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Gourmet getaway

By Gina Pepper

A Victorian inn houses a Cordon Bleu-trained chef at 100 Acres and an Ox Country Inn, in Nova Scotia.

100 Acres & an Ox Country Inn: a culinary farmhouse.

Just inland from Nova Scotia’s rugged southern coastline you’ll find a rambling 40-hectare (100-acre) property encompassing untouched forest, apple orchards, blueberry fields and a picture-perfect Victorian farmhouse reproduction. Welcome to 100 Acres & an Ox Country Inn, an ultra-cozy B&B that reaches new culinary heights.

Open July through October, the inn is run by Ardythe Wildsmith, who left Halifax 13 years ago for the peace and quiet of Lunenburg County. Guests take to Indian Lake in kayaks and canoes and head to where the lake meets Le Havre River for the excellent salmon and trout fishing or simply lounge on the deck in the fresh air and soak up the scenery. It all feels a bit like summer camp – that is, if summer camp came with decadent gourmet meals and plush private accommodation.

Wildsmith, a Cordon Bleu-trained Slow Food proponent, offers what she calls “rustic French” cooking classes, where the menu might include seared scallops with persillade (parsley, garlic and butter), paired with a glass of L’Acadie Blanc from nearby winery Domaine de Grand Pré, and an almond pastry tart topped with fresh cream and seasonal berries.

In the morning, as you awaken to the sound of songbirds and the smell of home-baked cinnamon buns, you’ll understand why this place books up months in advance.

Getting here

100 Acres and an Ox Country Inn, Barss Corner, Nova Scotia, 902-644-3913, 1-888-363-6694, novascotiabedandbreakfast.com
Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, 1-800-565-0000 novascotia.com

Montréal-based Gina Pepper has been covering the hotel and travel beat for nearly 10 years for publications in North America, France and Australia.