First, I need to point out that this was a rematch. The condiments exchange didn't start out too well for me. I sent a large variety of condiments and a cookbook to my match, and he didn't even so much as post one photo of it. :-( Then, my match stood me up. :-( But, thanks to the generosity of my re-match, the exchange has been redeemed, and then some!

I have to be honest. The sum of what I know about Oregon I learned from 31st episode of The West Wing, Galileo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_%28The_West_Wing%29). I have never visited, and until today, had no plans to. This is partly due to lack of opportunity, but also because nothing in my life ever screamed "Hey, check out Oregon!"

Food is one of the best ways to learn about new cultures. This is a mantra close to the heart of Andrew Zimmern (http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/bizarre-foods), and one in which I believe as well.

While I had no reason to suspect Oregon to be an inferior state in any way, I certainly had no expectations for this state to introduce me to an entirely new (to me) fruit, the Marionberry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marionberry)!

As I sit with this new-found bounty, dreaming of all the wonderful ways in which I can use it, I can't help but also wonder about all the people that helped make it possible, and what else I don't know about the beaver state!