After a week of illness and other difficulties, I was able to round out the weekend on a wonderful note, thanks to my Secret Santa, RandomAccessChick. I love different types of foods, especially regional foods that represent the culture or tastes of specific areas, and my Santa delivered that awesomely! RAChick is a member of the Chippewa/Ojibwe Nation, living near her reservation in Northern Wisconsin, and she provided me with a first hand look (and taste) of the bounty of her region, as well as the history of her Nation. The first item I grabbed out of the box was a bag of home grown and dried cayenne pepper pods, my wife and I are looking forward to using in an upcoming dish. Next, I found a bag of Bad River wild rice (Manoomin) that looks phenomenal, and was hand harvested by a member of RAChick's tribe. This is a product that I never would have been able to find in my local San Diego area, and after being inspired to do some extra reading on the product, I learned that this has been a staple of the peoples living around the shores of Lake Superior for many generations. Third, there was a jar of delicious looking handpicked Raspberry/Strawberry Jam that was by RAChick, herself! Lastly, there was a thoughtful card that explained each item and provided me with a detailed description on how to "clean" and prepare the rice, as well as some wonderful seasonal blessings. Even though I am always excited to try new foods, this is an extra special opportunity because they really represent a piece of the identity and history of my Secret Santa. I know that they were made, picked, and handled with both pride and love that I would not have been able to experience without the generosity of RAChick! Thank you so much for sharing your gift with me, RandomAccessChick, and for helping to brighten my week and my holiday season!