Jordan Wright
August 3, 2011
Special to The Washington Examiner
STAYING GREEN
 Executive Chef Rafael Gonzalez at the Four Seasons Hotel rooftop garden - Photo Credit Jordan Wright The very upscale Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia has hopped on the green bandwagon by building over a dozen raised bed planters on their rooftop garden overlooking Logan Circle. Spilling over with cute mini-veggies, glorious flowers used in the hotel’s luxe arrangements, and lush with menu-driven herbs like chocolate mint and lemon thyme, the garden-with-a-view uses other green initiatives like beehives and naturally fertilized soil from hotel compost to coddle their plants.
Executive Chef Rafael Gonzalez need only zip up to the 8th floor to pluck fresh ingredients for his exquisite cuisine. The hotel has even enlisted their chief engineer to design a wastewater-recycling program. Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, One Logan Sq.; 215 405-2815; www.fourseasons.com/philadelphia
HELLO FARMER!
 Beck’s Cajun bar at the Redding Terminal - Photo Credit Jordan Wright The restored Reading Terminal Market, originally built in 1893 is the nation’s oldest continuously operating farmer’s market and a great stop to grab lunch and stock up on everything from Lancaster County Amish pickles and jams, crusty breads and pastries, or crab cakes and smoked meat sandwiches from family-run vendors. Try the spicy gumbo at Beck’s or squeeze in at the counter at Pearl’s Oyster Bar for a dozen of the briny mollusks and a cup of Philly’s favorite snapper soup. On the same aisle, the Fair Food Farmstand carries cheeses, herbs, grass-fed meats and organic veggies from more than 90 sustainable small-scale farms. 12th and Arch Sts.
 Kingfisher Dairy Farm whole raw milk - Photo Credit Jordan Wright In the West Philly neighborhood, Annie Baum-Stein’s groove-in-the-hood Milk and Honey Market carries Kingfisher Farms raw milk. Savor a frosty glass of the forbidden liquid here, since you can’t buy it in the DC area where it’s still illegal. Another local producer Claudio’s provides creamy ricotta, mozzarella and Italian charcuterie, and Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-op brings in fresh fruits and veggies weekly. Made to order sandwiches like the spicy Thai tofu or the Italian caprese panini go down nicely with a Boylan’s Creamy Red Birch Beer. 4425 Baltimore Ave.
Across the street, Roost, a popular chicken place also owned by Baum-Stein, cooks up roasted or fried birds from Grigg’s Town Farm. 4529 Springfield Ave.
From there it’s a pleasant stroll to The Clark Park Market run by The Food Trust. Open Thursdays from 3-7p.m. and Saturdays from 10-2p.m. Home baked peanut butter or chocolate whoopee pies share space with glistening berries and heirloom vegetables. On Thursdays the Guapos Tacos food truck sells duck, pork or vegetarian tacos topped with guacamole and cotija cheese for a leisurely lunch in the park. 43rd St. and Baltimore Ave.
DINING ON LOCAL
 The communal dining table at Fork - Photo Credit Jordan Wright
The nightly communal table at cookbook author Ellin Yin’s Fork in the bustling Old City, is where chef Terence Feury’s New American bistro cooking might feature the daily catch. Feury, named Philadelphia’s “Best Chef 2010” prepared us a whole wild striped bass with local vegetables. Serious anglers can take his guided fishing trips once a month to catch their own and learn how to prepare it. 305 Market St.
MidAtlantic Restaurant and Tap Room, in the University City area is where this hip destination resto serves its reinvented local dishes in a rustic slash modern decor. Chef Daniel Stern, former top toque at Le Bec-Fin, shows off the Pennsylvania Dutch influence with in-house made charcuterie served with exceptional raw cow’s milk cheeses from Chester County’s Birchrun Hills Farm. Order the Welsh rarebit fondue, perfect for dunking Stern’s version of the Philly hot pretzel, or the crab scrapple with pepper jelly and horseradish emulsion. A rich malted milk chocolate mousse cake is the capper. 3711 Market St.
 The Mint Julep at Franklin Mortgage and Investment Company - Photo Credit Jordan Wright The stylishly dark and intimate Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company doesn’t make loans in this former speakeasy, but it does make exquisite classic cocktails using a Kold-Draft icemaker for perfectly square cubes. Go for the ‘Serious Misgivings’ Punch – by the cup or bowl – suitable for sharing with fellow connoisseurs; or the ‘Blonde Redhead’ made with cognac, raspberry syrup rosewater and champagne. Mint juleps appear in a proper silver julep cup, and a concoction called ‘Queen Bitch’, uses Guyanese rum tricked up with Cocchi Americano, Genever gin, blanc vermouth and absinthe. 112 So. 18th St.
 JG Domestic - Photo Credit Jordan Wright Tucked into the atrium of the Cira Centre building is the raw wood farmhouse decor of Iron Chef Jose Garces’ restaurant JG Domestic. The design translates into a distinctive juxtaposition to the ultra-contemporary Cesar Pelli-designed skyscraper. The authentic Americana style, replete with trees and a wall of herbs and greenery, is a harbinger of farm-to-fork cuisine. Think of it as the East Coast’s version of the French Laundry. Begin with Iowa popcorn or hickory smoked Georgia pecans. Continue with cocktails like the Zephyr, made with gin, cucumber, orange cordial. The dinner menu features a section called “Tonight” with “Whole Animal” defining a dish crafted by using a farm raised animal in its entirety such as roast suckling Pennsylvania lamb, roasted leg and shoulder, crispy confit ribs and braised belly; or the indelibly memorable roast chicken. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner is adjacent to Amtrak’s 30th Street Station. 2929 Arch St.
URBAN GARDENING
 Volunteers from PHS with Tai Chi class - Photo credit Jordan Wright The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has rescued a scraggy lot at 20th and Market Streets in Center City converting it into a temporary paradise of raised-bed gardens featuring educational workshops for inner city kids. Situated beside Blue Cross Blue Shield’s headquarters the animal topiaries recycled from their famed annual Philadelphia Flower Show put this garden in a special category and reflect a kid-friendly design dynamic. Tai Chi classes and nighttime film screenings share space with arugula and heirloom tomatoes. The program donates veggies to local restaurants to create signature dishes. Proceeds from the sales of these dishes go to City Harvest, to distribute to the city’s food cupboards.
 Marathon Farm - Photo Credit Jordan Wright It takes more than guts to plant a garden in a sketchy down-at-the-heels neighborhood, it takes drive and sweat equity. This spring Patrick Dunn, formerly of the Emerald Street Urban Farm Project, commandeered the space in the Brewerytown neighborhood to raise crops and keep bees for Marathon’s multiple restaurants. A pop-up weekend farmers market caters to the locals. You can keep track of their efforts at www.marathonfarm.com; 27th and Master Sts.
 Greensgrow Farm - Photo Credit Jordan Wright In the Kensington section of Philadelphia the laidback vibe at Greensgrow Farm is courtesy of senior citizen and visionary, Mary Seton Corboy. Founder of the Neighborhood Urban Agriculture Coalition, the pixieish former DC resident, along with a battalion of volunteers, found a vacant lot, like the proverbial phoenix emerging from the ashes, created a California-hip organic gardens plus CSA, nursery and educational workshop. The engaging former political scientist turned farmer, is usually found on site dispensing savvy gardening tips to urban gardeners. 2501 East Cumberland St.; www.greensgrow.org.
LOCAL SUDS
 Philadelphia Brewing Company - Photo Credit Jordan Wright At the Philadelphia Brewing Company, housed in the 19th C former Weisbrod & Hess Brewery company, enjoy a tour and taste of their Philly-named beers, like Walt Wit, an unfiltered Belgian White-style ale; Harvest from the Hood; and Kensinger, a smooth golden ale. Named one of the nation’s top five sustainable breweries because they grow their own hops, some from an on-site courtyard garden where you’ll also spot a pedal-powered ‘spaceship’, last year’s entry in the Kinetic Sculpture Derby at the annual East Kensington Arts Fest parade. 2423-2439 Amber St.
