I recently received a lovely email inviting me to participate in a cool new marketing campaign for the Downtown Halifax Business Commission. As opposed to going the route of conventional advertising, the DHBC asked 30 Halifax bloggers to participate in a Big Day Downtown. The rules were simple; each participant was given $100 to spend any way we chose as long as the spots were within the designated downtown boundaries. What a treat! And treat myself, I did. Read on for details as to how I spent my $100, and then watch it all unfold in the video of my Big Day Downtown!
My first stop on my Big Day Downtown was the Hart & Thistle Gastropub & Breweryon Halifax's waterfront to sample some of their handcrafted beer. At my server's suggestion, I decided to go with The Hammer, a Hefeweizen-style beer. An unfiltered beer, it was slightly sweet, and took on a fruity, yet creamy character. After drinking that delectable beer on the patio, I went inside to perch at the bar for a bit of Kryptolight IPA- a lighter version of the Kryptonite beer that Greg Nash had brewed the week prior.
Though The Hammer was a fantastic way to start my Big Day Downtown, I was happy to follow it up with the delicious IPA. I often find myself gravitating to this type of beer as it has the constant unmistakable hint of grapefruit. Since we arrived at Happy Hour, I managed to get both pints at $3 each! How can you go wrong on a Tuesday night when Happy Hour starts at
5 pm, and beers are so inexpensive?
After some liquid courage, I was ready to conquer my fear that was, the oyster. Yes, I'll admit it, before my Big Day Downtown, I hated those slippery suckers - they gave me the heebee jeebees. However, I've never really given them a fair shot. So I thought to myself, "what better way to spend my free money downtown, than to park myself at an oyster bar and have at it?"
Five Fishermen GrillManager Shane Robilliard showed me the wine cellar before setting me up at the Oyster bar to sample some of their offerings. As I said, I've never been an oyster fan - and I have to admit that they're still not my fave - but after having the opportunity to sit down and sample 5 different kinds from three Atlantic Canadian provinces, I've developed a warm friendship with the bivalves.
In the photo below, Shane describes the 'Enomatic' - an Italian machine, "where they really know how to treat wine," that keeps the wine fresh for about 28 days. Once a bottle of wine is inserted into the machine, it removes the oxygen and injects an inert gas into the bottle, thus preserving the freshness of the wine.
I poured over all of the new restaurant's menus. The tough choice is obviously going to be deciding what to order - but that's after I make the difficult decision of choosing dinner or brunch. If you're a Benny Eggs fan, you should check out 5FG's 5 different kinds! I'm thinking chorizo and chipotle Hollandaise!
As the 'hit' of the new Five Fishermen Grill menu, the 'Create' portion allows you to build your perfect plate, choosing a seafood, sauce and side.
Armed with a glass of Grand Pre'sL'AcadieBlanc, I was ready to try out some of these bivalves.
There were a couple of different sauces to go with, my fave being the classic mignonette sauce made from red wine vinegar and minced onion.
I tried several different kinds of oysters; Black Point and Phat Bastards from New Brunswick, Sinners in Heaven from PEI and Nova Scotians from Digby. My faves were the Nova Scotian and, funny enough, the Phat Bastards! If you're an oyster lover, this is definitely the spot to stop. With a $1 Oyster Happy Hour from 4:30 -6:30, 7 days a week, why would you want to be anywhere else?
And then it was on to the main event - the cherry on top for me - we headed to Q Smokehouse & BBQ to check out some sweet, tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs! As I debated over pork or beef, Q's Manager Peter suggested that I try both. Thanks Pete- good call!
It was hot as Hades up in the smokehouse, so I saw no reason why we shouldn't sample the libations whilst waiting in line. We tried two of Q's signature drinks; the Sweet Tea, a lovely blend of tea, simple syrup and lemon, and the Lynchburg Lemonade, a combo of homemade lemonade and Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whisky. Sidebar- I once wrote a paper on Jack Daniels and got a 96. 96!! What happened to the other 4 marks?? Still not over it.
Now, please don't think I ate this ALL by myself, I did have some assistance! The final tally included: 2 beef ribs and 1/2 rack of pork ribs served with two sides; Mac n' Cheese and Sweet Potato fries. All of the entrees items at Q are served with a rich and sweet, crumbly cornbread. Sigh...
And you can't have BBQ without the sauce! Q offers several selections, and I went for the Memphis - a tomato/vinegar mix. I think the sauce was meant for the ribs, but I couldn't imagine messing with their existing power-house of flavour. Nope, my sauce was better served as a dipper for my crispy sweet potato fries. The Mac n' Cheese was tasty too - I'm not a huge pasta person - I really just prefer to go for the meat, but I'd recommend trying it.
AS IF I could eat anymore after that feed! Just watch me...
I couldn't possibly finish up my Big Day Downtownwithout some dessert. A 'lil something sweet was just the thing to end the day. We headed down to Sugah! on the waterfront to try some of their hand-paddled ice cream. With about 4 ice cream bases, Sugah! offers a selection of about 15 ingredients to mix in. One staff member described it best when she referred to Sugah!'s product as "a homemade Blizzard".
