Latin American Epicurean Hosts

Tour Host Review
 by Sheri Leigh
 Tour Hosts are in Bold

The holiday season is upon us again, with its emphasis on friends, family and the one universal element sure to bring us all together, food!  So, were dedicating this month’s issue to Christmas recipes from around the world.

We received many wonderful recipes, but noticed that Latin America was the source of a good number of  them. So, this month we’re highlighting a few of our Latin America tour hosts.

Cuisine International, with its mouth-watering Brazilian Pork Roast, receives the honor of December’s Pick of the Month. The Brazilian Academy of Cooking, (which also contributed two delightful side dishes to accompany this recipe), is one of the 20 schools throughout Europe, the U.S. and Brazil that Cuisine International represents. All schools represented are personally reviewed by Judy Ebrey, the company’s owner, and all schools are noted for totally immersing students into the food and culture of their locations.

On the opposite side of South America from Brazil lies Ecuador, a land of two deliciously different starter courses. Locro de Papa, a potato soup traditional in the highlands near Quito, was submitted by the Galapagos Network. Galapagos Network offers yachts, expedition ships and even a special craft for divers in its effort to accommodate all visitors to the Galapagos’ unique environment. Respecting and revering the environment are central to the company’s operations, a plus for all species – animal, plant and traveler – lucky enough to be touched by the Galapagos Network.

For a taste of the Galapagos themselves, Myths and Mountains offers a tasty Ceviche de Camarones to whet your appetite. With five separate Ecuadorian trips, the Myths and Mountains experience introduces the traveler to indigenous peoples throughout this diverse country. Myths and Mountains is another of our dedicated tour hosts that gives back to the communities it visits, changing the lives not only of its clients but also those of the local people who give so richly of themselves to make the company’s packages exceptional.

Moving northward, Panama bridges the gap between the Americas. This small country is so much more than just a short cut between oceans, offering a wide range natural and cultural treats.  Experience Panama's. Temptation Plantains are a different twist on this common Central and South American side dish. Experience Panama offers both adventure and cultural trips throughout the country.

Combine adventurous travelers, devoted guides and a deep love and concern for the environment, and you get a great wilderness treat. After a long day of viewing aqua life, up close and personal, a warm campfire and a special Christmas Tamale treat is standard with Sea Kayak Adventures, Inc.'s Christmas tours. The company offers trips in both Mexico and Canada, including one that is lodge-based for travelers who are slightly less enthusiastic about camping. 

Lest you think we’re averse to desserts, we have more of them than any other kind of recipe in this edition: tasty treats from Greece, South Africa, Panama and, of course, Italy, await all of our cultured epicureans.

I hope you enjoy these delightful dishes and share a taste of the world with your family and friends this holiday season.