Food Lovers Travel With Taste on Vancouver Island

There are few journeys in the world that enlighten.  There are even fewer that promise to be truly tasty.  Indeed, while an edible outing with Kathy McAree of Vancouver Island’s Travel With Taste tours is certainly succulent – think of it as more of a culinary crusade set on unearthing the very best of the Island’s palpable palate.  And with McAree’s new urban forage in Victoria, there’s plenty to please that palate.  Where to start?  Silk Road.  Set near the gates of Victoria’s historic Chinatown, this must-tea locale will start the day’s travels on a happy, scented note.  A formal tea tasting – similar to a wine tasting – will soothe the palate with fragrant and floral selections.  Savoury awaits at your next two stops at Montreal Smoked Beef and Choux Choux Charcuterie (cured meats, pâtés, cheeses and more will tempt), while sweet treats including almond dollar rolls and vanilla slices accompany a wine tasting at the Artisan Wine Shop.  The icing on the cake?  Nibble a Sacher Torte served with a special house blend coffee at the new Café Mela at The Belvedere.  Mmmmm.  So why is McAree so determined to take these urban forages to the mainstream?  There’s no better way to cultivate a little culture and see the sights than to sip, slurp and savour each bite, er, step.  Beginning in April and lasting three to four hours over Saturday lunch (natch!), the tour also includes a bit of face-time with proprietors, not just to taste hand-made treats, but to learn more about each merchant’s history.  Should you yearn for more than just lunch, McAree also hosts full-day cuisine and wine tours to the Cowichan Valley, Salt Spring Island and the Saanich Peninsula (the latter includes a special lunch at Butchart Gardens).  Think grappa is groovy?  For the Saanich Peninsula excursion, McAree also includes a trip to Winchester Cellars to sample fragrant grape-based pomace brandy from the winery’s impressive new still.  So take a really long lunch, or make a day of it.  Join McAree and Travel With Taste.  Or is that travel by taste? www.travelwithtaste.com

Hawaii Restaurants – Kincaid’s in Honolulu

By Lauren Ashe

During the summer of 2007 I was vacationing in Hawaii with my in-laws and we happened to be shopping at one of the shopping centers in Honolulu. We had a joyous time and found many treasures to bring back with us to the states. Yet our main desire was to find a Restaurant that could satisfy our American taste buds.

We ended up choosing to dine at a restaurant that was recommended by one of the retail shop’s sales clerk. She said that the Kincaid’s restaurant serves up some delicious seafood as well as steaks and salads. We were excited to experience what a Hawaiian restaurant would offer as far as taste and ambiance.

Well time for my report, most restaurants in Hawaii make really dry crumbly crab cakes with more cake than crab. Kincaid’s is definitely on that list! The crab cakes were served with a sweet and sour sauce and a ketchup based sauce. It would have been nice to have been able to try both sauces separately, but I guess for presentation’s sake, they plated the sauces together and they eventually mixed. YUCK! Skip the dry crumbly crab cakes and go straight to the baby back ribs! Delicious! A sweet surprise comes with those ribs too– sweet potato fries. The taste was very unique and addicting.

I also enjoyed the location of Kincaid’s because it has a perfect view of the ocean. Very serene. While the restaurant itself was pleasing to the eye, the service however, was so-so. Overall my Hawaii restaurant experience proved to be above average and I was pretty satisfied with the Kincaid’s restaurant. I do recommend them for any American looking to experience Hawaii dining.

http://www.eatouthawaii.com

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French Cuisine

By Alison White

Indisputably, one of modern France’s greatest treasures is its rich cuisine. The French have an ongoing love affair with food.

Indisputably, one of modern France’s greatest treasures is its rich cuisine. The French have an ongoing love affair with food.

The cuisine of France is remarkably varied with a great many regional differences based on the produce and gastronomy of each region.

Culinary traditions that have been developed and perfected over the centuries have made French cooking a highly refined art. This is true of even the simplest peasant dishes, which require careful preparation and great attention to detail. It is expected that even the simplest preparation be undertaken in the most careful manner, which means disregarding the amount of time involved.

Of course, the secret to success in a French kitchen is not so much elaborate techniques as the use of fresh ingredients that are locally produced and in season.

