One of my favorite aspects of travel is exploring the regional dishes, as author Scott Westerfeld said, “the best way to know a city is to eat it”. Inspired to bring that excitement that comes from traveling and trying new food I signed up for a Food Trip Too. The company sends a food box from a unique destination every two months to your home, where from the comforts of your kitchen you can discover a new culture and the local flavors.
For my first box, I got Burkina Faso, which is located in West Africa. As I knew very little about this country, I was excited to open up the box and see what was inside.
Opening up the box I was highly impressed with how much was inside. There were 8 non-perishable ingredients, along with a souvenir bag and a small magnet.
This box included bissap (dried hibiscus flowers), seinseinga (spices), fonio (gluten-free grain), hot sauce, mango jam, veggie chips, chitoumou (dried caterpillars), toedo candies made from monkey bread in addition to a local artisanal pouch.
Also within the box was a variety of outstanding cultural information! There was 5 recommended movies to watch to watch to learn more about Burkina Faso, a trivia sheet (where I learned Burkina Faso means the country of honest men), key facts about the country, along with a few useful vocabulary in Moore one one of the 60 national languages of the country (French being the official one).
To help my friends discover Burkina Faso with me in the comforts of my home, I was able to to use the trivia sheet a game prior to dinner, and while cooking and eating the meal I used the online music playlist which further enhanced the experience.
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Now onto the most important part – the food! Within the box, there was all the dry ingredients and you are provided with a handy grocery list for all the other fresh product you will need to make the meal. Designed for a family or a group of friends, the Food Trip Too… boxes are designed for meals up to 6 people. The four recipes included allowing you to make an authentic Burkinabe dinner including the appetizers and dessert.
Image curiosity of a Food Trip Too…
Image curiosity of a Food Trip Too…
Image curiosity of a Food Trip Too…
Image curiosity of a Food Trip Too…
On the menu, there is bissap deh (a hibiscus juice that can be used be used in a mango sangria) and served with veggie chips, naafo brochete ni kipare (spicy beef brochettes) for an appetizer, noua ni nangouri zedo (chicken stew in peanut sauce served with fonio), and soft bourmassas (donuts topped with tangy mango jam).
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Food Trip Too… boxes cost $37.90 with 10% of the profits going to Oxfam Quebec. In the box, I received there is further information about the Oxfam Quebec donation which explains the funds go towards helping to empower women in Burkina Faso working in the street food industry, so you can eat delicious food in the comforts of your home and feel good too!
The low price of the box makes it equivalent for dinner for 2 at an affordable restaurant, but when you consider the box can feed up to 6 people and become an evening of entertainment with all the music, movies, games and facts included a Food Trip Too… price seems extra extraordinary.
To help you explore a new country without leaving your home, I’ve partnered up with a Food Trip Too… to offer you a discount code. Use FTT50 to get 50% off the first box in their bi-monthly subscription for the around the world plan.