Sustainable Seafood Series # 4- Chives Canadian Bistro

Well, I think that at this point, I've given you several bites of 'food for thought' in my Sustainable Seafood Series posts. By offering up information regarding events and organizations that support sustainable seafood practices - such as World Oceans Day, SeaChoice and Off The Hook - I'm trying to provide you with simple, accessible ways to get involved.

And what could be easier that going out to eat sustainable seafood in a restaurant? Yes - now the fun begins, as the Sustainable Seafood Series posts move into the restaurant world. Since I was a guest at an incredible meal in the valley a couple of weeks ago with Craig Flinn of Chives Canadian Bistro as the chef, I decided to multi-task, and interview Craig about the use of sustainable seafood at his resto.

Craig confided to me something that is pretty much on everyone's minds, whether they are a chef or a consumer - that sourcing sustainable seafood is hard. It's difficult to be assured as to where you fish comes from and what fishing methods were used, which is why chefs - including Craig - must form a trusting relationship with suppliers so that they can be sure that the fishermen are fishing responsibly.

Unfortunately in Halifax, there are only a handful of chefs/restos that make a cautious effort to use sustainable seafood. However, as the crusade for the 'buy local' initiative continues to moves forward, others are catching on and will (hopefully) apply their efforts to the seafood industry as well. Craig points out the difficulties associated with serving seafood in a restaurant. He says that some customers may want salmon, but if he can't find a sustainable supplier, he'll use sea trout or arctic char instead; two alternative pink fishes with a similar taste and texture. Craig states that the difficulty with a fish such as salmon, is that "There are no wild stocks left. We need to switch to a sustainable practice such as using land-locked pens." *See Sustainable Seafood post on SeaChoice for a description of seafood farming methods.

Craig says that there will always be a debate as to what type of seafood one should purchase, but emphasises that buying first-hand from a local, reputable supplier is key. When shopping for seafood for his menu at Chives, Craig works with some of Nova Scotia's finest seafood producers, including the Halifax Farmer's Market's star fishmonger, Mike McGlone of Mike's Fish Shop, Indian Point Mussels and ShanDalph Oysters.

Here are a couple of dishes prepared at Chives that use seafood provided by the producers above...Aren't you craving some seafood now?? Get out and try some at Chives Canadian Bistro!

Bacon-wrapped Halibut

Mussels

Nova Scotia's cuisine meets the wines of Australia

Last weekend, I was invited to partake in a mystery meal...Actually no, let me start from the beginning. About a month ago, I received a save-the-date type email from a contact of mine at By the Glass. That's it, just a date. When June 26th came around, I was filled with anticipation as to what the evening had in store - I had heard snippets of gossip from various contacts throughout the week. One of my contacts let me on on the fact that Bill Hardy, owner of Hardy's winery in Australia would be joining us on the tour as well! *starstruck*

I arrived at CUT Urban Grill & Steakhouse at 5:30 sharp and was loaded into an Ambassatours coach with the other lucky guests. Though none of us knew exactly where we were headed, some had an inkling, and we proceeded to make predictions on our journey into the Annapolis Valley. We thought maybe a restaurant or a vineyard would be our final destination, but what awaited us was a dining experience more pleasurable, more special and more intimate than I could have guessed.

We arrived at a beautiful white farmhouse, and from around the corner emerged chef Craig Flinn! It turns out that the 'secret' location was Craig's parent's house and the home of Chives' restaurant garden (photo below). When we walked down the path, we found ourselves in an orchard with a lovely white-dressed table under a tent.

In addition to the lovely table setting, we were greeted by the mouth-watering aroma of a Wood 'n' Heart Farm's leg of lamb, which had been slowly roasting from about 2 pm on a spit in the orchard.

Clearly, I felt the need to get up close and personal with the lamb...although this was as close as I could get since it was so hot! I must admit, my face did sting for a little while after that stunt!

And then we got down to 'business'... As it was an Australian wines dinner - with an Australian winery's winemaker amongst the guests - the name of the game was to illustrate how well Australian wines complimented Nova Scotian cuisine, and the balanced food and wine pairings that could be created.

Reception

Rancher Acres Canaan Mountain Ash Chevre, Fox Hill Quark,

J. Willy Krauche Smoked Salmon and Smoked Mackerel

2007 McWilliams Hanwood Riesling (South Eastern Australia)

2008 Hardy's "The Gamble' Chardonnay/Pinot Gris (South Australia)

When my dining companions and I sat down to eat, I asked Bill Hardy about The Gamble, his wine that we had the pleasure of drinking earlier. When he told me the story of the wine, I felt incredibly privileged to be sitting next to a man whose great, great grandfather had taken 'a gamble', and, with very little knowledge about wines, created one of Australia's most celebrated wine companies!

Our table - that's me, bottom right...taking notes!

First Course

Cherrywood Smoked Seafood with a Riesling Beurre Blanc

2006 Henschke Julius Riesling (Eden Valley, Australia)

With a crisp acidity, and rich lemon/lime flavour, this wine was a lovely compliment to the array of shellfish. The balance in the wine pairing was perfect too as riesling was used in the beurre blanc.

Second Course

Line-caught Shrimp Cake with Butter Poached Lobster,

Fresh Peas and Spinach Cream

2004 Houghton Museum Reserve (Swan Valley, Australia)

A lovely wine, buttery and soft with a toasty, honeyed character.

2006 Eileen Hardy Chardonnay (Australia)

Yum. I'd drink this chard any day. Interestingly, we found that this wine paired nicely with the following duck course as well.

Third Course

Duck Breast atop

Asparagus and Rancher Acres Goat Cheese Risotto

2006 Stonier Pinot Noir (Mornington Peninsula, Australia)

This was a lovely pinot - red fruit with a slight savory character.

The lamb, finally removed from the spit awaits trimming...

Main Course

Spit-roasted Wood 'n' Heart Farms Lamb, Honey , Cider & Lamb Jus Reduction, New Potato Mash, Market Vegetables

2004 Tintara "The McLaren Flat" Shiraz (McLaren Vale, Australia)

2004 Tintara "The Upper Tintara" Shiraz (McLaren Vale, Australia)

It was interesting to try two vintages by the same winery from different areas. The Tintara wines were similar in structure with a similar spicy undertone. Dark fruits lend a plummy character and a bit of sweetness here.

2006 Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon (Margaret River, Australia)

An elegant wine with a predominant taste of cassis and currant.

Myself and Bill Hardy

Dessert

Tangled Garden Strawberry Liqueur Glazed Local Strawberries,

Lemon Brioche Bread Pudding, Fox Hill's Vanilla Gelato

Nugan Estate KLN Vineyard Botrytis Semillon (Riverina, Australia)

Ah, dessert wine. Though I was sad that the evening was coming to an end, I was thrilled that it wrapped up with this lovely Australian dessert wine. I've not tried many dessert/ice wines out of Nova Scotia, so it was great to try something new. This wine was full of smooth apricot, with a slight note of something tropical.

At the end of the meal, my pal Craig Flinn sat down for a well-deserved

rest and a chat after cooking such an incredible meal.

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Sustainable Seafood Series #3: Off the Hook - Community Supported Fishery

As the third installment to my Sustainable Seafood Series posts, I' m thrilled to profile Off the Hook - Atlantic Canada's First Community Supported Fishery! Off the Hook fishing co-operative formed in June 2010 in Digby, Nova Scotia and is the work of five fishermen from different harbours who all shared the same desire to protect their small-scale fishing communities.

A CSF is an organization that connects fishermen directly with the community, without involving a middleman such as a grocer or distributor. A CSF contributes locally caught seafood to local markets while providing fishermen with a better price on their catch. CSF members support the local fishing community by paying fees prior to the fishing season and in turn, the fishermen provide a weekly share of the catch.

OTH's program involves small-scale groundfish bottom hook and line fishermen from the Bay of Fundy. Bottom hook and line fishing is a low impact alternative to bottom trawling, also known as "dragging'. The weekly shares of the co-op's catch include whole haddock, hake and pollock and will be available for an 8-week summer delivery starting on July 22.

The benefits of this type of project abound for both the fishermen and customers. For the fishermen, it provides increased safety, both for their business and for the fishermen themselves as they can choose when it's safe to fish. For the consumer, it provides the option of fresh, high-quality, sustainable seafood that is traceable...and don't we all want to know where our food comes from?

There are two options when it comes to purchasing shares:

• Half Share - $260- 4-6 pounds of fish, gutted on ice. This option will likely be one or two fish per week for eight weeks, and provide about 3 meals for two people.

• Full Share - $500- 8-12 pounds of fish, gutted on ice.

Another great aspect to OTH's offer is their matchmaker tool. If you're unable to pay the entire fee yourself, or perhaps you're going to be out of town for a portion of the summer, why not splt the share with someone? A friend or family member might be interested in splitting the membership, but if not, us the Matchmaker Blog, which will help you to find individuals interested in sharing the deal.

To get involved, or to purchase your share, contact Off the Hook here. Make sure to check out Off the Hook's Facebook group here too, and select 'Like'!

Re-inventing leftovers

I arrived at my aunt's house the other night just as my cuz was getting home from Rugby. Being the awesome big cuz that I am, I offered to make him a snack.

I used left-overs. I love leftovers! I love taking bits and pieces and re-inventing them into something entirely different. Not to mention the challenge that they provide to make something that actually tastes good!

The leftovers in question were pork chops, so I turned on the broiler and got to work making a BBQ pork pizza. I sauteed the pork with thin slices of onion and mushrooms, then tossed them in BBQ sauce. On a whole wheat pita, I smeared ranch dressing and thick-cut slices of tomato and layered the pork mixture on top. To finish it off, I grated some cheddar cheese and a sprinkling of hot chilis flakes on top.

Under the broiler for 5 minutes, this was a tasty meal of filling pork, fresh tomato and spicy sauce. Not a bad transformation for a hum-drum, leftover chop!

Pairing Nova Scotian wine and seafood

Pairing Nova Scotia’s seafood with the province’s award-winning wines: A lesson in balance with winemaker Gina Haverstock.

Gasperau vineyards in the Annapolis Valley have produced some award-wining wines. From their terrific red and white wines, to their delicate ice wines and crisp sparkling wine, Crescendo, Gasperau delivers some of the province’s finest.

This weekend, at the CATCH Festival, Gaspereau’s winemaker, Gina Haverstock gave a demo about pairing wine and food. Obviously a wine enthusiast, this winemaker’s passion also extends to what is on her plate, and had a variety of tips to share in order to make both your food and wine’s flavours shine.

“Pairing wine with food is really just a matter of taste,” she says. “If something tastes good to you, go with it!” Haverstock recommends deciding on the food you want to eat first, and then pair the wine to compliment it.

There are a couple things to consider when pairing food and wine, “Always look for balance,” Haverstock says, “pair food and wine with similar intensities, so that one doesn’t overpower the other.” She adds that sweetness and acidity are the two most important factors in the balancing equation, and that to have a good pairing, these two components must compliment, not compete with each other.

Food preparation also plays a role in the pairing process. When you’re preparing food, consider the cooking method as this plays a role in which wine will pair the best. Barbequing adds a touch of smokiness to a meal, while steaming helps to maintain a fresh quality; a heavy cream sauce, or spicy rub also changes the intensity of flavour, and the wine selection should reflect these factors.

When cooking with wine, such as steaming Nova Scotian mussels, or adding L’Acadie Blanc to a cream sauce, make sure to serve that same wine with your food. By using the same wine, you emphasize its flavour and characteristics, making it a sure thing for a great pairing.

Haverstock adds a few words of wisdom when cooking with Nova Scotian or any wine for that matter: “Don’t cook with wine you wouldn’t drink.” she says. “Drink and serve the wine that you’re cooking with.” Haverstock adds with a smile, “Serve the chef wine and the food will taste better!”

When asked for some recommendations for pairing Nova Scotian seafood with the province’s wonderful wines, Gina was full of suggestions. Some of her favorite food and wine pairings, and preparation methods include:

• Sparkling wine with Nova Scotian oysters;
• Crisp L’Acadie Blanc with salty fish & chips;
• Cedar planked salmon on the BBQ with a sweet, yet dry rose or Gaspereau Vineyard’s

own Maple Ice Wine;
• Pepper crusted tuna with a rose, pinot noir, or Nova Scotian Marechal Foche;
• Floral Muscat with rich mussels, crab cakes or lobster.

FID Resto

In the midst of the Savour food & wine Festival, I had the opportunity to dine with our wonderful guests, three food writers who were visiting for the Savour food & wine Show. As you probably can imagine, as a food writer myself, I was thrilled to make the connection with these women, dine with them and pick their brains about fantastic gastronomic experiences all over the world.

Come to think of it - this was the best dining experience of my life. The way some dinner conversation might range from politics, war, economics, pop culture and natural disasters, this conversation covered incredible wines from South Africa, amazing Latin food in Brooklyn, NY and lessons in butter with Quebec chef Martin Pickard. If there was ever a situation where I was 'in my element', it was this one. I've dined with many-a-foodie before, and the topic of our favorite restaurants, recipes and products always come up, but this was an occasion where food was the star.

For a first course, I chose a dish that I've had my eye on for quite some time. The warm mushroom tart with aged cheddar consisted of lovely, flaky pastry cradling a mountain of tender, earthy mushrooms. This was the perfect dish to begin the evening; warm and rich, it was the catalyst to the salivating that ensued.

Warm local Wild Mushroom Tart with Foxhill Aged Cheddar

Just as us food writers began dissecting our dishes and sampling each other's, a "snack" arrived in the form of Dennis' house smoked salmon. The sweet fish was paired with a crisp, clean cucumber, and Christmas seaweed salad. Alongside, Dennis served a seafood soup, delicately flavoured with a touch of orange.

Snack of hot smoked salmon w/ pickled cucumber, Christmas Seaweed

& seafood soup shooter with a touch of orange

Following our 'snack', the entrees arrived. I, along with many of our company, had chosen the halibut. The fish was wonderfully tender, and meaty in a way that emphasises the fish's 'steak of the sea' nickname. I'm not usually one for potato in a dish - unless it's french fries, or chef Craig Flinn of Chives' Gouda mashed potatoes - I generally leave the spuds on the plate. For this reason, I was thrilled that Dennis opted for a starch of carrots and parsnips. Ah, the parsnip! I always forget how much I love this root vegetable. Roasted, so as to concentrate the sugar, each bite was like a piece of candy. A sweet tomato sauce added a subtle richness to the already decadent, yet clean dish.

Halibut w/ Roasted Root Veg, Pickled Cabbage & Tomato

And in the vein of "the best dining experience of my life", instead of ordering individual desserts, we simply ordered the entire dessert menu and shared them around so as to get a taste of each!

Tarte tatin with fresh vanilla ice cream and Parmesan

Moelleux au chocolat

Banana crème brulee

Fid trifle

And so, our dining experience at Fid ended in a sugar coma. With one or two bites from each desserts, I'm able to say that Fid Resto's dessert selection really does have something to suit every taste. From the indulgent molleux au chocolat, to the comforting tarte tatin, the exotic banana creme brulee to the creamy trifle, Dennis makes it hard to pass on dessert.

By the time we left, we were more than full, and just as much satisfied. Fid resto provides diners the opportunity to have a small, simple meal or a feast for the palate at a price point that won't hurt your wallet.