La Boucherie

Strolling through colorful rows of just picked produce where the local soil still muddies the roots is a favorite weekend past time. Parking lots and streets are closed to traffic allowing friends and neighbors of each Seattle neighborhood to shop for the fresh ingredients Western Washington farms have to offer.

Sea Breeze Farm, located on Vashon Island, is one of those farms. Their farm raised meats, dairy, eggs, cheeses, wines and prepared foods are not only available at the multiple area farmer's markets, but in a farm to fork experience at La Boucherie.
A brief ferry ride from West Seattle to Vashon, then a quick jaunt up the main road brings hungry patrons to an unassuming and comfortable restaurant-butcher shop.

Restaurant Manager, Charcutier, and Winemaker Matt Lawrence, greeted us and led us to our outdoor table. For wine we ordered two of the farm's own wines, Sweetbread Cellars Cock's Red - a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Verdot, Malbec from Meek Vineyards - and the Sweetbread Cellars Fetish- a blend of Meek Vineyards Syrah and Klipsun Vineyards Syrah.

For our dinner, we asked for a chef's selection. We enjoyed two styles of the farm's pate and their accompaniments of smokey African inspired spreads, a chilled tomato consume - white not red in its colour - with a paper thin slice of lime, followed by the farm's lamb and pork with a side of gently sauteed country greens and pastry for dessert.

The dishes were simple, but not expected. The chef's innovative approach to a clean, comforting flavor progression not only showcased the farm's freshest of ingredients, but also showed fresh new thought in the farm to fork approach. Remember to phone for reservations if you want to guarantee yourself a table.

Find out more about the day-to-day life on Seabreeze farm and the latest dinner menu by visiting Matt's blog.

Charleston Wine & Food Festival

I've been around the world and have tasted food from a lot of places. There's isn't another place in the U.S., that puts more heart and soul into their food than the South. Especially the low country. If you've never had low country cuisine and want to see its past, present and future, than mark Sept. 3 on your calendar and plan to head to Charleston, South Carolina. On September 3, tickets go on sale for the Charleston Wine & Food Festival . Charleston is a timeless southern gem; the perfect place to host some of the nation's best chef's and wine professionals.

Copper River Salmon Dinner

Foodies in the Pacific Northwest, if they love fish, go crazy when Copper River Salmon season arrives. So when I was invited to a fresh Copper River Salmon wine dinner, I jumped at chance to experience what all the hype was about.

Upon my first bite of the King and Sockeye - WOW! We all know fresh is best, but after experiencing the succulent, rich flavors and texture of the different types of salmon, I don't think I will ever eat Salmon "out of season" again.

The dinner didn't feature Coho Salmon. Coho, with the most delicate flavors of all the Copper River Salmon, its season doesn't begin until August. So, to get us started, the first course was a seared Washington Ling Cod with local asparagus, topped with tobiko hollandaise and chive blossoms. The tender fish paired nicely with a 2006 Bridgman Yakima white wine.

Our second course - and my favorite - was a roasted Copper River Sockeye Salmon on top of braised rhubarb and a shiso vinaigrette. Loving red wine, I was happy that the roasted Sockeye paired with a 2006 Van Duzer Pinot Noir. When tasting the Van Duzer Pinot on its own, the wine was a bit boring, but the roasted flavor of the fish and the sweet-tartness of the rhubarb allowed the the dried cherry finish to linger a bit longer on the tongue.

A peppercorn crusted Copper River King Salmon, on top of a Dungeness Crab filled herb crepe and Cascade Morel ragout was our entree. It was delicious! The chef should have saved the crab for a separate dish. The crab was lost in the the spicy pepper, robust fish and meaty flavors in the morel ragout. All were lovely and a perfect match for a 2006 Glen Fiona Syrah.

The intermezzo and dessert aren't important - the Salmon was the star!

Wine Blogger Conference Sold Out

The 2009 Wine Bloggers Conference has sold out with more than 250 participants registered! If you're still interested, get on their waiting list.

