Cookson's Farewell: "I thought farming was about farming."

I haven't met Cookson Beecher, but when she left her position with the Capital Press, her farewell letter landed in my box. (Power of the web strikes again!)

Cookson is an important advocate for local and sustainable agriculture and in her poignant farewell, she looks back on a her career as an agricultural reporter. It resonated with me, and she has graciously allowed me to share it with you.

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A fond farewell of gratitude

From Cookson Beecher

As many of you already know, I have left Capital Press to pursue other endeavors, some of them ag-related.

But I can’t leave without thanking the many people who have extended their help, expertise, and friendship to me. Farmers, ranchers, researchers, educators, Extension agents, 4-H and FFA members, elected officials, farmworkers, farmworker advocates, ag lobbyists, agency directors and staff members, organization officials and members, tribal leaders and members, environmentalists, ag advocates and so many others — all of you made my job as a field reporter with Capital Press for the past 12 years an incredibly rich and worthwhile experience.

Whether I was driving down country roads looking for “the first big red barn on the left after the Y in the road” or on the bus headed for Seattle to attend a WTO or climate-change conference, I always felt as though I was headed toward yet another adventure.

I sometimes chuckle when I think of how naive I was when I first got the job. I thought farming was about farming. And since I had grown up on a farm in Delaware and later had a small farm in North Idaho, I thought I was well-prepared for the job.

But it wasn’t long before I received a call from Jim Jesernig, the then- director of the state’s Agriculture Department, telling me that we needed to get together as soon as possible and talk about an incredibly important topic that was going to affect farmers for years to come. When I asked what that was, he replied with one word: “salmon.”

Salmon? Well, having been the editor of a statewide fishing magazine for several years, I thought I was well-versed on that subject. Heck, I even knew how to catch them.

Once in Seattle, where we met in former Gov. Mike Lowry’s office, Jesernig, an attorney by trade, immediately brought out an incredible assortment of posters and charts that highlighted all of the legal aspects of doing harm to salmon and salmon habitat.

It was an impressive presentation, and as I rode the bus back home, I realized that because salmon live significant parts of their lives in rivers and streams and because so much farmland is located along rivers and streams that protecting fish and protecting farming as a livelihood were intricately tied together.

I also remember learning about the power of the consumer. I was attending a national biotechnology conference in Seattle, and after checking in at the press room, I rode the escalator upstairs and headed outdoors where a group of people — many of them in costumes depicting fish, tomatoes, carrots and other food items — were ardently protesting the conference. They told me that biotechnology wasn’t a proven science and that humans shouldn’t be used as guinea pigs to test out this new technology.

When I went back downstairs, I asked a scientist who was preparing her presentation if she had gone out to listen to what the protesters were saying.

“What do they know,” she said with a scornful chuckle. “We’re the scientists.”

Years later, when one dairy cooperative after another began prohibiting their members from treating their cows with Monsanto’s genetically engineered growth hormone rbST, I recalled that scientist’s words.

It made me realize that farmers need to keep their eyes on the weather vane of marketplace realties and be proactive in dealing with them. There’s no “hunkering down in the bunkers” once consumers decide that they care about such things as land stewardship, animal husbandry, and food safety.

From watching the news unfold over the years, I’ve come to learn that it’s important for farmers to remember that whether consumers’ concerns are based on science, pseudo-science, gut instincts, or misinformation, they have more power than lobbyists or scientists in the “pocketbook votes” they cast every time they shop for food.

As for me, I’ve come to appreciate the need to buy as much of my food as possible from local and regional farmers. Besides helping to keep farms of all sizes in business, shopping locally also helps keep farmland from being developed while injecting local dollars into the local economy.

Of course, agriculture is much bigger than that, but for many consumers, buying locally is a good way to help preserve the family farmer. I’ll vote for that any time.

The Worlds of Flavor Conference

Several years ago, I made a long list of dreams—no holds barred. Hopes, dreams, and “do I dare?” secret fantasies were compiled…but not forgotten. Cast among a stack of papers, I recently discovered The List. My initial reaction was somewhere between the angst of a high school reunion and an out of body experience (is this really me?)

I can hardly remember a time when I didn’t bake, but there it is: #23 Bake a cake, followed by #24 Take a cooking class. Not only did I take cooking classes, I became a guest chef booker for a cooking school and this year, I taught my first class!

We’ve come a long way, baby…..

