Yesterday was my first-ever food swap.
Boy, oh boy I made out like a bandit!
Ever heard of a food swap? An edible exchange? As a preserver with a pantry full of treasures, I've been eager to get involved with such an event. It's a perfect way to share one's pantry: trading with others. Here in Seattle, Emily Bader took the bull by the horns and started a Facebook page for Seattle Edible Exchange, then followed through by hosting the first swap on her verdant patio in Ballard. She couldn't have been more charming.
Emily took her inspiration from BK Swappers in Brooklyn, who were written up in a recent article in the New York Times, but there are plenty of other successful food swaps, like those held in Austin and Minneapolis. Some swaps are much closer to home, like the ones in Portland. (In Portland they sometimes take it a step further and it becomes a place to meet talented, like-minded single swappers.)
Trying the Rhubarb~Cherry~Jalapeno Chutney...sampling is a fun part of a swap
Where ever they are held, I'm hooked. While many of the goods are packaged in sealed ready-for-the-pantry jars, you don't have to know how to know how to preserve food to participate. You can be a butcher, a baker or a chicken-egg taker. Maybe you're someone who creates your own salt blends or salad dressings or BBQ sauce. The possibilities are endless.
If you like to give food as gifts, consider attending a food swap. You'll get the same satisfaction from sharing your lovingly-made (harvested? foraged?) treats, but this time, you'll come home with a smug smile on your face and a whole lotta' fun new stuff to eat.
Items at yesterday's swap included: Gazpacho Soup with fresh mint, Cherry Granola Bars, Kumquat Syrup, Rhubarb~Dried Bing Cherry~Jalapeno Chutney, Brownies made with Callebaut Chocolate, Honey-Mint Mustard, Organic Basil Pesto, Mango Salsa, Sour Cherry Granola, and Rhubarb~Strawberry Jam.
Maybe the best part? After a wonderful sunny day, coming home from the swap and having a bowlful of fabulous home-made soup for dinner!
I paired this Gazpacho Soup with Essential Bakery's Olive Bread. Heaven.
Oh...oh...oh...almost forgot to mention the Cherry Granola Bars on the car ride home, and chewy Callebaut Chocolate Brownies for dessert later that night.