For a perfect alternative to pumpkin pie this holiday season, check out my recipe for pumpkin pie fudge over at Marcus Samuelsson’s blog!
As many of you guessed, I attended the Foodbuzz Festival this weekend in San Francisco.
I was a Foodbuzz Festival virgin before this but for my first time…it was pretty awesome. Firstly because I roomed with two fabulous ladies – Lauren of Keep It Sweet and Nicole of Prevention, RD. It was like one huge slumber party. Day after day, night after night.
Secondly because of all of the fabulous bloggers I got to meet – Greg of Sippity Sup, Debbie of A Feast for the Eyes, Audra of The Baker Chick, Marla of Family Fresh Cooking, Chrystal and Amir of The Duo Dishes, Julie of Willow Bird Baking, Krissy of Krissy’s Creations, and a whole slew of others whose business cards I haven’t had time to fully analyze yet.
Then, of course, there was the food.
The weekend kicked off with a cocktail hour hosted by Sabra and a dinner by Electrolux. Both were filled with an assortment of different foods but my favorite item that night was the beet ravioli. Utterly addictive, they were filled with shredded beets with a hint of tarragon. To cap off the night, we were served an array of desserts that were designed by Top Chef Just Desserts winner, Yigit Pura. Each of which was more delicious than the last.
On Saturday morning, on our way to the break-out sessions (we did as much walking as possible rather than using public transportation…gotta work off all this food somehow!), Lauren, Nicole and I stopped at La Boulange bakery for breakfast, where I had a lovely cappuccino and the most fabulous egg, cheese, tomato, and smoked salmon sandwich of my life. I was also won over by this place because they offered nutella as one of their condiments. As it should be.
For lunch – the Tasting Pavilion! Which was basically a HUGE smorgaasboard of insane amounts of food and samples. Mostly chocolate. Swoon.
My best friend and her boyfriend came to this as my and Nicole’s guests (in fact, Tiffany’s hand is featured below!).
We came very close to needing to be rolled back to the hotel.
And to having a few servings of vegetables pumped into our blood via an IV.
Dinner on Saturday was sponsored by Alexia Foods with Tyler Florence as the evening’s host! I told you I was wined and dined by a Food Network star. 😛
Lauren and I stayed for the entire day on Sunday, taking a red-eye home Sunday night. We just couldn’t leave San Francisco without stopping by Bi-Rite Creamery, where we had lunch. Yes, I had ice cream for lunch. You can pick your jaw up off the floor, thankyouverymuch. And then walked around San Francisco for all of seven miles (not even joking). It was worth it.
All in all, I had an amazing weekend and was super sad to return home to real life. There’s something about being surrounded by people who love food and think about it as much as you do that is insanely inspiring. And if I could have made it so the weekend never ended…I would have.
I have gone to Foodbuzz the last 2 years in a row and was sad to miss it this year, but from what I have read everyone was wowed once again.
You lucky girl — it looks like such fun! And so much amazing food!! Pumpkin pie fudge is brilliant, my mom would go crazy for it…I’m off to check out the recipe!
Sounds like an amazing time at Foodbuzz! I would have walked all over too to counteract all the delicious eats 🙂 And your pumpkin pie fudge looks wonderful!
Fabulous weekend! Ice cream for lunch, works for me!
Lucky you! Look at a whole array of food!
Pumpkin pie fudge looks decadent!
YUMMMMM… and awesome! Looks like such a fabulous time. Wish I was able to go but I hope you truly enjoyed yourself which it sounds like you did. 🙂
Um, we need to book our next trip to San Fran for another big bowl of that ice cream. Miss you already!
It’s good to hear you can walk all around SF without that pesky hip problem getting to you.
(No shame in ice cream for lunch.)
What a fabulous weekend, Joanne! Loved reading about it and looking through your photos! Walking is the best way to work off food and sightsee at the same time. Ice cream for lunch sounds good to me.
