While high quality writing is important to any blog, so is the quality of the photography.  In my eyes a picture really does say a thousand words and a great photo of a dish can outshine any menu description.

I find that a bit of planning, some straight forward camera knowledge and a little insight into food photography can really pay off when you’re documenting your dining adventures.  When I dine out, I keep my shooting style in mind.  I find that by doing this I’m going to get pretty good pictures.  When I have been in situations at events where I don’t have any control over food presentation or seating choice, my pictures come out less than perfect.

Lighting and Seating:

Shooting in the daylight and using natural light is the ideal situation.  The natural tones of the dish really shine through and you can showcase the item a lot better.  Most people would opt for a table right by a window and it’s a great choice if the sun isn’t shining directly in.  But direct sun can wash out your photo and no matter how much post production you do, it won’t look right!  So I opt to sit just out of the direct sun.

In the setting pictured above I’d choose to sit at the lower table to avoid the washing out of the detail in my photos.  By positioning your food towards the light you’ll get that perfect source of indirect natural light. The other secret is not shooting towards the window but instead, keeping your back slightly towards the window  (I’ll describe this in more detail below).

Here you get enough natural light to highlight the sandwich and all the ingredients.  As I said above, photographing away from the light enables your camera to focus on the food and not the outside light. If you had photographed towards the window, the sandwich would be completely black and shadowed with the outside being light and bright. The photo below illustrates this with the smoked salmon rolls being extremely shaded.  Both images above are completely untouched or edited and shot using my Nikon’s AUTO No Flash setting, the image below has been edited for contrast and watermarking.

Focus Points and Food Focus:

Auto focus on cameras tends to use the highlights on a subject and will focus at those points. To avoid your food being out of focus or the wrong detail featured on the dish, try picking the part of the subject you want to showcase. When you select the point of focus, then the camera will adjust the shutter speed to capture from that point and your photo will clearly focus where you want it to.

I tend to think of a photo in thirds when I’m composing it if I’m looking to highlight the whole dish.  I want the area I want to feature to take up 2/3′s of the frame.  This goes for capturing a whole item or focusing in on one area when using your macro mode for instance.  If your shot is pulled out more I find you lose focus of the featured area.  The photo above has been adjusted for contrast and watermarking in Lightroom.

Focusing With Different Types of Cameras

Some general tips for focus and different types of cameras that I learned from a colleague and fellow blogger and photographer in Orlando, Florida, Mr.Julius Mayo Jr are:

• Touch screen camera phone – select the focus point by tapping on the area of food you want in focus -  the camera will do the rest. Sometimes it will take a few tries to focus, but be patient and hold still until it is done focusing.

• Point & shoot – for up close food shots, use the macro mode, hold the shutter button halfway and let the camera focus on the food.

• SLR camera – pick a focus point (I use the center focus point) and direct it to the area of the food you want to focus on. Press the shutter half way to focus, and then recompose the frame. The camera will stay in focus at that point as long as you have the shutter pressed half way. After you have your desired composition of the dish, click the shutter all the way down to capture the shot.

• With any camera you use, take a few shots, change the angle, and always pick your focus point. Sometimes you want the front of the food to be in focus and at times you may want the center of a dish to be in focus. There are many ways to be creative by picking your focus on the plate or on the food itself.

A Few Final Tips For Your Restaurant Food Photography

Some quick tips I ‘d like to leave you with are:

• If you have a DSLR, shooting RAW pictures really does pay off in post production with the extra data that is captured.
• Shooting in some kind of AUTO mode is usually a better option and used my many professionals in a restaurant situation. The fact of the matter is your food is only hot for so long and being quick getting your shot makes for a more enjoyable meal-trust me!
• Take a couple more pictures than you think you need. Having a bank of images to choose from will guarantee you get the shot you want.  I find if you have 3 different final shots of dishes that will be enough. I usually take a total of 9-12 pictures.