The July 24-26 The 2009 Wine Bloggers Conference for North America will take place in Sonoma and Napa Counties. This three day symposium is a unique forum leveraging the power of social networking. It allows for your average blogger like me, to meet with industry insiders to discuss the combination of wine with the world of new media including blogging, social media, Twitter, you name it.

Here's a look at the event flow:

On Friday, July 24th registration starts at noon and runs through 2:00 PM. After you have registered, meet all the fabulous sponsors one-on-one in the Sponsor Room. Here you will have the opportunity to taste wines from a select group of Wine Sponsors in addition to meeting and learning more about other Sponsors and their products and services.
Lunch will be the Flamingo courtesy of Sonoma Vintners and the Sonoma Winegrape Commission.

Live Wine Blogging: Bloggers will taste, review, and blog or Tweet about wines, all while hearing directly from the vintners themselves. The conference will be divided into small groups of 10-12 participants and each winery will have five minutes to pour, give a short explanation of the wine, and answer questions. Bloggers will then have one minute to record their thoughts (live) while the wineries rotate to the next table. It’s a fast process (although slower than speed dating) but this format allows winemakers and conference participants the opportunity to interact in a small group setting. The format will be similar to but much improved upon last year!

2009 Wine Blog Awards: We will hold an awards presentation of the 2009 Wine Blog Awards, followed by a Q&A with these industry leaders. Learn from the best!
Grand Tasting of Sonoma Wines: We will have a Grand Tasting of a variety of Sonoma wines set up in the main ballroom, allowing participants to roam, taste, and review as they wish.
Dinner at the Flamingo with Keynote Speaker Chris Alden: Dinner is sponsored by Sonoma County Tourism and the Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers, with wine provided by wineries in the Sonoma Valley AVA. Our keynote speaker is Chris Alden, who has a rich history founding companies in the online media space. Before joining Six Apart in September 2006, he was Co-founder and CEO of Rojo Networks, Inc., an Internet company dedicated to helping information consumers effectively manage dynamic content. Before founding Rojo, he was Co-founder and a former CEO of Red Herring Communications, Inc., which was launched in 1993. Today, Six Apart has enabled millions of individuals, media companies and enterprises to create blogs and form rich, interactive communities.
After Hours Parties: We will have after-hours parties on both Friday and Saturday nights at the Flamingo this year. Friday will be hosted by Russian River Valley Winegrowers with excellent wines supplied by the vintners from that region of Sonoma County. Saturday will be your opportunity to sample Portuguese wines provided by ViniPortugal and meet the folks at our partner conference, the European Wine Bloggers Conference.
Saturday Keynote Speaker: Barry Schuler: Barry’s multimedia firm Medior created interactive technologies for AOL; after Medior was acquired by AOL, Barry worked his way up to be Chairman and CEO of that company. Today, as managing director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, he’s funding next-thing projects in the tech world. Barry also serves on the board of Synthetic Geonomics and is CEO of Raydiance, which is developing laser technology for healthcare use. He and wife Tracy co-own Meteor Vineyard, located in the Coombsville region of the Napa Valley, with winemakers Bill and Darnine Dyer.
Saturday Keynote Speaker: Jim Gordon: We will have not one but two Keynote Speakers on Saturday morning. Jim Gordon will talk about The Future of Wine Writing and Blogging. Jim has been covering the wine industry as a reporter and editor for more than 25 years. He credits his stint with the St. Helena Star in the 1980s for introducing him to the wine business and many of its emerging stars. He then went on to be managing editor of Wine Spectator for 12 years and is currently editor of Wines & Vines.
Napa Saturday: We will spend an entire day in Napa Valley, treated to some amazing events by our partners, Napa Valley Vintners. The day includes transportation from and back to the Flamingo Resort, lunch, dinner, a Napa Grand Tasting, panel sessions with Napa Vintners, and a discussion of the environmental issues of winemaking. This is a great day to gather material for your blog and to meet many of the key winemakers of Napa Valley. More info on panel discussions to come soon.
Discussion About 2010 Conference: We will wrap up this year’s conference by asking you what you think about next year’s format, activities, tastings, etc.
Vineyard Walks: On Sunday afternoon conference co-organizer Zephyr Wine Adventures will offer Vineyard Walks in Dry Creek Valley. These walks were the highest-rated activity from last year’s conference, so don’t plan to miss this if you are still in the area. The walks will run from 2:00 to 4:30 PM and include a winemaker-led walk and lunch. Walks will take place at Quivira, Michel-Schlumberger, and Montemaggiore wineries. We will coordinate rides with participants and provide transportation if necessary. See www.SonomaVineyardWalks.com for details.
Breakout Sessions
The Sunday breakout sessions will be presentations by industry professionals who are experts on blogging and social media. We have specifically include content geared towards both bloggers and those in the wine industry who wish to begin learning about how to use blogging and social media. There will be two 40-minute sessions running simultaneously (you need to choose which to attend) for three periods in a row. These sessions are subject to change.
9:00 AM: Legalities of Blogging
9:00 AM: Facebook, Twitter, and Other Social Media for Wine Businesses
9:45 AM: Monetization of Your Blog
9:45 AM: Creating a Social Network for Your Winery or Wine Business
10:30 AM: Beyond Words: How Video Content is Changing the Wine World
10:30 AM: Search Engine Optimization, Traffic Building, and Blogs

