Nothing beats a OKMH mail day. This month, our One Kitchen Many Hearts gang chose ‘Summer Picnics’ for our gifting theme. My box came from Kirsten of Comfortably Domestic from the northern regions of the great state of Michigan. Home of The Cherries (my favorite fruit). Did I mention she brought me a 4 pound bag of dried Michigan cherries when she came to visit in May? Because if there’s one sure way to get me to invite you down for a long weekend of antiquing, Texas Martinis and traditional southern cuisine, it’s to pack a huge bag of cherries in your carry-on (for future reference).
Here’s a snap of Kirsten’s picnic extravaganza box:
For the record, this might just be my favorite theme to date. There’s so much going on in this box. Let’s just break it down into manageable bits, shall we? First, each parcel was lovingly wrapped in cute polka dot tissue and tied with a ribbon and a ‘cherry lug marker’ as a gift tag.
You’re probably thinking “What the heck is a cherry lug?” Welcome to the club. I didn’t know about them, either. Here’s what Kirsten said in her card about them: “The tags are vintage cherry lug markers from Morgan Farms – now the spot of an exciting new subdivision. I thought you’d get a kick out of having a few pieces of (Michigan) history.” She’s right. I love them. Not sure what I’ll do with them just yet, but stringing them onto a charm bracelet has crossed my mind. What would you do with them?
Kirsten knows me well. A perfect example is this Dagoba chocolate bar. While friends send friends chocolate, true friends know what you love and send the good stuff. The dark stuff. As a bonus, this one had organic mint & rosemary essence. It was all that and a bag of chips, as we used to say back in 1993.
In case the chocolate didn’t soothe all things, she also threw in a jar of Ancient Healer Herbal Salve. Oh, baby… you should smell this magical potion!
It smells of all the great herby things – rosemary, evergreen trees, and earth. I love a good herbal salve. It’s my ‘go to’ ointment for burns, rashes or scrapes but is also perfect to soothe those summer sunburns. It’s lovely and perfect and made in Michigan. Know what else is soothing and made in Michigan? Wine!
This beauty came in a separate box, shipped directly from the Brys Estate in Michigan (seeing a theme here?). It’s one of my all-time favorite whites – a . Ever tried one? If you enjoy a nice chilled white wine for summer, you need to try one. But you’ll have to get your own – this Brys Gewürztraminer in mine. All mine! (You can’t hear it, but I’m doing my evil laugh while hugging the bottle.) Kirsten also included two ‘travel size’ bottles of Jose Cuervo margaritas – the perfectly portable picnic potion.
This cute post-it pad sums up how I feel about my morning coffee. As I said, girlfriend knows me well. She’s my sister from another mister. My pal from another gal. My… okay, I think you get what I’m saying. She gets me.
She also has the memory of an elephant. I wish I had her brain cells for even a day. Menopause has officially robbed me of most of mine, but Kirsten remembers all the good stuff. Like this vintage find from an antique shop. We saw one while antiquing when she was down in May. Next thing you know, there’s one in my June box. Do you know what it is?
Ultimate meat fork? No. Beard comb? No, and I’ll thank you not to mention my beard. :) It’s a cake comb! It’s used to slice delicate cakes like angel food or chiffon cakes. Even more effective than today’s serrated knives, these cake combs are the unicorns of baking utensils. This one will be perfect for my Berry Week contribution next month, so stay tuned. It will be making a return appearance in a few short weeks. (Thanks, K! Perfect timing!)
And a picnic isn’t a picnic unless it’s portable. Kirsten had that covered, as well. Check out these beauties! The first is a thermal insulated chill bag in a cute owl print. Who has two thumbs and loves owls? This girl! You pop the bag in the fridge or freezer to pre-chill, then pack and go. The second is a stainless steel thermal beverage bottle. In my favorite color, no less. It goes without saying that I love them both and will put them to good use this summer.
And there you have it – a perfect summer picnic box from my blogging bestie Kirsten. Nailed it! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a potato salad to make and a chilled wine to chug. I mean sip. Yeah, I totally meant sip.
To see what I sent to Megan, CLICK HERE.
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Jeanne, I admire the friendships you enjoy with your blogger buds and the collaborations behind OKMH are a smile factory. Keep on manufacturing!
Thanks, Brooks. You know I count you among those friends. And you’re always invoted to join our food week collaborations. We’re doing Berry Week for July. Say the word, and you’ll be our inaugural male member!
Hooray! I’m so glad that you like all of the picnic goodies. Now if you can convince your Grill-Master husband, TCP, to smoke a little brisket for sandwiches to go with that potato salad, you’ll have the all the makings for the ultimate picnic. When you come up here for The National Cherry Festival 2014, we’ll be sure to swing by Brys Estates. See how I worked that in there? File that in your Travel folder. ;)
Like it? I LOVE it! And I’ll take you up on that Brys Estate offer if we can work it into a cherry farms roadtrip or an antique shop hop. Can’t wait!
You can count on it! We’ll tour cherry farms, vineyards, and every antique shop that we see!
Oh what a great haul! How very generous of Kirsten! So many fabulous things in your package. Love those cherry markers….not sure what I’d do….but jewelry comes to mind. But you know what my favorite thing is from that package? Yup….that cake comb! Awesome and I’m going to have to search Etsy for one of those! Have fun on your picnic! : )
Anne, if you’re serious about the cake comb, I’m happy to keep an eye out for one. I see them at antique shops from time to time. They’re so cool. Kirsten really hooked me up this month!
I love that the mini-comb is used for cake! hahaha That cracks me up. Kirsten is so clever with her packaging. Who knew cherry lugs existed and could so perfectly finish off a decoration?
I know, right? When I first saw one, I totally thought “goat comb” or something for those slinky silky Afghan hounds, but no… it’s for cake. Go figure. Kirsten always brings the fun with her boxes. This summer picnic version is one of her finest collections.
What a great box of goodies. I would be right in my glory with all those great gifts. Those cherry markers are especially cool. And I love Gewürztraminer – you’re right – perfect for the summer!
Woot! Cheers for the Gewürztraminer! {clink}
I totally thought the cake cutter was a brain massager. Still awesome, though.
Loving the haul and the cherry lugs! Maybe feature them in a small photo frame? Backdrop with burlap? They deserve to be on display!
Hahaha… no, the brain messager is called The Tingler (and it’s fabulous). Google it. I love your idea for the cherry lugs. I’m thinking I’ll need to craft a frame like the ones you & Megan have been actioning, then drop in the burlap background and tie them on so I can hang the frame. Thanks for the inspiration, Beka!
Fact: I ransacked the one antique shop in Jerome last weekend to see if there was a goodie I could send in my next OKMH package. Nothing sang to me, sadly, but I’ll keep looking! Antique kitchen stuff is SO fun!
That chocolate is amazing. I’m sure it was already sacrificed to the flavor gods, so I don’t need to tell you that, but now I want chocolate.
I have a whole collection of vintage kitchen gadgets that I love, but until now a cake comb was not part of said collection. I love it! It will make an appearance next month for our next food blogging collaboration. And yes, the chocolate died quickly and violently. And yes, it was delicious.
Thank for this blog, you answered a ? I had about the cake fork, we just lost my Mom so cleaning her beloved home and I took this item not sure what it was used for, knew it had to be food since it was with her silver serving set. I justdid a Google search and saw your picture of your fork so just had to pick in, Very nice blog you have and plan a bookmark. Again a big Thank you, Jeanette
Hi, Jeanette!
I’m so happy you found me (and my vintage cake comb). I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your mother. I hope you’ll be able to use her comb some day in her memory. In the old days, these cake combs were used to cut delicate angel food and crumb cakes without smashing or tearing them. I can only assume this was pre-serrated knives. These days, they are thought of more as conversation piece than a kitchen utensil, but as with most things vintage, they still work beautifully.
Thanks for sharing the story of your mother’s cake comb and thanks for the follow, Jeanette!
-jeanne
Nice to meet you, did read a few post you have post fun blogs, enjoyed. Even the new shoes, daughter has a pair and I bought the slip on tennis shoe just love them I can walk for hours with them.
Thank, My Mom fought a brave fight of a brain tumor was given 2 weeks she showed the DR and did 99 days. We have found so many vintage things and some we sold and made very good money, most were clothes. Mom was a great pack rat, she had lot of our school clothes still very vintage back in the early 60’s. Now her kitchen stuff we couldn’t part with so our homes have a little of mom.
Well enjoy your site , thanks for letting me peek in. Jeanette
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