(Note: This is first in a series of blog posts profiling LA Food Swappers)

From taking cooking classes in India to teaching Tuscan Prince and Princesses how to make marshmallows, Christy Larsen is a doer of culinary generosity. What she learns elsewhere is often interpreted once again in her own kitchen, and then into gifts that she gives to others, such as a homemade peach-pear jam or salted caramels.

“We can talk about anything today except for chocolates,” said Larsen, lamenting with humor about this momentary tiredness of all things chocolate-related. She had just finished making one thousand chocolate rabbits for the Easter holiday.

Her culinary beginnings are rooted in chocolate. It was her version of the lemonade stand with a twist – Larsen sold homemade chocolates to friends and family as a ten-year-old. That money was squirreled away and then recently used to throw her parents a large 25th anniversary celebration in Santa Barbara.

Larsen is also a practical idealist, which isn’t as contradictory as it sounds. For example, while she’s not opposed to fast food (“sometimes we just need something quick while we’re on the road”), she does believe that everyone deserves to know what a good home-roasted chicken tastes like, for the sake of differentiation from the infamous Costco rotisserie chicken.

This well-rounded trait lends well at the LA Food Swap. She concedes that her first food swap was slightly nerve-wracking, even as an experienced foodie – she keeps bees and has a garden with over ten varieties of vegetables at a vacation home in the San Bernardino Mountains.

“It was a little bit stressful the first time around, as I didn’t really know what to expect.” But her first LA Food Swap and subsequent food swaps have led her to really appreciate the expansion of her cooking repertoire and the pleasure of mingling with different generations, each possessing the same passion for food in different forms.  In other words, food swaps “keep me young,” Larsen said. Her enthusiasm for food swaps seems to only grow, having started a food swap in Pasadena, which has been ongoing for about a year.

On this particular afternoon, after a light and satisfying lunch of some chorizo frittata and a mustard frill, romaine, and Cara Cara orange salad sourced from McGrath Family Farm, I set out to observe Larsen as she makes a batch of arancello. The pre-soaked blood orange peels colored the Everclear and the alcohol was ready to be strained. In between, I had a shot of her already-made limoncello, ice-cold from the freezer. Growing up Italian, Larsen explains how every family had their own recipes for these fruit or nut-infused dessert liqueurs. The limoncello is sweet and makes Larsen’s already-sunlit kitchen a little bit brighter.

For Larsen, the real joy of food swapping is in the giving. Larsen never rejects a swap offer. For her, every swap creates an opportunity for enjoyment or, in the case of abundance, a chance to gift homemade goods to friends and family. “I haven’t purchased a jar of jam in 25 years, since in addition to jam at the food swaps I also make my own.”

Last spring, a couple months after I started the LA Food Swap, I had the pleasure of meeting one of my inspirations. Kate Payne is author of The Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking and co-founder of our modern food swap movement in Brooklyn, as well as the swap in Austin, where she currently lives. A few months later, Kate and I met again, this time in Seattle. Sitting over cups of Stumptown coffee and Kate’s amazing watermelon jerky, we hatched the Food Swap Network, which we created to help people find and start community-based food sharing groups.

Kate is so warm, creative, and inspiring that I have been eager for her to come out to Los Angeles, meet our food swappers, and teach some of the classes she’s become known for all over the country. She is finally on her way out here next month, and we’ve planned some really awesome events. You don’t want to miss her – mark your calendars and get your tickets now!

Wednesday, May 23, 7-9pm
Green Your Cleaning Supplies Workshop at ReForm School

At this workshop led by Kate, attendees will learn the simple chemistry of cleaning, transitioning away from chemical cleaners and methods for easy-to-make homemade supplies. All participants will take home an info packet with ‘recipes’ for cleaners for different areas of the home. Additionally, workshop participants will make and take home their own bottles of a customized scented all-purpose cleaner and a non-bleach disinfectant alternative. Click here to purchase tickets

Thursday, May 24, 7-9pm
LA Food Swap at ReForm School – SOLD OUT

Kate will be our special guest at the LA Food Swap! A food swap is an event where you trade your homemade, homegrown, and foraged creations with other participants. Diversify your pantry while meeting your friends and neighbors. We welcome everyone, as long as you bring something you made, grew, or foraged yourself. Click here to register

Friday, May 25, 6-8pm
Budget Friendly Summer Beverages at The Farmer’s Kitchen

Step into summer with a handful of new tricks for keeping cool and sipping with friends without breaking the bank. In this demonstration class, Kate will cover the methods for using seasonal produce from the Hollywood Farmers’ Market to infuse alcohol and liqueurs, simple syrups and sodas and come up with all kinds of tasty cold-brewed iced tea flavors. LA Food Swap founder Emily Ho will also provide an introduction to home soda brewing with yeast fermentation. Attendees will sip a few infusions in class and take home a recipe packet for creating personalized homemade beverages. Click here to purchase tickets

