Prince Edward Island

[francois]

I'll be spending some time on PEI later this month. We have a fully equiped cottage near Cavendish (at Kindred Spirits - really nice!). What I would like is to get really good local produces, seafood of course, but also whatever else is available and cook them myself.

The island is not that big, so it does not matter even if I have to travel a bit.

Where to go for the bestseafood? Local vegetables? Cheeses? Can I get fresh scallops in the shell? Live crabs? Oysters directly from the producer?

François

[Peter the eater]

I get to PEI a couple of times a year so I'm hardly qualified to offer local insider info. I can tell you that there's often a seafood truck behind the liquor store near the Charlottetown Airport that sells uber-fresh seafood -- razor clams, periwinkles, mussels, oysters, and/or whatever fish is available.

If you're in Cavendish then Malpeque Bay and it's excellent oysters are only 25km west.

Check out the Culinary Institute of Canada in downtown Charlottetown. You can do the half-day Seafood 101 Culinary Bootcamp for $129.

[Peter the eater]

I forgot to mention that it might be too soon for corn, but the spuds can be top drawer. PEI takes potatoes very seriously. There's even a potato museum in O'Leary, King's County.

[Kerry Beal]

I seem to recall a cheese factory that made wonderful aged gouda - but of course can't recall a name or a location.

[nakji]

I'm staying in a cottage in PEI next week, and I'm looking forward to the experience! Our cottages come equipped with a dig-your-own-potato garden, which I'm quite looking forward to. And my father-in-law is threatening to take us clam-digging armed with toilet plungers.

There are many Islanders in my extended family, and I have grilled them over the past week for information on the best farm stands. They pleaded ignorance, which makes me feel like there's some sort of Island code at work here, keeping the best stuff for themselves. Like in Nova Scotia, I imagine, if you see anyone selling anything out of the back of a truck, or roadside on a farm stand, it's a good bet it's local and fresh. I always check to see if locals are buying, if I can - I just check the license plates of the cars that are stopping.

[francois]

We spent a wonderfull week on PEI.

Lovely and very confortable cottage at Kindred Spirits in Cavendish.

Did we find the best food? Maybe...

The makerel was outstanding, cought a few hours before on a deep sea fishing trip. Prepared simply (grilled, with a tartar sauce).

The weather was nice, so we did not travel much. Went to 2 different fish markets: Doiron in North Rustico and Carr's a few kilometers down the road. The selection was larger at Doiron's but they were not very pleasant...they seemed eager to get to the next costumer. They did not seem to want to talk about their products and did not seem knowledgeable (not sure if their smoked salmon was hot or cold smoked---it was cold smoked and delicious!). The crab was perfect, in a salad with mayo. So was the lobster (again cold, with mayo)

At Carr's, the selection of oysters was larger. A couple of hours from the water, you cannot get any fresher (unless you eat them undewater!). Again, really excellent (with a mignonette, my favorite way to eat them---and a glass of Puilly fumée). The clams and the scallops were also absolutely great.

No one seemed to know were to find scallops in the shell, nor did they think oysters from different parts of the island could taste any different.

It was strawberry season, and again, they were really nice and tasty (by themselfe and in a simple tart, with creme patissiere). They could be found almost everywhere, in small grocery stores or in stands on the side of the road. In these stands there were also fresh local vegetables, baby carrots, green peas, beets, etc. Again, very, very good.

Great products, simply prepared, with good wine and in good company= heaven!

There is a cheese made on the island (Lady gouda), not bad...

One thing we did not find was good bread. Maybe next time...

Françcois