Hello friends! I hope everyone had a lovely Easter and start to Passover. I have a number of odds and ends to share with you right now, but make sure to check back later today, as I’ll have a fun canning product review and giveaway.
Last week, I was delighted to learn that I’ve been nominated for a Saveur Best Food Blog Award. This is the third year that this site has been in the finals for one of these awards and I’m entirely honored and flattered by the nod. If you’d like to vote for Food in Jars (I’m nominated in the Best Recipe category), you can do so by clicking here.
While you’re over there, may I also suggest that you vote for Punk Domestics in the Best Group Blog category? PD is a gathering place for canners, preservers and other like-minded DIY food folks and I’d love to see them get some love.
The fourth Philly Food Swap is taking place on Thursday, April 26 from 7-9 p.m. It’s being held at Meadowbrook Farm, which is located a little bit north of Jenkintown. It’s something of a hike from Center City (depending on traffic, it’s a 45-ish minute drive from Philly), but there’s a group setting up ride shares on the Philly Swappers Facebook page. There’s a $4 fee to help cover costs and tickets can be bought here. I’d love to see some of you local suburban folks there!
On occasion, I get sent food products for tasting and review. Because of this site’s narrow focus, I’m rarely able to write about them without violating my personal sense of canning blogger ethics. However, I got a couple recently that were good enough that I’m granting myself a one-time dispensation in order to include them here.
The first box I received included a few products from Manischewitz. They are famous for their matzo, kosher juices and wine and other products designed to help Jews eat well and adhere to their dietary restrictions. Since we’re in the midst of Passover, it seems like the perfect time to mention them.
My samples included the products you see above, as well as a bag of Kosher potato chips that my husband and I ate so quickly that I didn’t manage a photo (they were light, crunchy, salty and were ideally potato-y). I had a hard time stopping myself from nibbling the Crunchies all day long (the rest have been handed over to a Passover-keeping cousin as an airplane snack) and the coating crumbs are a tasty substitute for panko. Well done, Manischewitz!
Finally, it’s time to talk ice cream. For those of you who live in the midwest, Graeter’s ice cream is no big thing. However, for us Philadelphians, the news that Graeter’s is bringing their small batch ice cream to area stores is fantastic, indeed. This ice cream is some of the smoothest, creamiest and most wonderful I’ve had in my lifetime.
It’s quite rich, but the flavor density is such that you only need a few spoonfuls in order to be entirely satisfied by it. I do try to limit ice cream to a “sometimes food” but from now on, I know where I’ll be turning to when I need a hit of something sweet, cold and creamy.
I lived in Northern Kentucky for a few years (really a suburb of Cincinnati) about 1/4 mile from a Graeter’s. I love their black raspberry chip and hadn’t had it since I moved. I still thought about it often. I nearly fell over when I saw it in the grocery store here in Fairbanks. I bought three pints on the spot!
It’s one of the best ice creams I’ve ever had. I’m VERY excited that it will be available around here.
Congratulations on getting the nomination again!
Loving this post full of links and bits. But I popped over to the facebook page for the swappers, and I couldn’t find a rideshare discussion. Could you send/include a more specific link?
Livia, I’d just post to the wall and restart the conversation about ride shares. With Facebook the way it is these days, I can never find anything.
That roasted cashew crunch looks really good – maybe smashed and sprinkled over a roasted beet and Gorgonzola salad. Thanks for the review.
Big congratulations on the Saveur nomination!
It’s exciting to hear your food swaps are going so well. The ones here have taken off like hot cakes – or maybe more like hot pepper jelly, which is one of the prizes I snagged at the last food swap. Now, I just have to get ready for the food swap next weekend…
-the redhead-
As a Cincinnatian who used to live in Philly, I’m so excited for you! Really, you can’t beat Graeter’s, although I’ve been trying out many of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams recipes. She’s a tough competitor! Enjoy!
Congrats on the nominations! Yes, Graeter’s………the best ice cream in the world! Black Raspberry Chip and Elena’s Blueberry Pie are my favorites, but I wouldn’t turn down any of the flavors. I’m glad you have had an opportunity to taste it — enjoy!
That’s funny about Graeter’s ice cream. I tend not to like it that much. I would rather have some Ben and Jerry’s! 🙂 I have been to several of their stores are tried several flavors tying to see what everyone else sees. If you ever come across a Brusters ice cream store. That is awesome. Due to the downturn of the economy ours shutdown 🙁 Enjoy your sometimes food as it is wonderful to have “sometimes”.
This is really off the subject, but where did you find the wide mouth jar with a handle. I bought two of the Cupow reusable coffee cup tops but they are for a widemouth and I can only find regular top jars with handle. Love the idea but it kind of resembles a sippy cup just a little to much for me to love using it. The coffee also makes the jar really hot and the cozy idea didn’t really work out. Thanks so much and love this site!!
Loretta, that jar was something I found at a thrift store a couple years ago. I’ve never another one like it. It also wouldn’t work with the Cuppow, because while it looks like a jar, the threads for the lids aren’t articulated enough to actually hold a band on.
Thanks any way!
“For those of you who live in the midwest, Graeter’s ice cream is no big thing.”
Um, excuse me, I lived in Cinti for years, and Graeter’s is a huge thing! Now that I live in North Carolina, Graeter’s is one of my first stops when visiting my hometown. I have to say I’m somewhat disappointed to see the company expand its market outside the Cinti area. Graeter’s icecream is made in small batches (five gallons, I believe). Quality control, ingredients, and flavor have always been outstanding. I spoke to a store manager not long ago, lamenting the fact I couldn’t get my fix in NC. She told me Graeter’s is fastidious about their product. I hope they can maintain that attitude in a larger market.