Day 2 of the Food Buzz Fest.

Saturday morning, started out quite early.  We met in front of the Ferry Building at 8:30 a.m. for instructions on the Scavenger hunt.  I was on a team of 5 wonderful food bloggers

Christi, Barbara, Wendy, Jennifer and me.

CUESA was sponsoring the event. As we were hearing about how CUESA started and the theory behind sustainable living, we had to be evacuated due to an electrical fire.  Though it was fun watching all the handsome firefighters unloading their engines to assist in what they do best.

After their talk, we were given gift coins to spend on anything we wanted and then the Scavenger hunt began.  We had to answer 14 questions.  Our team split in half and Barbara and I tackled the second half of the list.  The good news was the first item on our list had to do with Blue Bottle Coffee and Chocolate.  How lucky could we be.

Once we were done with collecting the data, we regrouped and some of us headed to TCHO (pronounced CHO), chocolate factory tour.  We were all given these beautiful hair nets to wear.  Don’t we all look so professional?

We listened  to a talk on the history of the company and how they make their chocolate.  Believe me, it’s a long and tedious process, so next time you ask yourself why chocolate is so expensive, you will appreciate and savor every last melted piece that you put into your mouth.

We tasted so many different “flavors” of chocolate, which gets its distinct flavors depending on the region of where the cacao bean was harvested.

From there, we hailed a cab, or should I say Christi hailed us a cab in less than a second, and we all headed to the Metreon.  The infamous Tasting Pavilion did not let us down.

Over 50 booths of food tastings from artisanal and local companies.  Some of my absolute favorites that stand out in my memory has got to be Tomato Smash, Nature Box, 18 Rabbits, Naked Juice, California Endive Farms, just to name a few.

By the end of the tastings, we were all on food overload and as Barbara stated, we all felt like Violet Beauregarde, who turned into a big fat blueberry in the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory.

But wait, there’s more.  The pièce de résistance was yet to come.  The Gala Dinner at the California Academy of Science.

We entered the building and were greeted with watermelon shots and taken down to the aquarium, which, at  night, is breathtaking,  two open bars, and lots of incredible appetizers were served.

Then a buffet style dinner with an incredible menu. fit for every foodies lifestyle, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes, all identified by the menu at the tables.  Oh and how can we not forget the great tasting wines by Cupcake Vineyards.  I am now a new fan of their Prosecco D.O.C.

During the dinner, Beth announced winners of the tweet where you ate, in partnership with Open Table.  Several winners received a gift card for a future dining experience via Open Table.  She also announced the winners through  a drawing for the scavenger hunt, and guess what, I WON.  It was a 250.00 gift card to Sur La Table.  Guess what I did Sunday afternoon.  You guessed it, a shopping spree.  I bought 24 items with that gift card.  and the total came to $255.43 cents.  I finally was able to get two items I wanted the most.  A Clay pot and a Brule’ torch.  Let the cooking begin.

I want to thank Christi for some of her incredible photography.  My camera was misbehaving at the Aquarium some of the photos are compliments of Christi.

After devouring all the great desserts, we got on a shuttle back to the hotel and called it a night.

Thank you Daily Food Buzz and all their sponsors for an incredible 2 day adventure in the City by the Bay.

I hope the tradition  of the festival continues.