Naaawlins

What a trip!  I am an official blogging conference attendee!  I had a wonderful time at IFBC NOLA and would definitely attend another blogging conference.  I learned about how to market a brand, how to take good food photos, how to incorporate video, how to write a recipe… and more.  I also met some great fellow bloggers… it is so nice to share a common interest and have your eyes opened to new ideas.  I have so many ideas now for the blog… now just have to find the time to use them all!

The conference was of course about food, and I was unique in having wheat and dairy allergies.  But I still ate very well!  Here are some of the highlights…

Our first seafood restaurant, Deanie’s Seafood, served potatoes instead of bread when you sit down!  Perfect for me!

My Cajun breakfast… potatoes, peppers, onions, and sausage with local seasonings!

NOLA, Emeril’s restaurant, was very accommodating to me… they made a special watermelon gazpacho with crabmeat on top!

I wish this photo could look as good as it tasted… beef with corn, tomatoes, and portabello mushrooms.

A salad with shaved brussel sprouts and hazelnuts… SO good.

A potato chip!  Just looked cool.

Barbeque Shrimp is a local favorite.  I think I ate my weight in shrimp this weekend.

We loved Emeril’s NOLA so much that we went back for lunch… beef brisket, white beans with bacon, and I got snap peas instead of mashed potatoes.  Again, so accommodating to me.

So, I would say that my first blogging conference was a total success.  I learned a lot, met really cool people, and ate very well!  My next mission is to try to emulate New Orlean’s cooking in my own kitchen… stay tuned.