Foodie Pen Pal Reveal: May Edition!

Here comes my favorite time of the month! In May, I mailed a package to Indiana for Audrey at Exposed: On My Way to a Better Me (you’ll see what I sent her!). Her blog is super inspirational and we actually happen to have a lot in common! As well as being approximately the same age, we also both love running, reading and going to concerts! Her blog posts explore her weight loss journey as well as other exciting things happening in her life. Go check it out!

I received my package from Amy, in Pennsylvania. She told me she lived in a Mennonite/Amish area which was very interesting to me as I had never heard of that culture until I moved to America. She has been married for 22 years and has 3 children. You should check out her blog Laughing with the Stahls to read more about her wonderful family life. They sure appear to be having a blast up in Pennsylvania! 🙂

I received Amy’s package a couple of weeks ago and, as usual, I was giddy like a schoolgirl as I opened the package. She did a fantastic job sharing a part of the Amish/Mennonite culture with me (through food, obviously!). I haven’t tried everything yet, mostly because my parents were in town last week and we didn’t spend much time cooking.

Hot pepper jam & strawberry rhubarb jam — Hot pepper jam & strawberry-rhubarb jam

The birch beer...similar to root beer although not quite. I promised my husband I'd share half of it with him. We both really enjoyed it! — The birch beer…similar to root beer although not quite. I promised my husband I’d share half of it with him. We both really enjoyed it!

Venison jerky! I usually run away from jerky and my husband is obsessed with it so I have a feeling this will also be a shared item. I do plan to try it though! :) — Venison jerky! I usually run away from jerky and my husband is obsessed with it so I have a feeling this will also be a shared item. I do plan to try it though! 🙂

Whole wheat noodles: I can’t wait to use them! I LOVE noodles and pasta! I would love to use them to make chicken soup soon…I’ll keep you all posted!

I had never had pickled vegetables before, other than beets and jerkins so this is exciting! Pickled veggies go perfectly with Quebec pork pie so I might have to make one soon to pair them together.

Whoopie pie and goat milk peanut butter fudge. They are both long gone. SO GOOD!

Yeah, the fudge was a big hit...and I had no intention to share! — Yeah, the fudge was a big hit…and I had no intention to share!

Shoo Fly recipes: I had never heard of it before but I look forward to trying them! — Shoo Fly Pie recipes: I had never heard of it before but I look forward to trying them!

All in all, Amy’s package really was a winner. As well as the sweet no-brainers like whoopie pie and fudge, I always like to be challenged to try food that I would have normally walked passed like the venison jerky and the hot pepper jam. This is why I love participating in the foodie exchange!

Thank you so much for all the goodies, Amy!

This was a very thoughtful package and was a great opportunity for me to discover a culture I didn’t know much about!

Are you interested to join the foodie pen pal program? Just click on the link below for more information!

Here are the basic rules of the Foodie Pen Pals Program:

On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email.
You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail.
The boxes are to be filled with $15 worth of fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats!
Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers.