Wow Lars, don't the shot glasses fit right in! You're exactly right that Alison understands what you enjoy.
Your cookbook looks interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing the wonderful things you decide to make.
This is a terrific swap package Alison!

That swap gift is so you, Lars! Love your collection of glassware - and the shot glasses fit right in. I can't wait to see what recipes you try from the new cookbook.

Very nice, Alison!

*clap* *clap* *clap*

Great gifts for your partner! I love it when people research what their partner will love!

Lars, enjoy your cookbook too~

What a neat swap package with beauty, usefulness and knowledge all wrapped up together. I love Cobalt Blue anything the color is just so intense.

Stacie

Fantastic Alison! Very colorful presentation to.

My WF doesn't have bags like that.

What beautiful blue shot glasses. I agree they fit right in with your other glassware.

I can't wait to see what you make from the cookbook. I'm not familiar with this chef, nor Scandinavian food, so it'll be fun learning and seeing more about it from you.

The shopping bags are cooler looking than the average store shopping bags. I've finally gotten in the habit of using shopping bags, and it's so much better than the plastic bags the store provides. (or used to provide in the case of WF.)

A great package, Alison. Enjoy, Lars!

Sally

Another great swap package!

Out of curiosity - is there aquavit in all the recipes in the book? If so, I can imagine having a roaring good time cooking from it...

How great it that swap package!!!
It's nice that you both have a common bond.
You can never have to many cook books LOL
Enjoy...love the shot glasses.

Linda

Oh man, I love cobalt blue glass and have collected some pieces myself! Those shot glasses are just beautiful, they really seem to pop right out of your cabinet, Lars. I think Marcus Samuelsson is wonderful, and so enjoyable to watch on TV. I've never tried any of his recipes, but I look forward to hearing about the ones you try. The shopping bags are a nice touch, and they certainly help solve the problem of "paper or plastic"? Great swap box Allison, you did your research well on Lars:-)
DONNA

Lars, I must admit that I would have made the Scandinavian assumption as well. Something about the name Lars ;-).

The glasses are gorgeous. I love cobalt blue glass and they fit right in on your shelf. I've not perused any of Samuelsson's books but ever since receiving the little bit of Iceland that netla sent me I've been getting more & more interested in this sort of cooking.

The bags are great! Anything with bivalves are cool, IMO.

Nina

Great items Alison! Lars, I know you'll get a lot of use from those cute bags, and let us know what kinds of recipes are in Aquavit. I've seen Samuelsson on TV but I'm not familiar with his style.

WOW that package fits you to a Blue T...lol

Lars, that looks like a package perfectly suited to you. Enjoy your bounty!

Wow, nice job of matching colors, Alison. The cookbook looks interesting, and those bags are great. We don't have Whole Foods...the shopping bags our store has are boring. Enjoy, Lars!

Oh I envy you those cobalt blues !!

How great that Alison sent a cookbook by one of your favorite chefs-- and that sure looks like an interesting one.

And fabric bags are so handy for shopping.

Enjoy, Lars

Nice stuff Lars. Love the blue. Diana55

Alison, you sure did your homework! You picked up on stuff I NEVER did about our Lars. Everything is perfect for him!

Alison, you sent Lars a really cool package.

Yay! I'm so glad you like Samuelsson -- and that you don't have this book already. It's beautifully done, almost a coffee-table book, but the recipes are really good. (Sort of hip cuisine based on traditional Scandinavian flavors, for those who don't know the chef.)

Swedish, eh? Shows what I know; I guessed Norwegian or maybe Icelandic!

I'm so glad you like the items, Lars. I had a lot of fun assembling that blue package. (And I love that beach towel!)

OOoo the cookbook looks lovely! I can imagine some great recipes. The cobalt blue looks great with your things! -maria

Wow Alison, you did good. The perfect swap box for Lars. So many of his favourite things.

Lars, that cookbook looks interesting. Great cover. I hope you will share some of the recipes that you make.

Ann

Alison, Niiiice box!

Lars, I can hardly wait for the results of the Lime Aquavit in May. When you get the opportunity please post that recipe.

Very nice stuff. I checked out the author of the cookbook and realized it's a guy I've seen on TV preparing some really good looking meals. The shot glasses are great, I like the color. And I wish all stores would provide reusable shopping bags. Good job Alison!

