Yowsahs! 
We had quite the full agenda today! We started at 8:30 AM and went straight through until 3:00 PM this afternoon. I have SO much great stuff to blog about now. I’m not sure that I will get it all posted today, but I’ll definitely get it up as soon as possible.
8:25 AM and ready for the day! 
The first seminar of the day was called Flavor = Taste + Mouthfeel + Aroma + “The X Factor.”
For the first session, we heard from award-winning authors Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg. They discussed their book, The Flavor Bible, which is considered an indispensible guide to hundreds of ingredients along with the herbs, spices, and other seasonings that best complement them.
The Flavor Bible is organized alphabetically so you can look up an ingredient and see what flavors it is compatible with it. As you probably know, when it comes to cooking, I usually just “wing it” in the kitchen, so I think I would really like this style of organization. Plus, we learned that 30% of the food in the US is wasted and most of what is wasted is untouched fruits and veggies. The Flavor Bible helps prevent waste by suggesting creative flavor combinations for your produce, especially when it’s at the “eat me now” stage. Pretty cool, right?
“The X Factor” that Karen and Andrew discussed is what is perceive by the other senses– plus the heart, mind and spirit, other physical senses, including visual, emotional, mental, and spiritual. I’m sure many of us have experienced tasting a meal that takes you back to a different time in your life. It’s such an individual experience, isn’t it? You can be served the exact same dish as someone else, but have totally different emotions attached to it. For instance, microwave popcorn always brings me back to my childhood, specifically staying up late and watching movies with my mom and my sister. It’s really interesting how food can bring out these emotions.
Mid-way through the session, Karen and Andrew led us through a tasting so we could apply their flavor formula. They highlighted ricotta because it can go either direction when it comes to flavor– sweet or savory.
The ricotta was spread on mini baguette pieces and paired with eucalyptus honey, prosciutto, and a glass of Prosecco.
We tasted a number of delicious flavor combinations:
- ricotta + baguette (creamy + crunchy)
- ricotta + baguette + prosciutto (creamy + crunchy + salty/meaty)
- ricotta + baguette + eucalyptus honey (creamy + crunchy + sweet/rich)
- ricotta + baguette + proscuitto + Prosecco (creamy + crunchy + salty/meaty + fizzy/tart)
- ricotta + baguette + eucalyptus honey + Proscecco (creamy + crunchy + sweet/rich + fizzy/tart)
Many of these pairings provided “three dimensional flavors,” which, of course, were very pleasing to my taste-buds! 
This session definitely got me thinking more in depth about how to combine foods and flavors in new and different ways.
The whole time while listening to Karen and Andrew speak, I thought to myself that I really wanted to own The Flavor Bible myself. Lucky for us, we received our very own copies! I’m psyched to dive into this cookbook and get creative with my flavors.
LOTS more to come!
{ 40 comments… read them below or add one }
Ooh that books sounds brilliant! I’d love to know what flavours ‘officially’ go together, cos I always just throw whatever is to hand in
Can’t wait for the next re-cap!
I love your shirt in the first picture!
I have got to get my hands on that book! I attempt to experiment with flavors but it doesn’t go so well. That would be a great starting point to really improve my cooking
i am going to have to look at that book – i’m always looking for new ways to describe food, other than “yum”
Mmmmm! I love ricotta cheese, especially in sweet things! By the way… I think you mean “three-dimensional”.
What a fun book! I’ll have to check it out next time I’m at the bookstore.
Love, love, LOVE your shirt! Very cute and stylish!
That looks like a good book and a lot of good tips.
love your shirt!! looks great on you!
I just bought a book called the Vegetable Bible but I think I’m going to have to pick up the Flavor Bible now too!
u r absolutely beautiful.
Your whole weekend just looks incredible, such a great thing you are getting to experience! Thank you for sharing all of this with us, you’re awesome!
That book looks like a must get. Very interesting, thanks for sharing with us.
I love your shirt!! It looks wonderful on you. Where did you get it?
So interesting — you’re really learning a lot AND having fun. What could be a better job?!
Sounds like a great day. I’d love to step into your shoes for the day and do all the cool stuff you get to do!
@Annie: Banana Republic circa 2004.
I can’t beivele I’ve been going for years without knowing that.
wow, how interesting! I’d love to have a copy of that cookbook as well. Maybe they can offer one of your readers a copy during a giveaway?? (wink wink)
that sounds like my kind of seminar…you look like you’re just having the BEST time! keep it comin’ tina, i love reading about this stuff
How interesting! Cool weekend
I love ricotta for that variety you can create!
What an interesting concept for a book – very helpful!
I also have to tell you I LOVE your shirt!
Fascinating! Too bad they don’t leave the flavor Bible in hotel drawers
What a neat idea for a cookbook. I’m definitely going to have to check it out!
Wow that sounds really cool- and I love that they had a tasting to apply what you are learning, that definitely makes it stick with you more, huh?
That books sounds really cool! Can’t wait to hear more about The Bake Off!
Yum! That sounds so cool!
Wow! That talk sounds fabulous! I went to as many seminars as I could when I was in culinary school because they were always so interesting and opened your eyes to different professional techniques and ideas that you can adapt to your food at home. I can’t wait to read more (and hopefully find that book too).
Tina, you look absolutely adorable in that top!!! Your hair + your outfit = romantic pretty and girlie. Yet work appropriate.
hehehe
I’m loving your work “life” travels so far!! It’s SO awesome when you get treated like royalty.
Breakfast in bed…mmmm jealous…
I LOVE your top!! You always look so gorgeous!
Glad you’re enjoying your foodie self, I’m pretty dang jealous. Have a great night Tina!
Your shirt in the first picture is so cute!
Ohhh that sounds like a wonderful cookbook. I love trying out new flavor pairings!
You look adorable, first off!!
Also, that book sounds amazing….hopefully my public library will get it soon and I can scope it out for a week or two before I end up going to buy it!!!!
I would love to check out that book! I need to expand my repertoire of herbs and spices that I am confident in cooking with.
That cookbook sounds amazing!!!
sounds like fun, and did you get a hair cut? or new style? looks super cute regardless!
That ricotta tasting sounds like so much fun… hello to that envy you were talking about before
Also, I love your shirt!
I have that book! It’s probably the one “cooking” book I’ve gotten the most use out of!
your hair is super cute in that first pic