A Foodie's Paradise

Last night, I stayed up until 1:00 am making a batch of strawberry jam. I'm not usually this "last minute" with things, but work has me ccccrazy! The reason for the lack of sleep was well worth it though. I had a coveted ticket. A ticket to BK Swappers! I've written about BK Swappers before, I can't believe it's been 2 years since I've been to one! It's this ah-MAZ-ing event in Brooklyn where you bring food you've made to swap with other foodies. Jams, chutneys, hot sauces, granola, extracts, liquers, chocolate sauces, baked items, you name it! I made 6 jars of my favorite strawberry jam.

I walked into the space, and my heart was already pounding. Ooohhhh look at all those goodies ready to be bartered for.

The swap works like this. There are little pieces of paper next to your swap item and people walk around the table and write their names and food item for what they would like to swap you for.

Going around from table to table is fun. You get to meet the people who created the yummy treats. I am so impressed with what people bring to this event!

Like this chocolate sauce with Chambord! She had a sample jar out for you to try, and WOW, holy cow, is it delicious.  I put my name down to trade with her.

At the event, I also ran into a fellow garden blogger. The Revel Gardener was there with her family. They brought some of their amazing Big Brown Sugar Vanilla ice cream for the pot luck table. I met the Revel Gardener 2 years ago at a plant swap she hosted. She gave us ice cream at that event, and I was so excited that they brought it again! Wow, is this stuff good! One of the other attendees, Kendra mentioned that the chocolate sauce above would go amazing drizzled over this! I have to agree! Outstanding! The Revel Gardener told me that they currently make small batches and sell the ice cream and oat bars online here on their website Brooklyn Bell.

For swapping, they brought an array of goodies! Among them their oat bars, chocolate covered pretzels and a Hawaiian salt caramel. I traded one of my strawberry jams for a jar of this sauce. It is incredible!! I can't wait to try it on some desserts!

Some swappers brought an assortment of canned goodies. Can you believe this is one person! Wow, their swap haul must have been incredible!

This was my haul. I ended up only trading 5 out of my 6 jars. There was apparently a boat load of people bringing jams, so there was lots of that going around.  Since I was pretty slow to swap with people, I missed out on getting rid of my last jar.  However, I did score a bunch of cool stuff. Like a box of dark chocolate truffles, a jar of the chocolate Chambord sauce, a jar a spiced pumpkin seeds, the Hawaiian salt caramel and a big jar of hard apple cider.

I have to show you a photo of these truffles! I was in awe of them! Like, wow Brooklyn peeps. Wow! I can't wait to eat every single one. I am so impressed with what everyone made! I have to soooo up my game at the next swap! I need to come up with something extra special to swap! Ohhhh, yeah.