Foodbuzz Festival: The Rest

You'd think that with a stomach full of food and wine, I would be pretty content. Well, you would be wrong. After lugging all of our swag back to the hotel, we quickly got ready and went back out to catch the bus to dinner, hosted by Outstanding in the Field. The dinner was held in a warehouse with one looooooooong table snaking throughout the place. After (yet another) glass of wine, we made our way to our seats. My dining companions were Kelly, HC, Brooke, Nastassia, Sonja, Christina, Joy and Angela. I have to say, we had a pretty fabulous table :)







Dinner was quite the impressive affair with many, many courses as I have known and come to love about Foodbuzz dinners. For me, the highlights were the crispy mushrooms on top of the risotto, and the ROCKIN' brussels sprouts with bonito flakes, guanciale, and FRIED GARLIC! I also may have eaten one (or five thousand) shrimp chips. I didn't try the dessert, but from what I hear, I didn't miss much. I had great conversations with all of the people around me including thoughtful discussion about asparagus pee, and I learned that when HC comes back from the bathroom and asks you to smell his finger, you do it because it could smell like rose and chamomile...aka more swag (bubble bath) for the trip home.











After the Foodbuzz Blogger Awards, we headed back to the bar at Hotel Vitale. I was thrilled to spend more time chatting with Jenn. I also got to meet Denise and Lenny of Chez Us, Peter and Christey of Fotocuisine, Mark of No Recipes and Peter of Souvlaki for the Soul. It was a great evening and everyone was awesome. A little too much wine later, we stumbled back to our hotel to get pack and get some sleep.

Sunday morning was a brunch sponsored by Nature's Pride bread. Besides the thick cuts of bacon, my favorite food item was the croque monsieur which was slathered with a truffle mustard. That mustard...I am still dreaming about it. Unfortunately, with my hangover, I wasn't able to consume much else, but I did manage a few bites of the salad with the incredible pears from Frog Hollow Farm. Too soon it was quick goodbyes and then a BART ride back to SFO. Overall, I had a really fantastic weekend. I came back with a hangover, a few extra pounds, and wonderful memories!! I can't wait until next year!

Foodbuzz Blogger Festival: Day 2 Morning and Afternoon

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After feeling sufficiently rested, Joy and I met up with Sonja, Gaby, and Rachael to head over to the Ferry Building. Upstairs there were a few pastries and coffee set out before Pim’s book signing. I finally got to meet Kelly of Sass and Veracity as well!! We decided to forgo the pastries and head downstairs to explore the market. There are so many great places in the Ferry Building, but we were all focused on Miette. After some deliberation I decided on a Scharffen Berger chocolate cake covered in two layers of chocolate ganache. To be on the safe side, I washed it down with a rose geranium macaron. It was honestly one of the best breakfasts I have had in a long time! Our little group also managed to consume a brownie, chocolate pot de crème, caramel pot de crème, and a lemon tart. Pretty impressive, huh?

We also got to wander around the market and try many samples including the cutest little apples I have ever seen. Being from California, I know the produce we have at this time of year is amazing so it was funny to see how excited people from outside of the state got when they saw things like strawberries in November and persimmons.

After many samples, I washed everything down with a hibiscus iced tea which was very refreshing. Since I didn’t get in to the Cowgirl Creamery tasting, I made my way back to Vitale for the farm to table discussion headed by Chef Paul Arenstam of the Americano Restaurant and Bar at the Hotel Vitale and [blah hat guy] who is the General Manager at Hearst Ranch. I actually thought the discussion would be about all aspects of farming, but the focus in this discussion was about grassfed beef. Since I already use local and grassfed beef exclusively this discussion wasn’t anything new for me, but I am sure other people learned a lot. One of the highlights was when we were offered a discount on Hearst Ranch’s cattle share program. All you need to do to redeem it is use the code “Foodbuzz” at checkout for a 30% discount. It’s a pricey program, so grab some friends and split the tab (and all that beef!!)

