Category: Gastronomy

Chicago Holiday Hotel Packages For A Festive Stay

Chicago restaurants, Chicago River, Design, Gastronomy, Holiday dining, Holiday events, Holiday Travel, Hotels

Holiday Season

At Aloft Chicago Mag Mile guests can experience holiday magic by booking the Christkindlmarket Package which includes breakfast for two and one 2023 Christkindlmarket souvenir mug at check in (people come from all over to collect these mugs!). While strolling to the Christkindlmarket, the hotel’s prime location makes it easy to squeeze in some holiday shopping along the festively decorated Mag Mile. This package is valid through December 26, 2023.

The Blackstone’s Stay Like A Kennedy Package (Through January 1, 2024) invites guests to experience an enchanting escape filled with festive extravagance. The Suite of Presidents will transform into an immersive homage to the lavish 1960s Kennedy White House décor. Complete with historical accents that transport guests to the captivating Kennedy Christmas, the Stay Like A Kennedy package invites travelers to sip hot cocoa spiked with JFK’s favorite scotch and craft personalized Christmas ornaments while classic holiday tunes serenade you from a vintage record player. Embrace an over-the-top escape filled with festive enchantment and create cherished memories at The Blackstone, where history and luxury meet in the heart of Chicago’s iconic Cultural Mile. Rates start at $550 per night. 

  • From January-March 2024, the Presidential Suite will transform into The Winter of Jazz package, welcoming guests to experience the whimsical historic atmosphere of The Blackstone through an immersive musical stay. The package includes an in-room hot cocoa bar, a collection of iconic albums, and beautiful vintage decor, celebrating a timeless era of smooth tunes.

The Four Seasons Chicago’s festival holiday packages include a festive-themed welcome amenity, an in-room visit from the festive ice cream cart, nightly valet parking for one vehicle, and a USD $50 donation to the Chicago Cares Festive Drive. Package valid for selective bookings between November 20, 2023 – January 2, 2024.

At Hilton Chicago, discover the true meaning of Christmas in Chicago. Inspired by the all-new original holiday movie premiering November 5, the Santa Summit suite is made with Hallmark devotees in mind. Be surrounded by Santas of all shapes and sizes and get cozy in your Santa-themed bed — cookie kit included.

Hotel Zachary’s Winterland Package includes 2 complimentary drink vouchers for cocktails in Alma, 2 throwback Federal League stocking hats, 2 Christkindlmarket holiday mugs, and admission to Winterland inside Wrigley Field with skate rental for two. (Skating is open daily, except select holidays, from November 21, 2023 to January 7, 2024, weather permitting.) 

At InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, St. Nick’s best friend is back and he’s visiting Chicago to ensure the kiddos have been nice! This winter, stay steps away from all the holiday festivities and shopping on the Mag Mile while your family interacts with The Elf on the Shelf. The Elf on the Shelf Family Package includes overnight accommodations, an elf on the shelf doll (parents responsible for moving the doll) and breakfast at Center Court. The doll is also available for purchase if you’d like to bring your new mischievous friend home!

The Langham, Chicago announced its 2023 holiday season accommodation, dining, and activities offers. Reservations are available for booking now:

  • ‘Santa’s Toy Stories’ Holiday Tea at the Pavilion – Celebrate the magic of the season and childhood memories by delighting in the timeless tradition of afternoon tea with loved ones. Indulge your taste buds with delectable pastries and tea sandwiches while creating a personalized Letter to Santa during this quintessential ‘Santa’s Toy Stories’ themed tea experience. Offered daily from November 24, 2023 – January 7, 2024; reservations can be made via Tock. 
  • ‘Oh Christmas Tree’ Package – Celebrate the spirit of Christmas in your home away from home. This special package includes luxurious one-bedroom suite accommodations with a lavish in-suite Christmas tree; deconstructed champagne cocktails inspired by the season; bespoke cheese and charcuterie–ideal for an intimate tree-side respite. Reservations can be made here; Booking & offer period until December 31, 2023. 
  • Visit with Santa – Share your Christmas wishes with Santa at the Flavours of Langham shop, located on the second-floor lobby. Offered December 2, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m., and December 25 from 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. No tickets or reservations are needed. 
  • Tree Lighting Celebration at The Langham, Chicago – Gather with loved ones as you sample offerings from the hot chocolate bar and enjoy a festive performance from holiday carolers during The Langham, Chicago’s annual tree-lighting celebration. Saturday, November 25th from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Located in the second-floor lobby; No tickets or reservations are needed.  

GingerBed + Breakfast at the Loew’s Chicago  welcomes families with a sweet seasonal stay – spacious guest rooms complete with a holiday tent, seasonal movie, Holiday Bedtime Story Cart, and hot cocoa. Head down to ETA for a delicious breakfast (daily $50 breakfast credit) and your little ones can enjoy decorating Gingerbread cookies while they wait. Valet parking for one vehicle per night. The offer ends on January 10, 2024. 

Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk’s one-of-a-kind Elf Life Suite features festive decorations, a hot cocoa bar, candy canes, an elf to take back home, breakfast for two adults and two children and a 2 p.m. late check-out. This package is available to book between now and January 1, 2024 for stays between November 23, 2023 and January 7, 2024. 

  • But that’s not all! Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk is also offering The More, The Merrier package because moments are better when we share them together. Book The More, The Merrier room package and bring the extended family along to receive 50% off a second room (connecting if available). This offer cannot be combined with any other promotions. Book between now and February 29, 2024, for stays through February 29, 2024. 

For the tenth year, Swissôtel Chicago will transform its 2,000-square-foot Presidential Suite into Santa’s Chicago holiday home. Family and friends can book Santa visits, pop into the hotel’s holiday speakeasy, or wake up surrounded by 17 Christmas trees in the Santa Suite.

  • Too busy to spend an overnight but want to make it a party? Stop by Santa’s Presidential Pad with up to 20 guests to visit the man of the season and overindulge in unlimited Swiss hot cocoa, champagne, and holiday treats. Kids can enjoy holiday crafts, cookie decorating, and face painting, complete with a visit from Santa. (Multiple dates between  Dec 2 and Dec 22, 2023, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to SOS Children’s Villages Illinois.)

