The note inside informed me that the pepperoni was Mule Deer and the jerky was Elk. Both of which were hunted, shot, prepared and package fresh, this year, by dear old Dave.

I admit, I was touched and surprised...even though he'd been promising me this stash since last summer. Better late than never is okay in my book and Dave certainly went way beyond the call. Sending his hard work across the country to liberal ol' me.

As you can see I quickly made a spread of this feast. The verdict: Delicious! And the right amount of spice in the jerky too.

If you're lucky enough to receive some of these great delicacies yourself [and I imagine the orders will be rolling in soon], I recommend a Killians Irish Red to wash it down. And some h2o just in case the spicy jerky gets to you. Crackers and cheese are optional.

Bless you, Dave. If you are ever inspired to begin a mail order business for your excellent hunting and culinary skills, I'd invest.

PS - I'm saving some of the Elk jerky to share when the YBNBY Council gathers for dinner next week.