STROKING YOUR ECO
 Terrain at Styer’s cafe - Photo Credit Jordan Wright
A few miles out of town in Glen Mills, the high end emporium Terrain at Styer’s is a must visit. The stunning store and garden center, brimming with natural spa products, garden furnishings and hand-carved kitchenware, also houses an adorable café. Dine on local seasonal delights such as Kennett Square mushroom skillet with fried egg, or cold minty pea soup in a rustic greenhouse dripping with baskets of fuschia and stag horn ferns. 914 Baltimore Pike; www.styers.shopterrain.com
GETTING THERE
Via Amtrak from Union Station to the Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station is less than 2 hours and around $50.00 each way. By car it’s a straight shot on I-95 to the Center City exit.
Jordan Wright
June 30, 2011
Special to The Washington Examiner
 Dromoland Castle Golf and Spa Resort is a short drive from Shannon Airport in southwest Ireland
 The Cliffs of Moher - photo credit Jordan Wright  Harpist on the Cliffs of Moher - photo credit Jordan
The lush terrain crisscrossing Ireland could break your heart with its raw beauty. In a landscape where bright yellow hedges of wild gorse mingle with the snowy blossoms of the blackthorn and thousands of kilometers of centuries-old stone walls delineate emerald green fields, black-faced sheep and honey-hued dairy cows graze languorously beneath an impossibly blue sky. For the traveler along the southern and western edge of the country in the counties of Cork, Limerick and Clare it is soul stirring.
From Shannon Airport in County Clare, we are just a few miles from our arrival at the lavish Dromoland Castle Golf and Spa Resort. Built in the 5thC by the O’Brien family, descendants of the High King of Ireland, Brian Boru, the turreted castle overlooks its own golf course and falconry school on 375 acres offering grand suites decorated in elegant country style and a wealth of sporting activities like fishing, clay shooting and horseback riding. Refined seasonally driven cuisine, helmed by noted chef David McCann, is reflected by roasted saddle of rabbit with leeks, clams and wild mushrooms in corn broth, filet of beef with a claret sauce, and chocolate coconut cream torte with red berry sauce.
 The gardens at Dromoland Castle - photo credit Jordan Wright  The falconer at Dromoland Castle - photo credit Jordan Wright From the castle it’s an easy drive to the limestone Cliffs of Moher on the southwest coast where guillemots and puffins frolic in Galway Bay beneath the shadow of O’Brien’s Tower. In the distance the Aran Islands, a much-visited area noted for Irish music and thatched roof buildings dating from the mid 1400’s, are reachable by ferry from the nearby town of Doolin.
South of Ballyvaughan, lunch is at Gregan’s Castle Hotel, a lovely Georgian-style manor house, where you can park your wellies by the door for a bite of local steamed lobster or the delicious Burren lamb. Expert local botanist, Tony Kirby, is there to escort us to The Burren National Park, and the iconic Poulnabrone Dolmen Monument. The preserve is a beautifully desolate glacial karst of 98,000 acres filled with over 70% of Ireland’s native plants.
Throughout the countryside of this Neolithic land, are over 30,000 ‘ringforts’ and ancient stone monuments that speak of a civilization conceived before the pyramids of Egypt. Conquered in turns by Celts, Gaels, Vikings, Visigoths and Normans, tribes built these ‘ringforts’ or ‘raths’. But were they used for faeries or farmers? Forts or sites for pagan mating rituals? No matter. The myths and mysteries, where Christian abbeys coexist with medieval castles and two million-year old subterranean rivers and caves, beckon the explorer.
 The salad course of asparagus and morels at The K Club - photo credit Jordan Wright  Local oysters at the Farm Gate Cafe in Cork - photo credit Jordan Wright A trip to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, built in 1425, offers a glimpse of “knight” life. Stroll through the restored village to reach the castle keep where period-costumed lords and ladies invite you to make merry with a bawdy madrigal concert and medieval banquet in the great dining hall. Traditional fare includes mead, braised beef and raspberry fool.
The following day we arrive through the magnificent gates of the luxurious 19thC Castlemartyr Resort. This extraordinary country estate, once owned by Sir Walter Raleigh, sits on 220 pastoral acres and has an 800-year old castle ruins that was once home to the Knights Templar. A pair of perfectly matched Kerry bog ponies-with-cart trots us around the gardens before cocktails in the clubby Knight’s Bar. On the veranda a black-and-white themed wedding of stunning young royals plays out before we segué into the dining room for a sumptuous six-course dinner of Ballycotton prawns with artichoke puree and truffles, ballantine of foie gras, sea bass with coastal mussels and chervil, and Hereford beef with a potato terrine and carrot fondant.
Morning brings us to Cork to visit the famed English Market, a food emporium chock-a-block with local fish, meats and farm products. Upstairs at Farmgate Café we lunch on Atlantic oysters, grilled lemon sole and rhubarb fool paired with a crisp Verdicchio from the Le Marche region.
 Kerry Bog ponies at Castlemartyr - photo credit Jordan Wright Traveling along the Celtic Sea we reach the quaint fishing village of Cobh. Home to the Royal Cork Yacht Club, it served as the final departure point for the RMS Titanic’s ill-fated maiden voyage. From the town’s quay we set out on a bracing sea safari in a 12-seat RIB boat past Spike Island. On the way to Kinsale we watch grey seals and bottlenose dolphins cavorting in the calm waters beneath the soaring cliffs.
 The lighthouse at Old Head Golf Links - photo credit Jordan Wright Perched above the Atlantic Ocean is the Old Head Golf Links, where duffers like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicholson summon the golf gods. We enjoy a casual lunch of cod and chips on the outdoor patio of the Lusitania Bar where if you’re lucky you’ll see one of 15 species of whales. The tony club has recently added contemporary-designed suites and a spa for overnight guests.
Back at Castlemartyr a massage and facial before a short walk into the village of Straffan to Pat Shortt’s Pub for a farm-style dinner while enjoying a rollicking evening of traditional Irish folk music. A fish chowder of ling, haddock and salmon, beef braised in Beamish stout, and apple rhubarb crumble accompany pints of Black and Tans, made with half Guinness stout and half Smithwick’s ale.
 The K Club's ghillie - photo credit Jordan Wright A mid-morning stop at the old Jameson Distillery, then on to The K Club, a 19th C Georgian manor along the Liffey River. The drive takes us past the Galtee Mountains and through ‘The Golden Vale’ where the counties of Limerick, Tipperary and Cork meet. Sporting two 18-hole Arnold Palmer designed courses, The Kildare Hotel Spa and Country Club, as it is otherwise known, is home to the Ryder Cup and a favorite haunt of US Presidents and rock stars. Tea, scones and watercress finger sandwiches followed by a sampling of Ireland’s most exquisite cheeses – creamy St. Killian, tangy Cashel Blue, wonderfully lemony Cratloe Hills and the earthy Milleens.
Out on the green a challenging fly fishing lesson with the estate’s ghillie precedes a tour of the hotel’s museum-quality collection of paintings, tapestries and sculptures (Of historical note – a framed signing of the Belfast Agreement which took place here). Then off for a massage and dip in the indoor pool.
The evening’s adventure beckons as we wend our way down a narrow hidden stairwell to find a world-class wine collection in the castle’s cellar. Sipping champagne and nibbling on salmon canapés by candlelight, we gasp discreetly over rooms filled floor-to-ceiling with extraordinary vintages, Pomerol, Montrachet, Petrus, Medoc and Champagne, some dating back to the 1920’s.
At dinner Chef Finbar Higgins, and his staff of 18 Michelin-star graduates signal serious dining in the private Pantheon Suite with luscious langoustines, oysters topped with citrus foam and a risotto strewn with morels.
