From rustic local cuisine, to lobster suppers, seafood fresh off nearby boats or the culinary delights created by award-winning chefs like Michael Smith, Prince Edward Island's food is an integral draw that brings visitors back time and again.
Among the key culinary draws this year is the International Shellfish Festival, which runs from Sept. 19 to the 21st on Charlottetown's historic waterfront, and which organizers say will be among the "biggest kitchen parties to hit Canada." The festival is a joint effort bringing together the PEI Aquaculture Alliance and the PEI Shellfish Association.
"The festival will have something for every seafood lover," says Tracy Stretch, one of the festival's organizers. "From gourmet chefs to celebrity cooks, and from first time oyster tasters to world-class oyster shuckers, I promise the festival will entertain your senses and tantalize your taste buds."
Other highlights of the festival include to the `Go Deep International Tie One On Mussel Competition, the International PEI Shellfish Chef Challenge, The World is Your Oyster free children's program, as well as Peake's Wharf Boat Cruises with guided tours.
If you're seeking something a bit less formalized, try searching for a local lobster supper. These mouth-watering events are a staple of the province, with tourist driving through the countryside, with maps of PEI in hand, searching for these local events, many of which have been held in restaurants or churches for decades.
Of course given the abundance of local seafood, there`s always the opportunity to catch your own supper. From early July through September, local charters can be booked at ports, all over Prince Edward Island. Regardless of whether you`re yearning for some fresh tuna, tasty mackerel or perhaps the adventure of shark fishing, there are options to fit any taste or interest.
The most common types of deep sea fishing charters in both the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Northumberland Strait are for mackerel running from locations like Naufrage, North Lake, Red Head, Savage Harbour, Covehead Harbour, Malpeque, and New London Wharf. These charters typically take more than three hours and offer fun-filled options for the entire family.
But catching your dinner can be a challenge. A large tuna, for example, can force a boat to travel up to nine kms (six miles) before it can be hauled aboard. It is this sort of challenge that has led the port of North Lake Harbour, to become known as "The Tuna Capital of the World."
It is this sort of notoriety that attracts visitors from all over the world to try their hand at PEI fishing.
"We went deep sea fishing with the Bearded skipper," says Jim from Massachusetts. "And it was amazing. I ended up catching one mackerel."
