Event: 1st FoodBuzz Food Blogger Festival
Date: November 6-8, 2009
Location: San Francisco
So the time had finally come! The first annual Food Blogger Festival! I had been waiting for this event every since they announced it a few months ago. I’ve said this before and I will say it again. I feel so lucky to live in San Francisco. Foodbuzz has been so good to me ever since I signed up with them in 2007. They’ve sent me to the most fabulous food events and now this was their way of gathering everyone together for a spectacular foodie weekend.
Day 1 - Friday, November 6, 2009
The Bay Bridge at NightSan Francisco is truly the perfect place to host the inaugural event because we seemed to have everything that weekend. Rain on Friday afternoon, a cool pleasant breeze Friday night, and then a gorgeous sunny blue sky for the rest of the weekend. Enough of this blabbing! Get ready for a foodie overload!
Welcome Reception at Hotel Vitale
The event kicked off at the Hotel Vitale where FBZ reserved an awesome suite with two balconies overlooking the Embarcadero. The Embarcadero is basically my second home because I take the BART there so much, but the view from here is far different from the Embarcadero I am used to.
Here everyone mingled while sipping on SKYY cocktails and munching on small bites.
Chef Michelle Mah of Midi in the Galleria Park Hotel and Chef Eddi BLyden of Henry's at the Hotel Durant did an awesome job with their nibbles. I loved the little crostini. Meaty and delicious. The angry mac n’ cheese was very spicy. I learned from Chef Blyden that he used sambal, a chili pepper blend from Southeast Asia. I washed it down with a lovely glass of sparkling juice. No alky for me today. I didn’t want to be hung-over because Saturday was going to require lots of energy.
After meeting up with familiar faces and finally meeting those who I interacted on FBZ for the first time, we headed to the Ferry Building for some street food goodness.
Taste of SF Street Food Fare
Street food has boomed here in San Francisco and so has mini cupcakes. Mission Mini’s cupcakes are so cute and delicious. I went for the red velvets right away and though the red velvet cake itself was good, I was tickled by their cream cheese frosting. It tasted exactly like the one I make at home from scratch.
Though I can make red velvet cupcakes at home, it was great to have someone else make them for you. Thank you to Marc of Chefectomy for capturing this moment.
Y’all know I love my lemony desserts. Their “pink lemonade” minis were delicious as well. Nice and tart cake with a creamy frosting. I wish I had Tupperware so that I could smuggle some for home. Very good!
It seemed like I started my meal backwards because right after cupcakes I had ice cream. Way to have dessert first, right? Straus Family Creamery is a household name for foodies here in San Francisco. Their organic milk makes awesome cheeses for Cowgirl Creamery and what I learned here, ice cream as well. Their coffee was tasty. Not too bitter and not too sweet. The vanilla bean had a clean flavor as well. Awesome.
As we walked to the different stands, Kiki of FBZ came with a gorgeous tray of chicharonnes from 4505 Meats. Oh Ryan Farr, you enchant me. I’m Filipina so I have had my fair share of chicharones. These were like air. Once they touch your tongue, they start to integrate into weightless porky goodness. They used a nice spice seasoning which left a nice burn on the palate. Addicting.
Now that we are on the subject of pork, let me tell you why San Francisco is perfect for foodies. It is because of
Roli Roti and their porchetta (POR-KE-TAH). I once waited 30 minutes in line to get one of their sandwiches at one of my visits to the Saturday morning farmers market. I didn’t wait that long in this line, but I did let a few people cut me just so that I could spend an extra few minutes with Thomas Odermatt, the mastermind behind this pork which became the kryptonite for many festival go’ers. Sir Odermatt, how I love thee. He explained to me that they used ACME ciabatta for the roll, which just happens to be my favorite bread from ACME. The free range pork loin was rolled into the pork belly with lemon zest and other seasonings.
