipe.

I did not ask for the pastry portion because I love to cook but I hate working with dough.

And I mean all dough. I hate bread dough. I hate cookie dough. Also I hate pasta dough.

I don’t want to deal with it at all. 

Every Christmas I make my mother turkey pot pies with the leftovers. It’s easy as I make a whole turkey in the Instant Pot. I use frozen pie crust and even that usually leaves me swearing in the kitchen toward the end. 

But the ends are worth the means right? Because I make enough individual pot pies to freeze for the months ahead. 

Enough of my dough rant – use whatever pastry crust you feel comfortable with. It can be frozen shortcrust pastry, puffed pastry or make it from scratch.

Pairing Wine with Steak and Mushroom Pie

Geena Luckett, the General Manager at Luckett Vineyards recommends The Old Bill.

This isn’t surprising as The Old Bill was once called Black Cab (another British reference) and is the wine they use in this beef pie recipe.

If you’re looking for a full-bodied red and a powerful tannic-structure with spicy robust flavour you’ll love it. It is a blend of dried Cabernet Foch, Castel, Lucie Kuhlmann and Precoce – haven’t heard of these varietals – check out my guide to Nova Scotia wine.

Steak and Mushroom Pie Recipe

Steak and Mushroom Pie

Yield: 4-6 pies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

This steak and mushroom pie recipe is a decadent comfort food that pairs perfectly with a quality red wine.

Print

Ingredients

• 900g Beef inside round, medium dice
• 75ml Olive oil
• 200g Celery, medium dice
• 400g Onion, medium dice
• 200g Mushroom, quartered
• 200g Carrot, medium dice
• 750ml Water
• 250ml Luckett Vineyard Old Bill red wine
• 1 Tbsp Thyme, fresh
• 2 Tsp Rosemary, fresh
• 175g All purpose white flour
• 150g Unsalted butter
• 250ml Beef stock
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg yolk, beaten

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F.

Mix together olive oil, diced beef, salt and pepper. Spread flat on sheet pan and cook in oven at 375 degrees until browning occurs. Remove from oven and turn heat to 350F.

In a large sauce pan over medium heat, sauté celery, carrots and onions until tender, add mushrooms, thyme and rosemary and continue to cook until mushrooms have softened. Deglaze with red wine, by pouring wine into pan and using spatula to dig up the bits on the pan.

Add cooked beef to vegetables. Add water and bring to a boil.

While this is happening make roux: Over medium low heat melt butter in pot on stove and add flour. Stir to combine Cook roux for approximate 3-4 minutes.

Add some beef stock slowly to the roux and whisk vigorously to avoid lumping.

Mix everything together and let cool. 

Add beef filling to pastry lined pie plate, brush edges with egg yolk. Top with pie crust and brush with egg yolk. Make 2-3 cuts in centre to allow air to vent.

Cook at 350F until golden brown. If you're using packaged crust check the time on the box. Puffed pastry can be as quick as 20 minutes, other pie pastry takes longer.

Notes

For an easy weeknight meal make the filling a few days in advance. When ready bring it to room temperature and and add to pastry.

You can also freeze these pies for future use

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• Mini Springform Pans
• Porcelain Ramekins

What Kind of Pastry Should I Use?

This is really a personal preference of a traditional shortcrust pie pastry vs a puff pastry. Whatever you use just check out the box to see how long you need to cook it and any additional instructions.

Do I Need Pastry on the Top and Bottom?

As you know, I hate making pastry for pies. But also, I don’t love eating it either. You can make the top and bottom and remove it from the pie plate. Or just make a top pastry crust and eat it from the pie dish – this is my favourite as I only need a bit of pot pie crust.

What if I Don’t Have Beef Stock?

You can also use vegetable stock, chicken stock or even water.

Pin it For Later: Beef Pot Pie

Disclosure: This steak and mushroom pie recipe is part of a series in partnership with Visit Nova Scotia. One of my favourite paid programs, I was tasked to explore where I grew up and share the best of it. And this beef pot pie was definitely a highlight and I’m selfishly thrilled to have the recipe.

The Best Steak and Mushroom Pie Recipe You’ll Ever Make is a post from: Bacon is Magic

It’s interesting when I run into tourists and they share with me what they’ve done. I sometimes find that they appreciate things I overlook. Or maybe notice things that are just the background to my childhood. But one thing is for sure, they need help finding the best Nova Scotia restaurants.

Nova Scotia doesn’t really have a fine dining culture. Some Halifax restaurants have world class food, but it is usually in a comfortable atmosphere. In some ways it is very similar to Italy in that you can put your best jeans on and not feel out of place.

But the truly special places in Nova Scotia rarely get much press. And that’s because we’re typically Canadian and cannot see just how good the long standing mom and pop shops are. Or places that just cook the best fish and chips people will ever eat – because that’s our every day.

I really wanted to share my favourite Nova Scotia restaurants, starting with the Annapolis Valley. But this post will continue to grow into other areas of Nova Scotia so leave your recommendations in the comments section below!

If you’re looking for Nova Scotia restaurants in other regions – check this out.
 
 

Best Restaurants in Annapolis Valley

The Annapolis Valley is home to some of the best produce, seafood and meat in Nova Scotia. Driving around other regions in Nova Scotia you’ll often see farmer’s markets touting they have Valley corn, strawberries etc. 

When visiting the winery restaurants in Nova Scotia be prepared for higher prices. Food often ranges from $17-25 but it’s not unreasonable the quality.

Bent Ridge Winery and Cucina

I discovered this spot recently and it has one of the most scenic views. It looks across from the Martock ski hill, an area I haven’t been to for decades.

They make great pizza, and while they aren’t producing Tidal Bay, they do make good Nova Scotia wine. If you’re driving from Halifax this is a great stop on the way for a quick bite and a gorgeous view.

Read what others say about food here.

Le Caveau

One of the better known Nova Scotia restaurants, some visitors travel down to the Annapolis Valley just to eat here. 

Le Caveau is the restaurant at Domaine de Grand Pré winery. If the weather is good, the outdoor seating at the pergola is one of my favourites. But otherwise eating inside is also lovely.

Portions here are filling and hearty so come with an appetite. Some of the interesting items are the seafood chowder, which is a bit different than what you’ll see elsewhere as it’s a play on Spains ajo blanco which is a chilled almond soup. It’s so popular Chef Jason Lynch hasn’t been able to remove it from the menu for years. I can see why, paired with a glass of Ortega, it’s the perfect lunch.

The restaurant works with small local producers and you’ll find things here you can’t elsewhere like rabbit and local lamb. They have a charcuterie program and make their own products for sale. Stop at the tasting room first and ask to try the white hot sauce.

His products are great but what I love about it is that they keep some of the kitchen staff employed all year long – not an easy feat as most work in wineries is seasonal.

Read what others say about food here.

The Church Brewing Company

One of the newest Nova Scotia restaurants, the Church Brewing Co was busy from the moment it opened. 

Located in the quaint university town of Wolfville, it was embraced with open arms from students and locals alike. Centrally located it uses the former St.Andrews United church built in 1914. It has kept most of the original decor, including the psalm boards high on the walls, which now list the beer and cider available each day.

Food is typical pub-style but done really well. Don’t expect big portions to overcompensate for poor quality. 

And the beer is as interesting as the interior. Church Brewing focuses on traditional Belgian and classic European style beer, with interesting options like a Belgian White IPA that is described as orange/mango/spicy and an Enkel that is lemongrass/effervescent/dandelion.

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The Crow’s Nest – Shore Road Seafood

On our way to Annapolis Royal we followed advice of locals we trusted that we needed to go out of the way up a steep mountain to eat here. The kitschy Maritime decor is cute, and the service is very friendly.

It’s worth the detour as everything here is so popular, from the East Coast chowder to the local seafood plates. They get seafood direct from fishermen every morning. Portion sizes are large so it’s best to share.

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Crush Pad Bistro – Luckett Vineyard

I stopped into Crush Pad Bistro twice this summer and both times I really enjoyed my meal…and my mother’s as I’m that annoying person that needs to try everyone’s meal. 

Located in Luckett Vineyard it has an AMAZING view of Cape Blomidon. Even if you’re not hungry go grab a glass of wine and just enjoy the view. 

Sandwiches here are solid – and enough to split for an afternoon snack. The chowder here gets high reviews (mine included) as you’ll find lobster in it, which is not always the case everywhere you go.

But what really blew me away was the quality of the steak and mushroom pie – I loved it so much I asked for the recipe.

Service here is prompt and always with a smile. Feel free to ask your server to pair a glass of Luckett Vineyard wine with your meal without fear they will suggest the most expensive glass.

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Crystany’s Brasserie

The first certified gluten-free restaurant in Nova Scotia, you probably wouldn’t notice your meal lacked gluten unless someone told you.  They have all of the Maritime favourites of fish and chips, killer chowder and great burgers.

You MUST sit out on the rooftop patio. It looks out onto a large stretch of farmland with birds chirping and is so tranquil. With lots of local draught on tap, you could easily spend the afternoon here.

A family-owned restaurant, the name is the combination of Crystal and Britany, mother and daughter. For some visitors it may seem a bit out of the way as it’s in Canning, a small hamlet. But  it’s only 20 minutes from downtown Wolfville and a great spot to combine with a visit to Blomidon Estate Winery.

Read what others say about food here.

D’Vine Morsels Restaurant – Avondale Sky Winery

While this spot doesn’t have seafood chowder or lobster or fish and chips, it’s absolutely one of my favourite Nova Scotia restaurants. 

So many restaurants feel they need to really transform ingredients into something completely different. But here they seem to understand that our ingredients need to be highlighted rather than changed. 

The house made sourdough bread is so good people come here just to buy it. And I loved the cherry tomato salad so much I asked for the recipe.

But I’m still working on getting the recipe for the tomato chili garlic gnocchi above (hint hint Chef Justin Floyd). If you don’t want to eat a full meal but rather a bite with a glass of wine I also mozzarella and country ham from local producers is also delicious.

You can dine inside or out on the patio. The winery is located in a former church from the mid-1800s that was floated down a river to be resurrected as a winery. 

I could go on and on about this place – just go and let me know what you ate! And tell them I’m still waiting for the gnocchi recipe.

