'Twas the Night Before Foodbuzz Festival...

Very excited for the 4th Annual Foodbuzz Blogger Festival in San Francisco this weekend!! A weekend of eating, drinking, and chatting with other fellow bloggers about, well, more eating and drinking!!

I've proudly attended each year's festival since it first started back in 2009, always having a great - and filling - time. And yes, I must sport my festival veteran swag! 

A taste from prior years:  2009  |  2010  |  2011

Hm, I think I'll be 5 pounds heavier on Monday.

Foodbuzz Festival 2011

Ah, my favorite foodie event took place last weekend at the third annual Foodbuzz Festival in San Francisco. Food bloggers from near and far flocked to various venues for tastings, fabulous meals, workshops, and scintillating chatter about our favorite topic – FOOD!!

The Welcome Reception at the Terra Gallery was sponsored by Sabra Hummus, so all the hors d'oeuvres featured hummus in some fashion. Totally fine by me since I'm a huge fan of hummus, and there were enough variations to keep things interesting. I highly recommend Sabra's roasted pine nut hummus and their holiday flavor, "Season's Finest"  – featuring the winning combination of rosemary, olive oil, and sea salt. Mmm.

The Reception was followed by the Awards Dinner, where awards were presented to some of the best bloggers out there today, while we devoured pork belly and day boat scallops cooked to order, and selections from a gourmet buffet. The desserts were the stand-outs, in my opinion, particularly the heirloom pumpkin tarts and festively-themed macaroons.

The next morning, after a series of helpful photography workshops, we headed over to the Metreon for the Taste Pavilion to sample food and drinks from various vendors. Every year I say I'm going to pace myself, but I always end up rolling out of there feeling like a stuffed tomato.

Some of my personal faves this year:

• Pumpkin patch truffles and pumpkin spice coffee from Godiva – Yay for autumn flavors!
• Cupcakes from Mission Minis – A hit every year ... I probably had at least 5 of these.
• Organic beers from Bison Brewery – Can't go wrong with seasonal beers like honey basil ale, pumpkin ale, and gingerbread ale!
• Grass-fed beef from Estancia – Yummy, healthy, and sustainable.
• Artisan syrups and extracts from Sonoma Syrup Co. – Vanilla extracts should always taste this good.

After stuffing ourselves for 3 hours, we proceeded later that evening to the Grand Hyatt for the Gala Dinner where more food was waiting. Somehow I still managed to eat a bunch of canapés, a super leafy bibb lettuce salad, a tasty filet mignon atop creamy celery root purée, and a trio of cute desserts.

The best part of the night, though, was an awesome cooking demo from Chef Tyler Florence, who made the audience rightfully drool as he prepared pan-seared pork chops, braised cabbage, and spätzle (Scandinavian dumplings) – which all comprise one of the entree dishes from the menu at his SF restaurant, Wayfare Tavern.

Here's a video of Chef Tyler making his spätzle:

Finished product – I'm totally going to try his pork chop and braised cabbage recipes! Maybe after trying them at his restaurant ... just so I know what they're supposed to taste like.

Thanks again to Foodbuzz and all the event sponsors for another wonderful festival! I'm already looking forward to next year!

Back to School: California Culinary Academy with Chef Martin Yan

Blogger dinners are one of my fave kinds of foodie events – you get to eat, drink, and meet people who are just as passionate about food as you are, and the conversations revolve around things like street food festivals, the best place for dumplings, and how to properly make coq au vin. So I was very excited and honored to attend a small media dinner earlier this week at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, with Peter Lee, the president of the school, and Chef Martin Yan – the iconic legend behind Yan Can Cook.

There is much to be impressed by when you consider Chef Yan's history and success. Being a Chinese-American myself, I of course applaud him for elevating Asian food and culture to mainstream media. He was personal friends with Julia Child, and even cooked for her in her kitchen – the same one that's now on display at the Smithsonian. He's authored 30 cookbooks (with more to come!), opened a chain of restaurants (M.Y. China opening next year in San Francisco), and inspired budding chefs in classes and commencement speeches around the world. His new show on the Asian Food Channel, True Passion, showcases how to pair Chinese food with wine – a question that has definitely baffled oenophiles such as myself. (The answer, according to Chef Yan: Treat a Chinese banquet like a tasting menu, with a wine for each flavor profile. My experiments will continue.)

