Hope for the new year

Posted by Anita on 12.31.09 11:38 AM

(c)2009 AEC *All Rights Reserved*It’s the last day of 2009, and your last chance to bid in the Menu for Hope raffle. Pim’s added a handy form that tallies up your bid items and fills out the Firstgiving form for you — it’s so easy, you can even do it with a glass of Champagne in one hand!

She’s also flagged “hot” and “cold” items, so you have an inkling of how good your odds are of winning a given bid item. (You still have pretty good chances on our Locavore Starter Kit, by the way.) Oh, and there are a few newly added goodies, like a coffee date with Ruth Reichl, gardening classes at Love Apple Farm, and a 1/2-pound box of top-quality black truffles. Check it out over at Pim’s site.

Happy new year’s eve to everyone, and don’t forget to look up in the sky: Tonight’s going to be a blue moon. May your new year be filled with many rare and beautiful sights!

giving back, holidays & occasions, Menu for Hope
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Menu for Hope VI

Posted by Anita on 12.14.09 8:00 AM

(c)2009 AEC *All Rights Reserved*

For two weeks each December, bloggers from all over the world offer a delectable array of food-related items for the Menu for Hope raffle. Last year, we raised $62,806 to help the UN World Food Programme feed the hungry. This year, we’re supporting a new initiative at the WFP called Purchase for Progress (P4P), which enables smallholder and low-income farmers to supply food to WFP’s global operation.

This year’s campaign runs December 14 to 25, and every $10 you donate earns you one virtual raffle ticket for the item of your choice. (To learn more, head over to Chez Pim and check out her Menu for Hope FAQ, or read the highlights at the bottom of this post.)

This year, we’re offering the following item, also focused on supporting small, local farms:

Bid Item UW02: Locavore Starter Kit
Many readers tell us that they’d love to eat more local foods, but they don’t know where to start. So we’re making it simple with a Locavore Starter Kit: A trial membership to the Soul Food Farm chicken-and-egg CSA (or another CSA of your choice* if you live outside the Bay Area) and a farmer’s market tour with breakfast and local treats.

  1. Soul Food Farm and Married …with Dinner are offering a $100 CSA credit toward the winner’s choice of whole chickens, eggs, olive oil, and other farm-fresh goodies. Pick up your winnings all at once, or spread it over multiple pickups: It’s up to you how to spend your CSA credit (subject to the usual order terms).
  2. Plus, Soul Food Farm farmer Alexis Koefoed offers a personal tour of Soul Food Farm for the winner and up to 3 guests at a mutually agreeable time in 2010.
  3. We’ll also include a personalized tour of the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, complete with breakfast or lunch for two, to help our winner find all the great foods they need to make the leap to la vida locavore.
  4. And if that’s not enough, we’ll also bring along a bag full of local treats and homemade goodies for you to take home after your walk-around. The bag will include some of our own preserves, and an assortment of treats from local folks — including a bag of brown rice and a jar of almond butter from Massa Organics.

* A special note for non-Bay Area bidders: If the winner’s residence is not located within 25 miles of a Soul Food Farm drop point, we’ll pay the first month’s box charges ($50 maximum) for any Community Supported Agriculture program in the winner’s area. And the market tour + breakfast portion is open to any winner, local or visitor, on any Saturday in 2010 (subject to Anita & Cameron’s availability). We can ship the goodie bag, but the winner would be responsible for all postage and packing charges.


To donate and enter the Menu for Hope raffle:m4h6logo

1. Choose bid item(s) from the main Menu for Hope list.

2. Visit the Firstgiving Menu for Hope page; make a donation.

3. Please specify which bid item(s) you’d like in the ‘Personal Message’ section of the donation form. You must write in how many tickets per bid item; please use the bid-item code. Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket. For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for UW01 and 3 tickets for UW02 (written as 2xUW01, 3xUW02). The code for our Locavore Starter Kit is UW02.

4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so Menu for Hope can claim the corporate match.

5. Please allow us to see your email address so that we can contact you in case you win. (Don’t check the box to keep your address private). Your email address will not be shared with anyone.

Check back here on Monday, January 18,  for the results of the raffle. Good luck to everyone, and thanks for supporting such a worthy cause!

farms & farmers, giving back, locavore, Menu for Hope
7 Comments »

 

Hope on the horizon

Posted by Anita on 11.30.09 5:16 PM

(c)2009 AEC **all rights reserved**We’re in the initial planning stages of Menu for Hope, the annual food bloggers’ charity raffle that benefits the World Food Programme. If you’re a blogger, check out Pim’s page on how to get in on the fun.

But whether or not you have your own blog, I could use your help: What kind of prize would you like to see offered here on Married …with dinner?

In the past, our prizes have covered a lot of bases, from “Best of the Ferry Building” local food baskets, a set of Drink of the Week cocktail notecards, and even a custom mixology service.

The food baskets have been the most popular, year to year, but they’re a pain to shop for, and a hassle to ship. And relative to the prizes from other blogs, they’ve never done all that well. I’m game to do the goody basket again, if that’s what you all really love, but I can’t help but wonder what other treats might entice you to open your wallet for a good cause. Books? Gift cards? Something creative? Something homemade?