After a quick cab ride, we found ourselves at the Metreon which was the site of the taste pavilion. We rushed upstairs only to be told we had to wait a while so they could finish setting up. Once they opened the gate, everyone rushed in. Having experienced an overwhelming taste pavilion last year at Slow Food Nation, I knew the best thing I could do was walk all the way to the back glancing at what everyone was offering and then make my way back to the front. I am so glad I started in the back!! I got to meet Zoe Francois and get a signed copy of her new book Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. Soon after the taste pavilion opened up, it was time for our tasting of California sparkling wines. Each glass was delicious in its own way, but my favorite (of course) was the most expensive. Just proves that Gaby and I are not cheap dates! Of course after that we were a little buzzed and we ate and drank a lot! Highlights for me were the pumpkin pie caramellos and passionfruit marshmallows (best marshmallows EVER) from BonBonBar, the chardonnay which didn’t even taste like a chardonnay from Bandit wine (in earth friendly packaging no less), and the beef hotdogs from [company]. I also met a few more people such as Shannon from Tri To Cook and Brooke of Foodwoolf. It was great to run into Krissy and Daniel from The Food Addicts. We stayed long enough at the taste pavilion to grab some more swag. My arms were sore from carrying so much stuff!! The rest of my Foodbuzz Festival adventures coming tomorrow!

Foodbuzz Festival: Day 1

When I landed in SFO, I headed straight to the Galleria Park and then to Hotel Vitale which was the location of the cocktail reception. Unfortunately I arrived just as the reception was ending, so after registering quickly, I ran over to the Ferry Building for dinner. Luckily, I brought my appetite. After a quick introduction to Sonja of Active Foodie, Rachael of La Fuji Mama, Gaby of What’s Gaby Cooking, and my roommate Joy of Gourmeted, I decided I needed to get some food in me stat. Luckily, there was plenty to choose from.

A long line was beginning to form at the Roli Roti truck whose porchetta sandwiches were getting rave reviews from everyone around. I believe it was Gaby who described the sandwich as “life changing”. This may seem dramatic to some, but honestly it was not an exaggeration. This was the best sandwich I think I had ever eaten and so worth the wait. The pork belly and loin with crispy skin added a great flavor and texture. I now wish I would have picked up one of their shirts that said “I heart crispy skin”. The rosemary potatoes on the side were really good as well and this is coming from someone who doesn’t really like potatoes. Even though I didn’t want to stop eating the sandwich, I knew there was a lot more food to try and I didn’t want to fill up too quickly. I grazed a bit at the chicharrones, and set off on my next food mission.

In all honesty, it was a bit overwhelming to me since I was looking for food, people, and trying to take pictures all at the same time. I was so happy to finally meet people I have connected with via the blog and Twitter. Kelly of Evil Shenanigans, Olga of Mango Tomato and her identical twin Anna, Nastassia of Let Me Eat Cake, Christina of Hot Pink Manolos, Cathy of Gastronomy Blog, and Angela of Spinach Tiger. I also ran into some old favorites including The Duo Dishes and Greg of Sippity Sup. The food highlights besides that amazing pork sandwich were the steak and gruyere pies from The Pie Truck (seriously fantastic steak and gruyere mixture in a flaky buttery crust…you can’t go wrong with that) and freshly shucked Oysters from Hog Island Oyster Co. I am pretty sure I had never had freshly shucked oysters before and in about the span of a minute, I ate five in a row!

After I was completely satisfied, I headed back to the hotel to get some rest and gear up for the next day of eating and drinking. More on that tomorrow…

Foodbuzz Community Table at Beso

Early last month, I received an email from Foodbuzz saying they were having a raffle to take ten LA food bloggers out to dinner at Beso. I decided to enter not really thinking I would make it. A few weeks later I received another email saying I was one of the lucky chosen to dine courtesy of Visa Signature. I have heard of Eva Longoria's and Todd English's restaurant before, but had never been so I was definitely up for a new experience.