That incredible roll of pork was roasted for 4 hours until the skin browned and crisped. He then sliced the meat and chopped that delectable skin (which he let me have an extra piece of). After sopping the ACME ciabatta up with the glorious juice that escaped the meat, he piled the meat, caramelized onions and curly cress on it, and viola!
A true masterpiece. He served the sandwich with rosemary roasted fingerling potatoes which actually were cooked beneath the porchetta and were baptized with the fatty drippings from the meat as it turned on the rotisserie. Out of this world.
I was happy with just the porchetta sandwich and could have gone home after that, but no there was much more to taste. See, Tupperware would have been good at this moment. Next was Alive, a total 180 from the carnivorous offerings of our previous stand. Alive served us organic, vegan bites. I didn’t try the cheesecakes, but I did try the flatbreads. They were delicious. I really did not care that they were vegetarian. The flavors were all there. This particular one with avocado, vibrant tomato, chiffonade of basil was tasty.
Next was a remarkable mushroom dish from Spencer on the Go. It looked like a base of buttery and flaky puff pastry was topped with a creamy ragout of mushrooms and cheese. SO rich. I didn’t finish all of it, but I loved how the gravy from the mushrooms seeped into the layers of buttery dough and created a contrast of both crispy and silken puff pastry. If I had a second belly, this would have been gone in no time.
Pizza Politana! Neapolitan pizza, especially freshly baked ones, have a special place in my heart. I just loved the crackled crust. Those burnt edges were my favorite parts because that’s where the tomato sauce was so concentrated and I love tomatoes! The lovely toppings included olives, spinach, cheese, and onions. Again, totally vegetarian, but I loved it all the same. Didn’t miss the meat at all.
Oysters! It was only until recently that I began to like raw oysters. Hog Island Oysters had the incredibly adorable Ian shucking oysters for the crowd. He told me that they were offering Kumamoto oysters from Tomales Bay.
I had about three, one seasoned with lemon and Tabasco (thanks Rose of Spots for Dates), and the other two topped with the cilantro sauce offered. Dynamite.
If they had more of the little guys on the ice and less people behind me in line, I would have stood here eating oysters all night. =)
Tacolicious is super delicious. I must have been Mexican in my past life because I absolutely love tacos. In my present life, I am a condiment whore, so this “Hot as F---!” sauce intrigued me…but I was chicken and put the milder green sauce on my taco instead.
I opted for a short rib because I prefer beef to any other meat on my taco; however, I did see a chorizo and potato taco as well as a chicken one. Awesome meat. Tender and flavorful. They offer their tacos Ferry Building market every Thursday…and only on Thursday…darn, this is making me want to call in sick just to get a taco. They have also started making breakfast, huevos rancheros, anyone?
Thanks to Lisa of Tacolicious for taking this picture. You can find all the other folks who pleasured themselves with tacoliciousness
at this gallery.
I feel so foolish for writing this. I cheated. I am so Filipino. I took a couple of the pies from the Pie Truck stand and tucked them into my bag to bring to Bub at home.
Why oh why did I do that? They were incredible!! It was up there with the porchetta. The steak and Gruyere blew my mind. Tender flaky crust encased a delectable concoction of diced steak and cheese. That sauce was money. Mouth. Watering. The zucchini and mushroom also impressed me. Creamy mélange of veggies in a creamy sauce. Both were simply the best savory pies I have ever had. Ever. In the world. Period. I really need to start following these guys. I want one right now.
These were dubbed “swag bags.” These bad boys were hea-vy. I would say 15 pounds a bag. Say wha?! Rubber spatulas, jar of pesto, a whisk that can easily be turned into a pleasure device, a box of panko…the only thing I could complain about is that I did not get my KNORK. =( Otherwise, everything in this bag was fantastic. I felt so special carrying it to the car. It’s like one of those goodie bags you get at an awards show. Free stuff is great, but free food stuff is even greater. Thanks, Foodbuzz!
