I often return from my travels and find myself fantasizing about food—that spicy ginger paste from Tokyo that I failed to smuggle through customs or the Fleur de Sel from Paris that is blended just so with the right mix of herbs. With Try the World, a company that sends subscribers a gourmet box from a different country every two months (March is Morocco), the foods, spices and sundries of your favorite destinations come straight to your door. Boxes also include a culture guide with music, movies, and recipes to spark your wanderlust. Here, founders Kat Vorotova and David Foult share their favorite international artisans to spice up your pantry (available in Try The World’s subscription boxes, as well as individually on their online shop). We even have a perk for you: AFAR readers can receive a 30% discount on their first box in a subscription with the code AFAR30.
For a taste of: Mont Saint-Michel, France
Get: La Mère Poulard Cookies
Back in 1888, Annette Poulard made an omelet that would have wowed even the uber-discerning Madam Mallory from The Hundred-Foot Journey. Her cookies became just as famous. Still made on the picturesque island of Mont Saint-Michel with only six ingredients including Breton salted butter, they’re just as delightful as the tin they come in—something you’ll want to keep long after it’s empty.
For a taste of: Corsica
Get: Charles Antona Jams
Charles Antona loves his native island of Corsica. So much that he considers his products “the expression of a land, a perfume and a flavor.” With ten hectares of family-owned land, he grows fragrant Mediterranean vegetation like myrtle trees and arbutus berries that you’ll taste in his superb line of preserves, always true to his grandmother’s recipes.
For a taste of: Piedmont
Get: Urbani Tartufi
The famous French gastronome Brillat-Savarin dubbed the rare fungi “diamonds of the kitchen.” And since 1850, the Urbani Group has lived up to its slogan, “All over the world, the word for truffle is Urbani.” Sourced from underground in the fertile Italian woodlands, Urbani’s black and white treasures end up in the world’s most prestigious restaurants. For home chefs, there’s no more delectable way to dress up pasta dishes.
For a taste of: Venice
Get: Mogi Caffè
Monica Masserano and her brother Gianlugi come from a long family history of roasting and distribution in Bergamo. Their respect for the bean is carried through from planting to harvest, with only the finest beans grown on small plantations to maintain biodiversity. The rich and creamy result? Well worth the effort.
For a taste of: Brazil
Get: Bazzar Dessert Sauce
In the Ipanema neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, dedicated followers of fashion and food flock to Bazzar. Modernizing the eclectic heritage of Brazilian cuisine, the restaurant sells products developed by chefs that choose the best available ingredients in a country where both nature and agriculture are extremely rich. Brigadeiro chocolate spread is the most popular of Brazilian desserts, served on all occasions. Delicious with fruits, cakes, or by itself— move over, Nutella.
For a taste of: Morocco
Get: Dip & Scoop Culinary Argan Oil
Beyond being a white-hot beauty trend and nicknamed “liquid gold,” argan oil is also the next big superfood. Dip&Scoop works with a cooperative of Berber women to harvest oil from the rare and precious argan tree. Smooth and nutty in flavor, argan oil can be used to top oatmeal, meats, grilled vegetables and of course, couscous.
—Stacy Suaya
