Savouring success at this year's Savour Food and Wine show
Beer, booze and bars.
Were you at Savour Food and Wine in Moncton on May 1? If not, you missed one of the better foodie events held in New Brunswick in recent years. This was the first year for this festival, at least in this province. Savour made its name in Halifax, growing in popularity from year to year. I caught the latest version, their fifth, held at the Westin Hotel on February 28.
The event is brought to Haligonians (and visiting food tourists) by RANS, the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia.
The concept is relatively simple: get together as many of the best restaurants in the province as possible, and have them prepare a sample or two of finger friendly foods that represent their style and culinary talents. Oh yeah...they have to supply enough for a few hundred people! And it has to be perfectly fresh and in good shape throughout a three-hour tasting, in a warm room full of people.
Next, invite alcoholic beverage suppliers to pour wine, beer and spirits at booths interspersed throughout the restaurant booths.
If you think this sounds simple then you've never volunteered to help run a food festival. Running events like this takes planning and experience, so it's great the organizers from Savour in Halifax were involved.
Combine that experience with the efforts from TIANB (Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick) and key local Moncton organizers, such as Janica Daigle from the Boomerangs/Maverick's restaurant group, Louis Wilby from the Future Inns and APRA (Atlantic Provinces Restaurant Association), and too many others to mention, and you can have a first time event that runs like a well-oiled machine.
The 2008 event took place at the Delta Beausejour in Moncton. The intention, though, as I understand it (and this better be true or I will become angry) is to rotate this event around the province. This is a great idea. New Brunswick is different from Nova Scotia, in that our urban centres are spread around the province: we don't have a core area for restaurants. Thus we need to spread stuff around, with events in Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John, and also in places like St. Andrew's, Edmundston, Sackville, Bathurst and Caraquet.
My first impression of Savour NB was good. I went through on a media tour just before the throngs arrived. We tried a few locations, including some tasty bites that ended up winning in the Consumer's Choice Best of Show Awards. Best of Show overall was Dune View Inn in Bouctouche, for Chef Carson's sautéed scallops and mushrooms in pesto sauce. L'Auberge Les Jardins near Edmundston received an honourable mention; I really enjoyed their escargot and smoked salmon canapés, especially the use of mini buckwheat ployes as the base for the appetizer.
Other winners were:
* Bogart's Grill for Best Hot Food
* Ramada Crystal Palace for Best Cold Food
* Tony's Pastries for Best Desserts
* Magnetic Hill Winery and Waterside Winery tied for Best Wine (both are local wineries!)
* Kriscott Distributors for Best Drink (including Iceberg Vodka)
* Delta Beausejour -- The Windjammer and TRIIIO for Best Booth
Besides these winners, I really enjoyed the foie gras ice cream with orange froth at Little Louis' booth, and the propane torch-seared beef with Guinness cheese at the Saint John Ale House booth.
Granted, these were only samples, but it's still a good way to test out a selection of fine dining establishments (while gradually filling your belly).
Mark your calendar for next spring -- Savour will be back. Cheers!
Craig Craig Pinhey knows how to savour a good meal. Visit him at www.frogspad.ca.
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