A taste of the world
Cardigan Lobster Supper owner’s travels influence summer menu for 1888 Pub
“I learned the techniques for making a great meat pie. It will be on the pub menu this summer.” John MacDonald
After travelling around Africa this winter, the owner of Cardigan Lobster Suppers came home with new ideas for his establishment’s pub menu.
John MacDonald typically spends his winters out West in the oil and gas fields, but he said his body is telling him to slow down a bit. Knowing he’d have free time this winter, his friend from out West told him about a mission his church was helping to fund.
MacDonald figured this was a good opportunity for him to offer his skills to the mission and to see a bit of the world at the same time.
Using Air Miles, MacDonald made his way to Cairo, Egypt, in December, only to find out the mission funding hadn’t come through and it would be postponed.
Finding himself in Africa without an itinerary, MacDonald decided to explore.
One country he visited along the way was Malawi, a landlocked country in southeastern Africa.
“It was the first really tropical country I visited in Africa,” he said. “It’s so very lush and green with palm trees and fruit hanging everywhere.”
One of the highlights from the city was a small pastry shop he went to that “made the best meat pies,” he said.
“Believe you me, they were the best I have ever had in my life. Hands down.”
Over coffee, MacDonald complimented the owner about his pies and mentioned he owns a restaurant in Canada and would love to serve the pies in his restaurant’s bar, the 1888 Pub.
The owner told him to come back the next day where his bakers would show him the ropes.
“So that’s what I did. I was in there the whole afternoon, a small, hot kitchen. The guys were great, they were just wonderful. And talk about work. I’ve never seen anyone work like those guys.”
During his tutorial, MacDonald was shown how the pies are made from scratch and got the recipes for all of the pie fillings.
“I learned the techniques for making a great meat pie. It will be on the pub menu this summer,” he said. “We’re going to try them out on our customers this summer.”
While travelling around South Africa, MacDonald said he encountered different cultures, including a large East Indian presence in the eastern part of the country.
“The Indian food is just to die for, so I brought back a few of those recipes, which will be served in the 1888 Pub this summer.”
The pub’s new menu will also feature about a half a dozen hamburgers “in various shapes and forms”, including a few unique ones, MacDonald said, adding there will also be new styles of pizza available in the pub.
The 1888 Pub opens the week of June 2, and the Cardigan Lobster Suppers will start the following week.