In the fall of 1967, I wanted to finish writing a novel I had been working on for several years. So I found a two-bedroom apartment to rent for a dollar a day on the Balearic Island of Menorca. Over the years, a number of things have happened to me, but I have always managed to return every year to Menorca.
The island lies 130 miles off the coast of Spain. It’s the northernmost island of the Balearic archipelago. Less than 32 miles long and only 9 miles wide, it has more than 365 sandy beaches, rocky coves, and tiny inlets. The abundance of warm blue water beaches is the island’s greatest but not its only attraction.
When I arrived in 1967 in the town of Mahon from Barcelona on a DC-3, there were only a few telephones and no televisions. It was a golden time, and I thought it might last forever – a small island in the Mediterranean overlooked by the hurricane rush of summer tourism. But of course, I was wrong. It was the last year before the island’s new airport opened for jets and package tours from other parts of Europe.
On that first evening, I walked from my small hotel through the tight, winding streets to the ridge that overlooked the harbor and thought for some odd reason that I had come home, although I had never seen such a beautiful sight before except in my fantasies.
Menorca. Photo by John Coyne.
Having grown up on a farm in the Midwest, it was overwhelming to have the Mediterranean within view, to see the sea and smell the water on the night breeze.
One of the great gifts of the island was that there was nothing to do but go to the beach in the late afternoon after starting the day in the Cafe Andalucia Bar (then call the American Bar) at the Place Reial in the center of Mahon. I would order café con leche and the sugar-dusted ensaimada pastry, read the International Herald Tribune, and watch the town slowly awaken in the morning sun.
Cafe Andalucia Bar in Menorca. Photo by John Coyne.
Menorca’s History
When I first arrived in Mahon, there were only three Americans living on the island. Menorca is not, however, without its own American history.
In the center of the harbor is Quarantine Island. It was leased at the beginning of the 19th century by the Mediterranean Squadron of the U.S. Navy, the forerunner of our present Sixth Fleet. For 26 years, Americans used Port Mahon as their fleet headquarters. Midshipmen were trained there until the Naval Academy opened at Annapolis in 1845.
Few Americans had even heard of it, though St. Augustine, Florida was first populated by indentured servants from Menorca. When the 1763 Treaty Paris ended the French and Indian War and control of Florida passed from Spain to Britain, a Scottish colonist, Dr Andrew Turnbull, decided to bring Greeks to Florida to farm his plantations.
He headed to Greece in 1767, but docked first in Menorca, which was under British possession. Next, he went to Italy, recruited 100 men, and dropped them off in Mahon before sailing to Greece. Returning to Menorca, he found that some of the Italian men had married Menorcan women. He brought those men and their new wives, as well as a few Menorcan families, to Florida.
Today, there’s a Menorcan Society in St. Augustine, and more than 35,000 descendants live in the city. The most famous descendant of these Menorcan indentured servants of Turnbull was our Civil War Admiral David Farragut. His father was from Mahon, and Farragut Square in Washington, D.C. is named after him.
Because of its deep harbor and the island’s strategic location, Menorca has been a prize in the Mediterranean through centuries of sea warfare, and each conquering army left something behind.
Lord Nelson sailed into the port of Mahón in 1799, arriving with a squadron and seizing the Golden Farm, a red-brick mansion with a classical portico that overlooked the harbor. There is documentation that Lord Nelson wrote part of his memoirs while on the island. The Golden Farm is still visible on the cliffs overlooking the city.
Talayotic site of Torre d’en Galmés on the island of Menorca. Photo by Eleatell.
Ancient Menorca
Menorca’s history, like that of all the Balearics, reaches back into prehistory, as is evidenced by the extraordinary number of well-preserved religious megaliths on the island. Bronze Age Celts erected megalithic monuments as complex as Stonehenge.
An ancient fort city, Mahon was built by the Carthaginians high up on steep cliffs, and parts of the former walled town remain. The town is full of Georgian townhouses and tight, narrow cobblestone streets that twist and turn through the hills, leading from one plaza to the next.
The word “Mahón” is actually a corruption of Portus Magonis, the name of Hannibal’s brother who spent the winter of 206 B.C. in Menorca. He was on his way from the Spanish mainland to Italy, bringing reinforcements to the Carthaginian armies.
More than 100 stone burial sites, altars, and astronomical observatories are scattered across the southern coast. The best example is on a backroad just beyond Binicalaf. You’ll see signs for it. Because of these ancient sites, I’ve often had the feeling of being in an open-air archaeological museum while driving along the southern coast of the island.
Among the best is Trepuco. This taula, one of the largest on the island, was excavated from 1928 to 1930 by scholars from Cambridge. It’s dated from around the mid-1st century B.C. The most spectacular ensemble of that era is the Talati de Dalt. This megalithic settlement has a taula, a talayot, and underground caves. The best-preserved talayot is the Torrellonet. See them all!
Across the length of the island – 45 minutes from Mahon – is Ciudadela, the second largest city and the ecclesiastical capital of Menorca. Ciudadela means fortress in Menorquin and was a Phoenician city. It has, however, some typical Catalan architecture from the 15th and 16th centuries, as well as Italian and English buildings of more recent vintage.
The city was constructed out of limestone and has a reserve about it that is reminiscent of an elderly, aristocratic Spanish woman.
While in Ciudadela, have a harbor-side lunch at Casa Manolo. Go early and make a reservation, as this outdoor restaurant is busy. Manolo is the perfect place for boiled crayfish, lobster, fried squid, mussels marinated in sherry, baked oysters or clams, and all sorts of grilled white fish.
For dessert (here and everywhere else on the island), there are Spanish fruits – oranges, lemons, or pineapple – all stuffed with orange, lemon, or pineapple ice cream.
Then, there’s Cala’n Porter, a British holiday location, which doesn’t have much to offer except for the discotheque, Cova d’en Xoroi, carved out of megalithic caves and clinging to the side of a cliff. Legend has it that the caves, perched high up on a steep cliff, were once the secret hideout of a Berber pirate who was washed ashore on Menorca.
He purportedly used the caves as a refuge, stole food, goods, and then a young girl who bore him children from the nearby town of Alayor. He was finally caught when the island experienced a rare snowfall, and armed farmers tracked him to the unknown caves, now the site of the discotheque.
Nearby is the town of Mercadal, which is at the foot of the highest spot on the island, Monte Torro (357m). This was once a monastery and has a breathtaking view of the entire island. The church itself is built in the Ionic-Byzantine style.
South of Mahn and beyond Es Castell is Sant Luis, a small village founded by the French. They were on Menorca for a short period in the 18th century. There are several white sand beaches there: Cala Alcaufar, Cala d’es Rafalet, and Punta Prima, all now surrounded by urbanization.
Modern Menorca. Photo by John Coyne.
Today’s Menorca
The capital, Mahón, only had a population of 25,000 when I first arrived in 1967 – half the island’s population. Today, more than 30,000 people live in the city, and 100,000 live full-time on the island.
From the air, Menorca lies open like your palm – smooth, pink, and crisscrossed with twisting and narrow roads that appear like so many lifelines. You also see the high-rise hotel complexes and sprawling urbanizations crowding the rocky coves and beaches, leaving the interior towns and farmlands looking empty.