Sunday, May 27, 9am-12pm
Meet Kate at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market

The Hollywood Farmers’ Market welcomes hip-homemaker Kate Payne to the market for a special “small batch” cooking demo! Kate will share with market customers simple, how-to recipes that will transform humble market produce into clever table items sure to impress your friends. Free event. Click here for more information

Monday, May 28, 3pm-5pm
Memorial Day Swap & Demo with SGV East Food Swap

SGV East Food Swap is planning to close out Memorial Day weekend on a high note, with a food swap and workshop demo by Kate Payne. Kate will kick the afternoon off by imparting wisdom about fermentation, and stick around for the swap immediately following. Since a swapper has graciously offered to host the get-together in her own backyard in Covina, space is at a premium. You must reserve tickets to the workshop ($10 suggested donation) and food swap (free). Click here to register

Founder Rose Medlock says, “The neighborhoods along and between the 210, 57, and 10 freeways — that is to say, cities including Azusa, Covina, Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont, and others — are home to passionate DIYers, artisans, and craftspeople. Hopefully, the SGV East Food Swap will satisfy those seeking to build community among like-minded bakers, cooks, gardeners, whatever their skill level.”

Check them out on Facebook and Twitter for more information!

Check us out on KCET Food today! We are thrilled to be covered by one of the best food sites in town.

• Food Swapping Across Los Angeles

Thanks to Alissa Walker for the awesome article and to Amparo Rios for the beautiful photographs!

It’s amazing to think the LA Food Swap has been in existence for a year! Since our first swap in March 2011, we’ve made new friends, experimented with new recipes, and filled our pantries with all kinds of handmade foods. We are so grateful for this talented and supportive community of cooks, bakers, gardeners, and foragers in Los Angeles.

This month we met at ReForm School for a Valentine’s Day-themed swap, so there were lots of hearts and chocolates and assorted pink and red goodies like blood orange syrup and toyon berry jam. Other highlights included small-batch olive oil, amaretto soy milk, fresh oranges and grapefruits, and several varieties of pickles and kimchi.

Thanks to everyone who came to this swap, and all the other swaps we’ve held. Can’t wait to have more fun in the coming year!

• Reports from around the web: For Me, For You / Veg Nosh

(Photos by Emily Ho)

I’m happy to announce that longtime LA food swappers Cathie and Debbie have started a new swap in SoCal!

Borderline Food Swap N.O.C. (North Orange County) serves the cities that border Los Angeles and North Orange County. Check out the Facebook page for more information!

The December swap was a festive soiree at our favorite venue, ReForm School. Our theme was gift-worthy foods and boy, did everyone deliver! We welcomed both old and new swappers, and the array of homemade and homegrown goods was just stunning. From kimchi to buñuelos to bitters and marshmallows, it was truly wonderful to celebrate everyone’s handmade efforts.

Many thanks to everyone who participated and to ReForm School for your hospitality and cheerful atmosphere!

• Reports from around the web: Fashion Intel

(Photos by Emily Ho)

One of the amazing things about the LA Food Swap, and other swaps like ours, is that we’re hyperlocal yet part of a larger, growing community. When I started the swap here in Los Angeles, I was inspired by food sharing groups in Brooklyn, Austin, Portland, and Minneapolis. Since then, other local swaps have popped up in Pasadena, San Fernando Valley, Santa Monica, and Ventura County.

All over the country, and even the world, people are wondering how they can find a nearby food swap or start one of their own. Inspired by this need, a few of us got together to create the Food Swap Network. It’s a growing resource that we hope will be useful to swap organizers and attendees.

Check it out and join the food swapping community!

In September, we met among the flowers and vegetables at Silver Lake Farms, a beautiful and inspiring urban farm in the heart of LA. Seasonal ingredients like tomatoes and figs were in full-force, from jams to chutneys and hot sauces. Swappers also brought refreshing treats like ice cream and kombucha (both in dozens of mouthwatering flavors!), plus baked goods, flours, herbs, syrups (prickly pear! cherry!), and more. Afterwards we shared a delicious potluck with old and new friends.

Thank you sooo much to Silver Lake Farms for sharing your space and to all the swappers who came and spent the morning with us!

(Photos by Emily Ho)

We moved the food swap outdoors the month, convening by the Silver Lake Reservoir for a picnic-style swap and potluck lunch. It was a beautiful day with beautiful company and food, from homegrown cherry tomatoes to strawberry scones and seaweed snacks.

Cheeriest display & outfit award goes to Chelsea of HONEYLOVE urban beekeepers … and how thrilled does ReForm School‘s Tootie look with her haul?!

Thanks to all the old and new swappers who joined us! We love our LA Food Swap community!

(Photos by Emily Ho)