Clearly I went for peanut butter fudge, and clearly, I paired that with chocolate ice cream.
And so ended my Big Day Downtown. Happy Hour on a patio for delicious, locally-brewed beer; Nova Scotian wine paired with a selection of succulent oysters; down-home, rustic yet spectacular BBQ; a rich and creamy ice cream studded with chunks of fudge, and I did it all for $100! I think the moral of the story here kids, is that there are plenty of spots to eat in downtown Halifax on the cheap. Whether you crave salt and crunch, or sweet and creamy, there's no shortage of restos, bars, coffee shops, etc. that can satisfy it!
I'd like to thank the folks at the Downtown Halifax Business Commission for involving me in this project. They have taken on the initiative to empower local bloggers to promote the core businesses of Halifax's downtown area. This idea speaks volumes as it allows readers to get an authentic perspective of life in downtown Halifax as experienced by local resident. Kudos, DHBC!
Well, I think that at this point, I've given you several bites of 'food for thought' in my Sustainable Seafood Series posts. By offering up information regarding events and organizations that support sustainable seafood practices - such as World Oceans Day, SeaChoice and Off The Hook - I'm trying to provide you with simple, accessible ways to get involved.
And what could be easier that going out to eat sustainable seafood in a restaurant? Yes - now the fun begins, as the Sustainable Seafood Series posts move into the restaurant world. Since I was a guest at an incredible mealin the valley a couple of weeks ago with Craig Flinn of Chives Canadian Bistro as the chef, I decided to multi-task, and interview Craig about the use of sustainable seafood at his resto.
Craig confided to me something that is pretty much on everyone's minds, whether they are a chef or a consumer - that sourcing sustainable seafood is hard. It's difficult to be assured as to where you fish comes from and what fishing methods were used, which is why chefs - including Craig - must form a trusting relationship with suppliers so that they can be sure that the fishermen are fishing responsibly.
Unfortunately in Halifax, there are only a handful of chefs/restos that make a cautious effort to use sustainable seafood. However, as the crusade for the 'buy local' initiative continues to moves forward, others are catching on and will (hopefully) apply their efforts to the seafood industry as well. Craig points out the difficulties associated with serving seafood in a restaurant. He says that some customers may want salmon, but if he can't find a sustainable supplier, he'll use sea trout or arctic char instead; two alternative pink fishes with a similar taste and texture. Craig states that the difficulty with a fish such as salmon, is that "There are no wild stocks left. We need to switch to a sustainable practice such as using land-locked pens." *See Sustainable Seafood post on SeaChoice for a description of seafood farming methods.
Craig says that there will always be a debate as to what type of seafood one should purchase, but emphasises that buying first-hand from a local, reputable supplier is key. When shopping for seafood for his menu at Chives, Craig works with some of Nova Scotia's finest seafood producers, including the Halifax Farmer's Market's star fishmonger, Mike McGlone of Mike's Fish Shop,Indian Point Mussels and ShanDalph Oysters.
Here are a couple of dishes prepared at Chives that use seafood provided by the producers above...Aren't you craving some seafood now?? Get out and try some at Chives Canadian Bistro!
Last weekend, I was invited to partake in a mystery meal...Actually no, let me start from the beginning. About a month ago, I received a save-the-date type email from a contact of mine at By the Glass. That's it, just a date. When June 26th came around, I was filled with anticipation as to what the evening had in store - I had heard snippets of gossip from various contacts throughout the week. One of my contacts let me on on the fact that Bill Hardy, owner of Hardy's winery in Australia would be joining us on the tour as well! *starstruck*
I arrived at CUT Urban Grill & Steakhouse at 5:30 sharp and was loaded into an Ambassatours coach with the other lucky guests. Though none of us knew exactly where we were headed, some had an inkling, and we proceeded to make predictions on our journey into the Annapolis Valley. We thought maybe a restaurant or a vineyard would be our final destination, but what awaited us was a dining experience more pleasurable, more special and more intimate than I could have guessed.
We arrived at a beautiful white farmhouse, and from around the corner emerged chef Craig Flinn! It turns out that the 'secret' location was Craig's parent's house and the home of Chives' restaurant garden (photo below). When we walked down the path, we found ourselves in an orchard with a lovely white-dressed table under a tent.
In addition to the lovely table setting, we were greeted by the mouth-watering aroma of a Wood 'n' Heart Farm's leg of lamb, which had been slowly roasting from about 2 pm on a spit in the orchard.
Clearly, I felt the need to get up close and personal with the lamb...although this was as close as I could get since it was so hot! I must admit, my face did sting for a little while after that stunt!
And then we got down to 'business'... As it was an Australian wines dinner - with an Australian winery's winemaker amongst the guests - the name of the game was to illustrate how well Australian wines complimented Nova Scotian cuisine, and the balanced food and wine pairings that could be created.