Now, someone publishes a monthly English magazine for the island called Roqueta. There is a Masonic Lodge, a cricket team, and several clubs. The English love to retire on the island. There are endless summer package tours from Europe, a new golf course, windsurfing clubs, discos, crowded summer beaches, and expensive hotels. And the airport is even big enough to get lost in.
The island, like life itself, has lost some of its charm, especially around Mahon, but there are still many of the old ways to be found behind the high gloss of developments, and some of what is new is very good, like the network of paved roads.
You can wander aimlessly, accidentally discovering the eccentric collection of historical sights. In the Plaza Generalísimo Franco, for example, is the Baroque church of Santa María, built in 1748. Farther along a cobblestone side street is a section of the medieval stone fortification walls that were erected around Mahón during the reign of King Alfonso III, who conquered Menorca in 1287.
Most of the island, however, is still farmland. The gentle, rolling hills are dominated by large red-tile-and-whitewash houses built to overlook acres of green fields. The land is squared off with long walls of rock, cleared from the fields and built up through centuries of manual labor.
These walls stretch to all horizons in checkerboard fashion, and when you drive the narrow backroads, you feel caught in an endless maze until quite suddenly, bright blue water comes into view. Every road in Menorca leads to the sea.
Within 30 minutes of Mahon are dozens of beautiful rock coves, such as Cala Mitjana, where part of Lina Wertmuller’s Swept Away was filmed. For long stretches of sand, there’s Santo Tomas or Cala Santo Galdana, which can be crowded, or Son Bou with the whitest sand.
I favor coves or calas with their small beaches. They’re less crowded, and the coves form natural and deep swimming pools. While the larger beaches have bars, it isn’t difficult to pack a lunch and just step back after swimming into the shadow of pine trees that hover at the water’s edge. People linger until dusk at these beaches, as the Mediterranean summer evenings are long.
North of the island and at the other side of a high woodland road is the quiet village of Fornells and another waterside restaurant, Es Pla. It’s no ordinary restaurant. It was a favorite of King Carlos of Spain, who regularly visited it. The specialty here is calderate de langosta, a mountain of crustaceans toppling a bowl of lobster broth. Oh, and after lunch, take a tour of the nearby spectacular caves of Cavallería. Or perhaps, you may just want to stay home and sit by the pool. Either way, in Menorca, you’ll have a great time.
Born from the Union Stock Yards where cattle cars rumbled into the city like thunderheads, Chicago’s steakhouse tradition has evolved from feeding industrialists who built this city on beef into something far more sophisticated. Chicago’s carnivorous temples have gone full maximalist, creating signature dishes so showstopping they’d make the original meatpacking magnates clutch their suspenders.
At Chicago steakhouses in 2025, it’s not enough anymore to simply serve a perfect tomahawk with a side of creamed spinach. The new guard is creating signature dishes so distinctive, so unmistakably tied to their kitchens, that they’ve become the culinary equivalent of a passport stamp. Today’s steakhouse innovators are crafting their own “you can’t get this anywhere else” moments.
The Alston: French Technique Meets Midwestern Swagger
Chef Jenner Tomaska brings Michelin-starred finesse to the Gold Coast’s The Alston, where tableside Duck à la Presse carved with theatrical flourish makes you feel like you’ve stumbled into 1920s Paris but with views of historic Holy Name Cathedral. Another conversation starter here is the “Elegant Smash Burger” made with clothbound cheddar, shallot marmalade, and bone marrow.
The Duck a la Presse is Chef Jenner’s signature dish at The Alston. It’s carved tableside, and all sauces are prepared and cooked in front of guests at the table for an interactive dining experience. Photo courtesy of The Alston.
More intriguing still are the Pomme Purée Frites, which provide a refined, creative twist to traditional French fries. Roasted potatoes are whipped with fat and seasonings, then extruded and fried, creating long, crisp fries with a creamy, almost mochi-like texture inside. They somehow taste like both the best French fries and the most luxurious mashed potatoes you’ve ever had.
Also, don’t sleep on the expansive caviar list on the menu, both at the bar and in the dining room.
El Che: Argentina Meets the West Loop
Executive Chef John Manion’s homage to Argentina at El Che Steakhouse & Bar features traditional backyard barbecues with platters of rustic flame-finished grilled beef, but with distinctly Chicago touches. The steak frites comes with tangy, garlicky chimichurri and beef fat fries, while grilled oysters topped with chorizo butter, lemon zest, fried garlic, and house hot sauce represent an inspired mashup that really works.
The restaurant’s 12-foot custom grill serves as both cooking method and theatrical centerpiece, turning the preparation of steak and seafood into must-watch entertainment. Order bone marrow that is flame-grilled, topped with gremolata and horseradish, and served with ciabatta, followed by the whole Branzino festooned with fermented chili aioli, jalapeño, mango hot sauce, and peanuts.
El Che’s bone marrow and whole Branzino. Photo courtesy of El Che.
Another must-order here is the sweetbreads appetizer which is milk-brined, roasted, finished on the hearth, and served with charred Lemon and salsa criolla. Feeling lucky? Go for the “Leap of Faith,” and Chef will personalize a dinner menu just for you. El Che is the place for South American asado style beef and seafood.
MJ’s Magnificent Mile Masterpiece
Despite well-earned skepticism that comes with celebrity-branded restaurants (where fame often substitutes for flavor), Michael Jordan’s Steak House transcends the typical vanity project trap by delivering genuinely exceptional food. And you’re in Chicago Bulls country, so it all fits very nicely.
It remains the undisputed champion of over-the-top indulgence with its legendary 23-layer chocolate cake that requires two days to make, featuring 23 layers of alternating cake and ganache with a final ganache layer on top.
Michael Jordan’s Steak House’s 23-layer chocolate cake. Photo by Jacky Runice.
Located in the InterContinental Hotel on the Magnificent Mile, this isn’t just dinner; it’s a full-court press of indulgence. For a slam-dunk of comfort, order the flight of mashed potatoes, featuring three different varieties like blue crab with miso butter, goat cheese, and charred leek butter with roasted garlic.
The mashed potato flight at Michael Jordan’s Steak House. Photo by Jacky Runice.
Can’t decide? How about sharing the Legendary Steak Flight featuring Wagyu NY Strip 8oz, Filet Mignon 10oz, Prime New York Strip 14oz, lobster tail, and garlic shrimp.
A Proper Sunday British Roast in Chi-town
Hawksmoor Chicago, an award-winning steak restaurant from London, and now in the steak capital of the world, has a simple winning formula: the best beef + salt + charcoal. You can dine on award-winning steak and seafood all week, but stop by on Sunday for a proper Sunday British Roast.
Hawksmoor’s Sunday British Roast. Photo by Jacky Runice.
It features dry-aged beef rump, beef-dripping roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, roasted carrots, buttered seasonal greens, and bone marrow gravy. Yorkshire Pudding Sloppy Joes are a crossover of London tradition with Midwest nostalgia: beef-dripping mince and horseradish cream served with mini Yorkshire puddings for dipping and scooping.
Sticky Toffee Pudding at Hawksmoor. Photo by Jacky Runice.
