Kale and Onion Flip Omelette

Quiches, fritattas, and omelettes are conveniently versatile. You may have the makings of a tasty egg-based dish already in your fridge. I'm talking about veggies, cheese, and/or meats that need to be used. Here I've selected kale, onions, and, for the cheese, feta. Obviously eggs play a big part in the above recipes, and we're happy to get ours from a small local farm where the chickens roam freely.

This dish is not quite a fritatta because it's thinner, so I'm calling it a flip omelette. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 6 eggs • 2 tablespoons heavy cream • 150 g of cheese, grated (I used crumbled feta) • 2 medium onions, chopped • about 3 cups sliced kale • 4 tablespoons butter • salt + ground black pepper

In a medium skillet (easier to do if you use a quality non-stick pan), melt 2 tablespoons of butter, and cook the onions on medium heat until they are soft, for about 5-7 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the kale and season with salt. Cook the kale for an additional 5 minutes, stirring often. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the cream and season them with salt and pepper. Once the kale is done, spread the onion-kale mixture evenly in the bottom of the pan. Add the cheese on top, and pour the eggs over. Cover, lower the heat to low, and let cook for 10-15 minutes, until the eggs are set. Flip over onto a plate, slice, and serve.

Feta and Basil Crusted Halibut with Garlic Wilted Spinach and Risotto

This dish is a revelation. I had been wondering how to prepare the halibut we picked up at the market. There were some leftover breadcrumbs from the eggplant parm Bridget made yesterday and another hunk of delicious local feta from Ron. My tastebuds led the way from there. A bit of basil, a hint of mustard, risotto--of course!-- and fresh spinach. Homemade breadcrumbs are so easy to make. Just bake slices of bread  at a low temp (300°F) until they're really dry, then crumble them by hand or in a food processor.

I used full-cut steaks, but any cut of halibut should work for this recipe.

Feta-Basil Crusted Halibut

• 4 halibut steaks, cut of your choice • 4 teaspoons dijon mustard • 1/2 cup homemade breadcrumbs • 100 g feta cheese, crumbled • small handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped • 4 tablespoons olive oil • a few twist of ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, feta, basil, olive oil, and black pepper. Lay the halibut in an oiled baking dish and spread 1 teaspoon of mustard on each. Cover the fish with the crust mixture, and don't worry about some falling around, you'll use it on the plate. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the halibut. You want to keep it moist.

Garlic Wilted Spinach

• 4 tablespoons butter • 2 garlic cloves, chopped • 4 handfuls of baby spinach

In a large skillet, melt the butter on medium heat, add the garlic and swirl around for a minute. Add the spinach, stir, cover, remove from heat, and let stand for a minute.

Basic Risotto

• 2 onions, finely chopped • 4 tablespoons butter • 1 cup arborio rice • 1/2 cup white wine • 2-3 cups water or vegetable or chicken stock • 100 g aged cheddar, grated • salt + ground black pepper

Bring the stock (or water) to a simmer, and keep it hot on the back burner at low heat. In a medium skillet, on medium-high heat cook the onions in 3 tablespoons of butter until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, stir, and add the white wine. Let it simmer until most of the wine is absorbed. Laddle in some stock to cover the rice. Keep stirring. Once the liquid is absorbed, laddle in a bit more stock. Proceed until the rice is al dente. It should take about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, the cheddar, and season with salt and black pepper. If the risotto seems too dry, add a few more tablespoons of stock.

Fried Cheese and Arugula Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

This recipe was inspired by Ron, the Wandering Shepherd. He makes fresh cheese curds and said they are great fried. He wasn't kidding. I pan-fried the curds in oil for a few minutes then threw them on a salad for lunch. You could use any cheese resembling halloumi. The cheese must keep its shape when cooked. For vinegar I used our Wild Rose Vinegar, for which I used apple cider vinegar as a base.

Enjoy!

Serves 2

Salad

• Small handful of cheese curds • Few handfuls of arugula • 2-3 cherry tomatoes, quartered • Fresh chives or basil, chopped • Ground black pepper

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a small sauté pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the cheese and cover (the oil can be messy). Fry a few minutes on each side, until the cheese is golden and crispy. Toss some greens on each plate, add the tomatoes and cheese. Drizzle some vinaigrette, top with chives or basil and a twist of black pepper.

