Foodie Penpals February 2014

I am a day late with my post – my parcel arrived while we were in Berlin, so I didn’t get the chance to open it until last night. I trust this transgression will be forgiven.

Sandrine in France was my penpal this month, and she obviously put a lot of time into thinking about what would make a great parcel. Let’s take a look…. I felt like a children’s TV presenter saying there, I don’t think I’ll say that again.

The box contained a pretty card, as well as a long handwritten note to tell me about the contents.

 

Crisps! The Dixi on the left are sort of like Wotsits in nature, but round and tomato flavoured. The Monster Munch are not the same as the ones we get here – they’re more like Pom Bears, which might be my favourite crisp… Naturally, I demolished the Monster Munch last night. They were excellent.

Interesting chocolate! Violet and earl grey flavours, right up my street. I’ve tried them both and can confirm they are delicious. The earl grey one is fruity and sweet, the violet one unsurprisingly floral with little crunches throughout. Brilliant find.

Traditional Breton four quarters cake – a butter cake that is perfect to go with a cup of tea. I haven’t opened this yet, I can see it disappearing pretty quickly once I do.

These fancy sweeties are chocolates that Sandrine tells me are often eaten at New Year. Not only do they have spangly wrapping, but they are like little crackers inside!

Truth: I almost gave myself a heart attack by pulling the cracker part. It’s REALLY loud and makes a big spark! There is also a little sheet inside with trivia, jokes, riddles – the kind of stuff you get in crackers. The chocolates have various fillings (yes, I’ve tried more than one), and they’re worth celebrating on their own. Perhaps with another chocolate.

Sandrine describes these as ‘irresistible’, and I can well believe it. I haven’t had these before, I’m not sure if we get them here, but i can imagine the crisp shell on the outside and the chewy insides all too well. And there are two packets! I might even share. Might. I said might.

Caramel chews with little faces on the wrapper. How cool? I haven’t opened one of these yet (I’ve eaten a surprising amount of this box already, but not these) but I love the kind of ‘penny sweet’ vibe to them. They made me think of going to the shops after school with my pocket money.

Thank you so much, Sandrine, for a wonderful, well thought-out and beautifully presented parcel. It was a treat to open, and I’m sorry I was late in posting about it!

If you would like to see other Foodie Penpal parcels from around the world, have a look at The Lean Green Bean’s linkup page.

If you’d like to learn more about Euro Foodie Penpals, click here.

If you’d like to know more about US and Canada Foodie Penpals, click here.