Canada's Top 10 Food Festivals And Foodie Experiences

The world’s second-biggest country covers 9,984,670 sq km, and all that space holds not only a huge diversity of landscape, but also a wealth of ingredients, from popular favourites (hello, maple syrup) to lesser-known treats such as bison meat and bakeapples, amber-coloured berries similar to blackberries. But Canada has barely been discovered as a culinary destination, so here are 10 food experiences to give you a taste.

Roots, Rants and Roars festival, Elliston, Newfoundland

This three-day festival is the best way to experience the rowdy culinary culture of the island known as “The Rock”. Its main draw is The Food Hike, a three-mile walk along a rugged shore, with stops at food stalls for dishes such as saucy braised lamb with pickled rutabaga, and meaty baked beans with bread and pork fat honey butter – all prepared by popular chefs such as Mark Gray of Brookyln Warehouse in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Amanda Ray of Biff’s Bistro in Toronto. Elliston’s famous root cellars (store rooms dug into hillsides for preserving vegetables over winter before refrigeration) make it look like part of The Shire, and visitors can also catch some of Newfoundland’s best musicians. Come with warm clothes and an appetite – Newfoundlanders know how to party at any time, in any weather.
• 18-20 September 2016, tickets from C$80 (£40), rootsrantsroars.ca

The biggest lobster roll, New Brunswick

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 Lobster roll at Saint John Alehouse

There’s no avoiding these large crustaceans on the east coast. Stacks of wooden lobster traps line the roads, hand-painted signs on restaurants advertise lobster dinners, and everyone has an opinion about where to get the best lobster roll. These are usually hot dog buns, filled with lobster meat, mayonnaise, lemon juice and green onion. The most luxurious version is at Saint John Ale House in New Brunswick, where they stuff meat from an entire lobster into a buttery wedge of grilled white bread and top it with house-made lobster roe aioli. It’s a “go big or go home” situation, and you’re going to want to go big.

Game, and Arctic apple fritters, Manitoba

About 40% of Canada’s land mass is inside the Arctic Circle, largely undiscovered by tourism. The vast frozen tundra can be explored by taking a VIA Rail train from Winnipeg or a flight (there are no roads) to the small community of Churchill, in northern Manitoba. Days can be spent on the ice looking at polar bears, evenings in Churchill restaurants that serve all kinds of tasty Arctic fish and game, including muskox, caribou and Arctic char. For dessert, Gypsy’s Bakery is a local institution that has been baking up a storm here for over 25 years. Nothing warms chilled bones like its fresh apple fritters.

Chinese food in Richmond, British Columbia

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 Squid at Richmond night market. Photograph: Alamy

Richmond claims to have the best Asian food outside Asia, thanks to its huge influx of immigrants, particularly from China. There are barbecue joints with burnished red ducks hanging in the window; hot pots full of fermented tofu and spicy broth; tiny food courts serving dumplings and hand-pulled noodles; massive dim sum restaurants; endless varieties of the beloved xiao long bao (soup dumplings); and locally caught sea urchin, geoduck, crab, fish, and spot prawns. I’d recommend Fisherman’s Terrace Seafood Restaurant, with dim sum from C$15-25pp if you go in a group.
• More details at 365daysofdining.com, tourismrichmond.com

Spruce tips in Tofino and Vancouver

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 Tofino Brewing’s Spruce Tree Ale

People have been foraging spruce tips – the new buds that appear each spring on spruce tree branches – for years for use in everything from cookies to homemade mayonnaise. Freshly harvested, the bright green tips have a citrussy flavour, tender texture, and smell like the woods. But they have recently become a sought-after ingredient. Brewers use them in speciality beers (try Spruce Tree Ale at Tofino Brewing), bartenders boil them into syrups, and chefs have even been churning them into ice-cream – Earnest does a spruce bud flavour. 

Croissant crawl, Montreal

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 Mamie Clafoutis’s Oh mon dieu chocolate croissant

If you hate exercising, perhaps it’s because you’ve never paired it with croissants. Montreal has an abundance of patisseries, perfect for exploring on a rented Bixi Bike (stations throughout the city). Favourites include Oh mon dieu, a croissant heavy with chocolate ganache from Mamie Clafoutis, and Patrice Patissier’schoux à la crème, a pillowy pastry with chocolate cream and caramelised bananas. It’s a fun way to see the city and burn calories while you accumulate them. 

