CMN Video: Chef Eric Lee’s Salmon Potato Canapés

Chef Eric Lee from Onyx Restaurant in Halifax, Nova Scotia shows us how he prepares Salmon Potato Canapes for the Savour Food & Wine Festival.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Chef Trevor Simms Shellfish Bowl

Chef Trevor Simms of the 44 North Restaurant at the Marriott Harbourfront Hotel in Halifax, Nova Scotia shows us his signature 44 North Shellfish Bowl, which showcases the local lobster and Digby Scallops.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Halifax Farmer’s Market

Chef Dennis Johnston of Fid Restaurant shows Jennifer Iannolo around the Halifax Farmer’s Market, introducing her to some of the artisanal purveyors that stock his restaurant.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Savour Food & Wine Festival

Jennifer and Chef Mark taste the many dishes and drinks on offer at the Savour Food & Wine Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #185: Savoring Savour

I savor some of the great food on offer at Halifax, Nova Scotia’s annual Savour Food & Wine Festival. I chat with Chef Michael Howell from Tempest Restaurant, taste some wine from Blomidon Estate, and then hang out with Alicia Whalen from A Couple of Chicks Marketing and learn about Chef Live and the Canadian drink called Caesar!

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

We were fortunate to have sunny weather for our trip to Nova Scotia last week, where we attended the Savour Food & Wine festival featuring some of Nova Scotia’s best chefs, winemakers and brewers.

This is the event’s 7th year, and takes place throughout the month of February with tasting dinners, wine tastings and cooking classes throughout the region. (Now, dear readers, if you’ve been following closely — and we know you have — you saw that our first tasting dinner was at The Five Fisherman.)

Presented by the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia, Savour has built up a great deal of momentum, showcasing the finest Nova Scotia has to offer. During our time in the region, we’ve learned that said offering is a bounty of culinary riches, from succulent scallops (or SKAH-lops, as we have learned to say when in town) to candy cane beets and nutty ales.

And in case it hasn’t been obvious in some of our recent videos, we love Nova Scotia. The food and wine is as delicious as the people are friendly, and we’re always sad to leave. It was heartening to see so many familiar faces upon our return, and to revisit the wines we can’t get outside of the region (we’re not happy about that either). In addition to Jost, Domaine de Grand Pre and Gaspereau wines, we also discovered Blomindon Estate Winery with its memorable Baco Noir and port wines.

The grand finale of Savour was a grand tasting event at Halifax’s Marriott Harbourfront, seemingly filled to capacity with tasting booths and an eager, sell-out crowd. We had a wonderful time sampling our way through the event, and even managed to find ourselves being interviewed for Canadian Public Television. (OK, which of you reading this in Nova Scotia has TiVo so we can get a recording? We are prepared to offer a bribe.)

We’re always amused at the way tasting events tend to unfold with a subtle theme or two, as if the chefs were comparing notes behind the scenes. This year Digby scallops took center stage — as well they should — along with sliders made with everything from lamb to Kobe beef. There was also an entire table devoted to sushi, resplendent with colorful platters and bright flavors.

We’ll have more videos coming soon with our adventures in Halifax, including a trip to the farmers market at o’dark-hundred with Chef Dennis Johnston from fid. Jennifer’s final caffeine tally for the morning comprised three double espressos and two cups of coffee! Dennis made up for the early hour by making us breakfast. We’ll also recap our meal at fid, along with videos of some behind-the-scenes action with chefs Eric Lee from Onyx and Trevor Simms from 44 North.

Many thanks to Emily Kimber from Destination Halifax, Christine White from the Winery Association of Nova Scotia, Pam Wamback from Nova Scotia Tourism, Jeff Ransome and his staff at the Marriott Harbourfront, and the whole gang who helped to make this trip (and our last one) a magnificent adventure. Next time we’re bringing a gaggle of people with us — and you might not get rid of us. Sociable!

We kicked off our tour of the Savour Food & Wine Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia last night with a tasting dinner at The Five Fisherman, situated in one of the city’s oldest buildings. Chef Dafydd Williams-Jones and restaurant manager Gary MacDonald treated us to a tasting of Nova Scotia specialties, which were wonderfully enhanced by the presence of sommelier Avery Gavel and Gary Ramey of Blomidon Estate Winery, who guided us through each course with a selection from his and other local vineyards.

