San Diego Beer Bloggers Conference, Ahoy!

Stone Enjoy By IPA from Stone Brewing Co., enjoyed at Stone Brewing Co.'s Liberty Station Bistro

Last weekend was the 5th Annual Beer Bloggers Conference, held down in San Diego. Which sounds all official and shiny, but is really a not-so-secret excuse to get together with some awesome peeps and nerd out on beer for a weekend. And nerd out we did! Some highlights in the form of pictures and words:

Friday night, we took over the tap room at the Karl Strauss brewery. If you're into cornhole, you can play a game surrounded by aging barrels of Karl Strauss specialty brews and a view of the brewery. Up there, my pal Justin Williams from Dogfish Head and Ryan Arnold from Sierra Nevada duke it out, head to head. Awesome fun times. Thanks, Karl Strauss and co!

Saturday was the day for panel discussions and workshops and Very Serious Blogger Talk. Don't worry, we still managed to have a good time: 

Yes, this shot is the hotel conference room. Yes, we shared. That's the thing about a conference with a bunch of other beer-obsessed folks: beer is a given. Always. Bring your own sippy cup.

Lunch on Saturday was over at the San Diego Yard House, where they have over a hundred taps to choose from. Egads. Also, a little insider's secret: the Yard House's house beers at the San Diego location are actually contract brewed by Uinta Brewing and are not to be passed over. 

Dinner at Stone Brewing Co.'s Liberty Station Bistro was the highlight of the whole weekend. That place (and by "place," I more truly mean "campus") is amazing. Gardens, bocce ball courts, several dining rooms, and taps around every corner. It's enough to make your head 'splode. If you're ever in San Diego, please make sure a stop here is on your agenda. (And P.S. it's within walking distance of the San Diego airport, so next time you get stranded during a layover, make sure it's here.)

A version of Stone Brewing Co.'s Cali-Belgique, aged with sour cherries and marionberries. Wuddup.

Stone tapped a few special kegs for us and basically let us have the run of the place. Good times were had by all. Thanks, Stone!

And back at the hotel, we commenced with perhaps my most favorite part of the Beer Bloggers Conference: the off-the-record room parties. Shhh... 

Phenomenal beer. Ignore the cylon eyeball.

Believe it or not, I actually survived the weekend mostly vertical! What a fun time. It's a conference, there's tons of beer, but really, for me, this event is a chance to get together with a group of people who I truly love and admire, and share good beers. A few shout-outs to some of my favorite peeps:

• Duke at Dukester Brews
• Amber, Ryan and Sean at 2 Beer Guys
• Ben at Active Beer Geek
• Craig at Mississippi Beer Blog
• Greg at OC Beer Blog
• June and Kendall Beer Makes Three
• Brew Dad at Brew Dad
• Molly and Matt Bub Gourmand
• Nora at NOLA Beer Blog
• Ryan at Montana Beer Finder

Hopefully I haven't forgotten anyone. Please scold me if I have.

And last but not least, a few beer highlights from the weekend:

Krieky Bones from Firestone Walker Brewing Company: This is a sour beer at the top of its game. Tart cherries, sour pucker without tearing your tongue apart, easy drinking. 

Stone Enjoy By IPA from Stone Brewing Co.: This was my first time trying this beer, if you can believe it. It just shows how phenomenal fresh IPAs can really be. I will be seeking this one out more often, count on it.

Sour in the Rye (with Pineapple & Coconut) from The Bruery: Dear lord, I could use some time alone with this beer. It's another sour that hits all the right notes, plus a layer of pina colada goodness.

Black Tuesday from The Bruery: An imperial stout with a 19% ABV that goes down as smooth as chocolate. Yeah. This one will get you vertically-challenged in no time.

Devil's Kriek from Double Mountain Brewery: Another kriek that was hard to stop drinking. Sensing a theme? Yeah, the sours are the new IPA. Resistance is futile.

Hunahpu's Imperial Stout from Cigar City Brewing: Raisins and cherries and dark chocolate. So much goodness in one bottle.

