Today was our first day at Slow Food Nation and it was packed full of food discovery, lots of learning, and plenty of eating. Slow Food is an incredible organization and it was clear how many hours were poured into the event. Major kudos to all of those that helped to make it happen. Our time was spent at the Taste Pavilion, which wasn’t just about tasting (although we did lots of it!). It was all about learning the origins of your food, how it’s made and where it comes from. Of course, everything I believe in when it comes to the food we eat.

Eileen from Ritual Coffee Roasters, the head curator for the Coffee Pavilion said that each producer was hand-selected for being the best in the country. And each Pavilion has their own unique way to show off their specific craft. While all of the displays were fantastic - my favorite was the Pickling Pavilion. Yes, a whole Pavilion dedicated to pickled goods. Canning jars were artistically displayed with the names of pickle producers from across the country stuffed inside each jar. They also suspended all the canning jar lids individually from the ceiling. I can’t imagine how many hands and how many hours it took to hang the lids - but it truly was a sight to see.

While we were at the pickling station, I enjoyed a flight of sauerkraut - yes you read that right (see below!). I’ve never been a fan - but I knew this would be the place to try if there was a chance of finding sauerkraut I liked. The ingredients were simple - only salt, spices and seasonings. When it’s prepared the old fashioned way, it requires no vinegar and no pasteurization. The salt is what makes the “sour” in sauerkraut. And the result? A wonderfully fresh flavor and crisp texture.

My favorite ended up being Three Stone Hearth’s “mid-summer kraut” an artisan sauerkraut infused with lemon and lavender.

Here are some of my other favorite products from our journey around the Taste Pavilion.

Here a barista gives me a lesson on artisan coffee growers and roasters. My favorite was an Ethiopian coffee from Ecco Cafe. It was a sun-dried coffee that was naturally sweet, had great body and blueberry notes.

Those wheels of chocolate in front are called the “ibarra disc” from Taza Chocolate. Taza makes Mexican stone-ground, organic chocolate that is minimally processed and incredibly delicious. These wheels are created with just a few ingredients - cacao, cane sugar and a little cinnamon. The traditional way to enjoy them is to combine with hot milk. According to Alex, one of the founders, it creates some of the finest hot chocolate.

The Olive Oil Pavilion not only had a beautiful display (those bottles wrapped around their entire pavilion), but they had an Extra Virgin California Olive Oil, Sorelle Paradiso that was definitely one of the best I’ve ever tasted. I also learned that 90% of most olive oils you find on the supermarket shelves are rancid - yuck! The worst part is most Americans are most familiar with that flavor and think that’s the norm.

We plan to head back to the Taste Pavilion for more eating on Sunday. Of course, we’ll share our food discoveries here on the blog.