Hello! ♥ Today I'm going to be talking about my first ever Try the World box! I'm not too big on food subscriptions, but Try the World caught my eye with their masterful curation skills and pretty gourmet edibles, so I decided to utilize a 30% off coupon and give it a try!
What is Try the World?
Try the World is a food subscription box service that costs $45 bi-monthly and delivers curated gourmet flavors from selected countries around the globe. Every two months, you'll receive yummy delectables from a different city, and this month, that city was Paris, France! Along with the snacks, Try the World will send a mini booklet filled with historical information about the city, and introduce you to some of its culture such as music, films, literature, and notable landmarks and places to visit while there.
First impression and culture guide!
Everything comes packaged in a gorgeous mint colored box, the snacks packaged snugly with blue crinkle paper along with a culture guide and info card detailing the contents of the box. I think I'm going to keep the box, it's very heavy duty (since they have to transport glass jars and such) and super pretty as well!
Le Saunier de Camargue Finishing Salt ($11.95) 
This fleur de sel is harvested by hand from the naturally pink salt flats of the French Mediterranean coast. Sauniers (harvesters) go through a labor intensive process of raking the sea water every day of the year, and then harvesting the crystals to create this soft, slighty damp finishing salt. According to Try the World, this salt can be sprinkled over buttered crostini, meats, or desserts just before serving. 
I've never received salt in a subscription box before, so we're off to a, er... unique start!
I've never received salt in a subscription box before, so we're off to a, er... unique start! La Maison Peltier Artisanal Honey ($15.50) 
La Maison Peltier is a family business that has been harvesting and packaging their artisanal honeys since 1946. Their honey is all natural and sustainably grown; they really care about the bees! Try the World suggests this honey being enjoyed over toast, or stirred into tea. It has very light, sweet flavor, less sweet then American honey, and somewhat floral. It's absolutely delicious and I wish it had come in a bigger jar.
Maison D'Armorine Caramels ($3) 
These are large, chewy caramels made with butter and salt from the hilly peninsula of Brittany, France. These were born the summer of 1946, when the French celebrated peace and their return to Brittany at the end of World War II. These are big and chewy and while less sweet than American caramels, I think that they're easily more delicious.
The little wood container that these arrived in originally had five caramels inside, but my boyfriend and I each ate one as soon as we opened it because we both love caramels so much. 
Charles Antona Clementine Jam ($6.95) 
Mmmm. This clementine jam is made by Charles Antona, a family business in Corsica, who grow the fruit for their jams on their own 25 acres of land. They work closely with local farmers and artisans to create their all natural spreads combined with Mediterranean herbs and spices using a recipe that has been passed down for generations. This jam has a light, fruity-herbal flavor and contains large chunks of clementine, both the fruit and the rind. I ate this along with some butter cookies that also came in the box, and it was delightful. 
Palais des Thes Fine Tea ($2) 
Palais des Thes is a signature tea company that offers all-natural, premium teas from all over the world, including places like China, India, Japan, Sri Lanka, and of course, Paris.
The flavors I received are Saint James, which is an orange peskoe tea, The du Hammamm, a green tea that contains hints of orange blossom rose and berries, and Fleur de Geisha, a Japanese green tea flavored with cherry blossoms. I absolutely adore tea, so these will be used up quickly.
La Mere Poulard Sables Cookies ($3) 
Since 1888, La Mere Poulard has been baking their signature cookies. They only contain 5 ingredients, one of which is butter from the northwestern peninsula of Brittany. These are melt-in-your-mouth buttery goodness, and while they weren't anything particularly exciting, they were still a light, buttery sweet that my boyfriend and I enjoyed a lot. Interestingly, Mrs. Poulard became first became famous in Mont Saint-Michel by feeding pilgrims who were on their way to the medieval cathedral on the island. 
Domaine des Vignes Mustard ($4.50)
This mustard is serious business. It's a whole grain, all natural mustard made from quality mustard seeds and vinegar distilled from Bordeaux and Charente wines.
American mustard has nothing on this. While the yellow mustard I'm used to is creamy and slightly overpowering, this mustard has a light tangy flavor that isn't overwhelming, and it has a lot of mustard seeds, which could be a good or bad thing depending on one's preference. I like it a lot, so this is going to be going on my sandwiches! You can enjoy this spread over sandwiches, or glazed over meats and poultry.
Final Verdict 
My Try the World Paris Box cost me $32 with a 30% discount, and had a total combined value of about $47. As someone who dreams of traveling and trying gourmet foods in every corner of the world, this box has a lot of appeal to me. What I look for in a food subscription box is one, the value of the snacks have to be worth the price I paid, and two, they have to be snacks that I have never tasted before or are difficult to come by in my area. This box meets both of those requirements, and while I think the portions are a bit small for a $45 box, I have to admit that the experience it provides really ties into the overall value of the box. I've never tried any of these brands before, and a lot of the foods work well together, such as the tea and honey, and the jam and biscuits. A lot of thought went into the curation of this box, and I enjoyed everything that I received. While I'm not sure if I'll stick around long-term, I think I'll stay subscribed a little longer to see what Try the World has in store. I hope to see some really interesting foods from some unexpected countries in the future!
If you'd like to receive your own Try the World box, you can sign up OVER HERE. The boxes are kept a surprise, so you won't know what your first box will contain. Try the World also works with small producers from around the globe, so each box may have a slightly different selection of products or flavors. Which in my opinion makes it all the more fun! 
Disclaimer: All thoughts and opinions on this blog are strictly my own. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this review, although this blog does accept goods and/or services for the purposes of an honest review. Posts may contain affiliate or referral links.
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