Here is a little sampling of what we tasted last night. We wish you could have joined us at the table — it was a meal to remember! We also had the pleasure of dining with friends old and new here in Halifax, including freelance writer Lola Augustine Brown, Christine White from the Winery Association of Nova Scotia, and Emily Kimber from Destination Halifax.

With dinner and wine also came some ideas for a very special project we’re putting together, but you’ll have to wait for that. For now, feast with your eyes.

Amuse Bouche: Digby scallop on pork belly with pea puree
paired with ’07 Nova 7, Benjamin Bridge Winery

Scallops and pork belly are a sublime combination — this dish was a little bit sweet, a little bit rich, and a whole lot of loveliness. Our first bite was served with a local (and very hard to find!) favorite, Nova ’07, made with a hint of ice wine grapes and a hint of sparkle that made it a great match for the scallops.

Barbequed Duck Breast Salad
paired with ’07 Red Eft Pinot Rose, Bear River Vineyards

The duck breast was treated to a spicy dry rub and served perfectly rare with goat cheese, apples and micro greens. The pinot rose wine was new to us, and we were pleasantly surprised by its light fruitiness. We could envision serving this type of rose with a number of different dishes, and are glad to see roses returning to the table.

Pan Seared Atlantic Haddock
paired with ’06 Chardonnay, Blomidon Estate Winery, Annapolis Valley

One thing is certain in Nova Scotia — if you order haddock, it was probably caught within the past 24 hours, and once you’ve tasted the freshest of catches, fish will never be the same for you. This haddock was served with a south shore lobster succotash and asparagus, and I went into the kitchen to get some video of it being prepared a la minute. Until then you’ll have to suffice with this little photo, but patience is a virtue.

Blomindon’s Chardonnay was wonderful with the lobster, as it had a smooth vanilla finish perfectly paired with lobster (we are huge fans of that combination).

Jost Prost

We do love a nice palate cleanse, so we refreshed ourselves with a glass of Jost, one of my very favorite sparkling wines from Nova Scotia. This twist on a Kir Royale was crafted with a Nova Scotia wild blueberry juice and served with a little knot of lemon rind. I could have danced with this one all night.

Oven Roasted “Oulton’s Farms” Beef Tenderloin
paired with ’07 Baco Noir, Blomidon Estate Winery, Annapolis Valley

Mmm…beef. And beef served with beef cheeks? Color me happy. This sumptuous dish was served with a wintry combination of sweet mama squash, yams and parsnips, as well as Brussels sprouts.

Baco noir has become a new favorite red for me. Lighter than a pinot noir, it has a complexity that holds up to meats without overpowering them. The grape is originally from France, but apparently they don’t like to talk about it. Better for us, methinks.

Farmers Market Artisan Cheeses & Jellies
paired with Barrel Aged Port, Acadianna Reserve, Sainte-Famille, Annapolis Valley

I loves me some port — any time, anywhere. Coupled with garlic and blue cheeses, along with a dash of pepper jelly, we could feel the afterglow setting in as we awaited the final course.

Poached Valley Pear Tart
paired with ’07 New York Muscat, Gaspereau Vineyards, Gaspereau Valley

We were delighted to see this bottle arrive tableside, as we had a wonderful time at Gaspereau Vineyards when we visited in October. This dessert wine was served on my own Thanksgiving table, and it is a sublime dessert wine. A bit lighter than an ice wine, it has just the right level of sweetness to pair with your favorite bite of dessert.

Today we’re off to the kitchens to get a peak behind the scenes as local chefs prepare for tonight’s Savour Food & Wine Festival grand tasting. Look for more updates from this event as well as our other food and wine adventures this week, and we’ll do our best to keep up with it all. I may need to limit my wine intake or the blog posts could get…interesting.

Wish you were here!

CMN Video: Lunenburg Sausage & Mussels

Chef Rick Ogilvie from the Tin Fish Restaurant in the Lunenburg Arms Hotel and “What’s Cookin’ with Chef Rick” shows us how to make a Nova Scotia regional specialty: Lunenburg Sausage & Mussels.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: A Taste of Nova Scotia

Jennifer and Chef Mark discover the many delights of Nova Scotia, from the fine restaurants of Halifax to the wines of the Gaspereau Valley and the seafood of Lunenburg Harbour. Along the way, we meet some great folks, including some of the best chefs of Nova Scotia.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Vines and Grinds

We have some fun playing around among the vines at Gaspereau Vineyards, then enjoy lunch at Le Caveau Restaurant at Domaine de Grand Pre Vineyards. That’s SOME pepper!

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com