Country Club Group Activities "Taste History, Culinary Tour"

What happens when you pair the perfect South Florida Saturday with Art, History and Floribbean Cuisine? The answer: A delectable educational experience. "Taste of History, Culinary Tour" has been a Palm Beach event since 2011.  This walking-bus tour introduces the local culture, historical landmarks, eateries, and bakeries.  It's the perfect addition to your weekend where you'll be supporting local artists' and, of course, local businesses.  An interview with Executive Director/Chief Curator for the Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History Lori J. Durante revealed a feast of knowledge for us to indulge.  Lori discusses the catalyst of the tour; its success and involvement in the community along with some details about the museum. We're sure you'll be curious about the trip after reading this week's blog. "Epicurious" that is. 

Lori stated what her inspiration was for launching the tour. "The concept came to me in 2011 after watching an episode of "Parts Unknown" with Anthony Bourdain.  I was inspired by the way he introduces a country's culture through its food."

After its inception, and selling out for the first seven months, Lori knew she was on the right track.  The tour itself has several locations in Palm Beach and Martin Counties. Featured destinations such as West Palm Beach, Boynton and Delray Beach along with Lake Worth and Lantana are the popular towns for the event.  Done partly on a bus and walking the journey is offered Saturdays only with a reservation.  Tours sell out quickly and can be booked as a private or a group tour.  "Many of our Country Club residents, book the tours, exclusive to their community," stated Durante.

The Museum of Lifestyle and Fashion History located at 801 North Congress Avenue in Boynton Beach, Florida strives to educate on lifestyles, culture, and fashion history.  In return, the program boosts the economy through tourist attractions.  The tour was an expansion to continue to build awareness about the community as well as the food culture that's so unique to South Florida. People discover New Fusion, confections, and pastries with "Floribbean" cuisine native to the region. 

"Floribbean" blends island foods from places such as Barbados, Haiti, Jamaica, Australia and food from the south making this a pure adventure.   There is a wealth of fragrant spices mixed with fresh fruits and vegetables that combine well with seafood, pork, and beef.  You may get introduced to palm fruit or yucca, but there could be an old time favorite such as Key Lime Pie during the four-hour tour. The venues and the cuisine change each tour, which is part of the mystery.

 Lori and her staff are advocates for giving back to the community. A large proportion of the museum's mission is to educate those less advantaged.  The museum played a role in the "Farm to School" program where first-grade students partner with local farmers performing demonstrations on using locally grown produce to create tasty snacks and desserts. The program teaches the children how easy it is to select nutrition, but it's also educating them about agriculture. A letter was sent to Lori from Senator Bill Nelson complimenting Lori and her team for doing excellent work in the community. This program is one of the many ways the museum gets involved and another accolade Lori can take with pride.

Ms. Durante explains with exultation "I'm so proud of our tour. It's a special experience where people get to discover local family-owned eateries and meet emerging artists they wouldn't know if it wasn't for the tour."

In the meantime, if you haven't had a chance to visit the Museum or take one of the tours you can preview the calendar on their website.  It's a yearly event, but we've included the schedule for the next two months:

2016 dates for the Taste History, Culinary Tours:

Saturday, January 9, 2016 - Lake Worth/Lantana

Saturday, January 16, 2016 - Delray Beach/Boynton Beach

Saturday, January 23, 2016 - Delray Beach/Boynton Beach (January 23, 2016, is Sold-Out)

Saturday, February 6, 2016 - West Palm Beach/Lake Worth

Saturday, February 13, 2016 - Lake Worth/Lantana                                                          

Saturday, February 20, 2016 - Delray Beach/Boynton Beach

Saturday, February 27, 2016 - Delray Beach/Boynton Beach

Tours board at Macy's in Boynton Beach Mall.  Lake Worth tours are the first of every Saturday, Delray 2nd and 3rd and West Palm are the 4th Saturday of every month giving you a variety to choose.

Since these events have been added to the 10 Best List from USA Today, it may be worth your time to see why everyone is raving.

The Museum also hosts family events such as National Nutrition Awareness Month and Viva Florida.  

Currently, the museum is trying to raise money for a new location and are seeking donors.  If you'd like to involved, contact Lori J. Durante at news@tastehistoryculinarytours.org.

If you're interested learning more about real properties or you'd like more information about events in Boca Raton, contact our office. (561) 406-8880