And Yan's culinary skills are no less impressive. We tagged along for a presentation he was giving to CCA students, and his demonstration had most everyone in the room – with or without a chef's jacket – dropping their jaw in shock or whistling appreciatively. We saw him de-bone a whole chicken in 19 seconds and parallel-slice bell peppers into tissue-paper-thin wisps, then stir fry everything amidst a savory and sweet, almost caramel-like sauce. Check out the below video to see Chef Yan's knife techniques!

But when you talk to Chef Yan, it's apparent that beneath the fame, media hype, knife flourishes, and international connections, is a pure, undiluted passion for food and cooking, and for sharing that passion with others while having a good time. That, I guess, is the most magnetic part of his appeal, because when you truly love what you do – people notice, and they want to come along for the ride, too.

After the demo, CCA Executive Chef Michael Weller gave us a tour of the school and an overview of the culinary programs. I admittedly don't know much about culinary institutions, although I think it's great that students at CCA are cross-trained; for example, pastry students receive culinary training, and vice versa, so that graduates are versatile in their skill sets. The curriculum, split into lecture, research, and hands-on components, push students to "learn how to learn," according to Weller, which makes it no different from any other educational program. They even have single-day MasterChef classes for amateur cooks who just want to improve their skills in the kitchen.

After that – time for dinner – the best part! Proudly prepared and served by culinary students in the CCA's restaurant, Technique, as part of the last six weeks of their program. Keeping in mind that these folks are still students, some plates were great, while others needed more work – not so much in terms of flavor, but in the cooking time of certain dishes. They all aced plating though, in my opinion!

Some highlights from the meal:

• Blue cheese with honey and white truffle arugula (1st row, middle): All good things, and even better combined. Will definitely try making my own version.
• Chinoise salad (2nd row, middle): The albacore tuna was seared perfectly, and the ginger soy dressing was refreshingly sweet with a slight kick.
• Spiced pear sorbet (2nd row, right): I actually asked for a substitute to the tomato sorbet with basil oil and sea salt that was originally on the menu, and lucked out with this delicious concoction! The texture was more like a snow cone than a sorbet, but the flavor was amazing. I could drink this stuff.
• Apple-oat crisp with cinnamon-yogurt anglaise (3rd row, right): Tart and sweet, warm and cold, yum and yum.

And to top it all off, I took home a copy of Chef Yan's newest cookbook, Martin Yan's China, which has gorgeous photos from his travels in China and a ton of mouth-watering recipes. Guess I'll be cooking more Chinese food now!

The entire night really got me thinking about what it means to be a chef, and I think part of the beauty of that profession is being able to create. In his pep talk with the CCA students, Chef Yan emphasized that you can create a multitude of dishes from just a couple simple ingredients, and that everyone will end up with a different dish even while using the same ingredients and recipe. Because when you're creating, you're infusing your own personality and identity into the final product. That, in my opinion, is why chefs are similar to artists, and just as inspirational.

Foodbuzz Blogger Festival 2010!

November is one of my favorite months because of (1) autumn colors, (2) Thanksgiving (i.e., days off work to stuff your face), and (3) the Foodbuzz blogger festival! The second annual event was just as awesome as last year's, with even more bloggers in attendance. It feels great to be at an event where one of the first things someone asks you is, "What's your blog about?" or "Have you tried those cupcakes?!" instead of inquiring about your education or job or kids or mortgage payments. (Yes, those can be important too, but sometimes far less interesting!)

Tons of yummy food...

...booze...

...helpful blogging and cooking workshops...

...networking with other foodies...

...and of course, freebies!

Check out the link below for more photos!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2031&id=304600080&l=5956582237

Unfortunately I was unable to attend the Gala Dinner on Saturday night due to advance tickets for the West Side Story musical at the Orpheum (which was fantastic and made me want to learn how to speak Spanish and twirl in mid-air). But thanks to all the vendors and food bloggers who made the Festival so wonderful and fit for foodies! And the biggest thanks to Foodbuzz for making all the magic happen! Can't wait for next year!