Oh, wow! Those glasses look perfect in your cabinet. Lime Aquavit sounds refreshing.

Sounds like you will be enjoying the cookbook. I always wanted to go to Aquavit.

Here's the Lime Aquavit recipe:

4 limes, scrubbed
2 kaffir lime leaves (I use leaves from a regular lime tree)
1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 liter potato based vodka (I'll get this from TJ's)

Zest two limes. Thinly slice the limes and put the zest, sliced limes, and ginger into a wide-mouthed lidded jar that is large enough to hold the vodka and flavorings. Add the vodka and seal the jar. Let stand a room temperature for 6 to 8 weeks, until the full flavor has developed.

Strain the vodka into a pitcher or bowl, and pour it into a 1 liter bottle. Seal the bottle and store it in the freezer.

Serve the aquavit ice-cold in shot glasses.

I'll let you know how it turns out in May!

Lars

what a great package - and very Lars. I love the glasses.

I started the Aquavit today, and I noticed that the recipe calls for lime leaves in the ingredients but doesn't say to add them. I have lime leaves, and so I put them in. I went to the store today to buy vodka for this, but I neglected to buy ginger. Then I thought that perhaps I could use some of the ginger paste in a jar that I have until I remembered that I had quite a bit of fresh frozen ginger in the freezer, and so I used some of that. That's the first I've used frozen ginger, and I really like how easy it is to peel. I'm going to keep freezing ginger, although in many meals (such as curries and things with lots of ingredients), the ginger paste in the jar works fine.
{{gwi:1462557}}

Yes, my limes are yellow, and they are sweeter when yellow than when they are green, as well as much juicier. I marked a date for when I have to strain this and put it in the freezer, and I'm thinking that I might have to start another batch before this one is ready. This seems like a nice alternative to a martini, and Kevin might like to have one when he comes home from work - providing he only has one! We already went through the limoncello that Renee (Bubbe) sent him, and he's still got the glass, but I think that glass is too large for the Aquavit.

BTW, Kevin said you are supposed to drink whole gulps from the shot glasses, but I don't think that would be necessary. How do you drink your own Aquavit?

Lars

(Picture taken with my new camera, but I blurred the background in Photoshop, so that you won't see dirt on my door!) I experimented with the ISO settings and found that the 1600 ISO makes rather grainy pictures. BTW, this jar used to contain kimchee, and it seemed the perfect one to use - it holds one gallon! (My limes are rather large.)

Lars I hope you got all the kimchee smell out, LOL. The aquavit recipe sounds tasty - like a gingery gimlet.

Gina, it's a glass jar, and so it's easy to clean. I really like the size and shape. I have to go to Korea Town to find gallon containers of kimchee, however. It's very economical, since I go though so much of it. I had been storing lentils in that jar before, but they had to make way.

I'm a bit concerned about the ginger in the Aquavit - it seemed like quite a lot, but then I do like ginger, and so it will probably be okay. I like ginger beer, as well as ginger-pineapple African drinks.

Lars

Great swap package!. Love the shot glasses, and the book looks so cool! Great bags, they are wonderful to use. Your aquavit looks wonderful Lars, can't wait to hear how it tastes.

Shelley

I agree, a very cool box for Lars. Love the shot glasses and y'all know me....I'd love to share one with Lars come May. That's a new to me cookbook and I look forward to some recipes. I know Lars will put those bags to good use, they are not popular down here yet. Enjoy Lars! Great package Alison!!

David

It looks great, Lars! If you like ginger beer, you'll appreciate the kick of ginger. I haven't tried the ginger paste, but I always keep a plastic wrapped chunk in the freezer.

As for etiquette, most of the Danes I've met down a shot in one gulp. (Which is why they're such small glasses.) But when I was young, I went to a farmers christmas with my relatives, and I noticed many of the wives simply sipped theirs. Of course, this was a table where the only beverages were aquavit and beer....

wonderful swap package. i was in the dark, i didn't know what aquavit was, but sure looks and sounds like a shot i would try :-)

love the blue glass, i have a few pieces myself. i'm a big time canvase bag user, so i can really appreciate those.

nice job alison,
enjoy it all lars,
maryanne