East Coast Living Summer 2021

east coast

LIVING elax R

Inspiring home life in Atlantic Canada

WITH A GOOD DOSE OF SUMMER

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LAST LOOK

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SUMMER 2021

Style maker Natalie Owens settles into her summer home in charming Chester, NS.

THE LIST

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

10 Decor: Impulsively perfect

22 Setting your sites on

5 Editor’s message

40 Libations: Take the buzz out

How to transform a spur of the moment decision into the best idea ever

13 Trends: East Coast eco-chic

Redefine your own earth loving style

14 Trends: Simple beginnings

A wedding that really plans for the future

16 Projects: Scrap the wood

Different deck materials to consider

26 Gardening: The botanical

medicine cabinet

With a little care, you can find herbal remedies growing around you

good design

When the synthesis of nature and building is part of the plan

30 In Depth: Catch with

a conscience

The East Coast enjoys a rich haul of sustainable seafood—if you take the time to find it

EATING IN

BRUCE MURRAY, VISIONFIRE

contents

Where the dandelions grow

of summer

Are you feeling sober curious?

45 Buying Guide 46 Last look: Made in the Shade

P.E.I. artist Lindsay Ross gets local colour spot on

36 BERRY BLISS U-plant,

u-pick, u-enjoy!

The beautiful bounty of berry season

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The ultimate clean.

The ultimate dry, including plastics.

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Without CrystalDry™

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© 2020 Bosch Home Appliances | www.bosch-home.ca

Make a wish for a

good dose of summer

I

ILLUSTRATIONS BY BRENDA JONES

PHOTO: NORTHOVER PHOTOGRAPHY

’ve always loved dandelions. From the moment their happy little tufts of yellow poke their heads up through spring grass to their transformation to feathery puffballs that accept wishes, carrying them away with a single breath of air—they just make me happy.

It’s ironic that we all celebrate these first little endorsements that summer is on its way only to damn them, mow them, dig them out, and poison them as they become more plentiful. How quickly the conversation turns to their reappearance as a blight on the suburban front lawn.

But as much as others regard them with disdain, I still give a lot of respect to these humble little flowers. I was delighted when my youngest daughter advocated this spring to observe No Mow May, giving the dandelions a chance to do what they were put on earth to do: provide a smorgasbord of sustenance for hungry pollinators waking from their winter sleep. We have become more aware of the importance of our pollinators, but maybe we need to give more consideration to the little things that can have a big impact on their sustainability.

In the last few years, and especially during the pandemic, I have become more conscious of the significance of simple changes and how they affect my carbon footprint and the collective good of the planet.

My children’s growing respect and awe of the earth has inspired many of the changes, like the hayfield growing around my house. Their lens is very different from what mine was at their age.

And while there is still an inordinate number of packages being delivered to our back door, their consumption practices and behaviours are changing, governed by their experiences with the climate crisis that has been part of the dialogue for their whole lives.

This new ethos is driving change in everything from how we source our food (see “Catch with a conscience” on page 30) to how we plan weddings (“Simple beginnings,” page 14), and even how we plan and design our homes (“Setting your sites on good design,” page 22).

As Halifax architect Chris Crawford shares in the design feature that delves into the relationship of environment and building, there’s a movement to make our structures exist as part of the landscape, rather than dominating it. The response to this thinking is revealing some of the most innovative design in the country. East Coast Living will explore this more in future issues.

Sustainability factors into our lives in many ways, even our own health. Holistic nutritional consultant Karen Kerr shares her experiences becoming “sober curious” as well as a few summer cocktail recipes that are full of flavour and not alcohol (“Take the buzz out of summer,” page 40).

We’ve all wondered how long the pandemic restrictions in our region would be sustainable. Those limits were tested again this spring and I say to everyone who has worked tirelessly, and for those of us who were just following the rules and rolling up our sleeves, thank you for getting us to a place where we can begin to return to the life we love on the East Coast. If I could grant us all a wish on the dandelions going to seed in my lawn, it would be for all of us to have the opportunity to relax and enjoy a good dose of summer.

Crystal Murray, Editor ecl@metroguide.ca EastCoastLiving East Coast Living Magazine

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On our cover:

Karen and Rod Kerr sip on one of Karen’s signature cocktails featured in the story “Take the buzz out of summer,” and soak up the sun with pooch Bella on the dock in front of their home on Millet Lake, N.S. Photo: Bruce Murray/VisionFire Publisher Editor-in-Chief Senior Editor Contributing Editors Production & Creative Director Graphic Designer Production Coordinator Printing

Fred Fiander Crystal Murray Trevor J. Adams Jodi DeLong Janet Whitman Shawn Dalton Roxanna Boers Nicole McNeil Advocate Printing & Publishing

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Fishnets & Fantasies Jane Doucet $22.95 | Fiction 978-1-77108-958-6 “Want a sassy good time and a great giggle?

Make a date with Fishnets & Fantasies.”

–Lesley Crewe, Globe & Mail bestselling author of The Spoon Stealer

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Volume 24, Number 2, Summer 2021 ISSN 1714-1834 East Coast Living is a Metro Guide publication.

Contemporary Art & Ceramics 5431 Doyle Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia www.studio21.ca | fineart@studio21.ca | @studio21fineart Artists depicted here: Ivan Murphy, Sara MacCulloch on the wall. Heather Waugh-Pitts, Marcus Jones, Toni Losey, Maja Padrov on the table. Furniture courtesy of 31 Westgate

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Online eastcoastliving.ca

Find even more images from our cover home shoot, blogs posts and more on eastcoastliving.ca.

Missed an issue? Discover back issues of East Coast Living on our website, plus recipes, stories and sneak peeks into upcoming issues of East Coast Living.

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Meet our contributors KAREN KERR “Take the buzz out of summer” Karen Kerr is a Registered Holistic Nutrition Consultant, Certified Yoga Instructor and founder of the wellness company Vivacious Living. She helps women achieve the health and wellness they desire. She lives in Chester, N.S. a on a lake with her husband Rod and daughter Kate. For more of her delicious recipes and healthy lifestyle tips follow her on her favourite platform Instagram @vivaciousliving

AMEETA VOHRA “Made in the Shade” Ameeta Vohra is a news and sports writer. Her work has been published throughout North America including Halifax Magazine, CBCSports.ca, Star Halifax, CFL, TSN, Featurd, Football Canada, Haligonia.ca, Sportstream.ca and USPORTS. She is a 2020 Atlantic Journalism Awards finalist for Atlantic Magazine: Best Profile Article.

ALEC BRUCE “Scrap the wood” Alec Bruce is a writer and editor whose bylines have appeared in national publications in Canada and the United States, including the Globe and Mail, Maclean’s, Canadian Living, and Reader’s Digest. He’s a regular contributor to Atlantic Business Magazine, Saltscapes, and East Coast Living, among others. He is currently completing his Master of Fine Arts (2022) in Creative Nonfiction at the University of King’s College in Halifax.

JODI DELONG “The botanical medicine cabinet” Contributing Editor and plant fanatic Jodi DeLong has been fascinated by edible wild plants and medicinal herbs since her days as a student at the former Nova Scotia Agricultural College (Now Dalhousie University Agricultural Campus). When not rambling the nurseries, greenhouses, woods and seashores of Nova Scotia, she’s probably thinking about, writing about, or playing with plants.

MELANIE MOSHER “BERRY BLISS U-plant, u-pick, u-enjoy!”

Melanie Mosher is the author of three books for young readers. When she’s not writing she likes to walk along the trails near her home. She often carries a container, seizing every opportunity to pick wild berries as she goes. Nova Scotia Blueberry Grunt is a family favourite in her house. Learn more about Melanie at melaniemosher.com

NATALIE OWENS “Impulsively perfect” Natalie Owens is a personal and home stylist based in Halifax. She founded Stil James in 2016, after 10 years working with several start-ups as a sales director.

Whether updating a clients wardrobe or living room, her passion is derived from bringing things up to date and creating beautiful spaces aligned with her clients’ vision. Natalie spends her summers with her family on the South Shore and is especially looking forward to this summer adding another baby to her growing family of four.

JANET WHITMAN “Catch with a conscience” Contributing editor Janet Whitman is a city- and nature-loving journalist who divides her time between Halifax and her cottage on the Northumberland Shore, when pandemic restrictions permit. She’s happiest digging in the dirt, picking up a hammer or messing around in the kitchen—and is excited to try the trio of sustainable seafood recipes in her latest feature for East Coast Living.

STEVE SMITH Photography for “BERRY BLISS U-plant, u-pick, u-enjoy!”

Steve Smith is a commercial photographer at VisionFire Studios located in Pictou, N.S., shooting for a wide range of clientele throughout Atlantic Canada.

BRUCE MURRAY, VISIONFIRE Photography for “Catch with a conscience” “Impulsively perfect” and “Take the buzz out of summer” Bruce has been creating food and lifestyle photography for more than 20 years in the Maritimes and in his original studio in Vancouver. visionfire.ca @VisionFire

TALIA MEADE “East Coast eco-chic” and “Simple beginnings” Talia Meade is a recent University of King’s College journalism graduate. Originally from Ottawa, Ontario, Talia has fallen in love with the East Coast and enjoys capturing its beauty through writing and sharing stories of Martimers.

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Impulsively perfect

Above: Living room with oversized sofa and modern accent chairs to pull in for cozier conversations. Benjamin Moore, Cake Batter does a complete flip on the former dark panelled walls.

How to transform a spur of the moment decision into the best idea ever

BY NATALIE OWENS PHOTOS BY BRUCE MURRAY, VISIONFIRE

S

“

10

o, don’t be mad. But I bought a cottage today in Chester.”

“You, did what?”

“I fell in love with this place, and I think you’ll love it too, but I had to put an offer in quickly and it was accepted, so now we own a cottage on the South Shore.”

I wish this were a made-up story, unfortunately, it’s the truth about how my husband impulsively bought an 84-year-old home without telling me and thus began an unwanted labor of love of a home that was ready for a coastal update.

At the time I was just launching my own business as a personal styling and interior design consultant and you can also throw in there learning how to be a new Mom. My husband thought nothing of the timing and was only focused on spending the summers in our new

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cottage in Chester—a home exactly as he purchased it: dark and dated.

