The world’s best hard-shell lobster coming up at Trout Point

Lobster Fishing Area 34 in Southwest Nova Scotia covers 8,500 square miles (21,000 km2), an area the size of New Jersey. It has the largest catches of Canada’s 41 lobster fishing areas, accounting for 40 percent of the country’s catch and 23 percent of North American landings. Local fishermen pride themselves on harvesting cold-water lobsters with a hard shell. As luck has it, Trout Point Lodge lies in the centre of it all, just inland from Yarmouth, Shelburne, and Digby.

The winter lobster season is upon us, and there is simply nowhere else in the world to enjoy better lobster! The chefs at Trout Point will make the most of this local delicacy during the season which runs from November through late May. While many people boil lobster, local fishermen in Southwest Nova Scotia steam their lobster (often in sea water) to maintain its delicate texture and delectable flavours! Trout Point will go beyond this simple and effective cooking technique to showcase local lobster throughout the menu!

Stay tuned . . .

Trout Point Lodge among region’s fastest growing companies

In its 13th season of operation, Trout Point Lodge has been named among Atlantic Canada’s 100 fastest growing businesses for 2012. Each year Progress magazine polls hundreds of companies to find incredible stories of explosive growth and shares with its readers how these companies do it. To qualify a business from Atlantic Canada must have experienced revenue growth of at least 25% over the last 3 fiscal years.

Progress will take the Fastest Growing issue of the magazine live with the Fastest Growing Companies Award reception, recognizing the  CEOs and their teams as the region’s dynamic change agents – those that are shaping the way business will be done in the future. At the reception, Trout Point will learn its ranking among the list of 100 companies. Along with Presenting Sponsors, PwC and Rogers, Progress hosts the Awards on Monday November 5th, 2012 at The Crowne Plaza Moncton Downtown.

The event will also include roundtable discussions with other Fastest Growing Companies. The findings of the moderated discussions will result in exclusive editorial content for upcoming issues of Progress Magazine.

Launched by award-winning magazine publisher and regional advocate Neville Gilfoy, Progress was founded on a single premise – to promote wealth creation through profitable business growth. A new mindset and a new generation of entrepreneurs has emerged, and Progress is devoted to chronicling their stories and revealing key insights for readers. Subscribers rely on us for independent intelligence and expert commentary. Essential subjects are covered in depth, in a language and style suited to the region’s most influential audience.

Lodge achieves fifth star

Trout Point Lodge is pleased to announce that it has achieved a 5 star rating in the Inn category from Canada Select, the national accommodation rating agency. The Lodge previously had a 4 1/2 star ranking. According to Canada Select, “a 5 star property is luxurious at a world standard, offering outstanding facilities, guest service and amenities.”

The Lodge made capital improvements this year that allowed Ronald van der Weegen, Managing Director of Quality Visitor Services, to grant the final 1/2 star increase after an on-site inspection today.

Trout Point was also accepted for membership in Small Luxury Hotels of the World, a prestigious London, England-based hotel group, earlier this year after a thorough inspection process.

Trout Point’s managing directors Charles Leary and Vaughan Perret believe the increased ranking will assist their effort to keep the full service lodge open year-round in 2012-13.

Trout Point is among just 4 Nova Scotia accommodations in the Inn category to have the 5-star designation.

New Fall/Winter Specials

To celebrate the Lodge’s year round opening and its new membership in Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Trout Point currently has the following specials on offer:

• 20% off online rates for certain rooms (reservation is non-changeable and non-refundable)
• Book 4 nights and pay for 3 in select main lodge rooms (Half Board required to be purchased each day)
• Romantic Hideaway Special: 1 night in a Fireplace Junior Suite, 1 guided kayak, star walk, or hike, Champagne & chocolate in your room on the night of arrival, and Half Board $499/couple.  Book packages here.

The above prices do not include tax or service fee.

Trout Point Lodge opened in 2000 next to the Tobeatic Wilderness Area, part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Secluded at the junction of 2 river, Trout Point offers the “darkest night skies in eastern North America,” as noted when USAToday called the Lodge 1 of the 10 best eco lodges in the world earlier this year.

Trout Point chefs to speak at Canadian Chefs’ Congress in Grande Pre

Lodge Chef/Proprietors Vaughn Perret and Charles Leary will participate in the panel on Acadian/Cajun cuisine at the Canadian Chefs’ Congress, September 18, 2012, in Grande Pre, Nova Scotia. Paul Kennedy, host of CBC Radio’s popular Ideas program, will moderate the discussion of how an Acadian food culture based in Atlantic Canada was transplanted to the Mississippi Delta, and transformed into trendy Cajun cooking. Perret & Leary, who operated Chicory Farm and New Orleans’ Chicory Farm Cafe before moving to Nova Scotia, are co-authors of The Trout Point Lodge Cookbook: Creole Cuisine from New Orleans to Nova Scotia. They have served as the Lodge’s chefs as well as cooking school instructors since 2000.

Perret & Leary will share the stage with Stephen Stryjewski, Chef/Owner , Cochon, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Karen Mersereau, Chef/Owner, Hotel Paulin, Caraquet, New Brunswick.

For more information on the Congress, click here.

