Culinary Delights in Cape Breton

Coconut cream pie from the Cedar House.

Whenever I spend time in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, I always enjoy the good food---both at home and at restaurants.  Here are some culinary treats we had on my most recent trip. 


For dinner down on the waterfront in Halifax, we shared an order of steamed mussels as an appetizer. And for the first dinner out at the house I made steamed mussels as the main dish.

Steamed mussels, a real treat in Cape Breton.

I poached a salmon from which I made a salmon salad.  I simply added mayonnaise, boiled eggs, and diced tomatoes. 

Poached salmon

Salmon salad with asparagus, avocado and deviled eggs.  (Photo by Becky Mangum)

The best salmon though was the planked salmon that Laura and Anthony made.  These were made in the oven since we didn't have a grill handy.  So moist and flavorful. 

Salmon cooked in oven on cedar and maple planks.

Laura made a blueberry crisp served with maple-walnut ice cream for dessert after this meal of planked salmon.

Blueberry crisp with maple-walnut ice cream.

For girls' night out eight of us went over to the Clovis Hitch in Port Hood for dinner.  We shared their special brownie as a dessert.  We each had 2 spoonsful.  The brownie was made with dark chocolate and topped with vanilla ice cream and a raspberry sauce.  Very rich and very delicious.

Brownie from the Clovis Hitch in Port Hood.



Of course a trip to Cape Breton is never complete without a meal at the Cedar House. 

Tea biscuits with butter at the Cedar House.

Three of us shared this coconut cream pie for dessert.

We took Cedar House oatcakes home with us for snacks later in the week

Cedar House oatcakes with butter.  A real treat.

Yes indeed, there are many opportunities in Cape Breton to enjoy the food.

Masstown Market at Truro, Nova Scotia

Masstown Market.

When my friend Wendy saw that I was in Halifax she sent me a message saying I might enjoy checking out the Masstown Market, since we would be near it on our trip back to Cape Breton.  I am so glad she clued us in to that Market.  It is fabulous!  So many fresh vegetables from local farmers and fresh fish as well.

When we arrived the parking lot was almost full, but luckily we found a spot right beside the lighthouse, and it was in a shady area that was perfect for Maggie.  It wasn't hot though because it was an overcast day.

Lots of folks at the Market on a Friday morning.

The little white car to the left of the "lighthouse" is ours. 

Dan stayed with Maggie while Alice and I headed for the fresh vegetable area of the market.  There was a little bit of everything--we found beet greens, green beans, yellow beans, and sweet potatoes.

Yellow wax beans from a local farmer.

 It is blueberry season here and we got a small carton of wild blueberries.  The wild ones have so much more flavor than the cultivar that is usually grown.  We have quite a bit of frozen berries or else we would have gotten a really big carton of those.

Wild blueberries.

A box of wild blueberries.

There were all kinds of baked goods, but when I found shortcake biscuits I knew I had to try those.

I'll use these to make blueberry shortcake.

A new kind of brownie.

I resisted most of the sweet baked goods, except for macaroon brownies---that's a new take on brownies.  Yes we brought some of those home.  

The highlight for Dan was the fish market in the "lighthouse".  They had quite an array of fish and seafood goodies.

Varied seafood at the Market.

Dan liked the looks of the farm raised Arctic char, and we baked one for dinner tonight.  It tastes like a blend between a salmon and a trout.  Really delish and oh so fresh.  

Baked Arctic char for dinner.

I don't know how we have missed this place all these years, but I am very grateful to Wendy for suggesting we visit it.  We will go back.


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