For dessert, go for authentic Sticky Toffee Pudding or The Atomic Sundae, which is Inspired by Chicago’s iconic South Side Atomic Cake. This sundae has a dozen components: chocolate cake, yellow cake, banana cake, fresh strawberries, fresh banana slices, vanilla custard, strawberry jam, roasted banana ice cream, hot fudge, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and bruleed banana. You’ll want Mary Poppins to tuck you into bed after that one!
The Atomic Sundae at Hawksmoor. Photo courtesy of Hawksmoor.
The Art of Beef: Omakase Goes Carnivore
For those of us who aren’t up for a chew session with a sizable steak, yet still covet a beefy Chicago experience, make a reservation at Bonyeon, Chicago’s first beef omakase experience. It’s a 12-course, 2.5-hour journey through different cuts of beef with Korean influences.
The beef omakase awaits at Boneyon. Photo by Jacky Runice.
Expect unique preparations like a perfect slice of ribeye with smoked eggplant and black garlic jus or tenderloin with bone marrow miso, mushroom, and heart of palm.
Size Matters: Perry’s Seven-Finger Spectacle
The mammoth seven-finger-high Famous Pork Chop at Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille is measured like butchers did back in the day. The massive chop is rubbed with secret seasonings, cured, roasted, slow-smoked, caramelized, and carved tableside into three sections (the eye, the rib, and the tenderloin).
It has earned dozens of awards from Wine Spectator to “Eat This Not That” for their Prime rib.
The seven-finger-high Famous Pork Chop at Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille. Photo courtesy of Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille.
Sophia Steak: Bringing Subtlety to the Steakhouse Game
At Sophia Steak, the Steak Sophia represents a more refined approach to steakhouse signatures: a 10-ounce peppercorn-crusted flatiron with roasted mushrooms that proves you don’t need to be the biggest or boldest to be memorable. (See the flatiron photo at top.)
Crispy Lobster & Shishitos at Sophia Steak. Photo courtesy of Sophia Steak.
Fin-atics go for Crispy Lobster & Shishitos, a creative appetizer that pairs lobster with shishito peppers. Show up on a Tuesday for Angry Lobster Spaghetti (a spicy lobster pasta with bold flavors and a hint of chili heat); Saturday for 16oz Prime Rib with horseradish cream; and Sunday for a homey platter of fried chicken and cornbread.
The Global Fusion Revolution
Opening in late August 2025, Adalina Prime promises to upend everything with seafood towers topped with spicy tteokbokki rice cakes, a nod to Chef Soo Ahn’s favorite Korean street food. The Top Chef contestant understands that modern diners want both tradition and innovation on the same plate (hello, Korean cheesy corn with lobster and cacio e pepe spinach).
But there’s also a global selection of beef, including premium cuts from Australian Wagyu farms, renowned Japanese prefectures, and locally sourced Wagyu from Illinois’ Miller Wagyu Ranch. The team is working on off-menu surprises like phylo dough pastries with Mediterranean flair, cotton candy service, and interactive elements like the tableside “salt library.”
The New Chicago Steakhouse DNA
These chefs understand that in a city built on beef, standing out requires more than perfect technique. So they deliver the kind of creativity that turns dinner into conversation – the meal people text their friends about and the dishes that make reservations suddenly worth the wait.
The stockyard magnates who built this town on beef might not recognize these temples to carnivorous creativity, but they’d certainly appreciate the ambition.
As I begin to write this, it has only been a couple of days since I returned home from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, and so far, I’m still high. I don’t often write in such superlative terms, but wow, what an experience!
First of all, Churchill is like no other place I’ve visited, and I’ve seen more of the globe than most people, including some remote areas. This subarctic town has a population of 600-800 depending on the time of year since a lot of people are there just to work during the tourist seasons. So it’s tiny with just a couple of restaurants and hotels. The main store sells just about everything from all-terrain vehicles, to toiletries, to clothing, to food.
Churchill. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The word “unique” is no exaggeration when you describe Churchill; it’s simply a fact. Three ecosystems converge there – arctic marine, arctic tundra, and boreal forest. The world’s most accessible population of polar bears calls this area home, and the Hudson Bay (an inland marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean) is home to thousands of beluga whales in summer, who arrive to breed. The town also gets about 300 nights of northern lights throughout the year.
There are trees, especially in the boreal forest, but in other areas, the trees just dot the terrain here and there, making it look quite barren. Many are what they call “flag trees” because the arctic wind sends the branches pointing toward the side opposite the Bay, leaving the side nearest the Bay completely bare.
Because of the topography and climate, it’s very difficult to grow food without a greenhouse. So most food and other goods have to be brought to the area, which means the prices are sky high. We were told a box of cereal might cost in the neighborhood of $14 Canadian.
A bald eagle in Churchill. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Despite what looks barren, the area is teeming with life. There are more than 500 varieties of plants, as well as lots of animals and insects, such as hares, foxes, caribou, moose, lynx, muskrats, wolves, weasels, small mammals, numerous species of birds, and voracious mosquitos (be sure to take repellent). It’s also the only part of the world where polar bears, grizzly bears, and black bears can all be seen, although the latter two species aren’t seen frequently.
Of course, Churchill is most famous for its polar bears, but the belugas are starting to become more well-known – as they should. I went primarily for the belugas, as summer is when they travel to the region, while fall is the best time to see polar bears. I arrived with the hope of seeing a polar bear, but no expectation of it. More on this in a moment, but spoiler alert: I saw SIX polar bears!
I struggled to get truly good photos of the belugas, but you can see here how close they were. The figures that look green under water are more whales. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
How many belugas did I see? Far too many to count. They are everywhere in the Bay, and what’s most fun about them is that they actually enjoy approaching boats and zodiacs for their own people-watching adventure.
Belugas under the water in Hudson Bay. if you go, try to take an underwater camera, which I regret I didn’t do. Photo by and courtesy of Mark Dunsmuir.
For my journey, I joined a group of about 13 people with an itinerary planned by Frontiers North Adventures, led by our trusty guide, Mark Dunsmuir from Toronto, who is an accomplished photographer and a leader of groups in Antarctica as well. The summer tour is called “Belugas, Bears, and Blooms” because of the bright fuchsia fireweed that grows in abundance in Churchill during this time of year. It’s named fireweed, not because of its color, but because it’s the first flower to bloom after a natural fire.
The beautiful fireweed in Churchill. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Our first day, we set out in a small boat captained by Remi of Sea North Tours and quickly spotted the backs of the white belugas as they swam through the water. We were promised that the boat is incapable of hurting the whales no matter how close they approach, and approach they did!
The Sea North Tours boat. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Their forms look green under the water, but the adults are shiny white, while the young ones are gray. The younger they are, the darker gray they are, which makes it easy to spot the “teenagers” in a lighter gray color.
Three adult beluga whales swim in unison. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Belugas are called the “canaries” of whale species because they’re the most vocal singers of all of them. While we were on the water, a microphone was placed below so that we could hear them. It was an incredible sound – so many of them vocalizing, purportedly talking about us just as we were talking about them.
The second day, we went out on the bay again, but this time in a zodiac, which brought us closer to the whales. They came to us, and it was spectacular as we spent a couple of hours with them.
