BEST LITTLE ROCK RESTAURANTS

Kat Robinson by Susan Manlin Katzman One of Kat Robinson’s business cards states that she is a writer, storyteller and idea generator. Another says that she serves as Communications Manager of Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. I am sure Kat owns even more cards, because it’s hard to sum up the career of this creative, talented woman on two tiny slips of paper.

Kat is busy. She blogs at the impressive Tie Dye Travels. She photographs for a variety of concerns. And she writes books. (Her first IMG_0115_2 “Arkansas Pie: A Delicious Slice of the Natural State,” combines a food-focused travelogue with some divine recipes. Her second, “Classic Arkansas Eateries: A Delicious Tradition of Dining Out,” will be released at the end of 2013.

Kat slips fingers into many pies from a home base in Little Rock, Arkansas. Although stacked with projects that would make others pie-eyed from exhaustion, Kat made time to tell Sweet Leisure readers about her personal favorite Little Rock restaurants, which she probably knows better than any other professional in the state. She also sent photos to garnish her words. All we can say is, “Thank you, Kat, you and your suggestions rock!”

According to Kat, and in her own words:

I have a hard time choosing favorites in a town like this. But if you’re new, and you want to savor the flavors this town has to provide, here are my top choices.

1. Southern classics and burgers: Capital Bar and Grill

There are always arguments on who does the best burger (The Root, Hillcrest Artisan Meats, Midtown Billiards and Big Orange are in the running)… but the one simply called The Burger at CBG is my favorite. Made from house-chopped sirloin and chuck, it’s cooked to order and served with parmesan fries and house made pickles. I suggest adding pimento cheese; others will fight me on that and go for the in-house cured bacon instead. That being said, the southern favorites that grace the menu are also tops – from crispy fried chicken to fried catfish and all sorts of great side dishes. Get the potato salad if it’s offered. Read more about Capital Bar and Grill’s burgers HERE.

2. Ethnic: Star of India

For 20 years, Sami Lal has played host and chef at his pink-walled establishment on the west side of town. Known for its consistency and Sami’s fantastic memory (visit once and he will never forget to welcome you by name whenever you return), Star of India excels in Northern Indian cuisine. The kormas are legendary; and for a real treat, try the Vegetarian Delight with its many small dishes. Lunch is also fantastic, at just $6.99 for a 17-item weekday buffet. Read more HERE.

3. Pizza: Vino’s

Twenty years after the transition from the building’s incarnation as the DMZ, Vino’s Brewpub still hosts great up-and-coming musical acts. But the real stars are on the menu – a half dozen fine brewed ales and stouts made right in the restaurant – and pizzas and calzones with a very distinctive flavor. My choice is always the veggie calzone – enough for two, packed with mozzarella and ricotta and vegetables and served with the almost smooth marinara that also makes the joint’s pies perfect flat creations. Read more HERE.

4. Locavore: The Root

Few restaurants so quickly gain a following as The Root—which just goes to show how much Little Rock natives craved a reasonably priced 100-mile restaurant. The little diner, which took up residence in the old Sweden Creme dairy bar in late 2011, serves up a mean curried chicken salad sandwich, a gourmet burger and all sorts of daily specials – all conjured from within a short range (except the Diet Coke – a concession had to be made there). This is THE spot for vegans, hipsters and even breakfast connoisseurs, anchoring the fast-growing SOMA district. More information HERE.

The Root Cafe Portabello Burger by Grav Weldon

5. Barbecue: Sim’s

Arkansas’s contribution to barbecue isn’t the meat – it’s the slaw. For a true Arkansas barbecue sandwich, whether it’s pork or beef (most places offer both), there’s slaw on the sandwich itself. Sim’s offers its slaw on top of a pile of your choice of shredded meat soaked with its sweet and tangy barbecue sauce between two slices of white bread. You will find yourself licking the plate. Click HERE for more on Sim’s slaw.

6. Mexican: Casa Manana

Good, reasonably priced Mexican fare fit for the American palate, but not so over commercialized as to ruin the flavor, if you know what I mean. Casa Manana’s menu is thick as a book, and the mole is a revelation. The margaritas are the best in town, done the classic way on the rocks. There’s a smaller café in the Oppenheimer Market Hall downtown, but you’ll find more to choose from if you head out to Cantrell Road. Read more HERE.

Casa Manana Mole Poblano by Kat Robinson

7. Italian: Ciao

This little storefront on 7^th Street may be the best Italian food you can get for the money in town. At lunch, you can get a special and a great dessert for under $10. The pesto tortellini is to die for, and the focaccia is hot, fresh and served with not only olive oil and black pepper but also a fresh onion and bell pepper offering. Did I say you should try dessert? I should…well…click HERE here to read more.

8. Classic: Franke’s Cafeteria

The oldest continually operating restaurant in Little Rock keeps its traditions strong — with escalloped eggplant casserole, chicken and dumplings, stuffed bell peppers and more. You won’t find a better selection of congealed salads anywhere — and the range of pies and cakes available each day is a decision-maker’s nightmare. Read more about Franke’s HERE.

Frankes Cafeteria desserts by Kat Robinson

9. Pub: Cregeen’s

Pronounced CREE-gun’s, this is the place for getting your Irish on. The custom built pub is the cornerstone for dining in North Little Rock’s Argenta District. Go sit in the Snug, have a pint and enjoy the best corned beef sandwich in Central Arkansas.

