Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Michael Smith, a PEI resident and prominent Canadian foodie and host of popular Food Network shows such as Chef at Home, Chef at Large and upcoming series Chef Abroad (which will broadcast starting in October). Smith is a proud Islander and his latest project is promoting Fall Flavours, a food festival taking place in PEI from September 30 to October 5. "I'm a PEI guy," he says. "We're as blessed as can be to live in rural PEI."

I'm salivating just reading about the offerings at the festival: pickling and preserving and cheese and wine pairing are just two of the workshops being offered, and festival organizers have put together a series of 12 "Direct to the Source Product Experiences" where you can meet food producers and participate in their harvest, whether it be potatoes, clams, lobster or oysters. In addition, local restaurants will be featuring special Fall Flavours menus showcasing local products and producers. "We never left local," Smith says, commenting on the abundance of foods available on the Island.

Smith was also kind enough to share a couple of his PEI-inspired fall recipes with besthealthmag.ca: you can try Organic Field Greens with Pumpkin Seeds and Apple Dressing or a Whole Grain Crusted Apple Pie (trust me, it's delicious).

To find out more and to book tickets or all-inclusive packages, visit fallflavours.ca and charlottetowntickets.com.

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