Category Archives: Out and About

So, I’m ready for the big reveal of my favourite seafood chowder on PEI. Last Summer (2011), I went on the hunt for the best fish and chips on PEI and there was no shortage of good choices. This summer, I was hunting down a great seafood chowder that would become my 2012 favourite and, once again, there were lots to choose from. Thank goodness most restaurants had the option of ordering a “cup” of chowder as opposed to a “bowl” as my waistline would have severely shown the results of my summer 2012 food challenge!

At the outset, I want to put forth some caveats and disclosures. First, I am not a professionally trained chef or food judge. My comments, impressions, and opinions are strictly my own; others may differ with the criteria I used to determine my favourite chowder and with my subsequent conclusions, or they may have different expectations that mine, and that’s perfectly fine. Second, I am not affiliated with, nor have any ownership in, any of the eating establishments where I sampled chowder; therefore, I have no bias for or against any particular restaurant’s chowder. Third, I did not try the chowder at every single restaurant on PEI – there are dozens and dozens of restaurants on the Island and, while I like seafood chowder, seriously, there is a limit to how many I could reasonably sample! Fourth, I suspect most restaurants did not even know I was on a mission to find the best seafood chowder – I was simply a paying customer to them so there was no special treatment or effort made for my benefit – their chowders were as they were on the day I chose to sample them. At the end of the day, the chowder I chose was the one I personally liked the best and felt all-round met my criteria and expectations of a great seafood chowder. Everyone’s tastes are different and what suits one person’s taste buds may not appeal to someone else. Also, if tried on another day with a different chef in the kitchen, there is no guarantee the chowder would be the same as on the day I conducted my sampling.

So, how did I choose the restaurants whose chowders I sampled? Well, some restaurants I already knew from personal experience were venues that served good food in general so I suspected their seafood chowder would likely be good, as well. I also invited, through Twitter, Facebook, my blog, and through word of mouth, people to put forth recommendations of restaurants they felt served good chowder. I also tried to make sure I sampled chowders from different locations all across the province.

What was I looking for in a good chowder? Let’s start with the chowder base. First, it had to be cream-based, not brothy. Second, the consistency of the base was important. This is purely a personal preference to individual palette but, if it is too thick, I find it is like eating a casserole; if it is too thin, then it’s a broth, not a chowder as the word “chowder” signifies some degree of a thickened consistency. Finding just the right consistency is a challenge, no doubt about it. Third, I was looking for a chowder that did not taste “pasty” or “starchy” – signs of too much potato or flour content. Some chowders sampled simply had too much “heat” – i.e., way too much Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce and too many spices of one sort or another. To suit my taste, nothing should be added to the chowder that masks, downplays, or overrides the “star of the show” – the seafood itself. In my view, the chowder needs to be lightly and gently seasoned and flavoured to “enhance” the taste; however, there is a definite line between flavourful and spicy. A hallmark of a good chowder, in my opinion, is that it should have a smooth, gentle taste that does not “burn the whole way down” or leave a “bite” or distasteful aftertaste on the tongue.

The second criterion was ingredient content – I wanted to see evidence of a variety of seafood. It sounds obvious but you’d be surprised how much “filler” some chowders can have. By that, I mean too much potato or too many other vegetables like celery or carrots and not much evidence of seafood or, alternatively, the only seafood you could detect would be some kind of white fish and no lobster, scallops, mussels, etc. The other thing I looked at was the size of each ingredient in the chowder. If an ingredient does not fit on a soup spoon then, in my opinion it does not belong in the chowder. One chowder I sampled had 3-inch junks of uncooked celery and ½-inch semi-raw carrot slices while another had potatoes, skins on, cut in [large] quarters. Another chowder, while otherwise tasty, had an ingredient I could not identify but it was a very large chunk (apx. 2” – 21/2”) of something that was very tough. In that instance, I asked the waitress to return it to the kitchen to have it identified. She returned saying the kitchen crew didn’t know but thought maybe it was a bar clam or quahog. Whatever it was, it did not belong in the chowder because of the size and because of the fact it could not be chewed. The fact that the kitchen staff couldn’t identify it raises a whole series of other questions! Just like the vegetables, the seafood ingredients need to be of a size that they fit on a soup spoon, too. That said, they do need to be sized so that they are not minced up and disguised yet not so large that you would really need to cut them with a knife to be able to eat them properly. In other words, I want to see a whole scallop or a piece of lobster large enough to know it’s lobster meat. Finally, the color of the ingredients – discoloured chunks of celery, carrot and other veggies are simply not appetizing and detract from the chowder – all ingredients need to be super-fresh.

Regardless what we might say, our eyes do some of the ‘tasting’ too – in my view, a good chowder should be a white or slightly off-white, rich creamy color. If it is pink, orange, or some other color, that’s a sign it has been overdone with spice – while it may have seafood in it and be some kind of “stew”, in my books, it is not a traditional Canadian East Coast seafood chowder.

I also considered the temperature at which the chowder was served. It should be ready-to-eat when it reaches the table – not blistering hot (suggestive it has been boiled) but neither luke-warm, bordering on cool. I did sample one that while I could tell it was tasty, it was barely luke-warm.

While of less importance than the foregoing criteria, I did take note of the effort the restaurants put into presentation and what they served with the chowder. For example, those that garnished the chowder with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or paprika showed they cared enough about the product they were setting in front of the customer to dress it up a bit. Most served a biscuit or roll with the chowder and some presented the cup or bowl on a plate with a paper doily between the two – again, good effort on the extra attention to presentation.

Price is always a ‘touchy’ and subjective issue. When I started out on this challenge, I placed no specific limitation on how much I would pay for a cup or bowl of chowder. However, my common sense soon came into play. I live in a province where there is an abundance of fresh seafood so there are no transportation or import costs and seafood is in season on PEI in the Summer. There were a couple of restaurants whose menus I looked at but their seafood chowder listed at $16. and above so I didn’t even try them because, well, as one friend says, the restaurant’s menu didn’t list any endangered species in the chowder that would rationale those prices! I found those prices a bit rich for my wallet so passed them by because, quite frankly, there were tons of other seafood chowders more reasonably priced to sample! The chowders I sampled ranged from $3.95/cup to $9.00/cup. The large bowl-sized servings were generally $2 – $5 more. I learned a more expensive chowder is no guarantee it is any better tasting than a more moderately priced one. In fact, I often found that the lower priced chowders I tried were far more tasty than the higher priced ones (and, yes, they included all sorts of seafood like lobster, scallops, mussels, shrimp, salmon, and so forth, too).

Finally, I made a real effort to try chowders in different parts of the Island. I sampled chowders from Souris in the Eastern part of the Island to North Cape, the most westerly tip of PEI. I tasted chowders from the North Shore to the South side of PEI because there are as many chowder recipes on the Island as there are cooks and chefs cooking them. In total, I tried nine (9) different chowders over the summer. There were five (5) that, really, they were neck and neck vying to be my favourite. While each did have a slightly different flavour (due mostly to the seasoning and flavouring added to the chowder base), any of the five (5) was just great, in my opinion. But, at the outset, I did say I’d pick my favourite – just one — so I am selecting the one from The Sheltered Harbour Restaurant in Souris, PEI. It happened to be the first one I sampled and it set the bar high from the get-go. The chowder at The Sheltered Harbour, priced at $5.99/cup, overall encapsulated what I was looking for in a great seafood chowder. The cream base was flavourful – very tasty and not spicy nor hot. They got the consistency of the cream base just right – it was neither pasty thick nor brothy thin. It had a rich creamy color. The chowder had good ingredient content – there was evidence of what I expect to see in a seafood chowder – a variety of seafood including scallops, salmon, shrimp, and white fish and it was not overdone with potatoes as a filler. All ingredients were identifiable and in proper bite-sized pieces.

The Sheltered Harbour Restaurant, Souris, Prince Edward Island -- Home of my favorite seafood chowder in 2012 — The Sheltered Harbour Restaurant, Souris, Prince Edward Island — Home of my favorite seafood chowder in 2012

Close co-favourites were found at: Water and Prince Street Shop in Charlottetown ($6.95/cup), Brehaut’s in Murray Harbour ($3.95/cup), Maplethorpe Café in Lower Bedeque ($6.50/one size – this one had the best seafood ingredient content) , and Wind and Reef in North Cape ($8.50/one size – this one had, bar none, the best homemade rolls – incredibly light, airy, and flavourful!). Any one of these establishments, in my opinion, serves fine seafood chowder at reasonable and competitive prices. And, now, here is my ultimate test as to how good a chowder is: Would I return and order the chowder again? My answer to these five favourites is a hasty “yes, in a heartbeat and without reservation”.

Seafood Chowder at the Water and Prince Street Shop, Charlottetown, PEI

Seafood Chowder at Brehaut's Restaurant in Murray Harbour, PEI — Seafood Chowder at Brehaut’s Restaurant in Murray Harbour, PEI

Seafood Chowder at Cafe Maplethorpe, Lower Bedeque, PEI

Seafood Chowder at the Wind & Reef Restaurant, North Cape, PEI

The one thing I did learn from this exercise is to ask questions about the chowders before ordering and not rely on how the menu describes them. For example, ask questions like: Is the chowder cream-based or brothy? Is the chowder base homemade or a mix? What kinds of fish are in the chowder? Is it spicy? If so, what are the spices/flavourings used?

