Traverse City is the perfect spot to enjoy a culinary getaway. Set in the pinky finger of Michigan's mitten-shaped Lower Peninsula, this area has long been home to some of the state's most fertile orchards. Peaches, apricots, pears and apples are commonly grown in northwestern Michigan, and the region produces more cherries than anyplace else in the nation. In recent decades, Traverse City has also become one of Michigan's most prolific, quality wine-producing areas.
So it came as no surprise when Traverse City's Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, otherwise known as a golf destination, announced a series of Culinary Escapes on weekends throughout 2007. Having just completed an $11 million renovation, Grand Traverse Resort is showcasing its facilities with the special-themed weekends through September.
Each Culinary Escape package begins at $299 per person and includes two nights' lodging, hands-on cooking instruction from the resort's award-winning chefs, a Culinary Escapes chef's apron, and recipes from the weekend to take home — not to mention the great food.
Weekend cooking lessons focus on Central and South American cuisine in March, ranging from the mild flavors of the Spanish Caribbean to the beef-centered Argentinean diet and the spicy, chili-based cuisine of Mexico. May is morel month at the resort. Classes discuss picking your own mushrooms, and then explain how to prepare and cook morels, pairing them with locally grown produce.
July's culinary classes revolve around grilling techniques. Students learn the ins and outs of properly selecting and grilling various meats and seafood, including the use of woods for fuel and adding flavor. Guests are also provided with the chef's recipes for spice rubs and marinades.
The year's classes end in September with a fitting finale: a dessert and pastries class, taught by the resort's resident pastry chef.