East Coast Living Summer 2017

east coast

LIVING Inspiring home life in Atlantic Canada

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contents

SUMMER 2017

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16

Bring a splash of style to your outdoor furniture

FEATURES

EATING IN

DEPARTMENTS

16 Décor: Sweet summer style

42 Grills gone wild

12 Currents: Inspiration and trends from

Fresh ideas on how to enliven your porch and deck for summer, plus tips on this season’s décor must-haves.

20 In Depth: Backyards that work

Refresh your yard and garden for summer with expert advice, including high-impact changes you can make in one day.

22 HomeStyle: Perfection in

Make the most of our limited grilling season with delicious burger, salad, and cocktail recipes.

48 Dinner on the rocks

Valerie Mansour shares how to take your beachside bonfire meal up a notch with tasty recipes featuring foraged local ingredients.

54 Libations: Win with wine

the details

See how one couple worked room by room to transform a dated mid-century bungalow in St. John’s, N.L. into a stylish modern space.

Choose the right bottle every time.

32 Cover story: Connected to

the cove

When her home in Sandy Cove, N.S. lacked the room she needed, Jenipher Ritchie embarked on a renovation to double its living space without compromising its sleek design.

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the design world.

30 Gardening: Late-season wonders Don’t worry if you’ve missed spring planting; columnist Carol Matthews shares what you can grow now to harvest in the fall.

57 Buying Guide 58 Last Look: The nature of things Experimenting with new techniques and materials, Darren Emenau creates ceramics that showcase nature’s raw beauty.

Furniture Kitchens Floors

Wall Art Redwood

& More

Wall Covering Rebated Hemlock

Custom Live Edge Tables Walnut

Waterfall Island Countertop Maple

Live Edge Bench Maple

Flooring Red Maple & Ash

Stool Walnut

2445 Agricola St., Halifax, NS

944 Hwy 325, Blockhouse, NS

902-407-7772 | agricola@amoswood.ca

902-624-8206 | blockhouse@amoswood.ca

amoswood.ca

Welcome

home

Change is a part of life.

E

veryone looks forward to the change of seasons and summer’s arrival: longer days, warmer weather, and more spending time outdoors.

In this issue, you’ll find expert advice for gardening and late-summer planting (page 30). There’s still time to plant now and harvest in the fall. Carol Matthews suggests some of her favourite vegetables, telling you when to plant and how long each will take to mature to help make your gardening decisions easier.

You’ll also find everything you need to know to get your garden and backyard looking great for summer in Phil Moscovitch’s story on page 20. And to help you get your outdoor living space looking great, we also have some ideas on how to freshen your patio, deck, and front porch for the summer months, including advice on changing lighting, fun, outdoor furniture, and seasonal décor items. Get your yard looking great for summer with planning tips and high-impact changes you can make in one day.

In the building feature on Page 32, we highlight a Sandy Cove, N.S. home that went through a two-year transformation. Homeowner and This Hour Has 22 Minutes producer Jenipher Gidney worked with architect Lisa Tondino, who shared her vision for change and managed to double the living space of this stunning home. With a clear vision and detailed plan, they worked hard to build the home they envisioned that was both stylish and comfortable while still fitting in with the aesthetics of the community.

In the HomeStyle feature on Page 22, you’ll read about a bungalow in St. John’s, N.L. that became a stylish modern retreat by its homeowners. It was changed from top to bottom, rebuilding it with a sleek, stylish new aesthetic. From the décor to the lights, no part of the house was untouched, reshaping it into a space that is functional and modern.

On page 42, the Eating In section continues the outdoor theme, providing recipes for grilling options, summer dips and sauces, and various salads. Valerie Mansour’s story “Dinner on the rocks” on page 48 encourages you to use your imagination when planning your beachside bonfire meal. Find recipes for mini beach burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, and a new take on the classic s’more.

But even as we look forward to the seasons changing, sometimes change can be hard, even when it’s inevitable and necessary. This is Janice Hudson’s final issue as editor of East Coast Living. The whole magazine team will miss Janice’s enthusiasm and passion for creating original content for our readers and online audiences. We wish her the best of luck in her future endeavours and thank her for her contributions over the years.

As always, we invite you to continue to share your ideas of homes we should feature, renovations we should cover or any interesting décor or design tips you would like to see in the pages of the magazine. We invite you to come along with us as we continue to change and grow.

Patty Baxter pbaxter @ metroguide.ca Twitter: EastCoastLiving Facebook: East Coast Living Magazine

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Photo by Michael Carty Publisher Patty Baxter Senior Editor Trevor J. Adams Editor Janice Hudson Contributing Editor Suzanne Rent Editorial Interns Erin McIntosh, Rowan Morrissy Creative Director Jamie Playfair Art Director Mike Cugno Production Coordinator Emma Brennan Printing Advocate Printing & Publishing

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Volume 20, Number 2 Summer 2017 ISSN 1714-1834 East Coast Living is a member of:

A modern, narrative cookbook from journalist Simon Thibault exploring Acadian food through nostalgic recipes.

Featuring photography by Noah Fecks and a foreword by Naomi Duguid.

Panoramic photography book by renowned photographer George Fischer captures Canada just in time for the sesquicentennial anniversary.

$34.95 Paperback 9781771084901

$32.95 Hardcover 9781771084871

East Coast Living is a Metro Guide publication.

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Fox Harb’r Resort N o v a Sc o t i a, Ca n a d a

Meet our contributors

CAROL MATTHEWS “Late-season wonders” Carol has been gardening for over 40 years and writing about it for more than half that time. Her work has appeared in magazines, newspapers, online, and on the radio.

EMILY DEMING “Grills gone wild” Emily is a freelance writer based in St. John’s, N.L. With a background in science, she now writes about travel, food, cocktails, and culture. Her work appears regularly in The Overcast.

J.P. MULLOWNEY Photography for “Grills gone wild” Based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador with his fiancé Gillian and their Labrador retriever, Duke, Jim has been a wedding, portrait, and commercial photographer since 2009. He’s passionate about travel and the outdoors. @jpmullowneyphoto

DENNIS EVANS Photography for “Dinner on the rocks” Dennis resides in Halifax as a commercial photographer. His work can be found in print and online. evansphoto.ca

VALERIE MANSOUR “Dinner on the rocks” Valerie is a Halifax-based writer/ editor who has worked on food television series and documentaries.

She also reviews cookbooks and for several years, reviewed local restaurants. @ValerieMansour

DENISE FLINT “Perfection in the details” 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

HEATHER LAURA CLARKE “Sweet summer style” Heather is a Truro-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

KATE WALLACE “The nature of things” Founder of Pigeon Creative Communications, Kate is a writer and national award-winning arts reporter in Rothesay, N.B. who loves sharing stories about culture. pigeoncreative.ca

SANDRA PHINNEY “Connected to the cove” Sandra Phinney’s byline has appeared in over 70 publications.

Especially fond of celebrating all things East Coast, she’s currently writing Waking Up In My Own Backyard for Pottersfield Press sandraphinney.com

DARRELL EDWARDS Photography for “Perfection in the details” Whether shooting on the historic streets of downtown St. John’s, N.L. or working with clients, Darrell has an infatuation with all things photography and design related. dphoto.ca

MICHAEL CARTY Photography for “Connected to the cove,” cover photo Michael is an internationally published photographer who specializes in surrealism, lifestyle, event, and commercial photography. michaelcartyphotography.com

CRAIG PINHEY “Win with wine” The only person to judge for both Canada’s national wine and beer competitions, Craig has written a drinks column for over 20 years.

He lives in Rothesday, N.B. frogspad.ca

PHILIP MOSCOVITCH “Backyards that work” Philip is a regular contributor to East Coast Living, Halifax Magazine and Saltscapes. He lives in Glen Margaret, outside Halifax. @PhilMoscovitch

ROWAN MORRISSY “Currents” Rowan recently graduated from the University of King’s College journalism program. She’s a lifestyle blogger and aspiring photographer, who spends too much time thinking about interior design and travelling. rowanmorrissy.com

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currents Inspiration and trends from the design world

BY: ROWAN MORRISSY

Inspired by nature Halifax artisan Kimiko Willgress of Prana Rocks hand chisels these rock candles. Each piece is made to bring natural beauty to indoor and outdoor spaces while also providing an environment for meditation and yoga. pranarock.ca

Fresh Prints The newest additions to Halifax painter Jennifer Atkinson’s collection are simple and whimsical floral wreath prints. The delicate blossoms and muted tones showcase her light and airy style while complementing trendy minimalist decor. etsy.com/shop/jennatkinsonart

Handmade comfort Jessica Hutchinson’s pottery features earthy tones and organic shapes that are inspired by the beaches of her home in Oyster Bed Bridge, P.E.I. The purposeful ridges and indentations found on each piece make for a unique and comfortably tactile experience. hutchinsonpottery.com/home

Bon appetit Long-time East Coast Living contributor Simon Thibault explores the rich world of Acadian cuisine past and present in his first book, Pantry and Palate. Thibault presents a range of tasty recipes, including several time-honoured specialties from his own family’s repertoire. Watch for book giveaways on our Facebook page this summer. nimbus.ca

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Light the way Light up your patio this season with string lights to create a cozy atmosphere for warm summer nights. At just $34.99 for a string of 25, they’re a cheap and easy way to make your outdoor space more attractive. canadiantire.ca

Eco-friendly additions Vlad Kovalic and Jelsi Mynott of the Minimalistos in North End Halifax hand-make these eco-friendly terrariums with up-cycled glass. They salvage the materials from old windows and doors, then cut it into geometric shapes, soldering it together with a lead-free silver alloy. minimalistos.com

Quirky & colourful Natasha Daurie’s textile designs are hand stamped and feature animals that walk through her backyard in the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. Her range of cloth napkins, pencil cases and tea towels are made with environmentally conscious materials. etsy.com/ca/shop/ theyellowboat?ref=l2-shopheader-name#reviews)

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Online eastcoastliving.ca

New on our blog: online extras including a chat with East Coast Living contributor Simon Thibault on his new cookbook Pantry and Palate by Nimbus Publishing. Watch our Facebook page for a chance to win a copy of the book.

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

WIN!

with East Coast Living and Amazing Space Interiors Looking to add new life to your living space?

Enter our contest and you could win a $150 gift certificate from Amazing Space Interiors in Halifax to help you find your signature style.

Enter online at eastcoastliving.ca.

Contest closes July 17, 2017.

Win on Facebook Check our Facebook page during June and July for two great summer contests.

We have also partnered with Made in the Maritimes Artisan Boutique to give away new ceramics by Dartmouth, N.S. artist France Arruda. Arruda created this unique clothesline pattern exclusively for Made in the Maritimes. We are giving away two mugs and two wine cups, valued at $124.

We’ve paired with East Coast Lobster Rope Products to give away this beautiful wishing-well basket. Each piece is handmade in the Maritimes with high-quality durable fabric and vibrant colour combinations.

Find contest details on our Facebook page: East Coast Living Magazine.

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Get inspired with fabulous decorating, renovation and entertaining ideas…with a uniquely Atlantic Canadian twist.

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sweet summer style

Outdoor rockers from CR Plastic Products are made from recycled plastic lumber. Liz Toole from Above & Beyond Home Decor in Truro, N.S., says they’re sturdy enough to keep on your porch year-round. ●

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ABOVE MIDDLE: Kichler’s Northland Collection includes this black factory-style light with a classic matte finish. Jon Chandler, who owns Terra Verde in Moncton, says Kichler Lighting has “every kind of outdoor light imaginable.”

EATING IN DÉCOR

Bright pillows and rugs, chic outdoor lights, fun chairs—liven up your porch and deck for summer

BY HEATHER LAURA CLARKE

L

iz Toole loves summer evenings spent relaxing on her front porch. The owner of Above & Beyond Home Decor in Truro, Nova Scotia, says she’s created a cozy spot that combines solitude and socializing.

“It’s a great opportunity to chat with the neighbours walking by,” says Toole. “It’s really a social time in my area.”

In her opinion, the most welcoming item a porch can have is a comfortable rocking chair and maybe a glass of lemonade. She likes the outdoor rockers made from recycled plastic lumber by CR Plastic Products. The Canadian company’s chairs come in 16 fade-resistant colours and Toole says they’re heavy enough that they won’t blow around in a summer windstorm.

Her own porch has several rockers. She likes to add brightly coloured pillows from her shop for a touch of summer. If you live in a windy area, she suggests cutting a hole in the back of an outdoor pillow and sticking a heavy rock inside to weigh it down.

She also likes decorating her porch with leafy potted trees because they’re “harder to kill” and have a longer décor lifespan than other greenery. “I leave them on my

porch year-round and decorate them at Christmastime,” she says. “When they outgrow their pots, I just plant them in the yard.”

Jon Chandler owns Terra Verde in Moncton. He’s noticing more homeowners paying attention to their front porches.

His personal porch style includes “comfortable chairs, nice planters, and good lighting.”

It’s easy to overlook outdoor lighting; homeowners don’t always notice the rusted, plain sconces they inherited with their homes. But there are hundreds of outdoorgrade pendants, lanterns, post lights, floodlights, and even chandeliers, including LED options.

Chandler says brands like Kichler Lighting have “every kind of outdoor light imaginable,” from sleek modern flush lights to farmhouse-style hanging lanterns. It just depends on the style of your home. “If you have a traditional home, you’re probably not going for a super-modern look on your porch,” Chandler says. “It should go with the style of the rest of your house.”

Bringing in soft elements like cushions, rugs, and throws is important for any space, but Chandler cautions there are “outdoor” versions for good reason. “Fabrics need to be

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an outdoor fabric and the same goes with the foam in any of your porch furniture,” he says.

“Your porch is going to get a lot of weather, so you need something that can take it.”

Interior decorator Chantelle Kennedy says now’s the time when everyone in Atlantic Canada wants to get outside and soak up the sunshine, and, naturally, that translates to wanting a spruced-up deck.

“You want to see the bright colours, and you want everything to feel fresh and new,” says Kennedy, who manages the Madison Mackenzie Home location in St. John’s. “You also want to be comfortable outside, so you need to bring some of those comfort pieces outside.”

She says nothing feels better on a cool summer evening than snuggling up under the stars with a cozy outdoor throw. She also likes the softness and privacy that outdoor draperies can lend to a deck or porch.

“We have a great three-piece bistro set, and it’s so nice to bring your morning coffee outside and sit with a cushion and a blanket,” says Kennedy. “Always go with items that make you happy.”

She regularly puts in custom Sunbrella fabric and upholstery orders for her customers, since the performance fabrics are designed

not to fade in the sun or mildew in the rain.

She’s also a big fan of outdoor rugs made from polypropylene, since you can easily rinse them off with a hose when they get dirty.

Buddha statues are having a huge moment in garden decor, and so are solar-powered outdoor stools that provide seating as well as a nice glow in the darkness. Bright aquas and corals are also big this summer. Kennedy likes matching these hues with classic ivories, whites, and light greys Toole says teals, yellows, oranges, and reds are always popular shades for summer home décor. But she’s noticed an interesting trend just this year; red-and-white pieces are making a strong showing for a special reason.

“There are so many patriotic items out this year that we haven’t seen in the past, all because of Canada 150,” explains Toole.

“Pillows and doormats and wooden outdoor prints and decorations with the Canadian flag or the word ‘Canada’ on them. I’ve been amazed by how much there is this year.”

Jennifer Young, general manager of Cottage Industry in Charlottetown, says there aren’t any rules when it comes to choosing colours for porch décor. While palettes for inside the home are always evolving, she feels porch decor tends

to stick to classic “happy” colours and stripe patterns that look good year after year.

Young likes statement pieces like colourful Solair chairs, styled to look like they’ve been plucked from a retro motel, or adirondacks painted in pretty hues.

Cottage Industry carries a huge collection of Dash & Albert outdoor rugs as well as indoor/outdoor throws and cushions made from eco-friendly polyethylene terephthalate that stands up to the sun and showers.

Keeping your porch clean and clutterfree is just as important as making sure it’s nicely decorated, according to Young. “People are always putting much more effort into decorating their interiors. Curb appeal is often kind of neglected, but that’s the first impression people have of your home,” says Young.

But Toole thinks it goes beyond the first impressions of anyone coming to your home; it’s also about how your porch makes you feel as a homeowner. “When you drive into your own driveway, it’s the first place you see that gives you the feeling of, ‘Oh, I’m home!’” says Toole. “Treat your front porch as an extension of your home, and make it welcoming, because you always want to make sure your home rises up to meet you.” o

LEFT: This Statum Designs sectional is Canadian-made and available in an array of configurations. Placing vibrant pillows on a sofa with different textures and shapes creates a comfortable welcoming space. The down pillows as featured in this picture are made for style and comfort. The zippered covers are easy to remove and change-up with the seasons.

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backyards that work

BY PHILIP MOSCOVITCH

Get your yard looking great for summer with planning tips and high-impact changes you can make in one day

F

or many people, summer means putting memories of winter behind you and getting out and enjoying your backyard as much as possible But just as your home interior needs to be refreshed occasionally, so does your yard. The process can range anywhere from a simple afternoon job (see sidebar on page 21) to a full-blown outdoor remodelling.

Horticulturalist Dave Milburn, who owns Focal Point Landscaping in Fredericton, says many clients have “expired” landscapes, often filled with evergreen shrubs and trees planted in the 1980s, that they want to update. Other people may be setting out to create a small urban oasis, or are building a yard for families to live and play in.

Whether you’re planning a full rebuild or taking things more gradually, there are a few important principles to follow, including having an overall plan.

“A lot of people don’t think about an overall concept of the garden,” says landscape architect Ange Dean, who runs the Land Studio East consultancy based in Halifax and at her home studio in Mount Pleasant.

“If you’re thinking English cottage garden, or contemporary edible garden, or Zen garden, you have that overarching theme you’re keeping with and that can create a cohesive design. When people are doing a little bit here and there, it looks like they’re doing a little bit here and there.”

Be realistic. A pool may sound great, but are you going to be able to maintain it? The same holds true for the types of plants you choose.

“Unfortunately, there is no such thing as no maintenance,” says Milburn. “Every living specimen is going to require some form of care at some point, just like we do. Is there lower maintenance? Yes. But every tree, shrub, perennial, and annual is going to need some form of maintenance.”

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Before starting on any major overhaul, have a good idea of what’s in your garden now.

What’s working? What isn’t? Emily Tregunno of Halifax Seed suggests taking notes and photos for a full growing season.

“It’s hard to say in spring that you’re totally redoing your garden, without having an understanding of how it grows through the season,”Tregunno says. “Because you forget! I have bulbs coming up right now that I forgot I’d planted.”

One of the hot trends in gardening is breaking down the barriers between edibles and ornamentals. Dean says 90 per cent of her clients want vegetable gardens, but that edible plants don’t have to be limited to them.

“People want to grow food and edibles, and not just have it in a corner of their yard but integrated into the whole landscape, so their vegetable garden is beautiful, or they have a blueberry hedge.”

Tregunno agrees that there is a trend towards edible shrubs and has put it into practice in her own garden. “I have a propane tank on the side of the house, and rather than a flowering shrub I planted haskaps.

They’re beautiful and they provide food. If you want a border that’s not too high, high-bush blueberries and haskaps are very nice and have lots of greenery.”

She also recommends peppermint Swiss chard (“it’s absolutely stunning and you can plant it in an ornamental garden but pick it”) and edible flowers like nasturtiums, which attract bees, in the vegetable garden.

Whether you go with native shrubs or something more exotic, make sure that whatever you plant is right for your location.

“Don’t always expect every plant you see in the garden centre to be appropriate for your yard,” says Milburn.

To build a backyard oasis, you need to start with a clear and realistic plan.

SUMMER 2017

IN DEPTH

Refresh your space in one day You don’t have to completely redo your landscaping to feel better about your yard. Here are some quick fixes experts recommend.

• Edge and mulch garden beds. You can be done in an afternoon and it creates clean lines while reducing visual clutter.

• Rejuvenate your deck by power-washing it.

• Add outdoor LED lighting. A new generation of low-voltage lights offers soft lighting and is easy to install for uplighting, path lighting, and hardscape lighting that slips under stair treads.

• Create a pea gravel patio seating area, which doesn’t have to be perfectly level like a stone one. “It’s inexpensive and quite simple if you’re doing it yourself,” says Ange Dean.

A plant won’t necessarily work in your space just because it looks good in the garden centre; choose carefully.

And he cautions people not to fall for the “big colourful plants on Pinterest.” He says the difference in what plants are hardy in different parts of the region is “mind-boggling really.”

Tregunno says local variation means you should look at more than zone hardiness. She notes that her own front and back yards “are two totally different climates,”with one getting full sun while the other is cool and damp.

Our climate doesn’t just affect what varieties you should grow, it also affects where you should place them. “We’re going to get snow,” says Milburn. “Where’s the snow going to go? One of the first things we look at in a home is where the snow is going to come off the roof.”

Milburn says falling snow and plows often lead to broken shrubs, so perennials are a good choice for those areas. “They can take it.

They’re going to wake up in the spring and be good to go.” o

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perfection in the details

BY DENISE FLINT PHOTOGRAPHS BY DARRELL EDWARDS

Much more than a simple renovation, this project gutted a dated bungalow, transforming it room by room into a stylish, modern space

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SUMMER 2017

HOMESTYLE

W

hen Jackie Dixon walks into a house she doesn’t necessarily see how it looks. She sees how it could look. And that can be completely different from what’s before her eyes.

Two years ago Dixon, an interior designer, and her husband Randy Koob, a mechanical engineer, bought a three-bedroom bungalow in St. John’s. The mid-century house was situated amongst the mature trees of an established urban neighbourhood close to the university and just outside the downtown core.

It had undergone a few renovations over the years to meet the needs of the original owners’ expanding family, but nothing like what was about to happen under its new owners.

Jackie and Randy raised the house one metre, gutted the interior, which meant removing most of the interior walls, and added three new staircases, a two-storey extension, and a garage. They also updated the light fixtures and appliances. Dixon redecorated the few untouched rooms left in the original configuration.

When the Dixons bought this mid-century bungalow, they gutted it from top to bottom, rebuilding with a sleek, stylish aesthetic.

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From the décor to the lights, the Dixons left no part of the house untouched, reshaping it into a space that’s functional and modern.

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HOMESTYLE

The amount of work that went into the transformation was about the same as starting from scratch. But Jackie wanted it that way.

“I like the challenge of rebuilding,” she says.

“I’ve done new construction and it’s not as rewarding. This property was worth keeping.

It’s a great neighbourhood and I’d already done another house the same way.”

The couple was also keen to maintain the house’s original footprint. “The bylaws have changed and if we had torn it down, we would have had to move the house nine feet [three metres] back,” Randy says. “It took three weeks just to make sure we could build an extension.”

By keeping the original foundation, they could grandfather in under the building regulations of the time. Even so, the couple figure the house has been altered by about

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95 per cent, and that means they needed to use new construction standards, which kick in at 70 per cent.

The job took 21 months from purchase to move in. Though the house blends into the neighbourhood, walking in the front door it’s immediately apparent that everything inside is different.

When the walls were taken down, they installed seven eight-metre steel beams to bear the weight of the upper storey and roof, opening up the main floor. The kitchen sits at the far end of the bright open space and the living area boasts sleek-lined furnishings in sophisticated shades of steel and taupe.

A chandelier sits over a counter, rather than the dining room table, dividing the large space while lending as much light as possible.

The main floor isn’t entirely open. There are a couple of bedrooms off the back as well as a large, airy sunroom, a favourite spot of the couple’s two dogs, Pebbles and Presley.

A small den, which used to be the master bedroom, now separated from the main space by pocket doors, is cozy and warm with a

From purchase date to move-in, it took 21 months to reinvent the Dixon house.

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SUMMER 2017

HOMESTYLE

subtly patterned wood floor that perfectly reflects Jackie’s attention to detail.

“A realtor told me the house was beautifully staged, but this is our home,” laughs Jackie.

“It’s not staged. We live here.”

When they raised the house, the basement became a fully finished and useful space. At two metres high, it wasn’t fully livable, so Randy raised the ceiling to three metres. “It increased the square footage by 1,600 square feet for $50,000, which is cheap for all that space,” he says.

They could easily convert the basement into a separate apartment, but currently use it for office space and entertaining. A wet bar is so well equipped it could easily serve as another kitchen and there’s a commodious dining/ games playing table in the same space.

A custom wine rack covers one wall and lends an air of sophistication to the main space, which is enhanced by a fireplace similar to the one in the living room directly above. But this one sits in a wall of steel, which is being left to weather as it wills. Already an interesting patina is developing from the heat patterns.

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The house’s big surprise is Randy’s favourite room (although the dogs like it, too). A new flight of stairs leads to a separate room designed as a movie theatre. From the popcorn dispenser and candy bar at the back to the posters on the walls, dimmable lighting, sloped floor, and stadium seating facing a giant screen, the room is designed to give that cinema experience. The couple often have friends over for movie nights and no one who first walks into the room isn’t impressed.

Darren Vey, an interior woodworker (who also likes the movie room best), did all the interior doors and trims and is responsible for the floor in the den. “Randy gave me a computer printout with the measurements, but any angle only exists in theory,” he says. “If you’re off by the smallest margin, it compounds as you go and as a prefinished floor that adds another level of difficulty.”

He found the floor an enjoyable challenge and liked working with Randy and Jackie.

“Both of them are very energetic and positive,” he says. “They had patience and perseverance and they’re sticklers for detail.

I love Jackie’s style. I know what I like, but I’m not capable of doing what she does. I can see form, but not style and colour. She sees a finished product.”

Jackie bears him out. “As soon as we bought the house, I already had in mind everything in it,” she says. “I bought everything in St. John’s because it’s important to support local communities and local businesses.” It might have added another layer of difficulty, but purchasing locally, as well as showing it can be done, is important to her. They bought only a single, custom-made item online.

An in-house theatre (Randy’s favourite room) makes the Dixons popular movie-night hosts.

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SUMMER 2017

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A destination store showcasing fine art and craft from over 150 local artisans But, with the house now finished and decorated, Jackie is becoming restless. “I’m itching to do another house,” she admits. “It’s the creative process, seeing what you visualize come to fruition.”

One thing she won’t do is take the furniture with her. She has no sentimental attachment to it. “Stuff isn’t your memory. It’s here,” she says, tapping her head. But she doesn’t want to discard it either. “I’d like to give the furniture to a well-deserving working mother. Give them a special room for themselves or a child.”

Assuming, that is, that Randy and the dogs can give up the movie theatre. o

FEEDBACK pbaxter@metroguide.ca

@EastCoastLiving

www.eastcoastliving.ca

East Coast Living Magazine

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late-season

wonders

Missed spring planting?

There’s plenty you can plant now to harvest in the fall BY: CAROL MATTHEWS

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SUMMER 2017

GARDENING

A

tlantic Canadians love hodge podge: fresh snap beans, peas, baby carrots, and new potatoes boiled together and served with butter and cream. While we wait impatiently for this treat to become available, we sometimes forget that there are other delicacies we can harvest later in the season.

If you missed the hodge-podge planting in late spring, there’s still time to dig in the soil and harvest your own fresh veggies before the growing season ends.

There are benefits to planting in the summer: the soil is already warmed from the summer sun and the roots require no extra time to acclimatize. There’s also no need to worry about a late spring frost.

But there are disadvantages too. Once past the summer solstice in June, the daylight hours are shorter, which slows growth. You need to keep seeds and plants moist so that they can use every hour of that sunlight. You must harvest some vegetables before a killing frost, so check for full-moon dates and listen to weather forecasts (full-moon dates for summer planting are Aug. 7, Sept. 6, and Oct. 5; check Veseys.com for average frost dates in your province).

You may plant seeds or transplants where you’ve already harvested vegetables such as bush beans and peas. These two crops in particular provide plenty of nitrogen in the soil but you should still replenish it with compost.

Don’t plant the same vegetables in the same place. Rotate root vegetables and above-ground vegetables. If planting seeds, make sure the soil is free of clumps, rocks, and other debris.

Choose vegetables that mature quickly.

Look for the number of days from seed to maturity on seed packets, and pick those that list 80 days or less. Semi-hardy vegetables can withstand light frosts, and will taste even better for it. They include beets, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, celery, green onions, potatoes, Bibb and leaf lettuce, parsnips, radishes, spinach, and Swiss chard.

You can extend late-summer harvests by covering plants during frost periods. My mom and dad used old bed sheets to cover their vegetables, but you can use almost anything on hand. You can always buy something developed for just this reason—row covers.

Convenient for both spring and autumn frosts, row covers work well on raised beds, too.

So stop thinking your vegetable garden is done after your last hodge podge. It may only be just beginning. Vegetables harvested in late summer will be crisp and sweet, and for some a light frost only improves the flavour. o

What to plant Rutabaga/Turnips: Try a white-fleshed summer turnip. They mature much faster but you cannot store them over the winter.

Use the tops as greens. Purple Prince matures in 55 days.

Beets: Use the leaves for cooked or raw greens and the enjoy the beets cooked or pickled. Two varieties that mature quickly are First Crop by Veseys at 45 days, and Merlin at 55 days. Plant before mid-July.

Carrots: You can grow baby carrots in 52 days (look for Mokum). Regular-sized carrots that will mature in 55 to 65 days are Napoli and Neptune. You may leave carrots in the ground until it freezes. Use mulch to keep the ground warm longer.

Kohlrabi: If you haven’t tried this spaceage looking vegetable, now is the time. Try it raw in coleslaw or in a vegetable tray, or cooked in soups and stews. Have your children help you plant it and they’ll love the outcome. Kossak Kohlrabi matures in 65 days.

Swiss chard: No longer just red or white, Swiss chard now comes in a rainbow of colours. Try Bright Lights or Kaleidoscope, and grow pink, orange, yellow, green, white, and red stalks. For something more traditional, choose Burpee’s Rhubard Chard, all mature in 65 days.

Collards: Not well-known here, collards look a bit like cabbage leaves (without the head) and is used in southern cuisine.

Flash matures in 55 days.

Broccoli: This vegetable has become much more popular since the discovery of its beneficial health qualities. Green Magic has tight heads and will mature from transplanting in 50 days. If planting from seed, do so before the end of June.

Cauliflower: This vegetable is a heavy feeder, so fertilize well. It’s best to use transplants that you can start yourself. If you plant seeds in the ground, you’ll need to do it before July. Freedom, a traditional variety, matures in 65 days. Minuteman will

mature from six-week-old transplants in 47 days.

Cabbage: Plant your seeds before the end of June or purchase transplants. Tiara, a smaller headed cabbage, matures in 95 days after planting.

Radishes: There is such a wide variety of radish seeds that it’s time to try a new type. They’re always popular for children to plant because they mature so quickly. Try Easter Egg radishes that come in pink, red, lavender, scarlet, and white, and mature in 28 days. Or April Cross Chinese Radish that’s long, white, and mild; it’s yummy in stir-frys or salads and matures in 55 days.

For a traditional radish, choose Rudolf; it matures in 25 days.

Leaf Lettuces: Maturing in 55 days, New Red Fire has red leaves that are course, crisp, and sweet. Maturing in 53 days, Tango has green ruffled leaves with white bases. Black Seeded Simpson lettuce keeps its crisp, light-green leaf qualities longer than others, and matures in only 45 days.

Keep the soil moist (not wet) and shade the plants on hot days, if possible. Harvest leaves in the morning. Leaf lettuces will continue to grow if you cut the leaves when they are small rather than pull the whole plant from the ground.

Spinach: Prefers cool weather and may be planted in July or August. It’s heavy feeder, so add lots of your preferred fertilizer.

And its roots need to be kept moist to prevent bolting. Sardinia matures in 45 days, and is excellent for baby spinach as well as mature leaves. Avon is another quick grower with dark-green leaves and delicious flavour. It will mature in 44 days.

Kale: One of the most popular health foods today, kale is easy to grow. Try Black Magic, with dark purple Savoy-style leaves that become sweeter with a touch of frost. It matures in 45 days, but you can pick a few of the baby leaves sooner. You can grow Prizm in the ground or in a container. Its curly, green, slightly nutty-tasting leaves mature in 55 days.

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connected to the cove

BY SANDRA PHINNEY PHOTOS BY MICHAEL CARTY

With dramatic Bay of Fundy views and a rugged wooded setting, a two-level home in Sandy Cove, N.S. showcases nature and modern design

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COVER STORY

“P

eople think it’s easy to build a house,” says Jenipher Ritchie, long-time producer of This Hour Has 22 Minutes and other TV and film productions. “There’s nothing easy about building a house. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of decisions to be made.”

Jenipher and her husband Paul Gidney live in Sandy Cove, Nova Scotia. This small rural village is located midway between Digby and Brier Island on the Digby Neck peninsula.

Paul and his family have deep roots here. Although Jenipher didn’t have family living permanently in “the cove,” she often visited an aunt who had a summer cottage there. She grew fond of the area.

“Sandy Cove is really a remarkable place,” she says. “There is a huge sense of community here and a huge sense of family. But it’s

not about the Internet or your Blackberry. I always say, you either fall in love with Sandy Cove or you don’t understand it.”

When they first got together, Paul was the caretaker of about 50 homes in the village. “People were kind enough to let us stay in their homes while we were looking for a place to buy,” says Jenipher.

Eventually they bought a home on the St. Mary’s Bay side of the village. They spent hours walking through the woods and gardening on Paul’s family property over on the Bay of Fundy side of the village, so they decided to build there.

The couple made lists of what was important and mapped out design ideas. Jenipher kept a “look book” during the project. Anytime she saw pictures of things she liked, she’d clip them out (or print them if online) and put them in a big sketch book.

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“We wanted something that would tie in with the community and not stick out like a sore thumb,” she says. “I also wanted to tie in the ocean with the woods, and have the house tie in with nature.”

A friend did some basic computer drawings, they found a construction firm in nearby Clare, and before the close of 2007 Jenipher and Paul were in their new home.

The two-level timber-frame structure has lots of light and expansive views. Looking through the massive windows in the kitchen

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area upstairs reveals rolling hills and landscaped gardens edged by a forest to the north east. Turning 180 degrees showcases a limitless expanse of sky and ocean, a frontrow seat to the Bay of Fundy.

The home’s interior parallels those natural surroundings, with wooden beams, artwork, and furniture echoing both land and sea in their simplicity and beauty.

Initially, the couple lived in the upstairs portion of the home which included their bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living area.

SUMMER 2017

They used the lower section as a combination barn/garage and for storage.

Both ends of the bottom level had garage doors with windows, so not only was it easy to move equipment in and out, the arrangement also provided bucolic views from either end, just like on the upper level.

But, as time went on, Jenipher realized that although she liked the home, it wasn’t quite right. It lacked space for company and she wondered if building a guest house would be the answer.

COVER STORY Top left: Distinctive wooden beams tie the home to its natural setting. ● Bottom left: Perched on the Bay of Fundy, the home offers spectacular ocean vistas. ● Right: Jenipher Gidney wanted a home that would blend seamlessly with the community, not “stick out like a sore thumb.”

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SUMMER 2017

Enter Lisa Tondino from Houdinidesign Architects, based in Canning.

“We spent a lot of time in the schematic design phase, thinking through and distilling the most simple ideas and solutions,” Lisa says.

They soon realized that a new structure wasn’t required.

By turning the downstairs into liveable space, they could make internal changes that would double the living space from 1,500 to 3,000 square feet.

Phase one involved changing the lower level into a master bedroom, plus adding a bathroom and a laundry area. The challenge was keeping the central area open, which would create a gallery space to showcase the homeowners’ art collection. It would also allow light and airflow from both ends of the structure.

The second phase, reconfiguring the upper level, posed a different challenge: how to create space for guests, along with a full bathroom, and storage to house the fridge and kitchen appliances.

“We took a precedent from Charles Moore’s Room Within a Room,” says Lisa, who collaborated with designers Judy Obersi and Alexandra Bolen on the project. Moore was an innovative American architect who often doubled the use of space by cleverly (and unobtrusively) inserting a second room within an existing room.

Here’s how Lisa and her team applied the principle: inside the wall between the kitchen and the living room is now a three-by six-metre protrusion housing a bathroom. But here’s where it gets interesting: an

outside wall, 0.6-metres from the wall surrounding the bathroom on three sides, now houses a Murphy bed and storage for everything else.

Part of this walled space also includes the bathroom sink.

Finished in 2015, the new configuration not only provides more solutions and flexibility for Jenipher and Paul, it still offers an uninterrupted view from both ends of the upper level. “[It] respects the existing structural order and detailed the connection to the old and the new, while celebrating their differences,” Lisa says. “And an open-air staircase creates a visual connectivity between the two floors, enabling Jenipher and Paul to inhabit the entire house.”

Jenipher is thrilled with the results, and has advice for others who are thinking about renovating. “Spend a couple of years researching,” she says. “The things you think are not expensive are the things that can be the most expensive. And, as you collect information, plan for three options.”

For example, pick three faucets with three price ranges. Apply this to everything, as you can count on going over budget and may have to substitute something less expensive than your first choice. “And you need at least a 10- to 15-per-cent contingency,” she adds.

Jenipher admits she didn’t do enough research the first time around.

“I put in single-pane wooden windows downstairs that looked very pretty, but they covered in ice every winter. When I did replace them, I should have included windows that open.”

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Other missteps back then included not putting electrical plugs in the right places, and having some structural beams in the wrong place. The latter affected the height of the windows, which she thought would be higher than they are.

Also, workers had originally poured the concrete floor too thick that housed in-floor heating; during the renovations, drilling through the floor to add plumbing and electrical was nerve-wracking. “A mistake could have been very costly,” Jenipher recalls.

Jenipher says that her first building experience was fun, but she regrets not hiring an architect from the get-go. “There’s nothing cheap about renovating and nothing cheap about architects,” she says. “There are many different phases to building a house from concepts to design, construction drawings, and supervising the construction.

Every phase comes with a cost. It’s important to understand that up front.”

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SUMMER 2017

COVER STORY

“ If you are 50 per cent through the project and you’ve spent 75 per cent of the money, you’re in trouble.”

For her, the payoff is getting the house she wanted in the end.

“And they take responsibility if something goes wrong,” she adds. She recommends monitoring the budget on a weekly basis. “If you are 50 per cent through the project and you’ve spent 75 per cent of the money, you’re in trouble.”

She also recommends using a 3D model. It’s an added expense, but it gives a practical sense of how things will look and feel.

“What I love the most about our house is that anywhere I sit I can look outside,” Jenipher says with a smile. “The views of the Bay of Fundy are stunning and the sunset is incredible. My father always said, ‘I knew you would end up down here.’” o

FEEDBACK pbaxter@metroguide.ca

@EastCoastLiving

www.eastcoastliving.ca

East Coast Living Magazine

SUMMER 2017

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grills

gone wild Make the most of our limited grilling season on the East Coast with expert tips and hot recipe ideas

BY EMILY DEMING PHOTOGRAPHY BY J.P. MULLOWNEY

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SUMMER 2017

EATING IN

I

n the long days of our short Atlantic Canadian summers, the party can start well before the meat is ready to eat.

Chef Ken Pittman owns Seto, a restaurant in downtown St. John’s, N.L. that stays open late with a gourmet snack menu.

Last winter, he made his customers long for the sunny days of grilling when he added a waygu burger to the menu (waygu is a Japanese beef noted for its marbling and high level of unsaturated fat).

But when grilling for fun, Pittman likes longer-cooking cuts: brisket and lamb leg.

“Pick something you can cook all day,” he says. He wants people to come over and drink while it’s cooking, and then to “eat with your hands and have a laugh.”

Amy Anthony is the chef at The Ship Pub, tucked in an alley just around the corner from Seto in St. John’s. It’s a long-running local favourite for live music and fish and chips.

She’s expanded the menu with a vibrant weekly specials board now famous for its saucily-named weekly burgers. The “Blanche burger,” named after a character from the Golden Girls TV show, features southern fried chicken breast with spicy slaw. Or the Christmas time “Ralphy” burger with “putyour-eye-out sauce.”

When cooking for friends over a fire, she plans whole meals “in flow over the grill.”

She makes a two-zone charcoal fire, built on an incline. “[You] start on the high side then move over,” she says. She soaks wood chips overnight in beer to give the food a different taste. “Throw them right on one side of the coals…I just love the taste of smoke in everything,” she says.

Anthony is a forager and loves gathering local ingredients. She suggests starting with chanterelles, garlic, and herbs in foil on the grill. Pulse it with tomato paste for a dip, and

make flat bread to throw on the grill. (See recipe page 45). “People can eat that while they are smelling the rest cooking,” she says.

While the main course is being devoured, she’ll throw fruit (grapefruit, melon, pineapple, “anything that will hold texture”) on the grill. A smear of maple syrup caramelizes and smokes it. “It’s a great finisher,” she says. “Of course, I always keep a can of Fussels [cream] in the back of the fridge to go with. It can go in the cupboard.

But I love it so much I want it always ready.”

Steve Curtis sold his restaurant, The Casbah, when he had his fourth child. Instead of continuing the time-consuming restaurant business, he started making condiments and sauces to sell at the St. John’s Farmers’ Market, held each Saturday morning from June through December.

But Curtis still spends every spare minute thinking about food. “A hamburger is a pretty

Seto Burger When dressing this burger, use in-season vegetables such as lettuce, tomato, and cucumber or a simple melted aged cheddar. For the bun, try a simple Japanese milk bun. It’s a little dense but still soft and subtle when toasted lightly in the oven. Recipe courtesy of Chef Kenneth Pittman, Seto Restaurant, St. John’s, N.L. DIRECTIONS 1. Mix all ingredients by hand until just incorporated; do not over work.

2. Form the burger patty to your desired size.

3. Grill until desired doneness, and put on your favourite bun.

INGREDIENTS 2 lbs (900g) medium-ground beef 2 1/3 cups (575 ml) of panko 4 eggs 1 shallot minced 4 cloves of garlic minced 8 dashes of Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of gochujang chilli paste

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humble thing, but there’s no reason not to do a good job,” he says. “If you can master it, it will carry over into other things. It will make you into a better cook overall. And it’s a lot of fun… to play with fire.”

For him, the most important thing for a perfect burger is to grind the meat fresh yourself. “Hamburger meat is generally chuck,” he notes. “Sixty per cent sirloin, 40 per cent rib. Chop it into small pieces and put it in a food processor. Pulse a few times…You can cook it as rare as you like.” Make one third of the meat pork to get a little more fat in it.

He also insists that you don’t need to add anything to your hamburger meat. “Maybe a little salt and pepper over the top. If you add salt [inside] it will draw moisture out.”

To form the patty, take a fist-sized piece of meat. “Don’t press it out, dimple it with your fingers until it becomes round and it will stay perfectly formed,” says Curtis. “Leave dimple imprints on top so it won’t buckle. Keep [it] loose so it will stay juicier.”

To get cross-hatching grill marks, he suggests flipping it three times so it cooks twice for 2.5 minutes on each side. This also gives a more consistent heat inside the burger.

Don’t add barbecue sauce until the very end or it will burn.

Curtis keeps his toppings as simple as his patties. His pickled jalapeños and onions work as well on fish tacos as on burgers.

But there are as many ways to make a burger as there are grills on back decks in August. Neither Pittman nor Anthony are patty purists. Pittman uses plenty of eggs and panko crumbs and what are, to him, “traditional” ingredients (e.g. gochujang, a Korean fermented chili paste that is a common spice in kimchi).

But, like Curtis, Pittman firmly believes that a burger “should be structurally sound; it should not fall apart.” Size-wise, “it should be no more than three fingers high.” He says this, then looks at his large hands and laughs, “no more than three Pittman fingers high.”

Anthony also adds more than beef to her burgers. “I like spice, so I spice the hell out of everything…herbs [from] the back yard, anything fresh I have pumpin’ [laying] around will go in there: local eggs, fresh basil, sage, thyme, rosemary for lamb. I like beef best, but [I’m] also a big turkey fan. [It’s] light in summer, fruitier with a tapenade.”

A vegetarian for years, Anthony is as playful with a veggie burger as she is with everything else (see recipe below). “If you can’t have a laugh and enjoy what you’re doing…” she shrugs, noting that she gets a kick making burgers inspired by characters from classic TV shows like The Golden Girls and Three’s Company.

“You can flavour something based on a personality,” she says. “[I have] friends with kids who have birthdays in the summer, so [I might make] a ‘Billy burger’ with spicy red curly carrots on top like her hair [and] funny faces [on it]. Kids like to play with their food, and I like to play with my food too, so I guess I like to keep it entertaining.” o

TWO-ZONE CHARCOAL GRILLING These recipes are for a two-zone charcoal fire, where you build an incline starting from one side of the grill to the other, so there’s low, medium, and high cooking zones. For extra smoke, soak wood chips in beer over night, strain them, place them in a tinfoil sachet (envelop) and then throw them on the low-heat area of your grill.

Veggie Burger Veggie burgers can be hard to grill because they tend to fall apart. The oats and bread crumbs in this version help it stay together and the grated vegetables and egg keep it from drying out.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Amy Anthony, The Ship Pub, St. John’s, N.L. DIRECTIONS 1. Combine spices and beans in food processor.

2. Process adding olive oil until beans make a paste.

3. Place in a mixing bowl with grated beets and banana peppers.

4. Add oats and breadcrumbs to vegetables and beans.

5. Stir in egg and combine thoroughly.

6. Form into patties and refrigerate for 1/2 hour before grilling.

7. Cook on medium heat on a well-greased grill until cooked through.

8. Serve burger on a whole grain burger bun with mayo, spinach, Sriracha, goat cheese, and alfalfa sprouts. Yields 4 burgers.

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INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup (125 ml) grated red onion 1 Tbsp (30 ml) chopped banana peppers 2 cloves minced garlic 1 tsp (5 ml) cumin 1 tsp (5 ml) coriander 1 tsp (5 ml) sweet paprika 1 tsp (5 ml) chipotle powder 1/4 cup (125 ml) rolled oats 1/4 cup (125 ml) bread crumbs 1 egg white 1/2 cup (125 ml) grated beets 2 cans black beans 3 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil mayo Sriracha spinach plain goat cheese alfalfa sprouts 4 whole grain burger buns

EATING IN

Grilled Chanterelle Mushroom Dip and Pita Bread When chanterelle season hits, local markets are flooded with them. Here’s a simple way to incorporate them as an appetizer no matter what else is on the menu. Recipe courtesy of Chef Amy Anthony, The Ship Pub, St. John’s, N.L. DIRECTIONS 1. Make a sachet out of foil, place mushrooms, garlic, salt pepper and 1 Tbsp (30 ml) of olive oil in sachet.

2. Throw sachet on the grill on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes until mushrooms are cooked and garlic is softened.

3. Combine the mushrooms, garlic, tomato paste and the rest of the olive oil in a food processor.

4. Fold in the ricotta cheese.

5. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Brush pita bread with olive oil and grill on low until browned, serve with mushroom dip.

INGREDIENTS 1 pack of pita bread olive oil (for brushing) 3 Tbsp (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic 1 lb (9 cups) fresh chanterelles fresh parsley 2 Tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste salt and pepper 1 package of ricotta cheese

Best Kind Sauce If you want more than just the basics topping your burger, this is a fresh flavoured combo with some crunch. She serves it on beef burgers with arugula thinly sliced cucumbers.Recipe courtesy of Chef Amy Anthony, The Ship Pub, St. John’s, N.L. DIRECTIONS 1. Combine ingredients in mixing bowl and mix well 2. Refrigerate until ready to grill.

INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup mayo (60 ml) 2 Tbsp (30 ml) french dressing 2 Tbsp (30 ml) minced pickles 1 Tbsp (15 ml) minced capers 1 Tbsp (15 ml) white vinegar 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) sugar 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) lemon juice 1/8 tsp (1/2 ml) paprika 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) minced garlic

Grilled Potato Salad A grilled twist on a classic picnic side dish. Recipe courtesy of Chef Amy Anthony, The Ship Pub, St. John’s, N.L. DIRECTIONS 1. Cut potatoes in half and par-cook in boiling salted water.

2. Drain and rinse.

3. Grill potatoes on low heat for 5 minutes turning frequently to brown on all sides.

4. Place potatoes in mixing bowl with chopped kale.

5. Slice grape tomatoes and add to bowl.

6. With a food processor or immersion blender, blend capers, dijon, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and half the dill. Pour over vegetables.

7. Garnish with extra dill.

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INGREDIENTS 1 bag fingerling potatoes 1 bunch fresh dill 3 Tbsp (45 ml) capers, minced 2 Tbsp (30 ml) minced garlic 1/2 red onion diced 1 bunch fresh kale, roughly chopped 2 Tbsp (30 ml) honey 2 Tbsp (30 ml) dijon 3 Tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup (125 ml) olive oil 1 package grape tomatoes

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Cucumber Salad This refreshing salad is simple and surprising. Recipe courtesy of Chef Kenneth Pittman, Seto Resaurant, St. John’s, N.L. DIRECTIONS 1. Slice cucumbers and place in a bowl 2. Toss with a good pinch of salt and let sit for 10 minutes to draw out some wa-ter.

3. Add chopped dill, season with white vinegar and sugar to your personal taste.

INGREDIENTS 2 locally grown cucumbers sliced ¼-inch (1-cm) thick small bunch of dill white vinegar to taste coarse sea salt white sugar to taste

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Grilled Romaine Heart Salad This is a crowd favourite and works really well if you’re using natural charcoal. Make it to your individual taste—BBQs are meant to be fun and unstructured, so mix your own ingredient amounts. Recipe courtesy of Chef Kenneth Pittman, Seto Restaurant, St. John’s, N.L.

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DIRECTIONS 1. Halve the romaine hearts and season with olive oil and salt.

2. Mix the remaining ingredients, minus the parmesan, for a loose vinaigrette consistency.

3. Adjust the seasoning to your personal taste.

4. While the grill is hot, roast the romaine until nice and charred.

5. Dress with vinaigrette and shave parmesan over the top.

INGREDIENTS romaine hearts (1 for every person attending the bbq) olive oil lemon juice anchovies parmesan cheese toasted bread crumbs red wine vinegar honey

S H E L B U R N E , N O VA S C O T I A

Past the Overpass Summer Cocktail This cocktail integrates Iceberg Vodka into a drink with several Newfoundland flavours. If you are a forager, the mint, partridgeberries, and juniper are all ingredients you can look for through summer and into fall. Combine these ingredients with the spirits detailed below, a splash of fresh lemon juice and soda water, and you’ll be left with a perfect summer spritzer.

Recipe courtesy of Sharna Brzycki, Seto Restaurant, St. John’s, N.L. DIRECTIONS For one drink: 1. Muddle partridgeberries and two mint leaves.

2. Add vodka, rum, Campari, juniper syrup, fresh lemon juice.

3. Dry shake (preferably in a Boston shaker, for 10 seconds, then strain.

4. Add one big scoop of ice.

5. Shake for 10 seconds (or until outside of shaker feels frosty).

6. Pour into your favourite rocks glass, top with soda water.

7. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig.

INGREDIENTS About 20 partridgeberries 2 springs fresh mint 1 oz. Iceberg Vodka (or vodka of choice) 1/2 oz Brugal Rum 1/2 oz Campari 1 oz. Juniper syrup (see recipe below) 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice 2 oz soda water

Juniper Syrup

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Recipe courtesy of Sharna Brzycki, Seto Restaurant, St. John’s, N.L. DIRECTIONS 1. Bring all ingredients to a simmer.

2. Simmer 5 minutes.

3. Blend.

INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup (125 ml) juniper berries 1 cup (250 ml) sugar 1 L water

Drink Me Recipe courtesy of Sharna Brzycki, Seto Restaurant, St. John’s, N.L. DIRECTIONS 1. Infuse gin (soak 2 Earl Grey tea bags in 325 ml of gin for 3 hours).

2. Make honey syrup (stir 1 cup (250 ml) boiling water into 3/4 cup (175 ml) honey to dissolve and then let cool.

3. Combine gin, honey syrup, and all remaining ingredients and shake for 14 seconds.

4. Garnish with lemon wheel.

Yields one drink.

