Masters of the culinary universe

BUENOS AIRES — This year the Park Hyatt’s annual Masters of Food and Wine festival adds an international flavour with not one but three separate events in Buenos Aires, Washington, D.C., and Paris.

Earlier this spring, I attended the Buenos Aires event for three days of culinary demonstrations, wine and cocktail seminars, food and wine tasting events, cocktail parties, a wine auction, garden parties and a gala dinner with each dish prepared by a different chef and paired with an Argentinian wine.

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The event brought together leading and emerging luminaries of the culinary scene — from Michelin-starred chefs such as Turkey’s Ali Gungormus, Italy’s Davide Brovelli, Spain’s Mostse Estruch, to South American standouts such as Argentina’s Francis Mallmann, Argentina-born but Brazil-based Paola Carosella, Park Hyatt executive chef Fabio Brambilla and Ecuador’s Rodrigo Pacheco — and a team of top sommeliers.

It’s not unusual for chefs to move in international circles but I was still surprised to find a Canadian connection in Buenos Aires.

Before settling on a culinary career, a teenaged Pacheco spent a year in Canada — first as a volunteer in Moosonee with Canada World Youth, then later working in a Toronto restaurant. Afterward, he studied hotel management in Chile, then culinary arts and restaurant management at Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France.

Pacheco, who now owns a small hotel in Ecuador, says he “loves Canada” and wants to return for a visit — “but not in the winter.”

When guest weren’t mingling with chefs or sampling epicurean delights, there were uniquely Argentinian activities such as tango lessons, a guided shopping expedition along swanky Avenido Alvear — where shoppers with trust funds can stock up on designer duds and polo gear, while others like me, can enjoy the elegant streetscape resplendent with French-style mini palaces — and a polo demonstration in the Pampas accompanied by a delicious asado — or barbecue — lunch of Argentinian beef, lamb, salmon, roasted pumpkin and herbed goat cheese salad — one of the best meals of the event.

A native Patagonian, Chef Mallmann is recognized as an asado specialist and is the author of Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine way.

FUTURE MASTERS

— The Washington, D.C., event takes place June 17-20 at Park Hyatt Washington with a local farm to table focus. Participants will enjoy a VIP opening reception, tea tastings, wine and cheese pairings, guest speakers, a summer picnic at Virginia’s Chapel Hill Farm, harvest breakfast and walking trip to the Dupont Circle Freshfarm Market to participate in a chef’s demonstration and meet local artisans, wine education class.

The four-night packages start at $2,400 US (single occupancy, taxes and gratuities included) and $3,000 double, and also include roundtrip airport transfers and a 10% discount on additional events.

— The Paris festival takes place Oct. 11-16 at the Park Hyatt Paris Vendome, where the hotel’s executive chef — Jean Francois Rouquette will be joined by five celebrated chefs from Spain, Italy, Scandinavia and the U.K. The focus is a new “art de vivre” or way of life.

The Paris package includes four nights’ accommodation, daily breakfast, roundtrip airport transfers, opening VIP dinner in the hotel’s Michelin-starred La Pur restaurant or closing Masters dinner, night visit to Rungis Market with Chef Rouquette, cocktail course, a second Masters dinner, and 10% discount on additional events. Single occupancy prices start at 2,925 euros, doubles from 3,360 euros.

For details, see mastersoffoodandwine.com.

GETTING THERE

One of the global sponsors of the Masters of Food and Wine events (along with American Express), American Airlines has competitive prices on daily flights from several North American hubs to Buenos Aires. I flew from Toronto to Miami, then Miami to Buenos Aires. Roundtrip economy class flights from Miami to Buenos Aires start around $1,100 plus fees and taxes. Fares vary depending on dates travelled. See aa.com for details.

robin.robinson@sunmedia.ca

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The 'Twilight' experience in La Push

WASHINGTON STATE - La Push is a mandatory stop on the Twilight road. It’s on the beach in La Push that Jacob talks to Bella about the legends of the Quileute tribe and describes the treaty between his tribe and Cullen family vampires.

The La Push beach is located on the American Indian reserve of Quileute, about a 20-minute drive from Forks. While driving towards La Push, one can notice the redwood house where Jacob Black lives, practically identical to the one in the movies. You can even rent it for a stay on the reserve. His motorcycle is parked on the property, but, unlike Bella, it’s impossible to borrow it.

The La Push beach is magnificent, a perfect match to the one described by Stephanie Meyer in her first novel. White tree trunks, eroded by sea water, are scattered over the beach. The golden sand is in places covered by flat, polished, black rocks. Majestic rocks with their extremities covered by vegetation surround the beach. The Twilighters (the name given to the Twilight fans) remember them well as they were the setting of Bella’s perilous leap into the sea.

La Push is also the region’s hotspot for local surfers. When the waves are good, the local surfers pull out their boards and head into the water.

The Quileute people are very welcoming and openly accept visitors on their territory. The Twilighters can thus stay at Quileute Oceanside Resort, in any one of its many rooms or one of its cozy beach houses.

The Dazzled by Twilight tour bus doesn’t make it out to La Push, which means that you’ll have to get there by your own means. The Quileute people are also benefiting from the Twilight affect on the region, but would rather not transform their reserve into a full-blown tourist attraction.

The beauty of the La Push surroundings makes it well worth the detour, so much so that one quickly forgets about the Twilight saga.

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Head over heels for Buenos Aires

BUENOS AIRES — Falling in love with Argentina’s capital doesn’t take long. In fact, it happened en route from the airport to my hotel.

My limo driver was so proud of his home town and so enthusiastic about pointing out landmarks that, even after an overnight flight from Miami, I couldn’t help but smile — and stare — as we crept along toward the city centre in the early morning rush hour traffic.

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A jumble of urban eye-candy revealed itself at every turn — gaily painted wood and corrugated homes, funky boutiques, chic locals — called Portenos — queuing on street corners for buses, wide tree-lined avenues, shady cobblestoned lanes and — before too long — the tall intricately carved doors, delicate wrought-iron balconies and beautiful Old World architecture of Recoleta, Buenos Aires most fashionable district.

My hotel — the regal Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt — looked every inch the private mansion it was when owned by the prominent Duhau family. I was lucky enough to be checking in with colleagues for three nights to attend the Park Hyatt’s Masters of Food and Wine event.

The opulent property is actually two buildings — the antique-filled Palacio facing Avenida Alvear and the sleek but still tres chic 17-storey Posada, which contains most of the hotel’s 210 rooms and suites. Between the buildings, the terraced courtyard is a flower-filled oasis far removed from the city hubbub, and an underground art gallery passageway also links the Palacio with the Posada.

Decked out in marble, fine woods and crystal chandeliers, the hotel’s public rooms speak to Buenos Aires’ one-time wealth and standing as the “Paris of South America.”

But stately hotels and elegant city architecture are not unique, making it hard to define why Buenos Aires makes such a lasting impression, captivating not only my head but also my heart.

While it’s impossible to capture the essence of a city in a few short paragraphs, perhaps part of its allure could be:

— The vibrant neighbourhoods. From the oldest, San Telmo, to the Paris-inspired Palermo, to lively working class La Boca, to Montserrat, home to the pinkish government house Casa Rosada, to Recoleta and its famous cemetery, to the rehabilitated docklands of Puerto Madero and the downtown districts of Retiro and San Nicolas. Everywhere you go, the streets are filled with Portenos — working, shopping, dining, playing soccer in the streets and enjoying their city.

— Recoleta Cemetery. The city’s oldest cemetery, and a major tourist attraction, is the final resting place for Buenos Aires elite including beloved former first lady Evita Peron, military leaders, presidents, scientists and poets. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., there is no cost to wander among the 6,400-plus ornate mausoleums, which are spread over four city blocks. A map is available for about 25ў and free English tours take place Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m. Home to some 80 cats, and a few ghosts, Recoleta is a riot of architectural styles with Greek temples, pyramids, fluted columns, sculptures, carvings and more.

— A modern meets vintage vibe: Despite its centuries old architecture, Buenos Aires is very much a city of the 21st century. While the lore — and lure — of tango is kept alive in tango clubs and tourist areas, hip young Portenos are more likely to dine out on pizza before heading to clubs to dance until dawn.

n The people: Despite being South America’s second largest city (3 million residents in the city centre, 13 million in the greater metropolitan area) Buenos Aires is a friendly place. About 80% of Argentines are descended from Spanish and Italian immigrants, so there is a European style cafe culture, European style dining and an appreciation for European arts.

But there is a new world vibe as well — one that reflects Argentina’s past political and economic struggles — and great national pride in things that are uniquely Argentinian such as the country’s abundant natural beauty, its gaucho history and its sophisticated wine industry.

My brief visit only scratched the surface of Buenos Aires so when it was time to leave the city tugged at my heart with the promise of discoveries yet to be made. The limo arrived at dusk and the driver announced the highway was clogged and it would be a slow trip to the airport on local roads, which allowed me one long backwards glance at streets that were now comfortingly familiar.

If you go To Argentina

TOURISM INFORMATION

For travel information, visit the Argentina National Institute for Tourism Promotion at argentina.travel. Canadian tourists do not required a visa to enter Argentina but are charged a reciprocity fee ($70 US for one entry) on arrival at Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport. The fee is payable in cash, by credit card or by traveller’s cheque before clearing immigration.

robin.robinson@sunmedia.ca

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Whistler comes alive in the summer, too

BRITISH COLUMBIA - Who would think of visiting a top-rated ski resort when the slopes were bare?

Turns out so many do at British Columbia’s Whistler-Blackcomb that summer numbers now rival winter ones.

One reason is that turnover is much quicker. The average summer stay is two nights, compared with seven to 10 when the snow flies. Another is the deals on accommodations — standard rooms starting from $99 per night, and luxury ones from $139.

This summer there’s a third, a chance to see the ski jumps and other facilities in Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Park, which is scheduled to open in August.

I got a feel for what summer is like on the slopes when I visited in mid-September. The weather was superb — blue skies every day and temperatures in the low to mid-20s.

People were lining up to ride the Peak 2 Peak gondola, the new one that connects Whistler and Blackcomb, to use the mountain bike park, zip-line, or play one of four golf courses.

Some of the activities struck me as pricey — $189 for a bear-viewing tour, for example. But at least one is free — a guided hiking tour offered daily until early September. (Visit whistler.com and click on activities.)