There are certainly more restaurants on the Island that I am sure serve great seafood chowders too but, as I mentioned earlier, I just couldn’t sample them all (hmmm, well, there is always next year!). So, my choice of my favourites for 2012 is based solely on my own taste test and expectations, one visit per restaurant. What I can say is that, on the particular days I tasted the chowders at these five restaurants, they were mighty darn tasty chowders!

Beverages, Field Trips, General, Out and About, Recipes, Seafood

PEI Juice Works Ltd. Produces High Quality Wild Blueberry Juice

August 29, 2012 Barbara99

It’s late August and wild blueberry season on PEI. These wonderful little indigo-colored berries grow wild in certain parts of the Island – in particular, in the Tignish area in the Western part of the Province and in the Morell-St. Peter’s area in the Eastern end of PEI. While it may be wild blueberry season for most people, for the folks at PEI Juice Works Ltd. which produce wild blueberry juice, it’s wild blueberry season year-round. Today, I’m in Bloomfield, near Alberton, PEI, in the Western part of the Island, visiting the PEI Juice Works Ltd. production plant. My tour guide for the day is Ryan Bradley, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing.

Fresh PEI Wild Blueberries Arrive on PEI Juice Works Ltd.'s Loading Dock...ready to be processed into Wild Blueberry Juice — Fresh PEI Wild Blueberries Arrive on PEI Juice Works Ltd.’s Loading Dock…ready to be processed into Wild Blueberry Juice

As I arrive mid-morning, a local farmer from Tignish, about a half hour away, has just arrived with a truckload of fresh wild blueberries for processing and is backed up to the loading dock unloading large containers of berries. One taste of these sweet little wild blueberries and there is no comparison to the larger cultivated ones that, while they have great presentation, I find so often lack flavour. No doubt about it, wild blueberries are tastier and sweeter than the cultivated high bush variety and, as an added bonus, they also have a much higher antioxidant profile.

Crate of Wild Blueberries, Fresh from the Field

PEI Juice Works Ltd. began producing juice from wild blueberries just two years ago when four shareholders from the agricultural sector decided to do something with the wild blueberries growing in their area to add value to them other than shipping them as raw food to be used or processed into a product elsewhere. The production facility is located in the Bloomfield Industrial Park just outside Alberton and presently employs seven staff year-round. The company has worked closely with Bio Food Tech in Charlottetown to develop the proprietary process PEI Juice Works Ltd. uses and Ryan tells me that Bio Food Tech set up a small scale plant in their lab to test and help PEI Juice Works Ltd. get the best wild blueberry juice product possible. The food production industry is heavily regulated and food safety standards are strictly adhered to by PEI Juice Works Ltd. In fact, on my visit, I could only view their production facility from a window as only authorized personnel are allowed in the room where the juice is being produced.

PEI Juice Works Ltd. Production Facility and Test Kitchen

Two Flavours of PEI Juice Works Ltd. Wild Blueberry Juice

Currently, the company produces two flavour blends of their signature wild blueberry juice – Wild Blueberry and Tart Cherry and Wild Blueberry and Rhubarb. Ryan tells me that their most popular flavour is Wild Blueberry and Tart Cherry (and it’s my favourite, too!). He tells me there is over one pound of wild blueberries in every 375ml bottle they produce and the product contains no preservatives – so it is the goodness of an all-natural product! When you think of how small the low bush wild blueberries are, that’s a lot of blueberries! Their product comes in one-size, a 375ml bottle, that has a two-year shelf life, unopened. After opening, the product will maintain its quality for about three weeks, refrigerated. Ryan tells me the juice can be drunk cold or at room temperature but he says the flavour will be more intense if it is consumed cold. PEI Juice Works Ltd. recommends a daily serving size of 2 oz/60ml of the wild blueberry juice which is about ¼ cup. Following this recommended serving, one 375 ml bottle will last you just about a week.

Recommended 2oz/60ml Serving Size of Wild Blueberry Juice Per Day

To the extent possible, PEI Juice Works Ltd. uses local product. In this way, it provides a ready market for local Island wild blueberry growers. In the off-season, PEI Juice Works Ltd. buys its supply of wild blueberries from a sorting facility to which local growers have sold their crops and where the berries have been quick frozen. So, how is wild blueberry juice made? Ryan tells me PEI Juice Works Ltd. uses an ancient European process that was originally developed by Mennonites in Eastern Europe over 100 years ago. This involves a heat process to break down the skin membrane of the wild blueberries that will release the dark, rich pigments that give the juice both its color and flavour. The solids are then separated and filtered out and the blending of other fruits – either the cherries or rhubarb – then occurs. For consumer safety, the product is pasteurized and bottled, hot, which gives it its two-year shelf life.

Currently, the juices are sold in all four Atlantic Provinces (check the “Where to Buy” section of the PEI Juice Works Ltd. website for locations in those areas) and the 375ml bottles retail for around $10. each. However, no worries if you are not in the Atlantic Provinces because, through FoodiePages, you can now order PEI Juice Works Ltd. products online. The company is currently exploring markets around the world and have participated in trade shows and trade missions at home and farther afield. In February, 2012, they attended a food show in Japan and, in March, were at the Canadian Health Products Show in Vancouver, BC. In September, they are travelling to China as part of the PEI Premier’s trade mission.

The farmer delivering the wild blueberry shipment to PEI Juice Works Ltd. on this day graciously agreed to allow me to follow him to his blueberry field to see how they harvest the crop because I think it is important to see where our foods come from and how they are harvested.

I learned a fact I did not know before and that is that a wild low bush blueberry field will only yield a maximum harvest every second year so the field they are harvesting today will not be harvested again until the year after next. Wild blueberries, of course, cannot be planted so are completely dependent on Mother Nature as to where the wild blueberry barrens are and the fruit they yield. I asked if, this year being a very dry year on the Island with very little rain, provided good growing conditions for wild blueberries. The farmer told me that it is not and he showed me some berries that, in fact, just dried up and did not yield useable fruit because of the dry conditions. Using the machine in the photograph above, the farmer can harvest over one acre of fruit per day. It is from this field that today’s production of PEI Juice Works Ltd. wild blueberry juice is being made. It doesn’t get any fresher than that!

In recent years, there have been a number of studies conducted around the world with regards to the health benefits of wild blueberries, often dubbed a superfruit, which have steadily been gaining a reputation for their health benefits. Wild blueberries are low in fat and sodium and provide a good source of fibre and both Vitamins C and K. While research and testing on the health benefits of wild blueberries continue on an ongoing basis, the berries and their products, such as wild blueberry juice, are reported to have positive health benefits. High in antioxidants, wild blueberry juice is reported to have properties that may improve cognitive function, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, reduce inflammation, inhibit urinary tract infections, and combat diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke, and memory loss. There is even some research that suggests wild blueberry juice may slow the aging process! So, with the chances of improved memory and learning functions, slowing down the aging process, and combating a number of other diseases, what’s not to like about wild blueberry juice!

Visit the Juice Works website to find out more about their blueberry juice products.

While the wild blueberry juice is wonderful to drink on its own I decided to try some recipes using the juice as an ingredient. The first recipe is for Steamed Mussels with Blueberry Vinaigrette. You can find the recipe for this appetizer on the Saltscapes magazine website. Traditionally, on PEI, we serve steamed mussels with melted butter; however, this recipe sees the mussels drizzled with a blueberry vinaigrette which can also be used as a dressing on a green garden salad or on a watermelon, goat cheese, and basil salad. For the vinaigrette, I chose PEI Juice Works’ Wild Blueberry and Rhubarb Juice and I also used PEI-produced maple syrup. Adding the syrup gave the dressing a touch of sweetness and it paired well with the mussels in the appetizer and the watermelon in the salad.

Steamed Mussels with Blueberry Vinaigrette

Steamed Mussels served with Blueberry Vinaigrette

To make the watermelon, goat cheese, and basil salad, I simply cubed watermelon, added some crumbled goat cheese, red onion, and a sprinkle of fresh basil and parsley. Since we had a bumper crop of cherry tomatoes in our garden this year, I included some of those as well. Drizzled with a wild blueberry vinaigrette, this is a refreshing and colorful summer salad.

Watermelon, Goat Cheese, and Basil Salad Drizzled with a Wild Blueberry Vinaigrette

My third recipe is one I developed — a Blueberry Juice Sangria (recipe follows).

I hope you will try PEI Juice Works Ltd. wild blueberry juices. They are a tasty product, good for you, and made right here in Prince Edward Island. It’s a true flavour of the Island!

My Island Bistro Kitchen's Blueberry Sangria

By Barbara99 Published: August 29, 2012

Yield: (3-4 Servings)
Prep: 1 hr 30 mins

A refreshing drink made with PEI Juice Works' Wild Blueberry Juice

Ingredients

1 lime, quartered
1/2 lemon, quartered
1/2 orange, quartered
2 Tbsp blueberries (optional)
1 tsp sugar
sprinkle fine sea salt
1/4 cup PEI Juice Works Wild Blueberry Juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tbsp brandy
3/4 cup white wine
1 355ml chilled lemon-lime soda

Instructions

Assemble all ingredients.
Chop lime, lemon, and orange into quarters. Into medium-sized glass pitcher, hand-squeeze fruit. Drop in the fruit. Add blueberries, if using.
Add sugar and a small sprinkle of fine sea salt. Let sit, at room temperature, for about 30 minutes to release juices from the fruit.
Add blueberry and orange juices, wine, and brandy. Stir. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill.
Add soda at time of serving.
Serve chilled, over ice, in tall glasses and garnish with a slice of orange or lemon. Enjoy!