Since LA traffic always sucks, I arrived about twenty minutes late so when I arrived the bloggers behind Sippity Sup, The Culinary Image, Pleasure Palate, Pink Stripes, South Bay Foodies, TableConversation, Viva LA Foodies, The Food Addicts, and Food Art LA were already seated as well as our hosts from Foodbuzz, Dorian and Ryan. Luckily I didn't miss too much with my lateness. I still got to sample the avocado guacamole and artichoke guacamole and have some tasty sips of sangria.



The appetizers then came. A taqueria tasting, shrimp and chorizo flatbread, and margarita flatbread were all good. There was also a grilled flatbread served with a red pepper hummus that I really enjoyed and normally I don't like red pepper anything.



Of these I sample the chicken adobo, steak, and plantain. The steak was the best.





I wish there had been a few more pieces of shrimp on the sides



One of the highlights of the meal was the seared diver scallop. It was served on top of an oxtail rosti and topped with a horseradish cream. It was delicate and flavorful without being too fishy. It was also the first time the chef had made the dish for diners to sample. Lucky us!



At this point, I was starting to feel very full, but I pressed ahead with the entrees. The chili rubbed skirt steak had that always loveable balance of salty and sweet.



I think I was the only one that didn't get a bite of the crispy onions that topped the chicken, but it was a good dish though it got lost a bit with the steak and paella.



I can be really picky about paella. I'm pleased to say that this one was quite excellent.



After seeing all this food, you're probably wondering how I had room for dessert. Well, I didn't really, but I managed a bite of each. Unfortunately, the first dessert I tried was my least favorite. I am huge fan of manchego cheese, but I don't think it belongs in a cheesecake dessert.



The hit of the dessert table was the Nutter Butter. I assume you can probably guess what this tasted like, it was heavenly. Such peanut buttery and frozen deliciousness.



The light crispy churros were a great way to round out the extensive meal.



At some point during our dinner, the owner of the restaurant herself came out to say hello to us as well as the chef. It was almost like we were the celebrities which was kind of funny to me. Overall, I thought it was a very good dinner. I really enjoyed the wine pairings with each dish especially the La Posta organic Malbec. I think Rico put it best when he said it was a good dinner, nothing extraordinary, but very good. I've been tweeting with Abby for a while now so it's good to put a face with a name and I got to see Michael again. I am looking forward to seeing these same faces and more at Foodbuzz's blogger festival in a couple of months!

Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24 - (Almost) End of Summer Cuban Feast

At last month's Foodbuzz party, we discussed how we could make a similar event happen again. And soon. What better reason to have a party than Raul's birthday? We also decided it would be an (almost) end of summer party since the summer is quickly winding down (although the heat is just beginning to hit us). I did a few searches of some of my favorite sites and put together a Cuban inspired menu. Now before people go getting all in a tizz, this is a Cuban inspired meal. Not all of the recipes are authentically Cuban and many of them got their own Dishing Up Delights twist. It was exhausting, yet so much fun to plan this party.

The table with some of the food.



An interesting take on the Cubano sandwich.





Ham Croquettes were crispy on the outside and full of creamy ham goodness on the inside.



Vaca frita with a tad healthier spin.



These black beans were so flavorful and a great accompaniment to the vaca frita.



Cilantro Lime Rice which is better than what you get at Chipotle.



Originally I had planned on making tostones, but we decided to go the easier route of making plantain chips.



Grilled Cuban (but mostly Mexican) corn.



The piece de resistance...the Cuban Opera Cake. It's a little lopsided, but it's the best (and most successful) layered cake I have ever made.



We're all in the background, singing.



Blowing out the candles



Having fun!



Look at those layers



I had sooo much fun planning this. A million thank yous to the birthday boy for being my sous chef and letting me take over his birthday party with all the food. All the recipes will be posted over the coming week so stay tuned!

