Blogging By Mail: Little Things
This is the first time I’ve joined a BBM event. What is it about? Food bloggers sign up for this event and Stephanie from Dispensing Happiness matches us up and supply each blogger with a physical address. Each participant then has to go on a little shopping spree, pack it in a box and send it off to the blogger’s address. It’s a bit like Christmas really. You give and receive. What makes this so exhilirating is the fact that when you come home from work you have this box of goodies on your doorstep which contains foreign products and items you’ve never heard of. Let me tell you, for a food nut it is heaven!
A few months ago, before I went on holiday to South Africa, I signed up for this event. In South Africa I picked up a few things and when the address was emailed to me, a packet was sent off to Angel from Angel’s Bento Blog. To see what I sent, click here.
A few weeks after my package was posted, I received my prezzie from Belgium. Andreea from Glorious Food and Wine fretted about getting me authentic Belgian products but I think she was spot on. Let’s go through her items.
Cherry beer! Since I’m on a diet, I haven’t tried it yet but I’m sure I’ll like it. Pre-diet times I gladly sipped on sweet drinks, especially cider.
The closest I’ve been to Belgium is a restaurant in London called Belgo Centraal, where I enjoyed a pot full of mussels with pommes frites on the side as well as a mug of fruit beer. She included a sachet of mussel seasoning to be made at home. But Andreea, how can I read the directions? It’s all in Flemish and French!
Do you think Andreea has panicked yet? Luckily, since Afrikaans is my mother language, I understand 99% of the Flemish instructions. Fancy that! 
These purple boiled sweets are made in Belgium. They taste sweet, a bit sour and good.
What is Belgium most famous for? Three guesses and none of them count. Chocolate!
Oops, I just realised now I lied. I’ve been to Belgium once, no twice. We flew from Johannesburg to Brussels to Madrid and went to Oropesa del Mar by bus. So basically I was on Brussels’ airport twice if that means anything. With the limited browsing time I had because of a changeover, I ran to the closest chocolate shop and bought a huge box of chocolate. Needless to say it was empty when we touched down in Madrid.
So how long did this box last then? In the good old days it would have been gone within a matter of hours. *sigh* Instead I’m saving my points and sampling one chocolate at a time, savouring everying ounce of it. Yummy!
Lastly, accompanied by a lovely, informative letter are these biscuits, known as “speculoos”.
They are sweet, crisp and delicious. Andreea is right by saying they will go well with ice cream.
Who better to judge than the resident cookie connoiseur? First, inspect the biscuit from all angles.
Now people, THIS is how you eat a cookie. Coat it with copious amounts of your saliva, squish it with your fingers and suck it up bit by bit. Well, wouldn’t you too if you only had a few teeth?
And Gabriel approved! Of course he asked for more.
Thanks for the wonderful package, Andreea! 
What a fun package! Everything looks delightful – especially that boy of yours!
by Gretchen Noelle
on 28. Mar, 2008
I really like the idea of exchanging food presents! That way one can try some local products he/she would have never had otherwise.
by Andrew
on 29. Mar, 2008
Oh no, that sounds cool, I can’t believe I missed out on it. I hope there’s an opportunity to sign up to another one…
by Pete
on 29. Mar, 2008
i’m glad the speculoos passed gabriel’s quality test
he is so cute!
by andreea
on 30. Mar, 2008
Very nice package! She was daring to mail beer, glad it arrived in one piece. Cherry beer sounds very interesting, I imagine you will appreciate it on a nice hot day. Chocolate, well who doesn’t love to get chocolate
BBM is a great event and a wonderful way to learn about other food blogs.
by LisaRene
on 03. Apr, 2008
Thanks, Gretchen!
Andrew: It’s a very cool idea, indeed. I’m so glad I did it, and definitely would sign up again.
Pete: Unless no one told me I’m pretty sure there would be more events like this in the future. Just keep checking out Stephanie’s page for updates.
Thanks, Andreea. Gabriel love HIS speculoos. There are still some left. Making them last you see…whenever he’s not expecting them I give him a treat.
LisaRene: You know what, I never even thought about the beer breaking, but you’re right, it is risky. I was more concerned about the weight involved, i.e. Andreea has to cough up more money for it. The cherry beer was nice a fruity. Everyone in the family had a taste.
by Michelle
on 12. Apr, 2008
[...] it to your ‘mystery’ recipient. And you wait for the surprise, the joy, and eventually the foodie post. I was on time with all of the above. Except the [...]
by Croissants. And Curry Leaves. « Glorious Food and Wine
on 18. Apr, 2008