5 things that surprised Anthony Bourdain on his Newfoundland Vacation
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During Anthony Bourdain’s last visit to Newfoundland, he noticed a few things right off the bat. Want to know what Newfoundland looks like through the eyes of Bourdain? Here’s the top five things he noticed:
1: Game meat is popular in Newfoundland
Everyone associates moose with Newfoundland but what a lot of people don’t realise is moose were introduced to Newfoundland just over 100 years ago. Moose, along with caribou, rabbit, and ptarmigan, are all common foods. “Hunting is very much part of the culture here. Traditionally, you hunted to eat, to stay warm, to survive.” Anthony Bourdain said in one of his videos.
Trying moose in Newfoundland is actually easier than you think. A lot of other Canadian provinces don’t allow restaurants to sell game meat, but in Newfoundland there’s an exemption which means you can get a moose burger, seal flipper, partridge, and many other wild meats in local restaurants.
2: The Newfoundland locals don’t eat as much fish as he thought
Although Newfoundland has an abundance of fresh seafood, over 90% of it’s consumed elsewhere. Although you would think a place like this would have a large fish market and consumer access to the freshest fish available, local demand was lower than Anthony thought.
3: Cod isn’t king anymore
Traditionally in Newfoundland if someone said “How about fish for supper?” they meant “How about cod for supper?”. Cod was the pulse of the local economy. Today lobster, shrimp, and crab make up the bulk of fish exports.
4: Newfoundland is far from the rest of Canada
Commenting on the remoteness of Newfoundland, Anthony Bourdain lovingly referred to the location as “the ass end of the universe.”
Newfoundland is further away from mainland Canada than most people realise. Accessible only by air or sea, the Island portion of the province has a remoteness and raw feeling not found anywhere else.
5: Newfoundland is very close to France
Just off Newfoundland’s south coast is the French colony of St Pierre and Miquelon, two islands that make up the only remaining French colony in North America. You get your passport stamped and use the euro to pay. Remember: It’s really France. “French cars, French food, pay in euros, and French attitude.”said Anthony Bourdain following his visit to the French colony off the coast of Newfoundland. ‘
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