10. Pie: Chip’s Barbecue

You don’t go to Chip’s for the barbecue. You go for the taco salad, the cheese dip, the Muffin Special… and for the pies. Locals don’t do a lot of sharing when it comes to Chip’s Barbecue. They know competition’s already tough for whole pies picked up for Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas and they don’t want the competition. Whether it’s a cream pie, nut pie or pie full of fruit, Chip’s is the in-town favorite. More about Chip’s HERE.

Chips Barbecue pies by Kat Robinson

¶ Posted 16 August 2013 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ARKANSAS § BOOKS § DESSERTS § LITTLE ROCK § RESTAURANTS § TRAVEL ‡ Comments Off °

Ten Secrets to Enjoying Secrets Huatulco

Brochures tout the suites, pools, restaurants, beach and spa of Secrets Huatulco, an all-inclusive resort in Huatulco, Mexico, but previews don’t/can’t paint the whole picture. As we’ve happily been there, done that, we are supplementing the marketing information with our own ten little secrets to getting the most from a Secrets vacation. Read on:

1. UNDERSTAND THE LAY OF THE LAND

Tourist authorities like to say that during Spanish rule, pirates ransacked Huatulco, but did not succeed in stealing its beauty.

Located on the Pacific coast, in the state of Oaxaca, at the end of the Sierra Madre del Sur Mountains, this Mexican government-developed tourist community sits surrounded by glorious nature.

Coast to Cloud Forest by Susan Manlin Katzman

Huatulco wet-season vegetation by Susan Manlin Katzman Huatulco (pronounced wah-tool-co and officially called Bahías de Huatulco) covers 100,000 acres and spans 20 miles of coastline draping around nine bays. In rainy season, thick tropical greenery covers the mountainous hills that rise from the coast to the cloud forest. During the dry season, greenery turns brown and shrubby, revealing flowery trees and cactus, striking with desert appeal.

The mountain range, poorly paved roads and location in lesser-known Southwestern Mexico, isolates Huatulco, which is both bad news and good. The bad: Huatulco is hard to reach by both car and plane. The good: the whole area remains gentle, safe, nature focused and not overrun by visitors (except, perhaps, during prime holidays and when cruise ships dock).

Road to Huatulco by Susan Manlin Katzman

Many of Huatulco’s bays display a wild and restless spirit with rugged rock formations and jagged shoreline. Others spread sand to the sea in an easy gentle flow. The region’s intense sunshine seems to tan Huatulco’s beaches a creamy coffee color and heat the water to a welcoming warm.

Huatulco Coast by Susan Manlin Katzman

Although most of the large resorts sit along Tangolunda Bay, Secrets sits by itself in Conejos Bay. Secrets Beach By Susan Manlin Katzman The resort curves around the bay, which hugs the water like lips of a smiley face, with rock formations the accents at both ends of the smile.

Sometimes the beach at Secrets is swimmable; other times the water is too rough. The resort raises flags to let guests know the status, but even if ocean swimming is out, Secrets’ beach makes a lovely spot for an afternoon siesta accompanied by a lullaby of waves rolling ashore and wind softly rustling the thatched shade umbrellas.

2. UNDERSTAND THE LAY OF THE RESORT WHEN CHOOSING A SUITE

Secrets tucks 399 suites into six separate buildings rising up the hill from the coast. The resorts classes suites into several different categories, and with the exception of a few super huge suites at the tip top of the tier, most suites sport the same pleasantly decorated oversize rooms, spacious closets and nicely arranged bathroom area. The outsides of the suites differ and determine if the suite falls into the “Preferred Club” category (a designation that offers additional amenities). For example, the resort calls suites that share a swim-out (lap-type) pool off a semi-private terrace, preferred. Secrets Lap Pool by Susan Manlin Katzman Also some suites with private Jacuzzis on a private terrace wear a preferred title. But not all guests prefer the preferred rooms. Those desiring the best views of the sea (private terrace/no pools), choose a non-preferred suite on the third floor of Building A. On the other hand, those seeking direct access to the lap and swimming pools, beach and water activity, gladly pay extra for a preferred suite on the ground floor of Buildings C or F (building C being outside the “quiet pools” and building F overlooking the pools with the most activities).

Secrets Huatulco by Susan Manlin Katzman

3. EAT DRINK AND BE MERRY

Secrets boasts nine dining facilities, BUT not all are open on the same days, so plan in advance if you want to try all.

Bars dot the resort (bar service at the swim-up pool is said to be best) and drinks come in such a variety of styles and colors that fashionistas can order to match a swimsuit.

Secrets Huatulco's Bars by Susan Manlin Katzman

Pool bar service and Sky Bar

Favorite bites on property include: fresh fruits, French toast and chilaquiles with salsa verde served at the Market Café’s breakfast buffet, the ceviche appetizer (and a table for two overlooking the bay) at Castaways, and the coconut ice cream (available on request at almost all of the restaurants).

Ceviche and table for two at Castways

4. TAKE EXCURSIONS

Nature built the scenery and man lived in the region long before Mexico’s national tourism agency acquired the land for development in the 1980s. Government regulated official tour guides and tour companies offer a variety of recreational and cultural tours that showcase the region. Secrets partners with Amstar to offer tours and have even installed an Amstar desk in the lobby for easy sign up and personal assistance. Favorite tours include:

The SEA AND SUN BAY CRUISE, a boat trip around the bays with stops for snorkeling, swimming and lunch (click here for lunch description and recipe) .

Bay Tour by Susan Manlin Katzman

The 3 LEVELS OF HUATULCO tour, which includes visits to small villages, including Pluma Hidalgo (5,000 feet above sea level) noted for coffee production.

Pluma Hidalgo By Susan Manlin Katzman

PYRAMIDS ECO EXPLORATION, a visit to the archeological site showcasing some uncovered ruins of the ancient city of Copalitlan.

Pyramids Eco Exploration in Huatulco by Susan Manlin Katzman tour by Susan Manlin Katzman

Personal favorite tour guide: Alberto España Chavez (email spain1965@hotmail.com).

Alberto España Chavez

5. EAT OFF PREMISE TOO

Gourmets consider Oaxaca a capital of Mexican cuisine, so be sure to sample specialties in some of the area’s best restaurants (El Sabor de Oaxaca in downtown Las Crucesitas and Camaron Gigante at Maguey Bay). Famed dishes include seven types of mole, a complex sauce made with 30 or more ingredients; tlayudas, a large, flat tortilla with various toppings; and traditional tamales wrapped in banana leaves. Foodies will also want to pamper their pantry, picking up souvenirs of world-class locally produced products (Mezcal, chocolate and coffee) in Las Crucesitas’ gourmet shop and public market. It’s understandable if you refuse to load up on chapulines (grasshoppers).

Oaxacan Food Specialities by Susan Manlin Katzman

6. SAMPLE THE SPA

Secrets Spa by Pavonia is nothing short of addictive. Treatments cover a range of delights, but the best part of the spa is the hydrotherapy circuit, which guests can follow on their own or ask a staff member to explain the process. (Oh so very wonderful! Sigh!)

Hydrotherapy Pool at Secrets Huatulco Spa by Susan Manlin Katzman

7. ENJOY PRIVACY

Hungry but don’t want to be interrupted or disturbed by room service? Not to worry. With the flick of a switch you can turn on the “do not disturb” light that shines outside your suite’s door. Room service will then place your order in the “Secrets Box,” a space built into the closet of your room. You can fetch the order privately at any time your heart desire. Sweet!

8. BEWARE WHEN TV CHANNEL SURFING

Secrets offers a range of programs on the LCD satellite TV in every room. Some of the programs may be a surprise—then again, Secrets is an adult only facility.

9. TAKE IN SOME RESORT ACTIVITIES.

The resort offers enough activities to satisfy any type A personality going on vacation withdrawal. The daily schedule includes everything from archery to Zumba, with an alphabet of activities in between—bingo, cooking, dancing and entertainments such as outdoor movies, stage shows and live music. Oops, forgot to mention tennis and golf, snorkeling and sailing, tequila tastings and…

Water aerobics

10. FIND THE BEST DEAL

As said before, Huatulco can be hard to reach from the United States and Canada. Flights from the Midwest offer iffy connections, often involving three change-plane stops. BUT it is possible to find a few select non-stop flights at certain times of year through Apple Vacations. For example, Apple charters planes that fly direct from St. Louis (picking up Chicago passengers first) both in winter and summer. And sometimes it’s possible to score “sale” prices for Secrets, making the vacation an unbeatable deal.

Painted Grasshopper by Susan Manlin Katzman

¶ Posted 05 August 2013 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § HUATULCO § MEXICO § RESORTS § TRAVEL ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: Amstar, Apple Vacations, Camaron Gigante, chapulines, CHOCOLATE, Conejos Bay, El Sabor de Oaxaca, Huatulco, Las Crucesitas, Mezcal, Oaxaca, Pluma Hidalgo, Secrets, Tangolunda Bay

PINEAPPLE SHRIMP FROM EL CAMARON GIGANTE

Take a poll and most people familiar with Mexico’s Bahías de Huatulco (a tourist development on the Pacific Coast of the state of Oaxaca) will say Maguey Bay sports the most popular beach. On weekends, particularly, the beach fills with playful locals as well as vacationers who to come to swim, sun, snorkel, relax and eat.

Water Approach to Maguey Bay

Most tourists arrive by boat (usually on a tour booked through one of Huatulco’s resorts or a cruise ship docked in Santa Cruz Bay). Locals generally sail their own boat or drive, tackling the rough and winding roads to reach the secluded pocket of pleasure.

View of Maguey Bay from the Shore

Besides warm, clear water and soft golden sand, the bay’s draw includes a few stalls selling beach goods, some gentle food and souvenir hawkers, and several seafood-serving, barefoot-casual restaurants.

Front Door of Restaurant El Camaron Gigante

El Camaron Gigante stands out from the other restaurants as it offers Wi-Fi, takes credit cards and specializes in not only well-prepared Oaxacan dishes, but also (true to its name) giantic (enormous, colossal) shrimp, prepared in a variety of ways.

Pineapple Shrimp, baked in the restaurant’s outdoor oven, is a top favorite and home cooks can duplicate the dish, if not the setting (what a shame), in their own kitchens.

Serving at El Camaron Gigante by Susan Manlin Katzman

PINEAPPLE SHRIMP

(Recipe based on shrimp served at El Camaron Gigante, Maguey Bay, Huatulco, Mexico)

Yield: 2 servings.