Foodbuzz Community Table 10.27.09 - Bushi-Tei

I'd been meaning to try Bushi-Tei ever since I went to their newer bistro, so I jumped at the chance to attend this Foodbuzz Community Table last month. I'm usually skeptical about fusion fare (it's either hit or miss for me), but Chef Wakabayashi's French-Japanese combinations were surprisingly approachable, with the European and Asian flavors balancing nicely. Plus the setting was gorgeous!

Our table

Expression 39 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
Domaine Wm Fevre Champs Royal Chablis

Expression Wines served an excellent pinot from the Anderson Valley that had been released just four months earlier. The wine was stored first in new, medium-toast French oak barrels, then one year-old barrels, and finally two plus year-old barrels ("neutral barrels") for storage and further oxygenation. The result is a complex pinot with bold cherry and toasted wood flavors with more tannic structure than I would expect from a pinot. It paired perfectly with the beef tenderloin main course.

The chablis was pretty good as well ... I personally hate most California chardonnays because they either taste too artificially acidic and/or buttery, but I love the French style of crisp, mineral-y chards where you can actually taste the fruit and the oak. This particular wine was a good choice for the ankimo course.

Ankimo Torchon
with snowcrab salad, spicy fish roe potato mousseline, julienne vegetables and parsley coulis

This pretty dish was executed quite nicely. Fresh, creamy ankimo (monkfish liver) balanced with the sweetness of the snowcrab, the slight spice from the fish roe, and the crunchy veggie strips for contrasting texture.

Slow Roasted Natural Beef Ternderloin
with matsutake mushroom risotto, english peas, pinot noir reduction and espresso oil

The risotto was disappointing; it tasted bland and was nowhere near creamy enough. The matsutake mushrooms were from Oregon and apparently are quite pricey. The beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender and flavored with a sweet pinot reduction ... mmm heavenly!

Peach Melba

with daiginjo sake-kabosu cube

Forget the jello shots -- this sake cube was a strong shot of alcohol! The cool peach perched atop the warm almond cake was a tantalizing contrast of temperatures, and a nice way to end a great meal.

Bushi-Tei
1638 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
www.bushi-tei.com

Foodbuzz Festival - Day 2

And the feasting continued! We began the second day of the festival with an olive oil tasting seminar, which was a completely new experience for me. We were told to hold each cup in our hands, swirl, sniff, and sip the oils, paying attention to aroma, flavor, density, and aftertaste. Sounds just like wine-tasting ... and after this seminar, I believe that there are just as many nuances to olive oils as there are to wines! (For more info, check out the UC Davis Olive Center website.)

Olive oil samples. My favorite was the middle one in the top row...

...which was perfect, because it was the bottle we got to take home!

We then trotted over to the Metreon for the afternoon Tasting Pavilion -- a roomful of vendors with plenty of special food and drinks to offer some hungry foodies.

Oils, chutneys, and fruits

Wines from Jessie's Grove from the Lodi region (a great place for zinfandel)

Shrimp ceviche with Peruvian chilies
From Chef Jesse Perez of Fuego

Vanilla cupcakes from Mission Minis - you can't have just one!

Assorted sweets from Gateau et Ganache
Left: Passionfruit ganache
Right: Vanilla, pumpkin, and cranberry candied marshmallows

A Palo Alto-based store that makes small, seasonally-appropriate batches of rich chocolates and confections from local ingredients. I loved the delicate candied marshmallows ... think I'll have to go get myself a box soon!

California Sparklers seminar with Alder Yarrow, author of vinography.com

Chocolates from Neo Cocoa - the richness made it my fave chocolates for the day!

Annie the Baker

Annie's catchphrase is "for those who love the cookie dough more than the cookie," and it's easy to taste why. Her handmade cookies have a moist cookie dough texture, which makes for super soft and decadent treats. The toffee milk chocolate chip is an example of what cookie-makers everywhere should be trying to emulate!

