Tillen Farms Review and Giveaway...

We recently had the chance to try out a sampler of Tillen Farms veggies and cherries.


About Tillen Farms:

"Tim and Helen Metzger have created Tillen Farms to continue a delicious tradition first begun by the Hogue family over forty years ago in the fertile, volcanic soil of the Yakima Valley of Washington State. From this rich soil, irrigated by pure river water running down the Cascade Mountains, come some of America's finest vegetables and fruits.

What makes Tillen Farms uniquely different from most other pickled vegetables is that we don’t “cook” our veggies in the jar. Rather, we use a “fresh pack” processing technique where by we take just picked produce from the field and they’re run through a blanching tunnel then rapidly cooled so they’re minimally exposed to heat when pickled. This results in a shelf stable product which has exceptional crispness and fresh from the field flavor. The entire range is 100% natural, preservative-free, fat-free, gluten-free, cholesterol-free and naturally very low in calories and carbs!" Crispy Asparagus
- 12 oz. jar
$6.99
"One of our two original products that we introduced in 1984, this has been a bestseller from the beginning. Tillen Farms Asparagus are grown and harvested during a short 6-8 week period in late spring. Because of our fanatical commitment to quality, the local farmers offer us their best products. Within hours of picking, these beauties have been sorted, cleaned, trimmed, blanched and then carefully hand packed in a mild pickle brine with a garlic clove to round out the flavor. The crispness is unique and the taste is exceptional. It's no surprise that Asparagus is our joint # 1 selling variety (tied for #1 with our Hot and Spicy Beans.) For best results, refrigerate before serving.
Serve chilled on a platter with other Tillen Farms selections for delicious and healthy hors d'oeuvres.
Place one stalk in a Bloody Mary for a classic stirrer.
Wrap two to three asparagus stalks with slices of ham or prosciutto for a delicious appetizer or cocktail party snack.
Save the juice! You can add a little bit to garnish a Martini."Crispy Asparagus - Hot and Spicy
- 12 oz. jar
$6.99
"We knew eventually we'd need to expand our bestselling Asparagus variety and offer it with a bit of heat. We use crushed chilies peppers which gives the Asparagus a remarkably smooth blend of heat and flavor. Many customers love this extra zesty flavor as a Bloody Mary stirrer or as part of a wrap with ham. For best results, refrigerate before serving.
Serve chilled on a platter with other Tillen Farms selections for delicious and healthy hors d'oeuvres.
Place one stalk in a Bloody Mary for a classic stirrer.
Wrap two to three asparagus stalks with slices of ham or prosciuto for an enticing appetizer or cocktail party snack.
Save the juice for a little extra zing in a Martini.
Layer Sweet Bells, Hot & Spicy Asparagus, and Sunnysides with Italian cold cuts and provolone cheese for an exciting antipasto."
Crispy Carrots
- 12 oz. jar
$6.99
"When we began offering carrots a few years ago, we had our skeptics. Who would buy carrots at this price when they're available raw by the pound? Since their introduction, Tillen Farms Crispy Carrots have become one of the most popular products, especially with children! They're healthy, great tasting and of course, very crisp. For best results refrigerate before serving.
Mix Crunchy Carrots and Snappers into potato salad for extra zing!
Serve chilled on a platter with other Tillen Farms selections for delicious and healthy hors d'oeuvres."Merry Maraschino Cherries
- 14 oz. jar
$6.99
"Can you believe a Maraschino Cherry made with natural ingredients? Tillen Farms brings back the peace of mind and great taste you want from your cherries WITHOUT using artificial colors, artificial flavors, sulfites and preservatives!
Now you can bring new enjoyment to a Tom Collins, Manhattan, Shirley Temple and especially your ice cream sundae! it off with a Tillen Farms Maraschino Cherry! Finally, a maraschino cherry not just for decoration but one that you can actually enjoy eating!"
Hot and Spicy Crispy Snappers (Snap Peas)
- 12 oz. jar
$6.99
"Another unique product grown in the Yakima Valley, our snappers are also a late summer harvested crop. These pea pods have a loyal following and make a crisp and crunchy healthy snack right out of the jar! Often confused with Japanese edamame, these veggies are healthy, delicious tasting right out of the jar and so versatile! For best results, refrigerate before serving.
Add Snappers to Greek olives, Sweet Bells, and grated hard cheese for an unusual pasta salad.
Mix Crunchy Carrots and Snappers into potato salad for extra zing!
Serve chilled on a platter with other Tillen Farms selections for delicious and healthy hors d'oeuvres.
Mix with a cold pasta salad for great flavor.
Garnish a martini with one or two Snappers.
Save the juice! You can use if for just a bit extra flavor in a Martini."
Crispy Dilly Beans
- 12 oz. jar
$6.99
"Some like ‘em hot, and some not! We received hundreds of requests for a milder version our classic Hot ‘N Spicy Bean. We researched and found out that years ago a well known New England producer, called Weathervane Foods, had made dilly beans. We contacted some folks who remembered the product, shared our version with them, and they all agreed it tasted just like what they remembered. So if you like the true taste of beans, flavored just with dill spice, this is the answer! For best results, refrigerate before serving.
Serve chilled on a platter with other Tillen Farms selections for delicious and healthy hors d'oeuvres.
Toss warm, blanched red potatoes with a good wine vinegar and let cool. Then mix Dilly Beans, Tillen Farms Sweet Bells, extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper, and minced fresh dill for a wonderful cold potato & green bean salad.
Save the juice! You can add a little bit to garnish a Martini."

What we thought: These were a hit at our house:) We were very surprised with how crunchy the veggies were. I honestly have never had a pickled vegetable that wasn't soggy and let me tell you, the crunch really improves the pickled veggie experience! B and I preferred the hot and spicy varieties and the kiddos loved the carrots and the asparagus. We are blessed with veggie-loving kiddos, but they haven't had much experience with pickled veggies other than pickles and olives. They requested these veggies as snacks over cookies and candy! I'm lovin' that! Of course the cherries were a smash hit...I thought there was a noticeable difference between the taste of Tillen Farms version and the jarred cherries we usually buy. As you can tell, we were definitely sold on these delicious jarred treats and super impressed to boot! Another huge plus was the tips on how to use the veggies...while they are great by themselves they really can perk up your salads, hors d'oeuvres and drinks:) ABCD Diaries gives Tillen Farms an A+!
Buy It: Find these yummy treats at Tillen Farms!! Get a 25% discount good on one purchase for a new customer with the code TILFARM

Win It: One lucky ABCD Diaries reader will win sampler of Tillen Farms goodies valued at nearly $50!! To enter, sign up to follow our blog via GFC and comment below.

Extra Entries:

1.Subscribe to our RSS feed +2 entries...comment twice please

2.Like ABCD Diaries on Facebook+1 entry
3.Follow ABCD Diaries via Twitter(leave id) +1 entry

4.Tweet about this giveaway(leave link)+1 entry per day(1 tweet/day)

5.Blog about this giveaway(leave link) +2 entries...comment twice please

6.Enter any other current giveaways on ABCD Diaries and leave a comment saying so. +1 for each entered

Giveaway ends Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 11:59cst. Winner will be chosen via random.org and emailed. They will have 48 hours to reply. Open to US residents 18+:)

Disclosure: ABCD Diaries was given a sampler for review purposes only. We were in no other way compensated. The opinions expressed in this post are ours and ours alone.