Tell me.

giving back, Menu for Hope, other blogs
3 Comments »

 

Happy from jolly

Posted by Anita on 12.25.08 1:20 AM

(c)2008 AEC **all rights reserved**Happy Christmas, that is, from jolly old England! We’re having a blast on our vacation so far, eating lots of tasty food (fish & chips twice so far, both excellent), drinking pints of bitter in some gorgeous pubs, shopping at Borough Market, visiting with friends, and generally feeling very lucky to be in London at Christmas.

Speaking of luck: Don’t forget that today is the last day to bid on Menu For Hope raffle prizes. (Edited to add: The deadline’s been extended to 12/31!) If you have your heart set on winning our Ferry Plaza gourmet gift basket, the odds are still very promising. Be sure to check out Pim’s page for updates and new prizes that have been added along the way. There’s some good stuff in there that I’m sure someone on your last-minute present list would love to have a chance to win.

May your days be merry and bright!

holidays & occasions, London, Menu for Hope
3 Comments »

 

Menu for Hope V

Posted by Anita on 12.15.08 7:00 AM

(c)2008 AEC **all rights reserved**For two weeks every December, bloggers from all over the world offer a delectable array of food-related prizes for the Menu for Hope raffle. Last year, we raised $85,493 to help the UN World Food Programme feed the hungry. This year’s campaign runs December 15 to 25, and every $10 you donate earns you one virtual raffle ticket for the prize of your choice.

(To learn more, head over to Chez Pim and check out her Menu for Hope V FAQ, or read the highlights at the bottom of this post.)

This year, we’ve decided to reprise our most-popular offering from last year’s raffle:

Married …with Dinner’s signature “Best of the Ferry Building” gift basket

Prize code UW-07, a hand-picked assortment of our favorite treats — worth more than $125 — from San Francisco’s legendary Ferry Building Marketplace:

Menu for Hope V– Truffled artichoke tapenade from Lulu Petite
– Santa Rosa plum preserves from June Taylor
– Youk’s Sauce from Prather Ranch
– Holiday Breakfast Blend tea from Peet’s
– A pair of artisan “dark milk chocolate” bars from Recchiuti
– Ojo de Tigre beans from Rancho Gordo
– Rio Fuego “Very Hot Sauce” from Rancho Gordo
– Extra-virgin olive oil from Bariani
– Rosemary salt from Eatwell Farm
– Bittersweet chocolate ganache from Scharffen Berger
– Beef jerky from Fatted Calf Charcuterie
– A copy of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market Cookbook

To give you something to remember us by when all the goodies are gone, this prize also includes the winner’s choice of an 8×10 print from our collection of market photos.

For our prize, international bids are welcome, but winners outside the Continental US will be asked to pay for any import duties and/or shipping fees over US$25.

—-

Here’s how to donate and get a chance to win:

  1. Check out the cool items available on Matt*Bites and Chez Pim. (We know you want to win OUR prize, but you might want to bid on others, too …you generous foodie, you.)
  2. Go to the donation page for Menu for Hope V. Just like last year, funds raised will go to support the United Nations World Food Programme.
  3. Make a donation! Each $10 you donate will give you one virtual raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. Please specify which prize or prizes you’d like in the “Personal Message” section in the donation form when confirming your donation
  4. Don’t forget to mention how many tickets you want to allot per prize, and please use the prize code — for example, a donation of $50 can buy 1 ticket for UW-07, 1 for UW-08, and 3 for UW-09.
  5. If your company matches your charity donations, please remember to check the appropriate box on your submission and fill in the information so Menu for Hope can claim the corporate match.
  6. Please also check the box that allows the contest administrators to see your email address so that they can contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone else.
  7. Check back on Chez Pim on January 12, when Pim will announce the result of the entire raffle. (We’ll also announce the winner of our prize here.)

Good luck to everyone, and thanks for supporting such a worthy cause!

Menu for Hope
3 Comments »

 

Win-win-win scenario

Posted by Anita on 01.11.08 4:30 PM

Menu for HopeOh, boy! The winners of the Menu for Hope raffle have been announced. Check out Pim’s giant list of all the winners to see what you won.

I’m tickled pink that local food-and-spirits maven Jane Tunks won our custom mixology service prize — we’ll be bringing Drink of the Week to Jane’s house sometime soon, mixing up a pair of signature cocktails for a dozen of her swellest pals.

And our blog-buddy Lara, one of the blogosphere’s all-time most-fabulous food photographers, won the Drink of the Week notecards on the same month she picked beverages as her Still Life With… challenge theme. Spooky, eh?

Lest you think we fixed all of the results, I’m relieved to announce that a total stranger — Lauren Kawakami — won our “Best of the Ferry Building” basket. (Ms. K, if you’re out there, please drop a note to chef -at- marriedwithdinner -dot- com, with your mailing address, and we’ll get your prize in the post ASAP.)

Can you believe we raised $91,188 for the UN World Food Programme? That’s an astounding success! Thank you, again, to everyone who participated in the raffle. I can’t wait to see what next year’s Menu for Hope has in store.

Menu for Hope
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Merry, merry

Posted by Anita on 12.24.07 8:54 PM

(c)2007 AEC *all rights reserved*We hope your holiday — whichever one you celebrate — is brimming with cheer, and your new year will be filled wonderful things to eat and drink.

Thank you for stopping by, subscribing, and supporting us.

And thank you, too, for supporting Menu for Hope. With your generosity, we’ve raised more than $90,000 for the UN World Food Programme — more than half as much as last year.

We couldn’t have done it without you.

holidays & occasions, Menu for Hope
2 Comments »

 

Tick, tick, tick…

Posted by Anita on 12.21.07 12:01 PM

(c)2007 AEC ** ALL rights reservedTime is running out on your chance to win some splendid prizes in this year’s Menu For Hope raffle. Have you placed your bids yet? If not, you may want to check out Pim’s handy list of good bets.

You’ll notice that your chances are still reasonably good to win our Custom Mixology Service, better known as prize code UW08. If you should doubt our cocktail prowess — and who could blame you for wondering whether our blogging chops translate to real-world results? — check this first-hand account of our mad mixmaster skillz at Sean’s birthday party. And honey, as much as the Hedonia boys love us, they wouldn’t tell you something tasted good if it sucked.

No love for our Cocktail Notecards? Shocking, I say. But hey, I’m a big girl. Besides, I’ve made my peace with this little drama in a rather selfish way: The cards arrived from Moo last week, and they’re so damned cute and professional-looking that I’m secretly hoping that nobody would win them and I can keep them for myself.

But that’s not very generous, is it? [Sigh.]

Taking a page from Sam’s brilliant bribery, I’m adding a incentive to this prize. Bid on the photocards — that’s prize code UW07 — any time after noon today, then leave me a comment here with the name you bid under. If you’re the winning bidder and you’ve commented on this post before the prize drawing happens, I’ll include your choice of an 8×8 or 8×10 print of any of our cocktail or food photos.

And in case that wasn’t sufficient incentive to bid, check out this fabulous offer from food writer Rebekah Denn’s new Devouring sEATtle blog: If you’re one of the first five folks to forward your Menu for Hope donation conformation to Rebekah, she’ll send you a cookbook from her stash. How’s that for a win-win?

But you’d better get a wiggle on: The raffle closes tonight at midnight Monday at 9am Eastern time.

Go… Bid. And don’t say we didn’t make it tempting.

Menu for Hope
3 Comments »

 

Menu for Hope IV

Posted by Anita on 12.10.07 12:05 AM

Menu for Hope IVFor two weeks every December, food bloggers from all over the world offer a delectable array of food-related prizes for the Menu for Hope raffle. Last year, we raised $62,925 to help the UN World Food Programme feed the hungry. This year’s campaign runs December 10 to 21. Every $10 donated earns you one virtual raffle ticket for the prize of your choice.

(To learn more, read the Menu for Hope IV FAQ.)

If you’re interested in winning one of the fabulous prizes we’re offering here on Married… with Dinner — the Ferry Building gift basket, the Drink of the Week photocards, or the custom mixology service — here’s how to enter:

  1. Check out the other cool items available on Rasa Malaysia and Chez Pim. (We know you want OUR prize, but you might want to bid on others, too …you generous foodie, you.)
  2. Go to the donation page for Menu for Hope IV. Just like last year, funds raised will go to support the United Nations World Food Programme.
  3. Make a donation! Each $10 pledge will give you one virtual raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. Please specify which prize or prizes you’d like in the “Personal Message” section in the donation form when confirming your donation.
  4. Don’t forget to mention how many tickets you want to allot per prize, and please use the prize code — for example, a donation of $50 can buy 1 ticket for UW-06, 1 for UW-07, and 3 for UW-08.
  5. If your company matches your charity donations, please remember to check the appropriate box on your submission and fill in the information so Menu for Hope can claim the corporate match.
  6. Please also check the box that allows the contest administrators to see your email address so that they can contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone else.
  7. Check back on Chez Pim at the end of the month on January 9, when Pim will announce the result of the entire raffle. (We’ll also announce the winner of our prizes here.)

Good luck to everyone, and thanks for supporting such a worthy cause!

Menu for Hope
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Menu for Hope: Prize #3

Posted by Anita on 12.10.07 12:03 AM

(c)2007 AEC ** ALL rights reservedCustom Mixology Service
The “cocktail geeks” from Married… with Dinner will create a pair of personalized beverages for your soiree, based on your preferences. We’ll do all the prep beforehand, then serve your signature selections to up to 12 of your closest friends.

We’ll provide all the necessaries: Ice, mixers, syrups, garnishes, plus any tools we’ll need. We’ll even bring suitable glassware: No cocktail cleanup!

(Please note: We’re happy to shop and schlep, but due to liability issues, the winner must pay for the alcohol.) This prize is limited to San Francisco Bay Area redemption — unless you’d like to pay travel expenses… let’s talk! — and is subject to a mutually convenient schedule.

This item is Menu for Hope prize UW-08.
– Click here to make a donation and enter to win.
– Read the Menu for Hope overview to learn more.

drinks, entertaining, Menu for Hope
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