Beer-braised pork over polenta from the Mezzetta booth

Recchiuti Confections

Kerrygold cheeses

My favorite was the Ivernia, a hard, sharp-flavored Italian cheese that would pair nicely with red wines.

Dinner was in the Greenleaf Produce Warehouse to give us the farm-to-table feeling, with the folks from Namu and Outstanding in the Field teaming up to create a Korean fusion meal from fresh, local ingredients.

Our dinner courses were paired with a variety of wines from Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz. I have to admit that I wasn't impressed when I went tasting at their winery, but a few wines really stood out at dinner. This 2007 Le Cigare Blanc, a combination of roussanne and grenache blanc, was both earthy and slightly sweet, with a silky texture and smooth finish. Also noteworthy was the 2005 Le Cigare Volant, the red counterpart to Le Cigare Blanc.

Mushroom dashi, maritaki, shimeji, enoki mushrooms
A light broth with earthy mushroom flavors

Udon, grilled Monterey calamari in a browned butter ponzu reduction, cucumber, kaiware, frisee & yellow pear tomato with chojang and sesame vinaigrette

Wow, I had to look up what some of these ingredients were. Kaiware are sprouted daikon seeds, frequently used as a garnish in Asian dishes. Chojang is a sweet and spicy vinegar-based sauce common in Korean cooking, which added a nice kick to the udon noodles.

Soy-braised beef cheeks and oxtails, baby carrots and fingerling potatoes

My fave dish from dinner. Juicy, tender, perfectly seasoned oxtail meat with subtly sweet soy flavors. Time to make some variations to my mom's oxtail recipe...

Since this is on the footer of my blog, I had to take a photo :)

Thanks again to Foodbuzz for a wonderful event! I can't wait until next year's blogger festival!

Foodbuzz 1st Annual Blogger Festival - Day 1

Many thanks to Foodbuzz for holding its first annual food blogger festival this past weekend -- what an AWESOME event! Free food, drinks, demos, and gifts to take home, plus the chance to network with so many fascinating bloggers from across the nation/world! It was so wonderful to meet folks who share the same passion for food and who don't give weird looks when you photograph every dish that comes your way. I felt so accepted and understood :)

We heart Foodbuzz!

At the welcome reception! WongCo Food + Taste Tests

The tasting event from that night featured the best of San Francisco street food, with a lineup of some impressive mobile eateries that have re-defined gourmet meals.

Mission Minis

These gourmet cupcakes pack a lot of sweetness in a small size! The red velvet was divine; the chocolate was rich and gooey; and the cinnamon horchata brought back college memories of late night runs to Mexican joints in San Diego.

Tacolicious - delish indeed with locally sourced ingredients!

The Pie Truck

Steak & gruyere pie from The Pie Truck

Tender morsels of steak and melted gruyere tucked into this cute little pie made it my second favorite street food of the night.

My first favorite? This amazing porchetta sandwich from Roli Roti, a gourmet mobile rotisserie committed to using sustainably-farmed meats and veggies. Porchetta is a savory marinated pork roast that hails from Italy, and it was presented here with crispy pork skin, organic herbs, and onion marmalade. The combination was moan-inducing -- savory, sweet, with a balance of textures and flavors competing for my taste buds' attention. This is the sandwich to dream about.

Porchetta sandwich

Roasting the pork...

Shucking demos and raw oysters from Hog Island Oyster Company

Flatbread crisps with tomato and avocado from Alive Vegetarian Cuisine

They serve food that is all raw, organic, and vegan. Great concept, but I thought their stuff was a bit bland.

Pomegranate cheesecake from Alive Vegetarian Cuisine

Far west fungi vol au vent from Spencer on the Go

This was basically a bunch of juicy mushrooms over a puff pastry with cream sauce. Loved the mushrooms and sauce, but the pastry became disappointingly soggy real quick.

Making some pizza pies...

...and the final product from Pizza Politana!

Pilsner from Thirsty Bear & basil gimlet courtesy of Skyy Spirits

Our gift bag full of goodies!

Coverage from Day 2 to come soon!