01 . 23Thai Cooking Demonstration | Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

Four Seasons at Hualalai | Luxury Travel Blog

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Four Season’s Chef James “Jim” Babian never disappoints. He is Executive Chef at Four Season’s Resort Hualalai and has become something of an expert on Thai food. You’ll remember he cooked a fabulous Thai dinnerfor my husband and me earlier this year. He surprised us with  a Thai cooking demonstration when we brought our family to the resort for the first time a few months ago. Everyone got in the act and we ate like kings.

The Four Seasons | Hawaii Four Seasons | Four Seasons Resort

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First course was Tom Yum Soup. Delicious shrimp, shitake mushrooms, lemon grass, Kaffir lime leaves and fresh lime juice were spotlighted in this appetizer. Most of the ingredients for the meal were grown in the hotel’s herb garden.

Four Seasons Hualalai | The Gourmet Review | Luxury Travel Blog

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Next up was Chef Jim’s Thai Beef Salad. The combination of heirloom tomatoes, prime New York steak grilled to perfection, Thai chili peppers, fresh cilantro and lime juice, along with a few “secret” Thai ingredients was definitely a favorite and easy to prepare.

Inside The Kitchen | Four Seasons Hualalai Resort

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

OK. we were starting to get full now, but another course was being prepped. It just happened to be another of my husband’s favorites. We love Pad (Phad) Thai and it was fun to see how Chef Jim added his special flair to this colorful Thai dish.  Garden fresh seasonings combine with traditional thai condiments and you end up with one of Thailand’s most popular dishes.

 

FInally, we came to the end of the meal and Chef Sean made a fresh pineapple fruit sorbet in a matter of minutes. The taste was so concentrated we had a hard time believing there was no added sugar. Just lightly baked fresh pineapple slices to concentrate the sugar and add to a magic “$3,000 instant sorbet machine. It was a delicious way to end our meal.

The Four Seasons Hualalai | Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Nothing more fun than watching great chefs at work, showing us the step by step recipes for great Thai food. My “Blue Baker” helped with preparation and everyone in the family had a great time watching and eating. Our family wants to  thank Chef Jim and Chef Shaun Acosta, Sous Chef,  for a great afternoon of cooking and, more importantly, a great meal. This is one we we will remember, as we try to recreate the great food we enjoyed this afternoon.

 

– The Gourmet Review

 

NOTES

All of Chef Jim’s recipes for our  Thai meal are included in links on today’s blog post. Give them a try!

 

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01 . 20Tom Yum Soup Recipe | The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

Best Restaurant Recipes | Best Recipe Blog

The Gourmet Review

Tom Yum Soup is a favorite Thai dish in our house. Executive Chef Jim Babian shares his fabulous recipe. Nothing quite like having your favorite soup at The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.

SERVES 8 (APPETIZER PORTIONS)

Total cooking and prep time 15-20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

8 cups water

8 Shrimp peeled and deveined (save shells)

10 each shitake mushrooms (sliced)

3-4 limes

2-3 lemon grass stalks (tied in knot)*

6 each kaffir lime Leaves*

4 tablespoons fish Sauce*

10 sprigs cilantro

4 chili peppers*

2 tablespoons  nam prig pow* (chili bean paste with soy oil) split in 8 bowls

* These ingredients can be found at any Asian market. Four Seasons grows on the premises!

Read the Notes below and add whatever garnishes you would like to the list of ingredients.

 

DIRECTIONS

Bring water to boil. Add lemon grass, shrimp shells and simmer 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients. Simmer 2 minutes and then remove shrimp. Simmer another 3-4 minutes until flavors have developed.

Adjust seasonings and flavor with lime juice and fish sauce. At this point you can serve or cool down and reheat later. (Remove shrimp shells and stems if desired)

When ready to serve, put shrimp in bowl . Then add hot broth and garnish with cilantro.

 

NOTES

Chef Jim says there are a number of ways to serve Tom Yum Soup. If you like rustic, leave everything in and just eat around the stems. For a more elegant presentation, strain the whole soup.  Then have all the garnishes in warm bowls ready to go. At service, pour the broth on top of the shrimp (chopped and split perhaps), some diced tomato, fresh sliced thin shiitake mushrooms, scallions and finally the cilantro leaves. You can add some long, thinly sliced basil (chiffonade the basil) and even a few drops of scallion oil to be sexy.

