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“ Nancy showed me Oaxaca
through a prism of fascinating history and beautiful food.
I met warm and interesting people, ate goat tacos in the market,
sampled rose petal ice cream at a fine restaurant, made tamales
in the home of a Zapotec family, gaped in awe at a golden church,
and witnessed gargantuan heaps of orange marigolds and loaves
of bread with painted faces for Day of the Dead. Nancy enabled
me to forget a list of tedious travel details and enjoy the
spectacular ride. ”
Marina McLeod,
producer KCRW
"Good Food,"
Santa Monica, CA
“ I appreciated how Nancy genuinely
wanted to share favorite people, places, foods and recipes
with our group. Her clear enthusiasm for San Miguel de
Allende’s and Guanajuato’s culture and cuisine
rubbed off on us all and heightened the rich experience!
I hope to join another of her wonderful tours soon. ”
Beth Miller,
chef and organic produce
specialist,
Los Angeles, CA |
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| Talavera plate from Dolores Hidalgo |
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Exotic ice cream flavors,
Dolores Hidalgo |
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SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE TOUR
February 12-18, 2009
 
Jardin and Parroquia parrish church
Everyone’s
favorite Mexican hill town, San
Miguel de Allende is at the heart of Mexico's
Colonial Circle,
a wealth of Spanish colonial history and architecture. The jewel is nestled
in the mountains (altitude 6100 feet) northwest of Mexico City,
about a 90-minute drive
east of the Guanajuato-Leon airport.
Exceptionally beautiful, the Mexican National Treasure radiates
Spanish heritage. The zócalo,
or town square (here called the Jardín)
is the focal point; the Parroquia parish church anchors
its south side and dominates the landscape for miles with gothic
spires. The sophisticated town takes pride
as a cultural mecca of internationally recognized art institutions, artists and
their studios, music and language schools plus plenty of regional restaurants.
Antique stores, galleries, craft and folk
art shops
abound, a mere cobblestone street away from one another.
Our group of food lovers will stay in a lovingly
restored home, now B&B with handsome
gardens, mere steps off the Jardín, right in the
center of town. Private nooks and crannies are scattered throughout the large
property and encourage quiet relaxation or a place to enjoy wireless Internet.
Charming, generously-sized rooms are welcoming after a day of touring, shopping
and cooking. Every
morning a delectable Mexican breakfast is served, starring organic
produce from the B&B’s
garden. The large, comfortable kitchen is like a warm magnet, and
will surely be our natural gathering spot. I’ll teach two
hands-on cooking classes in San Miguel (one in the B&B’s traditional kitchen), followed by meals
of dishes we cooked together.
One day
we’ll visit Guanajuato, the state’s
captivating capital and another Colonial Circle gem plus
university town that adamantly maintains a Mexican lifestyle.
Once Mexico’s
most prominent silver mining city, Guanajuato is known for
silver
jewelry, famous potters, subterranean roadways (old silver tunnels), enticing
architecture, a lively zócalo and romantic, twisting alleyways.
We will also shop in Dolores Hildago where the Mexican Revolution began. The
town is well known today for hand painted Talavera pottery factories—and—exotic
ice cream flavors.
Ever wonder what makes a great tequila, great? I’ll
teach a tequila class (with tastings,
of course!). I’ll
also lead a tour of San Miguel’s
weekly, huge, open-air marketplace where we’ll scout regional
produce and local specialties. We’ll visit a local cheese factory
making artisan cheeses and bring back plenty for tastes. Dining
at traditional
restaurants and favorite
casual spots for authentic foods—such as the best
carnitas on
the planet—are a given! We will visit private
homes in San Miguel de Allende
and tour an amazing private folk art museum in the
countryside. San Miguel de Allende is known as a shopper’s
paradise, so there will be time set aside
in our busy schedule for exploring some of the most exciting stores in the country.
$2300. Per person, based on double occupancy.
Six nights hotel, all meals, ground transportation, demos,
tastings, tours and entrance fees are included in the price. Air
travel and van/taxi to and from hotel not included.
¡SALUD!
Enjoy traveling with a small group of food-loving
participants.
Space is limited. Reservations are accepted upon receipt of 50% tour cost deposit with a signed application for each participant. Total payment is due 60 days prior to the start of a specific trip.
Notification of cancellation must be received in writing from participant.
> download
TOUR APPLICATION
> download
PRINTABLE VERSION of San Miguel tour
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Fruit and vegetable market snacks |
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| Nancy teaching cooking class |
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| Produce, piñatas, shopping bags |
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| Piping hot churros |
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| Beautiful home and bougainvillea |
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| Catching the afteroon sun |
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| Oratorio de San Felipe Neri |
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| Fresh market produce |
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| Shopping for cooking class |
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Tableside Caesar salad
demonstration |
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