Sip 'n' Shuck

Last Friday night, I ended the day by sampling some of Nova Scotia's finest wines and seafood- not a bad way to start the wknd! Sip n' Shuck, an event organized by some of the province's most dedicated culinary organizations was held at the Delta Halifax hotel, in the BaronetBallroom, overlooking Halifax Harbour.

Now, I'm not a huge oyster fan myself, but as famed food critic Jeffrey Steingarten wrote in his bestseller The Man Who Ate Everything, that in order to be truly justified in your dislike of a certain food, you mush try it at least 10 times- and so I did. I have to say, unless they're Chef Renee Lavalee's (of Five Fisherman) oyster fritters, oysters are still not my favorite. But the evening certainly did confirm my love of Nova Scotian wines!

How to shuck an oyster...

L'Acadie's Brut

Benjamin Bridge's Nexus Rosee

And the highlights of the evening? Icewines! These wines are sweet and luscious, coating your tongue and your throat all the way down. I've had the opportunity to try any in the past, but I was especially pumped to try Muir Murray Winery's Solstice and Grand Pre's Muscat for the first time! The Winery Association of Nova Scotia explains that:

"Icewine is made from frozen grapes. Usually harvested at night, when the temperature hits between -8 °C and -10 °C, the grapes are pressed while frozen and only the juice is used in fermentation. For grape growers, Icewine grapes can be a challenge, but Nova Scotia provides ideal temperatures for growing. The province produces Icewines that consistently win national and international awards."

This event was organized by Taste of Nova Scotia, the Winery Association of Nova Scotia, Select Nova Scotia, Catch Seafood Festival, Delta Hotels and the Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia. For more info on the Icewine festival, check out their website.