Celebrate the holiday season along The Magnificent Mile with The Peninsula Chicago’s Holly Jolly Family Package built for the whole family. With an in-room holiday tree or menorah, holiday welcome amenity, access to our holiday library of movies and games, and more, our Holly Jolly Family Holiday package will make your season bright. 

  • Or opt for the Merry and Bright Package for a pair of adults. (Valid for stays from November 24 through December 31, 2023.)
  • Afternoon Tea during the festive season at The Peninsula Chicago is an annual tradition for many guests. The 20-foot Christmas tree and lavish holiday décor enhance this special experience, which features a traditional English tea menu including a variety of finger sandwiches, scones with house-made preserves and Devonshire clotted cream, and petite seasonal pastries. Vegan and gluten-free options are available. Entertainment includes performances from a string duo daily, plus visits from Santa on weekends from 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm*. (Daily from November 24, 2023 through January 7, 2024. Seatings are at 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm. Pricings start at $140 per adult (including a glass of Champagne) and $65 per child (ages 5-12) Monday-Thursday and $150 adult/$85 child on Friday-Sunday.)
  • Additionally, did you know that The Peninsula Sky Rink is the only hotel skating rink in Chicago? Returning for its 11th season on November 18, this 2,100 sq foot synthetic ice rink is tucked into a winter wonderland featuring festive music and snowflake lighting. Surrounded by Chicago’s skyscrapers and twinkling lights, guests can enjoy a selection of hot beverages and snacks available at the Chalet. The Sky Rink is available for groups to rent or for private events, such as marriage proposals. Skates are available to rent for $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under, with 100% of the skate rental proceeds donated to two Chicago children’s charities: Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and Hephzibah Children’s Association.
  • For more information on Chicago holidays, visit Choose Chicago.

Western Mexico: A Traveler’s Treasury

Adventure, Culinary Trails, Gastronomy

A travel guide for the intellectually curious, Tony Burton’s Western Mexico: A Traveler’s Treasury provides an insider’s entry to this extraordinary region of Mexico. The book, published by Sombrero Press and now in its fourth edition is less about logistics and instead focuses on the myriad of reasons–historical, ecological, cultural, and/or scenic–that make each place featured in this well-written and well-researched book both special and worth visiting.

Burton, an award-winning travel writer, educator, and ecotourism specialist, who was born in the United Kingdom and has an M.A. in geography from the University of Cambridge and a teaching qualification from the University of London, moved to Mexico in 1979 and subsequently was granted Mexican citizenship, looks for the road less traveled.

And in this book, he encourages us to explore the smaller, lesser known community with their many local customs, seasonal celebrations, sites, and events, places that, in his words, “offer a glimpse of the Mexico behind the mask; they are places where Mexico has retained her ancient culture and her ancient traditions.”

Providing a mix of interests, Burton opens the doors, so to speak, to such historical sites as Zacatecas, Lagos de Moreno and San Blas; artistic colonies like Ajijic; and lakeside communities including Chapala and Pátzcuaro.

Besides that there are ecological wonders, such as Manantlán, the monarch butterflies, the old mining towns of Angangueo and Bolaños, coastal communities like Barra de Navidad and Puerto Vallarta, Angahuan and other Indian villages, and a host of others. He delves into Pueblos Mágicos, designated as Magic Towns by the federal government in recognition of their cultural, historical, and/or ecological significance, their nearness to major cities, and the facilities they offer visitors.

This is a travel guide but of the most intimate kind. We drive with Burton along the lovely road to Tamazula, settled from pre-Columbian times, conquered by the Spanish in 1524, and a vital silver mining town and hacienda center until the mines were worked out by the end of the 18th century. As for its name, well, interestingly enough, it translates to “place of frogs.”

Where to stay when there? Burton recommends Hotel Real de la Loma with its spacious and comfortable rooms and pool and two person tubs in the room filled from a hot-water spring at the foot of a hill. The views from the hotel are of the Tamazula River and its valley made green with sugar-cane. A good time to go for many is during the two-week Our Lady of Sagrario festival.

We learn that Mazamitla is “one of the prettiest towns in all Jalisco. It is a graceful, charming town of cobblestone streets, adobe walls, wooden balconies, old doorways and red-tile roofs, one of Mexico’s Magic Towns. Among its many attractions are the fresh air and scenic beauty of the surrounding countryside, some fine restaurants specializing in Mexican food, and the chance to shop for fresh cream, cheese, and home-made preserves. As befits a mountain town, its inhabitants also make lovely woolen sweaters and ponchos, for sale in the local shops.”

Burton, who has lived in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Jocotepec, has traveled widely, leading educational excursions and specialist ecological tourism groups to both well-known areas such as the Yucatán and Copper Canyon as well as little-known ones like Manantlán and Tingambato. At the former, at the Manantlán Biosphere Reserve visitors can experience the astonishing diversity of plant and animal life found in a cloud forest, one of the rarest types of vegetation anywhere in the world. In the latter, located near the major archaeological site of Tinganio, is one of the few sites in Western Mexico where there are genuine pyramids.

Larger than the previous editions there are dozens of new destinations and each chapter contains new material, updated travel directions, and redrawn maps.

Divided into parts, one and two are within three hours of driving time from either Guadalajara (Mexico’s second city) or nearby Lake Chapala, a popular retirement center for Americans and Canadians making them perfect for day trippers.

Parts 4 to 9 are longer journeys such as the trip to Jungapeo, where director John Huston filmed scenes from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre starring Humphrey Bogart. Here, in this small village, you can stay at Agua Blanca Canyon Resort which dates back to the 1940s. According to Burton, it is a charming spa-hotel with just 20 rooms arranged in the Purépecha Indian style around three sides of the greenest lawn in Mexico. Its pools and lawns overlook the deeply carved valley of the River Tuxpan.

“Many butterfly visitors, after the cool and dusty atmosphere in the fir forests want nothing more than a long soak in a warm tub and this is the ideal place,” he writes.

