All posts by Marc d'Entremont

I travel, cook, eat, observe, interact, live and write. As a culinary and cultural travel writer I seek connections among people, activities, the environment and what they eat that tell the story of a region/culture, whether that be in the remote Andes Mountains or the streets of Philadelphia. Publications include my travel web site on Argentina (www.travel-with-pen-and-palate-argentina.com) and articles covering a diverse range of countries and cultures at www.travelpenandpalate.com and both the digital and print editions of the Hellenic News of America. Industry experience includes over 45 years as a chef, chef educator, hotel and restaurant manager, catering as well as teaching history, writing, theater, culinary arts and business. I'm an active member in the American Culinary Federation.

Architecture, Cultural Sites, Food, Hawaii, Historic Sites, Travel and Food

IFWTWA 2013 Hawaii Conference: Finding the Real Hawaii

Saturday, 25 May 2013 Marc d'Entremont 1 Comment

The International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association’s

Conference May 23 – 27, 2013 Honolulu, Hawaii

Finding the real Hawaii through history, arts, culture, education and food

Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki the IFWTWA conference center

Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki, was the IFWTWA’s 2013 conference center.

Attendees had the opportunity to sample Executive Chef Jeffrey Vigilla’s multi-cultural cuisine.

The Hilton Hawaiian Village fronts healing waters

Poke at Hilton Hawaiian Village opening reception. Poke is raw marinated fish with herbs.

pool at The Modern hotel Waikiki dessert reception

Pool at The Modern Hotel, Waikiki, next door to the Hilton. The Modern sponsored a dessert reception.

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

Celebrating its 112 year of operation, the historic Moana Surfrider hotel sponsored a breakfast including Maui Surfing goat cheese & Ho Farm Tomato Quiche.

fine art at the Honolulu Museum of Art and

Fine art at the Honolulu Museum of Art with imaginative groupings and vibrant wall colors

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

Equally fine at the Honolulu Museum of Art was the menu at the cafe. Pictured above is the mahi-mahi udon salad

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

Hula and music from ancient to new social media sensation

IFWTWA president & 4th generation Hawaiian born Michelle Winner

Weekly Friday evening fireworks at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki

IFWTWA 2013 Conference, Honolulu, HI – Sunday education sessions:

Clockwise: IFWTWA Board member and book publisher, Sherrie Wilkolaski and IFWTWA president Michelle Winner, Grame Kemlo, president IFWTWA Australasia, Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association respresentatives, Loni Rich, president Visitor Aloha Society, Manly Kanoa, Hawaiian cultural trainer, Kim Chapman (left) Alabama’s Orange Beach/Gulf Shores CVB and Jo Duncan (right) Benders Walker Group PR both associate members IFWTWA, Joe Recca, Hawaiian cultural trainer.

Poke on edible spoon, Duke’s Waikiki, Honolulu

Dinner at the Canoe Club Waikiki was sponsored by Shay Smith, (bottom center) CEO of the family owned Ocean Vodka, Maui. Robert Larsen of Sonoma County, CA, Rodney Strong Vineyards provided the wines.

Taro has been life sustaining since the beginning of Hawaiian time.

The Pacific coast at Punalu’u, Oahu, Hi, a Kamehameha Schools land asset.

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

Cultural Sites, Food, Hawaii, Historic Sites, Restaurants and hotels, Travel, Travel and Food, USA Travel

While wandering the back roads of Hawaii

Thursday, 21 March 2013 Marc d'Entremont 1 Comment

Outside many small island towns, nature encroaches quickly.

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

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

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

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.

20130227-2037193

The legacy of Hawaiian beef at Anna Ranch and Village Burger

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.

The Hilo Market is a trove of cultural curiosities

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

20130220-114723

Cultural Sites, Food, Historic Sites, Hotels, Restaurants and hotels, Travel, Travel and Food, USA Travel

Two January Days in the Florida Everglades

Wednesday, 6 February 2013 Marc d'Entremont

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.

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.

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

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

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

Architecture, Cultural Sites, Historic Sites, Restaurants and hotels, Travel and Food, USA Travel

Florida in its Quincentenary Year

Monday, 4 February 2013 Marc d'Entremont

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.

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

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…

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

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.

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.

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

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

Food, Historic Sites, Restaurants and hotels, Travel, Travel and Food, USA Travel

Pensacola Renaissance

Thursday, 27 December 2012 Marc d'Entremont

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

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

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

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

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

Food, Restaurants and hotels, Travel and Food, USA Travel

White sand and oysters on Alabama’s gulf shore

Saturday, 1 December 2012 Marc d'Entremont 3 Comments

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

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.

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

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

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

Sheepshead & bluefish, caught off Perdido Beach, Al

Food, Restaurants and hotels, Travel and Food, USA Travel

This is the face of Maine

Tuesday, 30 October 2012 Marc d'Entremont

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.

