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Forks on the Road
A Member of Tzell Travel Group
Sweet & Savory Stays
Forks on the Road is pleased to present a curated collection of unique properties, each with a sense of place & taste, offering fine dining, cooking lessons and epicurean experiences. Culinary travel at your leisure. Contact us for more information and to book. And check back as the collection grows!
UNITED STATES
Ocean House, Watch Hill, RI
This iconic New England seaside resort was artfully reconstructed to 5 star elegance while paying tribute to its storied past and golden age of hospitality. The cuisine is exquisite, farm-to-table and featuring local Rhode Island seafood. It can be enjoyed at several venues within in the hotel including the Chef’s Counter, an exclusive front row seat to the kitchen stage. Guests are served a tasting menu of 10 small plates. The hotel’s Culinary Education Program is unique and expansive. Cooking lessons and demonstrations are tied in with the seasons and the somelier hosts a vine to wine series. Ocean House’s Food Forager leads trips to nearby farms to gather produce, vineyards, a cider mill and an oyster farm – complete with shucking lessons and sampling in situ. There are a wealth of other activities including a spectacular spa with sweeping views of the Atlantic.
Ocean House, Watch Hill, RI
Blackberry Farm, Walden, TN
Blackberry Farm, Walden, TN
Located in eastern Tennessee, in the heart of the Great Smokey Mountains, Blackberry Farm is a food & wine destination like no other. Recently named the #1 Resort for Food Lovers by Bon Appetit magazine, the farm and its accommodations (world-class luxury with a rustic sense-of-place ambiance) are encompassed in an estate of over 4,000 acres. The farm offers active pursuits, hiking, biking, fly-fishing and more in addition to cooking lessons and destination-specific culinary activities. Guests will find the foothills cuisine, prepared by a rare collection of artisans and James Beard awarded chef, Joseph Lenn to be a culinary travel experience of a lifetime.
CANADA
Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia Kemptville, Nova Scotia
This upscale eco-lodge fits perfectly in its setting on the banks of two wilderness rivers and surrounded by verdant and pristine Acadian forest. The three-story lodge pays homage to the Great Camps erected along the U.S. and Canadian Eastern Seaboard in the early 20th century. When guests arrive they exhale. The “haute-rustic” main lodge has a dozen rooms and there are two lakeside cottages, each sleeping four. Trout Point ticks every box for sustainability, offers 5 star amenities and service, spectacular scenery and exquisite cuisine. The menu boasts Atlantic Canada’s freshest seafood (There is no better lobster.) and traditional and innovative French-Acadian dishes with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients including produce from the Lodge’s organic gardens, the neighboring forest and its own dairy. Cooking lessons are offered along with activities like guided edible walks. A series of three day/2 night cooking school vacation packages are held on set dates. Hands-on lessons can include smoking and curing, foraging for fiddleheads and visiting local lobster pounds, smokehouses, oyster farms and clam beds. Of note here is that the Lodge owners' Acadian “Cajun” ancestors were expelled from this land in the 18th century and resettled in Louisiana. Thus, the “Cajun-connection." Preserving the Acadian foodways is a lovely way to honor that heritage. Guests can savor smoked fish jambalaya or Rappie Pie. There are loads on non-edible adventures to enjoy, trekking, fishing, kayaking or just nothing more than relaxing or soaking in a wood fired hot tub and gazing up at the stars.
Trout Point Lodge of Nova Scotia Kemptville, Nova Scotia
Fogo Island Inn Fogo Island, Newfoundland
Fogo Island, just off the rugged coast of Newfoundland, itself a quirky, storied patch of Canada, possesses a stark breathtaking beauty – as does the Fogo Island Inn. It is the inspiration of a native islander, who returned home and invested her personal wealth in its creation, giving a reason for residents to stay- and visitors to come. A 4-storey, strikingly white, X-shaped structure, it sits on stilts by the mighty North Atlantic. Its uber-modern, minimalist look makes an exciting contrast to the ancient land. The Inn’s dining room, common areas and its 29 spacious guest rooms and suites have floor to ceiling windows and guests are treated to stunning panoramic views and a special connection to the environment. This is a luxury retreat but one committed to sustaining local traditions. Just opened in 2012, the Inn and its restaurant are already reaping honors.
