Local Delicacies

Each year, spring in New Brunswick is marked by a unique thing: Fiddleheads.

They show up at farmers markets and on roadside vegetable stands, or you can even forage for them in shady fields and along riverbanks.

The tips of young ostritch ferns, fiddleheads grow bright green and curl in on themselves, just like the head of a violin or fiddle. Once picked, you can eat them raw, but most locals boil or fry them. Served with some butter and a sprinkling of salt, fiddleheads are a New Brunswick delicacy.

Sweetness on a Stick

Early spring is also the best time of year to visit a sugar bush! New Brunswick is the third-largest producer of maple syrup in the world, and there are many sugar bushes in the Fredericton area. Spend a day at Kings Landing, Whalen’s Wanderings, or Dumfries Maples to see how a maple tree is tapped, and then have a taste of the freshest syrup you can imagine. It’ll be the sweetest visit you’ve ever had!

Freshness You Can Pick

In the fall, local orchards are bursting at the seams with varieties of apples. From tart baking apples, to sweet snacks, capital region orchards are overflowing with the fruit. And you don’t just have to eat them. Red Rover Craft Cider brews small-batch hard cider, using the local apples! It’s the perfect drink for a crisp fall day.

For a taste of history, pick up a bottle of Lady Ashburnham pickles from one of Fredericton’s farmers markets. These tasty mustard pickles have been served in the city since the early 1900’s, made famous by Lady Maria Ashburnham. They’re a Fredericton delicacy!