Slashfood

• I'm going to San Francisco
  

  Filed under: West Coast, Baking, Artisan Foods

  
  Exactly one week from today, I'll be in San Francisco taking a class in artisan bread making at the San Francisco Baking Institute. I'm so excited that I'm positively giddy.
  
  I've been planning this trip for some time, and I do have some ideas about how I'm going to spend my free time in the city. However, there's only so much you can learn from tourist websites, so I need your help: if you have any suggestions on food related destinations I want to hear from you. What...
  



• Pacific Northwest Wining and Dining, Cookbook of the Day
  

  Filed under: West Coast, Books, Cookbook of the Day

  I went to college in Walla Walla, WA, just as a revolution in food and wine was taking place in that area. When I started college, the only dining choices in town were grubby old diners, a couple mediocre pubs and and fast food. By the time I graduated, the area was awash with tasting rooms, upscale restaurants and excellent bars serving the best in hand-cut french fries and hormone-free burgers. Walla Walla was just one example of the revolution taking place all across the Pacific Northwest in the area of wine and food....
  



• A presidential asparagus lover
  

  Filed under: West Coast, Vegetables, On the Blogs

  
  I never thought I'd see the day when I had something in common with President Bush, but here it is. Apparently we both love asparagus. Who knew?
  
  On the German leg of his European tour last week, President Bush commented on how great the German asparagus was, saying how much he enjoys the vegetable. According to McClatchy online, the President now has a chance to sample ten pounds of Washington State asparagus, sent to the White House by two Washington State lawmakers.
  
  Senator Patty Murray and representative Doc Hastings are...
  



• Midnight Sausage: Napa, CA
  

  Filed under: West Coast, Pork, America, Meat, Artisan Foods

  
  
  Married ...with Dinner visits the Fatted Calf Charcuterie in Napa.
  
  Via: Married ...with Dinner
  
  I'm posting images of sausage counters the world over each weeknight (and occasionally weekend) witching hour (until I run out), so please use the comments section to post links to your Flickr or personal site faves, and perhaps you'll see 'em posted here late some evening.
  
  Previously -- Midnight Sausage: Toluca, Mexico
  West Coast, On the Blogs
  
  I had a friend once who saved the corks from wine bottles. He said that he sent them to his brother for some reason or other I can't remember now. Now there really is a reason to save your corks (and not just for all those cork stamps you've been planning on making).
  
  According to Chow: The Grinder, a new program called ReCORK America is operating in Oregon and California. ReCORK America collects and recycles used wine corks. It's sponsored by a Portugese cork manufacturer, Amorim, and works mainly with institutions that go though a lot of corks....
  



• Winemaker Robert Mondavi dead at 94
  

  Filed under: Wine, West Coast, Business, France

  The vintner who put California on the wine map, Robert Mondavi, has died at the age of 94, says a spokesperson for the Robert Mondavi winery. Mr. Mondavi died Friday (May 16) at his home in Yountville, Calif.
  
  Though he had little formal training in wine-making, Mondavi has been credited with creating fume blanc, and with popularizing that quintessential Californian white, chardonnay. He was the first one who saw that with proper techniques and a lot of great PR, domestic wines could one day hold their own against the French tradition.
  
  According to the obit in the Los Angeles...
  



• Los Angeles Times Food section in 60 seconds: Next gen farmers, market meals, and farm stands
  

  Filed under: West Coast, Vegetables, Fruit, Newspapers, Lists, America, in sixty seconds, Local Eating

  
  This week, the Los Angeles Times Food section focuses on Farmers' Markets:
  
  • Southern California farmers are nearing retirement age, so the next generation is taking over
  • The full list of Farmers Markets by day
  • Meals inspired by what's fresh at the market: Chicken Fricasee with Spring Vegetables, Tomato Herb Panzanella, and Cinnamon Tortilla Chips with Strawberry Avocado Salsa
  • Farmstands are making a comeback
  • What's fresh now: heirlooms and arugula
  In wine, the Times looks at winemakers in Malibu and the Wine of...
  



• Visitors bureau wants to give you a Taste of San Francisco
  

  Filed under: Wine, Beer, West Coast, Site Announcements, Restaurants, Business

  The San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau wants you to have the greatest dining experience possible on you next trip to the Bay Area. They've added Taste as an additional website to the official visitors bureau site, and it's completely dedicated to food.
  
  I was particularly interested in Taste, as I am going to San Francisco later this summer and I want any dining info I can get. Taste does offer plenty of dining information, especially of you have plenty...
  



• Donuts for everyone from Flickr! Well maybe just if you can make it to the meetup
  

  Filed under: West Coast, Beef, On the Blogs

  
  Hopefully by now you've heard of Flickr, the popular online photo-sharing website. If you ever look at the photo credits for images on Slashfood, chances are you'll see a lot of them come from Flickr. If you are familiar with Flickr, then you might know they've recently added a video sharing option, and some people are not happy about that.
  
  I really don't understand it, but according to Wired plenty of Flickr users are joining groups like "No Video On Flickr". Some other users, though, have a different opinion. A group has popped up to...
  



• The Oregonian in 60 seconds: Budget eating, spring flavors and Passover recipes
  

  Filed under: West Coast, Newspapers, in sixty seconds

  • As we all know, food prices are going up. In response, the Oregonian's FoodDay editors challenged four families to reduce the amount of money they spend on groceries for one month without squeezing the joy out of eating.
  • The budgeting families offered tips like buying whole chickens instead of just pricey breast meat, reducing meat consumption, eating beans and lentils and getting more organized.
    
  • Even more recommendations on how to recycle your seemingly useless leftovers into useful and nourishing meals.
    
  • Longing for bright and crisp flavors after...