When I asked him how we would furnish the four-bedroom, he told me to just look on Kijiji for temporary furniture, given he had already blown most of the budget on the purchase price. Luckily, we had been married long enough that I paid absolutely no attention and got to work sourcing fresh paint, new furniture and about six local handymen who would help me transform the space into my (our) new summer escape.

Dark brown paneling spanned throughout the entire main floor, heavy trim and stucco ceilings, called for a serious paint job in order to lighten things up and give each room a more expansive, bright feel while keeping it cozy.

The light fixtures had a nautical, gothic theme throughout each room that felt heavy, so we swapped in some beachy, brass fixtures

throughout the home, and kept a few of the vintage fixtures to maintain the heritage aesthetic.

The sunroom was all about bright white and airy furniture. We let the original chunky, red leather couch live on the side road for a while and brought in whites & greys, then added bright colourful custom pillows, fresh artwork and plants. It quickly became our favorite room in the house, and our morning cup of coffee space that everyone loves to be in.

Next, we tackled the fireplace in the main living room. As hard as I tried to work around the large stone fireplace, it didn’t seem to matter which furniture I brought in or paint I put on the walls... it was too heavy and too dark for the space. I chose a hand-crafted glass mosaic made from all of the oceans best blues and re-designed the mantle & side benches to serve as storage and extra seating. This was our greatest mini-project in the home, and reaffirmed just how important the ‘focal point’ is to a space.

We added a wood-fire wall, custom cushions and kid-friendly sofas & chairs to the living room so that we didn’t need to fuss when sandy feet came through the door in the summer, or popcorn was spilled on the couch during winter getaways by the fire.

The dining room was important. My husband loves to cook, and I always love being at a large round dining table where you could see your guests at equal lengths. We had a local company build a custom farmhouse dining table, that was just slightly oversized for the room,

After Kitchen: Heartwood appliances give the space a cottage feel, while mixing in classic carrera marble subway tile and modern textiles to keep the space up to date.

Before

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

PHOTO: NATALIE OWENS

DECOR

Ensuite Bathroom: Farrow & Ball wallpaper with traditional brass fixtures and a custom built wood vanity make the perfect mix for this ensuite bathroom.

Sunroom: Custom fabrics and bright white paint make all the difference in the oncedark and dated narrow sunroom.

After

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

Before

Fireplace: Custom glass mosaic tile replaced large, dated stone to add a nautical, modern feel.

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and added our favorite wooden Chilton chairs that have grooves in all the right places. If there was one space, I was going to take some risks, it was going to be the dining room, so I added large scale octopus fabric drapes, with thick brass rods to create impact in a room filled with natural woods & textures.

Needless to say, four years later I’m beginning to forgive my husband for his rash-decision making. Our cottage has become my own oasis in the summers and a place we all look forward to retreating to. The home was well-loved before we bought it, and with a little bit of design TLC and a lot of paint, I have a feeling it will become a sanctuary for our children & their families for many years to come. o

Dining Room: Custom Round Dining Table: David Bryant; Halifax Harvest Tables Chilton Dining Chairs: Thornbloom Custom Drapes & Rods: Bellissimo Home Beaded wooden light fixture: Wayfair.ca Jute Rug: rugsusa.com

Sunroom: White Slip-Cover Glider & Ottoman: Bellissimo Home Sofa: Hudson Bay Throw Pillows: Thornbloom

Living Room: Fireplace tile: Surfaces & Co. Toronto Sofa: Van Gogh Furniture via Thornbloom Accent Chairs: EQ3 & Gus Modern via Tuck Studio Nesting coffee tables: Mercana via Thornbloom Sconces: West Elm Textiles: Kravet fabric & Indigo Rug: rugsusa.com PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

Before

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Master Ensuite bathroom: Wallpaper: Farrow & Ball via Westgate Halifax Custom Vanity & countertop: Livingstone Marble Mosaic floor & Subway Tile: Nova Tile & Marble Sconces: Restoration Hardware Hardware & plumbing fixtures: Ensuite Bath & Kitchen

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

DECOR

East Coast

eco-chic

Living simply is the path to a more sustainable life, and the new mantra for many Atlantic Canadian design gurus

BY TALIA MEADE

W

here design meets simplicity, you’ll find Kelly Anderson.

She worked corporate jobs for 20 years before she decided to give up her day job on the West Coast and move home to New Brunswick. Six years later, Anderson is now nesting in Fredericton and owns Simple Home Simple Life, a business to help clients create sustainable homes through essentialism.

“Essentialism is essentially living by design rather than default,” says Anderson. It’s all about reusing and repurposing rather than overpurchasing. The first thing Anderson says you should do is to identify the values you have and the lifestyle you want to live, so you can get rid of the excess.

“Figuring out your intention helps you realize the things you don’t need,” Anderson says.

REPURPOSE AND UPCYCLE Creating new uses for larger furniture items in your home is a start. For example, Anderson says your dresser can make the perfect height for a standing desk. Add an antique crate on top to place your monitor, and voilà.

For smaller pieces, upcycling might be the way to go. Bottles, jars, and baskets are great for functional kitchen décor. Anderson says when you’re done with large bulk jars from places like Costco, rip off the label, add chalkboard stickers and use them for organizing.

USE YOUR ENVIRONMENT Lucky for us Maritimers, nature can often help with beach-chic design elements. Anderson suggests next time you’re on a beach walk, collect some driftwood for the mantle or find sea glass to put in a clear jar.

Our environments, Anderson says, are key to mental and physical health, as a year of lockdowns has made even clearer. These purposeful practices will help limit wasteful consumerism, spending and time.

THE CLOSET CONNECTION One business that’s taken advantage of the essential lifestyle is P.E.I. clothing company Ureshii, prioritizing comfortable and sustainable clothing.

Partners in business and life, Emily McBride and Amanda Dawe are shifting the way we purchase our clothes. Emily McBride sews while Amanda Dawe works the customer service side.

Together they own Ureshii, a made to measure and made to order sustainable clothing business in Summerside, P.E.I. “COVID-19 is changing the way we buy clothes,” says Dawe, meaning we’re opting for comfort and longevity rather than trends. This is good news for Ureshii. Sustainable clothes are coming back into the conversation and with it, made-to-order clothes.

Fast fashion leads to a lot of leftover stock

which means more waste. “It’s really good for consumers to get used to choosing a product really carefully and then waiting maybe an few days for it to be made just for them,” Dawe says. In addition to using less waste and fewer resources, you’ll also get clothing tailored to your body.

If retail shopping is more practical for you, Dawe suggests that you make an effort to look for transparency when buying. “It’s important to think about what the clothes are made out of, who’s making them, are those people being paid appropriately and how far away is it coming from?”

If you’re talking with a small-business owner, they’re usually able to tell you all of those things so you can make those choices easier, says Dawe.

Ureshii uses hemp and linen fabrics since these plants don’t use a lot of pesticides or water and, a big plus, can be grown in North America. Dawe and McBride are looking forward to when local farmers can start growing and producing sustainable fibre fabrics on the East Coast.

“It’s kind of an amazing thing to think that one day we could be making clothes from a fibre that was grown by a local farmer,” says Dawe. o

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Simple

beginnings A wedding that really plans for the future

BY TALIA MEADE PHOTOS BY JANETTE DOWNIE

W

Top: Franny Rutchinski and Zakary Miller tied the knot and their commitment to a more sustainable lifestyle.

Above: A collection of vintage and thrifted dishes and cutlery set the stage for sweet tablescapes.

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hen you already embrace a sustainable lifestyle, chances are your wedding day will reflect those values. Married two years ago, Franny Rutchinski and Zakary Miller didn’t plan an eco-conscious wedding.

They married in Blomidon, N.S. in June 2019. With some help from wedding planner Sarah Anderson, owner of East Coast Pop up Weddings. Rutchinski says their special day embraced local and sustainable ideals they’ve always held.

“Looking back, I never would’ve categorized it that way, but I guess in the grand scheme, yes it was super eco-friendly and economical,” says Rutchinski.

By gathering the help and talents of their Annapolis Valley community, the couple pulled off an inexpensive, sustainable, and local wedding.

Rutchinski upcycled her mother’s old wedding dress from the 1970s and turned it into a skirt. She then thrifted a vintage blouse at Daisy Roots in Wolfville, the same place where Miller found his suit jacket.

Rutchinski began collecting glass and dishware for the wedding at local vintage stores which she says became like an addiction.

Friends and family began to add to the mismatched glassware collection and threw in tablecloths and napkins.

“We [didn’t have] a lot of money to throw around, so that kind of guided us. That being said, even if our budget was twice what it was, I would’ve done things the same way,” she says.

The important thing when planning a simple wedding, Rutchinski says, is to figure out what’s important to you and cut the rest. This will also help keep the planning clear and stress-free.

Tips

To reduce your wedding carbon footprint Want more tips? Wedding planner, owner of Elegant Productions and co-author of East Coast Wedding Planner, Katelyn Hipson is the expert on green weddings. She has compiled a list of tips to reduce your wedding carbon footprint from invitations to confetti.

Invitations Between wedding announcements, save the dates and invitations, there’s so much information to share with your guests, and so much paper. Sending your information electronically or directing guests to your wedding website is the new norm. Evites are more affordable while reducing the unnecessary manufacturing and shipping process.

Flowers A good question to ask your florist: “Do you work with foam?”

Floral foam is a block of sponge-like foam that florists use to create bouquets.

Harmful to the environment, floral foam is synthetic, non-recyclable plastic that doesn’t fully dissolve in water or degrade in landfill or soil. The other scary side to foam is that it contains formaldehyde, a hazardous substance that has been proven to be cancer-causing and used to preserve cadavers the same way it preserves the bloom of a flower. Hipson

Rutchinski says she went down a rabbit hole of things she thought she needed to have at her wedding, like confetti.

“You get sucked in thinking that you need certain things. Not to toot my own horn but I was told our wedding was very fun, so would that have made an ounce of difference if I had spent a $1,000 on pieces of paper to throw in the air? Probably not.”

Rutchinski also suggests that once you decide on a location, whether you’re travelling around the Atlantic bubble or not,

suggests skipping the foam and talking with your florist about alternatives.

Drinks Hipson’s rule of thumb: “Rent, don’t buy.

And glass over plastic.” Renting things like glasses rather than buying plastic ones that will end up in a landfill is the more sustainable approach.

