I first came across the Foodie Penpals scheme in March – a great idea that originated from the US and was brought to the UK by blogger Carol Anne from This Is Rock Salt. Every month, food bloggers who have signed up receive a box of goodies from another food lover somewhere in the UK, to the value of around £10.
April was the first month in which I took part, all massively exciting! Responsible for sending a parcel to me was the lovely Sarah from North West Nosh – a great blog all about where to eat and drink in North West England, and highlighting some great local producers.
Sarah had contacted me at the start of the month to find out about my likes and dislikes, and I was intrigued to see what she would come up with…
The box contained a lovely handwritten letter explaining that Sarah had gone with a regional theme for my box of goodies…
…and she’d also included a recipe for a rose and cardamom cake – her own recipe! – as it turns out that she loves all things rose-related as much as I do. The recipe looks amazing, and friends are keen to try it too – I’ll make it this week and let you know how I get on!
Very thoughtful indeed – a great personal touch!
Onto the rest of the contents, and a box of goodies that was right up my street…
I must admit that I’d never tried Lancashire Sauce before, but after putting it on my cheese on toast as a first test, I think it may well end up replacing the bottle of Worcester Sauce that I always have in the cupboard. A blend of vinegar, coriander, cumin, garlic and other spices, it’s suitable for vegetarians (unlike Worcester Sauce), and is based on a family recipe that is over 100 years old. Lovely stuff.
The cheese-addicted part of me was very happy with the truckle of Cheshire with garlic and chives from The Cheshire Cheese Company – a wonderfully crumbly yet creamy white cheese that’s a new addition to the company’s range.
Of course, cheese needs chutney, and this came from Christine’s Preserves in Alderley Edge. Along with rose, ginger is one of my favourite flavours at the moment, so Sarah’s choice of the apple and ginger conserve was definitely appreciated! It’s almost apple puree-like in texture, with decent-sized chunks of ginger that give a bit of a kick. Delicious!
And, of course, a box of goodies from the northwest wouldn’t be complete without a packet of flaky, buttery Eccles Cakes!
Massive thanks to Sarah for a great first Foodie Penpals package! Don’t forget to check out her blog at http://northwestnosh.blogspot.co.uk. If you’re interested in joining the Foodie Penpals scheme for yourself (you don’t need to be a blogger…), have a look here for details…
If you want to see Manchester-based Kim’s reaction to the parcel that I sent her, featuring lots of lovely local stuff, have a look at her blog post here!
hurray for discovering something new and delicious!
Everyone has done such a good job – this parcel is just great, and nicely themed. Love the sound of apple and ginger chutney, that's right up my street, too.
[…] – Dried rose petals. Thank you, Christine, for feeding my addiction even more! I’ve not used these much as yet – only to decorate a rose and cardamom cake that North West Nosh gave me the recipe for in her parcel to me last month. […]
Love your Lancashire Sauce, and I…will Love You! XX
[…] Manchester; basically where I live, work and play. So what did I send? Well why not check out her post and see if you think if it I did us Northerners […]