Skoshbox January 2014 Review

I received the January 2014 Skoshbox in the mail two days ago.  I love that the Skoshbox team sends out their box so early in the month.  Every month its the first subscription I receive. 

The card included inside every Skoshbox that describes what is in the box.

 

A first look at what is inside the box once you open it.  I am happy to see this month there are no "bonus" items and it seems like there are more snacks.  Skoshbox used to send something extra - not Japanese snack related in the boxes such as: a mini origami booklet, a paper lantern ball that inflated when you blew into it and an eraser made in japan.  To be perfectly honest I did not enjoy any of the bonus or filler items as I thought of them.  I subscribe to this box because I want Japanese snacks not items found at the 100 yen store.  So this box looks pretty full even without the filler item.

 

So I didn't realize how bad these pictures were until after I devoured half of the snacks and couldn't retake them - I apologize!  I get this subscription mailed to my post office box and I couldn't wait to open it - I ripped it open in the car :) 

Here we have:

Shiruko Sando - Bite Sized Baked Head Cookies - this was good.  A small cracker like cookie that had jam on the inside

Furikake Senbei - Rice Cracker topped with Furikake - for anyone not familiar furikake is seasoning that is typically used as topping or flavoring on white rice.  There are all sorts of flavors and they include anything from hot pepper flakes to dried salmon.  It's actually quite good - I never eat rice plain anymore :)

Cream Chestnut Senbei - Senbei Drizzled with Creamed Chestnut

Ajituske Nori - Seasoned Seaweed Packs

Again, I apologize for the terrible pictures!  I was super psyched to see the sweet goodies in this box as I have a lot of them before!

Choco Cake - Soft Fluffy Chocolate Cake: this is a new one for me - I am actually eating it right now.  It's pretty good, a little dry.  Would taste good with milk or tea.

Alfort Biscuit: Biscuit Cookie with a layer of Milk or Dark Chocolate : this I have had before - maybe the name of it is an Alfort Biscuit but the company that makes it is one of my favorite Japanese snack food companies: Bourbon !!! Ok, maybe my favorite company :)  I once spent a fortune ordering these from a third party company in Hong Kong.  I needed to get my Bourbon fix.

Big Thunder Chocolate: Chocolate Covered Coco-Cookie: I haven't tried this yet but how can you go wrong with chocolate covered in chocolate?!

Soft Oreo: Soft Oreo in Strawberry : ok this I have had before too.  I actually am a huge fan of Oreo, Kit Kat, Pepsi and Doritos in Japan because they come up with such different snack ideas and flavors than what is available here!  I guess the Japanese market is more receptive to new ideas/flavors.  I wish they had them all here! 

EDIT: I forgot to mention the UME Jelly Candy: Hard Jelly in Pickled Plum Favor : I had something like this in a previous Skoshbox.  I don't know why its called "hard jelly" its basically a gummy...covered in sugar...its amazing 

 

I loved this much Skoshbox!  Can you guys accidently send me another?! :)

You can order Skoshbox here: http://skoshbox.com/

Love With Food December 2013

So I know I am way behind posting updates. Yesterday alone I revolved 5 boxes. I thought it would be good to post the most recently received boxes first.  I purchased Love With Food for a full year. I love that they donate a meal to the needy for every box purchased. Even if I didn't like anything in the box this subscription would be worth it for me. Also, whatever I don't eat, I can trust my boyfriend to devour :)  

It comes in a really cute box. Plastic wrapped as well.

When you opened the box you found a gift card for $35 off your first month subscription to Hello Fresh. Hello Fresh sends you all the ingredients needed to cook several meals. I thought I checked before and that this company didn't ship to Florida. It looks like they do now. Hope they send to South Florida! I will be ordering from them for sure.

First look after the Hello Fresh gift card was moved. "Winter Wonderland" is the theme for this month. 

Actual first look when the card is moved.