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

• 3 tablespoons olive oil • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar • 1 tablespoon honey • a small pinch of salt

Mix all the ingredients together.

Mint Invasion - Part II: Mojito

Most of you probably know how to make a mojito, but when was the last time you did make one? Perhaps you don't have a muddler. Well, neither do I. What I do have, though, is the night off from work and a lifetime supply of mint leaves. See Mint Invasion Part 1 for more on that. This is a quick version of the mojito; instead of grinding my ingredients with a muddler, I just mix everything in a bowl.

Serves 2 or 1 very thirsty person

You'll need:

• 3 oz (90ml) white rum • 1.5 oz (45ml) fresh lime juice (about 1 lime) • 10 spearmint leaves, torn apart • 2 tablespoons sugar • crushed ice • club soda

In a bowl, mix together the rhum, lime juice, mint, and sugar. Pour the mixture into two glasses, add crushed ice, top off with club soda, a few slices of lime, and a sprig of mint.

Birthday Coffee Cake

I adapted this recipe from an old cookbook called Kountry Kitchen Vol. 3., which I found in a used bookstore a few months ago. It seems to have been printed by one of Cape Breton's Presbyterian communities. Interestingly, most of the recipes are desserts, cakes, squares, pies, and candies. Only a few page are dedicated to actual meals.

Happy Birthday!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup flour • 1 tablespoon baking powder • 3/4 cup sugar • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 cup butter • 1/2 cup strong coffee • 1/4 cup milk • 1 egg, well beaten • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter. Add the egg, coffee, milk, and vanilla. Stir well. Spread half of the mixture in a greased and floured 8" pan. Sprinkle half the topping mixture over carefully. Spread the remaining dough mixture and sprinkle the rest of the topping. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Let cool.

Topping

• 3/4 cup sugar • 2 teaspoons cinnamon • 3 tablespoons flour • 3 tablespoons butter, melted • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.

Vanilla Frosting

• 6 oz cream cheese • 3/4 cup sugar • 1/4 cup of melted butter • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Carefully spread frosting over crumb topping.

Mint Invasion - Part I: Mint and Feta Tabbouleh

Our mint patch has taken over the herb garden. The top canopy is almost chest-level, like a hedge. It has engulfed neighboring oregano and chives. Minty sucker scouts are popping up yards away. We act now or... deal with a worse situation next year. The strategy? Eat it. I'll be cooking a few recipes with mint to keep the invasion in check until we feel like bringing out the big shovels. I did a stint of digging a couple of weeks ago to transplant a section of this leafy tyrant to a plot by the mailbox.

This first recipe is a simple tabbouleh, which can be made with bulgur or couscous--both are good. Some people find tabbouleh bland. I keep it interesting by toasting the couscous/bulgur.

For even more flavor I use the deliciously crumbly Mira River Feta by The Wandering Shepherd, a Cape Breton artisan cheese maker best known for his terrific ewe milk cheeses. For this recipe, I'm also using Speerville Organic Couscous.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 2 cups couscous • 4 cups water • 1 cup mint, chopped • 1 cup feta, crumbled • 2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped • 1 onion, chopped • 5 tablespoons olive oil • small bunch of chives, chopped • juice of half a lemon • salt + ground black pepper

In a small skillet, sauté the onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Set aside. In a large cast iron pot or skillet, toast the couscous on medium heat, stirring often, until most of it is browned. Meanwhile you can bring the water to a simmer. Remove from heat. Pour the hot water over the couscous, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in the sautéed onions, mint, feta, tomatoes, chives, lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Eat hot or let it cool down. Top with chopped mint. Will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Honey-Whiskey Carrots

One ingredient I use whenever possible is honey. North River Organics jars a mean unpasturized wildflower honey, and their whole operation is pesticide free. Yet another reason to love this area.

Here is a simple side dish of fresh garden carrots roasted with honey, Canadian whiskey, and thyme.

Enjoy!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 6 medium carrots • 1 tablespoon honey • 1 tablespoon sunflower oil • 1 tablespoon whiskey • a few sprigs of thyme • salt + ground black pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 450° F. Cut the carrots in half lenghtwise, then again in quarters. Place them in a baking pan or bakeware. Pour over the honey, oil, whiskey, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, giving them a shake half way through the cooking time. Serve right away.

