freddychef

Well hey ya made it through and as the usual saying at least 3 years to land on your feet....good going......I hope to drop by next summer as I am looking to relocate to NS from NL.....freddychef....The diner sounds like fun......

Again it depends on the cut, the hunt, the time in the freezer BUT I always tend to prepare it in a few select ways...depending on the size attempt a few small recipes...pound a few pieces and marinate and grill; make a nice braise with red wine,double smoked bacon, homemade parsley spaetzle and carmelized shallots or onions, or bottle and enjoy later on as the process (if done right) can add an enormous treasure that is great taken straight from the bottle!!!

Whadayaat? Glad to hear that you have made a go of it in NB...I had hoped to be over that way working this past season and had wanted to drop by, but life gets in the way.....yes there is a lot more in the way of local products in the region and often think that the industry itself does not help in the promotion. I was wondering if the emails I sent were of any help in sussing out local products and also, what did you eventually find? I did not see a link to the restaurant above is there one---would love to peruse...again good luck and maybe I 'll be able to get there...freddychef

Island sunset beach resort at Margaree Harbour, lobster pound at the wharfa s well, well really Belle Cote I guess, fish shack in Cheticamp, a fresh mussel pound at a house just before the turn to Dingwall...right on the highway....fresh farmed trout at Margaree Forks--just ask at the Irving tell Mr. Lush fred says hi--freddychef

Of course it all depends on what part of Nova Scotia you are heading to? If Halifax well there are a couple threads outlining the restaurants there....off the beaten track....if you want to do the Cabot Trail (really a must) try something rustic like Aspey bay oysters up around Dingwall, Cape Breton, also in Pleasant bay you'll find snow crab, Cheticamp fresh local mussels....Margaree try the Normaway inn for local CB fish--but all ahead and ask since they often have a set menu......local lobster is everywhere....same witha lot of fish......freddychef

A few more sources..Aspy Bay, Dingwall, NS,Bay Enterprises, Malagash, NS, Shandaph in Merogomish, NS all for oysters. There use to be a guy in Englishtown as well but I cannot remember the name. Of course there are Malpaques in PEI but I no longer have a source Halifax Farmer's market website has a lot of sources for local vegetables, meats, diary and specialty products(halifaxfarmersmarket.com). In PEI, same thing, the Farmer's market on saturday offers a wide range of food stuffs from the island. I remember reaaly great rye bread, local sausage from out Montague way.http://www.gov.pe.ca/af/agweb/produce/markets.php3......only decent link..... Georgetown bakery in St. John's artisanal breads, Julien's in Halifax. St John's NB farmer's market Tatamagouche farmer's market (www.farmersmarkett.com) La Boulangerie Aucoin in Cheticamp for Artisan breads Really try to get there early while going hiking for the chocolate croissants.. Auntie Crae's in St. John' for (www.auntiecraes.com) some local jams and berries. Bidgood's store in The Gould's in NL for ALL Nl products including moose, seal, rabbit, caribou.(www.bidgoods.ca). The Dutchman's Farm for artisanal cheese in Economy NS. The Devil's breath is an interesting waxed blue cheese. Patrick Mathey in Iles de Madeleine for sausage, proscuitto (also at The Jean Talon Market in Montreal). Tatamagouche creamery for butter. The Pork Shoppe in Denmark, NS Various vineyards and wineries, Jost Grande pre in NS, Rodriquez in NL.... Holdanca Farms for free range meats, chicken, beef and lamd...maybe goat as well.They are in wallace bay as well as in the area Linden meats for local beef. Foxhill cheesehouse (www.foxhillcheesehouse.com)..really like their old cheddar. In Maitland Ns there is a big supplier of herbs...Riverview. I have used them in many places and last year we use alot of herbs and micro greens from them for various occassions.....trying to think of smoke houses and I knew a couple down around sT John, NB, Wolfhead smokers.com around Letang... Kim Dormaar (sp?) in PEI, Willy Krauch is still down around tangier, NS....so a lot of places to have a look at...freddychef ps--the place you mentioned is that a restaurant as well. I heard of this place but cannot remember the name that was outside moncton or St. John that specialized in Acadian style food??? There are a lot of local honey and dairy producer's as well.....freddychef

