A Peak Experience at the Banff Springs Hotel

Although I appreciate the grandeur of the mountains, I'm not much for hiking. However, I have no problem making my way up a three-tiered platter of edibles. Today, at the Rundle Lounge of the Banff Springs Hotel, a spectacular view of snow-capped peaks was the backdrop for such an indulgence.

The Rundle Lounge, which overlooks the Cascade, Rundle and Tunnel Mountains, is a great place to enjoy the Canadian Rockies without too much exertion. The cafe features assorted soups, salads and appetizers, as well as a couple of options for those who like their treats in triplicate. There is the afternoon tea, which involves three plates of chocolate-covered strawberries, white and dark chocolate mousses and assorted tarts, scones with Devonshire cream, and finger sandwiches. Afternoon tea is served only from 2-4 p.m., but the amazing "3-tiered sharing platter" is served all day. My friend and I indulged in the latter since we arrived at noon.

The bottom tier includes the popular potato flatbread with red onion, creme fraiche and British Columbian smoked salmon, and a few pieces of jumbo shrimp tempura with wasabi mayonnaise. Moving on to the middle plate, there are crab cakes, crispy spring rolls with sweet chili jam, and a mini-assortment of dim sum (pork dumplings and the like).

The "peak" of the experience is a plate featuring four Calgary cheeses (our favorite was the Camembert), ripe grapes and strawberries, crackers and flatbreads, chicken liverwurst and wild game pate. This plate was definitely the highlight for me!

Although I would have availed myself of the trio of white chocolate Brie cheesecake, Guinness chocolate cake and chai custard, my friend wanted to take a walk down the Bow River Valley trail. (For once, exercise took priority over dessert.)

Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel: 405 Spray Ave., Banff, Alberta, Canada. (403) 762-2211.

Bernard Callebaut Chocolates

In one of life's minor injustices, there are presently no Bernard Callebaut stores in New York. Several years ago, there were two in suburban Rye and Scarsdale, but they closed for lack of business. I think the chocolates would have been wildly successful in NYC, but I don't know if there were ever plans for an NYC store. So, the only U.S. cities where you can find Bernard Callebaut chocolates are Scottsdale, AZ, Portland, OR, and Chicago. (Fortunately, there is a thriving mail-order business, with contact information below.)

Bernard Callebaut, the fourth generation of the famous Belgian chocolate family, creates chocolate truffles with distinctive fresh cream fillings. Some popular flavors are mokka (a dark chocolate half-moon filled with coffee and pear fondant), leaf (a milk chocolate leaf with black currant and milk chocolate ganache inside) and la flamme (dark chocolate with orange and caramel). More exotic flavors include petale (dark chocolate with oil of flower petals and bittersweet ganache), and in summertime, there's a truly amazing apple-raspberry truffle with a layer of fresh cream.

Bernard Callebaut Chocolates: (800) 661-8367.

Garlic-Raspberry Ice Cream?

Walking down Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, Florida, I spied a curious sign: an advertisement for garlic-raspberry ice cream. The ad, posted by Foxy's Ice Cream & Dessert Cafe, attempted to persuade the reader to try this ice cream by touting its unique ability to alienate other people. "Meeting with the ex and their lawyer? Eat this ice cream and cut that meeting time in half!"

I am always in favor of culinary exploration, but this seemed rather dubious to me. Nevertheless, I turned onto South East 5th Avenue and entered a homey, cheerful ice cream shop named after somebody's dog. "So what's this about garlic-raspberry ice cream?" I asked. "Is this for real?"

A man who must have been the owner offered proudly, "It was my idea! I originally came up with it a few years ago for the Garlic Festival."

I hesitated, and then decided to take the plunge and ask for a sample. I took the spoon, held it to my lips and...

...it was all wrong! The garlic flavor stuck out like a sore thumb. Raspberries and cream is a nice combination, as is garlic and warm cream, but not raspberries, sugar, garlic and cold cream. Trying to forget the taste, I made my exit as politely as I could. (In Foxy's defense, the other flavors seemed very appealing. They included Kahlua almond fudge, tiramisu, rum raisin and toasted coconut. But I recommend that you skip that garlic-raspberry!)

I still wanted some form of berry ice cream, minus superfluous herbs and spices, so I strolled further down Atlantic Avenue. To my left was a Ben & Jerry's. But to my right was a godsend: Nonna's Cafe, the year-old gelateria which makes everything fresh on an Italian gelatomaker. One bite of Nonna's frutti del bosco multi-berry sorbetto and I was on cloud nine. (They also have a rich-as-pudding chocolate gelato and a mango sorbetto accented with chunks of fresh sweet fruit.)

Nonna's Cafe: 1136 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, FL, (561) 279-9328. Foxy's Ice Cream & Dessert Cafe: 12 SE 5th Ave., Delray Beach, FL, (561) 276-9379.

The 2004 Bermuda Culinary Arts Festival

Here's a wonderful way to beat the November blahs this year.

Montreal: Hotel Gault

If you're looking for a gourmet escape, I highly recommend the superb Hotel Gault in Old Montreal. Picturesque, romantic Old Montreal has been experiencing a renaissance of late with the construction of several boutique hotels, of which Hotel Gault is one.

Breakfast is included in the cost of the room, and you can either enjoy it in the modern lobby or have it delivered to your room. I opted to eat in the lobby, as there is an all-you-can-eat buffet in addition to the regular menu. The buffet features a beautiful assortment of fresh fruit, viennoiseries (French pastries) and a changing array of soft-ripened Quebec cheeses like Brie Manoir and Mi-Careme. It is difficult to decide between a fresh herb three-egg omelette with a shredded potato rosti or a stack of buttermilk pancakes with real Canadian maple syrup and sausages. The strong, smooth coffee is fair-trade.

You'll probably want to dine at one of Montreal's excellent restaurants, but if you decide to stay in, you'll delight in the eclectic dinner menu at Hotel Gault, which includes specialties such as grilled salmon with fennel salad and caviar cream, duck-leg confit, honey-glazed quail, and partridge fir jelly garnished with celeriac puree.

Each night, complementary squares of Valrhona Guanaja chocolates will send you off to dreamland.

Hotel Gault: rue Sainte-Hélène, Montréal (Québec) Canada, 1-866-904-1616.