WEST COAST

Tomales Bay, California

Left Credit: Adahlia Cole, Right Credit: Remy Hale

Oyster country doesn’t get dreamier than Tomales Bay. Located 80 minutes north of San Francisco in bountiful West Marin County, the bay serves as the eastern boundary of the Point Reyes Peninsula and is a short drive from the wineries of Napa and Sonoma counties. A constant upwelling of nutrients from the well-oxygenated waters flowing in from the chilly Pacific Ocean make this estuary a prolific hub for California’s aquaculture industry. Today, five farms cultivate diverse species on the bay ranging from tiny but umami packed Olympia to buttery Kumamoto. The 115-year-old Tomales Bay Oyster Company, the oldest bivalve farm in California, is known for its seasonal Golden Nuggets. With every tide, the oysters go through a unique tumbling system that produces a deep-cupped, plump oyster with a melony-finish. Hog Island Oyster Co. uses rack-and-back farming techniques to grow its flagship Hot Island sweetwaters, which taste just like the name suggests. Where to try them: Nick’s Cove, a 1930s fishing shack reimagined as a modern bayfront inn got a serious glow up in 2023. Celebrated chef Chris Cosentino consulted on the menu which includes the hit barbecued oysters sourced from Tomales Bay Oyster Company. Let All Roads North arrange for a private kayak guide to take you to see the farms in the bay.

Willapa Bay, Washington

Credit: Taylor Shellfish Farms

Oysters cultivated in Willapa Bay off Washington’s Pacific Coast are prized for their salty-sweet balance and silky texture. Many are grown using a tide-tumbling technique, where the oysters grow in baskets or bags suspended above the bay floor. As the tide rushes in, the water agitates the bivalves and rotates the baskets, helping them form harder shells and deeper cups filled with firm meat. The process is similar to how sea glass is formed, hence the name of Taylor Shellfish Farms’ smooth-shelled, clean, crisp Beach Glass Pacific Oysters. Now run by the fifth generation of the Taylor family, the business is known for its Shigoku oysters. Meaning “ultimate” in Japanese, this 

Willapa Bay off Washington’s Pacific Coast is known as the state’s premier oyster region, producing the renowned Shigoku oysters. A varietal of Pacific oysters, Shigoku, means “ultimate” in Japanese, and is so named for its plump meat and strong, briny flavor profile and sweet finish. Their Fat Bastards are a more robust, big brother of the Shigoku. Where to try them: Taylor Shellfish Farms has three oyster bars in Seattle, but it’s worth the scenic, one hour and 40-minute drive north to picnic at the family’s farm and shellfish market on Samish Bay in the small town of Bow. Tables overlooking the oyster beds in the bay are first-come, first-serve and the menu is whatever is fresh that day. You can’t go wrong with a shuckers dozen and a bottle of Washington Chardonnay.

GULF COAST

Grand Isle, Louisiana

Credit: Peche, New Orleans

Grand Isle, a barrier island where Louisiana’s estuary meets the Gulf, was once booming with oyster production. Over the years, frequent hurricanes damaged the oyster reefs putting the industry at risk. Now, a collective of growers has banded together to adopt an innovative cultivation technique known as off-bottom farming, where the oysters are grown in floating cages rather than directly on the ocean floor. The late third-generation oysterman Jules Melancon of Caminada Bay Oyster Farm, is credited with having pioneered the method in Grand Ise. Marketed as Grand Isle Jewels, these boutique oysters from producers such as Bright Side Oysters and Little Moon Oyster Ranch, are sought out for their distinctively salty, creamy, and buttery flavor profile. Where to try them: An oyster crawl of the top tables in New Orleans showcases Grande Isle Jewels in all of their glory, from raw to grilled. Hit the marble-topped raw bar at seafood temple, Pêche, try them Cajun-style at Mosquito Supper Club, and order the oyster sampler at Seaworthy to compare flavor profiles.

EAST COAST

Damariscotta River, Maine

Credit: Glidden Point Oyster Farms

With nearly 3,500 miles of rugged coastline, Maine is the ideal place to cultivate and harvest oysters. The cold, nutrient rich Atlantic ocean gives Maine oysters a distinctly crisp and briny, yet buttery and sweet flavor. Midcoast, the Damariscotta River is considered the oyster capital of Maine. Around 80 percent of all Maine oysters are harvested from this 12-mile estuary, and you’ll find the state’s oldest operating oyster farms here. Where to try them: Take to the bay by boat for an oyster and wine tasting experience that passes many of the region’s top bivalve farms, sampling local varieties, including bright and briny Pemaquid to succulent Glidden Points oysters, and a sommelier is on hand for pairings. You can try the latter at the source. Glidden Pt. Oyster Farms in Edgecombe, where you can enjoy tastings and shucking lessons on its patio.

Chesapeake Bay, Maryland + Virginia

Credit: Rappahannock Oyster Co.

In the late 19th century, oyster harvesting in the Chesapeake was so profitable that oysters earned the moniker, “white gold.” Numbers dwindled over the years due to a combination of over-harvesting and habitat loss. Today, oyster farming has helped bring the mollusks back to the bay. Nowhere will you find such variety. Flavors span the salt spectrum, from subtly sweet to ultra briny. Connected to both the freshwaters of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay, the Rappahannock River is an oyster growing hotspot. Its namesake oysters are delicate and sweet, with less salinity than the average East Coast oysters. Where to try them: Cousins and fourth-generation oystermen Ryan and Travis Croxton took over their grandfather’s Virginia oyster leases in 2001, when the industry was on the brink of collapse, and turned them into  Rappahannock Oyster Co., one of the first commercially viable aquaculture operations in the Chesapeake. Slurp their deep cupped, buttery bivalves at the farm tasting room in Topping, Virginia, or at their oyster bars in Richmond, Charleston, Los Angeles, and Dulles airport.

Let us weave in an oyster tasting or two as part of one of our bespoke journeys:

Sonoma and Mendocino: A Farm to Table Road Trip

The Olympic Peninsula & San Juan Islands: Coastal Wanderings

Islets and Inlets: Maine Maritime Adventures

The post American Oyster Chronicles appeared first on All Roads North.

A rotating series of award-winning guest chefs, including Viet Pham of Pretty Bird Chicken in Salt Lake City and Kim Canteenwalla of Honey Salt in Las Vegas, will take over the kitchen five nights a week between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Perched on a peak with sweeping views of the Wasatch Mountain Range and Rockport Reservoir, the 24-seat, communal table is the ultimate picnic set-up. Dishes showcasing locally sourced proteins and produce from the hotel’s onsite farm might include elk loin with roasted radishes and black trout with watercress complemented by flights of Ritchie’s beer, Gritchie Brew. And of course, evening’s conclude with artisanal S’mores.

Adventurous guests can mountain bike to dinner or join a wilderness hike where a guide will I.D. flora and fauna along the way. Post-dinner stargazing will also be available. On special request, the property can also arrange campfire breakfasts and chef-curated cooking and cocktail classes.

Pairs perfectly with: An Odyssey through Utah’s National Parks

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In Seattle and Portland, the past several years has seen the rise of Native American-owned eateries with a mission to share Indigenous foods, from cafes to food trucks to coffee houses. Three examples at the forefront of this movement are Off the Rez, Bison Coffeehouse and ʔálʔal Café. Not only offering delicious Indigenous meals, these restaurants are spaces where tradition is honored, stories are told, and support is paid back to the Native American community. 

Off the Rez: Seattle’s First Native Food Truck

Credit: KUOW Photo by Megan Farmer

Mark McConnell’s mother grew up on the Blackfeet Reservation in Browning, Montana. McConnell himself grew up in Seattle, but has many fond childhood memories of going back to Montana and spending time with family around traditional food.

Fed up with craving the Native comfort foods that his mom used to make and no restaurant in the area providing a place to buy them, McConnell took matters into his own hands.

“There wasn’t any market for [Native foods] here in Seattle,” McConnell said. “There wasn’t anyone doing it, so we wanted to be the first ones to share our culture’s food out here.”

Along with his partner Cecilia Rikard and childhood friend Chef Donovan MacInnis, the trio transformed an old linen truck into Seattle’s very first Native American food truck. They used several recipes that McConnell’s mom had passed down to him, such as bison tacos and frybread. In McConnell’s memories, the crispy, pillowy frybread was reserved for special occasions, and Indian tacos and sweet frybread were staples at birthday parties and powwows. Off the Rez created homemade preserves, jams and all types of toppings over the years to complement their best-selling frybread. 

As the first to introduce Native food to the area commercially, the food truck had several customers who were encountering this type of cuisine for the first time.  For Native people from other regions, the food evoked nostalgia and a connection to their own traditions.

“We try to collaborate with Native suppliers as much as we can,” McConnell said. Sometimes the team sources bison from Montana. When we spoke to McConnell, he had just bought fresh salmon from the nearby Muckleshoot tribe.

Beyond the infamous Off the Rez food truck, the brand has expanded to a brick and mortar location at the Burke Museum at the University of Washington. The museum has a focus on dinosaurs, fossils, Northwest Native art, plant and animal collections, and cultural pieces from across the globe– making it the perfect place to connect marry the culinary experience with a historical and cultural one.

“There’s a lot of ties between the food and the culture and history [in the museum],” McConnell said. “It’s a great experience to come and try the food, but also go and see artwork and carvings from different periods in our culture.”

Bison Coffee House: A Symbol of Resilience

By Ashley Anderson

Loretta Guzman’s journey to founding Bison Coffee House began with a battle against cancer that led her back to her family on the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho. Loretta herself was born in Portland, but spent her childhood going back and forth between the Oregon town and the Idaho reservation. 

While recovering, Loretta had a vision of a majestic bison approaching her. Her stepfather, recognizing the significance, assured her that it was her grandparents healing her in the spirit world. Miraculously, she went into remission, and the vision of the bison became the symbol that marked her coffee shop.

“For the Bannock, the bison are a big part of our history,” Guzman said. “Our Bannock people are bison hunters. So I thought, I have to represent the present and the past.”

When you walk into the coffee shop, a giant bison head holds court over the cafe as a symbol of the resilience of Native American peoples and of Guzman’s own personal journey. 

By Ashley Anderson

Along with help from her daughter and other family members, Guzman sells coffee and an array of fresh baked goods that are all made in house, such as espresso coffee cake and green chile pepper jack bacon biscuits. Her cafe is not just about coffee; it’s an avenue to give back to Native American communities. 

“Every year, I pick one of the MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) organizations to donate to,” Guzman said. “But I make sure I research them and see it’s a legitimate organization, and that they are really helping our people.” 

Guzman has given to the MMIW Database, the Sahnish Scouts, and the Medicine Wheel Ride to name a few of the organizations making a difference. 

ʔálʔal Café: Decolonizing Native Food

ʔálʔal Café’s moniker, pronounced “All All,” is the Lushootseed word for “home.” The word perfectly encapsulates the vision of the Chief Seattle Club, which owns and operates the cafe. 

“We envision a future where our Native community is safe, healthy, housed, and connected to community that respects and celebrates Native cultures,” Akemi Boyd, Grant Writer for Chief Seattle Club, said. 

The cafe puts an emphasis on “de-colonized food,” meaning dishes and ingredients that take back the way Native food was prepared before colonization. Bison barbacoa tacos, rabbit stew, blue corn mush, three sisters wild rice grain bowl, and maple sugar mocha are just a few of the items on the menu.The cafe sources ingredients and products from tribes and Native businesses, such as bison from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, wild rice from the Red Lake Nation, and blue corn from Navajo Nation.

“Food is our most immediate connection to culture,” Boyd said. “Through colonization and attempted genocide, many Indigenous people lost connection to their traditional foods. Reintroducing those foods is a healing process and a small step in regaining a sense of self.”

Beyond food, ʔálʔal Café serves as a hub for cultural exchange. The café hosts workshops and events, opening doors to conversations about Indigenous experiences, sovereignty, and heritage.

“The ʔálʔal Café serves as a gateway for the Pioneer Square Community to interact with members and café staff,” Boyd said. “This is a great opportunity for people who may not understand the Native culture, to learn what culture looks and feels like from our perspective.”

Explore the Pacific Northwest:

The Pacific Coast and Willamette Valley: From your starting point in Portland, you will find yourself in a city ringed by old growth fir forests, snow-capped volcanoes, ancient cliffs adorned with tumbling waterfalls, fertile farmland and vineyards, and hundreds of miles of undeveloped coast ripe for exploration. This luxury Oregon road trip provides an unmatched concentration of stunning, diverse Pacific Northwest landscapes enriched by unique adventures and connections with local producers.

Olympic Peninsula and San Juan Islands: Coastal Wanderings: Experience the remote wonders of the Olympic Peninsula, the relaxed pace of life on the San Juan Islands and the buzz of downtown Seattle on this loop around Washington’s idyllic islands and verdant peninsulas. Charming waterfront inns and boutique hotels allow you to sample in style all of the natural wonders and culinary delights that this special corner of the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

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No matter your interests, we know the perfect occasion to pique your interest: Indulge in culinary delights at the prestigious Aspen Food and Wine Festival or savor Southern traditions at the Lowcountry Oyster Festival. Immerse yourself in the world of cinema at the iconic Telluride Film Festival or embrace the vibrant music scene at the NOLA Jazz and Heritage Festival. Witness the thrill of motorsport at the United States Grand Prix or feel the thunder of hooves at the Kentucky Derby. From captivating art exhibitions to exhilarating rodeos, we’ve rounded up a year filled with both well-known, iconic events, as well as a smaller, unique festival as its counterpart in the same genre.

Food Festivals in the U.S.

Iconic: Aspen Food and Wine Classic

When: June 14-16, 2024

The Aspen Food and Wine Festival is a premier culinary event that takes place annually in the picturesque mountain town of Aspen, Colorado. Renowned as one of the most prestigious food and wine gatherings in the United States, this festival brings together top chefs, winemakers, industry experts, and passionate food enthusiasts from around the world.