And, of course, there are the Monarch butterflies. Every winter, some one hundred million monarch butterflies fly into Mexico from the U.S. and Canada. On arrival they congregate in a dozen localities high in the temperate pine and fir forests of the state of Michoacán.

For me, a definite-not-to-be-missed is Zitácuaro, where my culinary hero Diana Kennedy lived. Famous for her cookbooks on Mexican cuisine, she made her home outside of Zitácuaro. And here again, is how deep Burton drills down into his destinations. Kennedy lived near the Rancho San Cayetano, a small, exclusive hotel on the road towards Huetamo and the Del Bosque reservoir.

“The San Cayetano’s charm lies not only in its comfortable rooms but also in its first rate cuisine,” he writes, asking if there could be a better recommendation for the food served there than the fact that Diana Kennedy regularly brought friends to dine in the hotel?

For aficionados of Mexican food, there are several outstanding restaurants to put on the list of where to go.

“Neither of my two favorites is well known to tourists, hence their inclusion here,” writes Burton. “Next to the gas station in Pátzcuaro, where the highway from Morelia and Quiroga enters the town, is the Camino Real restaurant where Sopa Tarasca, a local specialty which is a bean-based version of tortilla soup, has to be tasted to be believed.

Whatever you choose in this unpretentious restaurant, you will not be disappointed,” he writes. “The Camino Real has a sister restaurant, the Real del Cobre, in Santa Clara del Cobre.

My other favorite is an hour’s drive away, in the unpretentious town of Tacámbaro. Near the entrance to the town is the Hotel-Restaurant El Molino (The Mill), housed in a museum-piece nineteenth century flour mill, complete with grinding wheels. Simply and artistically decorated and furnished, this hotel-restaurant’s fixed-price comida features slightly finer cuisine than that of the Camino Real, with more subtle sauces and a more varied menu.”

Whether your interests are in art, architecture and/or archaeology; fiestas and folklore; unusual sights and natural wonders, or in Indian villages and indigenous handicrafts, Burton’s book is your guide to Western Mexico’s many hidden treasures.

Burton, author of many books about Mexico including If Walls Could Talk: Chapala’s historic buildings and their former occupants; Lake Chapala: A Postcard History; and Mexican Kaleidoscope: Myths, mysteries and mystique, is currently editor-in-chief of MexConnect, Mexico’s top English-language online magazine. He says the inspiration for writing this book came about with the “realization that it was impossible for me to personally introduce readers to many of the places and things I consider most rewarding to find and appreciate. Of the truly spectacular, I have yet to find anyone who ever forgets the magic of visiting the Monarch Butterflies in one of their overwintering sites. By sheer good fortune, I happened upon them the first time in 1980, several years before their locations became widely known or any organized tourist excursions to them had begun.”

Burton encourages opening up to new places and experiences.

“With an open mind ‘gems’ can be found everywhere in Western Mexico,” says Burton. “My greatest hope is that my book encourages readers to explore and find their own hidden gems.”

Pati Jinich’s Sopa Tarasca

  • ½ of a medium onion
  • 1 Cubanelle or Anaheim pepper stemmed, seeded chopped
  • ⅓ cup chopped red bell pepper
  • ⅓ cup roughly chopped cilantro
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 3 oz. lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 2 oz. orange juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • ½ tsp. turmeric
  • ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 ½ lbs. flank steak
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 2 tbsp. minced garlic
  • 2 large green plantains
  • canola oil for frying
  • mayonnaise
  • 8 slices of American cheese
  • 8 slices of ripe red tomato
  • Shredded head lettuce
  • Add the first 13 ingredients to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. With the motor running slowly drizzle in the oil.
  • Put steak in a glass baking dish or large Ziplock bag. Pour marinade over steak. Marinate refrigerated for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  • When ready to grill, build a hot hardwood charcoal fire or preheat gas grill. Remove steak from marinade, removing excess. Grill over high heat for about 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile make tostones. Heat about an inch of oil in a large skillet to 350°F.
  • Cut the ends off plantains. Cut the peel along a seam lengthwise then peel starting at the cut. Cut plantains in half crosswise and then again lengthwise so there are eight equal pieces.
  • Fry plantains for about 4 minutes until cooked through, remove to paper towels.
  • Place a plantain piece on a cutting board covered with waxed paper. Fold paper over the plantain and smash flat with another cutting board or heavy skillet. Flatten all eight pieces.
  • Return plantains to hot oil and fry until crisp, about another 4 minutes. Remove to paper towels, season with salt.
  • Make garlic butter by melting 2 tbsp. butter, then stirring in 2 tbsp. minced garlic. Garlic is meant to be raw.
  • Thinly slice flank steak on a bias, against the grain.
  • Spread 4 tostones generously with mayonnaise. Layer on sliced steak. Top each with 2 slices of cheese, two slices of tomato and shredded lettuce. Top each sandwich with remaining tostones and spoon a little garlic butter over the top.
  • Serve immediately.
  • From patijinich.com

Fishing for the Best: Gulf Coast“Royal” Seafood Chefs Reign Supreme

Alabama, Cajun/Creole, Gastronomy, Gulf Coast Alabama, Historic foodways, Louisiana, Regional & Ethnic, Southern cuisine

October is National Seafood Month and in celebration of what’s best about Lousiana and Coastal Alabama seafood cookery get to know the chefs who continually are making outstanding contributions to the local seafood industry, put their skills and knowledge to test in culinary competitions, and walked away with a real crown. These chefs, respected leaders within their communities, are passionate about the bounties of the local waters and its impact on their region’s culture. Who are these royals? Mindy Bianca and her staff at Mindy Bianca Public Relations did the hard work of rounding up their “e-fish-cient” list. And I’m reporting on what they discovered here.

Chef Amanda Cusey

The Terrace in Lake Charles, Louisiana

Favorite Seafood Dish to Make: Fish and Grits

Though she grew up in the southwest United States, Chef Amanda trained and worked extensively in Europe during her culinary journey. She received her Cordon Bleu training in Surrey, England, and worked in restaurants across England and Ireland – perhaps most notably serving as head chef for a Michelin Star chef’s pop-up restaurant in Dublin – before setting down roots in Lake Charles. Her international experience shines through at The Terrace, where Italian influence meets Louisiana flavors. In June 2022, she helped break glass ceilings as she was named the Queen of Louisiana Seafood – only the second ever in the 15-year history of the Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off. Her winning dish? Pan-seared red drum over tomato polenta with a crawfish cream sauce.

