A delicious package! Love the dried chilies. DH and I visited Temecula quite a few years ago when hardly anyone outside of California had ever heard of it. Some great small wineries.

Whoa indeed Karen! I'm getting farklempt! Barb that is a special, special package.

I just love the colors of everything. Those dried citrus slices are beautiful. Oooh, what you can do with the dried citrus powders. I never saw that before! Very creative package.

Wow...that's a lot of zesty fun!
Lucky you on those special seeds!

Whew! I'm so glad it made it. I've been checking the forum all day long!

Karen, don't wait until next summer! Open that bottle right now and take a whiff! It is heavenly. I need to go buy a bottle for myself. (yes, I forgot to buy some for me) It should be great on pasta.

I grew the Joe's Long Pepper myself but the seeds came from Carolyn Male, who named the variety. This cayenne pepper gets up to 12" long and dries easily. It's great for adding a kick to anything.

Enjoy!

Barb

Karen your excitment is absolutely palpable over the 'net!! I am happy you love your swap, it is very creative! Way to go Barb.

Okay, I'm envious, wonderful swap box. I especially love the powdered citrus fruits and the peppers. Karen, I know that you are going to love the heirloom seeds as well as everything else.

BUT, BUT someone has to say it so it might as well be me. Barb if there was a prize for the person who cheated the most you would win hands down.

Ann

Ha ha, Ann. Gotta get the math challenged...

But... it is an incredible package. Lovely, lovely, Barb. So thoughtful. You'll really enjoy it, River.

Hey Linda, hardly anyone IN California has heard of Temecula... but they make some nice wines out there. I used to live close to it... it has grown so much!

It is an exquisitely "math-challenged" package. Enjoy your goodies, Karen.

Wow, Karen, super special package. Nice going, Barb!

I wanted to say she cheated..but...when my sent box is revealed..I cheated a bit too... But not that much..
Mine was a $amount thing..I wanted the box to be of some value. ;)

Great job, Barb. You are a very talented person. I only think about some day drying peppers and such. Karen, You're one lucky person to get all that wonderful stuff.

Sally

Woo Hoo!!!! Special!!!!!
Wonderful box - you lucky gal!!

Terri, the dollar amount isn't cheating. You can spend as much as you want. It was the "number of items" that was important in this swap.

Ann

Verrrrry Nice Barb!!!

That's a very nice, unique, well thought out box and I can tell Karen's going to enjoy it for a long time.

Nancy

Great package for Karen, it looks like Barb did her homework on this one! I'll be Bubbe Karen and Maggie will be planting quite a garden next spring!

"It was the "number of items" that was important in this swap."

In my defense! :-) I defer to the following exception:

"How about if the canners are allowed to send up to one quart of canned items. So if your jams are in 1/2 pint jars then you could send four."

Cookbook category - Olive Oil Cookbook
Regional category - Basil Olive Oil
Handmade category - Garden Pack - and these items could fit into a quart jar!

Seriously, the powdered citrus/peppers are in tiny baby food jars that hold about 3 Tbls...the rista chiles are about 1" long so they look bigger in the pic than they are.

I love peeking in..This is a wondeful wonderful boxed gift set:)

Gosh those peppers are pretty. I thought it was a necklace at first. What a nifty package. The seeds are a gift that wil last a long long time. The dried citrus, the spicy stuff. Wow -- this was a mini-swap?? I wonder what Barbara sends for a maxi-swap??

I love the seed packs, now that's a gift that you'll see growing long into next year (no pun intended)! What a beautiful assortment of goodies in rich fall colours.

Nice job Barb (and I accept your rationalization re: categories ;)

Catherine

Really a nice job on the swap package--and the item justification. Definitely a gift that will keep on giving.

Karen, the olive oil & accompanying book are great. I had no idea they grew olives in Temecula. I, of course, knew they were grown extensively around Lindsay in the San Joaquin but never thought of the high desert as olive country. Learn something new every day around here. I'm sure you'll enjoy that basil-infused oil but don't wait until summer. Anxious to see the recipe for the "tattooed" potatoes...just the name fascinated me.

Tangerine marmalade soap! It must smell heavenly. How wonderful it will be either on a hot, muggy summer day or as a "wake-up" on a dreary winter morning. I've never seen that "flavor". Enjoy!

The chilies & citrus rings are great! I used to dry lots of citrus & grind it in my Cuisinart when I needed it. I'd put about a teaspoon (or less) in quickbreads. The flavor is intense & yummy. You'll enjoy those for sure. I love the packaging Barb put together for the powders...very nice.

