It seems odd that only four weeks ago I read a blog post about Foodie Penpals, and thought ‘wouldn’t it be nice to start that in the UK?’. One comment on The Lean Green Bean later and I was doing just that! All it took was some encouragement from Lindsay, a few tweets and retweets and a simple spreadsheet, and I was matching Penpals up within the week. I was (and am) amazed and delighted by the initial response, and we started out with 16 participants. Nowhere near the 300+ in the US and Canada, but great for such an impromptu undertaking. Everyone played by the rules and contacted their penpal, and for the most part the parcels were also shipped out before or on the 20th (which is also part of the rules). I’d like to thank all the participants for this month, and also all the new participants I’ve already added to the list – we’ve grown by 50% already!
I’ve got a little ahead of myself. If you don’t know what Foodie Penpals is, let me explain. It’s a scheme whereby food bloggers and blog readers sign up to send one other person a foodie parcel, of a value up to £10 or €10. The parcel can contain edible treats, local specialties, ingredients, baking accessories… Anything you can think of, as long as it’s food related in some way. The parcel also contains something hand written, like a note or a recipe. You post a parcel to one person, and a whole other person posts one to you! It’s a lovely way to meet other bloggers and, if you’re a parcel addict like me, it adds a special excitement to one morning when you receive your parcel in the mail.
If you want to join in this month, there’s still time. Foodie Penpals is open to the UK and Europe through Rock Salt, and the US and Canada through The Lean Green Bean. To join from the UK/Europe, simply read the Terms and Conditions and How it Works, and if you like the sound of it use the contact for at the bottom of the How it Works page to sign up. The cut-off is the 3rd of April – but if you sign up after that I’ll add you to the list for May, and you can watch the Twitter hashtag #foodiepenpals to see all the chatter as other people prepare, post and open their parcels.
So, enough words! We need pictures! My Foodie Penpal for this month was Fee (@feehatesrain), a brand new blogger who also lives in Scotland. She sent me this beautifully wrapped parcel:
Doesn’t it look enticing? I opened it up carefully and slowly, like a priceless treasure. It pretty much was a priceless treasure , come to think of it.
The first thing I noticed was Fee’s beautiful writing – I am quite jealous of people with lovely handwriting, mine is almost always a disappointment to me. Fee has also consistently spelled my name right, and for that I say THANK YOU.
The first three items are a packet of fruit yoyos with a modest bear on the front, a Bellini cocktail mixer (just add Prosecco) and a Divine chocolate orange bar. I used to work in the Co-op and developed a real taste for Divine chocolate, it’s lovely stuff, and Fair Trade, too. The other two items I’ve often seen but never tried – great choices.
The next item was a pouch of Earl Grey Blue Flower tea – also Fair Trade. I am aware that I don’t always make the effort I should to buy Fair Trade, though I am improving in this respect, and it’s amazing that Fee would send me Fair Trade items without me even mentioning it. The tea looks and smells incredible, so fresh and aromatic, and those tiny blue flowers? They’re so pretty!
They also match my Chinese crockery, including my teapot, so this was the first thing I tried from my parcel. The tea tastes as good as you’d imagine, fragrant and sweet from bergamot oil, a delicate tang from the black tea and just a hint of floral undertones from the flowers. Delicious – each little cup was stronger than the last as I drank my way through a pot, becoming more and more golden amber in colour without ever getting bitter. A great cuppa.
The next three items are a packet of mini sparklers (we use these a lot at girls nights when we celebrate birthdays, so this is another great choice, some quality black pepper oatcakes (the same brand but a different flavour than the ones I just recently bought myself, I’m starting to think there is some mind reading going on) and a cool cob of corn for popping. It’s blue!
I’ve looked at these so many times and never bought myself one, I’m looking forward to trying it out at the weekend, it’ll be perfect for movie snacks. You put the whole cob into a bag (supplied) and then into the microwave, and before you know it you’ve got a whole bowl of blue-tinged deliciousness to snack on.
I’ve saved the best ’til last – a jar of Fee’s own homemade strawberry jam, complete with hand drawn label. I admit to hoarding this up until I have the perfect loaf to go with it – hopefully by the time I post this I’ll have made or bought one so I can have a couple of slices of toast and jam for supper one night.
Meep look at that wee strawberry!
Check out the big linky post on The Lean Green Bean, to read about more Foodie Penpals parcels from the UK, US and Canada. My Penpal this month was Mandy at Chilli and Chai - hop over to her blog to see what I sent her, and the recipe the Cocoa-Spice Glazed Nuts that I sent her is also live on Rock Salt now! Finally, you can go to Fee’s blog, Fee Hates Rain, to see what she got from her penpal. A lovely circle of foodie awesomeness.
March 30th, 2012 at 10:14 AM
What a lovely idea and a very lovely package!! That’s soooo awesome. I like the concept a lot.
March 30th, 2012 at 8:57 PM
Hey thanks Tia, I can’t claim credit for the idea! It’s a lovely one though, it’s already brought lots of smiles to people
March 30th, 2012 at 10:33 AM
What a fantastic parcel! Especially the home made jam, drool. Good post as ever, sis. x
March 30th, 2012 at 9:08 PM
Thanks J
I’m making some bread RIGHT NOW to eat that jam with. Yum.
