"four seasons" news and stories

If you've ever complained that your martini wasn't quite cold enough or hoped for a new bottled water alternative from a subterranean source on the island of Sardinia, than this week's International Hotel/Motel and Restaurant Show had exactly what you were looking for.

The New York City show was not a gathering place for foodies. Many of the exhibitors were from the hotel and lodging industry, while others were hawking food preparation and cooking equipment intended for restaurant and hotel use.

Certainly one of the coolest (no pun intended) new products introduced was IcyDrink which its Italian manufacturers promote as the world's first automatic ice glassmaker machine. The machine churns out cone-shaped cups made of pure ice that can be hand-held or placed in a glass holder. The result is a super-chilly drink that eliminates the need for ice cubes.

The Four Seasons in Jakarta, Indonesia has recently introduced one of the most expensive hamburgers in the world. The burger costs 1 million rupiah, which is approximately $110, or roughly twice the monthly minimum wage in the country! Served with a side of french fries, the hamburger is made of Kobe beef, foie gras, Portobello mushrooms and Korean Pears. The pears are known for the sweet taste and juiciness, but even with all the press that this burger has received, it isn't clear how the pear is incorporated into the final product.

One of the chefs from the hotel confirmed the reason that the burger is so expensive is that that the hotel "import[s] all the materials, and they are high quality." In the last month, the hotel has sold 20 burgers.

Estik, a restaurant in Madrid, Spain, also claims a burger in the same price range. Their kobe burger is €85.

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Sign me up, please! Cooking classes take place in exotic locales around the world, but I'm ready to head to Bali to try the cooking classes offered at the Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay. At the Bali hotel, participants learn how to make dishes like grilled red snapper wrapped in banana leaf, Balinese chicken satay, and Balinese pumpkin treat (if you can't make it to Bali, the Cincinnati Enquirer recently ran the recipe for the pumpkin dessert). Overall, the classes at the Four Seasons seem pretty casual and low-key, perfect for guests who want to pick up some cooking tips while on vacation.

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• Is it possible to want to take a magazine cover and devour it? This pic on Boston is only a grilled cheese sandwich and some soup, but I love grilled cheese sandwiches and soup, and it's cold and rainy today and it's comfort food! It's from Picco's, by the way. 
• The magazine profiles some Boston restaurants and the comfort foods they offer to get you through the winter (sorry non-Bostonians): the big burger at Caffe' Umbra, topped with Vermont Cheddar and red onions; the hot chili and cornbread at Firefly's Barb-B-Que & Beyond; the lemon-ricatta pancakes at the Four Seasons; the buttery, gooey mac and cheese from Silvertone (recipe included!); and a recipe for the ultimate (yet easy) mashed potatoes from Aquitaine.
• Profiles of 6 places with cozy fireplaces and corner booths: Hungry I, James Gate, The Fireplace, Antico Forno, Joe V's, and Oleana.     
• There's also an interesting profile of comedian Dane Cook. That has nothing to do with food, but hey, his last name is Cook.