Cuisine: American
Course: Snack
Skill Level: Easy

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Desserts, Field Trips, General, Out and About, Recipes

Lavender – The Trendy New Culinary Herb

August 9, 2012 Barbara99 1 Comment

Okay, so I must admit the thought of baking and cooking with something I have always considered a perfume can be a bit daunting but with lavender being the trendy new culinary herb, I thought why not be a bit venturesome. But can I use just any lavender for culinary purposes? To find out, I paid a visit to The Five Sisters of Lavender Lane – aptly named because there are five sisters involved with the growing, harvesting, and production of the lavender products.

The Five Sisters of Lavender Lane, Kelly's Cross, PEI, Canada — The Five Sisters of Lavender Lane, Kelly’s Cross, PEI, Canada

Lavender Farm in Kelly's Cross, PEI — Lavender Farm in Kelly’s Cross, PEI

Through the scenic rolling hills of Kelly’s Cross in rural PEI, on the Island’s South side, I find PEI’s only lavender farm. In 1999, Carol Cook bought the farm and, in 2001, planted her first 100 lavender plants to see how they would ‘weather the winter’ on the Island. They did well and, today, there are over an estimated 3000 plants of two varieties (Hidcote and Munstead) grown on the farm.

Rows of Heavenly-scented Lavender at the lavender farm of The Five Sisters of Lavender Lane, Kelly's Cross, PEI — Rows of Heavenly-scented Lavender at the lavender farm of The Five Sisters of Lavender Lane, Kelly’s Cross, PE

Carol tells me that starting lavender from seed is not necessarily a guarantee of success. Instead, her preference is to start new plants by propagating from cuttings. This is where a long stem of lavender attached to the mother plant is buried under some soil and left to grow its own roots. The following year it can be cut from the mother plant and, voila, a new lavender plant is started. Another option is to take a cutting from a plant, cut it on an angle, dip it in a root boost starter product, and place it in a sandy soil mixture to take root.

Most of us know lavender as a perfume and potpourri product. However, lavender is actually an herb of the mint family and certain varieties of it are known as culinary herbs. These are primarily the Hidcote and Munstead varieties. Lavender is often considered to be similar to thyme, rosemary, and sage and it can, in fact, be substituted for rosemary in many recipes. If you have ever cooked with Herbes de Provence, chances are you have already tasted lavender since it is a common ingredient in this herb mix along with the typical mixture of thyme, rosemary, and savory.

Lavender is one of the more aromatic herbs and some say it bears citrus notes or even a hint of pine. The lavender buds (the stage just before the plants blossom into full open flower) possess a higher oil content and have the most intense taste. They tend to have a stronger, minty flavour and, when used in cooking or baking will be more pungent and have “more bite” to them. When crushed or ground, the lavender buds have a sweeter, milder flavour. While the leaves, stems, buds, and flowers can all be used for culinary purposes, the flower buds are said to give the most flavour.

Lavender Buds on the left; Lavender Flowers on the right

In PEI, harvesting of lavender occurs in mid-July. When at their bud stage, the beautiful purple/mauve buds are removed from their tall spikes, washed, and spread on screens to dry. They are then ready to be used in various products. It is possible to get a second, smaller harvest from the same plants late in August or early September. The photographs below were taken at the lavender farm on July 10, 2012, the day before they began harvesting. I can only imagine the wonderful scent there must have been during the harvesting process!

The Day Before the Harvesting of the Lavender at The Five Sisters of Lavender Lane

The Five Sisters of Lavender Lane only sell their culinary lavender in the small gift shop at their farm in Kelly’s Cross and it is not uncommon for local chefs to stop by to pick up their supply for their restaurants. If you are cooking with lavender, just make sure that it is the culinary variety you are using and that it has been grown organically, pesticide-free. Besides the culinary lavender, the farm also produces and sells a number of other lavender products onsite including perfumed products. This year, they are currently experimenting with the production of lavender extract which can be used in culinary products in the same way that vanilla, almond, or lemon extract is used.

Lavender is a strong herb so my advice is less is more and to exercise caution in the amount you use in a recipe. If you use too much, it will not be a pleasant taste because it may seem like you are eating soap or that you used perfume in the dish. I find a lot of recipes call for 1-2 tablespoons of lavender and that is way too excessive in any recipe for my taste. When trying a recipe with lavender, I start with a very modest amount and, if I find it is not enough, I will slightly increase the amount the next time I make the recipe until I get it to the point that it pleases my palette. Like any herb, you want it to accent the dish, not predominate and overpower it. Rule of thumb is that, if you are using dried lavender, use one-half what you would use fresh. Because it is not very pleasant to bite into a whole lavender bud, the herb is often ground in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. It is very important to carefully read a recipe that calls for lavender to determine when the amount of the herb the recipe calls for gets measured – i.e., is it before or after the lavender is ground or crushed. If the recipe calls, for example, for 1 tsp. lavender buds finely ground, first measure the whole buds as the teaspoon measure and then grind them as, otherwise, the flavour will be too strong if you were to use 1 tsp finely ground lavender in the recipe.

Lavender is now the trendy herb not only in baked goods like cookies, scones, and sweet breads but in ice cream, in vinaigrettes, in rice, on chicken and lamb, in jams, jellies, and honey, and in drinks such as herbal teas and lemonade. I have done a lot of experimenting with cooking and baking with lavender this summer and I am lucky because I live not far from the lavender farm where I can get my supply of quality culinary lavender. Not long ago, I prepared an evening tea featuring lavender – a Lavender Blueberry Banana Bread, lavender scones with homemade lemon curd, and Swedish Teacakes filled with the curd.

On Sunday evening I made an entire meal with lavender as the focus. For the salad course, I started with a roasted beet and goat cheese salad on garden greens. To roast the beets, I coated them with olive oil then sprinkled some fresh thyme, lemon verbena, basil, dried lavender buds, and a bit of minced garlic on them. I wrapped the beets in tin foil and roasted them at 400C for about 1 hour, till they were fork tender. I then sliced the beets and laid them on a bed of lettuce freshly picked from our garden, added some orange sections, and tossed some goat cheese and pecans on the top. I made a simple citrus-based vinaigrette to drizzle over the salad. The beets had a nice roasted flavour to them, not strong in any herb flavour, which is the taste I was aiming for.

Lavender Chicken Breasts in Champagne Sauce served with fresh green and yellow string beans and blue, red, and white fingerlings

For the main course, I chose a recipe from Sharon Shipley’s “The Lavender Cookbook” for Lavender Chicken Breasts in Champagne Sauce. This was delicious. The chicken breasts were marinated in lemon juice, thyme, and ground lavender buds then cooked in a skillet with a wonderful mushroom and champagne sauce.

For dessert, I wrapped my homemade Lavender-Honey-Vanilla Ice Cream in a dessert crepe and drizzled it with raspberry coulis made with fresh PEI raspberries picked near Hunter River. The ice cream, my feature recipe for this posting, is also good with a hot fudge sauce or drizzled with a good quality chocolate or raspberry balsamic vinegar that has been reduced to syrup stage.

Lavender-Honey-Vanilla Ice Cream in Crepe, drizzled in Raspberry Coulis

The lavender farm at the Five Sisters of Lavender Lane is located at 1433 Route 246 in Kelly’s Cross, PEI. Check out their website at http://www.fivesistersoflavenderlane.com/ or call them at 902-658-2203.

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Lavender-Honey-Vanilla Ice Cream

By Barbara99 Published: August 9, 2012

Yield: Apx. 1 quart

Lavender-infused homemade ice cream

Ingredients

1 cup whipping cream
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp caster sugar
3/4 tsp edible lavender flower buds
4 egg yolks
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 vanilla bean split and seeds scraped
1 tsp pure vanilla

Instructions

In double boiler, over medium heat, heat the whipping cream, half-and-half, milk, honey, sugar, lavender, and vanilla beans and pod. Stir occasionally and heat mixture until small bubbles start to appear around edge of mixture, about 10-12 minutes.
Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes to allow the lavender flavour to infuse the warm milk mixture.
Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Discard remains in sieve and return strained mixture to a clean double boiler and heat to the scalding point, stirring to prevent the mixture from curdling or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk egg yolks and salt together. Whisk in vanilla. Add ¾ cup of the hot milk mixture to the eggs and whisk to blend. Pour this mixture into the custard in the double boiler. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens to consistency that it will coat the back of a wooden spoon. Do not boil. Be patient as this takes time.
Strain mixture through sieve into a clean bowl. Cool completely then chill, covered, in refrigerator for at least 3 hours or more (can be chilled up to 24 hours). Freeze custard in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ice cream. Cover and place in freezer for at least 4-6 hours to harden completely.

Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Skill Level: Advanced

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Field Trips, Out and About

Strawberry and Ice Cream Socials on PEI

July 24, 2012 Barbara99

Summertime strawberry and ice cream socials (“socials”) are prolific on PEI in July and always herald Summer on the Island. From churches to community groups to historical museums to Women’s Institute groups, socials are common Summer events on PEI. Even local politicians gather around strawberries and ice cream and host Summer socials as a way of connecting with their constituents. Who would have thought strawberries would gain and hold such notoriety as the star attraction at so many local Summer social gatherings!

While I was unable to trace definite origins of these Summer socials on PEI, local historian and curator of History and Exhibits with PEI Museums and Heritage, Boyde Beck, tells me the earliest recording that he could find of such an event was in 1871 when the public was invited to a strawberry festival with refreshments on the grounds of the Wesleyan Academy, an event that also involved croquet and games for the young. Then, in 1896, there is a recording of an ice cream and strawberry banquet held after a 13-mile bicycle race from Brackley Beach to Charlottetown under the auspices of the Charlottetown Wheel Association. I think it would be safe to say that these early events would have involved homemade vanilla ice cream churned by hand in a wooden crank-style freezer and the strawberries most likely would have been wild as opposed to the cultivated variety.

Today, most socials still follow the traditional strawberry shortcake recipe — a tea biscuit split in two with a scoop (or two!) of vanilla ice cream on top and drizzled with strawberries (usually crushed) and a dollop of whipped cream. Most often, a beverage is included (tea, coffee, or lemonade) and many organizations also offer homemade squares and cookies as well, particularly if the event is held indoors and if table seating is provided. You can expect to pay in the vicinity of $5-7 for the event.

When they originally began, the primary purpose of the events was purely social — to bring together people in a community or church, for example, so they could get to know their neighbours or renew old acquaintances – hence the use of the word “social” in connection with the event. Apart from those organized by politicians for the purpose of meeting and greeting constituents, today’s socials are seen as a good way to raise money for organizations’ causes and some argue this is now more the key objective with hosting the events.

My earliest recollection of attending an ice cream social was in the early 1970s. One July evening, my Mother suggested we go to a “Strawberry Social” being held on the grounds of Howatt’s Fruit and Vegetable Farm in Tryon, PEI, not far from the banks of the Tryon River. I have to admit, as a youth, I found it bizarre to make a connection between strawberries and something social! Nevertheless, off we went and I can recall it being a lovely, warm Summer evening and the beautiful manicured grounds with a canopy of several weeping willow trees on the lawns providing a lovely venue for the early evening event. Today, most socials are held indoors so that weather is not a restricting factor.

On Sunday afternoon, July 22, 2012, I was in Bideford, near Tyne Valley, PEI, in the Western part of the Province where the Bideford Parsonage Museum was hosting its 13^thannual Strawberry Social.

Strawberry Social at Bideford Parsonage Museum

This house, now museum, was the former Methodist Parsonage where famed authoress, Lucy Maud Montgomery, boarded with Rev. John F. and Mrs. Ada Estey from 1894-95 when she was in her first teaching position at Bideford No. 6 School. Members of the local historical society were blessed with a beautiful sunny day as they hosted the Sunday afternoon event outdoors on the Museum grounds. For the modest price of $5.00, visitors received a large bowl of strawberry shortcake, and tea, coffee, or lemonade. Homemade sweet tea biscuits, fresh Island strawberries, and PEI-produced ADL ice cream proved a combo hard to beat on a hot day!

Local musicians provided the afternoon’s entertainment as hosts, in period costume, mingled about the grounds. While many churches, halls, and parks across the Island are the scene of socials throughout the Summer, the lovely designed and maintained Bideford Parsonage Museum with its immaculate grounds encased in a white picket fence sets a beautiful backdrop for a Summer social.

Bideford Parsonage Museum, Bideford, Prince Edward Island, Canada

You can certainly let your mind wander to a more tranquil and genteel era when this kind of social would have been held in the late 1800s and you can easily imagine how such a summer social would have been a hugely anticipated event in rural PEI. On a sunny 28ºC Sunday afternoon in July 2012, ice cream and seasonal berries proved to be a perfect refreshing treat just as I am sure they would have been more than a century ago!

Lots of Strawberry and Ice Cream Socials on PEI!

Whether you are a local Islander or a tourist visiting PEI in July, be sure to stop by one of the many strawberry and ice cream socials. On an almost daily basis in July, local newspapers carry advertisements for these events held at various locations across PEI so, no doubt, there would likely be one not far from where you are on the Island!

Bideford is about a 35-minute drive from the City of Summerside, PEI. Visit the museum’s website at http://www.bidefordparsonagemuseum.com/

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Field Trips, General, Out and About

A Tour of Newman Estate Winery in Gladstone, PEI

July 11, 2012 Barbara99

Newman Estate Winery, Gladstone, PEI, Canada

Today, I’m visiting a new PEI winery in Gladstone, PEI. Located near Murray River in the eastern part of PEI, Gladstone is approximately a one-hour drive from the Island’s capital of Charlottetown.

Route from Charlottetown to Gladstone, PEI (via scenic Montague)

As I head through the quiet little village of Murray River and turn on to the Gladstone Road, I pass along a rural country road lined with many wild rose bushes in full bloom in various hues of pink. The paved road ends and I am on a narrow red dirt road crossing a small bridge over a tranquil water inlet. Then, suddenly I come upon a sign for Newman Estate Winery.

As I turn in, I see a long red dirt lane leading past rows of grapevines to a tall, modern-shaped simplistic building which I’ll soon discover is the winery including a tasting room. The rows of grapevines are neatly marked with the various grape varieties – like Marechal Foch, Lucie Kuhlmann.

As I arrive at the winery and open the car door, I sense a peaceful tranquil setting. Birds are twittering and dew is still on the grass and I think what a wonderful living and working environment. I am met by owner and winemaker, Mike Newman, and my tour begins in the vineyards.

On this early July day, the vines are in their flowering stage so it will be a few more weeks before clusters of grapes will be seen hanging from the vines. Harvesting is expected in early September when the sugar concentration is optimum.

The vineyard is nestled in between large groves of tall trees that border the winery’s property and shelter the grapevines.

Because PEI, located in northeastern Canada, is prone to somewhat harsh winters, one of the first questions I ask Mike is what effect the weather has on grape production. To my surprise, he tells me his hybrid vines can tolerate temperatures as low as -27C. Our winters rarely get colder than that. Growing grapes is labour-intensive and time-consuming work with a lot of staking and pruning of the vines. Mike tells me his property has good sandy soil which is suitable for grape growing.

We move into the winery where there are six large stainless steel tanks for the wine fermentation process and Mike explains the laborious wine-making process from the crushing of the grapes through to fermentation, filtering, bottling, corking, and labelling.

Upstairs, on the veranda outside the wine-tasting room, you get a beautiful panoramic view of the vineyards.

View of Vineyard from Veranda of Wine-tasting Room at Newman Estate Winery

Inside, you’ll find a mix of rustic and modern décor in the wine-tasting room that can accommodate up to 24 people. Mike takes the time to explain the difference and importance of color to wines and how, for example, the colors of red wines differ substantially based on how long the grape skins have remained in contact with the grape juice during the fermentation process – the longer the contact, the darker the wine.

Mike planted his first grapevines in 2008 and produced the first wine for market in 2011 with a production of approximately 13,000 litres.

Wines Produced at Newman Estate Winery, Gladstone, PEI

Today, the winery has 7500 vines covering 10 acres and is completely organic. Mike tells me his four-year old vines will generate six to seven clusters of grapes per plant and will be considered a full harvest. Fruit from year three vines will be considered an early crop. So, apart from being labour-intensive, wine-making also takes patience.

The winery is small. Currently, it operates with Mike as the winemaker and seven part-time staff. Mike is a young entrepreneur, well-educated with an engineering degree, an MBA, and is currently working on his Winemaker’s Certificate. He is very committed to his winery and, when you speak with Mike, his passion for his vocation is very evident. What started out as a hobby has turned into a career for Mike. His goals are to enjoy doing what he does, generate local jobs, make a good quality wine at a reasonable price, and get Islanders to buy locally-produced wine. Supporting local producers is always a good thing in my books.

Currently, Newman Estate Winery is producing both a red and a white wine with plans of expanding production. The wines are very competitively priced at $12.50/litre (CDN$) and you can find them in PEI Liquor Retail Stores and at the winery.

I personally like Newman’s wines. After my visit to the winery, I chose a menu for our evening meal that would feature one of Newman’s wines. I chose the Chardonnay Seyval Blanc and paired it with pan-fried haddock, fingerlings, and maple-glazed carrots. I found the wine was light-tasting, refreshing, and was a nice compliment to the seafood meal.

Seafood Dinner Served with Newman Estate Winery's Chardonnay Seyval Blanc — Seafood Dinner Served with Newman Estate Winery’s Chardonnay Seyval Blanc

On August 20, 2012, I visited the winery again and found these delightful clusters of grapes clinging to the vines.