Good Idea....I thought of how to put this together but I'll just jump in. In each province half the fun I have had when working has been sourcing out local resources for professional and personal use. Each province has an abundance of sources from beef to wine to cheese. So here are some ideas that people may wish to look into. I have not included all the links or url's but just a list of things I've encountered...... Here is Newfoundland climate, economy geography and culture have often dictated a limited base for supplies. Recently though there has been an upsurge in local products that are found in local supermarkets, farmers stalls and at the source, on the farm. In St. John 's a first stop to locate suppliers of local goods could be a small store called Food For Thought. This store run by Nancy Maher has turned into a hub of sorts where one can locate other food stuffs. Nancy can help you source out local vegetables (organic and not depending on the definition), local beef and lamb suppliers, mycology hunters, and the like. For local beef you could try Windy Meadows farm in The Goulds for Angus beef that is hormone, free (windymeadows@nl.rogers.com) Rushmere farms for lamb, chicken and duck. For local vegetables there are a few stalls set up in Churchill Square selling local veg as well as salt, fresh cod, seal and lamb. Across the province you'll find local honey suppliers, vegetable markets and the like. In Nova Scotia, Sweet Williams for sausages in Stewiacke, The Austrian Smokehouse in North River for double smoked bacon, various cheese suppliers including Ran-Cher Acres for goat cheeses(www.rancheracres.com) Green Dragon for mushrooms and fallow deer. In the Tatanmagouche area there is a local food guide put. Try getting in touch with Tatamagouche Local Foods Coalition. For dry supplies in New Brunswick there is Dolphin Village in Dieppe---they offer a wide range of dry goods , cheeses, and other supplies that you may not locate.......I have to stop here to watch hockey but there are a lot of other sources that I will have to think of...freddychef

Yes, we still do. ← There are many stories of the origin of the term 'monkey dish', but none of them are verified. Here are a few of them. It is a bowl the size a monkey would use. It is a bowl that was originally made from a monkey's skull. It is a shallow bowl the size of a monkey's hand. Royalty once had small portions of their food fed to monkeys to be sure it wasn't poisoned. Bell hops wore caps similar to those worn by organ grinder monkeys. The bell hops became known as 'monkeys,' and the smaller dishes were used by these 'monkeys' to serve in-room guests. The list goes on.

I thought I would add a few from my extensive list to stir the sauce so to speak.... 1) When in trouble--in theweeds/ on the rail/ I need it yesterday/ in the shits/ keep your stick on the ice/printer diarrhea/under like a rock.... 2) A line cook or flashy one-- line doggy/ one armed bandit/ kitchen cowboy/hack.. 3) In the `stewarding area`--dishpit/ great wall of china/ dishpig/pot walloper/ the great wall of china/dish doggy.... 4) Servers--waitriod/ waitron/ the black and the whites/ front of house/

Yes mark has corresponded with me a couple of years ago when I designed a Newfoundland and Labrador Culinary calender. I have a copy of the book but it does deal with the actual slang, phrases and words that you hear in so many kitchens....fred

Hello again...not sure if I have posted this here but it is always an amusing thread. I am researching culinary language that chefs, cooks, front of house staff etc use in the everyday running of their culinary world. Every thing from `run it through the garden`, waitroid, nuke it, zizzed, grazers,,,,the list grows. Over the past couple of years I have received numerous emails and posts outlining phrases, slang, vernacular that relates to the culinary world in many ways. From names for foods, local names for equipment, service, customers, etc....I am in the process of compling the list and thought well one more kick at the can... What is of interest is that the list, the culture of the culinary world is ever changing. Every time I take a new position (this summer on a movie set I heard `The Trough` for the banquet line set up for instance) there are new words and phrases...so any takers? freddychef

Funny how we all interpret `local support`.....as a far east coaster I have admired the ways in which Quebec chefs, culinary professionals, those that dig in the dirt and everyone else DO SUPPORT local food initiatives. Of course I say this being from outside that province (remembering that this forum is soley not quebec based) and applaud the effort. Not only is it about local produce but also local publications, discussions, trades, etc... In EASTERN CANADA,. we have a far harder time supporting local food production initiatives for various reasons and I guess it is just a comparable endeavour. The weather, smaller markets, export mentality--historically based-- FOR WHAT DOES COME OUT OF HERE IN QTY..a few reasons why....pat yourselves on the back for the effort....freddychef one lamb down...

While quality of food in a seasonal area like Cape Breton is a problem (I've worked there in the past) there are a few highlights...since the Red Shoe has reopened in mabou with menu items influenced by Chives in Halifax..give that a try..aslo in Mabou The Duncreigan inn...in Margaree harbour try island sunset resort....in Cheticamp try the Aucion bakery for real croissants....maybe go over to Aspey bay and try the oysters taken daily....glenora distillery as well...the other option is to do it yourself..a lot of loca lamb and trout around margaree as well just ask around.. in Cheticamp try the local Acadien restaurant as well freddychef

While quality of food in a seasonal area like Cape Breton is a problem (I've worked there in the past) there are a few highlights...since the Red Shoe has reopened in mabou with menu items influenced by Chives in Halifax..give that a try..aslo in Mabou The Duncreigan inn...in Margaree harbour try island sunset resort....in Cheticamp try the Aucion bakery for real croissants....maybe go over to Aspey bay and try the oysters taken daily....glenora distillery as well...the other option is to do it yourself..a lot of loca lamb and trout around margaree as well just ask around..freddychef

Hi I have to outfit a small college program for up to 20 studnets and have a limited idea of what will be required as faras appliances go. i was wondering though if there are any contacts out there that know of web sites that would help in this endeavour...freddychef

There is more than one Ches's in the city and numerous other shops selling the same sort of fish and chips....take a day trip out to St Phillip's and go to the By The Beach take out for a feed....nicer surroundings.....