Fogo Island Inn Fog Island, Newfoundland
Villa San Michele, Fiesole
Located in the hills of Fiesole* this stunning boutique hotel lays claim to a breathtaking view of Florence’s domes and turrets. Once a former monastery dating back to the 15th C, it has been magnificently restored by Orient Express. Its surrounding gardens and terraced lawns include a heated swimming pool - with a view. it is a true oasis. Its celebrated restaurant La Loggia serves Tuscan cuisine offering a true taste of place. Lessons at its on-property Buono Buonissimo! Cookery School range from 2 ½ hr classes on specific dishes like risotto, to 3-day intensive pasta workshops. Classes for children (ages 8-14) are delightful and the Learning & Discovery program includes a visit and lesson at Vivoli, a legendary ice cream parlor and a chocolate making lesson with an acclaimed chocolatier. A stay here would be the ideal family retreat. Parents can enjoy a wine day in Chianti.
*15 min from Florence; hotel offers a complimentary shuttle.
ITALY
Relais Il Falconier, Cortona, Tuscany
Executive Chef Murray McDonald, who came back home to Newfoundland, focuses his menu on “wild things from the North Atlantic”. He is passionate about the rich bounty of fish and crustaceans, diverse harvests of berries, mushrooms foraged from the bogs and a bounty of local, seasonal produce. Newfoundland and Fog Island foodways are both honored and reinvented and a nod is given to the dishes and wines of its old trading partners, England, Portugal, Spain and France. Chef gives cooking lessons in the Inn’s kitchen and guests can forage for ingredients with him. A hamper full of culinary experiences include orientation to the fisheries, bottling & canning, smoking fish, picking berries and bread baking with a local host.
The island provides a wealth of resources and activities, paths for walking, trails for hiking, and traditional cod fishing, to name a few. Additionally the Inn has curated a selection of creative adventures and destination-specific signature experiences. And for those who wish do nothing but relax, options include curling up by the fireplace in the library or in spring and summer, watching the glaciers from Greenland drift gently by.
Villa San Michele, Fiesole
Relais Il Falconier, Cortona, Tuscany
This 17 C Tuscan villa, once the home of famed Italian poet Antonio Guadagnoli, was beautifully restored to a charmingly elegant 4 star countryside relais by husband and wife team Riccardo and Silvia Baracchi. Located just outside the medieval hill town of Cortona, the relais is surrounded by ancient olive groves and vineyards. The adjacent Baracchi Winery has been in the family for over 100 years and produces some of the region’s finest wines. Il Falconier – the relais’ 1 Michelin star restaurant - prepares and serves Tuscan cuisine to perfection. The romantic dining venue options include the estate’s former glass enclosed lemonaia and in fine weather, a terrace. The sweeping views are dramatic. Silvia operates the on-site cooking school, Cooking Under the Tuscan Sun and in fact, several of her recipes have been included in the Frances Mayes’ The Tuscan Sun Cookbook. One-day courses are available as well as three and six day multiple-lesson packaged itineraries. The relais’ accommodations include 22 stylish rooms and suites There is an oasis of a spa and treatments include a decadent menu of wine therapy treatments.
FRANCE
Domaine de la Baume, Tourtour, Provence
Just opened in 2013, in the heart of Provence, this rustic-chic property is the former estate of Impressionist painter Bernard Buffet. Its 99 acres are replete with gardens, waterfalls, orangeries and olive groves. The exquisite Provencal farm-to-table cuisine is based almost exclusively on local products. Chef François Martin is pleased to offer customized cooking lessons upon request. Domaine de La Baume is a true retreat and plans for 2014 include a oasis where guests can indulge in farm-to-spa treatments like olive oil, brown sugar and honey scrubs.
Domaine de la Baume, Tourtour, Provence
La Bastide de Marie, Menerbes, Provence
A restored 18th C farmhouse, with just 15 rooms, La Bastide de Marie sit amidst acres of vineyards in the gorgeous Luberon region. Wine lovers would particularly love experiencing a stay here. (The nearby corkscrew museum is fascinating.) On Sundays in season, Chef Laurent Houdart leads guests on a shopping tour of the market in Cousellet, his kitchen garden and then guests prepare a Provencal style meal, enjoyed later at the Chef’s table.