Read what others say about food here.

Ed’s Take Out

Without a doubt, I would base my entire reputation by claiming that family-owned Ed’s Take Out in Digby has the best scallops I’ve ever eaten.

My mother loves scallops and so we’re often on the hunt for the best. But no one has beaten Ed’s. The Crow’s Nest is so close but Ed’s is still the king of scallops.

Most people choose pan fried scallops over deep-fried. But I think it’s a mistake. Most cooks pan fry scallops for too long and they end up a bit rubbery. But the deep fried scallops at Ed’s melt in your mouth.

It’s not easy to deep fry seafood well. You need a very hot fryer, clean oil and fresh seafood. Great places don’t batter to the point that you have to hunt for the seafood underneath all the breading. 

Ed’s is usually so crowded with locals you have to grab any free seat at the outdoor picnic tables. It’s cash only and the portions are so large it’s best to share. 

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Evangeline Cafe

One of the reasons I wanted to write this post was because most visitors miss places like Evangeline Cafe.

Perhaps that’s because locals call it Stirlings. It’s been owned by the Stirling family since the 1940s so it makes sense – except that the few tourists that hear about it end up down the road at Stirling Farm Market

There’s a full menu of soups, sandwiches, burgers and chowder but locals come here for the pie. It started as a pie shop and it continues to woo dessert haters like me.

It’s a seasonal spot (May-October) and many locals are “pie chasers” stopping in as each new season starts from rhubarb through the final berries of the season.  It’s close to Mercator Vineyards and Domain de Grand Pre so well worth a pie stop.

Read what others say about food here.

Flying Apron Inn and Cookery

Although I have not been to this restaurant I did eat Chef Chris Velden’s food at Burntcoat Head Park while dining on the ocean floor. 

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Founder’s House

Sadly no photo as I didn’t eat here. We drove down to Annapolis Royal to dine here as enough people told me it was the best food in Nova Scotia that I had to find out for myself.

We spent a sunny day exploring around the Fort Anne National Historic Site and Annapolis Royal but just as we were about to leave for dinner there was a massive power outage.

I’ve included it on the list as a reminder to dine there when I return. I trust my sources that the food here is fantastic

Read what others say about food here.

Jonny’s Cookhouse

Another local favourite, it’s an ice cream bar and diner-style restaurant with so many burgers, poutines and hotdog toppings your head will spin.

But I went for the Sweet Maria burger with grilled pineapple, crispy bacon, sweet chili sauce and mayo. If that’s not enough for you, order the Jerry Burger, which includes another beef patty on this burger.

Jonny’s uses fresh beef from Meadowbrook Meats that is ground in-house and served on buns that is made fresh daily.

Read what others say about food here.

Lightfood & Wolfville Vineyards

One of the most stunning wineries in Nova Scotia, the restaurant is outside under a tent in the vineyard, which is handy for Nova Scotia’s unpredictable weather.

The menu here is family friendly with a kid’s menu and also pizza from their outdoor wood fired oven. The garden salad, is from the organic vegetable garden on property and they have lots of hearty options as well.

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Naked Crepe Bistro

If you’re heading to Wolfville, there’s no doubt a local will mention the Naked Crepe. This is a beloved restaurant, known for its affordable options for sweet and savoury crepes. On weekends there is often evening music from local talent.

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Nippers British Fish and Chips

So this technically isn’t a restaurant, instead it’s a food truck. We don’t have many food trucks in Nova Scotia other than the iconic Bud the Spud in Halifax on Spring Garden Road. But the ones we have are great and this is a local Valley favourite.

Nippers moves around so it’s best to check out its Facebook page where it announces the location each week.

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The Noodle Guy

I like to think I had a hand in this Annapolis Valley restaurant. It started out as a noodle store where you could stop in and buy pasta. My mother and I stopped in thinking we could eat there. When we realized we couldn’t the owner told us to go ahead and sit down, he’d make it for us. 

It was ravioli with caramelized onion and quark cheese from local Fox Hill. We were hooked.

You can also find him at the Saturday Wolfville Farmer’s Market. He also eventually moved to a bigger space and opened up the restaurant in Port Williams. The menu usually includes five pastas daily but the ravioli and soba pasta, which is gluten-free, are always in high demand. 

Read what others say about food here.

Rolled Oat Cafe

Vegans and vegetarians I feel for you. Outside Halifax restaurants there aren’t a lot of dedicated vegan or vegetarian restaurants in Nova Scotia. 

It’s not that we don’t love vegetables, or eat tons at home. We are an agricultural region after all. But we also love our seafood and local meat. Most restaurants have vegetarian options, vegan may be more difficult but most places try to adapt.

Wolfville is one of the best spots for vegans and vegetarians as it serves the university population. Rolled Oat Cafe isn’t exclusively meat-free but they have far more options than anywhere else around. 

They have toys for kids, music at night. Overall an inviting experience and very popular restaurant in Wolfville.

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Union Street Cafe

A great spot for local food in Berwick, everything here is home cooked and locally sourced. Its menu also has dishes suitable for vegetarians and vegans like the Far East Popcorn Cauliflower and the Ginger Peanut Noodles, which you can have with tofu, chicken or shrimp.

I’ve also been here several times for local music and comedy shows. It’s a bit of a local hub and usually has something interesting going on.

Read what others say about food here.

Vineside Patio at Gaspereau Vineyards

Over the years we’ve popped in here many times for a bite to eat next to the vines. They have interesting pizzas, lobster sliders and a smoked chicken sandwich that changed my mind about ordering chicken in restaurants (I never do it).

Read what others say about food here.

Lobster Dinner in Nova Scotia

It’s always tricky when people ask me where to eat lobster in Nova Scotia because locals eat it at home. It’s much less expensive for us to buy it from the fishermen, cook it at home and serve it on a table that has been covered with last week’s flyers.

But there are two spots that have been around for so long that they are a good bet.

The Shore Club

It’s not in Annapolis Valley but by the private Hubbard’s Beach at the end of Highway 3. But I wanted to mention The Shore Club because it’s close to Halifax.

It has been serving lobster dinner for over 80 years. You order lobster by the size and dinner includes all-you-can-eat steamed mussels, salad bar and a dessert. 

While there is a surf and turf option and a vegan option, people come for the lobster.

Read what others say about food here.

Halls Harbour Lobster Pound

The only time I’ve ever eaten a lobster dinner in a restaurant has been at the Halls Harbour Lobster Pound. 

Yes it’s more expensive than making it at home, but Halls Harbour is a working harbour that’s worth a visit.

There’s nothing but seafood here. But there lots of innovations like lobster poutine and lobster quesadilla. Yet I can’t help but suggesting you stick to the original steamed lobster dinner. You choose what sides you want and what size lobster.

Dessert is an easy choice with ice cream at Parker’s General Store across the street. Get a moon mist ice cream and then head down to the ocean floor, if the tide is out.

Read what others say about food here.

Map: Best Nova Scotian Restaurants

Pin it: Best Restaurants in Nova Scotia

Disclosure: This post about Nova Scotia restaurants is part of a series in paid partnership with Visit Nova Scotia. However, they didn’t influence where I ate and am now recommending as I organized it all myself! It’s a dream job to be able to share the best of where I grew up.

My Favourite Restaurants in the Annapolis Valley is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Growing up in Nova Scotia, fish cakes were something we ate regularly. This fish cakes recipe is so versatile you can use salt cod, or it’s also great with leftover fish such as salmon or tilapia.

You can find fish cakes at home or order them in Nova Scotia restaurants. Traditional Nova Scotia recipes are usually quite simple, easy to make and easy on the budget. Fish cakes are often as simple as fish, mashed potatoes, egg, onion and celery if you want to get fancy.

I also like to add fresh herbs and spices if I have them on hand. Dill is great, but so is summer savoury or parsley.

I love how fish cakes are found all over the world. Fish cakes in Barbados are round instead of flat patties. They are found on practically all menus from street vendors to 5-star hotels.

You can also find fish cakes in Ireland and pastéis de bacalhau also known as salt cod fritters in Portugal. Similar fritters called bacalaítos are in the Dominican Republic and fiskefrikadeller in Denmark.

Fish Cakes Recipe

If you’ve never made fish cakes before this is why they need to be a staple:

• They are a quick and healthy meal with potatoes, fish and egg.
• The recipe is adaptable. You can add in more veggies, add spice, and even swap out some of the white potato for sweet potato or squash.
• They freeze well and make for great last minute meals.
• Picky eaters love them. The original recipe isn’t spicy or bitter.
• You can make them as thick or thin as you want. Small fish patties are great as appetizers with a bit of tartare sauce or lemon mayonnaise.

Salt Cod Fish Cakes

Salt cod is often thought of as an ingredient in Portuguese cooking but it’s been part of traditional Nova Scotia cuisine since the earliest settlers. Salting fish was a means to preserve it so salt cod is first salted then dried.

It’s a bit of a tedious to work with as it needs to be soaked to rehydrate and the water needs to be changed several times. 

Although we now have reliable refrigeration, some Nova Scotia recipes continue to use salt cod fish. But I’ve made fish cakes many times with whatever fish I have on hand or whatever is on sale.

Chicken Haddie Fish Cakes

While I grew up eating fish cakes made from chicken haddie, it’s now tough to find. Chicken haddie is a throwback to our British ancestry. It was a can of boneless mixed fish, usually cod, hake and pollack – the most affordable fish.

It made traditional fish cake recipes easy because people usually had a can of chicken haddie in their cupboards and only needed mashed potatoes to make the cakes.
 

How to Make Fish Cakes – An Easy Recipe

Nova Scotia Fish Cakes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A quick and easy Nova Scotia fish cakes recipe.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 lb fish, cooked
• 5 large potatoes, russet or baking potatoes
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp summer savoury (optional)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons celery, diced
• 1/4 cup onions, diced
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Instructions

1. Over medium-low heat add vegetable oil to a heated sauce pan. Saute onion and celery until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Cut potatoes into quarters and boil until cooked and drain. Return to pot. Add butter, garlic salt, sea salt, black pepper, sauteed onion and celery, and summer savoury (optional). Mash together to create mashed potatoes. Let cool in fridge
3. Add fish and beaten egg and loosely combine. Form into patties and place on large plate or tray. Put in fridge for one hour to allow patties to cool.
4. To cook heat sauce pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil or butter. Lightly flour patties and pan fry until golden, 2-3 minutes a side.
5. You can eat them immediately or cool to eat the next day or freeze to eat later.
   
