taking potlucks seriously

i take potlucks seriously.  i seriously love them.  i seriously want to have them every weekend and i seriously want everyone else to love them as much as I do.  there are all kinds of potluck characters, which keeps it exciting.  for those with less refined culinary skills, i prefer the “i’ll bring wine” guy over the “i’ll bring bread” gal.  for those who take cooking seriously, there’s the “here’s my chance to show off my mad kitchen skillz” type and the “look what i bought from the fancy grocery store” type.  i often like to use a potluck to make that dish that everyone loves but never makes for themselves.  for example, taco dip served with frito scoops.  it’s real good people and you don’t have to be ashamed about loving it.  although when i brought this dish to a potluck this weekend, i was worried about the crowd thinking it was a bit, let’s call it pedestrian.  i was new to this potluck circle and my taco dip sat next to this gorgeous homemade broccoli raab flatbread feeling a bit judged.   obviously, i’ve lived in san francisco too long if my taco dip has a complex about flatbread.  so we’ll move on.  the next day, i was lucky enough to go to yet another potluck.  this one hosted by old, dear friends and it was pumpkin themed.  the only thing better than a potluck is a themed potluck!  when you potluck (yes, it’s also a verb) with the same people for many years, you get really good at it.  something mystical happens and all the dishes pair well and all the courses are covered and it’s just delightful, unplanned yumminess!  we dined on pumpkin curry soup, pumpkin ravioli, lentil/pumpkin salad, mayan pumpkin dip, and pumpkin cheesecake. our "i'll bring wine" guy even brought vino that paired with pumpkin well.  what i'm getting at is that a good potluck is really snack sharing at its best.  what’s your best potluck experience?

snack shared:  taco dip and pumpkin soup 

globetrotting treats

sharing snacks is going global!  thanks to our dear friend who is living the ex-pat life in turkey, i have discovered one of my new favorite treats.  tutku!  its the most delicious little cookie.  it’s a round, crunchy shortbread with nutella inside!  (note:  nutella is a hazelnut flavored chocolate spread.  it’s probably worth an entire post, but until then just trust me.  eat it.) there is also a version of tutku that is similar to the famous black and white cookies, but in a swirl pattern with, you guessed it, nutella inside.  i’m usually a salty over sweet kinda gal, but seriously, i think about this cookie many times a day.  i can’t wait to get home to have one or four.  and that’s another awesome thing about global snacks:  you have to pace yourself because it’s a novelty.  i can’t go buy more tutku.  i rely solely on the generosity and travel plans of our friend.  and we are so lucky to have a friend who is willing to give up luggage space for our snacking enjoyment.  are there any international treats that you crave? maybe we could start a snacking global exchange service. 

snack shared:  tutku/turkish cookies

tutku - thank you turkey.

treat or treat

you’d think that as a snack-lover, halloween would be my favorite holiday. but the lack of trick or treating in my fair city is down right disappointing!  halloween presents a concentrated opportunity for snack sharing – the whole neighborhood is sharing snacks!  i had two huge bags of mini-oreos ready for little princesses and monsters.  i gave out…four.  major bummer.  i hear stories about suburban neighborhoods that get hundreds and hundreds of trick or treaters.  it's like some crazy urban myth that i pray is true, but can't wrap my head around.  i was planning on making caramel apples for my cool city treaters, but my friend who is also a mom reminded me that homemade goods are no longer allowed on the trick or treating trail (another bummer).  all this makes me a bit nostalgic in a sad kind of way.  i remember being a kid and knowing what were the “good” houses to trick or treat at.  our neighbor across the street gave out homemade popcorn balls.  hell yes, popcorn balls!!  the house kitty cornered gave out whole candy bars to the first lucky bunch of kids.  my mom gives out bags of hot cocoa. what kind of candy you give out on halloween says a lot about a person.  are you a creative snack sharer or a grumpy-lame-candy-no-lit-pumpkin-sharer?!  halloween is an awesomely rare time to unlock our doors, turn on the front porch light and be welcoming to all kinds of little freaks and ghouls.  what's not to love?!  what was your favorite treat as you tricked?    

snack shared: mini-oreos

trick or treat?  obviously treat.