Degustabox Advent Calendar International Edition

 

Degustabox Advent Calendar International Edition 2024 contains 24 festive surprise food and drink items. We enjoyed opening the doors of the bright-coloured sturdy box every morning. 

As it is an International edition, we haven't come across many of the food items before. It was a pleasure to discover new brands and products.

We liked the design of the box, which makes it look like a festive suitcase, with Christmas-themed stickers. 

I placed an order back in early September, as soon as I saw them advertised online. I paid £43.99 (with a discount code). They were sold out pretty fast.

Day 1:

Sun Rice Original (£2.49) - is a milk chocolate with puffed rice from Germany. Have a bite, and discover crunchy puffed rice in creamy milk chocolate.

Rainforest Alliance Certified, this is a lovely treat.

Nutritional values: 534kcal and 48g of sugar per 100g.

I haven't had a chance to try it, but my guys loved it, and pronounced it very good.

Day 2:

Mole Cola Classic (£1.50) is an Italian cola born in Turin, named after the city's landmark 550 feet high Mole Antonelliana Building. Every ingredient is selected to give MoleCola its own unique character.

Nutritional information: 138kcal per can and 35g of sugar.

Despite visiting Italy many times in the past, I've never bought it before. It has a great taste. In a way, it's similar to the classic coca cola, however, it has a more pronounced herbal flavour. Pretty good, though contains too much sugar.

Day 3:

Garner's Sweet Pickled Baby Onions (£3.90) will make a lovely addition to a classic Ploughman's lunch. Eat the pickled baby onions with a chunky cheese sandwich, add to a charcuterie board or a cheeseboard with a selection of robust cheeses and a sliced fresh apple.

Baby onions are pickled in a malty vinegar for a well-balanced sweet and sour taste.

Awarded a Great Taste award in 2022.

Nutritional information: 107kcal and 22.1g of sugar per 100g (drained); suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Day 4:

Finca La Barca Sazonar de Carne (£4.30) is a Spanish meat seasoning with smoked paprika and smoked pepper flakes, and herbs & spices (oregano, nutmeg, etc)

It's a 100% natural product with no artificial colours or preservatives. Gluten free, low in salt and 100% vegetable.

There are four single-dose sachets in the box. The contents of each sachet could be addedd to 500g of meat, such as chicken and pork.

Nutritional values: 348kcal and 5.8g of sugar per 100g (each sachet is 10g).

I used one of the sachets to cook a cauliflower cheese, so you can definitely use this seasoning in meat-free recipes. 

Day 5:

Waterdrop Microdrink Berry (£7.99) will encourage you to drink more water, adding a full-bodied flavour of blackberry and bluebbery, with a touch of sweetness from apple. This product is made in Germany.

Refreshingly fruity drink, it could be added straight to bottles, allowing cubes to dissolve. My younger son has been enjoying this drink, taking the bottles with him to school.

This is tasty hydration, made easy. Contains zero sugar. Vegan.

Nutritional values: 5kcal and 0g sugar per 500ml.

Day 6:

Extrafino Filipinos Turrón Relleno Cremoso & Galleta (£3) is a Spanish nougat chocolate bar with a creamy and crunchy Filipinos biscuit filling, coated with a white nougat chocolate.

Made with 100% sustainably grown cocoa selected through Nestle Cocoa Plan, and Rainforest Alliance certified.

Nutritional values: 111kcal and 8.9g of sugar per 20g portion (one 232g bar is 11 portions).

Beautiful chocolate bar, it was a real treat. I wish we could buy it in the UK too.

Day 7:

La Mère Poulard Sablés Natures - Demi-étui 46,8gr (Gamme collector & Gamme 1888) (£1.50) are delightful melt-in-the-mouth buttery biscuits with a crunchy texture. 

These traditional French biscuits are round and fluted shaped. Find this biscuit in its Collector or 1888 half case as a lovely little treat for someone else or yourself. There are six biscuits in a small box.

Top marks!

Day 8:

Easy Montali Paté di Pomodori Secchi is a sundried tomato puree from Italy. 

This is a tasty puree in a practical tube, which enables you to use the exact amount you need to cook a meal. 

Gluten free, preservatives free. Use for garnish appetisers, sandwiches and hamburger, as well as in pasta dishes and legumes.

Ingredients: rehydrated sundried tomatoes (^0%), sunflower oil, sea salt, wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, herbs and spices.

Nuritional values: 220kcal per 3tbsp serving.

Day 9:

Billington's Dark Brown Soft Sugar (£4.50) is a festive baking must. Perhaps not the most exciting product in the calendar at the first glance, but definitely with lots of potential. Just imagine all your Christmas bakes from gingerbread to cookies, from brownies to cakes. And don't forget all the marinades too.

Crafted with care and ethically sourced, this premium sugar adds a rich, treacle-like depth to your recipes. 

This unrefined natural sugar has been very carefully produced to lock in the natural molasses of the sugar cane, thus adding a distinct unique rich flavour and beautiful colour.

I used some of this sugar to make non-alcoholic mulled wine, with lots of warm spices and oranges.

Day 10:

Daisuku instant noodles (£1.05) - these noodles are inspired by the Japanese street food, and the authentic recipes like Teriyaki Chicken, Guydon Beef, Prir Kara Curry.

Easy to prepare and ready in 3 minutes.

Daisuku means I love it in Japanese.

My youner son loves instant noodles, and enjoyed the Teriyaki Chicken flavour.

Nutritional values: 365kcal and 2.8g of salt per 214g (1 portion).

Day 11:

Andrea Milano Aceto Balsamico di Modena Invecchiato (£5.99) - this is a 3-year aged balsamic vinegar of Modena PGI, considered a true gem of Italian craftsmanship.

Obtained from cooked grape must and wine vinegar, it has a rich and complex flavour.

This sweet and sour condiment is a perfect accompaniment to many meals, from bruschetta to salad, from marinade to stew. Great for seasoning meat and vegetables, but also fruit and berries (strawberries with balsamic vinegar dressing are a real treat). 

Day 12:

SGIM Castage snack (£2) is another Italian delicacy. Nutritious, authentic-tasting Prima Colta Snack chestnuts are ready to eat. The only ingredient you will find here is steamed organic Italian chestnuts.

We all enjoyed this snack, just wish it were a bigger pouch. You could also use them as an ingredient in either sweet or savoury dishes.

A good source of potassium, these chestnuts are also high in fibre and low in saturated fat.

VEGANOK and Carbon neutral certified.

Day 13:

SMINT Strawberry XXL tin (£1.50) are sugar free pastilles, made with sweeteners. Three times bigger than regular Smint, Smint XXL Strawberry is a combination of mint and strawberry flavours (and very nice it is).

Coming in a convenient little tin, they are easy to carry around in a bag or pocket for when you need to freshen up your breath.

Available in the major supermarket chains. 

Day 14:

Yogi Tea Bio Split X5 - Chai Curcuma, Chai Maca, Réconfort de la Gorge, Défenses Naturelles, Confort de l'Âme (£3.39) - be ready for winter with this special selection of the Ayurvedic infusions.

You will get one of the choices. We received Chai Curcuma. It's an ayurvedic infusion of curcumin, cinnamon and ginger. It's rich, refreshing and zingy, perfect with a spoonful of honey and a dash of milk.

Day 15:

Tomarichio Mandarino Verde Zero Zucchero - Linea deliziosa & autentica (£2.50) is a delightful, refreshing Sicilian mandarin juice.

It has a strong, zesty taste and a lovely scent. Juicy and aromatic, rich in vitamins A, B, V and several minerals, this drink is a perfect refreshment. Top marks!

Nutritional values: 5kcal and 1.4g of sugar per 100ml.

Day 16:

Neoh Coconut Bar/ or Peanut Bar/ or Crucnh/ or Caramel Nuts (£1.49) are tasty snacking bars, without added sugar.

You will receive one item of four. Ours was the Coconut bar (with cocoa coating and no added sugar), and it was lovely. 

Nutritional information: 129kcal and 1.2g of sugar per 30g bar. Vegetarian.

Day 17:

Flying Goose Sriracha Sauce Original (£2.99) is a well-balanced blend of sun-ripened chillies, garlic and tangy vinegar. It has a smooth, spicy taste with a hint of sweetness.

This sauce will make a great choice for a variety of recipes, both Asian-inspired and Western.

Nutritional values:139kcal and 22g of sugar per 100ml.

Day 18:

Granoro Casareccia N.88 Granoro Dedicato (£1.30) is an Italian pasta from Puglia. 

