Kitchen Conundrum

Top 10 Things I Learned at Eat, Write, Retreat 2013 and a Giveaway!

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Philadelphia welcomed Eat, Write, Retreat this past weekend and it may never be the same again. Over 100 food bloggers from all over the country-  oh, and Canada too- descended on Philly to learn new blogging skills from the amazing line-up of speakers, interact with brands, network and to eat. Because that’s what we do best!

I was so thrilled to meet and connect with so many terrific people. I have made some new friends and I learned quite a bit of useful information in the process.

Someone mentioned that they should change the name of the conference because there was not much Retreat- and that was true! So much information was jammed packed into the two and half days that there was literally no down time.  For the record, I am SOOO not a morning person, but there I was, up at 7 everyday, off to breakfast and ready to learn from my seat at the front of the room.

There were way more than these ten things that I learned but here’s the ones that really stood out.

TOP 10 Things I Learned at Eat, Write, Retreat

1. The incredible and generous Monica Bhide spoke first. She discussed the Sponsored Post and imparted knowledge that not only fits that topic but can be applied to all of your writing. The most poignant and probably the simplest idea- “Would you still write this post if it weren’t being sponsored?” 

Do you love a product enough to talk about it and not be paid? If so, your love and authenticity will shine through. If you don’t really feel it, your audience will know and won’t feel the enthusiasm that perhaps that product deserves- it would be better for someone else who does love it. You can and should say no to products and reviews that don’t align with your personal goals.

 

2. The sweet and talented Joy Manning presented a great panel about power networking.  I am rather shy by nature, so networking has always been one of my weak points. I think also the fact that most of us work alone, in our homes at our computers and don’t venture out too much also plays a role in the lack of good connections. She said- “Make friends on purpose.” 

Pay attention to the well connected people, who they are and who they know. Become THEIR friends. Go up to them at conferences, send them a quick email to introduce yourself, flatter them (MEAN IT!) and find some common ground that you both share. Perhaps that contact will be able to help you in the future. Of course, it’s not a one way street and NEVER treat it as such. You should also network “down”. We always remember the people who help us, and you never know where someone can end up.

 

3. Carolyn Ketchum and Sarah W. Caron gave a panel on food photography.  I tend not to do this, but I see so many others that do- and it’s a pet peeve of mine- so I am reiterating it here for you: BACK AWAY FROM THE FOOD! 

Your meatballs are beautiful, I am sure. BUT, if they fill the frame and are as big as I am, then I will feel as though I am being crushed by them.  STEP AWAY. BACK UP. No one- NO ONE wants to be all in the sauce floating around with the meatballs.

 

4. and 5.  Jesse Gardner, Carolyn Ketchum and Valerie Coffman are folks after my own heart. Geeks, Techies, Nerds, they are my kind, and I bow to them.

They actually gave me #4 and #5 -these two points are easy and often overlooked items that will only take you seconds to do.

Use the Custom Title Tag Feature in your posts.  Here you can add your KEY WORDS that relate to your article and are crucial for Search. Plus you can add your blog name.

For example: Top 10 things I learned at Eat Write Retreat Conference 2013 Philadelphia OXO Giveaway | Kitchen Conundrum

See, key words are there plus a separator and my blog’s name.  Easy!

Next,

Use ALT Text for photos and Change the file name to a real name.

(Ok, that’s really two things, but one photo issue.) By renaming your photo to a real name and adding the ALT Text, you will be able to track that photo online and it will show up in search.  Google doesn’t understand DSC 41.jpg but it does understand Potatoes.jpg, so you always want to name your photos. Plus when someone “pins” your photo to Pinterest, your Alt Text will show up as the description vs. the DSC41.jpg.

I admit that I have not always done this. I need to take the time to go back and do this. It’s a good thing to do. Which leads me to the next great tip-

 

6. Time management by Debbie Koenig was another super informative panel with way more info than I can list here. But the very best piece of advice that came from this panel was- Work in 90 minute increments. 

Break your work day into 90 minute increments where you will only work on one thing at a time. Then break for a half hour to an hour.  You accomplish more and be more effective and less likely to become distracted. Schedule your time to work on emails and social media and when you are working on something else, turn those off. Concentrate on one task at a time. When we try to do too many things, multi-tasking (and yes, we are all amazing multi-taskers!) all at once, we don’t really do any of them that well. They get done, but they are usually not our best work.

 

7. Another great tip from Monica that often rings true- If Your Heart Sinks When A Certain Client Calls for You, Dump them.  That may sound harsh, but your time and energy is better spent on projects that you love and that give you pleasure. You are not doing that client any favors if your efforts will be half hearted. And you are also doing yourself a disservice by causing stress in your life and not opening up to other opportunities that may be better for you. Learn to say NO!

