East Coast Living

east coast

LIVING Inspiring home life in Atlantic Canada

Good neighbours A HALIFAX COUPLE LENDS A HAND TO FIND CONDO BLISS

SPRING 2019 | $4.95 eastcoastliving.ca

LOCALLY FARMED FOOD HOT HUES FOR SPRING TREES FOR EVERY YARD DISPLAY UNTIL JUNE 6, 2019

Dear Mainlanders, Here, every route is the scenic route.

Come f ind your Island.

Tiny homes • Recover that chair • Folk artists • Critter camouflage

River cruising • Fresh local pork • Halls Harbour cottage reno

Organic cheese choices • Grow veggies in containers • Backyard escapes

Welcome back spring!

Scavenging as an art form

This cottage reno is unique

Get into the garden It’s easier than you think

p.69

Eagles versus ospreys

p.62

We need to make a tough choice p.13

Bob Chambers

Larch Wood Canada: heirloom products Abbyshot Clothiers: sci-fi fun Barnyard Organics: family farming

lus: Comfort Food P2016

The true artist

River song

behind the

The lure of fly fishing

Craft beer & spirits p.30

A splash of colour

Guiding light

New paints for the season

Grindstone Island’s last lightkeeper p.45

lus:best shots PYour

Recipe Winners p.55

Winners of our 2016 photo contest p.32

GoodTaste Old Store

Café • Nigh

time snac

king • Seas

pray Orga

nic Co-o

mer 2018

L I V I N G

Grillin veggiegs fruits: & try them

O N

T H E

E A S T

C O A S T

Complim ents

for breakf ast

Summer cocktails :

raise a gla ss

Seafood de Comeau lights: Sea foods

Barbecuing returns

The world loves our oysters

Gracious Living on the East Coast

The cabin at Christmas

Bittersweet memories

p.24

Atlantic Canada’s shellfish delight p.60

Small classes, big results

Felted whimsy

Landmark East changes lives p.54

to its roots p.68

Bella McBride’s unique creations

celebrated cartoonist p.32

lus:guide to Good Taste PYour

Danish décor • Restigouche River • de Adder’s latest • Gardening gifts

lus:and survival PHope

Quilt honours the 100th anniversary of the Halifax Explosion

p.40

p.63

Life on the LaHave

The ferryman’s wife

lus:guide to Good Taste PYour

p.66

Gracious Living on the East Coast

p

Spring/Sum

G R A C I O U S

The great charcoal revival

Lester Farm Market • Liquor monopoly • Planting bulbs • Antique bottles

of

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contents

SPRING 2019

These local pieces bring spring inside

16

12

Hot hues for your home

THE LIST

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

12 Décor: Top colours for 2019

24 Cover story: Good neighbours

6

From walls to adding pops of colour with rugs and pillows, here’s how to use the colours of the year

16 Décor: Show and tell

Go local this spring with art and décor from these four Atlantic Canadian artists

A Halifax couple lends a hand to find condo bliss

34 In depth: Reach for the sky

Add height and interest to your yard with trees and shrubs

EATING IN

20 Projects: Put your best

foot forward

38 Under pressure

Your home’s front walk is its first impression—make it count

Home cooks save time and cupboard space with Instant Pots

42 Eating local made easy

Community supported agriculture boxes bring the farm to your door

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SPRING 2019

Welcome home

46 Gardening: Growing wild

Wildflowers are easy to maintain and help native species thrive

49 Buying Guide 50 Last look: Coming home

Returning to Halifax from the west coast inspired Sarah Holmes’ ceramic art

DATE & TIME

NS SPRING IDEAL HOME SHOW DEMO SCHEDULE

Saturday, March 30 10 am – 6 pm

FRIDAY MARCH 29

1:00 PM 2:00 PM 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:30 PM

Compass Distillery Aging in Place Backyard Composting Fusion Paint Demo Sewer & Water 101 Healthy Donair Dip - samples

Renae Perry Harding Medical Theresa Edem, HRM Solid Waste Resources Molly Deveau - The Painted Attic Syna Rasmusson, C.E.T. Leanne Penney - Epicure

SATURDAY MARCH 30

11:00 AM 11:30 AM 12:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 3:00 PM 3:30 PM 4:00 PM

Compass Distillery Aging in Place Healthy Donair Dip - samples Backyard Composting Fusion Paint Demo Efficiency NS Sewer & Water 101 Forest Lakes Country Club

Renae Perry Harding Medical Leanne Penney - Epicure Theresa Edem, HRM Solid Waste Resources Molly Deveau - The Painted Attic Barry Walker Syna Rasmusson, C.E.T. Ralph Bastarache

SUNDAY MARCH 31

11:00 AM 11:30 AM 12:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 3:00 PM 3:30 PM

Compass Distillery Aging in Place Healthy Donair Dip - samples Backyard Composting Fusion Paint Demo Efficiency NS Sewer & Water 101

Renae Perry Harding Medical Leanne Penney - Epicure Theresa Edem, HRM Solid Waste Resources Molly Deveau - The Painted Attic Barry Walker Syna Rasmusson, C.E.T.

Friday, March 29 10 am – 8 pm

Sunday, March 31 10 am – 4 pm

Admission

Adult - $11 Senior - $9 (65+) 18 and under FREE

* Friday 10am - 1pm HALF PRICE - all categories *

Welcome

home

Every issue of Halifax Magazine reaches 43,600 of the city’s most affluent and influential readers

Spring 2019

CONTACT US TO ADVERTISE 902-420-9943 PUBLISHERS@METROGUIDE.CA halifaxmag.com

Photo: Bruce Murray/VisionFire

I

’ve dodged Marie Kondo and her tidying method for years now. First her global best-selling books, and now her Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. After her reign of nearly 10 years as the world’s top organizer, I had to test her method.

Kondo asks you to imagine your ideal lifestyle and tidy by category rather than location. Pile everything from that category in one place, discard items that don’t spark joy, and appreciate items that do. To decide if an item sparks joy, hold it, close your eyes, and wait for the joy. If it doesn’t come, thank the item and place it in the discard pile.

Kondo has many firm rules. Tidying follows a specific order: clothes, books, papers, miscellaneous, and sentimental (to sensitize you to the spark of joy, so you don’t get caught up early on and discard something cherished). She also demands storing items so they’re easily visible, including a clothing folding method.

I felt silly holding up my clothes and waiting for joy.

A handful of T-shirts sparked nothing but a mumbled “Thank you.” Until I found a sweater that brought back fond memories and, I dare say, a bit of joy. Within hours, everything in my closet is organized, easy to find, and sparks joy.

Kondo hails the health benefits of tidying, and I agree. I feel refreshed when I visit my closet in the morning. What better time for it than spring?

In this issue, we focus on revitalizing your home and yard for warmer weather. In our décor section (page 12), we highlight top paint colours for 2019 and where to use them, plus visit artisans across Atlantic Canada to see spring-themed pieces (page 16). In the kitchen, we learn about community supported agriculture (page 42) and share advice and recipes from Instant Pot enthusiasts (page 38). Outside, we look at how and where to plant wild flowers (page 46) and using trees to add interest to your property (page 34).

We also meet a Halifax couple who know about tidying up. Helen and Alan Boden downsized from a two-storey home to a condo two years ago. In addition to paring down their belongings, they learned how to live in a shared space for the first time in decades (and how to win over their neighbours). Read their story on page 24.

I learned about the Bodens’ story, like so many in East Coast Living, because they emailed us about their home. Show us yours or share your comments about this issue on our Facebook or Twitter, or via email.

Kim Hart Macneill Email: ecl@metroguide.ca Twitter: EastCoastLiving Facebook: East Coast Living Magazine

Radiance

Mahone Bay | Halifax | Halifax Airport | Peggy's Cove

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Bring home the beauty and quality of Bosch today “The Bosch 800 series is the best dishwasher we’ve ever tested.”

Reviewed.com, March 09, 2018

Visit bosch-home.ca for details Davidson Food Equipment 1245 Hanwell Rd. Fredericton, NB (506) 450-4994 ross@davidsonfoodequipment.com

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MacArthur Appliances Inc 96 Mount Edward Rd. Charlottetown, PEI (902) 368-2200 macarthur@macarthurapp.pe.ca

Feron Kitchen Inc 110 Chain Lake Dr., Unit 31 Halifax, NS (902) 450-5144 • 1-800-565-4044 dferon@feronkitchens.com

© 2019 BSH Home Appliances Ltd. All rights reserved.

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On our cover:

Books to inspire

Helen and Alan Boden relax with Winston, their red poodle. This open condo mixes modern elements and local art with historical fixtures from its time as a convent chapel.

Read about it on page 24.

Photos by Bruce Murray, VisionFire Publisher Senior Editor Editor Creative Director Graphic Designer Production Coordinators

Patty Baxter Trevor J. Adams Kim Hart Macneill Shawn Dalton Roxanna Boers Paige Sawler Jennifer Cahill Printing Advocate Printing & Publishing

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2882 Gottingen Street Halifax, Nova Scotia B3K 3E2 Tel. 902-420-9943 Fax 902-422-4728 E-mail: publishers@metroguide.ca metroguide.ca eastcoastliving.ca To subscribe, contact Bonnie Marchand at bmarchand@metroguide.ca or 902-420-9943 or subscribe online: eastcoastliving.ca Canada: one year (four issues), $14.99+HST; U.S.A.: one year, $14.99 US. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher.

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Return undeliverable addresses to Metro Guide Publishing at the address above.

Volume 22, Number 1 Spring 2019 ISSN 1714-1834 East Coast Living is a member of:

East Coast Living is a Metro Guide publication.

SPRING 2019

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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.

East Coast Living and Saltscapes are giving away a Best of Atlantic Canada Weekend.

It’s the ultimate Saltscapes experience!

Visit! Shop! Enjoy!

The lucky winner and guest will receive: • Two nights accommodation at the Best Western Chocolate Lake, April 26-28, 2019, with weekend passes for the entire three-day event.

• $200 spending money, plus a two-year subscription to Saltscapes delivered anywhere in Canada.

• A chance to assist in a cooking demo with Saltscapes food editor Kilted Chef Alain Bossé, and a gardening seminar with Saltscapes gardening editor Jodi DeLong.

How to enter? Like our Facebook page (facebook.com/ saltscapesmagazine), then click on the contest tab to enter your name & email address. Winner will be drawn on April 11, 2019 and announced through social media.

See saltscapes.com/expo for details.

Buy your tickets in advance to qualify for a chance to win The Ultimate Destination Cape Breton Long Weekend for two. Includes picturesque accommodations and exciting activities, plus the use of a new Subaru to enjoy your island journey. Value: $1,500 Compliments of Destination Cape Breton Association.

For advanced tickets call 1-877-311-5877 or visit saltscapes.com/expo

Win on Facebook

Enter our spring Facebook contest for a chance to win five gallons of high-quality paint from Beauti-Tone. Find contest details on our Facebook page: East Coast Living Magazine.

Contest closes on April 15, 2019.

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SPRING 2019

Meet our contributors CASSANDRA BERNARD “Top Colours for 2019” Cassandra is a born-and-raised Islander. She freelances for a variety of publications including PEI Living Magazine and The Buzz. Cassandra manages All Things Active PEI on social media, and administers PEI Good News Only! on Facebook.

NIKI JABBOUR “Growing wild” Niki is the best-selling author of three gardening books, and the host of the digital YouTube series, Get Growing.

MICHAEL BIGELOW “Coming home” Michael Bigelow is a writer and musician originally from Stellarton, N.S. He divides his time between Toronto, Ont. and Heraklion, Crete. michaelbigelow@gmail.com

SUZANNE RENT “Under pressure” Suzanne is a Halifax-based writer and works in the non-profit sector.

Her work has appeared in Halifax Magazine, Globe and Mail, Canadian Business, Lawyers Weekly, and more.

She loves her daughter, Naomi, desserts, and storytelling.

HEATHER LAURA CLARK “Reach for the sky” Heather is a Truro, N.S.-based journalist and columnist whose work appears in newspapers, magazines, and websites across Canada, including the Huffington Post, New Homes & Renovations, and the Chronicle Herald. @HFXHeather

KEN KELLY “Eating local made easy” Ken is a freelance writer and contributor to East Coast Living based in Moncton, N.B. @musicnerddotca

DENISE FLINT “Put your best foot forward” Denise is a freelance journalist based in St. John’s, N.L. Her interests are eclectic and her articles on a variety of subjects appear in publications across the country. @DeniseFlint1

A L A I N B O S S É Th e Ki l ted Ch e f

The ACADI AN K I TC H EN RECIPES from THEN and NOW

BRUCE MURRAY, VISIONFIRE Photography for “Good neighbours” 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

KATIE INGRAM “Show and tell” Katie has written for local, national, and international publications and is the author of Breaking Disaster: Newspaper Stories of the Halifax Explosion. She lives in Halifax.

celebrating over 400 years of Acadian cooking, The Acadian Kitchen: Recipes from Then and Now is a landmark guide to Acadian history, culture, and the time-honored foods that define its one-of-akind heritage. From culinary expert Alain Bossé, aka “The Kilted Chef,” The Acadian Kitchen explores the evolution of this historic cuisine from its 17th century roots to the Cajun and French Canadian dishes it influences today. With classic recipes for fricot and rappie pie, jambalaya, festive desserts, regional specialties, and much more, The Acadian Kitchen is a comprehensive look at a truly remarkable cuisine that has endured for centuries without losing any of its flavour.

DISCOVER THE FOLLOWING FASCINATING RECIPES . . .

Acadian Cajun Peanut Butter Pie (page 141) Spring Hodge Podge (page 75) Ployes (page 184) The Acadian Kitchen by Alain Bossé (the Kilted Chef) | 9781770503137 $34.95 | Published by Whitecap Books (www.whitecap.ca)

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Top colours for

2019

From walls to adding pops of colour with rugs and pillows, here’s how to use this year’s colours in your home

BY CASSANDRA BERNARD

16-1546 Living Coral

T 12

SW 9142 Moscow Midnight

DLX1145-7 Night Watch

1216 Bakers Dozen

NPC26-0 Paradisiac

his season a bounty of earthy, warm colours are on trend with tones like orange, blue, and clay for use in every room. Whatever your décor desires, classic and conservative or unconventional and modern, the colours in this list will get your creativity flowing.

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DECOR

Surround Tropic of Conversation with neutrals for an eye-popping accent wall.

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Damien Parkwood

ABOVE: Include pops of colour with wallpaper and textile patterns and accents like table lamps.

ABOVE: Interior designer Damien Packwood added a splash of wow to his front door with Living Coral.

Pops of Peach Beauti-Tone’s colour of the year is the warm and joyful Tropic of Conversation SC194-3. It’s a vibrant, energetic orange-peach that pairs perfectly with muted colours to make a visual statement. Tropic of Conversation is a fun option for accent walls, interior doors, or even inside drawers and closets.

Interior designer Damien Packwood, owner of Charlottetown-based Damien Morris Design, says soft, warm whites with hints of gray and gray neutrals create a cozy space, but incorporating shots of colour is key.

“Remember to work the colour into other aspects around the front door, cushions, flowers, and area rugs,” he says.

Parkwood says he wasn’t disappointed when Pantone revealed its colour of the year is Living Coral 16-1546. “I used this colour on my front door this past summer and it gave my front entry a real shot of colour and it’s so much more inviting.” Living Coral brightens up any room through patterned wallpapers, tablecloths, napkins, runners, and decorative lamps and pillows.

The New Navy Robyn Manning, with Halifax-based interior consultancy firm Bricks and Birches, says people are ready for colour and one colour-pop trend she predicts this season is a more evolved version of navy. “[Navy has] gone from chalky to jewel tones, and is even taking a step towards teal,” Manning says. For example, you can use Sherwin Williams Moscow Midnight SW 9142, one of her all-time favourite colours, everywhere from powder rooms to front doors.

Clay Tones ABOVE: Add sophistication and drama with Night Watch.

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We are returning to an earthier place as the neutral movement continues. Manning says this colour works for accent on walls, ceilings in modern spaces, or used with terracotta accents.

DECOR

ABOVE: Night Watch is so versatile you can use it inside or out.

BELOW: Accent ceilings incorporate colour without being too bold.

Try Bakers Dozen in a bathroom.

Periwinkle Soft blues with more purple undertones are creeping into homes everywhere. Manning is working on a project with a kitchen range hood in a Beauti-Tone’s Paradisiac NPC26-0, a shade of periwinkle, offering a fresh take on the modern farmhouse aesthetic. “It would also be a fabulous genderneutral option for a nursery or bedroom,” she says.

Go dark Black was hot in 2018, and keeping with that trend is Dulux’s colour of the year: Night Watch DLX1145-7. This deep green is a show stopper. Keep rooms airy by using this dark colour sparingly. Think kitchen cupboards or an office accent wall. For a bold look, take it outside and use it on doors and trim. o

Matt McCullen/Contruction by Bowers Construction

“It’s a more contemporary take on warm and has somewhat evolved from the blush tones that were popular in the past few years,” she says. Her go-to colour for this style is Benjamin Moore’s Bakers Dozen 1216.

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East Coast Living Magazine

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Show and tell

BY KATIE INGRAM

Go local this spring with art and décor from these four Atlantic Canadian artists

Blue Jay

by Melissa McCarthy of Made with Clay and Love (St. John’s, N.L.) When seeking inspiration, polymer clay artisan Melissa McCarthy doesn’t go far, she just looks out her back door.

“Birds are my favourite subject to sculpt and lately,” she says. “I have a lot of blue jays visiting my backyard, which inspired this miniature sculpture. As with most of my pieces, I wanted to keep the style minimalist and whimsical.”

“Spring to me means colour, happiness, birds, and animals,” McCarthy says. “All of which this piece has.”

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DÉCOR

Tulips

by Sarah Webber of Rock Bottom Studio (Mersey Point, N.S.) Sarah’s Webber’s latest stained-glass creation started with a challenge. After she created the prize statue for Liverpool International Theatre Festival awards, someone asked if she could make dragonflies.

She did, but thought the piece was missing something.

“I thought maybe I’d put a tulip in there and then it was like: one tulip is fine, but what about two tulips?”

The piece eventually featured a blue dragonfly and three red flowers, nestled in green grass. The colours are joyful, something Webber associates with the season.

“It’s corny, but they make me happy and that makes me think of spring,” she says.

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Evening Pedals

by Lenny Gallant of Birdmouse Reclaimed Wood Furniture and Home Décor (Cardigan, P.E.I.) Lenny Gallant combines art with conservation by working exclusively in reclaimed wood at his studio, Birdmouse. The latest addition to his Evening Pedals series connects to spring because it’s “about breathing new life into something.”

“When I reclaim wood, I always think of where it came from. It was garbage and I’m giving it new life,” he says about the 100-year-old pipe organ pedals this piece originated from.

“Just like the spring season, it blooms again.”

When working on a pedal, Gallant doesn’t work from a plan. He lets his drawing form as he works, leading to springlike designs.“It’s kind of like organic geometry and with that comes a lot of flowers and buds,” he says. “It’s not necessarily intentional, but that’s what happens.”

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DÉCOR

Mermaid Necklace

by Marcia Poirier of Wildabout Wampum (Cocagne, N.B.)

Daniel St. Lewis

Marcia Poirier knows what she wants to create but lets her designs form as she works.

“I can never make two of a kind,” she says of her quahog shell jewelry. “The flow of every piece has an energy and I follow the shell.”

Poirier says her mermaid necklaces have strong connections to the ocean, which sees more visitors as it gets warmer.

“It comes down to the feeling of the ocean and the chance to explore,” she says. “Anyone who has an affinity with the ocean has a mermaid’s soul and loves to wander and discover treasures.” o

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East Coast Living Magazine

Coming up in our summer issue of East Coast Living!

QUICK FIX visits the garage to transform your space without emptying your wallet LEARN to make, install, and care for traditional shake shingles TRIANGLES, SOLDIERS, OR PINWHEELS–Dainty tea sandwiches come in every variety

east coast

LIVING SPRING 2019

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Put your best foot forward

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PROJECTS

Your home’s front walk is its first impression— make it count.

BY DENISE FLINT

A

s the snow melts it reveals the debris of a long winter. Just like your home’s interior, your front walkway will benefit from a spring cleaning. A fresh front walk adds appeal to your home for you, your visitors, and neighbours.

Start with a power wash. It will revitalise tired looking hard surfaces like concrete or brick. You can blast away dead weeds between pavers at the same time. Most big box stores rent power washers.

Ensure your walkway’s lines are smooth and sharp. “You really want clean lines,” says Myles Whitaker, the landscape construction supervisor at Murray’s Garden Centre and Horticultural Services in Portugal Cove, N.L. “They give definition and please the eye.”

Whitaker suggests digging out the weeds between the stones and tidying up the edges. Cut away encroaching grass. Top-up gravel walkways to freshen their appearance and add sand between paving stones for stability. Consider replacing regular sand with polymeric jointing sand, which is more durable and will repel weeds. Find it at your local hardware store or garden centre.

Winter’s freeze-thaw cycle can send paving stones or bricks reaching for the sky. Tamp down those that have shifted slightly. Pull up and level the ground below those that need more than a tap.

A solid concrete walkway showing bad signs of heaving and cracking might need professional help. Before it gets to that point, you can extend concrete’s life by using concrete-friendly ice melters rather than salt.

If your concrete walkway is in good shape one way to spruce it up is through resurfacing. Cement-based overlays come in a variety of colours and can give the appearance of different materials like Italian slate or flagstones, making the entire path look brand new. Make sure whatever you chose complements your house in both colour and style. Painting also offers a quick and easy change in appearance, although it won’t last as long and may become slippery when wet.

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Improve a narrow path by adding a border in a different material to the sides. A line of bricks down either edge, for example, adds colour and interest.

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PROJECTS

LEFT: Use well-placed plants to steer visitors back onto the walk.

Installing path lights extends the time you can enjoy your garden and adds safety for visitors.

The wider the path, the more attractive it looks. Improve a narrow path by adding a border in a different material to the sides. A line of bricks down either edge, for example, adds colour and interest.

“Walkways can sometimes look a little industrial,” says Whitaker.

Plants will soften the lines and add colour. “But you don’t want something that can be crushed or broken by having the snow thrown on it. If it’s by a road with lots of traffic and snow-clearing, it’s got to be pretty hardy.”

Potted plants allow you to create a variety of looks in spring and summer. But Darcy MacNeill, owner of Earthform Landscape Professionals in Stratford, P.E.I., says small potted plants at the nursery can be deceptive. Ask the garden centre staff how large plants will grow before buying.

Plants can help keep people on the walkway. If your path curves or has sharp angles and visitors tend to cut across the lawn, use wellplaced plants to steer them back onto the walk.

Landscape lights placed every one-to-two metres along the path add visual excitement and safety at night. “Lighting extends the season and is a great way to enhance the presence of the house,” says MacNeill. “It takes it to another dimension.”

Find solar and electric lights at your local hardware store. A professional should install electric lighting, which makes it more expensive. The good news is that LED lighting comes down in price yearly and will only get more affordable.

For a year-round lighting option, MacNeill suggests electric. “Solar lights are okay, but they’re not quite there yet,” he says. “They will go far in the next few years, but now they don’t last and aren’t bright enough with the long nights we have in winter.” Solar lights are easy to install yourself and perfect for more isolated paths or where the lighting has to cross a driveway or some other obstruction.

A clean, smooth walkway with well-defined edges, attractive lighting and well-placed plants is sure to make anyone happy to be led down your garden path. o

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The raised kitchen and dining area mark the division between the former sacristy and chapel.

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COVER STORY

Good neighbours This Halifax couple lent a hand to find condo bliss

BY KIM HART MACNEILL PHOTOS BY BRUCE MURRAY, VISIONFIRE

H

ABOVE: The etched and painted glass windows made by Canadian Pittsburgh Industries stream colourful afternoon light into the dining area.

elen Boden remembers the first time she and her husband Alan walked into their condo. The soaring ceilings and abundant light captured her attention. When she saw the historical etched-glass windows leading into the kitchen she knew. “Yes,” she said. “This is the spot.”

At the time, the couple lived in a two-bedroom home in St. Margaret’s Bay, Nova Scotia. When they bought the property in 1996, it felt like country living, says Helen. But years of development increased traffic on the road and extended their commute into the city for work.

The condo came with a tenant, which was perfect for the couple who weren’t ready to move. “We always knew maybe five or 10 years down the road we’d move here. It turned out to be six, so we were right on time,” says Helen.

The Second Empire-style building of brick and stone was built for the Sisters of Charity by renowned architects Ross and MacDonald in 1920. It replaced the first St. Joseph’s Convent destroyed in the Halifax Explosion in 1917.

It later became a nursing home, and in 2007 a condominium named The Seton, for the convent’s founding sister. Despite the years and changing hands, the building maintains its original character and is a Halifax Regional Municipality Heritage Property.

Helen is the kind of person who corresponds with her school pen pal for nearly 40 years, albeit now by email. She’s also the type to takes a job at Tim Hortons at a military base in Kandahar to “support the troops and do my bit.”

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AT RIGHT: Mounted cupboards only line one side of the galley kitchen to make it feel more spacious.

BELOW: Alan bought Helen this fig tree at a supermarket in Ottawa 35 years ago. He walked home with it through downtown hugging it to his chest.

ABOVE: “A lot of people are afraid of colour,” Helen says.

“It’s just paint, if you don’t like it, paint over it.”

RIGHT: Alan hand-sanded and stained the floors in the gym.

The over-size mirrors he found at Rona make the small space feel larger.

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COVER STORY

History weaves throughout the Bodens’ home and the building.

Helen’s flight to Afghanistan included a nine-hour layover in Frankfurt, Germany, so the pen pals planned their first meeting. “The funny thing is I was on the plane, and I was more worried about meeting my pen pal in Germany for the first time than I was about the fact that I was going to Kandahar,” she says.

She met her match in husband Alan. A career navy man, the couple wrote weekly letters during his long deployments at sea. She numbered the envelopes. “By the time they actually got to the ship sometimes they would accumulate, and Alan could end up receiving three, four, or five at the same time.”

Alan revels in The Seton’s history and spent time at the Nova Scotia Archives to learn about its origins. Personal history is also key to the couple, who feature a gallery wall of historic family photos in their living room.

One is a black and white shot of a beautiful woman feeding a piglet from a baby bottle on the table at a British pub. Alan’s father snapped a picture of the woman laughing while her date looked on. Alan doesn’t know the man’s name, because the woman started dating the handsome photographer soon after and would go on to become his mother.

Other photos in the collection feature Helen as a girl in Cyprus, and a toddler-size Alan jumping for joy. “They’re in chronological order,” says Alan, gesturing at the wall. “That’s just us. Isn’t it?” replies Helen.

History weaves throughout the Bodens’ home and the building.

Entering through the front door, visitors have no doubt they’re in a former convent when walking down a hallway wide enough for a car.

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ABOVE: Alan recently started playing bass. The music room also functions as a guest room with a fold down futon.

RIGHT TOP: Memories decorate the entire space. In the hall the Bodens’ wedding picture hangs below pictures of their parents weddings.

RIGHT BOTTOM: The quilt above the bed was a wedding gift.

The pattern symbolizes wedding rings.

RIGHT MIDDLE: The oar and nautical-style lighting gives the ensuite a cottage feel.

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COVER STORY

Through the condo’s original, heavy wood door, the soaring ceilings make the two-bedroom space seem much larger than its 1400 square feet. The main living area is open concept, with a raised kitchen and dining areas at the back of the room, and a step down into the living room.

Formerly the convent’s chapel, the 17-cm step down marks the line between the former sacristy and the chapel. Etched and handpainted glass windows fill the space with colourful afternoon light, as Joseph, Mary Magdalen, and Jesus peer across the room.

The couple gutted and refinished the condo before moving in. Alan did most of the work over a four-month period. “We contacted Habitat for Humanity to take away a lot of the electrical stuff, lighting, fans, kitchen cupboards, bathroom vanity, anything that was useable,” says Alan. “The appliances were old, but still good. We didn’t want it to just end up in the landfill.”

He saved most of the original trim around the windows and doors, staining it to let the history of the wood shine through. “I love some of the old characters in the wood trim,” says Helen.

“You can see where there’s been old shutters and bumps against the wood. We had to keep in mind that there was always going to be this brown hue and the other colours in the room were chosen to match with that too.”

The renovation wasn’t without its delays. Helen laughs when she tells the story about misunderstanding what the flooring store meant by Italian tile. Rather than a style, it was the tile’s origin, and its six-week boat journey set the kitchen renovations on hold. Alan loves having a project on the go, so he took his skills to the basement.

Alan joined the condo board when the couple purchased the unit. Before taking up residence at The Seton, he tended the potted plants and shrubs surrounding it. During the refinishing

ABOVE: Helen wasn’t sure how to decorate a curved wall until she found these brass climbing men at Living Lighting in Dartmouth, N.S. SPRING 2019

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delay, he suggested building a gym in the basement, which he’d stock with equipment the couple had in their home gym in St. Margaret’s Bay. “They thought, ‘This guy’s off his rocker,’” says Alan, about the condo board. “‘He’s going to stand on the floor by hand and he’s going to make a gym?’” He did and now most owners and tenants use it regularly.

During other renovation delays, he outfitted and refinished several storage rooms, a conference room, a bicycle area, and the main passageway. Alan supplies the labour and the condo board pays for supplies. “You’ve got a job for life in the basement, love,” Helen is fond of saying.

Helen chalks up Alan’s earning the trust of his fellow tenant as something that made the renovations much easier.

When he needed to access the ensuite bathroom from another tenant’s storage space, he traded his own storage space and some hand-built shelves to for her trouble.

Another aspect that made the job smoother was working with trusted tradespeople like Bremner’s Plumbing & Heating and Benoit Electric, both based in Halifax. Alan says he would have hired a general contractor to manage the project, but no one wanted the job.

“There seems to be a gap between owners and contractors that you need someone who is handy to do these little jobs,” says Helen. “There’s no latitude in a condo,” adds Alan. “They can’t come in at 6 a.m. and bash things out.”

It’s almost two years since they moved in, and Alan’s nearly finished the job. A storage closet with a stacking washer-dryer and the bathroom off the living room are next on his list. That is once he finishes the communal yoga room he’s building in the basement. o

ABOVE: Helen found this Kohler sink at The Ensuite Bath and Kitchen Showroom in Halifax years before starting the condo renovations.