Blackberry Oatmeal Cake

Blackberries; one of the best known wild foods and the tastiest of all berries, in my opinion. These were picked in the yard this morning, and it seems we'll have a steady supply of them for a few weeks. The most common pairing of blackberries is with apples, but I've decided to keep it straight and make a Blackberry Oatmeal Cake, adapting an earlier recipe for Blueberry Banana Bread to serve the purpose. This Blackberry Oatmeal Cake is great for breakfast with coffee or as a dessert with maple syrup and/or a drizzle of cream (both highly recommended!). Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 cups blackberries • 2 cups whole white flour • 1 cup quick oats • 1 cup sugar • 1/2 cup neutral oil • 1/2 cup yogurt • 1/2 cup milk • 2 large eggs • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix the oatmeal, flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until smooth. Add the yogurt, oil, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until well combined. Gently spoon in the blackberries. Pour batter into a buttered 8-9" round pan, top with oatmeal and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until set.

Summer Plum Chutney

Our new friend Walter is a master fly fisherman, and one of the most generous guys around (thanks again for the delicious trout!). And the plums that grow over at his place are hands down the best I've ever had. He collects up to seventy grocerie bags full a year, and this season he shared some of the bounty with us. Although these plums are sweet and juicy by themselves, I couldn't resist making a chutney with them. I love a good chutney or compote. Whereas Jams are sweet, chutneys are by definition both sweet and sour. I used apple cider vinegar to boost the tanginess. This morning we topped our french toast with some chutney. It was the perfect breakfast! You can also spread chutney on banana bread or even grilled meats, poultry or fish. You don't need a lot; a small spoonful goes a long way. I also find it to be better with a few hours of cooling time, as the wait gives flavors a chance to set.

Ingredients

• 1 lb plums • 1/2 cup sugar • 1/4 cup water • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar • pinch of salt • pinch of allspice

You need to peel the plums. You can do this the same way you would tomatoes. With a pairing knife, cut a "X" at the bottom of the plums. Put them in a bowl, pour boiling water over them, and let stand for 30 seconds. Drain and cool them in cold water. The peels should come right off. Roughly chop the flesh of the plums.

In a medium saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a simmer. Add the plums, vinegar, salt, and allspice. Simmer for 10 minutes. Leave to cool. This chutney will keep up to 2 weeks in the fridge in an air tight container. You can also can them to preserve them longer.

Simple Roasted Tomatoes with Fresh Herbs

We just bought a century old farmhouse on Cape Breton Island. As eager and excited as I am to unpack, August is one of the busiest months of the year at the restaurant. So without much time to fuss, I threw together this quick side dish, which you can also serve for lunch with cheese, toast or salad. I decided to bake fresh garden tomatoes (from Bridget's parents, who just moved a load of stuff up here--thanks guys!) with a few herbs that were already established on the property; chives, oregano, sage, mint, thyme, lavender and rosemary. Mixing together a lot of different herbs can be tricky, even suprising. To have a good balance of flavours you need to dose accordingly. Taste the herbs and ask yourself which is strongest or most pungent. Decide how much of each flavouring you want. Careful with herbs like thyme and rosemary, they tend to give most of their fragance once they are cooked. Tomatoes go well with oregano, so I used more of that.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 4 medium ripe tomatoes • fresh herbs (see above) • 2 tablespoons olive oil • salt + ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Chop the herbs and mix them with the oil. Cut the tomatoes in quarters, put them in a pan, drizzle the oil and herbs on top, and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Wildflower-Infused Vinegar

Infusing vinegars is easy. All you need is a jar, some vinegar, and one or more of your favorite herbs, flowers or spices. Here, beside the house, we've got whole hedges of wild rose (Northeastern rose or Rosa Nitida), and there are thickets of blooming elderflower down by the river. Why look further. A month from now we'll have a deliciously floral vinegar to use in salad dressings and other sauces all through the winter. You can also infuse vinegar with herbs like thyme, rosemary, tarragon, oregano or sage. If you have nasturtium, that tastes great too. Some people use plain vinegar but I prefer white wine or apple cider vinegar, which have a smoother finish and more depth of flavor. Don't discard the pickled flowers. Those are tasty too.

What would you use to infuse your vinegar?

