IFWTWA 2013 Hawaii Conference: Finding the Real Hawaii

Posted on Saturday, 25 May 2013 by

The International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association’s 2013 conference theme :

Finding the real Hawaii through history, the arts, culture, education and food
The first 36 hours in pictures:
poke at Hilton Hawaiian Village opening reception

poke at Hilton Hawaiian Village opening reception

pool at The Modern hotel Waikiki dessert reception

pool at The Modern hotel Waikiki dessert reception

Maui Surfing goat cheese & Ho Farm Tomato Quiche at breakfast at the Moana Surfrider hotel (oldest in Waikiki)

Maui Surfing goat cheese & Ho Farm Tomato Quiche at breakfast at the Moana Surfrider hotel (oldest in Waikiki)

fine art at the Honolulu Museum of Art and

fine art at the Honolulu Museum of Art and

mahi-mahi udon salad at lunch at the Honolulu Museum of Art Cafe

mahi-mahi udon salad at lunch at the Honolulu Museum of Art Cafe

pool with view of Diamond Head at Shangri La the Islamic art filled home of the late Doris Duke

pool with view of Diamond Head at Shangri La the Islamic art filled home of the late Doris Duke

cultural evening & dinner at the Outrigger Hotel on the Beach

cultural evening & dinner at the Outrigger Hotel on the Beach

IFWTWA president & 4th generation Hawaiian born Michelle Winner

IFWTWA president & 4th generation Hawaiian born Michelle Winner

weekly Friday evening fireworks at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki

weekly Friday evening fireworks at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki


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While wandering the back roads of Hawaii

Posted on Thursday, 21 March 2013 by

Outside many small island towns, nature encroaches quickly.

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What seems at first a jumble of quirky architecture becomes a microcosm of 20th century Hawaiian social change.

Small towns off the Hawaii Belt Road rediscover their mojo

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The sacred Waipi’o Valley – boyhood home of King Kamehameha I

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Tread gently in the valley of kings, Waipi’o, Hawaii

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 Lush green grass, the deep blue of the ocean, dry rock wall fences and plump black cattle are as much a part of Hawaiian tradition as spear fishing and canoe racing.

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The legacy of Hawaiian beef at Anna Ranch and Village Burger

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Nearing the Hilo Farmers Market, the scents and sights are a kaleidoscope of sensations.  Food stalls, produce vendors, flower sellers, clothing, crafts, jewelry and a even a seamstress radiate out onto the surrounding sidewalks.

at the Hilo market

The Hilo Market is a trove of cultural curiosities

Spam Macadamia nuts

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Two January Days in the Florida Everglades

Posted on Wednesday, 6 February 2013 by

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In the 1820’s artist and naturalist John James Audubon lived for months in the Everglades, surviving mosquitoes, to paint in painstaking detail and breathtaking artistry its many bird species.

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The Everglades is a vast subtropical wetland and collection of coastal ecosystems including freshwater marshes, tropical hardwood hammocks, pine rock lands, extensive mangrove forests, saltwater marshes, and seagrass ecosystems. The abundance of wildlife, both subtropical and temperate species, is found nowhere else in the United States.

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Discover it on: A two day drive through the Florida Everglades

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“The worse my drawings were, the more beautiful did the originals appear.”                    John James Audubon

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You can read all my articles on Examiner.com at:

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and

 Food & Recipes Examiner

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Florida in its Quincentenary Year

Posted on Monday, 4 February 2013 by
Castillo de San Marcos, 1572, Spanish fortress

Castillo de San Marcos, 1572, Spanish fortress

At best, the European empires who vied for centuries over control of the Western Hemisphere considered Florida a convenient military outpost for protecting shipping lanes to and from the old world. Misquotes, yellow fever, swamps and wars are never good for real estate sales. European empires and American statehood did little for Florida’s economy. It took Henry Flagler – John D. Rockefeller’s  partner in Standard Oil – to create an American Riviera and the state’s first golden age. His entrepreneurial expertise built the Florida East Coast Railroad, a plethora of elegant hotels, the cities of Miami and Palm Beach and revived the oldest city in North America, St. Augustine. From the late 1800′s through 1929, Florida basked in both its sunlight and the glint of a golden age in tourism.