I’d make time to visit the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, which opened last year. Both the Squamish and Lil’wat First Nations claimed the property it sits on, so they agreed to share it.

There are demonstrations — I chatted with a young carver using hand tools to fashion a corner post for a traditional long house — and stunning examples of crafts, such as blankets woven from mountain goat wool. Admission is $18, but you can enter the gift shop and cafe without paying that. Tasting tours of some of Whistlers better restaurants are offered by Joe Facciolo and Skai Dalziel, Western grads and longtime buddies from Barrie.

I nibbled my way through bruschetta at Monk’s Grill, Blackcomb, pan-seared salmon at Elements, seared ahi tuna at Hy’s, pistachio-crusted sable fish at Quattro, and something delicious I neglected to write down at Bearfoot Bistro, whose chef, Melissa Craig, won the Canadian Culinary Championship in 2008.

Playing cards are distributed at each stop and the best poker hands win prizes. Participants also receive a perks card entitling them to discounts on meals, spa treatments and other activities, another nice touch. Evening tours start at $79.99 per person. Lunch ones are priced from $69.99, but require a minimum of five persons to run. Visit whistlertastingtours.com.

Getting to Whistler can be almost as pleasurable as being there. You could drive the scenic Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver in less than two hours, but Whistler village is only accessible to pedestrians so there’s little need for a car.

Greyhound has a scheduled service from Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station. Pacific Coach Lines operates between Vancouver International and Whistler, and Whistler Direct Shuttle picks up passengers at downtown Vancouver hotels.

I rode the Whistler Mountaineer, a sightseeing train that takes three hours to travel 118 km from Vancouver, thanks to a leisurely pace and occasional stops for photo-taking.

First up are panoramic views of the Sunshine Coast — Horseshoe Bay, Bowen Island, and the little BC Ferries.

At Squamish, the elevation increases as the train heads inland. The most dramatic views are in Cheakamus Canyon. Alerted in advance by on-board attendants, camera-toting passengers crowded into an open-air observation car — built in 1914 by Canadian Pacific Railway — or leaned out from between-coach platforms for a shot.

There are two classes of service: Glacier Dome Experience, with either breakfast or afternoon tea served in custom-built coaches with huge windows, $199 one way, $299 round trip; and Coast Classic, in 1950s-style coaches, $119 one-way, $199 round trip. Visit whistlermountaineer.com.

denglishtravel@gmail.co

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Aroma and flavour of Italian wine

ITALY - Raffaele Boscaini’s family has been making wine in the Veneto since 1772, but the Italian winemaker sounds positively new age when he discusses the “transformative effect” that comes from the time-honoured appassimento method of drying grapes before processing.

First attempted during Roman times, appassimento sees harvested clusters of grapes left to dry on racks prior to vinification. The process concentrates the aroma and flavour compounds of the grapes.

Over the past 50 years, the Boscaini family has streamlined production methods, learning how to best control temperature and humidity to maximize the drying effect. In turn, they have broadened their horizons beyond their native Veronese homeland to new frontiers in Fruili and Mendoza, Argentina.

According to Boscaini, technical director for Masi Agricola, what appassimento really does is “add personality to the wine.”

That personality is best viewed in Masi’s popular Costasera Amarone Classico, which is produced from 100 percent dried grapes, and its Campofiorin, which is made by fermenting freshly harvested grapes with a percentage of semi-dried fruit. These rich and concentrated reds have long been best sellers across Canada.

The concentrating effect of drying grapes makes sense given the cooler climate and marginal growing conditions of Italy’s Veneto region. It also has potential applications for Canada’s cool climate regions, which is why Boscaini was speaking about a potential collaboration this past Sunday morning to a group of Ontario winemakers, researchers and grape growers.

Boscaini sees the benefits of employing drying techniques to coax more flavour and intensity from grapes picked at moderate ripeness as well as make more powerful wines.

Beyond matters of wine quality, a lucrative benefit of embracing appassimento techniques is what he terms the unique selling opportunity it presents. “You give something more to the finished wine — a different personality, a different style.”

That’s why appassimento plays such a large role in the establishment of its winery in Argentina. Masi’s Mendoza vineyards don’t lack for sun or heat, but the drying of Malbec and Corvina grapes is still conducted to give more interest and intensity to the finished wine.

“Of course, we have enough sun (to fully ripen the grapes), but we don’t have enough personality,” says Boscaini.

Clearly, the success Masi has enjoyed with appassimento has come on both technical and marketing fronts. It’s proven to make better wine. It’s also proven to give a compelling story that makes selling that wine a little easier.

Wine of the Week:

HHHH

Masi Agricola 2007 Passo Doble Malbec Corvina

Tupungato, Argentina

BC AB $15.99 (225813) | MB $15 | ON $13.95 (620880)

Famous Italian producer Masi produces this richly concentrated red wine at its Argentine estate by blending Malbec and Corvina, which is partially dried to intensify sugar and flavour compounds. Look for spice and fruitcake notes that would pair nicely with barbecued red meat and game.

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An American castle

SAN SIMEON, Calif. — The guide books for this part of the state are unanimous: Don’t come all the way to the central coast and miss Hearst Castle, but don’t expect to get here without a car.

Our public transit-friendly foursome heeded the first advice, ignored the second and still had a memorable trip to tack on to sightseeing in Los Angeles or equidistant San Francisco.

Amtrak’s very affordable Pacific Surfliner train departs from both major cities, with the ocean almost lapping the tracks, running alongside the famous Highway 1 beaches at Ventura, Santa Barbara, Lompoc and Pismo. We saw our first mounted cowboy cross the tracks before leaving L.A. city limits and spent the next few hours marvelling at the ranches and citrus groves in Simi Valley. On the other side, rust coloured hills tumbled down spectacular cliffs to the crashing surf.

The Surfliner steers inland within an hour from Hearst Castle, taking in the small-town vibe of San Luis Obispo. “SLO” is home of Cal Polytechnic, a rare Frank Lloyd Wright designed commercial building and Bubblegum Alley, with sticky souvenirs slapped on the walls since the 1960s. There’s plenty of incentive to explore the county at large sans auto (check slocarfree.org with its food and lodging discounts) or get right to Hearst with connecting bus service from San Luis Obispo to the oceanside towns of Morro Bay, Cambria and San Simeon.

Morro Bay — “Gibraltar of the Pacific” — is dominated by its 176-metre volcanic plug, a landmark and eco preserve attracting fish, birds and sea lions. Start or end a day of observing the wildlife with a pierside meal or shopping the quaint boutiques on the docks overlooking the Rock and its natural harbour. Tucked into a pine-shaded slope on the road to the Castle is the art colony of Cambria, with charming B&Bs.

About 13 km further on by car, taxi or bus is La Cuesta Enchanta (Enchanted Hill), the 55-hectare wonder conceived by publisher-art collector-movie mogul William Randolph Hearst, 20-plus years in the making.

If he meant to tease and tantalize guests such as Charles Lindbergh, Gloria Swanson and Winston Churchill about what treasures awaited them at the top, Hearst certainly succeeded as the drive looped around and up the hill.

Our family didn’t arrive on a yacht or land at the private air strip as the VIPs once did — everyone now embarks by tram from the visitors’ centre — but at ground level you can see some zebras, horses, long horn sheep and cattle, descended from those Hearst let roam free on the 102 hectares that once surrounded the Castle.

Though aged 56 when he cleared this land, Hearst fondly recalled the great cities of the world he’d toured as a boy and entrusted the re-creation of that splendour to San Francisco architect Julia Morgan. Classically trained in a Paris design school, yet familiar with the challenges of engineering a hilltop mansion in a earthquake fault, Morgan stayed in Hearst’s employ 27 years, creating the four principal dwellings, notably the Casa Grande, as well as indoor/outdoor pools, bridle path, tennis courts and everything from greenhouses to animal shelters.

Though Morgan’s detailed blueprints were often torn up at the boss’s whim, her signature is the twin-towered Casa. With 115 rooms, 26 bedrooms, 32 bathrooms, two libraries, a 2,000 square feet Medieval dining room and theatre (his studio’s films played every night, today his old home movies), this would rival the palaces of medieval Europe.

Sparing no expense, complete rooms and furnishings from the great houses of Europe were shipped to San Simeon. Different tours highlight the Casa, the gardens and guest houses, each its own architectural and art pleasure. Morgan also factored the frequent ocean mist into her plans, thus the castle is often pictured floating on a fairy tale cloud bank.

In Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, the Castle is satirized as Xanadu, where Hearst’s unflattering Kane leads an unfulfilled life with his small-time actress/mistress, based on his real-life companion Marion Davies.

It’s hard to determine how much Hearst finally paid for the project which was constantly being revamped (the famous Neptune pool with its ancient Roman flourishes was enlarged three times) and was being expanded in the late 1940s before Hearst’s health faded. It has been pegged at $6 million US in Depression-era funds to build and another $6 million to furnish, though Hearst’s huge collection still didn’t fill the halls.

Painstaking renovations are ongoing, but don’t delay your visit too long as Calfornia’s soft economy is expected to result in funding cuts to these state parks.

(Hearst donated the property to the state of California and it is a now a state historic park.) For more information, see hearstcastle.org.

lance.hornby@sunmedia.ca

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Bald Head Island a perfect family paradise

SOUTHERN USA - It took a plane, a rental car and a ferry to reach it, but we did. What we found is a family worthy paradise — an island off the coast of North Carolina.

Bald Head Island is a windswept and sandy slip of luxurious land at the infamous spot where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Cape Fear River. It was on this island that, back in the 1700s, pirates took refuge while awaiting merchant ships. Their plan: To plunder the boats that inevitably ran aground on the outlying Frying Pan Shoals — one of the Atlantic coast’s most treacherous spots to navigate.

Happily, we accessed Bald Head much more easily: A Porter flight direct from Toronto dropped us at Myrtle Beach International Airport. We drove about an hour north up the coast to Southport, N.C., then boarded a passenger ferry for a painless and calm 20-minute ride to this barrier island.

“Have you ever been to Bald Head before?” a golf-shirted man with a Southern accent inquired during the ferry ride.

When I replied I hadn’t, he said: “I’ve visited nearly every beach up and down the Atlantic coast, from here down to Florida, and nothing compares to Bald Head.”