   
   

Notes

1. Normally I don't use garlic powder or garlic salt but growing up my grandmother made mashed potatoes with garlic salt and although she's passed our family continues the tradition.

2. Cooling the fish patties in the fridge makes them easier to pan fry. I prefer them to be the size of hamburgers, a little more flat than the ones in these photos.

3. You can serve with tartare sauce, sweet chili sauce, tomato jam or ketchup.

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Fish Cakes Frequently Asked Questions

Are Fish Cakes Gluten-Free?

They absolutely can be! The fish patties are dipped in all purpose white flour and then pan fried. Simply use gluten-free flour and they are ready to go.

Can I Use Panko Bread Crumbs?

My Nova Scotia fish cakes recipe uses flour and then pan fried in butter. That’s how I ate it growing up and continue to prefer it.

You can easily do a simple batter with the fish cakes the same way you would pan fry fish:

Dip one fish patty at a time. First in flour, then in a beaten egg. Allow the excess egg drip off before coating fish cakes in the bread crumb.

Can I Freeze Fish Cakes?

You can keep uncooked fish cakes in the fridge for a day or two. You can also keep fish cakes in the freezer for up to three months. I prefer to cook them then freeze, and then just defrost and warm in the freezer.

But you can also defrost the fish cakes and then finish them by pan frying.

More Great Nova Scotia Recipes

• Nova Scotia Fish Chowder
• Avondale Sky’s Cherry Tomato Salad
• Luckett Vineyard Crush Pad Steak and Mushroom Pie
• Nova Scotia Hodge Podge Recipe
• Strawberry Tarts
• Nova Scotia Blueberry Grunt
• Lobster Pasta Salad
• Stirling’s Mixed Berry Crisp Recipe

Pin it For Later: Nova Scotia Fish Cakes

This Nova Scotia fish cakes recipe is part of a paid partnership with Tourism Nova Scotia where I independently explore where I grew up to share what I think is the best food and wine in the Annapolis Valley. I am thrilled to work with him as it’s a dream job to promote my home and its delicious recipes.

Nova Scotia Fish Cakes Recipe is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Forget sandwiches, this turkey leftovers pizza will turn your holidays around. Whether it’s Christmas pizza or Thanksgiving pizza, eating turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce on crust will be a new tradition.

This is a quick post as we’re in the thick of the holidays and I said I wasn’t going to work.

But at Thanksgiving I saw Cailin from Travel Yourself ordered a thanksgiving leftover turkey pizza and I knew we had to have it as our Christmas pizza.

Making Holiday Cooking Easy

I cook holiday dinners for my family, which I love. However I have two rules:

1. I want to enjoy the holidays rather than being in the kitchen the whole time.
2. Once the big dinner is over. I’m done.

Although, it does work with a few minor tweaks:

Cook Two Turkeys

My family loves turkey soup and turkey pot pie. Every year I cook a whole turkey in the instant pot a week beforehand then make these two dishes so they are done.

When my sister goes back to her house it’s with a freezer bag of food. She has two small children, I owe her for taking one for the team and having kids when I have chosen not to.

Over the years I’ve cooked turkeys so many different ways:

• Cooking over low heat
• over high heat
• spatchcock
• brined
• butter underneath the breasts

Yet NOTHING beats the Instant Pot in terms of ease, speed and moisture. I’ve cooked 15 turkeys in an Instant Pot and I’ve never been disappointed.

Most importantly, no one has ever said my turkey is dry.

Leftovers Should Be Easy

So on Christmas Eve I cook scallops and lobsters. Then I cook Christmas breakfast and that evening a full turkey dinner. And on Boxing Day I make an appetizer for a larger family gathering.

After that I’m tired of cooking. Thankfully I always make lots of leftovers.

Whether it’s Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey sometimes turkey leftovers is better than the turkey dinner. We usually have hot turkey sandwiches with fries or plain sandwiches.

I want to spend as little time in the kitchen the next day. I’d rather sit by the Christmas tree, drinking Cuban crema de vie (aka Cuban eggnog) and think about warmer days.

And this Christmas pizza is actually easier than sandwiches and everyone likes it more.

What Kind of Pizza Crust Should I Use?

It really depends on how ambitious you are. I like to go the easy route because it’s a lazy family dinner, where we sometimes just eat while watching a movie. 

Here are your pizza crust options:

• Making homemade pizza dough from scratch
• Buying dough from the supermarket
• Puff pastry sheets for crust
• Buying a pre-made crust

Although I tend to be a cook from scratch kinda girl. I prefer the easiest option possible – pre-made crust that just needs to be heated. 

This also makes this Christmas pizza recipe extremely family friendly. Kids can help make one big pizza by adding the toppings. Or you can buy personal size pizza dough – naan bread works so well for this.

If you have a pizza stone it’s always a good idea to throw the pizza on one that has been preheated at a high heat for a crispy crust.

A cast iron pan is also great if you don’t have one. Just throw the cast iron in the oven at 400F for 10 minutes then put your naan on it.

If you only have a baking sheet don’t stress! This is Christmas leftovers dinner!

Christmas Pizza Ingredients

Basically whatever you have cooked the evening before. This isn’t a typical Italian pizza with tomato sauce so add the food you love

• Pizza crust
• Turkey
• Mashed potatoes
• Stuffing, or as we call it, dressing
• Cranberry sauce
• Gravy
• Shredded Cheese
• Green onions or fried French onions
• Sweet potato
• Green bean casserole

Christmas Pizza Using Leftovers

Yield: 6 Slices

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Whether it’s Christmas pizza or Thanksgiving pizza, eating turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce on crust will be a new tradition.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 pizza crust of your choice
• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 1.5 cups shredded turkey, dark meat works best
• 1 cup stuffing or dressing
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup gravy
• 1/2 cup cranberry sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Spread cooked crust with mashed potatoes
3. Add turkey, stuffing, any other ingredients. Top with cheese.
4. Put in oven and cook for 10 minutes. While pizza is cooking warm up gravy.
5. Remove pizza and top with green onion, gravy and cranberry sauce.
6. Serve warm.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 538 Total Fat 20g Saturated Fat 5g Trans Fat 1g Unsaturated Fat 13g Cholesterol 48mg Sodium 1007mg Carbohydrates 70g Net Carbohydrates 0g Fiber 3g Sugar 10g Sugar Alcohols 0g Protein 20g

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although BaconisMagic.ca attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Pin it: Christmas or Thanksgiving Pizza

Easy Christmas Pizza Using Leftovers is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Strawberry truffles are a great Valentine’s Day recipe, or for any day of the year.

I am not a baker and I prefer savoury over sweet. But even I cannot turn down a good chocolate.

This is a truffle recipe for people who want to impress but don’t want to stay in the kitchen all day. I call it the slacker recipe for truffles with strawberry.

It doesn’t require a long grocery list, there’s no wondering if you should use full-fat or low-fat cream cheese.

All you need are 3 ingredients and 20 minutes.

No fancy cooking gadgets either: You need a sauce pan. A bowl. A baking sheet or cutting board, or even a plate.

Really can it get any simpler?

A 3 Ingredient Truffle Recipe?

Yes you read that right! But with any recipe that only uses a few ingredients they must be of the highest quality. 

This isn’t a budget recipe. But it also doesn’t have to be really expensive. 

But let me warn you, if you use cheap chocolate, these strawberry truffles are going to taste cheap.

That’s why I’ve recommended these chocolate chips and this freeze dried strawberry. But feel free to use whatever you prefer.
 
 

What are Freeze Dried Strawberries?

A freeze dried strawberry IS NOT THE SAME as a regular dried strawberry. 

You cannot substitute one for the other. Freeze drying strawberries make them light, crunchy and so flavourful. When you make this truffle recipe the strawberries become rehydrated.

If you use regular dried strawberries you won’t have an intense strawberry flavour. 

So don’t waste your time. I like these freeze dried strawberries and you can also find them at Trader Joe’s.

Can I Use Fresh Strawberries?

Yes and no. Technically you can. Simply remove the stem and blend the strawberries together. Strain the strawberries through a fine strainer to remove the seeds.

However, the flavour won’t be intense like the freeze dried ones. So if you do use fresh strawberries please don’t comment that the recipe didn’t work!

The Easiest Strawberry Truffles Recipe

Chocolate Strawberry Truffles Recipe

Yield: 16 truffles

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

This is a very easy and versatile recipe, instead of strawberry truffles you could use dried mango, blueberry or raspberry.

Print

Ingredients

• ¾ cup 35% heavy cream
• 2 10-ounce packages dark chocolate chips
• 1 1-ounce package freeze dried strawberries, blended into a fine powder

Instructions

1. Heat heavy cream over medium heat in a small sauce pan. Bring the cream to a simmer, the remove from heat.
2. Pour one package of dark chocolate chips into a heat-safe bowl. Pour the heated cream over the top of the chocolate chips and allow to rest for five minutes.
3. Stir the chocolate mixture until well combined, then add all but one tablespoon of the crushed strawberries. Stir to combine.
4. Place the chocolate mixture in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.
5. Heat the remaining chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until melted.
6. Using a tablespoon or ice cream scoop, scoop out the chocolate mixture and form into balls. Dip each ball in melted chocolate and top with a sprinkle of crushed strawberries.
7. Allow the chocolate to cool and set before serving.

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• Trader Joe's Freeze Dried Strawberries Unsweetened & Unsulfured 1.2oz (Pack of 6)

Nutrition Information

Yield 16 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 232 Total Fat 15g Saturated Fat 9g Trans Fat 0g Unsaturated Fat 5g Cholesterol 15mg Sodium 12mg Carbohydrates 22g Net Carbohydrates 0g Fiber 3g Sugar 17g Sugar Alcohols 0g Protein 2g

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although BaconisMagic.ca attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Pin it: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Truffles

Make Strawberry Truffles in 20 Minutes with 3 Ingredients is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Classic English style haddock fish and chips with a twist using wasabi tartar sauce and sesame ginger slaw.

