I love receiving nice things in the post, who doesn't? I recently discovered a company called Degustabox that will send you a monthly parcel of edible treats - all recently or about-to-be launched products from both leading and smaller brands, but these are full sized products, not samples. The box costs £12.99 a month including delivery, or £11.99 a month if you pay biannually. It's definitely good value as the contents are worth around £20. If you want to only order one box you can cancel after that and not have to buy another.
This all sounds like I've been paid to advertise this service but I haven't - I came across it via a friend and subscribed and have had two boxes so far, both paid for out of my own money. I liked the idea - and the contents - so much that I wanted to share it with you!
The first box I received in August had a voucher for Moma Bircher Muesli - as they have to be stored in the fridge, which is good if your box ends up sitting on your doorstep or with a neighbour all day. As I had just moved house I didn't get around to redeeming the voucher however.
I also received a packet of brioche croissants and one of pain au lait; these are both ready to eat from the packet so were a great help on the first few mornings in our new house when we didn't have much in the way of fresh food and hadn't unpacked the crockery!
There was a box of apple and pear juice from Cawston Press, which was lovely:
And two pots of Schwartz Flavour Shots, something I hadn't come across before. One was for Mexican fajitas and the other Spanish paprika chicken. The little pots have a blend of herbs, spices and seasonings in a paste and oil; you heat the paste in the pan and add the oil along with your chicken; for the Spanish paprika chicken, you also add onions and a tin of tomatoes. It was delicious!
Dr. Oetker edible cupcake cases - I'd already found these in the supermarket and used them to make these incredible
banoffee cupcakes. The edible cupcake cases aren't cheap but I recommend them for the occasional bake as they are so different and a lot of fun!
Caribbean Twist Strawberry Daiquiri- really refreshing and fruity, with an alcoholic kick that isn't too strong.
Mexican Dave's tortilla chips- handy to have something like this in the cupboard for when you have the munches, and the subtle flavour means they would pair well with salsas and dips.
Berry White fruit drinks - quite an unusual flavour and not as sweet as most other soft drinks or squashes and these count as one of your five a day.
A little heart shaped tin of Lindt chocolates which brought a smile to my face! It was a shame these were solid chocolate and not filled with caramel though...
And for my second box at the very end of September, there was an intriguing new product I hadn't seen before: Carnation 'Cook with it'. From the makers of condensed milk, this is a lighter cooking sauce for savoury dishes that resembles single cream but has less fat. I've used it in a homemade curry which worked really well and I'm planning to try it out in a spaghetti carbonara this weekend.
Burts Lentil Waves - like crisps, but made from lentils. I received three packets - sour cream and chive, lightly salted and sweet chilli. I was a bit dubious but these tasted really good; very crunchy and a healthier alternative to crisps.
Bahlsen 'Pick Up' - a chocolate biscuit with a very thick layer of chocolate sandwiched between two biscuits, these reminded me a little of Prince chocolate biscuits that I've eaten in Europe. They are really satisfying- did I mention the extra thick layer of chocolate?! - and didn't last long in my house at all!
Crabbie's alcoholic lemonade - I've seen their alcoholic ginger beer before but I think the lemonade is new. It's just on the right side of the sweet and sharp spectrum and while I don't particularly hold with the idea of adding alcohol to soft drinks directly - I was never one for alcopops even as a teenager - it tasted pretty good.
Jordan's Simply Granola - I don't usually buy Jordan's cereal but that might have to change. This granola is simply oats with a little honey - when I buy museli I often find myself picking out bits I don't like. This comes in a resealable bag that lasts ages, and tasted great layered with yogurt and fruit for breakfast.
Elizabeth Shaw dark chocolate mint thins - I don't like mint so my boyfriend will have these; which reminds me, he hasn't spotted them in the cupboard yet!
Righteous salad dressings - a new brand, I was sent three little pots of salad dressings that are made using 100% natural ingredients. It's a bit cold for salad now so I used the blue cheese dressing as part of the filling in a
baked potato. It was lovely!
Little Miracles drinks - a blend of tea and fruit juice. The tea gave it a slightly odd flavour and I wasn't a huge fan of these but I think it's more of an acquired taste and can still see the brand being successful.
I'm looking forward to finding out what is in October's box - t
o purchase a Degustabox yourself sign up via this link.