Restaurant Food Photography and Natural Light was written and photographed by Sean Neild, author of Sean’s Adventures in Flavortown.  A born and raised Vancouverite, Sean’s on a quest to find the best food Vancouver has to offer.  With a background in the video game industry, he combines his love of technology, photography and good food to bring his blog to life. Sean is also the BC regional FBC ambassador and contributes to Eat In Eat Out Magazine and is Silver Spoon for the Food Network show Eat St and also writes and reports on local food truck news and vendors for the official Eat St blog on Foodnetwork.ca.  You can find Sean on twitter: @YVRBCbro and Facebook. 

Vancouver Island

Organic Fair Food Revolution Day (Cobble Hill)

Come to the farm to learn and explore where your food comes from. We will have workshops showing how to make some delicious, quick and healthy dishes.  Or learn about growing your own food.  We will have healthy organic treats and dark chocolate tastings too!  Come for a fun day on the farm! http://foodrevolutionday.com/public-event/520/Organic-Fair-Food-Revolution-Day.html

BC Mainland

OYW Eat Fresh Eat Local (Richmond)

An event designed to help children, youth and families explore the farmer’s market and learn about the different fresh foods they can buy there.  The event will include a tour of the Richmond Country Farm , face painting, games, and activities for children and youth of all ages.  There will also be information about Healthy Eating and ways to keep fit and healthy in the summer. http://www.foodrevolutionday.com/public-event/59/FR-

Haney Farmers’ Market Taste and Try (Maple Ridge)

“Try It, You’ll Like It” is the theme for this event.  Join volunteers from Golden Ears FEAST and Dishing in the Kitchen at a booth at the Haney Farmer’s Market on May 19-2012. Samples of seasonal and local food, cooking tips and tours of the market. http://www.foodrevolutionday.com/public-event/331/Haney-Farmers-Market-Taste-and-Try.html

Urban Ag Book Launch Garden Tour (Naramata)

Jennifer Cockrall-King enthusiastically joins The Food Revolution movement with the launch of her new book, Food and the City, in the middle of a beautiful permaculture and home veggie garden at the Maurer Art Studio and residence in Naramata, British Columbia. This is a free event to attend on May 19 from 11-5: http://t.co/MrRJD9Zt

Saskatchewan

Food Revolution Day in Moose Jaw

Franki Arnold will be hosting Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Day at Moose Jaw’s YMCA Strong Start Centre on May 19th, 2012 from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm. Kids, parents, grandparents, families are welcome to come out and celebrate real, healthy food with us! There will be games highlighting healthy foods to get everyone (especially the little ones!) excited about eating healthy, wholesome foods. Children and their parents will also have the chance to create their own salads with a lesson in making homemade salad dressing with simple ingredients (taught by David Arnold).https://gidsy.com/activities/7707/food-revolution-day-in-moose-jaw-2012

Regina Food Revolution

Come and meet some key players in our local food revolution on May 19, 2012 from 1-5 p.m! Local organizations will be available to discuss ways that you can become involved in promoting and consuming local and sustainable food. http://foodrevolutionday.com/public-event/552/FR-

Ontario

Local Foods Grocery Store Tour, (London)

Take a tour of locally grown Ontario foods and Canadian selections in the grocery store with in-store dietitian Melissa Briones, MHSc. RD. Learn about the history of home grown foods, their nutritional benefits and how to use them in deliciously nutritious meals! Take a stroll to the garden centre to learn about foods you can grow this summer and tips on how to create your own edible garden! https://gidsy.com/activities/london/8045/local-foods-grocery-store-tour

Food Revolution Day in London at Covent Garden Market

An exciting day of free events in London Ontario Canada where we will be hosted at the beautiful Covent Garden Market!

Highlights include:

• Growing Chefs teaching kids 3-12 valuable nutrition information
• Parents learning about nutrition for children from a nutritionist and how to read the labels on processed foods in the grocery store! Also: great ideas for organizing a busy life in the kitchen and staying healthy!
• Take a walk through the market with Dietican Melissa Briones, MHSc. RD.
• Come and and listen to Dr. Kresimir Jug talk about Life By Design -  an essential part of transforming the world’s health. It is based on powerful principles that are scientific, logical and easy to follow.
• A session targeted at young adults starting out or anyone struggling to make ends meet who still wants to eat healthy – will have tips and suggestions for planning your meals. We will also teach you how to organize a kitchen to make cooking easy and convenient.

https://gidsy.com/activities/book/7517/food-revolution-day-london-ontario/?selected-slot=12461

Food Revolution Day events in the Greater Toronto Area on May 19th:

Christine Tizzard will host a “Chefs’ Table” at the Stop’s Farmers Market at the Artscape Wychwood Barns, featuring Emily Richards, P.H.Ec.  Come and shop the Stop’s Farmer’s Market to create your own personal real food picnic while meeting farmers and enjoying a locally grown feast (free, open to public).