Chef Jim Smith

The Hummingbird Way Oyster Bar in Mobile, Alabama

Favorite Seafood Dish to Make: Oysters – in any style!

Though he’s famous for his delicious Lane Cake, the state dessert of Alabama, Chef Jim is also known for being a voice for sustainable and local food education. When he served as Executive Chef for the State of Alabama, he focused on sourcing local Alabama ingredients and supporting farmers and fishermen.

In 2011, Chef Jim was dubbed King of American Seafood and traveled the country introducing people to the world of sustainable seafood. He has continued his advocacy efforts as he’s moved forward in his career … and that included representing the U.S. Seafood Industry in this year’s National Geographic Traveller Food Festival in London and appearances in multiple seasons of “Top Chef.” Now he’s the executive chef at Hummingbird Way, sharing his love for local seafood with every diner who walks through his doors. Prior to 2023, he was the only Alabama chef who had ever taken home the crown of King of American Seafood, which leads us to our next chef.

Chef Brody Olive 

Voyagers in Orange Beach, Alabama 

Favorite Seafood Dish to Make: Tiradito (Peruvian take on sashimi with citrus sauce) 

Home to the National Shrimp Festival, Experience the Oyster seafood festival, and other notable seafood events, the twin beach cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama, are certainly the place to be if you want to find some of the best seafood along the Gulf Coast. With more than 20 years working in the seafood industry, Alabama native Chef Brody has definitely made his culinary mark.

He continues to impress diners across the five restaurants and banquet facilities he oversees at the Perdido Beach Resort. He embraces the culinary ways of the Gulf Coast, putting the freshest and best locally sourced ingredients on every plate. Besides the numerous Chef and Restauranteur of the Year awards he has earned throughout his career, Chef Brody is now the newest “royal” in the roundup.

In August, he was crowned King of American Seafood in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off, bringing the title back home to Alabama for the first time since 2011, when Chef Jim Smith (above) earned the honor. With saltwater catfish, mole crabs and Gulf shrimp in his winning dish, how could he not wow the judges? 

Chef Nathan Richard

Adjunct Professor at Chef John Folse Culinary Institute in Thibodaux, Louisiana

Favorite Seafood Dish to Make: Seafood Stuffed Flounder

Besides the crown he received for becoming the Great American Seafood King in 2019, Chef Nathan wears many hats, including professor, private catering business owner and volunteer firefighter … which means he knows how to (safely) turn up the heat in the kitchen! Though he moved to Europe to cook in France and Italy after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, Louisiana remained in his heart. Chef Nathan returned to work at restaurants throughout the American South and settled back in Thibodaux, Louisiana, a few years ago, ready to embrace the Cajun lifestyle once more. When you’re surrounded by the pantry of fresh ingredients that the bayous of Louisiana provide, it only makes sense to cook what you know.

Chef Nathan’s winning cook-off dish was a crawfish and goat cheese king cake, complete with Cajun caviar.

Chefs Keith and Nealy Frentz

LOLA in Covington, Louisiana

Favorite Seafood Dish to Make: Louisiana Seafood Gumbo and Pan-Fried Speckled Trout with Capers and Lemon

Chefs Keith and Nealy, a husband-and-wife team, were forced out of New Orleans in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit, and came to settle in the nearby Northshore. Though they’d both held prestigious restaurant chef positions, they had always dreamed of owning their own restaurant. Thus, LOLA was born. Housed in a historic train depot with the restaurant kitchen tucked away in a caboose, this unique dining establishment keeps it local with fresh ingredients sourced from local farmers and seafood suppliers.

In 2012, the pair was proclaimed King and Queen of Louisiana Seafood. A year later, Chef Nealy placed second in the popular cooking show “Chopped.” The couple has continued to represent St. Tammany Parish and Louisiana seafood in both their culinary travel and work at LOLA.

Chef Nathan Richard’s Crawfish and Oyster Boudin

Makes 6 links

  • 1 pound crawfish tail meat
  • 1 pound oysters
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/2 cup green onion, green and white finely chopped
  • 1 cup onion, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup poblano peppers, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons green onion, tops only sliced
  • 8 ounces prepared hog casings

In a large bowl, combine crawfish, oysters, salt and peppers. Set aside. In large skillet over medium heat, add canola oil, and cook onions, peppers, celery, garlic and tomato paste until softened, about 5 minutes. Add crawfish/oyster mixture, and cook 15 minutes more. Remove from heat, and fold in rice, parsley and green onion tops.

Stuff casings while filling is still hot, twisting into 4-inch links. In large pan, add crawfish boudin links, and cover with water. Cook over medium-high heat, keeping just below a simmer; cook until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. In a large skillet, cook boudin links over medium-high heat until golden brown on all sides

For extra kick, season the bread crumbs, with salt, pepper or cayenne, if you like.

Smithsonian American Table: The Foods, People, and Innovations That Feed Us

Black History, Books, Gastronomy, Regional & Ethnic, Restaurants, Southern cuisine

Lisa Kingsley quotes the French gastronome Jean Antheime Brillat-Savarin who famously wrote “Just tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are,” in the introduction to her new book, Smithsonian American Table: The Foods, People, and Innovations That Feed Us that culls the vast archives of the Smithsonian Institute where just the word “food” yields tens of thousands of results. The Smithsonian, which opened over 175 years ago, is the nation’s museum, and it’s not a stretch to say that food is the nation’s passion. What Kingsley, in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institute, has accomplished is to provide snapshots of how our environment, availability of foods, and migration have played an important part in what our ancestors ate and what we eat now.

Trying a variety of foods is often called grazing, and Kingsley, who has been writing about food for more than three decades and is currently the editorial director of Waterbury Publications, a company in Des Moines, Iowa that produces and packages books for publishers, authors, personalities, and corporate brands, has created the literary equivalency in presenting a history of foods for our reading pleasure.

