Food and wine packages are delicious getaways

A class in seafood and shellfish will be held at the Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake in Geneva, Ohio.

In the middle of winter you don’t have to go south to warm the heart and rest the body. Instead, plan a mini culinary vacation with a food and wine getaway package that can include culinary classes, festivals, wine tastings, and walking tours.

At the Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake in Geneva, Ohio, executive chef Stephen Gary starts this year’s series of culinary class overnight packages with Seafood and Shellfish on March 27-28, followed by Love of the Land on April 24-25, and Soups, Stocks, Sauces, Dressings and Vinaigrettes on May 15-16.

“Our culinary classes are designed to meet the needs of those who don’t have time for extensive preparation [and] are looking to create comfort foods with flair, but still keep within their budgets,” Chef Gary says.

Each class includes a two-hour cooking session with lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on preparation taught by the executive chef. Participants are served the various items prepared as well as a local vintage. “We partner with local wineries [in northeast Ohio],” he says, noting Ferrante, Debonne, and Grand River wineries.

The package includes a one-night stay on Friday and breakfast for two on Saturday followed by the two-hour class. The package for two begins at $259 plus tax.

Located at 4888 North Broadway (State Rt. 534) in Geneva-on-the Lake, the Lodge at Geneva-on-the Lake features 109 guest rooms, most with lake views. The lodge entrance is one mile north of Geneva State Park.

In the Seafood and Shellfish class, participants learn to prepare an array of dishes without breaking the budget. The Steamed Mussels with Chardonnay dish is made with chopped shallots. “As the mussels cook and open they infuse with flavor,” says Chef Gary, who also brings a whole fish to the class. “I think there is a huge disconnect between consumers purchasing fish at the market versus how I use a fish as a culinarian.”

Instruction includes local fish favorites such as perch and walleye, along with popular fish such as salmon. “I’ll also have some great sushi-grade tuna,” says the native of Rochester, N.Y. “We’ll make a roll or two and talk about the importance of fish in the Asian diet.”

In April’s the Love of the Land, the focus is on how to select and prepare the freshest and most flavorful fruits and vegetables, including organically and locally grown. “We partner with the Chef’s Garden [in Huron, Ohio],” says Chef Gary. “We’ll get little baby vegetables, too. Simple mirepoix is the basis of flavor. It’s the same with fruits. We’ll cover when to buy asparagus and citrus and other produce.”

For May’s Soups, Stocks, Sauces, Dressings, and Vinaigrettes class, the chef teaches the easy, cost-efficient, enhanced taste and healthy benefits of homemade creations. He promises that participants will put their pre-packaged gravies, sauces, and dressings aside forever. “People don’t realize how easy it is to make some of these,” says the chef, who worked as a saucier at Walt Disney World. “Take time to develop natural flavors. Don’t detract from the natural flavor of the protein you’re putting the sauce on. You want to complement the flavor, not try to hide it.”

For reservations and information, call 866-806-8066.

Michigan events
Up north is the Homestead Resort in Glen Arbor, Mich. (a half-hour west of Traverse City), which has several food and/or wine weekends planned. With three restaurants on the property, which includes downhill skiing at Bay Mountain, executive chef John Piombo has planned food for the Mardi Gras Festival Friday and Saturday. “This is the first annual celebration of Mardi Gras,” says Jamie Jewel, spokesman. “We thought it would be a great draw.”

There will be costumed staff and singing jesters on the mountain. Cajun foods will be featured, including seafood gumbo, jammin’ jambalaya, black-eyed peas, Cajun mashed potatoes, beignets, and creme brulee. Add movies, jazz, and a party for an unusual weekend.

The seventh annual Wine Tour on March 6 and 7 will feature three Leelanau County vineyards. At this event, Silver Leaf, Circa, and Bel Lago wineries are featured.

“We provide the transportation, and [participants] do wine tasting during the day,” says Ms. Jewel.

On Saturday evening, there’s a five-course meal served with wines. The dinner is prepared by Chef Piombo in Nonna’s. “It’s one of the signature events of the year.” These wine tours are held three times a year: fall, winter, and spring.

The weekend package for two includes two nights (Friday and Saturday), two breakfasts for two, a take-out lunch for the wine tour, and the five-course dinner for two for about $534. If you arrive early enough on Friday you can ski or snowboard for an additional fee. For information and reservations, call 231-334-5100.

Walking tours
If you are planning to travel to New York City in the next few weeks, think about a culinary walking tour or market class.

The Institute of Culinary Education celebrates New York City’s culinary abundance with walking tours and market classes featuring food shops and international neighborhoods, ethnic specialties, and authentic dishes at restaurant “finds.” The tours run rain or shine. Participants must be 18 years or older.

Inside New York Chocolate: A Factory Tour is from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 28. Stops include Tumbador Chocolates in Sunset Park, Brooklyn; Christopher Norman Chocolates in the Wall Street district, and Kee’s Chocolates in Soho. The cost is $90.

On March 7 three tours are scheduled. The Arthur Avenue Walking Tour ($75) features a guided tour of this Italian neighborhood, introducing participants to butchers, bakers, and cheese makers. This section of the Bronx is the most authentic “Little Italy” in the city, according to the ICE.

Also that day is Uptown, Downtown: New York is Chocolate Country ($110) featuring artisanal chocolates, beginning the day in Soho and also exploring Manhattan’s Upper East Side for an elegant French lunch. A tour of the Chelsea Market ($105) with Richard Ruben, author of the Farmer’s Market Cookbook, also is scheduled.

The “Little India” Walking Tour is March 14, featuring Queens’ “Little India,” the commercial hub of a large Indian community.

Two tours are scheduled March 21: Hidden and Cheap Eats in Manhattan ($75) and New York’s Best Small Wine Shops Walking Tour ($75).