Wrapping up the IFBC experience: Saturday night and Sunday at the International Food Blogger Conference

Just a few closing pictures from Saturday evening and Sunday at the International Food Bloggers Conference held in Seattle, WA from August 27 to 29, 2010.

Secret Sherry Society Pre-Dinner Reception

I have never had the opportunity to experience Sherry paired with foods before. Nor did I realize there were so many different types of Sherry! From a cocktail made with Sherry, Mandarine Napoleon, drops of salt water and a grapefruit peel that was paired with spicy tuna empanadas to the Dios Baco Amontillado Sherry paired with tortilla espanola. This event expanded my Sherry and pairing horizons.

Emilio Lustau "Peninsula" Palo Cortado Sherry with Lamb Meatball

Williams and Humbert "Dry Sack 15" Sweet Old Oloroso Sherry - Croque Monsieur with Manchego and Serrano Ham

Saturday Night Keynote Address

James Oseland was a captivating speaker, telling us about his story but also the stories of his interactions with food bloggers around the globe. He shared what he loved about food blogging and inspired the room. I have read Saveur before but became a subscribe that night!

Keynote Speaker: Saveur Magazine Editor in Chief James Oseland

Saturday Winemakers Dinner

Saturday night dinner was a variety of small plates from amazing Seattle and Sonoma area chefs. Unfortunately it was really dark, so the photographs were difficult to capture. I loved Chef Holly Smith's Wagyu Beef Cheeks with Polenta Stuffed Dog Mountain Squash Blossoms, but alas the lighting did not. Nor was I able to share the images of Chef Ethan Stowell's Beef Carpaccio which was also flavorful. However I was able to share some other images of the evening.

A Salacious Stumble

It was the only truck without a line when lunch started, so I headed to Molly Moon's to sample my favorite food group: ICE CREAM! I sampled flavor after flavor throughout the generous two hour lunch that IFBC afforded us to visit the trucks. All of the flavors were captivating, filling my mouth with creamy bursts of balsamic and strawberries or lavender and honey. The final trip to Molly Moon's meant waiting in line and while waiting, another blogger found herself balancing two flavors on sticks that were too small for the servings.

Caramel.

Salt.

Olive Oil.

Ice Cream.

She mushed them together to save them from the gravel below. This accidental combination captured in a digital moment was an inspiration for the cup I was about to purchase. Let me tell you that THIS is the way to go. Salty, sweet, creamy goodness that unravels and changes bite after bite. I may have to move to Seattle... or ask Molly Moon's to drive that blue truck down to San Jose!

Salted Caramel Ice Cream and Olive Oil Ice Cream from Molly Moon's

Lunch in a Picture: International Food Bloggers Conference (IFBC) Technology Scavenger Hunt

Travel-Friendly Energy Bites

(Photo courtesy of Andrew Wilder at Eating Rules)

By the time Thanksgiving rolls around, I will have been on the road almost every weekend for two months. The life of a debate coach is a crazy one. Toss in the food blogging shenanigans at the International Food Bloggers Conference (IFBC), and I feel like I am gone more than I am home. 

However, with time changes and quick layovers and late nights, sometimes I find myself without a healthy option for a quick bite. So I have been playing with a base recipe for granola bars that a friend gave me on a handwritten notecard. I modified it a bit to play with different flavors and hopefully amped up the nutritional profile just a bit.

Play around with what you choose to mix in and what nut butter you want to play with. This recipe makes about 36 1" by 1" squares but you can size it up however you want. The nutritional information below are for the specific name brands I used. Feel free to request the names if you want them or calculate your own nutritional stats.

Energy Bites

Yields: 36 bites

1/2 cup almond butter

3/4 cup brown rice syrup

2 tbsp cane sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup reduced-fat unsweetened coconut shreds

1/2 cup dried goji berries

1/4 cup ground flax seeds

1/4 cup hulled hemp seeds

1/4 cup white sesame seeds

1 1/2 cups gluten-free oats

1 scoop Garden of Life protein powder

Combine brown rice syrup, almond butter, vanilla extract, and cane sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat and then reduce the heat. You want to make sure the nut butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.

