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Women’s Truffle Weekend

March 19th-22nd 2026 ~ McMinnville, OR

Join Kelly, host of The Original Fare on PBS, for three days of truffle hunting, pasta making, wine tasting, and seasonal farm-sourced feasts in the rolling landscapes of McMinnville, Oregon.

This Women’s Adventure Weekend is designed for women who love to do — not just observe.

Expect to get your hands dirty, settle into sauna slow-downs, enjoy a little well-earned pampering, and head home with new culinary skills and stories worth telling.

This is a small, carefully held weekend where every detail — from timing to transport to the table — is intentionally designed.

In partnership with Visit McMinnville

The Itinerary

More to come! (and some left as a surprise!)

  • Here’s what’s happening during the weekend:

        •    Truffle hunting with Lagotto pups

        •    A post-truffle lunch hosted by Kari Shaughnessy (twice-nominated James Beard Award chef-owner of Hayward)

        •    A  Piedmont-inspired dinner built around fresh truffles and handmade tajarin

        •    Piedmontese wine tasting with Bree Stock (MW and owner/founder Constant Crush/Limited Addition)

        •    Preservation workshop with Sarah Marshall (Marshall’s Haute Sauce) 

        •    Plus, cook and drink alongside Kusuma Rao (Ruchikala), Corollary Wines, and more of our region's most talented ladies! 

  • $1350-$1725 per person (depending on your room choice). Price includes 3 nights accommodations, all wine and food and snacks, all experiences, sauna access, pretty much everything except transportation to McMinnville and any personal souvenirs. (That’s a freaking deal if you ask me.)

Who You’ll Learn From

  • Kelly Cox

    Host & Guide

    Producer, cook, and founder of House of Creature. Kelly brings years of global food storytelling and hands-on cooking into intimate, place-based gatherings — guiding the weekend’s rhythm, meals, and shared moments, with deep attention to land and season.

  • Kusuma Rao

    Guest Chef

    Bred by traditional Indian cuisine, romanced by Sonoran Mexican street food, and professionally blurring the lines of all that and in between. They’ll be bringing their knowledge and skills to the weekend through shared meals and hands-on moments throughout the experience.

  • Kari Shaughnessy

    2025 James Beard Award Semifinalist

    Chef Kari moved to McMinnville, OR in 2020 from the Michelin-starred kitchen of Sons & Daughters in San Francisco. She previously held positions at Bay Area institutions like Frances and Marla Bakery. Before falling in love with the Willamette Valley, Chef Kari immersed herself in the cycles of local seasonality, getting to know small farmers, ranchers, and fisherpeople.

  • Sarah Marshall

    Preservation & Flavor Workshop

    Founder of Marshall’s Haute Sauce Sarah Marshall is a Portland-based cook, educator, and flavor obsessive, known for her work around heat, fermentation, and preservation. Sarah will lead a hands-on session focused on preservation and flavor — exploring techniques that extend the life of the season and deepen everyday cooking.

  • Bree Stock

    Piedmontese Tasting

    Australian-born Master of Wine Bree Stock spent several years traveling and working in some of the world’s most renowned wine growing regions before settling in Willamette Valley and starting Limited Addition Wines!

  • Corollary Wines

    Hi! We’re Jeanne and Dan.

    We founded Corollary Wines with a singular mission: to explore the terroir of Oregon’s Willamette Valley and its expression in sparkling wine. In 2022, we acquired 57 acres of land in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA where we have been developing one of Oregon’s only vineyards designed from the ground up exclusively for sparkling wines.

  • The Truffle Hunt

    Led by Carly & Kevin from Amico Roma- they’ll have their Italian truffle hunting pups guiding us through forested land as we’ll learn how truffles are located, harvested, and respected. This is not a demonstration, but an immersive, hands-on experience rooted in tradition and care, offering a deeper understanding of one of the region’s most fleeting and prized ingredients.

What Sets Our Retreats Apart

01 / Thoughtfully Held

Every detail is considered — so you don’t have to think about a thing.

