However, today’s focus is on what is probably most interesting to readers of this blog – the samples of culinary goodness that were available.

Cheeses and chocolate were both available in vast quantities.  Indeed, other than Friday night, the conference was located at Theo’s Chocolate Factory, where there were always platters of chunked up chocolate bars available.

Meals during the conference were quite special.  Breakfasts were continental, with pastries from Bakery Noveau, donuts from Top Pot, and beautiful Driscoll berries.  Lunch and dinner on Saturday were provided by several star chefs who put together a variety of small plates, while on Sunday we were treated to selections from a lineup of local food trucks. Throughout the conference, gluten-free bloggers dined on a gorgeous line-up of food provided by the popular Wheatless in Seattle.  One of the funniest aspects of a conference full of bloggers was that everyone snapped pictures before grabbing plates. 

I had many wonderful bites of food, but there were three that were particularly memorable.

My Top Three Bites

#1,  Cupcake Royale's Salted Caramel Cupcakes: These were so good that I’ve requested these as my birthday party cake next week.

The frosting has a wonderful texture, creamy and buttery, but not so heavy that it coats the roof of your mouth. The caramel flavor is immediate and full, without the waxy finish that I’ve gotten from cheaper quality frosting. It has a well-balanced sweetness, not overly sugarfied, which I quite liked, and the way it held up against the dark chocolate cake was just perfect.  There’s a hint of sea salt, which touches the roof of the mouth and enhances the other flavors.  The only thing that would have made this cupcake better would have been a nice cup of golden yunnan tea (this will be a definite birthday pairing for me).

Currently, there are four Cupcake Royale locations in Seattle.  The big news for those of us on the east side of Lake Washington is that soon there will be a fifth location in Bellevue!

#2, Melon Gazpacho Soup: This refreshing cool soup was served in a cup, and as I raised it for a sip  the gorgeous aroma of cantelope wafted up.  It had the tastes of a late summer garden, and it provided a simple yet satisfying flavor.  The sweet cantelope was nicely contrasted by a hint of hot pepper – cold against heat.

I had a glass of red wine from Rodney Strong in hand, which was quite nice, but I think the gazpacho would have paired perfectly with an aromatic white (perhaps a torrontes or albarino?).

The two chefs behind the soups at the tasting also served up some flavorful veggie goodness at Saturday’s dinner.  I liked all of their offerings enough that I’m going to order their new cookbook, Down Home Downtown: Seasonal Recipes from Two Sonoma Wine Country Restaurants.

#3: Hallava Falafal: At their best, falafals have a delicate, crispy crust on the outside and are lightly fluffy on the inside.  Hallava's falafals were perfectly textured, and they were also some of the most flavorful I’ve ever had.  I heard many of my fellow bloggers talking about the great falafals, so it wasn't just me who was impressed.

The falafal itself had a bit of a peppery zing, which was nicely offset by the cool yogurt topping.  The tang of the pickled veggies on top provided even more depth.

If you ever  see the bright yellow Hallava Falafal food truck at a farmer’s market or a street corner, definitely make a stop!

Modernist Cuisine Reception

Last night, I attended a pre-conference reception hosted at the Intellectual Ventures Cooking Lab in Bellevue.  Modernist Cuisine is a 6-volume book set that is dedicated to the science and technology of cooking.  You may have read any number of articles about this upcoming volume, which is getting quite a bit of buzz in both culinary and techie-geek circles.

It is not a cheap set of books, currently priced at $500 pre-order on amazon.com (full price is $625).  At first I was dismayed by the pricepoint, but I’ve become more understanding of it after reading and learning further about the project. 

The books are widely described as being dedicated to the new tools and processes of molecular gastronomy, which is indeed true.  However, last night I discovered they are about much more than that.  The scientist-chefs at the labs have dedicated many hours of research to studying the science behind food preparation, dispelling common myths, explaining how to make the most of traditional methods of cooking, as well as exploring this new world of centrifuges and emulsifiers.

“When it’s really great, cuisine can be thought-provoking.”

