Taste of April Point

Allison and I recently spent a weekend at April Point Resort on Quadra Island with Anthony Gismondi of the Vancouver Sun. The reason for our stay? We were participating in the "Taste of April Point". This sold out event was a great getaway for everyone who attended. Personally, I think the whole package was way undervalued. The food and beverage alone was worth the price of admission. The event started off on Friday evening with a cheese and wine tasting hosted by Anthony and Allison. The next day saw us tasting more wines in the lodge during the afternoon, followed by a sensational dinner. All of the staff did a sensational job, with a big round of applause for Executive Chef Stephanie Dykes and her crew. Saturday's meal exceeded our expecations. The highlite for me was a mushroom consomme that paired perfectly with La Crema Pinot Noir. A big thanks also to sponsor Everything Wine. If you get the chance to attend next year, you should.

Both of us have never been to Quadra Island. What a beautiful place. It's certainly a lot quieter than where we live. The air is fresh, and the water is clear. The big thing for me? No sirens. They go past our home at all hours. I don't miss them. We went for a drive during the day to explore the island. We were surprised to see not one, but two young deer eating lunch. The noise from a nearby flock of crazy ducks quacking while trying to escape a focused sheep herding dog did not phase the deer at all. Their only focus was lunch.

We stopped along the way in Parksville to visit our friends at Little Qualicum Cheeseworks. There were lots of happy farm animals to visit with including ducks, rabbits, cows and goats. Let's not forget the main focus of our visit: delicious cheeses. We had tried to visit Natural Pastures, but a scheduling miscommunication left us with closed doors. Perhaps next time.