Food52 Life

UPDATE: Celebrate Yourselves!

by:
November  1, 2011
223 Comments

 

The Food52 Cookbook

UPDATE X 3

Shop the Story

We are thrilled and impressed by the wide array of plans and ideas you have for parties! One thing we'd like to keep in mind is that we want to celebrate all the hard work that everyone has done on this book -- we see these parties as our chance to use grassroots party planning to send off the book in the best possible way, so that it will sell lots of copies and bring all of your amazing recipes into the kitchens of people who haven't yet learned about Food52. We also appreciate those who have spread the love on their own blogs and websites.

A couple of notes:

The books we're providing are a thank you gift from us to the host. For the rest of your guests, please ask them to remember to register your pre-sales on the Harper Collins website. This puts you in the running for snazzy Food52 totes! And we'll send signed book plates for all pre-sold books!

And please understand that we can't provide wine, books, and OXO tools to very small parties, or to parties that don't specifically have a Food52 Cookbook theme. Hope you'll understand -- we don't want to overstep our bounds with any of our generous sponsors.

We hope you have a fun time and we are looking forward to posting the photos you send us -- hint, hint!

Our hope is that The Food52 Cookbook will be wildly successful and fly off the shelves, so we can continue to do cool projects like this at Food52!

-- A&M

 

UPDATE ON THE UPDATE: Click here to see and join the Food52 Book Parties in the works (more added)!

As you've spent a year (no, two!) cooking up a storm and telling us about it, the promised cookbook's been under way. At last, we are thrilled to announce its release. On October 25th, the beauty (above -- featuring these delicious Zucchini Pancakes) hits stores -- a fun and food-filled 52 weeks of recipes created by you; curated, tested, and published by you and us, and now put in print by A&M and the Food52 community.

And now, we have one final request: stop, drop and throw a party! We're celebrating the launch and you should too. It's simple! Here is a roadmap that will get you on your way to hosting your very own Food52 Cookbook Potluck Party:

1. Brainstorm a list of your favorite food enthusiasts to help you relish in the spirit of Food52. 

2. Have 'em over, ON OR AFTER OCTOBER 25, 2011! Invite your friends using one of our three readymade e-cards (below!) -- now, that's an invite worth RSVP-ing to!

If you want to open up your guest list to other Food52 members on the site, leave a comment below. Let people know where you are, and give your party a name -- like "Julie's Omaha Party" -- so people can register the correct party name for their pre-order (more on this later), and then ask people who want to come to message you through the site.

E-Card for Voters

 

E-Card for Contest Winners

Ad #3

Quick but crucial note: If you're a Mac user, drag the image to your desktop; if you use a PC, right click it to save the image to your desktop.

Or, click here to download a book tile ad to post on your website or blog!

3. And -- in true Food52 fashion -- there's a prize!

Win a handsome, sturdy Food52 tote (sporting our new logo!) for you and each of your guests, when everyone registers their pre-orders of the cookbook. Totes go to the party with the highest average number of pre-ordered books per attendee. We'll announce the winners on November 20, 2011 and the bags'll ship out soon thereafter! Holiday gift, anyone?

And so: Pre-order the book on Amazon by October 25th!

Don't forget: Register your pre-orders here.

4. But of course -- there's swag! If you host an official Food52 Cookbook Potluck Party between October 25th and December 31, 2011, you'll get:

    • •  5 copies of The Food52 Cookbook
    • •  Signed bookplates for all pre-orders (but just because we're not there doesn't mean you can't sign each other's copies!)
    • • 4 bottles of wine and a boozy surprise for your guests from Lot18, online wine mecca for the first 30 host registrants (however, wine delivery is not possible in the following states: AR, DE, KY, ME, MO, MS, OK, PA, SD and UT. Apologies!) 
    • •  OXO’s niftiest new gadget for you and your guests

 

  • 5. Send us a postcard!
  • No really, we wish we were there. Please email us at [email protected] an album of festive party photos to be featured on Food52. And of course, there's a prize for the “Most Impressive Potluck Array". Go to town!

 

 

Phew, that was a lot to handle. Got questions? Send us a note at [email protected]

    • So, hats off and glasses raised to all of us: together we created a new breed of community cookbook. Time to celebrate!

 

    • Food52 Cookbook Tile Ads: If you're a Mac user, drag the image to your desktop; if you use a PC, right click it to save the image to your desktop.

 

  • Horizontal Tile Ad for WinnersHorizontal Tile Ad for Voters
  • Cookbook tile ad 3
  • Vertical Tile Ad for Winners                 Vertical Tile Ad for Voters               Cookbook Ad

 

***** UPDATE! *****

Food52 Book Party locations and hosts -- join up!

 

 

 
  • Austin, TX
  • Nannydeb's CenTex Food52 Party -- Contact nannydeb for more info.

 

  • Billings, MT
  • Billings Food52 Book Party -- Contact CaroLocal for more info.

 

    •  
      • Brooklyn, NY
      • Slow Food USA's Real Food 5 Challenge & Food52 Book Party -- Contact CaroLocal for more info. Please register here so we can holler with any last updates.
      • Boston, MA
      • Boston Food52 Book Party -- Contact fiveandspice for more info.
      • Central Coast, CA
        Central Coast California Food52 Book Party -- Contact pierino for more info.
      • Chapel Hill, NC
      • Chapel Hill Loves Food52! Party -- Contact Hotplate Gourmet for more info.

         

      • Chicago, IL
      • Chicago Food52 Book Party -- Contact MaSaBeMama for more info.
      • Colorado Springs/Denver, CO
      • Colorado Springs/Denver Food52 Book Party -- Contact Niknud for more info.
      • Eastern Shore, MD
      • Eastern Shore Food52 Book Party -- Contact Rhonda35 for more info.
      • Evansville, IN
      • Evansville Food52 Book Party -- Contact LLStone for more info.
      • Fairfield County, CT
      • "lechef's Loft Party" -- Contact lechef for more info.
      • Jersey City, NJ
      • "Other Side of the Hudson Book Party" -- Contact ChefJune for more info.
      • New Orleans, LA
      • New Orleans Food52 Book Party -- Contact bethannem for more info.
      • New York City, NY
      • Suzanne's Metro Party -- Contact sdebrango for more info. 
      • Newbury, NH
      • Newbury Food52 Book Party -- Contact mdm for more info.
      • Nigeria, Africa
      • Food52 Cooks with Naija Party -- Contact Kitchen Butterfly for more info.
      • Portland, OR
      • Portland Food52 Book Party -- Contact hardlikearmour for more info.
      • San Francisco, CA
      • San Francisco Food52 Book Party -- Contact bvrlybest for more info.
      • Seattle, WA
      • Seattle Food52 Book Party -- Contact EvaR for more info.
      • Southern New Jersey, NJ
      • Southern New Jersey Food52 Book Party -- Contact Panfusine for more info.
      • Southwest New Hampshire, NH (Western Mass, VT, NH, Upstate NY)
      • SW New Hampshire Food52 Book Party -- Contact susan g for more info
      • Tuscon, AZ
      • Tuscon Food52 Book Party -- Contact enbe for more info.

      •  

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

 

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Listen Now

On Black & Highly Flavored, co-hosts Derek Kirk and Tamara Celeste shine a light on the need-to-know movers and shakers of our food & beverage industry.

Listen Now
Tags:

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Brette Warshaw
    Brette Warshaw
  • nannydeb
    nannydeb
  • fiveandspice
    fiveandspice
  • enbe
    enbe
  • Rhonda35
    Rhonda35
Food52
Food52 (we cook 52 weeks a year, get it?) is a food and home brand, here to help you eat thoughtfully and live joyfully.

Popular on Food52

223 Comments

Brette W.
Brette W. January 8, 2012
Hi all -- We here at Food52 would love to see photos of your potlucks, so if you haven't sent them in already, please do! You can email them to [email protected] by this Wednesday 1/11. Thanks so much!
 
nannydeb
nannydeb November 16, 2011
The Austin food52 party was a blast! Of course, we had too much food, but no one complained about taking leftovers home. For appetizers we had Ginger Tamari Cashews, Crispy Brined Pecans and Texas Sweet Heat-Caramel Pretzels. Then it was on to Creamy Pumpkin Soup, followed by Pastitsio, Couscous with Roasted Fennel and Toasted Almonds, Crispy Delicata Squash Rings with Current, Fennel and Apple Relish, Mr L's Mashed Potatoes, Absurdly Addictive Asparagus and an assortment of smoked meats. We also enjoyed Sesame Dinner Rolls and Buttermilk Oatmeal Bread with Spiced Plum Jam. For dessert there was Applesauce Cake with Caramel Icing, Lazy Mary's Lemon Tart and Boozy Kahlua Cake. It was wonderful being around other "food nerds" talking (obsessing) about recipes, techniques and food52. We can't wait for another excuse to get together!
 
fiveandspice
fiveandspice November 16, 2011
The Boston party happened 2 weeks ago, but I'm just pulling myself together enough to give a little update now. We had close to a dozen people - our numbers were decreased a bit by a nasty flu that was going around that laid some anticipated guests low. We missed them, but had a wonderful time. The potluck array of food was obscenely delicious, including a roasted garlic butternut squash galette, sausage and kale dinner tart, not too virtuous caramel apple salad, fennel and white bean dip, Faulknerian family spice cake, and a vast variety of other lovely nibbles. We had an absolute blast talking about food52, cooking, traveling, car repair, education, and whether or not it would be a good idea to cook hotdogs and corn in the dishwasher. And we all swooned over how lovely the book is! Thanks to everyone who came for such a fun night.
 
enbe
enbe November 15, 2011
The Wild West Potluck out here in Tucson was a success! We had almost 30 people (what can I say? the more the merrier it just kept growing). We had a few Food52ers and a few people new to the fold who wanted to learn about the site. Dishes ranged from Roasted Fennel & White Bean dip to Absurdly Addictive Asparagus to Martha's Mac & Cheese and more with Apple Sauce Cake & Millionaire's Shorbread for dessert. It was absolutely fantastic to taste everyone's creations and the wine was excellent!
 
Rhonda35
Rhonda35 November 15, 2011
The Eastern Shore Food52 Book Launch Party was crazy fun! The food was incredible, the wine flowed freely and the group declared it the best-tasting party ever! Food52 has a bunch of new converts and EVERYONE here loves the book - yay, Amanda and Merrill! The dishes ranged from Wild Mushroom Pate (made with mushrooms the cook foraged locally) to Prosciutto and Fontina Panini with Arugula Pesto (on homemade focaccia) to Sweet Potato and Pancetta Gratins (the group favorite) to Lazy Mary's Tart (made by a 10-yr-old girl and her father.) And the guests all found it amusing that the hostess pulled off a food party without a functioning oven! Thanks, Food52, for 2+ years of inspiring recipes and for giving us a great reason to get together with other foodies and stuff our faces. ;-)
 
Rhonda35
Rhonda35 November 15, 2011
P.S. I can't believe my party had the most book pre-orders!! That's amazing. I mean, I only twisted the arms of my entire town just a tiny bit! (When are you going to let me handle your PR??!)
 
susan G.
susan G. November 15, 2011
A short report from SW New Hampshire: it was a delight! Delicious food, new friends for FOOD52, and treasured visits from sagegreen and sheredel, new members zuzu44 and (member name not known). Everything we ate was excellent. From the site: Kashmiri Hummos, Black Bean and Butternut Squash Salad, Sweet Potatoes Anna with Prunes, Leek-Lemon-Feta Quiche, Savory Bread Pudding, Hearty Harvest Bread.. Finale, Ancho-Cinnamon Chocolate Bark, Graham Cracker Toffee, and my NE Pear Tart (photo from the party now posted). The sleepovers had Simple Gifts Granola in the morning. Only glitch was a broken cork, but you had provided the right amount of wine so there was plenty and it was enjoyed. Book recipients were thrilled and ready to dig in and cook some more. Thank you, FOOD52, for the opportunity -- it was memorable!
 
Kian G.
Kian G. November 8, 2011
Minneapolis will have a Food52 Cookbook Cooking Extravaganza at the Seward Coop on December 16. Message me for details or register at Seward. See you there!
 
Kian G.
Kian G. November 8, 2011
Minneapolis will have a Food52 Cookbook Cooking Extravaganza at the Seward Coop on December 16. Message me for details or register at Seward. See you there!
 
CaroLocal
CaroLocal November 8, 2011
Hey all,

Our Food52 Potluck in NYC is tomorrow, November 9, and we'd love some more Food52 ol' timers to come and join us!

To celebrate Food Day, a celebration of local, real, homemade food; Slow Food USA's Real Food 5 Challenge, which encourages us to show what a *real* value meal tastes like; and the release of the community-generated Food52 cookbook, we're organizing a Harvest Potluck.

We'll be raffling off two copies of the Food52 cookbook, and giving one cookbook to the winner of the popular vote for "Most Delicious" (assuming they arrive tomorrow!) We'll also be featuring some delicious food to taste from some local farms and lots of wonderful company.

Please bring your dish, along with your own plates, knife/fork, and a mug/glass/bottle, and meet us on November 9 at 7:30 pm at the St. Johns St Mathew-Emmanuel community hall at 283 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn, NY.

With any questions, holler back, but otherwise, we'll see you New Yorkers tomorrow!!
 
Teri
Teri November 6, 2011
Hello all,

We had our Syracuse Food52 potluck Nov. 5 and it was the perfect kickoff for the Eating Season (the time of year you might also know as The Holidays). We had a blast.

There was a little salad drama (when is there not, really, when you're facing 2 1/2 pounds of uncleaned squid in the kitchen, alone) and there were tweeting hijinks, in which the squid was abandoned for another day and a beer was opened (though not in the same household). There was one very large squash, a search for labneh, and, in a non-Food52 move, pumpkin ice cream from Gannon's, which closes for the season next week. (If you don't know Gannon's, then google it, along with directions, to Syracuse. We have great food up here, and Gannon's is just one of our institutions for dessert.)

There was also one of us who set the table, put the meat in the oven, washed her hands and declared this the easiest and most stress-free dinner party she's ever thrown. Now I know the trick: introduce your friends to a great food website, open the front door, and watch them parade in with baskets (even laundry baskets) filled with dinner.

For our party, we tried a few new recipes, including Apple and Endive Salad by onetribegourmet, in which we learned that you can have sumac in your yard and eat it too (though you should visit your local Middle Eastern market to harvest it). TheRunawaySpoon's Fig and Blue Cheese Savouries had us first at the British spelling and then at their light meltiness. They promptly made their way onto a few Thanksgiving menus.

It's obvious why Roasted Carrot Soup by Reeve won for best carrot recipe. Some of us admitted to making carrot soup often, but never roasting the vegies first. The black, smokey flecks from the oven and trace of ginger made some go back for seconds -- and that was just the first course.

For dinner, it was all mash and meat, straight from A&M. We had Amanda's Butternut Squash Puree, a simple list of four ingredients that make an elegant side. If you make this dish, you must serve it in your grandmother's (or someone's grandmother's) dish. It's that good.

Likewise, Merrill's Short Ribs with Beer and Buckwheat has a handful of ingredients that turn into a mix between the best stew and best pot roast you've ever had. It was also a wonderful excuse to go to Lieh's and Steigerwald, one of the happiest places to be on a Saturday morning in Syracuse. People leave that butcher shop with heavy, brown paper bags and great big smiles.

Along with the pumpkin ice cream, we had chocolate bundt cake for dessert from KelseytheNaptimeChef. Like so many good things, this recipe drew a bit of controversy during the last two years. So let me put it all to rest: pumpkin ice cream and this moist, coffee-dunked cake do go together, no matter what anyone says. Especially when you drizzle it with ginger syrup. You'll just have to trust us.

Food 52, you made some new fans and reinvigorated old ones. "It's such a good website," my friend said. "There's no junk to weed through." Indeed. You keep gathering thoughtful, careful and skilled recipes writers from all over. Congratulations on two great years (or is it three?). We're looking forward to the second book and the holiday app and whatever else is in store. Some of us have photos, so editors if you'd like them, please email me and let me know where to send them.

Hope everyone else has as much fun as we did. Happy Eating Season!

 
CaroLocal
CaroLocal November 4, 2011
Join us at a great NY potluck on November 9! For more info, and to send us your details for a balanced potluck-ing, visit https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG5rWmVhTDlsMllsaVBkNm9LWUJUbnc6MQ#gid=0 or holler back at me! Thanks!
 
CaroLocal
CaroLocal November 4, 2011
Join us at a great NY potluck on November 9! For more info, and to send us your details for a balanced potluck-ing, visit https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?hl=en_US&formkey=dG5rWmVhTDlsMllsaVBkNm9LWUJUbnc6MQ#gid=0 or holler back at me! Thanks!
 
CaroLocal
CaroLocal November 4, 2011
Thanks so much! Sadly just got this message now, but I'd love to organize another potluck for a more "official" launch with your presence at Ger-Nis!
 
susan G.
susan G. November 2, 2011
To everyone in safe driving distance of SW New Hampshire: I have a good group coming for my party on November 12th, but the invitation is still open to FOOD52 users -- just contact me!
 
Food52
Food52 October 30, 2011
We apologize for any issues with wine or book/swag deliveries. If you have a problem please email [email protected] for assistance and we'll do everything we can to help sort it out. Thanks!
 
CaroLocal
CaroLocal October 25, 2011
I've been planning a food52 potluck for early November, but we've gotten too many interested friends for our kitchen -- trying to find a good community place in Brooklyn or Manhattan to host us... If you've got any ideas, holler back!
 
Amanda H.
Amanda H. October 25, 2011
We did a food52 potluck this summer at Ger-Nis, and it was great. Nissa, the owner, just emailed us yesterday to see if we'd like to do something again. Perfect timing! Here's her number: (347)-422-0337 culinary center
 
Panfusine
Panfusine October 20, 2011
My Food52 festival of lights (southern NJ) invites have just gone out.. But do feel free to drop me a line if you're interested in attending.. (Food52 team, I've sent you an evite as well.. & I'd Love to have any of you drop in & surprise me!).. Getting all geared up to start cooking!)
 
Niknud
Niknud October 20, 2011
So the Colorado Springs/Denver party is up and running! Any last takers? Had a few who had other issues come up so there is room for a few more! It's planned for the evening of the 29th of October. Given all the site issues I've been experiencing, if you'd like to be in touch to confirm/join, please just message me...or you could just email me at [email protected]. Can't wait to see everyone!
 
TamarE
TamarE October 19, 2011
I'm planning a book dinner party on October 28th in New York NY! Hooray!
 
AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames October 17, 2011
I'm planning a book celebration brunch / holiday cookie and savory treat exchange on December 4, in the East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area, in Piedmont ). ;o)