“The long history of hot sauce began about 7000 years ago in Bolivia, where chile peppers grew wild,” writes Kingsley in her chapter, “Food Fads & Trends,” which also includes the history of not only our addiction to fiery sauces but also explores snacking, fermentation, the craft beer movement, fad diets, the backyard cookout, and, among others, community cookbooks and sushi. The latter had a much shorter trajectory to fame and availability than one would ever expect of a dish consisting of raw fish and rice often accompanied by wasabi paste and fresh ginger.

“Propelled by an economic boom in Japan and bolstered by American hipster culture, what started as a street snack almost 200 years ago is now as likely to get as a hamburger or hot dog,” writes Kingsley who describes sushi spreading from California where it appeared in a restaurant right next to a Century 21st Century Fox studio to everywhere. That includes your local grocery store.

Trends are fascinating, but so are the other subjects in this book that are highlighted in such chapters as “Innovators & Creators.” That list would have to include Irving Naxon who applied for a patent on a slow cooker he invented in 1936. Now, out of almost 123 million households in the U.S., approximately 100 million have a slow cooker tucked away in a cabinet or pantry or even on the counter. On the opposite side of slow cooking was Percy Spencer whose application of microwave technology to cooking led to the Radarange, the first microwave oven, which was both the size of a conventional oven and sold at a costly $1295 in 1955.

In Chapter Five, we meet the “Tastemakers,” such as early cookbook authors Fannie Farmer, Lizzie Kander, and Irma S. Rombauer as well as chefs who would be the early innovators for the boom in the cult of television chef celebrities of today. Lena Richard, the host of the Lena Richard’s New Orleans Cook Book show that aired in 1948, was the author of the New Orleans Cook Book said to be the first Creole cookbook by a person of color. She would be followed by now better-known names of those early cooking shows like James Beard and Julia Child.

Each of the chapters is illustrated not only with historic and current photos of people, foods, and products but also full color photos of the 40 plus iconic recipes included in the book such as Beard’s Cocktail Canapes and Child’s Smoked Salmon & Dill Souffle. Of special interest are the sidebars such as “The Black Brewmaster of Monticello,” a reference to Peter Hemings, the enslaved chef of Thomas Jefferson.

Kingsley’s preparation, research, and organization of this book is a wonderful account of the foodways of America and how they came about, and it can easily be read from front to back or delved into according to the reader’s interest. Either way, it’s our history and after reading this you can now look at a chunk of artisan cheese, a photo of the Harvey Girls, or a plate of Korean Fried Chicken and know how they—and so many others—became part of our national food conversation.  

The following are from Smithsonian American Table.

Falafel

Serves 4.

Southeast Michigan is home to the country’s largest Arab American population. The first influx of immigrants began in the early 1900s, when — according to local legend — there was a chance encounter between a Yemeni sailor and Henry Ford, who told the sailor that his automobile factory was paying $5 a day. The sailor took word back to Yemen, where it spread. For decades, as people fled conflicts in the Middle East, many sought economic opportunities near Dearborn, bringing their food traditions with them. This recipe comes from Patty Darwish of Dearborn, whose great-grandfather immigrated from Lebanon in the late 1800s. Note: You want the texture to be somewhere between couscous and a paste. If you don’t grind the chickpeas enough, the falafel won’t hold together, but if you overgrind, you will wind up with hummus. This recipe must be made in advance.

From “Smithsonian American Table,” by Lisa Kingsley in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution (Harvest, 2023).

For the falafel:

  • 2 c. dried chickpeas
  • 1 c. coarsely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 c. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 of a green bell pepper
  • 1 serrano chile, seeded and coarsely chopped, optional
  • 1 tbsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp. chili powder
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • Vegetable oil

For the tahini sauce:

  • 6 tbsp. tahini
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

For serving:

  • Pita bread, warmed
  • Tahini sauce
  • Optional toppings: pickle spears, pickled turnips, sliced green peppers, diced tomatoes, chopped fresh parsley, thinly sliced onions

Soak the chickpeas in 3 cups of water at least 12 hours or overnight. (Be sure chickpeas are always covered with water. If necessary, add more.) Drain and rinse.

In a blender or food processor, grind beans in batches until almost smooth (see Note). Transfer to a large bowl. Add parsley, cilantro, onion, green pepper and chile (if using) to the blender. Blend until almost smooth. Add to bowl with chickpeas and stir until well combined. Add the cumin, garam masala, chili powder and salt and black pepper to taste. Stir until well combined.

No more than 15 minutes before you cook the falafel, add the baking powder and stir well to combine. Form into patties, using about 2 tablespoons of the mixture per falafel.

In a large deep skillet, heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Cook falafel 5 or 6 at a time until golden brown on both sides. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Meanwhile, prepare the tahini sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more water if necessary to achieve desired consistency.

To serve, place falafel in the middle of a pita bread. Add desired toppings and drizzle with tahini sauce. Fold and serve.

Lena Richard’s Crab a la King

  • 6 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. light cream or half-and-half
  • 1 c. whole milk
  • 8 oz. lump crabmeat
  • 1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
  • 3 tbsp. finely chopped green pepper
  • 3 tbsp. chopped pimiento
  • 1 tsp. Coleman’s dry mustard
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large egg yolks, beaten
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. dry sherry (optional)
  • 4 puff pastry shells, baked according to package directions

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk until combined. Slowly whisk in cream and milk. Add crabmeat, mushrooms, green pepper, and pimiento. Add dry mustard and salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

Add eggs and lemon juice. Turn heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in sherry, if desired.

Serve in puff pastry shells.

Radaranger photo courtesy of radarange.com

This story originally appeared in the New York Journal of Books.

Tasting History: Explore the Past Through 4,000 Years of Recipes

Books, Drink, Foraging, Gastronomy, Historic foodways

“even if we never make these dishes of ancient times, Miller’s book is a fascinating read.”

“They say ‘history is written by the victors,’ but in my experience, history is written by those who write stuff down, and food is no exception,” writes Max Miller in the introduction to Tasting History, his new cookbook that delves into the foods we’ve eaten throughout millennia.