Mardi Michels will host a free parent-child cooking class at The Kitchen Studio/ The Cookbook Store (free, open to the public, requires registration) from 10.30 – 12.30.

Denise Livotti will host a day of hands-on cooking classes and food education workshops at the Petits Chefs Academy in Vaughan (free, open to public requires registration) at either 10am or 1pm.

Quebec

Kids’ potting at La Tasse Gamine (Montreal)

Celebrate Food Revolution Day as a family with this fun plant potting activity for children ages 2+.  La Tasse Gamine is graciously hosting this event where children can plant their very own pea plants. The activity will be led by the folks at Urban Seedling. http://www.foodrevolutionday.com/public-event/340/Kids-Potting-at-La-Tasse-Gamine.html

Real Food Market (Montreal)

https://gidsy.com/activities/8074/real-food-market
Celebrate Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and come and meet some of Montreal’s Real Food promoters at this first ever indoor market.  Taste the culinary delights of vendors including:

• Osteria Venti
• Ryu Tapas
• Chefanista
• Fru-Terra
• Appetite for Books
• The Monkland Taverne
• Ilios
• Kalikori Olive Oil

The Real Food Market will be held at Espace Reunion, 6600 Hutchison Rd., Outremont, H2V 4E1, Sunday May 20^th from 4pm to 8pm.  Open to the public, for a nominal entrance fee of $5, which will be donated to Jamie Oliver’s Food Foundation.  A raffle of food-related items, with all proceeds also benefiting the Foundation.  First You Get the Sugar will make a special appearance at the market at 7pm, performing songs from their new album.

Other events taking place in Montreal include a Jamie Oliver inspired boxed lunch on May 18^th at Appetite for Books.

New Brunswick

Rediscover Atlantic

BananaBoy will be hosting a taste testing/ demo event at Sobeys 00756 – Vaughan Harvey in Moncton, New Brunswick. A banana will be sampling food, handing out recipes and introducing you to a new and local children’s book superhero who is also the Food Revolution Atlantic mascot! http://foodrevolutionday.com/public-event/504/FR-

Image courtesy of Michelle Peters Jones from the FBC 365 Photo A Day Project

brought to you by Janes Family Foods

Milestones are important things.  We use them to mark time, measure successes (and failures), celebrate the big and little things in our lives – they are the things we remember.

Last week we welcomed members 493 through 505 into our family.  And nestled in there was #500.  Back in mid-September of last year, 500 seemed like a milestone that was so far away.  We weren’t even sure that Canada had 500 food bloggers (we all now know how wrong we were!).

So in eight months, almost to the day, we welcomed that milestone with open arms… almost a year ahead of where we thought we would!

We’ve had the privilege over the last 8 months to meet some absolutely remarkable Canadian food bloggers, both virtually and in person.  We are constantly amazed by the depth and breadth of the food talent, be it writing, photography, recipe developing, or reviewing, that makes up this organization.   And we are also blown away for your appetites to learn more and improve.  And we love that while we all share a common love (food), we are all so uniquely different and are free to express that.  That’s what makes Canada a great country

And we thank you all for all of your encouragement, kind words, offers of help.  You are a truly wonderful community.

So happy 500 (+5) everyone!  Here’s to #1000! We’re taking bets offline to name the date

New Members

A great crop of new members this week!  Welcome aboard to all of you.

• Fab Food Finds
• Creative Gourmet
• Mad About Food
• Heather’s EATS
• Tea With Me
• Mike Likes Burgers
• Kale Eats
• The Foodie Collective
• Ed Eats
• A Blog About What
• FoodSpun

And we would also like to welcome a new business member – Catherine from Tourism Montreal  with their “Where to Eat” blog

Food Revolution Day

A reminder that Food Revolution Day is this coming Saturday and there are quite a few events across the country.  We’ll be posting a listing tomorrow of the ones we know of.  If you have any events happening that are open to the public, please pass them on to us!

Mairlyn Smith in the Province

This one I discovered myself while I was reading my Sunday edition of the Province, one of Vancouver’s daily newspapers.  Great to see Mairlyn Smith’s healthy recipe column in this week’s edition.  All about healthy salmon.

That’s it for this week!  As always, be sure to drop us a line if you have something interesting or newsworthy to share with your fellow members!

As always,

Melissa, Mardi and Ethan

Reaching our 500th member was a big milestone we’ve been anticipating for a while now and it’s arrived much quicker than we expected (thanks everyone!).  This week it was a lovely surprise to have Heather Mulholland, author of Tea With Me, join us at spot #500!  Welcome Heather!

If you love all things tea (including all the delicate goodies that go along with a nice cuppa, like Brown Butter Chai Shortbread) then you will love Heather’s inviting little space on the internet.  In fact, in addition to being our 500th member, Tea With Me is celebrating it’s one year anniversary this week with posts all about the lovely tradition of High Tea, including how to Make That Perfect Pot of Tea – something that is hotly debated on my British side of the family!

It’s not all tea all the time though – just looking at Heather’s beautiful photos when she made her own Vietnamese Pho (a dietary staple here in Vancouver where Heather is located, make me want a bowl right now.  Add in her Char Sui Bao and your tummy will be very happy!

But, I think what sold me was when I found her recipe for Sticky Toffee Pudding.  There are a some things do very well in the UK that we just don’t seem to be able to replicate here in Canada… a really really good cup of tea at any hour of the day and… puddings! (dessert!).  And of course, the two go hand in hand!

A fellow web designer by trade and photographer by hobby, Heather’s blog is full of beautiful images and the graphic details that make it a lovely place to pass some time while, of course, sipping a cup of tea! But she is also determined to make a difference by promoting a sustainable lifestyle and using local food.

Be sure to stop by Tea With Me and say hello to Heather!  And welcome aboard to ALL our new members this week (we’ll be meeting all of them in Monday’s news) who helped us creep up to #500 and beyond!

You can also find Heather on Twitter @hmulholland and on Facebook at Tea With Me

1. Seize every opportunity to introduce yourself.

This is the first and most important tip. If you’re like 99% of people attending conferences, you’re nervous about entering the room for the first time, and when you do, you’re convinced that all these people already know each other and you’re the only stranger there. I have some great news for you: you’re not. The best way to battle isolation anxiety is to realize that most attendees feel the same as you do. In between sessions, grab a coffee and break the ice by saying something to the person standing next to you like, “Yum, those cupcakes look good!” This may seem superficial, but it’s a very easy way to enter into a conversation. You’ll chitchat for a minute, and then you’ll have the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself, shake hands, exchange business cards, and voilà! Now you know someone.

Go ahead and introduce yourself! Copyright: b.a.d. photography

When you take a seat for a session, don’t hide behind your phone, computer, or tablet until the speakers begin. Shake hands with people sitting around you, introduce yourself, and exchange business cards. I always like to come in early to do this because I find that during that 10–15 minutes of down time, people tend to be by themselves and are willing to chat. Be brave and try to engage even that person hiding behind her phone. Chances are she’s shy and doesn’t want to look like she doesn’t know anybody.

Finally, don’t be afraid to go and introduce yourself to speakers too (even if you may feel a little star struck)! I was much too shy to do it at the first few conferences I attended, and I quickly came to regret it. Take a deep breath, have that elevator pitch ready, prepare something nice to say (about the presentation or their careers), make it quick (many other people want to meet them too), and leave them with your business card. The next time you meet them, perhaps they’ll recognize you, and it’ll be easier to have a more extensive conversation. Alternatively, you can follow up by e-mail if you have anything more specific to ask or to discuss.

And at all times, always remember to smile—it truly makes everything easier.

2. Resist the temptation to stick with people you already know.

This is hard to do, especially because conferences are such a great way to get together and catch up with friends who live far away and you see infrequently. Try to divide your schedule so that you spend time with friends and with new acquaintances in equal parts. If meals are provided at a conference, try to sit down at a table with people you don’t know, introduce yourself, and join the conversation. If you’re going out to lunch or dinner with friends, try to ask online friends you’ve yet to meet to join you to create a more diverse group or grab a seat next to someone you don’t already know. If you’re going out to an after-party, go with friends, but once there, make an effort to meet someone new. Conferences are about networking—you really never know what a ten-minute conversation can bring you.

3. Make the most out of social media.

Social media (especially Twitter) is the best tool to use to get to know people who will be attending the same conference you are before you arrive at the event. But it is also a vital on-site conference tool. Find out what the conference’s hashtag is and save it in your Twitter application. Follow the feed throughout the conference; it’ll allow you to learn about special events, set up meetings with people, or get to know new people by retweeting their posts or replying to their tweets. Twitter is also great to find out what has been discussed in sessions you weren’t able to attend: there always are a few Twitter addicts (like me, ahem) who tweet the best quotes and pieces of information that were provided. Additionally, make sure to read the recap posts that are published once the conference is over (which will also be shared on Twitter with the conference’s hashtag). You’ll learn more about the topics covered in sessions you couldn’t attend and get more bang for your buck. Bonus points if you comment on those posts to maintain relationships or to start new ones, even after the conference is over.

Tweeting throughout the conference. Copyright: b.a.d. photography

4. Take copious notes.

Don’t rely on your memory to remember everything you’ve learned at a conference. Between all the sessions, the meetings, the meals, and the parties, you’ll likely feel overwhelmed by the end of it all, and that life-changing advice you heard or that fantastic idea you had will fade away before you even arrive back home. Always have a notebook (or your computer) with you and jot down everything you feel deserves to be remembered—even if you’re not quite certain what you’ll do with that info just yet. If you hear something that sparks a new project idea, make a note of it as soon as possible—but don’t forget to take action on it later.

Taking notes. Copyright: Justin Hackworth Photography

5. Follow up, follow up, and . . . follow up.

You know all those business cards you’ve gathered? They constitute one of your most valuable conference takeaways. Keep them with you in your carry-on bag (so you’re sure they won’t get lost), and don’t forget to follow up as soon as you get back home. Take a few minutes to visit everyone’s blog or website before you write. Even if you don’t have anything specific to say, a courtesy e-mail with a “nice to meet you” message is always appreciated. Again, you never know where these relationships can take you—from business opportunities to great friendships—so don’t make the mistake of dismissing the cards as clutter.

Save those business cards. Copyright: Marie Asselin

Bonus tip: Take some time off.

Attending a conference is great fun—but it’s also a lot of work. All that socializing will exhaust even professional networkers. If you feel like you can’t take it anymore, go back to your room or find a quiet corner where you can sit by yourself for ten minutes in silence. Take a deep breath and remember that such inspirational opportunities don’t come around too often. Then jump back in and make the most of it!

This article was written by Marie Asselin, a French-Canadian graphic designer and translator who spends all her spare time in the kitchen or lugging her suitcases around the world.  She is the author of food and travel blog Food Nouveau, as well as recipe site, Just Recipes. She lives in Quebec City, QC. Twitter: @foodnouveau

*** Are you looking for a comprehensive list of upcoming conferences (world-wide)?  See the upcoming conference listings on Dianne Jacob’s site.  Jenn Cuisine also compiles a detailed list of upcoming food conferences.

"Watermelon with Crisp Basil" by Sean Neild from the FBC 366 Project on Flickr

brought to you by Janes Family Foods

It’s the first week of May and it finally feels like spring might be here to stay! So here’s all the news that’s fit to print:

Spring Events

May marks the month that many of Canada’s Farmers’ Markets open and many year round ones move outside.  Food and beverage events are springing up all across the country as we start to enjoy the better weather.  Be sure to check our event pages to see what’s happening in your area – there’s lots of great stuff this month and in the coming months.  Big thanks to our Event Team and our Regional Admins for working together to dig up some great happenings! And if you have an event happening, be sure to let us know!