In St John's you may want to check out TWO CHEFS--probably the most creative thing around and one of the chefs is home grown..also there is Aqua down on Water st---and maybe even the Gypsy tea room --quite less formal . Around the bay you'll find that the majority of Nl food is prepared in a most traditional manner but still there can be a lot said for a great meal done right! Outside the capital there is The Beach Cottage in Holyrood. Glynmill inn Corner brook as mentioned is quite alright. There is a place in Clarenville with some creativity( cannot remember the name ) as well as a few choice B&B's in Trinity, Brigus, St Micheals, Mobile and Renews here on the Avalon... If you want to check out local food that you may wish to take home there are a few farms out around Portugal cove that specialize in smoked bacon and lamb sausages, also try Bidgood's store out in The Goulds--a whole section on NL food....on Tuesday afternoon you can get a hot out of the oven moose pie...check it out....freddychef

On the Rock Purity was always a standard, but not omly their hard candies but also their KISSES..a nougaty type with differnt fullings....also there is a home made candy called `Burnt Ocky`--molasses candy and around the corner from my new home I'm told there was someone who had this litle corner shop making Bull's Eyes--some kind of knob candy...freddychef

On a different note , what about culinary terms like meat cut terminology? While in tasmania I asked a butcher what exactly was a `scotch fillet` and a few other choice terms that are unknown here in Canada? I cannot remember any ow though...freddychef

Whadayaat? I always tend to wade in on these discussions with a smile......I think that there is far too much emphasis in the culinary culture of some to focus on elite stereotypes...who has the best food and the attendant name dropping....in my exp many a great city, town and roadside cafe can offer great food as long as I find it so. I think Montreal, Toronto, the US, the world, or any other such place will have great food along with great chefs at whatever level...I often wonder in all of these critiques how much time is really given to the food.... I consider fine dining (if I may use that phrase) to be an often over rated exp anyways...more about commodity production (whether it be in the numbers, the status of a name, or any other factors that focus on elitism of a market share). In my experience (and no I have not had the exp to eat at many of the places mentioned) great food is simply about the cooking...dining exp is another game altogether....in working with many big names I have come to realize that in essence the cult of the personality takes center stage....all those grunts doing the cooking get little notice.....albeit quite often a Thomas Keller, David Mac or a Susur deserve the credit due but there is room for understanding what it takes to put out great food anywhere, anytime.....freddychef

Whadayaat? I would suggest goin to Waurthaus (sp?) in the Salamanca market area if you would like to pick up a few local things to eat while hiking and wandering around....also there was the great place on Bruny Island but the name is lost....also try the oysters on the dock with a fresh order of chips! freddychef

Hi--In light of the recent Starbucks adopting Italian coffee phrases I was trying to remember the coffee phrase in Australia for a black coffee..I remember flat white (coffee and cream?), but there was one for a a large black coffee...not americano or expresso--any takers?? freddychef

Funny how the majority of these statements want to argue the merits of critics, restaurants, and personalities....what ever happened to the food....oops, maybe I'm off the mark here because , no pun intended, but someone's bread and butter is being scrutinzed....there's a whole culinary world out there............................freddychef

Interesting foray into `who is who` these days and I find myself a little bemused at what is, for the most part, the debate on what is going on in Canada in the culinary world. While the Web has afforded so many ventures into culinary endeavours I find it a bit saturated with the cultural morass that abounds in other mainstream, or should I dare say conservative approaches to food and culture. For many of us in the field so to speak it is definiltely not all about a few people in the hub towns of the Canadain culinary world. Quite often this reliance on status and elitism overlooks the reality of the grunt line. There are many great cooks out there working long, hard days with little reward , and you never hear tell of them in the standard forms of our mainstream. On the net I suggets we start a topic about searching out those who work hard in some small town; the person who makes your BLT just the way you like it; the guy that stays open late so that you can get that bowl of hot and sour. Surely there is more to food and culture out ther don't ya think? So let me begin. One time I was driving along a back road in rural Nova Scotia. I had been out hiking all day and looked forward to locating a place to eat. Of course we all know about the traditional fare offered along the way--what passes as regional food that the locals eat--fish and chips, hot turkey sandwiches, sides of slaw, fries, etc. I eventually stopped at a small diner, can't remember the name but I perused the menu and of course within minutes I realized what to expect. But the thing was I ordered a bowl of homemade turkey soup. Now that may not seem like much and maybe do to my run down state I was a little hungry but it WAS that moment when I sipped it that I realized how truly humbling food can be. The taste exploded in my mouth- memories of home flaoted back, many that had laid dormant. A truly great dining experience. I understand that for most, culinary endeavours are about living in big cities, being a part of the larger picture but for many of us it's about talking to the local farmer about her burgundy beans. Checking with your friend about when you want to get another lamb. Maybe spending 2 days in Carbonear picking blues,herts, black currants, and wild raspberries. Food is exploratory, all the time. freddychef