Thursday 31 January 2013

Foodie Penpals, January

This month I finally got to try out Foodie Penpals for the first time! It's a brilliant idea where one lovely foodie sends you a parcel, and you send one on to someone else. All the info can be found over at thisisrocksalt.com, and the writer of that blog, Carol Anne, organises the whole thing. So lots of thanks to her!

I first found out about it months ago, but it was impossible while I was living in Japan. The icon has been tempting me from my bookmarks bar for ages, and so I was so happy I could finally join in this month!

Sending me my parcel this month was Em, a food blogger from Bristol. She has an amazing website (www.bristolbites.co.uk), with LOADS of info about restaurants, food events and bars in Bristol, along with recipes and a blog. I can't look at it in too much detail because it makes me want to jump straight on a train and Bristol is a long way from Suffolk!

I didn't give her much info about my likes and dislikes, but she managed to come up with a fantastic parcel for me, full of an eclectic mix of goodies!

This is what I'm most excited about in the parcel! I love rice noodles, and this sounds like such an interesting combo. Now I just have to decide what to cook with it! 

And here's the rest of the parcel! 
Moroccan couscous, flavoured with nuts, dried fruit, cinnamon and mint. It looks really yum, and a great way to make an easy, tasty dinner.
Tom yam paste. Em said this makes one of her favourite midweek meals, but it's not something I've tried making before. I look forward to giving this a go.
Bilatong. I didn't even know what this was until my Mum told me (it's dried salted beef for the education of anyone else as ignorant as me)! It's not something I ever would have picked up for myself, but Foodie Penpals is all about trying new things. 
Tempura Batter Mix, to help prevent Japan homesickness. I'm a bit scared of deep fat frying, but I know John will happily make this for me. 

Thank you for a lovely parcel, Em!! 

I sent my first parcel to Thea, in Dublin. She doesn't have a blog, so here's a quick picture of the parcel I sent her. 

Nibl cajun style beans, udon noodles, colmans mustard, nanami togarashi (Japanese spice mix), mochi sweets, raspberry ruffles and some homemade spicy peanut furikake (recipe here)

I hope Thea enjoys my parcel as much as I'm going to enjoy Em's!

1 comment:

  1. Oh the pumpkin ginger rice noodles look amazing!

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