Saveur Awards

Last week the Saveur Food Blog Awards were announced.  We were so happy to see Seven Spoons, Nostrovia!, and Kitchen Vignettes all nominated in different categories.  And we’re thrilled to be able to congratulate Aube from Kitchen Vignettes for winning the Best Single Food Video award for her Baba au Rhum post!  Congrats Aube!

Richmond365

The three finalists for Richmond’s 365 Days of Dining were announced last week and we want to wish both Kelly from Gouda Life and Melanie from Dulcet Devotion the best of luck in this last round of interviews. It will be an exciting position for sure!

Food Photography Class

We are currently looking at holding an exclusive food photography workshop for FBC Members in the Vancouver area at the end of June.  Right now we’re trying to gauge interest so we’d like to hear if this is something you’d be interested in attending.  If there is good response we’ll be looking at rolling out a similar workshop in other cities across the country.  Let us know your thoughts!

New Members

Another healthy turnout this week – it’s always great to see so many new faces!

• Four Seasons Kitchen
• gracecheung604
• Salty, Bitter and Sweet in Montreal
• Edible Biology
• Blog of Cheese
• The Culinary Cook
• Sweet Escapes
• Wine Out Loud
• Tartine and Apron Strings

That’s it for this week!  As always, be sure to drop us a line if you have something interesting or newsworthy to share with your fellow members!

As always,

Melissa, Mardi and Ethan

While Tiffany supports and promotes the local agriculture scene, she is admittedly a brown thumb longing to be a green thumb. With the help of Linda Crago, a farmer of heirloom vegetables over at Tree and Twig, Tiffany got a crash course in Planting 101. The highlights were putting seeds in the freezer, planting depth, having patience and not being afraid of seeds!

In the spirit of community and sharing, Tiffany also allows Eating Niagara to be a platform for others. One particularly interesting series features various men and women that grow the all the different grapes to produce Ontario wines. We often take the wine we drink for granted, but there are so many steps before that initial sip of wine is enjoyed. It’s a testament to the relationships that Tiffany cultivates that organizations like the Grape Growers of Ontario can share these stories and educate people.

Of course, like any good food blogger, Tiffany is busy cooking at home with all this tremendous produce around her. With a little “oomph” to cut up the pumpkin, the result was a silky and fragrant Thai Pumpkin Soup that should have us all longing for October.

Not surprisingly, Tiffany is the perfect person to represent the FBC as the Regional Events contact for Ontario (excluding Toronto) and we’re lucky to have her on our team.  As big as Ontario is, we’re confident that Tiffany will eventually get around to knowing each and every farmer by name and her own garden will be sprouting in no time!

Twitter – Eating Niagara
Facebook – The Garden of Eating – Niagara

Farmers’ Markets

Most farmers’ markets across the province open this month and many of the winter ones will be moving outdoors.  You can find a full listing at the BC Association of Famers’ Markets site but here are a few highlights:

Kelowna Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market Wednesdays and Saturdays 8am-1pm at the corner of Springfield Road and Dilworth Drive Kelowna Farmers and Crafters Market

Steveston Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market Sundays from 10am-4pm starting May 20th at corner of 3rd Ave and Moncton Street in Richmond. SFAM.ca

Vancouver Farmers Markets Trout Lake Location runs Saturdays 9am-2pm starting May 12 and the Kitsilano Market runs Sundays 10am-2pm starting May 20th.  The remaining locations will open in June and July. www.eatlocal.org

Victoria Downtown Farmers Market Wednesdays through October at the Market Square Inner Courtyard from 12pm-5pm Victoria Public Market

Food & Beverage Events

Penfolds Luxury Release May 4th 4pm-7pm, Alberni and Bute BC Liquor Signature Store, Vancouver. Be the first to sample and preview the latest vintage releases from Penfolds, including the iconic Grange.  These are rare and special wines available in extremely limited quantities this year. Penfolds Release

