I feel so grateful to have travelled some of this Earth—Europe, Southeast Asia, Scandinavia, South and North Americas. It is always a special time to experience new things and to gain perspective on who you are and where you come. You experience differences in cultures, but mostly, you experience the commonalities we all share.
Perhaps because of who I am and what I do, when I reminisce about my travels I think first of the food. There’s the pao de queijo (cheese bread) of Brazil, the black pepper shrimp in Thailand (now that is a glutinous embarrassing story), the best Indian food ever in Oslo, everything I ate in Italy, shortbread and tea in England. I could go on. Now, if there were only a way to capture that food moment, put it in a box and take it home, you would. Enter Try the World (@TryTheWorld), an online subscription service that brings the flavors of the world to your door.
I had the chance to sit down with owners Kat Vorotova and David Foult at their Flatiron offices to talk shop about Try the World and to sample what lies within the blue Tiffany boxes. What I found, while nibbling Pacoquita peanut candy from Brazil, were two new food friends, fond old food memories and inspiration to discover new cultures and travels.
Vorotova, Russian, and Foult, French, were destined to meet in the melting pot of New York City while studying at Columbia University. Both were passionate about two things: traveling and discovering great food and new cultures. Between the two of them, they have climbed peaks, nestled in valleys and absorbed rural and urban places all over the world, placing special emphasis on food and cultural authenticity. And so Try the World was born.
Here is how it works. The good people of Try the World team up with chefs with expertise in a specific area to identify nonperishable local and authentic items. They source these curated items from local purveyors to include in a themed box, along with a culture guide (films, music, recipes, tips, etc.) and product cards to accompany the eight to 10 unique items. Every two months, the world will be at your doorstep for only $39 per box (less for longer subscriptions).
Now, appropriately timed for Valentine’s Day, Try the World launches the Venice Box. Curated by celebrated journalist and cookbook author David Rosengarten, you’ll find handmade pastas by Pastificio dei Campi, spaghettata spice mix, Urbani truffle pesto sauce, lemon candies and more. Peruse the culture guide with your valentine while sitting in your imaginary gondola. That’s amore!
Here’s the best part: Vorotova and Foult want to bring Venice, Marrakech (the March/April country box) and the world to “Talking SCHOP!” readers, with 30 percent off the cost of a biannual subscription! (A first for this columnist! Thank you!) Log on to www.trytheworld.com and use the code NYAMSTERDAM (valid until April 30) when placing your order. It’s a very unique Valentine’s Day gift that keeps on giving!
Try the World hopes to bring its members a sense of discovery and pleasure every time they open up a new country box. What a great way “travel” the world, one box at a time.
Happy eating and thanks for reading!
Kysha Harris is a food writer, culinary producer, consultant and owner of SCHOP!, a personalized food service offering weekly and in-home entertaining packages. Questions? Comments? Requests? Feedback? Invitations? Email her at kysha@iSCHOP.com, follow her on Twitter and Instagram @SCHOPgirl or on Facebook www.facebook.com/SCHOPnyc. For even more recipes, tips and food musings, subscribe to her blog at www.talkingSCHOP.wordpress.com.
