Preview of the 2014 Food & Wine Conference #FWCon

No dish to feature today, folks. Wait! Before you go, I have some exciting information for you.

As you're probably well aware, I'm a huge supporter of the #SundaySupper Movement and it's mission to bring back Sunday dinners around the family table in every home. The movement has grown from a small group of 8 bloggers organizing a virtual progressive dinner in January of 2012 to an audience of three million weekly. The movement has also expanded to host a Food and Wine Conference where bloggers network with small business owners, winemakers, chefs, public relations professionals, media, authors and brands to gain a better understanding of such topics as search engine optimization, social media marketing, articulate writing, cookbook publishing, public relations collaborations and food photography. This year will be the second annual conference after last year's inaugural event was a success. It will be held at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida on July 18-20.

Unfortunately, I was unable to go last year but I will be in attendance this year and invite you to join me in Orlando. I am also lucky enough to have been chosen to be a Brand Ambassador for the conference. What that means for you, my readers, is that I'll be tweeting and publishing pictures during and after the conference so please follow me if you don't already. In the interest of full disclosure, I am receiving a discounted ticket for being an Ambassador.

Meeting me in person probably isn't enough incentive to join me but I hope those speaking at the conference will be. Whitney Miller, season 1 winner of Masterchef, Katie Workman, editor-in-chief of Cookstr, Dan Cristo, one of the founders of triberr, plus many others will all address the conference in addition, Chef Giuliano Hazan will be conducting a cooking demonstration, scheduled for Sunday morning.

Speaking of food (after all, this is a food and wine conference), I trust the organizers, who held the conference in the same location last year, figuring they would not have returned if the food was anything less than exceptional. Why would I do so? Check out these pictures.

If finances are an obstacle to your attendance, the conference has ways to help in that regard too:

Dixie Crystals Sugar has sponsored a brownie recipe contest where first, second and third place winners will be chosen. Each will be reimbursed for their conference registration in addition to other prizes. Please click here for more information. Follow Dixie Crystals Sugar on twitter, facebook, pinterest, and instagram.

Idaho Potato Commission wants your best breakfast potato dish to enter into their recipe contest. There will also be three winners chosen to be reimbursed for their conference registration plus other goodies but there will also be a grand prize of an expense paid trip to Idaho September 29 to October 1, 2014 awarded to one of the winners. Click here for details. Follow Idaho Potato Commission on twitter, facebook, pinterest, and instagram.

Rosen Shingle Creek has also decided to sponsor a recipe contest in celebration of their fortieth anniversary. They are asking for an original dish inspired by a menu item from one of their restaurants: A Land Remembered steakhouse, Cala Bella Italian bistro, Mi Casa Tequila Taqueria Mexican restaurant, Banrai Sushi, or Tobias Flats and Watering Hole specializing in unique flatbreads. There will only be two winners chosen but both winners will receive a two-night stay at Rosen Shingle Creek in addition to reimbursement for their conference registration. Click here for details on how to enter. Follow Rosen Hotels on twitter, facebook, pinterest, instagram and Google+.

Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs is looking for a summer no-bake egg dish for their recipe contest. Two winners will receive reimbursement for their conference registration in addition to one year's supply of eggs. Enter the contest here. Also follow Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs on twitter, facebook and pinterest.

If recipe contests aren't appealing, then you can simply register here but be sure to use the promotion code FoodieSM to get a $50 discount.

I hope you'll join me this summer because it promises to be an educational, epicurean and fun experience. Either way, get updates on the Conference by following it on twitter, and pinterest; giving its facebook page a 'Like'; and adding the Conference on Google+.

Rigatoni with Sausage, Basil and Mustard

Rigatoni with Sausage, Basil and Mustard

I would estimate that pasta dinners occur, on average, weekly in my home. without fail, each time I serve said pasta dish to Mrs. Stuntman she asks, did you put hot dogs in it? to which I'll reply, no. This must be a Filipino thing. I can think of no authentic Italian pasta dishes that utilize hot dogs so call this a compromise to appease her.

The Challenge

Satisfy Mrs. Stuntman's desire for proteins in pasta.

The Source

I adapted this dish from Food & Wine.

Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 pound dried rigatoni
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound mild Italian sausage meat, removed from casings if applicable
1 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 bunch fresh basil, cut into chiffonade (1 tablespoon reserved for garnish)
1 teaspoon grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

Method

1. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rigatoni and boil two to three minutes less than the instructions on the box dictate, stirring occasionally. Once al dente, drain and set aside if necessary.

2. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the sausage and brown, approximately five minutes. Deglaze with the wine, scraping up the fond from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer until reduced by half, approximately five minutes. Add the cream, mustard and red pepper and simmer for an additional two minutes to blend the flavors. Remove from heat and toss the sauce with the rigatoni and basil. Serve in warmed bowls, garnished with additional basil and parmesan.

Successful?

This dish would make a great weeknight dinner because it can be prepared from prep to plate in under thirty minutes. The dish yielded very intense flavor and Mrs. Stuntman was also happy with it.

Presenting: Asian Chicken and Cabbage Salad

Asian Chicken and Cabbage Salad

This post was fairly spontaneous. The weather this week has been very warm where I live. The predicted high temperature in San Francisco the day I typed this was 94 which is highly unusual. To give you an idea, a thirty minute drive east during the hottest days of July when it can often reach over 100, it's common for San Francisco not to break 80. This past Monday, after listening to the weather forecast I made a list to purchase ingredients for warm weather dishes such as ceviche and gazpacho. I also looked at salads and found one on Bon Appétit magazine's website that sounded refreshing.

It's subjective, but I'm also slowly coming to the realization that I take my best pictures outdoors. The picture of the gazpacho I referred to above wasn't taken by me, but my strawberry dessert I published last September and the Moscato themed dessert from a couple of weeks ago were, so I thought I could use the practice.

You might also contrast this salad to the salad I published for the Five Ingredients or Less #SundaySupper event because there are more than five ingredients in the dressing. I didn't adapt the recipe, so you can get it here.

Light Stunt: Salmon Teriyaki

Salmon Teriyaki

One dish that is in my weeknight dinner rotation is the chicken teriyaki dish I published two years ago. I'll prepare it about once or twice per month. Recently, Mrs. Stuntman requested salmon for dinner one evening so I found a recipe for it in my new Chef Carla Hall cookbook when it occurred to me to compare the two teriyaki sauces.

The Challenge

A recipe contest: Is America's Test Kitchen's teriyaki or Chef Hall's teriyaki better?

The Source

Adapted from page 92 of Carla's Comfort Foods: Favorite Dishes from Around the World by Carla Hall with Genevieve Ko.

Ingredients

1/4 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark is fine)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin disks
1 garlic clove, smashed with the side of a knife
4 6-ounce center-cut salmon fillets
2 green onions, sliced thin (for garnish)
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds (for garnish)

Method

1. Place broiler rack 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the broiler to high. In a small saucepan, combine the first six ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring the mixture so the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture thickens, approximately ten minutes. Once complete, remove the ginger and garlic with a slotted spoon and discard.

2. Place the salmon fillets on a foil-lined sheet pan and broil until the fillets are opaque on the surface, approximately five minutes. Remove from the broiler and glaze the sauce onto the fillets and return to the broiler until opaque on top, but still translucent in the center, approximately three minutes. Remove from the broiler and let it rest to allow for any carryover cooking. Transfer the salmon to serving plates and garnish with the green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with steamed white rice.

Successful?

In a word, yes. It's subjective, but Mrs. Stuntman liked Chef Hall's better.

Olive Oil Cake with Strawberry-Red Moscato Sorbet and Moscato Zabaglione for a National Moscato Day #SundaySupper with Gallo Family Vineyards

Olive Oil Cake with Strawberry-Red Moscato Sorbet and Moscato Zabaglione for a National Moscato Day #SundaySupper with Gallo Family Vineyards

In a moment of self-evaluation, I must admit I'd love to be a cook at a fine dining establishment if money wasn't a concern-not the chef because I wouldn't want the responsibilities that accompany the title. There are several reasons I have yet to achieve it but you might say it's a long term goal. I realized this fact after examining many of the dishes I have produced here. I always attempt to present my food in a manner that an expensive restaurant would be proud to serve to a customer. Sometimes I get close; often I don't. It's a continual process of learning by trial and error.

I am also like many savory chefs because I don't prepare many desserts and it isn't a skill that is utilized often. I attempted to produce a gourmet dessert last summer for #SundaySupper, however I was happy with the flavors but not its presentation. It's one of the reasons I enlisted the assistance of Jenni Field of Jenni Field's Pastry Chef Online for this dish.

What inspired it in the first place? Quite simply, Gallo Family Vineyards and their celebration of National Moscato Day, which is this upcoming Friday, May 9th. Did you know that Gallo Family Vineyards produces three Moscato wines: red, white and pink? I recommend checking them out. If you're unsure of where to find Gallo wines, they have a convenient store locator and to incentivize you, Gallo has provided a $1 digital coupon. Please also check out Gallo Family Vineyards on facebook, twitter, instagram and YouTube. Compensation was provided by Gallo Family Vineyards via Sunday Supper, LLC. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Gallo Family Vineyards.

Let's discuss the dish for a moment. Since Gallo Family Vineyards sells three Moscato wines, I thought I'd use all three in one composed dish. Olive oil cakes have fascinated me because I find the flavor to be rather muted and was curious to see if it was able to stand on its own. The recipe I adapted used Vin Santo, but I substituted the white Moscato. I also need to note here that Chef Field assisted me in adapting the recipe that served eight to ten using a nine-inch springform pan to individualized portions. As my title suggests, I used the red Moscato in the sorbet and the pink Moscato in the zabaglione. Speaking of a zabaglione, I had never heard of it until I learned that the French call it a sabayon. It's often served in a cocktail glass but I decided to use it as a sauce for this dish. Additionally, Chef Field also identified the tuile. I used one because I think it gives a dessert an elegant presentation and I wanted the experience baking them.

The Challenge

Earlier this year, I prepared a spicy dish to pair with Gallo Family Vineyard's white Moscato so I wanted to use Moscato in a dessert dish to exhibit its versatility, in addition to attempting a fine dining presentation.

