Foodies & Winos 2008

The blog entry I wrote last year after attending the United States Personal Chef Association's (USPCA) annual conference was titled, "Foodies & Winos." I've just returned home after this year's conference and found the title just as apropos for this year, so I'll just add "2008" to the end.

The conference committee likes to showcase the local cuisines of the host city. Well, since the conference was in Arizona and I live in Arizona, the food served at the luncheons was not new or exciting to me (or the other Arizonans attending). Next year, however, the conference will be set in New Orleans. I fully expect to eat and drink my way through the city. With any luck, enough wine will make us completely forget about the oppressive humidity of Louisiana in late July. I'll have to ply my friend from Maine, Chef Leah, with enough wine that she stops worrying about the behavior of her naturally curly hair while down on the bayou. ;-)

Speaking of my friend, Chef Leah, her creation won the "Recipe of the Year," award! I have yet to lay my hands on this recipe, but as soon as I do, I'll be trying it out and maybe posting it here (with Chef Leah's permission, of course). That's a pretty awesome achievement to have your recipe judged above all others by a group of professional foodies!

Another friend (and a valley local, being in Peoria), Chef Leslie, was most helpful (and entertaining) sitting next to me at the Kosher cooking class. The biggest thing I got from that class is the fact that I'm now even more freaked out by the rules of Kosher cooking (since I'm not Jewish - and the rules were not explained during this class, just kind of thrown out there) and I'll be referring any Kosher clients to Chef Leslie. The lingering question for me is, "Is silicone Kosher?"

On the last morning of conference, Chef Leslie and I had breakfast with Chef Gail Kenagy, who is the new president of the USPCA, and world-renowned food stylist and author, Denise Vivaldo. This was the highlight of my weekend. Chef Gail is one of my all-time favorite people, and Denise is one of the most entertaining speakers I've ever seen. Oh yeah - and Denise says, from what she sees in Beverly Hills, silicone MUST be kosher - and Botox too!