Tuesday, July 26

Maybe It Was The Full Moon--Or Just My Lucky Stars


Mouth-Watering Mail Call!

All I know is that it was an absolutely wonderful day. It did start with an unusual discovery in the wee-morning hours, but that had a happy ending and even turned into a good story. Then I posted my Daily Farm Photo in minutes--as oppposed to the several hours it took the day before (computers!). Outside, there were no critter crises or other farm-related catastrophes to greet me. During a quick morning trip to Blogland, I hopped over to visit Kristi at Interrupted Wanderlust and was surprised (and utterly flattered) to find that her latest post was all about me! And then I called the post office.

"Do you have a package for me?" I asked Ruth, our Postmistress.
"Yes, I do!" she said in her sing-songy voice.
"Did it come today?"
"Yes, it did!"
"I'll be right there!"

Back in June, Nic at Bakingsheet came up with the idea of "Blogging By Mail." Each person who signed up would send some goodies to one of the other participants and then receive a surprise package from somebody else. Twenty-two people joined in, and tasty treats began zipping around the world. Two days earlier, Ruth and I (after 20 complicated--yet educational for both of us--minutes) had mailed off a box to Clare at Eat Stuff in Australia. Today my package had arrived.

I peered over the tiny post office counter while Ruth fiddled with the paperwork. "Is that my box?"
"Yep."
"It sure is big."
"Yep."
"They sent it Express Mail?"
"Yep."
"Wow."

I looked at the label and couldn't believe it. It was from Sam at Becks & Posh--one of my favorite food bloggers. "Oh my god!" I cried. And for the next hour and a half, I said nothing but those three words over and over and over.

Sam, who is British but lives in San Francisco, knows that I am originally from the Bay Area and decided to send me a gourmet taste of home. Oh my god. Every single thing about her package was perfect--right down to the postmark from my hometown and the funky chartreuse masking tape all over each carefully bubble-wrapped item. This is what she sent me:

  • A marvelous finocchiona salami from The Fatted Calf Charcuterie.
  • A split of wine that she (and now I) love, Etude Pinot Noir, to go with the salami.
  • Two heavenly chocolates from Michael Recchiuti Confections.
  • A jar of the most amazing Pluot Lavender Conserve from June Taylor Jams (which I spread on slices of Oatmeal Toasting Bread I baked just for the occasion).
  • A package of scrumptious homemade Gingernut Biscuits along with the recipe.
  • An adorable miniature jar of marmite because it is her favorite English sustenance (and because somebody must keep that company in business).
  • A beautiful chartreuse leather notebook that contained (in her lovely handwriting) a sweet note, a list explaining everything she had sent (including that this notebook was "happy to be my food blog diary"), and a bread recipe she remembered I had asked for several weeks earlier on Becks & Posh.


Like I said, Oh my god.

And as if that wasn't enough, Nic sent "thank you" packages to every one of the 22 Blogging By Mail participants. I received a container filled with delicious homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and Spiced Up Ginger Cookies, as well as a packet of addicting ginger candies and an exquisite little tin of pink grapefruit green tea.

If you'd like to read about what the other blogging by mailers received, head over to Bakingsheet on August 1st as Nic will be posting a round-up. And if you are wishing a yummy package would appear in your mailbox, you'll be happy to know that Nic and Samantha are already working on another round of Blogging By Mail. In the meantime, I think it's time for a little snack. Gingernut Biscuit, anyone?

8 comments:

  1. Thank you for the lovely write up.
    It's making me all soppy again, sniff!
    I am so happy you enjoyed it all.
    x sam x

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  2. Ahah!
    Great package from Sam :)

    You neglected to mention the glorious package you sent little old me!!!!!!

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  3. Sam,
    You're very welcome! It was my pleasure. And once again, thank you for such a wonderful, wonderful package!

    And okay, since you're getting soppy, I'll admit to everyone that I definitely cried a few tears of joy that day. . . : )

    Now Miss Clare,
    If you look back in my post, you'll see that you (and your package) were mentioned by name, and I even included a link to your gushing write-up about your goodie package. : )

    I just wish you could have been there at the post office while Ruth and I tried to figure out exactly how to get your package ready to go to Australia. Not a lot of stuff goes Global Priority from our dinky town. Thank goodness I'd been at usps.com the day before is all I can say. We made the guy taking the outgoing mail wait at least 10 minutes while we figured everything out! (The mail goes out just once a day, at about 9:30am.) It was hysterical. The best part was that not a single other customer came in while we were in the midst of all this chaos. I was just so relieved when you actually received it!

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  4. Great post. I love reading about people's packages!!

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  5. oh I am sooooo sorry! I must have been to entranced to notice. Pls Forgive me ;)
    You must have done a super dooper job on the packaging since it wasn't opened by customs!!!
    mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

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  6. Receiving packages in the mail is fun, and when the contents are edible (and wonderfully so) it makes the experience even better. Happy eating (and thanks for mentioning me in your post!).
    :)

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  7. Dear God. I am perishing with jealousy.

    You scored. You SO scored.

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  8. Yippee for blogging for mail!!

    Nic's idea for these exchanges is so awesome.

    I actually love Marmite - we use it to make this yummy sauce for chicken, prawns and etc.

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December 2015 update: Hi! For some reason I can't figure out, Blogger hasn't been letting me leave comments on my own blog (!) for the last several months, so I've been unable to respond to your comments and questions. My apologies for any inconvenience! You're always welcome to email me: farmgirlfare AT gmail DOT com.

Hi! Thanks for visiting Farmgirl Fare and taking the time to write. While I'm not always able to reply to every comment, I receive and enjoy reading them all.

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Please note that I moderate comments, so if I'm away from the computer it may be a while before yours appears.

I try my best to answer all questions, though sometimes it takes me a few days. And sometimes, I'm sorry to say, they fall through the cracks, and for that I sincerely apologize.

I look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy your e-visits to our farm!