food blogger (and coffee lover) mecca

I just spent 4 days in Seattle for the International Food Bloggers Conference, and it was amazing.

This was only my second trip to the West Coast and my first time in Seattle. After I checked in at my hotel, I made a beeline for Pike Place Market, and it was everything I hoped it would be--packed with people beautiful produce, flowers, and seafood, as well as crafts and paintings and photos. I could've spent so much money there; fortunately, I was reined in thinking about my tiny carry-on bag and its limited space.

The gum wall, simultaneously gross and awesome.

The next few events were spent with my fellow Krusteaz ambassadors. We had a fabulous get-to-know-you dinner at Cuoco, home of the most outstanding coconut cream pie I've ever eaten. The next morning, we were bused out to Krusteaz headquarters, where we learned a lot about the company and got to tinker around in their test kitchen. We even had a test-kitchen-made cookie exchange!

That night was the opening of the conference, which included a gift suite packed to the gills with goodies. Once again, I had to pick and choose, though I'll admit that I picked and chose more than I bypassed. Education sessions began the next morning, but not before I had some incredible granola and yogurt for breakfast at Lola. Tom Douglas really owns Seattle's dining scene! One of the sessions I attended was led by Todd Coleman, the executive food editor of Saveur magazine for seven years. He had many tips and tricks for creating beautiful and artistic pictures, and I soaked up every word--I need the help!

The afternoon session was my favorite--Malia from the Krusteaz test kitchen and Jenn from Hostess with the Mostess did a cooking demo, showing the audience how to make everything from pancake rosebuds to fiesta flatbreads. We had a lot of fun and even picked up a few pointers! The session I chose to attend next was about cooking backwards--taking your local produce and creating meals from what you have rather than buying what you need to make specific dishes. There was food, there was science, there was fun!

Andy Heily, SVP of Sales & Marketing at Continental Mills.  Great guy!

I went back to Pike Place Market, partly to buy some souvenirs and partly because I couldn't stay away. I ate a gyro at a nearby Middle Eastern restaurant, and it was scrumptious.

That night was the gourmet fair, which was a highlight of the entire event for me. There was something fancy and delicious everywhere you looked, including strawberry and corn salsa, tomato sorbet served in an orange peel, and vegetarian sushi. I schmoozed and ate until I could schmooze and eat no more.

This was my first blogger conference, and I had a blast. I met some fun, friendly, and fantastic ladies, made some potentially terrific connections, and learned how to be a more effective blogger. I also had time to explore Seattle and lots of opportunities to eat. This was a wonderful experience and I can't think Krusteaz enough for sending me!