Bi-coastal bivalves, Toronto

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 Rodneys Oyster House Photograph: Rodneys

Oysters thrive in deep, cold, coastal waters, and both Canada’s eastern and western shores are home to some of the best in the world. They feed by filtering algae, plankton, and other minerals from the water, taking on different characteristics depending on where they’re grown, from Colville Bay and Raspberry Point on Prince Edward Island in the Atlantic to Fanny Bay on Vancouver Island in the Pacific. Rodney’s Oyster House in Toronto always has a good selection.

Yukon cinnamon buns

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 Cinnamon buns at Braeburn Lodge

The Yukon, in Canada’s far north-west, is the place to head for northern lights – and cinnamon buns. The territory’s population is tiny, but a great many of its people seem to be making (and eating) them. The biggest and most famous are made at Braeburn Lodge, a modest inn between Whitehorse and Dawson City. Every day, the owner – who looks like Santa Claus in biker gear – bakes buns the size of dinner plates. It’s been a tradition here since 1952: the buns cost C$10 each, are big enough for three, and really, really tasty.

Gourmet kayaking, British Columbia

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Few activities are more Canadian than a kayaking trip with a stop for lunch in a forest teeming with bald eagles, foxes and bears. West Coast Expeditions has multi-day sea kayaking trips from Spring Island that combine adventure with good food. Meals (all provided) feature sustainably caught salmon and halibut and locally foraged ingredients, such as sea rocket and bull kelp.
• July to September, from C$1,899pp (around £950) for a four-day trip,westcoastexpeditions.com

Food festive in Toronto

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 An Asian food festival in downtown Toronto. Photograph: Alamy

in summer. There are Asian night markets and food truck rallies, as well as more recent arrivals dedicated to everything from ribs, pintxos, noodles, barbecue, curry, and vegan cuisine, to lesser-known street eats like Sri Lankan kottu roti. These events are sociable, and a great excuse to check out areas of Toronto not mentioned in many guidebooks.
• Details at spotlighttoronto.com (year-round, tickets from $10) andeventbrite.co.uk

Lindsay Anderson and Dana VanVeller blog at edibleroadtrip.com

By Lindsay Anderson and Dana VanVeller

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What To Do In Vancouver In September And October

 

ON THE RADAR - UPCOMING SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER EVENTS

 

RBC GranFondo Whistler
September 12
In 2007, Kevin Thomson and Neil McKinnon had the vision of producing a world-class cycling event to serve as a legacy event of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. In September 2010, after three years of work, that dream became a reality. The inaugural RBC GranFondo Whistler allowed 4,000 passionate cyclists the opportunity to ride the world-renowned Sea to Sky Highway in a dedicated car-free lane from downtown Vancouver to Whistler. Rider capacity grew to 7,000 cyclists in 2011 and 2012 as participants poured in from around the globe, and the event quickly established itself as one of the premier cycling events in North America. This incredible ride is not for the faint of heart (or thigh), taking an average of six hours for most cyclists to complete.
http://granfondowhistler.com

 

Vancouver International Fringe Festival
September 10-20
The Vancouver Fringe Festival is an annual celebration of "theatre for everyone", featuring more than 700 performances by 89 artists over 11 days. The festival takes place at theatres, performance spaces, and even nooks and crannies throughout Granville Island. This year, during the festival's 31st anniversary, you won't want to miss the opening night fundraiser on September 8, the Fringe Bar and Free Stage, or Pick of the Fringe (featuring the best performances from the festival).
www.vancouverfringe.com

 

Vancouver International Film Festival
September 24 to October 9
The 35th annual Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is one of the largest film festivals in North America, screening more than 350 films from 70-plus countries. In addition to movies, the festival also features a number of galas, workshops and special events, making it one of Vancouver's can't-miss annual happenings. Screenings take place at venues around Vancouver.
www.viff.org

 