Reception
Rancher Acres Canaan Mountain Ash Chevre, Fox Hill Quark,
J. Willy Krauche Smoked Salmon and Smoked Mackerel
2007 McWilliams Hanwood Riesling (South Eastern Australia)
2008 Hardy's "The Gamble' Chardonnay/Pinot Gris (South Australia)
When my dining companions and I sat down to eat, I asked Bill Hardy about The Gamble, his wine that we had the pleasure of drinking earlier. When he told me the story of the wine, I felt incredibly privileged to be sitting next to a man whose great, great grandfather had taken 'a gamble', and, with very little knowledge about wines, created one of Australia's most celebrated wine companies!
Cherrywood Smoked Seafood with a Riesling Beurre Blanc
2006 Henschke Julius Riesling (Eden Valley, Australia)
With a crisp acidity, and rich lemon/lime flavour, this wine was a lovely compliment to the array of shellfish. The balance in the wine pairing was perfect too as riesling was used in the beurre blanc.
Second Course
Line-caught Shrimp Cake with Butter Poached Lobster,
Fresh Peas and Spinach Cream
2004 Houghton Museum Reserve (Swan Valley, Australia)
A lovely wine, buttery and soft with a toasty, honeyed character.
2006 Eileen Hardy Chardonnay (Australia)
Yum. I'd drink this chard any day. Interestingly, we found that this wine paired nicely with the following duck course as well.
2004 Tintara "The McLaren Flat" Shiraz (McLaren Vale, Australia)
2004 Tintara "The Upper Tintara" Shiraz (McLaren Vale, Australia)
It was interesting to try two vintages by the same winery from different areas. The Tintara wines were similar in structure with a similar spicy undertone. Dark fruits lend a plummy character and a bit of sweetness here.
2006 Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon (Margaret River, Australia)
An elegant wine with a predominant taste of cassis and currant.
Myself and Bill Hardy
Dessert
Tangled Garden Strawberry Liqueur Glazed Local Strawberries,
Lemon Brioche Bread Pudding, Fox Hill's Vanilla Gelato
Ah, dessert wine. Though I was sad that the evening was coming to an end, I was thrilled that it wrapped up with this lovely Australian dessert wine. I've not tried many dessert/ice wines out of Nova Scotia, so it was great to try something new. This wine was full of smooth apricot, with a slight note of something tropical.
At the end of the meal, my pal Craig Flinn sat down for a well-deserved
rest and a chat after cooking such an incredible meal.
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Two Networking Receptions – Adventures in Taste and 18th Century Evening of Chocolate & Wine
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As the third installment to my Sustainable Seafood Series posts, I' m thrilled to profile Off the Hook - Atlantic Canada's First Community Supported Fishery! Off the Hook fishing co-operative formed in June 2010 in Digby, Nova Scotia and is the work of five fishermen from different harbours who all shared the same desire to protect their small-scale fishing communities.
A CSF is an organization that connects fishermen directly with the community, without involving a middleman such as a grocer or distributor. A CSF contributes locally caught seafood to local markets while providing fishermen with a better price on their catch. CSF members support the local fishing community by paying fees prior to the fishing season and in turn, the fishermen provide a weekly share of the catch.
OTH's program involves small-scale groundfish bottom hook and line fishermen from the Bay of Fundy. Bottom hook and line fishing is a low impact alternative to bottom trawling, also known as "dragging'. The weekly shares of the co-op's catch include whole haddock, hake and pollock and will be available for an 8-week summer delivery starting on July 22.
The benefits of this type of project abound for both the fishermen and customers. For the fishermen, it provides increased safety, both for their business and for the fishermen themselves as they can choose when it's safe to fish. For the consumer, it provides the option of fresh, high-quality, sustainable seafood that is traceable...and don't we all want to know where our food comes from?
There are two options when it comes to purchasing shares:
Half Share - $260- 4-6 pounds of fish, gutted on ice. This option will likely be one or two fish per week for eight weeks, and provide about 3 meals for two people.
Full Share - $500- 8-12 pounds of fish, gutted on ice.
Another great aspect to OTH's offer is their matchmaker tool. If you're unable to pay the entire fee yourself, or perhaps you're going to be out of town for a portion of the summer, why not splt the share with someone? A friend or family member might be interested in splitting the membership, but if not, us the Matchmaker Blog, which will help you to find individuals interested in sharing the deal.
To get involved, or to purchase your share, contact Off the Hook here. Make sure to check out Off the Hook's Facebook group here too, and select 'Like'!
After some liquid courage, I was ready to conquer my fear that was, the oyster. Yes, I'll admit it, before my Big Day Downtown, I hated those slippery suckers - they gave me the heebee jeebees. However, I've never really given them a fair shot. So I thought to myself, "what better way to spend my free money downtown, than to park myself at an oyster bar and have at it?"
As the 'hit' of the new Five Fishermen Grill menu, the 'Create' portion allows you to build your perfect plate, choosing a seafood, sauce and side.
