Friday, October 29, 2010

Food Swapping
Urban domestics swap food in Brooklyn.

I went to the BKFoodSwappers food swap in Brooklyn last night and made out like a bandit. If you aren't familiar with the idea of food swapping, basically you bring some homemade food item and barter it for something tasty someone else made. We had a fantastic crowd of about 30 foodies.


I brought mango habanero hot sauce, papaya habanero ketchup, quick refrigerator pickles and an apple butter spiked with a tiny amount of habanero.
If you are looking for a great workspace in Brooklyn check out Brooklyn Creative League that gave us the space for our event. Thanks Neil! You can see the nifty form swappers fill out and put in front of our goodies for people to sign.



I came home with pickled green beans, some spectacularly tasty baked goods from Hungry Rabbit NYC, SkeeterNYC's Salmon Rilette, fridge pickles, apple pie rum, flax cracker, date tamerind dipping sauce from Jackie Gordon and Nomnivourous' bacon jam(recipe). I'm feeling very pleased with myself.


Swapping tips:
  • Know your audience. I knew my particular crowd are foodies, so I couldn't just stroll in with basic chocolate chip cookies and expect to score.
  • Label your items with your contact info and any social media links.
  • Have great organizers like Kate of Hipgirls and Meg of Brooklyn Homesteader who keep the event moving along.
  • Be prepared to go after what you want, channel your inner car salesman. I heard lots of begging and cajoling last night. I may have threatened @EmilyHanHan on Twitter for her bacon jam. :)
  • Go early. Get your name on what you prize the most.

Are you a swapper? Want to throw a swap? Kate has a nice description over at her website.

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