The contest:
Foodbuzz is a major site that caters specifically to food bloggers and the people who love to eat. 24, 24, 24 is one of the contests they sponsor and a medium to ignite foodie creativity to the umpteenth degree. This monthly contest showcases 24 unique meals organized by 24 of their featured bloggers and celebrated around the globe during a 24-hour period. Cool, eh?
I was invited to submit a meal idea. Still drunk with glee from my first Top 9 appearance (did I tell you I made it all the way to Top 2?!!! I did!), I am submitting an idea. This is the outline for, if you have ANY suggestions to improve it, please send it my way.
From the FBZ entry form:
The name of the proposal: 24, 24, 24: An 8 + 8 + 8 interpretation
Describe your proposal a little more. Please don’t forget to describe:
a) The food! Tell us the proposed menu, or type of cuisine.
b) The people. Tell us who you plan to share your meal with.
c) The location. Where are you having this meal?
24 = 8 Friends + 8 US regions + 8 Pairings. Hubby and I will turn our home into a travel car to take 6 of our gastronomically inclined friends on a culinary tour throughout the US highlighting foods by region of origin and pairing those dishes with US wines.
Describe how you plan to cover this meal. Tell us about:
a) The angle: what makes this meal unique?
b) The visual and written elements you plan to incorporate (pictures, recipes, video, music)
I’ve always been impressed by sommeliers, all that knowledge and the uncanny ability to tell you what to drink with what you’re eating. Personally, I have no clue as to what drink goes well with which dish, but I will be ignorant no longer!
The planning will begin by determining the ingredients that will represent the regions, then learning about how to pick complimentary wines for each choice. I will ask the guests to make the wine selections based on my newfound knowledge. Then, during the party, each of them will give the rest of the guests a description of the wine’s notes and how they compliment the meal, what should we be looking or tasting for. To make this even more interesting, the wines must be under $24/bottle (ideally well under $20, but that doesn’t quite tie into the 24 thing).
I will then share the recipes and pairing ‘strategy’ with the Foodbuzz world, documenting the evening with photos.
What do you think? Would you like to come to dinner?
Chef It Yourself 
Good concept. If you’re going to include wine, don’t forget to include California cuisine. It just seems like the next logical step. Look for Alice Waters cookbooks for inspiration. 🙂
from a biased Californian,
The Kitchen Masochist
I was accepted, so now I have to do this!!! YIKES! Any suggestions for foods that scream California?
Generally, we use a lot of avocados, figs, artichokes and nuts, olives and olive oil in California since we grow a lot of these. California cuisine draws its influences mainly from Spanish, Mexican, Italian and French cuisines. And lately, Asian.
California cuisine is much lighter and healthful than most US regional cuisines. Freshness is very important. Perhaps it has to do with Hollywood being in our state.
Foods that scream “CALIFORNIA!”
-California sushi roll, avocado is not a Japanese ingredient at all. This is not even served in traditional sushi restaurants in Japan.
-Cioppino, a San Francisco dish but Italian in origin.
-Sour dough French bread, invented in San Francisco
-Fish tacos, the best are found in San Diego.
-Cobb Salad, invented at the Hollywood Brown Derby by Robert Cobb.
Hope that helps and good luck! 🙂
Thanks, F! I found a fab recipe for a… Fig, grape, Arugula and Prosciutto wrapped crostinis. It’s one of Alice Waters’ famed dishes. I’m pretty close to having the menu set, and I’m getting freaked excited!
I hope “F” doesn’t rhyme with “Chris Tucker” when you say it! 😉
Will be waiting for your post on this.
F was for your name, but that was funny
Yeah, I know you meant my name. I was just playing around. 🙂 Glad you got it, cos heaven knows there are a lot who don’t.