Mussels Mouclade is a traditional French dish of steamed mussels served in a lightly curried sauce

Mussels Mouclade is a traditional French dish of steamed mussels served in a lightly curried sauce

By Madie Murray

Take your appetite out to dinner during the Third Annual Orcas Island Cider & Mead Festival!

Cooking with ciders and pairing ciders with menu items like fine wines will be prominent on the fare of several Orcas Island restaurants during the weekend of the Third Annual Orcas Island Cider and Mead Festival on May 11.

Doe Bay Resort Cafe will be featuring Finn River cider in an entree of shellfish from Buck Bay.

The New Leaf Restaurant at the Outlook Inn will feature Mussels Mouclade with Spire Cider from Fish Tale Brewing.

The Inn at Ship Bay is offering three fixed-price menu items, each paired with cider selections matched to enhance the unique flavors of the entree.

The Kitchen is introducing a small bites menu in their new Barnacle Bar that will be paired well with various ciders.  For example,” Pig War” made with Jone’s Family Farm bratwurst sausage, BBQ plum sauced pulled pork, and crispy baked pork belly finished with chili dark chocolate pieces paired with a hardy cider of your choice.

If you’ve never thought of having ciders with your dinner or using cider as a menu ingredient, think again!   Visit one of these wonderful restaurants and also come to the Cider & Mead Festival on the Village Green between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 11 to whet your taste buds with some of the finest ciders and meads along the West Coast and Canada.