I don't often post press releases at the Gourmez, but sometimes, I think there's a really unique experience or deal that some of my readers will enjoy hearing about. I have a pair of those today! Yes, these are intended for food lovers with a budget that allows extravagance and if that's you....take me with you! 😆 Or just take advantage of these potentially amazing experiences. I'm copying the press releases below:
1. Abalone Lover? Here's your adventure! #
– The Little River Inn is pleased to announce their third annual ABALONE CAMP, a unique undersea and oversea adventure, available to guests in June 2017. The family-owned and operated inn has partnered with Triton X/Freedive Shop, local freedive experts, to offer this two-day Abalone experience during Northern California’s peak Abalone Season.
ABALONE CAMP will take place from Sunday, June 25 to Tuesday, June 27, 2017, and will offer novice and avid divers alike a rare opportunity to explore the world beneath the waves and come up with precious abalone, a globally beloved delicacy. Led by renowned freedive guides from Triton X/Freedive Shop, the dive will be followed by a demonstration on how to clean and prepare your bounty, culminating in a gourmet feast prepared by the inn’s chef, Marc Dym. The ABALONE CAMP package is a two-night experience that includes accommodations in the Little River Inn’s ocean-view rooms, a welcome reception, and everything you need for your two-day dive.
“We debuted this experience in June of 2015, and proved to be so popular that we’ve decided to make it an annual event,” states Cally Dym, fifth-generation owner of the Little River Inn. “The Mendocino Coast is known as one of the top places to dive for Abalone in California, and we’ve partnered with the best guides in the area to ensure a safe experience.
The LITTLE RIVER INN’S ABALONE CAMP package is a two-night experience and includes:
- Accommodations in an ocean view fireplace room. We suggest lodging on Saturday, June 24 if the guest is not within a 3-hour driving distance from Little River Inn.
- Brunch and Orientation on Sunday, June 25.
- Welcoming reception on the evening of June 25 for all participating divers and their guest complete with delectable passed appetizers and local beer and wine selections.
- Breakfast on Monday morning.
- All necessary dive gear and equipment needed for the dive.
- Two days of diving with the guides from Triton X/Freedive Shop (the first day will include being fitted for wetsuit/gear and getting acquainted with dive location; day two will consist of the actual Abalone dive lasting up to three hours).
- Bagged lunch for the day of the dive.
- Assistance with the cleaning, cutting, and pounding of caught abalone.
- Cooking demonstration and communal dinner of the day’s hunt back at the inn with fellow divers and guides from Triton X/Freedive Shop.
The LITTLE RIVER INN’S ABALONE CAMP package will be offered exclusively from Sunday, June 25 through Tuesday, June 27, 2017. Package rates start at $800 per person for a single occupancy room, and $575 per person for a shared room (exclusive of tax & gratuity). Triton X/Freedive Shop will provide all the gear and licensed guided dive instruction. To add a non-diving guest to your reservation, rates start at $185, not including tax & gratuity. A limited number of spots are available to participants. Reservations are based upon availability and require a 7-day notice.
Note: Package pricing does not include Abalone Diving License. Guests MUST purchase a license prior to the dive. Additionally, one abalone per diver must be donated for the communal dinner, additional abalones caught the day will be for the diver’s keeps and properly packed for legal transportation.
“We know that our guests who choose to participate in this adventure will walk away with memories to last a lifetime,” continues Dym.
Space is very limited and this experience always sells out, so guests are encouraged to reserve their spots not! For more information on the LITTLE RIVER INN’S ABALONE CAMP, please visit http://www.littleriverinn.com/2016-abalone-camp/. To book the package, call 707.937.5942.
2. Learn (and Eat!) Global Cuisine from Star Chefs in Half Moon Bay
I'm a little late sharing this opportunity, as the first two in the series have already passed...but never fear! There are 6 weekends' worth of the Global Cuisine Series left this year. The release:
Beginning in May 2017, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay—an elite destination resort located on the dramatic bluffs of the Northern California Coast—will host the Global Cuisine Series, featuring some of the most influential and accomplished chefs in California. For eight weekends starting at the end of May, the crème de le crème of California’s culinary world will present an immersive experience to a select group of guests while highlighting their own fresh take on the cuisine of different regions from around the world.
Each month, Maître Cuisinier de France Xavier Salomon, the hotel’s Executive Chef, has invited a different chef to the property to lead a unique gastronomical adventure. Together with Chef Jason Pringle of the hotel’s Navio restaurant, the visiting chef will helm an exploration of the distinctive global cuisine they have mastered.
The weekend begins with a hands-on cooking class led by the visiting chef, where guests assist in preparing a variety of dishes. Guests will then enjoy the fruits of their labor at a luncheon showcasing their preparations, which will be accompanied by wine pairings from the global destination the cuisine hails from. The visiting chef will also present two dishes on the Navio tasting menu for Saturday night, and will have a dedicated pop-up station at the hotel’s renowned Sunday Brunch.
“The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay is the rare hotel that considers chef-driven food to be a vital part of their hospitality,” states Chef Salomon. “And considering we have some of the finest culinary talent located right in our own backyard, we thought we’d combine the two and give our guests a culinary experience they’ll never forget.”
REMAINING SCHEDULE OF VISITING CHEFS FOR THE GLOBAL CUISINE SERIES:
- July 22-23 / Charles Phan of James Beard award-winning The Slanted Door
- August 26-27 / Charles Olalia of RiceBar, a pioneer of innovative Filipino cuisine
- September 23-24 / Evan and Sarah Rich of Rich Table, featured in Condé Nast Traveler’s “3 Hours In San Francisco”
- October 28-29 / Manish Tyagi of August 1 Five, San Francisco’s hottest new Indian restaurant
- November 18-19 / Gerald Hirigoyen of Piperade, James Beard nominee and Maître Cuisinier de France
- December 16-17 / William Werner of Craftsman and Wolves, James Beard finalist for "Outstanding Baker"
The Global Cuisine Series Package is only open to up to 14 guests per month. Guest packages including the exclusive cooking class, the luncheon, and a $100 resort credit start at $950 per night plus applicable taxes and fees. A two-night minimum stay is required.
To book a spot in the Global Cuisine Series, guests can contact the Travel team at 650-712-7686 or e-mail Hafrz.leads@ritzcarlton.com.
For further information on the Global Cuisine Series, please visit: http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/california/half-moon-bay/dining/global-cuisine-series
If you go on either of these adventures, be sure to share with the person who told you...I'd love to hear how it went!
