Sara Sheehy

Day two of the Sun Valley Food and Wine Festival was just as eventful, cold, and delicious as the first. Ever had baby back ribs for breakfast? I learned today that there is a first for everything. It will take me a day to two to digest the weekend (figuratively, and literally), after which point I’ll have a blog entry for real about the event. For now, here are some images from today’s demonstrations.

Updated 6/22/09: Here is my post for day two!

Sunday morning dawned rainy and cold, but the lure of baby back ribs for breakfast pulled me out of my still-full stupor.

Ken Pratt, chef for Sun Valley Resort, humorously demonstrated his imperfect methods of creating the perfect ribs.  As a concession to the earliness of the hour, he also threw together potato hash with eggs.  I fearlessly jumped right into the ribs first, then had the more breakfast-y meal of hash with eggs.  Both were very good.

Chef John Tesar presented Modern Steak and Sustainable Seafood to a full house.  Living up to his reputation, Tesar was an engaging presenter with a delicious food demonstration.  Koenig Winery & Distillery, from Caldwell, Idaho, made a wonderful pairing with their Syrah.

Let me say right now that I am a bit obsessed with Chris Kastner’s CK’s Real Food in Hailey.  By the time his presentation came up, I was stuffed.  After a break during Chris’ demonstration, I returned for John Turenne’s Grilling Pizzas. Hosted by the St Luke’s Wood River Foundation, John emphasized local ingredients, healthy meals and fast prep times.  Unbelieveably, Snake River Winery paired four different wines with John’s four pizzas.  I’m tempted to try and choose a favorite of the wines, but my tastebuds can’t decide between their 2006 Barbera and 2007 Grenache.  Both were excellent.  John Turenne wrapped up his demonstration with a dessert pizza – Strawberries and Aged Balsalmic.

Paul Dean from Knob Hill Inn Restuarant prepared grilled shrimp and asparagus followed by pan smoked quail with huckleberry vodka sauce.  In another appearane by Koenig Winery & Distillery, vodka and huckleberry vodka was served.  Quail was definitely a stretch for my non-adventurous eating ways.  Surprising myself, I really enjoyed it.  A simple taste, yet more flavorful and better textured than chicken.

My weekend ended on a high note – to the tune of Rhubarb Fool and Bing Cherry Betty.  What could be songs from the 50′s were actually two delicious desserts from Julie Richardson of Baker & Spice in Portland, Oregon.  Julie, who spent a few years living in the Wood River Valley, has a weakness for fresh fruit and mixing ingredients with her bare hands.  The two desserts were out of this world.  I had seconds, no wait, thirds.  I’m not afraid to admit it.

And thus my first food and wine festival came to a close.  Not quite knowing what to expect, and with my non-adventurous food ways in the back of my mind, I went in with curiosity and an empty stomach.  I was definitely not disappointed.  I met food photographers, food critics, wine lovers and amateur chefs.  As a self-proclaimed non-foodie, I was surprised to learn quite a bit about cooking, and even more about wine. The weekend may have created a secret desire to try wine-making someday.  While the weather certainly put a damper on the weekend, the event was bustling with people clearly full of passion for food, wine, or both.

To check out more about this year’s Sun Valley Food and Wine Festival, visit the Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber and Visitor’s Bureau.  Can’t wait to come next year?  (me too!)  Sign up for the Chamber’s newsletter, and be the first to know for 2010!

See this post on my PlumTV Blog.