She considered buying it for the St. Margaret’s Bay home but didn’t want to sell it with the house. The design, called Botanical Study, is inspired by a 16th-century Turkish design. It features intertwined flowers, and a handful of tiny, subtle red lady bugs.

LEFT: Alan made this massive cork board featuring over 10,000 wine corks. He and Helen saved their corks for years, as well as collecting corks at weddings, to complete it. The corks sit within a pre-built frame, available at most craft and DIY stores. It keeps bus tickets, event tickets, schedules and more within eye-view of the door.

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COVER STORY

THEIR FAVOURITE THINGS Though small, this condo highlights a number of Atlantic Canadian artisans.

RAILROAD CART COFFEE TABLE Lovely Nova Design, Dartmouth, N.S. Owner and designer Jessica Skinner crafted her Historic Infusion line after purchasing the contents of a 100-year-old foundry. Its barn board top is elegant yet holds up to wear. lovelynova.com

CONCRETE COUNTER TOPS Randy Mugford Design, Portuguese Cove, N.S. Mugford is best known for his signature concrete and wood pieces. “We told him the colours, gave him some of the tile for the floor and said you’re the artist,” says Helen. The countertop in the kitchen incorporate wooden holly motifs and a quartz crystal to add a splash of bright to dark concrete counter tops. 65design.ca

WOODEN QUILT Jessica Waterman, St. John’s, N.L. Waterman’s wood quilts blend soft earthy colours with pastels, textiles. The natural texture and highlights in the wood attracted Helen the same way the well-loved and weathered window trim in the condo does. jessicawaterman.com

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Sisters of Charity, Halifax, Congressional Archives

STEP INTO

HISTORY Sisters of Charity, Halifax, Congressional Archives

Laying the cornerstone of St. Joseph’s Convent, Oct. 19, 1919. The Sisters are in the “old habit,” which included a black bonnet.

Quebec-based architecture firm Ross and Macdonald is well known across Canada. In addition to designing St. Joseph’s Convent, which would later become The Seton, it designed the Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa, Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, and the Montreal Star Building.

A year after the 1917 Halifax Explosion, co-founder George Allen Ross designed the Hydrostone Market and several homes in what would become the Hydrostone District in Halifax’s north end. The area was named for the concrete blocks incorporated into the homes. Affordable, fire-retardant, and simple to build with, hydrostones were key to postHalifax Explosion rebuilding.

The convent building also features hydrostones. Built in 1920, it replaced the original convent which was partially destroyed by the Explosion, and completely destroyed the next day by a blizzard. The Sisters of Charity played an important role in revitalizing the area after the Explosion.

The Seton’s central tower was once home to the “Ave Maria Bell,” designed by the renowned Meneely Bell Foundry in New York state. The bronze bell weighs about 230 kg and carries the names of 32 St. Joseph’s parishioners killed in the Explosion.

The Ave Maria bell presented to St. Joseph’s Convent in loving memory of those who died in the 1917 Halifax Explosion. The photo is circa 1928.

Learn more about The Seton on historicplaces.ca.

FEEDBACK LEFT: One of the original chapel pews sits in the hallway near the door to the Bodens’ condo.

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Reach for the

sky Trees and shrubs add height and interest to your yard

BY HEATHER LAURA CLARKE

T

rees produce oxygen, reduce smog, shelter birds and small animals, and provide shade on sunny days. They also add natural beauty and structure to a yard and have the power to boost a home’s property value by 5–15% — even more if the entire street is tree-lined, according to Arbor Plant Health Care, a Halifax-based tree-care company.

Dianne Earl manages tree and shrub sales at Scott’s Nursery in Lincoln, N.B. She says homeowners must start by assessing their property size because a massive tree can overtake a small yard.

“Most trees average 40–60 feet [12–18 m] at least, which means a canopy of at least 30 feet (9 m) around,” says Earl. “Trees look small when you buy them, and a lot of people don’t realize how big they can grow.”

She says small yards do best with trees that reach 6 m or less, like ivory silk lilac, red maple, sugar maple, and Hot Wings Tatarian maple.

If you have a large yard, she suggests a new variety called Autumn Blaze maple, a fastgrowing cross between silver maple and red maple with vibrant fall colours.

The grass may look greener in a neighbour’s yard, but it’s what’s under it that counts when you plant a tree. Not every variety of tree can survive in every type of soil.

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IN DEPTH

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ABOVE: Mock orange bushes add flow and a bright citrus scent to a yard.

TOP: The Japanese maple is a hearty variety that grows well in this region.

RIGHT: Shrubs are a set-it-and-forget-it option after the first year of growth.

Earl says she asks homeowners if their soil is wet or dry, clay or sandy before planting. If you aren’t sure, dig a small hole, about 30 by 30 cm, and fill it with water. If it takes more than 20 minutes for the water to drain, you’ll need to plant trees that can tolerate wet soil.

Once you’ve determined an appropriate tree size based on your property and which varieties will flourish, start thinking about what style of tree you want. Think about its purpose or if it’s simply ornamental.

“A lot of people are planting trees to celebrate new babies, so every child in the family gets their own tree,” says Earl. “Other families are choosing to plant fruit trees so they can enjoy freshly-picked pears, apples, plums, peaches, and berries from their own yard.”

Even though they don’t bear fruit or bloom with fragrant flowers, Earl says evergreens are a nice, and uncomplicated, choice.

Across the Northumberland Strait in Norboro, P.E.I., Kevin Cook built his career on a leafy base of trees and shrubs. He owns Honey Tree Nursery, which specializes in gorgeous ornamental and flowering trees that are hardy enough to survive the island’s cold winters.

Cook says he sells a lot of Japanese maples because “they’re gorgeous and they do really well on P.E.I.,” and magnolias. For homeowners seeking a pretty, fast-growing, and inexpensive option, he suggests ninebarks, a flowering shrub, or mock orange bushes, which bring a citrus smell to your yard.

Certain tree varieties are off-limits based on the layout of your property. Ignoring your local nursery’s advice could wind up costing you thousands of dollars in plumbing repairs.

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Everyone loves the dramatic elegance of a classic weeping willow, says Earl, but almost no one can actually plant one on their property.

“You can’t plant one within 150 feet [45 m] of a septic or sewer system because the roots run and strangle the pipes,” says Earl. “They really only work in large backyards that are very, very wet, to keep the roots under control.”

Some homeowners have more space than they know what to do with and trees can add definition. Earl says sometimes people move into a new-construction home where all of the trees were cut down, and they want to liven up their empty-looking property. Bring photos to the nursery while shopping if you’re starting from a blank canvas. It makes it easier for staff to understand your space.

Plant a potted tree anytime the ground is soft enough for digging, usually from May through the end of October, says Earl. Spring is best so your tree can settle in over summer and early fall.

“Dig the hole no deeper than the tree, and twice as wide to give the roots somewhere to go,” says Earl. “It should be planted at the same level

IN DEPTH

ABOVE: A mix of trees and shrubs adds visual variety to your yard.

This yard features Japanese maples, rhododenron, and evergreens.

QUICK TIPS FOR TREES AND SHRUBS Trees should match the scale of your property. Big homes need bigger trees but a smaller home is easily dwarfed by a huge tree.

Trees are an investment, but they can live for 50 or even 100 years, and boost your property value.

Trees are at their most sensitive during their first year in the ground. After that, they’re pretty self-sufficient.

it is in the pot you buy it in. Too low before the soil level, and the tree will sink and choke.”

She recommends then adding a bit of good compost, like sea compost or cow manure, and bone meal to help the roots. Only small trees in a windy area need staking. Once your tree is in the ground, water it faithfully, once a week, and let it establish roots. A newly-planted tree might require as much as 20 L of water on a hot summer day.

Some trees can live 50 or even 100 years, and Cook says the world would be a better place if more homeowners took the initiative to plant them.

