Lane’s and Liverpudlians

My good friend Kathy and I recently headed out on a ladies-only road trip. A totally different beast than the co-ed variety where the interests of both genders need to be addressed, our weekend centered on everything food and wine related.

Nova Scotia is a great province to explore with most parts easily enough accessible for a weekend “stay-cation” –  and we both have lots of local places we want to visit. For this trip, we headed to Lane’s Privateer Inn in Liverpool. We had a beautiful sunny day for the hour and 45 minute drive along the South Shore, and the drive passed quickly as we chatted, laughed and made plans for the summer to come.

We had planned to arrive early in the day and packed a feast of local delights for a picnic lunch: Dragon’s Breath blue cheese, Ratinaud French Cuisine’s pâté, rosemary & olive foccacia from Julien’s Bakery, a jar of pickled mushrooms I picked up at the Wolfville Farmers’ Market, and a chilled bottle of Jost Vineyards Tidal Bay.

Our original plan to unroll our picnic blanket at nearby Four Points Lighthouse was foiled by a brisk, cold wind so we decided instead to head straight to Lane’s Privateer Inn to check in.

Lane’s Privateer Inn is an historic property on the banks of the Mersey River, and is the former home of Captain Joseph Barss.

Barss was a privateer commissioned by the British to capture American vessels, and he was quite successful at it until he was captured and jailed in New Hampshire. Steeped in history, with halls lined with black and white photos of the house and the surrounding town of Liverpool, the inn is quaint and traditional.

Our room was cozy and inviting, and definitely much warmer than the shore. Our beds were each piled with thick duvets and lots of pillows which Kathy promptly fell in love with. We spread out our picnic and, giggling at our French-style lunch set up in a hotel room, proceeded to graze happily.

After lunch, we wandered the property and both of us agreed that had the weather been more cooperative, it would have been lovely to watch the Canada geese from Adirondack chairs on the side of the river. There is also a two-level stone patio complete with a grapevine-covered pergola that we could just imagine decked out and welcoming in the summer. But for now we retreated back inside to warm up and relax before getting ready for dinner.

Before we arrived, I emailed Susan Lane, the owner/operator of the inn, and she invited us to attend one of the events they were hosting that weekend, a Champagne and sparkling wine tasting with sommelier, Corinne Maund (pictured below). Lane’s hosts many special events all year including a writers’ workshop the day we arrived.

Susan greeted us later in the evening and told us how the inn has been her family’s business for 50 years, and is well-known and loved by the local Liverpudlians (and you thought “Haligonian” was an unlikely handle!). Like many year-round businesses, she is careful to ensure that their offerings appeal to both visitors and residents alike, and their regular live music events are a big hit in the area.

The three different atmospheres available to customers (the pub, the bookstore and the dining room) offer something for everyone whether they are looking for a casual supper, a special night out to celebrate, or Sunday brunch. Susan also proudly told us that some of their menu items, like the chowder, haddock cakes and brown bread, are traditional family recipes that have been passed down through generations.

Susan explained that more diners are looking to know where their food is coming from and feel a sense of connection with the ingredients. She emphasized how important it is for her to build relationships with local producers and suppliers so that she knows she is getting the best quality she can, and that her support is encouraging people to live and work in Nova Scotia.

We had dinner in the dining room and were excited beyond belief to find a bottle of 2010 NOVA 7 still available. Corinne brought it to our table and confirmed it was their last bottle which made it taste even better. The gorgeous peachy colour of the lightly sparkling wine made us remember that we need to stock up on the new batch from Benjamin Bridge that was released just last week!

Both Kathy and I decided to order the seafood chowder as our appetizer and we were both thrilled we did. The creamy broth was rich and chock full of seafood and tender potatoes, with a warm tea biscuit on the side. It was one of the best chowders I’ve had in a long time and I could have gladly eaten another bowl, but we moved on to our main courses.

Kathy ordered the special, a nicely charbroiled striploin steak topped with Dragon’s Breath Mornay sauce (yes, that’s twice in one day but she loves her blue!) served with rice and vegetables. As usual, I couldn’t resist ordering the sautéed scallops and was pleased to be able to choose a side of spinach salad topped with grapefruit and goat’s cheese and served with a walnut vinaigrette. Light, refreshing, and delish!

By the time we had finished our main courses, we decided to forgo dessert and head to the Champagne tasting which Corinne had set up beautifully in the bookstore.  In addition to the glittering array of glassware, each place was set with a plate of cheese, fruit, chocolates and nuts, so we were both very relieved we had opted not to have dessert!

Susan joined us for the tasting and the group was lively with lots of entertaining chatter around the table. Corinne started the evening with a fun aroma guessing game to see how many substances we could identify by their smell. There were even prizes for the most correct answers and I was happy to go home with a white chocolate bar from Sugah! We went on to a blind sampling of five wines, and learned how to differentiate the authentic Champagnes and traditional method sparkling wines from other bubblies.

The surprise of the evening was the pairing of Champagne with house-made French fries and orange aioli, just in case we weren’t full enough before – but worth every groan of discomfort.

Corinne was able to expertly lead the tasting and discussion to result in one of the most enjoyable wine tastings I have ever attended.

After a great night’s sleep, we enjoyed a relaxing breakfast in the cozy bookstore and quickly became huge fans of the Lane family brown bread recipe.

When we checked in, we had decided to take advantage of the massage service currently offered on-site before we drove home. Several of the massage therapists from White Point Beach Resort have been able to relocate to Lane’s during the reconstruction of the resort that burned down in a fire last year, and the arrangement is working well for both the therapists and Lane’s. And for us, it was a great end to a great trip.

So next time you find yourself with a free weekend and nothing on the books, think about a road trip to Lane’s Privateer Inn. Pile some stuff in the car, throw on some tunes and head out to explore the province. You may not always know where you’re going or what your experience will be…but chances are you’ll find something that you didn’t expect or know about before.  And if you’re lucky, like us, your weekend will include cozy accommodations, great local food and wine as well as new friends.