The heaviest subscription box I've ever received arrived this week. At almost seven pounds, Hamptons Lane sent one hefty box. As any subscription box addict knows, size DOES matter! It matters even more when culinary delights are involved. Hamptons Lane sends themed boxes full of gourmet ingredients, kitchen tools, serveware and local artisan foods.
The cost of a Hamptons Lane monthly box for members is $47.00. Non-members can purchase the boxes for $59.00. This service has two really nice features that differentiate it from most other subscription boxes. First, you can see exactly what will come in the current month's box. Second, you have until the fifth of the month to opt out if you don't want that box. I believe there is some flexibility in skipping a month if you miss that deadline.The theme of the box I received for November is "American Breakfast". After reviewing the contents on the site, I was pretty sure this was a collection I'd like. I placed my order on November 1st and this big box arrived on the 17th.
Inside, a blue Hamptons Lane box was buried in a huge pile of packing peanuts. Although it was very well packed, it was somewhat disheveled from its long trip from Cambridge, MD via UPS and then handed off to the USPS for delivery.
A tantalizing array of gourmet breakfast products greeted me. The packaging of one item was badly damaged but everything else seemed to be o.k.
A full size color brochure introduces the theme of the box and the expert behind it; in this case, Ross Svebeck, "Midwestern tastemaker". This brochure gives a lot of helpful advice on how to use the products and two mouth-watering recipes on the back.
There is a card containing a coupon code for $10 off your first coffee shipment from Mistobox which sends artisan roasted coffees. If you're interested, the code is HAMPTONS10 and you can click here to use it. By the way, Mistobox was featured on Shark Tank a while back; I just barely remember seeing that segment.
The main reason for the weight of this box is this wonderful little cast iron skillet by Lodge. This little 6.5" workhorse is the perfect size for sauteing, searing, frying, baking and roasting. The most used item in my kitchen is my grandmother's 9" cast iron skillet. This little guy is sort of a "Mini Me" to that one and will do all the small jobs that require less capacity and less clean-up. This ranks right up there among the best items I've ever received in a sub box!
The casualty in the box is this container of Bourbon Salted Pecan Pancake & Waffle Mix from Shortstacks. Apparently the skillet slammed against it during shipment and caved in one side. However, the container is still intact so the mix should be fine. Thank heaven none of the other items were affected as most of them are much more fragile! I can't wait to try this mix which contains chunky Georgia Pecans....the pictures in the brochure make me want to go whip these up right now!
Of course, the complementary item for pancakes is syrup. At first glance, I thought I was getting three little airline size bottles of whiskey, but these are actually Crown Maple Syrup. This trio contains two Dark Amber syrups and one Medium Amber. These come from Dutchess County, NY and are certified organic and 100% pure.
Next is a package that contains 20 egg poaching bags that are said to produce a perfectly poached egg. Crack an egg into the pouch, immerse in simmering water, then remove after 4 to 6 minutes and slide the egg onto a plate. Perfect mess-free results!
The last item in this box is a 13 oz. jar of Pecan Pumpkin Butter by Muirhead. This can be used as a spread or mixed into pumpkin loaves, pancakes, biscuits, pumpkin pie, bundt cake, mashed sweet potatoes and muffins. Fortunately, there are six recipes attached to the lid that help make the best use of this delicious looking product!
As you can see, this is an exquisitely curated box. Other recent box themes that are still available for individual purchase on their site are: Summer Cocktail Party, Ice Cream Sundae Bar, The Tailgate Box and Spanish Tapas. Many individual items from past boxes are also available a la carte.
If you're interested in signing up for Hamptons Lane, use this link to get $10 off your order. As mentioned above, you can skip a month whenever you want. Keep in mind that if you find other discounts on the Internet, you may be able to stack them for even more savings. This is the first subscription service I've found where that is possible. I stacked two $10 discounts for my first box, making it only $27. (Unfortunately, I can't remember where I got one of those or I would certainly share it.) The retail value of these boxes is always at least $75 and some are worth more than $100....that kind of "margin" is very unusual in artisan food boxes!
In my opinion, these boxes would make wonderful holiday gifts, especially for those who are hard to buy for. Of course, don't forget to gift yourself!
Cheryl
Disclosure: Views and opinions expressed in this blog are
strictly my own. Product discussed in this post was purchased with my own
money. Post may contain referral or affiliate links.
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