CBBP #1: An embarassment of riches

Well, my little homage to The Carpenters worked...a little too well...

I really am embarassed about this because I received not one, but TWO absolutely wonderful CBBP packages this week:

After a little mis-step, a box appeared at the post office from Elizabeth of The Rabbit Hole, my secret bloggy (as I call her)--do visit her blog, with your speakers *on.*

As you guys probably know, I've been waiting as patiently as my little impatient body would allow, but Canada Post really wanted to confirm why I rarely use them anymore. I'm sure of it. They returned it because of a postal code error.

Oh well, no bother since Elizabeth resent it and it arrived today. That very well taped box (yes, I need to get my Swiss Army Knife sharpened) was put together for a chocoholic like me.

Elizabeth is a scrap blogger--to be honest, I'm not sure what that means, but from what she put in, and how she chose to present things, I'm very convinced that she's a crafty bunney: a very nice handwritten note was on a series of notes that look as if they've been aged with coffee or chocolate. She also enclosed a beautiful gift card.

My favourite is an absolutely beautiful recipe card for Mud Pie. The picture hides it, but it's on a textured, chocolate-coloured, piece of cardstock; one side is decorated with a card of ice-creamy-like coloured stripes: Greg's Wheat, raspberry sorbet, mango, cocoa, maple walnut, grape, blue bubble gum and pistachio and the other side has a groovy pink and chocolate floral linedrawing print on it; a piece of mango grograine ribbon makes it quite pretty. Quite honestly, I think she designed it and I think she should think about marketing it. Also enclosed were a packet of gluten-free pancake mix (made locally to her), organic sugar, lots and lots and lots of chocolate, and last (but not least) there's a little packet of Zap all-natural anise with green tea breath strips.

I'm just wondering how she managed to get all that chocolate out of the house without her children knowing :)

I think what she gave me was the world's largest chocolate-chip pancake for breakfast this weekend...and since The Fussy Eater's father is in town this weekend-and I probably won't be able to meet up with them--this pancake is all mine!

Thank you so much Elizabeth! It was well worth the wait :)

When dear Sam of sweet pleasure: plaisir sucre found out that Canada Post may have lost my CBBP package, *he* sent me a package so I wouldn't feel left out. I told him not to but, like many people of the males I know, he is both sweet and headstrong.

So...what did my second box-o-goodies bring? Well, first was a very warm note written on a card from the AGO; its cover image is a reproduction of Synders' still life, "Bowl of Fruit on a Red Tablecloth"--the art historian that I am is very appreciative.

In the note he thanked me for the CBBP package I sent him (I was his secret bloggy) and described what he sent me. There were two Dagoba chocolate bars--one was flavoured with chai and the other with lavender; lemon sencha green tea from his favourite tea shop pictured (in my tea ball); a recipe for white chocolate, cardamom and saffron truffles, a package of teeny little turtle magnets (the little green jellybean-like things), and--much to my pleasure--his home-made cardamom marshmallows--made exclusively for me :)

I am looking forward to making the truffles for a couple of reasons: I've never made truffles and I have a package of Kashmiri saffron--truly honied tones--and I think this recipe would be perfect for them. Unfortunately I must wait until the temperatures drop a little...

I have to be honest. I've had his box for a day or so and I had to consciously stop myself from eating the marshmallows before I got the camera out. They are so good. I don't think they'll last until the weekend.

Thank you so much Sam!

cheers!
jasmine

tags: Canadian Blogging By Post