On this day we celebrate the joy of living in the greatest country on earth…the expansive land of fresh air, clean water, social kindness, cultural diversity, gender inclusivity, hockey, double doubles and amazing beer.  We quietly revel in the fact that while we make fun of ourselves for apologizing too much we continue to use ‘sorry’ as a response to someone else bumping into us in a crowd.  We do this because we know that it is part of our national character to be humble, gracious and forgiving.  Today we will raise our glass to the freedom, opportunity and safety this country provides us and repeatedly clank our glasses against the glasses of those we love; the friends, family, lovers, colleagues and neighbours who make life fun and worth living.  Through birth, marriage or immigration we found our way to the great white north and, as we bathe in the sunshine on this glorious July 1st long weekend, we must all take a moment to savour and be grateful  for our great fortune to be here.

From all of us a the Millstone Public House we want to wish you all a Happy Canada Day!  May your glass be full.

As we drive around town on any given weeknight we are bound to see a group of kids joyously playing soccer on the fresh green grass in the waning Nova Scotia Sunshine. It is a beautiful sight and one that, for many, brings back fond childhood memories of grass stains, tall socks and fun. At the Millstone Public House we honour the spirit of sport and hope to give back to this community we love so much. So when Peter Bragg, Adam’s cousin, approached us with a request to help him collect soccer cleats for children in Kenya we jumped on it.

If you have any well loved cleats that are no longer playing soccer please bring them to any Atlantic Superstore before June 30th. Or, make a night of it and bring them to the Pub. We’ll give you a high five and 10% off your bill for being awesome.

Cleats 4 Kenya: bringing used cleats from Canadian youth to Kenyan players

Having something to give can make us feel great and helps remind us of all we have. I hope you’ll consider digging in your closet for those tattered gems that will make a huge difference in the life of a child in Kenya.

Sincerely,
Joanne McCullough
Co-owner, Millstone Public House.
Hours: Monday – Friday 11:30am to 11:30pm
Saturday & Sunday 10:30am -11:30pm
Reservations: (902)461-8053

www.millstonepublichouse.com

We’re gonna make you a sandwich you can’t refuse..

Imagine wrapping your fingers around two pieces of warm Ciabatta Bread stuffed with seasoned Calibrese, garlic Mortadella, peppered Genoa, sharp Provolone cheese, home made tomato jam & fresh arugula.*

This is The Mobster.  It is made fresh to order, comes with hand cut french fries and a garlic caesar salad.  It is decadent, delicious and always satisfying.

*it sounds even better if you say it out loud like Don Vito Corleone then finish by kissing the tips of your fingers

Back in the spring of 2015, as we were beginning to plan our move back East, back to where Adam grew up, back to the land of open skies and ocean air, Adam had a vision for what our new pub would be. He came to me with a gleam in his eye and said he wanted to buy a few huge slabs of wood from his friend Jim Ozychuck who owns a saw mill just outside Golden, BC. I listened as he excitedly described how it would look and explained that growing up in Amherst he’d never seen huge trees until he moved out west. He said he just knew that a bar top made of a single slab of wood would offer something completely unique and new in Nova Scotia. While I shared his excitement I argued that spending $1,700 on raw pieces of wood then dragging them nearly 5,000km across Canada seemed like a gamble given that we had no idea where we would open our new pub or what the configuration of the space would be. He received my concerns but brushed them aside with a gentle smile. He is someone who spends very little time in the world of ‘what if’ and much of his time trusting his gut and doing what lights him up.  About this, he just knew, and there was simply no convincing him that it was a bad idea.

A few months later, as we packed up our house and settled plans to get ourselves and our belongings across Canada, he drove out of town to pick up the slabs. What he returned with was, in my humble opinion, fairly unimpressive and took up a substantial amount of room in the small cargo trailer we bought for the move. Again my concerns were raised and the tiny bubble of fear rose up once more. Again, he looked at me with excitement and said ‘they are perfect! The bartop is going to be amazing!”. I trusted him and watched as he loaded our beds, kitchen table and chairs, dressers, suitcases, boxes, bins and my wedding dress on top of the wood. It didn’t all fit. Somethings were sold, some donated, some left behind, but the slabs were never in danger. He had a vision and was sticking to it.

On Sunday October 19th, we said our teary good byes to the place that we called home for 12 years, the place where our boys were born and where we ran our first business, then we piled into the truck and drove on into the future.

http://www.facebook.com/millstonepublichouse

We invite you to come into the pub and check out the beautiful bar top that came out of these slabs of wood.  They really turned out beautifully.

I once read a story about a man overcome with sorrow while cleaning the closet after his wife had passed away. Married for more than 30 years they had two beautiful children and a great life together. He reflected with fondness on the life they had shared and the gratitude he had for the woman who was his love. A pang of sorrow suddenly sprung from something he discovered in her closet. There inside a small box he found a beautiful satin nightgown wrapped up in crisp tissue paper. He knew immediately that it had never been worn. He understood right away that his beautiful wife had long ago purchased this for a special occasion that never came. The loss of that moment filled him with a deep sense of regret. That box represented a tenderness that was at the heart of their marriage. Their deep love and connection was always present but often tucked away while they focussed on the day to day hustle and bustle of their lives. Gently unwrapping the nightgown, he wished for one more day with his wife; one day to stop, unwind and enjoy the simple love they shared together.

