It’s taking a lot of time to “digest” my wonderful experience at the International Food Bloggers Conference.  My mind is still racing with ideas and my “to do” list continues to grow.  That list includes everything from improvements to my website, recipes I cannot wait to create, new friends to email and numerous thank you notes to write to the very generous sponsors.   As an IFBC rookie, I made a few mistakes and I will definitely do some things differently next year!    First off, I chose not to lug my DSLR camera around and I missed a lot of great photo ops*.   Second, I did not pace myself and split up the style of seminars I attended.  I definitely will balance out the creative and tech seminars a little better next year!  I learned so much about SEO, Branding, and Google+, I thought my head was going to blow up.  Thank goodness the presenters notes were all shared, as cramming in so much “new information” was a lot for someone who did not leave the hospital texting the other babies they met in the nursery.   Next year, you ask?  Yup, I have already registered and you should too.  Just click here!

*There are great photos of all the food and fun on Instagram #IFBC. 

For many of us, the conference began with a field trip to the new Sur La Table test kitchen located in the Seattle Design Center.   This event was sponsored by Sur la Table and Kitchenaid, and was an opportunity to see what was new in all things cooking!  The first 50 of us to sign up for this event, jumped into the buses and our weekend of foodvolity began!  We received a very warm welcome from the CEO of Sur La Table, Jack Schwefel.  The success of the culinary program is clearly due to his passion and commitment to food and cooking.  His wife is a Le Cordon Bleu graduate!  Nikki Lockett from Kitchenaid introduced us to a few of the newest appliances in the Kitchenaid Proline.  When she announced that we would all be going home with the new Kichenaid Food Processor Attachment for our stand mixers – THE CROWD WENT WILD!  Culinary Directors Sephi Coyle and Culinary Program Contnet Manager Kristina Miscallef,  moved us forward by preparing three recipes demonstrating Kitchenaid appliances and recipes from the fall cooking class line up: Homemade Pasta Dough, with Kale, Walnut and Lemon Pesto, and Warm Cranberry Crumble Tarts.  After learning about the fabulous holiday items Sur la Table would be offering,  we enjoyed a meal of the Pasta with Pesto and the Cranberry Tarts.  Back in our seats for a brief moment, 10 lucky winners of the Kitchenaid Proline Electric Tea Kettle were announced!  WOW!  Last but not least, we also all received a Sur La Table reusable shopping bag stuffed to the brim with goodies from Sur la Table, Aquasana, Berarad, California Olive Ranch, Chilewich, Kerrygold, King Arthur Flour, Le Cruset, LeKue and TCHO Chocolates.  I’d have to say, the first four hours of IFBC were pretty darn amazing.

Back at the Westin, it was time to prepare for Friday nights opening reception, sponsored by Lesley Stowe’s Raincoast Crips, Bristol Bay Sustainable Alaska Salmon, and Accolade Wines.  The food was delicious.  Lesley had all of her lovely crisps there for us to sample with a wide array of amazing dips.  Bristol Bay was serving  salmon 4 different ways and Accolade Wines were pouring many varieties of Geyser Peak wines.  Lesley’s Cranberry Hazelnut Crisp have been a long time favourite of mine.  I used to bring them home from Canada before I could buy them in the States!  Theo Chocolate and Cupcake Royale provided sweets to finish off the night and Rainier Fruit Company sent us all home with a big, juicy Yakima Valley peach.

Did I mention the Friday night Gift Suite?  Oh my goodness!!! More samples and goodies and coupons and gifts from the fabulous manufacturers, vendors, and service providers!    I have previously mentioned some of these products here at More Savory Less Sweet as I work with many of these folks in my “day job”.   It was great to see them in the fun and relaxed environment at IFBC!

All of the samples and gifts were generous and amazing but one vendor really surprised us bloggers!  Aneto had aprons embroidered with the name of our blogs for each and every one of us.  (I believe that is about 400!) They came all the way from Spain to share their all natural Valencian Paella cooking base with us.  I cannot wait to make paella this weekend.  Thank you Aneto!

Noosa was one of the Grand Sponsors, and I did not need an introduction!   I eat Noosa yogurt almost everyday, either for breakfast or in the afternoon to prevent the late afternoon “hangrys”!   We got to try the new Pumpkin flavor.  Since it is a seasonal flavor, I will be stock piling it for the next few months!  To add extra protein, fiber and omega 3’s to my yogurt, I have been adding in Nature’s Path Qi’a.  The cereal is great on it’s own but also as a great ad in to salads, cookie dough, smoothies, and yogurt!

That gives you a peek into the first days activities and a few of the sponsors.  There’s so much more!  Please come back to find out about additional seminars, Keynote speakers and Saturday evenings Gourmet Fair!  I’ll also be sharing recipes created with many of the samples we were given by the sponsors.

Have a great evening,

Laura

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