Four years ago, Miller had little interest in cooking. But when a friend became sick while they were vacationing and they watched seasons of a cooking shows while overindulging on nachos, that all changed. Developing a passion for baking, he soon was taking his cakes and pastries to Walt Disney Studios where he worked. Besides sharing his creations, Miller also explained the origins of the recipes. Suggestions from friends influenced him to start a YouTube show titled “Tasting History with Matt Miller.” Shortly after, the pandemic hit, Miller was furloughed from his job, as were many others, and his show became a hit to all those stuck at home.

Now Miller has taken it to the next level with this deep dive into food history that includes original recipes and Miller’s adaptations for home chefs as well as photos, original drawings, anecdotes, and cook’s notes.

The recipe for this stew is easy, but even if a person could, though it’s unlikely, find the fatty sheep tails, another ingredient—risnatu—has no definite translation, though Miller says it’s commonly agreed upon that it’s a type of dried barley cake. He solves both those problems in his adaptation of the recipe by providing appropriate substitutions that honor the dish’s origins but make it available to modern kitchens.

But even if we never make these dishes of ancient times, Miller’s book is a fascinating read. As we get closer to our own times—the book is arranged chronologically—we find dishes that are more recognizable such as precedella, a German recipe originating in 1581 that instructed cooks to “Take fair flour, a good amount of egg yolk, and a little wine, sugar and anise seed and make a dough with it.”

Of course, modern pretzels don’t typically have wine and anise seeds in them, but Miller provides a recipe using all those ingredients so we can get the same flavor profile as the precedellas that were baked almost 500 years ago. It is indeed tasting history.

Miller has culled recipes from around the world. The book also includes the foodways of medieval Europe, Ming China, and even the present with a 1914 recipe for Texas Pecan Pie that Miller describes as “a time before corn syrup came to dominate the dessert.” His adaptation of the original recipe uses sugar since corn syrup didn’t begin to dominate until the 1930s. The 1914 recipe also calls for a meringue topping, an addition not found in modern pecan pies. So even within a short time span of just over 100 years, Miller shows us how a recipe has evolved though he assures us, we’ll like the 1914 version best.

This article previously appeared in the New York Journal of Books.

Salamati: Hamed’s Persian Kitchen: 70 Recipes and Stories from Iran to the Other Side of the World

Asian cooking, Drink, Gastronomy, Traditional

“for the adventuresome home chef, Allahyari offers a world of flavors.”

In mortal danger for his beliefs, Hamed Allahyari and his pregnant girlfriend fled their homeland of Iran, first spending two months in Indonesia and then, after grueling hours long by truck over badly paved back roads and then days crammed aboard a boat another five months on Christmas Island before being granted asylum by the Australian government. Once there, life remained extremely difficult for the young couple who were now parents of two young children, and though Allahyari had been a chef and restauranteur in Iran, no one was interested—or so it seemed—in Persian cuisine.

Unable to find work Allahyari began volunteering at the Resource Center, an organization that provides support, legal advice, and other assistance including meals to refugees and people seeking asylum.

“Every day they feed 250 people a free lunch,” Allahyari writes in the introduction to his cookbook Salamati: Hamed’s Persian Kitchen: Recipes and Stories from Iran to the Other Side of the World. “I started cooking there two days a week, making Persian food for people from all over the world: Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Miramar, Sierra Leone, all kinds of places, and most of them had never tried Persian food before. But when they tried it, they liked it. They talked to me about it, asked me about it, and it made me happy.”

Culinary Connections

At the recommendation of others, Allahyari also began teaching cooking classes, demonstrating how to make such dishes as Zeytoon Parvadrah (Olive and Walnuts Chunky Dip), Abdoogh Khiar, Yogurt and Cucumber soup, Sabzi Pofow Ba Mahi (Fish with Herb Pilaf), and Persian Love Cake. Over the years, Allahyari taught more than 2500 people how to make Persian food. Now, he caters and is chef/owner of SalamiTea, a restaurant located in Sunshine, an ethnically diverse neighborhood in Melbourne. The name is a play on “salamati,” the Persian word meaning both “health” and “cheers.”

Salamati is more than just a cookbook, it’s also a memoir and homage to the country he had to flee. The introduction to the featured recipes in his book might offer a personal connection to the dish, a description of a unique ingredient that helps define it and bring out its best flavors—though he also offers a substitute for such items as Persian dried limes, which might be difficult to locate outside of a major city, and/or puts the food in context with the scenes to Iran.

“This dish is traditionally served in Iranian shisha shops, the cafes where older men gather to smoke water pipes, drink tea and solve the problems of the world,” he writes about Ghahve Khunee Omelette (Street-Food Tomato Omelette). “Shisha shops don’t really serve food but inevitably people get hungry while they’re hanging around, so it’s become traditional for staff to whip up a quick tomato omelette for customers and serve it with bread, raw red onion, herbs and lemon. If you want one, all you ask for is ‘omelette.’ There’s no menu as such.”

Not all the recipes are easy but for those who don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, there are enough simple ones to get started. Full-color photos of each recipe show what the finished product will look like. And for the adventuresome home chef, Allahyari offers a world of flavors.

This review originally appeared in the New York Journal of Books.

29 Reasons to Visit Chicago This Holiday Season

Chicago restaurants, Chicagoland Area, Family Excursions, Gastronomy, Holiday Travel, Hotels

Halloween is so over and now is the time to move on to the magic of Chicago during the holiday season. From skating rinks, tradtional Christmas Markets to show-stopping parades, there’s plenty to enjoy. Here’s some of Choose Chicago’s tips on what to see and do. 

