The Ark of Taste is a repository of endangered foods from around the globe created by Slow Food International, and was launched the same year as the Wickaninnish Inn opened its doors. Since 1996 it has brought aboard 5,555 products from 150 countries, with the aim of raising awareness about their existence. This October marked the selection of the Cynamoka Berry into the Ark of Taste, nominated by our very own Chef Carmen Ingham! Also known as the evergreen huckleberry or winter huckleberry, it is a tart, blue, squat berry found on evergreen shrubs around the Inn and throughout Vancouver Island and the Pacific Northwest. Making an appearance on our fall tasting menu and integrated into the stunning cuisine of The Pointe Restaurant, the berries taste similar to blueberries but sweeter and more intense. We are very proud and honoured to join all other Relais & Chateaux restaurants and hotels around the world working to protect biodiversity and drive sustainability through a focus on culinary heritage, and by raising awareness of their local foods through participation in this campaign.