Off the Beaten Path: Lowcountry Oyster Festival

When: Feb 4, 2024

The Lowcountry Oyster Festival annually celebrates the cherished tradition of oyster consumption in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Boone Hall Plantation in Charleston, the star of the show is, of course, the oyster, but the festival also features a diverse array of Southern dishes such as gumbo and fish tacos. 

Film Festivals in the U.S.

Iconic: Telluride Film Festival

Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images

When: Every September on Labor Day weekend

The Telluride Film Festival is both world-renowned and intimate. Held in the beautiful mountain town of Telluride, Colorado, the festival is unique in that it keeps the program secret until the opening day, creating an air of anticipation and excitement. Attendees are treated to a carefully curated selection of films, often including highly anticipated premieres, independent gems, and international cinematic treasures.

Off the Beaten Path: Santa Barbara International Film Festival

When: Feb 7-17, 2024

Known for its relaxed and friendly atmosphere, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival is a prestigious annual event that celebrates the art of filmmaking in the beautiful coastal city of Santa Barbara, California. The festival takes advantage of Santa Barbara’s stunning coastal setting, offering a unique cinematic experience. Attendees can enjoy film screenings in beautiful historic theaters, as well as in unique outdoor venues, taking in the ocean breeze while enjoying the magic of cinema.

Motor Sports in the U.S.

Iconic: United States Grand Prix

When: Dates TBC

Truly one of the most iconic in the US, the Grand Prix epitomizes the speed, precision, and glamor of the motorsport world. Held annually in the United States, the Formula One racing event’s location has varied over time, but has been primarily located in Austin, Texas since 2012. Crescendoing in roaring motors and cheering crowds, each event is a thrilling showcase of human innovation and determination as the driving teams use cutting-edge technology, adrenaline-fueled overtakes, and strategic pit stops to overcome their opponents.

Off the Beaten Path: Sun Valley Tour de Force

When: July 

This three-day event showcases an impressive lineup of exotic cars, vintage classics, and high-performance vehicles that take to the roads of Sun Valley, Idaho. The signature event of the weekend is the ‘NO SPEED LIMIT’ high speed runs at Phantom Hill. Located in the heart of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, 3.2 miles of state highway becomes a no-speed limit zone. For one day only, drivers are allowed to put their machines to the ultimate test. To date, the fastest speed on record is a Bugatti Chiron achieving 253 miles per hour.

Horse Racing Events in the U.S.

Iconic: Kentucky Derby

When: First Saturday of May

Known as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,” The Kentucky Derby is a world-renowned horse racing event and the first leg of the prestigious Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.The event is as much a social gathering as it is a horse race, with attendees dressed in their finest attire, including extravagant hats and outfits. 

Off the Beaten Path: Carolina Cup

When: March 30, 2024

Held in the heart of Camden, South Carolina, this steeplechase race has become a beloved tradition for both racing enthusiasts and the local community. Taking place in the picturesque Springdale Race Course, the Carolina Cup offers a thrilling day of horse racing amidst rolling hills, green pastures, and a festive atmosphere. Although there is a full day’s worth of events, the featured race is the steeplechase competition that spans several miles and includes obstacles such as jumps and water crossings. 

Music Festivals in the U.S.

Iconic: NOLA Jazz and Heritage Festival

When: April 26-May 5

The NOLA Jazz and Heritage Festival, also known as Jazz Fest, is an iconic celebration of music, culture, and the vibrant spirit of New Orleans. Held annually in the beautiful city of New Orleans, Louisiana, this legendary festival has become a cornerstone of the city’s rich musical heritage. Jazz Fest brings together a diverse array of musical genres, including jazz, blues, R&B, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, rock, funk, and more. 

Off the Beaten Path: Tanglewood

When: June to Labor Day yearly

Tanglewood’s idyllic wooded surroundings in the Massachusetts Berkshires set the stage for a captivating lineup of classical music, jazz and folk performances. Renowned as the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the festival has a long legacy of uniting nature’s serenity with the harmonies of human creativity. With its open-air Shed and the striking architecture of Seiji Ozawa Hall, Tanglewood provides the opportunity across its various venues to hear symphonies, chamber music, and star-studded concerts.

Art Festivals in the U.S.

Iconic: Art Basel

When: June 13-16, 2024

Showcasing an eclectic array of contemporary artworks – from paintings to digital pieces – Art Basel draws top galleries, artists, and all manner of art aficionados. Each year, the gathering sparks cultural conversations, featuring talks and discussions that delve into current artistic trends. The event’s fusion of creative expression with Miami’s dynamic ambiance creates an immersive experience, attracting international attention.

Off the Beaten Path: Desert X

When: Every two years

Desert X is a captivating art exhibition that transforms the desert landscapes of the Coachella Valley in Southern California into a dynamic open-air museum. This biennial event showcases a diverse range of contemporary art installations, blurring the boundaries between nature, art, and the human experience. The artworks range from large-scale installations to immersive experiences.

Rodeos in the U.S.

Iconic: Cheyenne Frontier Days

When: Yearly in July

For over a century, Cheyenne Frontier Days has been a cherished tradition, immersing attendees in the spirit of the American West. It is the largest outdoor rodeo and western event in the United States, attracting thousands of visitors from near and far. The event showcases thrilling rodeo competitions featuring top-notch cowboys and cowgirls competing in various disciplines, such as bull riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and more.

Off the Beaten Path: Prescott Frontier Days

When: June/July

Prescott Frontier Days, also known as the “World’s Oldest Rodeo,” is a legendary annual event that celebrates the spirit of the American West in the historic town of Prescott, Arizona. Spectators can witness the adrenaline-pumping action of bull riding, bronc riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and roping, as cowboys and cowgirls showcase their skills and bravery.

Sporting Events in the U.S.

Iconic: The Masters

When: First week of April yearly

The perfectly manicured course. The reverent silence that would rival that of a cathedral. The blooming azaleas and fresh spring air. Attending the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia is certainly at the top of the wish list for any golf aficionado. Only the most elite golf players gather at the beginning of April to vie for the coveted green jacket.

Off the Beaten Path: Iditarod

When: Beginning of March, yearly

Stretching over a thousand miles of treacherous terrain, Alaska’s Iditarod is a battle against nature’s extremes. Mushers and their sled dog teams navigate the 1,000 miles from Anchorage to Nome, facing blizzards, icy rivers, and rugged landscapes. Rooted in the state’s history, the race honors the life-saving dogsled deliveries of diphtheria antitoxin in 1925, showcasing the vital role of sled dogs in Alaska’s past. Today, spectators can witness the historic race by converging with the crowds at the starting line in Anchorage, or staying at one of our favorite wilderness lodges located along the trail at the Finger Lake Checkpoint.

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Our favorite properties tend to be the ones that use food and wine as a key ingredient in showcasing the beauty of the region, using seasonal, ultra-local food to bring a true taste of Northern California to the dinner table. At these properties, from Michelin-starred restaurants to family-run wineries, a strong sense of place is instilled into every dish. 

Michelin Coast-to-Table

Harbor House Inn quietly occupies a private cove about 16 miles south of the quaint town of Mendocino. Outfitted with redwood, the dining room– originally created as a showroom from the region’s logging days– overlooks the property’s gardens. Beyond that, the cove’s clear turquoise water laps at the foot of cliffs and a stunning arched rock formation commands the attention of the horizon. 

Harbor House is a small inn with only six traditional rooms in the main building and five standalone cottages for extra privacy. Those staying at the inn are privy to early access to dinner reservations, but many come just for the food. Twenty seats are available each night  Thursday through Monday for a tasting menu that typically features around 12 courses. The menu rotates nightly and is sourced locally. As many ingredients as possible are sourced straight from the garden on site, and the rest are products of local farms and ranches. Out of the 12 courses, there is typically only one land-based meat dish. The rest highlight fresh vegetables, produce and seafood. 

 “The ability to forage for seaweed, mushrooms, herbs and edible weeds in our backyard and the surrounding coast and forest has shaped the cuisine to be a true local snapshot of our area,” Chef Matthew Kammerer said.

Night after night, Harbor House plays with the ever changing flavors of the region, elevating not only delicacies like sea urchin, but also more humble items like seaweed harvested from the nearby coastline, or lace lichen plucked from overhanging trees. The creativity and vision is evident in every dish, earning the restaurant its rightful place as the only one with Michelin stars in Mendocino county. 

Small Batch Production

A hundred miles further south in Sonoma, Beltane Ranch perfectly encapsulates the magic of small-batch wine production and farming. When you step onto the property, you’re greeted first by a friendly shaggy dog (and maybe the far off bleating of the babydoll lambs), and then by the warm presence of Lauren Benward, whose family has run the ranch for six generations. 

 The property was built on a colorful, ‘Wild West’ past. In 1879, a pioneer California viticulturist and winemaker named John Drummond planted Beltane’s first official vineyard. He utilized the property’s volcanic soil to graft the old mission style grapevines to fine wine varieties, including Cabernet and Chardonnay with cuttings from the French Chateaus: Margaux, Lafitte Rothschild and the Hermitage in Bordeaux. 

In 1892, the ranch was purchased by Mary Ellen Pleasant, an abolitionist, feminist, and business magnate– unique titles for a black woman to achieve during a time of high racial prejudice. Pleasant was business-savvy and a well-connected social powerhouse– operating boarding houses, a hotel, restaurants, laundries, quicksilver mines, brothels, arranging marriages, and conducting numerous other ventures.

