Yes, there will be lobster. No, you will not tire of it — nor the smoked herring, scallops, mackerel, clam chowder or fancily shaped croxignoles pastries. Îles de la Madeleine is a definite food-lover’s dream. New businesses are continually cropping up to augment the list of local delicacies, and summer’s outdoor markets are filled with farm-fresh goodness. Even the little, out-of-the-way snack shops tantalize visitors in a variety of ways.
Traditional tastes are always worth a try, particularly the multitude of cheeses, made with raw sheep’s milk or from Canadienne cow milk. Pot-en-pot is the Acadian version of a meat pie. It is most commonly filled with chicken or rabbit but can also be a seafood casserole with a pastry top. Seal meat can often be found on restaurant menus, as well as salted meats or fish smoked over a maple-wood fire. Be sure to try the traditional “la bagosse” — a homemade berry-wine concoction that Grandad used to make — along with craft beers and crisp ciders. You’ll also find herbalists busy with their aromatic oils, honey houses offering up sweets, and tea rooms on hand for a brief respite from a day of exploring.
