A very huge thank you to Nilda for the Best Ever Christmas Fudge! Nilda was kind enough to send me 5 1/2 pounds of this very special treat that she has been making since 1972. My family and I enjoyed it immensely. Another great Food52 Holiday Swap from Arizona to Texas!
cgilsbach
I was delighted by my gift from Cooking in Victoria. She sent a very thoughtful assortment of gifts, using Food52 recipes. There was maple and olive oil granola, spiced chocolate bark, and pink peppercorn and vanilla cookies. Wait, there was more! A gorgeous jar of her homemade spiced plum jam with port, for which I have a loaf of bread in the oven right now. While I’m waiting for the bread, I’m enjoying a cup of tea from Victoria’s Silk Road Teas, a brand I have wanted to try forever. Another local product is a smoked maple sea salt that I am curious to try. Thanks so much for all the thoughtful and local products!
- marymaryculinary
A local holiday cheese that defies description, except perhaps to say that it’s the best cheese I’ve eaten in years. (I’m shamelessly hoarding it.)
Fran’s Chocolate, which makes the richest, most decadent hot chocolate in the history of the universe.
Homemade granola full of seeds, nuts and fruit. It’s outstanding (and nearly all eaten).
Strawberry jam, from SKK’s own strawberries. Oh, I just can’t wait.
And the most perfect gift ever (SKK, have you been studying my Hotline posts?!): A bottle of special balsamic vinegar brought back, for me, by a friend of SKK who recently traveled to Italy.
I am so touched. And I am so honored.
Thank you, SKK!! ;o)
(And thank you, enbe, for making this happen.)
- AntoniaJames
My Secret Santa, madhuja, sent the most lovely and mouth watering package of homemade goodies. When my husband opened the package of coconut macaroons, he announced that they would not be traveling to our Xmas festivities, and he was right - he finished them off long before our trip to points south. The wonderful Dorie Greenspan expresso shortbreads with chocolate chunks, the toffee butter crunch, and the peanut brittle did make the trip, but our hungry group of celebrants ate everything before I thought to take a photo. Even the crumbs of the toffee buttercrunch were used to top a dessert I made. Thank you so much for such lovely and tasty treats!
Much appreciation, from Bevi
I was so thrilled to receive an amazing box of (mostly!) holiday edibles from a fellow Canadian food52er, marymaryculinary in Ottawa. She included a beautiful set of coasters/pot holder that she handmade from felt in the most beautiful vibrant turquoise colour. I also received a jar of homemade chocolate fudge sauce, which my seven year old daughter immediately laid claim to and a beautiful and delicious array of holiday cookies: nutmeg-maple butter cookies; chocolate chestnut cookies, which I can’t stop eating; speculaas studded with almonds and fiori di sicilia spritz cookies, intensely flavoured with orange (my favourite!). Mary also included savoury crackers made with fig, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, and rosemary and a very tasty fruitcake made with kirsch. All of these holiday treats have been very much enjoyed by my family and me. Thank you, Mary, for your generosity and thoughtfulness in sending such a wonderful gift and thank you, enbe, for organizing this lovely exchange once again.
—Paula (cookinginvictoria)
In a delicious twist of fate, I received the most amazing secret Santa box from Panfusine! I was delighted to discover that my giftee was also my gift giver. Her box was overflowing with delectable treats – Meyer Lemon Marmalade with Cardamom, Tomato Confit, spicy gingery-cardamom cookies (which my son loves, to my surprise and delight), a gorgeous cookbook (Southern Comfort by Allison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing), and perhaps my favorite, a box filled with spices including grains of paradise, tandoori spice, madras curry, ground sumac and chai spices. THANK YOU Niv, for making my holiday extra special! This was definitely the highlight of the season for me. Thanks also to enbe, for such a genius idea!!
- cinnamon81758
I loved each and every thing that gingerroot had so thoughtfully put together in my box. A bag of the biggest & best Macadamia nuts, Native Hawaiian raw honey, chocolate a ginger citrus soap (which my 7 yr old laid claim to and immediately ran off to jump into the shower, just so that he could use it!) , home made cookies which my three yr old went for even before she opened her presents from Santa, and a bottle each of Yellow tomato/pineapple & eggplant preserves. Thank you so much Jenny, for making this holiday season so special!
It’s like winning the food52 lotto to get a swap package from mrslarkin! A copy of Edible Hudson Valley, a funny card, citrusy kitchen hand soap, local honey, a bottle of St-Germain, homemade seed brittle, recipes, and an assortment of lovely homemade cookies, including a bag of her instantly addictive crispy chocolate chip cookies, which had to be pried from my hands to get them in the photo. Warmest thanks to mrslarkin, enbe, and the food52 community for making my holidays that much more tasty!
-vvvanessa