Henry Flagler's Hotel Alcazar, 1888 (now the Lightner Museum) St. Augustine, Fl

Henry Flagler’s Hotel Alcazar, 1888 (now the Lightner Museum) St. Augustine, Fl

More wars, the Great Depression and jet aircraft diverted attention and Florida’s luster suffered from the 1960′s to the end of the century. Yet the 21st century has witnessed a renaissance in interest in America’s sub-tropical real estate and it’s 20th century golden age.

Vinoy® Renaissance Resort and Golf Club

Vinoy® Renaissance Resort and Golf Club

Florida pink is the color of St. Petersburg grand hotels

 

The arts are flourishing with the revival of resort destinations such as the gulf coast’s St. Petersburg. The venerable Morean Arts Center (1917) has built a new facility just to feature America’s preeminent glass artist, Dale Chihuly.

Persian Sunset Wall by Dale Chihuly, Chihuly Collection, St. Petersburg, Fl

Persian Sunset Wall by Dale Chihuly, Chihuly Collection, St. Petersburg, Fl

Chihuly illuminates the art scene in St. Petersburg, Fl 

500 years ago (1513) Don Ponce de Leon fruitlessly searched for the legendary fountain of youth and discovered Florida instead. A lot of history and visitors have followed and they all needed a bed. The building that is now St. Augustine’s renowned St. Francis Inn was built while the city was still part of the Spanish empire – 1791. Yet Joe and Margaret Finnegan have never seen Lily even though they have owned St. Augustine’s historic St. Frances Inn for nearly three decades. Of course, Lily’s not a guest…

The St. Francis Inn

The St. Francis Inn

It’s no mystery why Lily stays at the St. Francis Inn, St. Augustine, Fl

An attentive and friendly staff of 14 oversee the many details that can make a guest of the St. Francis Inn forget they’re also visiting one of America’s great historic destinations, St. Augustine, Fl.

Strawberry soup, St. Francis Inn, St. Augustine, Fl

Strawberry soup, St. Francis Inn, St. Augustine, Fl

Recipes from Florida’s oldest B & B, St. Francis Inn, St. Augustine

 

Bistro de Leon is a husband and wife team matched in their senses, love of food and making people comfortable.

Seafood risotto, Bistro de Leon

Seafood risotto, Bistro de Leon

Jean-Stephane is Bistro de Leon, St. Augustine, Fl, but Valerie sets the style

 

City walks has tours featuring St. Augustine pubs, ghosts, chocolate and mayhem that should cover anything of importance in the first 500 years.

Athena Cafe, St. Augustine, Fl

Athena Cafe, St. Augustine, Fl

St. Augustine’s Savory Faire walk table hops through history

 

The first thing you notice when you walk into Meehan’s Irish Pub and Seafood House are the autographed Jameson whiskey bottles that line the rafters of the bar.

Meehan's Irish Pub & Seafood House, At. Augustine, Fl

Meehan’s Irish Pub & Seafood House, At. Augustine, Fl

Meehan’s Irish Pub & Seafood House helps explain the 450 year lure of St. Augustine

 

Sunset & pirate ship, Clearwater, Fl

Sunset & pirate ship, Clearwater, Fl

You can read all my articles on Examiner.com at:

Culinary Travel Examiner

 International Dining Examiner

International Travel Examiner

Philadelphia Fine Dining Examiner

and

 Food & Recipes Examiner

Posted in Travel and Food, Historic Sites, Cultural Sites, Restaurants and hotels, Architecture, USA Travel | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Pensacola Renaissance

Posted on Thursday, 27 December 2012 by
Historic Pensacola Village

Historic Pensacola Village

Through wars, hurricanes, political and economic upheaval, Seville Square and surrounding Historic Pensacola Village remain one of America’s most enduring Florida gulf shore neighborhoods.

