I hang my head in shame for the tardiness of this post.  I want to blame it on the dog.  But I don’t have one, and it would take even longer to acquire one so I could assign blame elsewhere.  Sadly, the fault lies with me and a bit of ill-timed travel.  I hope to make it all right now though as I wish to lavish Helen, my most recent Foodie Penpal, with high praise for the package she sent me last month.  IF you are reading this right now and are wondering what this is about, please click here if you are located in the USA, or here if you are in Europe.

I was delighted to receive this parcel from Helen, my February Foodie Penpal. I feel like I’m already good friends with Helen, as I had the privilege of being her Foodie Penpal last year. So this was like getting a special gift from a friend.

The package

As you can see, it was chock-full of goodies, and I couldn’t wait to delve in and investigate all my new goodies.

The first thing I came to were these Sweet Potato Crisps.

Sweet Potato Crisps

These did not last long, I can tell you! They were really, really good. Probably the best sweet potato crisps I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a lot!)

Then came the most unusual bottle of plum sesame seeds.

Plum Sesame Seeds

I’m sure I’ve not even scratched the surface with these, but I’ve tried them on a couple of things, and they really add such depth of flavour. I never would have thought to buy these, but this will be a staple in this house from now on.

I also got some Japanese 7 spice.

Japanese 7 Spice

I tasted this, but haven’t used it yet. It’s ever so slightly different than it’s Chinese twin, and I think it’s going to be a nice addition to my spice rack.

As I work from home, I often am looking for a quick cup of . . something. I often don’t know what I want, but Helen sent the perfect solution.

Soup Packets

These are little packets to make up soup with the simple addition of hot water. I’ve had two already – they are quick and easy, and really hit the spot.

In an effort to get me to convert to Vegen, Helen sent me some vegan chocolate.

Chocolate

Although it was never anything I’d reach for at the store, I have to say it was very, very nice chocolate. I might not convert to become a vegan this week, but I wouldn’t mind more of this chocolate.

And tea . . .

Apple and Cinnamon Tea

I’m sorry, but you really can’t go wrong in sending ANY kind of tea. But this was different. It’s apple and cinnamon, which is really lovely for chilly evenings, but also refreshing enough for a bright, sunny day (and I’ve had both over the last two weeks).

Helen also sent me some Tamarind.

Tamarind

I’ve been in love the idea of Tamarind ever since I saw the movie “The Tamarind Seed” with Julie Andrews and Omar Sharif (Ok – so the movie’s 40 years old – don’t judge me). I’ve tasted things with tamarind in, but have never cooked with it. So now I’m going through all my recipe books to find the best recipe for this. I can’t wait to use it! I think I’ll pretend to be Julie Andrews while I’m making it . . .

And now – probably my best item of the pack. (Future) home grown chillis.

Chilli pot

Growing chilli plants are SO my thing, and I just haven’t been out to get my chilli seeds yet. How did Helen know? I can tell you that these seeds have already been released from their little foil packet and are nestled in the little cup, sitting on my kitchen window ledge, where every real foodie starts all their chilli plants!

So, albeit very late, I thank you, Helen! You did such a good job. It was a delightful package, and I loved everything you sent. Well done!