“Global warming is a fact, and with greenhouse gas emissions going crazy, one thing that can help is planting more trees,” says Cook. “We need to plant anything that has flowers to attract bees, so they can cross pollinate other trees and plants. If we can do that, we’ll have reminders to stop and smell the roses for the rest of our lives.” o

Shrubs are the best value for your gardening dollar. They’re relatively inexpensive, live a long time, and need almost no care after the first year (except for a bit of pruning and fertilizing).

If you’re looking for shrubs that can stand up to tough Atlantic Canadian winters, pick ones with the words Arctic or Siberian in the name.

SOURCE: Hickey’s Greenhouses & Nursery Ltd., in Kelligrews and Dunville, N.L.

FEEDBACK ecl@metroguide.ca

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Under

pressure Home cooks save time and cupboard space with Instant Pots

BY SUZANNE RENT

K

im Steele remembers the hiss and steam her mother’s pressure cooker made as it sat on the counter.

“She always put the fear of it into me,” says Steele who now lives in Lower Sackville, N.S. “I was really scared of that thing. I always thought I could never use a pressure cooker.”

Years later, the Instant Pot changed Steele’s mind. After reading reviews online, she bought one in 2017, and was hooked. The first food she prepared in her new Instant Pot was potatoes.

“That’s what my mom made all the time,” Steele says. “They taste just like mom’s.”

Steele says she uses her Instant Pot several times a week, cooking dishes like roast chicken and chili (recipe on page 41). On her blog, thepuffybiscuit.com, she shares familyfriendly gluten-free recipes, often employing her Instant Pot. Designed by a group of ex-Nortel employees in Ottawa, the Instant Pot is a

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pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, and warmer. Top level models offer 10 functions adding cake and yogurt making settings, sauté mode, steamer, warmer and sterilizer. It’s programmable with one-touch controls and cooks food two to six times faster than an oven.

Ilona Daniel is a food writer and executive chef in Charlottetown, P.E.I. She worked at Stanhope Bay and Beach Resort. At home, she uses her Instant Pot for a variety of recipes, despite her initial reluctance toward the trend.

“I’m not one who’s gadget heavy,” Daniel says. “I was intrigued by this seeming miracle, so I thought I had to test it for myself.”

Now Daniel relies on her Instant Pot to make big batches of tomato sauces or braise meat. She says her favourite recipes are brownies (page 40) and cheesecake (page 39). “I really love the brownies,” Daniel says.

“They’re not hard and crusty. They become more like a fudge. It’s so tender.”

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Daniel says one of the aspects that makes the Instant Pot handier than a slow cooker is the option to cook from frozen. “It can be intimidating because it looks like it’s from the future,” says Daniel. She watched YouTube tutorials to get a better idea of how to use it.

Gabby Peyton is a Newfoundlandbased writer and blogs about food at thefoodgirlintown.com. She got her Instant Pot for her birthday in 2018 and uses it at least once a week. She learned her way around the cooker by following Instant Pot Facebook groups and Instagram posts for recipes and advice. One of her favourite creations so far is Tacos al Pastor (page 41), which she calls a crowd pleaser and brings to dinner parties.

While Peyton hasn’t made an attempt yet, she thinks traditional Newfoundland dishes like corned beef and cabbage and Figgy Duff, a boiled pudding, would work well as Instant Pot recipes.

EATING IN

Instant Pot Vanilla-Lime Cheesecake A hint of lime zest gives this cheesecake a fresh flavour.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Ilona Daniel, chefilona.ca INGREDIENTS For the crust: 1 cup (250 ml) crushed graham crackers ¼ cup (60 ml) light brown sugar ½ tsp (2 ml) vanilla extract ¼ cup (60 ml) melted butter For the batter: 2 (16 oz.) packages cream cheese at room temperature 1 cup (250 ml) sugar 1 cup (250 ml) whipping/heavy cream 1 cup (250 ml) sour cream (2%) ¼ cup (60 ml) corn starch 1 Tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract Zest of 1 lime

DIRECTIONS

Photo: Bruce Murray/VisionFire

1. Line the bottom of a 7-inch (18-cm) deep spring-form pan with parchment paper. Spray pan lightly to help the parchment to fit.

2. Mix crust ingredients in a bowl until well combined.

3. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and place in the freezer.

4. Place the cream cheese and sugar in a food processor and mix until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and continue to mix until smooth and creamy. Pour mixture into the spring-form pan and smooth top.

5. Wrap the spring form pan bottom with foil, place a paper towel on top of pan, cover with foil.

6. Pour one cup of water into the Instant Pot insert. Place the trivet into the bottom with the handles folded down.

7. Set the manual timer to 35 minutes.

8. When done, let pressure release naturally for about 25 minutes.

9. Remove the cheesecake, sit to cool.

10. When cool, let set up in fridge overnight.

Alanna Stockley of Lower Sackville, N.S. says she studies the science behind the Instant Pot, which improves the results she gets when she cooks with it. One of her biggest bits of advice is to always use a liquid such as water or broth in recipes.

Stockley uses hers to make all sorts of broths from leftover vegetables or chicken bones. But her favourite creation is a Pho broth (page 40). “This is a broth that usually takes about 14 hours,” Stockley says. “The Instant Pot made it in about four.”

Meanwhile, Steele says the Instant Pot offers another advantage over her stove: It doesn’t heat up her kitchen during the hot summer days. “I think it’s my favourite kitchen appliance,” Steele says. “It’s right up there with the dishwasher.” o

Photo: Bruce Murray/VisionFire

Kim Steele shares Instant Pot recipes on her blog, thepuffybiscuit.com

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Instant Pot Fudgy Brownies Recipe courtesy of Chef Ilona Daniel, chefilona.ca INGREDIENTS 2 large eggs 1 cup (250 ml) granulated white sugar ½ cup (125 ml) canola or vegetable oil 2/3 cup (157 ml) cocoa powder 1 Tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt ½ cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour ½ cup (125 ml) chopped nuts (optional) Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS

Pho-Inspired Broth Serve this Vietnamese-style broth over rare beef and rice noodles. Top with a squeeze of lime, Thai basil, and bean sprouts for a comforting meal. Recipe courtesy of Alanna Stockley INGREDIENTS 2 beef marrow soup bones (or pork) 2 cinnamon sticks 2 stalks of lemon grass, cut in to 7-cm pieces 2 star anise pods 10 whole peppercorns 10 cm ginger root, cut in chunks 1 dried chili pod 1 Tbsp (15 ml) coriander seeds 3 whole cloves 3 Tbsp (45 ml) fish sauce Rind of one lime 1 Tbsp (15 ml) palm sugar (or brown or coconut sugar) Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS 1. Place all ingredients except salt in Instant Pot. 2. Add water to max fill line.

3. Set on soup setting: highest pressure for four hours.

4. Let stock release naturally (about 30–45 mins).

5. Release pressure, strain stock, season to taste with salt. Let cool.

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1. Place Instant Pot rack in bottom of inner liner and add 2 cups water.

2. Line a 7-inch (18-cm) round cake pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

3. Add eggs and sugar to medium-sized bowl. Beat until smooth (about 3 minutes).

4. Add oil, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt to egg mixture. Beat on low until well combined (about 1 minute).

5. Add flour to mixing bowl about 1/8 cup at a time, mixing in between, until well combined.

6. Add nuts and fold into batter with a spatula.

7. Pour brownie batter into to the prepared baking dish.

8. Lower baking dish into Instant Pot using a foil sling. Secure lid and set valve to sealing.

9. Cook on high pressure for 24 minutes. Use the quick-release pressure method. Once the pressure is fully released, carefully remove lid.

10. Using foil sling, lift the baking dish out of the Instant Pot. Set pan aside and allow brownies to cool for 10 minutes.

