Right Some Good Crab Cake Cook Off

Crab cakes cooking at the Cook Off.

The Civic Center in Port Hawkesbury was the site Sunday of the Crab Cake Cook Off among eight chefs (professional and student chefs) of the area.  This was part of the Right Some Good food events held throughout Cape Breton for the second year this summer.  Dan and I attended the dinner on Saturday night (more about that later) and I went back on Sunday afternoon to watch the Cook Off.  I must say it was more fun than the dinner---and it was free. 

Contestant preparing his crab cakes.

Ingredients that one chef chose to add to the pound of snow crab meat.

The competing chefs were given a pound of snow crab (provided by Louisbourg Seafoods) that they were required to use in their preparation of crab cakes.  They could use any other ingredients they chose, and they were given 45 minutes in which to make and plate the four servings that were then whisked away to the judges for tasting.

Plated and ready for the judges.

It was great fun watching these chefs prepare crab cakes in many different ways.  We could observe up close as they prepared their dishes, but only the judges were able to actually taste the crab cakes.

The international chefs participating in Right Some Good were the judges.

Waiting for the judges decision.

Beautiful presentation of the winning chef.

The winner was Richard Moore of the Lobster Pound in North Sydney.  He had a beautiful presentation with the crab cakes served on mirrored plates. I'm sure presentation was one of the factors in choosing the winner.  I had hoped that the winning recipe would be made available, but I can't seem to find it online.

Richard Moore, the winning chef, receiving congratulations from someone special.

The next time I'm in North Sydney I'm going to have lunch or dinner at The Lobster Pound and ask for Richard's  recipe for the crab cakes.

Sailing on the Atlantic Vision to Newfoundland

The Atlantic Vision, our ferry from North Sydney to Newfoundland.

On Sunday we sailed from North Sydney to Port-aux- Basques in western Newfoundland on the ferry, Atlantic Vision.

In line at the ferry.

Ready to drive into the bow of the ship.

 The ship is beautifully designed and can accommodate 702 passengers and 531 cars.  We had booked a private outside cabin for the six hour trip so that we could have a nap and so that we would have our own private bathroom.

Desk in our cabin and wonderful connection to the internet.

Our beds.

 Maggie was in her kennel in a special place on the top deck where we could visit her, but we were not allowed to take her out of the kennel.

The sailing is quite smooth.  One of the crew members told us that it is smooth most of the time, even through the ice in the winter.

We had lunch at the buffet.

Dining room.

There was a room where there was entertainment and a casino, which I avoided.  Although I usually make one trip each summer to the casino in Sydney with my girl friends up here.

Entertainment.

The reception area on the seventh floor.

Yes, this was a delightful and smooth crossing, and I heartily recommend a trip to Newfoundland via this ferry, The Atlantic Vision.