See the Lights

  • Lightscape, the acclaimed holiday event, returns from November 11, 2022 – January 8, 2023 with a new path and new light-filled installations created just for the Chicago Botanic Garden. Featured artistic works will include favorites such as the luminous Winter Cathedral and a reimagined fire garden. Tickets start at $32 for adults ($30 for members), $16 for children ($14 for child members) and all little ones under 2 can enter for free. 
  • The City of Chicago’s “official” Christmas tree in Millennium Park will shine brightly near the intersection of Michigan Ave. and Washington St. from November 18, 2022 through January 8, 2023. A pre-show will begin at 5 p.m. (with performers including the cast of Cabaret ZaZou and several Broadway in Chicago productions), followed by the lighting at approximately 6:30 p.m. and culminating in a fireworks show. 
Photo credit: Phil Parcellano
  • The annual, one-of-a-kind holiday experience ZooLights (Presented by ComEd and Invesco QQQ) at Lincoln Park Zoo will return from November 19, 2022 – January 1, 2023. Tickets are now on sale for $5 General Admission, Members-only Nights and Sensory-friendly Night. Tickets to Free Admission Mondays will be released the Tuesday prior at 11 a.m. each week.
  • Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum returns for its 10th year during Morton Arboretum’s 100th anniversary year, from November 19, 2022 – January 7, 2023, Explore 50 acres of the Arboretum’s majestic trees during this one-of-a-kind spectacle of color, light, and sound featuring six dazzling new displays as well as returning favorites. You will be awed and delighted by the first-ever Illumination display in the Arboretum’s new Grand Garden, leading to a spectacular laser-light finale. Craft beer lovers won’t want to miss IllumiBrew, November 17-18. This 21-and-over event provides a first look at Illumination while sampling local brews along the trail. New this year is a special series of Electric Illumination late-night experiences (December 16, 23 and 30; 9:30-11:00 PM) for adults 18+ with an eclectic, curated mix of Trance and Progressive House music, synchronized to the light displays. Ilumination ticket costs will run between $11-$22 for members and $16-$27 for guests, depending on the date and other available discounts.
  • Navy Pier’s Light Up The Lake returns from November 25 2022 to January 7, 2023. Visitors can experience the magic with interactive light displays, a whimsical skating rink, journeys through the birch tree maze, visits with Santa, and more. Pricing is $27 for an adult ticket, and 17 for a child’s ticket (ages 3-12).
  • In the nearby suburbs, Brookfield Zoo is hosting their annual Holiday Magicdisplay, a local tradition for more than 40 years. Zoo-goers can stroll along the many pathways lit with more than two million twinkling LED lights, including the 600-foot-long Tunnel of Lights with thousands of colored lights all synchronized to music as well as enjoy a skating rink, illuminated animal sculptures, numerous photo opps, drop-off letters for Santa and more.

Who Doesn’t Love a Parade?

  • The holiday season in Chicago officially kicks off with The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival (November 19, 2022) a day-through-night, mile-long extravaganza drawing more than one million celebrants. Its centerpiece is the largest nighttime parade in the U.S. — a spectacular parade down Michigan Avenue. Led by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse of The Walt Disney World Resort, the parade features fabulous floats, giant helium balloons, marching bands, celebrities, musical performances, Santa Claus, fireworks and more —illuminating one million lights on The Avenue’s 200+ trees. Broadcast on ABC 7 Chicago on Sunday, November 20, 2022, Lights Festival will also air throughout the holiday season.
  • The Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade promises a fun-filled morning in the heart of downtown Chicago on November 24, 2022. Starting at iconic State Street in the Loop at 8:00 AM, the procession makes its way up State from Ida B. Wells Drive to Randolph Street. This free, all-ages event features more than 100 floats filled with entertainers, performance artists, helium balloons led by Teddy the Turkey (the parade’s official mascot) and a visit from Santa Claus.

Find That Perfect Gift

  • The Christkindlmarket Chicago, the most authentic traditional holiday market of its kind outside of Europe, returns November 18, 2022 and runs through the Christmas season, with the main location at Daley Plaza, along with outposts in Wrigleyville and Aurora. Of-age visitors can enjoy a mug of glühwein (hot spiced wine) as well as sweet and savory German snacks while shopping for handmade and traditional souvenirs. There are also musical performances and plenty of family-friendly activities for kids.
  • Now in its 21st year in Chicago, the One of a Kind Holiday Show (December 1-4, 2022) brings together hundreds of talented artists, makers and designers with thousands of happy shoppers who love art and original work. The show continues to be the best place in Chicago to find thousands of handmade products, truly unique and meaningful gifts for the holidays.
  • At the iconic Macy’s on State Street, take a break from holiday shopping to enjoy the annual Holiday Windows or have a peek at the Great Tree inside the historic Walnut Room, the first restaurant ever opened in a department store. With Circassian wood paneling imported from Russia and Austrian chandeliers, the 17,000 square foot dining room is both elegant and comfortable and a favored place to enjoy a festive afternoon treat.

Enjoy a Holiday Exhibit

  • At the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI), the annual Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light exhibits return November 16, 2022-January 4, 2023. A simple tradition that began in 1942 with a single tree now features a four-story, floor-to-dome Grand Tree, surrounded by a forest of more than 50 trees and displays decorated by volunteers to represent the holiday traditions from cultures around the globe.

Lace Up Your Skates

  • The scenic rink at Millennium Park offers panoramic views of Cloud Gate (aka “The Bean”) and the surrounding city skyline dusted in snow. The rink is open daily from November through March, weather permitting. Skate rentals are available, or you can bring your own.
  • Nearby, Maggie Daley Park is known for its one-of-a-kind Skating Ribbon, an icy path that curves through the park’s whimsical landscape. The Skating Ribbon is open from November through March. You can reserve skate rentals ahead of time or use your own.
  • The Gallagher Way Rink in Wrigleyville offers ice skating from November 18, 2022 – January , 2023, weather permitting. The Rink welcomes all skill levels to skate on their own or ride ice bumper cars on the newly expanded 12,000 square-foot ice rink, located inside Wrigley Field. Tickets are required for access and may be booked ahead of time here or on site. Activities at Gallagher Way also include holiday movie nights, a wreath-making workshop, a branch of Chicago’s Christkindlmarket and meetings with Santa.

Catch a Festive Live Show

Hotel Happenings 

The Peninsula Chicago is back with the Merry & Bright Holiday Package (ideal for couples) and Holly Jolly Family Holiday Package (great for families), valid for stays from November 26 – December 31, 2022. Guests are also encouraged to make a reservation for The Peninsula Hotel’s Holiday Afternoon Tea, where the 20-foot Christmas tree and lavish holiday décor at The Lobby enhance the traditional English tea menu of finger sandwiches, scones with house made preserves and Devonshire clotted cream, and petite seasonal pastries. Vegan and gluten-free options are available. 

