The successful recipe for last Sunday's memorable food/craft swap (the second one) started with something borrowed, i.e. the decorations that were in place for a Holiday Gift Sale Friday & Saturday at 449 N. Euclid, and for L Photographie's grand opening tomorrow (more on this dynamic trio of photographers, who recently moved their business to the CWE, after the holidays).
The lighted "Cheer" sign, above, was created by L Photographie's Liz Reiff Sloan, and the paper-garland tree was decorated by Kelly Reding of Dauphine.
Liz also fashioned a garland for the bannister out of strips of burlap strung with Christmas lights, right.
And beside the entry door there were white-yarn globes, left, made by Jeweler Jennifer Walker and Kelly Reding.
The ingredients:
Two cups of warm mulled wine brewed by Cabanne & Jim Howard, right,
Snippets of fragrant rosemary harvested from Jennifer Walker's garden, left,
A spoonful of Paula Abboud's rum-soaked cherries, right, and
a slice of Paula's delicious cinnamon bread, left,
Add Jeweler Christiane Danna's delicious lentil soup spiked with bits of fresh ginger, and spoonfuls of Lisa's assortment of handmade jams & jellies (I swapped sun-dried tomato pesto for her red wine/sage jelly). Throw in Anna kitschy handmade potholders, upper right (will I ever get over that she and Paul moved Mezzanine from our neighborhood to theirs—Maplewood?).
Stir all the ingredients together and pepper them with conversation about food, recipes, scoring some of Nick Reding's smoked duck breast, the holidays, etc. etc., and an hour and 1/2 later it's time to pack up and head home with your basketful of goodies.
When Jim and I got home I realized I better hurry and snap a photo of what I hadn't photographed at the swap before it was too late. Graphic designer Anna's sugar cookies, Jennifer's fabulously-rich and gooey candy turtles, Kate's salted caramels, and Katherine's "Gambee's Lace Cookies" were disappearing fast. Kelly Reding's handmade holiday wrapping paper and bag of gift tags (cards left, paper top), and eggs from the Rickards' Olivette "farm" are going to be put to good use very soon.
Join us at the next Great River Food Swappers meeting in a few months. I'll keep you posted.
Please ask Paula to share her cherry recipe!