High praise. I wonder if the island is worthy?

The moment the ferry pulled up to the pier, however, I knew it was something special. There are no cars allowed on Bald Head, only bicycles and golf carts. The speed limit is a sedate 18 mph. This feature alone instantly slows you in your tracks. It’s amazing how completely you can calm down without the roar of traffic.

We boarded our own electric-powered golf cart and were offered a tour by Trisha Howarth, Bald Head’s hospitality sales and marketing director.

The island, Howarth explained, was purchased in 1983 by the Mitchell family, private developers intent on maintaining its natural integrity. Only 2,000 of the island’s 4,900-hectare will ever be developed, leaving 4,000-hectares as sand and dune, and intense natural maritime forest. Indeed, the island is dense with live oaks, dogwoods, sabal palms, junipers and wax myrtles — all types of trees able to thrive in the constant salty on-shore breezes.

Cart paths instead of roads weave in and out of the forest, past cedar-clad houses with names like Driftwood, Irish Mist, Summer House and The Rose Cottage. Dunes and sea grass form barriers, but the paths do offer astounding glimpses of Bald Head’s 22 km of high-rise-free beach. During the tour, the only traffic we met were families darting to and fro in four-seater carts, or on brightly painted bicycles with baskets.

The houses, Howarth says, are part of a rental pool. Families can rent anything from studios to five-bedroom cottages, at rates anywhere from $1,300 to $13,000 per week depending on the time of year. High season falls between June and August, but the months of April, May and September and October can be cooler and more affordable. Most houses come equipped with bicycles and a golf cart.

There’s a grocery store, shops, a museum, a lighthouse, a chapel and a spa on Bald Head. There’s also some golf links: An 18-hole oceanside course recently ranked in the top 10 in the Myrtle Beach area by Golf Digest. And there’s a marina which rents almost everything outdoorsy, from kayaks and bikes, to fishing gear and tennis racquets. Plus the Shoal’s Club — a cedar-sided club house with massive decks and pools is open at no extra charge to all house owners and renters.

But it’s Bald Head’s environmental aspects that, for vacationing families, are most intriguing. The Bald Head Island Conservancy has been established to manage those 4,000-hectarse of untouched land — mostly beach, forest, salt marshes and tidal creeks. The Conservancy’s centre operates daily programs for both kids and adults: Hikes through the forest, walks on the beaches, kayaks through the salt marshes. It also manages sea turtle protection programs — the island is one of the East Coast’s most prevalent spots for nesting loggerheads. Conservancy staff guide tours out to the nests, demonstrate how they are protected, and offer viewing of hatching and nesting.

As for the pirates — well, they’re still on Bald Head, too. The island hosts an annual Pirate Weekend (Aug. 6 this year) — during which you can learn to walk like a pirate, talk like a pirate, and more.

For more information on Bald Head Island, visit baldheadisland.com.

loriknowles.com

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America's loveliest lakes

Lifelong fisherman Jay Cassell, deputy editor of Field & Stream magazine, treasures lakeside vacations for the peace and tranquility only one can offer.

"There's nothing like sitting on a cabin deck and watching the sun set over a gorgeous lake," he says, "or getting in a canoe early in the morning and paddling off into the mist" to fish for the day's catch.

Among his favorite locales: Maine's Millinocket Lake, which he calls a canoer's and hiker's paradise, though he travels there to fish for large brook trout and rare landlocked salmon.

Another favorite: California’s Lake Tahoe. This 22-mile-long expanse has attracted visitors to its shores since the Washoe Indians first gathered there centuries ago. Today travelers can view the lake from surrounding ski slopes or hike trails that wind through the surrounding Sierra Nevada mountain range. The view is immaculate from any vantage point, and the lake is a popular destination for travelers year-round.

Like Tahoe, many of the bodies of water on Forbes' list of lovely lakes lie in a delicate space--their beauty draws admirers, but too many tourists can diminish the unspoiled quality that made the lakes so enchanting in the first place. At Lake Clark, a pristine turquoise-blue gem in southwestern Alaska, the national park service has found a way to ensure the lake doesn't become overrun: Far from any roadway, it is accessible primarily by small aircraft.
Photos: America's Loveliest Lakes

In compiling its list, Forbes assembled a panel of experts, including author John Gussenhoven, travel magazine editors Jay Cassel of Field & Stream and Elissa Richard of ShermansTravel Media, and National Park Service spokesperson Kathy Kupper, to select a range of tastes--from Michigan's glacially formed Glen Lake to the moss- and mist-shrouded backwaters of Caddo Lake on the Texas-Louisiana border.

Lake Champlain, which straddles the border between Vermont and New York, is lined by lighthouses, quaint lakeside villages and a 1,300-mile network of scenic bike paths. Its shores are a source of pride to local residents who treasure the lake for its beauty as well as its expansive waters, perfect for boating, fishing and other water sports.

When John Gussenhoven, author of Crisscrossing America, biked across the U.S., his trip was punctuated by countless rivers, streams and lakes, but New Mexico's Eagle Nest Lake and Idaho's Cascade Lake were particular highlights. Each lake struck him differently, he says, depending on the time of day and the tone of his on-the-road spirit.

Photos: America's Loveliest Lakes

Our list also features northwestern Wyoming's Yellowstone Lake. At nearly 8,000 feet above sea level, it is the largest high-elevation freshwater lake in North America. A volcanic eruption around 600,000 years ago created a caldera in which the lake formed. It covers 136 square miles of historic Yellowstone National Park, rife with natural geysers, hot springs and steam-emitting fumaroles, though the lake freezes over in winter. Visitors can stay at the once-rustic Old Faithful Inn, originally built in the late 19th century, with easy access to West Thumb Geyser Basin.

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Cities on the new Canadian Monopoly board

The Ontario municipality of Chatham-Kent has earned the most sought after spot on the new Canadian Monopoly board.

Residents holding signs, flags and pompoms couldn't contain their excitement while standing in the council's chambers as Hasbro Canada announced the ranking of communities on the board. Cheers, hoots and hollers erupted from the standing-room only crowd after they learned they had earned Boardwalk, the swankiest location in the game.

"This is the best place to live, the best game ever made — they just go hand-in-hand," Monopoly fan and die-hard voter Bill Gardiner told the crowd after the announcement.

Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu in Quebec snagged Park Place.

Calgary got a lucrative green location.

"It's nice to see we're there," said Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier.

"We didn't quite make the blue, but we are green and that kind of reflects what's happening in the economy."

Tourism Calgary president and CEO Randy Williams said he's pleased Calgarians helped get their city on the board.

"It's great for tourism, creating awareness of the Calgary brand," he said.

"Calgarians love their city, it's certainly not surprising they wanted it on the board and it's gratifying to see them support it."

And for just $3 million, you could own Edmonton.

The city will occupy the green space where Pacific Avenue is normally situated on the original board.

"I voted every day for six weeks, I really wanted Edmonton to go on the board," said Felicia Dewar, 34, was one of countless dedicated voters throughout the span of the board game contest, even posting daily voting reminders to friends on websites like Twitter and Facebook.

Niagara Falls. however, did not pass go. Known world-wide as a top honeymoon destination, Niagara Falls failed to garner enough votes for one of the wildcard spots, which instead went to Banff and Beauceville, Que.

Online votes from across the country were tallied to determine 22 Canadian places to land squares in the Hasbro game. There were more than one million votes during a six-week period for the 75th anniversary edition.

The game will be released in stores on Monday.

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This town is really smokin'

ALICANTE, Spain — They take weeks and months to construct and in less than an hour, dozens of giant colourful, whimsical characters made of cardboard and paper mache — some four-storeys tall — are destroyed in a ball of flames.

That’s how the city of Alicante, on the Costa Blanca in eastern Spain, ushers in the summer solstice. The Bonfires of Saint John festival, an annual tradition that started in 1928, is a five-day-long action-packed event that culminates in spectacular fire displays throughout the city.

Though not as well-known as the Fallas de San Jose in Valencia, which takes place in March, the Alicante festival — which many observers rate a close second in scale — has many similar crowd-pleasing events. These include flower offerings to the Virgin del Remedio (June 22), international folk performances (June 23), bullfighting, and a fireworks competition.

The city has been celebrating for four days when I arrive by train from Valencia, and my guide is tired.

“It was impossible to sleep last night,” explains Maria Jose Aparicio. “The only solution is to go out in the street and join the party.”

Walking from the station I get the sense that normal daily life has been suspended. Many streets are closed to traffic, the sound of firecrackers can be heard in the distance, and a party spirit infuses the air.

I join locals and visitors who walk from one giant “hoguera” or “foguere,” to another to inspect the details on these artistic creations before they’re destroyed at midnight. More than 170 have been installed in various neighbourhoods, or barrios. Some are animal figures, while others are caricatures of politicians, film stars or athletes. Every year, a committee chooses one they consider the best, to be saved from the fire and installed in the Fogueres Museum.

In the midst of this, groups of musicians stroll through the streets passed towering flower displays. At the historic city hall, three-metre high puppets representing the city’s patron saints and former kings, set off on a parade, while the local “Beauties” or Queens of the Bonfire, mingle among the crowds and happily pose for photographs. Every barrio selects its own queen, who holds the title for the rest of the year.

Fireworks in Alicante seem to be as much an audio experience as a visual display. And for that you don’t need to wait for nightfall. By 2 p.m., a huge crowd has gathered at the Plaza de Luceros where, on this day, the tall palm trees are as still as the nearby statue of Hercules. In the surrounding buildings, residents have come out on their balconies, while people in the streets below fan themselves to keep cool.

Then, pow, pow, bang whoosh!! Ten minutes later, clouds of smoke descend from the sky signalling the end. That’s followed by the sight of white hankies being waved in the air, indicating the show met with the crowd’s approval.

As midnight approaches, people begin gathering at the sites of the various bonfires. The roof of my hotel — the Mediterranea — offers the perfect vantage point, first for the fireworks set off from the Castle of Santa Barbara, and then for the actual bonfire in Ayuntamiento square below.

Firefighters stand by with hoses, while a helicopter hovers overhead, presumably to keep an eye out for wayward fires. Among the caricatures to be torched is one that stands several metres tall. The flames are small at first but in seconds they shoot high up into the air. The heat is so intense I fear my camera could melt.