The agenda information has been taken directly from the Conference Web site and may change.

Foodie Networking

“Foodportunity”
To Connect Seattle's Vibrant Food Community

Seattle, June 8, 2009: The inaugural “Foodportunity,” a networking event for Seattle food professionals, will take place July 22, 2009, from 6-9 pm at Palace Ballroom in downtown Seattle.

Tom Douglas, awarded National Restaurant of theYear by Bon Appetit magazine & James Beard-award nominee, will provide his Palace Ballroom facilities to host the event, organized by Seattle food blogger Keren Brown. It will feature appetizers from Seattle's most talked about restaurants, the chance to network with food company representatives, a panel discussion on the topic of new media, as well as a “speed networking” event for the first 40 people to sign up.

The Q&A session on new media will be lead by editor Mina Williams (Northwest Stir) and will feature several of Seattle's best-known writers and bloggers: Nancy Leson (Seattle Times), Rebekeh Denn (formerly of the Seattle PI), Matthew Amster-Burton (Hungry Monkey) and Ronald Holden (Cornichon).

Appetizers will come from several sources, including Tom Douglas' restaurants along with a line up of Seattle gems such as Rovers, Andaluca, Olivar, Art of the Table, Dinette, Maximus Minimus and Serafina. Columbia Crest and Vin Du Lac wineries will pour their wines and other beverages will be available for purchase. A range of food products will be on display.

Foodportunity is open to food journalists, bloggers, public relations professionals, restaurateurs, farmers and all food-passionate people. Admission is $25 which includes bites and two glasses of wine (plus tax and fees). Tickets are available at brownpapertickets.com. Space is limited. Palace Ballroom is located at 2100 5th Avenue in downtown Seattle. More information at www.foodportunity.com.


About Keren Brown, aka Frantic Foodie.

Keren has been organizing the Seattle Food Blogger events for the last two years. Every month she helps bloggers create lasting contacts and connections. Keren's food events information can be found at Frantic Foodie at SeattlePI.com, FranticFoodie.com and at MyNorthwest.com

Foodportunity Schedule

6:00-6:30 pm: Meet and greet, snacks provided by a selection of food companies

6:30-7:30 pm: Reaching Consumers Through New Media
Learn how to communicate your Message effectively Through Blogs, Twitter and Facebook
Q&A session
Moderator: Mina Williams, editor of Northwest Stir, Industry news of the Northwest for culinary professionals

Panelists:
- Nancy Leson, Seattle Times Food Writer and KPLU food commentator
- Rebekah Denn, James Beard Award winning food writer, formerly from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
- Matthew Amster-Burton, food writer, author of Hungry Monkey and contributor for Gourmet magazine.
- Ronald Holden, food writer and creator of Cornichon.org, named among the Top 10 food blogs according to GourmetFood about.com

7:30 – 9:00 pm: Networking time, raffle prizes and bites from Seattle restaurants. Food companies will provide booths and snacks as well.

