The autumnal season is often derogated to off-season travelers and those fond of watching leaves turn colors. For foodies, however, it’s high season for exploring the great culinary regions often perused from some of the world’s best countryside hotels.
In the Pacific Northwest of the US, Portland has emerged as an emerging food scene with casual, hipster eateries like Beast defining a new ear of American cuisine. About 30-miutes outside the city is the unexpected Allison Inn �" a relaxed luxury hotel in Oregon’s Willamette Valley known for its Pinot Noir and private 2-acre farm that supplies the in-house eatery. Further south in the Napa Valley, St. Helena’s Meadowood offers a resort of luxury cottages and 3-star restaurant helmed by Christopher Kostow who works one on one with local artisan farmers, growers and foragers for a menu that many consider one of the best in the US. In Mexico, Hacienda de San Antonio is the former country house of Sir James Goldsmith and one-time Aman property revels as being one of the country’s most off-the-radar luxury getaways. Originally a 19th Century coffee plantation, today Goldsmith’s daughter Alix Marcaccini oversees on on-site organic farm and culinary program where food is harvested within hours of eating.
White truffle lovers find an above average harvest for 2014, especially when foraging them Italy’s Relais San Maurizio in Piedmont where its Guido da Costigliole restaurant occupies the ancient wine cellar of the San Maurizio monastery. It’s on-site shop coordinates local truffle expeditions as well as sourcing the decadent nuggets for shipping. A different kind of foraging is found late November at Lime Wood �" that bohemian New Forest retreat we love so much. Come this time of year, the forest floor has been covered with fallen leaves and through them a decadent variety porcini, chanterelle, oyster and pied de mouton mushroom emerge for picking. An for those that can’t imagine every having to pick their own food, Le Manor aux Quat’Saisons is perhaps the world’s greatest foodie hotel. Managed by Belmond Hotels and home to 2-star Michelin Raymond Blanc, guests can opt for on-site cooking classes or simply meandering the Oxfordshire countryside of antique stores and gourmet shops abound.
