Slow Food Nova Scotia's Second Annual Spring Supper!

Well, Spring has sprung, and in the culinary community of NS, who pride themselves on using local ingredients, this means that it's time for the second annual Slow Food Nova Scotian Spring Supper! Proceeds from this event, sponsored by Taste of Nova Scotia and the Winery Association of Nova Scotia, will go to Slow Food Nova Scotia and Feed Nova Scotia.

On Saturday, May 7, some of Nova Scotia's most beloved chefs will come together to cook an incredible 7-course meal - paired with Nova Scotian wines - using the province's finest culinary products in their dishes. Chefs Darren Lewis of Chives; Renee Lavalle, The Feisty Chef; Dennis Johnston of Fid Resto; Paolo Colberto of Jane's on the Common; Kim Stacey of Emma's Eatery; Chris Velden of Ryan Duffy's; Graeme Ruppel of Brooklyn Warehouse and Michael Howell of Tempest.

To give you an idea as to the luscious, local menu, I thought I'd start you off with a few photos from last year's incredible offerings:

So now, take a look at this year's menu, and start saving some room! This year's Spring Supper will be held at Christ Church Community Centre, 61 Dundas Street (around the corner from Two If By Sea), Dartmouth. The reception starts at 6:30 pm, with dinner occurring at 7 pm sharp!

Tickets are $75 (Members) and $85 (Non-Members). Did I mention already that the wine pairings are indluded? Seriously - this is the Best Deal Around! Tickets are available at Chives, The Brooklyn Warehouse, Fid and Jane's on the Common. Limited tickets are available, so make sure you get yours soon! For more information, contact mail@slowfoodns.ca.

SLOW FOOD NOVA SCOTIA

SPRING SUPPER 2011

MENU

Homemade Biscuits & Butter

Kim Stacey, Emma's Eatery

Curried Indian Point Mussel Chowder, Petit-de-Grat Snow
Crab Cake, Preserved Peach Chutney

Darren Lewis, Chives

Riverview Arugula Salad, Broken Roasted Garlic & Mustard Vinaigrette

Ricotta Wafer, Crispy Black Olive

Paolo Colberto, Jane's on the Common

Harpoon Caught Swordfish, Salsa Verde,

Wild Rice Risotto, Lobster Chili Oil

Chris Velden, Ryan Duffy's

Nova Scotia Lamb Shawarma, Tzatziki, Pickled Turnip,

Herb Salad, Chickpea Socca

Renee Lavalle, The Feisty Chef

Slow Roasted Windsor Valley Pork Belly, Local Sweet Potato

Dennis Johnston, Fid Resto

"Jigg's Dinner" Granite Irish Stout Braised Beef Rib,
Haddock Brandade,Savoy Cabbage, Fiddlehead Mustard Pickles

Graeme Ruppel, The Brooklyn Warehouse

Noggins Warm Apple Pocket, Rhubarb Panna Cotta,

Fox Hill Gelato Michael Howell, Tempest

Tasty lunch at Trendz Cafe & Wine Bar

There is one saving grace in the food wasteland that is Burnside Industrial Park, and that's Trendz Cafe & Wine Bar in the Best Western Hotel.

I went to lunch at Trendz recently and was pleasantly surprised at the resto itself as well as the food. This cool little spot has great decor and ambiance, and is one of the few hotel restos that has character. I'll definitely check this place out again soon - and not just because of the limited lunch options around the office!

Though I ordered the soup of the day and a Warm Spinach salad, I ended up feeling pretty full after the soup. Thick, and luscious this soup was just the thing to warm up a crispy, windy winter's day in the park.

Butternut Squash Bisque

After a couple bites of the salad, I had it boxed to go, and devoured it later in the day. This was a nice alternative to the traditional green salad, and had interesting elements like Belgian endive and fresh blueberries. Not usually one to go for dressing, (a good salad doesn't need dressing if the ingredients are of good quality... but that's jsut my opinion) I couldn't pass up the offer of a warm, apple cider vinaigrette.

Warm Spinach Salad

Spinach, orange segments, blueberries, chicken w/ a warm apple cider vinaigrette

Treats from Two If By Sea

A little while ago, my boss celebrated her birthday. If you follow me on Twitter, you might see my tweets describing staff birthday celebrations; Nacho Nacho Day, potato chip buffets, sundae bars, ice cream cakes, etc... If you haven't yet picked up on it, birthdays are a BIG deal in our office.

Anyhow, for this birthday, the bday girl was quite interested in trying out Two if By Sea, a bakery in Dartmouth that she had heard much about. Well, she had no idea what was in store for her! Some of us are well acquainted with this much-loved bakery's gigantor-sized buttery baked goods, but to have an assortment such as this enter our office space was slightly overwhelming!

To say that there were a few 'split-sy's' is an understatement. Generally though, I prefer to relish TIBS baked goods that way; I get one treat, my friend gets another and we trade halves! The process sorta worked in the office as well as we set out a big knife so the staff could slice and dice their way to flaky pastry heaven!

The spread for the whole office....

(aka, a million lbs. of butter)

Pain au Chocolat

(Chocolate Croissant)

OMG- I've been seduced by a baked good! Well, not really...but almost! A lovely balance of soft pastry and luscious chocolate makes this the ultimate treat (and likely the most sought after) at TIBS!

Almond Croissant

As much as I love a good pain au chocolat, I often find that they overshadow the sweet, light, heavenly goodness of the almond croissant. I tend to lean to this side of the croissant choice. Although I love chocolate, there's just something about this croissant's understated simplicity that draws me in.

The best Chocolate Chip Cookies ever!

Sigh...I wish I could get a hold of this cookie dough! I know I'm not alone either! These yummy cookies are the best in town; dense, chewy and with just the right amount of chocolate chips. They pass the bake test too, as the next day (clearly there were leftovers) they are just as good - not having submitted to the hockey puck consistency as so many other cookies often do.

The best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies ever!

I'm not normally a huge fan of oatmeal raisin, but these babies have the perfect balance of oatmeal, raisin, cinnamon and butter, making them rich, chewy and spicy-sweet!

Comforting Curry

I love sloppy food. Appetizing hey? Seriously, curry is comfort food for me. The pungent flavors can pair wonderfully with any kind of meat and virtually every vegetable. Even better is the way the sauce seeps into every grain of rice, making almost for a warm, savory rice pudding.

This week I went for lunch with my brand new colleagues at Fan's Restaurant in Dartmouth. We decided on the Curry sauce chicken; perfect for sharing, or for one big appetite. This was a good choice- chunks of juicy chicken within a mild earthy curry , sweet red peppers and tender caramely onions. This was served with fluffy white rice that soaked up the sweet and spicy sauce.

What a way to start off this new adventure; good food and great company. I grabbed a take-out menu on the way out. I have a feeling it'll be dog-eared in no time.

Fan's Restaurant
902.469.1752

http://fansrestaurant.com/