As a Maritimer my first instinct would be to tell you that fish and chips don’t need any sprucing up. We love fish and chips for any occasion.

In fact, for New Years Eve this year I skipped Chinese food and bought a box of these Signature English Style Haddock Fillets for dinner.

So when High Liner reached out to me to participate in the 2020 campaign where they are sharing 20 different meal ideas that requires less than 20 minutes to make I thought it was a good opportunity to change my fish and chips purist ways. 

But let’s not get crazy, battered fish doesn’t need to change. So instead I’m sharing a recipe that spices up the sides.

Why Eat Fish?

I eat fish a few times a week when I’m in Canada and I’m always surprised that more people don’t. Fish is healthy, a great source of protein and low in fat. 

I think a lot of people are intimidated by fish but really fish might be one of the easiest things to cook. In fact it’s perfect for a weeknight meal because it cooks so quickly.

How to Cook Fish

Many people overcook fish, and that’s why they never want to make it at home. Overcooking dries out fish, making it tough and ruining the flavour.  

Fish is safely cooked when it has an internal temperature of 158°F / 70°C.

But just like meat, the easiest way to know if it’s cooked is to invest in a meat thermometer. And when I say invest I mean spend 10 bucks to get one like this.

It’s the only way to know if you’re safe.  Chefs who have been cooking for years always use a meat thermometer to ensure food is safe. 

My Favourite Way to Cook Fish

There are so many ways to cook fish:

• bake
• barbecue
• broil
• deep fry
• microwave (eww)
• pan fry
• poach
• steam

But my favourite weeknight approach is to bake fish. I can put it in the oven and work on the rest of dinner while it cooks. 

In a 450F oven, a thawed fish required 10-12 minutes for each inch of thickness. If the fish is frozen the time doubles. 

So that gives me 10-20 minutes to make the rest of the meal.

The Ultimate Comfort Food

In my house regular fish and chips and creamy coleslaw is one of my favourite comfort foods.

The Signature English Style Haddock Fillets have a crispy batter that bakes really well while keeping the fish moist and flakey.

I also like that it is responsibly sourced, something really important to me. It is caught wild in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Not all fish and chips are the same. It does matter what fish you use so don’t try to give me tilapia. Haddock has a slightly sweet taste and delicate flake.

It’s more delicate than cod but also still firm. It’s great for cooking and we buy it weekly.

Asian Inspired Fish and Chips

Another great thing about fish is that it lasts for six months in your freezer and does not need to be thawed.

In fact, cooking from frozen helps the fish stay juicy. Unless you want to bread, marinate or fry the fish, cooking from frozen is the way to go.

This is a great recipe because it changes up classic fish and chips with a wasabi tartar sauce and adds a chopped Asian seasame ginger slaw.

Prepare the Fish First

Oven – Cook at 450F for 19 minutes, flipping after 10 minutes.
Toaster Oven – Cook at 400F for 27 minutes, flipping after 13 minutes.

Fish is best served immediately. But if something comes up just keep it warm in the oven at 170°F / 77°C.

While the fish is cooking you have lots of time to make the sesame slaw and wasabi tartar sauce.

Wasabi Tartar Sauce

Although I adore classic tartar sauce I do love the kick wasabi gives this recipe. It’s so easy you could make it the night before as the flavour blends and the wasabi is more pronounced.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons wasabi paste
1 teaspoon lime juice

Sesame Ginger Slaw

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Classic English style haddock fish and chips with a twist using wasabi tartare sauce and sesame ginger slaw.

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Ingredients

• 3 cups coleslaw
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1.5 teaspoon honey
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sriracha

Instructions

1. In a large bowl mix dressing ingredients.
2. Add coleslaw and toss well.

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 227Total Fat 18gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 9mgSodium 341mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 2gSugar 12gProtein 1g

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although BaconisMagic.ca attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

PIN IT: Asian Inspired Fish and Chips

 
Disclosure: This is a paid partnership with High Liner, a brand I’ve known since I was a child when I devoured fish sticks. As my tastes grew so did the High Liner offerings although I still love the fish sticks!

Asian Inspired Fish and Chips is a post from: Bacon is Magic

A round-up of some of the best fiddlehead recipes from fantastic food bloggers.

Anyone who has known me for a long time, but still loves me, would say that I’m a bit…frugal. I’m not stingy with others. But I LOVE a good deal. I thrive on bargains. 

And I think that was my initial attraction to foraging. There are so many edible spring plants in Canada that you can pick for FREE!

Well, if you know where to go and you make sure you’re not eating the poisonous ones. I never go without multiple books/field guides. When in doubt I pass.

Although I love traveling all over the world. And I would prefer to skip winter each year. I do love foraging in spring and autumn.

It’s my idea of an adventure, traipsing through the forest to collect things to eat.

While the Fiddlehead Capital of the World (yes this is a thing) is in Tide Head, New Brunswick, I’ve foraged fiddleheads as far west as Ontario.

They are very popular in Main, Vermont and New Hampshire.

If you have ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) in your forest then you have fiddlehead ferns in spring. 
 

What are Fiddleheads?

 
Fiddleheads are the uncurled frond of a fern. This is why the fiddlehead season is so unpredictable. They are the fronds tightly wound and one day they unfold and turn into a frond.

They are found in areas with a lot of moisture, in forests and near river banks. Fiddlehead season short, three weeks at best.
 

 
While it’s usually in May, it really depends on how quickly spring comes. Sometimes it’s early and other times very late. 

If you miss fiddlehead season it is possible to buy them frozen.

These fiddlehead fronds are really healthy: 

• Iron
• Fibre
• Riboflavin
• Vitamin A and C
• Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.

In North America we mostly eat ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) when we talk about fiddleheads. They are called fiddleheads, because it looks like the end of a fiddle.

You can find fiddleheads all over the world known as:

• Dhekia xak, Kandor, kasrod, niyuro, languda, lingri, lungdu, therme thoppu depending where you are in India
• Gosari in Korea
• Juécài in China and Taiwan
• Niyuro in Nepal
• Pohole in Hawaii
• Têtes de violon in France
• Warabi in Japan

What do Fiddleheads Taste Like?

They are a spring green vegetable. I think it’s somewhere it between spinach and asparagus. Others say broccoli, artichokes or green beans.

Fiddleheads taste like…fiddleheads. 
 

Are Fiddlehead Ferns Toxic? Can you Eat Fiddleheads Raw?

There’s a lot of debate about the toxicity and carcinogens with raw fiddleheads. 

Never eat fiddleheads raw. 

Both Health Canada and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend cleaning and cooking fiddlehead ferns before eating – whether that be through steaming, blanching or boiling.

There are many kinds of local ferns. Both foxglove and bracken ferns are high risk and considered toxic or carcinogenic.

However, the kind of fern we eat is the ostrich fern fiddlehead.

Some hard core foragers insist they are fine raw and the most you’ll have is an upset stomach. But I’m not willing to take the risk.

Besides, spring plants have a raw bitter flavour before cooking. Who wants that?

Where to Buy Fiddleheads?

The farmer’s market is the best place to start. However, you’ll need to get there early as spring wild plants are the most popular. 

If you don’t see them on a table just ask. Often times they keep the best stuff under the table or in a cooler. 

Commercial harvesting of fiddleheads is becoming more common in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Maine. It’s possible to buy fiddleheads in supermarkets. 

How to Cook Fiddleheads

Fiddleheads sometimes have a brown paper husk, much like you’d see on tomatillos or spruce tips. 

Remove the husk and soak in cold water. You’ll want to loosen the fiddleheads a bit to get out soil.  It’s best to change the water a few times to be safe.

Cooking fiddleheads is very easy. But you do need to know how long to cook fiddleheads. 

Health Canada says to boil 15 minutes or steam for 10-12 minutes until tender but still crisp. If you boil them don’t keep the water as soup stock, it is VERY bitter.

Most fiddlehead recipes often start with a boil or steam to ensure there is little risk.

12 Fiddlehead Recipes

The most common way to cook fiddleheads is sautéed in butter. It’s a classic way to bring out the flavours of this wild plant.

However, I think it’s so popular because people don’t know others ways to eat fiddleheads. 

If you look around the world, fiddleheads are:

• salted in Russia
• in coconut sauce in Indonesia
• pickled in India
• in bibimbap in Korea
• roasted in Japan
• in salads in the Philippines

I wanted to share these fiddlehead recipes to inspire people to use fiddleheads in more than just butter!

Beer Battered Fiddleheads with Kimchi Mayo

This is an old fiddleheads recipe I shot in a life that feels so long ago. I served food at a pop-up restaurant in a dive bar and this was one of the recipes using fiddleheads.

The photos are horrible BUT this is an amazing dish. 

Deep frying fiddleheads removes the bitterness and brings out an incredible creamy flavour.

The fermented undertones of kimchi just makes it a really interesting dish. If you don’t have homemade kimchi you could just substitute store bought.

Beer Battered Fiddleheads recipe

Fiddlehead Cheese Tart

With pre-made puffed pastry, this fiddlehead recipe is a breeze!

The creaminess of fontina and gruyere really compliments the complex flavour of fiddleheads. I love the simplicity of a tart that you can make ahead and serve to guests. 

Fiddlehead Cheese Tart
 
 

Sauteed Fiddleheads

If the idea of butter sauteed fiddleheads is a bit too simple for you this one adds lemon and garlic. 

And frankly, who doesn’t think garlic makes food SO much better.

Sauteed Fiddleheads with Garlic Lemon Butter

Spring Salad with Fiddleheads

I love it when new vegetables appear for spring. It just changes how we eat!

This spring salad is good as a side or a meal with grilled chicken. It’s easy to make it vegan with tofu or other meatless protein. Best of all? It’s easy to prepare in under 30 minutes

Spring Salad with Fiddleheads & Blackberry Vinaigrette

Creamy Fiddlehead Soup

Celebrate the start of the spring foraging season with this creamy fiddlehead soup with chives. A perfect earthy flavoured soup for those cool spring evenings.

Creamy Fiddlehead Soup with Chives

Spicy Pickled Fiddleheads

This pickled fiddleheads recipe is a delicious way to preserve the unique seasonal flavour of wild fiddlehead ferns and enjoy a healthy snack all year round.