 

8. Potassium will be the next big mineral. As stated by Deanna Segrave-Daly, RD who spoke about what’s in our water with Brona Cosgrave from Gerolsteiner Sparkling Mineral Water. As our sodium intake increases, we will need more potassium to offset sodium’s effects on our bodies. So get ready for more bananas and leafy greens in recipes.

 

9. Mushrooms are amazing! Mushroom farmers are the best recyclers.   Tony and Joe D’Amico from To-Jo Mushrooms gave an in-depth talk on how mushrooms are grown and how everything, from the compost, peat and spores are reused. Not one thing is wasted. After the mushrooms are harvested  the soil goes back to farmers and are used in other fields. Who knew?

 

10. Something very practical for canners- Store the Jars With The Rings Off. Marisa McClellan demonstrated how make a small batch Vanilla Strawberry Jam. It was truly delicious.

I make preserves and pickled vegetables a lot, but I never heard or thought about this. The rings should only be hand tight to hold the lid down for the water bath. Once the jar has finished the bath, it should have a good seal. Then take the ring off for storage. This way, if you have a contaminated jar, you will know much sooner than you would have if you had the ring on. The contaminant will begin to off-gas and the lid will pop. Sometimes things are so simple we miss them.

 

So there you have it! The Top 10 Things I Learned at Eat, Write, Retreat 2013. I can’t wait for 2014!

Now for the giveaway! The SWAG was awesome. Not only were there contest and raffles where you could win things, there was so much stuff to take home just from the amazing sponsors themselves. So I am sharing the love.

Swag from #EWR13

I have a set of OXO Good Grips graters that will go to one lucky Kitchen Conundrum reader. One of their newest graters,  the OXO Good Grips Coarse Grater,  is ideal for soft and semi-soft cheeses, apples, cabbage, potatoes, onions and more. The OXO Good Grips Fine Zester/Grater is perfect for zested citrus fruits, ginger and nutmeg while the OXO Good Grips Medium Grater is an essential grating tool nearly everything else!

So enter to win this awesome set and cover all your grating needs!

OXO GRATERS

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the wonderful and hard working organizers of this event, Casey Benedict and Robyn Webb. They worked tirelessly and put together a truly enjoyable conference with incredible speakers and terrific sponsors.

Just check out the EAT, WRITE, RETREAT site for a complete list of all the great sponsors.

Next up… Just who really makes the best cheesesteak in Philly?  Stay tuned!

 

O-Chateau Wine Bar and Restaurant

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I have a new favorite spot in Paris. It’s, not surprisingly, a wine bar and restaurant.  It’s true that I do enjoy a glass or three of wine from time to time (shh!) and well, food, it’s my comfort zone. If I’m not cooking, I’m eating. And so, this is really the perfect place to find me.

The ever charming, Olivier Magny, owner, sommelier and author of Stuff Parisians Like, a hysterical and snarky look at his fellow Parisians, has created a unique and exciting experience at O-Chateau.  He and his incredibly savvy and equally charismatic, business partner and friend, Nicolas Paradis, have taken the hoighty-toighty out of wine education and have made it remarkably accessible and enjoyable for even those who never thought they could learn all that much about wine.   From their new home near The Louvre, in a beautifully remodeled storefront,  featuring a wine bar and restaurant, a stunning stone wine cellar/tasting room and a large downstairs event space, they provide guided wine tastings throughout the week as well as excursions to several parts of the French wine country.

In a very relaxed atmosphere, with incredibly friendly sommeliers, each tasting provides a wealth of information about wine from all corners of France. You can partake in sessions from one hour tastings to full scale wine tasting lunches or dinners and easily walk away and be able to impress your friends and neighbors back home with everything you have learned. You are certain to smile and laugh and you may even speak a little French when you are done! There are even river cruise tastings and a day trip to the Champagne region will take you through some of France’s most beautiful countryside and quaint villages, all the while mellowly sipping glasses of bubbly.

Prefer to try some wine on your own? Well, at O-Chateau’s wine bar, patrons can sit at the bar and sample from forty different wines housed in the By the Glass refrigeration and dispensing system.  In measures of a large sip (3ml) up to a full glass (15ml) you can try red, white and rose wines plus a few Champagnes, all at very affordable prices. During happy hour, from 6-8pm, you can even sample a glass of whatever the house is serving that night for a mere 5 euro. A real steal considering the superior quality of wines offered.  They also offer “flights” of wine that have been pre-selected or you can do like I did one night and just start at the top of the wine list and work your way down. I choose 6- 3ml glasses at a time to try and in three turns I had tried every single red wine with the exception of the Petrus. (I am on a budget myself!) With the expert guidance and knowledge imparted by Maxime, the bar manager, I learned something about each wine I tasted (Yes, I took notes!) and now I know exactly what characteristics I prefer in my glass. Not to mention, it was great fun to try so many at once! (Afterwards, I had mustered up enough courage and took a ride on the nearby famous Paris ferris wheel, La Grande Roue, and wasn’t even afraid of the heights! I’ve since taken a daytime ride as well and have to say that the wine helped! In my defense, it was a very windy day and the swinging car didn’t go over well with me. Another story!)