French cooking is not a monolith: it ranges from the olives and seafood of Provence to the butter and roasts of Tours, from the simple food of the bistro to the fanciful confections of the Tour d’Argent.

A French meal might begin with a hot hors d’oeuvre (or for luncheon, a cold hors d’oeuvre) followed by soup, main course, salad, cheese, and finally dessert. The French operate with a strong sense that there is an appropriate beverage for every food and occasion. Wine is drunk with the meal, but rarely without food. An aperitif (a light alcoholic beverage such as Lillet) precedes the meal and a digestive (something more spirited — say, cognac) may follow. This close relationship between food and wine may, in part, closely parallel the evolution of great cooking and great wine making. It is probably not coincidental that some of the best cooking in France happens in some of her finest wine-growing regions. In Burgundy, Bordeaux, Provence, and Touraine, wine is as prevalent in the cooking process as it is in the glass.

French cooking is considered by many to be the standard against which all other cuisines are measured (it is also referred to as haute cuisine). This standard was introduced into the French courts by Catherine de Medici in the 1500s, and later perfected by Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935), who is considered the Father of French Cooking.

Nouvelle Cuisine, which became popular in the 1970s, was in reaction to the rich cooking of classic French cuisine. This new cuisine has a healthful cooking philosophy: crisply cooked vegetables and fruit based sauces as opposed to flour and cream sauces. From classic French cooking to Nouvelle Cuisine, and the many French regional cooking styles, there is something to satisfy just about every palate.

About the Author:
Visit the French Connections website http://www.frenchconnections.co.uk

The Botanical – An Iconic Restaurant Melbourne Australia Has To Offer

By: Sia Nasios

It was a quiet Saturday night along the streets of Melbourne when my sister and I went to The Botanical, an iconic restaurant in South Yarra. The occasion was her birthday so this was a special treat. It is difficult taking her out to a restaurant as she is an incredibly fussy eater and a vegetarian.

Luckily for me she was willing to give the only vegetarian dish on the menu a go, it was the Pea & Ricotta Gnudi with Spring Herbs, Snow Pea Tendrils & Flowering Zucchini. Being a lover of seafood I ordered the Scallops with Truffles and White Asparagus.

A side order of mashed potatoes was ordered just in case.

I love trying different types of wines and have a love of any sweet red. I asked our waiter for his opinion and he recommended the 2004 Pepper Tree Reserve Merlot, Wrattonbully. It sounded wonderful so I said yes. It was very light and sweet. I was happy. A plate of oil with a squirt of vinegar was perfect with the lovely bread we were given. I love vinegar so it was another plus.

Our waiter then asked us if we would like some water. Thinking we were just going to have our glasses filled, we were surprised to find a bottle of Italian water on our table at a cost of $12. eam. The burst of green colour was brilliant. The cake was sublime and it was such a fantastic fYipes.

The Botanical is long in dimension and light and airy. The high ceiling is painted white and the floor is a light honey coloured timber.

We sat near the kitchen where you can clearly see the chefs cooking up a feast. I loved the glass cabinet which stretched half the length of the restaurant on the opposite side of the kitchen that was elegantly filled with wine.

We were having a wonderful conversation as we waited and waited and waited for our meal to arrive. I noticed that the people on either side of us who were seated after us were enjoying their meals before us. We waited almost one hour.

The Botanical Restaurant – Melbourne The manager came over to apologize for our wait and said our dinner was complimentary. I thought and rightly so as I am writing a review on this restaurant tonight which he didn’t know about and I really didn’t want to write anything derogatory. This is one of the reasons why I thoroughly enjoy eating out at fine restaurants. The manners of the staff are impeccable. It is always a strong reason for me to return.

The food can be great but if the staff are rude and uppity I won’t be back I don’t care how iconic the restaurant or how brilliant the chef is. I was extremely happy and surprised to find my sister loved her meal. It was a bit fancier than she is used to but she thoroughly enjoyed it. The mashed potatoes were just like mamma makes.

I though I might give them a miss as I hate to be disappointed but I was very impressed. It might be a side dish which most restaurants don’t care about putting the quality into it but the love was there and it truly impressed me.