Food You can find many great businesses in your backyard. Look for catering companies that offer and market local food sourcing and work with local farms in Atlantic Canada, says Hipson.

Favours Opt for an edible wedding favour rather than a trinket that gets left behind or thrown out at the end of the night.

Hipson says she ends up collecting half of the favours at the end of the night and returning them to the company.

902-499-1323 Jarrett@reddoorrealty.ca reddoorrealty.ca

Confetti If the confetti tossing is a moment or a photo you’ve been waiting for, Hipson recommends going for a biodegradable option. Things like dried rose petals or lavender buds, even herbs that can be tossed up in the air will give a similar effect and even better scent.

find out what small businesses you can support while you’re there. Their flowers, food and alcohol were from local businesses and breweries in the Valley.

Rutchinski and Miller are now in the early stages of designing and building a small house. They’re keen on solar energy and implementing a green water system if feasible.

“The theme of my life at this point is just living as simply and small as possible. The wedding was a good example of that.” o

SUMMER 2021

The summer we all deserve is here!

Drop everything. Stop scrolling. Toss dogs, books, and boards in the car, and head to the beach. White Point has always been the hug we all need. Come for bonfire bonding and beach dreaming. Make us your home base for day trips, or just sit and let the lull of the waves bring you back to a happy place. You deserve it.

whitepoint.com ···

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Scrap the wood Is it time to consider alternative decking materials?

BY ALEC BRUCE

“

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T

hey don’t make wood like they used to,” says my neighbour, a retired hardware store owner whose sense of humor is drier than summer kindling, as he surveys my chipped, gouged, bleached, and blanched backyard deck. “You can always tell people that you like it that way … you know … natural.”

Of course, he knows I don’t like it that way. He knows that I’ll probably spend the next 36 hours sanding, sweeping, cleaning, and staining. He also knows that I’ll do it all over again next year just so he can say something like: “On the other hand, you can rip it up and put in one of those composite deals.”

This is a seasonal ritual for us. He ribs me. I pretend to ignore him.

Later, I cruise the Internet for the latest prices on aluminum, vinyl, and composite (plastic-film and wood-fiber blend) decking, check my bank account, sigh deeply, and eventually tell myself there’s nothing wrong with pressure-treated lumber that a little tender loving care can’t cure.

After all, it was good enough for my dear, old pappy. Sure, after a few years it looks weather beaten. But, then, don’t we all?

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Lately, though, I’ve been thinking my neighbor may be on to something.

Recent manufacturing and supply-chain improvements, combined with rising costs and demand for Canadian lumber, have cast alternative materials in a consumer-friendly light like never before.

Maurice Meagher is owner and project developer of Halifax-based Archadeck, which makes decks, patios, retaining walls, and porches from a variety of natural and manufactured materials.

“Increasingly, people are looking at composites,” he says. “They are readily available and very durable. Their quality and aesthetic appeal have improved in recent years. Plus, even though wood is still a more cost-effective building material, the price difference isn’t as great as it used to be.”

Martin Poirier, owns Dieppe, N.B.-based Spartan Decks, which designed and installed 30 composite decks last year. “Maybe they were a new trend, but they’re super popular now,” he says. “Mostly, it’s the low maintenance. There is a hidden cost to sanding and staining a wood deck every year. People want to put something at the back of their

WESTPOINT

P R I N C E E DWA R D I S L A N D people and the coast, in harmony

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Opening June 17th till September 30th.

Call1-800-764-6854 -or- Email westpointlighthouse1@gmail.com

PHOTO: ARCHADECK OF NOVA SCOTIA

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homes that looks great for 20 years. So far this year, I don’t have any [wood] orders.”

For Graham Hobster, who bought two of Poirier’s composite decks last year for the front and back of his house, it’s about convenience, aesthetics, and durability.

“I looked at low maintenance and high product quality,” says the Moncton homeowner. “My old pressure-treated wood deck in the back was 20 years old, and it had never been treated or anything. I was getting tired of replacing boards. [Martin] showed me samples of the pressuretreated cedar that was available, as well as composites. There was no doubt in my mind. I chose a composite, not too dark and not the most expensive, and I haven’t looked back.”

He does, however, recall swallowing hard a couple of times. “We replaced the back deck, a semi-circle with a 30-foot diameter, and the front one, which is about 25 feet long and seven feet deep, for about $20,000. It was a bit of a shock, but we took some time to think it over. I feel confident. It’s very impressive.”

Composite deck materials were once out of reach for many homeowners but the pricing gap when compared to pressure treated lumber has narrowed. The variety of style, materials and colours also allows for a little more creativity in your deck design.

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PHOTO: SPARTAN DECKS

PHOTO: SPARTAN DECKS

PHOTO: ARCHADECK OF NOVA SCOTIA

There‘s no need to sand and stain a composite deck—that’s why many homeowners will pay extra to save time and money in the future.

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If you have the money of Midas, the patience of Job, and only superficial regard for the global environment, there are always speciality timbers like Ipe (also known as Brazilian Walnut), an extraordinarily beautiful, durable, and insect-resistant rainforest wood. More traditional higher-end woods available to Atlantic Canadian consumers are cedar and, less commonly, redwood.

All of this, I must admit, is nudging me away from my dyed-in-thepressure-treated-wood ways. Increasingly, I like the idea of staycationing not only safely, but pleasantly, at home. I like the idea that my deck might finally be a boost to, not a blemish on, my property’s resale value.

About the only thing that still worries me is my neighbour. After all, without my chipped, and gouged deck, what are we going to talk about when the weather turns fine and sun shines again? o

PHOTO: ARCHADECK OF NOVA SCOTIA

Sticker shock was also a factor for Beaverbank, N.S., homeowner Stephen Burke, who recently commissioned two composite decks from Archadeck. “We had our back one redone last fall with glass, a few privacy walls and semi-pergolas for about $18,000. We’re doing the same to our front deck this summer. With steps and glass and everything, it’s going to be about $20,000.”

But Burke, like many consumers these days, plays the long game, and he’s philosophical about the costs. “I think the price of everything is just going up generally,” he says. “These are the times we live in right now.”

He’s not wrong. What makes composite and other materials more competitive now is not that they are getting cheaper; it’s that traditional wood is getting more expensive. The Canadian Forest Industries 2021 Lumber Market Outlook reports that because demand for building projects bottlenecked over the late spring and early summer of COVID-19, “the sustained rush of lumber buying caught sawmills and wholesalers by surprise, which then pushed prices up to never-beforeseen heights.”

The cost of plywood has tripled since the beginning of last year, as has the board-foot price of Spruce-Pine-Fir PT (the lowest of the low among deck-building materials), across Atlantic Canada and much of the country.

So, then, why not spring for something just a little more expensive, durable, and flexible? For that matter, why stop at composites?

Winston Cousins is proprietor of Atlantic Decking Systems of Seaview, P.E.I., which specializes in slip-resistant PVC deck membranes. “There’s a substantial increase in demand for our business,” he says. “They are increasing in popularity, compared with pressure-treated wood, [because] they are waterproof and maintenance free. We have the product on several apartment buildings in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.”

Meanwhile, Karl Costandi of Costandi Designs of Truro, N.S., vouches for aluminum. He represents Alumarch’s Knotwood line of decking materials: “We predict a 40 or 50-year lifespan on this product, he says. “It’s 100% recyclable. I’m quite sure you can’t say that about composites.”

For decks that can last for decades you want to invest a little time in the planning so you make the most of your new outdoor space.

PROJECTS

HIT THE DECK

Spruce-Pine-Fir PT:

$5,000.00

Western Red Cedar:

$5,250.00

Aluminum:

$5,600.00

Composite (mid-range):

$6,000.00

Ipe:

$6,750.00

PVC (mid-range):

$7,000.00

Sources: superdeckstoronto.ca and homeadvisor.com.

caption

PHOTO: SPARTAN DECKS

The cost of building a deck varies according to your choice of materials and location. Here’s a reasonable assessment for a 150-square-foot structure in most places of Atlantic Canada (materials and labour, not including taxes):

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LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT ATLANTIC STAYCATION?

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DINING & DRINKS

This summer, get ready for an unforgettable experience in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. A beautiful waterfront community surrounded by rich history with a modern twist of food, beverage and activities to keep you immersed your entire stay.

With lots to see and do, Thistle Hospitality Group has a weekend of unique experiences curated just for you. Thistle Hospitality is all about human connection, they do just that with their businesses: Founders House Dining & Drinks, Fort View Golf Course, and newly opened pub, The Whiskey Teller. Their pride is sharing an authentic experience that is innovative and comfortable. Now for that staycation, we’ve got it covered.

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First stop, let’s hit the golf course. At Fort View, you’ll experience beautiful vistas and rolling hill views from the first tee all the way to the 18th hole where you’ll see the grand view of Fort Anne National Historic Site, the course along with the clubhouse have all been revitalized, renewed and refreshed.

After working up an appetite, stop by and enjoy a drink or meal at the newest addition to Thistle Hospitality Group: The Whiskey Teller.

This pub is serving up custom and innovative cocktails that feature spirits from Still Fired Distillery and wood-fired chicken and ribs perfected by Head Chef, Zachary Blease. The heritage property, built in 1884 has been restored, revealing original features. Relax in the open kitchen concept pub and dine at the intimate chefs table where exposed brick, 18-foot-high ceilings and rich hardwood floors transport you back in time.

Wrap up your first day in Annapolis Royal by taking in a show at King’s Theatre, or live music at The Oqwa'titek Amphitheatre before settling in at one of the town’s uniquely appointed Bed & Breakfast’s. Choose from the grand Queen Ann Inn, the cozy Lark and Loon Inn, The Bailey House Bed & Breakfast, the Garrison House Inn, or take in the hospitality at the newly renovated Carlisle House.

Start day two wandering the Annapolis Royal Farmers and Traders Market located in the center of town or grab a coffee from Sissiboo Coffee Roaster paired with a pastry from Arch & PO Bakery.

Spend the rest of your day meandering the streets of Annapolis Royal visiting some of our favourite attractions. Explore Fort Anne National Historic Site and Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens, or stop by one of many art galleries that are sprinkled throughout St. George Street. Take in the views on the board walk that follows the curves of the Annapolis River, then step into the Mad Hatter Wine Bar for a glass of your favourite vino, or grab a pint at Annapolis Brewing Co. Polish off your final evening in Annapolis Royal at the award-winning Founders House Dining & Drinks, known for elevated rural dining—rooted in sea and soil. Chef Chris Pyne will wow you with innovative dishes inspired by the best local and fresh ingredients and paired with the finest selection of Nova Scotia wines creating a special experience that makes the Founders House a favourite for locals and visitors near and far.

