For a True Taste of Canada, You Should Try Moose and Cod

Newfoundland, the most easterly point in North America, is a Canadian island in the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast. The harsh, rugged environment and challenging climate is home to an abundance of wild game. The Atlantic Ocean that surrounds it has had fishing fleets sail worldwide in pursuit of the northern cod, a fish that has nurtured generations, conquered wars, and fed famines.

Growing up in St. John’s, one of the oldest cities in North America, I was exposed to a magical environment of generations of hunting, fishing, gathering, and growing gardens. Every season was in preparation to fill root cellars and larders for the long, cold winters. Salting fish, preserving berries, and growing root vegetables helped people survive the harsh environment and short growing season. Most things we ate came from the land and sea. Everything was organic — we just didn’t know it.

My summers as a kid were spent with my grandparents Ray and Agnes in the small fishing village of Old Perlican. It was a two-hour drive outside the city, and I was free to roam as a young boy and discover the wilds of Newfoundland. Early morning wake-ups to go cod fishing or to fly-fish for wild Atlantic salmon and brook trout were childhood memories that shaped me and led me down my culinary path. The smell of traditional codfish dishes cooking in my grandparents’ kitchen and freshly baked bread permeated my soul. Cleaning cod outside on the rock in front of the house with my grandfather was a religious and educational experience. I began to understand and appreciate the importance of cod on many different levels. It was the reason Newfoundland existed. Life as we knew it revolved around cod. 

As fall approached and as I came of age, I began preparing for the annual moose hunt with family and friends in our assigned area. Not only is this a hunting trip, but also a celebration of friends and family coming together in the wilds of Newfoundland, sharing stories of years past and cooking dinners over open fire.

The moose hunt is a ritual, like an annual holiday, and something we look forward to every year. Harvesting an animal is something so special, and I never take it for granted. We celebrate the whole animal by canning, curing, preserving, and using moose hair to tie salmon flies. Having access to wild organic protein throughout the year is such a wonderful option, and knowing where it comes from is a true luxury.

Newfoundland and Labrador is one of the few places in Canada where you are still able to serve wild game in restaurants. This allows people to taste the terroir of the land and sea and have a true sense of place. This is the real reason I love to cook on this small island in the Atlantic Ocean.