The Source

I adapted the sorbet from Dish with Clarissa, the zabaglione from epicurious and the tuile from allrecipes.com. With the help of Chef Field, I adapted the Apple & Olive Oil Cake recipe I found on pages 232-234 of Cook Like A Rock Star by Anne Burrell with Suzanne Lenzer.

Ingredients

For the sorbet:
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 pounds strawberries (thawed, if frozen)
1 1/2 cups Gallo Family Vineyards Red Moscato
Juice from 1 lime

For the tuile:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
4 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

For the cake:
5 large egg yolks
7 large egg whites
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Zest from 1 lemon
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Gallo Family Vineyards White Moscato
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 pinch kosher salt
Cooking spray

For the zabaglione:
6 egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup Gallo Family Vineyards Pink Moscato

Sliced strawberries and sifted confectioner's sugar, for garnish

Method

1. Prepare the sorbet: Combine the water and sugar into a small saucepan and place over medium low heat until the sugar dissolves, then remove from heat to create a simple syrup. Blend together the simple syrup and the remaining sorbet ingredients. Once smooth, pass the sorbet base through a sieve to remove any seeds(an offset spatula might be needed to speed up the process), then add to your ice cream machine and use according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once finished set aside in the freezer until the other components are finished. I recommend preparing this a day or two before serving to give the sorbet time to fully solidify.

2. Prepare the tuile batter: Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium high setting. Add the egg whites one at a time, then the vanilla. Lower the speed on the mixer to medium and beat in the flour and cocoa until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or more.

3. Bake the tuile: While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 325° Fahrenheit and make a stencil out of cardboard. (I cut out a triangle but you can use any shape you desire.) Once the batter has rested, line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place the stencil on the baking mat (parchment) and place a small dollop of batter in the middle. Use an off-set spatula to evenly spread the batter so it is thin and reaches the edges of the stencil. Repeat this process to make more tuiles. Place in the oven and bake until the edges are slightly browned, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. The tuiles are pliable while hot and may be draped over a rolling pin to harden and cool for a more dramatic presentation. This can be done earlier in the day the dessert is served.

4. Prepare the cake batter: Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit Combine the egg yolks, sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest in a large bowl. Beat the mixture with a whisk until it thickens, is pale and doubles in size, then whisk in the olive oil, Moscato and flour in that order. Set aside. In a separate bowl, use a mixer's whisk attachment to beat the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the original bowl, one-third of the whites at a time.

5. Bake the cake: Drop a circle of parchment into each space of a muffin pan then spray each with the cooking spray. Fill each muffin space up to 3/4 of the way full with the cake batter and bake in the oven for 20 to 22 minutes or until the cake registers an internal temperature of 200° Fahrenheit. Chef Field recommends allowing the cakes to cool in the pan upside down to prevent them from collapsing.

6. Prepare the zabaglione and finish the dish: While the cake is resting, prepare the zabaglione. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a large metal bowl, then gradually whisk in the Moscato. Set the metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (Ensure the water does not touch the metal bowl.) and continue to whisk the mixture until thick, foamy and the mixture reaches 160° Fahrenheit. To plate, spoon some zabaglione onto a plate, place the cake onto the zabaglione, and spoon some sorbet off on one side of the cake, then garnish with a tuile, strawberries and sifted powdered sugar.

Successful?

Unfortunately, I am unable to judge whether or not the dish would be suitable to be served at a fine dining restaurant, but I hope I was able to display Moscato's versatility. I'd also like to express a sincere gratitude towards Chef Field for her assistance with this dish.

Happy Moscato Day!

Before you go, please check out the other bloggers celebrating the holiday in this week's #SundaySupper event:

Appetizers and Mains:

• Lemon Rosemary Moscato Chicken by Family Foodie
• Moscato Meatball Skewers by Melanie Makes
• Pork Roast with Peach Moscato Sauce by Magnolia Days
• Pork with Moscato Sauce & Veggies by Momma's Meals

Beverages, Breakfast, and Sweets:

• Blackberry Bellinis by The Foodie Army Wife
• Blackberry Almond Cake with Moscato Zabaione by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Individual Plum Crumbles with Moscato Syrup by Neighborfood
• Mandarin Orange Tart by NinjaBaking.com
• Mango Moscato Sorbet by Webicurean
• Mexican Chocolate Ganache Cake by MealDiva
• Mixed Berry Moscato Gelees by Alida's Kitchen
• Moscato Gelée with Strawberry Compote by kimchi MOM
• Olive Oil Cake with Strawberry-Red Moscato Sorbet and Moscato Zabaglione by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Overnight Peaches and Cream Stuffed French Toast by In The Kitchen With KP
• Peachy Apricot Moscato Cake with Moscato Whipped Cream by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Pink Moscato Cupcakes + Citrus Moscato Sangria by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Pink Moscato Strawberry Shortcake by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Raspberry Moscato Sangria by The Messy Baker
• Strawberry Pink Moscato Ice Pops by girlichef
• Strawberry Tart with Moscato Lemon Curd by Foxes Love Lemons

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET.  Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.