 

-The Gourmet Review

 

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01 . 16Pineapple Margarita Recipe | The Four Seasons

Best Food and Travel Blog | Cocktail Recipes | The Gourmet Review

Four Seasons Fresh Pineapple Margarita

 

Four Seasons Hualalai makes one wonder how to pick a favorite cocktail recipe at the resort. This fresh Pineapple Margarita cocktail is served poolside in Hawaii. That’s right, just swim up to the bar and watch all sorts of cocktail magic. Just discovered this variation of the traditional margarita at the Palm Grove pool. This will definitely be on my cocktail list when the weather warms up on the mainland.

SERVES: 1

INGREDIENTS

1.5 oz Silver Tequila (I love using Uno Dos Tres Tequila)

.75 oz Cointreau or orange liqueur

2 tablespoons fresh pineapple, cut into small chunks

1 oz orange juice (freshly squeezed  preferred)

2 oz pineapple juice (freshly squeezed preferred)

1 ounce fresh lime juice

.25 – .5 ounces agave nectar or simple syrup

Fine Sugar for glass

 

PREPARATION

Take the time to freshly squeeze all the fruits. It makes a big difference, according to Grant and Corey, who makes a mean margarita for pool guests.

Muddle fresh pineapple. Then add orange, pineapple and lime juice. Add the tequila, Cointreau and agave nectar (or simple syrup). Shake in a martini shaker with ice and pour into glass with fine sugar on rim. Cheers!

 

NOTE

This recipe depends on using fresh pineapple. I just place pineapple chunks in the blender and added some of the freshly squeezed lime juice. Just remove the skin of the pineapple, slice lengthwise into quarters, remove the core and cut into smaller chunks.

It’s easier for me to make a big batch in advance when I entertain. Fresh mint is also a nice garnish.

 

– The Gourmet Review

 

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01 . 10Beef and Ginger Stir Fry Recipe | Donna Hay

Courtesy Donna Hay

Beef and Ginger Stir Fry is an easy to prepare Donna Hay creates mouth watering dishes that are easy to prepare and are beautifully presented. Let her inspire you for your next dinner party.

 

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

l tablespoon finely grated ginger

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 x approximately 12 ounces of flank steak of (300g rump steaks), trimmed and thinly sliced

4 green onions (scallions), sliced

1 red capsicum, sliced (you can substitute chili pepper, as capsicum is 100% pure juice from the hot red chile pepper)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

¼ cup (60ml) chicken stock

cooked rice noodles, to serve

¼ cup (60ml) coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve

 

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beef and cook, in batches, for 2–3 minutes or until browned. Add the green onion, capsicum, soy sauce and stock and cook for 2–3 minutes or until capsicum is tender. Add noodles, toss to combine and top with coriander to serve.

 

NOTES

Donna Hay has shared several great recipes on The Gourmet Review. She is a gifted food editor from Australia and author of l8 cookbooks, a magazine with over 7 million readers weekly and her photography, as well as recipes, are inspiration.

 

– The Gourmet Review

 

 

 

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12 . 28Holiday Greetings From Villa D’Este & Villa La Massa

Villa D’Este is one of the most beautiful hotels in the world. If you are truly ambitious and want to create an over the top New Year’s Eve dinner, take a look at the exquisite photographs and recipes on the attached Christmas card from Chef Luciano Parolari  at Villa D’Este. I guarantee you will want to make reservations to visit this beautiful resort this summer on beautiful Lake Como.

PLEASE SCROLL THROUGH THE ENTIRE PDF TO SEE INSPIRATION FOR ONY THE MOST ADVENTURESOME OF CHEFS.

 

 

If you want to experience a truly luxurious vacation, make sure Villa D’Este & La Massa for your next dream vacation. You’ll want to return time and time again.

 

– The Gourmet Review

 

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12 . 23Turkey Stuffing | Family Favorite Recipe | Holiday Favorite

The Gourmet Review | Great Recipe Blog | Best Family Recipes

The Gourmet Review

Turkey Stuffing is one of the best parts of turkey dinner during the holidays. Check out some of my personal favorite recipes in the holiday category of The Gourmet Review. My turkey stuffing comes from my mother and was passed down through generations. I always have extra stuffing that I cook in a separate baking dish, but it’s never as good as stuffing baked in the turkey. It’s the turkey juices and butter that gives it that extra flavor. Try our family favorite recipe.

 

SERVINGS:  One 10 – 12 pound turkey

INGREDIENTS

1  14 oz package Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing (Blue Label)

5 tablespoons butter

l cup onion chopped

1 cup celery chopped

2 cups chicken stock (I use Swanson’s 100% fat free, no msg, 33% less sodium)

4 ounces powdered sage (or to taste. I use need lots of sage!)

1 small apple, peeled and diced into small pieces (to add moisture)

1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped

1 beaten egg

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in stock pot ( I always double the recipe for our family’s 24 pound turkey or leftovers.)

Saute onions and celery until translucent – about 3 – 4 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Turn off stove. Add stuffing mix. Stir.

Add apple, parsley, sage and beaten egg. Stuff turkey and bake remaining stuffing in casserole dish for last 30 minutes at 350.

 

NOTES

Pepperidge Farm only sells its stuffing mix during November and December during the holidays. If you want to make a big turkey the rest of the year, you will have to buy a couple extra bags of the stuffing mix and keep it in your pantry. It’s worth it. I love lots and lots of powdered sage in ours. Naturally, the stuffing mix is only the beginning of this recipe. The Blue Baker made this herself for the first time this Thanksgiving and it was delicious.

 

– The Gourmet Review

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12 . 18Four Seasons Chocolate “Truffle Bar” Pairing | 123 Organic Tequila

Four Seasons Hualalai | The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai | Gourmet Travel Blog

The Gourmet Review

Of course, you will always find great culinary selections on the menus at Four Seasons Hualalai. Chef Nick outdid himself, however, when he created an incredible “Truffle Bar” presentation for his sweet pairing with 1 2 3 Organic Tequila (Uno Dos Tres). The Gourmet Review’s  original challenge was to pair fabulous food with  123 Organic Tequila (Uno Dos Tres). First, we did the savory pairings and now it was time to taste Chef Nick’s chocolate truffle pairings.

Chef Nick and Food and Beverage Director, Sebastian Hinsch, decided that the black lava rock would be a perfect backdrop to spotlight the Chocolate Truffle Bar selection. It was a race to get photographs finished before the sun went down. There was lots of laughter as waves began crashing around us, everyone intent on getting the perfect photo.

The “Truffle Bar” was more along the lines of a culinary artistic presentation, constructed piece by piece with the roar of the ocean crashing behind us. Everyone was slipping a bit on the rocks. My husband and I didn’t  navigate perfectly and we both ended up slipping into a pool of water!

For the sweet pairing, Chef Nick created a “Truffle Bar” concept. He infused white chocolate, original Hawaiian chocolate and dark chocolate to pair with the 1 2 3 Organic Tequila (Uno Dos Tres) shots. Infusing chocolate truffles with a variety of fresh and  local ingredients was the inspiration. For Hawaii, this meant coconut, macadamia nuts and even a hint of Hawaiian chills grown in the hotel’s herb garden.

Chef Nick paired Blanco (Uno) tequila with white chocolate, fresh coconut, fresh fennel seed, and a hint of fresh lime for the first truffle tasting. Close your eyes and your taste sensations are definitely Hawaiian. The  96 point Blanco (Uno) tequila is not aged and boasts an intense aroma of fresh agave, which matched truffles and tequila perfectly for the first sweet pairing.

Chef’ Nick’s next pairing with  Reposado (Dos) tequila was Hawaiian chocolate  infused with fresh lavender and rolled in Macadamian nuts. How good does that sound? The Reposado (Dos) tequila is aged for six months and has a woodsy aroma of ripe citrus and a hint of sweet wood tannins, making this a perfect pairing for this 96 point tequila.

 

Of course, all the ingredients were locally grown. Chef Nick’s brilliant marketing focus was to demonstrate farm fresh ingredients that could be combined with chocolate truffles anywhere in the country, with each area able to spotlight local flavors infused into fabulous chocolates.

 

The  Anejo (Tres)  tequila pairing combined dark chocolate and Hawaiian chilis, which gave just the perfect kick to the chocolate.  The Anejo (Tres) tequila is aged for one year. It is softer, with a complex oak aroma that hints of dried herbs and flavors of spicy, roasted agave for yet another 96 point tequila.

This is what I love about great chefs. They are inspired to reach beyond our comfort level and create an absolutely over the top taste sensation. Chilis and chocolates? This combination was a first for me and it worked! After we shot our photos and tasted the three pairings, we took the beautiful “Truffle Bar”presentation to the Beach Tree bar. Everyone loved the chocolates AND the tequila.

 

 

Thanks, Chef Nick, for an over the top afternoon. Your “Truffle Bar “concept for pairings with 1 2 3 Organic Tequila “knocked it out of the ballpark.”

 

– The Gourmet Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

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12 . 16Chocolate Angel Food Cake with Mint Frosting & Chocolate Drizzle Recipe

Chocolate Angel Food Cake with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting and Drizzled Fudge Icing could be the best chocolate cake you will ever eat. I grew up eating this cake until my favorite  bakery closed many years ago. This was our “special occasion” cake.

Since then, I have tried to find a recipe that comes close to duplicating this decadent dessert, and last summer was able to find the son and daughter of Arthur, the man whose bakery was named after him, who created this masterpiece. Try it for special occasions. It is worth the effort and is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

 

CHOCOLATE ANGEL FOOD CAKE

DRY INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup (180 grams) confectioner’s powdered sugar  or 180 grams (do not substitute granulated sugar)

3/4 cup (103 grams) cake flour  or 103 grams (do not substitute regular flour) spooned & leveled

1/4 cup (34 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder  or 34 grams

 

Ingredients For Egg White Mixture

12 egg whites from large eggs, separated  or

1 1/2  cup egg white  (room temperature  (364 grams)

3/4 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoons  (9 grams) salt

1 1/2 teaspoon (9 grams) cream  of tartar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla

 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together confectioner’s powdered sugar, cake flour and cocoa. Set dry ingredients aside.

Use a clean bowl. In a food processor, whip egg whites for about one minute on high. As eggs begin to come together, slowly add the 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, salt and cream of tartar. Whip until egg whites are soft peaks (about two minutes). Don’t over process or whites will become dry.

Gradually fold dry ingredients into egg white mixture. While turning bowl, gradually add 1/4 of dry ingredient mixture at a time. Use rubber spatula to cut down through center and come up on sides, slowly blending the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture. Do not over mix.

Use a 9 – 10″ angel food cake with a removable bottom. Kasia lightly butters the pan, even if it is teflon, so the cake releases easily.Then pour into cake pan. Smooth top so the mixture is evenly distributed  (otherwise you will have one side higher than the other after baking). Lightly tap on counter to remove any air pockets.

Place the cake in the middle rack. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes at 350 degrees or until cake springs back.  Test with toothpick at 30 minutes. If comes out clean, it is done. Otherwise, cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Invert cake and let cool in pan for l hour. Top of cake should not be touching anything. Depending on how high the cake is (size of pan),  you  may have to place pan onto something to keep top from resting on counter and flattening cake. After cooled, run knife around the inside of the pan, the tube and bottom of pan tube to release.

NOTE

I have too many less than fond memories of pulling a batch (3 sheet pans of 3 cake molds) of what appeared to be a perfect cake in the pan out of the oven. Within 10 minutes, it fell to the bottom of the mold. Arthur would walk over to the cooling rack and just shake his head and say, “you pulled them too early. . . “Why did you pull them too early,?”  (He would) give me a look over his shoulder as he walked back to the ingredients scale to start weighing another batch. This was Arthur’s way. 

        – Memories from Arthur’s son trying to create the chocolate Angel Food Cake in the bakery. 

 

MY NOTES

I didn’t pay too much attention to the batter being even before I put the cake in the oven. My first try at this recipe had one side on the finished cake one inch higher than the other. Oops. Now, I take the time to even the top out

Also, make sure that when inverting cake, the cake itself isn’t higher than the pan. Otherwise, the cake will deflate. If it is higher than the pan, prop the entire cake pan on something that will keep the cake and pan elevated while cooling.

 

MINT FROSTING (The best!)

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups (318 grams) shortening (I don’t have access to baker’s shortening, so I substituted Crisco)

7 1/2 cups (1000 grams) confectioner’s powdered sugar

1/2 (9 grams)  teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (136 grams) evaporated condensed milk

2  1/2 teaspoons vanilla (10 grams)

2 teaspoons peppermint extract  (7 grams)

1/4 teaspoon green food coloring (2 grams)

Up to 2 tablespoons (44 grams) water (adjust depending on consistency)

DIRECTIONS

Add shortening to food processor and mix about l minute. Gradually add confectioner’s powdered sugar, salt, condensed evaporated milk and vanilla. Turn processor on high until mixture looks whipped. Slowly add water, scraping bowl, until mixture is a smooth consistency. Add peppermint extract and green food coloring.

 

NOTE

“ALWAYS make more frosting than you think you will need. You can always freeze leftovers. Half way through the cake is too late to make more. It also allows you to spread the icing so you are not picking up cake crumbs. You can always scrape off excess without picking up cake crumbs if you spread it thick the first time and always push icing from inside out – never pulling from the cake across the icing.”

