From traditional fare like pan-friend scallops, succulent lamb chops and hearty root-vegetable soups, to flavours from Japan, India, Thailand and around the globe, Nova Scotia enjoys a rich and varied dining scene. And on February 25, you can celebrate the very best the province has to offer at the Savour Food & Wine Show at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel on Upper Water Street.

With dozens of exhibitors under one roof, the show features dozens of the provinces top chefs, whipping up mouth-watering creations. From artisanal cheeses to decadent desserts, it’s a multi-course gastronomical delight. Beyond the food, the show also celebrates wine, with vintages from around the world, served alongside the top creations from Nova Scotian vintners. There’s no better way to experience the province’s flavours without spending hours in the car, crisscrossing the province.

The show is the apex of the month-long celebration that is the Savour Food & Wine Festival. The Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia organizes the event. “Savour Festival is a celebration of growing and expanding culinary evolution in Nova Scotia,” says executive director Gordon Stewart. “It is a chance to taste and experience the many award-winning chefs, wines and beverage products.”

If you can’t make it to the show, you needn’t miss out on the celebration. The festival features lots of events throughout the month. The Dine Out program, which runs from February 1 to 11, is always popular. Restaurants around the province offer three-course prix fixe menus that showcase local food and wine. The list of Dine Out restaurants is still being finalized. Click here for the latest info.

February 19 marks the return of a festival component that launched to rave reviews last year. At the Rare & Fine Wine Tasting, sample an array of hard-to-get high quality wines—vintages that are normally unavailable in Nova Scotia. Windows restaurant (on the top of the World Trade and Convention Centre on Argyle Street) hosts the event.

The Nova Scotian Winter Icewine Festival runs February 4 to 14.

Image © Tammy Fancy/www.fancyfreefoto.com

ICE, ICE BABY

Thanks to Nova Scotia’s unique climate—balmy summers but frosty autumns— icewine has emerged as a specialty on the province’s fast-maturing wine scene. For the uninitiated, it’s a dessert wine produced from grapes that froze on the vine. That concentrates the grape’s natural sugars, creating a sweet, decadent wine.

In the last few years, Nova Scotian vintners have garnered international acclaim for their success with these wines. See what all the fuss is about, February 4 to 14, during the Nova Scotia Winter Icewine Festival. With events, tastings, classes and special dinners at venues around the province, the event brings producers, chefs and wine lovers together.