The Old Fish Factory – Taking the “Sea”nic Route to Delicious Seafood!
Canada’s Food Guide recommends consuming two servings of fish each week. As the evidence around the health benefits of eating fish and seafood become more and more apparent, the choice is becoming less and less about the source of protein, but rather how to find the best quality, freshest and most creatively prepared seafood available in Canada’s Ocean Playground.
Nutrition has dominated my thoughts over the past several months. Having the opportunity to enjoy the many incredible dishes served by Taste of Nova Scotia Members has opened my mind as it relates to what I eat, how and where it is produced, the important role it plays in our province’s culture and more recently….what it does for my body.
Having just signed up for Ironman Mount Tremblant (3.8km swim, 180km bike, and 42.2 mile run) next August, I’ll need to pay more attention to what I eat, ensuring to balance nutrition with sufficient calories to fuel 10-15 hours a week of training. Also… given my current swimming ability, I’m thinking the more fish I eat, the better swimmer I might become (I’ll let you know how this works out…).
In keeping with this spirit, I took it upon myself to embark on a seafood triathlon by paying a visit to one of Nova Scotia’s great seafood restaurants, Lunenburg’s Old Fish Factory. Having enjoyed meals at this historic landmark situated atop the Atlantic Fisheries Museum several times in the past, I knew that I was in for some serious seafood.
On the freshness front, you can’t quite beat The Old Fish Factory. It is located in a former fish processing plant, situated along Lunenburg’s historic waterfront, a block away from the Adams & Knickle plant that processed some of the dishes I was about to enjoy.
I was lucky enough to arrive amidst The Factory’s Lobster & Seafood Festival, which featured a creative, locally-based menu offering the best of Lunenburg’s finest sea products accompanied by produce from the Annapolis Valley. With some coaching and support from waitress Trish, I ordered one The Factory’s most popular items: Scallops and Bacon Jam…
This dish is featured in the Taste of Nova Scotia 2011 Culinary Guide (Check out page 30). It saddens me greatly that I didn’t realize that bacon could be made into jam until this juncture in my life. All I can do now is adjust moving forward and ensure I spread the gospel of this crowning culinary achievement. Quite easy to make, I will most certainly be serving these the next time I am hosting a dinner.
Next up, the Seafood Medley. Oh my.
The Oxford English dictionary defines a medley as:
1. a mixture, especially of heterogeneous elements; hodgepodge; jumble.
2. a piece of music combining tunes or passages from various sources: a medley of hit songs from Broadway shows.
Since experiencing the Medley at the Old Fish Factory, I propose the following:
3. a symphony of seafood capable of bringing delicious crescendos to tastebuds, not for the faint of heart.
This dish packed some serious flavour. Generous helpings of lobster, haddock and shrimp were served in a rich broth of Applewood mozza and butter. I had to listen to Motley Crue’s 1989 classic “Kickstart My Heart” shortly after finishing it to be brought back to life… but it was worth it.
To finish, Trish said I had to try the Lemon Indulgence.
Having just met my weekly requirements for seafood, I decided that this was certainly an appropriate time to indulge. My decision was met with a pecan shortbread crust, lemon cheesecake middle and tangy lemon custard on top. Garnished with delicate swirls of lemon zest and a puff of real whipping cream, this sweet finish looked just as good as it tasted.
If you are looking for a beautiful historic setting and generous helpings of creatively prepared seafood that are guaranteed to fuel you for whatever the day holds, look no further than the Old Fish Factory.