Today, the Beltane Ranch boasts 120 year of agriculture hospitality and remains one of Sonoma’s few small, family-run wineries. Brother and sister team Lauren and Alex Benward have expanded and diversified the property’s agricultural offerings, in addition to their wine production. New produce gardens, heirloom fruit trees, and heritage breed laying hens are just a few of the additions guests can see around the property and enjoy the fruits of in the dining room. Meals at the ranch are often exclusively fruits, veggies, olive oil and herbs grown on the property. 

Forage for Your Own Wild Ingredients

One night by the fire at The Inn at Newport Ranch, I sat sipping a candy cap-infused old fashioned. On the plate in front of me, were the crumbs of a delicious hors d’oeuvre: a petite wild mushroom pastry. The next morning– clearly riding something of a mushroom craving– I would order a mushroom omelet. All of these refreshments were fueled by the fungi that I had the opportunity to forage earlier that day in the surrounding redwood forest. With an expert guide at the lead, we had set out on an ATV tour to see the property, plant redwood seedlings and forage the fruits of the forest. From fresh bay leaves to redwood sorrel, we filled our wicker baskets with wild ingredients for the kitchen. 

Every evening, a three-course, seasonally-inspired dinner is served by the crackling fireplace in the main lodge’s dining room. Depending on what’s in season (or whatever the foraging baskets brought in that day), the menu could include anything from fresh abalone and oysters to honey glazed smoked duck with Mendocino mushrooms to a blood orange tart with toasted meringue. It’s more than just a meal; food is one of the most immersive experiences the property is able to use to share the diverse beauty of the surrounding land and sea.

Ready for your own culinary journey through Northern California?

See this sample itinerary: Sonoma and Mendocino: A Farm to Table Road Trip

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These hotels, ranches and lodges not only provide excellent service and flavor, they’re intimately connected to the soil that produces the food on your plate. From private dinners to cooking classes with award-winning chefs, these are some of our favorite culinary-focused properties.

SingleThread Farms

Healdsburg, California

SingleThread Farms is home to both a five-room luxury inn and a Michelin-starred restaurant– arguably the most acclaimed in California wine country. 

The restaurant draws seventy percent of its produce from the property’s own 24-acre organic farm just a few miles away from SingleThread. Sonoma Valley’s long, sunny days and misty cool nights are famously ideal for vineyards, but also allow many other local crops to thrive. Tended by Head Farmer Katina Connaughton, the SingleThread farm includes a greenhouse, chicken coops, an heirloom fruit orchard, olive trees, beehives, and a cattle paddock. 

Suggested Itinerary: Sonoma and Mendocino: A Farm-to-Table Road Trip

Blackberry Farm

Walland, Tennessee

Nestled in a secluded corner of Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, Blackberry Farm is one of America’s most celebrated intimate luxury hotels. The property consists of a pastoral 4,200 acres, with a farm, bakery and creamery on-site. Cheese, vegetables, honey and cider are all produced at the farm– exemplifying the use of simple, pure Tennessee ingredients. Blackberry Farm has three fantastic restaurants to best sample this ultra-local fare.

As for accommodation, the rooms range from elegant estate rooms to entire five-bedroom houses. All are adorned with decor that incarnate the sophisticated, rural warmth of the entire property (read: fine art, charming prints and stone chimneys.)

Tutka Bay Lodge

Homer, Alaska

The menu at Tutka Bay Lodge is a love letter to Alaskan cuisine, bursting with flavors like wild salmon and foraged berries. The lodge sits in a private cove within a rugged 9-mile glacial fjord at the edge of the Kachemak Bay State Park. 

Led by Chef Kirsten Dixon, Tutka fully utilizes their unique location by sending out foragers to search for wild edibles on the property, as well as care for the greenhouses and gardens. Guests are invited to participate in the lodge’s sustainable food-based practices, from foraging along the tideline themselves to engaging in a Tutka Bay Cooking School class. 

Suggested Itinerary: Luxury Alaska Adventures on the Kenai Peninsula

Los Poblanos

Albuquerque, New Mexico

By Sergio Salvador

Los Poblanos is what rustic daydreams are made of. The adobe ranch property initially was solely focused on corn production during its beginnings in the 1930’s, but has since evolved to include the most authentic farm-to-table guest experience in the Southwest. 

Informed by the daily harvest, Los Poblanos cuisine is constantly evolving with the seasons and celebrates the foods indigenous to New Mexico’s Rio Grande Valley. What is not home-grown on the property is carefully sourced from various nearby farms. Los Poblanos menus feature a delightful blend of culinary influences, from traditional Spanish and Native American preparation to contemporary takes. 

Suggested Itinerary: Back to the Future in New Mexico

Maison Madeleine

Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Maison Madeleine perfectly captures the warm hospitality of Louisiana’s Cajun country– as well as the area’s rich culinary traditions. 

