'Buy Local' a Big Hit at Holiday Party

We had a great time at our tree-trimming party. It’s nice to have that tradition back off the ground.

I was busy in the kitchen and enjoying the company of our guests, so I didn’t do too much tree decorating. But the kids tried their hand at it…which is why several branches are weighted down by four or more ornaments.

I think it’s safe to say that besides the company, the biggest hit of the party was the hot winter wine…the Vin Glogg from Glunz Cellars (Grayslake, Ill). A close second was my hot spiced cider with cinnamon stick stirrers and a pat of butter (and an optional shot of top shelf brandy).

[To those who asked, I make my mulling spice bag (per gallon of cider and cup of brown sugar) with 1 tsp cloves, 2 tsp allspice, citrus rind (I used Clementine since that’s what I served), and two 2 inch cinnamon sticks. All wrapped in cheese cloth. Boil it all for 10-15 minutes and plop in a crock pot. I serve it bar style with cinnamon stick stirrers, butter, and brandy.]

Not that I’m saying my guests are lushes, but the local beer went pretty quickly too…all of the Alpha King and Robert the Bruce from Three Floyd’s (Munster, Ind.) left the building. The Ebel’s Weiss from Two Brothers (Warrenville, Ill.) didn’t do as well with this crowd.

Our guests seemed to appreciate all our “local” food selections. They ate up the Little Bloom on the Prairie and Chevre Round goat cheeses from Prairie Fruits Farm (Champaign, Ill.)

Turns out I have a new snack favorite too…the Dilled Cauliflower from Sechlers (St. Joe, Ind.).

And despite concerns from Urban Dweller about the name, The Hair of the Ferret Salsa (Crown Point, Ind.), was a all gone by the end of the evening.

We also had some White Cin from Fox Valley Winery (Oswego, Ill.), a cheese selection from Fair Oaks Farms (Fair Oaks, Ind.), Oberweis Lemonade and Chocolate Milk from Oberweis Dairy (Aurora, Ill.), and Spinach Artichoke Dip from River Valley Kitchens (Burlington, Wis.).

Each guest left with a jar of Chicago Rooftop Honey from Mayor Daley’s rooftop garden project. [Old Farm Tale: The farmers tell me that if you eat honey made within 10 miles of where you live, you’re less likely to suffer from allergies. Don’t know if that’s true. But it’s another excuse to buy local.]

We didn’t have any takers on sledding, though the iFarmer and Future Farmboy headed out early in the morning for a few runs down the hill.