They are a great alternative to cucumber pickles. Use them on a charcuterie table, in sandwiches, devilled eggs or in cocktails like the Canadian caesar drink or American bloody mary.

Spicy Pickled Fiddleheads

Beef Tenderloin, Fiddleheads and Horseradish Cream

One of the more decadent fiddlehead recipes, while it does require a bit of preparation it is absolutely worth it. 

In this recipe the fiddleheads are finished in butter and make for a special meal.

Beef Tenderloin with Einkorn Fiddleheads and Horseradish Cream

Leek and Fiddlehead Quiche

A great vegetarian fiddlehead recipe that is perfect for brunch, lunch and spring picnics.

It’s a wonderful dish to make ahead and serve when guests arrive. Quiche is delicious warm but also great served at room temperature with a side salad. 

Spring Leek and Fiddlehead Quiche

Fiddlehead Pasta

This light and easy to assemble fiddlehead pasta recipe perfect for a quick lunch or supper.

It uses what you already have in your fridge and pantry so once you have fiddleheads you’re set to go!

Spring Fiddlehead & Sausage Penne

Leek and Gruyere Phyllo Tart

Another great but simple way to serve fiddleheads is to use prepared phyllo dough. It gives it a light, flakey texture with the added rich flavour of gruyere cheese.

Fiddlehead, Leek and Gruyere Tart

Shrimp and Grits with Fiddleheads

I love the north meets south aspect of this recipe. Southern shrimp and grits are a classic, and the creaminess of the grits goes so well with fiddleheads.

It has all the bright flavours of Italian shrimp scampi for a delicious spring recipe.

Lemon-Garlic Shrimp and Grits with Fiddleheads

Sautéed Fiddlehead Ferns

This is an easy fiddleheads recipe perfect for those new to the ingredient.

If you’re going to try fiddleheads for the first time it’s best to get fantastic butter and start with one of the classic dishes.

Fiddlehead Fern Sauté

What Wine Pairs with Fiddleheads?

Green vegetables are notoriously difficult to pair with wine. Spinach, asparagus and many other greens leave a lot of people feeling stumped. 

But young, bright flavours don’t need to be difficult. An easy cheat in wine is to pair food with similar characteristics. So if you have a young bright flavour look for a wine that is similar. 

Young rieslings pair well with spring vegetables. As do light rosés. I also love a good sauvignon blanc that has more grassy flavours, like those from Chile.

When in doubt. Buy a wine you love and forget about the obnoxious stress of having to pair with food.

What fiddlehead recipes are your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!

Pin it: Fiddleheads Recipes

Want More Spring Wild Food Recipes?

Pickled ramps
Spruce tips vinegar
Charred ramp pesto
Ramp kimchi
Beer battered ramps

12 Fiddlehead Recipes to Celebrate Spring is a post from: Bacon is Magic

This old fashioned banana bread recipe is so simple anyone can make it. And bonus, it’s a naturally gluten-free dessert!

Although I love to profess that I don’t like sweets, some things I do like and old fashioned banana bread is one of them.

My grandmother was a terrible cook. But she had a repertoire of 7 things she could make better than anyone else: mashed potatoes, shrimp dip, turkey dressing, Nova Scotia fish chowder, apple pie, banana bread and cherry balls. 

She made old fashioned banana bread. It wasn’t eggless, like the trend is now. It wasn’t healthy. But it was SO moist and it tasted like it was full of banana.

And it’s one of those sweets that we miss now that she’s gone.
 
 

Old Fashioned Banana Bread

I’d love to take credit for this recipe but I didn’t write it.

In fact I didn’t even make it.

As I was working away in my room writing when I heard my mother tinkering in the kitchen. It caught my attention because my mother hates to cook (although she makes great pineapple carrot muffins), so what was she up to?

If you want a good classic banana bread you have to make it yourself. Nothing beats homemade and so that’s what she was making.

And although she hates to cook banana bread if pretty tough to screw up:

• Put dry ingredients in one bowl, mix with a fork.
• Use a hand mixer to blend remaining ingredients in other bowl.
• Fold two bowls together.
• Bake

But my mother understands one crucial point to old fashioned banana bread – the bananas MUST be overripe.

Not just yellow bananas with a bit of bruising. You want to put the bananas in a paper bag so the starchy banana turns to sugar – that makes homemade banana bread moist and sweet.

Homemade Banana Bread Equipment 

As I’m not a baker there are a few things I realized you do need that some people may not have. 

Loaf Pan

If you’re in North America the standard loan pan is 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches – usually rounded up and called a 9×5 loaf pan.

If you want to buy one yourself this one is less than $10 and available for Prime shipping.

It is the default for recipes so if you’re unsure what you have it is probably this size. Although my mother has a fully stocked kitchen we had to borrow this. If you don’t have a loaf pan I’m sure someone you know has one.

Hand Mixer

Even when I left my life to travel I kept some appliances. My beloved Kitchen Aid food processor, Vitamix, knives and of course my cast iron pans.

But I realized I’ve never bought a hand mixer because I don’t bake so I never hand mix. But I did find this one for under $25 and the reviews are as good as the expensive ones.
 
 

How to Store Banana Bread

On the kitchen counter banana bread will keep up to a week, wrapped tightly in aluminum foil. We don’t use plastic wrap because someone is always digging into it. Aluminum foil is easier to rewrap.

Do not put it in the fridge as it will dry out. Believe me you’ll eat it before it goes bad. 

Although it doesn’t need butter because it’s already so moist, I still add it with a sprinkle of sea salt.

How to Freeze Banana Bread

If you’re going to bake, the smart thing to do is double this old fashioned banana bread recipe. Eat one loaf now and and put one loaf in the freezer. It will keep for a few months if wrapped in a few layers of plastic wrap.

Instead of freezing the whole loaf, bread it out into thirds so you can pull just a bit at a time when you need it.

Some people freeze individual slices, but in my experience you can never eat just one piece of banana bread.
 
 

Banana Bread Substitutions + Variations

I am a homemade banana bread purist. I don’t think the original recipe needs to be changed. However…if you must

1. Add 3/4 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips.
2. Swap part of the white granulated sugar for brown sugar.
3. To cut the fat replace half of the butter with apple sauce.
4. Add spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves.
5. Add flavours like real vanilla – definitely NOT artificial.

Old Fashioned Banana Bread

Yield: 1 standard size loaf

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

This classic banana bread recipe is just like the one your grandmother made.

Print

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at noon temperature
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 4 large over ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.

With a hand blender or mix master blend butter and sugar together. Add eggs and mix. Add mashed banana.

In a separate bowl, use a fork to mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and walnuts.

Fold in ingredients of first bowl with mashed banana. Do not over mix.

Use non-stick spray on a standard size loaf pan (8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2-1/2 inches). Add banana bread ingredients.

Bake for 1 hour, or until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.

Let cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Recommended Products

• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Black + Decker Hand Mixer
• 9x5 Loaf Pan

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 servings Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 316Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 227mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 2gSugar: 23gProtein: 5g

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although BaconisMagic.ca attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Pin it: Classic Banana Bread Recipe

Old Fashioned Banana Bread Like Your Grandmother Made is a post from: Bacon is Magic

These easy ramp recipes will make you want to get out in the forest foraging for ramps. Here is a collection of my recipes over the years as well as my favourite food bloggers.

Is winter over yet? Let’s face it, spring is a hot and cold lover. With sunny weather one day and then freezing rain for days.

But it’s also one of my favourite seasons as so many vegetables appear. Over the years I’ve shared my favourite ramp recipes from foraging in the forest.
 

 
I’ve foraged on private land and am lucky enough to be in a group where we are the only ones using the land so we ensure sustainability each year.

But please read the post below if you’re foraging on public land.

MUST READ: Spring Guide to Foraging Edible Plants

Ramps are like natures perfect onion, so delicate but fragrant. They only appear for a few weeks each year and then make way for summer.

27 Delicious Ramp Recipes

Ramps are an allium often called wild garlic, or more specifically wild leeks. They can also be called spring onion, ramson, bärlauch, Ramsløg or wood leek depending on where you live in the world.

They typically grow in northern United States and also throughout southern Canada. But you can also find them in the Europe, South Asia and other areas that have cooler spring-like weather foe one season.

If you know where to go, you can forage ramps – please be responsible! It’s best to cut the roots and leave them in the ground so it can continue to grow.

This not only helps the plant but early on I learned the hard way that most of the dirt and mud is in the roots. For every pound of ramps you’ll bring home an extra five pounds of dirt.

A seasonal vegetable, you can also find ramps in the farmer’s market in spring. Usually cleaned for you – bonus!

But they won’t be on the seller’s table. Like a convert operation you have to ask if they have any. If they do they are always under the table.

Wild foods are often out of site, reserved for people who truly know how special this spring foraged food can be. 

I wanted to share these ramp recipes in one place as they are great for beginners and don’t take much time to make.

Wild Ramp Recipes

Pickled Ramps

Ramps only appear for a few weeks but I like to enjoy them year round. Ramps are great as pickles and it ensures that if you buy/pick a bunch and aren’t able to eat them all that you aren’t wasting precious ramps.

They are amazing over pasta, can be battered and fried, or served on crostini. The flavour is so delicate as a pickle that I love them on their own.

Easy Pickled Ramps Recipe
 

Spring Greens Salad with Wild Garlic

A healthy salad with so many delicious flavours of spring. It starts with a bed of healthy quinoa and is topped with fresh, raw vegetables in an avocado ramp sauce. 

This is a perfect ramps recipe for your farmers market haul.

Spring Greens Salad with Wild Garlic

Ramp Kimchi

Kimchi isn’t just for cabbage! Like regular leeks, people often wonder what to do with the greens from wild leeks – aka ramps.

An easy way to use them is to ferment them into kimchi. They are fantastic as a condiment, like on the hot dogs above or mixed with a bit of goat yogurt to make a dipping sauce.

Kimchi seems intimidating but really it’s not so hard and pretty low maintenance. It’s great way to use all of the ramps and extend the flavour.

Ramp Kimchi 
 
 

Beer Battered Ramps

This may be one of my favourite recipes. I call it nature’s onion ring.  People rave about this simple beer batter mix with the ramp kimchi mayo.

