Food And Wine Festivals Create Excitement

Food Writer Jaden Hair peels a Kiwi and shares recipes from the Club Med Food and Wine Festivals.

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Avocado Gazpacho

Corporate chef Erik Peters takes a break from the kitchen to give us his avocado gazpacho recipe--a big favorite at Club Med Ixtapa pacific.




Servings: 4
Yield: 4 cups

Serving Ideas: Served in a 7 3/4 oz bowl set on top of 13 1/2" oval platter. Garnish directly on the plate.

3 whole avocado
1 whole lime, juiced
100 grams onion, diced small
150 grams red bell pepper, diced small
150 grams tomato, diced small
15 grams cilantro, minced
2 teaspoons coriander
8 grams cumin
5 cloves garlic, roasted
3 cups water
for garnishes
300 grams lobster , chopped
1 whole scallion, diced fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pinch saffron
salt and white pepper, to taste

1. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits.

2. Scoop the meat into a bowl and discard the skin. Pour the lime juice over and set aside.

3. Add the tomatooes, onions, red peppers, roasted garlic, cilantro, coriander, and cumin to a bowl and mix.

4. Put the avocado halves and water in a blender or use an immersion mixer. Lightly pulse so the avocados are just broken up. You do NOT want a smooth consistency.

5. Add the diced veggies and season with salt and pepper.

7. For the garnish:

8. Boil the lobster meat for approximately 8 minutes or until nicely firm.

9. Shock it with an ice bath and then drain well, removing all extra water. Roughly chop.

10. In a small bowl, mix the lobster, scallions, olive oil, and saffron together.

11. Season with salt and pepper. Chill and set asid


Cuisine: Las Cazuelas

Categories: appetizers, seafood, soups

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Follow the Club Med Food and Wine Festival via Twitter!

October 6-10, Jaden Hair will give her impressions on the Club Med Ixtapa Pacific Food and Wine festival. Don't miss it!
Jaden Hair, is the food editor at The Tampa Tribune and writes a monthly food column in the East County Observer newspaper. She is a frequent guest writer on Simply Recipes and cooks live on ABC News during morning news segments. During her free time, she is also a food blogger, www.steamykitchen.com. Jaden will be attending Club Med Ixtapa's food and wine week in October. You can read her about her experience soon at the SteamyKitchen.com

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Petit Chef

Cooking lessons daily at Club Med introduce kids to new and healthy foods.

A recent article in the New York Times: 6 Food Mistakes Parents Make by TARA PARKER-POPE advises families to involve kids in food preparation stating "it is understandable that parents don’t want children in the kitchen when they’re making dinner, but studies suggest that involving children in meal preparation is an important first step in getting them to try new foods"

Click on the video to see how Club Med successfully gets kids eating healthy, fun foods like vegetable nori rolls. Staff in the childrens' programs have received very enthusiatic feedback from our youngest guests, and their parents.

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Club Med's White Chocolate Bread

Club Med's most famous bread. We don't want to break your diet, but indulgence in small portions in will keep you from binges.


8 cups flour
1 teaspoon yeast
1 tablespoon wheat gluten
2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups water
2 3/4 cups Barry Callebaut white
chocolate chips
1. Place flour, yeast and gluten in a small
bowl. Mix on medium-low or first speed
for 1 minute. Add water and mix for
another 2 minutes. Add salt and continue
to mix for another 8-10 minutes on
medium or second speed.
2. Add chips and mix for 1-2 minutes or until
the chips are well distributed throughout
the dough.
3. Take dough out of bowl and lightly knead
into a ball. Let rest for 15-20 minutes
Preheat the oven to 450˚F.
4. Divide dough into 5 equal portions and
knead into the desired form. Let the loaves
proof for about 30-45 minutes, depending
on the heat and humidity of the area.
5. Place uncooked loaves on a baking pan
lined with parchment paper and bake for
approximately 20 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let stand for
15 minutes.
www.clubmed.us

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Club Med Launches All-Inclusive Food and Wine Weeks in Four Resorts

Stephanie Izard & Wolfgang Birk among Chefs Set to Entice Vacationing Foodies


Club Med’s Guests will experience all-star cooking demonstrations, sommelier and mixology presentations, and a nightly, unique four-course dinner during the all-inclusive food and wine weeks scheduled this fall and spring. With no change in the traditional package price, the second annual food and wine weeks highlight Club Med’s exceptional culinary offerings.

“Foodies should take note that Club Med’s all-inclusive pricing encompasses the food and wine events,” remarks Sabina Sicuso, V.P. Marketing for Club Med. “This is truly a unique opportunity for epicureans who want to indulge in Michelin quality dining on a daily basis—without a daily bill.”

Club Med’s first of four food and wine weeks is scheduled October 4-11, 2008 at the Ixtapa Pacific resort in Mexico. Two-time James Beard Award winner, Wolfgang Birk and guest judge for Top Chef, Maria Frumkin are among the 15 star chefs making Ixtapa sizzle that week.

November 15-22, 2008 the food and wine weeks head east to Club Med Cancun Yucatan. There, Five Star Diamond Award winner, Cindy Hutson and James McDevitt, a Food and Wine Magazine Best New Chef, will collaborate with a stellar group of top chefs and sommeliers to create new culinary experiences for Club Med guests.

Club Med’s food and wine week February 28-March 7 in Columbus Isle, Bahamas holds a special surprise. Top Chef Winner, Stephanie Izard, will unveil her signature Club Med recipe at a cooking demonstration, lead a private cooking lesson for a lucky sweepstakes winner, and prepare a four-course dinner. Michelle Bernstein of the Food Network and guest judge for Iron Chef will also be among the talented chefs at Columbus Isle that week.

The food and wine weeks will draw to a powerful close May 2-9 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. George Duran of the Food Network and Eric Villegas of A Fork in the Road join 13 other leading chefs for a spring blowout.

Find the full lists of guest chefs after the jump.

For reservations call 1-800-Club Med, visit www.clubmed.us or contact a travel professional.



OCTOBER 4-11 Ixtapa Pacific, Ixtapa, Mexico
Sean Bernal Oceanaire in Miami
Russel Cunningham Agraria in Washington D.C.
Stefano La Cava Barton G in Miami
Frank Jeannetti Jeannetti Catering in Miami
Ralph Pagano Pressure Cook on the Mojo Channel
Tim Grandinetti Twin City Quarter in Winston/Salem
Kurtis Jantz Trump International Miami Beach
Fabian Di Paolo Trump International Miami Beach
Wolfgang Birk Gaylord National Resort in Washington D.C.
Matthew Zubrod DishAspen in Aspen
Harold Moore Commerce in NYC
Maria Frumkin French Bakery in Miami
Julian Alonzo Brasserie 8 1/2 in NYC
Johnny Vinczenz Johnny V's Las Olas
Martial Noguier one sixtyblue in Chicago



NOVEMBER 15-22 Cancun Yucatan, Cancun, Mexico
Pascal Oudin Pascal's on Ponce in Miami
Mark Hannon Quince in Chicago
James McDevitt Food Four Studio in NYC
Clay Conley Azul in Miami
Oliver Oertl Bimini Bay in Bahamas
Sue Torres Los Dados in NYC
Michael Jacobs Mediterasia in Miami
Giancarla Bodoni Escopazzo in South Beach
Arthur Artiles Brosia in Miami
Dan Drayer Moon Fish in Orlando
Will Goldfarb Dessert Studio in NYC
Philippe Ruiz Biltmore in Miami
Cindy Hutson Ortanique in Miami
Christophe Doumerque VOGA in the Flamingo in Las Vegas
Olivier Carlos VOGA in the Flamingo in Las Vegas



FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 7 Columbus Isle, San Salvador, Bahamas
Sue Torres Suenos in NYC
Ian Schnoebelen Iris in New Orleans
Jean Claude Perennoud in NYC
Ray Lampe (Dr. BBQ) Southern Hospitality in NYC
Michelle Bernstein Michy's in Miami
Lee Anne Wong FCI in NYC
Jeff Baruch London Lennies in NYC
Ted Reader (King of the Q's) Ted Reader from Toronto
Greg Sharpe President Nation's Capitol chef assoc
Stephanie Izard Top Chef Season 4 Winner
John Suley Joley South Beach in South Beach
Dewey Losasso North 110 in South Beach
Tim Elliott Mie n Yu in Washington
Michael Altman Town Kitchen in Miami
Sean Bernal Oceanaire Seafood Room in Miami
E Michael Reidt LA Farms
John Lee Marseilles & Nice in NYC


MAY 2-9 Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Tim Foley Bit of Swiss in Michigan
George Duran Food Network
Brian Malarkey Oceanaire Seafood Room in San Diego & Top Chef
Thomas John Au Bon Pain, Corporate Chef
Fred Mero Four Seasons in NYC
Pichet Ong P*ong in NYC
Anita Lo Bar Q in NYC
Kurtis Jantz Trump International Miami Beach
Fabian Di Paolo Trump International Miami Beach
Alex Urena Pamplona in NYC
Mark Beaupre J W Marriott in Orlando
Dean Max 3030 Ocean in Ft. Lauderdale
Eric Villegas A Fork in the Road on PBS
Eric Hara Burke & Donnatella in NYC
Bernard Guillas La Jolla Beach Club in San Diego

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Club Med Demonstrates High Percentage of Fruits and Vegetables in Guests’ Diets

The guests of the six Club Med resorts in the American Zone (Ixtapa Pacific, Cancun Yucatan, Columbus Isle, Turkoise, Punta Cana and Sandpiper) consumed an estimated total of 2,420,000 pounds of fresh fruit and 1,980,000 pounds of fresh vegetables this year. This quantity breaks down to about 1.6 pounds of fruit and 1.3 pounds of vegetables per person per day. As a complement to their fruit and vegetable consumption, guests at the six Club Med resorts consumed 704,660 pounds of fresh and frozen fish this year—or a little under a half pound a day per person.

In Punta Cana, the six month breakdown equals 187,000 pounds of oranges for fresh squeezed daily juice, 115500 pounds of pineapple, 68200 pounds of cantaloupe, 64680 pounds of bananas, 59840 pounds of mango and 39600 of papaya.
--now that’s a fruit salad!


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