Ingredients

• 2 cups loosely packed wild roses (20-25 heads) or elderflowers (6-8 large heads) • 4 cups white wine or apple cider vinegar

Clean the flowers and remove any insects. Put them in a sterilized jar and fill with the vinegar. Store in a cool, dark place with a lid for at least a month before using. At this point you can strain out the flowers/herbs. Will keep for over a year in a cool, dark place.

Chanterelles and Turnips with Garlic Butter and Creamy Polenta

As you may have noticed, wild mushrooms are starting to pop out. One of the tastiest 'shrooms you can find on Cape Breton Island is the Chanterelle (mushroom ID info here). All of mine were foraged after a nice day of rain. Let's hope we get some more of that! I usually prepare my mushrooms in a simple way; sautéed in butter and garlic. Wine (in this case pear wine) is added and reduced to concentrate the flavors. I threw in some turnips, because they too taste great with garlic and butter. Make sure to top this dish with the freshest, leafiest thyme you can get.

Enjoy!

Will serve 4 people

Chanterelles and Turnips

• 2 cups chanterelles • 2 medium-sized turnips, thinly sliced • 4 tablespoons butter • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped • 1/4 cup white wine • couple sprigs of thyme • salt + ground black pepper

In a pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Sautée the turnips and chanterelles for 2-3 minutes. Add half of the garlic, a few sprigs of thyme, and wine. Reduce until the liquid is almost gone. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and swirl in the rest of the butter and garlic. Serve on polenta.

Creamy Polenta

• 1 cup cornmeal • 3 cups chicken or mushroom stock • 1/4 cup cream • 1/2 cup parmesan, asiago or aged cheddar • a pinch of salt

Bring the stock to a simmer and add the cornmeal. Simmer on medium-low heat for about 10-20 minutes, depending if the cornmeal is fine or coarse. Remove from heat, add the cream and cheese. Season with salt.

Propeller Battered Fish and Chips

I love making fish and chips on the porch with my little camping propane stove. Cooking outside is one of the great joys of summer. If you have a fryer, this recipe will be quite easy. If you're going the old-fashioned way, it can be a bit tricky. Two of the most important things: the oil and the temperature. Use an oil with a high smoke point like peanut or sunflower. You also need to make sure your oil is always hot. Otherwise you'll end up with a soggy mess. So don't fry too much at a time, that brings down the temperature. Just remember, good oil and hot oil will make quality fried goodies.

This recipe could be done with a lot of different fishes. Experiment. Sauce? Lemon-Dill Mayo Serves 6-8

Propeller Batter

• 1 cup flour • 1 1/2 cups Propeller Extra Special Bitter • 1 tablespoon sunflower or grapeseed oil • 1 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika • 1 teaspoon baking powder

In a large bowl, whisk all the ingredients together. Add more flour or beer, depending, to get the texture of thick paint. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Fish

• 4-5 haddock fillets, cut in 3-4 pieces • 1 cup flour

Heat your oil to about 350°F. Dredge the fish in the flour. Dust the flour from the fish, one by one dip them in the batter, and carefully drop the fish in the oil. Fry until the crust is golden brown. It should take about 5 minutes. Set them on a wire rack for the excess oil to drain. Season with salt.

Chips

• 3-4 large russet potatoes, cut into desired shape

Make sure your heat is at about 300°F. Blanch the fries in batches for about 5 minutes and drain on a wire rack or wire basket for half an hour. Once all blanched, you'll need to cook them a second time. Bring your oil up to 375°F and fry until golden brown, for about 2-3 minutes. Drain, salt and eat!

Maple Strawberry-Rhubarb Fool

No one seems to know for sure where this application of "fool" originates. It does, however, reference something ridiculously tasty. Fruit fools couldn't be easier to make, and they are a favorite dessert at the Inn. Serve yours with either ice cream (good for summer days) or fresh whipped cream. I tend to cook and eat recipes for the blog in the morning when the light is best for taking pictures, and I must say this goes very well with a French-pressed coffee. Thanks to the neighbor down the road for the heritage rhubarb! Enjoy!

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh strawberries, cut in quarters • 2 cups fresh rhubarb, diced • 1/2 cup maple syrup • pinch of salt • maple sugar (optional)

In a large saucepan bring the maple syrup to a boil. Add the strawberries, rhubarb and salt. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate a couple of hours.

Once the mixture is cold, layer strawberry-rhubarb with whipped or ice cream. Top with maple sugar.