UBC Apple Festival
October 17 and 18
At this fun community festival, you can taste up to 60 varieties of apples, including heritage, new and tried-and-true varieties. There are also grafting and cider-pressing demonstrations, a children's area (complete with face painting, storytelling and puppet shows) and the chance to enjoy apple pie, cider and other apple treats. After you've had your fill of apples, explore the stunning grounds of the University of British Columbia's Botanical Garden or walk along the treetop Greenheart Canopy Walkway. Admission is $4 (children 12 and under are free).
www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/apple-festival

   

Vancouver Writers Fest
October 20-25
The Vancouver Writers Fest turns reading into a community experience, bringing people together to share thoughts on literature, explore ideas, and witness brilliant conversations. With over 80 separate events taking place in 2015, highlights include "An Evening with John Irving" ( bestselling author of The World According to Garp and Cider House Rules), and "Paula Hawkins in Conversation with Elaine Lui" (author of runaway bestseller The Girl on the Train speaking with a celebrity gossip blogger at LaineyGossip.com). The festival takes places at venues on Granville Island.
www.writersfest.bc.ca 

Travelore News: Vancouver International First In World To Be Named Best Airport Six Consecutive Years

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) was named #1 Airport in North America for the sixth year-in-a-row by Skytrax World Airport Awards, the premier international airport awards voted on by more than 13-million passengers worldwide. This is the first time in Skytrax award history that an airport has maintained a #1 ranking for six consecutive years.

"This recognition for a sixth year-in-a-row is a testament to all the people who contribute to our shared success," said Craig Richmond, President and CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority. "I want to acknowledge and thank our community, passengers, partners and the 24,000 people who work and volunteer at YVR. We are both proud and humbled and will continue to collectively care for all our customers while connecting B.C. to the world."

Known informally in the travel industry as the Passenger Choice Awards, the Skytrax World Airport Awards are the global benchmark of airport excellence. More than 13 million passenger surveys were independently conducted across 550 airports in 112 countries. The survey measures 39 dimensions of the airport experience including check-in to border clearance efficiency, signage, transportation availability, design and layout, as well as shopping, service and dining options.

YVR was also named the best airport in the 10-20 million passenger category. Fairmont Vancouver Airport was voted Best Airport Hotel, North America.

This year's Skytrax World Airport Awards were handed out in Paris, France.

Top Travel Trends And Hot Destinations For 2015

2015 is just around the corner, and so the team at Cheapflights.com has gotten out its crystal ball for a peek at the travel year ahead. Read on for our thoughts on what trends will shape where we go and how we travel. And, as a bonus, we’ve thrown in what our team has to say about some unexpected new travel hot spots for Americans.

Health and wellness move up the travel agenda

In the era of Fitbits and Crossfit, healthy living is on the upswing. So too is healthy vacationing. More and more travelers are baking “wellness” into their getaways, going out of their way to nurture mind and body on their vacations. While high-end resorts are rolling out high-priced programs such as the newly launched Energy by Four Seasons, bargain hunters will seek out conventional and alternative therapies farther afield.

Mexico and Costa Rica are rising stars for stress-busting yoga and wellness getaways as well as places to get in touch with your inner athlete (surf camp anyone?). Asian countries such as India, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Korea all have well-developed – and reasonably priced – retreats that offer a variety of massages (no, not that type) and spa treatments ranging from fish pedicures to python massages to butt facials and fat-transfer treatments that will give you a bum like Kim Kardashian. She may be doing her best to “break the Internet,” but at least you won’t be breaking the budget when it comes to looking after your body abroad.

Wearable tech and location-based services to go mainstream

Airlines are increasingly using wearable tech to engage directly with their passengers and provide efficient, targeted service throughout the journey – from check-in to baggage.

Virgin Atlantic held trials with Google Glass and Sony Smartwatches. Japan Airlines has been ahead of the curve too, equipping staff with smartwatches. In 2015 we’ll see a greater rollout of this – in-flight as well as on the ground. For example, the Spanish airline Vueling has partnered with Sony to create the concept of a smartwatch-based boarding pass.

For the travelers themselves, high-quality wearable cameras such as GoPro and Autographer will continue to fuel social media networks, meaning that every single step of a vacation is documented.

On-the-go tech also translates to the ability to arrive in a city and find “just-in-time” deals on everything from tours to hotels to meals. This trend is increasing in popularity with budget-minded travelers who are not fixed on a particular hotel or plan and will trade predictability for affordability.

Greater segmentation and personalization on flights

2015 is all about the “c” word – choice, choice, choice. Be on the lookout for opportunities to personalize and upgrade your flight. Airlines will create special pods in their economy classes giving families and couples greater privacy – if not oodles more legroom.

The U.K.s’ Thomson Airways’ newest jets will be featuring booth-style seating at the back of the plane that can accommodate four to six people. Duo-seating includes a third seat that can transform into a table. This follows Air New Zealand’s Skycouch, which offers Premium Economy seating at something closer to Economy prices. Closer to home, JetBlue’s new Mint class offers personal suites on flights between New York and both Los Angeles and San Francisco (with more routes coming) for prices far below traditional First Class.

More airlines will offer the sort of perks once reserved for First-Class flyers. Think the Flying Nannies service and butlers on Etihad Airways’ long-haul flights, although butlers for bargain hunters may be a ways off yet.

We’re also betting hotels will strive to differentiate themselves against peer-to-peer rental sites such as Airbnb with value-added services (concierges for example) and establish themselves as destinations in their own right. Expect more opt-in extras and “value packs” as hotels look to woo higher-spending customers. And the list of extra services will grow and grow from basics like kids go free to pet nannies, helicopter rides, tour tickets, children’s activities, hangover butlers and staff to buff your sunglasses and gadgets. At the other end of the scale, sharing-economy accommodation sites will add higher end offerings and features to compete with hotels.

Airtiquette

With power-up rules at some airports, omnipresent mobile tech, the potential for hacked boarding passes, seat defenders wielded by assertive passengers, the predominance of the in-flight selfie (taken with the near-ubiquitous selfie stick) and carry-on meals that often pack an odor punch all creating flash points for passenger conflict, we are expecting “Airtiquette” to be a major issue in 2015.

Airlines will be taking a zero-tolerance approach to air rage. Flight crews will be on the lookout for trouble and ready to bring in official help when they need it. However, to get ahead of issues, the airlines will get proactive, adapting the seats on their planes, creating alternate seating layouts, adding dual-level armrests and “smart” pockets to stow devices and charging “stations.”

Celebrating food

Food has always been part of both travel and celebrations but, increasingly, travel has become a way to celebrate cuisine. 2015 is a landmark year in this regard as the idea of a formal restaurant turns 250. The birth place of dining out was (where else?) Paris. The year was 1765. The restaurateur was Monsieur Boulanger. And the house specialty was soup.

Fast forward to today and celebrity chefs, online reservations and reviews and a more mainstream “foodie” mentality have turned dining into entertainment at home and on vacation. Cooking (and even extreme eating) shows spotlight the cuisine of cities and cultures around the world, making everything from destination cooking classes to celebrity chef tours (on land and on cruise ships) and a renewed emphasis from airlines on food and beverage ready to be front and center in 2015.

Along these same lines, expect sustainability and traceability to be high on the menu next year. Expo Milano 2015 will be the largest worldwide event ever, running from May 1 to Oct. 31, drawing 22 million visitors from 130 countries (a billion people online) for food festivals and cultural celebrations.

Hot destinations for 2015

As the U.S. dollar gets stronger, a host of international airlines continue to increase their presence in America and the number of passports issued climbed for the third straight year, we are bullish on seeing more overseas travel in 2015. Here are some of the spots we see gaining ground as popular destinations.

Bali, Indonesia

Pura Taman Ayun, Bali (Image: wiifm69)

Americans are starting to catch on to Asia and Australia’s newest budget destination of choice. Bali is a postcard-perfect Pacific island undergoing a boom of growth in new hotels and resorts at price points to meet every budget.

From serene beaches and iconic temples to an array of spas and a sizzling club scene, Bali has pretty close to everything under the sun. Its appeal is such that, rumor has it, “The Bachelor” will be taking some dates there in the upcoming season.

Flights from the U.S. are becoming more frequent and affordable, but the eye-popping deals are from the host of bargain airlines out of Australia promising flights for well under $100.