Earlier I’d met a British visitor who relayed an incident during the festival a few years back, when some embers had landed on his shirt and caught fire. “People started pouring their drinks on me to put out the flames,” Chris Copeland says. “And for the rest of the night I walked around with a big hole in my shirt.”

Suddenly, hundreds of people behind barricades begin cheering wildly. It’s hard to tell if they’re reacting to the giant figure being brought down in flames or the sensation of being sprayed by water from the fireman’s hose. Maybe it’s both.

If you go to Alicante, Spain

The festival — known as Hogueras de San Juan in Spanish and Fogueres de Sant Joan in Valencian — is the biggest annual event in Alicante. It takes place June 20-24 this year. Some people believe if you write your heart’s desire on a piece of paper and throw it into the flames your wish will come true.

Learn more about the festival at the Fogueres Museum, where you can see local costumes, the various “ninots” saved from bonfires in years past, and watch a film.

There’s more to this city than the Bonfires festival. Alicante has long sandy beaches, a mild and pleasant climate, and a recently renovated old town. It’s also worth spending time at the 13th-century Castle of Santa Barbara with its Medieval walls and fortified towers, dungeons, archaeological remains and great views. Other places of interest include the Town Hall, the Provincial Archaeological Museum (MARQ), and the Museum of Fine Artes Gravina (MUBAG).

The Hotel Eurostars Mediterranea Plaza is in the heart of the historical centre and just a five-minute walk to El Postiguet beach.

Check eurostarshotels.com. For travel information, see alicante-turismo.com.

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How to take a vacation you can't afford

For most employed people--and especially for entrepreneurs--the perfect time to take a vacation doesn't exist. If you're flopping on the beach, your paying customers may be growing impatient, work may be piling up and prospective clients may be choosing a competitor. Taking time off can often feel like a serious professional risk.

But taking an uninterrupted break from work is one of the best things anyone can do for their personal and professional life. Constant work with no down time can lead to decreased productivity, perspective and creativity, says Randy Kamen-Gredinger, a psychologist in Wayland, Mass. "Going away gives you an opportunity to recharge and be missed on the job," she says. By carving out some time away from the daily grind, she adds, the hard-charging employee can even help stave off depression.

In Pictures: 11 Tips For Taking A Vacation You Think You Can't Afford

With the right planning and attitude, anyone can find the time and resources they need to step away from the office. A little extra attention to detail will help you feel confident that your job--and your clients--will be there when you return. Here are a few strategies from entrepreneurs who have learned the value of a vacation.

Prepare and Delegate
The more you prepare for a vacation, the less you'll worry about the work you leave behind. Give colleagues and clients as much notice as possible, and provide them with a number where you can be reached in an emergency. Tame your inner control freak, and empower staffers to handle tasks in your absence. Specify how you want to be contacted, and under what circumstances. If you need to check in with the office, designate a time each day when you'll do so, and then give your BlackBerry a break.

If you're a one-person shop, consider hiring an assistant to help out while you're away. Shel Horowitz, who owns a marketing consulting firm in Hadley, Mass., once worked 31 straight days without a break, and swore he would never do it again. "It was a stupid thing to do, and it put my health and sanity at risk," he says. Today he signs on a freelance assistant named Michelle, who works from Alaska, to monitor his e-mail and phone messages when he's away. Michelle forwards the work that can't wait and also maintains his website and does research for him. "Michelle is a godsend for a microbusiness like ours," Horowitz says.

Get It Down on Paper
Force yourself to pick a date, and pen in a vacation. "In this economic environment, vacations don't just happen," says Ann Latham, the founder of Uncommon Clarity, an Easthampton, Mass., consulting firm that focuses on improving individual and organizational performance. "Once you've made the commitment, lay the plans you need to make it happen."

Mix Business and Pleasure
To save money, consider tacking on a few days of vacation to your next business trip. Maureen Mack, the owner of H.R. Principal, a Walnut Creek, Calif., human resources consultancy, travels often for work. To maintain her sanity, she tries to make the most of her time away from home. To spice up a business trip in New Orleans recently, she made a reservation at the famed Emeril's restaurant, and she set aside a morning for a guided tour of the Big Easy.

Barter to Play
Bartering is another way to afford a vacation. MaryKay Powell, a dentist in Portage, Mich., takes vacations only when her husband, a teacher, has a break from school. Soon after opening her private practice, she joined the Midwest Business Exchange, an association of businesses that barter goods and services among one another. She has accumulated more than $25,000 worth of trade credits by offering dentistry services to other MBE members, and she used $3,700 worth of those credits to nab a week's stay at the Bentley Beach Hotel in Miami.

If you're a manager, be a role model to your staffers, and take that vacation. When your colleagues do the same, call them only in a true emergency. By toiling away without a vacation, you only prove that you're a martyr, not that you're indispensable. Treat your personal and professional lives with equal respect.

In Pictures: 11 Tips For Taking A Vacation You Think You Can't Afford

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Jazzed over summer music fests

TORONTO - Jazz, blues, folk, rock, fiddle — whatever your interest, there’s a music festival fitting every taste this summer.

There will be a blockbuster of a party filled with joie de vivre as 2.5-million people move and groove at the Montreal Jazz Festival.

Images: Summer music festivals

Images: Hottest Canadian summer fests

The TD Toronto Jazz Festival has 10 days of acts on 40 stages, the Mariposa Folk Festival turns 50 in Orillia, there’s lots of fiddling around in Orangeville and who could forget the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s” annual bash in Collingwood?

— The Montreal jazz fest diverse lineup of artists will turn the streets and indoor venues into party zones from June 25 to July 6.

The opening gala features Lionel Richie and Cassandra Wilson, a “mega-event” July 5 features the Steve Miller Band and the Doobie Brothers, while the final day headliner has the Moody Blues. Other legends appearing include Sonny Rollins, Bobby McFerrin, Herbie Hancock, Laurie Anderson, Lou Reed, Wanda Jackson, Dave Brubeck, George Benson, Smokey Robinson and Joan Armatrading.

Also look for Cyndi Lauper, Lewis Furey, Ben E. King, Daniel Lanois, Gipsy Kings, Boz Scaggs, Cesaria Evora, Terence Blanchard, the Roots, Emilie Simon and Roy Hargrove, and a special appearance by Quebec’s 16-year-old sensation Nikki Yanofsky who sang at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

The free opening outdoor concert June 25 with the Brian Setzer Orchestra should be “an extraordinary high-energy performance under the stars,” said the festival’s Hugo Leclerc. “The final act on July 6 will be nothing short of Mardi Gras in July with the biggest closing soiree we’ve had in years.”

It will feature flamboyant costumes and genuine New Orleans’ parade floats. As well, host Zachary Richard kicks off “a hot ’n’ spicy show” starring Trombone Shorty and the legend of Louisiana rhythm and blues singer Allen Toussaint.

A “dazzling show” June 29 has Montreal duo Beast with Betty Bonifassi on vocals and Jean-Phi Goncalves on numerous instruments along with multimedia projections and visuals, Leclerc said.

— Local clubs, restaurants, outdoor and indoor venues — even two churches — will host acts at the Toronto Jazz Festival from June 25 to July 4.

Along with headliner Harry Connick Jr., who performs June 27 at the Canon Theatre, “we have a little something for everyone,” publicist Laura Tulley said. There will also be jazz superstars Herbie Hancock, Mavis Staples, Angelique Kidjo, Taj Mahal and Maceo Parker. “The hub of the festival is Nathan Phillips Square and it is here where some of the biggest names in jazz can be found,” Tulley said.

Highlights of the free shows include Macy Gray and Chaka Khan, July 3 at Yonge-Dundas Square, and Buck 65 at Nathan Phillips Square on Canada Day. Performers in the Koerner Hall Series include Nikki Yanofsky, Dave Brubeck and Roy Hargrove.

There will also be performances at Harbourfront Centre and gospel of jazz shows at St. George the Martyr Anglican Church and Church of the Holy Trinity.

— Legendary singer Gordon Lightfoot headlines the Mariposa Folk Festival’s 50th anniversary from July 9 to 11.

The festival, held at Orillia’s Tudhope Park on Lake Couchiching, will groove “from Friday night until the moon is high in the sky on Sunday,” organizers say.

Other featured performers include Murray McLauchlan, Ian and Sylvia Tyson, Ashley Macissaac, Chris Smither, Lynn Miles, David Francey and Mike Ford, Jason Collett and Oscar Brand. There are shows on 11 stages, an artisan village, Alice’s Restaurant, pub and children’s area.

— Elvis Presley would have been 75 this year. And while he’s been dead nearly 23 years, two festivals still honour “the King.” The Collingwood festival event runs from July 22 to 25 with a “Welcome Home Elvis” theme. There will be Las Vegas-style shows, tribute artist competitions, street parties and a parade. In Windsor, an Elvis festival takes place from June 18 to 20 at the Capital Theatre with “four great shows.”

— Canada’s top fiddlers are heading to Shelburne for the 60th Canadian Open Old Time Fiddle Championship from Aug. 4 to 8. Sponsored by the Shelburne Rotary Club, the event includes a “giant fiddle parade,” Saturday morning and opening night fiddle jams.

If you go

For Montreal Jazz Festival information and tickets, contact montrealjazzfest.com or 1-888-515‑0515. For TD Toronto Jazz Festival, contact torontojazz.com or 416- 928-2033. For the Mariposa Folk Festival, contact mariposafolk.com or 705-326-3655. For the Collingwood Elvis Festival, contact collingwoodelvisfestival.com or 1-866-444-1162. For Windsor Elvis Festival, contact windsorelvisfest.com or 519-254-1108. For the Fiddle Championship, contact shelburnefiddlecontest.on.ca or 519-925-8620

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Go wild with Dad

SAINT-FELICIEN, Que. — Does your dad like animals, nature walks, canoeing, films or pioneer history? If so, why not take him on a Father’s Day outing to the Zoo Sauvage de Saint-Felicien, which incorporates all this and more.

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Images: World's greatest zoos

Much more than a zoo, the attraction is also a Conservation Centre of Boreal Biodiversity, and can be visited on a fun-filled day or overnight visit. It’s sure to appeal to some of Dad’s interests, whether it’s camping for the outdoorsy Dad, moose-tracking for the detective Dad, or entertaining films for the fun-loving Dad.

