Leite’s Loves…The Mantry

Are you like me and start to break out in sweats in the middle of June? And not because of the weather? Yup, Father’s Day is just around the corner. Luckily for me, Papa Leite is easy to please: Fruit of the Loom underwear. I kid you not. At 82, he’s still got the Marlon Brando look going. If he’s feeling a bit stylish, then it’s Calvin Klein Obsession underarm deodorant. He’s a simple man, what can I say.

But The One, not so simple. And his FOTL days ended when he turned 18. No, he’s not my sugar daddy–how I wish!–but he is Papi to Devil Cat. I’ve been playing around with The Mantry–a monthly food club for guys. (I know, I know. I hate saying that. Dude food is so Brooklyn 2014. But this is Dude Food²–Dude Food Squared.) Each Mantry is themed, comes in a cool crate, and includes six full-size packages of guy eats. The crate we’re working our way through, an early gift from Devil Cat, is dubbed “Island Time.” It has these wicked good Black Peppah Macadamia Nuts, a totally kick-ass Island Teriyaki Artisan Pork Jerky (and I normally hate jerky), Pistach-a-Colada Granola, Jamaican Jerk Sauce, Pineapple Gum Syrup for drinks and punches, and Crystallized Ginger that dances on your tongue.

Besides having great taste, the three founders have done good, and not just in terms of profits. So far they’ve purchased more than $1,000,000 worth of small-batch food from American artisans and donated one percent of all sales to City Harvest. As I was clicking over to the founders’ page, I just knew that they’d have to be young, have beards, and live in Brooklyn to sell something this cool. Bingo, bingo, and biiiiingo. As you know, I’m not cool, don’t sport facial hair, and haven’t lived in Brooklyn in more than 20 years. Nonetheless, for one brief moment each month (I’m signing up for a subscription), I feel like–yes, I’m going to say it–a hipster. And I say it in the most un-ironic way.

You can order a one-, three-, or six-month Mantry subscription, starting at $75, at The Mantry website.