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TopMunch Review June 2017

TopMunch is a food subscription box that allows you to experience the world one country at a time with exotic food, music recommendations, travel recommendations and more. They kindly sent us this box for review.

I have to say, I have really been enjoying my TopMunch boxes. I probably mentioned that in the last review, and the review before that, but I figured it was worth mentioning again….and again….and….you get the point. I love that this subscription is simple yet detailed at the same time. It’s pretty straightforward, I know exactly what to expect, but they surprise us each month with a new theme/country, and they provide us with some really fun & interesting information. It’s like a little mini trip in a box.

Subscription Details

When you sign up for a TopMunch Subscription you have a few options to choose from:

The TopMunch Cultural Experience Box will provide items from a different country each month:

  • 5-7 Exotic and Hard-to-find Full-size treats
  • A collection based on the local music, to listen to (TopMusic)
  • A travelogue with travel tips and recommendations, for places to see (TopTravel)
  • A language guide to help you pick up local phrases (TopPhrase)

Note: Their boxes are almost always full (packed to the brim) and typically weigh around 2+ pounds.

June Theme – Netherland

Our journey this month has brought us to the Netherlands, otherwise informally known as “Holland”. The four largest cities in the Netherlands include – amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague, and Utrecht. To delve into a bit of history, the Dutch East indies and Dutch West Indies spearheaded the Golden Age of the Dutch Empire, making it a major sea-faring and economic power in the 17th century.

Netherlands was the third country in the world to have an elected government, and it is the second largest exporter of food and agricultural products after the United States. In 2013, the United Nations World Happiness Report ranked the Netherlands as the seventh-happiest country in the world, reflecting its high quality of life. Some of the more accomplished Dutch artisans include – Rembrant, Vincent Van Gogh, and Johannes Vermeer….just to name a few.

Here’s a look at the items we received in the June box…..

Ruiter Banket Speculaas (Windmill Spiced Cookies)

Speculaas is a famous Dutch cookie, traditionally baked for the Holiday of Sinterklaas, celebrated in the Netherlands on the 5th of December. Speculaas cookies are thin, crunchy and lightly browned. The spices used in Speculaas are cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and white pepper. Some of the other ingredients include white flour, brown sugar and butter.

Euro Patisserie Cheese Crispies

These cheese crisps are also known as “Smelik Kats Kantjes” and are made with high quality butter, gouda and edam cheese. Considering we are sending out a relatively sweet box, this savoury provides a unique balance in your palate, and keeps the mouth wanting more.

Van Delft Cafe Noir

Cafe Noir is a crunchy cookie topped with a sweet coffee flavoured glaze. This is a Dutch favourite that looks to have less sugar, and has a much stronger coffee flavour. Renowned Dutch bakers – Van Delft, who come with over 120 years of experience, baked this delicious cookie. Dip this cookie in your cup of hot joe or tea, and you will be faced with a delicious indulgence.

Gustaf’s Licorice Drops

Dutch people love their licorice, not the American version of the liquorice but a different kind of licorice very traditional to the Netherlands. This licorice is also called “salmiak” and is a variety of licorice flavoured by ammonium chloride giving it an astringent salty taste. This licorice is an acquired taste and the Dutch love feeding this to foreigners to film their reactions. The Dutch love their licorice so much so that they consume almost 4 pounds of it a year. Along with Dutch cheese and hagelslag (Dutch sprinkles), licorice is one of the items that over half of all Dutch vacation-goers won’t leave home without.

Casteleijn Syrup Wafers (Stroopwafel)

A Stroopwafel (syrup waffle) is a waffle made from two thin layers of baked dough with a caramel like syrup filling in the middle. It is very popular in the Netherlands, where they were first made in the city of Gouda. Casteleijn Patisserie Specialiteiten is a family business specialized in Dutch stroopwafels. To anyone who has lived in or visited Holland, Stroopwafels is one snack they will come across and might even bring back home.

TopMunch Review June 2017 – Final Thoughts

Oh my goodness! Ashley is going to pee her pants when she sees this review! We were literally just talking about Stroopwafels the other day. She is obsessed with them (as is Shonah) and we talked about the fact that someone needs to start up a Stroopwafel subscription box. She informed me if that were to ever happen she got first dibs on reviewing the box. Needless to say, the Stroopwafels from this month’s TopMunch will be going to her. As for the rest of the items in the box, I am just as happy with them as I am with the Stroopwafels. I think we have a fun mixture of treats. I was very happy to see licorice in the box. I am a huge fan of traditional black licorice but I haven’t had it in years. I really love the variety of countries we have visited the last few months, and I have been enjoying the product booklet that comes with each box. I should point out that TopMuch recently increased their prices, but I think it is justified given the beautiful, informative nature of this box.

What do you think of the June TopMunch?

XOXO

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