Before going through the zoo itself, where you’ll want to see the seven-month-old twin polar bear cubs, the grizzly bear and Amur tiger habitats that were added last year, and the two wildlife films, including the highly engaging Borealie. Few nature films offer more entertainment value and excitement then this 15-minute multi-sensory experience (think lightening, snow and wind), which literally engages the audience in the life of a northern forest through the four seasons. (I could warn you about the snake scene but it won’t help).

Next, hop aboard an open-air train for a leisurely one-hour ride through a forested reserve, where more than a hundred animals wander in semi-freedom.

During our morning ride, we see lots of white-tailed deer and prairie dogs as well as moose, bison, musk ox and a black bear with two cubs that casually wander in front of our vehicle!

“They don’t see very well,” the on-board guide explains.

Along the way are recreated fur trading posts as well as birch bark teepees similar to those that would have been built by the Montagnais who have occupied the Saint-Felicien region for centuries. When we arrive at the site of some 19th-century homesteads, representing the life of early settlers, the 15 visitors who have signed up for the day-and-a-half-long “Land of the Caribou Adventure,” disembark.

Inside one of these simple, wooden pioneer homes, young women in period costume serve us a hearty lunch of broad bean soup, followed by pork chops, potatoes, carrots and blueberry pie for dessert. Outside, the farmstead — with pigs, hens, cows, horses and sheep, as well as a smoke house for preserving meat and a clay oven for baking bread — is a recreation of life in the 1800s.

Back on the train, we travel to the edge of the Nature Park Trail, then begin a pleasant hike through a mixed forest that will eventually lead to our campsite. Though technically we’re in an enclosure, it doesn’t feel confining because the area is so large and we rarely see a fence. But somewhere within this 100-hectare space are 10 caribou and three moose.

The dozen or so prospector’s tents at the camp are each named after a Quebec plant (mine is called Sarasine) and constructed with an ingenious door made of tree bark. Inside, the air is filled with the scent of fresh evergreens emanating from the balsam fir branches scattered beneath the foam mattress.

While salmon steaks are being prepared and a campfire started, our group is divided in two for a late afternoon canoe ride on picturesque Lake Montagnais, a calm body of water where a variety of waterfowl congregate.

If you appreciate traditional boat construction, try to get on the birch bark canoe — there is only one. After an hour, the first group returns with tales of paddling next to a moose who went in the lake for a dip, while my group boasts of seeing three red foxes.

But where are all the caribou? This is after all billed as a Caribou Adventure. We had seen a doe during the hike, but that was it. It isn’t until the next day that I am reminded of the key to successful wildlife viewing — wake up early.

Though I didn’t intend to be the first one up the next morning, there was one advantage of rising with the sun: I was the only one in the camp to get a glimpse of an adult caribou and its young sniffing around our screened-in kitchen. They didn’t hang around long — either because there wasn’t any food, or the sight of a human frightened them.

Guide Stacy Gagnon meanwhile, has another animal encounter on her mind. After breakfast, we set out on a moose-tracking excursion. Using a large antennae-shaped contraption, she attempts to locate an animal, which is equipped with a special radio collar.

But there’s little chance for suspense to develop. Within seconds of setting out, the machine is already registering a response.

“I think she’s right there,” Gagnon says, indicating a heavily wooded area just metres away. We stand silent and motionless, waiting. Then, a female moose and, not one, but two young moose emerge in front of us!

“This is the first time I’ve found her so quickly,” Gagnon says. “We’re lucky.”

We’re told twins are rare among moose and this pair is about a year-and-a-half-old. The adult moose, keenly aware of our presence, barely moves for several minutes, apparently trying to determine if we are a threat. When we position ourselves to give her an easy out, she moves on.

From moose twins to bear twins. Our trip concludes with a behind-the-scenes tour of the zoo including the area below ground where the polar bears spend the night, as well as the feeding house where we learn what and how much the zoo’s animals eat, and a stop at the veterinary clinic where a bobcat recently had a broken leg mended.

They do a good job of looking after animals — and people — in the Land of the Caribou.

If you go to Quebec

Zoo Sauvage de Saint-Felicien is in Quebec’s Lac-Saint-Jean region, 225 km from Quebec City. On a day trip, you can see the zoo, two films and take the train ride for $37 per adult, $31 seniors/students 15 and up, $24.50 children 6-14, $15 ages 3-5.

The day-and-a-half-long Land of the Caribou Adventure runs May to mid October and must be reserved at least three days in advance. Cost: $265 per person and $230 per child, which includes lunch, dinner, breakfast, zoo admission and behind the scenes tour, train ride, films, camping, guided walk and canoe ride. For details, check zoosauvage.com or call 1-800-667-5687.

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"Harry Potter" stars at new U.S. theme park

Florida (Reuters) - Through all the tears shed when filming wrapped on the final Harry Potter movie, no one likely noticed the sudden disappearance of one small prop: the house number on Harry's childhood home at 4 Privet Drive.

"It was kinda hanging off," Rupert Grint, the actor who played Harry's best friend Ron Weasley, told Reuters on Wednesday night about snagging a souvenir. "It's at my house. I don't know what I'm going to do with it. I might put it on my door."

Grint and other cast members, including Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry, and Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy, walked a red carpet and paused for interviews at a VIP event at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the new theme park celebrating its grand opening on Friday at the Universal Orlando resort in Florida.

The park recreates the mythical Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from J.K. Rowling's phenomenally popular novels about a boy wizard. The actors who starred in the movie version were filmed and then projected to create a presence on some of the rides, giving the impression the characters are there with park visitors.

The actors described the Wizarding World as a more life-like experience than the collection of movie sets used in the film production because the attraction provides a seamless immersion into Harry's world.

"There's never a moment here where the illusion dissipates," Radcliffe said.

He also commented on what it feels like to have a major attraction built around your character.

"I've now 'made it' officially. This is kind of the pinnacle. It doesn't get better than this," Radcliffe said.

Felton recalled hearing the early rumors about a Potter-themed park.

"And here we are, a dream come true," Felton said. "They're going to keep the candle alive, so to speak."

All three actors described an emotional scene on the last day on the movie set for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," which was filmed in two parts scheduled for release in November 2010 and July 2011. Filming ended last week.

"I cried like a baby," Radcliffe said.

Felton recalled the production officially ended when someone got on a megaphone and announced simply, "Thank you for your services."

Asked to describe the impact on his life of his role in the Harry Potter franchise, Radcliffe said, "It's not something I could sum up ... Every opportunity I'll get for the rest of my life will be traceable back (to Harry Potter)."

Grint said it was a "weird feeling" to know that the 10-year working relationship with a dozen close-knit actors is over.

"It has been a large part of my life," Grint said, adding, "I think I'm ready to move on."

Grint plans to take some rest and relaxation. Radcliffe said he will begin rehearsals early next year in New York City for his Broadway musical debut in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," expected to open next spring.

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South Africa banks on lasting World Cup legacy

South Africa has spent tens of billions on hosting the World Cup, hoping to draw more tourists, boost investment and reverse the country's crime-ridden image abroad.

But the real benefits of holding the world's biggest single sporting event on the African continent for the first time will only be seen in years to come, analysts said.

The month-long World Cup which starts on Friday is expected to add around 0.5 percent to South Africa's GDP in 2010 and bring in 370,000 foreign visitors or less, reduced from an initial 450,000 estimate.

"South Africa has come alive, and will never be the same again after this World Cup," President Jacob Zuma said this week.

The World Cup has a big symbolic importance 16 years after the end of apartheid in a country which suffered racial inequality for decades and where millions of blacks still live in dire poverty.

The event has gone some way to draw people of all races closer together.

Across the country, white and black South Africans are united behind the national soccer squad Bafana, Bafana (The Boys).

South African flags adorn cars, fly from houses in traditional white areas and for months fans donned the national team's strip on a Friday.

"The excitement, the shared patriotism, pride in hosting foreign guests, our new roads and infrastructure all have a benefit and helps to bring people together," said independent political analyst Nic Borain.

The government has spent over 40 billion rand ($5.40 billion) on stadiums, transport infrastructure and upgrading airports.

Critics, including poor blacks living in impoverished shantytowns, have said it was wrong to spend over $5 billion on the sporting event in a country with one of the world's highest income disparities.

LONG-TERM INVESTMENT

Analysts say the long-term impact of the World Cup on South Africa is difficult to quantify and caution should be exercised in predicting a big boost to the economy.

When Germany hosted the 2006 soccer World Cup, it saw a sharp rise in retail spending and services activity before and during the event but a substantial decline afterwards.

"The government is clearly still hoping that the World Cup stimulates investment interest," Nomura International Emerging Markets Economist Peter Attard-Montalto said in a recent research note.

"We remain skeptical because we believe that investors will always eventually focus on the 'bottom line' numbers for competitiveness, costs, wage hikes etc."

South Africa's government hopes to attract millions more tourists in coming years on the back of a successful World Cup and has consistently assured foreign fans they will be safe in a country with one of the highest rates of violent crime in the world.

Zuma, his government officials and World Cup organizers have cited the country's track record in hosting nearly 150 international events and a comprehensive security plan including 41,000 specially-deployed police as evidence that visitors will be safe.

And unless there are instances of high-profile crime or an attack by extremists, foreign perceptions of South Africa will change after the World Cup.

"Barring some catastrophe the overwhelming majority of visiting people's experience will be a lot better than what they have been presented with in their media," said political analyst Borain.

(Editing by Nigel Hunt)

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A woman of distinction

VOLENDAM, The Netherlands — Almost two dozen cruises has taught me that sailors can be a colourful and superstitious lot who hold fast to maritime traditions, some of which date back thousands of years.

Current maritime custom dictates that to ensure the safety of crew and passengers, a new ship must have a godmother.

And not just any woman will do.

A godmother — whose role is to christen the vessel by breaking a bottle of Champagne against the hull — must be an honourable woman of considerable distinction. Her name will be forever linked to the vessel.

Celebrity godmothers have included Sophia Loren, Whoopi Goldberg, Kim Cattrall and Martha Stewart, as well as royalty like Princess Diana and Camilla, Duchess of Windsor.

While most cruise lines go the traditional route, some have broken with tradition and named multiple godmothers, fictional godmothers such as Tinkerbell, even — shiver me timbers— godfathers!

