In the last few years I have attended several food/wine events as a guest of my partner Tom and others in his food/wine/travel writers groups.  I've always taken photos to fit-in at these events but as welcomed as I have felt I couldn't help but feel a little on the outside as I watched these magnificent writers shoot their own photos and interview chefs, restaurant owners/managers, and others in the food industry.    Writing about food professionally takes a certain flare, knowledge, and experience. I admire and appreciate their passion. 

I've written comments and posted photos on social media, most everyone does these days, but yesterday after attending a "media meet-and-greet" event to meet best selling author Chef Amy Riolo, I felt a need to do more than just post photos.  Did the passion to write about food finally hit me?  I'm not sure but the subject of Amy's new cookbook  "The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook" really got my attention. So here I go.

After being stuck in traffic on three freeways to get there, Tom and I finally arrived at Melissa's Kitchen an event kitchen set up for multi-media inside the 280,000 square foot warehouse complex of Melissa's Produce.  Melissa's Produce is currently the largest distributor of specialty produce in the United States so I'm sure you've seen their products where you shop.  After signing in and being given a small packet of info we walked a short distance into the complex to a beautiful kitchen area where approximately 20 food writers were gathered.  Robert Schueller who is Director of Public Relations for Melissa's had already started the presentation but being that was my first time at Melissa's I was immediately drawn to the photos and memorabilia hanging on the walls of some the world's top chefs including two of my favorites...Emeril Lagasse and Julia Child. 

On the kitchen counter was a beautiful array of food and after Robert introduced Chef Amy Riolo we learned about each dish.  Each dish was out of Amy's new cookbook and as she went down the line she described each with great enthusiasm emphasizing that we should be eating healthy whether diabetic or not.  We were then given a few minutes to take photos of these dishes. If you've ever been around a lot of food writers you know that's a feat in it self as they're all taking photos with cameras and cell phones. Once all the photos were taken we grabbed a plate and helped ourselves to a healthy meal. 

I won't go into detail about each one of the dishes however the first two dishes in the line had beets. Ugh!  Yes yes I know beets are an incredibly healthy food and I have tried beets in several ways but no matter how they've been disguised I just don't like them. Tom feels the same way but we were still willing to taste them expecting to be turning our noses up.  We were wrong! The Roasted Beet, Tahini, and Greek Yogurt Dip and the Apple, Beet, and Carrot Slaw with Blood Orange Vinaigrette were actually GOOD!  Not just good and go on to the next dish, but "I want more" kind of good.  The Dip was served with crackers but there was a bowl of freshly sliced cucumber that I used to dip into this deliciously low carb appetizer. The Slaw was my favorite and I actually went back for seconds. I'm not saying that my opinion of beets has changed, but if all beets could taste this good, I would definitely be eating more of them.  Chef Amy has made a believer out of me. I'm already planning on making both of these recipes to take to a wine tasting event.  

Other delectable dishes included Peach, Chick Pea and Citrus Salsa, Grilled Italian Vegetables, Melissa's Quinoa, Vegetable Tajine, Shrimp, Cucumber and Boursin Tartines, Date, Almond and Sesame Balls, Grilled Fruits with Vanilla Yogurt Cream.  We have a copy of Chef Amy's cookbook, so you can be assured that I will be making a lot of recipes from her book.

After lunch Amy did a live video on YouTube demonstrating two recipes out of her cookbook.  This video can be seen at <https://youtu.be/Scp8eC4oBUk>

It was a lovely time and I am so glad I was able to attend with Tom.  I haven't had time to read through the entire cookbook yet but so far what has impressed me the most is the use of natural sweeteners.  There is no mention of the use of artificial sweeteners as seen in so many diabetic cookbooks.  I have a long family history of diabetes and have read a lot of diabetic cookbooks over the years.  Chef Amy Riolo cookbook "The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook" is refreshingly good, clear, and has everything you need for healthy eating.    

Upon leaving we were able to take home many of the Melissa's ingredients used in the recipes... Rainbow Carrots, Chinese Eggplant, Enjoya Peppers, Organic Plum Bites, Peeled Garlic, Organic Peach Bites, Organic Zucchini, Steamed Artichoke Hearts, Mini Cucumbers, Blood Oranges, Sweet Potato, Organic Yellow Onion, Peeled & Steamed Chickpeas, & Cooked Quinoa.  And one last thing that I wanted to make sure we didn't forget...Steamed Baby Beets.

For more info on cooking for diabetes, and other Amy Riolo events, visit http://www.amyriolo.com/web/ 

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