The past is the present in Florida’s Historic Pensacola Village

Shelby Clarke, guide at Historic Pensacola Village

Shelby Clarke, guide at Historic Pensacola Village

Mari and Allen are betting on a sure thing – the civic energy and pride that’s driving Pensacola’s Renaissance.

Carmen’s Lunch Bar and the Śole Inn mirror Pensacola’s Renaissance

Mari Carmen Josephs, Carmen's Lunch Bar, Pensacola, Fl

Mari Carmen Josephs, Carmen’s Lunch Bar, Pensacola, Fl

The Pensacola Business Challenge’s mission is to grow the downtown economy one business at a time.

on Palafox Street, historic downtown Pensacola, Fl

on Palafox Street, historic downtown Pensacola, Fl

Pensacola has a fierce independent streak that has buoyed its success for 450 years as both an important Gulf of Mexico commercial city and a tourist destination.

Pensacola, Fl, should adopt the phoenix as its tourism mascot

Pensacola, Fl, circa 1920

Pensacola, Fl, circa 1920

Any visitor to Pensacola’s historic downtown can easily eat their way through a timeline of great American southern cuisine.

Pensacola restaurants dish up 450 years of history

The Grand Marlin, Pensacola, Fl

The Grand Marlin, Pensacola, Fl

 

You can read all my articles on Examiner.com at:

Culinary Travel Examiner

 International Dining Examiner

International Travel Examiner

Philadelphia Fine Dining Examiner

and

 Food & Recipes Examiner

Pensacola, Fl

Pensacola, Fl

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White sand and oysters on Alabama’s gulf shore

Posted on Saturday, 1 December 2012 by
raw oysters plain & with crab, The Compleat Angler, Orange Beach, Al

raw oysters plain & with crab, The Compleat Angler, Orange Beach, Al

“Is it hard work?” asked journalists on an IFWTWA media trip to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Ala. Without a pause in her stride, 85-year-old Ms. Velma Fell replied, “I love it.”

Velma Fell, 42 year employee of Bon Secour Fisheries, Bon Secour, Al

Velma Fell, 42 year employee of Bon Secour Fisheries, Bon Secour, Al

Eighty-five-year-old Velma Fell loves shucking gulf shore oysters

The allure of eating al fresco on the beach is strong no matter what the age.

Gulf Restaurant, Orange Beach, Al

Gulf Restaurant, Orange Beach, Al

Re-imagine beach shack restaurants on Alabama’s gulf shore

view from Bahama Bob's, Gulf Shore, Al

view from Bahama Bob’s, Gulf Shore, Al

Mild weather, powder white sand, blue water, butterflies and good food do create tranquility on Alabama’s gulf shore …

Fishing, cheese and sushi leads to zen on the gulf shore

 

Chefs Landon Benton & Chris Sherrill

Chefs Landon Benton & Chris Sherrill

With a sly smile, chef Chris Sherrill’s response to winning Gulf Shores 5th Annual Oyster Cook-off in November was, “eat oysters, love longer.” Ten restaurants along the beautiful white sands of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach epitomize both coastal food and southern hospitality.

Eat oysters and love longer in Alabama’s Gulf Shore and Orange Beach

Gulf Shores, Al, beach in front of Kiva Dunes Resort

Gulf Shores, Al, beach in front of Kiva Dunes Resort

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Sheepshead & bluefish, caught off Perdido Beach, Al

Sheepshead & bluefish, caught off Perdido Beach, Al

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This is the face of Maine

Posted on Tuesday, 30 October 2012 by

And why not.  Buzzy’s a fourth generation Maine fishermen.

Buzzy, Harbor Fish Market, Portland, Maine

Lobsters rule in Maine. Someone has to catch, and someone has to cook.

front & back of Harbor Fish Market

Buzzy can tell you anything you want to know about today’s catch – it’s that fresh at

Portland’s Harbor Fish Market and J’s Oyster.

