Article and photos by Elena del Valle

On a recent trip to Phuket, Thailand I dined at The Boathouse, a well known beach side restaurant on the southwestern coast of the island. I sampled the restaurant’s two tasting menus, French and Thai, with wine pairings. Several days later I followed up the success of the meal with a 90-minute cooking class and lunch.

Chef Punchun discusses ingredients

The following Saturday morning I returned to learn about Thai cuisine first hand from Tummanoon Punchun, the restaurant’s executive chef at the time. Since then the chef relocated to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand and Jean-Noël Lumineau, a French chef living in Phuket, took over The Boathouse kitchen. Khun Rattana Pholtaisong, the sous-chef who started working at the Boathouse in 1990 and assisted Chef Punchun during his tenure, has taken over the weekend Thai cooking classes.

Each ingredient was discussed in detail

For more than a decade, Chef Punchun shared his passion for Thai food and cooking with food enthusiasts during weekend Thai cooking classes in English (the chef had a thick Thai accent and spoke quickly requiring close attention) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day. The class I attended was a step-by-step, hands-on session with six English speaking travelers. During most of the 90-minute workshop we sat at a small table in the rear of the restaurant facing Kata Beach. On one side there was a table with a place for each of us to assemble dishes; on the opposite side of the room there were raw ingredients and a cooking section with a sink (to wash our hands after each recipe) where the chef demonstrated how the Thai dishes he had selected should be prepared.

Samples of the food were cooked by the chef

After discussing the menu for the class and the material he would cover the Thai chef shared information about the identification and selection of ingredients when shopping (including options for those of us who were unable to purchase fresh ingredients in our home countries), how best to store each ingredient, ingredient pairings and methods of chopping, dicing and pounding them. He also identified the primary tastes, hot, sour, sweet, salty, bitter and aromatic flavors and discussed how ingredients interact with one another.

Samples of the common ingredients for the class to examine

He passed around fresh ingredient samples for us to touch and smell. Next the chef showed the class how to prepare a dish before inviting us to prepare it ourselves with his and his staff’s assistance. Then he cooked a small quantity of the items we had prepared so we could taste them before moving on to the following recipe.

The class prepared each recipe together

When he completed the workshop and answered questions the chef departed, inviting us to relax for an hour until the lunch we had made was cooked in the kitchen and served to us in the dining room. The two-day workshop (Saturday and Sunday) cost 3,500 baht per guest and the one day workshop cost 2,200 baht per guest including lunch at the end of the workshop, an apron, a print out of the recipes and a customized certificate.

The food prepared by the class went to the kitchen to be cooked

The idea behind the two-day cooking class is for students to learn ten recipes during the two days. During our Saturday session we learned about Thai ingredients, appetizers and salads. The second day, which I missed because I was leaving Phuket that day, featured recipes for main courses and desserts.

The class consumed the cooked results of their work

You can read more about my meal at The Boathouse at the Simon & Baker Travel Review.

By Elena del Valle
Photos by Gary Cox

The Breakers Palm Beach

This family owned and family friendly resort in tony Palm Beach Island in Florida’s east coast made fans out of us. There are many reasons to like the 140-acre property such as its handsome Italian design interiors and pretty rooms, beachfront location, two 18-hole championship golf courses, ocean facing swimming pools, spacious spa, boutiques and multiple restaurants. Our favorites: the manicured look pervasive throughout the resort including uniformed staff and the high level of service, often friendly and helpful, wherever we went.

There were many comfortable areas to relax and enjoy the property

We enjoyed a midweek stay just as the season was closing and although the weather did not cooperate as much as we would have liked (there was a constant lifeguard red flag during our stay) we appreciated the calm environs. We particularly enjoyed massages at the resort spa, a sunset dinner at the The Flagler Steakhouse and a molecular gastronomy tasting menu dinner at L’Escalier, the resort’s gourmet restaurant.

Cuisine as art at L’Escalier

Another favorite was a day at Beach Bungalow 17, one of several day rental cabanas fronting the adult relaxation infinity pool and facing the beach beyond. The bungalow provided quiet space aside from the crowded pool area and the private area with a concierge made our time under the sun especially relaxing. The 150-square foot indoor area plus a segregated patio was stocked with some complimentary amenities and plenty of pool towels. For sun time the patio had three outdoor lounge chairs and an umbrella.

Beach Bungalow 17

Inside the open air space had a ceiling fan and a tower fan, lanai, armchair, rectangular wood table, private outdoor shower, water closet and sink, binoculars, house brand toiletries (body lotion, bathing gel, shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap), blow dryer, tissue paper, WiFi connection, LG flatscreen television with satellite connection, Zenith DVD player, fruit bowl, ice bucket and mini refrigerator stocked with house brand purified complimentary water. There were also four types sodas and snacks in our bungalow for purchase (Snickers, Skittles, Reese’s, M & M and PowerBar).

Our view of the pool and ocean beyond from inside the bungalow

Krissy, our Bungalo concierge, made sure we had everything we needed with a smile

Although the resort facilities and amenities were within easy reach it was nice to know we did not have to do anything or go anywhere if we did not care to. Even lunch was easy.

We selected Florida Fish Tacos, Turkey Club Wrap and a side order of Avocado Fries from the Ocean Grill menu in our bungalow and placed our order with Krissy, a uniformed concierge who checked on us regularly. Within minutes our food arrived. In case we were still peckish around 3:30 p.m. she brought a styrofoam plate of frozen grapes. We wrapped up our day feeling lazy and relaxed and ready for dinner at Echo, the resort’s offsite Asian eatery a short shuttle ride away in downtown Palm Beach. Click here to read about our experience at The Breakers Palm Beach, The Spa at The Breakers and L’Escalier.

The duck at Echo was served with flour wraps and crisp vegetables

By Elena del Valle, photos by Gary Cox

The artwork featured relaxing images of the female form

As we endured a 30-minute cab ride along a curvy hilly road to a small town near Florence, Italy I wondered silently where we would spend the night. While the taxi driver happily discussed the area, politics, his family and just about every topic under the Italian sun, my stomach lurched and I yearned to stop moving. We had left the dry comfort (it had been raining all day) of our boutique hotel in the heart of Florence, with a high priced gourmet restaurant in the lobby, to explore the lesser known Ristoranti La Tenda Rossa, a family restaurant, believing it was only a 15-minute drive away. As we arrived in Cerbaia in Val di Pesa, the town where the restaurant was located, I was certain I would be unable to dine and be incapable of enduring a return drive to our hotel in Florence that night.

Barbara Salcuni, Natascia  Santandrea and Cristiana Salcuni were our hosts for the evening

Inside the restaurant we were greeted courteously and seated immediately.  One couple had already been seated across from our table; otherwise the restaurant, which would be full before long, was still quiet. The decor emphasized muted light, beige walls, wood floors, and quiet surroundings with pleasing artwork and sculptures. Soon I was tasting the crispy Tuscan bread (citrus, milk, croissant, cereal and olive choices) with local extra virgin olive oil. Surprisingly, in addition to the wine options, there were four types of still water and four types of sparkling water to choose from.

The bread was attractive and tasty

I eyed the French foie gras appetizers and Giorgio Grai Spumante Metodo Classico bubbly cautiously while we ordered with relative ease thanks to two of the staff’s English language skills (one of them translated the Italian menu for us). It helped that we were having the tasting menu with wine paring so there were no difficult decisions to be made.

Tiny squid with pumpkin and lobster

The restaurant was lovingly run and the food was prepared by a bevy of ladies. Evidence of the care they took were the decorative touches including well lit sculptures of women by the same artist, a friend of the family, placed around the restaurant, lovely silverware with even a small spoon for the creme brulee dish and a silver toothpick with the restaurant’s initials. The service was outstanding and the staff that looked after us were attentive and polite. We were pleased when our unfinished bread bowl was replaced with a new one filled with warm bread.

Ravioli with Tuscan vegetables

We had a seven course tasting dinner with wine pairings. First we were served a dish of bite sized appetizers, Variazioni di fegato grasso d’oca con pan-dolce: crema bruciata aromatizzato al caffé, Lollipop di fragole e pepe rosa, Club sandwich and Cornetto gelato served with warm brioche. There was a tiny squid stuffed with lobster and pumpkin “Sole” di piccoli calamari ripieni all’astice e crema bruciata di zucca gialla aromatizzata alla radice di zenzero; then we had ravioli stuffed with Tuscan vegetables, beans and olive oil (first pressing blend Tuscan and Sicilian olive oil) Ravioli di ribollita in emulsione di fagioli neri e olio Gemini, con cozze pelose tarantine; there was ricotta with a brown licorice, tomatoes and bitter dark chocolate Fiocco di ricotta in salsa bruna alla liquirizia, con pomodorini confit e bastoncino di cacao amaro; perfectly cooked lamb from the Apenino served with lamb sausage made from lamb liver and heart Agnello dell’Appeninnino in salsiccia di magro e pecorino stagionato costoletta a scotadito con sedano rapa e salsa de frattaglie; a cinnamon caramel iced palate cleanser Cannucia di gelato all a cannella; and dessert was a gelatin with nut cream filling, nut balls, pumpkin and Italian biscuits Cubi gelatina di Vinsanto farcita alla crema di nocciole zucca gialla candita cioccolato bianco e spumone di cantucci.

Paola Salcuni, Cristian Santandrea, Maria Probst, Maria Salcuni and Fernanda Salcuni were the stars in the kitchen

The wines were Riesling Auslese Kerpen 2001 Heribet Kerpen with a slight gasoline nose to counter the strong flavors of the liver dish, 2004 Pinot Bianco Russz Superiore, 2007 Marina Cvetic Masciarelli, a deep 1995 Brunello di Montalcino Fuligni and at the end Brown Label 2006 Reserve Grappa I Balzini.

Lamb with lamb sausage and popcorn

We liked the combination of subtle yet distinctive flavors at la Tenda Rossa, pretty dish presentation including unexpected touches like “lollipops,” “sandwiches,” and popcorn, the small quantity of wine served with each dish of the tasting menu which was enough to go with the dish without leftover wine or the feeling of having to drink it to avoid wasting it, the warm, relaxed ambiance and friendly staff. Thankfully our tasting menu dinner was a foodie pleasure and the drive back courtesy of the restaurant car driven by Sylvano was significantly more pleasant thanks in part to the luxury sedan we rode in and the highway roads the driver chose for our return.

Dessert at la Tenda Rossa

We would gladly return for dinner anytime we are in Florence although although next time I will request a hotel car. We will recommend this lovely restaurant to friends and colleagues heading to Florence who have the time and inclination to have dinner beyond the city limits. It was worth the drive. Ristorante la Tenda Rossa, Piazza del Monumento 9/14, 50020 Cerbaia in Val di Pesa, Telephone +30 055 826132, www.latendarossa.it, ristoranti@latendarossa.it

By Elena del Valle, photos by Gary Cox

Ristoranti da Vincenzo

Finding a good meal in Rome, Italy proved to be a greater challenge than we had anticipated. One evening, after exploring and discarding a number of options including two well known gourmet venues, we called Ristoranti da Vincenzo, a restaurant that had been recommended by my travel agency among others. It was within walking distance from Regina Baglioni Rome, our Via Veneto hotel. Because we had been walking all day and needed a break from walking we took a taxi. A few minutes later we were comfortably seated indoors (there was an appealing outdoor area but it was chilly and we preferred to be far from smokers). It was a weekend night and soon the place was packed. A combination of tourists, seated near us, and locals, seated upstairs, filled the restaurant which was larger than we first realized.

Smoked swordfish with roquette

The two-story restaurant was at the end of a quiet one way street. It had an urban setting with a street view and simple decor. What we liked most was that the staff were friendly and spoke English, and most importantly the food was surprisingly, and unpretentiously, good. We started with a shared Smoked swordfish with roquette followed by Linguine with lobster in tomato sauce. For mains my dining companion had a sea bass and I ordered a mixed grilled. At the server’s suggestion we ordered artichoke sides to accompany our main courses but there was plenty to eat in the main dishes and we were unable to do justice to the sides. We wrapped up the meal with berries and ice cream for my dining companion and lemon and vodka sorbet for me. Everything from beginning to end was fresh tasting and well prepared.

Mixed seafood grill

We went back for lunch a couple of days later. It was a quiet midweek day allowing us to chat a little with the servers from the weekend. We were pleased to discover the staff remembered us and the food was just as good. We even met Vincenzo, the restaurant’s owner and namesake. Ristoranti da Vincenzo (Castelfidardo, 6, Rome, in English www.ristorantidiroma.com/davincenzo/homeeng.htm.

Vincenzo

By Elena del Valle, photos by Gary Cox

The fish market in Venice

We easily made our way on foot from our hotel near San Marco Square on the southern side of Venice to our meeting point, a quiet piazza where we easily found Damiano Martin, the son of the owners of Osteria da Fiore and our guide on a brief culinary stride through the streets of Venice, Italy. As we quickly walked to the fish market Damiano talked about some of the old and faded signs for bakery, fish shop, meat shop and so forth on the buildings of the city. One narrow street followed another and eventually we reached the covered market where the citizens of Venice bought their fish.

Soft shell crabs fresh from the ocean

It was from those same vendors, Damiano explained, that Mara Martin, his mother, the chef and part owner of Osteria da Fiore restaurant, purchased seafood for the restaurant every day. She and other chefs in the city would be in contact with the fishermen very early in the morning to buy the freshest and best catch. What remained was sold retail in the fish market. What was amazing was the lack of fish smell in spite of the sunny morning and plentiful seafood in the stalls.

Next to the fish market there were produce vendors selling all kinds of fruits and vegetables from near and far. It was fun to watch the colorful display and ample selection as we walked by. As we turned, Damiano stopped to show us a corner vendor who sold the best (and priciest) produce in town. He also carried specialty and hard to get items. Before we knew it it was time to meet the chef.

Fruit and vegetable stalls in Venice market

Mara Martin is one of those people that is easy to like. She has a ready smile and radiates Italian charm. As soon as we arrived at her home, a cozy and immaculate penthouse apartment in an old Venetian building (a former noble home on the Grand Canal), she handed each of us an apron and showed us around. Our favorite place was an open terrace reached by crossing through her kitchen with a striking view over the rooftops of Venice. From there we could see forever or at least a good part of the world famed town.

Everything was ready and time was short so after a quick drink of water she began her cooking demonstration. The plan was for her to show us and for us to try to prepare the dishes with her help. Instead we watched with admiration as she whizzed through the meal preparation, explaining what she was doing in Italian while Damiano translated into English. In between her explanations and demonstrations we peppered her with questions and enjoyed the moment. It’s not everyday that a well known chef makes you a private lunch!

Sweet and sour bream Marco Polo

That day in early May, Mara prepared Sweet and sour bream Marco Polo (with leeks, ginger, raisins, citrus juice and pine nuts), Venetian black squid risotto made with Aquarelle Rice from Piedmont, Tempura fried softshell crabs and sardines (a favorite)  served with with arugula and plain salad with citrus slices and Ratafia coffee dessert, a coffee and sugar syrup sorbet. The secret to the tempura batter, she explained with a twinkle in her eye, was her personal blend of sparkling water, sparkling wine, and flour. Her tempura batter was exceptional.

Mara making those exceptional tempura crabs

At the conclusion of her cooking demonstration, the four of us sat down on stools in the small kitchen and enjoyed a savory and joyful meal, the fruits of several hours of her labor the previous day and that morning. She accompanied the four courses with a bottle of 2008 Frescobaldi white wine, home made crunchy and tasty bread (a favorite) and grissini (bread sticks). After the dessert Mara served bite sized home made Tuscan almond biscotti and almond flour nuggets (a favorite). Kudos to Chef Mara Martin, for a fun cooking demonstration and a beautifully prepared northern Italian meal!

The Osteria da Fiore 214-page cookbook, in English

The recipes for our meal were published, along with a host of others in a 214-page hardcover cookbook available in English and Italian for cooking course students and at the restaurant. The book was divided into four main sections: Antipasti, Primi Piatti, Secondi Piatti and Dolci (Italian for appetizers, first courses, second courses and desserts). The Sweet and sour sea bream Marco Polo recipe was on page 57; the one for Venetian black squid risotto appeared on page 107; a recipe similar to her Tempura fried softshell crabs and sardines appeared on page 157 and instructions for the Turkish Style Espresso Sorbet appear on page 183 which seems very much like the dessert she made at lunch.

The following day we visited Mara at work where we sampled a tasting menu of her choosing. Click here to read about our lunch at Osteria da Fiore.