Fish, perhaps?
Trevor Pilgrim of Mayflower Adventures in Roddickton, NL, believes in giving his guests a hearty breakfast before he takes them out salmon fishing. One of his favourite haunts is Beaver Brook and its world-famous limestone cave, known as the Underground Salmon Pool.
“Our guests love to fish near the cave, as the salmon hold up in the pool below the opening. But salmon are active early in the morning, so having a good breakfast means you won’t have to take time away to satisfy your hunger when it’s the most important time for action on the river.”
The most popular item on his menu at the lodge is the trout omelette, combined with special cheeses and a side of sautéed tomatoes.
Altered tradition
In Nova Scotia, during the early 1900s, sportsmen like Eddie Breck and Albert Bigelow Paine (author of The Tent Dwellers) stayed at the Milford House wilderness resort in South Milford, NS, when trout, according to Paine, were “as long as your arm.”
A long-standing tradition after an exceptional day of fishing was to post a sign in the dining room that read, “Special Offer To-night—Trout Dinner, Compliments of So-and-So.”
Trout are plentiful this year at the lakes near Milford House—Lakes Boot and Geier have been stocked with thousands of small brown trout. The menu frequently features not just seafood, but everything from prime rib to turkey dinners, although one of the most popular items is fish cakes (see Milford House Fish Cakes recipe).
More snacking than catching
When Hantford Lewis, of Hinterland Adventures and Gear in Weymouth, NS, takes fishermen into his camp, the first thing he does in the morning is cook a hearty breakfast of oatmeal with raisins, cranberries and “real local maple syrup.” Then he gives everyone peanuts, jerky, dried strips of salt fish, and Eat-More bars to stuff into their pockets.
“We usually spend more time snacking than we do actually catching fish, even though there are lots of trout,” Hantford says with a gleam in his eye. But the most anticipated meal is supper.”
“I boil up a pot of potatoes then fry up steak, pork chops or venison—way too much—and we eat until it’s all gone. If we catch some trout, I’ll fry or boil those too. When you’re outdoors all day, food just seems to taste better.”
Memorable lunch
Jim Burton, of Flowers River Lodge, roughly 267 kilometres (166 miles) northeast of Goose Bay, NL, says that although there are hearty meals at the lodge, the most memorable meal for most guests is a “fry-up” shore lunch. After taking a fly-out via Beaver float plane to an adjacent lake, where guests can fish for Arctic char for the day, Jim—or his uncle, Calvin Burton—fries the fish right on the beach.
“We always use my uncle Calvin’s recipe (see Calvin’s Arctic Char Fry-Up recipe, above) and the combination of fresh fish, homemade bread and tea is something guests are crazy about. You don’t have to serve five-star meals. Simple is best.”