"Pasta di semola di Grano Duro 100% Puglia, soft-dried and rough-drawn. The aim is to support and strengthen Apulian agriculture, the link between farmers, indusry and sonsumers, based on values such as respect for the environment and the recovery of tradition."

Nutritional information; 355kcal and 3g of sugar per 100g. 

I cooked it with a cheese (leftovers from Christmas cheeseboard) and roast tomato sauce, and it was truly delicious.

Day 19:

Rock Stone Confection Hard Sweets (£2.99) - could be found in both Degustabox advent calendar and Degustabox advent calendar International edition.

Celebrating different cultures and diversity, these candies come in eye catching colours and offer bold flavours  The Caribbean selection comes in sweet flavours of Pineapple/coconut, Caribbean crush and Pink lemonade. 

My sons were very happy with these candies.

Gluten free and vegan friendly. Made in England.

Nutritional information: 374kcal and 75g of sugar per 100g (lots of sugar, but it is a SUGAR confectionery).

Day 20:

Ybarra Vinagre de Manzana Ecologico (£1.85) is a Spanish vinegar made from organic apples. Unfiltered and unpasterised, it has a cloudy appearance (totally natural due to the fermentation process with the "Mother").

Lovely for salads and marinades. Also when I have a sore throat, I enjoy a hot drink with honey and apple vinegar. Always works a treat.

Day 21:

Jelly Belly Toasted Marshmallow (£2.49) taste just like melted marshmallows, grilled over an open fire, with a perfectly golden crust. 

Nutritional information: 360kcal and 67g of sugar per 100g.

My sons are big fans of Jelly Belly beans, and enjoyed this flavour.

Day 22:

Ofistrade Bovril (£3) is a concentrated meat broth. Instant dissolving, it enriches and enhances the flavour of meat-based dishes with just one spoonful.

It can be used in a variety of meals: soups, stews, meat stews, roasts, baked goods, marinades and sauces. Or simply make a nutritious broth.

My younger son thinks it's nice spread thinly on a buttered toast, like Marmite.

Produced in the UK from EU beef stock. 

Day 23:

Loacker Classic Napolitaner (£0.89) are a classic treat. Crispy light wafers with two layers of Napolitaner cream with 100% Italian hazelnuts. Product from Austria.

The hazelnuts for Loacker Classic Napolitaner are grown as part of the Italian hazelnut plantations project, which supports the local farmers and local economy.

I often buy these wafers, as we all love them. They are so light and delicious.

Nutritional information: 517kcal and 25g of sugar per 100g (one small pack is 45g); 100% natural, no GMO.

Day 24;

Mr Brownie Winter Edition (£2.50) are festive brownies made with real Belgian chocolate.

According to my guys, these Spanish brownies are delicious. Fudgy, rich and chocolatey, they are made with the best ingredients of the highest quality, with no artificial colours or flavours, no palm oil or trans fats. 

They looked pretty, with seasonal-style sprinkles on top.

Nutritional values: 118kcal and 12g of sugar per 1 brownie. 

And that's it folks, the calendar is over. 

Note to self: to snap up the International edition advent calender as soon as it apprears online next year. It was really good. Highly recommend! 

Mushroom, sweet potato and chestnut burgers

I can't say we were welcoming November with open arms. The so called daylight saving change is always a hassle. It takes us ages to get used to a new time, and I don't see the point of it at all. It might be lighter in the morning, but it is dark so early. My guys get hungry still according to the previous clock.
I'd love to be more positive about the dark evenings, Any tips?

On the plus side, there are plenty of mushrooms in November. Wild mushrooms are more flavoursome, but are pretty expensive.
I've been reading the other day that Prince Philip used to cook simple meals for Her Majesty and himself when they travelled, and he was younger. Apparently, mushrooms a la crème was his speciality dish.
I love mushrooms in all guises, well, except the tinned variety perhaps, and happy to add them to almost any savoury dish.
Last week I cooked mushroom burgers with sweet potato and chestnuts.
They looked ugly, I must say, but tasted lovely.

Mushroom, sweet potato and chestnut burgers
Ingredients:
1 pack of butternut squash and sweet potato
3tbsp red lentils
3tbsp olive oil
1 pack of Portabellini mushrooms (250g)
2 cloves of garlic
1tsp ground coriander
1 pack of whole chestnuts (180g, I used Merchant Gourmet)
1tbsp flour
1 egg

First cook the butternut squash and sweet potato cubes with lentils in salted water until soft. Drain and mash. The mash should be quite dry.
Chop the mushrooms not too finely and fry in the olive oil with garlic for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
In a deep mixing bowl combine all the ingredients - mashed sweet potato and butternut squash, fried mushrooms, coriander and chestnuts (I whizzed them in advance, not too smoothly, just to break into chunks). Beat in 1 egg and flour and mix well.
Using a big spoon, place the mix on the oiled foil over the tray. Cook in the oven preheated to 180C for about 20+ minutes.
Serve hot with your favourite bread and whatever you fancy - a slice of cheese, salad, sweet peppers.

Since I used vacuum-packed chestnuts (bought almost a year ago for Christmas, though still not out of date), I'm adding this recipe to #KitchenClearout linky run by Cheryl at Madhouse Family Reviews.

Mushroom and chestnut risotto

Just in case you were wondering why I haven't been blogging much in the last month, I was super busy. My Mum was staying with us for a month, plus my in-laws came visiting from Italy for a week. That and the back to school hullabaloo left me with not much time for blogging. My in-laws have left, my Mum flew back to Russia this very morning (sob! I miss her already), and now I will need to catch up on one zillion posts that I have planned. I haven't been entirely distracted from my hobby, as I kept cooking and taking photos, but writing and editing photos was put on hold. 

When my in-laws were visiting, I cooked most of our dinners - apart from one evening when we went out to The Fleece. One of the meals that I cooked recently was a mushroom and chestnut risotto.

I have recently received my big prize from Grana Padano - a whole big wheel of cheese weighing 18kg (if you don't remember how I won it - have a look at the post - Grana Padano Top Chef Blogger Competition). That's a year's supply of cheese. I didn't imagine it would arrive all in one go. I've been sharing it with friends and neighbours, and even insisted that my in-laws and Mum should take some cheese with them, though I do appreciate it might be funny to bring an Italian cheese back to Italy.
I have also been adding it to lots of meals. It is such a beautiful tasty cheese, wonderful to nibble on and excellent in cooking too.

I've had a pack of whole natural chestnuts which are already peeled and cooked and kept in a vacuum sealed bag since before Christmas. I remember they were on offer, and I was a tad over-enthusiastic and bought several packs. I suppose I could have kept it until the next Christmas, but I wanted to cook a risotto for dinner and liked the sound of the recipe printed in the back of the box.
I have adapted the recipe, halved the amount of chestnuts and used different mushrooms as well as did some other minor changes.

Mushroom and chestnut risotto
Ingredients:
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
200g mixed exotic mushrooms
2tsp butter
200g arborio rice
2tbsp olive oil
450ml vegetable stock + more if needed
100ml white wine (or mix of dry white and rose)
100g whole cooked chestnuts (for example, Porter Foods Whole Natural Chestnuts)
100ml single cream
Grana Padano, to grate over the risotto

Finely chop an onion, add oil to the frying pan and gently fry the onion for about 5 minutes, then add the butter and chopped mushrooms. I used a pack of mixed exotic mushrooms for extra flavour, but a combination of white and chestnut mushrooms will work as well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
Add the arborio rice, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. The rice should be well coated in oil and butter. Pour the wine over the rice, cook stirring until the liquid has been absorbed. Ladle some of the vegetable stock over the rice, keep stirring while cooking. Keep adding the stock until most of it has been used, then add the single cream and chopped chestnuts.
It will take 25+ minutes for a risotto to be ready. For an authentic taste, it should still be al dente. If you prefer your risotto to be well done, keep cooking until you get your desired consistency and texture.
Serve hot, with a generous helping of grated cheese on top.
Grana or Parmesan, the choice is yours.

In case you're curious I love Gallo arborio rice for cooking risottos. It's a superior rice with an excellent taste.

As I used a semi-forgotten pack of chestnuts in this recipe, I'm adding this post to #KitchenClearout linky run by Cheryl from Madhouse Family Reviews.

Italian beef stew with porcini, chestnuts and red wine

Last Sunday our Eddie went through a ceremony of baptism. It was a moving ceremony, and after it has finished we invited our guests to our house for lunch. Just a few days before the event I was worried about what I was going to serve for lunch, and was seriously considering a cold buffet, with platters of cold cuts and cheese. Then, as I was browsing the latest issue of Sainsbury's magazine (November 2015), I've spotted a recipe for Italian beef, porcini and red wine stew, and thought that it could be cooked the night before. After all, we could have a hot meal without a big hassle on the day.

I have adapted the recipe, and also cooked it on the stove rather than in the oven, as I don't have a casserole dish big enough. I served it with roast potatoes.

Italian beef stew with porcini, chestnuts and red wine
Ingredients:
about 30g of porcini mushrooms
2tbsp olive oil
1 pack of cubed pancetta (206g)
1 red onion, finely sliced
1tsp brown demerara sugar (optional)
1tsp dry sherry (optional)
2 cloves of garlic
2tbsp olive oil + more for frying beef
1tsp dried thyme
2kg sliced braising steak
30g butter
1 tub of beef stock (500g)
200ml red wine
1tsp dried basil
2 bay leaves
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
200g cooked peeled chestnuts

Pour a mug of freshly boiled water over the porcini mushrooms in a deep bowl and let them soak for at least half an hour. Pick up the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and chop finely. Strain the mushroom liquid, as there might be gritty pieces left.
In a deep frying pan heat 2tbsp of olive oil and brown the pancetta, keep stirring so that the cubes are well browned on all sides. Remove the pancetta with a spoon, leaving the fat in the pan.
Finely slice the onion and cook in the frying pan until translucent, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and demerara sugar as well as a bit of dry sherry. Once cooked put the fried onion with the pancetta in a big pan or pot where you're going to cook your stew.
Fry the sliced porcini mushrooms for about 5 minutes, sprinkle some dried thyme. Add to the pot with pancetta and onion.
Add more olive oil to the frying pan, and cook the beef in batches (about 3, I would say). Season with salt, but not too much, as the stock has added salt. Add a little bit of butter to each batch. Brown all the steak pieces well. Put all the ingredients in the pot.
Pour the beef stock. I used Waitrose Cooks' Ingredients beef stock.
Pour 200ml of red wine. I used a Chianti in this recipe, but any robust red wine will do. Add the dried basil, bay leaves and balsamic vinegar. Add the strained mushroom liquid too.
Bring to boil, then lower the heat and cook on low for 2+ hours, stirring occasionally. You might need to get a bit more water if the stew becomes too thick.
Add the chestnuts and cook for another 30 minutes. Check if it needs more salt.
The original recipe also has plain flour added to the stew, but one of our guests is on gluten free diet, so I skipped it altogether. The stew was rich and thick as it was, without flour.

We all enjoyed this rich stew. The flavours were fantastic - porcini mushrooms, red wine, chestnuts. It was quite festive, with an addition of chestnuts.

I served the stew with Bourgogne Clos Bardot Pinot Noir (2010), and lovely it was too.

Parnsip and fennel soup with caramelised chestnuts

This morning when Eddie and I walked to school through the fields (it's a longer way but much more beautiful and also you avoid the mad traffic with all the pollution for half of the walk), the ground with low lying grass was white with frost. Not surprising really, as it's almost the end of November. On the way back home I popped in Waitrose to get some fresh bread, and saw the most gorgeous plump fennel bulbs. I grabbed one to make some parsnip and fennel soup.

Parsnip and fennel soup with caramelised chestnuts
Ingredients:
2 medium parnsips, peeled and cubed
1 big fennel bulb, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 banana shallot, halved
2cm of ginger root, grated
2 tbsp vegetable stock powder (I used Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon powder)
100ml semi-skimmed milk
200g whole chestnuts, cooked and peeled (e.g. Merchant Gourmet)
1tbsp olive oil
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
1tbsp maple syrup
Slice the fennel, peel and cube parsnips, and halve a shallot. Place the vegetables in a small tray, drizzle with the olive oil and roast for half an hour in the oven at 180C.
Open a packet of cooked whole chestnuts, cut each one in half. Put the chestnuts in another small roasting tray or dish, drizzle with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup, mix well to coat all pieces. Roast in the oven for half an hour at 180C.

Remove the vegetables from the oven, put them in a medium sized pan, cover with water. Add the vegetable stock powder or stock cube. Add the milk, the grated ginger and bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or so. Whizz the soup with the blender.

Serve the soup with the chestnuts (they sink in). 

That's proper comfort food - sweet and savoury.

Adding my recipe to Vegetable Palette Linky on A2K - A Seasonal Veg Table blog run by Shaheen. Theme of the month: White vegetables.