8:30- 9:00 pm: An optional "speed networking" session for the first 40 to sign up led by Rachel Belle, food writer and former KIRO radio restaurant reporter.

Media Contact: Keren Brown
Keren Brown Media
(425) 614-8399
kerenlovestocook@gmail.com

Off the Beaten Path in Napa Valley

My first trip to Napa Valley was when I was 14-years-old. My family was living in Northern California and one day, my parents decided to pack the car and spend the afternoon in wine country. Now, I can pretend that it was a fabulous experience, remark on the beauty of the valley, the great places we ate and so on. But, the only memories I have of that particular day are eating white paper wrapped sandwiches, sipping fruit tea outside a little market and my sister and I stealing sips of wine than from our parents during the wine tours.

I have been back numerous times since then, watching some wineries go from small construction trailer tasting rooms, to large stucco Tuscan villa replicas. My appreciation for the valley and its wine has grown with each visit just as the traffic now choking the once quite roads of the Silverado Trail and St. Helena Highway. While most of the valley is now chasing the tourist trade, selling magnet sets that match your wine label, don't let this scare you. Napa hasn't gone completely commercial. If you want a quiet, more personal approach for your visit, it does exist. Just ask Mike Hendry of Hendry Vineyards, Ted at Spring Mountain, Barbara at Forman Vineyards or even Janet Viader of Viader. Not only do they represent some of the best wines from the valley, their hospitality and personal attention their customers demonstrates their passion for their trade.

On a recent trip, we had the opportunity to experience this passion firsthand. Our first stop was a private tasting at Hendry Vineyard, a small estate winery on the southwest side of the valley. We were greeted by Mike Hendry, who walked us out to the vineyard to talk about his family's history of farming in the valley. We then headed inside through the back of the building, where we spied the winemaker, tasting from the barrel. This inspired an impromptu barrel tasting with his grandfather. We then went into the formal tasting room for a one-on-one sit down tasting of several of their wines. As we sipped our wines, Mike reflected on his family's philosophy of wine making. Aside from the fantastic zinfandel, what was most impressive was how candid he was about his curiosity to explore innovations in wine making, while not wanting to compromise the quality of what makes Hendry wines, well, Hendry wines.

Our second day included a private visit to Spring Mountain Vineyard. It had been raining non-stop in the valley prior to our trip. Everyone was happy the sun was finally out. Upon our arrival at Spring Mountain that day, Ted, wine club manager for the winery, grabbed a few bottles of Spring Mountain wines and asked us if we wanted to go for a ride around the vineyard. Of course no one objected. The four of us and Ted climbed into his Land Rover and we four wheeled to the top of the mountain. The wines were as amazing as the views of the vineyard. When we came back down the mountain, Ted took us into the cave for a private barrel tasting and allowed each of us the opportunity to use the wine thief. Only a few dribbles on my sleeve until I got the hang of it.

Our third day included a tasting at Forman Vineyards and Viader. I'd tasted the Forman Cabernet before, and absolutely loved its rich European style. I was excited to get an inside look at the vineyard. Tucked up in the hills and off the beaten path of the Silverado Trail side of the valley, Forman was difficult to find, but it didn't disappoint once we were there. Barbara our host opened the wooden gate, hopped in her car and we followed behind in what felt like a Formula 1 grand prix style dissent down a windy road leading to the wine cave. We were allowed into the private cave. We then crossed the small courtyard and sat down in the intimate tasting room inside what resembled a french stone cottage. Barbara casually poured wine in our glasses while sharing the story of what led Ric Forman to produce of the best little-known, but quickly becoming one of the most sought after, Cabernets of Napa Valley. Ric is literally a one-man band when it comes to his winery. Call him controlling, call him passionate, he doesn't care. What he cares about is his wine. We explored several other wineries, but these in particular stood out when it came to combining great wines with personal attention. We felt as though we weren't just one of the many, but special guests.