Scanning The List, wedged between #42 Start a blog and #44 Travel abroad is #43 Attend the Worlds of Flavor Conference. This one definitely falls under the category “Do I dare?” Picture three decadent days in Napa Valley, surrounded by 900 of the world’s culinary luminaries. It’s a proverbial Who’s Who feast, open to the trade only.

In a crazy twist of fate…I scored a pass to this year’s conference! The theme is World Street Food and World Comfort Food. With a speaker's list that includes Rick Bayless, John T. Edge, Andrea Nguyen, Norman Van Aken, Paula Wolfert, and Naomi Duguid....I’m positively giddy!

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Curious about what we'll be covering at the Worlds of Flavor Conference? Read on....

Presenter Bios


Agenda:

Thursday, November 12

4:00 PM Registration
Atrium

4:45 PM Welcome and Introduction
Ventura Foods Center for Menu Research & Development
Speakers: Mark Erickson, Charles Henning, Greg Drescher

Introduction of Lead Sponsors
Region of Apulia; Foods from Spain/Wines from Spain; Greek Mediterranean Gastronomy, Wonderful Olive Oil; Sodexo; United Soybean Board

5:05 PM General Session I
World Street Food, World Comfort Food: What We Want to Eat Now
Moderator/Presenter: Rick Bayless
Presenters: Roberto Santibañez, Bobby Chinn, Roy Choi

5:45 PM General Session II
Singapore’s Hawker Food: Into the Night, With Chopsticks!
Introduction: Andrea Nguyen
Moderator/Presenter: K.F. Seetoh
Presenters: Zulkifli Bin Packeer Bawa, Mohan Ismail

6:15 PM General Session III
Slow Flavors of the Mediterranean: Of Pasta Kitchens, Claypots, and Live Fire
Introduction: Ruth Reichl
Moderator: Paul Bartolotta

The Bakers of Apulia: Fresh Scents from the Wood-fired Ovens of Altamura
A live video feed from the outdoor bread oven to do a quick check-in with our bakers Vincenzo D’Ambrosio and Mark Furstenberg

Kitchens of Apulia: Southern Italy’s Grandmothers as Inspiration
Presenters: Domenico Maggi, Sabina Ficco, Luzian Palmieri

Deep, Melting Flavors of Turkey
Video Feed from the Outdoor Live Fire Kitchen
Presenters: Anissa Helou, Musa Dagdeviren, Necdet Kaygin, Burak Epir

Spice Routes of North Africa: By Way of Marrakech, San Francisco, and the
Island of Djerba
Presenters: Mourad Lahlou, Haouari Abderrazak, Paula Wolfert

7:00 PM Tasting and Dinner
World Marketplace
Historic Barrel Room
A festive walk-around event featuring wines and guest chefs preparing world street foods and comfort foods, with a chance to meet our conference faculty—chefs, authors, and other experts—as well as our Worlds of Flavor sponsors.
Sponsored by Region of Apulia; Foods from Spain/Wines from Spain; Greek Mediterranean Gastronomy, Wonderful Olive Oil; Sodexo; United Soybean Board

Guest Chef and Presenter Book Signings

8:30 PM Program Concludes for the Evening

Friday, November 13

7:45 AM A Light Napa Valley Breakfast
Ventura Foods Center for Menu Research & Development

8:30 AM General Session IV
Peru and Brazil: Translating Flavors, From the Streets and Markets to Restaurants
Moderators: Jessica Harris, Maricel Presilla
Presenters: Edinho “Edson” Engel, Ana Celia Batista Santos, Jorge Luis “Coque” Ossio, Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, Marilu Madueño

9:20 AM General Session V
Regional Mexico: Antojitos, From Tortas and Tacos to Tamales
Moderator: Rick Bayless
Presenters: Roberto Santibañez, Beatriz Ramírez Woolrich, Jorge Alvarez, Richard Sandoval

10:00 AM Coffee and Conversation Break
Sponsored by Unilever Foodsolutions

10:30 AM General Session VI
What’s Next in Spain: Fast, Slow, and Casual Flavors
Introduction: Jim Poris
Moderator: Gerry Dawes
Presenters: Paco Roncero, Albert Asin, Daniel Olivella, Seamus Mullen

With a live video feed from our outdoor live fire kitchen previewing lunch with Mai Pham and Suvir Saran

11:20 AM General Session VII
Tasting Greece: Of Hand Held Pitas, Savory Braises, and the World of Meze
Moderators: Aglaia Kremezi, Diane Kochilas
Presenters: Christoforos Peskias, Jim Botsacos

NOON Lunch
Flavors of Spice Routes: Street Foods, Comfort Foods from Turkey to India and Southeast Asia
Herb Terrace and First Floor
Guest Chefs and Experts from Australia, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam
Sponsored by McCormick for Chefs

1:30 PM General Session VIII
Made in America I: From Roadside and Curbside Eats to Vernacular Flavors
Re-imagined
Ventura Foods Center for Menu Research & Development
Introduction: Jonathan Gold
Moderator/Presenter: John T. Edge
Presenters: Donald Link, Charles Phan

2:30 PM Coffee and Conversation Break
Sponsored by Bunge Oils

2:45 PM Concurrent Activities
Various campus locations

2:45 PM Seminar Series
(2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Also see Kitchen Demonstration Workshop Series starting at 2:45 PM.

