Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle

travel planner For more information, visit: Air canada vacations: aircanadavacations.com Canadian Beef Culinary Series and Karisma's Gourmet Inclusive Experience: karismahotels.com/gourmet inclusive/culinaryseries riviera Maya: rivieramaya.com classics but modern cuisine and creative new ideas." That's exemplified by Karisma's progressive green and sustainable culinary philosophy. as well, guests with special diet requests are tracked by name and room number by all chefs and service staff throughout their stay. a fantastic 9,000-square-metre greenhouse at El dorado supplies just- picked fresh herbs and produce daily. It's been clear wher- ever I've eaten here. last year, the monthly Jackson family Wines culinary Series debuted and this year the canadian Beef culinary Series has added another feature to the winery's partnership at El dorado. Every evening during the week there are events pairing the beef with specially selected wines. "I was looking at what Canada and Mexico offer, and the culture of Mexican cuisine—a much richer culture than Canada . . . and put together a menu," says Chef Charest whose ingredient-driven global approach guests can apply back home. His creations, elegantly uncluttered, belie complex fla- vour marriages. The extra challenge to showcase a portfolio with superb reds and whites through an all-beef menu is impeccably met by dana aguero: carpaccio with aioli with Arrowood Sonoma Valley Chardonnay (vanilla, mineral, acidity), and top sirloin with Mexican achiote spice on vibrant orange-red sauce derived from his sofrito (cooked down vegetables and spices) that brings a pour of 2009 Cambria Julia's Vineyard pinot Noir's red berry, pom- egranate and damp forest. uNusual paIRINGs The five-course Gala Dinner on our last evening is fabulous high drama. under the vaulted ceiling of Fuentes Culinary Theatre enormous flat screens catch live images of Chef Charest working an open kitchen, commentating with Ms. aguero. Matanzas Creek sauvignon Blanc ideally marries to jicama and mango salad siding tartar, dusted with lemon- lime powder; so does the arrowood Cabernet sauvignon's cassis, pepper and graphite touch to high Cajun spicing of skirt steak. a rich earthy Tenuta di arceno Classico Riserva from their Chianti property is a natural with Charest's original fourth course. osso bucco truly salutes Mexico with roasted tomatillo and chocolate seasoning and a tamal that puts Chef Charest in step with the world's famed vanguard chefs: he integrates huitlacoche (corn fungus). I recently discovered this traditional ingredient of indigenous Mexican cultures at the fabled Restaurante arzak in san sebastian, spain. But the second course presents the stiffest challenge: tender, unctuous short ribs on a dark barbecue sauce of peach, honey and complex creole spice. It looks much like an intense red wine sauce—which it isn't—for what nor- mally would be a hefty main course to be paired with a full-bodied red. My server sets down Ms. aguero's uncon- ventional twist, a glass of white—the legendary Freemark abbey Chardonnay: lively acidity, freshness, just enough oaky vanilla and milky caramel to give a needed but not heavy texture for the dairy-free sauce. "It's more of a Burgundian-style Chardonnay," says aguero. "We don't do a secondary malolactic fermentation (common in California). It brings in a lot of those bright fruit flavours." It's an arresting choice. as the evening winds down, I spot Jason Friesen from Regina. We'd shared a shuttle cart ride two days ago. I won- der. What memories would he take back to Regina? "The pride of being a Canadian here, enjoying a meal made with Canadian beef but with vegetables grown right here on the resort. how well these chefs bond together, bringing their ideas of what good food is." "Karisma . . . it's very special . . . the extra touches make it special. You're thinking about your next visit." 30 S p r i n g 2 0 1 4 Executive Chef Louis Charest was a guest chef at the Canadian Beef Culinary Series. Canada Beef

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