It's Our Birthday & We're Giving You a Present!

It’s our birthday! One year ago, we launched our Provisions shop. Today we're celebrating -- to celebrate with us, tell us in the comments by Monday, August 11th at 5PM EST what product from Provisions you'd want for your birthday. One lucky winner will get his or her pick!

Update: Congratulations to our winner: Betty Liu! We can't wait to see all the birthday cakes you serve on your new gold-rimmed plates!

How we eat has never stopped with the food we're cooking. It's always gone beyond that -- to the pots we cook in, the platters we serve on, and the linen napkins we set the table with. That's why, for years, we've been collecting and sourcing gorgeous dishes to use in our own office and home kitchens. But we always wished for a shop that carried similar pieces -- a place to find a perfect housewarming gift, or a top-quality vinegar, or a durable vintage copper pot. A place with both functional, best-of-the-best cooking tools and accessories for our home.

And so we launched Provisions -- one year ago tomorrow -- and now our baby is turning one. To celebrate, we’re throwing a party. Here’s how we do birthdays, Food52-style:

1. Start with cake. Always, in life, start with cake. We’re thinking big, so we made 7 cakes, including strawberry-mousse, vanilla buttercream, and dark chocolate. We went all out, but if you aren’t confident in your cake-decorating skills, just use a cake banner or cake toppers -- they’ll make any dessert look festive with little effort.

More: We like options. Here are 11 more ways to start with cake.

2. Champagne is a must. Don’t save the bubbly for New Year’s Eve. Exciting drinks like sparkling wine or fun cocktails make a party better (actually, they make every day better). If you want to really get wild, buy a sword and learn to saber your Champagne. 

3. Decorate! We strung up this Happy Birthday banner on the wall, lit some candles in luminary bags, and threw around some confetti. Because YOLO.

4. Wrap up a gift in pretty paper and twine, and write a card (preferably a quirky letterpress one). If you’re giving something oddly-shaped and hard to wrap (like a bottle of wine), tie a patterned cotton tea towel around it (two gifts in one!).

And while we’re on the topic of presents, we’d like to give you one! Tell us in the comments by Monday, August 11th at 5PM EST what Provisions product you’d like to get for your birthday and why. We’ll pick one winner and give you your pick! 

Photos by James Ransom