The polar bear we saw swimming in the Bay. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
As luck would have it, that was also the night we saw our first polar bear. It was swimming in the Bay in the distance in the early evening. We could just make it out with the naked eye, but my 250mm zoom lens was really no match for how far away we were. Still, it was a thrill to see the bear frolicking in the water, occasionally floating on his back with a couple of gigantic paws in the air.
He also dove and dipped his face into the water, supposedly looking at the belugas swimming near him (a little whale watching for him, too?) Mark Dunsmuir told us this is unusual behavior, as bears can’t easily catch a beluga for a meal. Bears are fast, but they don’t have the agility of these whales. This bear was overconfident, so he thought he’d give it a go.
For their part, the belugas swam near the bear in what our zodiac guide thought was an effort to push him out of the water and onto shore so that he would truly be no threat to their babies. Mr. Bear didn’t seem to care, however, as he was happy to continue his swim. It was a hot day, after all.
Tundra buggy #9. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
I assumed that would be the only polar bear I saw during my visit to Churchill, but our last day in the Frontiers North tundra buggy brought us five more on land. A tundra buggy is a big bus with gigantic wheels and heavy windows that can drive over all kinds of terrain.
The beautiful tundra. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
We spent six hours on the vast tundra that seemed to go on forever in all directions, as we drove over rocks and through shallow water. It was a bumpy but exquisite ride. We stopped when we saw something interesting and opened the windows for better pictures or went out the door to the back, where there was a small raised viewing area.
At first, I thought, “Six hours on the tundra? Isn’t that going to get boring?” Nope! It wasn’t boring at all. I was content just looking out at the land and spotting birds here and there. Our first polar bear on the tundra was alone and easy to see from our vehicle. He was far enough away not to be a threat but close enough to get decent photos of him with my zoom lens. He’s the one pictured at top. Absolute heaven!
Of course, if you visit during the fall when the polar bears are more easily seen, it isn’t unusual for them to approach the tundra buggies and even stand on their hind legs to look in the windows. Hence, the heavy glass.
Why are polar bears easier to see in fall and winter? The ice melts completely in summer in Hudson Bay, so they’re forced ashore, where they cease hunting and have to live on the fat they have accumulated during the winter. It’s a “walking hibernation” for 3-4 months. Once the ice refreezes, the bears take to the water and begin hunting again. They are technically marine mammals, after all.
We saw polar bear tracks from our tundra buggy. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Later while on the tundra buggy, we saw another lone male bear in the distance at the same time that we saw a mother with two cubs on the other side of our view. We assumed they would avoid each other, but suddenly, they seemed to be moving in each other’s direction. Since male bears sometimes eat cubs, we became very concerned.
The mother polar bear and two cubs. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
But the mother bear seemed to let the male know via her posture that he should back off, and as a result, he passed by them and kept walking. We were all immensely relieved. We were also told this was unusual behavior to observe. How lucky were we to see rare polar bear behaviors in two instances during our visit?
Nevertheless, the week after we were in town, Mark’s new group was treated to a mother and two cubs right next to their tundra buggy. (Yes, I’m jealous, and it makes me want to head back there right now.)
Now, if you’re lucky, you’ll get Jim Baldwin when you head out on the tundra, who drives buggy #9. He’s a true animal lover who is knowledgeable about all the flora and fauna, and he knows well how to maneuver the big buggy on the difficult terrain. He’ll also regale you with many colorful stories about his experiences in Churchill. (Ask him about the time he lost his wallet on the tundra.)
By the way, polar bears are serious business in Churchill, and I’m not talking about the tourism business they drum up (although that’s serious business, too). What I’m talking about is the danger of living in such close proximity to powerful predators.
One of the first things we were told was to yell “bear” or “bus” the moment we saw a bear. This would alert everyone to calmly but quickly get back on our bus. Running, however, is a bad idea because that signals to the bear that you’re prey. (In other words, don’t do it in spite of the obvious impulse.)
Before we could get out of the bus at any location, someone had to scout the place for bears. We were also told to be careful where we walked while in town and to avoid any alleyways because the bears like to hide – and for such a large animal, they’re surprisingly good at it. Since the bears are especially likely to be in town at night, there’s an alarm that goes off every evening at 10:00 p.m. to remind people to be careful … or better yet, hunker down inside with the doors locked.
One of the many warning signs in Churchill. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
In other words, Churchill is a terrible place to get drunk and forget what you’re doing. Incidentally, grizzly bears are supposed to be more aggressive, but they aren’t known to stalk people. Polar bears do stalk people.
The polar bear holding facility. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A polar bear trap. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
While we didn’t see it, a polar bear did meander into town during the week we were there, and it had to be trapped and taken to polar bear “jail,” or more sweetly called “holding facility.” The bears can then be relocated in the traps to places farther away from people. The town takes great pride in taking care of both its bears and its humans (as well as its whales).
The bear guard at Prince of Wales Fort. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
For that reason, “bear guard” is a legit job in this place. We visited the 250-year-old Prince of Wales Fort, where there was a guy in an all-terrain vehicle sitting on a hill with the job of “bear guard.” He was to just sit there, watch for bears, and alert the guides to get everybody the hell out of there, if necessary. Put that on your city resume!
Prince of Wales Fort. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Despite Churchill’s diminutive size, there is more to see and do than just view wild animals. You can ride in a dog sled in the snow or a dog cart in the summer. Unfortunately, the day we were to do this was a particularly hot day that was also smoky from the wildfires down south.
It was unsafe for the dogs to pull us in those conditions, so instead, we got an informative talk at Wapusk Adventures from Dave Daley, a Churchill native who is also a longtime dog musher. He has more than 40 dogs, who are mostly husky mixes. Dave had lots of stories about long treacherous races while running his dogs in subzero temperatures, and it was clear he’s passionate about his dogs and his work as a musher.
A banner commemorating one of Dave Daley’s races. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
After his talk, we went outside and spent some time playing with the dogs, who were excited to have so much company. Dave is part of the Métis (pronounced may’-tee) indigenous group from the area. The indigenous groups in Churchill make up almost 70 percent of the small population and also include the Cree, Sayisi Dene (pronounced den’-ay), and Inuit.
Also on our itinerary was a visit to the Itsanitaq Museum, which houses 1,300 historical Inuit artifacts, and a talk one evening by Florence Hamilton, a local Churchillian and proud Sayisi Dene woman. She told us about the harsh treatment of her people by the Canadian government in the not too distant past.
The Itsanitaq Museum. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
We also learned about polar bears at the Polar Bears International interpretive centre and listened to another talk about the region at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre. We stopped at many of the murals in town, too. A mural festival was held in Churchill in 2017, attracting many of the world’s most well-known muralists.
A polar bear pelt compared to a black bear pelt at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Also serving as a canvas was a crashed airplane nicknamed “Miss Piggy.” It crashed in the area in 1979. Luckily everyone survived, and it’s now a famous site to visit in Churchill that was painted during the mural festival.
The Miss Piggy plane crash. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The best-known muralist in the region, however, is Kal Barteski, who specializes in murals of the animals that call Churchill home. She lives in Winnipeg and has painted many garage doors on a particular back alley in the city. It’s a must-see while in Winnipeg. As luck would have it, Kal was painting a mural while we were in Churchill, so we had a chance to say hello to her.
