Make it a Tasty Gift.
I don't know about you...but I just started to think about gift giving for the holiday season.  I know it seems early, but the first snow flakes just fell here, so that's always a big reminder.  I thought I'd share a delicious gift idea with you...'food for thought'.  

This year forget neckties and perfume!  What better gift than the gift of food adventure travel for the food and wine lover who has absolutely everything!  Our culinary adventures in our four countries will make a special gift indeed.

Gourmet Safari Culinary Discovery Gift Certificates can be purchased in any denomination and can be applied to any culinary vacation or cooking class. Surprise your family and friends with your great gifts, we'll send you a customized letter and gift certificate that you can give to that special person in your life. Fine food, fine wines, fine times are just an email away, contact us today to purchase your gift certificate - the ultimate gift of food & travel culinary discovery.

Gift Certificate Exclusive Offer.
This year we decided to extend a special offer to you to 'get into the season' - pay $75 and receive a $100 Culinary Discovery Gift Certificate...the spirit of giving just got started.

Your Turn.
Do you have any traditional holiday season recipes that you enjoy from around the globe?  If so, please send them in to jackie@gourmetsafari.com, we'll include them in our December issue and send you a Culinary Discovery Gift Certificate valued at $100 (after all it is the season of giving).  Please send them in by Friday December 1st, 2006 - thanks!

Don't forget our A Taste of Seville Special Offer.
If you are planning a trip to Spain to celebrate the holidays or to bring in the New Year we have a special offer for a 3-night gastronomic stay in Seville for you!  Only available during the months of December, January and February.

What? 3-night gastronomic stay

When? December, January, February

Where? Seville at the 4* Petit Palace Marqués Santa Ana Hotel, located in the heart of the city centre.

Why? Seville is the Tapas Capital of the World!

Price Tag? $1,205 CAD per person based on double occupancy.

How? Contact us to book now, this incredible offer is only available for a short time.

And...Don't forget our Gourmet Safari 'Test Drive.'
If you are in Toronto, Canada in October or November 2006 we invite you to test drive a culinary travel food adventure with us to Morocco and Spain.  We'll take you closer to these 2 countries, and teach you HOW to make several authentic recipes and pair dishes with wines selected by a LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) Product Consultant. 

Interested?  Contact us or pick up the LCBO Educational Program Guide - Autumn 2006 where you'll see the listing.  Come out for a drive!

Where? The following LCBO locations:

Burlington - Tues Oct 17th

Maple - Mon Oct 30th

Summerhill - Thurs Nov 2nd

Bayview - Tues Nov 7th

Time? 6:30 - 8pm

Cost? Just $35 CAD to experience your own Gourmet Safari 'Test Drive' with fine foods and fine wines.

Here is what one of our diners had to say the other day.
Wow! Can't wait to do that again! Best spent $35 in the whole city of Toronto.

Foodie's Corner.

Recipe of the Month:
It's harvest season here, so we thought we'd share with you a recipe from our very own La Cucina Italiana culinary vacation in Tuscany.  "Savour this recipe from the heart of rural Tuscany, a sun drenched land where time stands still."  There are still spaces available for dates in October and November before this season comes to an end.

Saffron Risotto with Pumpkin

240 g. Arborio rice

3 Tbsp. olive oil

400 g. fresh pumpkin peeled, seeded and finely diced (butternut squash can also be substituted)

2 shallots, finely chopped

1/4 cup white wine

1 L. chicken stock

1Tsp. chopped parsley

25-30 saffron sprigs*

1 Tbsp. butter

50 g. fresh Parmesan cheese

salt

white pepper

Preparation.

The night before, put the pumpkin pulp in water for 2 hours. Remove and drop it in a mixture of 1/2 water, 1/2 ice cubes. Leave in the water/ice mixture overnight in the refrigerator. The following day, remove it from the water and dice.  In a large pan over medium heat, sauté the shallots in the olive oil. Add the diced pumpkin and cook for 2 minutes, add the rice, and stir frequently for 3-4 minutes. Add the wine and stir until wine has evaporated. Add enough stock to cover the rice. As the rice cooks and stock reduces, gradually add more stock with the saffron sprigs. Stir frequently until the stock is absorbed by the rice. Repeat until all the stock is used and the rice is cooked al dente or to your taste. Stir in parmesan cheese, butter and season with salt/pepper.  Serve hot.

