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.

Marcia's Birthday 2014

My friend Marcia's birthday is March 18th, the same as our son Patrick's, so she and I usually celebrate her birthday a few days before or after the 18th.  This year we celebrated on the 22nd by having lunch at Sitti followed by dessert at Pie Bird.

Sweet potato hummus.  A different twist on my favorite Lebanese appetizer. 

Goat cheese and orange salad with mixed greens, dates, and walnuts tossed with a lemon vinaigrette.

We tried the sweet potato hummus as an appetizer. and then shared an orange goat cheese salad.  For our entree we shared Chicken Shawarma (Thinly sliced marinated chicken breast served with Sitti rice, grilled tomato,sumac onion, pickled wild cucumber and garlic whip.)

Chicken Shawarma. 

After this wonderful meal at Sitti we headed over to Pie Bird for dessert   We sat outside at a sidewalk table and enjoyed the warm sun as well as our cream pies. 

Marcia's coconut cream pie.

Chocolate cream pie was my choice.

It's nice to celebrate birthdays with a morning out with special friends.   

Lunch at Papa's Pub

Papa's Pub in Port Hawkesbury.

Pretty hanging basket in front of Papa's Pub.

I was in Port Hawkesbury on Thursday running errands, and I met my friend Michealette and her eleven year old grandson Matthew for lunch at Papa's Pub. I was delighted they had steamed mussels on the menu and both Michealette and I chose them while Matthew opted for fish and chips.

Steamed mussels.

We all three could not resist the coconut cream pie for dessert, And was it good!

Coconut cream pie.

Michealette and her grandson, Matthew.

Now I know why Papa's Pub is the favorite of our friend Lawrence.