Now that we have it all planned for you, the only thing left is to hop in the car and head to the valley. Who’s in?

Set your sites on

GOOD DESIGN

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PROJECTS

PHOTO: FATHOM STUDIOS

When the synthesis of nature and building is part of the plan

BY CRYSTAL MURRAY

Above: Drainage plans are an important element of the site design. Satellite topography reveals highly accurate details.

Left: Achieving maximum solar gain and protection from the wild winds of the Newfoundland coast set the stage for this home in East Port designed by architect Chris Woodford.

PHOTO: WOODFORD ARCHITECTURE

T

here are important factors to consider when building a home in Atlantic Canada. Newfoundland architect Chris Woodford says being able to open the front door and not having the dog blow away is one of them.

In 2013, Woodford moved back to his home province to open a design firm. Early in his career, little high-end architecture was happening on the island, so he built his resumé and reputation for modern design in places like Norway and B.C. Today, he leads one of a handful of firms in Newfoundland and Labrador that is creating exciting private and public spaces in a region that takes pride of place to another level. His work is deeply rooted in the concepts of the local vernacular, an architectural term focusing on the ways buildings used to be constructed and why.

“The fishing stages and houses with dormers are the iconic images of Newfoundland,” Woodford says. “When you study these structures, they were built as an economic response to the landscape. This ties into the modern approach to site planning when there was consideration of the winds, materials and access to the buildings but somewhere along the line people started buying house plans out of catalogue.”

He believes, since his early days as an architect, another shift is happening. People are talking about architectural design but with a better appreciation for the landscape comes a greater expectation about how the house performs. This is where a solid site plan comes in.

Woodford says that site planning is critical to his overall design process and especially important when one considers the rugged Atlantic coast.

“The coastline of Newfoundland is amazing,” he says. “To not consider it is to discount the best part of what your house could be. The relationship of the house, the land, and the water is one of the most exciting things about designing here.”

Ken McLean and his wife Barb Case bought one of the last waterfront properties in East Port, N.L. on the northeastern border of Terra Nova National Park in 2004. McLean comes from Australia, but Case has an East Port ancestry that reaches back over 200 years in the pretty outport village. The initial plan was to build a little getaway from the city. But with deeper consideration about the next chapter in their lives, they looked to East Port as a place to retire.

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PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

This home in Port Rexton, N.L. was positioned at the top of the property to capture the magnificent views of Trinity Bay. Three fixed windows on the second storey frame the vistas that are ever-changing works of art.

“What are we doing in foggy old St. John’s in a high energy consumption new builds to be on the horizontal to the street, but once the council home when we could be in East Port in a high energy efficient home?” heard the reason for the positioning, it granted approval. says McLean.

McLean said he put the onus on Woodford to maximize their solar With no urgency for the build, the couple took 10 years making gain. Research showed that an east-west orientation would be optimal. many visits to their undeveloped property. Ken logged hours studying Disturbing as little of the densely forested landscape on their one-acre the prevailing winds, recording the solar lot, the couple still enjoys views of the water path and experiencing the site in all year-round. seasons. When Barb walked into Chris The topography analysis revealed the Woodford’s office in 2013 to ask him to need for drainage solutions that included design their home, she already had a tidy extra weeping tile in the construction. With sum of data collected. the municipality’s approval they also were Serendipitously, the site had existing able to move the debris from the house protective features that would factor into excavation over the shoreline edge of their the overall design plan. property helping the reinforce the steep “The site was heavily treed says,” incline to the beach.

Woodford says. “The first time that I went In Halifax, architect Chris Crawford to visit the site it was at the tail end of of Fathom Studio says that he is seeing hurricane. When we stepped on to the homeowners lean into a more ecological – Ken McLean property it was dead quiet. We knew that approach to their design. For many, knowing we were not going to want to disturb many how their home is going to relate and connect of those trees with the build.” to the environment is as important as how it looks.

To achieve the maximum solar gain, the house needed to be “There was a time when the world looked at buildings from the positioned 15% off the horizontal of the street at the front of the lot. point of dominating nature. That sort of mindset trickled down This took special permission from the municipality that required all from the Victorian age but in recent years that has really changed,”

“What are we doing in foggy old St. John’s in a high energy consumption home when we could be in East Port in a high energy efficient home?”

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says Crawford, adding that his clients are embracing these ideas in a deeper way.

Solar potential, prevailing winds, plant species, microclimate, and privacy have all become important elements of site design.

Crawford sees his clients change direction in what they thought they wanted to achieve in their build and then shift ideas when they look at what their site plans reveals.

Even with increasing threats of shoreline erosion and the impacts of the climate crisis, the desire to build on the coast has not ebbed.

Crawford adds that future-proofing properties is an important aspect of site planning because what you have on your landscape today might not be there in 20 years.

Municipalities are starting to put restrictions in place for floor elevations based on expectations for sea-level rise, which also plays into evolving regulations for how close to the shoreline you can build a home. These are all things that Crawford says you need to consider regardless of where you build.

Crawford’s firm, that started as a landscaping architecture firm but has evolved to include architecture, has a full interpretive team for the design process and is now utilizing drone imaging that captures amazing details and information about the site.

“The drone flies a pre-programmed flight path to capture the topography with such detail that you even get information on the plant health on the site,” says Crawford.

Information like this requires a professional, but there are things that you can do on your own to learn more about your own property that will help inform the design process. Prevailing wind data and solar path information are fundamental to site planning and are available for free and can be found with an internet search.

Satellite imagery of even very remote locations is also accessible. Something Woodford thinks is both fascinating and a little scary thinking about all the information being recorded from space.

From his home in East Port, Ken McLean encourages everyone who is considering building to take the time to really understand how their property functions.

The time invested in his site plan resulted in a house design that has more than satisfied his family. Five years later the only thing that causes McLean consternation are the snow drifts around his garage.

“The wind drift created by the tree barrier can create huge amount of snow,” adds McLean. “A few years ago we had to shovel off the roof of the garage. That’s something that Australian’s are not genetically predisposed to.” o

PHOTOS: WOODFORD ARCHITECTURE

PROJECTS

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TABITHACO.CA PICTOU, NS 902.759.7715 HELLO@TABITHACO.CA G Ö e k w @tabithacompany Valérie Leduc Photography

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The botanical medicine cabinet With a little care, you can find herbal remedies growing around you

BY JODI DELONG ILLUSTRATIONS BY BRENDA JONES

L

Beautifully illustrated by the author, Medicinal Herbs of Eastern Canada is the perfect field guide for your summer hikes and quick reference to sowing your own herb garden at home.

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ong ago while a student at the former Nova Scotia Agricultural College (now the Dalhousie University Agricultural Campus), I grew interested in wild plants, for gardening, culinary and medicinal purposes. A presentation I did on useful wild plants began with a quotation from Ralph Waldo Emerson, in which he stated, “A weed is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.”

Go outside and walk around in your back yard, and you’ll be fascinated— amazed, even—at the plethora of common plants that you may know as weeds, but which in fact have virtues as healing herbs. Take for example, broad-leafed plantain, a ubiquitous plant that grows just about anywhere—in meadows and ditches, on roadsides and beaches. Its fibrous network of roots make it oft-cursed by gardeners—including this one—but it is a valuable plant with a number of purposes. I have a jar of plantain cream, made by a friend who runs a small business, which I use on insect bites, assorted cuts and scrapes from gardening, and other injuries. It’s also useful as a sunscreen and a paw protector for dogs in winter—all this from a lowly “weed.”

Among other wild plants that are known as beneficial herbs are the lowly dandelion, useful as a pot herb (leaves) and an ingredient in both jellies and wine (flowers); valerian, which is a boon to pollinators and to those struggling with sleep issues; and chickweed, useful as a potherb, in a poultice or in the bath.

Brenda Jones knows and loves wild herbs. The Charlottetown, P.E.I. woman published an exquisitely beautiful book in 2020, Medicinal Herbs of Eastern Canada.

(Nimbus, $22.95). Not only is it highly useful and packed with information on how to use many common wild herbs of our region, but it’s also illustrated by the authors own artwork. Brenda meticulously created paintings of each herb profiled in her book, from the glorious blue flowers of chicory to the otherworldly pitcher plant, provincial flower of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Brenda’s relationship with nature and with herbs goes back many years, but it wasn’t until she returned to her home province of P.E.I. a few years ago that

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she felt ready to share her knowledge of medicinal herbs with a wide audience. A longtime illustrator, she also decided to create botanical paintings of her herbs to make the book a field guide that could be slipped into a knapsack when going for a walk. She also wanted to draw attention to the fact that many people have become disconnected from nature, when there are so many valuable and useful plants “in the wild” that can be harvested.

That’s the beauty of the plants profiled—they grow wild throughout our region, and most would never need to be planted in a herb garden (you don’t want to plant ground ivy or mint or Japanese knotweed in a garden, trust me). You can simply take a container and this book and collect a variety of easily found plants for specific purposes. Brenda does stress not to wildcraft certain plants, including bloodroot and goldthread—these, like Mayflowers, have been harvested in many places to the point of becoming very hard to find in the wild. However, plants like bloodroot can be purchased from reputable nurseries, where they have been grown from seed and not harvested from the wild.

A couple of caveats before you venture forth to collect herbs; make sure you know exactly what you are harvesting, by taking along a knowledgeable friend and/or a good field guide to plants of your area.

And secondly, check for contraindications for medicinals—some are not recommended for pregnant women, for example, and others may be contraindicated for those with certain medical issues. Here again, Brenda Jones has meticulously researched and catalogued the uses of each of the plants she profiles.

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A HANDFUL OF HELPFULS Nettles: Wear gloves when harvesting

Red clover: Easily recognized, red clover

these prickly plants, but they make a good potherb and are useful in alleviating breathing issues.

is useful for skin diseases, coughs and congestion, and fevers.

Burdock root: We love to hate burdocks, but their roots are a culinary delicacy to some, and they are useful in treating arthritis and skin diseases.