Can you believe that this was just the first day?
P.S. I stole this pic from Fanny of YummySF!Day 2 - Saturday, November 7, 2009
San Francisco is gorgeous when the sky is blue. We are so used to cloudy grey skies here that the sun felt a little “off.” I guess the foodie gods wanted the Food Bloggers to enjoy the weather!
The Ferry Building is where my foodie-self can run free. Striking produce every Saturday and the marketplace inside is just as impressive. You can sample olive oil at Stonehouse, Vietnamese food at Out the Door, caviar at Tsar Nicholas…I want to get married here. Seriously.
Saturday Morning Seminar
Festival go’ers had the option of attending sessions during the day to learn about wine, olive oil, and cheese. When I saw that Cowgirl Creamery was conducting the cheese session, I was sold. So on this gorgeous Saturday morning, I joined others at the Ferry Building to immerse ourselves in this awesome cheese.
Our host was Sue Conley, who co-founded Cowgirl Creamery with Peggy Smith in 1997. She was such a joy to listen to. Her passion for artisan cheese is so strong that I wanted to make my own cheese at home. A true delight.
The first cheese that we tried was Fromage Blanc - which is made at the factory at Point Reyes. At first bite I got this nice tang at the corners of my mouth, and then it had this lovely, creamy texture that went really well with the crackers we used for scooping. I am imagining drizzling olive oil on top and topping it with freshly ground black pepper and scooping it with grilled garlicky crostini. This fresh cheese is fantastic.
The next was Inverness – a dense cheese with a slight tang. This was a bit too strong and dry for my palate. However, it was great to try.
Then we had Mount Tam!!
This is my favorite of all Cowgirl Creamery cheeses, so I was so happy to eat it here. I always buy it for my bread plate at home whenever we have parties. I love its creamy and buttery texture. It IS triple cream, so talk about decadent. I wanted another piece, but I didn’t want to look like a hog. =)
The next cheese we tried was dubbed “Batch 11” because it technically hasn’t been put on the market yet. When it does, it will be called the “Wagon Wheel.” Meant to be an “everyday” “more affordable” cheese, the Wagon Wheel can be used the same way an asiago would. It is aged for 2 months and would make a great cheese for everything from snacking to sandwiches. I will buy this when I find it!
The cheese tasting was a lot of fun. The discussion was entertaining, Sue was so friendly and inspiring, and the crowd asked some very good questions. I am so glad that we have such a fabulous cheese maker here in the Bay Area. Happy cows make happy cheese. Happy cheese makes happy Jo. =)
Afternoon Taste Pavillion at the City View at the Metreon
After the tasting, Fanny of yummySF and I took the train to Powell where the second event of the day was going to go down! The Tasting Pavillion at the Metreon was so much fun. We got to meet several vendors from all over to sample their creations.
My first bite was this awesome baby octopus ceviche from Chef Jesse Perez of Fuego at the Hotel Maya. I also saw some baby scallops and what could have been diced yams. The sweet and tangy leche de tigre (aka ceviche juice) was good enough to drink after all the seafood was gobbled up. If I am ever in Long Beach, this would be a great place to hit up.
They’re baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! Mission Minis was at it again with their charming desserts. Of course I had the “Ruby Red Velvet,” but I also tried their Swiss Almond Coconut. The frosting was a Swiss meringue which made it a bit lighter. The coconut added a pleasant crunch. I just looked at their website and their flavors are out of this universe! Cinnamon horchata, anyone? Yeah…my mouth is watering…
Above is a montage of the savory bites I had: The first shows a crostini made with Bertolli prepared sauces, gorgonzola cheese, pinenuts, and onions. The next one is a butternut squash wild rice tart topped with pomegranate seeds and blue cheese mustard from Vineyard Pantry. Then we have an egg white veggie frittata muffin made by rhodeygirltests. It was made with Nature’s Pride bread and parmesan cheese. Bread and cheese? Can’t go wrong! =) Next up is another tart with a carpaccio made with diced beats and topped with a fennel meringue. A delicious meatball made by Chef Paul Arenstam of Americano Restaurant was quickly devoured! Meat! Finally a stuffed mushroom that the lovely couple of TheDuoDishes made for their live Bertolli cooking presentation. DEE-LISH-US mushroom!
