The Tasty Vacation

06/01/2015

Did you know that female pigs naturally sniff out truffles because the scent is similar to a boar’s pheromone? It drives them crazy! Whether you're contemplating growing them, or you're seeking a culinary adventure, truffles offer a fascinating journey into a world of rich flavors and surprises, as well as economic rewards.

Learn about the science and profit of growing truffles, the thrill of hunting them, and the joy of cooking this rare and fascinating food at the Napa , where we present seminars for both prospective truffle growers and curious foodies. Join us and become a truffle expert!

Tickets for the Scientific Grower Truffle Cultivation Seminar here: http://bit.ly/NTF14Science

Tickets for the All About Truffles Seminar here: http://bit.ly/NTF15All

20/12/2014

TASTY EVENTS: Napa Truffle Festival Coming January 16 - 19, 2015

03/12/2014

Wine, palm trees, an ocean breeze...oh to be at the Four Seasons on Maui!

03/12/2014

WEDNESDAY: TASTY TRAVELS Want to visit a town where 120+ wineries, 6 craft breweries, 4 craft distilleries, 2 cideries & 1 meadery call home? Then put Woodinville, WA on your bucket list! The tasting rooms. including the famous Chateau St. Michelle Winery Amphitheater, are open on a regular basis and are all within 10 minutes of each other. www.thetastyvacation.com/woodiniville--wa.html

13/11/2014

WEDNESDAY: TASTY TIDBIT This one is fascinating to me! Ocean Vodka in Maui is the only spirit in the world made with deep ocean mineral water. Since all 80 proof vodkas are comprised of 60% water, the water used dramatically influences the flavor of the vodka. This distillery's water is sourced from 3,000 feet below coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, where it is ice-cold, deeply pure, and full of naturally occurring minerals. Once the water is brought to the surface, they organically purified it through a natural filtration process that removes the salt while retaining rich minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. Again, fascinating! www.oceanvodka.com

11/11/2014

TUESDAY: TASTY DESTINATIONS Leavenworth is a little Bavarian village set in the Cascade mountains of Washington State. Lederhosen, nutcrackers, wiener schnitzel are the norm alongside Oom-Pah music and plenty steins filled with beer. As we approach the holidays, Leavenworth brings out the traditional Christkindlesmarkt, where Lebkuchen and Gluhwein are king. Then on weekends in December, the famous Christmas Lighting Festival is a holiday tradition for many. Details at www.leavenworth.org

Willkommen to the official web site of Leavenworth, Washington, just down the road from Seattle. Find lodging, things to see and do, festivals and events.

10/11/2014

MONDAY: TASTY HOTELS One of my favorite hotels is the grand dame of Victoria, The Fairmont Empress. At Christmas, she dons her most festive attire and is presented to guests like a cherished heirloom decoration. The Festival of Trees grace the hotel halls with 70 decorated trees and the Outdoor Skating beckons romantics to tie up their laces and skate on the newly expanded rink in front of the hotel. But for the most traditional activity, take part in the Festival Afternoon Tea, where Empress pastry chefs create holiday treats to enjoy while the piano plays carols. For more activities and details visit www.fairmont.com/empress-victoria/

The Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC is conveniently located in the city centre and across from the Inner Harbour. Enjoy luxury accommodations during your Vancouver Island vacation in British Columbia.

27/10/2014

I found two culinary specials at one of the top USA foodie hotels. Topping Rose House in Bridgehampton in the Hamptons is offering the following, so if you happen to be in New York in the next few months, treat yourself to an overnight at this spectacular hotel:

A TASTE OF WINTER AT TOPPING ROSE HOUSE
Savor a three-course chef's feast at Topping Rose House prepared with the finest of the season's harvest. Make your culinary experience an overnight escape and spend the evening in luxurious accommodations on our stunning Hamptons property.

SEASONAL TECHNIQUES COOKING CLASSES
Once a month, we're opening our kitchen for a unique, hands-on Topping Rose House experience. Guided by chef de cuisine Kyle Koenig and pastry chef Cassandra Shupp, each class will explore a different seasonal cooking technique. After learning how to prepare each dish in a three-course menu, and a classic Topping Rose House cocktail, sit down and enjoy your menu paired with wine. The theme of our first class on Wednesday, November 19th is ROASTING

www.toppingrosehouse.com

21/10/2014

Tickets are now on sale for the Napa Truffle Festival which runs from Jan 16 - 19, 2015. You can find tickets at: http://napatrufflefestival.com/ticketing/. Personally, I would love to participate in the Wild Mushroom Forage followed by the Truffles & Wine Dinner at La Toque.

07/10/2014

The Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE is a national, star-studded, four-day destination event showcasing the talents of the world’s most renowned wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities. Hosted by Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida and Florida International University (FIU), the Festival benefits the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management's Wine Spectator Restaurant Management Laboratory and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center at FIU. To date, the Festival has raised more than $20 million for the School.

06/10/2014

WHAT FUN!!! Melbourne Food and Wine Festival (MFWF) presented by Bank of Melbourne is back in 2015 gathering some of the greatest culinary minds from across the globe for 17 days of unforgettable events, 27 February to 15 March.

MFWF 2015 will take a journey to new frontiers of flavour in some of Victoria’s most spectacular settings: from famous dining spots to unexpected venues, rooftop bars to hidden cellars, plus extraordinary locations across regional Victoria.

Festival favourite World’s Longest Lunch will take place on 27 February gathering 1,500 guests to kick off the celebrations, and the hallmark Langham Melbourne MasterClass will welcome trailblazing chefs from around the globe for a weekend of inspiring classes and tastings on 7 and 8 March.

Now in its 23rd year, MFWF highlights why Melbourne is a world-class gastronomic destination, attracting visitors from across Australia and around the globe.

Tickets go on sale online from 21 November 2014. Keep up to date with MFWF news at www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au

Melbourne Food and Wine celebrates Victorian culinary events year-round, including the Festival in March and The Roast Collection in June.

06/10/2014

Learned a new word today. As I was reading an email from VisitScotland I came across an article about the St Andrews Food and Drink Festival. In it they say the following: "From 22nd to 30th November, we’ll be celebrating Fife’s wonderful produce, natural larder and renowned chefs." Ok, I know I had heard the word LARDER before, but never knew what it meant. So I looked it up and discovered it means "a cool, dark area for storing food. Larders were commonplace in houses before the widespread use of the refrigerator." So thank you, Scotland, for making me just a little bit smarter today :)

03/10/2014

THIS WEEKEND:

Great American Beer Festival Denver, Colorado
October 2 - 4 , 2014
The Great American Beer Festival is the premier U.S. beer festival and competition. Each year, GABF represents the largest collection of U.S. beer ever served, in a public tasting event plus a private competition. GABF brings together the brewers and diverse beers that make the U.S. the world’s greatest brewing nation.