INGREDIENTS 1.5 oz Earl Grey-infused dry gin Beefeater) 1 oz fresh lemon juice 3/4 oz honey syrup 3/4 oz Green Chartreuse

FEEDBACK pbaxter@metroguide.ca

@EastCoastLiving

www.eastcoastliving.ca

East Coast Living Magazine SUMMER 2017

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dinner

on the rocks

With fun and imagination, your beachside bonfire meal can have tasty recipes made of foraged ingredients and local specialties

BY VALERIE MANSOUR PHOTOS BY DENNIS EVANS

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EATING IN

B

each bonfires are a much-loved summer tradition, but sometimes marshmallows and hot dogs just don’t cut it. Granted, there is certain nostalgia when you bite into that dog and feel and hear the crunch of sand. And what says treat more than hot, gooey, sticky marshmallows? But, the time has come for something different.

It’s a gorgeous Saturday evening on Nova Scotia’s Amherst Shore overlooking the Northumberland Strait. The water is calm, it’s too warm for a jacket, the mosquitoes are taking a night off, and, most importantly, the neighbours are keen. They’ve made suggestions for a bonfire line-up that moves the menu up a notch.

Preparation is necessary and we gather in the cottage kitchen. First up is a punch to sip on the beach. A nearby rhubarb patch is still producing, so rhubarb will be the base.

Some imaginative mixing with rum, ginger, and ginger ale creates a memorable kick. One

person suggests a splash of Emma Bitter Liqueur from Winegarden Estate in nearby Baie Verte, New Brunswick. We’re happy to support this local enterprise. (See recipe below.)

One discerning neighbour had earlier suggested the host make her popular homemade Lebanese pita, so while we’re testing the punch, she rolls out a few round loaves from a batch of dough made earlier. (See recipe on page 52.) It’s usually baked in the oven at 500°F (260°C), so quality control is going to be tricky over a beach fire.

The bonfire needs vegetables for balance, so we choose a few long, red peppers, giving them a rinse and placing them on sticks for grilling over the fire. They’ll be aesthetically pleasing and tasty.

We’ve purchased local mild Italian sausages from Nicnat Farms just down the road in Lorneville. This fifth-generation family-owned farm is known for its chicken, beef, and pork, and its busy U-pick strawberry fields.

Rhubarb Punch Every bonfire needs a special drink. This one takes advantage of ubiquitous East Coast rhubarb. Add more sugar if you prefer it less tart. You may also adjust the amount of rum as well. Recipe courtesy Valerie Mansour.

DIRECTIONS 1. Bring ginger to boil with about 4 cups (1 L) water.

2. Add rhubarb and sugar, simmer for about 10 minutes.

3. Strain into a pitcher.

4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

5. Add ginger ale, lemon, and rum. Serve over ice.

6. Garnish with fresh mint.

INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup (125 ml) sliced gingerroot 4 cups (1L) fresh rhubarb, chopped 1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar 2 cups (500 ml) favourite ginger ale 1/4 cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 cup (125 ml) favourite dark rum 1 splash Winegarden Estate’s Emma Bitter Liqueur, optional fresh mint leaves

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We’ll barbecue sausage separately and use some in a hot-and-spicy southern boil. The boil recipe calls for shrimp, but local is the rule, so we’re substituting mussels. We blend the spices: ground mustard, ground ginger, paprika, nutmeg, allspice, cayenne, and ground pepper.

We step outside to shuck a few cobs of fresh corn, leaving the silk threads on the lawn instead of on the kitchen floor. We cut up the cobs into chunks and rinse the mussels. We mix the spices in water in a large, tall pot and set it all aside to lug to the beach. (See recipe below.)

If not for a local ban on clamming, we’d have considered a Prince Edward Island friend’s suggestion of grilled clams on the fire. “Rake coals to one side and put the grill over them, balanced on the rocks,” she explains. “Line the

50

clams up on the grill and when they open, use tongs to lift them onto a plate.”

She adds a knob of butter creamed with fresh herbs such as sage, rosemary, and parsley, and/or seaweed flakes. “They’re delicious,” she says. She also gathers dulse and sugar kelp from the beach drift and toasts it over the fire until crisp.

Our seaweed is not appetizing enough to make it on the menu, but grilled-cheese sandwiches do when one neighbour discovers a vintage sandwich maker gathering dust in her cottage. Our sandwiches ooze with flavour, not just because of the cheese, but because of addition of red onion slices. (See recipe below.)

And one neighbour’s memories of Girl Guide campfires of long ago bring us to tiny burgers, made with ground beef from Linden Leas Farm, just down the shore. We mix them with

onion and herbs, throw in a few veggies, and wrap them in tin foil to be thrown on the coals where they can simmer to perfection. (See recipe on page 51.)

We carry our feast to the beach, and as the evening progresses, we roast each item over the fire, enjoying the experience as much as the flavours. It’s a slow, leisurely event, with lots of laughs, that attracts the envious attention of passersby enjoying an evening stroll.

And, despite the goal for a bonfire with a difference, we can’t quash our desire for marshmallows. Our photographer is prepared and we end our evening with first-rate s’mores made with marshmallows, dark chocolate, and graham wafers.

Bonfires will never be the same. o

Amherst Shore Boil

Bonfire Grilled Cheese

This recipe, based on a low country boil, would traditionally include shrimp instead of mussels. You can alter the spices, depending on your heat tolerance. Old Bay Seasoning is an alternative to your own blend.

Recipe courtesy Douglas Blackmore.

A neighbour’s discovery of an old sandwich maker, perfect for the bonfire, made this sandwich particularly appealing (a cast-iron frying pan also works). Red onion slices confirmed that this is no ordinary grilled cheese sandwich. Recipe courtesy Phyllis Bowles.

DIRECTIONS 1. Half fill large stockpot with water.

2. Add seasoning and bring to boil.

3. Add sausage, cook for 5 minutes.

4. Add corn, continue to cook another 5 minutes.

5. Add mussels last. Let simmer until shells open.

6. Drain off water and serve in bowls.

DIRECTIONS 1. Place cheese on 1 bread slice.

2. Add slices of red onion, cover with second slice.

3. Butter outside of bread.

4. Repeat with second sandwich.

5. Place, one at a time, in sandwich maker, grill over fire, turning once, until cheese starts to ooze.

INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup (60 ml) spice blend (equal sprinkles ground mustard, ground ginger, paprika, nutmeg, allspice, cayenne, and ground pepper) salt to taste 6 bay leaves 2 lbs (900 g) local spicy sausage, chopped bite size 4 ears fresh corn, each shucked and cut in chunks 5 lbs (2.2 kg) fresh mussels

INGREDIENTS 4 slices sandwich bread 4 slices old cheddar, or other favourite melting cheese 6 large, thin slices of red onion dab of soft butter

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EATING IN

Mini Beach Burgers Mini-burgers or sliders are all the rage, but these burgers bring back memories of long-ago Girl Guides’ camping trips. Vary herbs to your preference. Recipe courtesy Gwen Wells.

DIRECTIONS 1. Mix ground beef with onion, salt and pepper.

2. Create 10 small patties.

3. Slice potato and carrot as thinly as possible.

4. Wrap each patty in tin foil, adding vegetables and herbs before sealing.

5. Throw into coals on bonfire and grill until meat reaches desired doneness.

6. Serve on tiny buns or pitas.

INGREDIENTS 1 lb (450g) medium ground beef 1 large onion, diced fine salt, pepper, to taste 1 medium potato 1 medium carrot fresh basil, oregano, to taste

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EATING IN

S’mores, of Course Quality dark chocolate elevated s’mores to a level that pleased all our beach gourmands. Recipe courtesy Dennis Evans.

DIRECTIONS 1. Roast marshmallows on sticks over bonfire, until soft but not burnt.

2. Place roasted marshmallows and dark chocolate pieces between 2 graham crackers like a sandwich.

3. Wrap in tin foil and roast in fire for about 3 minutes, or until chocolate is melted and graham cracker is toasted.

4. Unwrap and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS 1/2 bag marshmallows several graham crackers several slabs dark chocolate

Mini Lebanese Pitas Fresh bread on the bonfire added a certain excitement. It didn’t rise as well as in the oven, but the fun was worth it. Recipe courtesy Valerie Mansour.

DIRECTIONS 1. Stir sugar into water, add yeast, leave to rise.

2. Measure flour into large bowl, add salt, stir.

3. Add yeast to flour along with enough water to make soft dough, knead well.

4. Put olive oil on your hands and rub over dough.

5. Cover, leave to rise, at least 2 hours.

6. Cut into small balls on floured surface, cover with towel to rest 10 minutes.

7. Roll each like small pie, about ¼-inch (0.6-cm) thick.

8. Heat grill over bonfire.

9. Place dough on grill, cook for a few minutes and flip over. Be careful not to burn it, or your fingers.

INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup (125 ml) warm water 1 tsp (5 ml) sugar 1 Tbsp (15 ml) traditional yeast 6 to 8 cups (1.5-1.8 L) flour, half whole wheat, half white pinch salt splash olive oil, optional

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In other words, these exchangers bring fresh air in from the outside so that the humidity inside is reduced and the air quality is improved. Why not just open a window? Well, the difference is that ventilation products help capture the heat from the air leaving your home, and transfers it into fresh air entering your home. This greatly improves your home’s overall energy recovery and efficiency.

