While the heavens opened and poured rain on Victoria-by-the-Sea, PEI, on Saturday, September 29^th, it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm that was evident at “Savour Victoria” or the great local food that diners enjoyed throughout the evening.  As Richard LaGrange of the Orient Hotel says, “Victoria hospitality really can make up for a little rain” (well, okay, it really was a LOT of rain!).

This was the last signature event of “Fall Flavours”, PEI’s annual Culinary Festival.  The small seaside village of Victoria on the Island’s south shore proved to be an ideal venue for the event.  Pam Beck, Tourism Development Manager for Central Coastal Tourism Partnership, says Victoria was chosen because of its special qualities and quaintness.  In the summer, Victoria swells with tourists who leisurely stroll around the tiny village of less than 200 year-round inhabitants, visiting local shops and restaurants and watching the lobster fishing boats unloading their day’s catch.  Pam says organizers wanted to make the event “a celebration of Victoria, our Island, and all its beauty and bounty”.  I’d say mission accomplished on that front!

The village is small and neatly laid out in a square shape.  Everything is within easy walking distance and that is a good thing given the inclement weather and the fact that there were five venues for diners to visit during the evening – four for appetizers and drinks and one for dinner.  Victoria does not have any really large restaurants and the ones it does have only operate seasonally.  Some of the Fall Flavours events elsewhere on the Island have used big tents on location but organizers of “Savour Victoria” devised a plan that would use and promote establishments that already exist so that, when people come back to Victoria in the future, the venues will still be there for them to return to.

“Savour Victoria” was produced by Central Coastal Tourism Partnership, a new (2011) organization dedicated to promoting tourism development in the central part of the Island.  Because “Savour Victoria” was classed as a signature event, it meant a celebrity chef was part of the activities.  Bob Blumer, cookbook author (several times over) and creator and host of his own TV shows on the Food Network “Glutton for Punishment”, “Surreal Gourmet”, and “World’s Weirdest Restaurants”, spent the weekend in Victoria overseeing and participating in the Savour Victoria event.  Bob was actively engaged in the preparations for the dinner which featured as much locally produced food as possible and was presented in unique and creative ways that Bob is known for.

Here is how the evening worked.  Everyone first checked in at the Victoria Playhouse where they picked up a gift bag that contained an engraved “Savour Victoria” souvenir wine glass and a map of the Village.  From there, people headed out, donned in raincoats and carrying umbrellas, to the different venues that were serving appetizers and pre-dinner drinks.

Four venues opened for the “Wandering Appetizers with Wine & Beer Tastings” portion of the evening which began at 6:00pm.  These included Coach House Antiques, By-The-Sea Kayaking, Red Sand Jewelry, and Island Chocolates. 

Four local eating establishments then opened to serve a sit-down dinner at 7:30pm.  These were the Victoria Village Inn, Landmark Café, Lobster Barn Pub & Eatery, and the Orient Hotel.  When diners purchased their ticket, they selected which of the four venues they wished to go to for the sit-down dinner.

Each of the restaurants served exactly the same meal.  Local chefs from the restaurants prepared the meal and were assisted by chef support from the Culinary Institute of Canada, Charlottetown, PEI.  The featured wines of the evening were all local and came from nearby Matos Winery in St. Catherine’s, PEI.   Just take a look at this great menu that was collaboratively chosen by the local chefs and Bob Blumer:

Wandering Appetizers with Wine & Beer Tastings

Coach House Antiques:
Smoked Ham from Island Taylored Meats & COWS Creamery Cheese.
PEI Brewing Company Beer Tastings.

By-the-sea Kayaking:
Raspberry Point Oysters.
Matos Vineyards Wine Tastings.

Red Sand Jewelry:
Cajun-seared Atlantic Scallops, Carmelized Onions & Cream Cheese on Baguette
Matos Vineyards Wine Tastings.

Island Chocolates:
Roasted sweet peppers on chocolate crostini with goat cheese and a dusting of cocoa .
Matos Vineyards Wine Tastings.

Seated Dining Menu

Course 1:  Kim Dormaar’s Medallion Smoked Salmon
Course 2 – Bob Blumer’s Fire-roasted Corn Chowder with sweet corn and garlic from nearby fields, local cream, and Island Taylored Meats double-smoked bacon.  Fresh-baked bread.
Matos Vineyards wine pairing.

Course 3 – Bob Blumer’s Lobster-Filled Cupcake topped with creamy, buttery superior organic potatoes, seasoned with fresh local herbs and served with a medley of greens from Just a Little Farm on the Appin Rd, and dressed with balsamic and black truffle oil vinaigrette.
Matos Vineyard wine pairing.

Course 4 – Panna cotta made with white and dark chocolate from Island Chocolates, served with an almond lace cookie.
Matos Vineyard wine pairing.

After sampling the appetizers, it was off to the venue of choice for the sit-down dinner.  I dined at the Orient Hotel.  The Hotel does not operate a restaurant but does open a tea room in the summer months.  In fact, the Orient Hotel had closed its tearoom doors for the season and re-opened especially for this event.  Just look how elegantly this cozy dining room was dressed!  

Throughout the evening, Bob circulated amongst the venues, chatting with patrons, and signing copies of his cookbook.  He says he hasn’t been on the Island since a memorable bike trip in his teens so he jumped at the opportunity to come back.  Says Bob, “During my too-short stay, I fell in love with Victoria-by-the-Sea, and with all of the incredible/eccentric/gregarious people who live there.  Dinner was a real community effort (with some imported talent from Charlottetown) – and the community really rocked it.”  Asked what the most memorable thing is that he will take away from his Island experience, Bob tells me, “the camaraderie, the lobster and, of course, the incredible beauty of the land.”  Great endorsement, Bob!

Pam Beck says organizers aimed for a reasonably-priced event ($85/pp) for sampling four appetizers, drinks, a four-course sit-down dinner, and wine.  The event was sold out – all 150 tickets — and Pam says it was about 50/50 split between Islanders and tourists. 

This was a very enjoyable evening and it really makes me appreciate the wonderful foods we produce right here on PEI.  I asked Richard LaGrange what, from the perspective of a host restaurant, he thought made the event so successful – it was, after all, a huge undertaking to carry out this kind of event using eight small venues, none of which have large kitchens.  Richard says, in his view, the event’s success was due to the team effort that went into it, the entire community coming together, and the attitude and professionalism shown by members of the Culinary Institute of Canada.  Richard says the most memorable aspect of the “Savour Victoria” experience for him was watching the chefs and the other food staff working together so seamlessly and guiding the rest toward a common goal.

I think this event may be a catalyst for Victoria to consider hosting similar events in the future.  They proved they can do it!  Richard LaGrange sums it up best when he says:  I would hope that the Islanders who attended and who hadn’t been to our village for a while will have been reminded of all the reasons people flock to Victoria, and that those who were visiting us for the first time had their appetites whetted and will be back for seconds.”  Hmmmm, “seconds” are good – yes, I’ll have another one of those yummy, savory lobster cupcakes, please!