This bayou bed and breakfast doesn’t have a traditional restaurant. Instead, they host a Secret Supper Series where renowned chefs and musicians come together to create a magical, al fresco meal. You also can join a Maison Madeleine cooking class and learn to prepare Cajun classics like crawfish étouffée or chicken and sausage gumbo before enjoying the fruits of your labor.  

Suggested Itinerary: The Best of New Orleans and Cajun Country

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The same wet weather and cooler temperatures that signal agricultural harvests are helping the PNW’s forests and oceans create culinary delights of their own.  Fall is famously the best time to wander the woods in search of edible mushrooms. And as locals will tell you, months ending in “R” are definitely the best– and arguably the only– months for eating wild caught shellfish.  If you find the idea of procuring the evening meal by spending a day lost in the mossy forests or perched on a rickety dock, it’s easier than you may think with a little local assistance.

Oregon’s 350 miles of coastline would be a fitting place to begin your wild food quest, as many of these blue collar beach towns owe their existence to big city appetites for shellfish.

Pacific City, OR

In Pacific City, a local fisherman will take you on the waves in his dory boat as you troll for dungeness crab and cast for salmon (which, conveniently, are also at their peak here in September and October).  End the journey with an old fashioned crab boil. Or, for a more elevated option, have a chef prepare your catch to enjoy at a local lodge.  

If you prefer to keep both feet on somewhat solid ground, a shellfish licence, a crab pot rental and a couple of raw chicken legs are all you need to spend the day alongside the locals on Garibaldi’s public crabbing pier. Pass the time between pulls spotting seals and seabirds in the placid cove, or drop your trap and slip into a watering hole across the bay while you wait. If you don’t come away with anything large enough to keep, the local crab shack will be more than happy to sell you their catch, best enjoyed drenched in butter at a scenic picnic table.

Clams, oysters and mussels are also at their best late into the year when they are at their largest. A seasoned shellfish expert can take you out into Netarts Bay armed with shovels and buckets to harvest a haul for an evening feast. While you’re out, your guide can also point out edible seaweed that will compliment your beachside clambake. The hunt can be thrilling, but you’ll want to pause for a few moments to take in the expanses of empty beach and poke around in a few tidepools.

From the beach, you won’t need to go far to reach the Coastal Range where fungi thrive in the damp but mild autumn weather. For a more dramatic change of scenery, the fir forests below timberline on a Cascade volcano or Puget Sound’s island are other great places to look.

Your first foraging experience can be intimidating. Fungophobia is rampant due to tales of mushroom hunts with unhappy endings. However, you can forage without fear alongside an experienced mycologist who can help you spot safe mushrooms like chanterelles, lobsters, porcinis and slippery jacks poking through the mossy undergrowth. 

Several of the most common fall fungi lack dangerous lookalikes, making them great options for budding mycologists to gather and cook up on their own. Even if you don’t leave with baskets full of mushrooms, you will come away with a day spent in the peaceful Cascadian forests and hopefully the knowledge to identify a few key species for your next outing. 

Snoqualmie Pass

For those who don’t dream of days spent with eyes glued to the forest floor or measuring scuttling crustaceans, there are still options to foray into the wild food movement. Restaurants have long touted farm-to-table status, but field-to-table cuisine and foraged fine dining have also become popular in the Pacific Northwest. Famed mushroom mecca Joel Palmer House in Oregon Wine Country has a five-course mycological-themed tasting menu featuring eight different varieties, including candy cap mushrooms for dessert. 

Nearby vineyard Sokol Blosser offers a Farm & Forage lunch which can feature a variety of found foods ranging from wild mushrooms to nettles and wild-grown salad greens paired with their wines.

Foodie favorite Willows Inn on Lummi Island is known for incorporating wild foraged mushrooms as well as unique items like crab apple blossoms or fermented wildflowers.  

And, of course, larger cities have garnered attention for featuring wild foods not available on commercial markets. Highlights include Nomad in Portland, MAS in Ashland and Salare in Seattle. 

If you are ready to get your hands dirty, or even if you prefer to learn from a distance, you will certainly have a richer appreciation for the passion and work required to procure your favorite delicacies and a deeper connection to the environment that produced them.

Looking for more Pacific Northwest inspiration? Check out our Pacific Coast and Willamette Valley itinerary.

The post Wild Food Season in the Pacific Northwest appeared first on All Roads North.

We all know what happened about a month later. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down the United States, hitting the hospitality industry especially hard. In the past year, these new inn-owners focused on the unexpected blessings that the shutdown brought.