Harbor Fish Market

Now for cooking….

Kerry Altiero is Maine’s 2012 lobster chef of the year

Chefs Melissa Bouchard, Mackenzie Arrington and Kerry Altiero

And the future’s already here…

The next generation of chefs excel at Portland’s 2012 Cutting Edge competition

Chef Michelle Ragussis w/students from Washington County Community College

Chef Michelle Ragussis w/students from Washington County Community College

But not all is fish…

Love Cupcakes has a special niche in Portland, Maine

Love Cupcakes, Portland, Maine

Portland has a long tradition of seagoing trade that brought exotic goods to New England

Garam masala is the secret at Portland, Maine’s Passage to India

lamb rezala at Passage to India

lamb rezala at Passage to India

and then there’s caviar…

Chef Timothy Labonte

Chef Timothy Labonte

Chef Timothy Labonte unleashes his talent at the Portland Harbor Hotel

Portland Harbor Hotel redefines Maine cuisine

Portland harbor, Maine

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lobster boat in fog, Portland, Maine

lobster boat in fog, Portland, Maine

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From Forest, Sea and Farm to Table in Washington State’s Pacific Northwest

Posted on Sunday, 30 September 2012 by

Mt. Shuksan from Picture Lake, North Cascades National Park, in Whatcom County, WA

With rich farmlands and vineyards in the east, stunning mountain and coastal scenery in the west and some of America’s most active volcanos in between, Washington State is a magnet for travelers worldwide. Known for its apples, the state  boasts some of the nations best organic produce, naturally raised meats, extraordinary seafood, world class restaurants and a growing wine industry.

Sunset on the bay, Lummi Island, WA

Pronounced “gooey duck,” it is, naturally, neither gooey nor a duck…it’s a…ah…

Geoduck ceviche is as American as, well, the geoduck

Nicole Hopper, Taylor Shellfish Farms, and a 2 pound geoduck

“The day may start with chopping wood and then fishing,” said the chef of America’s hottest restaurant….

Chef Blaine Wetzel, of the Willows Inn, has gone fishing

kitchen Willows Inn, Chef Wetzel to the right

Jennifer Hahn’s been foraging, she says, since “I was a child putting things in my mouth.”

Jennifer Hahn

or try foraging for a cocktail

(R) Woodruff Martini, (L) Spotted Owl (C) Willows Old Fashioned, Willows Inn, WA

To Jennifer Hahn, nature is many things, but mostly edible

Mataio and Jessica Gillis and Jennifer Hahn, Ciao Thyme, Bellingham, WA

Like many creative and entrepreneurial young chefs, Jessica and Mataio want to do it all. The difference is they have a different plan.

Bellingham’s Ciao Thyme brings the forest to the table

Purslane salad with goat cheese stuffed squash blossom fritter, Ciao Thyme, Bellingham, WA

“There was no free casual sex in Victorian society, unless married,” quipped Good Time Girl Hayley Boothe.  Along withJane Burleigh, the Good Time Girls provide a unique social perspective on the boom town history of Fairhaven.

Fairhaven’s American story as told by the Good Time Girls

Hayley Boothe and Jane Burleigh, the Good Time Girls Walking Tours, Fairhaven, WA

Poland, crepes, or even exciting food, are not connections that normally come to mind, but Magdalena Theisen wraps a myriad of creative fillings in etherial crepes, and customers flock to her Fairhaven creperie.

Magdalena’s Creperie encloses exciting flavors with familiar packaging

Magdalena’s Creperie, Bellingham, WA (photo credit: Magdalena’s Creperie)

Following in the path of John Chapman, aka the legendary Johnny Appleseed, it’s a natural progression from acres of apple trees to distilling a clean, crisp apple based vodka.

Some thriving Whatcom County farms are hitting the bottle

BelleWood vodka, Lynden, WA

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South Dakota is more than corn

Whether it’s learning about the migration of the Monarch butterfly, fly fishing or roasting Smacos, South Dakota and Sioux Falls insure residents and visitors that time spent will be worthwhile and make you smile.

