You see, I'd done a snack food exchange with a totally awesome friend in Texas. She sent me all sorts of goodies, and in return, simultaneously, I sent her lots of different chips and chocolate bars we have only in Canada (as well as maple syrup).
It was tons of fun thinking of things we only have in Canada and asking around friends to put together a wicked snack pack to mail down south. It cost less than $100 after all the food was bought and shipping paid for, which is a more than reasonable price for such a fun activity!
So here's some photos and reviews of things she sent me:
This was my first reaction to the Okra pickles. But they're actually pretty good! I really like them, the texture was a bit off-putting at first, which is what you see here, but otherwise, good stuff! Definitely try those out if you get the chance.
And don't ask me what an okra is. I have no idea.
These little guys, whatever they are, were supposed to be in several big pieces. But whatev! Of all the things I got these were my %100 favourite! They were like sugar coated fortune cookies, but way better. And get this, they were like 2 days past the due date and still crunchy and delicious! So sweet! I was quite loathe to share this snack with anyone, but because that much sugar does nobody any good, I conceded.
Speaking of way too much sugar, check out this fruit pie! It's like 1,000 jambusters all concentrated into one pastry. Imagine eating a can of frozen fruit concentrate, and that's what this little bomb is.
I had three bites before I went into diabetic shock.
Of all the things I was sent, this was the one that I had the biggest "WTF" moment at. Cheese crackers AND peanut butter? Madness!
Delicious though.
My Texas pal said that Twizzlers were slightly different in the states. She couldn't really confirm this though, and here's the verdict:
They're the same. But Twizzlers are good regardless, so I'm still enjoying them.
Finally, she also said Oreos were different. And they are in fact a little different. Not much, but definitely not exactly the same. I'd say they're less sugary than in Canada.
Anyway, there were some other items like kettle cooked chips (awesome) instant grits, and genuine iced-tea that I haven't tried yet, but I certainly will at some point.
Also, there's some jalapeno jelly and salsa that were both very good. The Hell on the Red salsa is a perfect amount of heat, and it's definitely going on tacos at some point.
I can't explain clearly enough just how much fun this was! All I can really say is, make some foreign friends and send snacks to each other!!! This was a great experience and I'm definitely looking forward to doing it again with anyone from anywhere in the world. This time around I have a better idea of what to send too, so things will only get better.
And there's a happy little after story about this exchange too. I mentioned that I did a Snack-Food Exchange on Reddit.com, and everyone there who heard about it thought it was a wicked cool idea, and have started an entire group dedicated to matching people up with each other from around the world to trade snacks.
If you're interested in taking part and having an easier was to find someone to trade with, just head to this website, you'll figure the rest out from there.
5 comments:
First of all, I love the fact you compared something to jam busters. Which is a phrase only used in manitoba...and is my derby name.
Second, okra is delightful. It comes from the same plant family as cottom and cocoa and hibiscus. What we eat is actually the pod produced by the okra plant itself. It's often found in southern cooking especially gumbos and stews. When cooked it releases a goo (for lack of a better term) that acts as a thickening agent. It's the immature pods that are often used for pickling.
Wow watching obscene amounts of food network has FINALLY paid off.
What great fun Jake!!!
I too was going to explain okra--can only add that it doesn't really have much flavour (Canadian spelling!) on its own & also I don't really care for the texture of the pod, but cut up in gumbo it's delicious. I had deep fried okra (along with many other southern delicacies) at Jestine's in Charleston.
Steven disagrees with you about the Twizzlers and makes me bring them every time I see him!
Jake, you are in my top five most interesting people I've ever met. I'm so down for trading snacks with someone. Sounds freaking fantastic!
I'd just like to point out, and perhaps this is just my opinion, Texas isn't really international since it's still in North America :P
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