Market Adventures: The Last

My last sunny Saturday in Halifax, I did what all good Haligonians do; go to the Market. I had a small snack  before leaving the house to avoid buying everything I saw at the market, but it did not end up stopping me. I walked around for a while, admiring all of the options, before settling on my snack:

Middle Eastern Spinach and Chickpea Patties

These are "spinach and chickpea" gluten free patties, from a small middle eastern booth somewhere in the middle of the Market (I had never seen it before, and it was just called "Middle Eastern Food"). I clearly need to have a better self control strategy, because I had these heated and ate them immediately. They were deep fried in oil but also had spinach in them, so it is a completely acceptable option, right? They are made with potatoes and chickpeas, spinach and spices and then deep fried until delicious. They were just crispy enough to taste the delicious oil, and then mushy enough on the inside to have a delightful texture.

Next I decided to try something radical, and buy some food to bring home and cook! I have a lovely little cookbook called "Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens" with exciting old Maritime recipes:

Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens

I decided to make myself a "South Shore Boiled Dinner" with codfish, white sauce, potatoes and broccoli. Preparation involves soaking the fish overnight (I skipped this step), boiling the fish, and then boiling the vegetables in the nice fishy water; frying up some bacon, and covering everything with bacon and white sauce. Yum. Now,what you may not know, is that the main ingredients in white sauce are flour and milk. But never fear! I was ready to make the gluten and dairy free version. I used buckwheat flour and almond milk. This did not mix together well, and I was reluctant at first (it did not look appetizing), putting the sauce on the side. It ended up tasting not the greatest, but completely edible, so I dumped it all over for my excellent feast.

South Shore Boiled Dinner

The dish is typically made with root vegetables, not broccoli, but I substituted and it went well with the dish. I also used Pemeal bacon, but in retrospect I would probably have stuck with normal bacon to get a nice crispy touch.

Overall my last trip to the market was a success! If you are in Halifax for a Saturday or Sunday I would definitely recommend heading down to the Market and sampling some seafood (they have breakfast oysters!) or any of the local and international dishes scattered throughout the pier

Gluten Free: Yes

Dairy Free: Yes


The Halifax Farmers Market is Located at 1209 Marginal Road. Hours and vendors can be found on their website: halifaxfarmersmarket.com

Lobster Poutine

Back in Halifax for just one week, I felt a wave of nostalgia coming on and began frantically purchasing seafood and donairs. But the one Halifax treat I had yet to try was a lobster poutine. I only discovered these existed a little over a year ago and have been thinking about them ever since. The time to try one was now, and the place was the Halifax Farmers Market.

I feel a great fondness for the fish shop at the market, I have tried many of their catches, eaten their oysters for breakfast, gotten a free lobster because it’s limbs were falling off, and just had an overall positive experience. I had yet to try their cooked dishes, so this was a double first! The lobster poutine is $14, a little steep for us recently unemployed folk, but when in Nova Scotia…

It was ready in a matter of minutes, and they did not skimp on the lobster meat which makes me love them even more. For those of you who don’t know (and shame on you), a lobster poutine is fries, topped with lobster meat and cheese curds (squeaky cheese as it is sometimes referred to), covered in a hollandaise-esque sauce (but who can say exactly what it is?).

Everything about this poutine was amazing. The lobster was great, the cheese was fresh and not fake (it came from FoxHill cheese), the fries were thick and perfectly spiced and every bite was an orgasm in my mouth and body. I’m not sure when or how lobster poutine came to be, who thought to mix two of the best eastern Canadian foods, but whoever did, I would like to personally thank you for this treat you have bestowed upon the world. 

Gluten Free: yes!

Dairy Free: no :(

I Find Treasure at Last

We left St. John’s for a 12 hour drive to the Port Aux Basques ferry, and I began to feel desperate. Desperate but not hopeless, because when is some of the worst food eaten? Road trips! I was certainly not disappointed by our first lunch stop, a few hours outside of St. John’s, at Mary Browns Chicken.  There was pretty much nothing on the road between St. John’s and this stop, and our driver was starting to get a little hangry (anger that arises from excessive hunger). Mary Browns seemed cheap, easy and fast so we pulled over, stomachs growling. There were three of us, so we got the family bucket- 6 pieces of chicken, a plate of taters and a side salad for just over for just under $25. According to their own signage, they were very famous for their taters, so this seemed like a great plan.

Let’s begin with the taters. Mostly, they tasted like salt. I’m not the kind of gal to shy away from a bit of extra salt on my fries, but this was excessive, like can already feel my blood pressure rising kind of excessive. The chicken was no better, it tasted like it was coated in salt and butter- moreso than your average fried chicken joint, which I did not think was possible. Between the three of us we couldn’t even make it half way through the taters, and we had to pick away some of the breading off the chicken to get it down. I left feeling physically unsatisfied but mentally satiated. Finally, a meal worthy of those old Newfoundland fisherman!

As much as I delighted at finally finding a nice artery clogging meal, it felt like a bit of a cop out to have a fried chicken chain win. The world already knows fried chicken is much too greasy and salty for any sane human. I had one last chance for a traditional meal, all my hopes and dreams rested on one last dinner.

We pulled up at the Harbourside restaurant, right at the beginnings of downtown Port Aux Basques, and next to the ferry terminal. As I read the menu, things were already looking up- they had cod tongues! For once I didn’t have a hard time deciding, so this was already a win. They came out lightly battered and fried and served with mashed potatoes. I have been told that cod tongues are quite the delicacy, and locals rush to the markets at 6am, to get a bag of cod tongues for the week. Surely these had to be tasty as well as salty and fatty, right? I took my first bite to the delightful feeling of hot oil rushing into my mouth and down my chin. They were a little chewy and more firm than your average fish part, but over all they were edible. I was even able to finish almost all of my plate! On the ferry later that night, I felt a little bit like throwing up. Some may say it could have been sea sickness, but I like to think that my body was rejecting all of the fats and salts in had consumed on this lovely day, my last day in Newfoundland, and my search complete.

Next time you find yourself wandering around the wilderness of Newfoundland, don’t be afraid to taste a cod tongue, or cheek, or a seal flipper pie- and you’ll truly begin to question how anyone survived here pre-confederation. 

Gluten Free: no

Dairy Free: yes

The Harbour Restaurant can be found at 1 Main, Port Aux Basques, NFLD

Into a sea of doubts

As we drove from Twillingate towards St. John's, munching on some fries and gravy we had picked up from a truck at the side of the road, I began to despair. Sure, we had eaten our fair share of greasy, deep fried, vegetable-less meals, but I still wasn't satisfied. St. John's, holding a quarter of the population of the entire island, loomed with fine culinary establishments of the new world- how would I find my overly deep fried and salted fish here? Should I just give up now and get something tasty? Maybe even some vegetables? At first that seemed likely, because we stumbled upon a little cafe and bakery called The Rocket. I started with their soup of the day- potato leek. You may not really think of potatoes as a nutritious gem, but it was a vegetable and that was good enough for me! Soup (along with fries) is one of my favourite foods, and this soup was no exception. Not too thick but not too thin, not to salty but full of flavour, this soup was just right.

We were taking an easy day, hanging out in the cafe, catching up on some emails, working on our blog, reading, etc. and so after a couple hours I wanted more, but what? To my delight and surprise they had a flour-less chocolate brownie! And only $2.00!

I love flour-less chocolate cake because it is a mixture of everything good. Fudge like consistency, and taste of a chocolate cake and chocolate bar all mixed into one. I also had a lovely almond tea to balance the sweetness. My friend caught me licking the paper after it was gone, we locked eyes and began to laugh, but only another gluten free-bee could understand my joy at a delicious, non-pain inducing, desert. 

Gluten Free: yes!

Dairy Free: maybe...

The Rocket can be found at 272 Water St. St John's, NFLD

Later that day we decided on a world famous fish and chips joint for dinner- Ches's Fish and Chips. We were a little tipsy heading into the restaurant and ordered some fancy cocktails to start. As I sipped on my drink and read through the menu my hope began to return- fries with gravy and stuffing, deep fried cod tongues, battered cod and chips; in fact, most things on the menu were fishy and deep fried, with barely a vegetable in sight! Unfortunately they were all out of cod tongues so I settled for the fish and chips with fries and gravy (my staple food of the trip). The food was greasy but delicious. The fries did not disappoint, and I am beginning to think Newfoundland could give Quebec a run for their money in the Poutine department. The fish was perfectly cooked and the breading was probably worth it, though it fell apart quite a bit. Nevertheless, I had faith renewed, we still had a long day of driving ahead, and what are road trips for if not for eating and greasy highway joints!?

no, those shiny bits are not the reflected light.

Gluten Free: nope

Dairy Free: yes!

Ches's can be found at 9 Freshwater Road, St. John's, NFLD

The Search on The Rock continues (Day 6)

Today is a special day, because it is taking the prize for Newfoundlands BEST meal. Home prepared and made by an official half Newfoundlander, and readily eaten by yours truly. Today we ate Moose. Newfoundland Moose? Not quite, but it is from Northern Maine; hunted and prepared by our fearless hostess.

The meat had been marinating in jar with tomato, onions and Moose juices (not quite like this specialty Newfoundland wine: http://www.aukislandwinery.com/page.php?id=1 ). It was prepared by simply simmering in a pot and adding rice.

It tasted kind of like beef-chicken: the best of both worlds. The meat was tender and juicy, and a nice welcome after a day of driving. I know this is the kind of fine dining I said I was sick and tired of, but sometimes a gal needs a break from deep fried foods and gravy. Tomorrow I will return to the artery clogging goodness, but tonight I feast!

Gluten Free: Yes!

Dairy Free: Yes!

Perfect Meal: Yes!

My Search for Newfoundlands Worst Meal (Part 2: Days 2 and 4)

The morning of day 2, we decided to do something crazy, hike the Copper Trail up Blomidon (lit. blow me down) Mountain. It took about 4 grueling hours and much encouragement and peer pressure to make it to the top. I mentioned before that they call Newfoundland "the rock". This trail lovingly shows that by having the last hour of the trail wind up a steep rock cliff that seems to never end. Finally our troupe made it and part of me wanted to collapse, but the rest of me anxiously anticipated the delicious, hard earned meal awaiting me at the bottom.

Pretty impressive, am I right?

What some of you may not know about me, is that I have very poor balance (I blame this on being tall), so getting down the mountain can often be just as difficult as getting up. Luckily, thanks to the 'side step' I made it down injury free and was ready for some Newfie style eatings! Our knowledgeable guides told us that we needed to call ahead and order from the 'chip stand', or we would have to wait forever. This already sounded exciting.We ordered a regular fries, onion rings, and fries with burger and gravy (a Newfoundland specialty).

The stand was about half an hour away from the mountain, my anticipation grew stronger, my stomach more growly . Fries are one of my biggest guilty pleasures and favourite all time foods (just earlier today I was asked if I had to pick one food to eat for the rest of my life what would it be? I answered, 'poutine').

The stand was mostly visible because of the lineup of cars parked on the street in front of the hut, and patrons were in and out of the little shop, mostly eating in or outside of their cars. Our guide went in to pick up the goodies and we waited anxiously outside. In what seemed like forever (around 2 minutes) our food came out and we began to eat. Onion rings first as our "appetizer". The rings were topped with paprika, which added a delectable flavor, and the breading was good (if not gluten free). What was probably most impressive was that the onion rings stayed together, and there was no separating of the onion and the breading. I will not pretend to be an onion ring expert, as this is the first time in several years I have eaten them, but I would still take it upon myself to name them the best in the country.

Next we moved onto the main course: fries. I took a bite of the plain fries first. Only lightly salted, and not too greasy tasting, it had the right combination of crispy outside and mushy, creamy potatoe-y inside. You can tell these are handmade from real potatoes. Satisfied with my taste testing, I moved on to the Newfie specialty: fries with burger and gravy. This kind of works like a poutine except instead of cheese curds there is ground beef. This actually turned out great for me, because I didn't have to attempt to 'eat around' the cheese as I normally do when sharing a poutine. The concoction was everything I could have asked for: heavy, salty, meaty, fatty. All the ingredients of fine Newfoundland cuisine!

I don't know if this will take the prize, after all, it was very tasty as well as heart-stopping, but we are on the track to success!

The Ultimate Tuna Sandwich

Days 3 and 4 were pretty uneventful food days, but I just want to take a moment to describe the lunch I made today. Peanut butter and Tuna sandwiches. I know you are having your doubts, my travel companions had their doubts too ...at first. The idea came from my aunt, who used to eat peanut butter and salmon sandwiches when she was younger. It never sounded appealing but I was always curious to try, so I made a sandwich for one of my travel companions. He gave me many funny looks (the thanks I get for preparing the meal!), but did not keel over, or even vomit after the sandwich, so I made some more for the rest of the crew! I may be biased, but I thought they were great. This isn't Newfoundland cuisine, per se, but I would highly recommend giving this a try! Especially with school house gluten free bread (the only brand I've tried that tastes anything like real bread).

Signing out, still on my search but feeling hopeful already!

My Search for Newfoundlands Worst Meal (Part 1: Day 1))

I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired of good food everywhere. How is France or Italy supposed to hold any culinary appeal when globalization has brought fine dining all around the world. Now, I can eat creamy French food in Halifax, gourmet Japanese in Toronto, street vendors galore in Vancouver- and never have to leave my own country. But what happened to the days when I would only get some stale bread and cheese in the UK, or stringy beef and potatoes all along the northeastern coast of North America?

Newfoundland, also known as "the rock", has lacked access to many culinary tools due to the cold climate and rocky terrain. For years all Newfoundlander's could eat was salty fried Cod, and the occasional root vegetable.  But with advances in technology food is beginning to come to Newfoundland: green vegetables, fruits, delicious mints, and fine wines are all making their way to Newfoundlands shores. This may be great news for Newfoundlander's in search of better nutrition and variety, but not great for me, on a search for traditional, salty, fatty, grey, Newfoundland cuisine.

I have 10 days in Newfoundland to find my prize, I will report back with any mentionable news soon!

Day 1: A Failure. Had a BBQ with some friends, homemade burger patties with sauteed onions and mushrooms. Probably the best home made burgers I've ever had. Was not even privy to secret ingredient. Double fail.

Nocular Nachos

Just one week ago, if I had been asked about the best Nachos in Halifax, I would probably rattle off pubs like the Economy Shoe Shop or Rogue's Roost, but I have now lived to spin a different tale.

Most tortilla chips that exist outside authentic Mexican restaurant are a mix of corn flour and wheat flour and thus not gluten free. That is why I was pleasantly surprised to notice the little gluten free symbol next to the nachos after several plates had been ordered for the table. I had eaten lunch at the lower deck once before, and had not been overly impressed, so my expectations were pretty neutral. I had already eaten a big lunch so I was content to just order something light and pick at it for most of the evening, I had no need of an amazing meal, I was really only there to support my friend. However, as usually happens whenever I am in the near vicinity of food I began to get peckish, and by the time the nachos arrived I was ready to devour whatever was in front of me.

I picked up a chip with not much on it, (I was trying to avoid the cheese), scooped up some salsa, and took a bite. My first emotion was surprise- "holy moly"! These chippies were good. Much better than just your average tortilla chip. I grabbed the menu to learn more and saw these were cooked in basil oil, the secret to success?

The nachos were covered with the normal dressings, cheese, peppers, jalapenos, etc. They also had the brilliant idea to caramelize the onions before dumping them on top, giving a bit of a sweet kick to the plate. I began eating shyly, I was sharing the plate with 4 other friends, but soon the chips started to disappear much too soon and I began feeling a little frantic. In a moment of fateful luck, some of the other appy's started to come out at that time, and I was left to polish off the plate of nachos, complete with picking at the little pieces of pepper and tomato stuck on the wax paper on the bottom.

While my surprise at getting amazing food when I was expecting mediocre may have added to my delight, these nachos are definitely in the top 3 of the city, so before you go running to the Shoe Shop for your favourite bar side snack, give the Lower Deck a try.

Gluten Free: yes

Dairy Free: no (unless you are crafty enough to avoid the cheese)

Lower Deck: 1869 Lower Water Street
www.lowerdeck.ca