Bokksu January 2017 Subscription Box Review + Coupon

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Bokksu is a premium snack box that features authentic Japanese snacks, as well as a tea pairing to go with it. The items are what you can’t easily find here across the pond, so trying them is a real treat and always a fun experience!

First look! The bright orange color of Bokksu makes me smile, that color is impossible to ignore.

DEAL: Save 10% on your first box with coupon code HELLO.

Maru means “circle” in Japanese and is associated with goodness in Japan. Correct answers on tests are marked with maru (O) while incorrect answers are marked with batsu (X). Maru is also the basis for Enso, the traditional Zen Buddhist art on the cover that symbolizes enlightenment, strength, and elegance. Enso can be drawn open or closed and conveys different meanings based on its form. Incomplete Enso are associated with wabi-sabi (the beauty of imperfections) while complete Enso represents perfection. This month is a delicious assortment of maru snacks to help me find enlightenment and beauty in the new year.

Baumkuchen by AS Foods. Baumkuchen is a German roll cake that was first introduced to Japan in the early 20th century. It means “tree cake” and gets its namesake from the characteristic rings that resemble tree rings. I got two flavors, plain and chocolate! These cakes were moist and lightly sweetened. Personally, I enjoyed the plain one better than the chocolate. The chocolate Baumkuchen was not sweet enough in my opinion to satisfy my chocolate craving.

Gaufrettes by Tokyo Fugetsudo. A Gaufres in a waffle in French and these are smaller and way cuter versions of a waffle. They are crispy and cream filled in three different flavors: vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate. These little wafer sandwiches were melt in my mouth good with just the right amount of crunch and sweet. I may have stacked all three together for the Neapolitan experience. Unfortunately, these are so good that all the kids enjoyed them and I was forced to share.

Kaisen Usukeshi Kasen by Honda Seika. This crispy senbei is twice-baked using deep ocean shrimp to fully imbue the fresh and savory flavors of the ocean. I love fresh shrimp but had a very hard time overcoming the scent of this rice cracker. I took the smallest bite humanly possible and found that it was too salty and too strongly flavored for me. Now my friend, on the other hand, thought it was pretty tasty and eat the rest of them the box had to offer. I love when food is eaten and not wasted!

KA NO Michi by Ginza Hana Noren. Ka No Michi is a re-imagining of a cream cookie sandwich. Each bite infuses your mouth with a delicious balance of crispy butter cookie and lightly sweet cream. I love the wave pattern which reminds me of potato chips. I loved the vanilla flavor and cocoa flavor was okay just not a strong enough chocolate flavor for me. I’m beginning to see a theme here. As for the Matcha flavor, I wasn’t brave enough to try it, I’ve found that Matcha is not meant for me. Once again my friend stepped up to the plate and tried it, guess what he liked it and stated that the Matcha was very subtle.

Cheese Manju Okashinai by Bambai. Manju is a traditional Japanese confection made with flour, rice powder, and buckwheat. Normally, they are filled with red bean filling, but this one is filled with white beans and cheese. It was like eating a Danish with the added bonus of a smiley face on my food.

Natural Yeast Bread Hokkaido Cream by Day Plus. I’ve tried this little gem before and so had my daughter, she laid claim to it right away. This bread is beyond delicious and flaky. Thank goodness they aren’t in every box because I would be hoarding them and hiding them at bottom of my closet, consuming each bite without sharing.

Gyokuro Green Tea by Maeda-en. Gyrokuro is widely regarded as one of the highest grades of Sencha (Japanese green tea) due to its more laborious cultivation process. Unlike uncovered Sencha leaves, Gyokuro tea leaves are shielded from the sun for about three weeks before being harvested. This process causes the theanine and alkaloid caffeine in the leaves to increase and results in a richer flavor. Please note that Gyokuro is steeped at a lower temperature for a longer duration than standard green teas. As a huge tea drinker, I can honestly say not all tea is not created equal and this green tea has once again proven it. It was smooth and just hit the spot on a drizzly day. With a hint of honey or plain, this is a winner!

Bokksu box is a wonderful combination of great food and knowledge. I love that with each new food there is a history or story that goes along with it. I find it fascinating that some of the foods have been inspired from other countries like France and Germany. In my house this box is a family activity, we all sit around the kitchen table, laugh at the faces we each make and learn something new about the world we live in. We have found some amazing products that we now keep stocked in our pantry and it keeps family nights from getting boring.

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