Purslane: Soothing for skin irritations, bowel problems, and great in a salad, too!

Bedstraw: Another commonly cursed weed, it’s useful with skin inflammation, insomnia and as a diuretic.

Plantain: Truly ubiquitous, great for a bee sting or other skin wound.

Purslane

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GARDENING

PREPARING HERBS FOR MEDICINAL USE For the most part, you don’t just pick a handful of a particular herb and eat it for whatever purpose recommended. There are a number of different ways to prepare herbs, both to preserve them for later use and for best delivery of them.

A tincture is made by adding fresh or dried herbs to 80-proof alcohol, apple cider vinegar or glycerin. This process takes a number of weeks to complete, and the resulting tincture should be stored in a dark (amber or blue) bottle in a cool dark cupboard.

An infusion or herbal tea is the easiest way to prepare and use medicinal herbs. Basically, you steep the herb in boiled water for 10-15 minutes, strain the liquid into a mug or glass, and enjoy hot or cold.

A syrup includes the use of honey, maple syrup or other sweetener to make herbal infusions or decoctions more palatable (some herbs are quite bitter in taste), especially for a cough syrup. Dried herbs are simmered in water with sweetener until the water is reduced by half, then covered and allowed to steep off the heat for another hour.

A decoction is similar to an infusion but uses woodier parts of the herb, such as roots or rhizomes, stems, and occasionally berries or other fruits. The herbal parts being used should be chopped finely before being brought to a boil with water, then simmering for half C an hour or so.

M

Infused oils are, as the name suggests, carrier oils with herbs infused into them. The process of infusing in this case takes several weeks minimum before the oil is ready for use.

Infused oils are for external use only, such as for massage to relieve sore muscles, skin itching, or as a bath oil. The least expensive carrier oil is cold pressed virgin olive oil, but you may also use sweet almond, coconut or grapeseed oil. o

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Halifax Chef Andrew Farrell and his partner Meghan Macdonald enjoy their own backyard fish fry. Andrew grills up a rainbow trout and ladels up his favourite fish soup with seafood procured at his local fishmonger.

IN DEPTH

Catch with a conscience The East Coast enjoys a rich haul of sustainable seafood—just treat it with respect

BY JANET WHITMAN

The King of Fish Restaurant menus and grocery store shelves teem with Atlantic salmon, AKA the king of fish. All of it is farmed, since the wild fishery closed in 1948 after decades of overfishing.

But not all farms are created equal.

The open net pens that proliferate in this area score low marks for sustainability. They pump massive amounts of pollution into oceans.

They add chemicals, antibiotics, and dyes to the fish food. Sea lice and other diseases are common. And escapes allow the farmed salmon to breed with the all-but-extinct wild population, further diminishing that population by changing its DNA. Sustainable Blue has taken a different tack with its fish farm in Port Williams, N.S. CEO Kirk Havercroft says the company is the largest landbased salmon farm in Canada and, to his knowledge, the only saltwater recirculating fish farm anywhere in the world that doesn’t discharge wastewater back into the ocean.

PHOTO: TAYLOR QUAYLE

PHOTOS: BRUCE MURRAY, VISIONFIRE

A

tlantic Canada produces a smorgasbord of sustainable seafood.

Finding it just requires doing a little research and asking questions.

“There’s a degree of education that we all have to grapple with,” says Halifax Chef Andrew Farrell. “My family was from Newfoundland originally, so I remember stories of the cod fishery collapsing and just seeing an example of how overfishing can really devastate a place.

Keeping that in mind and trying not to go back down that path, it’s important to have these conversations about sourcing and sustainability.”

Small seafood purveyors and fishers themselves are often great sources for information about both ecological and economic concerns.

Fogo Island Fish launched in 2015. The co-op is part of eight-generation Fogo Islander Zita Cobb’s charitable empire that’s reviving the fortunes of the Newfoundland island. It buys cod caught by the traditional handlining method and pays local fishers double the market rates for their catch. The fish is served at the charity’s Fogo Island Inn eco-resort and at high-end restaurants in Toronto and Ottawa.

Once a customer, Chef Taylor McMeekin recently took over operations of the fish business from Zita Cobb’s brother Tony Cobb and his wife Janice Thomson. “Even though I’m a landlocked Ontarian, it’s nice to be able to bring in fish of that high quality and with the moral purpose of supporting the community and helping keep these fisheries going,” says McMeekin.

He acknowledges the cod fishery is still in moratorium: “I won’t mince words about that. What’s different about the fish we purchase is it’s handline only, so there is zero bycatch. It’s one hook, one fish. We’re going back to the historic method of fishing, which is definitely the best for our populations.”

The co-op doesn’t market its fish in Atlantic Canada. “We believe other local cod fisheries need to be supported by their communities,” says McMeekin. “It would be detrimental for us to come in. We would love to see these fisheries adopt some of the same practices and values, and I think they already do that.”

To find sustainably caught cod in this region, check labels for stamps of approval from the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program (the not-for-profit also has an app) or the Marine Stewardship Council. These programs are designed to help consumers make informed choices on sustainably sourced seafood. Small, independent fishmongers often embrace sustainable sourcing and best practices. Restaurateurs should also be able to answer questions about the fish they’re serving.

Staff at Sustainable Blue enter the fish tank to encourage fish towards the nets on the first harvest day in the farms new building.

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PHOTO: PAT MARTEL

The zero-discharge, in-land model is working, he says. “In the future, that would allow us to take these facilities away from the ocean altogether and move them inland, closer to the markets they serve and away from sensitive coastal areas.”

Havercroft, a U.K. native who moved to Nova Scotia in 2007 to help get Sustainable Blue off the ground, says it’s “a tragedy” that Atlantic salmon has become a commodity: “A wild salmon is a spectacular fish and an incredible protein.” Instead of feed made of ground-up chicken and other cheap products, Sustainable Blue tries to replicate how wild fish eat and live.

Havercroft recalls inviting a local chef for an informal taste test a few years ago between his product and a package of salmon from a grocery store in nearby Windsor, N.S. “There is a different taste and a flavour profile and texture and density to the flesh. The chef himself said to everyone around the table that the store bought one, if you just let it cool down to room temperature, will definitely smell something like a chicken breast.”

To reel in customers, Sustainable Blue must sell them on the idea that the attributes justify a higher price. In the early days, the company handled that job in-house, but in the past five years has handed off the marketing and sales responsibilities to Afishionado.

Hana Nelson launched Afishionado in 2014, selling sustainably farmed and fished seafood from a counter inside a local grocer in North End Halifax. Now based in a Bedford warehouse, the business serves restaurants, retailers, and home-cooks.

Chad Poirier came aboard early this year, turning his fish-smoking hobby into a full-time gig.

Jordan McIntyre, owner of Mary Manette Seafood, on the front lines of seafood processing.

As the world slowed to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, he was smoking fish at home the same way scads of others were baking sourdough bread. At the same time, Sustainable Blue was up to the gills in hungry teenaged salmon ready to be harvested as restaurant sales slumped.

Nelson, a long-time friend, dropped a salmon off for Poirier to smoke.

That turned into dozens more after he lost his job with an aquaculture start-up. Now he’s full-time perfecting what’s touted as the first allsustainable line of smoked fish products in the Maritimes.

“If you go to any restaurant with smoked salmon and asked them where the fish came from, they don’t know,” says Poirier. “It might be from Norway. Or it might just be from New Brunswick.”

The Sustainable Blue salmon has the right fat content and good consistent colour, he says. “The flavour is great when it comes out,” he adds. “I’ve got people that come in here and I’ll throw them a little sample.

The most lukewarm compliment I’ve received so far is, ‘It’s as good as the best smoked salmon I’ve ever had.’”

The B.C. native says he grew up eating smoked fish and is excited to help revive the tradition in Nova Scotia. The province was once so famous for the smoked salmon it shipped to New York that it’s still known as Nova lox.

“One of the biggest travesties is that most people who eat meat or fish like smoked salmon and nobody in Nova Scotia knows about this chunk of pretty important history,” says Poirier. “So we’re trying to bring it back, the same way as Afishionado as a whole is trying to bring back the small scale, hand-line, small production—artisanal if you want to call it. These are all things that used to exist way more than they do now and we’re trying to extend a lifeline.”

A New Twist on Tinned Sardines

YEARS OF EXPERIEN C E

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Jordan McIntyre was inspired to start her canned smoked fish business by her great grandmother, who travelled from West Chezzetcook, N.S. through the night by horse and wagon to sell her fish at a stand at the Halifax Farmers Market. McIntyre named her new Charlottetown-based company Mary Mannette, after her great grandmother.

“I wanted to honour her work as a woman in seafood and brand the business around her story,” says McIntyre, who had a previous career in publishing and as a senior business analyst with the federal government.

She came up with the idea to start the tinned fish business after seeing the growing popularity of craft canned seafood produced in Spain and Portugal. “There’s a movement away from the Bumble Bee mass-produced

IN DEPTH

“If you’re someone trying to reduce the carbon footprint of your protein choices, tinned seafood is almost always top of the list.”

– Jordan McIntyre product,” she says. “I noticed a number of restaurants in New York and Boston were specializing in serving smoked tinned seafood.”

Some sell for $50 a tin and have characteristics not unlike wine, with terroir and vintage part of the flavour profile and price, she says. The Made in Canada brand is strong. So she thought, why not?

Her hand-packed tinned mussels, oysters and herring are infused with brines and natural woodsmoke. Sustainability is “super important” to the company, says McIntyre. “If you’re someone trying to reduce the carbon footprint of your protein choices, tinned seafood is almost always top of the list.”

Tinned seafood typically generates very little waste. “If you think about shipping mussels, a lot of what you’re shipping is the shell, which is really just waste. With our product, 90% of what the consumer gets is consumed,” she says. “Fresh seafood has a lot of waste in the restaurant industry and with the home consumer because it goes bad so quickly and the heightened concerns around spoilage.”

Mussels are one of the best choices for sustainability, she says. “They don’t need to be fed. They actually clean the water.”

Smoked herring, sourced from the same waters off the east coast of Nova Scotia that her great grandmother relied on a century ago, is the top seller. But the company is also seeing strong demand with a limited production line of wild caught P.E.I. oysters. The catch has little market value other than for tinning because the shells are too tough to shuck seafood-bar style, she says.