The most famous godmother of all time must be Queen Elizabeth II, who christened the Queen Mary II in 2004.

So it was with a sense of pride and anticipation that a small knot of Canadian journalists gathered with international press on the quayside of a small Dutch fishing village to witness Canada’s own Measha Brueggergosman christen Avalon Waterways’ Felicity.

Brueggergosman — who most Canadians will remember for her blockbuster performance at the Vancouver Olympics — may not possess a royal pedigree, but the 32-year-old soprano looked every bit as regal— and quite a bit more hip — than the Queen.

After blessing the ship in four languages, Brueggergosman cut the rope tethered to a bottle of Champagne, which smashed against the ship’s hull with a satisfying “thwack.”

The Felicity crew cheered from the ship’s Sky Deck, Champagne flowed — into crystal glasses this time — and the ship sailed on.

The decision to choose a Canadian godmother stemmed from the strong interest Canadian travellers have shown in Avalon Waterways, says Stephanie Bishop, managing director of the Globus family of brands in Canada, which includes Avalon.

“We’re seeing more and more Canadians booking these cruises,” Bishop says. “Our (Canadian) bookings are up 35% year over year. They tell us they love the small ship ambience and the fact that you sail through some of the most beautiful and romantic scenery in Europe.”

For her part, the delightfully down to earth Brueggergosman stayed aboard Felicity for the entire seven-night cruise, looking every inch a diva but acting like the unspoiled East Coast girl she is.

And like any responsible godmother, the performer says she would like to watch over Felicity, and revisit her vessel “from time to time” to monitor its progress as it traverses the legendary waterways of Europe.

robin.robinson@sunmedia.ca

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Athens' Parthenon scaffold-free

Visitors to Athens have a rare window of opportunity to see the showpiece Parthenon temple on the ancient Acropolis without scaffolding for the first time in nearly 30 years as a major restoration work nears completion.

The Greek government launched a project to restore the Parthenon and other buildings on the world heritage site in 1975, but it was not until 1983 that work started.

Scaffolding has been up somewhere around the ancient temple ever since. But from now until September, the exterior of the Parthenon will be scaffold-free.

Building the Parthenon took nine years from 447 BC and the sculptural decorations took another 10 years to complete. Restoration has already taken longer than it took to build.

"We treat every piece of marble like a piece of art so we have to respect it," Mary Ioannidou, the head of restoration told Reuters during a tour of the temple.

"The ancient Greeks had the possibility that if a block failed, to leave it and take another one, but we can't do it so we have to treat it with great respect."

Over the years, the Parthenon has suffered from fire, war, revolution, looting, misguided restoration and pollution.

It became a church for nearly 1,000 years and served as a mosque under the Ottomans for nearly 400 years after that.

The greatest blow to the structure though came in 1687 when a Venetian mortar ignited the Ottoman Turkish gunpowder store inside and widespread looting followed. British Ambassador Lord Elgin then removed large chunks of the sculptures from 1801.

Between 1898 and 1938, restoration workers rebuilt large parts of the building and concreted in parts of the columns and blocks that were missing. But they used iron ties to hold the blocks together and replaced many in the wrong place.

The iron ties have since rusted and as they did so expanded causing cracks to appear. The ancients also used iron ties, but coated them in lead to prevent rust. They have lasted well.

The team of archaeologists, marble cutters, architects, and civil and chemical engineers, dismantled 1,852 metric tons of marble and began the painstaking task of attempting to put it back again in the right place, adding other fragments they found.

"It's like a huge puzzle," said Ioannidou with a wry smile.

Titanium is now used to tie the blocks and columns together which is highly resistant to corrosion.

New marble has been crafted to fill in some of the gaps left by the concrete and allow blocks of the original marble to be returned to their place on the Parthenon's stonework.

The original quarry for the marble on Mount Penteli is now itself a protected historical site, but marble has been cut from the other side of the same mountain.

"It's almost the same but not exactly the same," said Ioannidou. The new marble stands out in a much lighter color than the original.

"One of the principles of our restoration is not to cheat the visitor. Everyone can understand the parts that are ancient and those that are original," said Ioannidou.

As for the color, that will fade. "If you come here in 10 years the color will be almost the same," she said.

In September though, the scaffolding will be up again on the western facade and that project will last at least another three years. Efforts to piece together the walls of the inner chamber of the temple are already underway.

For some, restoring the Parthenon is their life's work. Marble-cutter Ignatius Hiou has worked there for 18 years.

"If I could do this until the day I die, I will be happy," he said.

(Additional reporting by Deborah Kyvrikosaios; Editing by Paul Casciato)

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South African chefs cater to players' whims

SOUTH AFRICA - Chef Geoffrey Murray can barely whip baguettes out of his oven fast enough since the French World Cup team set up camp at his hotel.

Croissants, crepes and batches of brioche are also in hot demand at the chic Pezula Resort Hotel and Spa in coastal Knysna as staff pull out all the stops to cater for their pampered thoroughbreds.

"We were doing 10 baguettes and then it got up to 80 or 90 and now it seems to be up to about 120 per day," said Murray, head chef at the luxury hotel the French are calling home.

"The baker is just over the moon."

The Uruguayans packed a tonne of prime grass-fed beef from home, as well as plenty of dulce de leche -- a creamy, caramel spread ubiquitous to breakfast tables and deserts in much of South America, said team spokesman Matias Faral.

Argentina's coach Diego Maradona was not so lucky.

Agriculture officials put a stop to his team's plans to bring in steak supplies from home, said Linda Tyrrell, chef at the University of Pretoria center where the Argentines are staying.

"They never got a permit to bring the beef in. They wanted to, but it was declined," she said, adding that the flamboyant Argentine coach had failed to live up to his diva reputation so far.

"He's been very nice ... what he wants we get him and we've got no problems."

Typical South African snacks like biltong -- a shredded, dried beef -- are not to everyone's taste, and many teams have flown in players' favorite nibbles to help cure homesickness during the long weeks of sporting competition.

In Rustenburg, Wayne Rooney and the England squad are having their meals overseen by celebrity chef Tim De'Ath, who has previously been personal caterer to Hollywood stars including Leonardo DiCaprio.

De'Ath describes the English players as "race horses" who need to be properly fed to perform their best, but he has been livening up their healthy diet with afternoon snacks like mini hot chocolates.

Mexico's squad have had to wait in line for their beloved tortillas as one local supplier gives priority to his regular customers, the team's spokesman said.

The only one who cooks for the Brazilian players is squad chef Jaime Maciel, who stocked up on plenty of guava paste at home for those with a sweet tooth.

World champions Italy have made their base a real home from home thanks to a plentiful supply of pizza, pasta and prosecco -- served by Italian barmen flown over specially.

Some more adventurous World Cup players are also embracing local delicacies.

The Pezula's head chef Murray said some French players had tried a traditional South African dinner of impala meat at the weekend.

"They were quite impressed with it in the end," he said.

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Where in the world are the fans?

CAPE TOWN -- It was the first game for England and the United States in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa last Saturday.

The game was played in the agricultural and mining community of Rustenburg, a city with the population of about one million.

Usually any city that hosts an England game sees many thousands of English fans pouring into their city.

But on Saturday, it was more a dribble than a pour. An event that would normally see 50,000 English fans in attendance saw half of that.

Before the World Cup, Football Supporters Federation’s Kevin Miles said that only around 25,000 England fans would make the trip to South Africa, compared to 200,000 who travelled to Germany in 2006.

It isn’t just the English. There are fewer fans from every country traveling to this World Cup than have in the past.

And it isn’t just Rustenburg. It’s other centres as well.

Distance is the big factor but not the biggest reason for the decline.

FIFA were determined to award the World Cup to a country that had a reputation for crime and infrastructure problems.

Then there was greed . . . FIFA’s greed and many businesses and merchants greed in the cities where the World Cup games are being held.

Sunday night, a night before Italy and Paraguay was supposed to play, one didn’t need a reservation in one of the most popular waterfront restaurant in the Western Cape in Cape Town.

“Where are all the people who were suppose to come?” asked Stella, a waitress in that restaurant. “We were expecting so many more people and we haven’t seen anything.”

Guest houses on the outskirts of Cape Town are feeling the same pinch. They have nowhere near the business they expected.

Fear is one reason many fans opted to stay home. South Africa has about 50 murders a day. Rapes and robberies are daily occurances especially in Johannesburg.

No one wants to fear for their lives on a daily basis when they are on vacation.

Then there’s the cost. Some businesses saw this as an opportunity to make the Golden Goose work overtime.

Many hotel and guest house establishments allowed their rooms to be rented by FIFA through an accommodation agency Match Event a branch of Match Hospitality. They blocked out thousands of rooms to be rented. The prices were jacked up considerably, some by as much as 1,000 per cent.

Many places required for a minimum three-consecutive-day stay even if your team was only playing one game in that particular city. There were as many as 55,000 hotel rooms booked in this manner.

FIFA would receive a portion of the money back from the inflated hotel prices.

The results were predictable. Thousand and thousands of room went unbooked and the owners of those rooms had to keep them off the market until early April as per FIFA contract.

Those inflated prices also hurt owners of hotels and guest houses who simply wanted to fill their rooms at their regular prices.

“It’s a day before the game and we have only one guest,” said Trevor Kruger who owns a guest house on the outskirts of the city.

“And because of the costs and fears, the people travelling are not travelling with their wives. We have some guests staying here but they are single men. They can’t afford to travel with their wives.”

Fans are spending the money somewhere. On the days leading up to the opening game for England, a report said that English fans that stayed home spend 500,000 pounds for such things as food and high definition televisions.

FIFA recently revisited their estimate that an anticipated 750,000 fans were expected to come to South Africa from out of country, had dropped to 200,000.

Greed may be good for Gordon Grekko on Wall Street but it killed the Golden Goose in this World Cup.

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Out of the blue, into the red

The economic downturn has clipped the wings of luxury air travel.

Hi-end boutique airlines have fallen from the sky, business travelers are bargain hunting online and most folks seated in the front of the plane have paid only for the back, experts say.

"Luxury air travel has essentially been grounded," said Peter Yesawich, CEO of the travel marketing company Ypartnership, "One of the first prerequisites to go in a tough economy."

