When I was a pre-teen I joined an organisation that fixed you up with penpals. I really wish I could remember what it was called but you had to fill out a complicated form with tick boxes to tell them all about yourself so they could match you up. What your hobbies were, whether you had pets, what your ambitions were… Very much like an internet dating profile in fact. It was a BIG DEAL. I’m thinking it had three initials and I want to say IRS but that is something to do with American tax isn’t it? If anyone remembers it I’d love to know. I am talking about the early to mid 80s here…
One of my penpals from somewhere far flung sent me a piece of reindeer horn that her father had made into a necklace. It had a picture of a reindeer on one side and my name on the other. A bit like the middle one of these…
I thought this was the most precious thing ever. I wish I knew where that was now. We wrote each other letters on a regular basis – isn’t that lovely?
So of course when I heard about Foodie Penpals I was IN immediately. My first package arrived and it was packed with wonderful things thanks to my first Foodie Penpal ever Isobel Higley of The Higley Kitchen. She cooks wonderful cakes and cookies, her photos are fabulous. I mentioned that I liked spicy foods and here is the wonderful selection of things that arrived:
1 – I’ve never had sour cream and Jalapeno pepper popcorn and I am really looking forward to settling down to a movie and scoffing the whole packet!
2 – Cajun style beans – these are going to be DELICIOUS – I just know it.
3 – Bombay Bad Boy Pot Noodle – I have never eaten a pot noodle – strong chance I’ll get addicted to them once I have eaten this one!
4 – Nando’s rub – that looks great and I love the idea of doing carrots with this as Isobel mentioned they were good.
5 – Wahaca Sauce – ooooooh yummy – a good excuse to do a whole mexican banquet. I LOVE MEXICAN FOOD.
The thing I loved best? The hand printed card at the bottom left of the picture that Isobel made herself – that is soooo sweet. I am of course now searching for a printing kit on ebay so I can make some for next month.
Thank you Isobel and thank you Foodie Pen Pals for such a fun idea. My package crossed the water to Anna at Urban Food Gardening and she wrote a lovely post about what I sent over. I’m looking forward to next month now as my secret pen pal has already been assigned…
Awww what a fun idea! I miss having a pen pal! I used to write to this girl in Czechslovakia when I was a kid…wonder what she is up to now! Can’t wait to hear more about Foodie Pen Pals!
I’ve just got my February penpal through so will post about that soon – it’s a really fun idea – you should sign up! Jx