Summer vacation over - lots of food news to share!

Hello everyone, my camping trip is over and I am sorry to say that the most gourmet food I cooked was corn wrapped up in tinfoil with butter and herbs and peanut butter rice krispie treats.  Not that they weren't delicious but I just wasn't feeling gourmet last week.  Perhaps it was the 35 degree weather!  Yes, in August in Big Bear Lake it was 35 degrees at night... luckily temps rose 40 degrees during the day making for beautiful sunny, warm days spent fishing, hiking and enjoying the fresh air.  We made the usual fare: hot dogs, pork ribs, beef stew and lots of toasted marshmallows and hot chocolate to stay warm at night.  It was a fun week, but I am excited to be back in LA to start class again!

Peanut butter Rice Krispie treats!

Last night was my first night of International Cooking at GCC.  It is being taught by Chef Greenwood (my favorite teacher from last semester) and is proving to be a fun class again.  Two students from my class last semester are taking the class, making us the "advanced" team... so instead of watching the introduction to chopping vegetables video last night, we got to make bruschetta, we caught up on each other's summers, and sampled lemon poppy seed bread that Chef's high school class made earlier that day.  Yes, it sounds like a fun way to spend a Tuesday night, but I hope to learn more this semester.  I think once we get past the introduction to cooking and kitchen safety (which some new people in the class will DEFINITELY need), we will have more fun stuff to do.  I think she will have our team help guide the other students and cook some more advanced recipes.  Works for me!

Next Tuesday we don't have class but we do have an extra credit opportunity to attend a great event at the Skirball titled: "Are Celebrity Chefs Good For Food?" - should be an interesting lecture with some great LA chefs and food fans (including Jonathan Gold of LA Weekly,  Nancy Silverton of Mozza, Ludovic Lefebvre of LudoBites and “Top Chef Masters” star Susan Feniger of Street).  I will be there!

How was your Labor Day?  Did you do anything fun?  Try any new foods?  Please feel free to share here!

Double duty post - Food Rendezvous and Gourmet camping food recipe request!

Everyone, I will be volunteering with my friend and fellow blogger Ellen on Saturday at The Food Rendezvous.  This event is very inexpensive to attend ($10 if purchased in advance, $15 at the door) and should prove to be great fun for foodies, followers of local chefs, and cook book collectors alike!  There will be raffles, a jam making contest, workshops, presentations and book signings, as well as tastings from local artisans.  It should be a great time! 

The event is taking place from 4 pm to 10 pm on Saturday 8/28 at SPARC (685 Venice Blvd, Venice, CA). I will follow up with photos and a story or two after the event.

Photo credit: www.thefoodrendezvous.com

On to my next topic...I am planning a camping trip soon and wondered if anyone had some fun, unique recipes that are fairly simple to cook while camping, using a basic camp stove and one or two pots.  I am looking for atypical (not the usual hotdog or the dehydrated stuff they sell at camp supply stores).  So feel free to post your ideas here!  If I use your ideas, I will be sure to mention you when I return from my camping trip and will provide pictures for everyone to see!!

There are not too many summer days left, so enjoy every minute.  Have a fantastic weekend!

Chow for now!  :)