Sample menus from 2012: Chez la Tousquet & the Dining Room at Trout Point Lodge

In 2012, Trout Point Lodge placed its new Chez la Tousquet dinner venue into full operation, with white table cloths contrasting with painted wood panelling and a handcut red sandstone fireplace, views of the river. A hewn hemlock bar rests atop wine racks. Riedel crystal stemware and fine flatware complete the picture.  Guests can now enjoy several possible dining spots at the Lodge for an expanded 4-course fixed menu with options . . .

June 22

• Spanish Mojama w/ Breviro caviar
• choice of soups: Black Eyed Pea w/ shrimp or Roasted Yellow Squash w/ mussels
• Fennel & Tangerine Salad
• choice of main dishes: Homemade Fettuccine with Wild Mushroom Sauce or Fresh Local Hadock w/ Dill & Sesame
• Choice of desserts, including Homemade Chocolate & Caramel Ice Creams with Merengue, Chocolate Gourmandise, Raspberry-Rhubarb Custard Tart, or Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

July 7

• choice of amuse bouche: Grilled King Oyster Mushrooms marinated w/ White Wine or Homemade Gravlox w/ Homemade Creme Fraiche
• choice of soup: Oxtail Soup or Eggplant & Pepper Soup w/ Coconut
• Greens from the Garden w/ Tarragon Vinaigrette
• choice of main dishes: Grilled Local Swordfish (harpoon) w/ Sage Beurre Noisette or Homemade Porcini Ravioli
• Choice of Desserts

August 2

• House Smoked Sturgeon w/ Acadian Sturgeon Caviar
• choice of soups: Black Eyed Pea Soup w/ Cabbage & Leak or Wild Mushroom Soup
• Mixed Green Salad from the Gardens
• choice of main dishes: Local Scallops Ravigote w/ Lobster & Chanterelles or Homemade Squid Ink Spaghetti alla Arrabiata
• Choice of Desserts, including Lemon Curd Tart w/ Vanilla Ice Cream or Homemade Passion Fruit Sorbet

September 3

• Charred Trout Point Grape Leaves stuffed with Beef & Lemongrass
• choice of soups: Creole Red Bean Soup w/ Coconut & Pork or Carrot & Ginger Soup w/ Shrimp
• Baby Spinach Salad w/ Homemade Yoghurt Dill Dressing & Lamb Confit
• choice of main dishes: Rainbow Trout Almandine w/ Leek & Potato Mash or Handcut Paparadelli w/ Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
• Choice of desserts, including Blueberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding or Pear Tart w/ Maple Glaze

Trout Point’s 180 selection wine list includes selections from $29 to $1245, with strengths in French and Spanish wines.

Trout Point to join Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia is pleased to announce that it will join Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH; slh.com), an unrivalled portfolio of some of the world’s finest small luxury independent hotels. Fewer than 5% of hotels expressing interest in membership ultimately attain that status, according to Michael Moloff, Development Director for the Americas.

In addition, the Lodge has just won an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine for its now 180+ selection list. The award listing appears in the issue of the magazine currently on newsstands. Earlier this year, Trout Point was selected by the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) as the only accommodation in Nova Scotia to join its Signature Experiences Collection.

By associating with SLH, the Nova Scotia wilderness lodge has chosen to leave Relais & Chateaux (R&C), a Paris, France-based association of boutique hotels and gourmet restaurants it joined in 2009. R&C has about 14 members across Canada.

SLH has just 3 other Canadian properties, the Windsor Arms in Toronto, the Georgian Court in Vancouver, and Echo Valley Ranch & Spa in Jesmond, BC.

The move to SLH reflects the hard choices small independent hotels face in appealing to an ever more competitive international marketplace of vacation experiences. In this case, the proprietors of the 12-unit Nova Scotia lodge believes it has made the right decision in switching to Small Luxury.

Comprising over 520 hotels worldwide in more than 70 countries, the diversity of the individual SLH hotels, and the experiences that they offer, is truly exceptional. From cutting-edge design hotels to palatial 17th century mansions, city centre sanctuaries to remote private islands, historic country houses to idyllic resorts – the breadth and depth of the brand is far reaching.

While a hotel undoubtedly enjoys the benefits of being part of a global brand, SLH places enormous emphasis on celebrating the individuality of each hotel, a factor important to Trout Point.

Individuality remains one of the group’s core values and is central to the continued success of the brand. In the same vein, the CTC celebrates unique experiences with its Collection of authentically Canadian tourism opportunities.

The strength and credibility of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World brand is dependent on the quality of its individual hotels. Strict controls are applied to ensure that only the very best hotels with the highest standards are accepted into the brand, thus ensuring that the quality of the experience that guests receive is consistent across all SLH properties. To ensure that these exceptional standards of excellence are maintained, SLH has a carefully monitored ‘mystery guest’ programme which relies on valuable reviews from inspectors who importantly are also consumers.
According to CEO Paul Kerr, over the last 20 years SLH has been transformed from a Club of hotels to a Club of customers – customers who are loyal to the brand.

Trout Point will continues its commitment to world-class culinary & wine experiences for its guests—something emphasized within R&C—as exemplified by the Wine Spectator award. However, the owners believe SLH’s brand is more in line with the Lodge’s specific values in overall hotel operation.