11. Cut brownies into wedges and serve.

Photo: Kim Steele

Photo: Bruce Murray/VisionFire

EATING IN

Instant Pot Chili A tasty, and speedier, version of traditional chili.

Recipe courtesy of Kim Steele, thepuffybiscuit.com INGREDIENTS 2 tsp (10 ml) oil 1 lb (454 g) ground beef 2 cups (500 ml) of beef broth 1 28 oz. (796 ml) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 28 oz. (796 ml) can of black beans, rinsed and drained 1 Tbsp (15 ml) chili powder 1 tsp (30 ml) oregano ½ tsp (5 ml) garlic powder ½ tsp (5 ml) onion powder 1 tsp (10 ml) cumin 1 22 oz (650 ml) jar of salsa ½ cup (125 ml) tomato sauce 1 cup (250 ml) of corn

DIRECTIONS 1. Select sauté mode on Instant Pot. 2. Add 2 tsp (10 ml) oil to the cooking pot, heat.

3. Add ground beef. Stir until browned (or heated through if using previously cooked or frozen beef). Season with salt and pepper during browning/heating.

4. Add beef broth, seasonings, and beans.

5. Stir to combine, scraping any stuck-on food from the bottom of the pot.

6. Press cancel and place lid on the Instant Pot. Ensure the vent is in the sealed position.

7. Select manual or pressure cook. Cook 10 minutes on high pressure.

8. When done, press cancel, open the vent and release the pressure. Remove lid.

9. Select sauté setting and stir in salsa, tomato sauce, and corn.

10. Heat about 5 minutes, until corn is cooked and chili is hot, stirring constantly. The bottom will burn easily.

11. Scoop into bowls, sprinkle with cheese, cilantro or other toppings. Serve.

Tacos Al Pastor This recipe adds a zingy sweetness to any dinner party. It’s traditionally served with diced red onions and fresh pineapple, but you can add all your favourite taco toppings. Recipe courtesy of Gabby Peyton, thefoodgirlintown.com Serves six (about 15 small tacos) INGREDIENTS 2 cups (500 ml) pineapple chopped ½ cup (125 ml) red onion chopped 2 cloves garlic crushed cup (78 ml) cup maple syrup 2 Tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce 2 Tbsp (30 ml) lime juice 1 Tbsp (15 ml) chili powder 1 tsp (5ml) cumin ½ tsp (2.5 ml) paprika 1¼ tsp (6.25 ml) salt ½ tsp (2.5 ml) pepper 2-3 lbs (907 to 1,361 g) pork shoulder

DIRECTIONS 1. Combine chopped pineapple and onion, garlic, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, peppers, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper in a food processor and blend until fully combined. Set aside.

2. Trim excess fat from pork shoulder and cut into two-inch chunks.

3. Put pork shoulder and marinade in a sealed container or zipper bag to marinate in the fridge for 1–8 hours.

4. When it’s time to cook, add pork and marinade into the Instant Pot. 5. Cover, seal pressure valve and cook on high 45 minutes.

6. When done, let pork rest for at least 10 minutes before releasing pressure valve.

7. Shred the pork using two forks.

8. Serve on tortillas with your favourite toppings like sliced pickled red onion and pineapple. Optional: cheese, avocado, salsa, and sour cream.

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Eating

local made easy Photo: Michelle Davidson-Legere

BY KEN KELLEY

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M

aking healthy eating choices isn’t always convenient. One way to cut your grocery-store time and bridge the gap between the kitchen and the farm is community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs. These partnerships between farms and consumers help local farmers finance and sell their wares and help community members eat local.

Each CSA program has its own process, but the general idea is local producers deliver a box of fruit, vegetables, meat, and sometimes eggs and fish, to subscribers’ homes, or a set drop-off location, weekly. The contents change with the farming season. Boxes come in serving sizes set to feed a single-person household to a large family. Some CSAs run year-round, others are seasonal.

About 10 years ago, Cathy and Brian Mackay, owners of Crystal Green Farms in Bedeque, P.E.I. started a year-round CSA program that’s still going strong today. The farm delivers boxes to Summerside, Kensington, and Charlottetown.

“We eventually moved into offering our own meats, as well as grains, which includes making our own flour and including pancake, muffin and cookie mixes in the boxes,” says Cathy.

Unlike many CSAs that require the cost of the program be paid up front at the beginning of the season, Mackay’s program asks participants to pay one box ahead of their current standing.

And while filling the boxes in summer is easier than in winter, Mackay says providing the year-round service forced Crystal Green Farms to evolve its offerings.

“As a producer, we definitely approach putting these boxes together from the viewpoint of the consumer and what we’d want to see in these

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Photo: Michelle Davidson-Legere

Green Life Farm’s CSA box program expands each year. In 2019, the farm anticipates 100 subscribers.

boxes,” Cathy says. “For instance, one week we might offer a stewing meat with onions and other vegetables that complement that, along with a breakfast sausage and pancake mix. Our goal is to help people simplify their lives, which we feel is important in this day and age. People tend to be on the go all of the time.”

Some CSAs, like Green Life Farm in Miramichi, N.B. offer subscription periods. Green Life Farm’s season runs 18-weeks from late spring and through early fall. Owner Daniel Ettinger says last year’s program featured a host of vegetables grown on his farm, including romaine lettuce, cucumbers, beets, tomatoes, carrots, and more.

Ettinger’s box subscription program turns three this year. In the first two years, the program doubled in size to 40 participants. He says the waitlist was significant in the first two years of the program, and he hopes to welcome 100 subscribers this season.

Similar to what Mackay has done with Crystal Green Farms, Ettinger hopes to expand his program beyond the garden in the future. “One advantage we have is that we are the only CSA program in Miramichi proper,” Ettinger says. “Although we are not organically certified, we don’t spray anything and don’t use chemicals on what we produce.”

Ettinger had a business background, but says it was the birth of his child about four years ago that inspired him to take the plunge into farming.

“When my child was born, it seemed as though they were allergic to virtually everything,” he says. “It was a rough go and it took some time for us to figure things out. In that time, we changed our whole diet and came to realize that conventionally-grown agriculture products didn’t elicit the same negative reaction that other foods did.”

EATING IN

ATLANTIC CANADA IS HOME TO NEARLY 60 COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS

THREE MORE TO TRY

Photo: Michelle Davidson-Legere

Lester’s Family Farm

Ettinger says he’s excited about the possibilities that await. He hopes to see some clarity given to the agricultural use of the term local to reassure residents that what they eat is, in fact, grown with care by their friends and neighbours.

“I feel transparency is somewhat lacking in that respect,” says Ettinger.

“If I’m buying something from a local farmer’s market, I assume that it’s produce that has been grown locally, but I know that’s not always the case. The good news is, people have become more comfortable and are more forthcoming about asking questions about the origins of their food. It’s my hope that those growing locally grown food will be at the forefront of people’s purchases.” o

St. John’s, N.L. Runs summer through fall Options: $630 (feeds four), $330 (feed two) Leafy greens, tomatoes, herbs, and root vegetables. Plus add organic eggs or tilapia for an extra fee. lestersfamilyfarm.ca

TapRoot Farms Port Williams, N.S. Runs summer through winter Options: A variety of sizes ranging in price from $240–$1,848 per season Name a vegetable and you might find it here from apples to zucchini, plus chicken, pork, goat, and beef. Plus, many drop points between the farm and Halifax. taproot.harvesthand.com

Codiac Organics Urban Farm Moncton, N.B. Runs late June to late October Options: $675 (feed four), $350 (feeds one–two) Blueberries, corn, cucumbers, herbs, ground cherries, greens, root vegetables, and more. codiacorganics.ca

FEEDBACK ecl@metroguide.ca eastcoastliving.ca

@EastCoastLiving East Coast Living Magazine

SPRING 2019

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Growing

wild

BY NIKI JABBOUR

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SPRING 2019

GARDENING

Wildflowers are easy to maintain and help native species thrive

W

alking out the back door into a sea of wildflowers is a dream that attracts many to rural living. You’ll need a fair-sized property for a field of blooms, but you can find a space for wildflowers no matter how small your urban garden is.