There was no escaping Ryan Farr’s chicharonnes. I just stood in front of the tray and starting stuffing them in my mouth. They don’t weight anything, so I shouldn’t have gained any pounds, right?! =P
Now we have a collection of the sweets I had…mint patties, Recchiuti’s signature caramel chocolates, and candy-coated chocolate hazelnuts from
Recchiuti Confections… outstanding Toffee Milk Chocolate Chip cookies from
Annie the Baker. I loved how her cookies are on the softer side…she even let me take one extra to go…so yummy…Beef hot dogs from
Prather Ranch… how did this get to my sweets collection? Hey, meat in tubular form is candy to me!!
Au Coeur de Chocolats pleasured us with his chocolate toffee hazelnuts and almonds…TDF! Now, let me tell you about
479 Popcorn… unlike any popcorn I have ever eaten before. Highlights: madras curry popcorn and the fleur de sel popcorn. The ladies behind the brand are definitely doing something right here! A few years ago I thought kettle corn was exciting… now this is ground-breaking. Next we have flavored pretzels from
Vibrant Flavors…try the Maple Bacon! Yeah, you heard me. Maple bacon pretzels! Finally I shared a moment with
NeoCocoa… their tiny chocolate truffles took me away to nirvana…the nice lady behind the table said I even ate the truffle “correctly.” She
watched me eat it… hehehe… you’re supposed to let it melt on your tongue so that you can enjoy the wonderful chocolate flavor and silky texture… yes… glorious…
Right before I left, I saw some awesome bites from the Mezzetta table and there was no way I was going to pass it up. Here we have a nice and warm tomato soup topped with a pesto oil and parmesan crisp. To the right is a Beer Braised Flank Steak on Garlic Polenta…that meat was amazing! I loved the polenta as it was creamy and a nice base for the meat. To the rear is bread topped with Kerry Gold’s Pure Irish butter and a piece of their Duhallow cheese. This little plate was the perfect ending to my tasting experience. I had to save my appetite because dinner was just a few hours away!
But first let me how you the goodies I got from the day’s tasting:
Now isn’t this great? Frog Hollow hooked it up with a beautiful pear, granola, cookies and so much more. I also scored a meat thermometer and a flash drive! Free technological things are off the hook!
This was adorable. FoodBuzz went all out and gave out Lenox, yes Lenox, glasses to all the attendees. This is a glass I will forever keep to remind myself of the incredible weekend I had with my fellow food bloggers.
Feast at Green Leaf Produce WarehouseWhen I arrived at the warehouse, I could already smell the aroma of smoke rising from the burning white oak used on the grill. This was incredible. Think 250 food bloggers all in one area! So best believe everyone had their camera out ready to capture all the succulent moments of the night.
Before we ate, we were welcomed by Doug from FoodBuzz and representatives from
Outstanding in the Field (their work is extraordinary) and
Green Leaf. After much anticipation, we were allowed to sit at our tables to enjoy the creations the folks from
Namu Restaurant were about to present to us.
I had never eaten dinner like this before. Tables were assembled like a snake and wound around Green Leaf Produce Warehouse. It was very interesting to eat among the bags of onions and tomatoes; however, I think that was their point. It is important to know where food comes from and where it is stored before it hits your plate.
They made A LOT of these little suckers.During dinner, I met Dan Lee, co-founder of Namu who told me that Chef Dennis Lee was in the hospital. So Ken, Namu’s chef de cuisine, was at the helm directing the kitchen. With him were Ross, Sam, Greg, and Ian aka “Oysterboy” from Hog Island. To prepare, they even held meetings at Chef Lee’s bedside at the hospital! Don’t worry, Chef Lee, your guys did GOOD! You should be proud.
