Weekend Report (Toquin')

How often do you see busts sculpted in solid hummus? On Sunday, I went to the Fancy Food Show at Jacob Javitz and sampled some great products (who knew that two juices I despise, mango and carrot, would taste so great together?) while others just tasted like toothpaste water.

I arrived at 8am as a volunteer in the open kitchen of D'Artagnan on the floor of the convention. At first I was a bit concerned, as the chef was running around freaking a bit because he didn't have everything and was just figuring where everything was, but soon he got it in order, a few more students arrived, and he became much more laid back and on the ball. I was given a toque to wear, the tall kind of chef's hat that one expects, for the first time in my life. The four hours flew by in a hot second, and we were just starting to crank out appetizers, samples, and formal plates for the V.I.P.s when my shift was up. They were really cool and gave me a goodie bag that included their cookbook and an Amex gift card. I'm going to rearrange my schedule and volunteer for them again on Tuesday -- good people, good product. Wonder what I could do as an extern for them...

After spending a few hours wandering around the floor (Paul Prudhomme lost a million pounds! Fried cheese is delicious! Most foods marketed as 'healthy' don't taste very good!) still wearing my chef's whites and toque -- several vendors called me 'Chef' and chatted with me about their products -- cool, but I felt a little fraudulent.

Hauled ass by bicycle to Williamsburg for the Unfancy Food Show, where friends with beers greeted me with open arms. About 15 booths in a small backyard beneath the Willamsburg Bridge, some really good Bronx-made veal and foie pate. In particular, talked to the peeps at a booth for Tastebuds, an informal social network for foodie-leaning types, gonna check out their thing at some point

SATURDAY
Just chilled after Friday night's rec class. Took the mountain bike up to Tarrytown, skipped going out to a shmancy restaurant and just read in bed with the Wifey from 5pm till sleep.

BREAKFAST: 8:30am, school-made Israeli couscous, 1.5 bowls, hunger 4/5

SNACKS: 11:30am & 1pm, 1 homemade power bar each, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5 Keeping calorized while on the mountain bike between Yonkers and Tarrytown.

PM SNUNCH: 2pm, 1 slice streetza, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5

PM SNACK: 4pm, homemade chocolate soy icecream, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
Even though Lady Wife had lots of sweets at a bridal shower earlier in the day, when she saw me take out the ice cream, she flipped and ate a double portion. Oddly enough, she felt ill after and we cancelled our reservation at a nice restaurant later in the evening. Everybody comment and put the shame on B!!

DINNER Pt 1: 5pm, large green salad with Italian dressing, small amount of low salt corn chips, 2 bowls, hunger 4/5

DINNER Pt 2: 8pm, singapore chow mei fun, shrimp toast, wonton soup, fizzy grape juice, 2 bowls, hunger 4/5

SUNDAY
BREAKFAST: 6:30am, large portion of chocolate homemade icecream, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5

AM TASTINGS: 8am-noon, foi gras, foi truffle mousse, hotdogs made of duck, buffalo, beef and pork, duck and venison bacon, sausson sec, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
While helping at the D'Artignon booth.

PM TASTINGS: noon-2pm, lots of different chocolates, juice concoctions, cheeses, weird meats, a beer, 1 bowl, hunger 4/5
At the Fancy Food Show

PM TASTINGS: 3-4pm, veal-foi pate, ice cream, chocolates, a beer, .5 bowl, hunger 4/5
At the Unfancy Food Show

DINNER: 5:30pm, shrimp and grilled veg tacos, a beer, 1.5 bowl, hunger 4/5
Mexican in Williamsburg.