This summer, Omni Hotels & Resorts in celebrating its annual “Art of Water” poolside menu, which will showcase the uniquely North American tradition of maple harvesting this year. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, Omni will bring this ingredient into the spotlight through a number of offerings, including the maple-infused poolside food and beverage menu, a soothing and aromatic maple spa facial, and a maple hotel package.
In preparation for the launch, a select group of chefs from Omni’s accomplished culinary team traveled to Vermont and Montreal—two of the highest maple producing regions in North America—for a weeklong education, tasting, and immersion experience. During the trip, the team toured various sugar woods, sugarhouses, production facilities, and distilleries, and discussed the natural sweetener’s past, present, and future.
“We are excited to share the flavor of real maple in all its varied forms,” says David Morgan, vice president of food and beverage at Omni Hotels & Resorts. “Guests who visit our properties this summer can indulge in a sweet or savory bite from our maple-infused menu, sip a refreshing maple cocktail poolside, or get pampered with our maple spa offering. We look forward to sharing what our talented culinary team has learned through this journey of maple education. There’s an art to its craft that yields such powerful properties and extraordinary flavor profiles that make it so delicious.”
The cocktail portion of the menu is divided into five regions—Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, Western, and Texas—each featuring local and unique maple-infused cocktails. For example, travelers in the Southeast can enjoy a Maple Smash with Crown Royal rye, fresh lemon, dark and robust maple syrup, and fresh mint, while Northeast offerings include the Blueberry Maple Lemonade, a libation made with Tito’s vodka, RE’AL blueberry puree, fresh lemon and amber maple syrup. In the Midwest, a Maple Peach Margarita with Herradura Reposado tequila, amber maple syrup, fresh lime, and RE’AL peach is finished with a salted maple sugar rim. In the West, guests can opt for a Double Grapefruit Greyhound with Deep Eddy grapefruit vodka, fresh grapefruit and lemon juice, golden maple syrup and Aperol, for the perfect poolside sipper.
The sweet nectar from the mighty maple tree is as nutritious as it is delicious, with versatile properties that satisfy our palates beyond breakfast fare. To pair with the cocktails, Omni’s “Art of Water” menu will also offer a selection of maple-infused appetizers, sandwiches, salads and desserts. Created by Regional Executive Chefs Daven Wardynski (Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort) and André Natera (Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa), maple adds a touch of natural sweetness to dishes like Sweet Corn Fritters with maple-bacon jam and wild arugula; Maple Glazed Salmon Sandwich with pickled fennel, spiced peach chutney and mustard greens; a Millet and Carrot Tabbouleh Salad with orange zest, sunflower seeds, watercress and maple vinaigrette; and Maple Cinnamon Donut Holes.
