Manitoba Munchies
Lucky me!! I got my name entered into a Manitoba Day draw for a gift basket from The Mulberry Tree (@themulberrytree), just by retweeting. And I won! Because I love finding out about new local products, and supporting small local business, I wanted to share a little about what was in the basket, which was very similar to the one pictured here.
I got to try…
- Wild Rice & Veggie Soup Mix from Wild Man Ricing
- Cinnamon Harvest Granola from Nature’s Farm
- Honey with cinnamon from John Russell Honey Company
- Dill pickle Buckshots from Stone Milled Specialty Grains
- Herb & ginger and cracked pepper & garlic meat marinade from Wild West Seasonings
- Limonetti (lemon lavender) Italian macaroons from Piccola Cucina
- OMG’s
- Hibiscus & Ginger herbal tea from YOMM Beverages
- Hand-dipped chocolate cherries from The Danish Mermaid
Although it was a treat to try everything, and I still have a few items to go, my favourite was probably the Limonetti Italian macaroons from Piccola Cucina. I wasn’t sure if I would like the lavender flavour but it was actually very subtle and complemented the lemon perfectly. The cookies were moist and just the right size. I’ve seen Piccola Cucina at the farmer’s market before, and now I’m keen to try the other flavours and products!
I also enjoyed the dill pickle flavoured “Buckshots” — a snack made from buckwheat, that reminded me of a snack I loved as a kid, called Wheat Crunch. (Hoping Buckshots are available in salt & vinegar soon too!).
And last night I used the cracked pepper and garlic meat marinade on salmon… I was in a rush and didn’t have time to let them actually marinate, so I just sprinkled the dry mix over top of the filets and panfried them, and they were REALLY good. So good that I’m going to make the same thing again tonight using the ginger & herb marinade 🙂
Thanks very much to The Mulberry Tree for this wonderful “I Heart Manitoba” prize pack, and for helping me discover more tasty local eats.
p.s. When former WoMHer Laurel left Manitoba in 2009, we made our own Manitoba-themed care package for her. If you’re curious to see what we included, check it out! Most of the items were a hit, but for reasons I can’t conceive of now that I’m an HDS convert, Laurel never cracked open the honey dill sauce. Actually, she even offered to give it back to me last time I went out to visit her on the West Coast. I’m not ashamed to say that even four years later I probably would have accepted it, if I weren’t wary of an airline baggage honey dill disaster 🙂
