Down Cellar (Quilt) Happenings

Have I mentioned that my friend, Ashley & I just pulled off an outdoor pop-up restaurant gig yesterday evening? For 20 people? In Ashley’s beautiful backyard in York, Maine? And with such wonderful libations as honeycrisp apple white sangria, and courses that included fresh baked bread, ratatouille, homemade graham crackers & marshmallows?

Ashley & I have been talking catering & pop-up restaurants all year. The two of us have separately been baking, cooking, and crafting for years, self-taught & family-taught. Senior year of undergraduate, I made an entire ham dinner for 15 people, sides & dessert included. And somewhere in France (Perpignon? Paris?), Ashley was rustling up a complete Thanksgiving dinner for a large group of ex-pats. Ashley grew up rendering huckleberry compotes from her backyard in eastern Washington; I grew up in my mother’s & grandmother’s kitchens learning the ins & outs of baked goods. Since we each have a plethora of siblings, we are fans of the “family-style” dinners. This is great because when we cook, we usually cook enough for a party. 🙂

After pulling off two showers this spring, and all the desserts for a friend’s wedding (chocolate Irish whiskey cakes! lemon bars!), we had the gumption this August to start a series of pop-up restaurant gigs. Ashley “Down Cellar” Benson  is at the helm of this uniquely hand-crafted operation, and Jess “Gift Fox” Feldman acts as sous chef , brainstormer & cheerleader. Our focus is handmade & homemade, family, friends & hearth, food & drink that warms the spirit, seats you in the present so you can enjoy all the wonderful things this life has to offer.

Please follow our catering & pop-up events at our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/downcellarcatering

Or Ashley’s own witty blog: http://thisisnotreallife.tumblr.com/