Summer Sausage in Winter

Ahhh… Winter… Holidays. Family. Festivities. Traditions. Fun.

And, of course, food.

Despite strongly encouraging my husband to let us return to Iowa from Los Angeles, I’m not a fan of the frigid weather that is Winter in Iowa. But everything else surrounding the time frame is just delightful. While I have fond memories of various holidays, events and traditions, what always stands out in my memory bank is the food. How spaghetti (and gnocchi) is the typical Christmas dinner. How the extended family always gathers and swaps gifts and eats hor d’oeuvres. Like all the tasty treats my mom used to make every year (and some that she still does) as well as the little barrels of spreadable wine cheese that we would always spread on garlic rounds.

And for some reason, the only time I notice summer sausage is during the holiday season. I absolutely adore summer sausage in the winter and for me, not only is it synonymous with holiday food but also with Hickory Farms. Yes, I get giddy when I see the temporary pop-up kiosks finally make their grand entrance at the local mall.

Each year, I marvel at the variety of gift baskets available – both at the mall and online. This year, I’m pleased to see that Hickory Farms is participating in Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign. When customers purchase a Party Planner gift box (which is only $45!), Hickory Farms will contribute $5 to the campaign. There is also offering $3 – 3 business day shipping (or less) on all Hickory Farms gifts. Three business days or less? That’s super fast. They also offer free shipping to APO/FPO military addresses on some of their other gift packages. But their website also advertises free standard shipping to street addresses in the contiguous 48 states if your orders is $35 or more.

We decided to set out some of the meat and cheeses during a small family gathering. I have to say that it went FAST. I should have taken a picture when I first set it out but I didn’t realize until we had put a big dent in it that I hadn’t gotten a photo! It is delicious and one of those traditions that I’ll never get tired of. Even while watching my calorie consumption, I’m still making room for this type of treat!

If you have someone who deserves a tasty treat and you’re looking for a great holiday gift idea, be sure to check out Hickory Farms. Just be sure to set aside enough time to browse because you’ll lose track of time as you surf their delicious options! You can also find them on Twitter and Facebook!

Note: Thanks to Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Hickory Farms for this delicious review. Have eaten it every year, a sample totally wasn’t necessary for me to tough my love for the product but I certainly wasn’t going to refuse it. Of course, I had to share it (but didn’t really want to).