Seminar I A (2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Ecolab Theater
The Vietnamese and Mexican Kitchens: Strategies for Slow, Craveable Flavors
Presenters: Mai Pham, Roberto Santibañez
Sponsored by National Peanut Board

Seminar II A (2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Ventura Foods Center for Menu R & D
Mexican Street Food and American Restaurants: Ready for Prime Time!
Moderator/Presenter: Iliana de la Vega
Presenters: Jorge Alvarez, Rick Bayless, Beatriz Ramírez Woolrich

Seminar III A (2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
DeBaun Theater
World Pasta Kitchen: Global Comfort Food
Moderator/Presenter: Aaron McCargo, Jr.
Presenters: Ida Shen, Bruno Wehren
Sponsored by Barilla America

Seminar IV A (2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Williams Center for Flavor Discovery
The Spanish Kitchen, 2010: Casual Menus—and Compelling Flavor Dynamics— from Madrid to New York
Moderator: Gerry Dawes
Presenters: Paco Roncero, Seamus Mullen
Sponsored by Foods from Spain

Seminar V A (2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies
Viking Range Corporation Tasting Theater (first floor)
The Great Tapas Wines of Spain and Inspired Flavors That Pair with Them
Session Leader: Doug Frost
Guest Chef/Discussant: Daniel Olivella
Sponsored by Wines from Spain

Seminar VI A (2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies
Napa Valley Vintners Association Tasting Theater (second floor)
A Peruvian Flavor Immersion: Tasting the Best of Lima and Cusco
Session Leader: Arturo Rubio
Panelists: Jorge Luis “Coque” Ossio, Pedro Miguel Schiaffino,
Marilu Madueño

2:45 PM Kitchen Demonstration Workshop Series
(2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Third Floor Teaching Kitchen, Outdoor Live Fire Kitchens

Kitchen Workshop #1 A (2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Hot Kitchen
Seafood, Pasta, and Tagines: Flavors from Southern Italy and North Africa
Moderator/Presenter: Paul Bartolotta
Presenters: Haouari Abderrazak, Paula Wolfert

Kitchen Workshop #2 A (2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Hot Kitchen
World Comfort Food: Seasonal Strategies for Farm-to-Table Cooking
Workshop Leaders: Matthew Weingarten, Charles Phan
Sponsored by Sodexo

Kitchen Workshop #3 A (2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Hot Kitchen
Of Brazilian Kitchens and African Traditions: Casual Flavors for American Menus
Workshop Leader: Jessica Harris
Presenters: Ana Celia Batista Santos, Edinho “Edson” Engel

Kitchen Workshop #4 A (2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Cold Kitchen
Japanese Street Food, Comfort Food: Savoring the Art and Craft
Workshop Leader: Hiroko Shimbo
Presenters: Masaharu Morimoto, Scott Whitman

Kitchen Workshop #5 A (2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Cold Kitchen
Korean Tacos and Other Savories to “Tweet” About from an LA Food Truck
Workshop Leader: Roy Choi

Kitchen Workshop #6 A (2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Outdoor Live Fire Kitchen (front of Greystone)
Malaysia and Indonesia: Big Flavors for Live Fires
Workshop Leader/Presenter: Robert Danhi
Presenters: Alexander Ong, William Wongso
Sponsored by California Raisin Marketing Board

Kitchen Workshop #7 A (2:45 PM—3:45 PM)
Outdoor Live Fire Kitchen (back of Greystone)
World Live Fire: Street Food and Small Plates from Thailand to Greece and Turkey
Moderator: Joyce Goldstein
Presenters: Musa Dagdeviren, Aglaia Kremezi, Chai Siriyarn

3:45 PM Break

4:15 PM Concurrent Activities
Various campus locations

4:15 PM Seminar Series
(4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Also see Kitchen Demonstration Workshop Series starting at 4:15 PM.

