Active Gourmand Tahoe
Lake Tahoe's amazingly clear waters are cradled by secluded bays and surrounded by hundreds of trails and peaks. The skies are deep blue and can be cloudless for weeks on end. With crisp mountain air in the mornings and sunshine in the afternoons, it is truly a hiker's paradise. If you love to hike and cook, then this trip is for you. 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 multi-course wine dinner.
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:
The first hike of your Tahoe adventure is scenery packed. The trail dips up and down along an undeveloped secluded portion of Lake Tahoe's shoreline providing incredible views at every turn. We hike over a babbling creek, passing brilliant displays of lupine and sugar peas among the shady pine forest. The evening’s cooking class will focus on flavor structure and how to create restaurant style dishes. Understanding flavor and balance 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.
On your second day 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. The hike for the day will begin late morning in the territory made infamous by the story of the Donner Party tragedy in 1847. Your guides will share with you the history of the area around Donner Pass, the final high pass in the pioneers’ journey west of the Rockies -- a fatal final challenge for many. The evening’s 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.
The 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 (8,740 ft elevation), where the reward is a captivating panoramic view of Lake Tahoe, Desolation Wilderness and much more. The day will conclude with our “Let’s talk Wine” dinner – which begins with 4 tapas that have been expertly paired with special wines. Learn why and how certain wines pair with what foods. Afterwards, enjoy dinner from the Stella menu and have it properly paired by our wine expert.
Our last day’s hike begins among wild roses and follows along the north bank of Sagehen Creek, passing through aspen and willow trees and ponds created by the busywork of the Mountain Beaver. The trail weaves through the forest until you reach a large meadow near Stampede Reservoir where Canadian geese can be seen raising their families and camas lilies abound in the spring.