The Langham Chicago is again offering its traditional Thanksgiving Feast on November 24, 2022 at its onsite restaurant Travelle, where the menu curated by Executive Chef Damion Henry includes holiday favorites, turkey and stuffing, as well as complementary enhancements such as seafood and carving stations. Chef Henry is also preparing a Christmas Day Brunch on December 25, 2022 and afternoon tea is available throughout the holiday season. 

The Pendry Chicago is offering a series of seasonal happenings, from a “Friendsgiving” dinner at onsite restaurant Venteux on November 23, 2022 to lighting the Menorah each night at 5 p.m. from December 18 – December 26, 2022 to Christmas Eve Dinner and Christmas Day brunch at Venteux on December 24 and 25, 2022.

Grab your partner and head to The Emily Hotel for the ultimate winter rooftop curling experience, complete with an overnight stay for two, curling for two players and two complimentary cocktails at Stone’s Throw. Stone’s Throw, located on the fifth floor of the hotel, features four Olympic sized curling rinks and heated yurts decked out in 80s nostalgia serving up a menu of winter sips and snacks. Offer valid for reservations of 1 or more nights booked by March 27, 2023 for stays between November 11, 2022 and March 31, 2023.

Celebrate winter at Fairmont Millennium Park Chicago’s Fairmont Lodge where you can relax, recharge and have fun with their cozy decor, indoor “fire pits”, festive programming, overnight packages and more. 

The annual Winter Wonderland returns to the IlO Godfrey Rooftop at The Godfrey Hotel with its heated, clear-domed igloos which are available to rent (for groups of up to six people) with purchase from the menu. Order a hot cocktail and s’mores to roast over the outdoor firepits and enjoy winter in Chicago under the city lights. 

From November 1 through January 3, LondonHouse Chicago is hosting Rudolph’s Rooftop from November 1, 2022 – January 3, 2023. This fun holiday-themed experience, complete with whimsical decor, photo opps and igloos, takes place on the 22nd level terrace, featuring breathtaking panoramic views of the city. Holiday cocktails are available from Executive Chef Elizabeth Sweeney. 

Three Great Destinations for Fall Colors and Fun

Adventure, Colorado, Family Excursions, Farm-to-Table Restaurant, Fishing, Gastronomy, Hotels, Ocean, Resorts, Seaside, Traditional

Hikes, fly fishing, falconry, all-inclusive wilderness retreats, and a view from the top of America’s mountain, no one does Western fall wonder and adventure like The Broadmoor. Here are a variety of different ways (water, air and on top of a mountain) to enjoy those autumn golden aspens that everyone is talking about.

Fall fun by water: Get your boots wet with some Colorado fly fishing.

The Broadmoor’s all-inclusive Wilderness Properties such as Fly Fishing Camp are where fall colors and adventure combine.

For more water wonder, stay at The Broadmoor and take advantage of an autumn hike at Seven Falls.

For more water wonder, stay at The Broadmoor and take advantage of an autumn hike at Seven Falls.

The Broadmoor’s Soaring Adventures. Enjoy the tree tops and fresh autumn air with a zip lining experience in the mountains. For more reasons to look up, take advantage of The Broadmoor’s falconry experience which allows the unique opportunity for an up-close encounter with the resort’s majestic birds of prey plus the opportunity to watch them in flight.

A view from the top of the land: The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway

What’s better than a view from the top? America’s highest railway reaching a height of 14,115 feet offers stunning Colorado mountain views and some of the country’s best fall foliage landscapes. 

Cape May, NJ is one of the most underrated beach towns in America.

This charming seaside getaway offers the perfect beach town trip any time of year. Fall is a great time to beat the crowds and enjoy the award-winning beaches, cozy fireplaces, exquisite farm to table dining, and amazing small-town amenities including exploring this Victorian town by foot or bike and enjoying family-friendly fun and shopping. Plus families will also enjoy visiting Beach Plum Farm during harvest season to enjoy a mix of summer and a preview to fall.

Set on 62 acres less than two miles away from the center of Cape May, Beach Plum Farm is a family favorite and provides ingredients to several local restaurants, including the award-winning Ebbitt Room. The farm provides many of the seasonal ingredients used in the delicious food served at Congress Hall, its restaurants and sister properties! Kids love feeding the chickens and exploring the acres of gardens and fields. Cape May is also home to Congress Hall, America’s oldest seaside resort. Check out caperesorts.com

 Sag Harbor & Shelter Island (Hamptons / Eastern Long Island)

Grab a classic novel and head to Baron’s Cove in Sag Harbor, NY. Rich in literary history (the hotel was a favorite of John Steinbeck), this classic all-American hotel sits in one of the best spots in Sag overlooking the harbor making its porch and pool the perfect spot to curl up with a book and enjoy the autumn harbor breezes. Bonus: enjoy some of the East End’s freshest dock to dish dining. Baron’s Cove’s culinary team works closely with local farmers, purveyors, and fishing boats and can name the captain and boat that the restaurant’s daily fish came off of that morning. Baron’s Cove is also one of the few places in town that offers live music every night during the summer and Wednesday through Sunday in the fall.  

Over on Shelter Island, NY, Baron’s Cove’s sister property, The Pridwin Hotel & Cottages, recently reopened its doors after a two-year renovation (recently as in, the ribbon cutting took place mid-July!) Another waterfront property, The Pridwin offers travelers the best of both worlds: the vibes of a luxury lake/adult summer camp getaway with the thrill of the beach (it has its own private beach steps from the hotel). Guests may also take advantage of water sports activities, sunset sailing, private luxury yacht experiences and also the resort’s very own kayaking and paddle boarding. Guests also have the extra perk of fishing off of the resort’s dock.

Heading into the cooler weather, The Pridwin will continue to offer several family friendly programming throughout the fall including lawn games, arts & crafts, live music, kids cooking classes, nature walks, hiking in Mashomack; farm tours with local Sylvester Manor Farm; plus yoga on the lawn programming for children.

The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway