When Cooks Get Together-An End Of Summer Potluck Part II
The spread
Yesterday some wonderful cooks all converged at my home in Brooklyn for a Potluck. What made this so wonderful, besides the food, was that everyone is an accomplished cook and we all met initially on food websites (food52) through our blogs and also through Mealku my newest and most exciting food activity.
My friend Cristina and I worked together to organize the potluck, it’s not the first and certainly won’t be the last. Our little group (that is growing) is amazing. We have a scientist, a locavore, an artist, all women of different and very interesting backgrounds that all have one thing in common, we love to cook and we LOVE food. If it were not for the food websites like food52 none of us would have met most likely, and that in and of itself is amazing.
A potluck is a wonderful thing, everyone brings a dish of their choosing (usually more than one dish) and the selection of foods is as varied as the group of cooks and many of the dishes reflect the cooks ethnic background.
It was a a fantastic day, beautiful weather and the selection of food was beautiful as well as totally delicious. From Indian Khaman to a sweet potato and goat cheese salad to pulled pork sliders to chicken leg confit and many more. Then there was the dessert table:
Blueberry Pie photo by Cristina
Marcona Almond Cake photo by Cristina
Aleksandra’s chocolate bites photo by Cristina
Banana fudge ice cream by Cristina (photo too)
We are already planning our next potluck (actually 2 more in the works, we all plan on going on a tour of Long Island Wineries concentrating on the South Fork, we hope to rent a vacation house for a few days, visit the wineries and cook together, doesn’t that sound like fun?
The second potluck party is exciting also, Karen who is with Mealku offered us the use of their beautiful space in Tribeca to host a tasting, that sounds incredible also!!!
I made Panzanella and promised to post the recipe so here it is, please note I am not giving amounts because you don’t have to be exact, it’s a salad, but here is the list of ingredients:
Garden fresh tomatoes (assorted heirloom)
Cucumber (I used kirby)
flat leaf parsley
scallions
fresh basil (I used 8 leaves)
bufala mozzerella
salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and good olive oil
Ciabatta bread (preferably day old)
olive oil
garlic
Parmigiano reggiano
Make bread cubes
Cut ciabatta in half, slice garlic and place in mortar, add a little sea salt and crush the garlic. Scrape into a bowl and add some olive oil. Let sit for at least 15 minutes. Brush the garlic infused olive oil on the bread, cut into cubes and grate some parmigiana on the bread place in a pre heated 350 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes or until bread is crisp and toasted. Remove and let cool.
The Salad
Chop the tomatoes and add to a large bowl, add chopped cucumbers, sliced scallions, chopped parsley and torn basil. Season with salt and pepper and splash on some red wine vinegar and a good glugg of olive oil. Let sit for about 30 minutes so the tomatoes yield their juices. Add the mozzarella and bread cubes before serving, toss together.
apuginthekitchen 
What a wonderful afternoon you guys had! Sorry I missed it… was there in spirit! ❤
Me too Pamela, next time definitely and thank you!
It sounds like you had a great time! 🙂
We really did Francesca, it was fun with good company and food. Thank you very much.
Potluck with wonderful cooks! I was thinking about your potluck all weekend! 😀 )))
I love potlucks, so much fun. Hope you have one and would love to see it on your blog!!
Oh my gosh, can you imagine if Fae graced one of these potlucks? I would die! From happiness!
Sounds like my sort of afternoon! And all that food…I do love clearing up and nibbling all at the same time 🙂
It was a great day had a blast!! Yes nibbling is the best, still nibbling today!!
My potluck experiences have never been that awesome. 🙂 How fun!
It was fun, prior to these potlucks mine hadn’t been great either. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing the turn out! Sounds amazing! What I wouldn’t give to be there. And sounds like you all have some fun times planned in the near future too. Look forward to hearing about it.
Wish you could have been there, it was great!! Thanks so much.
That sound like such fun and I can just imagine how well you ate!
We certainly did, Hugo would have had a ball with all that food, the pugs were agitated because they couldn’t have any!!
Oh poor pugs – imagine the frustration for them. Mind you, at least they wait until you serve them; Hugo would have ‘served’ himself no doubt!
It sounds glorious! Love the photos. So cute that food brought you all together – what an interesting mix of people food bloggers are!
Thanks so much, we have a great group of people, its so much fun.
What fun! And the food looks lovely too!
It really was, thank you so much!
What a spread, sounds like fun! Panzanella was my weekly Saturday lunch with my kids this summer– so easy and so summery.
I could eat it every day in the summer!! It was a great assortment of food and desserts. We ate a lot and enjoyed every bite. Thanks so much.
How cool! I love potlucks, especially with highly talented chefs like yourselves! What a blast! The panzanella sounds amazing! xoxo
Thank you so much, it was fun and everyone out did themselves with the dishes they brought. It was amazing.
Sounds like a wonderful get-together! I would love to do that with fellow bloggers, cooks, etc. The food all looks good. Your salad sounds like a hit. I could go for that right now!
Thanks Suzie, yes the salad was good, so fresh, the tomatoes and other stuff from the farmers market was so good. I love summer produce!!
The food looks and sounds amazing, I wish I could reach into the internet and have a scoop of the banana fudge ice cream. I am glad you had a good time. 😉
That ice cream was amazing. Well, everything was really. A gathering of great cooks makes for some really wonderful food for sure! Thank you.
Why don’t I love closer to you? This looks like SO much fun. I would love to do something like this, but sadly, amongst my real-life friends, I’m the only one who does much cooking 😦
I know right??? wish you did live close. Thanks it was great fun and great food.
What a fantastic sounding potluck!! And your Panzanella sounds wonderful and perfect for summer!
Kenley
Thanks Kenley, love getting together with friends and when good food is involved it’s even better.
How fun is that! What a great idea! There are so many blogging friends I would love to have a potluck with! The photos were lovely and the food looked amazing – your salad sounds wonderful. So glad to be catching up on my favorite blogs – I can’t wait to read more about what you’ve been up to!
Thanks Danielle, it was great and potlucks are nice because everyone shares in the cooking. Easier to relax and enjoy the company.
You guys really outdid yourselves!! My friends and I used to perform monthly cook-offs which led to me trying several new foods. It was nice to expand our horizons together while catching up over amazing dishes. Keep up the good work 🙂 Looks very tasty!
Thank you, a cook off sounds like so much fun!!!
I thought the last potluck was fun but this was one stiff competition for the last and truly a splendid feast in every way – and such a warm and spirited gathering. I really really wish all of us food bloggers who visit each other’s blogs could have participated, that’d be a blast.
I’d never had panzanella and I know I said it before but have to say it again that your panzanella was really divine – just amazing. Let’s put it this way, it’s knocked off salad shirazi as my favorite salad and that’s saying a lot. Your tomatoes almost stole the show though. Natural gorgeous beauties. Loved the whole thing and so lucky to be included.
So glad you were able to come and that you are my neighbor. I am so thrilled that you liked the salad, it’s one of my favorites and to knock shirazi down a notch is saying something. Thank you!
What a fun idea! Looks like this get together was great and full of yummy food! 🙂
It really was, fun and lots of really great food. Thank you!
I love a good potluck. Next time invite me!
Consider yourself invited for the next one!! Thank you.
What fun!! Your salad sounds great as well!! I adore bread salads!
Me too, I have eaten bread salads from when I was a little girl. They have always been my favorite. I remember my Mom just using red wine vinegar and olive oil, so delicious. Thanks so much.
And can I get invited too? Are you with The Daily Meal?
Of course, we would love to have you. I don’t know what the daily meal is, will have to look that up. Thanks so much.
Wow, all that food looks delicious! What a fantastic thing that you all met online! I love your table too by the way. Seriously, that almond cake looks amazing!!!
Thanks Brandi, it was all delicious and yes, it’s amazing we all met online. It’s funny we had conversation online and when we actually met face to face it was like we already knew each other. Catherine’s almond cake was amazing!!
Yum! Everything looks so good! We just had panzanella in Victoria, Canada! 😉 Wish I lived closer so I could join you in your potlucks!
Wish you lived closer also! Thank you so much, panzanella is my favorite!!
What a great (and yummy!) get together! 🙂
It really was. thanks so much Stefano!
How fantastic! I want to move to Brooklyn now :-). What a wonderful way to meet people, and make new friends. I just love this and love the future plans you’re all making together. It all sounds just fabulous. I sure hope we meet some day too 🙂
Oh Susan, wouldn’t that be fun!!! We love hanging out together and I would love it so much if we would meet some day soon. Thank you.
Love potlucks! and this looked like a great one! All that food and time to sit and talk over the table…
It was a good one, we had a really nice time. Thanks so much.
foodie potlucks are THE BEST. Looks like a feast–is your panzanella front and center in your first photo? Love that you all have such varied careers by share a passion for food. What an amazing group and also a testament to the power of food in bringing folks together. Thank you for sharing your experience 🙂
They really are, love food centric events like this. We all have so much in common, varied backgrounds and ages but one common thread!! Thank you!
Oh this looked like it was so much fun! I’d love to be a part of community events and meet other bloggers. Also, I’m from NY too; just a skip and hop away from Bk. Will you be hosting another event/potluck again in the near future?
It really was fun, you live in NY, thats great. I will email you at the email address listed here and would love to add you to our list. How exciting!!
Aw thanks so much! Made my day. I just met another fellow food blogger from NY about 2 weeks ago and meeting another this Friday. I wonder if they know about this too (hmm?). Lol And I see that you write/create recipes for Food52, that’s awesome!
Oh wow, that sounds great, other food bloggers are welcome if you want to tell them about this. I just emailed you! Yes, I have been active on food52 a little over 2 years. It’s fun and a great website.
Naw, I wish I could’ve been there! What an amazing spread! I want to get connected with the bloggers in my local area too. Hm, I might have to put the call out and see if I can get organised. Yum! x
Oh you really should, it’s so much fun and I’ve met some great people and very talented cooks. It’s fun!!
Looks really tasty! Am glad i passed by! 🙂
Suzanne, I finally got to making your panzanella. I missed it since the gathering.
Hi Aleksandra, thank you. I have made it several more times it’s such a great summer salad. Thanks so much.
Thank you and that bread pudding was amazing!!!