Your travel specialist on: Desert Bounty

Living in California, a very popular place for us to visit is Palm Springs. We have been many times for a long weekend, or a full week of playing golf or just relaxing. It can be very hot in the summer, but the rest of the year it is a delight with a perfect climate. I always bring back a box of grapefruit, and a box of dates which grow in this valley. The shopping is outstanding, and you will find sports clothes that are not available elsewhere. There are so many dining surprises in the greater Palm Springs area, where locally sourced ingredients play a starring role. Desert crops have inspired a culinary movement in this oasis and I recommend you start a three hour stroll with Desert Tasty Tours, choosing between Palm Springs hip Palm Canyon Road or Palm Desert’s chic El Paseo.

Wedged between Palm Springs and Palm Desert is Thousand Palms, home to the Coachella Valley Brewing Company. Brewmaster Christian Anderson calls upon farmers within the 90 mile radius for fruits, herbs and spices to enhance his award winning beers.

John and Neil Lotz also infuse native botanicals such as citrus peels and juniper berries into small batches of gin at Desert Distilling. The brothers spirits have been snapped up by many local haunts, including Palm Springs dish Creative Cuisine. In the kitchen, you can watch chef owner Joanne Colson deftly fuse farm to table sensibilities with inspiration, beginning with a bit of puffed beet filled with roasted pear and feta mousse and ending with caramel corn gelato topped with peanut brittle.

Within the sunny yellow interior of Cello’s American Bistro in Cathedral City, you may spot a jar of bright lemons adorning the wooden bar. The home made limoncello is wonderful. I use it on strawberries all the time for an elegant desert.

Our picks for food festivals

Rhythm, Wine and Brews - held in February
This is held six weeks before the famous Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival takes over the city of Indio. Locals gather for a low key event that brings together live music, wineries and breweries for an afternoon of flavorsome sampling.

Wine Festival, Palm Desert – held in April
Internationally renowned chefs from coast to coast team up with Greater Palm Springs most esteemed chefs under the Big White Tent in Palm Desert for three days of tastings, cooking demos and wine and spirits seminars.

Palm Springs Desert Resorts Restaurant Week – held in June
Local favorites such as Wally’s Desert Turtle and Shame on the Moon share the bill with relative newcomers like Mr. Lyons and Eight4Nine to tempt diners with prix-free, three course dinners.

For more information, visit our website www.allhorizonstvl.com and enter offer M12956 and clock search.

Maureen Jones

Maureen Jones is president of All Horizons Travel at 160 Main Street. Members of her staff are experts in business travel, cruises, and all types of leisure.