AS I CAUGHT SIGHT of the Magdalen Islands through the blur of the plane’s twin-propeller blades, I made a vow: to experience the archipelago’s rich food culture at a leisurely pace. The first time I’d visited the Îles de la Madeleine, as they’re known in French-speaking Quebec, I’d been on a frantic mission. I spent a few days shoveling smoked scallops, flat-shelled oysters, goat cheese, and high-proof ales into the trunk of my car before rapidly departing again by ferry for the mainland. Now,