June is Nova Scotia month in the Coast to Coast Dining series! To celebrate, Chef Michael Howell offered a collaborative menu with selected wine pairings from Benjamin Bridge, a Nova Scotian winery. This dinner celebration showcased the culinary best of the Atlantic from seafood to wild foraged food.
The venueThe kitchen
The menuBenjamin Bridge wineBerry cocktailBenjamin Bridge Méthode Classique Brut 2008. Bubbly, light and refreshing. This bubbly was a nice opener to a great meal.Kataifi wrapped scallops: dulse infused red pepper puree. The crispy kataifi wrap gave great texture to the soft scallop.Benjamin Bridge Méthode Classique Brut Reserve 2008.Finnan Haddie & Chorizo Chowder: chopped chives, chive flowers. This chowder was perfectly seasoned and surprisingly light. While it had a creamy quality to it, it wasn’t overbearingly heavy. This chowder left me wanting more!Benjamin Bridge Tidal Bay 2014Smoked salmon gateau: Hana Tsunomata seaweed, rice wine vinegar & maple syrup vinaigrette, tomato concasse. The nicely smoked salmon was wrapped around a potato salad. The rice wine vinegar and maple syrup added the perfect sweetness to the salmon.Benjamin Bridge Méthode Classique Rosé 2011Braised Nova Scotia Lobster: fiddleheads, spinach puree, beurre rouge et blanc, seasonal flower petals. The lobster meat was tender and perfectly cooked This well-balanced dish epitomized Nova Scotian cuisine. The fiddleheads were freshly picked and flown over from Nova Scotia!
Benjamin Bridge Nova 7 2013. With flavour notes of lychee, ruby red grapefruit, blood orange and star fruit, this 7% alcohol wine is perfect for dessert!Strawberry ‘shortcake’: shortbread crumble, strawberry compote, meringue, strawberry dust, mint paint, blueberry fluid gel. A unique take on the classic strawberry shortcake. Deconstructed to showcase each element of the dessert, the care that was put into this dessert shone through the detailed plating.Need an excuse to check out Nova Scotia The Devour! Food Film Festival, founded by Chef Michael Howell takes place this November 4-8.
A special thanks to Meghan at Edible Canada for inviting me to experience and celebrate this part of the Coast to Coast Dinner Series. Also, thank you all of the staff at Edible Canada for the great service and hospitality!
