D. L. Acken - A Rising Tide A Cookbook of Recipes and Stories from Canadas Atlantic Coast.

When I close my eyes, I can still feel the fading heat of the afternoon sun on my face in the forests of the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia. I remember smelling the wind-fallen apples and being in awe that the wild lands around us were teeming with fruit-bearing trees. That was the moment I fell in love with the foods of Atlantic Canada. Sure, Ive had my fill of straight-from-the-sea lobster dinners, eaten more than my share of Prince Edward Island oysters, and indulged in many a decadent Digby scallop dish, but those apples, baking on the warmed, uncultivated earth hit me in a way I had never expected. They were at once enticing and familiar yet somehow exotic, and tied to something older, deeper, more instinctual.

I suppose in a way this connection is not surprising. My people have been coming to these lands for generations, the last being my father, who arrived in Halifax Harbour from London in 1967. Long before him, my husbands Scottish ancestors had sailed across the sea to claim their place in the New World. This landscape, its people and foods, has always been a familiar comfort to me; traditional dishes like beer-battered cod, toad-in-the hole, and a delicious fool or steamed pudding for dessert have long been staples in my home. But I was moved that day as the simple scent of apples drove my desire to explore the larger culinary world of Atlantic Canada. Even today, while I call Canadas West Coast home, I find myself continuously yearning for the Atlantic shores. In writing this book, I wanted to understand more thoroughly this place, the people, and the foods and producers that define the culinary scene here, to truly discover the heart of this place. Lets go find it! Emily said, and so we did.

DL Acken

I have spent many a winter afternoon curled up on the couch with a little cup of tea and a freshly baked scone, listening to my mom read Anne of Green Gables. Even before I could read, those stories of Atlantic Canada fuelled my imagination and stole my heart. Anne days were commonplace when I was a child. We would bake plum pudding like Marilla and talk as if Mrs. Lynde were our neighbour. These activities, along with my father, who spent his working life in the agricultural sector, always coming home with stories of the farmers of Atlantic Canada, made the region very real to me. So, as a young teen, setting foot for the first time in Atlantic Canada, visiting the red sand cliffs of Prince Edward Island, witnessing the Fundy Tides of New Brunswick, and experiencing the orchards of the Annapolis Valley, I felt entirely at home, my heart content.

Years later, I moved to Halifax for work and was introduced to a budding culinary scene and a group of people whose ingenuity is second to none. A hearty, resilient community that can weather any storm. I loved how history, combined with the natural terroir and human innovation, created a new culinary identity based on some of the worlds best seafood, fertile soil, and wildness being incorporated into familiar homegrown dishes. It was here that my palate expanded. My appreciation for quality ingredients grew as I enjoyed my first community supported agriculture (CSA) box from TapRoot Farms in Port Williams, Nova Scotia, and the trajectory of my future pivoted to one focused on connecting people and food around the kitchen table.

Of all the places Ive lived, the Atlantic shores continue to call me back, again and again. This book is for me the culmination of so many loves: sharing the culinary stories of the region, growing a deeper understanding of the culture, and celebrating the innovation and creativity of small businesses and producers. When I feel the red sand squish between my toes as the Atlantic waves lap along the shore, I close my eyes and feel like a little girl again, and my heart knows its home.

Emily Lycopolus

The time has never been better for a cookbook that focuses on the unique foods of Canadas Atlantic terroir. Steeped in culinary tradition, yet bursting with contemporary cuisine, these provinces offer a wealth of locally grown and artisanally produced foods common across the region. For years, these were provinces of industry, but times have changed: the coal mines have closed and the Grand Banks of Newfoundland no longer teem with cod. Today agri-tourism and grassroots food production, led by young creatives, have become the new face of the regions culinary scene, and the region is undergoing an edible renaissance while still managing to stay tethered to tradition. Young innovative chefs and food purveyors are choosing to call these provinces home, build businesses here, and create a renewed food industry that stands firm in its unique culinary heritage while looking forward to a local, sustainable, and very modern spot on Canadas burgeoning food scene.