 Jeremy and stable boy at The National Stud - photo by Jordan Wright Daybreak brings the fifth straight day of sunshine and we’re off to Tully in County Kildare and the Irish National Stud to visit the Horse Museum, Japanese Gardens and stables of priceless breeding stallions. It was a premier stop for Queen Elizabeth on her recent royal tour of Ireland.
We head for Dublin and begin with a tour of the historic Guinness Storehouse, where they are currently celebrating 252years of brewing beer. We learn that Guinness sells a staggering 10 million glasses every day in over 150 countries around the world. A top-notch lunch of Irish mussels in Guinness cream, Irish beef Stew and chocolate mousse topped with red currants is prepared for us by chef Justin O’Connor in the private Rainsford Room. On site are two public restaurants, The Brewer’s Dining Hall and The Gilroy Restaurant and The Gravity Bar 144 feet up affording spectacular views of Dublin.
 Pimm's cup before dinner at The Fitzwilliam Hotel - photo credit Jordan Wright Arrive at The Fitzwilliam Hotel, a super-glam contemporary hotel across from the tranquil gardens of St. Stephen’s Green and a stone’s throw from the best shops on Grafton Street.
Pimm’s Cup served in the penthouse garden before strolling over to the ornate yet very hip The Cliff House Townhouse, a beautifully restored Georgian period hotel and restaurant. East Coast potted monkfish, braised Fermanagh lamb with confit shoulder and garlic sauce, chocolate tart with candied orange and petit fours.
After breakfast in bed we walk to St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Trinity College to see The Book of Kells, dropping in at the Queen of Hearts, a perfectly adorable tea shop, to gather up some lemon scones and apple crumble.
Lunch at the Avoca Café, a charming upscale general store cum food hall with a rooftop garden restaurant and eight cookbooks to its name. Chunky ‘chips’ cooked in duck fat, a coconut-crusted sea bream tempura with nam jim sauce, and apple crumble.
 Sweets at the Queen of Hearts - photo credit Jordan  Jam session in St. Stephen's Green - photo credit Jordan Wright City sightseeing by double-decker bus and back to The Fitzwilliam for an imaginative dinner prepared by famed Irish chef, Kevin Thornton, whose Michelin-starred restaurant, Thornton’s, is in the hotel. Dublin Bay prawns with prawn bisque and sabayon, Bere Island scallops with truffle mousse, noisette of Sikka deer with potato gnocchi and Valrhona chocolate sauce, and lemon tart with cassis sorbet. Beautiful ingredients exquisitely prepared.
Sadly we catch our flight back to the States at the crack of dawn, treasuring our memories of the rugged Atlantic coast, green-canopied roads and baronial castles beside picturesque farms, of tiny villages and the cosmopolitan city of Dublin.
Still in our thoughts are the hearty breakfasts, redolent of thick-cut bacon and homemade sausages, house-cured salmon served on hearty brown bread smeared with sweet butter, poached eggs with marigold-hued centers and glass pots of fresh yoghurt. Today’s modern Irish chefs have launched the ‘new’ Irish cuisine and that radical culinary shift is the country’s most recent appeal.
For a guided tour of The Burren. www.heartofburrenwalks.com
For the sea safari. www.safari.ie
For more information on Ireland visit www.tourismireland.com
June 7, 2011
By Jordan Wright
Special to The Washington Examiner
 Old Montreal and Old Port of Montreal. Photo Tourisme Montreal Bordered by the St. LaurentRiver, Montreal is a French-speaking food- and culture-obsessed city, with a progressive, hip vibe. It boasts more than 90 festivals to choose from each year and is only about an hour and a half flight from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Air Canada.
Chill Out at Le St-Martin HotelParticulier Downtown, a charmerof a boutique hotel in the downtownarea. It’s great for shopping andnightlife and a short hop to the historicsection of Old Montreal. Info:980 De Maisonneuve Blvd. Ouest.514-843-3000. lestmartinmontreal.com
Get your groove on at the Montreal Jazz Fest from June 25 until July 4 with hot headliners Abby Lincoln, Robert Plant, Diana Kralland more playing at venues around the city. Other ticketed shows like bossa nova faves Marinda + Solari perform on the Bateau Mouche,where you can enjoy dinner and anighttime cruise at the same time. Or catch the throwback group Return to the Future, starring Chick Corea, Jean Luc Ponty and Stanley Clarke as they revisit the classics. Info: montrealjazzfest.com.
In the Old City, stroll through the open-air art gallery featuring more than 100 exhibitors, 40 street performers and multimedia at the Festival International Montreal en Arts on Sainte-Catherine Street. Info: June 29 to July 3. festivaldesarts.org
The International Fireworks Competition dazzles on Saturdays and a few Wednesdays from June 25 to July 30. The spectacular “pyromusical” displays are hosted by eight countries, with a Beatles tribute on the final day. Held at La Ronde, a Six Flags amusement park, on the Ile Sainte Helene. Info: For tickets and park information, visit laronde.com.
Cirque du Soleil, whose headquarters are in Montreal, presents Totem, a new show about the evolutionary progress of mankind, from June 16 to July 31 under the Grand Chapiteau at the Old Port. Info: For tickets visit cirquedusoleil.com.
 Festival International de Jazz de Montreal Chow down at Schwartz’s Deli.Fans line up for this Montreal institution’s daily-smoked meat sandwiches and steaks. Order a brisket sandwich with a side of half-sour pickles and fries downed with a Cott’s Black Cherry soda.Info: 3895 Saint-Laurent Blvd.
The chic, sleek Restaurant Europea,voted 2010’s restaurant of the year by the Guide Debeur, is helmed by acclaimed chef Jerome Ferrer, who sources Quebecois products for his elegant cuisine. Choose the chef’s tasting menu starting with creamy lobster cappucino and followed by nine more inventive courses. Info: 1227 de la Montaigne. 514-398-9229.
Visit the Marche Jean-Talon food market and you’ll find an astounding array of meat, local cheeses, chocolates, breads, luscious pastries and fresh produce purveyors as well as nine cafes to relax in. Titillate your senses at Olives & Epices with the finest herbs, spices and olive oils. Across the square the casual Soupe Soup offers dozens of delicious rustic-style soups daily. Info: 7020 Rue Casgrain.
Verses Restaurant showcases French contemporary cuisine at the Hotel Nelligan in the Old Quarter. Stand outs include the Smoked Bison Tartare with red berry syrup, Porc Nagano with De Puy lentils, potato gnocchi and truffle carpaccio. Get your sweet fix with the lovely Vacherin, a meringue made with dried flowers and filled with tea-infused citrusy sorbets. Finish with cocktails on the rooftop bar overlooking the Old Port and Notre Dame Basilica. Info: 100 Saint-PaulSt. West. 514-788-4000.
Jordan Wright
January 2011
Special to the Washington Examiner and the San Francisco Examiner
 Cross-country skiing at the Vail Nordic Center - image by Cody Downerd  Cross country skiing at the Vail Nordic Center - image courtesy of Cody Downerd Straight out of the chute the coolest thing you’ll notice about Vail is that it’s a world-class ski resort without attitude, where status is measured in how many runs you packed in that morning or the cut of your stem christie. With its young, hip vibe and chic Tyrolean style, it appeals to both the adventure-minded thrill-seeker and the sophisticated traveler. As host to rarified-air athletes and celebs who relax and rehab in lavishly appointed hotels, spas and clinics (Lance Armstrong trains here along with top NHL, NBA and MLB players.), it is also perfectly suited to active families who prefer spending their quality time outdoors.
Adding to the fun is the mega-watt vibe from edgy-hip “boarders”, the surfers of the alpine world, who bunk ten-to-a-condo and speak in half pipe terms. That everyone shares the same turf, both on the slopes and after dark, is what makes Vail so appealing.
