5 Days/4 Nights

Slice of California

Join Taste of Home magazine for a farm-to-table adventure in gorgeous Monterey Bay and Santa Clara Valley regions. Discover how California growers produce the tastiest harvests…delight in fun cooking demos by local celebrity chefs…and sample the luscious flavors, from apricots to wine, that the golden state offers. Every day will be a feast for all of your senses!

Tour Highlights

• Enjoy an exclusive, farm-to-table adventure, featuring growers of artichokes, apricots, peppers and in wine making.
• Delight in cooking demos by regional celebrity chefs Gene Sakahara, Sam Bozzo and Dorothy McNett.
• Marvel at the magnificent views of Monterey Bay coast and lush Santa Clara Valley.
• Savor delicious, made-from-scratch Taste of Home recipes every day!

Itinerary

Day 1—San Jose: We’ll kick off our farm-to-table adventure with a dessert reception at our modern hotel nestled in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Dessert Reception included.

Day 2—Gilroy/Hollister: Our day begins in Santa Clara Valley, known as the “valley of heart’s delight”. Surrounded by picturesque mountains and lush valley fields, Judy and Louie Bonino’s vegetable farm and market is a great place to sample some of the world’s best produce. Only locally grown fruit and vegetables are sold here, including plums, peaches, strawberries, sweet corn, tomatoes and nine varieties of peppers. One of the many highlights is seeing how chilies are roasted.

Later, celebrity chefs Gene Sakahara and Sam Bozzo will treat us to a delicious meal featuring Garlic Festival Shrimp Scampi and a surprise Taste of Home recipe. This “punny” palate-pleasing duo have performed around the world. So put manners aside…and laugh with your mouth full!

For dessert, indulge in America’s best candy apple, as voted by food critics of The Wall Street Journal. The seismic sensation we have planned for you is called “Earthquake” by the originators at DeBrito’s Chocolate Factory. Think layers of caramel, peanut butter and chocolate. Mmmmmm….

Walk off your meal a bit at Mari and Jim Rossi’s 100-acre B&R apricot farm. You’ll see firsthand how world-renowned Blenheim Apricots are harvested and dried. Plus taste a variety of these sweet, plump morsels, including Chocolate Covered Apricots, Apricot Cinnamon Spread and Apricot Chili Preserves. Meals included: B, L, D.

Day 3—San Juan Bautista/Watsonville: Today we’ll explore California’s Spanish roots at the “city of history”, San Juan Bautista. The adobe-style houses, shops and missions—including one built on the San Andreas fault—date back to 1797. As we travel toward the coast, we’ll stop in Castroville for a tour of Ocean Mist Farms, the country’s largest artichoke grower. Family owned and operated since 1924, you’ll see how acres upon acres of fresh green artichokes, lettuce and spinach are harvested and brought to market. Plus you’ll be tempted by some succulent samples…artichoke bruschetta anyone?

Our next stop is an intimate beach village tucked in a Santa Cruz County river valley, called Capitola. With its breathtaking view of Monterey Bay and eclectic variety of waterfront boutiques, craft galleries and eateries, it’s a great place for lunch, shopping and people watching.

Later, you’ll have a chance to see exquisite hand-sculpted glass dinnerware and serving pieces created by artist Annie Morhauser. Her glassware is found in celebrity kitchens, including Oprah Winfrey’s, and in those of luxury hotels, including Four Seasons.

Next, enjoy dazzle that’s more down to earth. Dig into a forkful of fresh-from-the -field berries in Ollalieberry pie, created by the Gizdich family. Vince and Cynthia are fourth-generation growers of five kinds of berries and 16 varieties of apples. Learn the secrets of cultivating the sweetest crops and tastiest desserts on a tour of their orchards, berry patches and bakery. Meals included: B, D.

Day 4—Monterey/Carmel-by-the-Sea: From the centuries-old Lone Cypress to the wave-scrubbed Pacific coast, the Monterey Peninsula’s 17-Mile Drive is famous for its corkscrew turns and magnificent ocean views. As you ride along this famous route, watch for sea lions sunning themselves on rocky cliffs.

After our ride, it will be time for a snack! We’ll join local food writer and TV personality Dorothy McNett at Stone Creek Kitchen, one of the area’s finest home kitchen outfitters. Dorothy will entertain us with stories about her cooking career as she demonstrates the prep and presentation of several Taste of Home recipes. It will be as much fun as eating the luscious results!

Our afternoon continues at Cannery Row. Once known as the “World’s Sardine Capital”, today it’s a popular recreation area. You can take a stroll on the coastal Recreation Trail (perfect for wildlife spotting) and browse oceanfront shops, including unique food and wine stores. Meals included: B, L, D.

Day 5—Gilroy/San Jose: Our visit to the “Garlic Capital of the World” begins at the town’s largest garlic market. A unique combination of food store and tasting bar, Garlic World offers a huge assortment of hot sauces, rubs, olives and locally grown garlic prepared every way imaginable, including garlic ice cream! Unique and tasty items like Double Garlic Oil or Spanish Dipping Oil make great gifts!

Your culinary adventure concludes at a premier California winery. Nestled in a valley of ancient oaks and redwoods, Fortino Winery produces award-winning red wines from 80-year-old grapevines. Fifth-generation winemaster Gino Fortino will be our host as we sip some varieties and listen to how his family carries on the tradition of handmade winemaking in the Italian style.

Afterward, sit back and relax on our picturesque journey back to San Jose, filled with palate-pleasing memories. Meals included: B.

Accommodations

• Day 1: Wyndham Hotel, San Jose
• Days 2-4: Hilton Garden Inn, Gilroy