How did your hip hold up?
GAH this is making me SO bummed I didn’t go last year. I remember those mini cupcakes. The tasting pavilion is seriously the best.
Wow, it looks like an amazing weekend. I would have done the ice cream for lunch chased by a red eye thing, too – how could anyone leave such an awesome place?
In fact, if I hadn’t just started a new job, I would have been right there with you! 🙂
One of the benefits of living in a big city, the culture and the different types of food. Which i do miss when i lived in New York city myself. Richard
Your so lucky! I wanted to go to the Foodbuzz event so badly! Next year for sure!! Glad you had fun and the Pumpkin fudge looks good! Loving all the pumpkin recipes I have been seeing!!
I’m SO sad I didn’t have the funds to go this year. I had a ticket and everything. I even went last year! So you better come to LA just to hang. I mean, that the only reason I’d go to foodbuzz anyhow.
And dude, is it me, or did Tyler get a little uncute?
Ah, the Food Buzz Fest..of course! I’m with BlogHer and Non-Food Buzz bloggers have to pay a $350 fee to get in, so I passed. Oddly enough, I was in SF on Saturday. Wish I would have known…maybe I could have stolen you away from Tyler Florence for dinner. YA RIGHT!
this sounds like an amazing weekend of fabulous dining with passionate food-minded peeps. i like. and san fran is the perfect place to do something like this. love that town. i also love pumpkin pie fudge, i think, though i’ve never tried it. waaaaant.
Oh my goodness, I am beyond jealous. What makes matters worse is that my dad was in SF on a business trip at the same time, and just HAPPENED to be saying in the same hotel as the conference. Ridiculous! How I wish I could have been there…
Mmm pumpkin pie fudge, delicious idea. Aw sounds like such an awesome weekend. You should try to recreate that beet ravioli and share. 😉 It sounds amazing.
Sounds like a fantastic trip and sooo much great food! I think I’m a little jealous.
I am so pissed. If I had known that you were going to Foodbuzz, I would have enforced a meeting. Damnit.
WOW sounds like fantastic weekend girl….
All that fabulous food and foodies, must have been fun!!!
I am glad you had a wonderful time.
Awesome photos, awesome FUDGE!! Can’t even tell you how good it was to see you guys! <3
What a fabulous time! I can’t even imagine the joys of all that food, all the great company of fellow-bloggers . . . it seems mind-boggling.
I don’t know what I’m more jealous of – the pumpkin fudge or foodbuzz! I would love some of those cupcakes!
Love your blog… I have to try some of your recipes, but MUST try the pumpkin fudge first – PRIORTIES!! Thanks for sharing! Janeen
So glad you’d fantastic time in SF, awesome fudge!
I’m jealous of your fun time! One of these days I’ll make it to one of these events…
And that fudge looks divine!!
Even before reading this, my mouth dropped open. Can I request a batch???? Puleeeease
Sounds like a blast!! And that fudge recipe is interesting… since i’m making pumpkin “mush” these days, that might be something else to do with it besides give it to the dogs!
pumpkin fudge looks delicious. Looks like you had a wonderful time there in San Fransisco.
Love all the pics…thanks for posting them. It sounds like you had a wonderful time. Had I been there I probably would have been hanging around where any of the desserts would have been….could not have resisted those cookies!
Oh lawdy…I need that fudge in my life like I need oxygen in my lungs.
It was sooooo swell, roomie! We need to do it again…soon! I will just have to mosey my way over to NY very, very soon, even if only as a stop-over on my way to Ithica…and then again on the way back home 😉
Beautiful pics and summary of the weekend! So great meeting you. Also, that fudge lloks like THE BOMB dot com. I want it.
I may be a Foodbuzz Festival virgin till next year! I registered but could not go due to my elbow fracture and the dampening weather 🙁 ..if not I would have said “hi” to you somehow…;p
ok i did not read a thing here I just looked at all the food photos. but i did look twice so….