When you drive into Vail from reliably snow-cleared Interstate 70, the Bavarian-style village appears through the mist like Brigadoon. A visually impressive locale that consistently ranks as the number one ski resort in the US, everything is pleasantly accessible. You’ll find major hotels, restaurants and shops situated on or near a 1.3-mile oval road at the base of the mountains and served by public shuttles that make twelve strategic stops around the village every five minutes. In addition some hotels have private shuttles that chauffeur guests to their destinations. So after check-in, there is really no need to reacquaint yourself with your rent-a-car.
Riding the shuttle beats transportation at other winter resorts where navigating precipitous, icy and unfamiliar roads is the only way to get around. Here everyone’s in on the fun from entire bridal parties to skiers and boarders making their way to the lifts, and couples dressed to the nines out for a night on the town. Before long you’ll be clued in to trail conditions and sharing shopping tips with complete strangers.
Entering Vail Village across the sparkling Gore Creek and through the quaint covered bridge, the recent $1 billion dollar renaissance is everywhere. Streets and sidewalks have been replaced with heated cobblestone walkways, evoking Old World charm and providing safe pedestrian passage. And with 180 inches of cumulative snow so far this season it’s important to get to the slopes…and the shops…without a pre-trail tumble.
There is so much to do in Vail, even if you haven’t a mind to schuss down a snow-covered mountain at 60 mph. Take the heated glass-enclosed Vail Mountain gondola up to Adventure Ridge, a family-friendly destination that houses the Nature Discovery Center in a large green yurt, and check out the kid-sized snowmobiles, skiing and tubing. After enjoying spectacular 360° views of the surrounding Rocky mountains and seven magnificent back bowls beckoning to be conquered, you can pop in to Bistro Fourteen for drinks and relax with three-cheese fondue or buffalo carpaccio before riding the gondola or skiing your way back down into Lionshead Village.
 Ice Show at Solaris Ice Rink - image courtesy of Solaris  Bol at Solaris - Image courtesy of Solaris Back in the heart of Vail Village at the brand new Solaris Plaza is the stunning outdoor 6,500 square-foot Solaris Ice Rink. Designed by Denver artist and sculptor Lawrence Argent, it opened to the public last month with an ice show featuring world-class silver medalist, Patrick Chan. Also at Solaris is böl, a sleek scene-stealer of a bowling alley. With an eclectic menu, guest DJs, and cushy leather sofas, it offers over 100 wines, 30 specialty beers and artisanal cocktails. It was it one of five locations around the country for E!’s New Year’s Eve countdown. In the same complex is CinéBistro, a movie theatre where nibbles and sips are served seat-side. For indoor skating there’s the close-by Dobson Ice Arena where future Michelle Kwans can share the ice with national hockey players.
The Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum Hall of Fame is a must-see with a small theatre showing archival footage of the rugged 10th Mountain Division training at local Camp Hale circa World War II in anticipation of guarding the nation’s borders. Exhibits reflect their influence on Colorado’s emergent ski industry and display artifacts from the early years of skiing and snowboarding.
In winter the town’s 18-hole golf course becomes the Vail Nordic Center where cross-country skiers have a 17-kilometer trail of set track, and there’s snowshoeing on 10 kilometers of natural beauty. Snowshoes and cross-country ski rentals are available on site. For snowboarding, skiing or ice climbing equipment rental or purchase, there’s the Bag and Pack Shop carrying apparel from Patagonia, North Face and Eagle Creek. Christy Sports is another good bet for everything else in sports gear.
Where to stay
 Vail Cascade Resort and Spa - image courtesy of the resort  The fire pit at Vail Cascade Resort and Spa - image courtesy of the hotel Vail Cascade Resort and Spa promotes itself as the only ski-in/ski-out resort in Vail. A spectacular property, it is rated a Top 20 World’s Best Family Hotel by Travel + Leisure and is Vail’s only AAA Four-Diamond ski resort providing condo and home rentals as well as hotel accommodations. The hotel recently enjoyed a $20 million facelift that included a new heated infinity pool and hot tubs overlooking Gore Creek. Be prepared for rooms that are small by comparison to other luxury resorts. Though they make up for that with the gorgeous Aria Spa and Club, and their state-of-the-art fitness center offering an indoor track and tennis courts, as well as indoor basketball and racquetball courts in 78,000 sq. ft. of recreation facilities.
Atwater on Gore Creek is the resort’s premier restaurant helmed by Chef Adam Votaw. Braised Lamb Gnocchi and hen of the woods mushrooms with chestnut velouté reflect the season along with Korabuta Tenderloin with cranberry red cabbage, pork belly and caraway spaetzle. Plan on making reservations well in advance as one evening a month the dining room is transformed into a romantic retreat when electric light is banished in favor of hundreds of candles. Later guests can gather beneath the stars to toast s’mores over the fire pit.
 The Arrabelle at Vail Square - image courtesy of RockResorts The Arabelle at Vail Square is a two-year-old posh property constructed in a rustic Austrian style. Spacious rooms with fireplaces and large bathrooms with jetted soaking tubs and personal concierges who attend to your every need make this magnificent resort in the heart of Vail Village very desirable. Also available are 25 private residences with fully equipped gourmet kitchens and up to five bedrooms. RockResorts Spa at the Arrabelle, a 10,000 sq. ft. complex, incorporates mountain essences like silver sage, mint, rosemary and juniper in its deluxe body and facial treatments.
 Four Seasons Resort Vail - image courtesy of Four Seasons The brand new Four Seasons Resort Vail opened its doors only last month. In addition to five-star luxury hotel rooms and suites the grand hotel also offers private residential rentals. Jason Harrison, formerly at the Bellagio in Las Vegas is the top toque at Flame Restaurant preparing aged steaks and earthy comfort foods like Slow-Braised Pot Roast with horseradish potatoes, French beans and cheddar biscuits, or Tea-Smoked Rack of Venison. Sides of broiled marrow or truffled Comté fritters would satisfy any frostbitten gourmand. On the lighter side sushi chefs prepare fresh sashimi, nigiri and specialty rolls to snack on in the hotel’s Fireside Lounge.
After a grueling day on the slopes the 75-meter heated pool with a view of Vail Mountain awaits. Saunas and steam rooms ease aching muscles, while at the spa the signature Ginseng Facial Treatment uses circulation-boosting jade rollers and sybarites can splurge on the Spirit of the Rockies Couples Body Treatment.
Kids get special attention too with child-size bathrobes and slippers and kid-friendly menus in all the restaurants. The resort will arrange every kind of winter activity imaginable including horse-drawn sleigh rides and even dog sledding.
More Dining in Vail
 The Bar at Kelly Liken - image by Jordan Wright Kelly Liken – Owned by celeb chef and namesake Kelly Liken, a contestant on Top Chef America and one of three finalists on Bravo’s Top Chef, this intimate and stylish modern space is one of the hottest tickets in town as evidenced by Liken’s loyal following. A small but well-chosen wine list by Liken’s husband and sommelier, Rick Colomitz, complements the inventive locally-sourced cuisine. Stand-out Maitre d’, Ricki Lane, is there to guide you through your choices. Don’t miss the Elk Carpaccio and the Potato Crusted Trout Filets typical of her Colorado cuisine. And opt for the signature cocktails made with Cap Rock Colorado Gin or Vodka.
 Larkspur's Wagyu Beef Carpaccio with truffle strips - image by Jordan Wright Larkspur – Hand-crafted cocktails and high-end gourmet cuisine are served in this softly-lit very swank spot in the Golden Peak area. Exquisite service, coupled with an incomparable wine list of 5,000 bottles from over 500 labels, signal serious destination dining. Recommended: Chef Armando Navarro’s Duo of Colorado Lamb with white beans, tomato confit and roasted artichoke and the Mediterranean Sea Bass with fennel purée, piperade, wild greens and tapenade. Anything deft mixologist Chris David conjures up is divine.
