I may be jinxing Murphy’s Law by saying this (and hey, Murphy’s our sweet golden retriever now so maybe he won’t mind!), but sometimes, everything that can go right, will go right. Last week we were lucky to welcome Melora Koepke, a food writer from Montreal, her husband, PJ, a cook, and their young son Louis to The Gannet. Of course we took them fishing, and then shared a meal after – with all the stars aligning to make it one of the most pleasant evenings we’ve spent at the cottages so far (and we think/hope those feelings were shared by our guests, too!).
Melora and PJ didn’t arrive until the late evening, so we set straight out on the Atlantic with my Guardian Angel (and perfect Newfoundland ambassador) Alf to catch some cod. As you can see, we were successful, and Melora was more than ready to pucker up! We got our quota in less than half an hour, in part thanks to the steady guidance from Alf. If you’d like to see some video of them reeling in their catch, check it out here!
After fishing, it was time to relax and hopefully share with Melora and PJ what they wanted most – an authentic Newfoundland dining experience. With two ‘foodie’ professionals that was a tall order! But kicking back with Iceberg beer and The Berry’s ultra-popular crab dip started things off on the right foot. 
The sun was setting and the weather was beautiful, just what we needed to sit outside and enjoy the fruits of of Joe Friday’s labour. And what fruits they were: cod au gratin, fish stew made with our just-caught fish cooked old-fashioned on the fire, fresh homemade bread (of course, no authentic Newfoundland meal is complete without it!), and The Berry’s more-than-lovely partridgeberry bread pudding, topped with both scalded and whipped cream. Coupled with wine, Newfoundland music, the ocean view, and warm company, I don’t know how to describe the experience as anything less than magical.
Joe Friday really outdid himself, and we couldn’t have been more grateful. Melora and PJ said it was the best meal they’d had in Newfoundland, and this after eating at some of the best restaurants in St. John’s. Food professionals, they told us that a good meal consists of not only the food but the company and setting as well, and that we had it all. Now that’s a compliment we’ll take!
The days of the recreational fishery here in Newfoundland are numbered, so I’m out on the water every chance I get. You may remember LeighAnne and BJ – they were our first guests to have a testimonial featured on this blog. And they came to the cottages to celebrate their 5 year anniversary, so they had to get a turn on the A Wake at Last – that’s BJ above with his bounty.
