India: Try the World #7

I was very excited to discover the India box.

This box included tea, dosa mix, curry spice mix, baked chickpeas, basmati rice

France-Try the World #8

Ooo la la!

This month's box featured products from France.

I think the coolest thing in the box was a package of crepes. They must been relatively fresh because they came with a little sticker that advised to eat them first.I ate banana nutella crepes and fruit and whipped cream crepes with chocolate sauce.

In the France box, I also received chestnut cream (recipe ideas anyone?), tea, cookies, herb crackers, fig jam, whole grain , salt, whole grain mustard and a spice mix.

I've tried the crackers with goat cheese and they are delicious. The salt was sprinkled over the caramel sauce filling off the macarons we made last weekend.

The crackers look marvelously dainty-almost like super thin Milanos before they are sandwiched.

Try the World Box #6: Peru

December's box was Peru. How cool.

Inside this box, I received:

I am very excited to try the quinoa avocado salad recipe that came in the box. It looks delicous and i was suprised to hear my husband say he'd try it. He's an avacoado fan (is there anyone who isn't?) but I didn't think he'd be up for trying the quinoa.

I did sneak a handful of the cocoa nibs and blueberry mix and it is very bitter! I can see why Try the World recommends mixing it into granola ...it definitely needs some sweet!

I'm also excited to try the yellow pepper paste. I think my husband will probably like it.

6 boxes...I'm one box away from being halfway through my subscription (my first month was a 2 for one promo) and I can honestly say I'm very pleased with the subscription service and the product quality. I love having new and interesting foods delivered right to my door.

Click on over to see what this month's promo deal is.

Try the Wolrld #5: Michelin Holiday Box

I love that Try the World does a holiday box. They are putting together a "love" themed box for Valentine's day too!

The following items were in my holiday box:

(Not pictured: a box of British tea)

I am in LOVE with the gingersnap cookies and will probably be purchasing them again. I'm not a huge maple fan, but I did like the maple short bread cookies.

I tried the Taiwanese pineapple cakes. While the packaging was adorable, I found the cakes to be too sweet. I experienced this overly sweet taste a lot in Korea as well. I wonder if it is an "Asian" thing for desserts to be more sugary than flavorful?

I'm not a toffee lover but this toffee was the best I'd had, good enough to at least make me a toffee eater! :)

I can't wait to make cookies with the date spread and try out the french spice cake mix.

If you're interested in Try the World, now's the perfect time because they are partnering again with Michelin for a Valentine's day box.

I've always gotten AT LEAST$39 in product valu with a good mix of items. If you want to give it a whirl, sign up HERE.

Try the World #4: Morroco

My mom went to Morroco when she was in high school and told me stories and showed me her photographs  from her trip when I was a child. Because of this, I've always been curious about Moroccan culture so I was delighted when I realized that my fourth Try the World box was based on Morocco!

This box contained:

1. Moroccan Green Tea ($11-13 on other sites) IT SMELLS DIVINE.
2. Orange Blossom Water (averages $7 on other shopping sites)
3. Anise Cookies ($5-6 on other sites)
4. Couscous (I couldn't find the precooked, but another site sells a box of this size Dari brand couscous for $16.95)
5. Couscous Sauce
6. Paprika Crackers
7. Harissa (averages $7 on other shopping sites)
8. Kefta Rub Spice Blend

I haven't made anything out of this box although I am planning on using the spice mix, harissa, couscous and couscous sauce to make a pot of couscous with. 

Do you have any ideas for the orange blossom water?

Also, if you'd like to give this service a try, use this link for two free boxes with the purchase of a subscription.

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?

Try Around The World Box 2: Sweden!

As, I mentioned in last month's post I signed up for Try the World on a promotional deal. I received a free box with purchase (take advantage of that deal HERE). My first box, was from Brazil.

My free box was the Sweden box. It contains a card explaining the Swedish traditions of fikka and smorgasbord. Fikka is basically a tea break. Smorgasbord, a more well know term, means having a variety of foods out. The card broke down the best ways to use the included ingredients as either fikka or smorgasbord.

In my Sweden box, I received:

A box of oatmeal chocolate sandwich cookies (they included a recipe for a cookie milkshake I can'r t wait to try!), flat bread crisps and a box of licorice 

A good sized bottle of elderflower syrup-a $13-$18 value!!(Any good baking recipes, anyone?)

Nordic fudge (yum!), Lingonberry jam-a $10-$12 value (also yum) and sweet and hot honey mustard

Not pictured: a bag of coffee

Again, I think Try the World hit it out out of the park on this one. I received 8 different items in different food categories (treats, ingredients and condiments). I wish the fudge bag was a little bigger but overall I think the value was definitely there! I am excited to see what my September box holds.

If you'd like to take advantage of the same free box with purchase promotion, use THIS LINK.

For other Try the World reviews, click HERE.

For other subscription box reviews, click HERE.

ATM Favorite Thing: Try the World

After eyeing the subscription service Try the World for quite some time, I finally decided to take the plunge on a promotional deal for a free box with purchase.

So, I paid the monthly subscription fee of $39 and anxiously waited for the mail.

A little over a week after my purchase my two Try the World boxes arrived.

(These boxes are quite sturdy and could easily be re-purposed as gift boxes or to hold craft supplies)

After opening the boxes, I was so happy to have purchased a subscription.

I received eight items in each box. Here's what came in my Brazil box:

Churraso spice rub, Churrasco bbq sauce and  Jabuticaba jam

I tend to collect jams to use in fillings. I'm also excited about cooking some meat flavored with the Churrasco spices. 

Brazil nut cookies, Brazil nut spread and Pao de Quito mix

I can't wait to make the cheese bread for my husband's Brazilian coworker. 

Guava paste

Cupcake filling anyone?

Not pictured: A box of Brazilian coffee

All of the items were actually from Brazil, not Americanized versions. I looked up the price of the guava paste on Amazon. I couldn't find the the same brand but packages this size ranged from $8-$10. Overall, I think this subscription is a really good value and I am excited to see what I will receive next. If you'd like to try the world yourself, use THIS LINK and you'll get the same promotion I did-a free box!