La Tour – Chef/Owner Paul Ferzacca’s and Executive Chef Chase Wilbanks’ French fare is innovative and delicious, consistently garnering rave reviews. This month restarts the six-course tasting menu and hugely successful “Bacon Dinners”, featuring different organic bacon from around the country. Specialties include Sautéed Red Ruby Trout with chanterelle mushrooms and Serrano ham with butternut squash ginger coulis, and Seafood Bouillabaisse with saffron risotto in a tomato fennel broth. This is where to find the best Crème Brulée and Chocolate Pot de Crème.
Terra Bistro – A pioneer in the green movement when they opened and eco-conscious to the max, this attractive restaurant features an all-natural mainly organic menu and a vibrant bar scene. Get an early start to the evening with their “Appy Hour”. Trendy fare includes the Tequila and Sage Chicken Tamale with caldo verde, salsa crudo and cucumber cream, and Muscovy Duck Breast with chipotle-chocolate fig sauce and cranberry bread stuffing.
The Tap Room – For young singles and scenemakers this get-your-groove-on hangout at the base of the mountain has casual fare and great hamburgers in a well-known Vail hot spot.
The Westside Café – Funky and eclectic. Where locals go for a hearty home-style breakfast any time of the day.
Samana Lounge – A Euro-inspired small club that starts the evening as an intimate lounge with live bands, and ends up a high-octane late night dance spot. Karaoke and international DJs keep it rocking till the wee hours.
Vendetta’s – This popular hangout is where you’ll rub shoulders with landed gentry locals and hyper bar-hoppers. Fine Italian cuisine on the first level, then climb the stairs for pizza and beer and a high-decibel scene.
Shopping
 Karats Vail - Heather Trub - Avid Design - Golden Rings Vail’s shops run the gamut from hot couture fashion to the hippest grunge snowboarder gear, to fine art and collectibles.
Karats Jewelry Gallery– One of Colorado’s best-known jewelers, owner Dan Telleen incorporates stunning exotica like ancient 2500 year-old Greek coins, 500 million-year-old trilobite fossils and even sinuous snake vertebrae with gold, silver and precious gems to craft his unique designer jewelry.
Pismo Contemporary Art Glass – Colorado’s largest collection of contemporary glass art and jewelry by both new and emerging artists and world-renowned glassblowers like Dale Chihuly.
 The Gorsuch store in Vail - image courtesy of Gorsuch Gorsuch – The premier apparel store for haute couture ski and après-ski clothing for men and women. With lines from Bogner, Roberto Cavalli, Botttega Veneta and so much more, this is the gold standard for ultra-chic looks both on the slopes and off.
 Art Glass at the Pismo Gallery - image by Jordan Wright Squash Blossom – Original fine art, bronze sculptures, one-of-a-kind jewelry, art glass and collectibles featuring international and local artists. Their other in-town location, The Cogswell Gallery is known for their beautiful collection of Native American beadwork, weavings, pottery and jewelry.
One Track Mind – The trendy destination for edgy snowboarder apparel and top-of-the-line equipment.
Jordan Wright
December 2010
Special to the Washington Examiner and San Francisco Examiner
Charlottesville and The Piedmont
 The Boar's Head Inn at Christmas - photo courtesy of the inn The Boar’s Head Inn is a perfect destination for couples or families. Horse and carriage rides with a Blue Ridge backdrop, breakfast with Santa, Christmas Dinner in the Old Mill and gingerbread workshops are some of the holiday activities to choose from. New Year’s Eve celebrations feature the Kings of Swing and Executive Chef Bill Justus’ lavish Virginia-centric menu offering choices like Braised Veal Cheek Ravioli with Wild Mushrooms, Porcini Marmalade and Leek Froth, Beef Carpaccio with Watercress, Arugula and White Truffle Oil, Lobster Consommé with Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Lobster Quenelles, and Stuffed Veal Chop with Foie Gras, Black Truffle, Fontina and Prosciutto with Chestnut Spaetzle and Brussels Sprouts. Desserts will wow with Green Apple Terrine with Vanilla Bean Sponge and Mascarpone Sabayon, and Milk Chocolate Gateau with Chocolate Mousse, Kettle Corn and Banana Rum Ice Cream.
For a special treat the “Radio City Christmas Spectacular Package” includes dinner, overnight stay and tickets to see The Rockettes perform in nearby Charlottesville. Luxuriate in the full-service spa or hit the state-of-the-art fitness center and sports club offering indoor tennis and dozens of classes in zumba, yoga and kickboxing.
 Christmas at Keswick Hall - photo courtesy of the inn Keswick Hall’s 48-room Tuscan-style villa sets the gold standard for luxury country inns in Virginia. Enjoy underwater music in the outdoor heated pool, beauty treatments in the spa and fitness facilities, or just relax in the 400-volume library and Tea Room with antique snooker table. In the evenings chestnuts will roast and s’mores will melt on an open fire. Ladle creamy hot chocolate from a copper pot beside the grand fireplace in the hotel’s spacious lobby. On Christmas Eve there’s caroling and a special holiday Sunday Brunch is served throughout December.
Christmas dinner at Fossett’s offers plenty of choices from recently named “Rising Star Chef”, Dean Maupin. Indulge in his Maine lobster bisque, Osetra caviar, seared foie gras, Wagyu beef, Rack of Fluvanna County lamb or Carolina Flounder. For dessert traditional Buche de Noel beckons, as does an over-the-top version of Sticky Toffee Pudding.
At the nearby Barboursville Winery’s upscale Palladio Restaurant Executive Chef Melissa Close Hart, who has prepared many a meal at New York’s James Beard House, cooks her delicate version of Northern Italian cuisine that pairs brilliantly with the estate’s wines. Most products are sourced from local farms and the exquisite pasta is house made.
While staying in the area view Colonial holiday decorations at nearby Montpelier, the home of James Madison, and at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s house and gardens. For ski and snowboarding facilities Wintergreen Resort is about an hour’s drive away.
www.boarsheadinn.com
www.keswick.com
www.barboursvillewine.net
www.montpelier.org
www.monticello.org
On Maryland’s Eastern Shore
 The Inn at 202 Dover - photo courtesy of the inn The Inn at 202 Dover in Easton, MD is certainly one of the most stunning mansions on the Eastern Shore. Boasting five-star luxury appointments, an elegant library, glass conservatory and antique-filled rooms, it has only five suites, each a private themed retreat with six-foot jetted Jacuzzis and in-room saunas and gas fireplaces.
Ron and Shelby Mitchell, transplanted New Yorkers, have brought a sophisticated dynamic to the art of innkeeping. On New Year’s Eve guests will be dancing to DC music man Joe Holt and singer Beth MacDonald following a five-course dinner in the intimate Peacock Restaurant prepared by the inn’s Cordon Bleu-trained Chef Mark Knipp, formerly Chef de Partie at The Inn at Little Washington. They’ll have a four-course dinner with dishes like Poached Carolina Flounder with Sun-dried Tomato Meyer Lemon Risotto, Roast Duckling Gabor with Chestnuts with Pistachios, Vanilla-Poached Lobster with Truffled Root Vegetables, Tournedos of Beef Tenderloin with Truffle Mushroom Port Jus and Cippolino Onion and Potato Puree. Dessert is a decadent Chocolate Flourless Torte with Chambord and Chantilly Cream.
Convivial young hosts, Jordan and Alice Lloyd opened the Bartlett Pear Inn in a 220-year old home in Easton, MD. Jordan, who trained with French chef extraordinaire Michel Richard at Citronelle and Thomas Keller at New York’s Per Se, emerged with his own style, reworking classic dishes with a clean finish. The small bar has become a big draw among upscale locals, but the food is the main draw at this very pretty pear-themed property in Easton, MD. New Year’s Eve dinner features a five-course dinner. Roasted Chestnut Soup with Duck Leg Confit, Truffled Maitake Mushroom Velouté Fricassee, Chicken Ballotine with Truffled Sweetbreads, Roasted Apple and Madeira Wine Jus, Braised Beef Short Ribs with Potato Agnolotti are a few of the choices on this elegant menu that finishes with Bûche de Nöel, Pavlova with Pomegranate Sorbet or Valrhona Hot Chocolate with house made Sugar Doughnuts.