It’s so simple to make and so decadent. You can make this recipe with fresh or pickled ramps.

Beer Battered Ramps

Sundried Tomato Swirls with Wild Garlic Pesto

I love this post because so many ramps recipes are for pesto, which is great but then people have so much pesto and they don’t know what to do with it beyond pasta. 

Using an all butter puff pastry, this is an easy but delicious way to use ramps. I adore savoury pastries so this is right up my alley.

Sundried Tomato Swirls with Wild Garlic Pesto
 
 

Grilled Potato Salad with Ramps

A great no-mess ramps recipe that cooks potatoes and other ingredients in a foil packet. It’s perfect for gatherings as it’s gluten free and vegan too.

The mustard and maple dressing adds a nice sweet tang to the deep onion garlic flavour of the ramps. It’s good the first time you eat it and even better the next day as leftovers.

Grilled Potato Salad with Ramps

Sea Salt and Lemon Grilled Ramps

Some of the best ramps recipes are the most simple, using just a few ingredients and letting this wild food sing.

This is a simple recipe using three ingredients: ramps, lemon juice and sea salt. It brings out all the rich flavours of ramps and is a perfect side dish.

Sea Salt and Lemon Grilled Ramps
 
 

Fiddlehead Ramp Cheese Tart

For a short period in spring you can get both fiddleheads and ramps, and it’s absolutely a perfect combination. 

Fiddleheads are very common on the east coast of Canada, especially New Brunswick. If you have ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) in your forest then you have fiddlehead ferns in spring. 

The #1 rule: never eat them raw.

This is another fantastic ramps recipe using puff pastry. It is a simple tart with creamy gruyere and fontina cheese and these two delicate spring foods.

Ramps and Garlic Mustard Frittata

A double dose of great garlicky flavour, garlic mustard is usually considered an invasive weed but is a great compliment to ramps.

Great for breakfast or brunch, this frittata cooks in just 10 minutes in the oven.

Ramps and Garlic Mustard Frittata
 
 

Focaccia with Radish Ramp Butter

If you’re a fan of compound butters (aka flavoured butters) this is one of the best ramps recipes for you. 

And what is better than fantastic bread and butter? The only downside is that while it appears you’ll have a big batch to eat for days, you may like it so much you eat it all in one sitting.

Focaccia with Radish Ramp Butter

Warm Corn Salad with Bacon and Ramps

A simple 5-ingredient corn salad, that uses all the best flavours. 

Who wouldn’t want a salad that has the great garlic onion flavours combined with bacon! It’s a robust salad with lots of flavour and could outside the main course.

Warm Corn Salad with Bacon and Ramps
 
 

Wild Garlic Falafels

I didn’t like falafels for a long time until I discovered Jordanian food and realized I was eating cheap, poor quality falafels.

These ramp falafels are a great baked option and lower in calories. They can be made in advance for a party and warmed up when everyone arrives – and no one should have a problem eating them as they are vegan and gluten-free!

Ramp Falafels

Ramps and Cherry Tomato Pie

As a Canadian I wasn’t aware of just how good a tomato pie could be until I explored the best restaurants in Charleston and had a life changing tomato pie.

It’s always been in the back of my head to learn how to make one myself. And this is the perfect opportunity! The garlic-onion flavour is a perfect compliment to the decadent cheesy tomato tart.

Ramps and Cherry Tomato Pie
 
 

Wild Garlic Chips

One of the ramps recipes that takes things to the next level. If you’ve ever made kale chips and were disappointed by the flavour these ramps chips solves everything.

With an addition of cheese, it almost mimics the flavour of sour cream and onion chips in Canada. It’s a great low carb, lower fat option…or just a great snack.

Ramps Chips

Open Faced Sandwiches with Ramps

A decadent and delicious sandwich made with spring vegetables, creamy labneh and fresh bread. 

A tartine is an open faced sandwich, often eaten in France for breakfast or lunch, quality ingredients are a must.

It’s also a great option for kids as you can prep the ingredients and allow children to top their own sandwich.

Open Faced Ramp Sandwich
 
 

Mushroom Onion and Ramp Jalousie

More puff pastry goodness, this vegetarian ramp recipe takes the umami of mushrooms and gives it a garlicky, oniony, cheesy pairing. 

A classic dish in traditional French cuisine, this French pastry is essentially a window shutter with little slats to see the gorgeous filling. It looks complicated but with store bought pastry it’s a quick dish.

Ramp Jalousie

Ramps Pastas

Ramp Pasta

One of the easiest ramps recipes as there is no preparation. I love this ramp pasta with prosciutto and parmesan because it’s so comforting on cold rainy spring days.
 

 
The saltiness of the prosciutto and cheese complement the onion for a pasta that is everything full flavoured but light. Best of all, this ramp pasta takes less than 10 minutes to make.

Ramp Pasta
 
 

Ramp Gnocchi with Sautéed Kale and Crispy Bacon

Spring is not the time to be passing on carbs! You can have a nice light ramps pasta with delicate seasonal vegetables and this recipe shows just how good comfort food can be. 

Inspired a bit by the flavours and textures of perogies, it caught my eye because no recipe can be wrong if it includes bacon and sour cream.

Ramp Gnocchi

Rotini Ramp Pesto

Rotini may just be one of the best shapes for a ramp pasta recipe, especially if it’s made with pesto.

The little rings catch all the garlicky goodness from ramps. If the ramp pesto is already made then this is a very quick recipe perfect for weeknights.

Rotini ramp pesto
 
 

Ramp Mushroom and Preserved Lemon Linguine

This ramp pasta shows just how well the wild food can play off the earthiness of mushrooms with the brightness of lemon. 

This is a quick 20 minute recipe using ramps, white wine, good parmesan and preserved lemon. It calls for oyster mushrooms but you can substitute whatever you have on hand.

Ramp Mushroom and Preserved Lemon Linguine

Beet Ricotta Gnocchi with Ramps

More great ramp gnocchi, this time made with ricotta and vibrant red beets.

Don’t be intimidated about making pasta from scratch, this is a fool proof recipe to make fluffy gnocchi and may be the most colourful dish on your plate this spring.

Beet Ricotta Gnocchi with Ramps

Ramp Pestos

Charred Ramp Pesto

Pesto is just like Argentinean chimichurri or French pistou – you can use so many different kinds of greens. Here’s another one of the ramps recipes that aims to use all of the plant. You torch the ramp before combining it with pesto ingredients.

If you do not have a a torch at home you can do this by putting the plants under the oven broiler.

Charred Ramp Pesto
 
 

Wild Garlic Hemp and Sunflower Seed Pesto

I love this ramp pesto recipe because it’s a bit more elaborate with hemp and sunflower seeds. It’s a vegan ramp pesto so there’s no cheese, but does’t require nutritional yeast so don’t worry if you don’t have it.

This is a thick pesto that is perfect for spreading on sandwiche and pizzas but can easily be thinned out with a bit more olive oil if you’d like to use on pasta.

Wild Garlic Hemp and Sunflower Seed Pesto

Wild Garlic Pesto

A classic ramp pesto recipe and bonus it’s also no-carb so it’s perfect for anyone on keto and those who eat parmesan on paleo diets.

You want to buy a high quality parmesan and grate it into the pesto. Pre-grated supermarket brand parmesan just doesn’t hold up to the pungent ramp flavour.

Wild Garlic Pesto
 
 

Vegan Wild Ramp Pesto

Another great vegan ramp pesto recipe option if you have nutritional yeast on hand. 

While a classic Italian pesto recipe uses pine nuts, I love that this one uses walnuts which is a great compliment to the wild garlic flavour.

Wild Ramp Pesto

Ramp Soups

Creamy Wild Garlic Soup

A fresh tasting soup that can be made in ten minutes, it’s perfect for a spring lunch. 

While many ramp soups are a riff on leek and potato soup, this recipe does not use potato making it a perfect light option. It is both vegan and dairy free as it gets its creaminess from coconut milk.

Creamy Wild Garlic Soup
 
 

Vegan Wild Garlic Soup

Another great vegan soup option, instead of coconut milk this ramp soup uses creamy cashews.

It’s a great comfort food option and includes a recipe to make coconut bacon pinwheels

Vegan Ramp Soup

Creamy Asparagus and Ramp Soup

There’s a short period where asparagus and ramp season collide and it’s a beautiful time.

The ramp soup recipe celebrates this moment in spring with a hearty soup made with a touch of heavy cream. It’s decadent and so vibrant.

Asparagus and Ramp Soup

Wild Garlic Soup with Crispy Chips

This soup is a show stopper that rivals smoothie bowls with its toppings.

It’s a filling ramp soup with potatoes and gets its vibrant colour from spinach. Don’t miss the tips on how to make beet and carrot chips for garnish.

Wild garlic soup with crispy chips

What ramps recipes did we miss? I’d love to how how you use ramps in the comments below.

Pin it: Wild Ramp Recipes

27 Ramp Recipes to Get You Excited about Spring is a post from: Bacon is Magic

A family recipe, this pineapple carrot muffin recipe is moist and not too sweet. It’s everything you want in a breakfast muffin or a snack on the go.

Just like last week’s old fashioned banana bread, this recipe is not from me but my mother. As a child these pineapple carrot muffins are the only ones I ever remember eating.

This is a healthy muffins recipe from the 80s, before everyone decided they would just buy them.

This is a very easy muffin recipe and it takes 30 minutes to make so no excuses that you need to buy stale supermarket muffins.

It follows the typical baking instructions of dry ingredients in one bowl, wet ingredients in another and then mix both together and bake.

But what I love about this recipe is that it isn’t a dry, crumbly muffin. The truth is you don’t even need to butter on the muffin. It’s moist enough on its own. 

And that’s why I call it healthy…ish.
 
 

Carrot = Healthy…ish

While this isn’t a cupcake in disguise, it is an old school recipe. I’m sharing the family recipe which existed before we hated fat and gluten.

But have no fears I have included substitutions below if you need them.

In the 80s, and today, I think we can all agree that anything with carrot in it deserves to be considered healthy. 

But it’s not SO healthy that carrot haters won’t eat it.

I know this because my mother HATES carrots. And yet this is her go-to carrot muffin recipe.

Yes, it’s that good.