Any flowering plant that grows in the wild without cultivation is a wildflower.

Many, like asters, coneflowers, and milkweed, make excellent garden plants. Tuck them into flower beds or plant them as part of a wildflower meadow.

“Wildflowers and native grasses provide people with low maintenance, cost-effective solutions to their landscaping requirements as well as being a source of fresh cut-flowers from spring through fall,” says Paul Jenkins, co-owner of Wildflower Farm in Coldwater, Ontario, one of Canada’s largest online retailers of wildflower seeds.

In addition to complementing the natural landscape, wildflowers are important sources of nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

“Many of the more modern ornamental plant cultivars are so highly bred that they no longer offer nectar or pollen so are useless for pollinators,” says Todd Boland, the author of Wildflowers of Nova Scotia. Native plants need to produce nectar and pollen in order to attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, so they can create seeds. Those seeds will fall back onto the ground for next year or feed hungry songbirds in late summer, autumn, and winter.

Before planting, survey your property to find the right site. A spot with full sun is ideal, but when it comes to design, there is no one right way to grow wildflowers. “It’s better to choose a pre-made seed mix for large areas while smaller areas can either be planted using individual seeds or by planting seedlings,” says Jenkins.

Matching the plants to your site is key.

“Each species has been programmed by nature to thrive in different conditions,” says Miriam Goldberger, the author of Taming Wildflowers and co-owner of Wildflower Farm with Jenkins. “Some species require dry sandy soil, others need a rich loam, and

others thrive in hard-packed clay soils.”

She recommends learning about your native soil and choosing species that prefer those conditions.

Although wildflowers are low maintenance, they’re not no-maintenance plants. They are less prone to pests and diseases than non-native plants.

Boland, who is also a research horticulturist at the Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Botanical Garden says wildflowers have strong stems that don’t require staking. They don’t need additional fertilizer because they’ve adapted to the soils in our region. “In the Botanical Garden we let the wildflowers do their thing and cut them back in late fall when we do regular garden clean up.”

Goldberger says a meadow of native grasses and wildflowers requires very little maintenance and once established, is also extremely drought tolerant. She suggests including a mixture of wildflower species that bloom from spring to fall for the longest show of colour. o

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Photo: Todd Boland

Photo: Todd Boland

4

WILDFLOWERS TO GROW IN YOUR GARDEN

NEW YORK ASTER

GOLDENROD

Boland’s top wildflower choice is beautiful and easy to grow.

“This is a fairly compact and tidy aster that is also wind and salt-proof,” he says. “There are plenty of colours available, but even the old-fashioned wild blue asters are attractive and relished by bees and butterflies.”

Boland admits that goldenrod has a bad reputation for causing hay fever, but ragweed is the real allergy culprit.

These large-growing, perennial wildflowers offer bold lateseason colour to the garden. Plus bees and butterflies love them.

MEADOW BLAZING STAR

MILKWEED

Goldberger calls this a monarch magnet. She says she enjoys the long-lasting display of brilliant purple blooms that also make excellent cut or dried flowers.

The larval food source of monarch butterflies comes in many varieties. While orange butterfly weed is a popular garden plant, it’s not native.

Stick to swamp milkweed also called red milkweed. “Red Milkweed captivates with its pink blossoms and intoxicating fragrance that combines cinnamon, vanilla, and honey,” says Goldberger “The flat, rich clusters are designed to be a landing pad for monarchs and many other pollinators.”

Todd Boland’s love for gardening spills over from his job as a research horticulturist into his books. You can learn more about native plants in his books Wildflowers and Ferns of Newfoundland, Wildflowers of Nova Scotia, and Wildflowers of New Brunswick. These comprehensive guides highlight hundreds of species and allow the reader to identify flowers by colour, shape, and arrangement. Find them at your local bookstore or online at boulderbooks.ca.

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SPRING 2019

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

Advocate (p. 8) 902-455-2870 advocateprinting.com

Metro Home (p. 45) 902-894-5536 metropei.com

Amos Pewter (p. 6) amospewter.com

Nimbus Publishing (p. 9) 902-455-4286 nimbus.ca

Attica (p. 33) 902-423-2557 attica.ca

Saltscapes Subscriptions (p. 3) saltscapes.com

Barbara Jean Collection (p. 52) barbarajeancollection.com

Saltscapes Shoppe (p. 33) saltscapes.com/shop

Gagetown Distillery (p. 49) (506) 488-2286 gagetowndistillingcidery.ca

Terra Verde (p. 18) 506-389-1898 terraverdehome.com

Gem Health Care Group (p. 18) (902) 429-6227 gemhealth.com

Thermador/BOSCH (p. 7) 1-800-567-3855 venmar.ca

HanStone Quartz (p. 9) 1-855-779-6110 hanstone.ca

Tourism PEI (p. 2) explorePEI.com

East Coast Living Subscriptions (p. 51) eastcoastliving.ca Halifax Magazine Subscriptions (p. 6) halifaxmag.com The Ideal Home Show (p. 5) springideal.ca

WB FOWLER INDUSTRIES INC. also the

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lifts wine, food and groceries up to four floors.

WB Fowler Industries (p. 49) 1-800-290-8510 wbfowler.com Whitecap Books (p. 11) whitecap.ca

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LAST LOOK

Coming home Returning to Halifax from the west coast inspired this ceramic artist’s practice

“There’s nothing more grounding than getting your hands into earth.”

BY MIKE BIGELOW

W

hen Sarah Holmes dug her hands into clay for the first time in Vancouver, she recalls the sensation as something larger than the simple act of making art; it reminded her of the rugged Nova Scotian terrain where she spent her youth.

Today, Holmes owns SJH Ceramics and Jewelry, based in Halifax. Her line ranges from tubular vases to custom ring and soap dishes, many of which are streaked with a prominent band of gold. Unlike the identical outcomes of production pottery, her process differs in that each piece is unique.

Holmes fell in love with ceramics after signing up for pottery classes suggested by a friend. It was there that she met veteran pottery instructor Helen Weiser, under whom she practiced the art form vigorously in eight-to-10hour stints.

“When someone comes in with a different artistic background, they tend to look at clay differently,” says Weiser. “They’re willing to try and make it do what they want it to do, and in

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her case, it totally worked. That kind of attitude and approach was fun and enlightening.”

While jewelry came first and remains a focal point of both her business and artistic life, Holmes found in clay a much-needed departure from the precision jewelry demands.

“I could just try my hand at these organic forms,” says Holmes. “For me it was more about the freedom of thought. Also, there’s nothing more grounding than getting your hands into earth.” The physicality of working with clay gave her an avenue outside of jewelry to grow artistically.

Holmes’ return to Nova Scotia was sudden.

A family member’s death brought her back to the east coast in December 2016. Left feeling uninspired, she took some time away from her practices to heal.

She set up a booth at Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market to sell her jewelry but many customers asked about the ceramic dishes she used to display the rings, bracelets, and necklaces. Soon people asked Holmes to SPRING 2019

create custom items like large dinner plates and other tableware. These requests rekindled her ceramics practice at the Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design.

Another factor that drives her work is her relationship with Adsum for Women and Children, a Halifax women’s shelter. Holmes donates $5 to the organization from every sale of her Token of Self Love line of bracelets.

“Behind any piece of art that I do, I wanted to be able to donate a part of the sale helping people in need,” she says. “Whatever I’m doing in my life artistically, I’m trying to figure out ways to put money back into the community.” o

FEEDBACK ecl@metroguide.ca eastcoastliving.ca

@EastCoastLiving East Coast Living Magazine