The crowd was a bit smaller this year, but the food was the best yet. I hate to say it, but I think the variety that comes from having more than one type of berry really helped make the menu come to life. My favorite item had to be the blueberry chutney, followed closely by the blueberry salsa. The raspberry vinaigrette turned out well, though I think it was a little heavy on the dijon mustard and could have been a bit thinner. I couldn't find the chickpea recipe from years past, so just threw some garbanzos, mandarin oranges, and blueberries in a bowl together with tasty results. The main course was rounded out nicely by some grilled vegetables, thanks to Steve.

When I went to make the aforementioned vinaigrette, we discovered our blender had died. The unexpected replacement did quite well in the blended drinks realm, and despite my concerns about liquid boysenberries and marionberries over a light colored carpet we came away without a single slosh. As usual the pie was delicious, but not quite what I was aiming for. Others brought a fantastic mixed-berry cobbler and strawberry ice cream.

Was it too much? Maybe. But that didn't stop us from attempting to use up some of the remaining 10-ish pounds of berries this morning in blueberry pancakes with marionberry syrup. I think the quote on Jak's apartment door sums it up well: "Life is a feast."

Berry-fest seems to have sneaked up on me this year, despite planning for it to be later than usual. We'd gotten into a good rhythm for feasting on strawberries (year 1 involved too many sweets, year 2 involved too many berries, year 3 a nice balance was reached), but this year the weather and busy schedules thwarted the strawberries. So, instead we'll be going after blueberries, marionberries, raspberries, etc. Given the difference between these tasty berries and strawberries, I am in the midst of trying to think up a new menu. Here's what we're looking at so far:

• Salad with blueberries, sunflower seeds, feta, and what-not, with a homemade raspberry vinaigrette
• Chips with mixed berry salsa
• Samosas with blueberry (or mixed) chutney
• Grilled stuff with berry marinade
• Crepes
• Muffins
• Pie
• Fruity drinks

Mmmm. I am hungry already! Now to clean the house in order to fit all the food in.