A mural in Churchill paying tribute to a child who drowned in the Bay. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Besides the plane crash in town, there’s a shipwreck in Hudson Bay called the SS Ithaca. It’s a steam freighter that wrecked in 1960.
The SS Ithaca shipwreck. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
I’m not a small town person, but I admit I fell in love with Churchill. Everyone we met was exceedingly friendly and welcoming, and all of our guides and lecturers were filled with personality and charm, including our bus driver, Tim (originally from Newfoundland), who kept us laughing every day.
You’ll also discover that most people in town hold 4 or 5 jobs. The guy who gave us an informative talk one day was the grandson of Dave Daley from Wapusk Adventures, while a guy who manned one of the zodiacs is also an electrician, and the 13-year-old who helped on our boat was also at the cash register of one of the stores.
You won’t find any luxury hotels in Churchill, but we stayed at the Tundra Inn, which was lovely and comfortable. Unless you absolutely require butler service, I don’t think you would be disappointed. Despite only two restaurants in town, the food was surprisingly good. And with so few places to eat, you’ll quickly be on a first name basis with your servers. After hours, have a drink at the Tundra Pub across the street from the Inn.
I recommend Churchill and Frontiers North wholeheartedly. When we label a journey a “trip of a lifetime,” this is exactly what we’re talking about. I may just have to return there at some point, and if you can, I urge you to go and experience this magical place for yourself.
This autumn, there will be lots of film and TV stars doing plays and musicals on and off Broadway. Here are the ones you can see if you visit NYC:
Tom Hanks. This is probably the biggest star to grace the season, but Hanks won’t be on Broadway. He’ll be at a relatively new Off-Broadway venue called The Shed in a play he co-wrote with James Glossman called This World of Tomorrow. Broadway star Kelli O’Hara will appear opposite Hanks.
Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter. This duo from the Bill & Ted movies is heading to Broadway in the classic Samuel Beckett play, Waiting for Godot.Most triumphant!
Stephen Schwartz and Kristin Chenoweth. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Kristin Chenoweth and F. Murray Abraham come together for Stephen Schwartz’s new musical, The Queen of Versailles on Broadway. I have high hopes for this one!
Neil Patrick Harris, Bobby Cannavale, and James Corden. All three of these actors are seasoned theater performers. They’ll come together on Broadway for a revival of the play, Art, by Yasmina Reza.
Michelle Williams and Mike Faist will star in Eugene O’Neill’s classic, Anna Christie, Off-Broadway in Brooklyn at St. Ann’s Warehouse, a lovely venue with a view of the Brooklyn Bridge just outside its doors. Faist is a Tony nominee who was head of the Jets in the recent remake of West Side Story and also starred in the film, Challengers.
Mike Faist. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Mark Strong of The Penguin and Lesley Manville of The Crown. These two will bring their Olivier Award-winning production of Oedipus to Broadway.
Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, will take on the adult Draco character in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway.
Oscar nominee Ariana DeBoseand Scott Bakula. The pair will star in Stephen Schwartz’s musical, The Baker’s Wife, at Off-Broadway’s Classic Stage Company. This is a small venue, where every seat is a good one that will give you an excellent view of the stars.
Ariana DeBose. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Aubrey Plaza of White Lotus fame will star opposite Chris Bauer of True Blood in Oscar winner Ethan Coen’s new play, Let’s Love, at Off-Broadway’s Atlantic Theater Company.
Laurie Metcalf will return to Broadway in the play, Little Bear Ridge Road, by Samuel D. Hunter. She will star opposite Micah Stock of the series Bonding and Kindred.
Matthew Broderick and David Cross. Broderick is a frequent theater performer, both on and off Broadway. This time, he’ll star with Cross in an adaptation of Moliere’s classic, Tartuffe, by Lucas Hnath at Off-Broadway’s New York Theatre Workshop.
Lea Michele and Aaron Tveit. You’ll remember Lea Michele from Glee and Aaron Tveit from Schmigadoon. They’ll appear in a revival of the musical, Chess, on Broadway. They’ll be joined by Broadway star Nicholas Christopher.
Kevin McHale, also of Glee, will lead an Off-Broadway revival of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
Michael Urie, Kumail Nanjiani, and Jinx Monsoon. These three are already on stage in the hit play, Oh, Mary! on Broadway. You’ll remember Emmy nominee Urie from Ugly Betty and Shrinking. He’s a frequent theater performer. Nanjiani is best known for The Big Sick, and Monsoon is known for RuPaul’s Drag Race and the recent Broadway production of Pirates!
Leslie Odom, Jr. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Leslie Odom, Jr., an Oscar nominee, returns to Hamilton for a limited engagement as Aaron Burr once again.
Jonathan Groff, speaking of Hamilton (he played King George in the original cast), is currently playing Bobby Darin in the new Broadway jukebox musical, Just In Time, and having seen it, I can personally say that he’s tearing it up. You’ll smile from start to finish. Jonathan starred in TV’s Looking, Glee, and Mindhunter, as well as the recent film, A Nice Indian Boy. That makes three Glee alums on NYC stages this fall.
In 1998, Yè Shanghai opened in Pacific Place, and a new taste was born in Hong Kong. This Elite Concepts restaurant earned acclaim for its distinctive cuisine and stylish ambiance. Elite Concepts is now operating four Yè Shanghai high-end restaurants in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Kowloon, and Taipei.
The Hong Kong location has one Michelin star. Plus, there are other venues by Elite Concepts in Wan Chai, Central, and Tsim Sha Tsui Kowloon featuring Sichuanese dishes.
The entrance to Yè Shanghai. Photo by Nick Ross.
The food is on the pricey side, but definitely worth a visit. If you’re overwhelmed by the menu choices, go for the table d’hôte menu, as it contains a little of everything from the Yangtze River Delta region. Everything is cooked with impeccable technique, which means braising, roasting, flash-frying and steaming.
Yè Shanghai literally means “Shanghai Nights.” You could eat like a Chinese emperor at any of the Yè Shanghai establishments. The food is authentically Shanghainese with freshwater crabs and an assortment of other regional favorites – a contemporary interpretation of classic dishes from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. The xiaolongbao is absolutely delicious.
Drunken shrimp. Photo by Nick Ross.
Those who have visited Yè Shanghai venues in Hong Kong have sampled some of the renowned cold Shanghainese dishes that make such excellent starters: drunken shrimp, smoked pomfret, and bean Jelly with cucumber, just to name three. There are also tangy sun-dried seafood dishes, succulent meat and poultry offerings, and superb crispy rice and noodle creations.
Fried fish at Yè Shanghai. Photo by Nick Ross.
A live seafood selection is also featured on the menu. Guests can order their fish or seafood live, as it’s a regular Hong Kong practice, and have it cooked in a variety of ways – steamed, braised, or sautéed with garlic.
The crispy Cantonese roast duck skin is to die for. Definitely not a Shanghai dish, but wow, it’s spectacular!
Other Elite Concepts restaurants in Kowloon feature Sichuan cuisine with a wide array of intricate flavor elements, not just the familiar mouth-numbing sensations. Sichuanese food is considered one of the eight great cuisines of China and is unique, as chefs there are constantly playing with flavors.
The Ants Climbing a Tree dish. Photo by Nick Ross.