Grapes on the Vine at Newman's Vineyard in Gladstone, PEI, 20 August 2012 — Grapes on the Vine at Newman’s Vineyard in Gladstone, PEI, 20 August 2012

Newman Estate Winery is located at 2404 Gladstone Road, Murray River, PEI. The winery is open for tours Monday – Saturday, 11:00am – 5:00pm. If you are in the Murray River area, I recommend you take the short drive out to Gladstone to visit Newman Estate Winery and have a tour of their operation. You can check out their website at http://www.newmanestatewinery.com/ or call the winery at 902-962-4223.

Newman's Wine Goes Great With Grapes, Cheese, and Baguette — Newman’s Wine Goes Great With Grapes, Cheese, and Baguette

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Field Trips, Out and About

A Visit to Liquid Gold Tasting Bar & All Things Olive

July 4, 2012 Barbara99 2 Comments

In a red brick building on the corner of Queen and Dorchester Streets in Olde Charlottetown, PEI, you will find a very unique shop called “Liquid Gold Tasting Bar & All Things Olive”. Opened now on the Island for a year (they opened one year ago today on July 4, 2011), this is one of three Liquid Gold shops in the Maritimes (the other two are in Halifax, NS, and in Saint John, NB).

I recently sat down with the Charlottetown store manager, Amy Ingram, to find out just what Liquid Gold Olive Oils is all about. That is when I found out it’s a foodie’s paradise that sells fresh, pure extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegars. Patrons can taste any of the oils and vinegars onsite that they want. This tasting bar experience allows shoppers to explore flavours before making a purchase choice.

I asked Amy what prompted the idea for a store that sells exclusive olive oils and vinegars. Amy tells me her Mom, Myrna, lived in Arizona for awhile where they had an olive oil tasting bar. When she returned to Nova Scotia, she found a supplier that imported quality extra-virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars from around the world and she opened her first store.

So, what will you find when you walk into a Liquid Gold store? You will find rows of pristine stainless steel fustis filled with a large, extensive variety of extra virgin olive oils and both dark and light balsamic vinegars. Fustis are small kegs with spigots that provide tight, dark conditions in which to store the oils and vinegars.

Beneath the rows of fusti, you’ll find dark-tinted bottles in two sizes and these get filled to your request by any of the staff of four. Dark bottles are essential because the darkness helps to protect the oil from oxidation that will occur if the oil is exposed to light. The store also carries gourmet oils like truffle and sesame along with mustards, salsas, and pastas, and olive-oil based body products.

Rows of Empty Bottles Waiting to be Filled

I asked Amy who their typical customers are. She tells me they range from everyday at-home cooks to chefs-in-training from the Culinary Institute of Canada a few blocks away to professional chefs – all looking for high quality products with health benefits. On the day I visited, the store was a beehive of activity. Two chefs-in-training were getting a supply of oils (yes, by a box full of bottles!), a passenger from the ms Maasdam in port for the day was picking up bottles filled with product and having them gift-wrapped as take-home souvenirs of her visit to Charlottetown, a local at-home budding cook was making a return visit and deliberating on his next choices of oils and vinegars, and a number of other visitors were obviously fascinated by the tasting bar experience.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil is made from crushing and pressing olives. The oils in Liquid Gold stores are imported from small estate farms and olive groves in many different countries that include Italy, France, Greece, and Argentina, to mention just a few. I remember having dinner in Tivoli, Italy, some years ago, high on a hill overlooking groves of gnarled olive trees for as far as the eye could see. I suspect these would be the kind of olive grove estate farms that would, no doubt, produce and export quality olive oils, such as those found at Liquid Gold.

Health Benefits of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Amy says the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil are many – they are rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, vitamins K and E, and aid in digestion. Some research also suggests olive oil may reduce cancer risk, have properties to reduce risk of heart disease, and improve cognitive function. Of all olive oils, extra-virgin olive oil is said to have the most health benefits along with the most delicate and true flavour.

What to Look for When Tasting and Purchasing Olive Oil

Amy advises, when choosing a quality olive oil, to consider what use you are purchasing the oil for and look for a nice, rich flavour that “makes all your taste buds happy”. Look for subtle flavours of grass, fruit, or pepper that give a degree of spiciness to the taste buds. By contrast, old or poor quality oils will have a flat, musty, waxy crayon taste and a rancid smell.

According to my own research, I learned there are, generally speaking, three categories of olive oil – delicate, medium, and robust. Delicate oils are considered suitable for foods like seafood. Medium oils go well with salads and poultry. Robust oils blend well with red meats and dishes with a tomato base.

Storing Olive Oil

Store oils in cool, dark spaces, away from any direct or indirect heat sources as this can cause rancidity.

Balsamic Vinegars

Balsamic vinegars are made from crushed grapes that are boiled down to reduce most of the water in the grapes, producing a concentrate or “must”. This is then fermented in barrels made of various woods where the vinegar undergoes a slow aging process that can take many years. The wooden barrels contribute to the flavour of the balsamic vinegar. Some vinegars are aged 3-5 years, others 6-12 years, and still others much longer. Younger-aged vinegars are lighter in taste and are typically used on salads. Middle-aged vinegars are good in sauces and pasta dishes. Older-aged vinegars compliment meat and poultry dishes well and are especially good drizzled on fresh fruit and ice creams – who knew a good balsamic vinegar would taste great on fruit and ice cream…..but it does!

Health Benefits of Balsamic Vinegars

The health benefits of balsamic vinegars are significant. From my research, I found they are reported to be a source of iron, calcium, manganese, and potassium, are low in salt and saturated fat and are cholesterol-free. The vinegar’s antioxidant properties are said to help prevent heart disease and cancer. Balsamic vinegar may also aid in digestion and be good for the circulatory system. Additionally, its properties may aid in healing cuts and open wounds.

What to Look for when Tasting and Purchasing Balsamic Vinegars

Good quality balsamic vinegars, according to Amy, should exhibit a sweet and tart blend along with a thick and rich taste. The vinegars should have sweetness to them and a wood flavour (from the barrels in which they were aged) should be evident. If you only get a bitter taste, then it is poor quality balsamic vinegar. A good quality balsamic vinegar should have a somewhat syrupy texture to it.

Storing Balsamic Vinegars

Store bottles of balsamic vinegar in a cool dark place. There is no need to refrigerate them.

I questioned Amy on why customers should buy their olive oils and vinegars at Liquid Gold as opposed to at the local supermarket. She cited four reasons: First, Liquid Gold’s oils are fresh, real extra-virgin olive oils that carry all the health benefits. Second, because the oils and vinegars are produced on smaller estate farms and groves around the world as opposed to mass manufactured by large corporations, buyers are helping to support small local farmers around the world. Third, the customers can come into the store and consult with knowledgeable staff who will educate them on oils and vinegars and their health benefits and help them select a product specifically for a purpose – for example, I was looking for a balsamic vinegar I could drizzle over ice cream and Liquid Gold sales staff were able to guide me to an appropriate selection and explain to me how I could heat and reduce the vinegar to make an even more tasty ice cream drizzle. Fourth, a particular emphasis is placed on providing assistance to customers to find oils and vinegars that compliment the many flavours of local PEI foods.

Product Prices

We’ve all seen supermarket sales on huge bottles of olive oils but are we really getting “a deal” and is the quality there? Amy tells me I really can’t compare Liquid Gold’s prices with supermarket prices because it is quality of product that is the true comparison factor, not price point. Bearing in mind it takes 5 pounds of olives to produce 375ml of olive oil, don’t look for quality oils to be cheap. The labour-intensive and lengthy aging periods for good quality balsamic vinegars also means their prices will not be cheap either. Liquid Gold (at time of writing in July 2012) sell their oils and vinegars for $18.00 for a 375ml bottle and $11.00 for a 200ml bottle. As a foodie and at-home chef, I can honestly say there is a definite difference between good quality olive oils and balsamic vinegars and that difference is evident in the final food product you create with the oils and vinegars.

I decided I would put their olive oil and balsamic vinegar to the test to see if I could detect a genuine difference between their products and what I would normally purchase at a supermarket. For me, a true test of an oil and balsamic vinegar is best determined by using it uncooked so I made a simple balsamic vinaigrette dressing for a green garden salad. I don’t like heavy salad dressings because I find they smother the salad ingredients and mask their flavour. So, I purchased a bottle of Liquid Gold’s cranberry-pear white balsamic vinegar and a bottle of Arbosana extra-virgin olive oil. I added a bit of garlic, Dijon mustard, shallots, a few herbs from the garden and a dash of salt and sprinkle of pepper. I have never had such an extraordinary salad – the vinaigrette was so flavourful and pure and did not detract from the salad’s ingredients – in fact, I’d go so far as to say it brought out the flavours of the lettuce, tomato, and cucumber more true, pure, and intense.

This store is a real treasure trove for foodies. It offers a fantastic selection of quality fresh extra-virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars, knowledgeable staff, and a good location in Charlottetown. But, no worries if you don’t live near a Liquid Gold Store – they offer online shopping through their website and ship in Canada and the United States.

Whether you are an Islander or a visitor to our fair city of Charlottetown, be sure to include a stop at Liquid Gold if for no other reason than to marvel at the varieties of olive oils and balsamic vinegars available on the market and to learn more about the products and their health benefits. Taste them, though, and if you are a foodie like me who likes high quality food products, I am guessing you may very well find it hard to come away without purchasing some of the products.

