Save the Date: Farm to Table Festival

Let's just pretend I've been a good blogger, and that I've posted at least once a week. Pretending yet? Ok, good.

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I am quite fortunate to have the great opportunity of helping with the Farm to Table Festival being held June 12-13. It's being hosted by the University Club, and I'm pretty excited about it. Some of the great things being offered include:

• Cooking demonstrations by local and regional chefs, including Mike Odette (Sycamore), Craig Cyr (Wine Cellar and Bistro) and Jonathan Justus (Justus Drugstore). See all of the chefs and presenters here.


• Seminars and presentations on topics such as: sustainable agriculture, home preservation techniques, cooking with micro beer and more.


• Reception dinners provided by all of the amazing chefs.

As you can see, it's going to be pretty fun. The schedule is still in the works and will be uploaded to their site soon, and I'm pretty sure registration will be available in April.

You can follow them on Twitter and you can also become a fan of them on Facebook (Farm To Table UClub is their fan page name). Look out for a chance to win tickets and t-shirts for the event over the next couple of months!

Quick Bites: What I've been up to

Who is the worst blogger in the world? Probably me. I can't even remember the last time I wrote on here! School and work have kept me busy, but the semester is almost done.

Instead of one long blog post, I thought I'd just give you a couple of quick points.

• Thanksgiving was amazing. Jim and I cooked the dinner for his entire family and we managed to share the kitchen pretty well. I think we are the only couple in the world who gets into arguments about who gets to cook what dish. Both of us think the other one hijacks every meal. I really should have taken pictures of our lovely spread but in the midst of scheduling the timing of every dish, I forgot my camera! Recipes included: roasted turkey roulade with sausage and fig stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, roasted butternut squash salad with warm cider vinaigrette and roasted pears with blue cheese. Apple pie and pecan pie for dessert--my favorites!

• I recently celebrated a friend's birthday at Les Bourgeois. It was the first time I've been there since my senior year in high school. It was still just as delicious! If you live in Columbia, I highly recommend you try it. Even though their wine may be so-so, their food most certainly isn't. I had their Brandy Herb Marinated Roasted Pork Tenderloin. The flavor of the pork was ridiculously good. Visit http://www.missouriwine.com/ to look at their full menu.

Happy Birthday Cory! It was a great evening filled with good food and awesome friends. Too bad the boys made silly faces!

Left to right: Cory, Jim, me, Nick, Becca and Rachel.

• I just found out at work that the University Club here at MU is partnering with the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) to hold a Farm to Table event in June. I work at CAFNR as the alumni communications intern, and I cannot wait to help promote and cover this amazing event. It will be a great opportunity!

• And to end my scatter-brained post, my family is having a pot luck dinner on Christmas Eve which has now turned into somewhat of a "dish-off." I must win! Right now I'm considering making Parmesan and Thyme crackers for an appetizer, but I still don't have an idea for a side dish. Any ideas?