Flavor Box Itzel
We captured the fun of culinary discoveries while traveling in a gift box. Here’s some more info on your Flavor Gift Box!
What makes this gift box so Anders*?
1. All of the products are imported from Europe and not available anywhere else in the U.S.
2. Did you see the number inside the lid of the box? That’s because these boxes are sold in a limited quantity, before we move on to other themes and products!
*Anders is Dutch for different.
How to prepare P&T Brave New Earl loose leaf tea
Put about 2 teaspoons of the loose leaf tea in the tea strainer and put in a glass or mug. Poor in water that is just under boiling temperature (195° Fahrenheit) and let sit (don’t stir!) for 3-5 minutes depending on how strong you like your tea. Don’t stir to speed up the process, you won’t get all the flavors and aromas that a bit of patience will render. You can use the same tea twice!
Pair cheese with tea
How to pair tea and cheese? A black tea like this one is high in tannins and has a bold flavor, much like a strong, full bodied red wine. That means it pairs well with a cheese that is strong too. Since this particular tea has lighter, fresher notes too (like citrus, orange, pine and of course bergamot) you want a cheese that doesn’t hide that either. A creamy camembert does the trick, as well as a gorgonzola/mascarpone mix (or a different creamy blue cheese).
Want to bring out the fruit in the tea? Try a parmesan/toasted onion cracker, topped with fresh high quality creme fraiche and confit. A cheese board with smoked gouda, aged cheddar and sweet fruits like grapes, raspberries or blackberries pair well too.
Laguiole cheese knives
First of all, how do to pronounce it? The French from around Laguiole would pronounce it lah-yole, the rest of the country says la-gwee-ole. The long history and tradition of Laguiole knives starts in 1829. First designed to be a folding knife, the ‘mouche’ (French for fly) on the handle was a functional part of these knives. The little insect was kept for tradition, making the blades recognizable, although Laguiole is not a protected brand, simply a style of knives.
How to use the cheese knives?
The left knife is used for soft cheeses, where the round top can be used to spread it on a piece of bread or toast for example. Think a creamy brie, creme fraiche or ricotta. The middle knife is used for hard cheeses or to cut the rinds of. This can be anything from smoked gouda to a ripe cheddar. The knife on the right can also be used for harder cheeses and the tip can be used to offer a piece of cheese to someone else (or yourself). This is usually for a cheese where the bite size is probably smaller, like a parmesan.
They are dishwasher safe by the way!
Nicolas Vahé Fig & Walnut Confit
A French chef, who moved to Denmark and launched his own line of delicious foods. This confit is great because it pairs well with any cheese! It’s great with a creamy subtle cheese like ricotta, mascarpone or creme fraiche. But cheeses that pack a bit more flavor love it too!
Try it with dry cured meats too. The sweet and nutty flavors combine well with savory and smokey flavors.
Did you notice the jar has two labels on top of each other? That’s because we are the first to import these to the U.S. and the label had to be updated to meet FDA standards.
Rescued wax candle and vintage saucer
This Dutch company saves all sorts of materials to make them into cool products. In this case it’s wax in the shape of a tea cup and a porcelain saucer. The decoration has been sandblasted off the saucer to give it that cool Scandinavian look.
Tip: when you first burn a candle, don’t blow it out for the first 2 hours. It will help the wax heat up and then set again in a way that renders more burning hours. Don’t put in on a draught either, this will quickly burn up the candle.
Wine soaps by Klar
As you can read on the box, Klar Seifen has been around since 1840, making them the oldest soap company in Germany. They are still family run!
Cheese and tea are fun, but we didn’t want to completely ignore the wine! These soaps are made from Riesling (the creme colored soap) and Spätburgunger (that’s German for Pinot Noir) grapes.
Wine soaps by Klar
These beautiful mouth blown glasses are designed by Lara van der Lugt. She is a freelance product and graphic designer who has also designed for the Van Gogh museum. She describes her style as graphic, clean and made of simple materials. Typical for Dutch Design and that famous minimal but fun European look.
Due to popular demand we are offering the option of buying extra glasses to complete your set. They are $ 35.00 per set of 2. Order 3 sets or more (6 glasses) and we will ship them to you for free (within the U.S.). Send us a message or call +1 404 721 3040.