 The Robert Morris Inn - photo courtesy of the inn In Oxford, MD America’s oldest inn dates back to 1710. This year the historic Robert Morris Inn, recently purchased by British hotelier, Ian Fleming, celebrates 300 years in operation. In period-inspired guest rooms you can channel your inner James Michener…he outlined his sweeping saga “Chesapeake” here overlooking the Tred Avon River.
On Christmas Day renowned international chef and proprietor Mark Salter will serve an eclectic menu of favorites culled from his background in Welsh, Scottish, British and French cuisine with dishes like Potato Soup with Lobster and Chives, Oysters Rockefeller with Spinach, Bacon and Parmesan Cheese, Chicken Liver Parfait with Beet Apple Chutney and Toasted Brioche, Seared Scallops with char-grilled Red Onion, Scottish Salmon with French Lentils and Kale, Smoked Bacon and Five-Onion Sauce, Pennsylvania Dutch Turkey and Baked Ham with Sage, Onion and Chestnut stuffing, Grilled Tenderloin of Beef with layered Goat Cheese and Potato and Truffled Celery Root Purée with Madeira-Black Pepper Jus. Desserts beckon with a traditional Christmas Pudding, Caramelized Apple and Frangipane Tart and Milk Chocolate Crème Brûlée with Hazelnut Shortbread. A jazz band accompanies the lavish five-course The New Year’s Eve dinner beginning with champagne and canapés.
 Christmas tree at The Inn at Perry Cabin - photo courtesy of the inn The Inn at Perry Cabin is a magnificent destination resort with a chic nautical look reminiscent of the Ralph Lauren style. It overlooks the Miles River within walking distance of the Victorian village of St. Michael’s, MD. Executive Chef Greg Brandberg, who earned his stripes under Lydia Bastianich and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, brings an Eastern Shore sensibility. Brandberg plans a sumptuous Christmas feast that includes, Yellow Fin Tuna and Local Crab, Maine Lobster Bisque and Oysters Rockefeller, Grilled Scottish Salmon with Port Wine Glaze, Herb Roasted Beef Tenderloin and Juniper-Scented Braised Pork.
The inn’s New Year’s Eve gala features Herb Stuffed Pheasant Roulade, Atlantic Halibut with Black Trumpet Mushrooms, and Beef Wellington plus a ballroom dedicated to divine desserts made by Pastry Chef Elise Broz who will ring in the New Year by featuring over 20 different delectable sweets. The ten-piece Eric Felten Jazz Orchestra will play big band standards á la Cole Porter, Duke Ellington and Gershwin. How romantic!
Throughout December horse-drawn wagons ferry passengers around historic downtown Easton, and on New Year’s Eve the town hosts “First Night Talbot” with a parade of sea creature puppets led by a giant mermaid. Bands, gospel choirs, jugglers and scads of other family-friendly acts perform around town culminating in fireworks and a countdown to the kitschy, must-see “Crab Drop”.
The beautifully restored Avalon Theatre in downtown Easton plays host over the holidays to a Messiah Sing In night and DC’s Eric Byrd Trio doing “A Charlie Brown Christmas”.
www.innat202dover.com
www.bartlettpearinn.com
www.robertmorrisinn.com
www.perrycabin.com
www.theavalon.org
www.easternshore.com/firstnighttalbot
On Virginia’s Northern Neck
 The Hope and Glory Inn - photo courtesy of the inn The Hope and Glory in the tiny town of Irvington, VA is a circa 1890 former schoolhouse now bed and breakfast, whose proprietors Dudley and Peggy Patteson encourage its guests to talk amongst themselves. With a zinc-topped bar encourages collegial truancy it sports No. 2 pencils and black-and-white composition books to write down your drink order. A large reception area with desks, chess boards and a welcoming fireplace offers itself up for reading a book, sipping a cocktail or meeting your fellow travelers.
The harvest table prompts guests to share their adventures at their wonderful breakfast. Painted furniture, overstuffed chairs and antiques mix chock-a-block with stylish décor in an irreverent elegance. No frilly doilies or tea cozies here. It feels just like home…decorated by Aunt Martha Stewart.
Since dinner is not available at the inn the hip Nate’s Trick Dog Restaurant, which had its ups and downs in the past, has bounced back with new chef-to-watch Nate Myers, who along with his wife Courtney have recently resurrected the cool vibe and eclectic food.
Look for creative and deliciously memorable cuisine driven by bold fusion flavors. Myers will serve a couples-oriented holiday menu for Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day with classic French dishes like Cassoulet, Chateaubriand, and a deconstructed Beef Wellington.
 The Tides Inn at Christmas - photo courtesy of The Tides Inn Also in Irvington The Tides Inn is one of the country’s most distinctive resorts. Four generations of the Stephens family have been welcoming both DC area and international guests to the hotel’s 106 rooms and suites since 1947 by yacht or motorcar to this quietly luxurious top-drawer destination on Virginia’s Northern Neck. Chef Thomas Flynn plans several different four-course dinners for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. A few choices are the Rappahannock Oysters with pickled watermelon salsa and Tamarind Ginger Sauce, She-Crab Soup, Herb Roasted Chesapeake Bay Rockfish, Pecan Crusted Rack of Lamb with Cranberry Gastrique and always their famous Crab Cakes. Desserts range from White Chocolate Crème Brûlée to Triple Chocolate Bread Pudding. Be sure to book an appointment to enjoy the posh spa.
www.hopeandglory.com
www.trickdogcafe.com
www.tidesinn.com
In Richmond
 The lobby of The Jefferson Hotel - photo courtesy of the hotel The Jefferson Hotel is one of the nation’s most spectacular historic properties. Built in 1895 to compete with Europe’s most magnificent hotels, everything about it spells graciousness and grandeur. Executive Chef Walter Bundy, who trained with Mark Miller in Santa Fe and Thomas Keller in the Napa Valley, grows herbs in the hotel’s garden and includes a myriad of gorgeous vegetables with his main dishes. He will be serving such delicious offerings as Bourbon Braised Ayrshire Farm Pork Belly with Apple Cider Gastrique, Diver Scallops with Ginger Infused Vanilla Bean Orange Butter, and Loch Duart Salmon with Spicy Spaghetti Squash, Edwards & Sons Surryano Ham and Cauliflower Coulis. Desserts are unique and non-traditional – Peanut Butter Semifreddo with Dark Chocolate Ganache, Pumpkin and Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with Bourbon Anglaise and Pumpkin Seed Tuile, and a Pear Raisin Cobbler. If you are there for the weekend be sure to enjoy the spoon bread at their legendary Sunday brunch served in the Rotunda beneath soaring 70-foot ceilings. Tweaked and lightened up Southern classics like Surry County Sausage Stuffing, Jamerson Farms Brunswick Stew, and Jefferson Spoonbread share space with all the other fabulous brunch items.
While in town catch the Richmond Ballet’s Nutcracker, hop a free ride on the horse-drawn sleigh rides around Carytown, visit the newly renovated Virginia Museum of Fine Arts open 365 days of the year including free access to their exhibitions on Christmas Day, and see the festive display of lights at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.
www.jeffersonhotel.com
www.vmfa.state.va.us
www.lewisginter.org
www.richmondballet.com
Jordan Wright
June 2010
 Lena Mae Brown's Carolina Gold Plantation Rice Pudding at the home of Campbell and Meredith Coxe - photo by Jordan Wright A quest for the traditional “receipts” of the Old South and the emerging epicurean landscape of the New South drew me to tour South Carolina on a nine-day culinary adventure. Along the way my partner and I sampled pickled cherries, okra, mushrooms and leeks and beheld gleaming glass jars of green beans and purple baby beets. From top restaurants to roadside stands we tasted blackberry, raspberry and tomato jams and jellies and reveled in the fresh fish and shellfish from oceans, rivers, and bays starring on every menu.
