10 Favorite Foodie Swag Items

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This post isn’t about “free products” companies send bloggers in the hopes of scoring positive reviews.  Today I’m writing about what’s known in the biz as “trinkets and trash” – goodies from food companies at the hundreds of trade shows and conferences I’ve attended, lugged home via overstuffed suitcases to outfit my kitchen with their brands.  Works for me; I’ve been in the food business since age 16, all through college and my entire career, you would be amazed at the swag I’ve accumulated.

Tools that are clever, serve a cook’s need, aren’t fragile and wash well, I luv.  Here are 10 of my personal fav’s:

1. Kahlua ceramic pie dish – a treasure from working on that brand a really long time – world’s best Kahlua Pecan Pie recipe imprint
2. Betty Crocker serving spoon – just right for mashed potatoes.  Some Thanksgiving, a family member is going to swipe it, I just know
3. Canola Information Council silicone pastry brush – best-ever egg wash brush
4. Le Cordon Bleu kitchen towel – fun to have something authentic from Le Cordon Bleu, Paris
5. Lawry’s casserole dish – imprinted with the famous Seasoned Salt Creamed Spinach recipe, I like the shape
6. Gold Medal Flour dry measure cups – don’t you always have a few in the dirty pile and need yet another?
7. Dole platter – try getting this home without breaking
8. Sunkist citrus grater – my first branded swag, college Home Economics field trip to Sunkist HQ
9. Gold Medal Flour dough scraper – helpful when making Fresh Basil Soft Pretzels
10. Idaho Potato steak knives – got these pre-9/11, nobody gives away knives anymore.  We set the table with these every dinner!

Thank you, corporate folks who use smart foodies to dream up useful swag.  These are tops, plus my cherished 1997 Julia Child Cookbook Awards commemorative plate, courtesy of Brown Forman, Bertoli Olive Oil, Black & Decker, Calphalon, Beaulieu Vineyard, and The Food Network.  For such foodie goodies, bloggers are now discovering the Fancy Food Show (if you attend San Francisco, Jan ‘10 look for me, I’ll be a session speaker).