There were more (so many more), but these were definitely the stand-outs of the weekend. I already can't wait for next year. Until then, nerd out with your pinkies out, y'all:

A Weekend on Tomales Bay (Starring: Oysters!)

Apparently, when you are finishing a book, many things fall by the wayside. Like laundry. And making dinner (Burritos again!). And also your birthday. Mine was about two weeks before the book was due and other than a birthday scoop of ice cream, I didn't do much but nod a hello as the day passed by.

This is why my husband planned a secret getaway for the weekend after I turned in my manuscript, kind of a double celebration for both the book and my belated birthday. We left as soon as Scott got home from work on Friday, waited in traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge, dined at Lagunitas Brewery, but didn't get to our secret getaway spot until well after dark. We both collapsed into bed almost immediately and slept straight through to morning.

When we woke up, we were greeted with the view you see above. Scott had taken me to a little cottage called Anne's View on a bluff overlooking Tomales Bay. It also happens to be about a hopscotch court away from Hog Island Oysters, a place I'd been wanting to check out ever since moving to the Bay Area.

This was going to be a great weekend. Of that, I had zero doubt.

Should you ever finish writing a book or celebrate a birthday or do anything else of similar note, I highly recommend a weekend getaway of this caliber. We feasted the heck out of those oysters - two dozen EACH! Ka-POW! Scott fell in love with Hog Island's barbecued oysters in particular. By the third or fourth plate, we struck up a conversation with the grill guy and ended up getting a lesson in how to grill a mean batch of oysters. If you'd also like to know how to grill a mean batch of oysters, you can!

• How to Grill Oysters: A Lesson from the Hog Island Oysters Pros on The Kitchn

After the oysterfest, we basically didn't move for the rest of the day. That's Scott up there lounging on the sofa at the house and reading through the guest book. I alternated between creative vocal interpretations of the book's many entries and watching the birds outside the window. Just before we closed the curtains and opened a bottle of wine, we got this visitor below.

A super special weekend with my super special someone. Thanks, Scott. You're the bestest.

Places of Note:

• Anne's View On Tomales Bay, Marshall, CA
• Hog Island Oysters, Marshall, CA
• Lagunitas Brewery, Petaluma, CA

This Week at The Kitchn! Plus a side note on the difficulty of letting go

This was my last week with my regular schedule at The Kitchn before going down to fewer posts and it's making me feel a little weepy. It's all for good reasons, mostly to do with freeing up a little more of my time with this whole book thing happening. But, man, The Kitchn has been such a huge part of my daily life for so many years that taking even this small step away from it just feels...weird. It feels a little like losing my center of gravity. Or rather, like my center has just shifted a little to the side and now my balance is all wonky.

And I'd be lying if I didn't admit that my ego is hurting a little. These posts are my babies. As genuinely happy as I am to see other writers on the site eagerly stepping in to take over the now-empty post slots, there's this twinge of anxiety that I'm letting my babies go. How do I know the other writers will treat them right? How can I be sure they're taken care of? It's astounding how emotionally attached I feel toward them.

But I have to laugh at myself. The other writers on The Kitchn are phenomenal. More than that, they're my friends and we work as a team. My little Kitchn-post-babies will do wonderfully in their capable hands.

And this is really a very good thing for me. I'm usually of the mindset that I can do it all, all the time, and nope I don't need any help thanks! Then I am very surprised weeks or months later when I'm suddenly a stressed-out ball of quivering nerves who can't sleep at night. Go figure!

So yes, this transition is leaving me feeling off-balance and emotionally akimbo, but it's a good move in the long run. (Dear husband: You're welcome!) I really am looking forward to having more time and just plain ol' energy to work on the book as well as some other projects that have been on the back burner for far too long. Good times ahead. Eventually.