We found the art of charcuterie enjoying a revival with chefs preparing their own rillettes, patés, terrines and dry-cured sausages. Here and there refrigerated walk-ins were crammed to bursting with whole pig’s heads, pork belly, fresh sausages from hogs and rabbits and bacon…tender, salty and smoky…to flavor antelope, quail and earthy slow-cooked greens.
We met and dined with chefs whose kitchens were a hive of creativity and experimentation, and whose near-religious devotion to local and sustainable foods was palpable. Notable American cooks from Greenville and Latta, to Charleston, Pawley’s Island and Beaufort are adapting and reinterpreting Southern flavors, adding French Haute Cuisine, Nouvelle French, American Modern, Mediterranean, and Pacific Rim influences to their gastronomic conversation to create a new Southern gastronomic paradigm.
Below I give you some of the most delectably innovative food we feasted on and the historic properties where we were ensconced. Follow my dishes, if just vicariously now, until you can visit for yourself. I wouldn’t want you to miss a morsel.
Upcountry Greenville
 Pickled beans, okra, cucumbers, cherries, peppers and turnips at High Cotton - photo by Jordan Wright  Shrimp and Grits at High Cotton - photo by Jordan Wright  Greenville's Reedy River as seen from High Cotton Restaurant - photo by Jordan Wright Brunch at High Cotton with Executive Chef Anthony Gray: Elderflower Mojitos;Shrimp and Grits with Fried Green Tomatoes, Braised Beef Benedict, slathered in pimento cheese and Carolina sweet onion gravy; Plum Cobbler with peach ice cream. Chef Gray is a font of information about local farmers and growers and proudly turns locally produced Spanish heritage Ossabaw hogs from Caw Caw Creek farm into his own charcuterie.
Rejunvenated at: The Spa at West End with a Volcanic Earth Clay Ritual, Sea Salt Body Scrub and a totally addictive Vichy Shower. In case you’ve not had one yet it is a long horizontal wand with seven large showerheads attached. You lie on a soft shallow bed while a steady stream of warm water pours over your entire body. It is sheer bliss… like a tropical rain forest during a downpour but without the bugs! As soon as it started I hoped it would never stop.
 Calamari Salad at The Lazy Goat in Greenville - photo by Jordan Wright  Roasted Banana Pudding at The Lazy Goat - photo by Jordan Wright  Fried Branzino stuffed with crabmeat and preserved lemons - photo by Jordan Wright Dinner at The Lazy Goat with Chef Vicki Moore: Fresh Blackberry Mojitos; Grilled Calamari with ahi dolce and pickled pepper salad; Fattoush Salad; Roasted Mussels and Chorizo; Moroccan Braised Lamb Shank with plantain chips; Whole Crispy Branzino, with charmoula and shaved fennel; Pan-Roasted Grouper with lobster and rapini risotto, and saffron vanilla sauce; Roasted Banana Pudding; Pecan Pie with whipped cream and caramel sauce.
Last fall Moore was chosen by Esquire Magazine’s food writer, John Mariani, as one of four “Breakout Chefs to Watch”. In September she will create dishes with DC chefs, Bryan Voltaggio of Volt and David Guas, author of “Dam, Good, Sweet” for the city’s “Euphoria” festival, where nationally known chefs pair with local chefs to prepare exquisite gourmet dinners in the town’s finest restaurants. In recent years this food and music extravaganza has featured such top chefs as Thomas Keller and Bobby Flay and artists like Chris Isaak. Check www.euphoriagreenville.com to get this year’s schedule.
 Beef Tartare with compressed cucumber and scallion wings at Deveraux's - photo by Jordan Wright  Rare seared tuna, pearl pasta, Honshimeiji, Edamame, sake black beans at Deveraux's - photo by Jordan Wright  Devereaux's in the old tobacco factory - photo by Jordan Wright Dinner the following evening at Deveraux’s with Executive Chef and Partner Spencer Thomson: Beef Tartare with Japanese mustard; Bison Carpaccio; Hudson Valley Foie Gras with ice wine cherries, marcona almonds and vanilla sunchoke; Sashimi of Japanese Snapper with cucumber, cilantro and peanuts; Charred Beef Filet with portabello-potato hash; Black Grouper with summer succotash, shaved turnip, tomato concassé and truffled corn broth; Pekin Duck on white corn polenta, with duck sausage; Strawberry Shortcake in a white chocolate orb.
Chef Thomson will stage with Guy Savoy in Paris this October, where he will no doubt continue his love of reinventing the classics.
On our road trip across the state we visited owner and grower, Glenn Roberts, at Anson Mills where we learned firsthand the history of rice and its legacy in America.
Mid-State Latta – Quaint with a Touch of the British
 Breakfast at Abingdon Manor - photo by Jordan Wright  Italian Breakfast BLT at the Manor - photo by Jordan Wright  The drawing room at Abingdon Manor - photo by Jordan Wright Abingdon Manor, an exquisite former private estate and gardens made us feel we were at home in England. We loved that it’s a mere five-mile hop off I-95 to be coddled by owners Michael and Patty Griffin. Patty is an accomplished chef who hosts her own local cable TV show and conducts monthly cooking classes for guests in the Manor’s spacious kitchen. The inn’s china and silver grace the damask-draped tables beautifully showing off her dishes.
Dinner by Chef Griffin: Shiitake Mushrooms with Hoisin-chili glaze, Dilled Carrot Soup; Home-grown Tomato Stack; Hypnotiq Sorbet; Seafood in Parchment; Poached Pear with amaretto cream.
Breakfast by Chef Griffin: Italian Breakfast BLT; Fresh fruits; Herbed Biscuits.
Pawley’s Island Coastal Charm
 Sunset over Pawley's Island - photo by Jordan Wright  Pawley's Island Firefighters - photo by Jordan Wright  Daybreak at Litchfield Plantation - photo by Jordan Wright Litchfield Plantation, a quintessentially Southern Lowcountry inn, set on six hundred acres of a former rice plantation, channeled my inner Southern belle. Its balconies overlook an avenue of ancient live oaks dripping with Spanish moss.
 Trio of Ice creams at Bistro 217 on Pawley's Island - photo by Jordan Wright  Chef Adam Kirby at Bistro 217 - photo by Jordan Wright  Asian Salad with SC Pink Shrimp at Bistro 217 - photo by Jordan Wright Lunch at Bistro 217 with Chef Adam Kirby: Tomato, Crab and Jalapeno Soup; Pan Sautéed Vermillion Snapper with lobster sauce; Trio of Homemade Ice Creams, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry and Pistachio. Chef Kirby grew up on the Island and has a strong relationship with its watermen who provide him with the freshest seafood in the area.
 Eminence blueberry detox facial preparations at Stox & Co. - photo by Jordan Wright Rejuvenated at: Stox & Co. A beautiful salon and day spa in Litchfield Beach with a stunning yoga and Pilates studio. I enjoyed a Blueberry Detox Firming Peel using Eminence skin care products, a line of natural organic skin care developed in Hungary and made from fresh fruit extracts. It was almost good enough to eat!
 Blackberry Cobbler at Frank's - photo by Jordan Wright  Softshell Crab at Frank's on Pawley's Island - photo by Jordan Wright  Chef Pierce Culliton of Frank's - photo by Jordan Wright Dinner at Frank’s with Chef Pierce Culliton: Tomato Pie with Four Cheeses; Grilled Watermelon Salad with balsamic vinegar, goat cheese and arugula; Soft Shell Crab with whole grain mustard sauce; Sautéed Flounder with Shrimp and yellow stone ground grits; Blackberry Cobbler.