Now that I have discovered Liquid Gold, I might have to build extra cupboards to store the varieties I’ll no doubt be investing in! Indeed, I have already made a repeat visit to purchase a chocolate balsamic vinegar which I reduced and drizzled over my homemade strawberry ice cream and fresh berries – divine perfection!

Liquid Gold Tasting Bar & All Things Olive is located at 72 Queen Street in Charlottetown, PEI, and may be reached at (902)370-8809.

Happy 1^st Anniversary, Liquid Gold, of operating your store in Charlottetown, PEI!

Thank you for visiting “the Bistro” today. There are lots of ways to connect with “the Bistro” through social media:

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Field Trips, General, Out and About

Annie’s Table Culinary Studio – A Unique Culinary Experience on PEI

July 2, 2012 Barbara99 1 Comment

Tucked away in the tidy little rural community of New London, PEI, on the Island’s north side, a new culinary adventure awaits you. Housed in the former, and now decommissioned, New London United Church which has been repurposed and transformed, Annie’s Table Culinary Studio offers unique, hands-on cooking classes for all culinary skill levels.

On Saturday, June 30, 2012, I was privileged to be invited to attend the official opening of Annie’s Table Culinary Studio. Guests were treated to a wonderful afternoon hosted by owner, Annie Leroux. Guests sipped Island-produced wines from Matos Winery of St. Catherine’s, Rossignol Estate Winery, Little Sands, and from Newman Estate Winery, of Murray Harbour, PEI, as well as the Island’s newest produced beer, Beach Chair Lager or, for the teetotalers, a refreshing Ginger Cordial.

PEI-Produced Wine and Beer Served at Official Opening of Annie’s Table Culinary Studio

Located right beside the beverage bar was a huge tub of fresh PEI Oysters that were being shucked, ready for guests to savour. Throughout the afternoon, we sampled delightful offerings from Chef Norman and his staff that included such savories as mushroom-stuffed and seafood spring rolls, tasty bite-sized meat pies, and divine mussel-stuffed mushroom caps.

Savory hors d'oeuvres — Savory hors d’oeuvres

Owner Annie Leroux and Chef Norman Zeldon at the Official Opening of Annie's Table Culinary Studio — Owner Annie Leroux and Chef Norman Zeldon at the Official Opening of Annie’s Table Culinary Studio

Following the brief speeches, Annie arranged for a culinary challenge – men against women – seated at the 12’ culinary table. The names of six men and six women were randomly drawn and yours truly ended up in the challenge! We started off with some short snappers of culinary trivia and then down to the business at hand. As each competitor completed his/her food challenge, s/he had to dash to the head of the table to ring the bell. My challenge was to chow down three huge, bacon-wrapped scallops which I did not do so well on! Others had such challenges as declawing and eating two lobster claws, peeling a turnip, drinking Beach Chair lager or wine through a straw, making a kebob, making a salsa, and you get the idea! While we women might hate to admit it, the men did win the challenge as first over the finish line!

Many small rural Island churches have been demolished over recent years and it is so nice to see one that has been preserved and repurposed. Annie has done a great job at maintaining the façade of the church, built in 1953, and incorporating several elements of the church’s interior into the architectural design for her studio. For example, the pulpit makes a wonderful focal piece for the loft seating area that overlooks the huge harvest table in the center of the building.

Loft at Annie's Table Culinary Studio — Loft at Annie’s Table Culinary Studio

A tasteful selection of carefully gathered and preserved antiques lend themselves well to the ambiance of the studio. The small tower of the church has been preserved and is reachable via a circular staircase.

The Tower at Annie's Table Culinary Studio — The Tower at Annie’s Table Culinary Studio

On the main level, you will find a 12’ table that has been crafted from old attic boards from the house which Annie recently restored in New London also. At the rear of the church, is the kitchen where students attending the classes can learn various cooking techniques.

Teaching Kitchen at Annie's Kitchen Culinary Studio — Teaching Kitchen at Annie’s Kitchen Culinary Studio

I asked Annie where the idea came from for Annie’s Table Culinary Studio. She tells me it is a combination of her passions – she likes to interact and socialize with people, she has a love of the Island and local foods, and has a passion for collecting antiques. Annie says “I wanted to create a beautiful venue for people to come and experience Island foods – not to just sit in a restaurant and enjoy lobster, etc., but learn all about them (huge educational component here) and then learn different methods of preparing them in a fun, social atmosphere and then be able to sit and enjoy what they have been taught.” Annie’s hope is that people will leave the table and say “I had a ball and I met some new friends and I learned lots about the Island and, wow, would I love to live here….” “That to me would say that I’ve offered them hospitality, knowledge, and a desire for more of the same”, says Annie. As to why she chose the New London location, Annie says it has access to so many locally-produced or available foods nearby – oysters, mussels, lobster, and the list goes on, it’s the perfect location for her business.

While Annie’s is not a restaurant, students who register and attend one of her cooking classes do get to sit together at the big harvest table at the end of the class to enjoy their cooking creations. Classes are available on a number of subject areas and are by reservation only. Classes are small and intimate, generally restricted to 15 students although some events, such as the Oyster Extravaganza, can accommodate up to 40 people who want to learn how to shuck oysters. While I am going to direct you to Annie’s website for a full listing of her 2012 classes, you can expect to find classes that focus heavily on traditional Island foods such as clams, oysters, mussels, lobster, artisan bread, and apple pie. With a professional sommelier on her team, look for class offerings on wine tasting. From time to time, classes will be offered on specialized cooking such as Thai and Latino culinary delights. Annie is supported by Chef Norman, a talented Red Seal Chef who brims with personality and culinary knowledge. From time to time, look for special guests leading culinary workshops at Annie’s.

Of particular interest to “Anne of Green Gables” fans is the “Food Trip Down Memory Lane” class that recreates a meal similar to what would have likely been found on Lucy Maud Montgomery’s table in the late 1800s or early 1900s. Included in this class is a tour of the nearby home where the famed author of the Anne of Green Gables series of books was born. Also included is a private viewing of Annie’s own home across the street from the Birthplace of L. M. Montgomery which was the home of the mid-wife who delivered Lucy Maud. So, if you are a Lucy Maud Montgomery fan, this day-long (10am – 3pm) class is for you. Price for the day is $139./person.

Classes in the Culinary Studio or other food events offered by the Studio range from 1.5 – 5 hours in length and are priced between $20. and $139. Some are offered during the day while other classes are scheduled for evenings. Annie’s Table Culinary Studio operates seasonally from June to October so, whether you are a local Islander or a tourist, this is a unique culinary experience. Gather together a family group, co-workers, or friends who like to cook and head out to beautiful New London, PEI, for a fun and learning vacation experience.

You can find Annie’s Table Culinary Studio in picturesque New London, PEI, at 4295 Graham’s Road on Route 8 (902-886-2070) – just look for the little white church!

Field Trips, General, Out and About

Savour the Flavour at PEI’s Food and Wine Show

June 3, 2012 Barbara99

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For the past four years, the PEI Restaurant Association has presented a Springtime event that brings together the best chefs from the Island’s finest restaurants and pairs them with producers and distributors of fine wines, beers, and spirits to bring Islanders the ultimate gourmet tasting experience.

On Thursday, May 24, 2012, I attended the 4^th Annual “Savour Food & Wine” Show held at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown. To be frank, this was the first time I had attended and I was not sure what to expect. I was quite impressed with the calibre of the show. This was a high-end smorgasbord event that definitely had a party atmosphere! In the words of exhibitor Julie Shore of Prince Edward Distillery who has participated as an exhibitor in the Show for four years, this event could very aptly be described as “a big cocktail party – and the host hired the best caterers!”

Samples at Savour Food & Wine Show — Samples at Savour Food & Wine SHow

The show is an occasion for local restaurants, wineries, distilleries, and other beverage producers across the Island to promote their products directly to foodies, restaurant patrons, and beverage enthusiasts. Carl Nicholson, President of the PEI Restaurant Association, says the Show “is also an opportunity to showcase what members of the Association do with Island products. Members want to promote the fact that they support local [producers] and feel the quality of Island products is superior”. Guests attending the event get to meet and chat directly, one-on-one, with the chefs and beverage vendors, something they would not otherwise get to do in a typical restaurant setting. Shore says “It is a great opportunity for us to enjoy all the wonderful feedback. We love seeing people’s reaction to our spirits! They enjoy the delicious cocktails and we enjoy the reactions!”

The show also provides the occasion to introduce new products on the market and offers guests an opportunity to sample products that they may not have had before, or even knew were produced on PEI, like Wild Blueberry & Tart Cherry Juice or Wild Blueberry & Rhubarb Juice produced by PEI Juice Works Ltd. of Alberton, PEI. Says first-time exhibitor, Ryan Bradley, VP of Sales and Marketing for PEI Juice Works, “We were asked to participate at the PEI Flavours booth this year to help showcase unique new Island products. This show allows us to provide samples to people with a keen interest in quality foods. It also allows us to interact one-on-one with people and get valuable feedback. Because we are so new, any activity that helps us create more awareness [in our products] is very important.”

Upon presentation of their $75.00 ticket at the door, each of the 500 guests is handed a wine glass and a program and show floor plan. From there, guests follow the tantalizing scent of food and tour through the 45 booths each preparing their product for tasting. Each food booth has a supply of small plates and guests are welcome to taste samples of whatever each booth is offering. Their wine glasses get filled with their favourite libation which can be found at the many beverage booths that serve anything from local and imported wines and beers to locally distilled gin or blueberry juices.

