GOING LOCAL .... FOR V-DAY!

Noggin Farms & Gourmandise Ave, Halifax Seaport Market

Sure... it’s super easy to go local for Valentine’s Day if you take your lover out to eat at a local restaurant and buy them roses or whatevs from the local florist. Not that there is anything wrong with following typical Valentine’s traditions but it’s also kind of boring. We decided we'd just mention some Made in Nova Scotia ideas for the big V-Day to get you started so you could show your lover that you’re thoughtful, creative and...  locally minded to get that romance mojo flowing. 

If you’re single, don’t worry, I’ve got something for you and maybe a few of your fabulous single friends in a post this week!  And by this week, we mean probably tomorrow... 

Now, Valentine’s Day is just under a week away so let’s start with the best part of V-Day....

WINE!!!

So many great Nova Scotian Wines out there, it’s so hard to pick just one. So because we couldn’t agree, we decided to give each our favourite. 

ThePubnisian: Blow Me Down by Blomidon. $18 I could drink this like water. I would rather drink this than water... but my employer probably wouldn’t be happy. Love it! It’s a great wine to share. It’s very light tasting and has a really nice smell to it. I know that sounds weird but it’s true. It’s recommended you serve the wine chilled. Only downside is that the only place you can buy it is at Halifax Seaport Market or Blomidon Winery. Jost’s Prima Rose, $13 is a close second, which I also serve chilled.

Bluenoser: Jost Eagle Tree Muscat. Great super dry white wine that goes with everything from seafood to thai food. Has hints of lycee and grapefruit that take the edge of the dryness. Great sipping wine. And L'Acadie Pinot Grigio because it has hints of apples, melons also a sweet dry wine but more subtle then Muscat

TheCaper: Blomidon Rose; not a major wine drinker but I find this Rose a smooth subtle wine that does not leave any after-taste. According to the Blomidon website it’s an off dry wine that pairs well with everything from spicy Asian dishes to a turkey dinner. I personally would drink it with pretty much anything. A very close 2nd for me would be Jost Sangria

TheGinger: As a lover of wines, especially Nova Scotia wine, I found it very difficult to choose just one wine to label as my "favourite" but after much thought and self deliberation, I have come to my decision: my favourite NS wine is the Marechal Foch by Domaine de Grand Pre. This award winning wine can be drunk on its own or with a variety of pairings including poultry, mild cheeses, pasta and lamb among others. Aged in oak barrels for on year, it has the hint of dark berries and fruits that tickle the palate. If you like a dry, full flavoured wine I would highly recommend giving it a try, you won't regret it!

Chocolate

Last weekend at the Farmers Market, Noggin Farms teamed up with Gourmandise Avenue and created a unique Valentine’s Day Apple and Chocolate at the top of the post. I thought it was so unique and fun.  A great way to say you love someone in a... plutonic type of way. Gourmandise Avenue is a permanent store in the Halifax Seaport Market and they also have a store in Lunenburg on King St.  They make other sugary and pastry treats as well. It’s worth a gander if you’re anywhere near the market.

If you’re looking for a little chocolate with aphrodisiac properties for your lover than you need to head down to Sugah and take a look at their Tantric Tablet Collection. Warning! These are not for children eye’s ..lol. You can buy the entire collection of 7 bars (one for each day of the week) for under $40 or pick out your favourite bars for under $6 each. I picked up two last weekend. One called Pair of Tongs which is their Dark Chocolate with Fog Burner and the other was Pounding the Spot which is Dark Chocolate with Nova Scotia Sea Salt. If you’re wondering why it’s called the Tantric Collection well.. the inside bar’s wrapping also gives you a description of a Karma Sutra position accompanied by a caricature of two (what I assume are) chocolate bars demo-ing the position. They kinda remind me of Gumby though.. Sugah is located in Bishop's Landing and only open, I do believe Friday and Saturdays through the winter but they also have a online store that ships just about anywhere. PS You can order Rum Runner's Cakes there too.. 

Warning: If you’ve never had Sugah’s Dark Chocolate with NS Sea Salt before.. you may find it weird tasting at first but you’ll need a second bite.. then a third, fourth, fifth...and before you know it the bar is gone.... extremely addictive.

DINNER!!

Let’s face it, V-Day is on a Tuesday. Unless you get Wednesday off, going out for dinner may not be a good option for you. How about you make dinner for your lover or loved ones.  No other food goes together better with romance than LOBSTER!! And you’re in luck since lobster is cheaper than chicken...

Lobster Lovers Share Pepsi Courtesy Of Lobster Fisher M Corporon. Female on Left & Male on Right 

If you can’t buy lobster directly of a boat from the wharf, you can always find fisherman selling lobster alongside the road.

Now the typical lobster dinner that comes to mind is always the steamed lobster eaten directly out of the shell, dipped in butter. It’s really hard to get fresh lobster and try to boil it if you’re pressed for time. Don’t worry, Most fisherman and the people of Sou’West Nova Scotia hardly ever eat lobster right out of the shell. Next Sunday I’ll post the simple recipe for creamed lobster that anybody can cook. I promise it will knock your lover’s undies off. Plus it allows you to cook and shell the lobster over the weekend and it take less than 30 mins to cook on V-Day night. You can eat it with mashed potatoes, over dense bread or you can use it for Poutine. It’s the best way to eat lobster!

Note: If you live in Haliwood and don’t have time to steam lobster over the weekend or just don’t want to, then head down to Evan’s Seafood Restaurant in Alderney Landing. Hopefully by then you can take the ferry across. The sell take out Lobster Poutine for around $11. It’s amazing.. I promise you will not be disappointed.

If you have any other ideas or suggestion for Valentine’s Day then we want to hear it. Leave us a comment or send us a tweet!