Eat Alberta 2012: Your Real Food Survival Guide

Eat Alberta 2012: Your Real Food Survival Guide was a conference that already had big shoes to fill. The inaugural Eat Alberta in 2011, A Celebration of Our Local Food Heroes, was a resounding success and left attendees just buzzing and eager for more. Albertan foodies bookmarked the website, diarized reminders, and were poised and ready to jump at the first word of the sequel. It was like Harry Potter meets the saute pan. 

While we waited impatiently, I can only imagine the fervour and frenzy behind the scenes as the organizers pieced together this next event and satiate the foodie masses.

Well, a few short weeks ago, the email announcement for Eat Alberta 2012 went out. In a panic, I got online and secured my spot in my sessions of choice (though I struggled immensely in deciding on just four). Then... I waited... April 14th received a big red circle on the calendar and the kids counted down to foodie Christmas. 

I was enrolled in... Mushroom Foraging, Macaron Basics, Artisan Cheese Making, and Sourdough 101. And I was ecstatic. 

Eat Alberta 2011: A Celebration of Our Local Food Heroes

Six weeks ago, I posted about the first-ever, and then upcoming, Eat Alberta conference to be held in Edmonton on April 30, 2011. I was so excited about the opportunity to learn and share and connect with fellow food lovers. If I was able to, I would have registered for every session that was to be offered.

That excitement held through until the actual conference day... yesterday... and carried me, enthusiastically, through a very full day.

Breaducation... Who doesn't *heart* bread?!

There has been so much breaducation in my life of late...

I've taken my own stabs at breadmaking... dreaming of the days where I will nuture and grow my own sourdough starter like a precious child... but loving every leavening moment and yeasty-bready perfume in the interim.

Then there was the Breaducation night (here's the story, courtesy of Edmonton food blogger and photographer Maki of In My Element) at the lovely Sarah's coffee boutique, Luzzara, on Whyte Avenue (Edmonton, AB) featuring the bread-making stylings of Owen of Prairie Mill Bakery (found in both Edmonton and Calgary) and Chris of eatingisthehardestpart.com. Partially, it was a great opportunity to learn more about making a great loaf... but also an amazing excuse to eat the amazing loaves produced by each of these gents (some amazing artisan sourdoughs from Chris and my favourite Corn Millet (among others) from Owen). (Lots of links there... but lots of great people for you to "meet"!)

Next up, Momma became a bread making fiend as she prepared for her artisan bread making class that she was teaching in St Albert. As her prep seemed to necessitate baking a loaf a day, I found myself happily immersed in the land of bread.

Bread! Bread! Bread!

Twitter has been amazing for connecting me with everyone that I mentioned above... and that is exactly how I ended up finding my new fave for bread and other bakery goodies, Sidewalk Citizen Bakery. I have been envious of those ordering loaves of bread for delivery to their offices on Tuesday and tantalized by the weekly creations available in their storefront.

Only one place to be on April 30th... Eat Alberta in Edmonton!

I cannot think of a single better place to be on April 30th... in fact, I think the ONLY place to be on April 30th, if you can do it, is in Edmonton at Eat Alberta, presented by Slow Food Edmonton!

The array of speakers, keynotes and information session are just amazing... Just take a tour through the Eat Alberta site and see. Registration opened today, so move and shake your way over to Sign Up page and expand your culinary horizons.

Hope to see you there!

Foodie Crush: Last Night's Dinner

I have a crush... on Jennifer Hess and her blog, Last Night's Dinner. I only found her a few days ago after a twitter recommendation from @TOfoodie. Once again, I will praise twitter for adding another link to my #foodporn favourites.

Case and point would be her blog post today:
"I am a home cook. I’m not a writer or a culinary professional, I’m just a girl who works long days, comes home exhausted, and looks forward to sharing a meal with her husband. And whether he’s cooking dinner, or I am, or it’s a joint effort, by and large I want what we eat at home to be good, honest, real food, even if it’s just a simple bowl of pasta and vegetables."

It just seems so honest and wonderfully simple... as though what she is doing is the most obvious thing in the world. And it is just that - obvious.

Lots of photos... less on the recipes. While my own little bubble here is recipe after recipe, I truly appreciate (and subscribe equally) to her philosophy that there really isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to cook.

Anyway, add Last Night's Dinner to your own #foodporn list... or twitter @lastnightsdinnr

#foodporn

I haven't been home so I haven't been able to cook... *tear* To fill that void, I am trying to satisfy my cravings visually. Enter: Food Porn Daily. This is pure visual excitement... I'm salivating just looking at some of these creations. You can get these images delivered directly to your inbox and even submit your own photos!

I hope this satisfies your cravings too.

Food Philosophy

I must share my latest (non sexual :) ) foodie crush... I am enamoured by the smart, interesting and fascinatingly foodie content of Food Philosophy and its mastermind, Jennifer Iannolo. This is one sharp foodie.

Food. Sensuality. Sass. These are the three words that greet you when you first land on the website. Three words that say so much about what I imagine to be her food philosophy. A philosophy that I am happy to subscribe to...

There are pages upon pages of articles on food related topics such as Exercising your Mental Mouth, which discusses both your "inner chef" and the notion of food memories. What about Rosemary-Scented Hair? And let's not forget about her event, Sex on a Plate... yeah, I wish I could teleport to New York for this.

Gawd... I hope I don't sound like a crazy!! It's just foodie-awesomeness that makes me smile and want to cook and create even more...

Another beauty... and Creamy Dreamy Goodness

I get completely wrapped up in the story telling way of Deb, the creator of A Smitten Kitchen... this blog/website is a tremendous resource that strips away the pretense of cooking and marks successes and failures with equal flair. Her style of writing seems to transplant you into the circumstance in which she created or adapted a given dish... I am unfailingly drawn into her world. So, with that, I welcome you to add to your blog roll, the wonderful works of A Smitten Kitchen.

Courtesy of A Smitten Kitchen and America's Test Kitchen Cookbook, my mom made these Dreamy Cream Scones for Christmas... though, my mom's take on the title is Creamy Dreamy Scones.

Love this blog... and the sandwich that is a mainstay.

The Good Mood Food Blog is the brainchild of Donal Skehan... a guy who took his love of food and photography to the web... and, as of October, to print.

I'm still working my way through the recipes, finding it a real challenge to choose what to make from the mouthwatering photos laid out in front of me.

I have, however, several times made a version of Donal's Bacon, Avocado and Sunblushed Tomato Sandwich, which I first discovered courtesy of a friend. I love this sandwich because it seems that I always have the components on hand and, because of that, I am saved from eating microwave popcorn over the kitchen sink when I am feeling supremely lazy.

Use as much or as little of each ingredient as your tastes direct...

I typically walk in the door, turn on the oven and pop a few pieces on bacon on a sheet. While that bakes away, and after I've gone through my just-arrived-home routine, I'll slice an avocado and toast the bread. Onto the warm bread, I will slather on as many sundried tomatoes as I can fit. Top with the bacon, then the slices of avocado, then the second slice of bread.

You can easily give this sandwich a new twist with different cheeses, breads or other fresh ingredients.

This is about the time I will put on a movie, cozy into the couch and dig in...