Looks like such a great day! Food and DSLR’s as far as the eye can see lol
that looks like an awesome weekend..and what treat with the fudge- who would have thought there are so many uses for pumpkin!?!?
What a fun weekend! Nutella as a condiment? That would be the perfect place to eat. I’ve got to go check out that fudge. It looks delicious.
Aww, Mamacita! Drooling, drooling!
So glad you had fun at the festival! Maybe next year I’ll finally make it? Haha, who knows. Let’s catch up soon! We need a “Victoria and Joanne eat their way through NYC” kinda weekend again 🙂
so sad i wasn’t at foodbuzz this year–glad you had a good time though!
and this fudge? ill take pumpkin in any way shape or form! love it!
Sounds so awesome! (The pumpkin fudge looks pretty amazing as well)
What a fun weekend! Everything looks so delicious including your delectable pumpkin fudge. You would have to roll me home like a blimp. Heehee.
I hope you come back, next year. It was GREAT to finally meet and talk to you, personally. It’s really cool how it felt like I knew you, and you were exactly as I envisioned you to be. I’m going to be in San Francisco in January, and I’m hitting up the creamery. I’m proud that I didn’t over indulge in the food. I didn’t pass up a lot, but I paced myself, for a change. Compared to last year, I thought that this was one of the friendliest bunch of folks I’ve hung out with in a long time. Off to check out your fudge recipe.
Ooh…I’d much rather eat my pumpkin pie in fudge form- that looks scrumptious! What a fun weekend you had… Loved my “virtual visit.” 🙂
SOunds like a dreamy weekend for us food geeks!
yigit! i’m so jealous of you for getting to enjoy this experience, joanne. thanks for posting the pics–i’m getting really good at vicarious living. 🙂
The food looks amazing. Every foodie’s dream is to eat their way through a city. Sounds like Foodbuzz made that dream come true for all who attended.
Have you ever had pb fudge?
I was great to meet you and Lauren (briefly!) after the Sunday brunch. I hope to see you next year!
– Beth @ Foodbuzz
Oh my goodness what an awesome event to get to go to.What a blessing to get to eat all that wonderful food and then on top of that get to meet Tyler Florence!!
I imagine a slumber party with food bloggers would have better grub than pepsi and cheeseballs. Although, those were my favorite sleepover foods.
Pumpkin pie fudge? That sounds delicious! Looks like a fun event, too!
I’ve heard FoodBuzz is just a crazy and incredible time with more food than you know what to do with. It always falls on a weekend that I can’t go. Next year! Again, I can’t believe you were on “my” coast and no visit!
What a wonderful time you must have had! Tyler is such a cutie 🙂
I really really wish I was there with you guys. But seeing all that food… ohman, it’s probably better that I wasn’t!
It was SO great meeting you Joanne! You are so sweet & fun to hang out with :). Can’t wait to get to know each other more!
PS – I am making that fudge ASAP!
It was great to meet you last weekend! We’re always guaranteed to cross paths with good people during that weekend in San Fran. 🙂 Hopefully you slept well on that flight home!
Sounds like tons of fun! Off to check out the fudge recipe 🙂
I’m not usually a big fan of fudge, but I adore pumpkin EVERYTHING!
Sounds like such a great foodie trip! Such gorgeous pics 🙂
Holy moly, SF overload! If you are in NYC eating the goodies, best to be in SF! So happy to hear you loved your trip and all its goodies. 🙂
Color me three shades of green with envy. I’m glad you got to meet Greg, Chrystal and Amir, some of my favorite bloggers.
omg i’m so excited for this bc i was just driving out east and we saw a sign for pumpkin fudge and i wasl ike ummm how is that even possible. welp thanks to you i can now find out! wooooo hoooo!
that fudge looks amazing as does all that foodbuzz goodness (yes it is good because it just is so beautiful) – easy to see why you enjoyed it so much