Duration:
4 nights, 3 Activity packed days
 
Available Trips;
July 17-21, 2011
August 7-11, 2011
 
2011 Prices
$1800.00 per person with lodging accommodations double occupancy
$1299 per person without lodging
$330 Single Supplement
 
Air Gateway:
Reno, NV
 
Accommodations,
The Cedar House Sport Hotel
 
Active Gourmand Tahoe is for those that love the outdoors, but have a true passion for food and fine wines. Enjoy scenery packed day hikes that are followed by an early evening cooking class and wine dinner. Learn cooking techniques in a professional kitchen. Receive instructions on seasonal cooking. Learn how to shop at a Farmer's Market. Listen to commentary on how to pair wines with food. The only difference between an amateur cook and a professional is the deep understanding of the science and techniques that make great food possible. Chef Jacob will guide you through a fabulous multi-course culinary experience that will inspire you to recreate what you learned back in your own kitchen.

Highlights:

Panoramic Views of Lake Tahoe
Unspoiled trails and mountain peaks
The Pacific Crest Trail
Morning Trip to Farmer's Market
Hands on Cooking Classes followed by multi-course wine dinner

What to Expect:

Day 1 - Welcome Dinner/Meet and Greet

Your trip begins with a Welcome Dinner Sunday evening where you will meet your hiking guides, Chef Jacob Burton and Stella's in house wine expert Roger Slavin. Get a tantalizing taste of what's to come with canapés, champagne and a three course menu with wine pairings served in our beautiful garden patio.

Day 2 -

After a hearty breakfast, the first hike will be scenery packed, with trails that dip up and down along an undeveloped secluded portion of Lake Tahoe's shoreline. You will see historic Vikingsholm, a Scandinavian castle perched on the pristine shores of Emerald Bay.

The evening’s cooking class will focus on the four pillars of kitchen execution; knife skills, produce prep, sauce making and pan roasting. These skills will not only lay the foundation for the following evening's class but it will be incorporated into a four course tasting menu served that night; illustrating first hand what these techniques can achieve.


Day 3 -

After breakfast, accompany Chef Jacob to our local farmers market just down the street from the hotel. There you will learn how to look for great produce at the peak of the season. "When you are able to buy great products, the cooking part is easy; you just get out of the way and let the food do its thing." says Jacob. Yet picking out fresh produce from a farmer's market and creating a meal can be a daunting task. This field trip will demystify the process of selecting produce for both quality and inspiration.

This day's hike will begin late morning. You will explore a secret trail that is not on any maps and is a local's favorite. Small streams flow lazily over our trail as we walk among the tiger lilies, larkspurs and shooting stars.

The evenings multi-course culinary experience will feature hand picked produce that was selected at the morning's farmers market. Chef Jacob will discuss tips and tricks on how to write a seasonal menu and enhance summer produce through proper techniques and flavor pairings. Learn how to construct a dish using a "super star" ingredient that is at its peak. Then sit down and enjoy a plated menu showcasing the fruits of your labor with selected wine pairings.

Day 4 -

Our trip would not be complete without a hike to secluded Ellis Lake. Relax and swim at the lake or go to the summit of Ellis Peak (8740 elevation), where the reward is a captivating panoramic view of Lake Tahoe, Desolation Wilderness and much more. The day will conclude with a Farewell Wine Dinner, with final commentary from Chef Jacob. The dinner will be a five course tasting menu with wine pairings, highlighting the knowledge and techniques taught over the last few days.