The heirloom seeds are my favorite part of your gift! Those seeds will keep on giving for years & years. The black Russian tomato is the most intriquing, to me. I'll be watching for your posts & pictures next August!

Well, I'm homesick now after looking at your swap presents. The diversity of California never ceases to amaze me! What a great swap present.

Enjoy Karen & wonderful, thoughtful package Barb!

Tricia

What a great package, and since I only grow a few things in pots, I'm amazed by the garden pack part of your package. Can't even imagine a foot long cayenne - that's a lot of heat! I know you'll have those seeds started when we still have a lot of snow here.

I thought Barb's math was a little fuzzy at first too, but I like her rationale that it would all fit in a quart jar.

My kitchen has two main oils - olive and grapeseed so I'll be watching for you to share some recipes from the olive oil book.

Lee

"Math-challenged"!!! LOL (I think Barb has made her quota for the next couple of swaps!!) ;-)

The olive oil sounds wonderful. (I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE great olives oils!!) And the cookbook is beautiful just from glancing at the cover. It's obvious Barb put a lot of thought into her package! Congrats to you, Karen!

Lori

Hmmm....Somebody flunked math! LOL

Seriously, what a creative and wonderful package! Well done! I am curious about "tattooed potatoes", too!

Linda

Beautiful swap package! I have never heard of tattooed potatoes either -- is it a rebel variety? Enjoy!

Wow. Barb, I'm envious of your gardening and harvesting talents and incredible knowledge base. Lucky Karen! Hey my kid is looking for math tutoring jobs for you and Phyllis...

Karen, you are so lucky -- sounds like the perfect swap package for you! Everything sounds so fragrant and delicious!! Have fun with the seeds!!

Karen...what an exceptional swap package to receive! those peppers are beautiful! The oil is great, I'm sure! And I don't even pretend to understand any of the stuff about the seeds. I am so bad, beyond bad, about all that! It sounds wonderful, though!

Super job Barb!

What a perfect swap, package for Karen! As a person with a black thumb I am impressed with both of you.

-Robin

Oh, I am definitely impressed with the seed packages, most of the old varieties taste much different than the stuff you get at today's grocery stores and nurseries. I'm sure Karen is going to love all of those.

Powdered citrus? I'd have never thought of that, but then again, there's not much citrus in Michigan. LOl

Yes, Barb definitely needs a math tutor. Didn't she sign the agreement not to cheat? LOL

Annie

Another Wow! here. This box is amazing. Barb, you did a great job pulling it all together! Enjoy it, Karen! I know you will :)

Elizabeth

I'm still drooling over my package! I'm steeping a cup of tea and will add one of the dried lime rounds to it. MMMMM, I can smell and taste it now!

Barb, I hope you received my e-mail. I didn't have your e-mail address so I mailed you through GW.

Barb--great job! Lucky Karen. Adele

WOW, that is special!

Karen, you will enjoy this swap package for a long, long time.

Very creative and thoughtful, Barb.

Drying and powdering citrus...what a great idea, Barb. Karen, enjoy the gteat mix of goodies. I don't think I could wait... I'd be starting a couple of peppers in a flowerpot to grow indoors. Do post the Tattooed Potatoes recipe...sounds interseting.

Great package! Powdered citrus, very neat idea! What nice things to enjoy, Karen! Way to go, Barb!

What a terrific package you sent to Karen. It isn't apparent that she liked it at all......lol! Dried lime rounds sound wonderful. Great job, Barb. I can see Maggie and Bubbe in the garden now.

Very cool and creative swap box Barb! I know for sure that Karen will enjoy it all. Karen, I can't wait to see and hear about your gardening adventures.

David

What a beautiful package Barb. Karens going to enjoy this for a long time. I can't wait to hear about the garden.

Tracey

Where we live, there is a question of soil contamination in the surrounding area, so we don't plant a garden. This package makes me extra jealous! Truly a gift that keeps on giving.

Karen, the fact that you can steep some tea and just drop one of those dried rounds into it - mmmmm, what a way to start the day.

Very creative and thoughtful package, Barb

OMG - it is amazing, all right.

What a great bunch of presents! I love the cookbook and saw the pics of those potatoes - they're gorgeous!

And the homemade items - all I can say is WOW.

Stacy

Barb, I hope you see this message!

I just opened up my bottle of basil infused olive oil and all I can say is WOW! I may make myself sick on this stuff it is so good!

Thank you again for my wonderful package.

I have little lettuce startings in peat pots ready to plant outside next week.

Did you ever get my e-mail?

WOW! Barb, what a fabulous package you put together! The homemade category is amazing!! Enjoy, Karen!