Trips to dine for

When you think “culinary adventure,” what comes to mind?

A. Grabbing a jar of extra-hot salsa at the supermarket.

B. Picking up some take-out from that Thai place.

C. A behind-the-scenes tour of Italy’s wine-making regions, cooking classes at Tuscan villas and hands-on sessions with cheese makers.

If your taste for adventure runs toward category “C,” you’re in good company. Food and wine vacations are as hot as Habanero peppers right now.

“It’s definitely becoming very, very popular,” says Valerie Day who, with her husband, Cary, has run the Spokane agency House of Travel for 30 years. “People are getting back to appreciating good food and they would also like to learn how to cook it.”

Day has organized several culinary tours of Italy and France, as well as a trek to Australia a few years ago. She planned a food tour of Thailand in 2004, but the trip was called off because of the tsunami. She hopes one day to get together a group to travel to South Africa to explore the wines and food there.

And Day makes sure to take local cooking classes on all of her travels. What she learns makes for a special souvenir.

“It’s kind of fun to then be able to bring it back home,” she says.

Day has done the legwork behind the culinary trips to Italy and France sponsored by Vino!, the Spokane wine shop.

Another Vino! group is slated to go to Italy for 10 days this spring, says store co-owner John Allen. The groups of no more than a dozen travelers stay three days in one spot before moving on. They spend time near Venice, in Tuscany and in Florence. The group visits a huge wine festival, learns how balsamic vinegar and parmesan cheese are made and, of course, samples plenty of wine.

The Vino! tour costs just under $5,000, including airfare, lodging, travel and most meals, Allen says.

“I came away from it with a passion for food and wine,” says Spokane resident Vicki Chervenak who went on the Vino! tour with her husband, Tim, two years ago. “I learned more about wine and cooking, actually, than I thought I ever would.”

Even better, though, Chervenak says she still felt like she was on vacation, not in school.

“It was so educational without it being ‘we’re going to be educated,’ ” she says.

Coeur d’Alene residents Lynne and Frank Wiedemann decided a few years ago to turn their love of Mexico into a business.

“We started coming down here in 1989 and just fell in love with Todos Santos,” says Lynne Wiedemann, a long-time caterer and cooking teacher. “We ended up just buying a little place and getting into the culture here. The Mexican people are so warm and friendly.”

So, now the couple organizes culinary tours called Cook With Us from their home on the Baja peninsula. Their guests learn all about the fresh ingredients that go into making local recipes such as moles, soups and seafood dishes.

Classes, lodging and food cost $170 per day for the five-day session. Airfare is not included.

The groups spend their mornings in the kitchen, preparing the day’s meal. After dining late in the afternoon, they’re free to spend the rest of the day exploring the area.

“It’s a good way to see what Mexico is really like,” Lynne Wiedemann says.

If you’re considering a culinary vacation, here’s some advice:

Travel in as small a group as your pocketbook will allow.

“You want the group to be small and intimate,” says Allen, who likes to be able to sit together at a restaurant with his tour groups.

A group of 12 to 16 people is ideal for hands-on food and wine trips, Day says.

Pay attention to how the trip is organized. Will you have a local guide on site? A translator? A driver? Be sure you know what you’re getting for your money.

Make sure to explore other aspects of the culture, too. Art, architecture and history all play a role in food traditions. So, look for a tour that allows you to go to museums and other sites in addition to cooking and eating.

Consult the tourism office or convention and visitor’s bureau for the state or country you’ll be visiting, says Erik Wolf of the Portland-based International Culinary Tourism Association. Those agencies often know the best cooking classes, wineries and other culinary opportunities.

Be creative. Don’t limit your travels to the most well-known places, Wolf says. “Try and think outside the box,” he says.

Here are a few recipes from Lynne and Frank Wiedemann to whet your appetite for adventure:

Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (Shrimp with Garlic)

From Lynne and Frank Wiedemann, Cook With Us

3/4 cup peeled garlic cloves (about 2 large bulbs)

1 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 limes, cut in wedges

2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo, seeded and cut into thin strips

2 pounds medium to large shrimp

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Lime wedges, for garnish

Chop garlic, scoop into small saucepan with the oil and salt. Set pan over medium-low heat, stir and bring to very slow simmer. Turn heat to very low, just to maintain a gentle simmer. Stir occasionally until the garlic is soft and golden, about 30 minutes. (The slower the cooking, the sweeter the garlic.)

Add the lime juice to the pan and simmer until most of the juice evaporates or is absorbed by the garlic. Stir in the chilies and salt, to taste. Keep warm.

Clean and prep shrimp. In heavy large sauté pan add 2 tablespoons of the garlic mixture. Add half the shrimp, sprinkle with salt and stir gently until shrimp just turns pink, 3-4 minutes. Stir in cilantro, place in serving bowl. Repeat process with remainder of shrimp.

Scoop out all remaining pieces of garlic and chili from the pan and sprinkle over the shrimp dish. Serve with extra lime wedges.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 434 calories, 37 grams fat (5 grams saturated, 76 percent fat calories), 20 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrate, 179 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 306 milligrams sodium.

Arroz Verde (Green Rice)

From Lynne and Frank Wiedemann, Cook With Us

1 cup chopped spinach

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

11/4 cups chicken broth

11/4 cups milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

11/2 cups long-grain rice

1/4 cup minced onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Place the spinach, cilantro and broth in a blender and blend until the vegetables are pureed. Add milk and salt, blend again.

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine olive oil and butter, add the rice and stir fry until just lightly brown. Add onion and garlic and cook another minute or so, stirring constantly.

Add contents of blender, stir well, turn heat to high and bring to boil. Cover pan and lower heat to low simmer and continue to cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; allow rice to steam, covered, for 10 minutes. Gently stir rice and serve.

Yield: 4 cups

Approximate nutrition per 1/2-cup serving: 204 calories, 7 grams fat, (3 grams saturated, 31 percent fat calories), 4.5 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrate, 14 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 375 milligrams sodium.

Sopa de Albondigas (Meatball Soup)

From Lynne and Frank Wiedemann, Cook With Us

For meatballs:

2 tablespoons long-grain white rice

2 eggs

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground beef

1 cup zucchini, grated

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon fresh or dried mint, chopped

8 peppercorns, ground in spice mill

1/4 teaspoon cumin seed, ground in spice mill

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped

For broth:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 large white onion, slice thin

11/2 pounds tomatoes, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

6 cups beef or chicken broth

1 tablespoon dried ancho chili

Salt, to taste

Cover rice with boiling water and soak for 45 minutes. Beat eggs and add to meat with the rest of ingredients. Mix well. Drain rice and add to mixture. Makes about 24, 2-inch meatballs. They also freeze well.

To make the broth: Heat the oil in soup pot. Cook onion until translucent. Add tomatoes and garlic; bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth and ancho chili and bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs, cover pot and simmer for another hour. Season with additional salt, if desired. Delicious served with a squeeze of lime.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 488 calories, 32 grams fat (12 grams saturated, 60 percent fat calories), 35 grams protein, 14 grams carbohydrate, 177 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams dietary fiber, 613 milligrams sodium.