All within the span of two hours and under one roof, visitors to the show have the opportunity to experience foods and beverages they might not otherwise try or even have access to, be educated on food and beverage products available locally, or simply enjoy the abundance and array of foods and beverages available at the show. The event offers not only treats for the tummy but also for the eyes too as chefs outdo themselves with the creativity and presentation of food as well as their tastefully decorated booth displays.

This Island has long been associated with good food and talented chefs. Complimenting that repertoire, PEI is now gaining a solid reputation for award-winning locally produced wines and spirits. Both the Island and the exhibitors (all members of the PEI Restaurant Association) pulled out all the stops for this year’s Savour Food & Wine show. It was a fine gala event that signaled the kick-off to summer dining when, as Islanders, we eagerly await our favourite seasonal restaurants to open their doors to patrons. If what I saw at the Show was any indicator, visitors and Islanders alike are in for a real treat when dining around PEI this summer. As Carl Nicholson says, “we tend to go to restaurants we know. The Show allows guests to try samples from different restaurants which hopefully will encourage them to then go and try out the restaurants for a meal.” I have already started my Summer 2012 list of restaurants to try – some, of course, are old favourites but some are new based on what I saw and sampled at the Savour Food & Wine Show. Could be a hard summer on the waistline!

General, Out and About

Who Serves the Best Seafood Chowder on Prince Edward Island?

May 30, 2012 Barbara99 3 Comments

Each summer I set a food challenge for myself. Last summer, I went on the hunt for the best fish and chips on Prince Edward Island; there was no shortage of good ones…really good ones, in fact – but I did pick my favorite. I checked out some restaurants that I liked anyway but I also asked friends, colleagues, and acquaintances to recommend their favorites to me. I took my Mom, always a fish and chips fan, on my taste-testing mission as I covered the Island from tip-to-tip in search of the hands-down, no-question-about-it, best version of the perennial seafood favorite. By the end of the season, neither of us seriously wanted to see fish and chips again for a good long while!

This summer, my challenge is to find the best seafood chowder on PEI and it starts now as all the multitude of seasonal restaurants open on the Island for the summer tourist season. At the end of the summer, I will post a blog about my personal favorite from amongst those I sampled. So, if you have a favorite eating spot that you think serves the absolute best seafood chowder on the Island, let me know so I can try it out. I will be criss-crossing this great Island of ours over the next several months so feel free to suggest establishments from North to South, East to West, and all points in between! Let’s hope these establishments serve “cups” of chowder and not large bowls as my waistline may suffer the consequences! To recommend a favorite to me, either send me a direct email using the contact form on this website or leave a comment to this blog posting, naming your suggestion and the restaurant’s location!

The challenge is on!

Field Trips, Out and About

Maple Syrup Production – A Rite of Spring on PEI

April 20, 2012 Barbara99 1 Comment

Growing up in rural PEI, one of my favourite Spring-time memories was the tapping of maple trees, going to collect the sap every evening after supper, and watching the sap being boiled down on the stove for hours to make just a tiny bit of maple syrup. It was a rite of Spring and heralded the beginning of warmer days after a long, cold Winter!

While not big industry on PEI, there are a few maple syrup producers who tap trees and make and sell maple syrup each Spring. I recently visited the producers of Woodland Maple Syrup in Woodville Mills about 9 km from Cardigan in the Eastern end of PEI. There, I met Richard MacPhee and Max Newby who were busy with their maple syrup production. Having been operating for 15 years, they proved to be good sources of information on maple syrup production.

Woodland Sugar Shack, Woodville Mills, near Cardigan, PEI

This Spring, MacPhee and Newby had 450 taps running. This process depends heavily on cold, frosty nights (about -5ºC) and warmer days (+5 ºC). The alternating freezing and thawing causes the pressure in the tree to change and forces the sap to start running when the temperature rises during the day. On PEI, there is a short window of opportunity to produce maple syrup, typically a 5-6 week period in March/April.

Trees must be at least 10” in diameter to be tapped and trees of that size are usually 40-50 years old. Holes are drilled into the maple trees and spouts are inserted. Buckets with covers to keep out bark, dirt, and rain are then hung on the spouts and are used to collect the dripping sap.

Bucket Hung on Spout to Catch Dripping Sap from Maple Tree

Drilling holes into the tree and removing sap is not harmful to the maple trees and the same trees can be tapped year after year, provided new holes are drilled each time. It is not uncommon to have up to 3 taps in large trees. In fact, Max showed me one large old maple tree just outside the sugar shack that had three taps running and we examined the tree’s maple syrup producing history as we found various marks from previous years’ tappings.

The sap is clear, has no color, and has the consistency of water. I found it had little taste although it is 2% – 4% sugar and I could detect a slightly mild sweet taste but certainly nothing like the taste of the sweet maple syrup that is eventually produced from the sap.

While some operations collect the sap through a network of pipelines strung between trees, at Woodland they tap individual trees using the spout and bucket method. Once every two days, the sap is collected from each tapped tree and placed in a large tank on the front of a tractor and transported to another large holding tank just outside the sugar shack. The sap is then piped into the evaporator inside the sugar shack where the boiling process takes place.

Large Tank of Sap Produces Just One 5-gallon Bucket of Maple Syrup

The sap is boiled in a large pan on a wood-fired evaporator until most of the water in it is boiled off and it boils down to a thick syrup.

This can take hours, not to mention patience and a close eye to make sure the sap does not boil too robustly and overflow the pan.

Evaporating the Water from the Sap to Make Maple Syrup

Keeping a Watchful Eye on the Boiling Sap to Ensure it Does Not Boil Over

Sap is continually added to the pan as the water evaporates so it is a continuous process. The boiling process causes a chemical reaction to occur in the sap and transforms it into a flavourful syrup.

It takes between 50-60 gallons of sap to make just 1 gallon of maple syrup. The syrup is then filtered to remove any remaining impurities and, at Woodland, the last filtering is through felt which is a thick, dense fabric through which no impurities will pass. The syrup is then ready for bottling.

There are different grades of maple syrup and grading is based on color. The lighter the color, the higher the quality of syrup but the more subtle the taste. The more amber, darker colored syrup has more flavour but, in grading terms, would be considered a lower grade syrup. Light-colored syrup is traditionally used as a table syrup for pancakes, waffles, and French toast. Darker colored syrup, on the other hand, is well suited for cooking and baking – e.g., ice creams and brulées as well as sauces and glazes for meats.

Woodland Maple Syrup, Woodville Mills, PEI

Woodland produces approximately 200 litres of maple syrup each year which they sell locally from their sugar shack and also sell to Island restaurants. The syrup can also be purchased locally on PEI at Riverview Country Market on Riverside Drive in Charlottetown.

Maple syrup is a good source of manganese and riboflavin and contains antioxidants that boost immunity.

Maple syrup has multiple uses. Perhaps the most commonly known is at the breakfast table on pancakes, waffles, and French toast. However, it can also be widely used in many different cooking and baking recipes. Over the next while, I will be posting some recipes using Island-produced maple syrup from Woodlands so be sure to come back and visit my website to see what is cooking and baking.

Waffles, Fresh Fruit, & PEI Maple Syrup - A Great Combo! — Waffles, Fresh Fruit, & PEI Maple Syrup – A Great Combo!

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Casseroles, Field Trips, Out and About, Recipes

Cows Creamery Field Trip

March 21, 2012 Barbara99 1 Comment

I recently paid a visit to Cows Creamery at its factory location on the outskirts of Charlottetown, PEI, where I was met by my two tour guides, Yvonne and Andrea. As I soon learned, Cows is a whole lot more than its renowned premium quality ice cream.

With humble beginnings back in 1983, Cows has evolved into a large diversified operation that produces, along with its iconic ice cream, three varieties of cheddar cheese as well as its newest dairy product, creamery butter. You’ll also find this company producing several food items such as chocolate-covered potato chips plus a line of novelty items (including its whimsical cow-inspired clothing line). For the purposes of this field trip, however, my focus was on the dairy side of Cows’ operations.

Cows Ice Cream

"Wowie Cowie" Ice Cream at Cows Creamery

Cows began producing and selling one variety of ice cream (vanilla) on the Cavendish Boardwalk in 1983. It wasn’t long before customers soon started associating Cows with premium-quality ice cream. A short while later, Cows opened their first ice cream shop in downtown Charlottetown and you can still find it there on the corner of Queen and Grafton Streets, just across from the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

Cows Ice Cream Shop in Downtown Charlottetown, PEI

Over the years, Cows added and operated, on a seasonal basis, several more outlets – Peakes Wharf in Charlottetown, Gateway Village at the foot of the Confederation Bridge in Borden-Carleton, and on “The Confederation” ferry that runs, May-October, between PEI and NS. Of course, their new creamery near Charlottetown also sells ice cream year-round in the retain outlet. Cows has also added several off-Island locations that include Historic Properties in Halifax, NS; Whistler, BC; Banff, AB; and Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON.

