I thought for Thursday we’d focus on treats, so today I’ve got my March Orangeglad review. They are a monthly artisan dessert subscription! All the treats!
If you’d like to try out one for yourself use my code ST10 for 10% off your order.
As with my last box, we had some lovely packaging.
This time I got a handy dandy reference sheet so I have a bit more info on the companies and products.
Little Belgians – Berkley California
About the Company:“Little Belgians is an artisanal cookie company in Berkeley, CA, founded in 2014 by Evy Ballegeer. Evy started baking speculoos out of nostalgia for the many previous moments she spent with her family and friends over coffee and a koekkse in her native Belgium. She now bakes her cookies in a cozy baking atelier in Berkeley and sells them to gourmet stores. Little Belgians are made with all organic ingredients and no preservatives.”
Original Speculoos cookies
(4 cookie snack packs: $7.99)
Description: “Little Belgians’ buttery speculoos cookies are thin, crunchy, not too sweet and flavored with dark brown sugar and nine spices including cinnamon, cloves, pepper and cardamom. They are great with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or all on their own.”
Vanilla Speculoos cookies
(4 cookie snack pack: $7.99)
Description: “Their buttery vanilla speculoos are thin, crunchy, and not too sweet. They combine the sweet of light brown sugar with delicious hints of vanilla. Great with tea, dipped in a glass of milk, or just on their own.”
Verdict: Like
These cookies are just as advertised: light, crunchy and not terribly sweet. The flavors reminded me of the Christmas holidays and I preferred the vanilla just a little more than the original.
Theo Chocolate – Seattle, WA
About the Company: “Founded in Seattle in 2006, Theo Chocolate is proud to be North America’s first Organic and Fair Trade certified bean-to-bar chocolate maker. To this day, they strive to be the most progressive chocolate maker in the country. Their founding principle is that the finest artisan chocolate in the world can (and should) be produced in an entirely ethical , sustainable fashion. All of their ingredients are carefully screed and 3rd party verified to ensure they meet their standards for social and environmental responsibility. Theo’s cocoa purchasing practices full transparency along eth entire supply chain and improved quality of life for cocoa farmers, now and I the future. Simply put: Theo is passionate about chocolate. And changing the world.”
Hazlenut Crunch Chocolate, 45% Cacao
(1 Bar: $3.00)
Description: “What’s your chocolate fantasy? Does is tart with a smooth organic 45% cacao, pure milk chocolate? Is it blended with hazelnut brittle and just the perfect touch of salt? Does it redefine delicious with every crunchy bite? If so, you’re in luck.”
Bread & Chocolate, 70% Dark Chocolate
(1 Bar: $3.00)
Description: “Theo’s unique twist on traditional pain au chocolat. Indulge in buttery toasted breadcrumbs immersed in rich dark chocolate with a touch of sea salt.”
Verdict: Love the Hazelnut, Don’t care for the Bread
Chocolate & Saving the world? What’s not to love here? The hazelnut crunch bar was delicious. The hazelnut flavor wasn’t overpowering and the chocolate was nice and creamy. Unfortunately, the “Bread & Chocolate” bar just wasn’t my taste. There was something off-putting about the breadcrumbs inside and I would have preferred it to be a touch sweeter.
Wooden Table Baking Co.
About the Company: “Andreas Ozzuna is the ownder and baker at Wooden Table Baking Co. She grew up in Buenos Aires in a large family with a grandmother who cooked every day for her and her family. When she moved to the Bay Area 15 years ago, there was not a lot of Argentinean food – so she had to make the food she craved! When her nostalgia kicked in, she surrounded herself with homemade Argentinean empanadas, alfajores, tangos y mate! Her grandmother taught her these recipes—it is from her that she inherited her love cooking. Andreas recalls being next to her at a wooden table making raviolis, gnocci, tarts every weekend! A whole spoonful of Dulce del leche in her mouth as a reward when grandma wasn’t looking…She really loved being next to her grandma, looking up when she showed her how to make alfajores. Today, that’s how Andreas feels every time she makes alfajores. She feels the love and happiness of those days. She feels at home and she loves bringing this joy to the Wooden Table Baking Co’s supporters.”
Traditional Alfajores
(16 cookies: $24.00)
Description: “Alfajores (pronounced Al-fa-ho-res) are a traditional Argentine pastry made of two shortbread-like cookies joined with “dulce de leche”: al made with non-gmo ingredients! Handcrafted vanilla cookie filled with dulce de leche eand rolled in grated coconut.”
Verdict: Could eat a pound of these
These were so so delicious. The cookie part was just soft and crumbly enough. The caramel and coconut with the perfect sweet counterpoint. These were absolutely lovely. I could imagine these as amazing wedding favors packaged in that same cute little box with a little bow on top.
OVERALL
Verdict: Lovely box, but not enough of a value
This was a beautifully packaged box of treats, but unfortunately the retail value only came out to $13. I understand that shipping costs should be added to that, but this box costs $25. I feel like the value needs to be closer to that $20 mark. The goodies inside were lovely, but it felt like it was missing one more treat. This is a fairly new subscription though, so they still need some time to find the right balance of items and value.
That being said, I love the focus on small companies and finding out about them and how they make their products. The packaging is beautiful, so I could see splurging on this as a gift and that extra money going toward the packaging and curation. If your Mom has a sweet tooth, this would be a great Mother’s day gift idea.
Have you ever given a box subscription as a Mother’s Day gift?
If so, what was it and how was it received?
THE BACKSTORY
Orangeglad is an “artisan dessert box that sends handcrafted, unique and exclusive desserts each month. Eat delicious treats created by local artisan chefs throughout the country, and learn about the amazing people behind each item.”
Single Portion Box: 5 Deluxe Sized Treats
Curated from around the country
Makes 1-2 people happy
Cost: $25 per month (shipping included)
Double Portion Box: 10 Deluxe Sized Treats
Curated from around the country
Makes 3-4 people happy
Cost: $40 per month (shipping included)
Managing your account is easy. If you want a break, you can cancel or skip at anytime, with absolutely no hassle.
Coupon Codes: Use code ST10 for 10% off your orders
Lisa Preziosi 