Yesawich, whose company tracks travel trends, said that with the exception of long hauls, these days even most folks in first class are flying on upgrades.

"It's said that real profit in any flight is front of plane. The rest covers the overhead," he explained. "But there's been a conscious effort by corporations and individuals to suppress that travel."

Airlines are also battling the price transparency that the internet has revealed.

"A couple of clicks on kayak.com, for example, shops airfares even for business class," Yesawich explained.

He said big carriers, such as Delta and British Airways, are trying to lure business travelers back to first class with amenities such as onboard showers, flat seats for sleeping and Internet access.

But the high-end boutique airlines that sprang up in the boom before the bust have mostly gone the way of the Dodo bird, or the Concord. Now most boutique airlines are low cost and no-frills.

"Eos is no longer in business and L'Avion was gobbled up by British Airways," said Steve Loucks, vice president at Travel Leaders, of two boutiques that ferried passengers in high style during high times.

So how do the rich get around these days? It depends on what you call rich.

"The super rich fly anyway they want," said Mike Weingart of Travel Leaders in Houston, Texas.

In Glendale, California, his colleague Vicky Voll agrees: "Business people, retired executives, film stars, some own private planes. Amazingly for long haul flights, they choose scheduled airlines in first or even business class."

It there are eight to 10 people traveling together they usually charter a small Gulfstream, she added.

According to Jami Counter, senior director of TripAdvisor.com, today's luxury traveler inclines toward private jets, or at least a piece of one.

"What's been in vogue is fractional jet ownership," which Counter likened to a time share. "It's flexible. You can tap into it, so it's a nice alternative to owning a jet."

For scheduled flights up where the air is rarefied, he cites the double-decker, wide-bodied Airbus 380, which has been flying commercially since 2007.

"Emirates out of Dubai, with 100 destinations around the world, has 50 Airbus 380s on order," he said, adding that they boast showers in first class, spas and private suites.

Counter says the luxury boutiques are like canaries in the economic coal mine.

"In 2000 Legend Airlines announced an incredibly high-end, 59-seat business class service out of Dallas. Then came the dot.com downturn and Legend lasted less than a year," he said.

"Every time airlines go in for this high-end luxury service, it's a sign things are getting overheated."

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In praise of trees

"The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now." - Proverb

Trees are magnificent gifts of creation that enrich our lives beyond comprehension.

Their splendid canopy reduces the heat of a summer's day and provides shelter and warmth from the winter's wind.

Trees are the lungs of the planet, providing life-giving oxygen and absorbing the carbon dioxide that threatens the stability of our climate.

Trees are a living link to our past, providing a compact between generations. The oldest living trees are California’s giant sequoia redwoods. Soaring hundreds of feet into the air, many of these ancient giants are more than 3,000 years old, dating from the time of the Mayans and the pharaohs.

Today’s sequoias are distant relatives of trees that existed over 100 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Trees keep us rooted to the ground and yet they encourage us to look skyward to the heavens and to possibilities that we can only imagine. It is the tiniest and most fragile new growth that reaches the furthest and extends the life of the trees into the heavens above.

Social and Community Benefits

“I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree,” wrote poet Joyce Kilmer. Trees help to beautiful our neighborhoods and enrich our communities in countless ways.

Trees:

- Encourage open air activities

- Provide shade and sanctuary and reduce stress in urban environments

- Moderate the effects of the sun, wind and rain

- Soften cityscapes and offer privacy

- Provide protection from the sun’s UV rays

-Reduce levels of domestic violence and foster safer, more sociable neighborhood environments

- Help to absorb high-frequency noise

- Create a sense of place and belonging

- Provide outdoor classrooms

- Inspire creativity and spirituality

- Bring people together to walk, ride bikes and enjoy their neighbourhoods. Local tree plantings promote a sense of community and ownership

Calm traffic

Help heal. Hospital patients have been shown to recover from surgery more quickly and require less medication when their hospital room offered a view of trees.

Environmental Benefits

The environmental benefits of trees are substantial.

• In one year, a single tree can offset the carbon dioxide produced by a car driving 41,600 kilometers

• An acre of trees can store 1.6 tons of carbon annually

• Trees also:

Filter toxic pollutants from the air with their leaves and from ground water with their roots.

Help to reduce flooding

Improve water quality by slowing runoff and trapping, using or breaking down pollutants

Reduce soil erosion

Provide fallen leaves to help enrich the soil and provide a home for micro-organisms

Improve air quality by filtering dust, absorbing ozone, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, airborne ammonia and heavy metals

Enrich the atmosphere with oxygen

Provide shelter for wildlife

Economic Benefits

Trees effectively help to moderate temperature extremes and reduce heating and cooling costs. But the economic benefits don’t stop there. One study showed that for every dollar spent on trees, the return on investment to the community was three dollars worth of benefits.

Three trees strategically planted around your home can reduce heating costs 10 to 30%, and cooling costs by 10 to 50%

For every 5% of tree cover area added to a community, storm water run-off is reduced by approximately 2 per cent, reducing the need for costly infrastructure.

Trees cool entire neighborhoods by releasing moisture into the air and shading hard surfaces like parking lots, sidewalks and streets.

Trees increase property values and add to the resale potential of homes.

Each large front yard tree adds 1% to sales price

Large specimen trees can add 10%, or more, to property values

In 50 years, a single tree can

Generate $30,000 in oxygen

Recycle $35,000 worth of water

Eliminate pollutants that would otherwise cost $60,000 to remove from the air.

Trees help to diversify local economies by providing income from harvesting wood products for firewood, pulp and paper and the production of maple syrup

Windbreaks created by trees help to increase crop and livestock productivity and soil sustainability

Trees are good for retail business. One study showed that shoppers in areas cooled and shaded by trees:

Shop more frequently

Stay longer

Pay more for parking

Spend more for goods

QUOTE:

"The best friend on earth of man is the tree. When we use the tree respectfully and economically, we have one of the greatest resources on the earth." - Frank Lloyd Wright

Tree Canada is a not-for-profit agency that creates opportunities of individuals and groups with an interest in planting and caring for trees for non-commercial use. Tree Canada has planted over 76 million trees in 16 years. For more information visit www.treecanada.ca.

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Get your buns to South St.

CALGARY - The shopping mall — it’s Calgarians’ recreational centre.

Wandering around a mall as sprawling as Balzac’s CrossIron Mills can work up an appetite.

Down towards the taxidermy gauntlet known as Bass Pro Shops and well away from any food court is a place to wrestle that appetite to the floor. South St. Burger Co. is part of the New York Fries empire and so far, the only one in Alberta is in the mall.

This is a busy eatery on weekends. On a Sunday it was lined up almost continuously and diners can’t always find a seat. When we showed up, customers passed the time in line by watching the NHL playoffs on a wall-mounted TV.

The beef used is “naturally” raised, they say and done so without antibiotics or hormones at Silver Creek Ranch, west of Water Valley.

We went with a combo with one of those beef burgers and others with a vegetarian patty, as well as a chicken burger. All include small fries and a drink for $8.79 for the first two and $9.79 for the latter.

The key to this slightly upscale fast-food joint are the toppings which come in a fairly dizzying variety.

Particularly agreeable was the wasabi and curry mayo, guacamole, goat cheese and mango chutney.

There weren’t just onions, but Cajun onions. Even something as simple as South St.’s cucumbers are rarely found at burger joints.

The choices at the topping counter seemed almost overwhelming.

Two of our burgers ended up with goat cheese, another the Swiss treatment (each $1 extra) with two of the sandwiches receiving bacon (another $1). And we chose whole wheat over white buns.

Our cattle burger boasted a wholesome, robust beef flavour, but it’s the toppings that set it apart, with the goat cheese lending a grown-up, pungent edge to the mix.

For an extra cost, we substituted two of the combos’ soft drinks for chocolate and strawberry milkshakes.

Made from real ice cream, these were as rich and creamy as most we’ve ever had.

But for visuals, I enjoyed the mesmerising black swirling coils on the cup of our large diet Pepsi.

The chicken burger sported a patty with a nicely grilled flavour and one we ensured was smothered in tomatoes, gourmet relish, peppers, olives and a big dill pickle.

Our vegetarian burger was okay — a fairly convincing stand-in for beef, though it was, again, heavily masked with extras and condiments.

These patties are not hand-crafted but pre-formed, which is to be expected with a busy fast-food format

The New York fries in the trademark checkerboard cups are handcut (cooked in non-hydrogenated sunflower oil) and better than your average chipped spud. They’re left pretty much unsalted with added sodium optional.

But we still sampled the onion rings ($3.70) — these ones crafted from big red onions.

For those seeking healthier fare, a solitary mixed greens salad with an optional homemade dijon vinaigrette or ranch dressing ($3.39).

Mizue concluded “I still like Burger King.” I couldn’t agree — I thought South St. was a step up with the battery of toppings tipping the issue.

bill.kaufmann@sunmedia.ca

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Canada's best gal getaways

Good news, girlfriends. It’s a banner time for women to holiday together.

Dub them gal pal getaways or chicks with sticks (for hikers and skiers)—female-bonding holidays are more than a moniker. They’re part of a trend that’s experienced a 230% spike in the number of women-only travel companies across North America in the past six years.

According to American author Marybeth Bond, who’s been tracking this data since 1993, the phenomenon is not restricted to bachelorette parties and university types on spring break. Ditto says Beth Mairs, founder and director of Ontario-based Wild Women Expeditions. Mairs says 70% of Canadians who book adventure tours are women. And—surprise, surprise—they’re not of the Mother Teresa or Xena Princess Warrior camps. Both experts say estrogen-powered vacations are often for mature women (average age: 47, size: 12) who want to pursue interests that don’t always jibe with husbands or boyfriends.

Take surfing off the wild and woolly west coast of Vancouver Island, BC. The grandmammy of all operators is Surf Sister in Tofino, which has been catering to women since day one. But if you have a small group, consider Long Beach Lodge Resort’s exclusive, guests-only Surf Club. Stay here and book a private two-and-a-half-hour lesson for $169 and invite up to five people to join you—instant female bonding for penny pinchers—at no extra price other than gear rentals.