Seminar I B (4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Ecolab Theater
Apulia: Flavor Discovery and Comfort Food at the Heart of Southern Italy
Introduction: Mark Furstenberg
Moderator/Presenter: Domenico Maggi
Presenters: Antonio De Rosa, Riccardo Olanda , Vincenzo D'Ambrosio
Sponsored by Region of Apulia

Seminar II B (4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Ventura Foods Center for Menu R & D
Multi-Cultural Flavor Strategies for Contemporary American Menus
Moderator/Presenter: Norman Van Aken
Presenters: Jorge Luis “Coque” Ossio, Edinho “Edson” Engel
Sponsored by United Soybean Board

Seminar III B (4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
DeBaun Theater
Remarkable Flavors: Fast, Casual Mexican and the Wines of Rioja
Moderator/Presenter: Adrian Murcia
Presenter: Rick Bayless
Sponsored by Vibrant Rioja

Seminar IV B (4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Williams Center for Flavor Discovery
Hot, Sweet, Sour, Salty: Balancing Flavor in the South Asian Kitchen
Presenters: Alexander Ong, Neela Paniz
Sponsored by California Raisin Marketing Board

Seminar V B (4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies
Viking Range Corporation Tasting Theater (first floor)
Of Asian Spice Routes & Street Food: Discovering a World of Flavor
Introduction: Kevan Vetter
Session Leader: Christine Manfield
Guest Chefs/Discussants: Naomi Duguid, Burak Epir
Sponsored by McCormick for Chefs

Seminar VI B (4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies
Napa Valley Vintners Association Tasting Theater (second floor)
Catalonia: Great Wines with Small Bites to Match
Session Leaders: Karen MacNeil, Jesús Bernad
Guest Chef/Discussant: Albert Asin
Sponsored by Catalonia, the Gateway to the Mediterranean by Prodeca

4:15 PM Kitchen Demonstration Workshop Series
(4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Third Floor Teaching Kitchen, Outdoor Live Fire Kitchens

Kitchen Workshop #1 B (4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Hot Kitchen
Peru: Cross Currents of Flavors from Spain to Asia
Workshop Leader: Pedro Miguel Schiaffino

Kitchen Workshop #2 B (4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Hot Kitchen
Feasts of Singapore: Of Screaming Hot Woks and the Scent of the Tropics
Workshop Leader: K.F. Seetoh
Presenters: Zulkifli Bin Packeer Bawa, Andi Ng

Kitchen Workshop #3 B (4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Hot Kitchen
Turkey: Regional Flavors, Casual Concepts and the Kitchens of Istanbul
Moderator: Anissa Helou
Presenters: Musa Dagdeviren, Necdet Kaygin

Kitchen Workshop #4 B (4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Cold Kitchen
Thai Sweets: Dessert Strategies from Bangkok, Chiang Mai and San Francisco
Moderator/Presenter: Emily Luchetti
Presenters: Chai Siriyarn, Kannika Siriyarn, Kobkaew Najpinij, Niphatchanok “Ning” Najpinij

Kitchen Workshop #5 B (4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Cold Kitchen
World Chickpea, Lentil, and Spices Smackdown: Irresistible Flavors from India to North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean
Moderator/Presenter: Joyce Goldstein
Presenters: Suvir Saran, Haouari Abderrrazak, Paula Wolfert, Stephania Cambanis

Kitchen Workshop #6 B (4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Outdoor Live Fire Kitchen (front of Greystone)
Street Food, Comfort Food, and the Pig: From Vietnam to Cuba and New Orleans
Moderator: Jim Poris
Presenters: Bobby Chinn, Maricel Presilla, Donald Link

Kitchen Workshop #7 B (4:15 PM—5:15 PM)
Outdoor Live Fire Kitchen (back of Greystone)
From a Greek Village Kitchen: Live Fires and Ancient Flavors
Moderator: Diane Kochilas
Presenters: Christoforos Peskias, Jim Botsacos
Sponsored by Greek Mediterranean Gastronomy, Wonderful Olive Oil

5:15 PM Break

5:30 PM General Session IX
World Flavors and Value Strategies: The American Food Revolution Rolls On Ventura Foods Center for Menu Research & Development
Presenter: Dr. Tim Ryan

5:45 PM General Session X
Vietnam and Japan: Big Bites on the Run, From Street Corners to Train Stations
Moderator/Presenter: Mai Pham
Presenters: Ngoc Tinh, Bobby Chinn, Masaharu Morimoto, Hiroko Shimbo

6:40 PM General Session XI
Indonesia and India: Of Street Snacks, Sambals, and Savory Curries
Moderator: K.F. Seetoh
Moderator/Presenter: Suvir Saran
Presenters: William Wongso, Hemant Mathur, Neela Paniz

7:30 PM Tasting and Dinner
World Marketplace
Historic Barrel Room
A memorable immersion into the sights, smells, sounds, and flavors of more than a dozen food cultures around the world, featuring guest chefs, colorful market stalls, music and dance performances, comparative tastings, book signings, and more.