    – Kasia

 

ARTHUR’S CHOCOLATE FUDGE ICING

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups (170) powdered confectioner’s sugar

2 cups (408) hot water

1 (22 grams) tablespoon corn syrup

2 cubes/sticks (4 sticks are in a l lb box of butter)  3 l tablespoon unsalted butter (272 grams)

16 ounces baker’s unsweetened chocolate baker’s chocolate ( 450 grams)

 

DIRECTIONS

In a mixing bowl, mix powdered confectioner’s sugar, hot water and corn syrup until well blended.

Melt chocolate in the microwave and stir often so chocolate doesn’t burn (about once every one minute)  for a total of  two minutes. Then remove from microwave and stir for another minute.Remove from microwave and let remaining chocolate melt. You can also heat in a double boiler, so as not to burn the chocolate.

Add margarine and baker’s chocolate. Work quickly so mixture doesn’t cool down.

If not smooth, heat to spreadable consistency (not runny), but do not overheat or the mixture will crystalize. It should be smooth like a thick chocolate buttercream and is NEVER boiled.

Cool slightly and drizzle icing over the mint frosting, so that top of the cake is covered with chocolate icing and the icing drizzles down the side of the cake, with lots of the green mint frosting showing through on the sides.

Arthur also used this icing  for chocolate eclairs, cupcakes, or donuts.

 

NOTES

Many thanks to both Arthur’s daughter and son, who have been patient and generous in sharing many stories about their dad, Arthur, which I will share with you in future posts.

Arthur, who created many bakery favorites of mine,  woke up at 2:00 am every morning to bake at his namesake “Arthur’s Bakery.” Those who grew up savoring Arthur’s incredible raspberry pies, breadsticks, cakes, cookies and just about every wonderful smelling bakery item you can imagine, were deeply saddened when he passed away.

Arthur’s son and and daughter and I hooked up by chance. Lucky for me, the daughter shared the only recipe from the now closed bakery that was converted into a recipe that could be used at home. Good thing, as the first ingredient that I saw when she sent me the recipe started with 27.5 pounds of confectioner’s sugar. I converted the recipe as best I could  from the metric measurements used by professional bakers.  Kasia has preserved many of Arthur’s recipes and has been generous to share this one with The Gourmet Review.

Arthur’s daughter not only shared her father’s recipes, but provided some notes on making this cake successfully. Kasia was patient with me as I tested this cake repeatedly over the  summer. I enjoyed reading her notes as much as I did making the cake.  It’s a bit of nostalgia for me.

A general note here is that this cake recipe was created by Arthur many, many years ago when commercial shortenings, which had a shorter lifespan, were slightly different from what is available to home bakers today. Adjustments between liquids and flours had to be made, because Arthur often used a blend of cake and pastry flour and different shortenings that were bro-mated and fortified. Kasia has already made these adjustments. Just for the record, pastry flours and bro-mated shortenings are a discussion that is WAY beyond my culinary skills!

 

– The Gourmet Review

 


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12 . 15Four Season Food Challenge | Savory + 1 2 3 Organic Tequila

The Four Seasons | Four Seasons Hualalai | Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

The Gourmet Review

What’s more fun that challenging two great chefs at Four Seasons Hualalai? How about creating a savory and sweet pairing for a the only certified organic tequila on the market? That would be 1 2 3 Organic Tequila (Uno Dos Tres).

Spotlighting local ingredients turned out to be a fun challenge for Four Season’s Chef Angela Kenyon. You will recall that the hotel’s Executive Sous Chef Nick and Chef Angela decided that the 1 2 3 Organic Tequila (Uno Dos Tres) deserved both a sweet and savory pairing!

Luxury Travel Blog | Four Seasons Hualalai | The Gourmet Review

The Gourmet Review

Chef Angela’s first savory pairing featured  chilled avocado soup with a shot of 1 Blanco (Uno) tequila. The soup was made with just picked avocado, lemon juice, lime juice, celery, cucumber, shallot, olive oil and cilantro. The beautiful garnish was a spicy shrimp relish that consisted of  marinated and grilled shrimp, cucumber, cilantro, red onion, avocado, yellow tomato, celery and  jalapeño pepper. Delicious. Either the soup or the topping alone could have been a meal for me.

The Gourmet Review | Best Food Blog | The Four Seasons Hawaii

The Gourmet Review

The pairing with 2 Reposado (Dos) tequila was a carpaccio style scallop appetizer made with fresh scallops, dragon fruit, star fruit, red bell pepper, fresh lime juice, fresh lemon juice, jalapeño, EVOO, black lava salt and micro greens served on a brick of Himalayan rock salt. The presentation elicited many oohs and aahs from guests.

