Everyone deserves goodies. But a really great author who has entertained and captivated us with the emotional rollercoaster that is A Song of Ice and Fire deserves extra swag. Being the foodies that we are, we decided to make up a gift basket for George RR Martin when he started his book signing tour in MA.
Being a creative sort, Chelsea just couldn’t help herself, and may have gotten a little carried away…
The swag basket included a medieval pork pie, cheese and olives, a small bottle of local cognac, traditional oatcakes with both blackberries and pine nuts, our new ultimate lemoncakes, potted hare, mulling spices, and our own little gag gift: a small bottle of “Tears of Lys”. The parcels were wrapped in a combination of linen cloth and hand woven inkle bands before getting their individual labels. Into the basket, lined with leather and fur, for the perfect presentation.
After Sariann finished work, we piled into the car with a couple of our Inn-mates (Ha!), and headed for Burlington. At the bookstore, the lines were predictably around the entire side of the building, fans all abuzz with excitement about the new book and meeting George. We felt like superheroes in disguise wearing our snazzy aprons as the bookstore staff ushered us in and handed us off to the uber efficient Random House marketing folks, who in turn took us to The Martin.
George was kind enough to take a few minutes to chat with us about food, and the contents of the gift basket.
He also signed our aprons:
This was pretty much one of the best nights of our lives…
What a thrill! Congratulations to both of you!
That’s an amazing basket! Fantastic job ladies! *Eep* I’m extra nervous now, I need to up my game for tomorrow! lol
so awesome!!!
That’s great! Hopefully he enjoyed his food as much as we enjoy reading about it.
I was about to say that if he wasn’t completely delighted with your basket, then he clearly has a heart of stone. Then I remembered he’s King of Dead Main Characterland, so the heart of stone is kind of a given. But by golly he SHOULD have been delighted!!! Love the aprons!!!
The food basket looks AMAZING! So lucky that you guys got to meet George Martin (and does he know how fabulous your guys’ blog is???)!
Oh damn, that’s a heck of a basket! I was just going to maybe wrap my lemoncakes in linen or some such. Enh – you’ve spoiled him enough! And now I know which lemoncakes to try making. :)
I want a lemon cake! The basket looks wonderful ! xo
Congrats Ladies! I envy you so much, but at the same time, you SO deserve this! Those aprons are wonderful! Are you selling them? :D
We’re considering it, as well as some t shirts! We imagine the shirts reading things like, “Tastetester” or “Inn-mate” for the lucky folks who live with us. :)
Too awesome! I would be the first to buy! And if not first, well I’d still buy! :D
Well done. The spread looks wonderful!
That’s so awesome! I’d love to go to a book signing. My husband bought A Dance with Dragons yesterday and I have to wait for him to finish it! Our deal was that I got dibs on the new Harry Potter books and he got dibs on A Song of Ice and Fire. Now that all the HP books are out, I feel like I got the short end of the deal. :P
Awesome! I know that GRRM knows about this blog because I found it from HIS blog! Anyway, well done!
Great share! Looks amazing and REALLY hope you make more goodies and baskets for all the Song of Ice and Fire fans in the world; you NEED to open your online business so ALL OF US CAN ORDER the treats and send gift baskets to others. The food looks scrumptious, the packaging fantastic and special fun item like Tears of Lys total genius. At the very least, specialty items limited quantities and gift baskets for book signings, conventions, HBO screenings/premieres/parties….do it do it do it!!!
the gift basket looks amazing, well done!
Also, kudos to you on getting your aprons signed, I read on GRRM’s not a blog he wasn’t able to sign anything but the book, so you should feel really special. Which you already know you are :)
That’s great! I was looking for you two but alas I was in the back of the line on behind the building for over 3 hours.
Hi! I was at the Union Square BN for the signing. Unfortunately I was part of the standing room only crowd, so didn’t get a chance to see you guys up close. Congratulations if your cook book get published.
That was actually one of our field agents (little birds!) in NYC. We gave our basket to George up in MA, but have lined up a number of great volunteers to help feed George as he continues the tour. We’re very excited about all the new developments, and will keep you posted! :)
Congrats on the book! How did that come about? Did Ann Groell contact you, or did you contact her and pitch it?
You’re doing a cookbook? When? Where?? How?? And when can I buy it???
I assume you have finished Dance with Dragons by now? Puts a bit of a twist on one of the items in that basket!
sPh
Haha! Yes, I’m on my first reread. We didn’t pack GRRM that pie, thank goodness! :)
So lucky! Congratulations (I’m not sure if I’m supposed to say congratulations but YAY YOU GUYS)