Swap with a view |
SF Swappers gals Stephanie and I with Kate Payne |
I of course bought a copy of her book, got it signed, and cracked the spine as soon as I was home with my feet up. Its subtitle provides an accurate preview: Decorating, Dining, and the Gratifying Pleasures of Self-Sufficiency – on a Budget, but does not do full justice to the contents. It is all at once practical, insightful, personal, accessible, aesthetically pleasing and filled with tons of fun tips anyone can apply to their home. I'm still in the first chapter, but have already been tackling our overflowing pantry based on some of what I've read. Two big thumbs up and a "get thyself a copy" endorsement from this homemaker.
Whether because of the warm weather or the holiday we had a smaller group than expected, but it did make for a casual and intimate event, and it meant almost everyone could swap with each other which was very rewarding – and much less frenzied.
Let's dig in to the food... Once again the potluck tables were chock-full of tempting eats – from prosciutto wrapped mozzarella to scones to seasonal fruit to frittata – and of course mimosas were on the menu.
For the swap, there was a great balance of savory and sweet, fresh and for the pantry.
The list included Candy Cap Mushroom Cookies, Palestinian Hummus, Sorrel Pesto, Trifle, Cha-cha-cha Cherry Chocolate and Chipotle Chili Crumble, Candied Kumquats, Marinated Mushrooms, Smoked Salmon Mousse and Crostini, Dukkah, Garden Fresh Herbs & Radicchio, Raw Honey from Berkeley, Roasted Corn & Edamame Salad, Fruit Leather, Brandied Cocktail Cherries and Lemon Balm Cordial. Yeah!
Artful hummus sampler plate |
Candy Cap Mushroom Cookies (foraged from an undisclosed CA location) |
Organic Candied Kumquats |
Seasonal Fruit Leather Trios |
Raw Honey from the Algarden Urban Farm in Berkeley |
Want more? You got it! There are photos of all the swap items in a Flickr set here.
In the meantime, I've been enjoying my take-home haul daily and love how the different dishes both bring a whole new repetoire to my kitchen, and inspire me to eat differently and keep cookin'.
June Swap Goodies at home |
Our next swap will be in August - we'll announce the date soon so you can mark your calendars and plan ahead.
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