Guest Chef and Presenter Book Signings

9:30 PM Program Concludes for the Evening

Saturday, November 14

8:00 AM A Light Napa Valley Breakfast
Ventura Foods Center for Menu Research & Development

8:45 AM Concurrent Activities
Various campus locations

8:45 AM Seminar Series
(8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
Also see Kitchen Demonstration Workshop Series starting at 8:45 AM.

Seminar I (8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
Ecolab Theater
Spanish Casual, from Traditional to Modern: Tapas, Bocadillos, Cocas, and More
Moderator/Presenter: Gerry Dawes
Presenters: Paco Roncero, Seamus Mullen, Albert Asin
Sponsored by Foods from Spain

Seminar II (8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
Ventura Foods Center for Menu R & D
East Asian Street Food: Fueling Concepts for American Menus
Moderator/Presenter: Andrew Hunter
Presenter: Roy Choi
Sponsored by Kikkoman Sales USA

Seminar III (8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
DeBaun Theater
World Comfort Food: Seasonal Strategies for Farm-to-Table Cooking
Moderator: Jim Poris
Presenters: Neela Paniz, Matthew Weingarten
Sponsored by Sodexo

Seminar IV (8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
Williams Center for Flavor Discovery
Mediterranean Fresh: An Odyssey of Flavor Dynamics and Small Dishes
Moderator/Presenter: Joyce Goldstein
Presenters: John Csukor, Diane Kochilas, Stephania Cambanis
Sponsored by Almond Board of California

Seminar V (8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies
Viking Range Corporation Tasting Theater (first floor)
Albariño Wines of Rias Biaxas: Pairing with Asian Bites
Session Leader: Karen MacNeil
Guest Chefs/Discussants: Robert Lam, Scott Whitman
Sponsored by Rias Baixas, Exceptional Albariño from Spain

Seminar VI (8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies
Napa Valley Vintners Association Tasting Theater (second floor)
Apulia: Flavor Strategies, Techniques, the Foods of Southern Italy…and the Wines that Pair with Them
Session Leader: Domenico Maggi
Panelists: Sabina Ficco, Luzian Palmieri
Sponsored by Region of Apulia

8:45 AM Kitchen Demonstration Workshop Series
(8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
Third Floor Teaching Kitchen, Outdoor Live Fire Kitchens

Kitchen Workshop #1 (8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
Hot Kitchen
Signature Flavors: Asian and Latin Street Food as Inspiration
Workshop Leader: Norman Van Aken
Presenters: Christine Manfield, Jorge Alvarez
Sponsored by United Soybean Board

Kitchen Workshop #2 (8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
Hot Kitchen
The Corn Kitchen: The Heart of Mexican Comfort Food
Moderator: Richard Sandoval
Presenters: Iliana de la Vega, Beatriz Ramírez Woolrich

Kitchen Workshop #3 (8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
Hot Kitchen
Vietnam and Indonesia: A Heritage of Long, Slow, and Complex Flavors
Moderator/Presenter: Mai Pham
Presenters: Ngoc Tinh, Bobby Chinn, William Wongso

Kitchen Workshop #4 (8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
Cold Kitchen
Mediterranean Bread-based Snacks and Street Foods
Moderator/Presenter: Anissa Helou
Presenters: Mark Furstenberg, Vincenzo D’Ambrosio, Riccardo Olanda,
Aglaia Kremezi, Daniel Olivella

Kitchen Workshop #5 (8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
Outdoor Live Fire Kitchen (front of Greystone)
Turkey, from Istanbul and the Aegean to Gazientep: Of Street Foods and
Live Fires
Moderator: Burak Epir
Presenters: Musa Dagdeviren, Necdet Kaygin

Kitchen Workshop #6 (8:45 AM—9:45 AM)
Outdoor Live Fire Kitchen (back of Greystone)
Mastering the Indian Tandoor: Techniques for Memorable Flavors
Moderator: Suvir Saran
Presenter: Hemant Mathur