Those words were spoken by a well-known personality in the computer world, former Microsoft CTO Nathan Myhrvold, who created this lab dedicated to exploring and explaining the science of cooking.  As he speaks, Myhrvold’s passion for cuisine and the art of cooking is evident.  Seeing him in this sort of a role is very different from the scientist/mathematician that I’ve read about in the past.  It was a unique opportunity to speak with him and his two co-authors, picking their brains for information about the book and the new approach to cooking they promote.

Myhrvold is not the only impressive cook or researcher in the lab.  Each person I spoke with was very smart, filled with an impressive amount of knowledge, and really excited to share this with us.  They also shared some wonderfully intriguing bites of food, poured glasses of nice wine, and generally made us feel welcome.

At the close of the event we were given promotional material that is a sampling of what will be in the book.  From what I saw, as well as things I’ve read in outside sources, this set of books will indeed contain an unequaled collection of cooking knowledge.  The photography is both stunning and enlightening; the text I read is intended for an advanced cook, but it was accessible even to a non-professional like myself. If you’d like to get an early glimpse of the book, head over to their website for a downloadable excerpt.

Photos From Last Night

Still Life in Lab

The watermelon chips were delicately thin slices of crispy goodness.

I'd be more likely to eat my peas if they came served like this cup of Sweet Pea Veloute with a coconut froth and shake of cinnamon.  The soup tasted like fresh-picked summer peas, fresh out of the pod.  It paired especially well with a glass of Domaine Serene chardonnay.

A tasty dessert of Frozen Pistachio "Cream" with cherries, tomatoes, lemongrass, and rum cannele.

Tubes of spices and powders.

Stay Tuned

It was an informative evening and an auspicious start to the 2010 IFBC.  I’ll be posting about the conference in the coming week, so make sure you check back for highlights and more photos!

Jacob’s previous edition was focused on cookbooks, restaurant reviews, articles, memoir, and fiction.  The recently-released second edition has been expanded to include information for writing blogs, with a 70-page chapter focused just on that.

The book is very accessible, written in a friendly and helpful way.  It gives practical advice, discusses pitfalls to avoid, and has multiple suggestions for writing techniques.  Interested in what types of publications to solicit for restaurant reviews?  Want to know more about the why and how of restaurant critic disguises?  Wondering how famous food writers got their start?  Want to know what you can write off on your taxes?  Those are just a tiny amount of the questions you can get answered in Will Write for Food.

The first edition has been quite useful for me, as I make the transition into the world of food writing.  I was a college writing teacher for 15+ years, and while I’d published academic articles and had created a variety of blogs and web sites, the world of food writing is a fairly new adventure for me. Word choice, standardized formats, style, a new base of knowledge. . . all of these require a different way of thinking about communication.  I needed to start focusing on this type of discourse, with its new set of publishing requirements and audience expectations.  I was very happy to find the book!

Whether you want a resource to help define your profession, like I did, or you’re searching for a useful tool that focuses on writing strategies and practical advice, this book is uniquely situated to help. 


Read more about the 2nd edition on Dianne Jacobs own blog, "Here it Is: The New Edition of Will Write for Food." See photos from her First Bookstore Signing for the New Edition.

These plump, juicy blackberries are sun-ripened until they slide right off their branches and into your bowl.  Blackberries taste like the end of summer to me, dusty and sweet, with an underlying sourness that hints of shortening daylight hours and the foggy mornings to come.  They have a musky deep flavor that is wilder and darker than raspberries, and each “drupelet” gives a satisfying pop as you crunch down on it.

Even five minutes of picking time can yield a cup or two of blackberries.  I love to grab a handful or fill a travel mug while I’m out on a morning walk, then bring them home for breakfast.  Add them to a dollop of yogurt, and you’ve got a creamy and tart bowl of goodness.  Give them a quick rinse and serve them up with a buttery croissant, and your tummy will be as happy as mine was last weekend.