Ahi Tonnato on Pain de Mie
Gochukaru and ParsleyAt first I thought this was just hummus on toasts, but it is really a tuna sauce. Just think of it as a smooth puree of tuna. It is topped with parsley and Korean chili flakes. I only had one of these and I can’t really say I was too enthused about it. If I had more than one, then maybe I could do a more fair critique of it. They were really cute though. =)
Our First Course Waiting to Be PreparedWhile everyone was mingling and waiting to eat, I walked to the kitchen and watched the guys prepare our soup. I just found the undressed mushrooms so beautiful. I knew that once the hot dashi broth hits the mushrooms and vegetables, their composition totally change. The wooden bowls were also very beautiful.
Seasoned Shrimp ChipsWhen I saw these I immediately thought of my childhood. All Asians should know what these are. Steph of Lick My Spoon also said that she grew up on these. I never really liked these as a kid, but now I like them. =)
Kim Chee and Pickled VegetablesYou CANNOT have a Korean meal without kim chee! I love pickled veggies because they cleanse your palate and get you ready for the rest of your meal.
Le Cigare Blanc
from Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa CruzI only had one of the wines that night and this 2007 Le Cigar Blanc was so easy to drink. If I wasn’t careful, I could have drank ten more glasses of it.
Mushroom Dashi
Maitake, Shimeji, Enoki MushroomsNow doesn’t this look gorgeous? The mushrooms and veggies just bloom in the hot dashi. There was a slight sourness in the broth and the different mushrooms lent their earthy flavors.
Udon
Grilled Monterey Calamari in a Browned Butter Ponzu Reduction, Cucumber, Kaiware, Frisée, and Yellow Pear Tomato with Chojang and Sesame VinaigretteWhen I walked into the warehouse, I spied Sam grilling the calamari for this salad. I really enjoyed the textures in this dish. The bouncy udon noodles and tender calamari mixed with the crisp greens and daikon radish sprouts was delightful. You can easily mess up calamari by over cooking it, but these were perfect.
Preparation of the Calamari and Sea TroutHere you can see Sam grilling the calamari and the sea trout. Greg explain to me that kombu seaweed and onions were layered on top of the fish to give it UMAMI! We all love umami! After the fish was plated it was sprinkled with fried garlic and curry powder. I assume that they didn’t put the curry on the fish while it was cooking so that the spices wouldn’t burn. The bottom picture shows Chef Ken instructing Ross on how to season the first piece of fish.
Sea Trout
Baked with Dashikombu, Fried Garlic,
and Japanese Curry PowderThis was the highlight of my meal. I asked Dan if they were going to keep the middle of the fish on the rare side and he said that was the goal. I love my fish rare, so this dish was PERFECT. The seaweed and the onion did indeed add some great flavors. I seriously could have eaten this whole fish by myself. There is a debate whether the fish was really sea trout or salmon...I really don't care! It was delicious whatever it was!
Ian aka “Oysterboy” Prepping the Risotto for ServiceThis is one of my favorite pictures. It looks like there is so much going on with all the plates everywhere, but the guys were so organized and created our dishes flawlessly.
Ross Sprinkling Parmesan Cheese Over the RisottoI think those fried maitake mushrooms were what made the risotto so great. I watched Chef Ken cook the mushrooms in a pan and he added a nice healthy portion of butter into it while saying, “People who don’t eat lactose are lacking
something.” That’s what I liked to hear. Mo’ buttah mo’ bettah!