P.S. Check it out! An article I wrote on grilled calzones got picked up by the Chicago Tribune, and that's pretty cool: Bubbly, Hot and Delicious: Grilling Turns Calzones into Crispy, Flavorful Mouthfuls

And here's what I've been up to on The Kitchn:

• These hamburger buns made my whole apartment smell like a freakin' bakery. And they tasted pretty awesome too.
• Love garlic? Forget mincing and try thinly slicing it instead.
• Dear Ground Sumac from Penzeys: I'm sorry.
• Hard to top a classic Vlasic pickle. Unless it's homemade.
• Corn + Tomatoes = BFFs

• My favorite new tea.
• Fruit juicers are frustratingly expensive.
• Vegetable oil is one slick customer.
• Can't wait to try these macaroon tartelette crusts.
• I use basic pizza dough for...mmm...80% of the things I bake?!

• One of the tastiest beers I've tasted in a long time.
• Chinese longbeans are my newest farmers market find.
• I'm totally trying this the next time I forget to salt my pasta water.
• No surprise: I'm very particular about my BLTs. You?

What have you been up to?

This Week at The Kitchn!

Yes, eventually I will get into a good rhythm of posting things other than my Kitchn round-ups. Like about how I hover over my fermentation buckets like a mother hen. Like the confession a friend recently made to me regarding summer squash. Like more deep thoughts relating to writing, brewing, and my neuroses.

But because I've been swamped trying to juggle all those things and find my balance, for now it's just a Kitchn round-up. Forgive me? What about if I make you Spicy Jalapeno-Lime Hummus and homemade pita?

• Spicy Jalapeno-Lime Hummus. Try it. You'll never look at hummus the same way again.
• I thought my rust-splotched stainless steel table was ruined. The internets to the rescue!
• Here's what all the fuss is about.
• Bowls made from chocolate! Could it get any better?
• I don't eat fish nearly often enough. No reason why, I just...forget about it? Maybe not anymore.

• What meals have you been making this summer? Some new friends recently made us this awesome steak and zucchini salad.
• I can think of exactly four fruit-flavored beers that I think are actually tasty. The rest, fuggedaboudit.
• Pork, beef, goat, or chicken: I'll take pulled meat any way it comes.
• Balsamic vinegar is my secret ingredient in gazpacho and tomato sauces.
• New favorite artist with a new favorite poster of favorite snacks of favorite authors.

• Tweezers? In the kitchen? Wha-huh?
• All about the Great Pepper Conspiracy.
• I used to really dislike peanut butter. But I think that's because I didn't realize there was a peanutty world beyond Skippy. There is!
• Cacio e pepe. Super easy and crazy delicious.

And what have you been up to this week?

This (Past Two) Week(s) at The Kitchn!

Some summer travels and general life business meant that I didn't get around to posting my usual round-up of Kitchn posts these past few weeks. And since this something I do primarily for the benefit of my mother (the definitive one-stop-shopper), I'd better get a re-cap up ASAP before the irate and/or concerned phone calls start coming in.

• All I can say about this carrot cake is...YES.
• An ice cream sandwich for every day of the week...and double on the weekend.
• A pie crust for the pie-challenged; a.k.a. yours truly.
• How do you pass the time when doing repetitive kitchen tasks? Like, just as a totally random example, pitting eight pounds of sour cherries?
• Awesome tip from David Tanis on freezing tomatoes to remove their pesky skin. 
• Ever roasted your own coffee beans? I'm super curious to try it myself.
• Okra! I loves it!
• Finally got my hands on a bottle of Pliny the Elder IPA from Russian River Brewing Company. Totally worth the wait.

• Some great ideas for calzone fillings from readers in this post.
• After hearing about it on a Splendid Table show, I've got to get my hands on some myrtle.
• I can never remember whether cake needs to be refrigerated or not. Which is why I asked an expert.
• Get your gazpacho on with this crazy Spanish dish.
• Not sure where I'd be without a few packages of frozen ravioli in the freezer. (Answer: probably hungry.)
• Confession: I only use two burners on my stove. This either makes me very efficient...or rather silly.
• Bring on the melon brigade!