Iceland

Iceland (Image: Nick)

It’s hard to be sure whether Walter Mitty, Wow Air or volcanoes have done the most to put Iceland on travelers’ to-do lists. All we can say is that we it expect it to be a red hot (maybe even molten hot?) travel spot for 2015.

Iceland moved into a leading travel role when Ben Stiller hurled himself downhill on a skateboard past a sweeping mountainscape in “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” This was a rare case of Iceland starring as itself rather than a fictitious land, awakening millions of viewers to its rugged beauty.

Insiders say, however, that tourism started its recent upswing in the wake of the 2010 eruption of the volcano Eyjafjallajökull, which made global headlines for causing the cancellation of more than 100,000 flights thanks to its ash clouds. While that volcano captured worldwide attention, the spewing of another volcano, Bardarbunga, this past August sparked a different flight trend – eruption sightseeing flights. Online videos of the Holuhraun Lava Field once again put Iceland center stage, showing it as a place like no other.

The one thing holding Iceland back as a destination, however, has been the expense. And now, rounding out the trifecta, we have Wow Air. This budget airline, based in Iceland, has now started to offer flights from the East Coast to Reykjavik starting at $99 each way. Look for other airlines to respond to the pricing pressure. And for opportunities to lay over for free for a few days in Iceland on your next trip to Europe.

Malta

This historic island nation, part of the British Commonwealth, is a popular beach destination for Europeans. However, it’s garnering increased attention on this side of the pond as well, especially after the Jolie-Pitts bestowed the highest honor on the nation when they had a working honeymoon on the island of Gozo, filming “By the Sea.”

And, if the Hollywood effect isn’t enough, Malta is likely to get the royal treatment in 2015 as well. The Duchess of Cambridge was due to make her first solo overseas visit to the republic to mark 50 years of independence in September but pulled out due to severe morning sickness. Our U.K. experts predict she will instead visit with Royal Baby No. 2 in tow.

And, for the royal sweep, the Queen and her three heirs (Charles, William and George) are expected to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta next November.

The Alps

Topographically speaking, we’ll all be high in 2015. July will be 150 years since the first Matterhorn ascent and Zermatt is celebrating with open-air performances, festivals and sporting events. The Hörnli Hut, the starting point for a Matterhorn climb, will reopen after being refurbished. This 101-year-old Matterhorn mountain lodge stands at 10,500 feet above sea level.

As “The Sound of Music” marks its 50th year, Austria will be alive with the sounds of the Rodgers & Hammerstein’s gem. Salzburg will host exhibitions, tours and sing-alongs.

And finally, the “Frozen” juggernaut will show no sign of slowing down in 2015. The global phenomenon may be set among the Scandinavian fjords, but with the Peak Walk in its infancy intrepid travelers can feast their eyes on the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau feeling just like Anna when she conjured up her ice kingdom.

Lithuania

Lithuania will adopt the Euro on Jan. 1, 2015, bringing the Baltic country into the single-currency club. There’ll be no more messing around with litas. Prices are expected to rise – in line with other countries that joined the Euro – but visitors can expect plenty of bang for their buck.

Its beer is legendary, its cuisine hearty, cheap and local (tying into the sustainable food trend) – cepelinai (potato and meat dumplings) and balandėliai or little doves (minced-meat-stuffed cabbage leaves) are national dishes. Its coast – the Curonian Spit – is UNESCO-listed and balmy in the summer time. And its culture comes with a side order of quirky.

Užupis is a bohemian, independent republic with a 12-man army and a statue of Frank Zappa (they tore down their statue of Lenin and replaced it with Zappa in the mid-1990s). Visitors to the independent country will be rewarded with a stamp in their passport, one of the best souvenirs for travelers.

Canada

The Toronto skyline (Image: mamonello)

2015 looks to be the summer of sports in Canada. The FIFA Women’s World Cup will play out across six host cities throughout June with the finals in Vancouver on July 5. Then Toronto steps into the host role for the Pan American Games in July and the Parapan American Games in August.

Summer time in Canada sees a rush to embrace the outside with a packed agenda of festivals, fishing, hiking golf and lakefront fun. While sports fans may lead the charge to head north of the border, we expect an overall surge as word spreads about all the action, on the playing fields and beyond.

Contributed by Oonagh Shiel

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