After waking up, chatting with other guests in the breakfast room, eating a filling and delicious breakfast, and packing the car it was time to head East, and a little West, to Advocate Harbour. It would take four hours and twenty minutes of driving.
I wanted to take the old highway, to a flea market, but I left a little later than expected. It was taking longer to get there with the more windy road. Instead I pivoted and swayed to the modern highway to get to Just Us! Coffee House in Grande Pre.
Started in 1995 after getting a loan, with their home as collateral, they bought fair trade coffee beans from Mexico. Arranging more partnerships with other coffee growers they have grown their business. They sell great coffee and hot chocolate. Workers, from those who serve the coffee to those that run the company, can become owners in the company too. Their German roasting machines, well loved antiques, churn out great beans. I always like to stop here as their spicy hot chocolate mix is the best. I got a mocha (espresso and hot chocolate) to have the best of both worlds.
Next stop was Truro and my stomach wanted something familiar and foreign. To satisfy that itch I went to The Great British Grub Cafe and Bakery. The place was packed tight so I waited for ten minutes and read until a table freed up. Once seated I easily chose two Cornish Pasties to have. They were something Natalie and I had, many years ago when we were staying within Lake Country in the UK. Well, these were not the awesome ones in the UK, but these ones were still pretty good. Worth the stop.
Ahead of schedule, and a very short distance away, was Cooper’s Cabin and I wandered around their displays to look at old toys for sale. Last stop in Truro was Exor Games where I picked up a few Battletech boxes and a first edition of the Guillotine board game, the revolutionary card game where you win by getting ahead. This first edition has a cardboard guillotine and it's nice to get an extra copy of this out of print game. Natalie and I enjoy its dark humour and easy gameplay. Just before leaving the store, the rain came down and by down I mean heavy canvas curtains of rain down. I waited a few minutes but went for it as my car was just around the corner.
Turning West-North-West, I stopped at Masstown Market to use their washroom and pick up some Lunenberg blueberry wine. A short distance away was another stop, “That Dutchman’s Cheese Farm”. The chickens, and other animals, were happily wandering in their open pens yet still keeping a close watch. I picked up a cheese that blends Dutch soft and blue cheeses, one of my favourites.
An hour and a half later, at 5pm, I checked into the Wild Caraway B&B and Restaurant in Advocate Harbour. I’ve eated here twice and stayed here once. It's a scenic detour from the main highway and close-ish to Joggins Fossil cliffs.
Walking to the beach, I looked out into the Bay of Fundy until the sand bugs swarmed me. I quickly went back inside and worked on my travel journal instead.
At 7pm, I walked downstairs for my supper reservation. Ah, what a wonderful meal. Started with potato cakes, fennel hummus, falafel, and bread with caraway seeds. The potato cakes were deep fried with light butter and spiced salt, Fennel hummus had a nice garlic and dandelion element with fresh cut fennel on the side to bring out the fennel in the hummus. The falafel was green inside and tasted of garden peas and tasty herbs with edible weeds.
Next were the halibut cakes. Dips of lemon garlic (smooth tartness), black truffle (earthy), basil (gentle), and paprika (strong start that transitions to smooth) complemented the lightly fried halibut cakes. The batter had cracked pepper and salt to enhance the flavour. The individual gels were fun to try on their own.
My wine, Blomidon Tidal Bay, arrived and it woke up my taste buds. A combination of maple, chamomile, and lime subtle notes. It cut through the butter in my final course of scallops and a zucchini fritter. The fritter had a perfect char that brought added texture to the dish. The brown butter scallops with cracked pepper, and a tiny bit of salt, also paired well with the olive oil gel (how do they do that!), dulce (Bay of Fundy seaweed) cream threads (great umami bomb that doesn’t distract from the scallop taste), and feta mayo spurts (kinds sweet). With the scallops separately, or together, they made me smile at the expert and imaginative dish.
As a palette cleanser the raspberry sorbet (deep and dark), on elderflower granita (gentle as a lamb’s wool), provided plenty of flavour to delight.
For dessert I had a cappuccino (strong and smooth) with Knotwood flan (cherry-like with long lasting notes) and a scoop of juniper cream (so tasty with earthy flavour) on the side. Combined they ran a marathon of taste where one respectfully ran ahead then switched with another flavour. Floral, cherry, forest, fruit, tart, sweet, caramel were all vying for the lead.
As a bonus they provided a wine gummy, a Turkish delight that tasted like quince, and a red velvet-like cookie. As always at the Wild Caraway, the meal may seem small but I ended up being very filled and satisfied.
I journaled and read some more, then got ready for bed. By 11pm I was drifting off so I let myself fall asleep. 5.3km walked and 8 flights climbed.
No comments:
Post a Comment