In fact, since the carrot is grated you could probably get carrot haters to try it.

And once you’re sure they like pineapple carrot muffins you can break the news they are eating a vegetable in their muffin.
 
 

Pineapple Carrot Muffin Questions

Even though I highly urge you to try the original recipe below, I know everyone has their own idea of what is healthy. 

If I haven’t addressed any of your baking questions just leave a comment below!

Low Fat Muffins

Substitute vegetable oil with an equal amount of unsweetened apple sauce.

Gluten Free or Paleo Pineapple Carrot Muffins

Substitute all purpose flour with an equal amount of almond flour.

Additional Ingredients

If you want to turn it into a delicious morning glory type muffin you can also add crushed walnuts, coconut and dried fruit such as cranberries.
 
 

Make it a Healthy Carrot Cupcake?

Add some cream cheese frosting and it’s a dessert.

Canned vs Frozen vs Fresh Pineapple

Despite living in Canada we almost always have fresh pineapple in the house for after dinner and frozen pineapple in the freezer for smoothies.

However, we always use canned pineapple because you know it’s ripe, sweet and there’s lots of juice to have.

But if you only have fresh or frozen just go for it. The pineapple muffins may not be as sweet but they’ll still be good.

Where Do I Buy Grated Carrot?

You don’t! Well technically you can buy grated carrot buy please don’t. Just use a the large holes on a box grater.

It’s much cheaper, there’s less waste, and it gives you better texture than buying the shredded carrot at a supermarket. Otherwise the carrot won’t cook through and those carrot haters will know!
&n 
 

Carrot Muffins Baking Questions

While the pineapple carrot muffin recipe is pretty standard, what makes this one better is that it uses more crushed pineapple than most recipe and includes the pineapple juice. 

I have NEVER had a dry muffin using this recipe. 

Can I Double the Batch?

Yes it’s one of those baking recipes where you can double the ingredients without any issue. You’ll just need more muffin tins.

Can I Freeze Pineapple Carrot Muffins?

If you’re into meal prep, and especially breakfast meal prep this is the perfect recipe for you.

You must wait until the muffins are at room temperature – that means if they are steaming up your Ziploc bag they aren’t ready!

But yes, make a bunch and you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

Do I Need Paper Muffin Liners?

No, these are moist muffins. If you grease the muffin tin you’ll be fine. 

I don’t recommend disposable foil tins, you get what you pay for. We’ve had these Wilton muffin pans for decades and never had a problem with sticking.

Save the environment and the chance the paper sticks to the muffin and you end up eating it.

Pineapple Carrot Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A classic family recipe using healthy carrots and pineapple. Perfect for breakfast or a snack on the go.

Print

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 3/4 cup canned unsweetened pineapple with juice
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Use oil or cooking spray on muffin tin.
3. Mix together first six dry ingredients in a bowl.
4. In a separate bowl add eggs and oil. Fold in carrot, pineapple and vanilla.
5. Combined two bowls together and mix with a fork until blended.
6. Pour into muffin tin, filling halfway.
7. Bake for 25 minutes. Checking at 22 minute mark by inserting toothpick as some ovens are hotter than others.

Recommended Products

• Wilton Recipe Right Non-Stick 6-Cup Standard Muffin Pan, Set of 2, Silver
• Pure Vanilla Extract| Single Fold Vanilla Extract for baking (2 fl oz.)

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 266Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 273mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 1gSugar: 22gProtein: 3g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment or tag @Ayngelina on Instagram.

Pin it For Later: Carrot Pineapple Muffins

Pineapple Carrot Muffins – Healthy-ish Breakfast on the Go is a post from: Bacon is Magic

You now know how to drink whisky and have mastered the art of drinking it neat. Now it’s time for classic whisky cocktails.

But now we have the controversy of cocktails. Cocktails are so hot right now and whisky purists will say that quality whisky is best enjoyed neat or with the tiniest bit of water.

Why do we need to argue? It’s great both ways.

Today we’re continuing the conversation with Canadian Club 100% rye – a Canadian product (yay!) that is distilled and aged at a single distillery in Alberta.

But I’ve also had fantastic whiskey exploring restaurants in Dublin and there’s no denying it’s one of the best things to pair with Scottish foods.
 
 

How to Make Classic Whisky Cocktails

I made all of these whisky cocktails at home, without any special equipment or much effort. If I can make them, so can you!

But first…How to Make a Simple Syrup

Many classic whisky cocktails include simple syrup. People shy away from this because they think it’s just another thing they have to buy. 

Making a syrup just for cocktails sounds complicated but it’s really simple…hence the term simple syrup.

Over medium-low heat put equal parts of water and white sugar into a saucepan and stir. Once the sugar has dissolved into the water remove from the heat and let cool.

Voila!
 
 

The Manhattan Cocktail

The Manhattan is one of five cocktails named for the five boroughs in New York, but no one seems to know much about the Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island or Queens cocktail.

Maybe the popularity was that it gives a reason to eat a maraschino cherry as there’s not many reasons in life unless you’re eating Christmas cherry balls or for some strange reason drinking a Shirley Temple.

The Manhattan is flexible. You can have it stirred and strained into a cocktail glass with a Maraschino cherry or if you want to be less dainty, it works well on ice in a low ball glass. Serve straight or on the rocks.

The following is a dry rye manhattan.

2 oz Canadian Club Chairman’s Select™ 100% Rye
1 oz dry vermouth
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash simple syrup
lemon peel
Zest lemon peel over rim of glass.
 
 

Old Fashioned Cocktail

Every reference to the invention of this cocktail is that legend says it was created at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky.

It is traditionally served in a short tumbler glass, which is often called an Old Fashioned glass. These Glaskey whiskey glasses are much nicer than what I used in the photo above.

2 dashes Angostura butters
1 tsp simple syrup
2.5 oz Canadian Club Chairman’s Select 100% Rye
2-3 ice cubes
orange peel to garnish

Combine first 4 ingredients, stirring thoroughly. Squeeze orange peel to release orange zest oil and drop into drink.
 
 

The Mint Julep

The very idea of the mint julep conjures up images of the Old South.

Perhaps this is because the mint julep is the cocktail of the Kentucky Derby where over 120,000 mint julep cocktails are consumed each year.

It’s often served in high ball glass or a sterling and pewter julep cup, which is similar to the Moscow Mule copper mug.

3 sprigs of fresh mint
3 tbsp simple syrup
2oz Canadian Club Chairman’s Select 100% Rye
crushed ice

Muddle the 1 sprig mint along with the Canadian Club and simple syrup. Strain into glass, add crushed ice and garnish with mint.
 
 

Hot Toddy

There’s nothing like a warm drink in cold weather. Although this classic whisky cocktail wasn’t always a warm drink. Invented in the mid-1800s a toddy was any choice of spirits, water and honey that would cure whatever ailed you.

Today it’s almost always served warm and while it’s questionable whether it will help your cold you can guarantee it will warm you up. If you have a sweet tooth I think it would go so well with this Irish Apple Cake with Whiskey Cream.

The only thing that could make a classic hot toddy better would be the addition of spice like a dash of sriracha or gochujang. 

2oz Canadian Club Chairman’s Select 100% Rye
2 tsp honey
1 cloves
dash of freshly ground nutmeg
1 slice lemon to garnish

Place ingredients in mug and pour in hot water. Stir to combine.
 
 

Whiskey Sour

The whisky sour is similar to the pisco sour recipe, replacing pisco with whisky.

Sours generally include frothy raw egg white, such as one of my favourite Empress gin cocktails. This makes some people uncomfortable. But, I served many pisco sours working at a hostel bar in Cuzco and no one had any issues.
 

 
Salmonella is not common in Canada. The key is to use fresh, quality eggs. That said if you are hesitant to incorporate raw egg it’s perfectly fine to omit it.

2 oz Canadian Club Chairman’s Select 100% Rye
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp simple syrup
1 egg white

Shake all ingredients vigorously, which will froth the egg white. Pour into your favourite glass. 

It’s traditionally served in a low ball glass but I think the frothiness and maraschino lends itself to a more elegant glass.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post from Canadian Club, they did not request that we write about classic whisky cocktails, only to share what we thought readers would be most interested in – and with this colder weather we know many have cocktails on their minds.

Pin it For Later: Cocktails with Whisky

5 Classic Whisky Cocktails Every Adult Should Know is a post from: Bacon is Magic

These quick pickled ramps are so easy to keep the special flavour of wild leeks all year round.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, when ramps poke through the spring soil and it’s time to go foraging. 
 

 
But like all great things ramps are only around for a short time, just a few weeks. This is why I absolutely adore pickling ramps.

Instead of going foraging and eating only ramps every day for two weeks because you don’t want them to spoil, you can relax and enjoy them all year long. 

I’ve also included a few other ramp recipes below, but if you have a lot you’re going to need to read this post…
 

What are Ramps?

Ramps, or allium tricoccum, are also known as wild leeks or wild garlic.

While they are very popular in Canada and northern US States, they also are known in other countries as wild spring onions, ramson and wood leeks.

In Ontario they grow wild and it’s legal to pick them but that’s not the case in Nova Scotia or Quebec where over foraging has led to them becoming close to extinction.

For this reason you need to be careful careful that you buy from ethical foragers or forage ramps yourself.

You can use them in these easy ramp recipes:

• Beer battered ramps with Korean chili goat yogurt
• Charred ramp pesto
• Ramp kimchi
• Ramp pasta with prosciutto and parmesan

My friend Dana and Joel at Well Preserved also posted these great ramp recipes

• Infused vodka – which sounds perfect for a caesar drink
• Ramp herbes salees
• Ramp infused vinegar

How Long Do Ramps Last

Not only is the ramp season short, they don’t last long in the fridge. You have four days to consume them fresh.

Like many greens you need to keep in the a damp paper towel in a plastic bag in the fridge, but don’t seal it.

Make sure everything else in the fridge is sealed as ramps are very pungent and as soon as you open the door you’ll be hit with that delicious garlic-onion smell.

While ramp season is short, luckily pickled ramps are easy to make at home and they hold up better than freezing ramps.

Freezing wild ramps works if you’re just going to puree them, but I don’t like the texture when they thaw. To freeze ramps, blanch them first then put them in a single layer on a sheet of wax paper.