2009 James Beard Winners Announced

Winners have been announced for the 2009 James Beard Foundation Awards, the nation's most prestigious recognition program honoring professionals in the food and beverage industries. During a ceremony hosted by Cat Cora, Emeril Lagasse and Stanley Tucci at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, awards in 38 categories were presented, including Restaurant and Chef, Book, Design and Graphics, and special achievement awards. Industry leaders from across the country attended this year's highly-anticipated festivities, which celebrated "Women in Food" and included a post-show Gala Reception featuring some of the nation's top female chefs, sommeliers, mixologists and artisanal producers, led by Gala Chair Lidia Matticchio Bastianich.

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR AWARD
A working restaurateur who sets high national standards in restaurant operations and entrepreneurship. Candidates must have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years. Candidates must not have been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past 10 years.

Drew Nieporent

Myriad Restaurant Group, NYC

OUTSTANDING CHEF AWARD
Presented by All-Clad MetalcraftersA working chef in America whose career has set national industry standards and who has served as an inspiration to other food professionals. Candidates must have been working as chefs for at least the past 5 years.

Dan Barber

Blue Hill, NYC

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT AWARD
A restaurant in the United States that serves as a national standard-bearer for consistent quality and excellence in food, atmosphere, and service. Candidates must have been in operation for at least 10 or more consecutive years.

Jean Georges NYC

Chef/ Owner: Jean-Georges Vongerichten

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR AWARD
A chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in years to come.

Nate Appleman

A16, San Francisco

BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Presented by LexusA restaurant opened in 2008 that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service and is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in years to come.

Momofuku Ko, NYC

Chef/Owner: David Chang

OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF AWARD
Presented by All-Clad MetalcraftersA chef or baker who prepares desserts, pastries, or breads and who serves as a national standard-bearer for excellence. Candidates must have been pastry chefs or bakers for at least the past 5 years.

Gina DePalma

Babbo, NYC

OUTSTANDING WINE SERVICE AWARD
A restaurant that displays and encourages excellence in wine service through a well-presented wine list, a knowledgeable staff, and efforts to educate customers about wine. Candidates must have been in operation for at least 5 years.

Le Bernardin

NYC Wine Director: Aldo Sohm

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL AWARD
Presented by Southern Wine & SpiritsA winemaker, brewer, or spirits professional who has had a significant impact on the wine and spirits industry nationwide. Candidates must have been in the profession for at least 5 years.

Dale DeGroff

Dale DeGroff Co., Inc. NYC

OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD
Presented by Stella ArtoisA restaurant that demonstrates high standards of hospitality and service. Candidates must have been in operation for at least the past 5 years.

Daniel NYC

Owners: Daniel Boulud and Joel Smilow

BEST CHEFS IN AMERICA
Presented by American Express®Chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions. Candidates must have been working as chefs in any type of dining establishment for at least the past 5 years. The 3 most recent years must have been spent in the region where the chef is presently working.

Best Chef: Pacific (CA, HI)
Douglas Keane, Cyrus Healdsburg, CA

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (D.C., DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
Jose Garces, Amada, Philadelphia

Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
Tim McKee, La Belle Vie, Minneapolis

Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)
Michael Symonm, Lola, Cleveland

Best Chef: New York City (Five Boroughs)
Gabriel Kreuther, The Modern

Best Chef: Northeast (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY STATE, RI, VT)
Rob Evans, Hugo's, Portland, ME

Best Chef: Northwest (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY)
Marie Hines, Tilth, Seattle

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
Mike Lata, Fig, Charleston, SC

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, CO, NM, NV, OK, TX, UT)
Paul Bartolotta, Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at Wynn Las Vegas

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS)
John Currence,City Grocery,Oxford, MS

About the James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, preserving, and nurturing America's culinary heritage and diversity in order to elevate the appreciation of our culinary excellence. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, James Beard, who died in 1985, was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Today, the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships to culinary schools, and publications, and by maintaining the historic James Beard House in New York City's Greenwich Village as a performance space for visiting chefs. For more information, please visit www.jamesbeard.org.
Source: The James Beard Foundation