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.

Good Eats in Cape Breton Summer 2014

Baked haddock over spinach, rice, French lentils and mushrooms.  (Photo by Anthony Benson)

One of the nicest things about vacationing in Cape Breton is the good food that we have there.  I'm listing a few of our favorites for this summer.

We usually head over to Whycogomagh for a bowl of seafood chowder at Chalene's Bay View Restaurant.  This is said to be the best seafood chowder in all of Nova Scotia.  We certainly would agree with that.  It is always chocked full of seafood and not dominated by potatoes as many chowders are. 

Charlene's famous seafood chowder.

Although the Ela Restaurant in Halifax isn't in Cape Breton, we usually have a meal there if we are in Halifax.  Alice tried the grilled octopus at my recommendation and she liked it as much as I do.

Alice enjoying grilled octopus. 

While we were over in St. Peter's we discovered a new little bistro, and the corn chowder and toasted pimento cheese sandwich were special.

Corn chowder with a pimento cheese sandwich on homemade bread.

The fresh Arctic Char that we bought at Masstown Market was a hit with the three of us.  We poached it just enough so that it separated from the bone nicely.  Dan is very discriminating when it comes to fish, and he declared it fresh and delicious.

We're always happy to see Laura and Anthony arrive.  Laura is an exceptional cook and the haddock dish she prepared was one of the best things we had during the three weeks.  She prepared a bed of rice, French lentils, and mushrooms, with steamed spinach and topped with baked haddock.  So scrumptious.

Laura's baked haddock. (Photo by Anthony Benson).

Laura made blueberry pancakes for breakfast several mornings.  Her pancakes are the best I have ever had.  They are made with a multigrain batter and loaded with fresh wild blueberries.  We ate lots with maple syrup and with grape jam.

Dan ready to devour Laura's blueberry pancakes. 

We did not have as many desserts as usual because Alice doesn't like desserts, and she was a good influence on me.  I did make a delicious Manitoba blueberry pie with fresh and cooked blueberries topped with whipped cream flavored with almond. 

Manitoba blueberry pie.

One of the best food at the birthday party for Michealette was the fruit kabobs.

Beautiful and tasty fruit kabobs at Michealette's birthday party.

We celebrated a belated birthday party for me at the Dundee Resort noted for its great restaurant.  Several of us enjoyed a half rack of lamb that was cooked to perfection and the spinach salad starter was good too.  

Spinach salad with strawberries, eggs, citrus and red onions. 

Half rack of lamb.

The last evening we were there Laura made steamed mussels.  She steamed the mussels in a broth of chicken stock, onions, chives, tomatoes and yellow squash.

Steamed mussels.

   Yes, we always enjoy eating when we are in Cape Breton, and this summer was no exception.

Happy Birthday to My Dan

Dan working the daily crossword puzzle (Photo by Jesse Brackett.)

Today is my husband's birthday, and I wish him a happy one.  Last night friend, Mary Reca who is visiting from North Carolina, treated us to dinner at the Bras d' Or Lakes Inn in St. Peter's to celebrate Dan's birthday.

Bras d' Or Inn (Photo from their website.)

This is a lovely place for dinner and the food is so, so good.

All three of us tried the curried cauliflower soup. But first the bread and butter.

Bread and butter.

Curried cauliflower soup.

Dan chose the chicken supreme as his entree.

Dan looking over the specials for the night.

Dan's chicken supreme.

I rarely pass up a chance to have steamed mussels.

Mussels steamed in white wine and garlic.

For dessert we shared a blueberry custard pie with fresh blueberries.

Blueberry custard pie with vanilla ice cream.

Pat, Mary Reca, and Dan

Thank you Mary Reca for a delightful celebratory dinner.

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.

Thai Mussels

I had lunch with Michealette the other day and she prepared mussels using this recipe from McKelvies in Halifax.  I liked it so much, I made some for us the other day.

                                                            Red Curry Mussels
                               (From McKelvies in Halifax via Michealette Barrington)

2 tbs butter
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 tbs grated fresh ginger
1 small tomato peeled and diced
1 tbs mild red curry paste
1 can coconut milk
4 lbs mussels rinsed
2 tbs fresh chives finely chopped

Melt butter over medium heat in large pot. Add ginger, garlic and tomato and cook for about 4 minutes while stirring. Add curry, mashing into mixture, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in coconut milk.  Bring to a boil while whisking.  Add mussels, cover and cook for 7 minutes stirring occasionally until mussels fully open.  Ladle mussel and broth into four shallow soup bowls.  Sprinkle with chives.  Serve with French bread.  Broth is great for sopping with bread.

Grated ginger and minced garlic.

Dice a small tomato.

Coconut milk and mild curry paste.

Add the coconut milk and  curry paste.

Add coconut milk and curry paste and bring to boil.

 After adding coconut milk bring to boil and then add mussels.

 Steam mussels for about 7 minutes.

Steam mussels.

Serve in bowl with broth and French bread.

Nice plump mussels in broth.