Camp San Miguel, Mexico

February 10-15, 2008 (class full)
February 17-22, 2008 (class full)
March 2-7, 2008 (class full)
January 25-30, 2009
February 8-13, 2009
February 22-27, 2009
March 8-13, 2009

Welcome to the magic of colonial Mexico. Hugh is your host for every cooking vacation event throughout the week. This program offers a unique combination of cooking classes, tours of artists’ studios, shopping adventures and special dinners featuring regional Mexican cuisine. You’ll meet many key people who are the reason why San Miguel is widely recognized as one of the world’s great travel destinations.

This vacation cooking school is rich in activities. But you may, for example, decide to forgo one or more of the artist studio tours in favor of pursuing other interests such as horseback riding, soaking in thermal springs, massage or spa treatments, hot air ballooning or just wandering along the cobblestone streets as you soak up the beautiful quality of light on the colonial architecture, and relish yet another surprise around the next corner.

Class Itinerary

Sunday: Reception at Casa de la Cuesta

Tonight, meet Hugh and Teri at a party hosted by the owners of Casa de la Cuesta, Bill and Heidi LeVasseur. Over the years this bed and breakfast has become known for its beauty, the graciousness of the owners, and their outstanding collection of Mexican folk art, crafts and antiques. We’ll hear their story while tasting local specialties, enjoy Bill’s acclaimed mask collection, and listen to guitar music drifting through the courtyards.

Monday: Cooking with Patsy Dubois, Artists Juan Ezcurdia and Merry Calderoni, and Dinner at Restaurante Bella Italia

Our morning begins with a short drive outside of town to the property of Patsy Dubois for a participation cooking class and lunch. She is a long-time San Miguel resident and respected cooking teacher who has lived in Mexico for thirty-five years. Her class will concentrate on fresh and dried chiles, unique salsas that can be duplicated in the States, and nopales (prickly pear cactus). In the afternoon on the way into town we stop at San Miguel’s “design center,” La Aurora, a shopping paradise. It’s here we meet two internationally renowned artists in their studios. Juan Ezcurdia paints whimsical oversized figures and animals with a distinct Mexican feeling. Merry Calderoni is widely known for her abstract oil paintings of the walls of San Miguel. Remainder of the afternoon free. In the evening, we have dinner at Bella Italia, one of the most popular restaurants and jazz clubs in San Miguel.

Tuesday: Cooking with Juan Carlos Escalante, Artists Gary and Annemarie Slipper

This morning one of the most talented young San Miguel chefs leads us on a market tour and then back to his restaurant, Nirvana, for a participation cooking class and lunch. Juan Carlos Escalante was trained in Mexico City and the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. With the restaurant closed, he’ll lead us through the preparation of easy Mexican recipes as we cook side-by-side with him. In the afternoon, we meet acclaimed artists Dan and Nisha at their studio. They are known internationally for their whimsical porcelain figures and for a special sculpture series done exclusively for Cirque du Soleil. Early in the evening we meet at the studio and home of artists Gary and Annemarie Slipper, whose work is collected internationally. Gary’s work is richly lined drawings and paintings of countless figures set in mythic or fantasy settings. Annemarie works as a bronze sculptor and also does architectural works on panels of metal. Evening free.

Wednesday: Cooking at Rancho de la Capilla, Artist Toller Cranston

Rancho de la Capilla is a private and secluded ranch that was established in the mid-17th century and lovingly restored by Kathy Lichter and Steve Zazula. Kathy will be our host for a demonstration cooking class given by three talented rancho cooks, followed by lunch in an utterly glorious setting. As an optional activity, you can begin the day with an early-morning horseback ride led by Steve through the beautiful countryside. Early in the evening we are hosted by six-time Canadian figure-skating champion and 1976 Olympic medalist, Toller Cranston, at his amazing San Miguel estate. He painted throughout his ice-skating career and now devotes himself fully to his art, which is collected internationally. As you will see, he is a man of tremendous energy and talent who has absorbed the tropical Mexican colors and forms, and developed a unique figurative oil painting style. Evening free.

Thursday: Cooking Class with Hugh Carpenter, A Hacienda Visit

This morning, Hugh gives a cooking class at Sazon, a beautiful houseware shop and cooking school operated by the Sierra Nevada Hotel. Many of the recipes in Hugh’s early cookbooks fuse Mexican cooking with California and Asian elements. This class will feature similar easy-to-prepare, flavor-intense recipes. Afternoon free. In the evening we gather at a great historic hacienda brilliantly restored by Marsha Brown. With drinks in hand and nibbling a few appetizers, we’ll tour the home and gardens, which have been featured in many design magazines. As an added bonus, Marsha’s daughter, Kelli, an acclaimed jewelry designer, will show us her collection and lead us through her workshop. Evening free.

Friday: Cooking Class with Gonzalo Martinez, Jewelry Shopping, Graduation Dinner at Ristorante Da Andrea

This morning we have a cooking class with the charming and talented executive chef of the Sierra Nevada Hotel, Gonzalo Martinez. He’ll lead us in an exciting class featuring contemporary Mexican cooking that can be easily duplicated at home. Afternoon free. In the evening, we begin with a visit to the beautiful home of jeweler Bill Harris. We’ll tour the property, enjoy a glass of wine, hear his wonderful stories of life in San Miguel, and jewelry shop! From here we go a short distance to the restored Hacienda de Landeta, part of which has been transformed into an elegant restaurant, Ristorante Da Andrea. This is the best restaurant in the San Miguel area, and the chef-owner, Andrea, will cook for us. We’ll lift our glasses, make farewell toasts, and recall our great adventures.

Saturday

This is a travel day home, or you may decide to extend your stay in Mexico. We hope you return to visit us again in San Miguel.

About San Miguel de Allende

San Miguel is in the high desert country of central Mexico, about 6,500 feet above sea level and approximately a 3-hour drive north of Mexico City. We recommend that you fly into the city of Leon, which is a 90-minute drive to San Miguel. We will provide you with additional travel and hotel information.

August is the “rainy season.” This means an occasional thunderstorm, often in the late afternoon, causing a momentary inconvenience. The advantage is that the air is marvelously clear, the surrounding countryside beautifully green, and the town’s tropical plants are in full growth. Evenings are in the mid-50s, and afternoon temperatures are in the mid- to high-80s.

The November class is held during our Thanksgiving week. This is the “dry season” with crisp, clear days. Evenings are in the mid-50s, and afternoon temperatures are in the high-70s.

February attracts many tourists from snowy North America. This is also the “dry season” with crisp, clear days. Evenings are in the mid-40s (occasionally temperatures will dip into the high-30s), with afternoon temperatures in the low- to high-70s.