We stay together in a beautifully restored wine-country lodge chosen for comfort, beauty, and ease. From private, comfortable rooms to sauna sessions, fireside evenings, and moments of quiet built into the day, this weekend is designed to feel both indulgent and grounding.

Behind the scenes, every transition is planned with care — including private, comfortable transportation between activities, seamless timing, and small bells and whistles along the way — from warm drinks waiting after the truffle hunt to unhurried arrivals at tastings.

The result is a weekend that feels effortless, unrushed, and deeply supportive, allowing you to fully settle in and enjoy the experience.

02 / Hand Crafted

Nothing is staged. Everything is made.

This weekend is built around doing — truffle hunting with trained dogs, rolling pasta by hand, foraging botanicals, fermenting, tasting, and learning through practice. Each experience is tactile, instructive, and structured to leave you with real skills and confidence you’ll carry home.

The work is rooted in traditions learned over years of travel and storytelling, then practiced here in Oregon’s forests, kitchens, and fields. You’re not here to watch someone else perform — you’re here to participate fully.

03 / Food as Place

A sense of place — shaped by ingredients, design, and story.

Every meal is a reflection of where we are. Ingredients are seasonally sourced from the region, meals are built around local producers, and each gathering is designed to express Oregon’s landscape through taste, texture, and timing.

Alongside this, you’ll find carefully chosen global treasures — pantry items, techniques, and ingredients gathered through years of documenting food cultures around the world. The result is a table that feels both rooted and expansive: a true taste of the region, enriched by artisan details from far beyond it.

Food here is not just nourishment — it’s culture, memory, and design.

Which Room Is Yours?

  • About the space

    Welcome to the Forestry Department! This 5 bedroom, 5 bath Lodge (each room has its own bathroom!) in downtown McMinnville. It’s a playful nod to the Pacific Northwest with a cedar sauna, a cozy fireplace, an outdoor firepit + dining area, and plenty of space to gather.

    🌲 Every booking plants a tree in Oregon!
    They’ve partnered with One Tree Planted to give back to the forests we love.

  • Oregon Ash Room - Reserved

    Welcome to the Oregon Ash room! ⁠
    ⁠
    Inspired by the graceful Oregon Ash seed, which is shaped like a canoe 🛶, this queen bedroom evokes a sense of lakeside summer camp. ⁠
    ⁠
    Dive into a relaxing clawfoot tub, the perfect spot to soak. 🛁 Retro artwork and paint-by-number pieces add to that vintage ambiance. ⁠

    Single Occupancy: $1,725

    Traveling with a friend? This room may be reserved for double occupancy. See FAQ for shared pricing details.

  • The Douglas Fir - Reserved

    🌲 Welcome to the Douglas Fir room 🌲 ⁠
    ⁠
    This cozy queen bedroom features a stunning four-poster bed, to give you a larger than life sleeping experience.⁠
    ⁠
    And if you find yourself needing to clock in a few hours during your vacation, there's a spacious built-in desk.⁠
    ⁠
    Let's not forget a highlight - your very own cedar and tile wet room for those indulgent rain showers. 🚿

    Single Occupancy: $1,655

    Traveling with a friend? This room may be reserved for double occupancy. See FAQ for shared pricing details.

  • White Oak - Reserved

    Welcome to the Oregon Oak room.🍁⁠
    ⁠
    Oregon oak is integrated into the winemaking process, and that inspired this queen bedroom's interior.

    This space is not only inspired by the winemaking process but also showcases a map of Oregon wine country to fuel your wanderlust. 🍇⁠

    Single Occupancy: $1,655

    Traveling with a friend? This room may be reserved for double occupancy. See FAQ for shared pricing details.