The blackberry harvest seems a bit late this year, but they are finally ripe and ready to go.  You can find blackberry bushes in the city, in the country, along old roads or train tracks, near parking lots, or just about anywhere that natural forestation has been cleared away enough for the invasive plant to spread.  Avoid toxic areas where someone might have sprayed weedkiller, or where there is a large volume of car traffic. I suggest finding a spot at the edge of a park or near a quiet lane, so you can listen to the songs and chirping of numerous birds enjoying the same bounty.  Bring yours home for breakfast, or perhaps enjoy them with an afternoon cup of tea.

What are your favorite things to do with blackberries?  Do you munch them fresh, or do you take a large batch home for baking a treat like this Blackberry Peach Crumble?

Village Wines, a popular wine bar and shop in the heart of Woodinville wine country, has moved one block away to Redwood Place. They’re much easier to find now, located across the road from Purple Cafe in Woodinville, next to several new winery tasting rooms and the well-established Mazatlan restaurant.  Visit any of the tasting rooms at Redwood Place, like Darby or Airfield Estates (and soon Long Shadows), then stroll over to Village Wines to relax with a glass of wine and a quick bite of food.

I've been a club member and semi-regular at Village Wines for a few years, so I was excited to visit their new location which just opened in July.  It was nice to find the same friendly smiles in the beautiful new setting that is about three times larger than before, with many new seating areas and a beautiful outdoor patio.  It isn’t as cozy and intimate a setting as the previous location, but Lisa and her crew carefully designed several spaces that create comfortable and cozy spots to meet with friends or family.

You can choose to relax in a comfortable chair indoors, to sip wine at an outdoor table while you watch a gorgeous sunset, or to snag a stool at the friendly bar where you can peruse their expanded list of wines by the glass. They also feature local beer on tap for those who might prefer something other than wine.

The food menu of small plates and nibblies now includes items like sweet potato fries or portabello puffs, as well as offering previous favorites.  Don’t worry – those popular Panini sandwiches are still on the menu!

For those who would rather shop for wine and goodies to take home, you can wander among the many racks of wine from around the world.  You’re likely to spot some great gems from Washington state.  Village Wines has always specialized in wines of the northwest, and they continue to feature bottles from new and little-known wineries.  There are also wine accessories and gourmet snacks on the shelves, as well as a deli case and a freezer stocked with meals-to-go from Redmond's Red Ribbon Gourmet.

One of my favorite things to do when visiting Village Wines is to see if their sweet doggy mascot is around.  On my last visit, I tucked Brix under my arm (where she promptly fell asleep) and asked for a glass of  the wine named after her.  Brix Wine was created in collaboration with a Washington winemaker, then bottled by members of the Village Wines club (including yours truly!) in the summer of 2009.

14450 Woodinville-Redmond Road #111
Woodinville, WA, 98072
425-485-3536

Hours:

• Mon, 11:00 pm - 8:00 pm
• Tues – Thurs, 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
• Fri – Sat, 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
• Sun, 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

My favorite morning mug comes from the American Library Association gift shop.  It is just the right size for me, keeps the tea warm, and (best of all) features the Dewey Decimal number for tea.  What lover of books and tea wouldn’t like this?! 

You may remember CZ Cellars from a June blog post, when I shared photos of the morning I helped on the bottling line:

The wines I helped bottle are the ones being tasted today.  Look closely at the capsules, and you might see my handiwork! 

I think you'll find these are pleasant white wines, perfect for hot summer days.   I've tasted them several times and am lucky enough to have a few bottles here at home (thank you gifts for helping out).  If you'd like to taste wines from one of the newest winemakers in Washington, head over to the Warehouse Winery area in Woodinville.

Here's more information from their Invitation:

CONVERGENCE ZONE CELLARS GRAND OPENING & RELEASE PARTY

Saturday, July 10, NOON to 5:00PM

19501 144th Ave. NE (Suite D-500)

Join us as we celebrate the Grand Opening of our new winery and the release of our first two wines. 

Convergence Zone Cellars is located--where else--in the Puget Sound Convergence Zone.  When weather from the south and weather from the north converge, we have that place where it's a little cloudier, stormier, and unpredictable.  

Our wines will focus on a Convergence of premium quality grapes from some of the best grape-growing regions and vineyards in Washington State.