McIntyre says people who like to entertain are fans of the products, which include a “seacuterie” kit. “It’s elegant, local and ready-to-go with no mess,” she says. “And they pair really well with wine.”

A PhD in Sturgeon On New Brunswick’s Saint John River, Cornel Ceapa and his wife Dorina own and operate one of the world’s last remaining legal wild and sustainable caviar-harvesting businesses.

“We do wild and farming side by side,” says Ceapa, who started Acadian Sturgeon & Caviar after immigrating to New Brunswick from Romania with his wife and their son in 2005. “My dream is to have products as close as possible, wild and farmed.”

He says the problem with much of the world’s fish farming is that it’s done on an industrial scale, not unlike the chicken farms set up decades ago for quick, cheap, mass production. “We forgot that we have to have quality standards,” he says. “Customers have to accept that cheap food is not good and good food is not cheap.”

Ceapa harvests the caviar from sturgeon, a native New Brunswick species that dates back 200 million years. The supply was pushed to near extinction following an 1800s caviar rush. Now, the annual quota in New Brunswick for wild caught sturgeon is 350 fish: 175 female and 175 male. A farmed sturgeon isn’t ready for harvesting for 10 years, while wild fish can take 25 years to reach that level.

Ceapa has created a market for the entire fish, not just the caviar. “We sell the meat, we sell the skins, the heads. Very little gets wasted.” Most of his caviar goes to Canadian customers. He sold out for the first time this year. “My fridge was bare for two weeks,” he says.

Ceapa has a PhD in sturgeon biology and is active in trying to educate about the sustainability of the fish and other species by hosting “Sturgeon Safaris” and giving talks at chef schools. “We try to change the word a little bit from our small business,” he says. “We have fun doing it. When you walk the talk, it feels good.

Pinching Pennies Sustainable seafood isn’t known for being cheap, but bargains are out there. Skipping the supermarket and buying straight from a fisher can help save a few pennies and land you a fresher catch. Ask fishmongers for “offcuts.” “We always think of scallops being one beautiful, pristine thing,” says Farrell. “But the scallops damaged through processing sometimes need a home. Look for stuff like that. You don’t always need these beautiful big scallops.”

A smaller serving size saves money and helps save the planet. “We’re slowly moving away from the cultural standpoint of having a big chunk of protein on a plate,” says Farrell. “Does everybody need a six-ounce portion of salmon or is a nice, fileted rainbow trout going to do it?”

PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER DOWELL

Switching Species

Father and son sturgeon fishermen, Bill Ford and junior, pulling out of the waters of the Saint John River a 2.6-metres-long Atlantic sturgeon female.

If your favourite fish is on the not-so-sustainable list, Farrell suggests swapping it for another, such as . smoked sturgeon for smoked mackerel.

“There’s usually an alternative in the same family that might be a little bit more sustainable,” he says. “We love haddock. It’s in all of our fish and chips. Some places will have hake, which is a bycatch. Hop Scotch Dinner Club here in Halifax does a lot of foraging and local products and they have hake fish and chips on right now as part of their takeout.”

Farrell is a fan of crispy skin and his go-to fish instead of salmon are Arctic Char and rainbow trout, which are both farmed. “You don’t have to get too fussy with fish,” he says. “If you’ve got a great product, just treat it with respect and cook it simply.”

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A hearty stew, inspired by Italian Cioppino, featuring sustainable fish and local Nova Scotia produce, perfect for a chilly day. Enjoy on its own or with a nice piece of bread.

Ingredients: 1 lb assorted sustainable fish pieces 1 rib of celery 1 carrot 1 leek 100 g chopped kale 1 tbsp tomato paste 2 tbsp olive oil chili flakes 3 tbsp white wine ½ cup cooked white or navy beans 2 cloves garlic 750 ml vegetable or fish stock

Fire Roasted Rainbow Trout

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PHOTO: RICK O’BRIAN

Select a 200 g piece of cod Spice Mix 5 g salt 2 g fennel seed 2 g black pepper corn Directions 1. Grind pepper and fennel with morter and pestal until fine. Mix with salt. Season fish with seasoning and let stand at room temp for 2 hours to smoke.

2. Heat BBQ 1 side on, to around 250°F and remove grill from same side. Place 100 g maple or cherry wood chips in tinfoil pouch or pie plate.

4. Light on fire, put flames out when coals have started (approximately 1/4 burnt) place pan or foil on heat and fish on cold side of grill.

5. Keep lid closed for 30 min.( try to keep temp regulated as close to 250 as possible.)

6. Let fish cool completely.

For the dip

PHOTO: BRUCE MURRAY, VISIONFIRE

Directions 1. Roughly chop parsley and capers, add to a bowl.

2. Add lemon zest, juice and minced garlic clove 3. Stir in olive oil, serve on the side of your favourite fish!

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Recipe by Taylor McMeekin

Smoked Cod Dip

Ingredients: 2 tbsp capers 1 cup parsley Juice and zest of ½ lemon 3 tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions 1. Clean and scale fish as necessary.

2. Stuff cavity with lemon slices and herbs, rub fish with olive oil. A baking sheet works well for this step.

3. Warm cast iron skillet over fire (aim for medium heat).

4. Carefully place whole fish in skillet, cook 3-4 minutes per side, carefully flipping with tongs or a spatula. Fish will be cooked when flesh is firm and skin is crispy.

5. Bring skillet to table and serve!

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Directions 1. Cut celery and carrot into small dice. Split leek down the center, and rinse well. Cut leek in to thin strips.

2. Turn a 2-3L pot onto medium heat and add olive oil. After about a minute, add dice celery, onion and leek slices. Add a pinch of salt and stir for 3-4 minutes while vegetables sweat.

3. Chop garlic finely, add to pot. Next, add tomato paste and fry well to develop flavour., about 2-3 minutes.

4. Add pinch of chili flakes, and then add white wine to deglaze. Be sure to scrape any browned bits from bottom of pot- there’s a ton of flavour there!

5. Chop kale into smaller pieces, and add to pot along with stock and beans.

6. Bring contents of a pot to a simmer (just below full boil), and add fish pieces. Stir well, and allow to simmer for another 5 minutes to cook the fish.

Caper Gremolata

Ingredients: 1 whole rainbow trout or Arctic Char, scales removed (2-3lbs) 1 handful dill 1 handful parsley 1 lemon 1 tbsp olive oil

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PHOTO: BRUCE MURRAY, VISIONFIRE

Maritime Cioppino with Kale, Leek, and White Beans

Ingredients 200 g (6-7 oz) Fogo Island cod 30 g (1 ea) shallot -chopped fine 5 g (2 cloves) roast garlic - crushed 20 g (1) green onion -sliced thin 5 g (1 tsp) grainy mustard 5 g pickled onion - chopped fine 5 g (5) chive- chopped fine 3 g (2 sprigs) tarragon picked and chopped fine 3 g dill - picked and chopped fine 10 g (half lemon) lemon juice 250 mL sour cream full fat Directions 1. Add all ingredients into bowl and mix vigorously, taste and season with salt if necessary, serve with your favourite regular potato chips, or crackers. o

SU M M E R DAYS C A L L FO R

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Jacob and Keeley Davidson of Pictou, N.S. get ready to dive into a bowl of Blueberry Grunt.

EATING IN

BERRY BLISS

U-plant, u-pick, u-enjoy!

Savour the flavours of summer’s beautiful bounty

BY MELANIE MOSHER PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH, VISIONFIRE

L

ush with berries, summertime on the East Coast yields bountiful opportunities to seek new adventures, try new recipes, or plant new seedlings. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries (both cultivated and wild) abound throughout the region. Sweet, delicious, nutritious: edible gems worthy of celebration.

Just getting your berries can be an experience. Perhaps a family outing for picking followed by a picnic lunch. Maybe an early morning visit to the local farmers market, or a Saturday afternoon community supper with strawberry short cake or fresh blueberry pie. Hikers might serendipitously find berries along their way. And for those able to put their hands in some soil, there’s the possibility of planting.

Sheldon and Donalda Wheatley, owners of Wheatley’s Raspberries in Dunstaffnage, P.E.I., have been farming for over 40 years and offer advice for picking the best fruit. “Some mornings it is best to start a little later to allow the dew to dry off the plants,” says Donalda. Extra moisture on the berries can lead to mildew.

It’s also best to avoid picking berries around midday. Berries absorb warmth from the sun and collecting them into a container can cause a build up of heat leading to spoilage. Store berries in a cool dry place.

“Ripe berries should be easily pulled from the branch. For raspberries, ripe berries range from reddish-orange to almost scarlet in colour depending on the variety,” adds Donalda.

More than 60 u-picks on the East Coast welcome patrons to their strawberry patches each summer, including Curtis and Ann Millen of Millen Farms in Great Village, N.S. “My husband has been growing berries since he was fourteen,” says Ann. “It’s labour intensive,” she says, referring to the challenge of finding enough help. It’s one of the biggest struggles they face. “That and Mother Nature, but we can’t control her.”

The Millens have extended their season by adding new varieties.

Originally, they had June-bearing plants, which are set one year and harvested the next. They now include day-neutral varieties in raised beds with irrigation that yield fruit the first year. From mid-June through to the first frost, they have strawberries.

The New Brunswick agriculture department provides seasonal online updates for crops including small fruit like strawberries, raspberries, and wild blueberries. Changes in weather affect vegetation. An untimely frost in June, after blossoms have appeared, can damage open flowers reducing pollination. Lack of rain during the growing season can lead to stress and smaller berries. Too much rain later in the year can interfere with harvest.

Humans aren’t the only ones who like berries. Birds like these little morsels and can devour a crop quickly. Some pesky feathered critters even take a single bite from each berry leaving a half-eaten mess for gardeners. Discourage them from eating yours by using reflective devices like pinwheels or old CDs hung on string. In larger patches, a scarecrow can stand guard. Decoy owls or fake snakes can also scare off birds.

The East Coast usually enjoys a bumper crop of events celebrating the harvest of berries (prior to cancellations or modifications due to Covid-19). When you combine the little town of Brigus, N.L., with the tiny blue beauty known as the wild blueberry, you end up with an event of mega proportions.

Charming, historic, and picturesque, Brigus, with just 750 year-round residents, hosts an annual blueberry festival each August drawing as many as 12,000 visitors over four days. “We celebrated our 32nd year for the festival in 2019,” says Wayne Rose.