Mushroom Risotto
Koshihikari Rice and Crispy Maitake MushroomsThis risotto went impeccably with the fish. The fish was great with all the robust flavors of the pungent fried garlic and aromatic curry, but this rice just made it over the top. The rice was earthy and mellow. The crispy mushrooms supplied a pleasing texture contrast. I was so bummed when Dan told me that the dishes served at this dinner were not on the menu at Namu because if they were, this would be a dish I would LOVE to revisit!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ponzu Fried Garlic, Guanciale, Bonito FlakesThis vegetable dish was loved by so many of my fellow diners. I can see why. The Brussels sprouts, which I am not a fan of normally, were cooked so that they had the ideal tenderness. They were tossed with guanciale, which is a cured meat from the pig’s cheek. The bonito flakes were so entertaining as they seemed to dance on top of the vegetables. There was a cookie sheet of leftover guanciale in the kitchen and Ross let VirgoBlue and I have a taste. Heaven. Sprinkle those on top of rice and I’ll be happy. =)
Soy Braised Beef Cheeks and Oxtails
Baby Carrots and Fingerling Potatoes,
OB Beer and Denjang DemiThe reason why I don’t have a picture of this course at our table is because
VirgoBlue and I were so busy chatting it up with the Namu guys that we completely forgot our table was getting served. By the time we got back to our table, more than half of it was gone. Ha! But I did have some of the meat it was so tender and lip-smacking good. One thing I like about beef cheeks and oxtail is that since they need to be cooked so long, the connective tissue running through the meat break down creating an almost sticky texture…which I love.
Koshihikari Rice Pudding
Cookie Crumble and Warren PearRoss told me that he himself baked the cookies for the crumble. I don’t know if that is true or not, but the dessert was good. Creamy rice pudding with a nice fresh crisp from the pears and crunch from the cookies. I enjoy contrasting textures and I loved how the dishes here in the dinner exhibited that quality.
2008 VinfernoI didn’t have any of the dessert wine, but I admit, the glasses lined up on the table did look gorgeous.
The guys celebrating another successful dinner serviceThank you Chef Ken, Dan, Ross, Ian, and Sam! You made everyone at the dinner so happy!
The crowd watching the awards presentation hosted by Ryan Stern of FBZ and Jenn of The Leftover Queen
Can you find yourself?
Congratulations!!
Stephanie of Lick My Spoon
“Best New Blog”
and
“What blogger should have their ‘foodie life’
made into a movie?”
Chef John of Food Wishes Video Recipes
winner of “Best Video Blog”
I must say that the dinner was just grand. Great conversation over great food. My dining partners and I look forward to visiting Namu one day!
Looking back on my weekend, I feel extremely lucky to be in a network of great food bloggers. We continue to learn from each other and share fantastic food experiences with each other. I didn’t go to the Farewell Brunch at Restaurant Lulu simply because I was too tired, but even with that missed event, I consider what I experienced to be more than enough. I met such terrific people and learned so much. I am inspired to work more on my blog for years to come just from interacting with those who have the same enthusiasm as I do.
So for my last words, I want to thank FoodBuzz again for their generosity and hard work. This was just their first festival and it went amazingly well. I sincerely am already counting down to the next festival wherever it will be. This is truly a food event that I will be reminiscing about for a long time. Thank you to all my food friends, to FoodBuzz, and to everyone else who made this event possible.
Hellos to my OG and New Loves from #fbzfest:
Fanny of YummySF
Elaine of VirgoBlue
Stephanie of Lick My Spoon
Em of Kitchen M
Bonnie of Chrysanthemum
Elizabeth of Ms. Lin Guide
Kathleen of Kat's 9 Lives
Joel of Six By 10 Tiny Kitchen
Rose and Lando of Spots for Dates
Chef John of Food Wishes Video Recipes
Pim of Chez Pim
Jess of The Petite Pig
The Crew from Namu Restaurant
Ryan, Doug, Ben, Dorian, Loren, Kiki, and the whole team at FoodBuzz
more to come! still in processPLEASE excuse the mess! I'm still working on this post as I am still trying to add links to all the names and businesses I mentioned in this post. Thanks!
Posts