The Four Seasons Hawaii | Best Food Blog | The Gourmet Review

The Gourmet Review

The pairing with 3 Anejo (Tres) tequila was spicy Macadamian nut crusted Ahi Poppers made from fresh ground ahi, sesame oil, soy sauce, sambal seasoning, green onion and sesame seeds. The breading combined tempura batter and panko mixed with ground Mac-nuts and parsley. The dipping sauce was made with soy lime cream and sour cream, soy sauce, lime juice and a touch of salt.

Four Seasons Hualalai | The Gourmet Review | Four Seasons Hualalai Hawaii

The Gourmet Review

Thank you, Chef Angela for some scrumptious food and great tequila.

Food and Beverage Director, Sebastian Hinsch, oversaw the tasting and gets honors as a photo stylist as well! Thanks for a great afternoon.

 

-The Gourmet Review

 

 

 

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12 . 13Four Season’s Challenge: Sweet and Savory + 1 2 3 Organic Tequila

The Gourmet Review| Best Food Blog | The Four Seasons Hawaii

The Gourmet Review

The Four Seasons is known for its five star accommodations, fabulous food and exceptional service. Read on for an example of the  Four Seasons Resort Hualalai going the “extra mile.”

I threw out a culinary challenge to Food and Beverage Director, Sebastian Hinsch, and Executive Sous Chef Nick Mastrascusa. How would you pair food with the only certified organic tequila on the market, Uno Dos Tres tequila, to create some culinary “buzz”?

Four Seasons Resort, Four Seasons Hawaii, The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

The Gourmet Review

Let me introduce you to our “team,” consisting of Sebastian,  Chef Nick and Sous Chef Angela Kenyon. Now, this is a fun group of people, who all LOVE food and a good challenge. I can tell you that in true Four Season’s style, Chef Nick and rising star, Chef Angela, created a major “buzz” at the hotel with their sweet and savory food pairings.

I wasn’t the only one impressed with the results. Guests walked by our photo shoot, stopped and  asked to try both the fabulous food pairings and David Ravandi’s equally fabulous 1 2 3 Organic Tequila (Uno Dos Tres).

 

First, we did a tequila tasting for 1 2 3 Organic Tequila (Uno Dos Tres). No food. Just tasting the three popular tequilas. Then Executive Chef Nick and Chef Angela decided to do both a sweet and savory pairing.

Ultimately, Chef Nick created a “truffle bar” concept. Imagine infusing chocolate truffles with  a variety of fresh and  local ingredients, depending on the geography of the venue. For Hawaii, this meant flavors of coconut, macadamia nuts and Hawaiian chilis. All the ingredients were native to Hawaii and most were grown in the hotel’s herb garden.

Chef Angela presented three savory dishes, with a focus on fresh avocado, ahi and ceviche. Each pairing was accompanied by a shot of 1 2 3 Certified Tequila Uno Dos Tres). The fun began as we tried to take pictures for Chef Angela’s savory pairings on the beach.

The photo shoot was late in the afternoon. Guests kept stopping by, asking questions. Sebastien tried to keep the photography going at a good pace, while being polite to the guests. One of the guests wanted Chef Angelea’s soup and ahi poppers for a catered event the next week. Yes, the guest’s favorites were the soup and the ahi poppers, but that was only because he didn’t see the ceviche!

Then it was time for Chef Nick’s creation. Fully assembled, I  raced to stay balanced while taking shots of Nick’s “truffle bar.” The sun was setting. The waves were crashing and a slight wind was blowing. Chefs Nick and Angela were balancing the truffle presentation on uneven volcanic rocks and my husband was trying to balance me, so the camera wouldn’t shake.

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Courtesy David Ravandi & l 2 3 Certified Tequila

Sebastian quickly styled the 1 2 3 (Uno Dos Tres)  bottles, along with small tasting glasses of tequila, amongst the rocks. Photos finished, we hurried back to the bar to get our final shots on more firm footing. Everyone at the bar wanted to taste both the truffles and the tequila! The sun had finally set. By now the bar was hopping and the Beach Tree bar was full!. A fun time was had by all and the party was just starting!

Check out the tasting notes for Uno Dos Tres and stay tuned for the results of the sweet and savory food pairings. They were scrumptious!

 

– The Gourmet Review

 

 

 

 

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