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Happy Thanksgiving,
Here in our Atlantic bubble we have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
Provinces with high case numbers are being asked to spend Thanksgiving with only their immediate family.
Us, however? We're able to spend the long weekend giving thanks for everything we have - being able to see family within our bubble, supporting our local businesses, travelling our beautiful provinces and, of course, with it being Thanksgiving, thanks for our harvest and all of the producers who work hard to put food on our tables.
This week it's all about making the most of our Thanksgiving long weekend including superb sides to serve at dinner, fall-inspired cocktails, live music and adventures you can enjoy with the whole family.
What are you most thankful for this year? Let me know!
I hope you enjoy!
Jill, SaltWire Audience Team
Weekend weather
Planning some outdoor activities for the long weekend? Get your weekend weather with Cindy's latest forecast.
Thankful for good food
Looking to try something new this Thanksgiving? Or maybe this is your first time making the traditional feast? This recipe for Indian spiced squash is sure to up the ante. Or if you're aiming for a zero-waste Thanksgiving check out these tips, complete with recipes for broccoli stems and bacon, turkey giblet gravy and garlic smashed potatoes.
Planning a smaller gathering this year? Chef Ilona Daniel recommends a turkey breast rather than a full bird and has these recipes for you to jazz it up, turning it into the perfect feast for a small family.
To finish it off, we'd be doing a disservice by not including a recipe for your leftovers! Who's on board with leftover turkey poutine? I sure am!
Spice up your cocktail (or mocktail!)
Add the warming scents of spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger to your cocktail glass with these recipes for an autumn old fashioned, pumpkin-spice whiskey toddy, and the one I'm most wanting to try - the pirate's pumpkin patch. All of these drink recipes can easily be adapted to mocktails without sacrificing any of the flavour!
Kick back with live tunes
The deCoste Performing Arts Centre in Pictou, N.S., kicks off its fall festival this weekend with an afternoon performance by Lennie Gallant at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11, and because of capacity restrictions due to COVID, there are only 100 tickets available for the show. Order yours online here, or you can pick them up at the box office, open Tuesday to Thursday between 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Award-winning Canadian musician David Myles will be taking the stage at Glasgow Square Theatre in New Glasgow, N.S. on Oct. 24, and while this is a couple of weeks away, the last two shows featuring Jimmy Rankin sold out within the first two days. If you're itching to get out for live tunes, don't wait to book your seat.
Tickets for the show went on sale on Monday, Oct. 5. They're $45 each and are available at ticketpro.ca.
Get out and explore!
This time of year things are quiet at the historic Fortress of Louisbourg, which adds a bit of magic, making you feel like you're going back in time. October is the month for a changing of the guard at the fortress, when it shifts from shoulder season to low-season status. Like many of Nova Scotia’s national parks and national historic sites, Louisbourg is open year-round, even though in October, staff is tucking the fortress in for the winter. Unable to make the trek this year? You can find out what life in the 18th-century French fortress is like through this story and stunning photos.
Scarecrows are about to embark on downtown Charlottetown in a new festival this year, Scarecrows in the City. Wander the beautiful streets of colourful historic buildings and take in hundreds of scarecrow installations around the city from Oct. 9-18. Look for them lining the streets, gathering on street corners, popping up in shop windows, and a few unexpected placements. You can also enjoy haunted ghost walks, live music, wine tastings, costumed stilt-walkers, harvest dinners, psychic readings, and so much more! Get a full line up for the festivities on Discover Charlottetown's website.
Discover fall in Newfoundland with this photo journey by nature photographer Dennis Minty. Minty captures the beauty of nature across the province this time of year, highlighting his favourite places including rolling hills of blueberries, picturesque seaside towns, beautiful bays and waterfalls, and of course, the immense wonder that is Gros Morne.
Local reads
Termed a powerhouse novel, Butter Honey Pig Bread is the debut novel by Francesca Ekwuyasi. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, she is currently based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Butter Honey Pig Bread explores trauma, healing, and the beautifully complex relationships between mothers and daughters. Last month, it was longlisted for the prestigious and lucrative 2020 Scotiabank Giller Prize. On Nov. 9, the winner of the $100,000 literary award will be announced.