Our first two wines are perfect for the summer (which finally arrived in the Convergence Zone on June 23rd).   Plus, receive 15% off during our release party.

We hope you can join us, and we look forward to seeing you in the Convergence Zone!

Scott and Monica Greenberg
Convergence Zone Cellars

Summer is finally putting in an appearance here in the Seattle area, and with the change in season comes a change in the beverages we drink.  As the temperature rises, heavy red wines wait it out on a cool shelf somewhere, while our bottles of white wines begin to move more often from frig to tabletop.  We also begin to shift from steaming cups to icy glasses of tea.

Refrigerator-Brewed Oolong

While I still begin each day with my morning mug of hot tea, the rest of my daily sipping favors refreshing iced tea.  I know that for many people in the U.S., iced tea = black tea, sometimes sweetened, often served with fresh lemon and/or mint.  While I enjoy that classic style of American iced tea, for me cold oolong is more fragrant and refreshing.

It is quite easy to make, with no boiling required.  Just place a few spoonfuls of loose tea in a pitcher or jar, fill with room temperature water, then place the pitcher in the refrigerator for 5-6 hours (or overnight).  Remove the leaves and it is ready to serve. The cold brewing method keeps the oolong from going bitter, but it still allows for the vibrant flavors and aromas to be present.

Iced tea is never quite as complex as its boiled counterpart, so I use the summer months to clear out my old teas.  Any oolongs that are two years or older get placed in the iced tea basket. Today, in addition to clearing out the oolong drawer, I dug out my old bodum Ceylon Iced Tea pitcher.

After about 15 years of use it is getting a bit worn around the edges.  The plastic is cracked and cloudy, and it probably won’t last much longer.  I love that it has an insert to hold the leaves, so they can be easily removed.  My new system needs to have this feature, but I’d prefer a glass rather than plastic exterior. I recently noticed another tea pitcher designed for brewing loose-leaf teas, and I’m going to give it a try.

Refreshing Bubbles

I do love the complexities of white wine, and it is always a joy to pair it with food.  However, on evenings when it gets very hot, I want low alcohol, a clean taste, and a nice spritzy texture.   Champagne is lovely, but it can be a bit pricey.  For everyday drinkers, it is definitely more cost effective to purchase sparkling whites and rosés from other regions.

Some of my favorite bubblies are Italy’s zesty sparkling proseccos.  These are quite easy to find, both in wine shops and even on grocery store shelves.  Prices generally run around $8-18/bottle (less, if you’re lucky enough to find them on sale).   My current favorite is the Livio Pavese Lugana Extra Dry, which I think has a satisfying lemon-rind finish, nice minerality, and fine bubbles that provide a good texture in the mouth.

Another reason I enjoy the Livio Pavese is that it holds up very well in mixed drinks, providing both fizz and flavor.  Here are a few suggestions for fruity prosecco drinks that are great on a hot summer day:

• Mimosa: Fill a champagne flute 1/3 full with orange juice.  Slowly top it off with prosecco.

• Bellini:  Fill a champagne flute 1/3 full with peach juice or fresh peach puree.  Slowly top it off with prosecco.

• Lemon-Ginger Bubbles: Rub a piece of fresh ginger on the rim of the glass, then pour the prosecco to fill.   Add a curly strip of lemon peel – be careful to have none of the white pith on the peel.  You want to get the essential oils of the peel without the bitterness from the pith.

• Limoncello Cocktail: Fill a champagne flute 1/3 full of limoncello.  Slowly top it off with prosecco.  Drop in one or two frozen berries (I like blackberries or blueberries).

• Frozen Fruit Bubbly: Fill your glass with prosecco, then add a few slices of frozen fruit.  Anything works, from mango to raspberries.  The fruit will keep your bubbly cold as well as provide some additional flavor as it melts.

I’ll leave you with a recipe for an amazingly delicious prosecco cocktail that my husband made for me last night.

Jeff’s French 75

2 oz. Hendricks gin
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. st. germaine
prosecco
lemon peel

Shake the first 3 ingredients over ice, just enough to blend. Pour into two champagne flutes.  Top with Prosecco.  Garnish with a lemon twist.