Mc Crossan Boys Ranch rodeo fund raiser, August 2012, Sioux Falls, SD

A short distance north of Sioux Falls is Dell Rapids complete with an early 20th century Grand Opera House

backstage at Dell Rapid’s Grand opera House – part of an early 20th century poster.

Of course lush countryside abounds with green crops and a riot of Black Eyed Susan’s in late summer bloom.

Black Eyed Susan’s, Sioux Falls, SD

Small city urban meets nature and lots of outdoor cooking. Keep kids big and small engaged during picnics roasting smacos and whipping up 5-minute ice cream.

Make smacos and learn survival skills at the Sioux Falls Outdoor Campus 

clockwise from left: Falls Park & Phillips Ave, Sioux Falls, prep for Smacos, kittens and Sanford Health hot air balloon.

and you don’t need to go to Spain to ride the bulls, Visit Sioux Falls

Bull riding at Mc Crossan Boys Ranch rodeo August 2012

In the early 1900′s, many citizens couldn’t believe the hubris in assuming a 25 year old incorporated city of less than 20,000 justified such a palace to learning. Some 100 years later it’s the jewel of Sioux Falls cultural life.

Travel the straight roads around Sioux Falls and discover the future

children of the Hutterite Colony, SD

 

South Dakota may be the land of corn, cakes and chislic, but a menu is just as likely to include buffalo meatballs, pheasant wrapped in bacon and walleye fish cakes on a bed of micro greens.

A South Dakota ramble through farms and tables

Jersey dairy cows at the Oak Lane Hutterite Colony

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The French House Party’s Creative Tranquility in Carcassonne, France

Posted on Wednesday, 25 July 2012 by

Carcassonne, France

sunflowers in the southern Languedoc, France

The nearby medieval city of Carcassonne welcomes throngs of visitors inside its fortified walls, but at the Domaine St. Raymond,  small groups of intellectually curious travelers gather for residential workshops at a house party in southern France’s Languedoc.

Domaine St. Raymond, home of The French House Party, sits among gently rolling hills of golden wheat and sunflowers.

Carcassonne’s The French House Party tantalizes the mind and taste buds

Domaine St. Raymond, the French House Party, Carcassonne, FR

At The French House Party’s Gourmet Explorer Advanced cookery course, chef Robert Abraham shares his recipe for a classic Languedoc cold cherry dessert soup.

Cherry soup with guignolet is a quick, yet elegant, French summer dessert

Cherry soup with guignolet

Jean-Marc Boyer has a reputation for impromptu changes to his own recipes. This creativity has earned his restaurant, Le Puits de Tresor, a Michelin star.

Michelin star chef Jean-Marc Boyer’s shrimp with vanilla and tarragon

Shrimp with vanilla & tarragon, The French House Party

L’Oulibo olive cooperative is passionate about olives. Just outside the ancient French city of Carcassonne, L’Oulibo only makes unfiltered oils explaining that it increases aroma even if it decreases shelf life.

Boutique olive producers perpetuate history and flavor

Queen Creek Olive Mill, Phoenix, Arizona

Queen Creek Olive Mill, Phoenix, Arizona

Can a restaurant in a tourist destination, even with a stunning setting, avoid mediocrity?

Restaurant La Marquiere embraces the charm of Carcassonne

fillet of grilled Charolais beef that’s topped with an escalope of grilled liver, Restaurant La Marquiere, Carcassonne, France

It’s appropriate that chef Jean Marc Boyer should elevate salt cod and potatoes, a traditional rustic dish, to fine dining status. The recipe for Lightly salted cod in aioli a la Languedocienne at…Michelin star chef Jean Marc Boyer’s cod reinterprets tradition

the vegetable & mussel part of Lightly salted cod in aioli a la Languedocienne

Posted in Travel and Food, Food, Travel, Cultural Sites, European Travel | Tagged , , | 3 Comments