9:45 AM Coffee and Conversation Break
Sponsored by United States Potato Board

10:00 AM General Session XII
Italian Comfort Food: Inspiration from the Sea, and from Apulia in the South
Moderator/Presenter: Paul Bartolotta
Presenters: Corrado De Virgilio, Antonio De Rosa, Riccardo Olanda

With a live feed from the outdoor, wood-fired bread oven with Mark Furstenberg and Vincenzo D’Ambrosio

10:40 AM General Session XIII
Chasing Flavors, Dodging Traffic: On the Streets of Thailand and Malaysia
Moderator: Robert Danhi
Presenters: Chai Siriyarn, Kobkaew Najpinij, Niphatchanok “Ning” Najpinij, Alexander Ong

11:20 AM General Session XIV
Flavors in Migration I: Asian Street Foods without Borders
Moderator: Suvir Saran
Presenters: Christine Manfield, Naomi Duguid

NOON Lunch
World Marketplace
Historic Barrel Room
A memorable immersion into the sights, smells, sounds, and flavors of more than a dozen food cultures around the world, featuring guest chefs, colorful market stalls, music and dance performances, comparative tastings, book signings, and more.

Guest Chef and Presenter Book Signings

1:15 PM General Session XV
Ventura Foods Center for Menu Research & Development
Of Hot Fires and Aromatics: Modern Takes on Ancient Flavors, from Turkey to Morocco
Moderator: Anissa Helou
Presenters: Musa Dagdeviren, Necdet Kaygin, Mourad Lahlou

2:00 PM General Session XVI
Made in America II: World Street Food Goes Upscale, Circa 2010
Presenters: Ruth Reichl, Susan Feniger

2:40PM General Session XVII
Flavors in Migration II: African, Spanish, and Latin Exchanges
Presenters: Jessica Harris, Maricel Presilla

3:20 PM Break

3:30 PM Concurrent Activities
Various campus locations

3:30 PM Seminar Series
(3:30 PM—4:30 PM)
Also see Kitchen Demonstration Workshop Series starting at 3:30 PM.

Seminar I (3:30 PM—4:30 PM)
Ecolab Theater
Fresh from Barcelona: Tapas, Cava, and the Flavors of Catalonia
Moderator: Gerry Dawes
Presenters: Albert Asin, Jesús Bernad, Daniel Olivella
Sponsored by Catalonia, the Gateway to the Mediterranean by Prodeca

Seminar II (3:30 PM—4:30 PM)
Ventura Center for Menu R & D
Athens to the Islands: Modern Greek Comfort Food
Introduction: Cat Cora
Moderators/Presenters: Diane Kochilas, Aglaia Kremezi
Presenters: Christoforos Peskias, Jim Botsacos
Sponsored by Greek Mediterranean Gastronomy, Wonderful Olive Oil

Seminar III (3:30 PM—4:30 PM)
DeBaun Theater
Singapore: Secrets of the Hawker Kitchen
Moderator: Violet Oon
Presenter: Mohan Ismail

Seminar IV (3:30 PM—4:30 PM)
Williams Center
Street Food, Comfort Food Along the World Spice Routes: The Brazilian Kitchen
Introduction: Kevan Vetter
Moderator/Presenter: Almir DaFonseca
Presenters/Panelists: Edinho “Edson” Engel, Ana Celia Batista Santos
Sponsored by McCormick for Chefs

Seminar V (3:30 PM—4:30 PM)
Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies
Viking Range Corporation Tasting Theater (first floor)
The Albariño Wines of Rias Biaxas: Pairing with Asian Bites
Session Leader: Karen MacNeil
Guest Chefs/Discussants: Robert Lam, Scott Whitman
Sponsored by Rias Baixas, Exceptional Albariño from Spain

Seminar VI (3:30 PM—4:30 PM)
Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies
Napa Valley Vintners Association Tasting Theater (second floor)
The Great Tapas Wines of Spain and Inspired Flavors that Pair with Them
Session Leader: Doug Frost
Guest Chef/Discussant: Seamus Mullen
Sponsored by Wines from Spain

3:30 PM Kitchen Demonstration Workshop Series
(3:30 PM—4:30 PM)
Third Floor Teaching Kitchen

Kitchen Workshop #1 (3:30 PM—4:30 PM)
Hot Kitchen
Kitchens of Apulia: Slow Flavors of Southern Italy
Workshop Leader: Domenico Maggi
Presenters: Antonio De Rosa, Corrado De Virgilio, Luzian Palmieri, Sabina Ficco
Sponsored by Region of Apulia

