One of my favourite things when we're on holiday in exotic climes is heading to the local markets to stock up on foodie products that will enable us to recreate some of the regional dishes when we get back home. We came back with spices from Tunisia and "apple tea" from Turkey ( it's a powder that you add to cold water to make fruity drinks) and I can't wait to see what we'll find in Morocco this year.
Well, you can imagine how excited I was to be invited along to the launch party for Kitchen Nomad, a new subscription service that delivers speciality products and recipes from around the world to your door. Each month, Kitchen Nomad will select a different country of the world, carefully source authentic products and typical recipes of that country, pack it all up in a beautiful box and deliver it right to your door. Sounds fantastic !
Well, sadly, I couldn't make it to the event - having a job seriously cramps your bloggy style sometimes ! - but I was over the moon when they offered to send through their first ever box to The Madhouse. This month, the destination is Greece and I was delighted to see the selection of products in the box. All the products are sourced from small, speciality suppliers and would be difficult to find in your average supermarket so I really did feel like I was getting the real deal. I excitedly unpacked everything and discovered nine authentic Greek products : Cassia Bark (a cinnamon spice), Orzo (a type of pasta), Dukkah Spice Mix (traditionally eaten with bread dipped in olive oil), Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Greek Capers, Black Olives (I love the tin they come in), Organic Tomato Sauce, Dried Figs and a jar of Vine Leaves in Brine. As well as covering the things I would automatically associate with Greece, this selection introduced me to a few products that I had never heard of before.
The problem with exotic ingredients is that you often don't have a clue what to do with them (although google will usually be able to help you out with this). But Kitchen Nomad don't just give you the ingredients, they also send you some recipe suggestions. For the June box, they have partnered with Tonia Buxton – a famous cook of Greek origin and host of the Discovery Channel’s ‘My Greek Kitchen’ cookery programme – and The Real Greek restaurant group, home of authentic Greek and Eastern Mediterranean food and generous hospitality, with six restaurants in London - so you can be sure that the recipes are truly authentic and will help you make delicious meals.
The five authentic Greek recipes in this box cover starters, mains and desserts that make use of the speciality products, such as Dolmades (stuffed vine leaves), Youvetsi (a Mediterranean slow-cooked lamb stew with orzo pasta) and a fig & walnut bake. The box does not contain any fresh or perishable products such as meat or fresh vegetables, so you will need to supply these yourself. The upside of this is that you can choose when to cook the meals, rather than having to cook them within a day or two of receiving your box. I haven't had a chance to try any of the products out yet but rest assured, I'll be back to report once I have !
Each box will contain 7-9 speciality products, five authentic recipes, and some interesting information about the culinary habits and customs of the country in focus. You won't know in advance which country will be featured, making it all rather exciting when the box arrives ! Through their website, customers can subscribe to receive a new box every month, but there is also an option to buy a one-off box (or more!) as a gift – absolutely perfect for that hard-to-please food lover or wannabe world traveller.
I'm seriously thinking of signing up - one box costs £22 (plus £3 delivery) but if you go for a full year, it costs £20 a month (plus delivery), which is the equivalent of a free box. I'll be dropping some very big hints when my birthday comes around !
star rating : 5/5
RRP : £22 per box + £3 delivery
Disclosure : I received a Kitchen Nomad box in order to write an honest review.
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What a fantastic idea, I hope your big hints work and you get a surprise Birthday present.
ReplyDeleteHow fabulous! :)
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a lovely idea, a great way to try different countries food
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing idea !
ReplyDeleteThe products look interesting, the recipe card stunning and very useful.
By far the most original (and useful) monthly box idea I have seen so far !