Ants Climbing A Tree is a classic Sichuanese Dish, so called because the dish has bits of minced meat clinging to glass noodles, evoking an image of ants walking on twigs. The dish consists of minced meat, cooked in a Chilly Bean Paste sauce, over bean thread noodles.
You can’t go wrong at any of these restaurants, so be sure to try them when you’re in these Asian cities.
Grand Canyon fires. The fires continue to rage in the Grand Canyon and have grown into what’s called a “mega-fire” and the largest fire in the U.S. this year.
New Amtrak high-speed trains. The NextGen Acela high-speed trains will launch August 28th between Washington, D.C., New York City, and Boston. They’ll have expanded schedules and 27% more seats.
Fast train. Photo by StockSnap.
Renovated United Airlines lounge. The United Club in Denver’s airport B West concourse has been renovated, and word is that the 33,000-square-foot space is impressive.
Venice Garden. The Convent Garden of the Redeemer on Venice’s Giudecca Island is open to the public for the first time in its 500-year history. You will need to get tickets in advance, and it can only be reached via water taxi.
Spirit Airlines going under? Apparently, the airline says its financial situation is so dire that it probably won’t make it another year.
U.S. to withdraw from UNESCO. The Trump Administration has announced that at the end of next year, it will withdraw from UNESCO, which means the 26 World Heritage sites in the U.S., such as the Grand Canyon and the Statue of Liberty, will no longer be on the list.
The Statue of Liberty. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Worst airport for luggage handling. According to Arka, Miami International Airport is the worst airport in the world in terms of luggage handling. It loses 306 bags for every million flights.
Royal Caribbean accident. A glass panel broke off of a water slide early this month on a Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas cruise liner. One passenger was apparently injured when they fell out of the slide.
No more passport stamps? Well, at least in nearly 30 countries within the EU when they do a gradual phase-in of biometric and electronic border entry starting October 12th of this year.
Passport stamps. (Stock photo.)
AI for flight pricing? Delta Air Lines has started using AI to determine some prices for flights and wants to do this more, but consumer groups are, justifiably, very concerned. We’ll watch this story carefully.
AI for car rental checks? Speaking of AI, some car rental companies are also using it to check for damage when rental cars are returned. At the same time, some are tacking on a charge to make renters pay for the AI “service.” Honestly, I’ve heard so many rental car horror stories that it seems wise to try to avoid it entirely if you can.
Another Airbnb nightmare story. An Airbnb guest in NYC alleges that her host manipulated photos of the property to make it look like the guest damaged the apartment. ALWAYS TAKE PHOTOS OF HOTEL ROOMS, RENTAL PROPERTIES, AND RENTAL CARS BEFORE YOU LEAVE OR TURN THEM IN!
TSA Pre-Check for families.Read about the new savings and perks for families who get TSA Pre-Check in the U.S.
Turnstiles in the Italian Dolomites? Local farmers in the mountains of Italy have become so fed up with the long lines of people wanting photos of Instagrammable spots that they’ve installed turnstiles in some places that charge 5 Euros per entry. These include the Seceda and Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) mountain ranges.
Lisbon, Portugal. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Airport staff strikes in Portugal may disrupt travel. If you’re traveling to Portugal in August, you might experience airline cancellations or delays due to an airport staff strike. Spain is bracing for the same.
Two planes clip wings on the ground in Manchester. Flights were suspended briefly in the Manchester, England airport when two easyJet planes collided and clipped wings on August 8th. Passengers were on board, but no one was injured.
New terminal in Miami airport. The company, Private Suite or PS, is restoring the former Pan Am building from the 1960s in Miami airport, turning it into a luxe lounge space. This could be fun!
Hotel employee tries to enter a teenager’s room. In South Carolina, a hotel employee was accused of putting a long wire under the door of a teen’s room to try to loop it around the door knob and enter. Always be sure to use the chain or latch on your hotel room doors!
The jaguar has long held a mystical and magical presence in American folklore and the spiritual realm, particularly with various cultures and indigenous tribes like the Maya and Aztec. Sightings are rare, but the symbolic power attributed to this elusive creature generally denotes power, wisdom, strength, and even good fortune.
Native to the Americas, the jaguar once roamed from the southwestern United States to the Amazon basin and the Rio Negro of Argentina. Designated as “Near Threatened” by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, it is the largest cat in the Americas. Today, the rainforests of the Amazon and the Pantanal wetlands in Brazil have the largest concentrations.
However, don’t expect jaguar sightings in the Amazon basin rainforests. I have known several wildlife guides working in the region for the last 20 years, and most admit to only seeing pawprints. High canopy, dense vegetation, and nocturnal hunting are some of the reasons why the jaguar remains elusive.
Fortunately, the Pantanal is different. It’s the world’s largest tropical wetlands covering 42 million acres with the bulk in Brazil. They have the world’s greatest concentration of jaguars, with an estimated 5,000 count.
Sightings are easier because the trees and shrubbery are more open in the Pantanal, and the canopy is much lower. The other unique factor is that even though jaguars are generally nocturnal, the ones living in the Pantanal have adapted differently to their environment. As a result, they are active and hunt throughout the day.
A sunset in the Pantanal. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
During the dry season (considered to be June-October), water levels are lower and sightings of jaguars drinking from the river increase substantially. Furthermore, narrow tributaries translate into closer sightings of these big cats on the riverbanks.
In the Pantanal, SouthWild guarantees you will have sightings of jaguars, or they will refund your tour money. But it’s just not jaguars you will see on your adventure. Expect to see caiman, capybara, river otters, birds, anteaters, and over 800 species of birds. And you might even see ocelots and tapirs – both nocturnal animals.
I spent a week with Aaron’s Photo Tours on a boat tour, receiving expert technical guidance and strategic positioning for getting not just photographs of the jaguar – but great photos.
In fact, on our first afternoon on safari, we found two jaguars in the late afternoon golden light. It was a wonderful start to an epic jaguar safari. The following is a sampling of some of the many photographs I captured during my week in Brazil.
The jaguar is the third largest cat in the world. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.The jaguar is the only big cat found in the Americas. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.The spots on the jaguar are different from those of a leopard. The difference is that jaguars have spots within their spots, while leopards don’t. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.Jaguars are solitary creatures, but their bite is the most powerful of any of the big cats. In fact, they can easily bite through a caiman’s skull. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.Having disappeared from many places it used to inhabit in North and Central America, the jaguar is listed as Near Threatened. The Pantanal is one of the last remaining habitats for the jaguar. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.Just like lions and tigers, jaguars can roar. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.A mother jaguar rests with her cub during the heat of the day. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.Another cat in the Pantanal is the ocelot. Nocturnal, it’s also solitary and territorial. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.Caiman are a primary food for the jaguar. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.Caiman can be aggressive and nervous. They can also reach lengths of 6.5 to 8 feet. Photo by Karin Leperi Pezo.
While traveling through the French West Indies, my final night in St. Martin culminated in one of my most memorable dining experiences at Le Pressoir in Grand Case. (See my review of Grand Case Beach Club.)
Entering the beautifully restored 1871 Creole house that is Le Pressoir, the building itself set the tone before I even saw the menu. It exuded an elegant charm with weathered white shutters, soft porch lights, and an interior that felt both cozy and sophisticated.
The exterior of Le Pressoir. Photo by Sebastian Price.
