Irish Taste Club Subscription Box Review & Coupon – April 2016

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Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 box

Irish Taste Club is a perfect fit for those seeking gourmet foods that are simultaneously international and comfortingly familiar.   Irish Taste Club is a monthly subscription box providing the best in Irish artisan food products.  Each month, subscribers receive 6-7 full size products, all from award-winning cottage and small-batch producers.  Selections include everything from snacks and desserts, to baking mixes, condiments, and cooking oils.

Everything in the box is Irish-made and ships directly from the Emerald Isle to anywhere in the continental U.S., included in the cost of the subscription.

Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 unboxing

The box itself is cool looking, reminiscent of dry goods packaging of yesteryear.   A layer of green-seamed burlap surrounds all the items.

Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 unboxed

The packaging had a wonderfully cottage feel to it, from the two-tone box, to the interior padding.

Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 (1)

The information sheet provides some wonderful insight into the background of the fine products, and the artisans that produce them.  Everything is produced right in Ireland by small producers that have been recognized for the quality of their products and their dedication to their craft.

Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 (2)

The reverse side even included two recipes incorporating the items in the box.  The bread pudding sounds fantastic!  It also included some basic pointers on preparing the coffee.

Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 unboxed (2)

The bottom layer of the box — the jars were careful wrapped in a layer of bubble wrap, and everything was nestled safely within the paper “straw.”

Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 review

Everything in the April box.  The box contained some classically Irish selections, as well as some really good stuff that just happens to be made in Ireland.

Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 (3)

Red Rooster Coffee Bantam’s Brew ($20):  The card mentioned the Farmer’s Friend blend, but we received Bantam’s Brew, Red Rooster’s version of Mocha-Java.  Roasted in Ireland, this blend combines the earthy, full tones of a Sumatran bean with the dry, fruity, and floral notes of an Ethiopian.  Roasted in small batches, this coffee is lovingly pre-ground and ready for brewing.

Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 (4)

Harnett’s Rapeseed Oil Blackcurrant Vinaigrette:  The rapeseed oil in this comes from the Harnett’s farm, which has been growing it for four centuries.  Rapeseed has long been grown as a soil-replenishment crop within a traditional crop rotation — a low-acid version of the crop forms the basis for the canola oil we use all the time.  Rapeseed has a slightly cruciferous taste, making it a perfect base for a salad oil.  The card mentioned blackberries, but we receive a version flavored with blackcurrants.  The intense sweetness of the fruit adds a wonderful dimension to the dressing.

Follain Extra Fruit Whiskey Medium Cut Marmalade:  This traditionally-made marmalade is blended with a dash of whiskey for an extra bit of goodness on your morning toast.  It is made from only oranges, sugar, whiskey and pectin, and it has a much saucier texture than you typically see.

Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 (5)

The vinaigrette has a lovely wine color from the blackcurrants.  The marmalade is “extra fruit” and “medium cut,” — it contains 50% oranges and has some very robust chunks of peel.  I love that the sauce is visibly darkened by the whiskey.

Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 (6)

Our Daily Bread Bake It Yourself Irish Soda Bread (£11.40, roughly $16.39):  Traditional Irish soda bread has been a convenient since the introduction of bicarbonate of soda, or baking soda, in the 19th century. The soda replaced yeast leavening, allowing quicker preparation of breads (hence “quick bread” as a term for non-yeast loaves) and it lends a distinct flavor to the loaf. This is Irish soda bread made even easier.  You mix the package with water and bake it right in the tin provided.

Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 (7)

O’Neill’s Irish Atlantic Sea Salt Flakes Infused With Chili & Paprika (€3.99, roughly $4.54):  I thought this salt was very impressive.  The flakes are astoundingly large — I could see the contours of the corner of an evaporating dish on one flake.  Harvested from the Atlantic Ocean on the Western coast of Ireland, the salt is infused with red pepper essence.

Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 (8)

O’Donnells of Tipperary Hand Cooked Crisps Mature Irish Cheese & Red Onion Flavor (£1.50, roughly $2.16):  These chips are made from real Irish potatoes and have a lovely onion and cheese flavor, much like a mild Cheddar.   The milk used to produce the cheese comes from The Little Milk Company in Tipperary.   These never made it outside the review room.

Irish Taste Club Box April 2016 (9)

Cocoa Bean Chocolate Co. Milk Chocolate with Rose & Pistachio (€3.50, roughly $3.98):  A lovely milk chocolate bar with the engaging perfume and floral flavor or rose petals.  The pistachios, were essentially powdered, so they were detectable as a flavoring, but only  the tiniest bits could be found as a texture note.  The chocolate itself was sweet, smooth, and very creamy.  A most interesting, Orient-inspired bar, made by hand in Ireland. This was gobbled up by the whole family!

We look forward to this box every month.  Each item is of the very highest quality, and the curators do a lovely job of selecting products that showcase Irish-grown ingredients and local culinary tradition.  These are the very best gourmet foods of the sort you would find at a specialty food store or farmers market, all with their origins on the Emerald Isle.  With every item an award winner, it is hard to go wrong.  The O’Grady Family approves of this box!

Save 10% on your entire subscription with coupon code ITC10 – this makes each box $36 on an annual plan.

Visit Irish Taste Club to subscribe or find out more!

The Subscription: Irish Taste Club
The Description: Irish Taste Club is a monthly subscription service that sends our members 6-7 full sized Irish artisan food products. Each product is made by an award winning Irish cottage producer in small batches and is imported exclusively for our members. These products may include jams, infused oils, relishes, chutneys, dressings, vinegars, spices, condiments, baking mixes, confectionery, gourmet snacks etc. Shipping is free to anywhere in continental USA.
The Price: $49.00 per month

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