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These machines are ideal for homes where there’s excess moisture during the heating season. The HRVs transfer heat from exhaust air expelled from the house to the fresh air entering the house, without mixing the stale and the fresh air.

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In contrast, the ERV is ideal for year-round ventilation, including long humid summers. In air-conditioned homes, the ERV limits the amount of moisture entering your house. However, in dry climates, when the humidity level is reversed, this ventilator limits the moisture expelled from your home.

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Win with wine

Choose the right bottle every time

BY CRAIG PINHEY

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LIBATIONS

A

tlantic Canadian liquor stores and wine purveyors are bringing more of the world’s wines to our dining room tables. The variety is great, but with so many unfamiliar bottles on the shelf, how do you choose the right bottle?

Understand wine styles. There are lots of complexities to this, and many different ex-amples from all over the world, but getting a feel for when to drink the six basic categories will simplify things.

Light, crisp whites and sparkling wines: Fresh, crisp whites like Pinot Grigio, Chablis, and Sauvignon Blanc, and crisp sparkling wines go well with salads and fish, plus work as a nice aperitif.

Aromatic whites: Riesling, Gewürztraminer, muscat, Torrontés, Viognier, and Tidal Bay blends offer intense floral and, sometimes exotic, fruity notes. These are great sipping wines and go well with spicy food and some fish dishes.

Full-bodied whites: Oaked Chardonnays are the most common; other include oaked Bordeaux and Rhone-style blends. These fullbodied wines suit roast chicken, pork, and creamy seafood dishes.

Light reds and rosés: These aromatic (think cherries and raspberries) wines, such as Gamay, Pinot Noir, and dry rosé from various grapes, are perfect with chicken, duck, pork, salmon, and charcuterie.

Old World or bistro reds: Think about Chianti, Côtes du Rhône, basic Bordeaux blends, and everyday reds from Portugal and Spain.

These offer savoury herbal aspects along-side fruit. They are great with a range of meat dishes, tomato sauces, and cheese.

New World or big reds: These are the heavy hitters, such as Argentina’s Malbec, Cab-ernet Sauvignon from Chile, California, Australia, or British Columbia, and Merlot or Shiraz. Other reds in the full-bodied style are usually spicy, with ripe dark fruit (black-

berry, cassis, and dark plum), and feature oak complexities such as vanilla, coffee, and chocolate flavours. They can work with meat dishes, but the dish must be equally big in flavour.

Think about the occasion. What food are you serving, who is coming, and what is your price range? Match the occasion and food style to the wine category, and then start thinking about specific wines that will meet your budget. For example, if it is a steak and frites dinner, and you want to do it on a budget, look for Old World bistro reds with a good reputation that are priced under $20.

Ask an expert. Many newspapers and magazines feature regular wine columnists. It is common to see people walk into a wine store with a clipped newspaper column in-hand. Wine writers taste a lot of wines, and act as a filter. They often write about low-risk wines that will satisfy you without denting your wallet too much.

Look at the wine scores, but read the full reviews too. It will offer advice on what occasions and which food the wine pairs with best.

If you have more than one wine writer in your market, find the one whose palate is most in tune with yours. That takes some experimentation, but it’s fun.

Most major Atlantic Canadian wine stores have at least one trained wine person. Some have several on staff all the time. That person might be a sommelier, as is the case at a private store like Bishop’s Cellar in Halifax. Staff may have other wine training, such as from Wine and Spirits Education Trust or in-house training. Seek their advice. They will have questions for you too, about the food you are serving, styles you like, and brands you enjoy regularly.

Remember, no one is judging you when you are shopping for wine. Relax, read, ask questions, and listen. Soon you will be home enjoying a good wine. o

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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. 56) 902-455-2870 advocateprinting.com

EnCom Alternative Energy (p. 38) 902-457-8799 encomgroup.com

Revolution Windows & Doors (p. 8) 902-464-5050 revolutionwindowsanddoors.com

Amazing Space (p. 51) 902-407-7211 amazingspaceinteriors.com

Fox Harb’r (p. 10) 1-866-257-1801 foxharbr.com

Seeview Blinds (p. 21) 902-422-1231 seeviewblinds.com

Amos Wood (p. 5) 902-407-7772 amoswood.ca

Gallery 1 Furniture (p. 19) 902-466-5552 gallery1furniture.com

Terra Verde (p. 36) 506-389-1898 terraverdehome.com

Atlantic Lighting Studio (p. 41) 902-542-3431 atlanticlightingstudio.com

Made in the Maritimes (p. 36) 902-406-3232 madeinthemaritimes.com

Thermador/BOSCH (p. 7) 1-800-944-2904 bosch-home.ca / thermador.ca

Attica (p. 39) 902-423-2557 attica.ca

Maritime Window (p. 51) 902-422-6290 cooltint.com

Venmar (p. 53) 1-800-567-3855 venmar.ca

Beauti-tone (p. 3) beautitone.ca

Metro Home (p. 21) 902-894-5536 metropei.com

WB Fowler Industries (p. 46) 1-800-290-8510 wbfowler.com

Miles Industries (p. 59) 604-984-3496 valorfireplaces.com

Xcel Landscaping (p. 40) 902-880-9779 xcellandscaping.com

Boxing Rock (p. 47) 902-494-9233 boxingrock.ca Cabinetworks Ltd. (p. 41) 1-888-249-6188 cabinetworks.ca Caesarstone (p. 2) 416-479-8400 caesarstone.ca Carte Blanche (p. 47) 506-380-0072 cbupcycle.com Centura (p. 9) 902-468-7679 centura.ca East Coast Lobster Rope (p. 38) 902-397-0112 etsy.com/shop/eastcoastlobsterrope

Nimbus Publishing (p. 9) 902-455-4286 nimbus.ca Olympic Stains (p. 26-27, OBC) 1-800-426-6306 olympic.com Panache Luxury Linens (p. 46) 902-484-2799 panacheluxurylinens.ca Polytech Windows (p. 29) 902-468-4551 polytechproducts.com Red Door Realty (p. 45) 902-425-2811 reddoorrealty.ca

SUMMER 2017

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LAST LOOK

the nature of things

Experimenting with new techniques and materials, Darren Emenau makes ceramics that showcase nature’s raw beauty.

BY KATE WALLACE Heading down the blue wooden stairs and into the bright basement studio in the Saint John home of New Brunswick potter Darren Emenau, it’s hard to know where to look first. Your gaze darts from the works-in-progress, including unfired forms in naked brown clay ranked tidily on wooden shelves, to finished vessels in an explosion of forms and sizes whose surfaces seem ripped from nature.

Acid-green, dirt brown, sky blue, and beyond, the glazes are lichenous, bark-like, flaking, and layered, in some places thick, in others mouldering. The natural finishes give the inert objects a sense of life and energy.

In the corner, a quartet of almost one-metre-high vessels in pale pink, bright green, turquoise, and sea blue seem almost to conspire, so lively are they in finish and form. “I’m starting to slowly morph my forms,” says the artist, who works under the phonetic tag MNO. These works are part of an all-out effort he’s making in advance of what will be the biggest years of his career, with solo shows at the Saskatchewan Craft Council in spring 2019, and at the University of Maine Museum of Art in the fall of 2018. The latter will feature dozens of pieces, including eight to 10 hefty sculptural works, along

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with 30 to 50 small and mid-sized works, plus a wall installation he’s still conceptualizing.

Recent experiments include rough rims, elongated vessels, and intentionally rounded bottoms that will need a base, or to be turned on their sides, forcing a new perspective. Emenau riffs on traditional ceramics elements in his more sculptural work while he continues to create production-line pieces, including the cute characters of his Whimsical series and the clean lines and muted shades of his Japanesque collection.

After years of country living, Emenau recently relocated to suburban Saint John, but nature continues as a constant in his work, which isn’t just inspired, but is also sometimes made, of its materials.

A keen outdoorsman, Emenau digs local clays, retaining “impurities” such as rocks and twigs as part of his embrace of unpredictability, and firing once or twice a year in his rural wood kiln. It’s of a piece with his spirit of exploration, which extends to glazes, clays, firing temperatures, and techniques, offering endless opportunity to blend art and science in new ways. “I just have to experiment, making things and trying things,” Emenau says. “I’m just playing a little bit.” o

Enjoy outdoors all year with the warmth of radiant heat.

Bring Valor outdoors.

Choose from nine zero clearance Valor gas fireplaces to create a beautiful outdoor fireplace area. Other outdoor fireplaces cannot match the radiant performance of our well engineered direct vent fireplaces.

Valor fireplaces radiate a steady, even heat that extends your time spent outdoors. valorfireplaces.com/outdoors

2017 ena Violet V-e5 rb PPG1169

COLOUR OF THE YEAR

Visit ppgpaints.com for dealer locations © 2017 PPG Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PPG Paints logo and PPG Paints logo & design are trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. Manor Hall and The Voice of Colour are tradmarks of PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc.