Saturday and Sunday, September 11 and 12: Camp Confab!
That’s right, it’s an overnighter with the Confablieri and the amazing people at Suzie’s Farm in Imperial Beach, California. Yes, it’s a gourmet dinner in rustic, yet elegant setting. But it’s also a chance to bring your own tent and enjoy nature and nature’s bounty with a variety of activities and excursions sure to please even the most urbane gourmande. 100% of profits will be donated to Slow Food Urban San Diego.

Don’t Camp? Don’t Worry! Buy your ticket and enjoy the same daytime activities as the rest of the campers, but bed down in luxury at Loews Coronado Bay Resort—just minutes from the farm, up The Strand. Loews is offering a special Camp Confab rate of $169, which includes a complimentary welcome gift from the resort's organic herb garden. For reservations, please call the Loews Coronado Bay Resort reservations team at 800-81-LOEWS and mention “Camp Confab.” 

Our participating Confablieri include:
Amy DiBiase – Cosmopolitan
Andrew Spurgin/Donald Coffman – Waters Fine Catering
Antonio Friscia – Stingaree 
Christian Graves – Jsix
Ian Ward – Snake Oil Cocktail Co.
Katie Grebow –  Café Chloe
Melissa Mayer – Suzie's Farm
Olivier Bioteau – Farm House Café
Paul McCabe – KITCHEN 1540

Cooks Confab has also invited two guest chefs from Loews Hotel to join us, please welcome French Master Chef Marc Ehrler, Corporate Chef, Loews Hotels and Executive Chef, Loews Coronado Bay Resort, as well as Patrick Ponsaty, Chef de Cuisine, Mistral at Loews Coronado Bay Resort. These chefs have a wonderful relationship with Suzie’s Farm, as well as a stake in the neighborhood, and we are excited about their participation!

Tickets are now on sale, and they’re going fast!
Ticket price is 225.00 and includes all activities listed below (with exception of the beach horseback riding and the MIHO Gastrotruck lunch, which require payment on premise), plus some awesome camping swag!
Tickets are available at: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/126194

Awesome Swag Bag includes:
01. Cool, collectible, 100% cotton Camp Confab t-shirt
02. Insulated CC logo mug with matching carabiner from The West Bean
03. Camp Confab Neckerchief (a must for the well-dressed camper!)
04. Venissimo cheese spreader
05. Nika Water
06. Waters’ Granola
07. Farm House Café Votive Holder with candle (in case you lose your flashlight)
08. Jack Fisher's Camp Confab Survival Bar (you just never know!)
09. MIHO Card fully charged (use it for Saturday lunch!)
French Breakfast Tea from Cafe Chloe (the perfect antidote to sleeping in a bag!)
Gift certificates from select participating restaurants
And other great stuff!
Activities
Saturday September 11, 2010
Make Camp! – 8:00am-4:00pm
Bring your gear and set up your own camp on site. Suzie’s Farm is located at 1856 Saturn Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92154, just a few minutes from I-5.
 
Suzie’s Farm Tour – 10:30-12:00pm
Join Lucila De Alejandro, Head Weed Puller of Suzie’s Farm, for this personal and informative hands-on walking interview that will incorporate descriptions of the farm, 
its history and ideals.

Tijuana Estuary Tour  10:30am-12:30pm
Take a tour with Kristen Goodrich from Slow Food Urban San Diego of the Tijuana Estuary, wetlands that protect a variety of plant communities and wildlife. Discover the richness that unfolds around the Visitor Center, and learn about the flora and fauna and this stunning and fascinating ecosystem. Free to all participants, transport provided.
 
Dinner Harvest – 12:30pm-1:30pm
Join Suzie’s Farm Harvesteers, Head Weed Puller Lucila De Alejandro and Cooks Confab Chefs as they forage through the farm and decide what's for dinner tonight

Beach Horse Ride – Booking Times Open
What better way to see the beach than from horseback! Take this one-of-a-kind riding tour with Sandy's Rental Stable. Please contact Sandy’s directly 619-424-3124 to make arrangements. The stable is within walking distance from Camp Confab!
(Supplemental cost and pre-booking applies.)
 
MIHO Gastrotruck Luncheon in the Field – 12:00pm-2:00pm 
Kevin Ho and Juan Miron bring their Gastrotruck to Suzie’s for their “Farm to Street and 
Back to the Farm” cuisine enjoyed in the field. (On-site optional cash purchase.)

Coffee Boot Camp – 2:00pm–3:00pm
James and Paul, owners of The West Bean—a local micro-batch coffee roaster—will walk you through coffee from start to finish. You’ll learn the value of a perfectly-roasted coffee bean, and why it will change your appreciation of a well-brewed cup of coffee. Boot Camp will begin with their selection of the raw green beans. How varying roasting methods bring out the different flavors and nuances of the beans. The intricacies of a properly brewed cup of coffee. You'll learn how to French press, drip-over brew, and expand your coffee palate. This class is definitely a 5-hour energy drink for your taste buds!
Composting 101 – 2:00pm-3:00pm
Want to know how and why? Now is your chance. Spend time with Master Composter Aaron Turner as he shows you exactly how you can bring this skill home for everyday use

Getting to Know Cheese! – 3:15pm-4:00pm
San Diego’s leading specialty artisan cheese shop Venissimo joins us with Cheesemonger, Cheese Whiz and owner Gina Freize. Gina will share a little history, how it's made, what to pair, how to serve, ways to store & much more! Think 101 with a lot of 102 thrown in for good measure. Oh, and yes of course you get to try some of these gems. You'll walk away well on your way to becoming a Cheese Whiz too!

A Few Words About Craft Beer – 4:00pm-5:00pm
Join world renowned Master Brewer Tomme Arthur from The Lost Abbey for this not to be missed personal hands on session. Tomme will walk and taste you through what it takes to produce his world-class award winning brews. You’ll come away with a little insider’s knowledge and greater appreciation of this craft. “Fresh beer is great. Aged beer is better” – Tomme Arthur
 
Camp Confab Harvest Dinner Celebration – 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Join the chefs for this memorable community family-style dinner, fresh from the field. A barbacoa of locally-raised goat, stick fire roasted locally-caught fish, and a bounty of wonderful produce from Suzie’s Farm and more… also included: beer pairings with The Lost Abbey, tequila tasting courtesy Casa Noble, unique cocktails by mixologist Ian Ward of Snake Oil Cocktail Co., and a cheese course assembled by Venissimo.
 
Camp Fire Program – 8:30pm-10:00pm 
Skit and Talent Show: Dust off that harmonica and guitar, bust out the puppets, dress up like a ghost and tell a chilling tale, Yep, it time for the talent show! Contest for the best sing a long, skit, talent, puppet show, you name it,  it’s up to YOU! Fantastical Prizes given for the best of the best!

Bed Time!
Off to your tent (or hotel!) for a good nights sleep…

Sunday September 12, 2010
Clearing of the Fields – 6:45am-7:45am
Join Falconer Andrea Asbaugh, along with Seely the Harris Hawk and Gossip the Jack Russell. Gossip flushes the vermin and then Seely goes to work. This dramatic early 
morning experience is not one to be missed!
 
More Cowbell Breakfast with Cooks Confab – 8:30am -10:00am
Join the Cooks Confab chefs as they rustle up a "Harvester" breakfast for you
 
Camp Strike – 12:00noon – 2:00pm
 
Thanks to the generosity of these sponsors of our upcoming events, as well as our participating chefs—we really could not put these events on without you!


























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Check out our video preview, thanks to Specialty Produce!