Try the World Box 3: Italy

My 3rd Try the World box came last week!

For those new to Try the World, it's a subscription service where each month you receive a box with 7-8 products from that month's featured country. Boxes cost $39 a month. You can read about my other Try the World boxes here.

This month's featured country was Italy. I was so excited when I made this discovery as I love to eat Italian food but don't cook it very often because...nerves!

Here's what came in this month's box:

From left to right: truffle zest (retails at $12.90), balsamic vinegar, hazelnut cream (retails at $10.50) and pesto (retails at $8.90) 

From left to right/back to front: pappardelle (retails at $8.00), coffee, amaretti (retails at $6.90), and mushroom risotto (retails around $13.00)

I didn't search prices on all of items and we already hit over $40 in value. I have gotten more than my money's worth with every box. Also, I love that Try the World sends items I may not think to try on my own.

This is my 3rd box and each box has had a healthy mix of ready to cook items (risotto), pantry staples (vinegar) and treats (amaretti).

Out of this book, I think I will make:

• Pesto pappardelle (pesto and pasta)
• Risotto (risotta and truffle zest)
• Tiramisu (with the coffee)
• Hazelnut Zabaglione (hazelnut cream)

If you'd like to give Try the World a whirl, you can sign up HERE. I will get $15 store credit for anyone who signs up with that link.

Any questions? Or recipe ideas?

Wedding Inspiration Search

Since I'm spending my summer in South Korea I can't actually DO a lot of  things for the wedding but I can look for ideas. Here are some ideas I've been tossing around.

Programs: I'd been thinking making wedding programs  that look like passports. But I've found a less time consuming and much simpler idea that still ties into my travel theme.  I want to make them look like luggage tags. I can make them luggage tag sized like a little book or I can make one bigger luggage tag.

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Fauxtobooths:  Back when I was planning a Spartanburg wedding I wanted to have a photo booth. Now, a "passport photo booth" defintely fits into my theme. But now its not in my budget or geographic location. So I've been inspired by these pictures and am tossing around the idea of making my own booth. Have any of you done this or seen it done? I think my dad could easily rig something up and that I could convince a few of my cousins or sisters friends to hang out and take the pictures. I really love the idea of having props like the picture frame and chalkboard.

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Now this one is super cool:

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Shoes: I want my shoes to bring a (realitively hidden) pop of color. Mr. Groom wants me to stick with the classic white. I'm thinking about compromising with these babies:

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Additonal Thank You Cards: I won some free Thank You cards from Vistaprint, but unless only 1/6th of the people I invite get us a gift they won't be enough. So I'm thinking about buying these airmail inspired notecards:

Stamps: I've been working with the Paper Nickel Stamp Company to find vintage stamps that give the feel of travel. They've put together some great combinations at great prices. I'll share them with you once I pay for mine.

Out of Town Bags: Since my wedding is travel themed I think it would be appropriate for me to have little souveneirish treat bags for my guests that have to come from out of town. But I have to decide this a little closer to the wedding to make sure my budget will allow. I'd want to include driving directions, restaurant information, homemade cookies, hot chocolate packets and preferably Carolina Gold grits or rice. I'd like to keep the bags simple and design them with this in mind:

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If you have any suggestions relating to my travel theme or recommendations for any of the above items I'd love to hear it. And I'd appreciate it very much if you wanted to send me a blank postcard from your city/region/state/province/country for us in my wedding guest book-just leave a comment letting me know and I'll get you my address.

Kettle Bottom by Diane Fisher

I've read this book twice. It was required summer reading for my freshman year of college and I added it to my senior seminar reading list because of the influence it had on a segment of my final project.

Fisher's collection of poetry presents the tale of a small coal mining town in West Virgina. She transitions between several characters in the town and touches on all of the aspects of peoples lives that coal mining reaches- cleaning, sex, education, death, marriage, parenting.

I love this colllection. I think that switiching speakers really helps to present the full view of the town. I especially love this book because although its poetry there is an underlining story that connects all of the pieces.

I was so inspired by this book that I've begun to write my own series of poems called Westbound Hope, about a woman (Hope) whose family is traveling west (think oregon trail) at the insistence of her husband. So far the series is only a few poems long and is mostly from Hope's point of view, with one poem from her husband's. I'll let you know if the series ever makes it anywhere.

Anyway, if you like poems, but aren't big on having to "dig deep" to decipher..er find... the meaning of things then add this book to your reading list. If you're like me its a mile long already.

Get your copy here: