Box of Local Flavor (USA)

Do you like learning about cuisines in other parts of the USA, and relish the thought of introducing someone to the joys of food in your region? Are you an experienced, enthusiastic swapper who is at least as interested in preparing a wonderful package for your partner as you are in receiving one? If so, this might be the swap for you.

You will choose a food/cuisine that is particular to the region in which you now reside. Your focus might be a relatively widespread cuisine (such as Tex-Mex or Southern), something a bit less extensive (Amish-style cooking or Wisconsin cheese) or even for one item in particular (Cincinnati chili). Consider the package that you send to be a first basic introduction of your partner to this cuisine/cooking-style/dish. All items are sender´s choice.

As this is a rather “involved” swap, the following explanation is long and detailed in order to minimize differences in interpretation and/or disappointment at the moment of receiving your package. Please read and follow all of the guidelines.

Your package should contain:

• Two “tasteable” factory-sealed food items related to your focus cuisine/food such as a snack, a candy, a seasoning packet, a condiment, etc.

• One utensil, implement, dish, or container related to the cuisine. These may be new or used (think thrift store), but should be clean and in good, usable condition. Examples: potato ricer for Amish cooking, tortilla basket for New Mexico cuisine, etc. Depending on your region and focus, you may have to use your imagination a bit: a couple of interesting soup spoons for Cincinnati chili, a nice pair of tongs if your focus is the Chicago-style hot dog, a spoon rest featuring a can of Spam if you are doing Hawaiian cuisine, etc.

• One other inexpensive related item. Send a dollar-store tea towel with a lobster on it (if you are from Maine), a plastic placemat showing a map of your city/state, a pendant or charm of an Idaho potato (if you live there), etc. Note: these items—as well as any others in the package—may definitely be “Made in China” or otherwise not actually produced in your region.

• A written introduction to the cuisine/cooking-style/dish that is at least five paragraphs long. This may be written by you or copied from elsewhere (such as Wikipedia). It should be typed and printed or photocopied from a book/magazine. Please indicate the source of the text if you are not the author.

• Two tried-and-true recipes from the regional cuisine or for the food item that you are presenting. “Tried-and-true” means that you have prepared that very same recipe at least once and the result was acceptable. The recipes can be presented however you like—hand written on recipe cards or a normal sheet of paper, printed from a computer, photocopied from a magazine/book, etc. Please indicate the recipe's source, if you know it.

• A recent supermarket flyer, newspaper grocery insert, or other similar advertising from your area which features some regional items/ingredients.

If you’d like to include “extras” (as in NON-required optional items), here are some suggestions: a take-out menu or two from restaurants in your area that serve your focus cuisine/food; a new or used community cookbook from your area (the kind produced by churches, civic groups, etc.); a past issue of a regional food magazine; a list of links to good web sites about your regional food; additional recipes (these extra would not necessarily have to be tried-and-true). Again, these extras are OPTIONAL, and you may not rate someone down because they did not come in the package that you received. I am mentioning them here just as one way to stimulate ideas about how you can make your package extra special, if you choose to and able to.

“Sender’s choice” means that you will have no say in the type of items you will receive, so please keep that in mind if you have special dietary requirements or preferences. Plan on being a gracious, fairly-rating recipient, and to re-gift any items you receive that you are unable to use yourself.

The package that you send should be competently and reasonably packed (enough cushioning to prevent damage, no sending meltable things to hot climates, etc.) and be mailed by the send date. As this is sender´s choice, there is no need to wait until partners are assigned to get your items together; start now so that you can send on time.

There is no fixed price range on this swap, but considering the fact that you will be sending items that most likely require a box to mail, I think it quite likely that you will be spending $12-20 on this swap. Please plan accordingly.

Partners will be assigned on April 29 and swaps should be mailed soon after that. A minimum rating average of 4.98 is required to participate, and you should have at least eight completed and rated (as 5s) type-3 swaps under your belt. (If your rating is slightly below that and you still want to participate, p.m. me and we can talk.) I reserve the right to ban anyone for any reason.

Have a look at my other current swaps:

• Totally Tea (USA)

• Hobby Lobby Floral Photo Shoot

• Flavored Lip Balms (USA)