The information card stating what is in the box.

So the first thing is sweet potato chips which I don't think is on the card. I don't think anything is missing from box so this must be a bonus item- score! Then we have molasses cookies and a chocolate dipped Madeleine. I was excited about the molasses cookie because I first thought it was another caveman style cookie. It was not. I was immediately disappointed and decided to gobble down the Madeleine instead. It tasted amazing but I have been eating a very low sugar diet so this cookie tasted like it was 95% pure sugar...which may have been accurate. Sugar is the first ingredient listed on the back of the package.

Next we have a Lindt & Sprungli Chocolate Diamond...this will go to good use I am sure. These peppermints from St. Claire's Organics have been in several of my boxes. I was at first disappointed to see them again but then I saw the extremely low amount of sugar in them and reconsidered. There is a crispbread cracker from 34 Degrees that reminds me of a Japanese Rice Cracker and lord knows I get enough of those in my skoshbox boxes! There is an Angell Candy Bar is white chocolate, I'm not a huge fan so this will be gifted to someone. The last item in this picture is by far my favorite and it is a Marshmellow Topper, Maddy Melts. The idea of this is that it is perfectly shaped it fit inside a cup on top of a hot beverage...hot chocolate anyone?! No nutritional information on the product but maybe that's for the best! 

The last food items in the box were hot chocolate (perfect to pair with the Marshmallow topper!!) and spinach dip mix that I plan to use on New Years Eve. My only complaint is that there was only one marshmallow and hot chocolate!! I love it when companies give you things that can actually be eaten/used together. Then I don't need to do any additional work:)

And the best part of this box...

A HUGE reusable bag was folded in the bottom of the box! I love it and will use it often. I already used it yesterday to carry all of my boxes inside! 

I love my Love With Food subscription, it doesn't need to be renewed for another 5 months but I already know that I will!!!

Skoshbox September 2013

Anyone how knows me knows I love Asian culture so it should come as no surprise that when I saw there was an Asian snack subscription box I immediately ordered it - if you are interested in ordering it you can find it here: http://skoshbox.xom\the-box\ for only $12 a month (that includes shipping). Below is my first box:

This is the outside of the box, first looks and the card that is included in the box. The items included are: Koala's March: these are always great but not really something I would want to find in a box because my local grocery store, Wal-Mart, Toy-R-Us and Target all sell this. Chocolate - I received the Ghana - it was a bit melted when I got it so I threw it in the freezer for a bit, tasted good, nothing special Age-Ichi Senbei - this was amazing...its long gone Umaibo - puffed corn snack: cheese flavor - I haven't tried this yet but have had similar snacks and I am a fan - I have only seen these before in comic cons and I haven't gone to one in years so I was happy to see this in the box Matcha Candy - for some reason I am really picky about matcha flavored candy - I haven't tried this one yet because I am usually not a huge fan Kanten Jelly - I am a huge fan of all jelly candies - I tried this first - it was good - just a light flavor to it Popcandy Soda - lollipop: I got the cola flavored one - haven't tried it yet Manju- Steamed Azuki Bean Cake: Plain - I loved this - sooo sweet! Ichigo Milk Candy - strawberry - I haven't tried this candy yet either Fujiya Home Pie - Buttery Flake Pie - looking at this snack it doesn't look like much but I am in love!!! I hope they send this in all the boxes going forward! Kakinotane- spicy rice crackers with Peanuts - I haven't tried this yet but I have had similar rice crackers and I am a fan Keshigomu - Japanese Eraser - back by popular demand...um...really?? Seemed like a regular eraser to me! Not sure why anyone would demand this...the home pie yes...but this? I'm sure I know someone who draws who I can gift this to

All in all I loved this box - there were a lot of things to try and a bunch of things I couldn't find at my local Asian market! Can't wait until next months box - I already got an email that it shipped! Oh yeah, another great thing about this box, I gets there by the beginning of the month!