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Due to a huge error on my part, I did not order a March Mantra box. As the month went on, I realized it hadn’t arrived and e-mailed the boys at Mantry looking for an update. Umm, turns out the update was that I didn’t order a March Mantry. Oops!! Luckily the guys over there are great and said I could still get a box. PHEW. Thank you Mantry! I have one job to do for B, one job, and I screw it up.
Mantry always ships in a USPS Priority Mail Medium sized flat rate box. Good thing, because this month’s Mantry may have been the heaviest one ever. It was nearly 9lbs!
I’ve said it about Love With Food too, but I need to go visit the boys over at Mantry and try and pack one of these boxes. How in the world do they get it all to fit? Because no matter what, I can never get the stuff back in the crate. I opened the box before B got to it so I could take pictures and not annoy him, yeah, even after throwing some tissue paper away, I still couldn’t do it. I bet these guys pack a mean suitcase.
The March Mantry theme is “Georgia on my Mind” and was guest curated by Hugh Acheson, who is a judge on Top Chef and also owns three restaurants in Georgia (Five & Ten, The National and Empire State South). Here’s what it included:
~Savannah Bee Company’s Raw Honeycomb Square ($24): Okay, why didn’t I know this was amazing? I posted my Mantry picture on Instagram and my Facebook and everyone is all “that is amazing with cheese”, “I love that stuff”, “the owners are awesome”, etc. Thanks for clueing me in guys! Mantry has an recipe that they say is the bees knees (ha) which includes salted butter, pecans and the honeycomb. Process, roll into a log and chill. And use it to top pancakes. Seriously. This has my name all over it.
~Georgia Olive Farms Olive Oil ($16): The people over at Georgia Olive Farms turned out the first batch of EVOO east of the Mississippi in over 150 years and are now supplying it to some of the finest restaurants on the East Coast. We usually get ours from our local gourmet market (it comes in a big vat and you fill a container with however much you need), but that’s all I know about its history. I love the back stories on products, especially ones like this! I can’t wait to try this and I know B is excited about it as well.
~Stripling’s General Store Pork Jerky ($6.99): When B picked this up, he guessed right away it was jerky and couldn’t open it fast enough. To say he’s excited would be an understatement! Stripling’s has been raising hogs out back and selling hand-crafted sausage out front of their original country store for 45 years. I’ll admit, it took me a minute to link the two. You mean those aren’t just their pets? Ohhhhh.
~Nora Mill White Speckled Grits (aka “Georgia Ice Cream”) ($4.75): I’ve actually never had grits before. Is that weird? I mean, I live in Michigan and it’s not like they are all over the menu here you know? But I will totally try them (assuming B cooks them). And heck, maybe we’ll even try the Shrimp & Grits recipe on Mantry.com.
~Southern Soul’s Hot Georgia Soul Sweet and Fiery BBQ Sauce ($6.42): I am 100% sure that if we are ever anywhere near St. Simons Island, GA, we are going to this place. Until then, we are just going to have to recreate it as best we can at home. This may be a little (A LOT) spicy for me, but I’ll try whatever B cooks up!
~Pearson Farms Georgia Pecans ($13.50): I am guessing these will get eaten this weekend, perhaps during March Madness? I am going to try Mantry’s suggestion for opening them, but I have my suspicions B’s going to have to do it for me. Pearson Farms Pecans are “shelled out” everywhere from Per Se in Manhattan to man caves in the south. And soon to be my living room.
All totaled, the March Mantry had a value of $71.66/month. A tad shy of the $75/month price tag, but whatever. Of course, that does not include the value of the crate, which I still love. However, B and I are trying to figure out what to do with them all. B wants to “build something”. Umm yeah, but what?
Do you subscribe to Mantry? What’d you think of this month? If you are interested in subscribing or want to learn more, click here. And if you are sad you missed out on a past crate, it’s your lucky day because now through Friday, you can buy them at Mantry!!! Retox was my favorite, but Hecho En America is B’s pick!
Oh my gosh Jordan would looooove this being a chef & all! & I would get yummy meals out of it! Hmmm lol
I live in Athens, GA (that’s where The National and Five & Ten are). I wish I would have ordered this…I actually just posted a recipe of an app I had at the National last weekend.
Anyway, I’m assuming this is the same olive oil that they use at The National (because it’s from GA) and I have to say that it tasted almost game-y to me so I’m interested to see how you like it.
They Call Me Gypsy Queen
Those crates are cute. You could attach some to a wall to make some fun shelves…
Omg grits are so good! Lol you have to try em…we have fried fish & grits at least once a month over here 😉
The Mantry boxes are always so cool! I love the variety of products you get and that its not typical or cheap stuff!
Mantry always looks so cool. I am originally from Georgia and (fun fact!), I actually interviewed Hugh Acheson for an article in one of my magazine writing classes in college. This looks like a fun box and a neat assortment of products. Though don’t tell anybody, but I don’t really like grits. Shh… I could have my southern card revoked.
You could use the crates as shelves on the wall!!. My friend has crates that are similar she got from work and she has them hanging in her office and then has pictures frames and knick knack stuff in each of them.
Mantry looks so amazing! I feel like they do an excellent job including items that are unique and they follow their themes really well. That honeycomb looks awesome!
I so want the honeycomb yummy You should checkout the link below my hubby sent it to me 35 great uses for old pallets I know mantry has crates not pallets but you could get some great ideas they had the most clever ideas ever I wish my hubby and I were this crafty and handy
http://www.dumpaday.com/genius-ideas-2/35-amazing-uses-for-old-pallets
@Jamie: This is great!! We are definitely going to steal some of these :D.
That is a really cool box! I live in Georgia so I really love it. You should try The Pioneer Woman’s Pork Chops with Apples & Creamy Bacon Cheese Grits. The bacon cheese grits are to die for. And cheese grits are the way to go if you have never had grits before since cheese makes everything better!!
Thanks for the great review Jennifer! You rock as always!
That link Jamie shared is amazing! Love the re-purposing of pallets there. I was going to say it’s too bad you don’t have a cat – you could probably make one AWESOME o-course for it.
Maybe you can try putting them together to make a cube bookshelf kind of thing? Or maybe you can use them for storing things in the yard and set up a bunch of them by the back door for things that are relatively weatherproof. Could also make a cool shoe rack.
If you’re going to try Shrimp and Grits, use this recipe (http://www.americascuisine.com/southcarolina/charleston/82queen/82queen/recipes.aspx/2). It’s from an awesome restaurant in Charleston, and it’s the only way I make my grits anymore! (And that’s saying something, seeing as I grew up in the south with my great-grandmother’s grits recipe.)
I wasn’t sure if it was just me, but I see it in your box too.. Mantry says they ship full size portions but they sent me a 3lb pecan bag with about half of the bag (by weight) missing.
-Damien