The walls echoed with history, yet the atmosphere was anything but stuffy. Think smart casual with just the right mix of refinement and warmth.
The elegant character suggested by the weathered shutters and soft porch lights continued into the interior, which was warm and inviting, softly lit, and thoughtfully laid out. Tables were spaced to create intimate pockets of privacy – a detail that I fully appreciated.
The lighting, dim enough for ambiance but bright enough to admire each artfully presented plate, perfectly balanced form and function. A lively energy filled the room with conversation, the occasional pop of champagne, and the quiet rhythm of a team that knew precisely what they were doing.
The warm glow of the lights and the gentle hum of conversation created the perfect backdrop for exploring the menu. The seven course tasting menu was my choice, sensing it was the definitive way to immerse myself in the chef’s world.
Though the individual dishes on the à la carte menu sounded equally enticing, the promise of a curated progression of flavors and techniques was simply irresistible. It was a choice that would undoubtedly elevate the evening into an extraordinary culinary adventure.
The choice of the tasting menu allowed the opportunity to fully appreciate the expertise of Le Pressoir’s Chef Jerome Droingt. Hailing from Marseille, Chef Droingt masterfully weaves his Mediterranean heritage into each dish, yet always with a thoughtful integration of vibrant Caribbean ingredients and flavors.
The result is a cuisine that feels wonderfully fresh and distinctly local, without ever losing touch with its refined French culinary roots. Each course became a testament to his balanced approach, where his innovation met tradition in a symphony of flavors.
The initial standout was the marinated raw wahoo – a delicate, silky creation where a subtle truffle cream enhanced rather than overshadowed the fish’s fresh purity. Tiny, bright yuzu pearls provided just the right zing, inviting a pause after the first bite to fully savor the harmonious flavors.
This exquisite start paved the way for the next revelation – a rich lobster and Cirik crab bisque, ceremoniously poured tableside over delicate, handmade ravioli filled with succulent river prawns, and crowned with a dollop of Oscietre caviar. Deeply flavorful yet surprisingly light, the bisque found its perfect counterpoint in a luxurious burst of caviar – a dish that was truly exceptional without any hint of pretension.
Presentation is also special at Le Pressoir. Photo by Sebastian Price.
The experience reached its zenith with the lobster medallion. This opulent dish showcased the chef’s skill with an intensely rich, subtly briny urchin cream sauce, perfectly balanced by delicate shavings of black lemon. It was a single, sublime bite that encapsulated the very essence of the sea.
The brilliance of each course was beautifully complemented by the thoughtful wine pairings. The lobster and Cirik crab bisque, for instance, found its perfect partner in a crisp, clean Premier Cru Chablis, which enhanced its freshness without overwhelming its subtle flavors.
Then, with the luxurious lobster medallion and its rich cream sauce, a vibrant brut Champagne arrived. Its fine bubbles and bright acidity provided a delightful contrast that cleansed the palate beautifully. These weren’t merely pours. The exquisite harmony between food and wine revealed the sommelier’s deliberate hand, perfectly attuned to enhancing each culinary creation.
The staff at Le Pressoir played an equally vital role in shaping my unforgettable evening. They embodied relaxed professionalism – friendly and attentive without ever becoming overbearing. The server, in particular, demonstrated an impressive knowledge of the menu, answering every question with ease and enthusiasm while ensuring that my companion and I felt comfortable and well-informed.
It was clear that each team member genuinely invested in creating a truly enjoyable and memorable time for us during this special evening.
Ultimately, it would appear that Le Pressoir’s enduring success stems from its unwavering commitment to what truly matters – exceptional food, a meticulously crafted atmosphere, and a team that genuinely cares about their guests’ experience. It transcends fleeting trends and flashy gimmicks.
This thoughtful approach created an ideal setting. Witnessing tables filled with couples celebrating anniversaries and groups immersed in joyful conversation, it was clear that everyone present was utterly content, drawn in by the restaurant’s authentic charm.
Given the harmonious blend of ambiance, service, and culinary artistry, the investment in a meal at Le Pressoir feels less like an expense and more like an indulgence in something truly worthwhile. This isn’t just a high-end restaurant; it’s a place that deeply understands what constitutes a magnificent dining experience – imaginative cuisine crafted from the finest ingredients, an immaculately designed setting, and a team whose dedication shines through in every interaction.
As the evening drew to a close, lingering over a final sip of wine and a thoughtful surprise of chocolate, the realization struck me: plans for a return visit were already taking shape. Le Pressoir isn’t just a meal; it’s an event – a celebration of culinary artistry and warm hospitality that transcends the ordinary and justifies its premium.
If your travels take you to St. Martin, particularly the French side, treat yourself to this experience. Whether sharing it with someone special or indulging in a personal moment of luxury, Le Pressoir transforms a delightful night into an enduring memory.
With throngs turning to their air fryer to knock out easy, healthy, and delicious meals, there are some key mistakes to avoid.
Cathy Yoder, the “Queen of Air Fryers” with nearly 730,000 social media followers and 35,000 copies sold of her air fryer cookbook, “Easy Air Fryer Recipe Book: Best Airfryer Cookbook Recipes for Beginners to Advanced,” notes that, “The air fryer is a kitchen marvel that has taken the culinary world by storm. With its innovative technology, you can enjoy crispy, delicious meals with significantly less oil than frying and bake faster than in the oven.”
Air Fryer Recipes book by Cathy Yoder. Photo courtesy of Cathy Yoder.
Even so, there are nuances to be mindful of when cooking with this apt appliance. So below, Yoder offers numerous tips and tricks to ensure your air fryer feast is a success.
BEFORE YOU AIR FRY
Double check that your air fryer is clean and empty.
Never preheat the air fryer with parchment paper inside. It will blow up into the heating element and start to burn. When you do use parchment paper (I like to use it for those times I’m cooking extra messy foods), just be sure the food holds the parchment paper down so it doesn’t fly up into the burner. You can also set a small wire rack on top of the food (see AirFryerTools.com for links to items like this).
Line underneath the air fryer basket with foil for quick and easy clean up.
Parboil root vegetables before cooking them in the air fryer. Then, use the air fryer to finish roasting the vegetables to save time.
Get creative with your seasonings on your proteins. Wet marinades and dry rubs work great in the air fryer!
WHILE YOU ARE AIR FRYING
Start small. Testing your air fryer by cooking less expensive foods at first. That way, if you mess up a batch, you don’t break the bank! A few of my favorite foods to start with are frozen hamburger patties, chicken wings, and frozen broccoli.
The air fryer is small and compact, which makes checking on the progress of your food a lot easier. Open it, and make adjustments as needed. Most air fryers will pause when you open them. If not, look for a pause button.
Use an instant read food thermometer. Sometimes, it will be enough to look at your food and know if it is done or not. However, for most foods, you will need to use a thermometer to gauge whether your food has finished cooking. Get my favorite instant read meat thermometer at AirFryerTools.com.
Never ever set your air fryer on the stove. If your stove accidentally gets turned on, and your air fryer is also on your stove, not only is your air fryer toast, but so is your stove! Just don’t do it!
