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| “Slow Pokes” sets up to serve fab mushroom soup on a cool, cloudy day. |
I wish everyone could have an event in their neighborhood like the monthly Homegrown Marin Market. It’s a wonderful way for passionate food-making folks to share what they do with enthusiastic eaters. (You know I won’t say “foodies.”) I love that the market is in a great big art space. The day is all about beautiful creations.
Like these Bergamot Orange Spice cupcakes from FingerSweets. They’re small, so it’s okay that I ate three, right?
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| Bergamot is a mood lifter. Here’s proof. |
I’m not even going tell you how many of my friend Jennifer Taekman‘s caramels and marshmallows I ate. I think I’m going to get in trouble with her for posting her picture here, but if you make caramels this good and then hand them over to big caramel fans like I am, you’re going to have to get used to it. (Jennifer also won the Iron Cupcake: San Francisco challenge for November with a hazelnut confection. This woman is no slouch in the kitchen.)
I did tote along some jam to sell. Stewart and I counted it all up and it turned out I’d made exactly a gross — 144 jars. (Why can’t a gross be called something else? Even a drool would be better.) As with the last time I attended the market, my favorite part was giving people tastes. One lovely young woman stayed at my table for perhaps fifteen minutes, tasting as many different jams and talking with me about all of them. She was a true jam aficionado, and I encouraged her to learn to make her own at home. It’s not nearly as hard as people fear!
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| Okay, sometimes jam doesn’t work out. But then you have sauce! |
Even though I had seventeen different choices, my bestsellers were the very same as last time: Meyer Lemon Marmalade, Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Jam, and Blackberry Lime Jam. The Meyer sold most, but the strawberry and blackberry sold out completely. Yay. Others that did well included two new holiday preserves: Pomegranate Champagne Jelly and a fig jam that also features champagne– recipe coming this week!
Trading food is, without a doubt, one of the highlights of selling at the market. I was so lucky to set up shop next to the Faerie Goatmothers. We spent a good part of the day figuring out which jams went well with fresh goat cheese — by sampling, of course. (Answer: Pretty much all of them.)
Also, I loved it when another vendor bounded up the stairs and announced, “Me and the jerky guy are going to trade!”
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| This guy is seriously jerky. |
Finally, because yesterday’s market was the holiday market, someone won this glamorous gift basket (that’s a little jar of my Quince-Orange-Cardamom Marmalade tucked in there) . . .
But I have something beautiful that you can win, too! Check out these gorgeous organic, vegan chocolates from Marcella Dirks at Muse Chocolatier:
I am giving away this lovely little gift box of chocolates, handmade and selected by Marcella. All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell me what your favorite kind of chocolate is — and (this is important!) leave a link or an email address so I know how to reach you. I will draw the winner at random this Friday, December 10. In the meantime, if you want to reach Marcella to talk holiday gift boxes, you can find her at marcellabella@yahoo.com. She’s a peach!
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| You know you want it. |
I hope you and yours are enjoying your holiday season. Stay warm, friends. :-)
Congratulations, Cookie! And thanks to everyone who entered. Wishing you lots of good winter chocolate.