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.

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

But not all is fish…

Love Cupcakes has a special niche in 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

and then there’s caviar…

Chef Timothy Labonte unleashes his talent at the Portland Harbor Hotel

Portland Harbor Hotel redefines Maine cuisine

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

Food, Restaurants and hotels, Travel and Food, USA Travel

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

Sunday, 30 September 2012 Marc d'Entremont 1 Comment

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 view — 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.”

or try foraging for a cocktail

cocktails at the Willows Inn — (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 — 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

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

On board the Schooner Zodiac, Bellingham Bay, WA

Cultural Sites, Food, Travel and Food, USA Travel

South Dakota is more than corn

Aside Saturday, 1 September 2012 Marc d'Entremont 2 Comments

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. — 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 — 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

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

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

Cultural Sites, European Travel, Food, Restaurants and hotels, Travel, Travel and Food

Four Days in Flanders

Tuesday, 24 July 2012 Marc d'Entremont 2 Comments

In the land of Bruegel, chocolate and mussels, the lush green land of Flanders is punctuated by towns of extraordinary beauty. Medieval castles, Renaissance houses, canals and cafes are in view with every convoluted turn in the ancient streets. Yet in Brussels, larger than life cartoon wall art decorates, and compliments, its historic core.

wall art in Brussels depicting popular Belgian cartoon characters

In four days, VisitFlanders introduced me to three cities rich in layers of culture, four restaurants bursting with layers of flavor as well as beer and chocolate as it ought to be enjoyed. Articles, as they appear, will be added to this post, so please check back often.

Dominique Personne chocolates for Hertog Jan and Gruut Brown herb beer, Brugge — Dominique Personne chocolates, Brugge, for Hertog Jan and Gruut Brown herb beer, Gent

Flanders, today, is at the vanguard of a new wave in international gastronomy that’s pairing the freshest of locally sourced ingredients with 21st century culinary techniques.

With 3 Michelin Stars already….

Restaurant Hertog Jan, in Brugge, brings their farm to their table

The mild climate may have favored Flanders own agricultural abundance, but access to the world through trade constantly brought new products, such as the potato and chocolate, fueling today’s Michelin starred restaurants, creating chocolate beer and celebrity chocolatiers, although Dominique Personne is considered the bad boy of Brugge – watch the You Tube video in my latest article.

Belgium celebrates eating during its 2012 Year of Gastronomy

Dominique Personne with chocolate gun and the Chocolate Shooter

Ghent’s de Vitrine is Kobe Desramaults little city bistro. Yet the secret these young chefs are revealing is simple, fresh regional ingredients treated with respect and given pride of place. “I think about the vegetable,” Speybreck says, “not what meat or fish it goes with. What can I do with a nice cauliflower. Each ingredient has its own place.”

Ghent’s restaurant de Vitrine is a showcase for each ingredient

mussels with cucumber, eggplant sauce and sour cream foam

Ensconced in Brussels’s elegant Radisson Blu Hotel, Chef Yves Mattagne’s two Michelin star Sea Grill serves art to the power brokers of Europe.

Brussels’s Sea Grill catches Michelin stars

The International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association’s

Conference May 23 – 27, 2013 Honolulu, Hawaii

Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki, was the IFWTWA’s 2013 conference center.

Attendees had the opportunity to sample Executive Chef Jeffrey Vigilla’s multi-cultural cuisine.

Poke at Hilton Hawaiian Village opening reception. Poke is raw marinated fish with herbs.

Pool at The Modern Hotel, Waikiki, next door to the Hilton. The Modern sponsored a dessert reception.

Equally fine at the Honolulu Museum of Art was the menu at the cafe. Pictured above is the mahi-mahi udon salad

IFWTWA 2013 Conference, Honolulu, HI – Sunday education sessions:

Poke on edible spoon, Duke’s Waikiki, Honolulu

Dinner at the Canoe Club Waikiki was sponsored by Shay Smith, (bottom center) CEO of the family owned Ocean Vodka, Maui. Robert Larsen of Sonoma County, CA, Rodney Strong Vineyards provided the wines.

Taro has been life sustaining since the beginning of Hawaiian time.

The Pacific coast at Punalu’u, Oahu, Hi, a Kamehameha Schools land asset.

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Outside many small island towns, nature encroaches quickly.

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

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

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.

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.

Share this:

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.

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

Share this:

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Share this:

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.

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

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

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.

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

Share this:

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

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

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.

Share this:

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

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.

Chef Timothy Labonte unleashes his talent at the Portland Harbor Hotel

Share this:

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

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

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

or try foraging for a cocktail

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

“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.

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.

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.

Share this:

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Share this:

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