Today, Cows produces some 32 flavours (yes, 32!) of high-end premium ice cream with catchy names like my favourite, “Wowie Cowie”. All the ice cream is made in their PEI creamery using milk produced on PEI dairy farms and as many locally-produced ingredients (e.g., berries) as possible.

The ice cream is then shipped to their various retail outlets in PEI and across the country.

On the day of my late afternoon March visit, the ice cream operation was not in production mode. However, their retail outlet was selling the delectable ice cream! Cows ice cream is served in their tasty signature waffle cones that are hand-made in each store. One bite and you know this is no ordinary ice cream cone. It is so good that it could almost be described as a specialized dessert crisp cookie in and of itself! The silky smooth ice cream holds its shape in the cone and does not melt too quickly like other brands made with less premium quality ingredients.

Single scoop (waffle cone included) is competitively priced at $3.75 + tax (at time of writing in March 2012) with other high-end ice creams.

The best way I can describe Cows ice cream is that it’s an experience unto itself, right down to the tip of the cone! For me, Cows ice cream is the benchmark against which all other ice creams get rated and I’ve found no other commercial brand to date that tops it. Just a word of caution, though, their ice cream is downright addictive!

Cheddar Cheese

Cows Cheese

Cows Creamery expanded its production line in 2006 when it started making cheddar cheese. Today, their cheese line includes three varieties: Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar (the strongest and most robust of the three); Cows Creamery Extra Old Cheddar, and Cows Creamery Applewood Smoked 2 Year Old Cheddar.

Cows Creamery Extra Old Cheddar and Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar

Just as with their ice cream, Cows makes their cheese using milk that comes from small rural local dairy farms around PEI. Not only does this mean they are using fresh, quality ingredients but they are also supporting local dairy producers. The cheeses are made using the English method and, in fact, my tour guides told me their recipe has its roots in the Orkney Islands, north of Scotland. The cheeses are all-natural products made from unpasteurized milk with no color added. So, if your vision is of a bright orange cheese, you won’t find that at Cows. What you will find, though, is a natural-colored cheese with full-bodied authentic cheese flavour.

I must admit I have never been a fan of old cheese, preferring instead the much more subtle flavours offered by mild and, on occasion, medium cheeses. I was somewhat reluctant to try Cows cheese for the reason that other “old” cheese varieties I have tried in the past always tasted stale to me and had what I can only describe as a distasteful flavour. However, lesson learned – never be afraid to try new things and discover how accepting your palette might be to new and different tastes. Cows’ cheeses are indeed good. So good, in fact, the cheeses have already won several prestigious awards in Canada and the US. Manufactured at their Charlottetown Creamery, the 20-pound cheese wheels are shipped to distributors all over North America. Look, or ask for, Cows cheeses in local specialty cheese shops, farm markets, or grocery deli counters in your area. On PEI, Cows’ pre-packaged cheese can be found at local supermarkets, at the Farmers Market in Charlottetown and, of course, in the retail outlet of the Cows Creamery near Charlottetown, PEI.

I asked my tour guides what the primary intended uses of these cheeses would be since they only manufacture old cheese varieties – i.e., are they meant for snacking cheeses, cooking, etc. They suggested that the cheeses can simply be eaten on their own or used in salads, soups, casseroles, on burgers, or in grilled cheese sandwiches so these are very versatile products.

As per my usual practice when I visit a local producer, I like to take their product and use it in a recipe. I decided I’d put Cows cheeses to the real test and make “Mac ‘n Cheese” (recipe follows at end of this blog). The reason I chose Mac ‘n Cheese is because the pasta (a rather tasteless food item on its own) would not compete in taste with the cheese. This would allow the cheese to “star” without being masked by other strong flavours and I would find out if I liked Cows old cheddar. What I did was use 1 cup each of Cows Creamery Extra Old Cheddar and Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar. Well! Let’s just say, I can probably never be satisfied with Mac ‘n Cheese made with any other cheese in the future! The result was a rich, full-bodied cheese-flavoured Mac ‘n Cheese experience. As mentioned above, Cows cheeses are naturally colored which means they are a very pale neutral (yellowish) color so, if you are accustomed to seeing a rich orange-colored macaroni dish, this will not give you that. However, I think you’ll find the robust, true cheese flavour will more than make up for any lack of deep color.

Creamery Butter

In the summer of 2011, Cows introduced their newest product — butter sold in ½-pound packages and available unsalted or sea-salted. Just as with their ice cream and cheese products, their butter is of premium quality with 84% butter fat versus 80% found in regular butters. I have tried the sea-salted and it is one fine butter…particularly spread on fresh buttermilk biscuits straight out of the oven!

Cows Creamery Butter can be purchased on PEI at the Cows Creamery in Charlottetown as well as at the Co-op on Walker Avenue. Off-Island, it can be found at Pete’s Frootique in Halifax and Bedford, NS, as well as in various stores in Ontario and in the Vancouver, BC, area.

Novelty Items

In 1985, Cows introduced a whimsical line of clothing for their staff to wear. They soon discovered that customers wanted to buy the staff clothing! As a result, Cows began selling T-shirts and sweatshirts that bore images based on puns related to cows or farming. This line has expanded to include a whole line of souvenir items and clothing.

Cows’ logo and images are very unique and recognizable. In fact, a few years ago, I was strolling down a very crowded street in Freeport, ME, when I came upon a couple sporting Cows T-shirts – you can identify these T-shirts in a crowd anywhere!

Cows Advertisement at the Charlottetown Airport

Visitors arriving on PEI by air can expect to find, as they step into the terminal at the Charlottetown Airport, a large statue of a black and white shiny cow advertising “Cows” products. Particularly during peak tourism season, it is not uncommon to find people posing for photographs with the cow as the backdrop. This is probably the most photographed cow on PEI (or anywhere, for that matter)!

Factory Tours

Cows opened their new creamery facility just outside Charlottetown in 2009. They offer tours that start with a video in their theatre room, followed by a stop by the T-shirt printing shop where you can watch the Cows images being transferred on to clothing. Your next stop on the tour will take you by the infamous ice cream making room where you can watch this delectable treat being made. From there, you’ll see the large wheels of cheese undergoing the aging process. The last stop on the tour would, no doubt, be a huge hit – the tasting room where you’ll sample the ice cream made on the premises. Tour prices (as of March 2012) are: Adults $6.00; Children $4.00; and Children Under 2 years of age are admitted free. The tours run May 15 – October 15 and are available off-season by appointment only.

PEI has no shortage of good quality locally-produced food products available. The great thing about Cows Creamery products (apart from their obvious high quality) is that they are produced right here on Prince Edward Island. As a home kitchen chef and food blogger, I have a lot of time and respect for companies, such as Cows, that use local products in their manufacturing and, in turn, support local producers. As anyone who knows me well will attest, I like to use the freshest ingredients possible and premium-quality products in my cooking and baking. It doesn’t get any fresher than buying from local producers and manufacturers.

My Island Bistro Kitchen's Macaroni and Cheese

By Barbara99 Published: March 21, 2012

Yield: 4-5 Servings
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Ready In: 55 mins

A rich, flavorful macaroni and cheese dish using Cows Creamery Cheese

Ingredients

3 quarts boiling water
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 1/2 tsp liquid chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 2/3 cups elbow macaroni
2 tbsp butter
1 cup whole milk
2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
pinch nutmeg
pinch cayenne
pinch dry mustard
1 cup grated Cows Creamery Extra Old Cheddar Cheese
1 cup grated Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar Cheese
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

In large pot, bring water to boil. Add salt, oil, liquid bouillon, garlic, and macaroni. I like to add some garlic and chicken bouillon to the water so it will flavor the pasta when it is cooking. This provides a subtle taste without overpowering or competing with the cheese which would be the case if the ingredients were added into the cheese sauce. Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent macaroni from sticking to pot. Drain in colander. Return macaroni to pot.
Melt butter in saucepan. Add milk. Combine flour, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne, and dry mustard. Whisk into milk and butter mixture. Cook over medium heat until mixture starts to thicken.
Add cheeses and stir until melted and blended.
Pour cheese sauce over macaroni and stir until well combined. Turn into a greased 2-quart casserole or divide into greased ramekin dishes for individual servings. Bake, uncovered, in 350F oven for 20-30 minutes.
Serve with a fresh green salad and homemade biscuits.

Cuisine: American
Course: Entrée
Skill Level: Easy

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My Island Bistro Kitchen

Category Archives: Out and About

My Favorite PEI Seafood Chowder – 2012

PEI Juice Works Ltd. Produces High Quality Wild Blueberry Juice

My Island Bistro Kitchen's Blueberry Sangria

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Lavender – The Trendy New Culinary Herb

Lavender-Honey-Vanilla Ice Cream

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Strawberry and Ice Cream Socials on PEI

A Tour of Newman Estate Winery in Gladstone, PEI

A Visit to Liquid Gold Tasting Bar & All Things Olive

Annie’s Table Culinary Studio – A Unique Culinary Experience on PEI

Savour the Flavour at PEI’s Food and Wine Show

Who Serves the Best Seafood Chowder on Prince Edward Island?

Maple Syrup Production – A Rite of Spring on PEI

Cows Creamery Field Trip

My Island Bistro Kitchen's Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

Instructions

(Mostly) PEI and Maritime Food – Good Food for a Good Life!

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