Sweeping east into the interior of British Columbia, you’ll find Monashee Adventure Tours tailoring multi-day bike trips along the Kettle Valley Railway to women. Shoestring cyclists can camp, but many opt to stay at tony B&Bs or guesthouses, such as Therapy Vineyards. That way you’ll layer on luxury with a swanky, in-house, local-food feast—easily whipped up by chefs Cameron Smith and Dana Ewart of Joy Road Catering. In the nearby Bugaboos, Canadian Mountain Holidays operates 12 luxury backcountry lodges. Its most popular all-girls hiking program is Bodacious in the Bugaboos, a heli-hiking and yoga four-day getaway.

Iconic Fairmont properties, such as Alberta’s Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, has offered all-girls getaway packages for decades. But the new Alberta player in this game is Dames on the Range. This consortium of 17 women has stacked its B&B and farm-stay operations with nature hikes, tipi meditations, horseback riding, herbal workshops, Reiki sessions and umpteen other female-friendly options aimed at enticing city slickers with a bit of cowgirl culture.

While most women detest “maintenance” cooking, if you stir a pinch of sisterhood into a funky cooking class like “You & Julia” sessions at Vancouver, BC’s The Dirty Apron Cooking School, you’ll find women weeping with laughter. Especially when chef David Robertson (of Chambar fame) stuffs live lobsters into a massive stock pot, recreating the lobster thermidor scene in “Julie & Julia.”

After 20 years of operations, Saskatoon, SK-based CanoeSki knows exactly what female paddlers want. Its top-selling package, Women and Waves, is a five-day canoe trip on the Churchill River that always delivers a relaxing ride along with a bevy of treats. A pro masseuse, guest musician and extraordinary chef are there to provide post-portage bliss.

Girls can shake what their mommas gave them with a canoe and belly-dance down Winnipeg, MB’s Assiniboine River with Northern Soul Wilderness Adventures.

As for wellness centres that sport the structure of a boot camp but offer a menu of inspirational speakers, yoga, trekking or lifestyle education classes—try British Columbia’s Mountain Trek or Ontario’s Shanti Retreat.

After 20 years of operation, Wild Women Expeditions has stretched beyond Ontario’s waters, offering tours (mostly canoe trips) in nine provinces plus the Yukon. A cool niche adventure the company is exploring is the Wild Women In Training Camp. It’s the perfect holiday for the super-hero aunt, mom or active granny who wants to dazzle their favourite little wild girl with a multi-sport camp for the two of them.

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Prince Edward Island living

There's always a good reason to visit Prince Edward Island. Recently, the reason was personal – to fete good friend Catherine Hennessey, whom Charlottetown was honouring, for her role in preserving the province’s architectural heritage.

But, you don’t need a party as incentive, the easy-drive province offers such wonders – the very walkable historic capital city itself, the ocean along the north shore, the spunky Anne of Green Gables, lobster season, rolling cross-country landscapes, strawberry rhubarb pie, cloth bound Cheddar, bowls of mussels born and bred plump and luscious within driving distance of wherever you are on the Island. And oysters, moonshine and steamed clams.

As incentive to get readers to put PEI on their summer vacation radar, here are a few Island-inspired recipe temptations.

CATHERINE HENNESSEY'S GOOD BROWN BREAD

In many an Island bread basket, you are quite likely to encounter this kind of bread, golden brown with a splash of molasses, and moist with rolled oats. Nobody makes this bread better than heritage activist Catherine Hennessey. One of her batches makes enough for her to give some away – and enjoy the rest with guests.

2 cups (500 ml) large-flake rolled oats

1/4 cup (50 ml) granulated sugar

2 tsp. (10 ml) salt

3/4 cup (175 ml) fancy molasses

2 Tbsp. (30 ml) butter

4 cups (1 L) boiling water

1 tsp. (5 ml) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (125 ml) lukewarm water

1 Tbsp. (15 ml) active dry yeast

7 to 8 cups (1.75 to 2 L) all-purpose flour

Into a large bowl, measure rolled oats, 1/4 cup (50 ml) sugar, salt, molasses and butter. Pour in boiling water; stir to blend. Let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a liquid measuring cup, stir 1 tsp. (5 ml) sugar into lukewarm water. Sprinkle with yeast; let stand until bubbly, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir into rolled oats mixture.

Stir in flour, 1 cup (250 ml) at a time until dough is too stiff to mix with wooden spoon. Turn out onto counter generously floured with some of remaining flour. Knead, working dough vigorously in push, fold, turn and push-again motion until stretchy, adding as much of remaining flour as you need and knead. Note that dough will be slightly soft, even a tad sticky. Dust with flour.

Butter large clean bowl; add dough and turn to coat on all sides. Cover bowl with airtight top (plastic wrap or cover) and let rise in warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours.

Turn out onto floured counter; press to flatten into rectangle. Divide into four portions. Roll each into loaf shape; pinch edge and ends to seal. Nestle in 4 buttered 8- x 4-inch (1.5 L) loaf pans. (Or, use three 9- x 5-inch/2 L loaf pans.) Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rise in warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 1-1/2 hours.

Bake in centre of 350F. (180C.) oven until aroma of baking bread takes over kitchen and bottom of loaves sounds hollow when tapped, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove loaves from pans to cool on rack. (Make-ahead: Enclose in airtight contains such as plastic freezer bags and freeze for up to 1 month. Remove from bag to thaw.)

Makes 4 loaves. Use some to make friends.

GREAT GEORGE OATMEAL DATE MUFFINS

Some people consider Great George to be the most important street in Canada. It is, after all, the street the Fathers of Confederation walked on their way from Charlottetown harbour to Province House back in 1864 to attend the conference that laid the foundation for Confederation in 1867. It is also lined with historic houses, some of whom have been gathered into the fold of the Inns on Great George, a very recommendable place to stay in Charlottetown. One of the features of the boutique hotel I like are the breakfasts – serve yourself fruit, quiche, cereal, yogurt and a table of home baking that includes a changing array of biscuits, muffins and quick breads. Among them you will often find muffins, including these lovely ones.

1-1/2 cups (375 ml) all-purpose flour

1 cup (250 ml) quick-cooking rolled oats

1 Tbsp. (15 ml) baking powder

1 tsp. (5 ml) salt

1 large egg

1 cup (250 ml) milk

1/3 cup (75 ml) canola oil

1/4 cup (50 ml) liquid honey

3/4 cup (175 ml) chopped dates

Line 10 muffin cups with paper liners, or butter; set aside.

In large bowl, whisk together flour, rolled oats, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk, oil and honey. Scrape over dry ingredients; sprinkle with dates.

Stir just long enough to combine dry and wet ingredients. Scoop into prepared muffin cups.

Bake in centre of 375F. (180C.) oven until skewer inserted into centre of one of muffins comes out clean, about 18 to 20 minutes. Let firm up in muffin cups for a few minutes; let cool on rack. (Make-ahead: To best maintain freshness wrap muffins individually, then enclose in airtight container.

Makes 10 muffins.

TIP: Add 2 tsp. (10 ml) grated orange rind.

Check out The Great George, 85 Great George Street in Charlottetown at thegreatgeorge.com.

PEI MUSSELS

With beer, with white wine, with tomato sauce or more, mussels are a favourite on PEI restaurant menus. One of the best ways I have ever tasted mussels is with a curry, ginger and cream broth, a signature dish called Bombay Mussels from Charlottetown restaurant Flex Mussels, alas no longer in business. The recipe has been slightly adapted.

2 lb (1kg) mussels

1 tsp (5 mL) vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp (5 mL) finely chopped gingerroot

2 tbsp (30 mL) mango puree or finely diced mango

1 tbsp (15 mL) mild curry paste, Patak recommended

1/4 cup (50 mL) white wine

1/2 cup (125 mL) whipping cream (35%)

1/4 tsp (1 mL) sesame oil

4 full sprigs of fresh washed coriander (cilantro), roots removed and chopped

Half lime

1 crusty French baguette, sliced.

Check mussels, discarding any that don't close when tapped. A little gape is not unusual for cultivated mussels. Fresh live mussels close obediently - give them a minute or two just to be sure. Discard any that continue to gape.

Pull out and snip off any beards and rinse; set aside.

In 4 to 6 quart (4 to 6L) saucepan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, mango and curry paste; fry for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Goal is to warm ingredients just enough to ‘awaken’ them. Exercise caution, as excessive heat makes curry bitter. (Combination of fresh ginger, garlic and mango is aromatherapy of the most enchanting kind.)

Stir in wine, and using wooden spoon, scrape bottom of pot smooth. Add cream, sesame oil and half of coriander. Bring to boil over high heat; add mussels. Stir to coat evenly.

Cover and steam for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring gently midway, until mussels have opened wide. Discard any that have not. Be sure to check mussels at beginning of suggested time.

Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to warmed serving dish. Over high heat, boil sauce hard to reduce by one-third or to desired consistency, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, squeeze fresh lime juice over mussels. Pour reduced sauce over mussels and garnish with remaining chopped coriander. Serve immediately with plenty of crusty baguette.

Makes 2 main-course servings, 4 appetizers.

TIP: A wide saucepan with a heavy bottom is best for cooking mussels. There's room for mussels to open, and covered, liquid comes back to boil immediately, steaming mussels quickly, without toughening them.

TIP: There's no mistaking the "beard" the common name for the byssus of a byvalve mussel. According to The Food Encyclopedia (Robert Rose publisher) the byssus is "made up of a network of silky filaments it secretes and uses to adhere to rocks."

CULINARY MUST-TASTE, MUST-DO IN PEI

Moonshine: In eastern PEI, visit the Myriad View Distillery in Rollo Bay and check out their Strait Lightning and Gin. Nearby, the owners of Johnson Shore Inn have developed a best selling potato vodka.

Enjoy oysters – look out for ones harvested from Colville Bay, Raspberry Point and Rocky Bay in Salutation Cove.

Visit the Saturday Charlottetown Farmers Market for organic vegetables, prize potatoes, smoked salmon, fresh lamb, PEI cheeses, plus stands that sell Lebanese, Indian, African dishes and Island sausages.

Eat at two of Canada’s finest restaurants – Dalvay by the Sea, and Inn at Bay Fortune

Check out the Lebanese food at Cedar’s Eatery in downtown Charlottetown

Tuck into a lobster, slurp up chowder or indulge in fish and chips at Water-Prince Corner Shop and Lobster Pound in historic Charlottetown.

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