Connecting with the Island Community

John and Julia

The first few months during quarantine, when very few visitors trickled off the ferry onto the island, served an important purpose: the chance to connect with the local community. Something that Cox made clear was a priority from day one. Throughout his 20+ year career as a renowned, forward-thinking chef in the fine dining world, Cox has always worked as closely as possible with local communities to source his ingredients. 

“In a small community like this, you do become acutely aware of how your decisions impact everyone around you,” John Cox said. “I have spent a lot of my career thinking about sustainability with food, communities and microeconomics and that really stems from many years in Hana, Maui and Big Sur, California.”

After graduating from culinary school in Vermont, Cox began his work at Post Ranch Inn perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean in Big Sur. After several years there, he accepted an offer from Passport Resorts to oversee Hotel Hana Maui and Sea Ranch Lodge in Sonoma as Corporate Chef. He continued to oversee many more hotels and restaurants, start a few of his own in California and return to the Post Ranch Inn kitchen as executive chef. Throughout his career, he’s long earned food critics’ praise for his creative dishes with a sustainable, local focus.

Despite having lived in so many places across the U.S. with some of the most beautiful views in the world, Cox said there is something special about Orcas Island.

“I love looking out the windows of the hotel, especially at night when the sea is really quiet, and you can see the ferries gliding across the sea and see all the lights reflected on the water,” Cox said. “It’s just such an interesting view because it’s constantly changing; there’s always things happening both natural and manmade.”

Creating an Immersive Experience

Not only is it ethical and more sustainable to involve the local community when it comes to sourcing food and creating a business, it’s essential to providing a unique experience that truly embodies the soul of the destination. Cox said that this is key in his own travel ethos, and it’s his plan to bring that to their new inn, the Orcas Hotel.

“There’s people who want to go to Tokyo and stay in a Holiday Inn or a Hyatt and have that continental breakfast because they know exactly what they’re going to experience,” Cox said. “They can go dabble in the local culture and then come back to that safe haven that they know. My idea of hospitality is the exact opposite of that… I want guests to be really immersed in the experience.”

For the Orcas Hotel, capturing the spirit of the island means a hotel that is old and a little creaky, but full of soul. It means a different special every night that is the same thing the locals are eating. It means a tip from Cox when you’re heading out the door to turn right at the ferry and check out the quiet Lake Killebrew as well as taking the tourist trodden road to the East Sound.

Reviving the Orcas Hotel

Photo credit: Ronald Woan

Built over 100 years ago in the early 1900’s, the Orcas Hotel is a historic landmark on Orcas Island. The island is about a two-hour journey north from Seattle and only reachable by ferry or seaplane. The ten-room hotel itself greets every visitor to the island in its position just above the ferry landing. The Orcas Hotel went through a major renovation in the 80’s, but it was time again for many improvements when the couple acquired the property last year.

 “The paint was peeling off, the carpets were stained, the cafe was a mess, the kitchen was falling apart,” Cox said.

During quarantine, the couple rolled up their sleeves and got to business. They hired someone to stretch the new carpet, but other than that, they did everything themselves– replaced the kitchen equipment, tore down the wallpaper and put a fresh coat of paint up in its place, installed fire pits on the outdoor deck.

Meeting in the Middle Between Fish n Chips and Fine Dining

Veracruz Style Steamed Mussels

Renovation certainly is no easy task, but John and Julia have other even bigger fish to fry as well (pun somewhat intended). One of their biggest challenges is bringing their sustainably-focused, creative background in cuisine to an establishment that has been far from fine dining in the past.

“Historically, the Orcas Hotel has always been a place where you just sell cheap coffee, sandwiches and fish and chips to tourists,” Cox said. “That’s not what my wife and I wanted to do. Zero interest in that. We want to be a seasonal, soulful dining location that locals really want to support and that people actually seek out.”

Overall, Cox doesn’t see the Orcas Hotel continuing to be the default fish and chips shack nor does he envision it becoming the next Michelin-starred restaurant. The goal is to be appealing to both the second-home owner on the island as well as the local working at the ferry dock. He described it as “a simple, utilitarian hotel that happens to have a very creative group of people working there.” 

For now, the group is able to put that creativity to use in the whiskey room (or chef’s library depending on the mood)– Cox’s favorite room in the hotel. It houses the chef’s collection of 500 cookbooks, single malt whiskeys from John and Julia’s travels in Scotland, a wood-burning fireplace and a single table. Right now, it’s serving as a private dining room…probably the closest thing to fine dining on Orcas Island.

The hotel has also been running the cafe with to-go food only, but the restaurant and historic bar are yet to open. Cox said they are holding out hope that they will be able to invite guests back into the building by late summer or early fall. 

Interested in the San Juan islands? Check out this sample itinerary: Olympic Peninsula & San Juan Islands Itinerary

The post Chef John Cox Takes on the Historic Orcas Hotel appeared first on All Roads North.