Use a reusable oil sprayer. Most commercial oil sprays you buy at the store are full of chemicals that will ruin your basket. Instead, use a spray bottle, and fill it with your own healthy oil that has a high smoke point! In the long run, it saves money! I always use avocado oil, and you’ll find my favorite oil sprayer at AirFryerTools.com.
Use water or bread to keep the air fryer from smoking. If you’re cooking fatty foods such as bacon or sausage, put either a 1/4 cup of water or a slice of bread in the base of the air fryer to absorb grease.
Use a wire rack to keep foods from flying around in the air fryer basket (see AirFryerTools. com).
Let cheese melt in a hot air fryer. Viewer Sandy shared this great tip for adding melted cheese to a burger: when the burger is done cooking, add the cheese, then close the air fryer door. Let it sit for about a minute or so. Not only does it melt perfectly, but it never slides off!
Make a foil sling for foods that are hard to take out of the air fryer basket. Just make sure you leave room along the sides for air flow! Simply make a large rectangle with handles that you set delicate foods on. That way you can just lift the foil (and the food) out of the air fryer with ease.
Reheat leftovers in the air fryer, such as fries, pizza, breaded foods, tortilla chips, steak, and chicken. For best results, let the food sit out, covered, for 15 or so minutes. Then, preheat the air fryer at 400°F/200°C for 5 minutes. Next, place the food inside, and air fry at 370°F/185°C in 3-minute increments. Rotate and cook longer as needed.
Air fryer. Image created in Canva.
AFTER USING YOUR AIR FRYER
Clean your air fryer after each meal. Wipe down the top and bottom, and clean the basket. NEVER use abrasives to clean your air fryer. That will wear your basket down quickly.
Once the air fryer has cooled down and you’ve wiped out the majority of grease and food chunks, spray the basket with Dawn Powerwash without adding water. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so, wipe it out, and then wash it with hot water.
Wipe down the cooled heating element with a damp paper towel. This will help prevent build-up of food splatters and grease.
Use the air fryer to dry the basket. Pop the wet basket into the air fryer, and run it for a few minutes to dry it. Let the air fryer cool completely before putting it away.
Contact your air fryer manufacturer before buying a new air fryer. If you feel like your basket has passed the point of no return, see if your manufacturer sells just the basket replacement!
When asked about her cooking journey, Yoder shared, “I don’t like to cook. But as a busy mom, I needed a way to put food on the table fast several times a day.”
That’s when the air fryer captivated her heart, mind, and palate. Yoder began documenting her experiments with the appliance, discovering that she could make simple, delicious, and mostly nutritious meals in minutes. Her relatable videos struck a chord with viewers during the pandemic, and since then, she’s continued to share countless recipes, tips, and helpful tools for using an air fryer to its fullest.
To help home chefs elevate their air fryer, Yoder also offers a curated selection of budget-friendly tools and resources on Amazon and through her online store, Pine & Pepper – the eComm arm of her Empowered Cooks multimedia platform that provides an array of video instruction and other resources specific to the joy of air fryer cooking.
Nestled in the embrace of the turquoise waters of the Caribbean sits Snaresbrook Manor, an impeccable luxury vacation home in the Governor’s Harbor of Eleuthera, Bahamas. Perfectly situated on a panoramic pink sand beach and with premium appointments from top to bottom, this pristine property stands as a testament to the serene luxury and natural beauty that this tropical island paradise has to offer.
Tucked away from the other bustling Bahamian tourist spots, Snaresbrook Manor is a hidden gem on the outer Island of Eleuthera that provides an idyllic escape for those seeking tranquility, extravagance, and the allure of a private oasis.
Snaresbrook Manor. Photo courtesy of Snaresbrook.
This exceptional 8,000-square foot private villa spans across a private 2.2 acres and sits directly on a mile-long private pink sand beach. Owned by fashion designer Patricia Nash, Snaresbrook Manor is a meticulously designed and carefully crafted private estate that encapsulates the essence of Bahamian charm.
Snaresbrook Manor. Photo courtesy of Snaresbrook.
The property offers 7 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms in the main house, plus a separate on-property apartment with nearly all having an ocean view. Its sizeable second story balcony provides a sweeping sea view in all directions as far as the eye can see.
Snaresbrook Manor. Photo courtesy of Snaresbrook.
The sprawling estate also boasts a 40×25-foot heated beachfront pool surrounded by plush loungers, large indoor and outdoor dining and seating areas, commercial-grade kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, and lodging for up to 18 guests.
Other features include a plush media room with oversized HD flatscreen TV, fitness room with gym-quality equipment, covered pergola and cabana with a bathing area and outdoor bathroom, a water filtration system, and an on-site orchard. Daily housekeeping and concierge services are also included with each stay.
Snaresbrook Manor. Photo courtesy of Snaresbrook.
In this place, you can revel in exclusivity, sumptuous surroundings, natural beauty, and gracious island hospitality. From its pristine beaches to lush landscapes and affable staff available to accommodate nearly all guest needs, Snaresbrook Manor captures the heart and soul of the Caribbean and sets a decidedly high standard for area vacation rentals.
Snaresbrook Manor. Photo courtesy of Snaresbrook.
The property is veritably flawless with a range of luxurious amenities and facilities. From a stunning global travel-inspired interior décor, breathtaking views of (and direct access to) the ocean, a sparkling pool that seems to merge seamlessly with the sea, and sprawling tropical gardens that invite moments of quiet contemplation, each element of Snaresbrook Manor evokes a sense of awe and relaxation.
Snaresbrook Manor. Photo courtesy of Snaresbrook.
Having experienced it firsthand, I can attest that the allure of Snaresbrook Manor lies not just in its luxurious offerings, but also in the tranquility provided by the entirety of the grounds. Unlike the more bustling Caribbean island tourist hubs, this hidden haven allows visitors to escape the crowds and immerse themselves in an oasis of peace.
Snaresbrook Manor. Photo courtesy of Snaresbrook.
Whether it’s a leisurely stroll along the private beach, an intimate dinner under the starlit sky, or a rejuvenating on-property spa session, Snaresbrook Manor caters to those seeking an intimate and personalized experience.
Snaresbrook Manor. Photo courtesy of Snaresbrook.
Beyond its captivating natural beauty and lavish offerings, Snaresbrook Manor also provides an opportunity to engage with the rich Bahamian culture. From sampling local delicacies via Island Hospitality Group or other private chef services, venturing out into the community to experience local restaurants and the must-do weekly Friday night community fish fry, to experiencing traditional music and arts, you can gain a deeper understanding of the vibrant heritage that enriches this Bahamian outer island.
Snaresbrook Manor. Photo courtesy of Snaresbrook.
In all, Snaresbrook Manor stands as a testament to the allure of Eleuthera, offering a glimpse into a world where extravagance and nature coexist in perfect harmony. Whether you seek a romantic getaway, a serene family vacation, a girls or guys trip, wedding or corporate event, or simply an escape from the ordinary, this meticulous private estate promises an experience that is nothing short of extraordinary.
Snaresbrook Manor. Photo courtesy of Snaresbrook.
In the embrace of Snaresbrook Manor, I discovered the true essence of paradise – a place where time slows down, worries fade, and the magic of the Caribbean becomes a cherished memory.
While the author received complimentary accommodations in order to write this article, we are always dedicated to providing unbiased assessments of our experiences.
