Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Fabulous Cheese & Soap Arrive at Pink Gardens!

Last week, in time for Christmas, a fabulous gift package arrived from Sharon Springs, New York. Readers that watch the "Green" Network on cable, might be familiar with that town—it's the home of the Fabulous Beekman Boys, Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge! Their restored farmhouse, er, mansion, is called the Beekman Mansion, after the original owners of the property, and the guys have created a brand, Beekman 1802, to market their own farm products and  locally produced merchandise. In my package was their main product, a wheel of "Blaak" goat cheese, named for the fabulous ash-covered rind which is, indeed, black in color (and is edible!). Also in this gift package were two bars of goat milk soap and their most recent book, The Bucolic Plague. The packaging is tasteful in the extreme, with perfectly hand-tied string bows and recycled papers. The typesetting on the cards is beautifully done as well, with a combination of striking cuts of Futura and an old-style numeral, which I believe is Garamond. 

Photographed above with a simple colonial pewter candlestick and another Christmas gift, a pair of hand-knit socks. The socks were a gift from a friend of my mother's named Betsy, and I have several pairs of her knitted wool socks which I wear almost every day. The Beekman 1802 gift package was a gift of, shall we say, a dear Phantom friend of mine, lol.

 Seen a little closer, I think the socks match the aesthetic of the Beekman items, lol.

The wrapped wheel of Blaak goat cheese. I've since opened it, and it is absolutely delicious! It is a dry goat cheese, not the spreadable type, and the rind has a subtle flavor of its own. I'm going to be enjoying this cheese for a long time to come!

The two bars of goat's milk soap came in this cotton bag printed with the Beekman logo, each wrapped in the same sort of recycled paper and perfectly-tied string bow as the cheese. Josh is a graphic designer and advertising executive, and his experience and taste are evident in every aspect of the Beekman 1802 experience.

I absolutely adore my hand knitted socks, and as I wrote above, wear them almost every day. This makes pair number seven I believe! I think they would make a great addition to any Beekman 1802 gift package, don't you?

10 comments:

  1. Your really something else! Nice socks.

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  2. We watched all the episodes of the Beekman Boys and are disappointed that they've been cancelled. I found Brent a bit much sometimes but overall enjoyed the show and admired what they were trying to do. Now we have an unbiased opinion as to the quality of their products.

    I understand that Brent and Josh have gotten engaged and will marry sometime soon (I forget sometimes that upstate New York is still New York where there is marriage equality). I'll bet the wedding will be something to see!!

    Enjoy your wonderful gift. It's nice to have Phantom friends, isn't it?

    Paul, NYC

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  3. That will be the wedding of the century in Sharon Springs, that's for sure! I can't even imagine how the mansion and the farm will look like. I'm sure there will be magazines involved! And I feel the same way about Brent. Sometimes I just wanted to tell him to get over himself!

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  4. Love all that stuff and especially the "warmness" of the photos. If I were reading a catalog I'm afraid I would buy everything on looks alone. Now off to see their website.

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  5. IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE SEEN HOMEMADE WOOL SOCKS. WHEN I WAS A KID THEY WERE THE THING IF YOU WERE LUCKY TO HAVE A GRANNY TO MAKE SOME FOR YOU.
    I'D LOVE TO TASTE THAT CHEESE. I BET IT IS WONDERFUL. NICE GIFT.
    I WISH I KNEW HOW TO PUT PICTURES ON HERE FROM MY CAMERA. I'D SEND YOU A PICTURE OF THE TEDDY BEARS GRAMPS AND I GOT WITH OUR NAMES ON THEM. MY FRIEND SENT THEM TO US. SO SWEET TO BE THOUGHT OF AT THIS TIME OF YEAR..

    THANKS FOR SHARING.

    GRANNY

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  6. Oh my gosh!! What a great Phantom friend you have, Casey!! I can't even imagine trying to choose just a couple of things to send you from the Beekman Boys' web site/catalog! And what wonderful choices they were! You are lucky and you are good so you don't need to be lucky. LOL Love the gifts! And the socks! :) Happy holidays!

    Katie

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  7. Hi Katie, Paul, Granny and PX! I've been enjoying cheese and crackers since Christmas, in fact I have to go out today and buy more crackers, lol!

    Hope everyone had a very nice holiday, and my best wishes for the New Year!

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  8. On the odd chance that Father Time might have his way with me, let me take this lucid moment to wish Casey and all the gang a Happy New Year!

    2011 was not 'the best of times' nor was it 'the worst of times" - let's not give up trying.

    I lift my glass to all of you and wish you health and happiness in 2012.

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  9. too funny, Annie. I'll have another post up before the New Year's. We all just have to make sure we don't walk in traffic until then!

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