Spa treatments are stepping up to the plate. Chefs and mixologists at the Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, North Carolina are pampering palates with a new menu of light bites and beverages especially created to pair with rejuvenating spa escapes. Far beyond the usual list of sips and salads offered at many spas today, executive chef Johannes Klapdohr literally serves up a garden of creative delights harvested from the inn’s organic vegetable and herb farm. The Vegetable Carpaccio with House-Cured Trout and Micro Herbs tossed in a light apple cider vinaigrette is made from beets and greens fresh from the farm. Already in bathrobes and slippers, guests can relax further knowing the menu is designed to be low in calories and high in taste. Klapdohr, who is committed to featuring sustainable and healthy cuisine says, “We want the foods to allow you to enjoy the whole spa experience and leave you feeling happy and good.”
Drink Your Vegetables
A new collection of culinary cocktails adds to the happiness quotient, too. Herbal teas and lemon infused spring water may be the beverage basics for spa goers; but mixologist Thomas Keenan created five wellness inspired cocktails for the Old Edwards Inn and Spa. Refreshing blends of beet juice, broccoli, cucumber, herbs and edible flowers get a kick from vodka, tequila, rum, brandy or moonshine. The garden green colored Hummingbird cocktail starts with vodka muddled with fresh pea shoots. A splash of local honey sweetens the broccoli base, and the drink is garnished with flowering pea tendrils. The bright purple Beetiful cocktail named for its main ingredient is sweetened with pomegranate and blueberry juices and topped with beet foam. Because the drinks are made with vitamin and antioxidant rich fresh fruit and vegetables they’re a health and beauty treatment too. What you won’t find in these potent potables is a lot of alcohol; each drink calls for only an ounce or ounce and a half of spirits. “We are trying to focus on flavor and nutrition with less alcohol,” says Klapdohr, “That way you can enjoy the beverage without hitting the wall.”
So, massages, facials, saunas and steam baths may still be the main focus for enjoying time away at a spa; but resorts are raising the bar with vibrant food and beverage menus designed to complement the restorative experience.
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