Monday, December 10, 2007

Menu for Hope 4: Good Tidings for You and Food for the World



Today marks the beginning of what has become the "must participate" event of the year for food bloggers, Chez Pim's Menu for Hope. For the past four years, food bloggers from all over the world have come together during this season of joy to raise money through an online raffle for a worthy cause.

Once again, the Menu for Hope will be supporting the United Nations World Food Programme, a program that provides food aid to the areas of the world in need because of famine, disaster, economic hardships and helps these nations develop their own food resources through education and grants. No money we raise passes through any of our hands but rather is handled by First Giving, who take the bids and then pass the raised funds on to the World Food Programme. Last year we raised over $60,000 for the World Food Programme and we hope to raise at least that much again this year.

You can help us meet that goal by purchasing a raffle ticket with a donation of $10.00 for a prize that strikes your fancy. Prizes are arranged by region and since I'm an East Coast food blogger, Adam Kuban of Slice and Serious Eats is our prize master. You can view all the East Coast prizes by visiting the East Coast Raffle Page, where you will find all the East Coast food bloggers prizes as well as links to the other regions of the world prize pages as well.

This is the third year that The Sour Dough has participated as a sponsor of a raffle item and in honor of the 4th Anniversary of The Menu for Hope, I am proud to be donating four prizes:

UE08: Box of 9 LA Burdick Chocolate Mice:



These are the signature chocolate of one of the best chocolatiers in the United States, Larry Burdick. The mice are in three flavors: dark with orange interior, milk with mocha interior, and white with cinnamon interior. Each mouse comes decorated with an adorable face and pretty silk ribbon tail. Sorry, due to the nature of the product shipping for this raffle item will be only to bidders in the US

UE09: Small Signature Collection box of Chocolate from Knipschildt Chocolatier:



Voted one of the top three chocolates of the world by Gourmet and home of Forbes Magazine's most expensive truffle, the La Madeline au
Truffle, this collection offers a sampling of master Fritz Knipschildt's finest flavors of the season in a variety of shapes, textures, and sizes.
Sorry, due to the nature of the product shipping for this raffle item will be only to bidders in the US

UE10: Two Loaves of Fresh Baked Bread from Breadchick:



I will bake fresh and ship overnight for delivery the next day two loaves of Breadchick Homebaked Breads. The winner can choose from the following breads: Classic Farmer's White, Honey Whole Wheat, Egg, or Asiago Cheese. All my breads are made with the finest natural
ingredients and with no preservatives. Winner will get to select the time/date when the breads will be delivered with a five day advance notice. Sorry, due to the nature of the product shipping for this raffle item will be only to US

UE11: Day of Baking with Breadchick:



This is an "in your home" lesson on making bread completely by hand for the winner and up to three of their friends or family. I will come to the winner's house on a weekend day and teach them to make bread the old fashioned way, completely by hand (no mixer, no bread machine). The winner will learn all about how to have success with bread and yeast in their home and learn techniques like proofing yeast, kneading, and how do you know you will have bread and not a "hockey puck". We will make two loaves: basic white and one specialty bread like cinnamon rolls, Challah, or whole grain. The winner will also get a home bread making kit that includes my preferred loaf pan, a dough proofing tub, wooden spoon, measuring cups and spoons, bakers towels, yeasts, bread flour and recipes for the breads we make with step by step instructions. This is the perfect prize for the person who is terrified of yeast and making bread by hand but always wanted to try. Due to the nature of this prize, it is only offered to folks living in NYC and Fairfield County, CT.

Now that you've seen the prizes I'm offering, here's how you donate and have a chance to win one of these prizes from the Sour Dough (bread.... fresh baked bread.... UE10) or any of the other great prizes the other food bloggers of the world are offering:



To Enter

If you're interested in buying into the raffle, here's what you need to do:

1. Choose one of the fantastic prizes above (mmmmm....chocolate mice with cute little ears UE08) or one of the other fabulous prizes of your choice from our Menu for Hope at http://www.chezpim.com/blogs/2007/12/menu-for-hope-4.html

2. Go to the donation site at http://www.firstgiving.com/menuforhope4 and make a donation.

3. Please specify which prize you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write-in how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize code. Example:

Basic Order


Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 tickets for EU02. Please write 2xEU01, 3xEU02. Example:

Advanced Order


4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.

5. Please check the box to allow us to see your email address so that we can contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.

Check back on Chez Pim on Wednesday, January 9 for the results of the raffle.

SEE! It's all pretty simple....

(Psst...You, ya you on the Upper West Side with the bunny slippers and the coffee mug with the big chocolate kiss on it.....you know you are scared of yeast...you know I can help you become a yeast beast and then you too can be a master of bread! Five tickets for UE11)

So, what are you waiting for? Go click over to the Menu for Hope 4 and get a chance at some chocolate, some bread, or anything else on the prize lists your little heart desires and help us feed the world.

Thanks for your participation, and good luck in the raffle!