Make sure they are separated. After a couple hours you can then transfer to a container or heavy duty freezer bag.

Freezing ramps preserves them for a few months.
 
 

Foraging Wild Edible Food

My first time foraging wild food was mushrooms in Spain (here’s a video of it) and I was hooked.

I brought that love to Canada and was able to forage in Ontario for a few years, mostly ramps and wild ginger in the spring and then mushrooms in the winter.

I was lucky to be able to forage on private land, where no one had previously foraged so once you found a patch of ramps it would go on for ages.

Foragers closely guard their spots more than anyone I have ever seen because it’s so special to find something.

The only reason I was able to go foraging for mushrooms with friends in Spain is because they knew I couldn’t find the place on my own!

If you can’t find ramps on your own a lot of farmers markets will have them during the season.

Many people who make their business from foraged and wild plants are actually now scattering seeds in Ontario to help prevent against over-foraging.
 
 

Pickled Ramps Recipe

If you have a quick pickles recipe it’s easy to use that recipe. Simply pour the liquid over ramps and refrigerate.

Ramps work perfectly with the leaves, there’s no need to remove them. However, after the first time pickling ramps a reader pointed out that he blanches the ramps first to fit more into a jar.

Thank you for that tip.

Canning jars be expensive and this means you can fit far more ramps into a quart jar.

Once you clean the ramps and remove any roots that may be attached you can put them directly into the jar.

This recipe uses cider vinegar but red wine vinegar is also great and makes the jars a pretty pink colour. Ingredients are so flexible in a pickle recipe.

Red pepper flakes or bay leaves are also a great addition.

Once you’re done using the pickled ramps don’t even think of throwing out all that tasty pickling liquid.

It is fantastic to use in recipes that call for vinegar and has a nice mild onion flavour.
 
 

Pickled Ramps

Yield: 12 small jars

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

These quick pickled ramps are so easy to keep the special flavour of wild leeks all year round.

Print

Ingredients

• 1/4 lb ramps
• 2 cups cider vinegar
• 1.5 cup white vinegar
• 1.5 cup water
• 1.25 teapsoon Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon pickling spice
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Blanch ramps and place in jars.
2. Bring all ingredients to a boil and pour over ramps in jars
3. Process ramps jars through water bath canning

Recommended Products

• Diamond Crystal Pure and Natural Kosher Salt, 48oz (Pack of 3)
• Pickling Spice
• 8oz mason jars

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 14Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 64mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although BaconisMagic.ca attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

How Long Do Pickled Ramps Last? 

A quick pickle with last in the fridge a few weeks to a couple months. You must make sure you put a clean utensil into the jar each time or you’ll spoil the ramps.

Water bathed canned pickled will last a year in a cool, dark area.

Where to Buy Pickled Ramps?

If you have no desire to make your own pickled ramps head out to the country. A lot of country farm stores like Lynn River Farm in Perth County sell their own preserves.

Farmer’s markets are also a good spot, especially right after ramp season. But if you don’t buy them in the spring it’s unlikely you’ll find them as the are very popular.

Pin it: How to Make Pickled Ramps

Want More Preserving Recipes?

Pickled Green Strawberries

Easy Pickled Blueberry Recipe

Spruce Tips Vinegar

Easy Peasy Pickled Ramps is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Did you know the Caesar drink is similar to a Bloody Mary but is actually inspired by Italy.

Did you know National Caesar Day is the Thursday before Victoria Day in May. This year it is May 14, 2020!

There isn’t a lot of “Canadian food” that is only found in Canada but the caesar drink is one exception.

And what better day to share a great caesar recipe than National Caesar Day – the Thursday before the May 24 long weekend. It is also known as Canada’s unofficial start to summer – let’s hope it doesn’t snow like it did last weekend.

At its very simplest the caesar is made with vodka, Clamato juice, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. The glass is rimmed with celery salt and garnished with a stalk of celery.

Although that’s just the base.

Personally I think horseradish is a must but not everyone serves it. There are so many options for how to garnish a caesar drink.

Some pubs have caesar bars where you can decide if you want a celery stalk, piece of crispy bacon or spicy pickled green as your garnish and just how much horseradish, Worcestershire sauce or hot sauce you need.

I like enough horseradish so it begins to taste like cocktail sauce – odd but true.

Caesars are considered a hangover drink and an essential to any Canadian brunch menu.
 
 

Origins of the Caesar Drink

The caesar is much like a bloody mary except we use Clamato juice – a strange concoction of clam and tomato juice. It’s also very similar to the michelada in Mexico, which is also a hangover cure.

But surprisingly the caesar was inspired by Italy.

Walter Chell created the caesar recipe in 1969 as a signature drink for the opening of new new Italian restaurant in Calgary.

The caesar drink was meant to reflect the flavours of spaghetti alla vongole – spaghetti with clams and tomato sauce.
 
 

Classic Caesar Recipe

The basic caesar recipe follows 1-2-3-4-5 rule. You can use any vodka and change the ratio depending on how hot you like it but don’t skip the Clamato juice.

If you want to kick it up a notch throw in a tablespoon of horseradish, it’s not the classic recipe but it’s so delicious.

The Caesar Drink

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Did you know the Caesar drink is similar to a bloody mary but is actually inspired by Italy.

Print

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz vodka
• 2 Dashes hot sauce
• 3 Dashes salt and pepper
• 4 Dashes worcestershire sauce
• 5 oz Clamato juice
• Celery salt on plate
• 1 lime

Instructions

1. Create a celery salt rim on the glass by running the lime around the glass rim and turning the glass upside down to dip in the celery salt.
2. Add all ingredients to glass with ice, garnish with a celery stalk.

Recommended Products

• Clamato Original Tomato Cocktail, 32 Fl. Oz bottles (Pack of 12)
• Celery Salt

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 197Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2278mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 2g

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although BaconisMagic.ca attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Love cocktails? Also check out:

Moscow Mule

Aperol Spritz Cocktail

Classic Whisky Cocktails

Cuba Libre Cocktail

Mexican Michelada

The Caesar Drink: Canada’s National Cocktail is a post from: Bacon is Magic

An easy green garlic potato salad celebrates the best of spring vegetables and tastes even better the next day.

Growing up I hated potato salad. I think it’s because I was an 80s kid and most of the food was pretty terrible.

I’m not sure what potato salad recipe my family used but I’m pretty sure it was just boiled potatoes, boiled eggs, onion and miracle whip.

My mother will probably correct me on this retro recipe. But as a child that’s what I remembered.

So as an adult I’ve never really been a fan of potato salad. I’m not a food snob, I could eat KFC coleslaw all day long but I’m never tempted by mayonnaise based potato salads.

But I do love this green garlic potato salad.
 
 

What is Green Garlic?

If you’ve ever been to a farmer’s market in the spring to see fresh local garlic you may have seen them and thought they were chives or green onion because they look so similar.

Basically they are a flower stalk that grows out of a young garlic. They are delicate and mild in flavour and arrive before the garlic continues to grow. They taste a bit more like an onion or sharp shallot.

Green also may also be called:

• garlic flowers
• garlic greens
• serpent garlic
• garlic shoots
• spring baby garlic.
• garlic spears
• garlic tops

Although garlic grows all over the world, it’s rare to find green garlic outside farmers markets. But now they are a popular product as farmers can sell their product earlier with immature garlic.
 
 

Where to Buy Green Garlic

Mostly in farmer’s markets and sometimes in Asian grocery stores or speciality stores. Green garlic season is late spring to early summer. They should have fresh green tops with the bulb in tact. 

How to Store Green Garlic

It lasts in the fridge for about a week. I store it the same way I keep green onion, by putting it in a glass with half an inch of water. Just make sure you keep an eye on the water as it can dry up.

Alternatively you can keep it in the fridge in a damp paper towel.

Is Green Garlic Healthy?

Garlic is very healthy with lots of antioxidants as well as allicin. It’s part of a healthy diet and a great way to give food flavour without additional fat or salt.
 
 

The Difference Between Green Garlic and Garlic Scapes

Both green garlic and garlic scapes are amazing! But…

People get them confused. And they are often labelled wrong, even in farmer’s markets.

The good news is that they both have incredible flavour. If you can’t find one you can use the other in a lot of recipes.

But here is the difference…

Green garlic is the young, immature garlic. The greens are very delicate and the bulb isn’t its full size. Green garlic is younger than garlic scapes and appear earlier in the year

Garlic scapes  are the greens that extend from the garlic bulb later in the season.

They are heartier, longer and often curled. They also have a stronger flavour.

The reason they are cut off is that the garlic needs to focus its energy and nutrients on the bulb. When you buy them they are not attached to the garlic bulb.

The later in the season you look for them, the tougher the garlic scape. But they are still fantastic grilled, in stir fries and garlic scape pesto.

Green Garlic Substitute

If you don’t have green garlic simply substitute 1/2 the amount with fresh, local minced garlic or 1/2-3/4 garlic scapes.

Chives are also a great 1-1 substitute in a recipe.

Green Garlic Potato Salad

Green Garlic Potato Salad

Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

This easy potato salad with green garlic dressing celebrates early spring vegetables.

Print

Ingredients

• GREEN GARLIC DRESSING:
• 1/2 cup green garlic, pureed
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1.5 tbsp cider vinegar
• POTATO SALAD:
• 1 lb boiled baby potatoes
• 2 sprigs dill, picked
• 1/3 cup chives, chopped
• OPTIONAL:
• 1/4 cup chive flowers
• 1/2 cup Hickory Sticks

Instructions

1. Make green garlic dressing by combining all ingredients. It will yield 1 3/4 cups. This can be made several days in advance.
2. Mix dressing, potatoes, garnish with dill, chives, hickory sticks. Mix a bit of dressing at a time as you won't need all of it.
3. Check for seasoning as hickory sticks will be salty but may require additional kosher salt to taste.

Recommended Products

• Lays 15pk Hickory Sticks Original (47g / 1.6oz per pack) by Frito Lays Canada

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 290Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 184mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 3g

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although BaconisMagic.ca attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Pin It: Potato Salad with Green Garlic Dressing

Additional Images (c) Seacoast Eat Local, Shihmei Barger 舒詩玫, 

Green Garlic Potato Salad is a post from: Bacon is Magic