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Do You Love to Cook - or Just Love to Eat?
Food and wine tours are getting more and more popular all the time. They're not just for learning to cook - some are simply food or wine appreciation tours. Which means you get to sit back and eat and drink all the "samples"!
If you do want to learn to make the local cuisine, there are plenty of opportunities. Some are week-long, intensive training; others are 1/2 day cooking classes that you can fit into an otherwise busy vacation to one of your favorite places.
But all are great fun!
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New York City - a Cross-Cultural Experience
New York it the heart of America's melting pot - and you can sample all of the ingredients!
America is comprised of many ethnic cultures and histories - and all of them are found in New York!Start with a walking tour of Brooklyn (http://www.viator.com/tours/New-York-City/
Best-of-Brooklyn-Sightseeing-Food-and-Culture-Tour/
d687-3112BROOKLYN).
This tour stops at a kosher Hasidic deli and Latin American cafes (for a "Cuban" sandwich). Plus, there is a stop at Jacques Torres chocolate factory!
The Institute of Culinary Education/Recreation division (https://web.iceculinary.com/icereg/index.asp) offers tons of classes and tours, featuring every cuisine imaginable! There are week-long, hands-on classes covering cooking skills and several different cuisines; demonstration classes; and walking tours (covering Italian, Indian, and other cuisines; greenmarkets, CUPCAKES; and, of course CHOCOLATE!) Plan your New York vacation around these classes and tours!
New Orleans - Cajun and Creole Cuisine
Rich and spicy - just like the town itself!
In New Orleans, you can spend a few hours or a few days indulging in cooking classes! Between ghost tours and garden walks, enjoy the flavors of Cajun and Creole cuisine.The New Orleans Experience (http://www.neworleanscookingexperience.com/) offers classes from 3 hours to 3 days at the House on Bayou Road. The classes are small, and the focus is on Creole. After the class, of course, you can enjoy your meal in the garden.
The New Orleans School of Cooking (http://www.neworleansschoolofcooking.com/) offers demonstration-only classes in the French Quarter. You can watch them do the work, and partake of the rewards later! The menu changes daily, but includes gumbo and jambalaya, red beans, pralines, and bread pudding.
Don't know the difference between Cajun and Creole? The New Orleans Culinary History Tour will explain it - as well as offer a walking tour of the French Quarter with lessons in the history of the city and it's unique cuisine. This is not a cooking tour, but a tasting tour. (http://www.zerve.com/Culinary/Tour1030)
San Francisco - Chinatown, Little Italy - and, of course, Wine
There's more to San Francisco than Rice a Roni!
There are hundreds of Chinese restaurants in San Francisco - but to truly appreciate the cuisine, try the Wok Wiz Daily Tour "I can't believe I ate my way through Chinatown!" (http://www.zerve.com/WokWiz/Daily). This tour, led by Chinese-American locals, starts with breakfast and ends "when someone explodes". Need I say more?The North Beach and Little Italy Walking Tour offers a bit of history, a little bread, and a great Italian meal (with wine, of course!). (http://www.viator.com/tours/San-Francisco/North-Beach-and-Little-Italy-Walking-Tour/d651-3327WALKING).
There are many wine tours to the Sonoma and Napa Valleys. The Deluxe California Wine Country Tour is a full-day extravaganza, visiting both Sonoma and Napa, with stops at both boutique and large wineries. (http://www.viator.com/tours/San-Francisco/Deluxe-California-Wine-Country-Tour/d651-2660SFOWIN).
Or try the Napa Valley Wine Train (http://www.viator.com/tours/San-Francisco/Napa-Valley-Wine-Train/d651-3565TRAIN).
The train travels from San Francisco to Napa Valley and back, with a gourmet lunch and wine tastings on board.
Video of North Beach Tour
San Francisco - Culinary Tour through North Beach
Day 2 (February 22, 2008) of our San Francisco adventure began more promisingly: bright sunshine greeted us as we made our way by public bus to Washington Square, the heart of San Francisco's Italian North Beach neighbourhood. We set off to meet Tom Medin, who runs Local Tastes of the City Tours, who was going to take us around this neighbourhood and introduce us to all sorts of interesting culinary treats. Tom explained that San Francisco is a city for foodies - high quality fresh food plays an enormously important role in the locals' lives. Shopping habits are very similar to the old European ways: people go shopping on foot in their local neighbourhoods and visit all sorts of specialty stores such as bakeries, pastry shops, vegetable stores, delicatessens, butcher shops and many more. Food is bought fresh almost every day, and a home-cooked leisurely dinner is an important part of the social agenda. Cafés and coffee houses also thrive here. Our first stop was Caffe Roma where owner Toni Azzolini explained to us the coffee roasting process and had us taste some of his famous capuccino. Coffee is roasted freshly on site and their most popular blend includes four different coffee varieties from different countries, all purchased from small-scale farmers who don't use pesticides or fertilizer. We then went to XOX Truffles where we saw the truffle-making process in action. The owner Jean-Marc Gorce graciously equipped us with a little paper bag full of some these French delicacies. After a brief visit to the Saints Peter and Paul Church where Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio had their wedding pictures taken, Liguria Bakery was next where we had a chance to taste some real Italian foccaccia bread, the only type of bread that is made at this bakery. Up the road we continued to the Italian French bakery where we saw a century old bakery oven in action and got to taste various home-baked goodies. At Palermo Delicatessen we got to sample two different types of olive oil and some real Italian salamis, copa meat and fresh mozzarella. The Victoria Pastry Company welcomed us with a free sampling of fresh canoli and at Caffe Trieste we got to admire the place where Francis Ford Coppola wrote the script for Godfather III. Lots of other local and international celebrities have visited this popular neighbourhood café. This 3.5 hour culinary tour gave us great insight into the San Francisco mindset and strengthened us for a steep walk to our next destination: Coit Tower.
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Small Ships - from the Atlantic to the Pacific Northwest, enjoy Coastal Cuisine
Maine Lobster to Napa Wine!
Why not take a small ship cruise exploring the northern Atlantic or Pacific Northwest coasts, and enjoy local food and wine at the same time?American Cruise Lines (http://www.americancruiselines.com/) travels the eastern coast of the U.S., and offers local specialties on several sailings. Celebrate "Crabfest" in July on Chesapeake Bay, or "Lobsterfest" in September in Maine.
Cruisewest (http://www.cruisewest.com/) sails the San Francisco Bay and Columbia/Snake Rivers, offering wine tastings and local delicacies on both excursions. Look for Taste of the Pacific Northwest or California Wine Country cruises.
Want More Food and Wine Tours?
There are more tours in Europe, Asia - even North Africa!
Find more food and wine tours in France, Italy, Vietnam - even Morocco!And many more fascinating vacation ideas at Great Women's Vacations
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Lovely Lens 5* and a favourite and welcome to Travelmania Group Posted July 31, 2008 |