  • Lodgepole Pine--Reserved

    Experience the spirit of Lewis and Clark. 🌲⁠
    ⁠
    The cozy Lodgpole Pine full size bed bedroom is filled with decor inspired by the legendary duo who named the tree, from the custom Pendleton headboard to the far-from-rustic tile and cedar bathroom. ⁠
    ⁠
    You can even surround yourself with history and get lost in the pages of Lewis and Clark books. 📚️⁠
    ⁠

    Single Occupancy: $1,525

  • Sitka Spruce

    The Sitka Spruce room might be our favorite room …🌲 ⁠
    ⁠
    With charming built-in bunk beds, an artisan tile rainshower, and a camping-style sink, this room is perfect for adults looking to relive their childhood adventures. ⛺️ The gorgeous wallpaper from Lake August adds a touch of magic. 🦆✨ It's the best blend of comfort and nostalgia. 🌲🌈⁠


    Built-in twin bunk beds - private bathroom
    $1,350 per guest

    Designed for guests who love the spirit of shared spaces — this room may be booked individually or as a pair.

Link for Deposit to Reserve Your Spot

Truffle Hunt

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Pasta Making

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Foraging

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Sauna

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Truffle Hunt 〰️ Pasta Making 〰️ Foraging 〰️ Sauna 〰️

Fireside Feasts

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Wine Tasting

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Brunch

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Fireside Feasts 〰️ Wine Tasting 〰️ Brunch 〰️

Here’s the deets!

Contact me Kelly@HouseOfCreature.com or 646-236-0863 to reserve your spot! Bookings can be made via Credit Card or Venmo.

  • Thurs-Sun, March 19-22. $1350-$1725 per person (depending on your room choice). Price includes 3 nights accommodations, all wine and food and snacks, all experiences, sauna access, pretty much everything except transportation to McMinnville and any personal souvenirs. (That’s a freaking deal if you ask me.)

    Pricing varies by room type. All options include the full Women’s Adventure Weekend experience.

    Oregon Ash Room
    Queen bed · Clawfoot tub and bathroom
    $1,725

    White Oak Room
    Queen bed - private bathroom
    $1,655

    Douglas Fir Room
    Queen bed - private bathroom
    $1,655

    Lodgepole Pine Room
    Full-size bed - private bathroom
    $1,525

    Sitka Spruce Room (Shared)
    Built-in twin bunk beds - private bathroom
    $1,350 per guest

    A few helpful notes:

    • Rooms are limited and assigned on a first-come basis.

    • Shared room pricing reflects the same full weekend programming and experiences.

    • A deposit is required to reserve your spot; remaining balance is due prior to arrival.

  • Your weekend includes:

    • Three nights of lodging

    • All meals, snacks, and tastings— if it’s on the itinerary; it’s included!

    • Guided truffle hunt and private transportation to all activities

    • Workshops (pasta making, fermentation, foraging)

    • Wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options and of course coffee, tea, etc-

    • Sauna access

    • Curated goodie bag to take home

    Optional add-ons (such as massage) may be offered separately.

  • Transportation to and from McMinnville is not included. Any personal purchases at wineries or additional optional add-ons will be at your discretion.

  • Yes. Select rooms are available for double occupancy. Shared rooms are priced at the total room rate plus $750 for the second guest. Both guests must register and submit deposits to confirm the reservation.

    While many guests attend with a friend, the weekend is intentionally group-centered rather than couple-focused — meaning meals and programming are shared collectively.

  • A $500 non-refundable deposit secures your place at the Women’s Truffle Weekend. During checkout, please indicate your preferred room selection.

    Rooms are confirmed in the order deposits are received.

    The remaining balance is due 30 days prior to arrival.

    Due to the intimate size and advance commitments required, deposits are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend, we will make every effort to facilitate a transfer should a waitlist exist.

  • Women’s Adventure Weekend is a women-centered experience for women who love food, wine, learning, and being actively engaged. You don’t need prior experience with foraging, pasta making, or fermentation — just curiosity, comfort getting a little messy, and an appreciation for good meals and good company.

  • This weekend is intentionally women-centered. We welcome women-identified guests and non-binary people who feel aligned with a women-centered space.
    This experience is not designed for mixed-gender participation.

  • Moderate and accessible. The truffle hunt involves walking through uneven, muddy terrain at a relaxed pace. Everything else is adaptable. If you have specific mobility concerns, feel free to reach out — we’re happy to talk it through.

  • Not at all. Wine and cocktails are part of the experience, but non-alcoholic options are always available, and participation is entirely optional.

  • Yes. We do our best to accommodate dietary needs and allergies when communicated in advance.