• We had this salmon at my uncle-in-law's birthday party and it was divine. Make it soon. Promise me.
• How's about a super big salad bowl for eating a super big salad?
• Piquillo peppers: possibly the most perfect vehicle for goat cheese, ever.
• I still can't believe I have an actual, for reals, honest-to-goodness fig tree growing outside my window.
• Louisiana BBQ shrimp is not actually BBQ...but who really cares?
• Do you make your own ice cream?
• Porcini powder is magic fairy dust for food. 

• Best. Cherry pitter. Ever.
• I really need to get over my fear of deep frying at home. These french fry tips may help.
• Great tip (from my mother, no less!) on using scape seeds in salads.
• My predictions for the next Big Great Food Trends.
• Ain't no party like a beer-tasting party.

And what have you been up to these past few weeks?

This Week at The Kitchn!

• Calzones! Make them for dinner tonight or freeze them for later.

• I can't wait to try this idea for oven-roasted calamari from Chez Panisse chef David Tanis.

• Ten pound cakes recipes that are perfect for a summer picnic...or any occasion.

• Keep your eye out for manufacturing cream. This stuff boasts more butterfat than heavy cream and makes the thickest, longest-lasting, and luscious whipped cream around.

• What separates the herbs from the spices.

• Could it be? Is Crystal a better hot sauce than Tabasco?

• Homemade mayonnaise and store-bought face off in a make-or-buy challenge!

• Yakamein is the tried and true New Orleans cure for the hangover - and just about everything else.

• Why stainless steel rules our kitchens.

• Eggplant wraps and strawberry granita on the menu for this week.

• This semi-sous vide method promises the most tender and moist chicken breasts ever.

• This Watermelon Wheat Beer from San Francisco's 21's Amendment Brewery is a little on the unusual side, but surprisingly refreshing as a late-afternoon quaff.

• There's a potato salad out there with your name on it.

• Is it worth it to make your own pantry staples? Or just more hassle than it's worth?

What have you been up to this week?

This Week at The Kitchn!

• Delicious mixed-fruit jam made from leftover pie filling.

• A gal's spice cupboard can really tell you a lot.

• Sometimes I feel like making my own yogurt...is just more trouble than its worth. You?

• I could seriously eat awesome side dishes like these and nothing else at a barbecue.

• Can't wait to make some snazzy paletas from Fany Gerson's new book.

• Loganberries! I'm totally addicted.

• Good to know: ripe avocados can be stored in the fridge, apparently indefinitely.

• Toasty oats, layers of whipped cream, fresh fruit? Gotta try Scottish cranachan soon.

• I'm thinking a fizzy fruity farmhouse saison to go with a summer salad.

• Confession: I ate half of this Sweet Potato, Ricotta and Arugula Flatbread "appetizer" for my dinner last night. And I'm about to eat the other half tonight.

• Nothing can make me get rid of my beloved old and battered baking sheet.

This Week at The Kitchn!

Want to help the Louisiana Seafood Industry? Eat Louisiana seafood.

• A wrap-up of my New Orleans trip and why I think Louisiana seafood is top-notch.

• I just realized that I haven't bought a loaf of store-bought bread in almost five years.

• The Arnold Palmer may just become my drink of choice this summer.

• Unless this pale ale from Kona Brewing Company wins instead.

• But then there's frozen lemonade as well. Ack! Too many choices!

Frozen Lemonade!

• I thought my old roomie was a little crazy for slicing bread before freezing. Turns out she's super smart!

• It's a quandary: what to eat before working out?

• Cookies are my personal picnic snack of choice. Here are ten recipes on my list.

• Awesome series from my newest best friend Dan Delaney: "What's This Food?!"

• Annoying to store, but these travel containers are super-handy in your time of need.

• Ever had Chinese long beans before?

• I could seriously eat oysters all day long. Here's how to shuck 'em.

• Counter-intuitive though it may be, a sharper knife is actually less safer. Butchers know best.

• Pies are on the brain! 

A sharp knife is a friend indeed.