It seems that almost everyone is eager for a cool food experience. To keep demanding foodies enticed, several luxury properties are giving guests the opportunity to collect the ingredients for their own meals on site. A local cultural adventure adds to the fun.
One of the most fun ways to jump into Mexican culture is to drop your bags off at the Rosewood Mayakoba and head straight to its new 20,000 foot outdoor dining space. The recently opened La Ceiba Garden & Kitchen, of course, consists of a garden. In this case, the garden is really a fantastic source of over 45 types of organic fruits and vegetables, including spring onions, tomatoes, passion fruit and mangoes. Additional flavor can be found in the garden’s organic supply of chilies, basil, lemongrass, and mint.
Perhaps the best part of all, is that guests who attend one of La Ceiba’s cooking classes get to forage through the garden for that night’s menu, picking the veggies and herbs that will appear in their meals. Keeping with the artisanal, theme, the outdoor kitchen cooks the food Mayan-style, over an open flame or in an underground pit, known as a Pib. Some of the wonders turned out by the kitchen include duck tostado with mole sauce, coffee-ancho pepper cured prime rib eye and pickled beet salad with tomatillos. The Kitchen’s specialty is Cochinita Pibil, a suckling pig cooked in the underground Pib, and dressed up with peppers, oranges and cilantro from the garden.
A great way to combine local fun with tasty fare is to indulge in a program offered by the swank Gansevoort in Turks & Caicos. Turks & Caicos is all about the water and the resort offers multiple fishing options. Guests can try their hand at reef fishing, an ideal activity for the novice fisherman or those traveling with children. The area’s ubiquitous conch provides the bait and guest frequently catch local snapper and grouper. The more seasoned fisherman might choose some of the Caribbean’s best deep water fishing. In that case, the seaworthy can expect to pull in some big fish game, such as marlin, wahoo, tuna, and Barracuda.
Regardless of what is brought back, the resort’s chefs can transform the haul into a sumptuous meal. Depending on one’s mood, the fish can be prepared Mediterranean or Caribbean style and served either at the luxurious Stelle restaurant, or poolside, for a more casual end to the day.
And of course, if the day’s adventure does not go as planned, there is always room service.