La Bastide de Marie, Menerbes, Provence
UNITED KINGDOM
Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, Oxford, England
In the heart of the English countryside, this elegant property and its affiliated cookery school is the passionate creation of celebrated chef Raymond Blanc. Its 32 rooms and suites are individually designed and set amidst rambling grounds that include an expansive organic kitchen garden, an orchard, an herb garden and a mushroom valley. All provide produce for the renowned two Michelin-star restaurant. The Raymond Blanc Cookery Schools offers a creative selection of 1-4 day classes for adults and children.
Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, Oxford, England
IRELAND
The Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, West Waterford, Ireland
These days, foodies are flocking to the Southeast coast of Ireland, and a stay in the village of Ardmore’s sea-side Cliff House Hotel ups the overall culinary travel experience. The hotel, and its acclaimed chef Martin Kajuider started the epicurean movement that now has its West Waterford “neighborhood” touted as the Emerald Isle’s most exciting culinary destination. Boutique-sized (just 39 rooms) The Cliff House offers 5 star luxury including a sumptuous destination spa and a Michelin-star restaurant simply named The House Restaurant at The Cliff House Hotel. Guests can begin their day in the Restaurant with a full Irish breakfast – porridge included - and end it perhaps, with a wine-paired tasting menu. Throughout the hotel, old-world service is delivered with that legendary Irish warmth and humor.
The Bar, like the restaurant, lays claim to stunning views of the sea and is as popular with locals as it is with visitors. Nautically themed, it enjoys the ambiance of Irish pubs of yore. In addition to a full, sophisticated menu, lighter fare is served and of course fine whiskeys, cocktails and craft beers. The Cliff House, a destination in and off itself, can serve as the ideal base for exploring the nearby town of Dungarven where talented artisans produce amazing foods, showcased by equally talented chefs. Traditional foodways, cheese making, baking are all honored, and the Comeragh mountain lamb and the fresh fish and seafood are spectacular.
Le Quartier Francais, The Winelands, Franschhoek
Privately nestled in the center of the charming, historic village of Franschhoek, this luxurious boutique hotel’s rooms and suites open up to a deliciously scented courtyard garden and a swimming pool. Under the direction of award winning chef Margo Janse, the Tasting Room annually is declared one of the top 50 restaurants in the world and offers five or eight course tasting menus paired with local wines. Guests can enjoy leisurely lunches at Bread & Wine located nearby on the Môreson Farm – the family’s vineyard. Cooking lesson options abound; Vanie Padeyachee, LQF’s resident spice guru, offers a Cooking with Spices course and another on regional South African Dishes. Bread & Wine’s executive chef Neil Jewell holds 2-day charcuterie workshops and his wife Tina teaches bread baking and a pastry class focusing on sweet tarts.
Le Quartier Francais, The Winelands, Franschhoek
SOUTH AFRICA
NEW ZEALAND
Whare Kea Lodge & Chalet, Wananka, New Zealand
Whare Kea Lodge & Chalet, Wanaka (South Island, about one hour from Queenstown)
Set amidst 70 acres of private farmland on the shores of iridescent Lake Wanaka, Whare Kea is a laid-back luxurious lodge and an exclusive retreat for foodies. Award-winning chef James Stapley shares his passion with guests as together they gather produce from his organic gardens and choose ingredients from local farms and suppliers. Amazing cooking lessons – and meals – follow. Full and half-day bespoke tours of the neighboring boutique vineyards are also available and recommended. If you are seeking more than an edible adventure, the activities menu includes heli-skiing, canyoning, hiking, fishing and flight-seeing. Think about viewing this dramatic scenery from a vintage Tiger Moth aircraft and then being back at the lodge in time for cocktails and dinner prepared by Chef James. His signature dish is tea smoked duck salad with persimmon, Feta and pomegranate. Intimately sized, the lodge has just two Master Suites and four Deluxe Rooms. Glass walls treat guests to a spectacular vista of the lake and surrounding majestic alps. For those interested in taking it “up a notch”, the mountain top Chalet sits atop Dragonfly Peak, accessible via helicopter. It has two double rooms and accomodations for staff who are there to serve up divine cuisine complete with a view of Mt. Aspiring and perhaps a glass of the acclaimed local Pinot Noir.