New York International Gift Fair

On Sunday, January 30th a friend and I took a train ride from Wilmington, DE to Penn Station NY. Once there we got on a bus to the Javits Center where the New York International Gift Fair was being held. After checking our luggage and coats we were off on a two day shopping spree. Before going I searched the vendor list for those who had mushroom related items. I was surprised to find 9 names. It was close to 1 pm before we got started. Our first stop was the best. We found a table and toadstools set along with several other fun things for kids. As the day progressed we found mushroom Christmas ornaments, mushroom egg slicer (a great one) a mushroom brush along with some garden ornaments as well as some glass table top mushrooms. How about mushroom garden ornaments made out of volcanic ash? We ordered two of each size.

All in all the two days at the Fair proved to be successful. The best was to hear several vendors tell us how popular mushrooms have become! Music to my ears - I can remember walking from booth to booth asking for mushrooms and walk away disappointed.

Oops almost forgot to tell you - we took 4 bags of Snack N Shrooms with us - gave a taste to those who would try! Feedback was very positive.

Childhood memory - snow storm - card game - fun

There is a peacefullness outside tonight - one that brings back memories of living in Kennett Square, PA as a young girl. When there was a snow storm, my Mom and I would walk to my grandparent's home on S. Broad Street. It was so quiet - the world seemed quiet - not many cars out and about, if any at all. It was always after dinner when we would take our walk. Once inside we always sat at the kitchen table - it was not only used for dining but for playing cards too. That is where I learned to play a board game where we used pennies instead of chips - Royal Rummy or Tripoly. Great memories around that kitchen table!

It's the same table that many a holiday meal was served - those creamed mushrooms were the best!

My first wholesale Snack N Shroom customer

It is time to venture out beyond The Mushroom Cap with Snack N Shrooms. Snack N Shrooms were first introduced at Flickerwood Wine Cellars Tasting Room in 2009. Put them on your bar - see what happens! Folks came over to The Mushroom Cap that day wanting more. Wow - maybe these do have promise.

It all started here and there! Julie (Flickerwood owner) is the designer of our logo.

Tonight all four flavors of Snack N Shrooms are for sale at Flickerwood!

Thank you Flickerwood for being awesome neighbors, great merchants and bringing folks to town with groupons!

A visit to Philadelphia

A long awaited few days, an hour away from home, was great! We stayed in a quaint home on Waverly Street in Philly w/friends. Our weekend began Saturday morning with a drive up 95. Got to our destination, unpacked our things - and out the door we went on a 12 hour jaunt in the city. Lunch at a great Mexican restaurant, shopping, a stop at Rouge in Rittenhouse Square, dinner at a nice Italian restaurant - drinks at R2L - Restaurant at Liberty 2 on the 37th floor overlooking the city lights! It was a nice end to a great day in the city of Philadelphia!

While shopping I found some of the prettiest glass mushrooms in four different sizes - I've written to the company - hoping to purchase them for The Mushroom Cap. Will keep you posted!

I missed Santa's arrival by helicopter last night!

Last year on the 1st Friday of December we buried my Dad that morning. During the evening our family attended New Garden Township's Tree Lighting and Santa's arrival by helicopter. It was something we just had to do since Santa is one of our family!

Santa arrived by helicopter again last night. Could not let Keira or Austin sit on Santa's lap for fear they would recognize Pop Pop's voice! Kids are so smart these days. Must get another family photo - Addison Grace Lafferty was born in April this year.

Mom-Mom was at The Mushroom Cap this year greeting guests, offering samples of Mushroom Mustard, SnackNShrooms and other gourmet mushroom food items during Kennett Square's December Art Stroll.

Philadelphia and The Countryside

VisitPA.com! Wow - was happy to see that Kennett Square is listed under Philadelphia and The Countryside along with Jenkintown and the Landmark Town Communities in its Happy Holiday Shopping Guide.
Was happier when finding The Mushroom Cap in the write-up. Was this the reason someone called to verify a product called "Snack N Shrooms"? I wonder.

A few months ago a gentleman called saying that he was proof reading a couple of chapters in a book for a friend. He could not give me any details but said that it would help my business. He was calling to verify my snack product. He also said that the woman who was writing the book had been to the Mushroom Festival and had tasted the snack the year before.

Will keep you posted of course.

Creamed mushrooms for Thanksgiving dinner

When growing up and going to Thanksgiving dinner at my grandparents house there was always a bowl of creamed mushrooms on the table. It was a must for Thanksgiving dinner. I can still remember my grandmother making them - standing at the stove, stirring - making sure they were just right. They were so good.
Thanksgiving is the busiest time of year for the mushroom growers. More mushrooms are sold for this holiday than any other.

So far we are shipping mushrooms to a few customers in NY and a few in NJ on Monday for their Thanksgiving dinners. One is a repeat customer who buys for her boss who thought the mushrooms were the best present she could have received! I wonder how everyone will prepare their mushrooms for their Thanksgiving dinner? Soup, stuffing, raw stuffed with dip for an appetizer, cooked stuffed with......................, marinated or.................... So many great things to do with mushrooms!

Mushrooms are great for any meal - nutritious too!

Stop by The Mushroom Cap and find a variety of gourmet food products as well as our cooler full of fresh mushrooms! A shipment of Shiitake oil should be arriving today or tomorrow along with a shiitake tapenade!

Hope to see you soon at The Mushroom Cap. We have lots of gift basket ideas for you to choose from!

Happy Holidays everyone!