Kitchen Workshop #2 (3:30 PM—4:30 PM)
Hot Kitchen
Peru, from Ceviche to Anticuchos: Taking Street Food into Casual and Fine Dining
Workshop Leader: Arturo Rubio
Presenters: Jorge Luis “Coque” Ossio, Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, Marilu Madueño

Kitchen Workshop #3 (3:30 PM—4:30 PM)
Hot Kitchen
Of Chili Jam and Pad Thai: Building Thai Flavors through Sauce-making
and the Wok
Moderator/Presenter: Chai Siriyarn
Presenters: Kobkaew Najpinij, Niphatchanok “Ning” Najpinij

4:30 PM Break

4:45 PM General Session XVIII: Town Hall
World Flavors…On a Stick, In a Bowl, On the Run…A Game Changer?
Moderator: Greg Drescher
Presenter: Jonathan Gold
Panelists: Rick Bayless, Roy Choi, Gerry Dawes, John T. Edge, Susan Feniger,
Mark Furstenberg, Jonathan Gold, Jessica Harris, Anissa Helou, Diane Kochilas, Maricel Presilla, Jim Poris, Ruth Reichl, K.F. Seetoh, Suvir Saran

6:00 PM Concluding Remarks
Speakers: Rick Bayless, Greg Drescher

Ventana Restaurant: One Week Away....

Soon....these will be replaced by cocktails.

For the past several months, we’ve been hard at work…hatching a plan. Over a series of dinners…and several bottles of wine, the idea began to take shape:

- What if…that sweet spot on the corner—the one with soaring ceilings and a drop dead water view became available?

- What if…that amazing bartender made a move, and worked at our place? You know…the one who serves up cocktails with a side of neighborly welcome and “Have you met Tyler? He’s a diehard Sounder’s fan too.”

- What if…we featured a small plates menu —perfect for sharing? (Like a “build your own tasting menu!”) Sure the chef’s worked at upscale joints from S.F. to Chicago (hello…Charlie Trotters!) Now, take the upscale craft, parlay that into comfort food…and don’t break the bank.

- What if…we found an amazing manager who could assemble the dream team—servers, food runners, bar staff, and bring the vision together?

The dream was first hashed out on a cocktail napkin, and next week, Ventana Restaurant will open their doors. Power tools on the bar will be replaced with frosty cocktails. Piercing sounds of saws and sanding equipment will be replaced by laughter and clinking glasses. At last, a million decisions—from lighting to chairs to plates will be laid to rest. I can’t wait to belly up to the bar with a cool one, and wrap my hands around Chef's bacon-cured pork belly BLT.

Come, join us.

Doors open Thursday, October 15th.



Ventana Restaurant
2323 1st Avenue (Belltown)
Seattle, WA
(206) 441-4789
www.ventanaseattle.com

Architectural drawings for the lighting system

Finalizing the wine purchases. On the right, you see the bar is wrapped in copper.

Lighting, work in progress...

Glassware, waiting to be unpacked

Forking Fantastic! Love, Garlic and Duck Fat

I love a good party…and in New York, you’d sell your soul for a seat at Sunday Supper. For years, those ‘in the know’ hopped the N train to Astoria, to feast at Zora O’Neil and Tamara Reynolds’ table.

Trekking to New York for dinner a bit of a stretch?

Me too.

Rest assured, if a book could read like a great laugh-out-loud party, “Forking Fantastic” is it! Pour yourself a tall glass and settle in for a good time.

My first dinner party inclinations…I had visions of Martha Stewart--polished silver, a sea of sparkling wine glasses, and double check my notes: what was the perfect height for flower arrangements? Emphasis on the “perfect” accoutrements, left me far too intimidated. I was a closet party planner, dying to give it a whirl. For years, I’ve needed a book exactly like “Forking Fantastic!”: a how-to guide that liberated us from my mamma’s generation & their stuffy rules for entertaining. News flash: Camelot is dead. And so is Jackie O.

Sassy and irreverent “Forking Fantastic” is the wanna-be-entertainer’s reality check. No, your plates don’t have to match. Stemware? How ‘bout a Mason jar. (If it holds liquid, it’s good enough for a beverage.) To ease the budget, implement a bring-your-own-wine policy: “Feel free to bring two bottles. We do.”

When I finally took the plunge and started entertaining regularly, I struggled with issues like, “Is it cheesy to ask your friends to kick in money for dinner?” Zora & Tamara’s take on it: “Donations… kept us from resenting all our hungry friends when it came time to write the rent check.”