(The pandemic cancelled the 2020 and 2021 events but organizers plan to be back in 2022.)

Once the home of a thriving blueberry processing plant, Brigus has been home to Rose his entire life. “I worked at the plant,” he says. “I remember them burning the fields in the spring and then truckloads of blueberries coming from all over to be processed.” The plant no longer handles blueberries but the people of Brigus still celebrate. They partake in tours, contests, games, dances, concerts, fireworks, and mouth-watering delights including blueberry cheesecake.

This year, with the lack of public gatherings, is the perfect time to celebrate at home. Turn a backyard potluck into an event for family and friends. Play some games, crank up the tunes, and create memories. Fill your belly and your soul, enjoying good food and good company while staying home. Set some of your favourite berries in the freezer for an hour and use them as colourful and tasty alternatives for ice in your glass.

When harvest time finally arrives, berries are delicious straight from the plant or tossed on your morning cereal. Sprinkling a few on your ice cream or whirling a handful into a smoothie are also scrumptious choices.

Strawberry shortcake, raspberry cordial, blackberry jelly, and blueberry grunt are East Coast staples, but what about other recipes? Chef Craig Flinn, cookbook author and owner of Halifax restaurant, 2 Doors Down, shares one of his own tasty creations.

Whether your fruit is hand-picked, store-bought, our home-grown, be sure to take the time to savour these “berrylicious” delights.

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Nova Scotia Blueberry Grunt Serves 6 to 8 Ingredients 4 cups (1 litre) fresh or frozen wild blueberries 2 3 cup (180 mL) sugar ½ cup (125 mL) wild blueberry juice 1 stick cinnamon 1 star anise pod juice and zest of half a lemon

Growing your own BLACKBERRIES

2 cups (500 mL) flour 2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder 2 tsp (10 mL) sugar pinch of salt 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter 1 tbsp (15 mL) shortening ½ cup (125 mL) milk

Blackberries are perennials, but the top of the plant above the soil is biennial.

This means that the canes grow vegetatively for a year, bear fruit the next year, and then die. Each year the plant sends up new canes to replace those that died. Prune to remove the old canes.

Plant in early spring when the canes are dormant.

Blackberries are self-fertile, so you don’t need multiple plants for fruit production.

Select a site that receives full sun, has fertile soil, and good drainage. Add organic content to enrich your soil.

Fertilize in early spring.

Space one to two metres apart feet apart. Follow suggestions for specific varieties.

Blackberries require plenty of moisture, especially when growing and ripening. Ensure plants receive one inch of water per week and more in hot temperatures.

4. Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise pod from the blueberries. Drop the dough in small balls on top of the blueberries (about the size of a golf ball) and 1-inch apart. Place the lid on the dish and cook on the stove top for exactly 15 minutes without lifting the lid. (Alternatively, you can bake the grunt in the covered dish for 20 minutes in a 350°F oven).

Allow the grunt to rest for 10 minutes before serving, as the dumplings will soak up more of the blueberry juice. Serve warm with fresh cream or vanilla ice cream.

Directions 1. In a casserole dish or stovetop pan with a lid, combine the blueberries, sugar, blueberry juice, cinnamon stick, star anise pod, and lemon juice and zest and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat until the berries have softened and there is plenty of juice.

2. In a mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients of the dumplings (flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt). Using a fork or your fingers, cut in the butter and shortening until the flour has a fine, mealy texture.

3. Add the milk and mix until a moist, doughy batter forms (depending on the humidity, a little more milk may be needed).

Wild Blueberry “Nice” Cream Recipe shared with permission from Canadian Wild Blueberries canadianwildblueberries.ca You’ll need: 4 firm, ripe bananas (chunked and frozen) 1 cup wild blueberries, fresh or frozen PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

Directions 1. Put the frozen banana chunks in the blender (or food processor), along with the wild blueberries.

Blend until smooth, scraping the sides.

2. Put in an airtight container and place in the freezer until frozen solid.

Chef Craig Flynn brings the bounty of the season into his culinary creations and shares family favourite blueberry recipes.

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SUMMER 2021

3. When you’re ready to enjoy, pull out the container about 5 minutes before scooping, to ensure it softens slightly.

4. Enjoy!

If you’re adventurous, you could always try adding some different ingredients, like mint extract, vanilla, chopped nuts, other frozen fruits, and so much more!

EATING IN

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes with Spiced Maple Syrup Ingredients 2 ½ cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour ¼ cup (62 mL) brown sugar ½ tsp (2.5 mL) salt 1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder ½ tsp (2.5 mL) grated nutmeg ½ tsp (2.5 mL) cinnamon 2 large eggs 2 cups (500 mL) buttermilk 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract ½ cup (125 mL) melted butter (1 stick) 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil 1 ½ cups (375 mL) frozen blueberries vegetable oil for frying Directions 1. Mix the dry ingredients including the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a large bowl with a whisk. In a second bowl, beat together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Just before combing the wet and dry ingredients, pour the warm melted butter and the vegetable oil into the wet ingredients and beat very quickly. Pour the wet mix into the dry and stir just until a batter is formed. Then, fold in the blueberries.

2. If using a non-stick griddle, it may not be necessary to use any oil for frying the pancakes, but if you are wary of your pan, simply coat a pan lightly with a teaspoon of vegetable and place the pan over medium heat. Use about a 1/3 cup measure per pancake and fry on the first side until bubbles are visible in the middle of the pancake. If the bottom is going too dark before the bubbles appear, lower the heat and try again. It should take about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Spiced Maple Syrup *For best results, make at least 24 hours in advance Ingredients 2 cups (500 mL) maple syrup 1 star anise pod 1 stick cinnamon 8 whole cloves 6 whole allspice 6 whole black Zest of ½ an orange

3. Serve with the spiced maple syrup (below).

Directions 1. Warm the maple syrup in a small saucepan with the spices and orange. Simmer for 10 minutes on very low heat and then transfer to a glass jar. Cool on the counter and then refrigerate for 24 hours. The next day, strain the syrup to remove the spices and orange. o

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Take the buzz out of summer Are you ready to join the sober curious?

BY KAREN KERR PHOTOS BY BRUCE MURRAY, VISIONFIRE

A

s a holistic nutritional consultant and yoga instructor, I take my health seriously, but “I really don’t think I can do this” was the thought loop running through my head in April 2017 as I embarked on my Year of Clean Living.

It was a yearlong challenge to remove my vices and start healthy habits—my 40th birthday present to myself. Omitting junk and processed foods and enhancing my daily exercise and mindfulness practices wasn’t my angst. It was the thought of no alcohol for an entire year.

Nothing dramatic prompted the shift, just a nagging internal sense that life should feel “more.” I asked myself a question: “If I continue as is for the next 30 years what will 70-year-old me be doing?”

I couldn’t envision the vibrant older version of myself I wanted to be unless I made some significant changes to the present one. That meant being realistic about my biggest vice. I knew removing my weekend wine, would open the door to a more active lifestyle and healthier way of being. I was becoming sober curious.

Being sober curious is like hitting the reset button. The buzzwords are an invitation to experience how good life could be without booze for awhile. It changes the conversation away from addiction to the rest of us drinkers and the benefit that time away could have on our physical and mental health. Being sober curious isn’t for a person with a serious drinking problem or physical dependency. For some people, total sobriety

is only the solution. But for many of us, a simple cutting back can have a huge impact.

I heard “Life is short” on many occasions when I refused a glass of wine or cocktail. It is, and our choices can make it shorter.

Once my rosé-coloured glasses cleared, I began to see the countless ways advertising, media, and society prompted me to think about alcohol daily, from advertising, media and society. Scroll two minutes down your Facebook page and it’s wine o’clock somewhere. Drinking alcohol is normalized and even celebrated. Questioning it felt quite radical and a little scary.

Many people fear missing out. Most holiday celebrations, vacations, and even sporting events revolve around alcohol. I felt awkward in the beginning, but quickly I began to feel so much better that it didn’t matter. Parenting became easier, I was more patient without hangovers.

I found exercise easier and felt stronger quickly. I’m not going on record as saying that marriage is perfect when you take alcohol away, but it is easier not to be snarky if you’re not tipsy. The bottom line is, I felt more connected to myself, I made better decisions, laughed more, and certainly had fewer regrets. And my bloodwork agreed, after finishing the year and undergoing an intense physical, my biological age was 31. A decade younger!

Karen Kerr and husband Rod unwind on the dock outside of their home in Millet Lake, NS. Karen believes you can have it all with no alcohol.

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LIBATIONS

Many people have turned to alcohol to cope with the pandemic. Just go down the rabbit hole of Tik Tok drinking videos and you’ll see a disturbing trend. Drinking isn’t about being social anymore.

At the same time, there is a growing trend of people questioning the need for alcohol in their lives. And the market is reflecting this, with more alcohol-free beverage options popping up all the time. On the East Coast, we are seeing craft beverages like kombucha sold on tap and I am learning about new alcohol-free cocktail bases that could give your classic margherita a run for its money.

I would love to see all local breweries, distilleries, and wineries start making alcohol-free versions of their product, but we still have a long way to go. For now, I use local ingredients instead of alcoholfree substitutes in my drinks. Summer is the best season for sourcing fruits and berries that are ripe for the picking. I often come up with my Saturday night drink after my Saturday morning farmer’s market run.

Here are a few of my go-to cocktails inspired by my favourite East Coast berries.

Strawberry, Cranberry Mojito Makes 2 Glasses (Tall) 3 Strawberries and 6 mint leaves muddled in the bottom of the glass ½ ounce Cranberry juice (Springbrook Cranberry, N.B.) 1. Fill with crushed ice and topped with Lemonade (CocoLemon, N.B.)

Wild Berry and Elderflower Mocktini Makes 2 Mocktini’s (Martini) 1 ounce of Wild Blueberry Juice (Van Dyk’s, N.S.) ½ ounce of Elderflower (The Third Place Cocktail Co., N.L) 1. Shake with ice, topped with local kombucha (Cove, Blueberry Pomegranate, N.S.)

Tips for making a great mocktail: Lean towards tart flavours to balance the sweet and avoid the Shirley Temple sugar hangover. Experiment with herbs and veggies like mint, cucumbers, and pea shoots. And please use the fancy glassware, you deserve it. o

Left: Locally sourced ingredients are always on Karen's cocktail menu. A shot of N.S. wild blueberry juice gives this Elderflower Mocktini a nutritional boost.

