Works of (edible) art

Meetings & Conventions: Short Cuts April 2001 Current Issue
April 2001
Short Cuts:
Works of (edible) art

Local flavor can mean more than gumbo in New Orleans, clam chowder in Boston or crabs in Baltimore.

At the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, table displays and creative room amenities like a buckboard wagon filled with chocolate truffles (pictured, right) are Arizona-themed and delicious. The Marriott Rivercenter in San Antonio serves the HemisFair Salad, a tower of vegetables reminiscent of the city’s famous landmark. Roasted vegetables (zucchini, onion, red pepper and tomatoes) are combined in a cylinder shape and topped with prickly pear vinaigrette, Boursin cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, then served on top of an upside-down martini glass. The resort’s golf course in marzipan is the specialty at the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, on Maui.

Ordering early is key. “I wouldn’t hesitate creating 1,000 ghost towns as long as I had enough lead time,” says Princess’ executive chef Reed Groban, who has more than 50 selections in his repertoire, including a lasso made of marzipan and served with a 10-gallon hat filled with Southwest jelly beans, and a chocolate campfire skillet half-filled with pistachio butter and half prickly pear jam, with coyote biscuits for dipping. The pièce de résistance is “End of the Trail,” featuring a Native American on horseback surrounded by petroglyphs made from petit fours. “You’re only limited by your own imagination,” adds the chef.

• J.F. BRALEY