March 30th, 2012 at 11:02 AM
Aw Captain you are a love.. i’m almost blushing… such a lovely post,so glad you enjoyed your goodies!
March 30th, 2012 at 9:09 PM
Hee hee… Captain. I’m going to model my captaining approach on Captain Jack Sparrow…
March 30th, 2012 at 1:50 PM
What a beautiful box indeed.
March 30th, 2012 at 9:10 PM
It was lovely Rachel, such fun to open.
March 30th, 2012 at 2:45 PM
What a great little package. Like a little gift.
March 30th, 2012 at 9:11 PM
Yes! And we all love gifts, right?
March 30th, 2012 at 3:54 PM
omg i LOVE prosecco. need that mixer. you got a great box! thanks for all your hard work helping me expand! can’t wait to see how much we grow this month. you’re amazing!! xoxo
March 30th, 2012 at 9:12 PM
You need Marks and Spencer! But I’m sure you can find a suitable alternative nearer home… I’m also excited to see the final figures for April, already have loads of new people signed up
YOU’RE amazing!
March 30th, 2012 at 5:02 PM
I’m intrigued by all your goodies! That jam is adorable and the mixer…must see if we have any of those in the states.
March 30th, 2012 at 9:14 PM
Start a campaign to get them imported, if not… I’m looking forward to seeing some parcels from across the water, I’m on my way to have a look now! I love how the simplest food in another country can seem really exotic
March 30th, 2012 at 11:36 PM
Wow what a lovely presentation & packaging, I’m inspired for the next penpal exchange. The gifts are so unique and thoughtful: blue corn on the cob, cocktail mixer, homemade strawberry jam-Precious!
March 30th, 2012 at 11:48 PM
I know, Fee really took time to find things I would enjoy – it was very much appreciated
March 31st, 2012 at 12:27 AM
Bellini’s? Yummm!
March 31st, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Too right! I think I may have one tonight, in fact, before I hit the town
March 31st, 2012 at 4:10 AM
Seriously, what’s better than homemade jam? I say nothing! Everything looks delicious!
March 31st, 2012 at 10:42 AM
I finally had some of the jam last night, it did not disappoint
March 31st, 2012 at 4:57 AM
congrats of the success of the uk foodie penpal!! your box looks amazing especially the tea! yum!
March 31st, 2012 at 10:43 AM
Thanks Lauren, I’m just glad that other people love the idea as much as I do! That dea is top notch.
March 31st, 2012 at 3:00 PM
What a wonderful package – that blue tea is absolutely beautiful! And those homemade preserves look divine! I don’t think I would been able to stop myself from eating a spoonful straight from the jar
March 31st, 2012 at 4:03 PM
I was SO restrained, waited til I’d baked a nice white loaf to do it justice
March 31st, 2012 at 3:01 PM
Yay for Foodie Pen Pals across the pond!! (or am I the one across the pond?) This is so awesome to see the yummy treats you get. I love the homemade jam, awesome!!! I’m glad the UK Foodie Pen Pals was such a huge success this month. So much fun! I think once a year, we should do an international exchange. I wonder what shipping costs would be?
March 31st, 2012 at 4:14 PM
Haha – we’re BOTH across the pond! And next month there will be people from across another pond too
An international exchange sounds lovely, a 500g parcel is only a little more than a parcel to Europe from here, as long as we keep them light we’d be OK I think. Could be exciting!
March 31st, 2012 at 4:31 PM
That blue popping corn is so cool! Never seen anything like it. That tea looks beautiful. I love how gorgeous loose leaf tea looks!
March 31st, 2012 at 5:42 PM
I know it’s so pretty, and it actually matches my teapot, how cool?
April 2nd, 2012 at 5:34 AM
Good for you to coordinate all of this, it turned out a complete success by the sound of it! And look at the pretty package of goodies you got in return! I’m amazed that the jam made it all that way without breaking!! Yummy!! xoxo Smidge
April 2nd, 2012 at 7:52 PM
Thanks Smidge, people are so enthusiastic that it’s been a pleasure to organise. Plus I love spreadsheets. The jam was SO well wrapped up, and what a treat it was!
April 2nd, 2012 at 5:49 PM
What a great package of goodies for your first-ever European swap!! I wish it wasn’t so expensive to ship internationally – it would be fun to get treats from a friend in Europe – they all look so exotic! =)
April 2nd, 2012 at 7:49 PM
There has been much talk of an international swap, maybe on a yearly basis as a special project. If you keep the weight down it’s do-able – especially since the little, inexpensive things from other countries seem so exciting!
April 4th, 2012 at 2:44 PM
Wowee just caught up on all of these comments… love that there is so much ‘jam love’ out there!! Can’t wait to get started on Foordie Pelpals April!
April 5th, 2012 at 6:02 PM
Lots of love for that jam! And rightly so, it’s super good, even if I do get it everywhere every time I have some