SMART IN THE KITCHEN COOKING RETREAT, ROUND TWO

Earlier this month, we gathered at the cottages with a lovely group of ladies and the talented Marcia Smart of Smart in the Kitchen to cook up some ‘Derby de Mayo’ recipes during our second cooking retreat. After several days of rain in Texas, the sunny skies provided a beautiful backdrop for learning and creating new friendships. As we awaited the guests’ arrival, goodie bags were filled to the brim with generous gifts —  A Couple Cooks cookbook, Siete Foods tortilla chips, Yellowbird hot sauces, Beautycounter sunscreen, and Smart in the Kitchen aprons and lesson plans. 

We welcomed guests with a quick tour of the property, then got right down to business by putting on aprons for the first lesson of the day. First up was a kale guacamole served with Siete Foods tortilla chips — guests could not stop raving about either one! The sights and smells of fresh cornbread, spinach and pea salad, and poblano, corn, and zucchini chowder soon took over the Boho great room as everyone was able to enjoy their hard work. 

After lunch, we took a short break to explore the surrounding areas, with some ladies heading to Royers Pie Haven for a cup of coffee and slice of pie, and some heading out to Fayetteville to wander the shops. We gathered back at the cottages for a quick lesson on how to make Aperol spritzes, complete with fresh orange slices. The cocktails were the perfect drink to accompany a gorgeous cheese, vegetable, and nut tray appetizer and a few minutes of the Kentucky Derby on TV. 

Back in the kitchen, Marcia’s dinner lesson had the guests paired off with partners to work on the tequila lime grilled chicken, instant pot black beans, lemon orzo and herb salad, and jalapeño cilantro sauce. Dessert was a chocolate bread pudding with homemade cinnamon whipped cream — to die for! The next morning, guests were treated to chia seed pudding and prosciutto egg cups to finish off the weekend. 

Since we had teamed up with Marcia earlier this year for another cooking retreat, we knew how exciting it was to see the guests come together as strangers but leave as friends. The sight was no less heartwarming this time around. Gathering and togetherness under the cottage roof is what keeps us and our team going, so having the opportunity to be a part of the magic will always be special. 

A huge thank you to Marcia for sharing her gift of cooking with us and the attendees — we can’t wait to do it again! We loved meeting each and every one of our attendees — thank you for spending your weekend with us! Another thank you to A Couple Cooks, Siete Foods, Yellowbird, and Beautycounter for the goodies they provided.

If a weekend getaway like this is something you are craving, sign up for our newsletter to be the first to know about our next retreat -- may it be cooking, yoga, art, etc! If you are interested in hosting your own retreat, get in touch with us at info@thevintageroundtop.com. 

P.S. If your mouth is watering now, you can find the entire retreat menu on the Smart in the Kitchen blog!