As usually happens, you may become hungry while appraising your beverage.  You can order from the bar menu where you’ll be served wooden boards overflowing with premium cheeses or charcuterie. They are far too much for just one person to eat on their own, but sharing with your barmates or friends is ideal.  Small plates, like the simple but elegant bruschetta , foie gras  or the generous slices of the exquisitely sweet, salty and slighty nutty Bellota ham served with slices of fresh baguettes are perfect accompaniments as well.  Or if you are really daring, you can just have dessert!

Each evening, the restaurant serves a set three course menu featuring only the freshest, seasonal ingredients available for just 32euro. You can turn that menu into a full “Tasting Menu” (65euro) which includes 3 wines and 1 Champagne thoughtfully chosen by an expert sommelier to match your meal. This is a real bargain given the excellence of each handcrafted menu item.  Of course, if you so desire, you can also indulge in each course ala carte; appetizer (11euro), main course (17euro) and dessert (7euro).  You don’t have to break the bank in order to have a marvelous meal with wine here.

My first dining experience at O-Chateau came on New Year’s Eve when I booked to attend their gala event, a wine tasting dinner and party.  O-Chateau’s dynamic and extremely talented Executive Chef, Campbell Whitman created a stellar menu for the night. Hailing originally from California where she was a personal chef, Whitman is also the daughter of Old Creek Ranch Winery owners and a Cordon Bleu, Paris graduate. When she isn’t designing delectable dishes for O- Chateau, she can be found writing her blog, Boots for Breakfast.

My seat for the evening was barside and I was promptly granted a lovely glass of Champagne Grand Cru from Pierre Paillard.  Sipping champagne and listening to the cool jazz playing on the sound system set a terrific tempo for inaugurating the night’s events.  By now I had been to O-Chateau on a few occasions so it was nice to be recognized and welcomed so graciously.

The appetizer of Duck Foie Gras soon arrived, topped with Fleur del Sel de Guerande and Fig Preserves, providing a perfect bite of gently bitter pate, sweet fruit and a touch of salt in every mouth-watering morsel.  The course was paired with a glass of Domaine de Souch 2009 vintage from a small vineyard in the South West region of France called Jurancon, in the Pyrenees.  Wine producer Yvonne Hegoburu, who is now 85 years young, began making Domaine de Souch in 1987 when she was 60 years old as a tribute to her late husband Rene, and is now said to have one of the best wines in the entire Jurancon appellation.  Impressive!

The main entrée featured a delicate piece of Salmon filet swathed in a velvety caper cream sauce teamed with a light and airy broccoli soufflé and paired with an unlikely glass of red wine- Gevrey Chambertin “Cuvee Ostrea”  2009 from Domaine JL Trapet in the Burgundy region.  I would have thought that the structure and texture of this wine would have been too overpowering for such a light dish, but I stand corrected. The elements of red fruits, cherry and plums provided a lovely sappiness that complemented the acidity of the sauce and nicely balanced the entire course, debunking, yet again, that myth that fish only pairs well with white wine.

By now the music was picking up and the atmosphere was turning much more “party” like but not into full swing before the dessert arrived. A chocolate bomb, or as the menu referred to it, La Flocon de Pierre Herme, a thousand times richer and more divine! Creamy, heavenly chocolate goodness in every forkful. Of course, saying it in French helps too!

Dessert was skillfully paired with a Saint-Estephe, Chateau Haut-Marbuzet 2007, a spicy, finely, balanced and flexible wine.

The rest of the evening was brimming with music, singing, a cabaret performance and lots of dancing. Everyone had a fun night filled with laughter and happiness.  And as they say in Vegas, “What happens in Paris, stays in Paris”.

My second meal at O-Chateau was prepared by Habiybah Washington, who also attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and is a former, fellow New Yorker.  She created not only one of my favorite meals at O-Chateau, but also the best meal of my entire stay in Paris so far. Simple a dish as it may seem; a filet, broccoli and potatoes gratin dauphinois, I have experienced my share of nearly inedible filets here in Paris. There have been fatty ones, thin ones and dry, chewy, leathery, tasteless ones. All at a rather expensive price too.  This filet, however, stood out against all the rest. It was seasoned perfectly, accompanied by a luscious mustard cream sauce, temperature right on the money, medium rare, not too bleu and not too brown. A beautiful shade of pink! There also was not a single bite of that horrid gristle anywhere, thus avoiding that awkward moment when you have to decide if you will choke to death if you swallow it or risk embarrassment by spitting it into your napkin.  Every single bite literally melted in your mouth. Silky, tender and juicy-just as a filet should be.