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ADVERTISING

East Coast Living Summer Shopping Guide 2021

Essential summer shopping ideas for your list

1

FRESH START FAUXMAGE $12.99 No Dairy? No Problem! These ridiculously good nut-based cheeses will wow your senses and delight the foodie in you. Locally-made Fresh Start Fauxmage’s luxuriously creamy dairy-free cheeses come in six incredible flavours!

Locations near you www.freshstartfauxmage.ca

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TORI•XO BLOSSOM HOOPS $110

Every outfit and every occasion is elevated with these blossom-inspired earrings. Available in silver and gold, they’re as versatile as they are covetable. www.torixo.com @torixojewelry

ANYTHING BUT A STILL LIFE: THE ART AND LIVES OF MOLLY LAMB AND BRUNO BOBAK

By Nathan M. Greenfield $35

STIEGL GRAPEFRUIT RADLER

Same great, refreshing grapefruit taste, with a new look coming in 2021!

Available at NSLC, ANBL, PEILCC & NLC. Please enjoy responsibly.

Follow @StieglCanada www.mcclellandbeers.ca

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A stunning biography of two of Canada’s iconic 20th century painters. Featuring unprecedented access to Molly’s dairies and dozens of full-colour reproductions.

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BARRINGTON MUSEUM COMPLEX Open Year Round Large Selection of Unique, Locally-Sourced Goods Tax-Free Shopping 2401 Hwy 3, Barrington barringtonmuseumcomplex.square.site barmuseumcomplex@eastlink.ca 902-637-2185 @BarringtonMuseumComplex

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East Coast Living Summer Shopping Guide 2021

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CABBAGE PATCH KIMCHI $12-15

Local handmade small-batch traditional Korean kimchi.

A natural probiotic that supports the immune and digestive system. Find at Sobeys throughout HRM and many other independent specialty grocers across NS. @cabbagepatchkimchi / www.cabbagepatchkimchi.ca

12

Local Legends Apparel starting at $35.00

Some say we’re behind in the Maritimes, but that’s our charm. Things move delightfully slower here... like farm machinery and the Internet. Now’s time to embrace and celebrate it. www.locallegends.ca

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FISHNETS AND FANTASIES

WILDFLOWER

by Briana Corr Scott $22.95

A gorgeous reimagining of Thumbelina filled with whimsical illustrations and gentle poetry. This tender story celebrates love and bravery, and will appeal to readers young and old.

Nimbus Publishing nimbus.ca

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ESMÉ ORIGINAL JACKET

Soft and muted with lots of stretch $199 The Esmé Original Jackets are very comfortable. Very, very comfortable.

The Esmé Blouses, Crop Tops, Pullovers, Ponchos and Shorty Jackets are fabulous, too. Designed for comfort, they all have a unique personality – a little edgy and original.

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by Jane Doucet $22.95

A humorous story about middle-aged love, sex and marriage set in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. The perfect beach read!

Nimbus Publishing nimbus.ca

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ALEXA! CHANGING THE FACE OF CANADIAN POLITICS

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The authorized biography of Alexa McDonough, a pioneer in feminist politics and the first woman to lead a major political party in Canada.

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East Coast Living Summer Shopping Guide 2021

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GOOD EARTH: THE POTS AND PASSION OF WALTER OSTROM

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$50

WATERFALLS OF NOVA SCOTIA

By Benoit Lalonde $27.95

Featuring gorgeous colour photographs and individual maps of each location, this guide brings together 100 of the province’s best waterfalls.

Goose Lane Editions Gooselane.com

The first major book on Walter Ostrom, one of Canada’s most influential modern ceramic artists. Featuring essays and full-colour reproductions of over fifty of Ostrom’s works.

Goose Lane Editions Gooselane.com

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EAST COAST LIVING MAGAZINE

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Get inspired with fabulous decorating, renovation and entertaining ideas…with a uniquely Atlantic Canadian twist. Treat yourself to East Coast Living for just $17.99 + HST per year! (4 issues per year) Subscribe at eastcoastliving.ca/subscribe

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SEEING STARS THE SECRET LIFE OF STARFISH

by Denise Adams $12.95

Have you ever seen a starfish at a black-tie event or making sand-angels on the beach? Well, you will in this quirky, colourful book created with live (gently-handled) starfish set in a variety of fun situations.

Nimbus Publishing nimbus.ca

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STIEGL RASPBERRY RADLER

New for 2021, a refreshing berry flavour!

A blend of real raspberry juice and Stiegl Goldbrau (Lager). Please enjoy responsibly.

Follow @StieglCanada www.mcclellandbeers.ca

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SALTSCAPES MAGAZINE Saltscapes is the magazine that celebrates Atlantic Canada; written by and for Atlantic Canadians (and those who wish they were). Featuring the best of Canada’s East Coast from food and drink, home and cottage to people and culture, travel, and tourism.

The pages of Saltscapes takes the reader into the heart and soul of their communities.

Seven issues for $29.95 +HST. Visit saltscapes.com/subscriptions to order now.

BUYING GUIDE

Buying guide

Now that you’ve seen all the quality products and services available in Atlantic Canada, here’s a guide to help you find them for your own home.

Amos Pewter (p. 42) amospewter.com

East Coast Living (p. 6, 44) eastcoastliving.ca

Marvin Canada (p. 2) marvincanada.com

Seedlip Ltd (p. 35) seedlipdrinks.com/ca

Attica (p. 8) attica.ca

Esme Jackets (p. 43) esmejacket.com

Studio 21 Fine Art (p. 7) studio21.ca

Barrington Museum Complex (p. 42) barringtonmuseumcomplex.square. site

Fresh Start Fauxmage (p. 27, 42) freshstartfauxmage.ca

Mcclelland Premium Imports (p. 42, 44) www.mcclellandbeers.ca Metro Building Supplies (p. 25) metropei.com

Blue Diamond (p. 47) bluediamond.com

Gooselane Publications (p. 42, 43, 44) gooselane.com

Bosch/BSH Home Appliances Inc (p. 4) venmar.ca

HanStone Canada (p. 29) Hanstone.ca

Parkland Retirement Living (p. 28) experienceparkland.com

Burning Flame Candle Co. (p. 44) burningflame.ca

Interhab Homes (p. 27) interhabs.ns.ca

Red Door Realty (p. 15) reddoorrealty.ca

Cabage Patch Kimchi (p. 43) cabbagepatchkimchi.ca

Kubota (p. 48) kubota.ca

Saltscapes Magazine (p. 44) saltscapes.com

Clearview Services (p. 32) clearviewservices.ca

Local Legends Apparel (p. 43) locallegends.ca

Scotia Stone Ltd. (p. 19) scotiastone.ca

Nimbus Publishing (p. 7, 43, 44) nimbus.ca

SUMMER 2021

Sunspace (p. 45) sunspacesunrooms.com TABITHA & CO (p. 25) tabithaco.ca Tori.xo Jewlery (p. 42) torixo.com Visit Annapolis Royal (p. 20) (waiting on website info) White Point Beach Resort (p.15) whitepoint.com West Point Lighthouse Inn & Museum (p. 17) westpointlighthouse.ca

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eastcoastliving.ca

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LAST LOOK

Made in the shade Lindsey Ross classifies the colours of our coast

PHOTOS: CONTRIBUTED

BY AMEETA VOHRA

Influenced by life on the east coast and its great diversity, Lindsey’s most recent art finds the right mix of colours making each province unique.

A

fter working in a public service job out west, Lindsey Ross decided to move home to P.E.I. in 2018.

It was the perfect opportunity for her to turn her 14-year self-taught hobby into a passionate full-time career. She became an illustrator who operates a studio in Souris during summer, displaying her prints, stickers, cards, and artwork.

“I find it's relaxing to do,” she says. “I'm a patient person, so I like doing intricate design work and repetitive patterns ... It's almost a meditative thing and a nice way for me to unwind.”

Her ink artwork resonates because it contains a lot of hidden treasures. One of Ross's pieces is New Brunswick's shape but includes plants and animals that connect with people from that province. Another one is a P.E.I. mandala with 14 hidden gems inside the drawing.

“I did that one while I was living in Vietnam, just dreaming about moving home to P.E.I. and missing it,” she says. “A lot of my older work was done while being homesick.”

Recently, she created a unique art project which brings a special East Coast feeling. Ross put together a print series called Fifty Shades of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and

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Nova Scotia (she's currently working on the Newfoundland print), using watercolours to depict the things that East Coasters love about their provinces.

“For the creative process, it's a lot of figuring out what is important to people in a province, and I tried to be diverse with what I am looking at,” she says of the series. “I looked at a lot of nature, public spaces, the things that are very notorious ... and the hole in-the-wall places that might get forgotten. There's a little bit of an educational side to it, which is important to an area. For P.E.I., our food is important to us, our classic meals, our provincial flowers—the things we're nostalgic about. I try to think of every nook and cranny I can.”

The concept came to life when Ross and her friends sat around at a table and envisioned the 50 shades of Prince Edward Island. They came up with a list of 90 shades. The elimination process wasn't easy; Ross wanted to ensure there was no over saturation and diversity of colour. After layers on layers of watercolour paints, she got the correct 50 shades that reflected her province.

“With lupins, I see lupins all the time, every summer, and I love them,” she says. “Some of them, I had to go check like the Confederation SUMMER 2021

Centre of the Arts, and that one is that type of greyish kind of colour that's not quite grey, not quite like beige. Some of them I can physically go and look at the colours. Some of them, I let two tones happen at the same time when it should just be one. It's a lot of trial and error. Watercolours are super forgiving and super mixable. It's a good one to choose for something like this. I just mixed the colours and tried them.”

From her experience of explaining the difference between her home province to Prince Rupert, B.C., Ross's goal of her artwork is to recognize and give attention to small spaces that tend to be overlooked or forgotten.

“I hope people remember that there are little spaces in big and diverse places and has all these great things to offer,” Ross says. “I hope that they think about all the different industries that they represent, all of the things they are producing, all the work, the wild spaces for people to go and visit, and traditions that have held up, things they are well-known for. I hope people are reminded that their province is great and diverse and has a lot to offer. I like that my work pulls at people's heartstrings.” o

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