Port au Choix Gourmet Festival

The Historic Sites Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (HSA) partnered with Parks Canada to present the Port au Choix Gourmet Festival. The festival took place August 18th to 20th, 2017 and celebrated the French history of the community and allowed participants to experience authentic Basque cuisine.

In the lead up to the festival, Montreal chef Gerard Couret conducted culinary workshops on French Basque cuisine with local chefs, establishments and community members. Their five days of Basque cuisine education culminated in the Port au Choix Gourmet Festival, where the public sampled authentic dishes, while enjoying local history and lively entertainment. The gourmet offerings included: enticing appetizers of fresh mussels of St-Jean-de-Luz and fresh capelin, garlic soup, moose axoa d’Espelette, koshkera (a fresh cod dish), and Basque cake.

Festival Highlights

Local chefs and business owners spent three days learning Basque cuisine in a culinary workshop with chef Gerard Couret

Local chefs and business owners spent three days learning Basque cuisine in a culinary workshop with chef Gerard Couret

Local chefs and business owners spent three days learning Basque cuisine in a culinary workshop with chef Gerard Couret

Parks Canada staff providing entertainment at the Port au Choix visitor center during the first day of the festival.

Visitors to the National Historic Site had an opportunity to sample Moose Axoa d’Espelette, a Basque inspired dish. 

The second day of the festival started with an opening ceremony at the French Rooms Cultural Center

The second day of the festival started with an opening ceremony at the French Rooms Cultural Center

Families were encouraged to make signs celebrating their french heritage!

Families were encouraged to make signs celebrating their french heritage!

Parade through the community

Parade heading to the Basque Buffet in Old Port au Choix

The French Bread Oven in Old Port au Choix

Parks Canada staff and volunteers with chef Gerard Couret

Montreal chef Gerard Couret

A great turnout at this cultural festival

Everyone excited to sample authentic Basque cuisine

One of the many dishes perfected by local chefs at the culinary workshop!

Cod Tongues

Salt Cod

Calamari 

Basque Chicken

Authentic gourmet French Basque cuisine!

Talented local entertainment

Parks Canada staff providing tattoos and entertainment for children

Basque at Port au Choix:

Port au Choix National Historic Sites is a rich archaeological site showcasing over 5000 years of occupation by groups such as the Maratime Archaic Indians, Dorset Paleoskimos, Groswater Paloeskimos, and Recent Indigenous Peoples.  However, Port au Choix is also rich in European history, particularly that of the French Basque. The French site at Barbace Cove provides tangible evidence of Basque occupation from 1713 to 1783, when the area was the southern limit of the ‘French Shore’. During this time Port au Choix was one of the centres of the French Basque commercial fishery. The Port au Choix Gourmet Festival seeks to connect locals and visitors alike with this aspect of the area’s history and culture.