ACTIVE GOURMAND
Summer in Reno-Tahoe is for those who love the outdoors and have a passion for fine local food and wine. A perfect day may involve a scenery-packed hiking excursion and a trip to the farmers’ market, followed by a cooking class and wine dinner. Now that’s living!
WRITTEN BY TIM HAUSERMAN
PHOTOS BY JEFF ROSS AND NIOBE BURDEN
Emily Reid of Reno relaxes at Moon Rocks in Hungry Valley, Nevada. Photo by Jeff Ross
It’s a simple but beautiful concept. Spend your day exploring the mountains around Lake Tahoe with a professional hiking guide and in the evening return to the exquisite surroundings of the Cedar House Sport Hotel and Stella restaurant in Truckee, where a talented chef guides you through a multi-course cooking and eating experience. It’s all part of Tahoe Trips & Trails’ four-day Active Gourmand adventure.
“Hiking and cooking is the perfect combo,” says Tahoe Trips & Trails and The Cedar House Sport Hotel Owner Patty Baird. “Not only do you learn new culinary techniques in a fun group atmosphere, but after an active day of hiking, you can indulge gastronomically without any guilt!”
One day will be spent walking along the shores of Lake Tahoe, with time for a quick dip and a bit of Vikingsholm history. Another day brings hikers to the Pacific Crest Trail where they climb up to the windswept summit of Mt. Judah. The longest hike involves cresting Ellis Peak, where trekkers are rewarded with glorious views of all of Big Blue in one direction and Blackwood Canyon in the other. Each day, just to make sure there is absolutely no danger of going hungry, a delicious lunch is provided by Stella restaurant and unfurled on a scenic spot by a trusty hiking guide.
Culinary Extravaganza
While hiking is an enjoyable way to spend the day, in reality the hikes are just an excuse to build up one’s appetite for the culinary extravaganzas that await in the evening. One night Chef Jacob Burton’s focus will be on using flavor structure in cooking and participants learn how to prepare food like top restaurants do. That is when participants begin to understand how they make that luscious hunk of halibut crispy on the outside and cooked to Goldilocks perfection in the middle, or what it takes to make a “simple” reduction sauce.
Katherine Viragh of Reno serves herself
lunch on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Photo by Niobe Burden
Another evening, the focus will be on pairing (and, of course, drinking) wine. Diners will be joined by a wine expert, who may set up pairings with several tapas before moving on to choosing wines that match the entrées.
A trip highlight is a morning visit to the Truckee Farmers’ Market. Here, Burton walks the group through the process of picking out the best produce, cheeses, and other market fare that will become ingredients for that evening’s salad.
“When you are able to buy great products, the cooking part is easy,” Burton says. “You just get out of the way and let the food do its thing.”
Hikers admire the wildflowers.
Photo by Niobe Burden
Past Active Gourmand participant Frances Waddock says it was “one of my best travel experiences, full of exploration, both outdoors and in the kitchen. Each day takes you to a new height — literally! — providing one staggering view after another of the beautiful Tahoe region.”
Late afternoons spent learning from Burton, she says, were a great way to relax following the hikes and prepare for sharing a delicious dinner together.
“He is not only a fine chef but also a gifted teacher,” she says. “We all benefited from his personal attention.”
Tim Hauserman is a professional hiking guide who led an Active Gourmand trip last year. His third edition of The Tahoe Rim Trail: The Official Guide for Hikers, Mountain Bikers and Equestrians is set for publication this fall.
Resources
Active Gourmand Trips this summer are:
July 22 – 26
Aug. 12 – 16
Sept. 2 – 6
All food, wine, and lodging are included for $1,895 per trip; it’s $1,299 without lodging. The food is multi-course gourmet fare prepared onsite at Stella. For details, visit www.tahoetrips.com or call 800-581-HIKE.