It is easy to let things get a little dusty; to get busy and distracted and put that special occasion off…just for a little while…just until we get that one thing done… But the truth is that the time is now. We don’t get up everyday to get things done. As children we don’t dream of growing up to be super busy and tired. The busy work we all get busy doing is meant to be the foundation of our life, not the definition of it.

We invite you to take some time now.  Grab your friends, your loved ones, your colleagues and steal a bit of fun, over a cold drink, in a cool spot, with a great meal.  We invite you to The Millstone Public House and ask that you Come as you are.

When we hired an accomplished and well known chef to run our kitchen we knew he would blow everyone away with his creations and provide the ‘elevated pub food’ we were aiming for.  But, being a pub, we knew we had to offer great standard pub fare such as chicken wings, nachos and hamburgers and we wondered if Jamie could ‘tone down’ his chef training to put together these simpler items.  The result is a burger that is so unbelievably delicious that people tell us they crave it and groan while they eat it.

“The Millstone”starts with 7 ounces of top quality ground beef, mixed by hand with herbs and seasonings then hand pressed onto a hot griddle.  Sautéed mushrooms and onions and savoury bacon are spread on top of melty brie, covered in fresh tomato and arugula then drizzled in sauce and capped of with a buttery bun.  It comes to you flanked by Jamie’s signature caesar salad and hand cut french fries; the plate returns to the kitchen empty.

Come on in and give it a try.  We think you’ll be very pleased!

*amazing photograph taken by Greg Nash from Unfiltered Brewing.   He brews killer beer and takes awesome shots.

Mother’s Day is here and we know the best way to show her how much you care is with a great meal, a decadent dessert and perhaps a little wine.  On Sunday we will be serving our regular menu all day plus a fantastic set menu after 5:00 pm.

♥

Caesar Salad

Seafood Chowder

Eggplant Parmesan

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Boeuf Bourguignon

Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa

Lemon Chicken with sweet bell peppers

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Sticky Toffee Pudding

Coconut Cream Tart

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$29.95

♥

Call (902) 461-8053 to make a reservation

At the Millstone Public House you’ll notice that we have a bit of a nostalgic eye when it comes to sports.  Rather than highlighting one particular team we celebrate the spirit of the game to remind ourselves of the joy of playing.  Whether it’s a memory of skating on a frozen pond, screaming ‘car’ to halt a neighbourhood game of street hockey, or quietly pressing down fresh snowfall on a snowshoe voyage through the deep forest, we can all tap into the way it feels to do something just for the joy of it.

This incredible photograph is one of the first things you’ll see when you come to the pub. It was brought to us by one of our staff and it is of her grandfather paddling on lake Banook back in the 1930s.  We love it because it connects us to the past, reminds us of where we are and calls us to get out there and do it while we can.  There is something deeply satisfying about dipping a paddle into the cool water…the joy of pulling together towards the same goal.  Some things never change.

When we were scouring the region for awesome antiques to adorn our new pub, we dipped into a little store on a quiet street in Halifax.  There nestled among some framed art was an unassuming photograph of a long forgotten team.  Taking it to the counter along with a few old lacrosse sticks, Adam inquired about the cost of the framed picture.  The clerk replied that she felt a little guilty letting it go as it had been handed down through various relatives, finally landing in her shop.  She couldn’t recall the story but agreed to sell it to us for $20 when she learned that it would find new life in a pub we were opening.  Little did she know that it would become the focal point of the Millstone Public House.

During the construction phase of the business there was, as expected, moments of stress and even a little trepidation in our hearts.  Having sold our previous business and moving our family nearly 5,000km across Canada to plant roots back in Adam’s home province, we naturally wondered if we were making the right decisions and taking the right risks.  Somehow this photo, dating back to 1895, became a source of comfort in the changing landscape of our lives.  Whenever things seemed difficult we’d look at ‘the dudes’, as we call them, and imagine what they would think of our problems.  Invariably they would stare back at us from their long gone moment in time and whisper ‘Carpe Diem’*.  Whatever troubles they had and mistakes they made, died with them many years ago.  Whatever money they made, or possessions they cherished, has long since been passed down or lost.  The truth, they tell me, is that joy is the real currency of the living.  While we draw breath we must find joy…search for it, plan for it, savour it.  We are here but once, make it count.

*Dead Poets Society, one of the greats!

With the minor hockey leagues winding down in the area we’d like to raise a glass to all the hockey moms and dads out there. You got up early, drove in the snow, sat in the cold and cheered your hearts out because you know what it means to play. Your kids won’t always say it, but your support means the world to them. You gave them the gift of sport and they will carry it with them always.

Having kids of our own in minor hockey we know what a commitment it is but we also know how great the game is.  Despite the trouble, the hassle and the smell of that bag, it’s worth it.  If your team is interested in doing a fundraiser please let us know.  We have a space we call the ‘locker room’ that is perfect for silent auctions or team dinners and, wherever we can, we are proud to donate to teams in the area.  Please call us at 902-461-8053 to discuss.