Charleston – Le Grande Bouffe in the Lowcountry
 Wentworth Mansion in Charleston - photo by Jordan Wright  Charleston street scene - photo by Jordan Wright  Tiffany glass windows at the Wentworth Mansion in Charleston - photo by Jordan Wright We had posh digs in the Wentworth Mansion, a glorious property and one of the nation’s premier historic hotels. Built in 1886 as a private home for a local cotton baron, we found elegance, distinction, luxurious appointments and deluxe service.
 Charleston Chews, Lemon Chess Bars and Sweet Potato Cornbread from Dixie Bakery - photo by Jordan Wright Breakfast snacks on the run from Dixie Bakery and Café: Charleston Chews; Lemon Chess bars; Sweet Potato Cornbread.
 Sous Chef, Jill Mathias, in the kitchen at Carolina's - photo by Jordan Wright  Chef Don Drake of Magnolia's - photo by Jordan Wright  Magnolia Plantation - photo by Jordan Wright Nibbles and Sips: At Magnolia’s with Chef Don Drake, Pimento Cheese; Shrimp and Grits; at Carolina’s we quaffed Carolina Sweet Tea; at Cypress with Chef de Cuisine Garrett Hutchinson, in-house patés and dry cured charcuterie; at Tristan with Chef Jesse Sutton, House-made Mozzarella.
 Pork, Pine, Morels and Green Garlic at McCrady's in Charleston - photo by Jordan Wright  SC Crawfish, Sweetbreads, Sweet Onions and Artichokes at McCrady's  Seared Grouper with Courgettes, Cucumber and Bonito at McCrady's Dinner at McCrady’s with recent James Beard award-winning Chef Sean Brock: Stone Crab with orange, coconut and sour mix; Seared Grouper with courgettes, cucumber and bonito; Crawfish, sweetbreads and artichokes; Pork Pine, morels and green garlic; Beef Marrow and carrots four ways; Banana Puddin’; Chocolate Hazelnut, Chewy Caramel and Malt.
 Chef Frank Lee of S.N.O.B. - photo by Jordan Wright  Fried Chicken Livers with Cheese Corn Grits - photo by Jordan Wright  S.N.O.B. Restaurant - photo by Jordan Wright Lunch at S.N.O.B. with Executive Chef Frank Lee: Gazpacho; Corn Bread; Fried Chicken Livers with Cheese Corn Grits; Southern Crab Salad with fresh fruits; Shrimp and Black Beans. The charming and self-effacing Lee is a mentor and guru to many nationally known chefs who cook in the Lowcountry style.
 Countertop pies at the Carolina Cider Company - photo by Jordan Wright  Tasting room at Firefly Distillery and WInery - photo by Jordan Wright  Third generation tea grower and taster, William Barclay Hall at Charleston Tea Plantation on Wadmalaw Island - photo by Jordan Wright Breakfast at the Wentworth: Fresh orange juice, Rabbit Sausage, Waffles with piles of fresh berries, and Eggs Benedict.
Rejuvenated at: The Spa at Charleston Place with a relaxing Swedish massage and dip in the saltwater pool overlooking old Charleston.
 Nilgai Antelope Filet with lentil and foie gras stew, heart of palm, crispy leeks and baby carrots at Circa 1886 - photo by Jordan Wright  Jelly Doughnuts, house made strawberry and peach jellies, John's Island honey and peanut butter milkshake at Circa 1886 - photo by Jordan Wright  Carolina Flounder with crab and shrimp pilau, grapefruit sabayon, candy striped beets and basil lacquer - photo by Jordan Wright Dinner at Circa 1886 at the Wentworth Mansion with Executive Chef Marc Collins: Vichysoisse with toasted haricots verts; Crab Cake Soufflé with mango purée, pineapple relish and sweet potato frills; Foie Gras “Cherry Coke Float”; Nilgai Antelope Filet with lentil and foie gras stew, crispy leeks and baby carrots; Country Ham-wrapped Angler Fish with black-eyed pea “baked beans”, fennel pollen onion ring and apple cheddar slaw; Carolina Flounder with crab and shrimp pilau, grapefruit sabayon, candy striped beets and basil lacquer; Jelly Doughnuts with house made strawberry and peach jellies, John’s Island honey and peanut butter milkshake (Oh yes, he did!); Pan Fried Vanilla Bean Angel Food Cake with fresh berries and honeysuckle ice cream. The notoriously shy Collins never peeked his head out of the kitchen to accept kudos or give up his honeysuckle ice cream recipe. One can only swoon with the memory.
After dinner: Port, sherry and an assortment of liqueurs are offered to guests of the Wentworth, and taken on the veranda.
Beaufort – The Sea Islands
 Beaufort Inn in the Sea Islands - photo by Jordan Wright  Beaufort - photo by Jordan Wright  Beaufort in the Lowcountry - photo by Jordan Wright On our final evening we lodged at the charming Beaufort Inn, a pink and white Victorian home built in 1897 in one of the most beautiful towns in America.
 Pink Shrimp at Gay Fish Company - photo by Jordan Wright  Stone Crab at Gay Fish Company in Beaufort - photo by Jordan Wright  Gay Fish Company in Beaufort - photo by Jordan Wright Here in the Lowcountry, where Daufuskie Island Gullahs still speak their West-African patois, we found a thriving seafood industry with Bulls Bay oysters, stone crab, pink and brown shrimp and restaurants that reflected the local catch.
 Brick oven Spinach and Sausage Pizza at Paninis Grill - photo by Jordan Wright  Cinnamon Pillows with Creme Anglaise at Paninis Grill - photo by Jordan Wright  Chef/Owner Nick Borreggine at Paninis Grill in Beaufort - photo by Jordan Wright Lunch at Panini’s Grill with Chef/Owner Nick Borreggine: Buttered “Coosaw River” little neck clams; Italian Sausage Panini; Almond Crusted Calamari with spicy aioli and burnt honey; Rosemary-infused Crème Brulée and Cinnamon Pillows with crème Anglaise. Borreggine was the former pastry chef at The Inn at Little Washington under chef/owner Patrick O’Connell.
 Saltus River Grill - photo by Jordan Wright  Fricasseed lobster tails with creamed corn - photo by Jordan Wright  Executive Chef Brian Waters at Saltus River Grill - photo by Jordan Wrigh Dinner at the Saltus Grill with Executive Chef Brian Waters: Raw Bulls Bay Oysters; Seviche of Dorado; Crispy Fried Lobster tails with cream corn and pea tendrils; Pommes Frites with truffle butter; Braised Pork Belly with soy glaze, bok choy salad and pineapple sambal; Pecan pie.
During our madcap epicurean escape we relished sweet potato butter on biscuits, tomato pies, and Hoppin’ John salad with country ham at a small private luncheon cooked by Lena Mae Jackson whose Carolina Plantation Gold Rice Pudding with blueberries sent us into a chorus of hallelujahs. We fell hard for fried peanuts, pork BBQ at Mama Jean’s, blackberry cider, rice grits (pronounced as one word) and cowpeas, real pimento cheese, and “Charleston Chews” from the Dixie Bakery and Café. To hold our memories close, we slowly made our way back north with treasured family recipes, Low Country Winery’s Blueberry Wine, Firefly Sweet Tea Bourbon, the Mast Store’s Toasted Pecan Syrup, Breakfast Tea from the Charleston Tea Plantation, and sacks and sacks of Carolina Plantation Gold Rice, without which no self-respecting Southern hostess would dare serve her guests.
 Sweet Potato Butter from Lowcountry Produce - photo by Jordan Wright  Soda pop for sale - photo by Jordan Wright  The road less traveled - photo by Jordan Wright Already we hear the clarion call to revisit the chefs, watermen, tea and rice growers, dairymen, farmers and innkeepers of South Carolina whose generosity of spirit and indomitable passion to share their journey have inspired us to further explore America’s culinary roots. I hope you’ve been inspired too. May your travels be as delicious and memorable as ours!
For questions or comments about this article or to tell of your best experiences in the Palmetto State, contact [email protected]. Visit us on Facebook to see more photos of our stay.
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