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Food & Drink
The province is famous for seafood, particularly Atlantic salmon with its delicate flavour, served with butter, new potatoes and fiddleheads (young fronds of ostrich fern served with butter and seasoned or used cold in salads). Apples, blueberries and cranberries are common dessert ingredients. Home-made baked beans and steamed brown bread are served as traditional Saturday-night supper. Rapée pie, made with chicken, is an Acadian speciality for Sundays or festivals. Shediac is reputed to be the lobster capital of the world. Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton offer international cuisine as well as local specialities like New Brunswick dulse, an edible seaweed. The minimum drinking age is 19 years old.

Nightlife
Music is very much a part of the lives of New Brunswick citizens. Many bars and clubs throughout the province, especially in Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton, feature live music, much of it with a French, Scottish and Irish flavour. The area has recently acquired a reputation for jazz and blues.

Shopping
Special purchases include local and provincial handicrafts which are especially worthwhile in New Brunswick. The best markets in Saint John are between Charlotte and Germain streets, forming the Old City Market. This is open all week, with farmers taking over on Friday and Saturday. Moncton has three large shopping areas: Champlain Place, Moncton Mall and Highfield Square. Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1730; 1000-2200 in malls.

Special Events
There are many seasonal festivities; for full details, contact Tourism New Brunswick (see Contact Addresses section). The following is a selection of special events occurring in New Brunswick in 2005:
Feb 5-6 Winterfest NB, Fredericton. Mar 3-5 Saint-Quentin Winter Carnival. Apr Salon du Livre, Edmunston. May Salon de la Forêt, Edmundston. Jun Dory Boat Festival (rowing race), Petit-Rocher; Edmunston Jazz and Blues Festival. Jul 22-24 24th New Brunswick Highland Games & Scottish Festival. Sep 9-11 Atlantic Balloon Fiesta, Sussex. Sep 14-18 Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival, Fredericton. Nov Festival of Christmas Magic, Fredericton. Dec 1-30 Santa Claus Village, Shippagan.