Autumn in Tofino is cool, cozy, adventuresome & totally
West Coast...

Long Beach Lodge Resort offers fall foraging with Chef Ian Riddick

Aug. 19, 2014, Tofino, BC – Long Beach Lodge Resort’s Executive Chef Ian Riddick has launched an afternoon fall foraging excursion for up to six guests each Thursday, beginning September 18 and running until the end of October 2014 (may be extended into November if mushrooms are still abundant).

With rates starting at $199 Cdn per night, the fall foraging program takes guests out to explore Long Beach Lodge Resort’s backyard – the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Chef Riddick, being a master in the field of culinary foraging, leads the way, teaching guests how to identify a variety of native plant species, primarily mushrooms, and how prepare them properly for consumption. The forest truly becomes the best version of an organic grocery store, offering a wonderful variety of mushroom species, including King Bolete, Chanterelle, Chicken of the Woods and Hedgehog mushrooms.

“So few people actually cook with ingredients that can be found in these lush and fertile West Coast woods, so I love that there is this growing enthusiasm for creating dishes from regional ingredients” says Chef Riddick, “Foraging is such a wonderful way to learn about the natural ecology of a region, so we’re hoping that this program really inspires people,” leaving them with a better appreciation for the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and an understanding of the importance and intrigue of cooking seasonally and locally.

Guests pay with a mandatory minimum donation of $20 Cdn per person, which goes to the Raincoast Education Society, helping to shape an environmentally sustainable future for the Clayoquot and Barkley Sound region through education and community stewardship. With an hour travel time out and back, guests meet at the Surf Club for a 2 p.m. departure and are returned to the hotel at around 5 p.m., having spent two hours foraging. It is advised that patrons wear comfortable, non-restrictive clothing, a rain jacket, sturdy moisture proof footwear and bring a snack, water, any sunscreen or insect repellent and cameras.

This weekend getaway isn’t just about foraging. While Tofino is enjoyable year-round, autumn is often people’s favourite time of year. With a wide range of outdoor activities available, including hiking, beachcombing, and surfing, anyone interested in adventure will be happy in Tofino. Autumn also brings the most consistent surf to the beaches and bays, facilitating some of the year’s best surfing. Guests of Long Beach Lodge Resort have the opportunity to take lessons and rent boards and wetsuits from the on-site Surf Club.

For more information and for reservations, visit www.longbeachlodgeresort.com or call 1-877-844-7873.

About Long Beach Lodge Resort
The vision of Tim Hackett and famous for its iconic Great Room, with spectacular ocean views and cozy fireside dining and relaxing, Long Beach Lodge Resort is home to one of the best surfing beaches in the area. In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the new Surf Club Adventure Centre opened, providing guests with a fully equipped centre complete with changing rooms, rentals, hot tub and coffee bar for comfort and enjoyment. Long Beach Lodge Resort is set right on the ocean on Cox Bay, Tofino and provides beautifully appointed accommodations in a private, wild Pacific West Coast setting. The resort offers 41 lodge rooms, 20 two-bedroom cottages and a full service dining room, as well as meeting space and instant beach access. For more information, visit www.longbeachlodgeresort.com.

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Media Contacts:
Deirdre Campbell, Tartan Group: 250-592-3838, 250-882-9199 (cell) or deirdre@tartangroup.ca
Brian Cant, Tartan Group: 250-592-3838, 250-888-8729 (cell) or brian@tartangroup.ca