One of my favorite comfort foods is gratin potatoes and they are really easy to mess up. Overcooked, the dish becomes very dry and grainy. Undercooked, its just hard pellets of potato and unmelted cheese swimming in sauce floating around your mouth.  Not very appetizing!  But these potatoes were soft, creamy and smooth with hints of pepper, nutmeg and that delightful, rich cheesy tang.  I was lucky enough to have an end slice, where the cheese on top crisps ever so around the edge providing a sexy mouthful of textural contrasts.  I soaked up all the remaining sauce with the broccoli and devoured everything on my entire plate. Had I been alone at home… well, lets just say they wouldn’t have to scrape my plate that much.  I seriously could have easily eaten two servings and not have been ashamed of myself!

I’ve returned to O-Chateau a few evenings since and it has sort of become my “Cheers” in Paris.  If I’ve been out touring all day and I am nearby, I’ll pop in and have a seat for a while, a glass of wine and either a snack or dinner.  As a solo traveler it’s a great place to just relax at the bar and chat with the sommelier who’ll not only guide you through O-Chateau’ menu with precision and care and provide recommendations you are sure to love but will also make you feel very welcome and a part of the O-Chateau family.

Visit O-Chateau:

O-Chateau
68, rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1st)
Phone: +33 (0)1 44 739 780

 

 

Renee’s Run Away to Live In Paris. Ok, Just For A Month.

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Paris -0235It’s true! I have run away from home and I am living my dream in Paris. Well, not perfectly of course. It is the middle of winter, you know. It’s rainy, cold and foggy and I’ve had such a migraine since I arrived. I’ve been fully functioning in the early mornings for a few hours, then by mid-day I have a mini aneurysm, and end up sleeping until dark when I get up and head out again, missing most of the daylight.

But alas, I have had several adventures in my short three days that I’ve been here so far.  Arrived Monday morning and delivered myself promptly to the studio I’m renting. It’s in one of the nicest areas of Paris in my opinion-much like the upper east side of Manhattan (and costs about the same!). It’s a 6th floor walk-up that faces a courtyard. It’s the kind of apartment that if I had a half million I’d buy in a heartbeat! Cute and cozy!

Since I had no sleep whatsoever on the plane ride over, I spent Monday day in bed sleeping and then I finally dragged myself up in the evening to go to the FranPrix (an ok grocer, but rather limited selection) to buy some groceries only to discover there is a huge, beautiful grocery store, MonoPrix, just around the corner in the opposite direction. Now, I know!

Ok, I didn’t buy the chocolate pudding. But look at that! A massive tub! I could seriously eat the whole thing in one sitting. Hence the reason I did not buy it. Because I would. But the rest, all came home with me. An interesting thing about the milk. It’s not found in the refrigerator. It’s all found stacked like water bottles on the shelves. Must be ultra-pasteurized. I prefer my milk cold, so I put it in the fridge, but it doesn’t have to be chilled.  It tastes perfectly fine too to my Americanized palate.

Tuesday morning I woke up and headed to a cooking class where we learned how to make three dishes. I always love taking cooking classes, learning new techniques and tasting food from other peoples perspectives. I have had and made two of the dishes we prepared so the methods were not unfamiliar to me. But it was really fun nonetheless. And of course, eating lunch with new people you meet is always great. The class can be scheduled through Viator and is held in the home of Chef Marthe. She’s extremely knowledgeable, very hospitable and quite personable. She really made the class a lot of fun.  There were only 5 people in this particular class including myself. The small size made it that much more intimate and many laughs were shared among the group as we all rallied for one another during our “tasks”. Marthe also has one of the most beautiful stoves I have ever seen. Covet, covet!

The three dishes we prepared provided a feast for us for lunch. Starting with Les Gougeres (Cheese Puffs or Cheesey Poofs as we called them), Chicken with Two Vinegar’s and for dessert, an Orange Cake with a Glaze that was divine! Along with that, we were served cheeses, salad and warm baguettes that we picked up at the market just before class. And yes, of course there was wine! It was a delightful way to spend the day. Cooking, eating and drinking wine with new friends.

So, if you are in Paris, and want to try something fun and different, attend this small group cooking class. You have to eat anyways and this is an exciting, hands on experience and a great way to meet people.