Mission Impossible: Choosing My Top Ten Highlights from the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen

It really was a challenge, but I've just posted a top ten list for my favorite Food & Wine Classic experiences. The four days were a blur of amazing food, incredible wine, and an unforgettable cast of culinary characters – choosing a top ten was not easy.

It's amazing how subjective these post-Classic reviews are. I've been reading lots of similar recaps from other food writers and bloggers, and with few exceptions (everyone loved Jose Andres' barbecue!), these lists are as varied as the food itself.

Things that I thought were pure bliss, others considered complete disasters, and visa versa. This is one reason chefs really need to have very thick skin. It's also a lesson for any of us who cook on a regular basis – make what you love, cook it how you like it, and critics be damned.

Photo (c) John Mitzewich