Review: Try the World (another box subscription service)

You can read the site itself, but the basic idea is that you get a box "packed" with treats from a different country every other month. It's $33-39 per box, depending on how long you commit.

I have contemplated ordering a half-price box before, but was waiting while my husband was out of work. As he started a new job, though, I happened to get an email for a free one! So I went for it.

Here's what the website promises: 6-7 artisinal delicacies, a card describing the products and ways to use them, a culture guide.

The inside of the mailing box was cute!

Oh, but how I hate this paper crap.

What it looks like on the website.

What I got. Ehh. It's as much stuff as I was supposed to get.

This is: two Amserdam wafels, a tin of violet mints, two packets of culinary sauce, a jar of sweet onion pesto, an envelope of truffle oil, another envelope of truffle ketchup, a jar of Colman's mustard, and a pouch of coconut chips.

First, I couldn't remember what country this was supposed to be. I looked on the back of the "Thank you for joining 'Try the World'" to see... and it was blank. I rifled through the whole box and there was zero documentation. No identification of the country. No explanation of the items. No recipes. No cultural notes. Nothing.

So I have two packets of culinary sauce that might be awesome, but all I know about them is that I'm supposed to heat them in the microwave for 10 seconds. I can't tell the ingredients, and there's no other information on the packet, so I don't know whether they're good for fish or chicken or vegetables or what. I suppose I can look it up. The truffle ketchup and oil is easier, but I still have to investigate on my own, no promised suggestions.

If I'd paid nearly $40 for this, I'd be angry. If I'd paid nearly $20 for it, I'd have been mad. In fact, even though it was free, I was disappointed. I was looking forward to a whole international experience.

The wafels were good, but I can get them locally. Same with the mustard and coconut chips. My favorite thing is the sweet onion pesto. Can't wait to use it.

If anyone's had a better experience, having received a box that had the promised documentation and seemingly worth $30, let me know. For me, the best thing this did was magnify what a great deal my $17 a month Citrus Lane box is!

Speaking of that... when it expires in August, I'm going to renew Citrus Lane. I know I promised to post a box each month, but things got crazy there for a while. I'll post next month's, though, and follow up. It's on its way!

For Try the World, though... I give it a thumbs-up in concept, but a HUGE thumbs-down as I experienced it. Boo.