Review & Giveaway: Mary's Secret Ingredients Subscription Box

I have always considered myself a foodie.  I love food, there's no denying it, and I love lots of different kinds of food.  In fact, there isn't much I don't like, except maybe Uni (so chalky and bitter).  So when I was contacted by the fabulous people behind the subscription box Mary's Secret Ingredients to do a review, you'd better believe I was more than a little excited.  Let's face it-I like subscription boxes as much as I like food.

Mary's Secret Ingredients is a surprise culinary subscription box created by Mary Pisarkiewicz,  who is the blogger behind LOVE-the Secret Ingredient.  The box has limited quantities and ships out once per quarter, and it is seasonally themed and filled with goodies hand-picked by Mary and her team.  In the box she shares some of her favorite foodie products, recipes, and tips and tricks for even more goodness in the kitchen.

When my box arrived, I could barely contain myself with excitement.  I opened it up and dug through all of the wonderful goodies inside.  I instantly wanted to try it all! This is the Mary's Secret Ingredients Spring Box, which is now sold out, but I expect nothing short of this awesomeness next box.

Included in the box, and my opinions of each product, are:

Delta Bred Cheese Straws:  I usually don't like cheese straws, which was the first thing I thought when I opened this box up and decided to try one.  Yet these and a rich smokey cheese flavor and a kick of spice at the end.  While I can still only eat one or two at a sitting before I don't want anymore, I do think I'll continue eating them-much to my surprise!

Reids Maple Pecan Oatie Bites: This was perhaps my favorite thing in the whole box, and I have eaten the entire package.  They're like little crumbly oat cookies, and the maple pecan flavor is sweet (but not overpowering) and to dream of.  It's kind of milky, but not really milk flavored.  Hard to explain, but suffice it to say I immediately got online to find out where I could order more, since they're made in Scotland.  Thankfully Mary's Secret Ingredients links you to everything in their Marketplace.

Samba Flavor Chimichurri Spices:  This is a powdered herb mix with instructions right on it to make a Chimichurri sauce. Funny enough, I tried Chimichurri sauce for the first time from a food truck the other day, so now I'm excited to try this!  I have yet to make this sauce so I cannot review it, but I'll be back to do so when I have.

Savory Choice Pho Concentrate: Pho is one of my favorite dishes, and my friends and I go out for Pho quite often.  I've said many times that I've wanted to try and make it at home, and with this concentrate I can!  I have yet to try this product, and will be back to update with a review once I have.

Loaker Cremkakao: This chocolate bar was a really light flavor and a creamy chocolate.  I prefer a richer style of chocolate typically, but this one had great texture and was still very enjoyable-I mean I still ate the whole thing in one sitting.  Chocolate is chocolate, right?

Shirataki Harvest Noodles: These were interesting to me.  It's like a microwave dinner, but it can just store in the cupboard instead of the freezer.  The idea is great, because then you could store them in your desk at work and they have very few calories in them. Alas, very few calories usually means no flavor, and these were no exception.  They kind of remind me of Spaghetti-Os, but with less flavor.

Chef's Planet Cit-Trease: This is a tool meant for taking citrus out of their peels.  It kind of looks like the tools you use for brushing horses...  Have not tried it yet, but it could definitely be useful in the kitchen!  Especially if you want to use those campfire brownies that you make in Oranges, or those jello shots you make in lime peels.

Over all, I was really impressed with what I received, and I think I'll probably at least try their next two boxes for Summer and Fall.  Especially since I'm getting back into cooking and enjoying it so much.  Plus, if you sign up for their newsletter on their homepage they'll send you tips, recipes, and a 25% off code for your first box!

The amazing people over at Mary's Secret Ingredients are offering one lucky winner their Summer 2015 box for free!  The Summer boxes are top secret (but I'm sure you'll love it) and will ship out on June 25th!  Giveaway is open to residents of the USA only, and will end at 12AM on Monday, June 15th, 2015.  Entering below agrees to all terms within the rafflecopter.

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