It’d be an understatement for me to say that things are a little busy around these parts.  If you know me well at all, you know I tend to keep my life and my schedule pretty quick-moving.  Back-to-back trips, full-time job plus freelance plus hobbies plus boyfriend plus friendships plus yoga plus… well, you get the idea.  I choose to be a part of a lot of things, so that means I have to figure out a way to balance all of it, keep myself in line, and remember to eat.

Ok, who am I kidding?  I never forget to eat – I like food too much.

Anyway, all things considered, when Campbell’s asked me to check out what they promised was a quick and easy dinner fix, I was all ears.

The Basics:

• take one can of Campbell’s Chunky soup – your choice.  Campbell’s provided a couple of beefy, meaty varieties and since I’m more pescavore than carnivore, I roped in my trusty taste-tester (aka the Boyfriend) to try the meat options, and I went with a veggie variety.
• Prepare and pour/serve over [instant] rice or mashed potatoes.

We went with the rice, and I’ve got to tell you – the whole meal took less than 10 minutes to make and the cost of the ingredients is under $4.  Talk about a win.

Things to note:

• Next time, I’m going to try other grains like quinoa and cous cous as well with something savory like their New England Clam Chowder.  For instance, I found this idea on the Chunky Facebook page for some Clam Chowder over Biscuits… You are speakin’ my language folks.
• I rarely use a microwave at home, so I’ll probably opt for the [still simple] boil-in-a-bag rices, or bring the micro-rice to work with some leftover soup for a quick at-my-desk office lunch.

Present for you!

I’d love to know what your favorite quick and easy dinner meals are, and for sharing you’ll be entered to win a cookbook!   Sam Zien, aka Sam the Cooking Guy, has been working with Campbell’s and sharing some super easy kitchen shortcuts. Sam is an Emmy Award winning television host of “Just Cook This!” on Discovery Health, and just released a new book called “Awesome Recipes and Kitchen Shortcuts.”  Want one?  Here’s how to enter (note: leave separate comments for each entry – you have FOUR chances to win!):

1. Leave a comment below telling me your favorite Kitchen Shortcut.  What do you do when you’re short on time but still want a real, actual meal?
2. Blog or tweet about this giveaway, and leave a comment with a link back to either/both (each counts as one separate entry).
3. Follow NomadicFoodie on Facebook and tell me you did!  (If you’re already a fan, just leave a comment telling me so!

Legal bites: Campbell’s was gracious enough to provide the soup and rice that Boyfriend and I devoured for this meal, as well as a cookbook for myself and for a lucky reader.  I’m under no obligation to provide a review and receive zero compensation for doing so.  But I like talking about food, and sharing the chance to pay it forward to you folks, so there you go!

Photo credit: Campbell’s Chunky Facebook Page

Boyfriend and I spent the Fourth of July weekend exploring San Diego, from Poway to Coronado Island and from the Gaslamp Quarter to Ocean Beach.  I knew from early on in the trip that we were going to kick back, have a killer time, and take advantage of opportunities for fun and excitement we could.

And what better way to start the weekend off than with some bubbly at breakfast?  Check out my wake-up call here at the Denver Chophouse at the Denver International Airport.  Not a bad way to start a weekend – or any day for that matter!

National Cherry Festival – Day 2

On Wednesday, the second day of our cherryful adventure, we were up and at ‘em and meeting for breakfast by 8:15.  Breakfast included yogurt with granola and dried cherries, something that’s already a staple in my diet.  Dr. Wendy Bazilian (DrPH, RD) spoke to us about cherries, new research surrounding the benefits and uses of tart cherries, and consumer trends.  For instance, did you know:

• … that 95% of tart cherries consumed are grown in the United States and 75% of that U.S. crop is grown in Michigan?
• … that consumers are trending towards foods that are both natural, fresh, and local as well as have recognizable ingredients, added value, and a meaningful benefit to them and their health?  We are!  You probably knew that.  You probably ARE that consumer.
• … cherries have as many antioxidants as blackberries, and more than strawberries and raspberries?
• … they also have fiber, potassium, vitamin B-6, and vitamin-A in the form of beta carotene?
• … that there’s so much more I learned about cherries that blew my  mind and you can check that out here or by clicking on the pretty little cherry below.

The rest of Wednesday was a totally delicious whirlwind of meeting the people behind the cherries – the growers and producers.  I’m blown away by the hospitality all of the cherry folks shared with us.  We started at Cherry Bay Orchards, met the growers – Don and Ann Gregory – and enjoyed a tour of the orchards.  I even got to help with the harvesting!

Also?  Cherries and cherry trees are really, really pretty.  Even my little iPhone thinks so.  But for more photos that will blow you away, check out our Flickr group, or Matt’s and Rachel’s blogs.

Cherry Republic

After learning about the cherry growing and harvesting process (and taking a ton of pretty red fruit pictures), we went over to the Cherry Republic for lunch and more cherry treats and merchandise than I’d know what to do with.  A little info on the Cherry Republic:

Welcome to Cherry Republic, North America’s 4th largest country and the land of Life, Liberty, Beaches & Pie. Across our borders you will discover over 175 Cherry products on sale! Founded on our joy of life with cherries, our mission is to pass on to you the many ways to have fun with cherries! From our famous dried cherries, chocolate covered cherries, jams or cherry salsa we have great gifts or pantry fillers for you. Shop with us Online, receive our Catalog or find ways to come visit our unique stores.

Bob Sutherland, the oh-so-generous and gracious owner of the Cherry Republic shared their story with us.  He told us that every single thing in their shop is sample-able, whether or not it’s open and that he makes it a point to make sure the staff knows that and even more importantly – that his guests know that they can try every delicious cherry delicacy before they buy it.  (Maybe because he knows how hard it is to pass up that cherry BBQ sauce once you’ve tried it!).

Confession: I know how good the cherry barbeque sauce was because I tried it.  That’s right.  Lunch served at the Cherry Republic was a BBQ pork sandwich topped with this sweet goodness.  Now, 364ish days out of the year, I’m a pescetarian.  If you want to know my reasons behind the seafood-only option, you can read about how it was an exercise in self-discipline that accidentally became a lifestyle.  But the Memphis girl in me misses BBQ the absolute most – more than Juicy Lucy’s, more than bacon, more than Dome dogs – so when I cheat, I cheat with pulled pork, saucy sauce, topped with coleslaw in between two carb-rich pieces of some kind of bread.

Forgive me, pesce/veggie-gods, for I have sinned.  And it was absolutely, totally, one-hundred percent worth it.

Besides, for those of you who believe you have to finish your meal before you have dessert (for the record, I am not one of those people), here’s what I had to look forward to for dessert: cherry pie the way cherry pie is SUPPOSED to taste.

I’m already hoping to get back to Traverse City sometime, and this is a place I’d like to go back and spend more time.  I came away with cherry apple butter, cherry peanut butter, cherry salsa, white/milk/dark chocolate-covered cherries, dried cherries, cherry juice, cherry concentrate, and having tried cherry wines and ciders.  SO MANY CHERRIES, and so many delicious ways to prepare, package, and enjoy them – I can’t wait to try all of the butters!

National Cherry Festival

Wednesday night, our group ventured to the festival grounds for the 84th Annual National Cherry Festival.  The festival attracts over 500,000 visitors in the span of the 8-day event.  We were given VIP treatment, ate great food, and enjoyed wine and a view of the lake, all set to the background music of a really awesome Beatles cover band.  According to the website, the mission of the National Cherry Festival is to celebrate cherries, tourism and community involvement, and judging by my experience over less than half of the time of the festival – they do exactly that.  I love having learned all we did about cherries, Michigan, and the people behind the craft prior to attending the festival.

Cherry Research

We spent the last morning in Michigan visiting the Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center.  Yes, there is an entire institution (and acres and acres of land!) dedicated to the research to these tasty fruits.  The Research Center is a “multidisciplinary horticultural facility focusing on fruit production, specializing in tart and sweet cherry” (source).

Dr. Nikki Rothwell led our tour of the orchards and explained the production, harvesting and research going into different cherry varieties.  She explained how they’re testing different irrigation techniques and other conditions so that Michigan continues to grow and share the most optimal tart cherry possible.

In Summary

All of those amazing bloggers, chefs, writers, and photograhers I met on the trip?  They’ve offered their insight on the experience as well and have shared some photos that leave my mouth watering.

• Rachel Matthews, A Southern Fairytale
• Matt Armendariz, MattBites.com

Also, my videos are being edited and slowly making their way up on my YouTube channel.  You can check those out here, and see all of the pictures I took last week here.

To everyone who brought us together and shared their lives and passions with us:

I am so, so grateful for the chance to have shared this delicious experience with so many inspiring minds and new friends.  Massive, huge thanks to the Cherry Marketing Institute, the Cherry Republic, Bob and Ann Gregory at Cherry Bay Orchards, Dr. Nikki Rothwell at the Northwest Horticulture Research Center, the National Cherry Festival, Park Place Hotel, the Celtic Shuttle, and to the beautiful team at Weber Shandwick for introducing me to some brilliant new friends, and for treating us like rockstars while we experienced the best that Michigan has to offer.  I can’t wait to for the opportunity to catch up with, visit, and work with any and all of you again in the future.

Tart cherry-flavored kisses,

~ Doniree

Photo credit:  They’re mine! Unless I noted otherwise.

Every once in awhile something happens, and I have to pinch myself to make sure it’s real.  Things like waking up every morning with the mountains in my backyard, being surrounded by amazing friends and family and love all over my life, and realizing that I’m living my lifelong dream of writing regardless of what capacity that is at any given time.

This past week has been a flurry of so many of those moments, those experiences that I can add to the list of Pinch-Me-I’m-Dreaming.  Immediately following a long weekend in San Diego (more on that soon), I had the honor and privilege of attending Traverse City, Michigan’s National Cherry Festival with some of the brightest and most talented chefs, scientists, food writers, travel writers, bloggers, and eaters I’ve ever met.  The Cherry Marketing Institute (and their marketing group) was kind enough to arrange two days of events and learning, tasting, and cherry pit-spitting experiences for us.

We arrived Tuesday night and immediately went to dinner at the Boathouse Restaurant on the West Bay surrounding the peninsula that juts up north of Traverse City.

{photo credit: Cherry Marketing Institute}

I was – and still am! – so intrigued by how many different ways cherries can be prepared and served, and can’t wait to incorporate so many of these techniques in my own cooking.  This dinner itself included cherry chutney, cherry vinaigrette, dried cherries, and cherries jubilee for dessert – among others!

Dinner started off with cherry cocktails.  Naturally, I opted for the Cherry Mimosa – tart cherry juice with some bubbles.  Delicious!  And the perfect refreshing start to our four-course dinner.

The second course – following duck confit and a cheese plate – was this amazing salad: Apple Beet, spinach, goat cheese, candy cane beets, walnuts, apple threads, cherry vinaigrette.  Unreal flavors, and while I’ve always been one to top my salads with dried cherries and nuts of some sort, I’m relatively new to beets and am now convinced that they need to be in my diet more often.

For the main course, we had the option of a filet mignon or a ahi tuna.  The foodie in me loved the chance to “splurge” on the duck confit, but the pescetarian in me opted for the fish.  I’d have plenty of time for breaking pescetarian rules later…

The Ahi Tuna was served rare (perfect), crusted with sesame seeds and sitting on a bed of purple sticky rice (cool!), radish salad, sweet cherry chili, and served with srirachi sauce brushed on the corner of the plate (beautiful presentation!).  It was amazing.  I did try a bite of Syd‘s filet, and they nailed that too.

Our group wined and dined and chatted, and as it always is one of my favorite parts about so many things, I really enjoyed the conversations with each blogger, marketer, and cherry fanatic.  We had a great mix of people from all over (Louisiana, Texas, California, Vancouver, Colorado, Florida, etc.) with such different backgrounds but a common thread was that everyone I spoke with who spoke about their craft – be it cooking, family, eating, photography, writing, hosting an online TV show, traveling, or jumping out of planes – is absolutely silly passionate about what it is they’re doing.

And we all know that’s contagious.

This was the view from the patio where we enjoyed this four-course dinner.  We faced Bowers Harbor and looked west over the water to see this sunset.  Amazing, huh?

We went to bed full of some new knowledge and insight about cherries and the places they come from as well as full of deliciously and artfully prepared cherry sustenance.

Next up: More pictures!  We spent the next day exploring the area, meeting the growers, learning about the harvesting and production, and experiencing the famous National Cherry Festival.

Photo credit: They’re mine! Unless I noted otherwise.

The “B” and “C” concourses are connected to the main terminal building and the “A” Concourse by a pedestrian walkway under the tarmac. This walkway, known as the Light Tunnel, features an elaborate multi-colored light show behind sculpted glass panels extending the entire length of the walkway, as well several moving walkways. The light patterns are synchronized with an original musical score, which runs for nearly a half hour before repeating. This installation, one of the first large scale uses of color changing LED lighting in the United States, was produced by Mills James Productions with glasswork by Foxfire Glass Works of Pontiac, Michigan. The display has won multiple lighting design awards including the prestigious Guth Award of Merit.

{source: Wikipedia entry for Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport}

I’ve never been in the Detroit airport (DTW) before, and I remember my NWA/Delta-employed (almost retired) dad spending time there in 2002 when they were adding the McNamara Terminal.  He works in the IT department with all the computer geeks (the apple doesn’t fall far, does it?), so he was here helping them basically plug everything in and make sure it worked (hashtag understatement).

Anyway, I remember him talking about trams and windows and how big it was, and I always had this idea in my head of DTW being this massive, silver-y, sunlit complex of transients and wanderers alike.  Sure enough, that’s totally accurate.  What he didn’t tell me about was the light installation that connects the B and C concourses to the rest of the airport.  I approached the giant tunnel-looking thing with the moving walkways and saw flashing blue and green and purple lights, then started hearing music reminiscent of a New Age Twilight Zone.

Mouth agape, pace slowing, I started looking around and saw the most amazing LED light installation set to music.  I thought about taking a picture, but then decided that video would be better.  I wish I’d caught a little more, but here – check it out.  Oh, and ignore the commentary; my new friend Nancy (HI NANCY!) asked how I planned to capture it in a photo and I told her I was taking a video since I wanted to get ALL of the colors.

What’s the coolest airport thing you’ve ever seen?  Which airport is your favorite?

I lose count of how many times Chris and I say, “Oh! We’ll have to try this, eat there, do that,” so one afternoon while walking around the East End of Pearl when those very words were uttered as we passed Kasa, we took the time to commit to a day and time that week to try this sushi place here in town.

Date Night, Wednesday, June 9, 2010 – Kasa Sushi

1468 Pearl Street
Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 938-8888

Appetizer: Shrimp Shumai (Shrimp Dumplings)
These were beyond heavenly, warm, shrimpy little dumplings – hand-crafted and served with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and a spicy sriracha mayonnaise.  Amazing.

Shame on us for not taking more photos! We had delicious sushi rolls, and spent some time talking with Mimi, the owner. She explained their style, how they’re the only yakatori grill out of Japan, and how every single thing they serve is made from scratch. Well, everything but the spicy mayo which features already-made Sriracha sauce (one of my favorite flavorers).

They even make their frozen yogurt from scratch, and Mimi was kind enough to bring us a scoop to share. It came topped with the most fresh tasting, intense citrus marmalade that tasted like lemon zest bathed in a sweet sauce. It was the perfect complement to the vanilla treat.

I plan to go back and get the full-length story from Mimi on how they got started and how they do business. Stay tuned!

Photo credit: @christopherdan

San Diego, Day 1 – Friday, July 2, 2010

Chris and I wandered around the Gaslamp District (the neighborhood in the city where we’re staying), and decided on this cute little Italian place called Asti Ristorante.  He had mimosas while I sipped on a Sauvignon Blanc, and enjoyed a cheesy Margherita pizza while I devoured a shrimp and artichoke fettuncini dish.

I’m playing with camera effects and photography apps on my iPhone.  All three photos were taken with my iPhone 3GS and edited with the effects in Camera Bag [iTunes link].  I used Helga for the food photos and Cinema for the restaurant sign.  I don’t think Helga’s the right effect for food, but I’m playing, so we’ll see what happens next time.

Today?  Fish Market!  Hopefully I’ll remember to grab a video of that.

Who’d have known that after I posted my favorite photo of brandied cherries, that I’d have such exciting news about cherries to share with you?!  Oh wait. I did!

Michigan, here I come

That’s right, blogtarts, I have some delicious news to share with you. The Cherry Marketing Institute recently approached me, yours truly, with an opportunity to be whisked away to the magical city of Traverse City, Michigan for none other but the National Cherry Festival.

So… food + travel + meeting people + learning the dorky science and nutrition part behind all of this plus actually getting to EAT and play? = I’m a HAPPY little wanderlusty gastrophile.  Yes, that’s a word.

A Dream Come True

If you don’t mind, I’m just going head on over to my Life List, and cross off number #79 right now.  BOOYAH.  No, really – and I’ve said since I was in high school sometime that I wanted opportunities that allowed me to wander around, wine and dine, and then tell the stories behind it.  And in just a few short weeks – I get to!

This is immediately following my first ever visit to San Diego, so by the end of July, I’m going to have so many good foodie stories to share, and I can’t wait to do so.

Want to keep up with me?

• Follow me @nomadicfoodie (and/or @doniree) on Twitter
• Follow @choosecherries for event information
• Join the community on the Facebook page
• Chime into the conversation by following the #RedRecovery hashtag

I could not be more excited! More to come

All that no-one-told-me-to-say-this stuff: I’m pretty sure I couldn’t have been clearer, but for the record, yes, the fine folks behind this event are signing all the bills for this trip.  Yes, I’ve jumped up and down, squealed a few times, called my mother immediately after accepting the offer, and am already daydreaming about what pretty little sundresses I’m going to be donning for this event.  No, they did not ask me to write about it, but wouldn’t you?!

Rachel tried Alligator-on-a-Stick, a classic at the Minnesota State Fair, last year.  She didn’t like it, but I commend her for trying!

My favorite part of the Minnesota State Fair (second to the ridiculous people watching) isn’t the cheese curds (blasphemy, I know!), isn’t the tractors, and isn’t the Leinie Lodge Bandshell.  My favorite part of the State Fair is the International Bazaar – jewelry, clothes, and food from all over the world?  LOVE.

Last year, I tried this Greek staple – the dolma – for the first time.  This particular dolma that I’m noshing on is veggies and such wrapped in a grape leaf, and I grab one just for fun now every time I hit up the salad bar at Whole Foods.

Goofy facial expression, brought to you by my own excitement because I absolutely adore and look forward annually to the Great Minnesota Get Together.