Thursday, June 28, 2012

Foodie Penpals and the Scottish selection


Funny how things happen. Ms Tagalong was reading a foodie blog written by her second cousin, or is she her first cousin once removed or even a third cousin? Seems we're supposed to share the same great-grandparents but that can't be right as she is a different generation...anyway...

Great restaurant blog about the Northwest and an interesting initiative called Foodie Penpals caught Ms Tagalong's eye. Send a box of food, receive a box of food. Sounds good. Collecting bits and bobs for my penpal from Two Weddings, onebride, was fun and the anticipation waiting for the box from Jen'sPlace was palpable.

Mr Ideasman asked why Ms Tagalong jumped up so quickly when the postman came to call. Her writing was faltering as she drifted off into a daydream of delicious delights from faraway Scotland. Does Miss Jen know Ms Tagalong is not too keen on haggis?

Near disaster when Miss Jen misses the post and has to send the parcel first class so that Ms Tagalong receives it before she zips off to Cornwall. The Royal Mail did their stuff and the anticipation was over.

Miss Jen's delights were a pack of oatcakes, (great with cheese advises Miss Jen) a pot of local chilli jam, a pot of onion marmalade, sweeties reminiscent of a Scottish childhood. Very sweet, warns Ms Jen, they will probably find Ms Tagalong's fillings and a jar of rock. Another childhood confection!

Scooping up the products into her camping box Ms Tagalong vows to try them at the earliest opportunity.

Sitting outside Cotehele a lunch camp was made, some ripe avocado spread on the oatcakes topped with some Dorset blue cheese and a blob of chilli jam. Delicious! Ms Tagalong loved the onion marmalade ,'Bit too much like Branston,' said Mr Ideasman. What does he know? The chilli jam was a tad too sweet for Ms Tagalong's taste, she the one liking a bit more oomph to her chilli.

As for the oatcakes..Ms Tagalong could eat them until the cows come home, digestive biscuits having been an all time favourite, the extra oaty texture in these was sublime. Such a shame they are all gone!

Read all about what I sent to the lovely Sonja on her blog or read more about Foodie Penpals on either this link for the UK or this one if you are in the US. What, not one in Australia, ah well, there's a project for me on my return? 



It's great to have some feedback, so please leave me some comments.

3 comments:

  1. Sounds like a graet parcel - I do feel like our Scottish sweeties are sweeter than the rest of the UK, but they are pretty good! Just in small doses ;)

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  2. Sugar cane or sugar beet, I wonder? As long as it is not corn syrup..

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