Foodbuzz Publisher Community Launches

As you may have noticed by the banner on the right side of the blog, I recently became a Featured Publisher on Foodbuzz. Yesterday they issued this release to announced the launch of the Publisher Community. Foodbuzz is really awesome about bringing together people that love food from all over the world. To learn more about it, visit the Foodbuzz website and check out the press release below. Time for me to go put away laundry that never got dry from the stupid machine in my building!

LAUNCH OF GLOBAL FOODBUZZ BLOGGER COMMUNITY

LEVERAGES REAL-PEOPLE, REAL-TIME POWER OF FOOD PUBLISHING

San Francisco – October 13, 2008: Foodbuzz, Inc., officially inaugurates its food blogger community with more than 1,000 blog partners, a global food blogging event and an online platform that captures the real-people, real-time power of food publishing in every corner of the world. At launch, the Foodbuzz community ranks as one of the top-10 Internet destinations for food and dining (Quantcast), with bloggers based in 45 countries and 863 cities serving up daily food content.

“Food bloggers are at the forefront of reality publishing and the dramatic growth of new media has redefined how food enthusiasts access tasty content,” said Doug Collister, Executive Vice President of Foodbuzz, Inc. “Food bloggers are the new breed of local food experts and at any minute of the day, Foodbuzz is there to help capture the immediacy of their hands-on experiences, be it a memorable restaurant meal, a trip to the farmers market, or a special home-cooked meal.”

Foodbuzz is the only online community with content created exclusively by food bloggers and rated by foodies. The site offers more than 20,000 pieces of new food and dining content weekly, including recipes, photos, blog posts, videos and restaurant reviews. Members decide the “tastiness” of each piece of content by voting and “buzz” the most popular posts to the top of the daily menu of submissions. Foodbuzz currently logs over 13 million monthly page views and over three million monthly unique visitors.

“Our goal is to be the number-one online source of quality food and dining content by promoting the talent, enthusiasm and knowledge of food bloggers around the globe,” said Ben Dehan, founder and CEO of Foodbuzz, Inc.

The Foodbuzz blogger community is growing at a rate of 40 percent per month driven by strong growth in existing partner blogs and the addition of over 100 new blogs per month. “The Foodbuzz.com Web site is like the stock of a great soup. The Web site provides the base or backbone for bloggers to interact as a community, contribute content, and have that content buzzed by their peers,” said Mr. Dehan.

Global Blogging Event

Demonstrating the talent and scope of the Foodbuzz community, 24 Meals, 24 Hours, 24 Blogs offered online food enthusiasts an international, virtual street festival of food and diversity. The new feature showcased blog posts from 24 Foodbuzz partner bloggers chronicling events occurring around the globe during a 24 hour period and included:

• Mid-Autumn Festival Banquest (New York, NY)
• The "Found on Foodbuzz" 24-Item Tasting Menu (San Francisco, CA)
• Aussie BBQ Bonanza – Celebrating Diversity (Sydney, Australia)
• The Four Corners of Carolina BBQ Road Trip (Charleston, SC)
• Criminal Tastes – An Illegal Supper (Crested Butte, CO)
• From Matambre to Empanadas: An Argentine Dinner (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
• A Sweet Trompe l’oeil (Seattle, WA)

“24 Meals, 24 Hours, 24 Blogs” captures the quality and unique local perspective of our food bloggers and shared it with the world,” said Ryan Stern, Director of the Foodbuzz Publisher Community. “It illustrates exactly what the future of food publishing is all about – real food, experienced by real people, shared real-time.”

About Foodbuzz, Inc.

Based in San Francisco, Foodbuzz, Inc., launched its beta Web site, foodbuzz.com, in 2007. In less than a year, Fooduzz.com and its community of over 1,000 exclusive partner food blogs have grown into an extended online property that reaches more than three million users.