Honestly? I’ve got unabashed big love for this book. Designed with a set of menus that begin easy and grows progressively more challenging (complete with directions on roasting a whole lamb AND a DYI set of instructions for constructing the grill), this book also offers invaluable planning insights: You need a Ta-Da! dish, not a whole dinner. Showstopper dishes are like needy children--they take the bulk of your effort and/or cash, so balance the meal with dishes that take less work and stretch the budget.

“Throwing a dinner party is not an exercise in creating a tabletop wonderland, nor is it about imitating the formality and frills of a restaurant... The best ‘tablescape’ has food in it and your friends seated around the edges.”

Other gems of advice:

Butter up your purveyors. “Ethics, fairness and customer service bullshit aside, there is always secret ‘good stuff’ either in the back or right under your nose that the vendor knows about but you don’t. And they love, love, love to share that with their favorite customers.”

Double or triple a recipe? Watch your timing. Even simple things like washing salad greens can take longer than expected, and throw your schedule out of whack. Handmade pasta for 20? Plan for ingredients AND labor.

The Hour of Self Loathing: “The doorbell is ringing, your hands are covered in chicken grease and the only thing you’ve made is the salad dressing.” Kick everyone out of the kitchen, crank the music, “buckle down and work through the blind panic, resisting the urge to curl up in a fetal ball on the kitchen floor.”

Scooby Snacks: Keep the impatient hoards out of your kitchen with a “little snacky treat,” ready when guests arrive: a couple good cheeses, fresh figs, spicy nuts or radishes with butter and salt.

Your Kitchen, Your Choice: “In the age of low-carb and gluten-sensitivities…what’s a fledgling hostess to do? Don’t ask. Your guests won’t die or have a horrible time if they don’t get to eat one of the dishes.”

Recipes? With gems like “Duck Fat Grilled Peaches” how can you go wrong?

Zora, Tamara…I’ll belly up to your table any day!

----
Forking Fantastic! Put the Party Back in Dinner Party
By Zora O’Neil and Tamara Reynolds
Gotham Books, October 2009
Published by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Food Photography Tips from Lou Manna

On the south side of Seattle in a cavernous brewery-turned-loft-space, acclaimed photographer Lou Manna led a full day workshop on food photography. As we studied a series of images from Lou’s body of work, I worked feverishly, scrawling notes in the studio’s dim half-light. Less than an hour into his talk, I caved and purchased his book, “Digital Food Photography.”

Food photography is an enormous subject and you could easily spend a lifetime developing your craft. While most bloggers will never have a dedicated studio or six lights strategically aimed at tonight’s dinner, Lou touched on a number of points I’ll be incorporating:


Know Your Equipment

- Study your camera’s manual. Whaddaya know? Understanding your camera’s features and how to use them properly, improves your photography. Lou takes his camera manual with him on trains, planes, and even to the potty. (Before this workshop, mine had never been out of the box!)


Control the Light

-Backlight or sidelight gives more dimension to your subject.

- Never, ever use direct flash.

- Slightly off-center composition is better. Remember the Rule of Thirds.

- Natural light is great but sun & shade turns photos flat. Outside, Lou shoots with a strobe 90% of the time and diffusion panels to soften the light.

- Do your photos have a blue cast to them? That’s from shooting natural light in the shade. Be aware of the blue cast. “Is the food blue?” No! Fix the white balance on your camera.

- Lamps cast a yellow tone to your photos.

- Custom white balance is best. Don’t know what that is? Read your manual.

- Light and the ability to control it is what makes a great shot.






Lou's Tips for Shooting Food

- Aim for a circular composition.

- Use a lightbox and a reflector.

- Use a small compact mirror or a reflector to bounce light and add detail back into the food. (Lou uses a portable mirror kit, made up of a variety of makeup mirrors. Especially helpful are mirrors with stands attached.)

- When using mirrors, know that they make a hard, controlled spot of light. (Example: To highlight the top of an appetizer, etc.)

- Use different sizes and shapes of food elements.

- Avoid having things line up perfectly (Think: Tangle of green beans vs. a stack of green beans. You want the tangle.)

- Simple composition is better. Make it clear. (Reviewing a photo of mushrooms sautéeing in a pan of butter. In the hot pan, butter is foaming excessively. Lou said, “What is this? I can’t tell. Use a pastry brush to remove some of the foam…The mushrooms will be more obvious.”)

- Remove any distracting elements in your composition. (Example: napkins in the background, extra glasses, question each piece of silverware, etc.)

- Keep it simple so the food is the star.



Two of my practice shots: