This year I took over organizing and running the 4th Annual Calgary Food Bloggers Bake Sale. This is an annual bake sale that pairs together a talented group of food bloggers, writers and chefs to bake and donate goods to be sold for charity. Our charity this year was Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids. Since 1990 BB4CK (Brown Bagging For Calgary’s Kids) have been making sure Calgary kids have lunches. Through the work of community groups and volunteers, they provide about 2,000 lunches each day to kids in Calgary’s Schools. Lunches are prepared in their main kitchen, and in various other locations by community groups including retirees, parent groups and local businesses. BB4CK works with school staff members to identify needs and to plan how best to make sure hungry students get the nutrition required to think clearly and learn. Their goal is to make sure no child goes hungry.
I’ve participated in the food bloggers bake sale in previous years, and always enjoyed meeting other bloggers & writers, as well as followers and friends from the social media world. The food community here in Calgary is mostly a friendly and supportive one. This year I wanted to see if any chefs would be interested in participating to help raise funds. Just as I was beginning to put the word out I got hit with bronchitis, and my son came down with tonsillitis and ear infections. Not one to be slowed down by the sick I continued to attend a few media events and go about my business before I had an actual diagnosis. But this “stronger than the sick” mentally didn’t work out so well and I ended up down and out for about 4-5 days putting me way behind schedule and almost at bake sale day, without any baking of my own. To top it all off my laptop died 3 days before the bake sale rendering me computer-less for 2 entire days!! But I’m a mom, and we mom’s know how to scramble like crazy to make everything, and then some happen, right?!
Our Bake Sale theme this year was Cookies, Squares & Tarts. The Calgary Farmer’s Market hosted our bake sale on Saturday, November 29th. In total we had 21 food bloggers, writers and chefs jump on board and donate baked goodies for the sale plus one chef who was unable to donate but made a cash donation instead. It takes a village to make an event like this happen and I am incredibly grateful to the village that was able to participate this year.
In alphabetical order, our village….
Anna from Anna’s Appetite made Peppermint Bark Brownies
Bernice at Dish ‘N’ The Kitchen, dazzled us with Chai Spiced Shortbread, Marshmallow topped Brownies and Gingersnaps
Bonnie from Scrumptiously Fit Food, got the attention of all chocolate lovers with her Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
Carrie, also known as, Wheat Free Mom, went above and beyond to ensure there was a delicious variety of Gluten Free options. She made Chocolate Crackle, Oatmeal Peanut Butter Marshmallow Sandwich Cookies, Gingersnaps, Snickerdoodles, Chocolate Moose Cookies, Chocolate Marshmallows, Citrus Shortbread and Biscotti!
Cassandra is a volunteer with Gluten Free Calgary and jumped at the chance to make some of her special gluten free goodies for the sale. She donated Shortbread Cookies and Toffee Cereal Cookies.
Find Chrissy & Darrin at “For The Love Of ” Blog, these two brought Coconut Tarts and Sugar Cookies to the bake sale
Corey from @ma_pies likes his baked goodies to be hot off the press fresh and he delivered to us 48 Apple, Saskatoon Berry and Blueberry tarts
Dan from Dans Good Side surprised us with Chai Caramel Apple Holiday Squares
Fareen, our favourite Food Mamma with the selfie stick, made my husband and many others happy with her Chocolate Puffed Wheat Squares
Heather’s EATS own Heather, teased us for weeks with photos of her home made Mint & Cinnamon Marshmallows before delivering them to the bake sale
Blogger Jo-Anna from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs, brought us very pretty Thumbprint Cookies
John over at The Chef Apprentice Diaries delivered some tasty Asian Spiced Ginger Apple Tarts & Galettes with Maple Glaze
Julie at Dinner With Julie donated Flat Chewy Molasses Ginger Cookies and Chocolate Cookies With White Chocolate Chunks & Cranberries
Mallory from Because I Like Chocolate shared her Vegan Nanaimo Bars and Vegan Ginger Cookies
Latin Chef Marina, The Spice Chica brought in some delicious Alfajores
Patricia also known to many as Miss Foodie, gave us a little Sugar & Spice Ginger Cookies
Sara in the City over at Pink Lemonade and Pearls made our mouths water with Christmas Cranberry Orange Bliss Bars
Next up is me! I made up a batch of Orange Gingerbread Cookies
From the Selkirk Grille at Heritage Park, Chef Jan Hansen donated Butter Tarts. They were the first baked items to sell out.
Hotel Arts Chef Duncan Ly and Pastry Chef Karine Moulin donated three goodies, Shortbread Sandwich Cookies with Raspberry Filling, Rice Krispy Treat Lollipops, and Dark Chocolate Brownies which were VF & GF. I can attest each of these items were equally delicious.
Chef Guru Singh of Canvas Bistro & Wine, made a cash donation to Brown Bagging For Calgary’s Kids this year.
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