My scallops were juicy and delicious. I have never had truffles before but I loved the smokey flavour they had. The white asparagus was tender and cooked to perfection.

Once the meal was finished we were full to the brim but I never say no to dessert. Especially this dessert. It was 24crt gold leaf Valrhona chocolate nemesis with warm brandied cherries & pistachio sauce. I love trying different types of wines and looking down the list I came across the Normandin Mercier Vieille Fine Champagne 15 Years. It was listed under the cognacs.

Now I am not a wine connoisseur but it looked impressive to me so I ordered it. I like to think that I am worldly but this brought me down ten notches. It was pure alcohol and it was incredibly strong. I had two sips and put it to the side. The Nemesis came on a large square platter. Our neighbours ooh’d and ahh’d at it but were not game to try it.

In one corner was a small saucepan still warm with cherries cooked in brandy. In the other corner was a bowl of hazelnut ice cream. The other corner had s small jug of smooth pistachio sauce. Finally in the last corner was the chocolate nemesis. A square piece or rich yet light chocolate cake with a square piece of 24 carat gold leaf draped across the centre.

I loved the warm cherries in the pan. It is such a delightful touch. I loved the ice cream. It had a lovely crunch to it. Was it honeycomb pieces or was it hazelnut bits on top?

I loved pouring the light green smooth, creamy pistachio sauce over the ice creeling to eat 24 carat gold leaf. I felt like Marie Antoinette with her head still on. It was overly indulgent. It was divine. It was sublime. I say let them eat cake!

This is The Botanical.

My name is Sia and my website is called Melbourne in Luxury It has the facts on the best Melbourne Australia has to offer including information on the best restaurants that are available in this beautiful city.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sia_Nasios

12 World Class Restaurants To Visit In 2008

By Timothy Rudon

Food has through history played a role in the way the world functions. Kings and Emperors used to pride themselves on their kitchens and exotic food made by the world’s best chefs had the same value as treasures.

A glance into the two volume compilation “The Cambridge World History of Food” shows how mankind developed exotic tastes how spices were traded like gold, and more. The volumes are standard references world -wide for social scientists, economists, nutritionists, and gourmets. A website http://www.foodtimeline.org/ has a wonderful time line of food which shows that fish, egges, and mushrooms were eaten as early as before 17,000 BCE and that bread, beer, and soup was in the diet as far back as 10000 BCE.

The modern world too runs on its stomach and world wide restaurants compete to gain the status of “best restaurant.” If a restaurant is listed by S Pellegrino in its list of ” the world’s 50 Best Restaurants,” then its like wining an honor and prize. The list each year is complied by Nespresso World’s 50 Best Academy consisting of food writers, critics, publishers, and commentators from all over the world.

So if you are a gourmet and world traveler here are a few restaurants you may wish to try the 2007 list included:

1. El Bulli in Spain chosen as the World’s Best Restaurant in Europe.

2. The Fat Duck in UK which was the Chefs Choice.

3. Pierre Gagnaire in France.

4. The French Laundry in the US adjudged the Best in the Americas.

5. Tetsuya’s in Australia adjudged the best in Australasia.

6. Bras in France.

7. Mugaritz in Spain.

8. Le Louis XV in Monaco.

9. Per Se in the US.

10. Arzak in Spain.

11. El Celler deCan Roca in Spain.

12. Gamero Rosso in Italy.

It’s all about quality reaching new heights. Detailed information on the best restaurants in the world and past lists can be viewed at http://www.theworlds50best.com/index.html Chefs and food critics and aficionados from all over the world congregate to London for the awards functions each year. In a global world more and more people are expanding their minds and trying out the cuisine of other cultures and nations.

The World Wide Web is replete with information on cuisine, cooking, wine, and dining choices and trends. So if you want to be trendy and know how to eat what, which wine to select, and more then open your mind to new experiences and educate yourself in every direction using the knowledge highway the internet has become.

Timothy Rudon is a writer for http://www.1888restaurants.com the premier website to find restaurant, restaurants, best restaurants, best food, best wine, cuisine, reservations, recipes, restaurant review, restaurant menus and many more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Timothy_Rudon