Looking forward to seeing what Robin sent you Ann.

Ann

I am very glad that it arrived safe and sound and you are enjoying the contents. It is very nerve wracking sending to a place that is three hours behind in time as I was continually wondering when you would recive it.

-Robin

I can't wait to see!!

That box is indeed huge, I used the one Annie sent to me. I figured it would be one well traveled box.

-Robin

Robin, that box will be more well-travelled than either of us. I can hardly wait to see what was in it this time!

Annie

RobinKate & other swap buddies:

I took a few more photos and finally uploaded them all. So first off, there's Robin's very nice note with pics of her beautiful children and her letter on top of the well traveled swap box - from Michigan to Vermont to California:

Robin's box contained all goodies from New England - look at the bounty she packed:

Robin remembered that I like to bake so she included these awesome little yellow bowls for measuring out ingredients - just like Alton Brown :). This bounty pretty much covers breakfast, lunch, and two dinners! There's Robin's homemade blueberry jam with Cointreau & Drambie (yummmm), the cutest cutest corn bag filled with corn muffin mix - more to see on that further down :> ..., pumpernickel bread flour from King Arthur (can't wait to try my hand at making a loaf), Vermont Curry sauce mix with apples & honey, and Bove's vodka pasta sauce (hmmm, maybe I'm sensing a second theme here.....LOL!)

wait - there's more. Everyone knows that all good swap boxes from Vermont must contain maple syrup, so take a look at this: not only a big jug of maple syrup, but maple syrup vinegar, maple candied walnuts (which btw I love on salads). Here's a good picture of the corn muffin mix - is that the cutest? (still more on that below)

Then, Robin included a copy of one of her family's favorite cookbook Journey Around Cape Cod & Islands Cookbook. Robin, I will try Indian pudding - I've never made it before but I do remember it on the menu at Durgin Park at Fanuil Hall in Boston - I'm know homemade will be delicious. In the spirit of New England, we made clam chowder last night for dinner - just like the recipe in the book - it was so good!

This morning I just had to make the corn muffins:

There is more, so I'm going to list the rest; take a peek at the link below for more pictures:

Candy jar for penny candy (son loves this!) - Robin tells me that this is what was in the wrapped bag from her posting "wow, shopping can be expensive" thread. Do you all remember that? Little did I know ....

Cookie cutters in the shape of a cow and a house; I'm adding those to my collection.

A King Arthur flour bowl scraper - yes, i'm always looking for my scraper so now I have two!

Ice cube tray in the shape of apples - I'm trying those out now; I put them in the freezer yesterday.

Robin - thank you very much for the best box; I really appreciate your thoughtfulness! Great swap!

ann

ps - I took sooo many pics but I wanted to make sure you could see that everything made it!

Here is a link that might be useful:

oops ... as I reread this ... left out an item. Robin also included a 2006 Cape Cod calendar so I can remember her & this swap all the way through next year!

Maple candied walnuts, YUM!!! And that big jug of maple syrup (1 QT!!)...I'd be in heaven. Love the cute yellow bowls too.

The maple candied walnuts sound good to me too, what a nice box of goodies.

I have to tell you, though, I love that picture of the boys that RobinKate included.

Annie

Ann, I am so glad you are enjoying everything. I had a lot of fun putting this together for you, including trying to make everything fit my chosen theme.

Actually I don't have that cookbook, I did almost buy myself one. Sebastian has the 3 picture books that are shown on the back, they are alphabet books. He loves them as they talk about 2 of his favorite places, Cape Cod and NYC. I am from NY and many people love him there. I was planning on xeroxing a few recipes but I wanted to get the box out fast so I didn't. But I am sure the indian pudding recipe is a good one, just don't make it with wheat flour like I did the first time I made it :-)

Annie, funny that you love that photo, I sent the same card to you in your birthday package. I bought to many of them, so I think many more swaps will have them. Later I will post a more recent photo. Julian is 6 months now, tried solid food for the first time today. Oh yeah, he is 18 lbs 3 oz's and 28 inches long!!

The maple syrup is Grade B by the way and thanks to this swap Sebastian knows that we prefer Grade B. He wandered around the Dakin farms store with me saying, "Where is the grade B." I haver also promised to show him a maple syrup grader as he asked over our pumpkin pancakes this week what the difference is.

-Robin

Oh, yes, Robin, I still have that picture, but I still love it. It just makes Julian look so BIG! LOL

I'm glad he got to finally have some solid food, that poor child was clearly starving. (snicker) It doesn't surprise me that, as a New England boy, Sebastian would know what grade B syrup is!

Annie

Oh! yummy yummy box--and fun stuff too! Like the idea of those little bowls.

Wow! What a great package you put together Robin! You chose some wonderful items.

Ann, you will obviously have fun with this (YOu already are!) I'd like to see the ice cubes!

Stacy

Wow Robin! Way to Go!!!

Ann enjoy your goodies!!

Cool stuff Ann. The only real maple syrup I've had came from swaps I've received and boy is it good. Robin, thats a very nice slice of New England you sent!!!

yes, it's all cool stuff! Robin did good!

Getting caught up on a few of the swap boxes I missed. I thought I had already posted to this one.

What a great selection of items Robin sent you Ann. I especially love the candy jar. But my favourite has to be those cute little yellow bowls. Enjoy .

Ann