April Food Swap
Today I went to the food swap with the From Scratch Club. It was extra fun because author Alana Chernila was there and spoke about her book The Homemade Pantry. She spoke about the connection between politics and food, and it was very interesting. My friend Jessica came along with her fabulous lip balm made from Lloyd Spear Honey, so that made it even more fun.
I made hot sauce from an Emeril's recipe I found online. It was green though, like the green jalapenos I used. I bought the jars and labels at Brooklyn Kitchen when I went down to see Joy the Baker.
Check it out:
I brought the chips for sampling. People apparently thought it was super spicy, including Albany Jane who totally turned me down for that reason. Check out what I got this time!
Garlic croutons, which was the item I wanted the most during the sampling period - totally delicious! Beef jerky (here is the beef jerky maker's blog). I also got a beautiful lavender body powder that you can use as a dry shampoo or just spread on yourself. It smelled so good, and I could not stop smelling it. Jessica said I was just obsessed with lavender, which anyone who attended my wedding knows already (people thought I had a lavender mist sprayed in the ceremony room, which I totally didn't - they also thought I made my own dress which I did not, so I got a lot of credit for doing things I did not do). I also got laundry detergent with a fabric softener, a big bunch of herbs from a swapper's garden, and ketchup (not pictured). I wanted the ketchup all along. It had a bit of cinnamon in it. It was still warm. You would never ever ever get ketchup from a grocery store with still-warm tomatoes. I wanted some last time too and didn't end up with it. Then, Jessica suggested I re-swap and get some at the end. So I did (sorry Blackberry Jam lady!), and I got caught by the person whose item I was re-swapping. It is a cutthroat world, this food swapping! I'm still hoping one day to come home with the vermouth olives!
Anyways, very fun! I'll have to decide what to make for next time. I do think I have had more luck with savory instead of sweet items. Some ideas: BBQ sauce, fresh pasta, or Asian inspired salad dressing. My friend Elizabeth thinks my watermelon gazpacho would be a hit. Stay tuned to see!
I made hot sauce from an Emeril's recipe I found online. It was green though, like the green jalapenos I used. I bought the jars and labels at Brooklyn Kitchen when I went down to see Joy the Baker.
Check it out:
I brought the chips for sampling. People apparently thought it was super spicy, including Albany Jane who totally turned me down for that reason. Check out what I got this time!
Garlic croutons, which was the item I wanted the most during the sampling period - totally delicious! Beef jerky (here is the beef jerky maker's blog). I also got a beautiful lavender body powder that you can use as a dry shampoo or just spread on yourself. It smelled so good, and I could not stop smelling it. Jessica said I was just obsessed with lavender, which anyone who attended my wedding knows already (people thought I had a lavender mist sprayed in the ceremony room, which I totally didn't - they also thought I made my own dress which I did not, so I got a lot of credit for doing things I did not do). I also got laundry detergent with a fabric softener, a big bunch of herbs from a swapper's garden, and ketchup (not pictured). I wanted the ketchup all along. It had a bit of cinnamon in it. It was still warm. You would never ever ever get ketchup from a grocery store with still-warm tomatoes. I wanted some last time too and didn't end up with it. Then, Jessica suggested I re-swap and get some at the end. So I did (sorry Blackberry Jam lady!), and I got caught by the person whose item I was re-swapping. It is a cutthroat world, this food swapping! I'm still hoping one day to come home with the vermouth olives!
Anyways, very fun! I'll have to decide what to make for next time. I do think I have had more luck with savory instead of sweet items. Some ideas: BBQ sauce, fresh pasta, or Asian inspired salad dressing. My friend Elizabeth thinks my watermelon gazpacho would be a hit. Stay tuned to see!
I'm very glad I went! It was fun, and I got some great things (jerky, ketchup, mustard, broccoli pesto, soap and your hot sauce). We made the pesto with a whole box of spaghetti last night, and have enough for a whole week of leftovers.
ReplyDeleteI think I talked Sam into going next time. We had a long talk last night about making our garden last longer through the year, and wanting to start canning. I think he could get inspired at the event. He just needs to get over his fear of hanging out at such a female-centric event.
Great! Glad you came. I was trying to explain to Scott that there are guys there! And there were even more last time! He should totally come, and then Sam and Scott can represent their gender.
ReplyDeleteSo YOU got the jerky! That looked so good! I got some detergent & am loving it!
ReplyDeleteNext time you want some ww pasta lemme know - I will hook you up! We can do a one-on-one swap. I know my husbear would have loved that hot sauce, sadly he was not there to influence me to the spicy side.
The jerky is good, and the detergent!
ReplyDeleteHahah black market swap! This was inevitable. Other products I can offer you in return for pasta: doughnuts, cookies, bread, eclairs, whoopie pies, marshmallows, ice cream, bagels. The black market food swap is born! :)
Thoughtful blog you have here.
ReplyDelete