Chef's Notes: 
*Saffron is the world's most expensive spice, used to flavour and tint food, it is made from the stigma of the purple crocus flower.

Serve with authentic bruschetta, grill or toast a slice of country bread, brush lightly with olive oil, and rub a peeled clove of garlic over the surface of the bread. Cut a medium-size ripe tomato in half horizontally and rub one half of the tomato onto the bread until the tomato flesh is thoroughly massaged into the toast. Sprinkle lightly with salt and top with basil.

Uncorked! 

Beaujolais Nouveau 2006 Launch Countdown.
At ONE MINUTE PAST MIDNIGHT on November 15th (3rd Wed of every Nov), from little villages and towns, over a million cases of Beaujolais Nouveau begin their journey through a sleeping France to Paris for immediate shipment to all parts of the world. Banners proclaim the good news: Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé! "The New Beaujolais has arrived!" One of the most frivolous and animated rituals in the wine world has begun.  By the time it is over, over 65 million bottles, nearly half of the region's total annual production, will be distributed and drunk around the world. It has become a worldwide race to be the first to serve to this new wine of the harvest. In doing so, it has been carried by motorcycle, balloon, truck, helicopter, jet, elephant, runners and rickshaws to get it to its final destination. 

2006 Harvest Report - Picking Starts after Late Good Weather.
2006 has been a very mixed year climatically; the winter was cold, and spring was very late to arrive - flowering was between 1 and 2 weeks later than average, although this reduced frost damage. The cold late spring was followed by a heat wave in June and July, enabling catching up after the hesitant start, although conditions deteriorated for part of August, the second half of which was cool and wet. September however has turned out very well, with warm dry sunny days.

Trendspotting.

Introducing our brand new monthly column that features information about new trends that we've spotted, read about or better yet...experienced for ourselves in the realm of food and travel.

Heirloom Produce - A Taste of the Past.
Heirloom fruits and vegetables are the latest trend in specialty foods.  'Antique' tomatoes, apples and eggplant (to name a few) are sought after by consumers willing to pay for "real" food that often tastes better than it looks.

The definition of heirloom fruits and vegetables varies.  Some gardeners say the plant must have been introduced at least 50 years ago, while others say 100 years old.  What truly defines heirloom produce is that they are 'created' by Mother Nature, none of them come off a factory assembly line.

Many heritage seeds were brought from Europe by our ancestors and passed from generation to generation in backyard gardens. Other groups of farmers have also been vigilant in collecting and saving their seeds - which hold and preserve our food history.  Today the results often make their way into farmer's markets in the form of good old-fashioned fruits and vegetables.

Here are some of the heirloom fruits and vegetables that you might see at your local farmer's market (and they all have a story to tell).

Fingerling Potatoes - French, Purple Peruvian, Ruby Crescent, Russian Banana

Heirloom Tomatoes - Black Prince, Brandywine, Green Zebra, Lemon Boy, Marvel Stripe

Heirloom Apples - Ashmead's Kernel, Esopus Spitzenberg, Golden Russet, Pomme Grise

And - The Gift of Giving!
You can make a difference in a child's life. Consider giving to our charity of choice - BREAKFAST FOR LEARNING.  Your contribution will help to meet the increased need for school and community nutrition programs across Canada. Together, we can make a difference and make the world a better place.  Thank you.

To find out more about any of our culinary vacations please feel free to call me at 416.238.9987 (Toronto) or 1.800.839.5795 (in North America).  Email works well too at jackie@gourmetsafari.com.

Gastronomically, Jackie

Gourmet Safari supports BREAKFAST FOR LEARNING - proceeds from every culinary vacation go to this special charity.

PS: Please help save the environment by recycling this email -- help spread the word and forward it to all your friends!