Breakfast Salad - Soft-Boiled Egg, Aged Cheddar and Balsamic

Why not right? Runny egg yolks make great salad dressing. I made this the other day with a suillus mushroom foraged by Earlene from the Inn. She told us that the suillus goes really well with eggs. So I went ahead and put together this salad, topping it with the mushroom sautéed in butter, garlic, and fresh herbs. Yum. Feel free to top your breakfast salad with whatever you have around; toasted nuts, cheese, smoked trout, crispy bacon... Enjoy!

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs • 2 good handfuls of mixed greens • 1 tablespoon sunflower or grapeseed oil • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar • 2 tablespoons chopped roasted almonds • a small handful of aged cheddar, grated • salt + ground black pepper

Mix the oil and balsamic. Set aside.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and carefuly add the eggs. Cook 5 minutes. Put the eggs in cold running water for 30 seconds. Peel the shell off.

Top the greens with the almonds, cheddar, vinaigrette and the egg. Slice the egg open and season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Wild Strawberry Tarts

These little strawberries are ripening fast, and in a couple of weeks the boom will be over. Yesterday we went picking with the idea of making pies. Wild strawberries (also known as wood strawberries) grow in a bunch of different areas--on roadsides, along rocky river beds, in open fields and forests. If you take a walk this week, chances are you'll see some. But be warned, unless you find a really good patch, filling a whole jar can be seriously time consuming. I decided to make small individual tarts (3" in diameter) because picking enough for a normal pie would have taken us the entire week. I do prefer the wild strawberries to the giant-sized ones you find in the store, but that's a personal thing; their taste reminds me of the jams my grandmother used to make. Enjoy!

Yields 6 small tarts

Dough

• 1 cup flour • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter • 2 tablespoons sugar • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Rub the flour with the butter until you get a coarse sandy texture. Then add just enough cold water to make a smooth dough, about 2 – 3 tablespoons. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup wild strawberries • 1/4 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Mix the strawberries and sugar in a bowl and let sit for 15 minutes, turning the mixture with a spoon once or twice. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/8" thick. With a glass or cookie cutter, trim out 6 rounds that are larger than your molds. Line each buttered mold with the dough and pre-bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Trim out the edges of the dough and fill with the strawberry mixture. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Leave to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Toasted Sesame and White Bean Hummus

Now I know "hummus" means chickpeas, but really we use the name for anything resembling a beany dip. I've tried many sorts of beans and the white (or white pea bean) really works for me. Instead of the usual smooth tahini, I've toasted sesame seeds, which gives this hummus a little crunch. For a spicy kick I also added some hot sauce. You could easily put more or less, depending on the level of hot that you enjoy. Also, the recipe yields 4 cups, which may seem like a lot, but trust me, you'll go through it fast enough.

Enjoy! Flatbread Recipe Here Unique clay platter by Big Hill Pottery.

Yields about 4 cups

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried white beans • 1/2 cup olive oil • 1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted • 6 tablespoons lemon juice ( about 2 lemons) • 2 teaspoons hot sauce • 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped • salt

Soak the beans overnight. Drain the beans and simmer in water for 45 minutes to an hour. Strain and let cool for 10 minutes. In a food processor mix the cooked beans, olive oil, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, lemon juice, hot sauce and garlic cloves. Whiz until smooth and thick. Add more oil if too thick. Season with salt to taste. Serve with flatbreads or crackers.

Red Wine and Horseradish Marinated Beef Strip Loin with Caramelized Onions

I don't eat beef often, but when I do I like it to be a thick, juicy steak that's packed with flavor and served with a couple of buttered veggies. Caramelized onions are a great topping for steak. They are so versatile and adaptable. Sweat them, grill them, brown them... they can be found in a wide range of recipes. Onions are cooked so often here that we have a running joke about it. "Mmmm, something smells good..." Just how sauteeing onions can turn the ham-handed novice into a fantastic cook, marinating your meat can turn a cheap cut into something quite delicious. Marinating adds flavor but also acts as a tenderizer. Here, the acidity in the wine will tenderize the meat by breaking up the bonds that hold the proteins together, this is also called denaturing.

Enjoy!

Asparagus Amandine Recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 strip loin steak, about 300g each • 2 tablespoons sunflower oil • 1/4 cup red wine • 2 tablespoons prepared or fresh grated horseradish • salt + ground black pepper

In a bowl large enough to hold both steaks, mix the oil, wine and horseradish together. Add the beef and season with a pinch of salt and a few crunches of blackpepper. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.