Combine coconut shreds, goji berries, flax meal, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, oats, and protein powder. Pour in liquid mix and stir until combined. I tend to knead the mixture by hand towards the end to make sure everything is combined.

Grease a 9X9 baking pan or use wax paper (I do both). Put "dough" into the pan and press it flat. Let harden (I toss it in the fridge to speed up the process). Remove from pan, cut into squares, and wrap in wax paper.

Per serving: 90.6 calories, 3.7 grams of fat, 11.8 grams of carbs, 1.6 grams of fiber, 2.5 grams of protein

Full recipe: 3263 calories, 134 grams of fat, 425 grams of carbs, 57 grams of fiber, 89 grams of protein

CSA Box: Squash, Turnips, Okra, Tomatoes, Corn, and more!

Produce picked fresh the day you pick it up from the farm. Who could imagine something better that delicious goodies you can see being grown and prepare that evening in your home! Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has been growing in popularity around the country. A CSA is when a local farm offers up limited "shares" of the harvest for sale to community members. I was lucky enough to get an opportunity to purchase a half-share at Full Circle Farms in Sunnyvale, Calif. After picking up my first week of produce, I posed a question to Twitter to see if anyone would be interested in how I am using my CSA box each week. You asked, and I delivered. This was my box for the week of October 11th.

This delivery included:

• Silver Queen Corn
• Red Russian Kale
• Oils of Paicines Organic Olive Oil Sample
• Yellow Borettana Onions
• Sage
• Mixed Peppers: Poblano, Hot Wax, Dried Cayenne
• Slicer Tomato
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Hakurei Turnips
• Sweet Dumpling Squash
• Okra

I knew I would be traveling for part of the week at a debate tournament. Which meant that I both wanted to ensure I used the produce before traveling but also wanted to bring some of these goodies with me on the plane.

Corn: I did a quick partial steam on the corn to set the milk. Once it cooled, I used the OXO Good Grips Corn Peeler I scored from IFBC, to shuck the kernels. I then dehydrated them and bagged them for use later this winter. Snuck a couple bites for a snack and it was sweet and country. Can't wait to throw them into a dish or just munch on them one afternoon!

Kale: This one was easy. Kale chips!

Olive Oil & Sage: I washed and left the sage leaves to dry between paper towels. I then sliced the sage leaves into ribbons and added it to the oil to infused. I should have sage oil soon!

Onions: Sliced thin, I added these to a homemade miso soup.

Mixed Peppers: Sliced and dried to spice up future recipes!

Slicer Tomato: Sliced and ate fresh by itself. Fresh local tomatoes are amazing!

Cherry Tomatoes: These were cut in half and tossed into the dehydrator. After drying, I had snacks for the plane.

Turnips: These were sliced super thin, tossed in a drizzle of organic canola oil and some sea salt and chili powder. Dried to make turnip chips for traveling.

Squash: Sliced and drizzled with coconut oil. Roasted. Yum.

Okra: Spicy Okra Fries to enjoy on my trip to the airport.

Hopefully this gave you some ideas! I look forward to sharing the bounty and how it is used each week. However, I would love your ideas. How would you have used the goodies in this week's CSA box?

Images from Opening Night at IFBC

Friday was a long day between travel and touring Seattle, but I wanted to leave you pictures from the first day of the International Food Bloggers Conference:

Rishi Loose Leaf Tea

Bacon Peanut Brittle from Sir Fancis Bacon and the National Peanut Board

Oktoberfest Beer

American Lamb

Watermelon and Tomato Salad

Tuna Salad

Rodney Strong Zinfandel

Chilled Melon Soup with Chef Jeff Mall of Zin

Watermelon Gazpacho with Chef Josh Silvers of Syrah Bistro and Jackson's Bar and Oven

Red Velvet Cupcake from Cupcake Love

Walla Walla Wines

Hook's Blue Cheese and Cashew Brittle pairing from Wisconsin

Carr Valley Cheddar and Kettle Corn pairing from Wisconsin

Tonnino Tuna Asian Slaw

Celebrating Alaskan Seafood with a slider

Geoduck Crudo from Taylor Shellfish (it's pronounced gooeyduck)

Keynote Morgan Spurlock gets real with the audience (and the Pomtinis!)