A Christmas Celebration for the Palate at the Inn and Spa at Loretto

 
Executive Chef Brian Cooper prepares a luminous holiday feast in Luminaria

Look for a special recipe at the end of the article

SANTA FE, N.M. – Nov. 24, 2008 – Few places resonate with the magic of Christmas like the City Different. For nearly 400 years, Santa Fe has shared its various cultural traditions and holiday splendor with visitors who flock here in their annual pilgrimage. Taking this tradition from the streets to the dinner table, Executive Chef Brian Cooper at the Inn and Spa at Loretto is adding his own sparkling touch to the many delights and flavors of a Santa Fe holiday, with a special menu to be served in the newly renovated Luminaria Restaurant Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The menu features sumptuous prix fixe starters, entrées, and desserts for $75.00 per person, in addition to serving breakfast and lunch. Hotel guests and area residents are invited to indulge in the indigenous flavors of a Santa Fe Christmas at Luminaria. Hotel rates starting a $149 per night.

A Luminous Menu

“Christmas is truly a magical time in Santa Fe and it reflects the cultural crossroads so unique to this part of the country. Food is an important part of any celebration, but it really takes center stage at Christmas,” said Cooper. “Our menu incorporates traditional entrées like turkey, duck and winter vegetables, with elegant seafoods, hearty meats and venison, paired with gradated sauces, and prepared with contemporary creativity. We make every effort to ensure gathering around the table with loved ones at Christmas is as memorable and warmly inviting as Christmas is here in Santa Fe.” 

Guests at Luminaria can indulge in a delectable medley of dishes ranging from lobster bisque, pepper crusted veal tenderloin, Chilean sea bass and apple gingerbread on Christmas Eve to fall squash soup, roasted pollo turkey, squash tamales and sweet potato tart on Christmas Day. Sample a signature Luminaria dish at home with Chef Cooper’s Venison Stew recipe below. For a complete menu, please visit www.innatloretto.com.

Holiday Traditions in The City Different

New Mexico is a treat for all of the senses in any season, but the distinctive blend of Indian and Hispanic cultures are particularly striking during the winter holidays, as strollers and shoppers savor warm tamales and bizcochitos, tiny anise Christmas cookies that are the state’s official cookie. The townsfolk adorn Christmas trees with whimsical bright red lights shaped like chile peppers, and respectful onlookers can treasure American Indian religious ceremonies and dances in the pueblos that have existed for thousands of years.

The Plaza dims its electric lights in the days leading up to Christmas, allowing the soft glow of candlelit luminaries or farolitos, to turn back the pages of time and slow down the bustling pace of holiday preparations. Anticipation culminates with Santa Fe’s most recognized and beloved tradition of the Christmas Eve farolito walk along narrow and winding Canyon Road. The stroll, participated in by people from around the world, invariably tingles with spontaneous caroling heard from around a distant corner.

Whether it’s the arrival of St. Nick by The Santa Fe Railroad’s Polar Express, the choice of attending a myriad of holiday concerts, the scent of smoky piñion pine drifting in the air, or the hush that overcomes the crowds during Christmas Eve’s ‘Las Posadas,’ the century-old, house-to-house re-enactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for a room at the inn, to attending a mariachi Mass on Christmas morning, there is no doubt that Christmas in the Land of Enchantment is like no other.

For More Information

To make a reservation at the Inn and Spa at Loretto or to book a reservation at Luminaria, please call 800.727.5531 or visit www.innatloretto.com.

Luminaria’s hours of operation

-          Christmas Eve Day:  Breakfast: 7 a.m.-11 a.m., Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Dinner: 5 p.m.-9 p.m.

-          Christmas Day:  Breakfast Brunch: 7 a.m.-2 p.m., Dinner: 4 p.m.-9 p.m.

Inn and Spa at Loretto

The 134-room Inn and Spa at Loretto is a boutique hotel epitomizing classic Santa Fe architecture and style with warm Southwest colors and tones. The prestigious Inn was inspired by the famed Taos Pueblo (a national historic landmark) and sits adjacent to the historic Loretto Chapel, known for its miraculous spiral staircase. The hotel, one of the most photographed buildings in town, features the Southwestern inspired Spa at Loretto with six treatment rooms, the popular Living Room Bar and Luminaria Restaurant & Patio.

Destination Hotels & Resorts

Inn and Spa at Loretto is one of more than 30 independent, upscale and luxury hotels, resorts and golf clubs in the United States managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts, the fourth largest independent hospitality management company in the country. The company, headquartered in suburban Denver, Colo., features a portfolio of more than 6,000 guest rooms, 11 golf courses and 13 full-service spas. Destination Hotels & Resorts properties are located in key metropolitan and resort markets including Washington, D.C., Houston, Denver, San Diego, Santa Fe, Aspen, Austin, Phoenix, Portland, Palm Springs, Maui and Lake Tahoe. The company is a subsidiary of Los Angeles-based investment, development and management firm Lowe Enterprises. For more information on the properties in the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection, please visit http://www.destinationhotels.com.