“FORAGING THE FORGOTTEN COAST” CULINARY TOUR:

02-12-2009

 

FOODIES FOLLOW LOCAL FARE FROM NATURE TO THE TABLE

ON MARCH, MAY AND OCTOBER EXPEDITIONS

WaterColor Inn & Resort Lures Guests to Source of Local Freshness with

Chefs and Food Purveyors from Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast Leading the Way

Santa Rosa Beach, FL (February 12, 2009) – The acclaimed WaterColor Inn & Resort has cooked up a four-day culinary package that will treat foodies to the freshest meals they’ve ever had as they savor hands-on experiences harvesting food. During the three March, May and October departures, participants will learn new skills – from oyster tonging, crabbing and organic farming to harvesting tupelo honey and flounder gigging (optional) – then dine on what they foraged in the company of Northwest Florida’s culinary experts. 

Chef Chris Hastings, culinary consultant for The St. Joe Company (JOE) leads the way and provides informed commentary during activities. Hastings is a two-time James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef in the South and owner of Birmingham’s Hot and Hot Fish Club. Among other participants will be Chef Wayne Alcaide, JOE’s chef for Northwest Florida, who will prepare a delicious feast using the catch of the day. Additional meals will introduce guests to favorite local fish shacks and fine-dining restaurants either on or a stone’s throw from the sparkling waters of the Gulf Coast, including the acclaimed Fish Out of Water restaurant at the WaterColor Inn & Resort, headed by Chef de Cuisine Philip Krajeck.  The Inn was named one of the “Top 10 Culinary Country Inns” in the U.S. by Bon Appétit magazine in 2008.

“My hope for the guests that join these culinary tours is that they experience the thrill of foraging for indigenous food, taste their unique flavors and are inspired by the food culture that exists in Northwest Florida,” said Chef Hastings, who has been foraging for the freshest local fare since childhood.  “Our mission on these tours is to forage directly at the source, then enjoy such distinctive local fare as Apalachicola oysters, Alligator Point clams, blue crabs, Tupelo honey and more. We’re foraging in the modern sense, gathering rare experiences with the local people and foods that make Northwest Florida a treasure of the culinary south.”

Called the “Forgotten Coast,” as it is generally less visited than other parts of the Sunshine State, the Northwest Florida region is also known as “the Emerald Coast” because of its outstanding natural beauty and resources, including some of the best beaches in the nation.

The “Foraging the Forgotten Coast” package is priced at $1,875* per person (double occupancy) and $2,125* per person (single occupancy), and is offered on the following dates in 2009: March 5-8, May 14-17 and October 1-4.

Package highlights include:

Accommodations for three nights: one night in a luxury loft at WindMark Beach in Port St. Joe and two nights at the WaterColor Inn & Resort (Northwest Florida’s only AAA Four Diamond Resort) in Santa Rosa Beach
Nighttime flounder gigging excursions (optional, space limited to six participants)
• Visit to the Apalachicola Estuarine Research Center, plus a nearby field trip to learn the secrets of making tupelo honey and a mead tasting with George Watkins, a naturalist and beekeeper who was technical advisor for the film “Ulee’s Gold,” which starred Peter Fonda as a beekeeper in Wewahitchka, FL. The May tour includes an additional trip to hives on the Apalachicola River.
• Learning about organic vegetable farming and the making of biodiesel fuel at Crescent Moon Farm
• Oyster roast at Buddy Ward’s 13 Mile Oyster Company; optional tonging for oysters
• Crabbing for blue crab at WaterSound Beach on one of the region’s top dune beaches; that evening enjoy an elegantly prepared dinner on the beach
• Dinner at Fish Out of Water at the WaterColor Inn & Resort – prepared by Chef Hastings, Chef Alcaide and Chef Philip Krajeck – using ingredients foraged from the area
• Additional planned meals and activities in and around Apalachicola
  
  

* Pricing includes activities, lodging, planned meals, and gratuity. This package is subject to availability. Space is limited.

For reservations and additional information call the WaterColor Inn & Resort at 866-426-2656 or visit www.foragingforgottencoast.com. 

For more information about the WaterColor Inn & Resort, visit www.watercolorresort.com. 

About WaterColor Inn & Resort
Voted one of the “Top 50 Mainland U.S. Resorts” by readers of Condé Nast Traveler and “Best Hotel in Florida” by the readers of Travel + Leisure, the exclusive 60-room WaterColor Inn & Resort offers luxurious waterfront accommodations, award-winning dining at Fish Out Of Water, a full-service spa, Camp WaterColor for kids and a multitude of recreational activities including three golf courses, tennis, biking, kayaking and fishing.  Well appointed Gulf-view residences and charming cottages are also available for rent and sale. WaterColor is managed by Seattle-based Noble House Hotels & Resorts. For more information about WaterColor, visit www.watercolorresort.com or call 866-426-2656.

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