I’m down in California for a few days, but checking in often enough to notice that the weekend of May 16-17 is filling up awfully fast. Ruth Reichl is speaking about her latest book, the International Food Bloggers Conference is taking place (with a Reichl event as part of its festivities), and it’s also the fifth annual Seattle Cheese Festival at Pike Place Market.

Around 50 exhibitors are on the list, including interesting new Washingtonians like Willapa Hills and cross-country attendees Yancey’s Fancy. Seminars include talks by Daphne Zetos on “The Cheesemonger” and author Tami Parr on “Washington’s Artisan Cheese Renaissance.”  And, you have until May 1 to enter the festival’s Grilled Cheese Contest for a shot at demonstrating your creation on the chef’s stage.

Here’s a story I wrote at festival time last year on assembling the perfect cheese plate.

I’ll be driving through Napa this weekend, and this all makes me want to lay in some wine in advance of the cheese.

Bookmark and Share