Maple Caramelized Onions

• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced • 3 tablespoons butter • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

In a medium pan, on high heat, brown the onions in the butter, stirring often for 10-15 minutes, until the onions are a nice dark brown. Lower the heat if it gets too hot. Finish with the maple syrup and set aside.

Cooking It

Pre-heat the oven to 375°F. In a pan, heat up a drizzle of oil. Sear the steaks 2-3 minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper. If you want the steaks rare, this should about do it for a 1" thick steak. If you want them cooked more, transfer them to a small tray and finish in the oven until desired doneness. Top with horseradish and caramelized onions.

Weekend Oyster Bar

"Contentez-vous de peu et vous serez toujours heureux." My parents came to visit this week and so did my girlfriend's family. We all had a great time together, enjoying the scenery, the food and a few drinks. Since the weather has been so chill and the water so cold, we also went oystering and musseling. One afternoon we set out at low tide and returned a little later with no less than eighty oysters and sixty mussels, all of them wild, fresh, and mind-blowingly good. We ate the shellfish on the back deck, now also known as the Weekend Oyster Bar.

We slugged a couple of oysters with lemon and cold Canadian beer. The mussels I cooked with vermouth (as martinis were in demand), and my mother found seven tiny pearls in one of them.  Later on I served the rest of the oysters with shallots, garlic and tomatoes tossed over pasta. You'll find the recipe for that below.

On sunny Father's Day we went around the Cabot Trail, stopping every few kilometers to take in another dramatic view, explore a pebbly beach, or check out the local crafts. I'm so glad to live in an area that is not only beautiful and wild but also home to woodworkers, potters, leathersmiths, metal sculptors and glass blowers--in essence, home to artists and creative individuals. Here are a few of the shops whose wares I will be featuring on the blog.

Leather goods - Leather Works Cutting boards - Woodsmiths Studio Plates and more - Big Hill Pottery

Serves 4

Pasta with Oysters, Shallots, Garlic and Tomatoes

• 40 oysters, shucked + some juice • 2 cups tomatoes, diced with juice • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 3 shallots, finely chopped • small handful of flat-leaf parsley, cut in chiffonade • 1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano, grated • 1/2 lemon juice • olive oil • salt + ground black pepper

Cook your choice of pasta in boiling water. Set aside. In a large pan, cook the oysters in a bit of olive oil for about 1 minute. Add the shallots, garlic and parlsey. Cook on high heat for another minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer for a couple of minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top the pasta with the sauce, some parmesan, parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Twice-Baked Sweet Potato with Bacon and Green Onions

These twice-baked sweet potatoes have crispy, carmelized skins and a smooth tangy filling. Add a dollop of crème fraîche and indulge. Don't ask me why crème fraîche is so hard to find. Until I started making it myself (cultures are from Glengarry) I never had occasion to try the stuff. Now, I love it in soups, curries, and anything that benefits from a rich, creamy kick. Crème fraîche is similar to sour cream but less sour and with a higher fat content. You can, of course, substitute sour cream, but avoid the artificially soured kind. It doesn't really taste good.

Green onions are a sure bet with potatoes. Sometimes they're called scallions, but I think I prefer green onions. You've probably heard the song "Green Onions" by Booker T. and the M.G.'s. It's a goody and should get you going while cooking this recipe.

I cure and smoke my own bacon, and I get my salad greens from Peter LeBlanc's Scenic Valley Farm in Margaree Valley. Delicious.

Enjoy!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 medium sweet potatoes • 6 slices bacon, roughly chopped • 4-5 green onions, chopped • 2 tablespoons butter • pinch cayenne pepper • 1/2 cup crème fraîche (or sour cream or greek yogurt) • salt + ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F Bake the sweet potatoes on a baking pan for 45-55 minutes or until you can easily pierce through it with a knife. Let them cool for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, sauté the bacon in a frying pan on medium heat until the bits are crispy, this should take about 10-15 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the green onions. Set aside.

For 2 of the potatoes, split them in half and scoop most of the flesh out, leaving about 1/4" on the borders. Take all the flesh out of the remaining potato. Mash, then add the butter and the bacon-green onions mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture back into the skins and bake for another 20-25 minutes. Serve with the crème fraîche.