Skewered Pineapple Shrimp

1 fresh pineapple

1 small onion

1/2 red bell pepper

6 to 8 jumbo shrimp

Queso Oaxaca (Can substitute Mexican-style quesadilla, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella or other semihard, melting white cheese.)

Cut pineapple in half, lengthwise, leaving green leaves intact. Remove core and pineapple flesh from each half, keeping 1/4 inch of flesh in each shell half (see note). Cut flesh into 1/3-inch thick wedges (you will not need all of the pineapple, so reserve some flesh for another use.)

Peel onion and cut into thin segments.

Remove stem and seeds from pepper. Cut flesh into large chunks.

Peel and devein shrimp.

Baked Pineapple Shrimp

El Camaron Gigante alternates pineapple, onion, pepper and shrimp on skewers and bakes the skewers in the pineapple shell. Home cooks can skip the skewers and just fill the pineapple with ingredients. (If you do use skewers, insert skewers into one end of the pineapple, thread ingredients onto skewers, and then insert the point of the skewers through the other end of the pineapple.

Cover top of ingredients with a thick layer of cheese.

Set filled pineapple halves on a baking sheet and place in a preheated 425°F oven. Bake until shrimp is cooked though, cheese melts and ingredients brown lightly, 10 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately (removing skewers before serving).

NOTE: Working with one half shell at a time and using a small sharp knife, cut around the core lengthwise at an angle, and then cut across both ends of core. Remove core. Cut around flesh on each side core, releasing the pieces of flesh in whole pieces.

Pineapple Shrimp by Susan Manlin Katzman

¶ Posted 31 July 2013 † Susan Manlin Katzman § HUATULCO § MEXICO § RECIPES § RESTAURANTS ‡ Comments Off ° Tagged: Bahias de Huatulco, El Camaron Gigante, Maguey Bay, Mexico, Oaxaca, Santa Cruz Bay, shrimp

World’s Best Carrot Cake

“Sweet” is not an adjective I would apply to Dolores Roux. “Energetic,” “outspoken,” “generous” seem more fitting descriptors. Yet, sweet is a word inseparable from Dolores as she owns and runs the well-loved Dolores’ Sweet Shoppe in Apalachicola, Florida.

Dolores' Sweet Shoppe Located in the heart of downtown, the shop occupies a white frame house that was built in 1906 and shows it’s age. (“We are fixen to get it painted,” says Dolores, but don’t know if we’ll keep it white.”)

As laid back and casual as is its owner, Dolores’ shop operates as part café, part bakery and part antique (in the shabby chic sense of the word) store. She keeps it open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and serves both breakfast and lunch.

Locals claim Dolores’ breakfast is the best in town, with eggs-prepared-any-way and breakfast sandwiches sharing menu space with Southern items such as grits and biscuits and sausage gravy. Lunches focus on simple salads, subs, and sandwiches made without unnecessary frou frou and served on Styrofoam or Dolores Roux in Dolores' Sweet Shoppe packaged to take out.

Everything about the service remains super relaxed. Guests order from a counter (although Dolores says, “People don’t have to stand there to order. We’re so small that folks can just go sit down at one of the tables and holler out to me what they want and I’ll get it for them.”)

But the counter is where the action is, sporting glass shelves luring the diner with an array of baked goodies.

“We are known for our old-fashioned pound cake and lemon cookies,” says Dolores. “And also for our pecan pie. And we happen to make the world’s best carrot cake.”

I can’t speak to the other specialties, but did try the carrot cake and have to say that Dolores understates its appeal.

The cake, sold both as a three-layer masterpiece and in individual Bundt cake portions, is calorie laden, rich, dense and over loaded with cream cheese frosting.

“Could Sweet Leisure have the recipe?” I begged after the first bite. Dolores didn’t hesitate before replying, “Go get yourself two bowls. Put the dry ingredients in one of the bowls and…” Without consulting a recipe she gave detailed instructions, which we happily pass along to you. Thank you Dolores. You are exceedingly sweet to share.

Dolores Roux with Carrot cake

CARROT CAKE

(Based on a recipe from Delores Roux.)

Yield: 1 large three-layer cake or 12 individual-serving Bundt cakes.

Shortening to grease cake pans

2 cups all purpose flour plus a little extra to sprinkle on grease pans

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups granulated sugar

1 can (7- to 8-ounces) crushed pineapple (undrained)

1/2 pound grated carrots (about 2 cups)

1-1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 to 1-1/2 cups flaked coconut

Cream cheese frosting (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 350°F. Heavily grease and flour either three 9-inch layer cake pans (See NOTE) or 12 mini Bundt cake pans.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl. Set bowl aside.

Put eggs in another medium mixing bowl and beat until yolks and whites are well blended. Beat in buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Add sugar and beat until ingredients are well mixed. Stir in pineapple with juice from can and carrots, and then fold in flour mixture, pecans and coconut.

Divide batter equally among the three prepared 9-inch round cake pans or the 12 mini Bundt cake pans. Place pans in a preheated 350°F oven and bake until a toothpick inserted the in the center of cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes for the layer cakes, about 25 minutes for the mini Bundt cakes.

Remove pans from oven and set on a rack to cool completely. When cool, remove cakes from pans and frost.

NOTE: For greatest ease of releasing baked cake from the layer cake pans, first grease the pans, then cut a round piece of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of each pan and grease the parchment paper. Be sure to remove parchment paper from the cake layers before frosting.

Carrot Bundt Cake

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

1 cup butter (or margarine), softened

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk or cream

2 to 3 pounds confectioners sugar

Beat butter with cream cheese and vanilla until mixture is fluffy and well blended.

Slowly beat in sugar, adding a little liquid as needed, until the frosting is the desired sweetness and thickness. (Spreading thickness for cake layers; spooning thickness for Bundt cakes.)

For more on where to stay and eat in Apalachicola, see: Apalachicola and Coombs House Inn.

¶ Posted 18 July 2013 † Susan Manlin Katzman § APALACHICOLA § DESSERTS § FLORIDA § RECIPES § RESTAURANTS § TRAVEL ‡ Comments Off °

SPA, BELGIUM

WHAT TO DO

Statue of Ondine in the Pouhon Pierre-le-Grand

In the beginning (in a wooded valley of the Ardennes mountain chain in what is today eastern Belgium) water sprang forth from the earth. The water produced in the cluster of springs was far from ordinary. People believed it to be imbued with healing powers. Soon a village formed around the springs. Locals named the village “Spa,” some say as an acronym for the Latin “Sanitas Per Aquas” translating “health through water.”

Through the centuries, Spa’s fame spread.

Pliny the Elder wrote about the springs in the 1^st century.

During the 14^th, 15^th, 16^th and 17^th centuries, European royalty (among them Henry VIII, Charles II and Peter the Great) visited.

At the source.

A social scene developed. Luxury hotels were built to house the high and mighty. A casino was constructed to entertain them. And some savvy entrepreneur started bottling the water and selling it outside of Spa.

Taking the waters in Spa

By the 18^th century, so many of the rich and famous flowed into Spa that the village earned the nickname “The Café of Europe.” In fact, Spa was so identified with healing waters, that happily ever after mineral springs and properties promoting health and wellness wear Spa’s name.

Today, Spa still attracts travelers. Some original buildings from the glory period still stand. The oldest casino in the world still operates. Spa’s water is still bottled and sold. And the main reason to visit Spa still remains the healing springs.

The world’s oldest casino

Twenty-first century visitors can enjoy Spa’s extraordinary water at les Thermes de Spa, a super-sleek water center/health-and-wellness treatment facility.

Located at the top of a hill overlooking the village, Thermes de Spa boasts dramatic indoor and outdoor thermal pools complete with bubble beds, massage jets and geysers. In addition, the facility devotes several floors to therapeutic and beauty treatments.

Indoor pool at Thermes de Spa

Relaxing area at Thermes de Spa

Thermes de Spa operates as a day spa, where a basic entrance fee (adults about $26 for three-hours and $42 for a full day) gives access to the dressing rooms, pools, saunas, relaxing areas and a café. The facility prices treatments, individually.

WHERE TO STAY

Radisson-Blu-Palace-Hotel

Book the Radisson Blu Palace Hotel in the center of Spa. Why? Because the first class, four-star hotel is virtually attached to the Thermes de Spa. Guest can not only take advantage of hotel-spa packages and/or spa discounts, but also use their hotel room keys (and wear hotel robes) to enter the private funicular ascending to the center of the spa facility.

The hotel’s location, clean-cut contemporary design, and accruements (restaurant, brasserie, bar, parking garage and fitness area) make it a good choice even for travelers not interested in the Thermes de Spa (can’t imagine).

WHERE TO EAT

Front and back of Manoir de Lebioles

Chef Olivier Tucki

Reserve a table at Manoir de Lébioles, a castle hotel/restaurant/spa set in the midst of the Ardennes woods, about a 10-minute drive from the heart of Spa. Precede dinner with sunset cocktails on the terrace overlooking the graceful grounds and rolling hills rich with greenery, and then head to the romantic dining room where Chef Olivier Tucki serves what he describes as “regional, natural and delicate meals.” (We would add inventive and beautifully presented to the descriptors).

Scallop first course at Manoir de Lebioles

http://www.radissonblu.com/palacehotel-sp

¶ Posted 12 July 2013 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § BELGIUM § RESTAURANTS § SPA § SPAS § TRAVEL ‡ Comments Off °

RED WINE SANGRIA

One sip is worth a thousand words. Nothing more to say.

SWEET LEISURE SANGRIA

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

1 large orange, sliced

1 large lemon, sliced

1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

750ml bottle or about 4 cups dry red wine (“value” wine will do—no need for the big-buck stuff)

Club soda to taste (generally start with 1 to 1-1/2 cups)

1 apple, cored and sliced

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Ice

Put orange, lemon, sugar and water in pretty pitcher. Gently muddle the fruit and then set aside for at least 20 minutes. Add wine. Stir. Add club soda to taste. Stir. Add apple and blueberries. Stir. Serve over ice. Drink. Repeat.

¶ Posted 02 July 2013 † Susan Manlin Katzman § BEVERAGES § COCKTAILS § RECIPES ‡ Comments Off °

SAXON HOTEL and recipes for MUSHROOM SAUCE, AVOCADO SALSA AND TOMATO GINGER CHUTNEY

What do Bill Clinton, Justin Bieber, Oprah Winfrey and Mick Jager have in common? All stayed at the Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg and for good reason. The one-of-a-kind property epitomizes luxury, security, service and quite pizzazzy comfort.

The Saxon claims a pedigreed location, sequestered in the city’s upscale Sandhurst neighborhood. Grand estates, each and every one walled from street view, electronically gated and well guarded by private security, surround the hotel. The nearest city intrusion lies about three kilometers away in Nelson Mandela Square, a tony shopping/entertainment center.

Guests can, of course, hire Saxon drivers for all sorts of city excursions, but once encased, it’s hard to imagine leaving the 10-acre, garden-filled hotel enclave and it’s a perfect little world of privileged coziness.

Once a private home of insurance tycoon, Douw Steyn, the Saxon maintains a grand and intimate residential ambiance. Inside the security gates, staff greet guests with a warm, unobtrusive welcome.

Doors open to an opulent lobby with duel staircases curving under a domed ceiling.

From the reception desk, butlers accompany guests to their suites, strolling through hallways filled with pencil portraits of famous visitors and/or orchids slipped into slender vases.

The Saxon’s Egoli, Presidential and Nelson Mandela suites (Mandela lived on property when writing his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom), come in various sizes and configurations. All sport Afro-gorgeous decors with tranquil color schemes of browns, beiges and creams accented with confetti dots of red and black. Luxury linens, flattering lighting and state-of-the-art electronics add to the amenities.

My suite, 104, couldn’t have been lovelier or more restful. Notice the great big bed with marble bed posts:

Notice the bathroom, which has separate tub, shower and two sinks—all graced with full bottles of fragrant Molton Brown products.

Notice the dining area with a bucket holding chilled Champagne ready to pop.

Notice the sitting area with the large TV and the desk with a power panel geared to delight the most type A, technologically connected businessperson.

If guests feel compelled to leave their suite, the Saxon offers many pockets of pleasure, including:

An award-winning spa:

A quite heated pool:

An awesome unheated pool:

A Koi pond:

African-art filled seating areas:

Cocktail lounges:

And a choice of dining areas, lusciously overseen by Executive Chef David Higgs. I opted for a long and lingering lunch in the lovely Qunu Grill. This is the dining room where guests enjoy a Champagne breakfast buffet. This is a dining room to steal a gourmet’s heart.

Notice the garden wall backdrop and startling red-dressed tables:

Notice the table decor of orchids and African art:

Qunu waiters are an especially friendly sort. They walked me through the menu and decided I should order mussel soup as a first course (it was heaven) and springbok loin, an African specialty and one of the restaurant’s signature dishes, for the second course (it was divine).

Breakfast is, of course, elegant and elaborate, with fresh oysters and sushi among the buffet choices:

But my secret best meal pleasure came at midnight, when I suddenly craved a cheeseburger. As one would expect, the Saxon Burger (brought by the butler within 20 minutes of my call) was a masterpiece. It stood a towering four-inches tall and was dressed to the nines. French fries, fried onion rings and assorted condiments/sauces, including Avocado Salsa, Tomato Chutney and a rich, creamy Mushroom Sauce (recipes follow) added to the glory.

A Leading Hotel of the World, the Saxon identifies itself as a boutique hotel, and, indeed, has been called the “world’s best boutique hotel,” but the word “boutique” underplays the Saxon’s sophisticated, high style elegance. Suffice it to say that the Saxon remains THE single best Johannesburg hotel for the wealthy, head-of-state and super-star crowd, as well as for ordinary travelers who want to borrow the celebrity lifestyle—if only for a night or two.

SAXON BURGER ACCOMPANIMENTS

MUSHROOM SAUCE

Serve as a side dish or condiment for grilled and roasted meats.

Yield: 2 cups.

Butter or oil

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and pressed through a garlic press

Splash of brandy

1/4 cup beef jus or strong stock

1 pound button mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon thyme

1-1/2 cups cream

Melt butter in a skillet. Add onion and sauté until onion is almost translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir-fry 1 minute. Pour brandy over mixture and ignite. When flame dies, add jus, mushrooms and thyme; boil gently, stirring often, until mushrooms release their liquid and liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Add cream and boil gently until sauce is thick and creamy, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

AVOCADO SALSA

Serve as a snack with tortilla chips or as a condiment for all sorts of sandwiches.

Yield: About 2 cups.

2 large, ripe avocado, coarsely chopped

1 small tomato, peeled, seeded and very finely chopped

1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped parsley

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice—or more to stabilize color

Salt to taste

Hot pepper sauce to taste

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

TOMATO AND GINGER CHUTNEY

Serve as a condiment for grilled and roasted meats and a variety of cheese and egg dishes.

Yield: 4 cups.

Oil

1 large red onion, peeled and finely diced

1 garlic clove, peeled and finely diced

1 cup vinegar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 star anise

4 whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs thyme

2 tablespoons peeled and shredded ginger.

About 5 pounds plum tomatoes, each cut into 8 pieces (You will need about 4 cups of pieces.)

Coat the bottom of a 4-quart saucepan with a little oil. Add onion and sauté until the onion is tender, but not colored. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add vinegar, sugar, anise, cloves, cinnamon, bay, thyme and ginger. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring often until sugar dissolves. After sugar dissolves, boil mixture 1 to 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes and gently boil until tomatoes are soft, 10 to 20 minutes (time depends on degree of ripeness.) Strain tomatoes from liquid, returning liquid to pan.

Remove anise, cloves, cinnamon, bay and thyme from tomatoes and discard. Set tomatoes aside.

Boil liquid in pan until it reduces and becomes thick and syrupy, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Gently stir hot syrup into tomatoes. Set chutney aside to cool at room temperature and then refrigerate in a covered container. Serve chutney chilled.

¶ Posted 21 June 2013 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § AFRICA § CONDIMENTS § ENTREES § JOHANNESBURG § RECIPES § RESTAURANTS § SANDWICHES § SAUCES § SIDE DISHES § SOUTH AFRICA ‡ Comments Off °

Johnny Cash Museum

“It was a long time coming.” The construction started in 2011 and slowly continued “one piece at a time.” But “cry cry cry” no more. As of May 30, 2013, one can “walk the line” straight to 119 Third Avenue South in Nashville, Tennessee, and pay tribute to “the man in black,” because The Johnny Cash Museum is now officially open.

Conceived by Bill Miller, a fan, friend and avid collector of all things Johnny Cash, the museum tells the story of Johnny through a variety of interactive displays, music and mementos. Fans can listen to his music, watch movies in which he acted, and view a plethora of items from both his professional and private life. Museum memorabilia includes manuscripts, costumes and instruments as well as family photographs, childhood toys and, even the crucifix ring Johnny wore in his last video.

The new Johnny Cash endeavor focuses on cash in more ways than one. General entrance fee for the museum, which is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., runs $14 (with discounts for students, the military and others). In addition, shoppers can load up on Cash-related merchandise at the gift shop adjoining the museum.

What would Johnny think of the museum? All involved know that “he’ll understand and say well done, “ although his “flesh and blood,” sister Joanne Cash Yates, and brother Tommy Cash, said that he would be surprised and overwhelmed by the attention.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHXktSrKxUw[/youtube]

“Just thought you’d like to know” that those who feel “a thing called love” for Johnny—and even those who don’t know much about the “country boy,” should enjoy the museum, as it tells the story of a troubled, but gifted man who is considered one of the major influential musicians of the 20^th century.

¶ Posted 31 May 2013 † Susan Manlin Katzman § NASHVILLE § TENNESSEE § TRAVEL ‡ Comments Off °

TEQUILA BAR AND INFUSIONS

The name is quite a mouthful—JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. And the resort is quite a place, offering something above and beyond other JW Marriotts. It’s not the size that makes it so special, although this JW Marriott is the world’s largest, sitting on an area covering 600 acres. And it’s not the 1,002 rooms or 26,000-square-foot Lantana Spa with its 30 treatment rooms, or the 36-hole PGA Tour golf facility, or even the six-acre meandering water park with its multiple pools that gets me. And, as good as they are, it’s not even the resort’s restaurants (which serve fresh ingredients grown in the property’s 5,000-square-foot organic garden).

Entrance to Lantana Spa

Water Park

No, what wins my heart is the spirit of the place.

I am talking tequila here. Literally.

I love the concept of this JW Marriott’s tequila bar, which is part of the resort’s main restaurant, Cibolo Moon. The bar is “T” certified, the first in Texas to receive such an honor. To earn a “Distintivo T” certification from the Tequila Regulatory Council of Mexico, a property must meet rigid criteria. Requirements include that the bar/restaurant offer a list of drinks and cocktails based on tequila, serve dishes in which one main ingredient is tequila, and train staff to have a thorough knowledge of every aspect of tequila, from production to taste.

Tequila Bar at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country

Cibola Moon’s Tequila Bar

When it comes to tequila—this JW Marriott rocks! The bar’s menu not only offers over 100 different tequilas and a staggering number of tequila-based drinks, but also a wide selection of tequila infusions that have been formulated by the resort’s tequila master.

The tequila bar along with the rest of the JW Marriott’s facilities, sit less than 20 minutes from San Antonio International Airport in the Texas Hill Country’s Cibolo Canyons community. For those who can’t get there fast enough, the resort was nice enough to offer their instructions for infusing tequila at home—an activity that suits me to a T!

Strawberry Jalapeno Margarita

Although strawberry-infused tequila hits the high note of popularity at the JW Marriott (and the bar’s strawberry and jalapeño margarita, alone, is enough to explain why Travel & Leisure named the resort among the 500 best in the world), one can infuse tequila with any number of fruits, vegetables and/or herbs.

It’s quite a mouthful to say, but here Sweet Leisure brings you the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa’s Cibolo Moon tequila bar’s tequila master’s instructions for infusing tequila. (Whew! I need a drink.)

HOW TO INFUSE TEQUILA

Strawberry Infused Tequila

1. Pick your base tequila. JW Marriott San Antonio suggests using 100-percent blue agave silver or blanco tequila. Blanco tequilas work particularly well, being unaged and thus the freshest with an ability to take on the most flavor.

2. Choose and prepare the infusing ingredient. The ingredient should be cleaned and cut to maximize flavor release. You can mix and match or go with one flavor. Here are some suggestions on how to prepare basic ingredients. To make a:

Herb infusion: wash herbs; use stem and all.

Pepper infusion: trim stems from peppers and either score them and leave whole, or halve peppers: remove seeds (for a mild flavor) or leave seeds attached (for extra kick).

Vanilla infusion: split a long, plump vanilla bean in half; use bean and seeds.

Mixed Fruit Infused Tequila

Berry infusion: wash berries well and remove stems; halve larger berries–leave small berries whole.

Fruit infusion (such as pineapple and mango): peel and cut flesh into chunks.

3. Place prepared infusing ingredient or ingredients in a clean, airtight jar (a quart size Mason jar works well). The amount you use depends on the intensity of flavor you wish to achieve. Fill the jar with tequila, completely covering infusing ingredients. Cover the jar tightly with a lid and shake a few times to help release ingredient’s flavor.

4. Set the jar in a cool, dark place. Shake the jar a few times a day for the duration of the infusion, which generally takes 3 to 5 days. Taste the tequila every few days until the flavors develop as you desire. (YES!)

5. Filter the tequila through fine strainer, paper coffee filter or cheesecloth into another clean jar, removing the infusing ingredients. The tequila is now ready to drink.

Enjoy infused tequila on the rocks and in cocktails and other drinks.

(Cooks can use it as a flavor enhancer in all sorts of dishes.)

Remember drink responsibly and choose a designated driver, which brings up another great point about the JW Marriott’s tequila bar; one can sample and savor to distraction and stay the night with complete ease. Salud!

¶ Posted 26 May 2013 † Susan Manlin Katzman § ACCOMMODATIONS § BEVERAGES § DRINKS § RESORTS § SAN ANTONIO § TEXAS § TRAVEL ‡ Comments Off °

COOMBS HOUSE INN and QUICHE

Connoisseurs consider the Coombs House Inn one of the best B & Bs in all of Florida and I know why. Her name is Lynn Wilson.

Lynn Wilson

Lynn, an architectural interior designer and decorator, discovered the house that would become the inn when vacationing in Apalachicola, Florida, in 1978. At that time, the mansion was uninhabited, boarded up and deteriorating. There was talk of condemnation.

Of course, it wasn’t always that way. When James N. Coombs, “the wealthiest businessman in Apalachicola,” built the mansion in 1905, he loaded it with luxuries, such as black-cypress paneling, ornate brass light fixtures, nine fireplaces, leaded glass windows and indoor plumbing. The local newspaper declared it “the most elegant house in town.” But the glory faded through the decades, first fueled by a fire in 1911, and then by various occupants who finally abandoned the property in the 1960s.

Neglected, dilapidated, decaying, the house enchanted Lynn Wilson, who with her airline executive husband, Bill Spohrer, couldn’t resist buying it.

With a resume that lists renovating and decorating luxury properties all over the world (client list includes Taj Hotels, King Hussein and Queen Noor, Donald Trump and Jackie and David Siegel—yes, the same featured in the documentary film “The Queen of Versailles”), Lynn not only restored the building, but also filled it with fine antiques, oriental carpets and original paintings. She also shocked locals by painting the exterior a sunny yellow, a daring deviation from the mosquito-repellent white of surrounding properties.

Coombs House Inn opened to guests in 1994.

As you can imagine, the inn’s reputation and popularity blossomed, encouraging Lynn and Bill to purchase another nearby Victorian mansion, which went through the renovation/decorating process to emerge as “Coombs Villas” in 1998. A third historic house, now called “Coombs Veranda Suites” joined the enclave in 2007.

Today the three houses that make up the Coombs Inn combine considerable turn-of-the-century charm with comfortable contemporary updates. Although each of the 23 rooms vary in size, decor and accoutrements, all boasts full baths, cable TV, Wi-Fi and Starbucks coffee for in-room coffee makers. Breakfast and afternoon tea greet diners in the gracious dining room and extras come in the form of bicycles as well as beach chairs and towels that guests can borrow for trips to the nearby sugary-sand beaches of St. George Island.

Bedrooms

Antiques

Bathrooms

In addition to individual travelers, the B & B accommodates groups, as its garden gazebo and Camellia Hall provide a lovely venue for weddings, meetings and all type of gatherings.

Gazebo and Camellia Hall

The Coombs Inn sits a few blocks from the heart of Apalachicola, with easy access to all that the quaint fishing-village has to offer. Guests can wile away their stay sitting on a genteel verandah with a good book and glass of wine or can partake in area activities such as biking, hiking, kayaking, fishing, sailing and swimming in the Gulf. And as icing on the Apalachicola cake, the inn is within walking distance to a treasure trove of good restaurants (click HERE for one great suggestion).

And while we are on the subject of food, the B & B serves ample breakfasts with specialties such as:

COOMBS INN SAUSAGE AND CHEESE QUICHE

Yield: 6 servings.

1 pie crust to fit a 9-inch pie plate

4 to 6 fully cooked pork sausage patties (Coombs Inn uses Jimmy Dean Original Hearty Pork Sausage)

4 eggs

1 cup half-and-half or milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch pie plate with pie crust.

Arrange sausage patties over bottom of pie crust.

Beat eggs with half and half, salt and pepper until well blended. Toss cheese with flour and stir into eggs. Pour mixture over sausage in crust.

Bake in a 350°F oven until filling is set and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. (If edges of crust brown too much, cover with strips of foil for last 15 minutes of baking.)

Remove quiche from oven and set aside for 5 minutes before slicing.

For more information about Apalachicola, St. George Island and other Franklin County delights, see http://www.saltyflorida.com/.

For Coombs House Inn information visit http://www.coombshouseinn.com/