Reviewed by
Kate
The latest La Gourmet Box takes you on a gastronomic journey through the Anjou region of France, a former French county in the north west of the country in the Loire Valley.
I love sampling new food and this box had a great mix of authentic French delicacies from the region.
This subscription box is always packed with great things to try, including savoury goods, something sweet and a full-sized bottle of wine.
I especially enjoyed the Quernons d’Ardoise and I’d never seen anything like them before. Blue in colour, these are a sweet made of caramelized nougat then covered in blue chocolate. Yes you read that right, blue chocolate! They were really sweet – definitely something for people with a sweet tooth – and were crunchy and very moreish. I was sad that the box of these was so small as they were the first thing to be finished.
The other sweet treat in the box was a bag of Les Macarons de Fontevraud, delicious and crunchy biscuits with a hazelnut flavour.
The wine in this month’s box was from the Saumur Champigny wine region by Domaine des Coutures. It is made from a black-skinned French grape and is light to medium-bodied, best suited to complement beef and venison dishes.
The Rilettes Pur Canard or duck pate was delicious. It wasn’t a smooth pate as I’m used to but it was rustic while still being deliciously soft and tender as well as tasty and my husband especially enjoyed this as a snack. This was made by Famille Maudet-Cousin who are based in Nueil-Sur-Layon and I would totally recommend it.
That’s what I really love about this subscription box – I would never have found out about this artisan producer or tried this amazing pate if I hadn’t been signed up to this box. That’s where the expertise of Anais, who curates everything, really comes into its own.
I also enjoyed the Veloute d’Asperges or asparagus soup which was included in the box as something a bit different for lunch. This was really creamy and I enjoyed it with a hunk of bread and lots of butter.
I wasn’t so sure about the Courgettes croquantes, though, crunchy courgettes which were a kind of antipasti. But I don’t like courgettes so that kind of explains that!
Finally there was a herbal tea blend by Le Cultivateur en Herbes called ‘Tisane de Bonheur’ or Herbal Teas of Happiness. And they were lovely (but a quick note, you need a tea strainer to enjoy this tea). The tea contrained chamomile, mint and rose flavours and was both calming and refreshing. I really enjoyed it.
All in all it was another great box from La Gourmet Box with a great range of flavours. Everything comes really well packed in a sturdy box with lots of padding to ensure its safe arrival. I also liked the little ‘Bon Voyage’ sign and the postcards which are included in the box with gorgeous photos of the region. I would recommend this box to anyone who loves French food.
By Evelyn 