Okanagan Spring Wine Festival May 4-13 at various locations throughout the Okanagan.  With over 100 events planned that showcase the new spring releases, seasonal food and events ranging from tastings to light lunches to gourmet dinners, this is one of the highlights of the Okanagan Wine Industry.  Okanagan Wine Festivals

EPIC May 11 – 13 VCC West, Vancouver, $15-23/person based on single day or 3 day pass. $3 discount available when purchasing on line. Epic is Western Canada’s largest sustainable lifestyle showcase and this year’s theme is “All Things Food – Local, Organic and Healthy”.  Highlights include the Whole Foods EPICurean Stage, Fair Trade Pavilion, EPICurean Corner, the EPICurean Marketplace and the EPIC Main Stage. www.epicexpo.com

8th Annual A Taste of BC’s Finest May 12th, 7pm-10:30pm, Semiahmoo House, South Surrey, $65. A fundrasier put on by the Semiahmoo House Society annually featuring food, wine, live music, a silent auction and raffle prizes.  Semiahmoo House Society

Vancouver International Tequila Expo May 12, 6pm – 9pm Consumer Tasting, VCC East, Vancouver. $65.  VITA is Western Canada’s largest festival devoted to tequila.  Guests may sample full lines of well-known brands as well as newcomers to the market. www.vancouvertequilaexpo.com

BC VQA Spring Release Tasting Various dates and locations throughout BC:
May 12, 2:30-5:30pm Orchard Park Signature BC Liquor Store, Kelowna
May 19 2:30-5:30pm Fort Street Signature BC Liquor Store, Victoria
May 25 4-7pm 39th and Cambie Signature BC Liquor Store, Vancouver
May 26 2:30-5:30pm Park Royal Signature BC Liquor Store, West Vancouver

Join top sommeliers at stores throughout BC to experience the amazing diversity of BC wines through perfectly paired BC VQA wines and food. BC VQA Spring Release

Feast! Tofino May 18 – June 2, Various events and locations throughout Tofino on Vancouver Island.  Back for it’s second year, the festival is split into three parts: the week long salmon festival, the week long spot prawn festival and the weekend long food and wine festival.  Featuring renowned chefs from across Canada this festival celebrates boat to table cuisine in a magnificent setting. Feast BC

Cloverdale Cowboy Cook-Off BBQ Competition May 19 and 20th, Cloverdale Rodeo.  Come watch as 25 teams of grilling masters from across Canada face off.  Competition starts on Saturday with Pie and Chili Competitions followed by BATTLE BACON.  Saturday evening teams will start prepping their meat for Sunday’s Main Event.  Each team will turn in one dish every hour, starting with pork shoulder, beef brisket, chicken and ending with ribs.  Teams will be vying for $10,000 in prizes.

Into the Vineyards Wine and Travel Event May 24th, 6-9:30pm, The Roundhouse, Yaletown, $35/person.  This unique event is being organized by Into the Vineyard, a Vancouver company which specializes in “Wine-Inspired Travel”. It will bring wineries and travel suppliers in one place allowing like-minded people to explore travel options while enjoying wines from over 20 wineries and suppliers. It’s a combination guaranteed to inspire! For more information visit the website.

Absolut Vodka Tasting May 31 4-7pm, 39th & Cambie Signature Tasting Room, Vancouver. Taste and enjoy samples of Absolut cocktails prepared by Absolut brand ambassador, Jacob Sweetapple. Absolut Vodka Tasting

Cooking Classes and Seminars

Relax Honey – It’s Easy To Learn Indian Cooking, with Meeru Dhalwala, May 14, 6:15 – 10pm Northwest Culinary Academy (2725 Main Street, Vancouver). $99/person with full proceeds going to Les Dames d’Escoffier Scholarship Fund.  Join Meeru Dhalwala, co-owner of the award-winning Vij’s and Rangoli restaurants and the author of Vij’s at Home -Relax Honey as she teaches the secrets of great south Asian cooking at home. For more check out NCA’s website.

by Charmian Christie

A national hospitality symposium might seem like an odd professional development choice for a food blogger who isn’t a chef and doesn’t review restaurants, yet the Terroir Symposium is one of the more important events I attend. This annual one-day symposium brings industry leaders from around the world to Toronto, offering a unique opportunity to meet culinary movers and shakers I otherwise would only read about. Where else would I have met Fergus Henderson, Britain’s noted nose-to-tail chef, or California’s cutting edge-wine maker Randall Graham?

This year, James Chatto emceed the event at the sparkly new Arcadian Court.

View of The Arcadian Court from the gallery. Terroir was the first event held at this new Oliver & Bonacini venue

More than 30 speakers and panelists covered topics including sustainability, branding, social media, culinary tourism, customer service, foraging, and raw food. The list included:

• Ken Friedman, The Spotted Pig, New York City
• Doug McNish, vegan/raw food chef
• Lilia Smelkova, Food Day USA
• Michael Stadtlander, chef and organizer of Foodstock
• Barton Seaver, sustainable fish advocate and author of For Cod & Country
• John S.J. Lee, food writer and President of Chippy’s Fish & Chips Inc.
• Jeff Crump, chef and founder of Slow Food Ontario
• Alice Feiring, wine writer and author
• Connie De Sousa, chef/owner of Charcut,Calgary and top-three contender in Canada’s Top Chef
• Ben Shewry, chef at Attica, Melbourne, Australia

This year’s topic was The New Radicals. “The vanguard of modern cuisine,” these highly skilled young chefs value food above decor. They cook from scratch using sustainable, local fare. They collaborate with colleagues and engage their customers in innovative and genuine means. They give old-fashioned values a fresh face.

Sustainability or Slactivism?

The hot topic of the day was sustainability, with Barton Seaver and John S.J. Lee touching on the uncomfortable topics of slactivism, greenwashing and eco-pornogrpahy. Seaver said:

• Salmon farming is here to stay. Should we argue against it or fight to make them better?
• If we are to save fisheries we must not just eat the green fish on the wallet cards, we must save the yellow and red fish.
• Fisheries are an economic system, not an ecological system.
• Natural selection is picking up a fork. Chefs have the power to destroy a species. They have the power to restore with the same actions.

Discuss.

And discuss we did —  at the table between sessions, during break, and while standing in (the very long) line for lunch.

What’s in it for Food Bloggers?

Plenty. Part of Terroir’s appeal is its intimacy. With a mandate to educate, network, share, collaborate and build community, Terroir has capped attendance at 400. Although Terroir’s attendance has almost doubled since it began six years ago, it’s still a third the size of culinary conferences like the IACP. Despite the restricted attendance, Terroir delivers quality speakers and content worthy of a larger organization. Arlene Stein, Symposium Chair, says they plan to maintain their intimacy and grass roots nature for the foreseeable future. “Fundamentally, nothing’s changed,” she says. “We’re still about community.”

For those who doubt the link between the hospitality industry and a personal food-from-my-kitchen blog, Stein explains the trickle down effect. “Hospitality workers are at the leading edge of the food culture. Their innovations filter to the chain restaurants, then to the grocery stores and finally to the home cooks.”

Is Terroir worth the $175 ticket price?

For the hobbyist who blogs for fun, not likely. But for those who earn their living writing about food — or aspire to — Terroir provides important context and a glimpse into the food culture that shapes the way we eat. Google can tell you how to optimize your blog, but only live conferences, networking opportunities and informed discussions will optimize your career.

What’s next?

Terroir 2013 will be an ideal fit for food bloggers with the theme of Taste Memory & Food Writing (the official title has yet to be determined). What are the chances of a blogger getting a media pass? Stein says although they are open to bloggers, Terroir has scaled down the number of seats reserved for media. Those who can articulate the outlets they’ll use and what coverage they plan to provide have the best chance of obtaining a media pass.

Charmian Christie is a freelance writer specializing in food and gardening. She shares her culinary triumphs and regrets on her blog Christie’s Corner and is about to see her hard-earned knowledge used for good, not evil, through her new iPhone/Android app Kitchen Disasters & Fixes.  Follow Charmian on Twitter.

** Post image from PhotoExpress.com