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Tortellini soup – a classic Italian Christmas appetizer.
ZIBIBBO – Italian gourmet boxes | changing monthly and themed boxes I recently discovered ZIBIBBO online and, as a big fan of Italian cuisine, I was eager to try it out. ZIBIBBO offers themed and monthly boxes filled with handcrafted Italian delicacies and treats – enough to feed 3-4 people with a three-course meal. The contents of the monthly boxes change each month, featuring a new Italian region with a culinary focus. The themed boxes also include a menu tailored to a different theme, in my case, of course, it was Christmas. I ordered both a monthly box and a themed box to Munich and tested whether the boxes lived up to their promises, whether they really could feed four people, and what I could expect from each one.
Contents of the monthly box with the theme "Umbria"„
ZIBIBBO – Structure and scope of the shop and the boxes
Each box is different and new compared to the previous month's box. On the ZIBIBBO website, you'll see the division into monthly and themed boxes immediately after visiting. The website also explains in detail how the ZIBIBBO concept works and what you can expect in each box. Contrary to initial expectations, the focus isn't on every single product, but rather on the fact that a delicious three-course meal can be created from the contents of each box. ZIBIBBO carefully considered what would work well as a starter, main course, and dessert, packing everything into the monthly or themed boxes in the highest quality and from the selected Italian region. The goal is to provide you with a wonderful evening with your friends or family, rather than encouraging you to use each individual Italian product for your own recipe. Of course, you're free to do so, but each box also includes a magazine with stories about the respective region of Italy, the products included, and, naturally, the recipes.
The products arrive in a white, branded cardboard box, divided into compartments and lined with paper shavings to ensure their protection. Chilled items, such as sausage and tortellini, are packaged in an organic linen bag with an integrated cooling element. All products can also be reordered individually, should you find a particular one you especially enjoy and wish to use in your own recipe.
Overview of the "Christmas" themed box
The Month Box (December 2017)
The December gourmet box from ZIBIBBO (for €69.90) contains, in addition to the "A Tavola" magazine, nine different products from Umbria – a region of Italy located between Tuscany, Lazio, and Marche. As mentioned, these can be used to create a high-quality Italian multi-course meal.
The box contains 150 grams of Tartufini all'Arancio (orange); 500 grams of spelt from Monteleone di Spoleto; 80 grams of summer truffle pâté; 150 grams of Mattoncini with rosemary; 250 ml of extra virgin olive oil DOP Umbria Colli Assisi-Soleto; approximately 250 grams of "Norcinello" salami; 280 grams of tomato and basil sauce; 500 grams of Strangozzi (Italian pasta); and a 750 ml bottle of Montefalco Rosso DOC – Adanti.
Contents of the current topic box „Christmas“.
The themed box (Christmas)
The current themed box is, of course, all about Christmas. This box also includes a complete Italian (Christmas) menu – complete with wine pairings – plus another new issue of "A Tavola" magazine. The current themed box is priced at €49.90. It contains 250 ml of "Fruttato" Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 500 grams of lentils from the Alta Valnerina region; 600-800 grams of Cotechino di Modena PGI (Italian sausage); 250 grams of meat-filled tortellini; 500 grams of panettone; and a 750 ml bottle of Re Riccardo Platinum Lambrusco Dell'Emilia, about whose production, history, and origin you can read in the magazine.
Back to the stove: The box test
Admittedly, I was a little skeptical at first whether the "complete menu" claim was accurate and whether each box would actually feed four people. So, I got to the stove and put it to the test. Given the time of year and the upcoming holiday (which I already have other plans for), I got a head start and began with the Christmas menu featuring lentils, Italian sausage, tortellini, and panettone. ZIBIBBO recommends using the tortellini from Modena in a clear beef broth as a starter – just as is traditionally done in Italy. The relatively simple flavor of the broth allows the high-quality tortellini to shine through even more. If you don't like broth, you can also prepare the tortellini with butter and sage. The quantity of tortellini is definitely enough for four people – either as a soup garnish or simply on its own with butter and sage. The main course, with its combination of Cotechino from Modena and lentils, was a completely new taste experience for me, and after the somewhat time-consuming (two hours) cooking, it tasted excellent. Lambrusco was served with it, and it's at this point that you realize a lot of thought has gone into choosing the perfect pairings. The dessert was my favorite – if only because of my own weakness for it: an Italian panettone, the kind you simply can't recreate at home. Since there's not much "cooking" involved, I really appreciate the detailed story behind its origin and preparation (in this case, by Lucca Cantarin) included in the accompanying magazine.
The main course of the Christmas menu.
I took apart the monthly box a bit and cooked the actual starter for lunch: spelt with basil sauce, olive oil, and salami – a specialty from the small mountain village of Monteleone di Spoleto in the heart of Umbria. The basil sauce, enhanced with onions and optionally celery, has a slightly more pronounced flavor, which goes perfectly with the finely ground salami, which I found delicious. Sliced thinly and combined with the crispy mattoncini (crackers in a yellow box), it makes a satisfying and ample starter, definitely enough for four people. The main course, the 500 grams of Strangozzi umbri pasta, is also sufficient when divided among four and must be served al dente, meaning it should only be cooked for nine minutes. Add some of the included olive oil (and optionally garlic) to the pan and toss in the summer truffle pâté and the cooked pasta. Until I finally opened the bag of chocolate truffles, my pasta dish with truffle pâté and high-quality olive oil was my favorite from the monthly box. The preparation is simple and straightforward – also because the recipes are printed clearly in the magazine.
Strangozzi with summer truffle pâté
Hard facts and personal opinion
Delivery takes place within three business days. You can easily order via the integrated online shopping cart, and payment is made via PayPal or online bank transfer. I really appreciate that you can reorder ingredients individually if you particularly enjoyed a certain product, and also that the recipes, along with their "food stories," are available online. At least for me, it's often the case that when I'm browsing gourmet food stores or departments, I lack the "idea behind" for putting together delicious dishes. I unpacked the boxes together with a friend. His first thought was to reconsider the value for money. Indeed, the aspect of the "complete menu for several people" should be considered more than the value of each individual ingredient or product. Going out and searching for everything individually in your hometown, all of comparable quality, is certainly cheaper, but also more time-consuming and lacks the "story behind it." I like the idea that the boxes deliver a piece of Italy, Italian history, and, of course, high-quality, exclusively handcrafted products. The fact that everything is handcrafted certainly influences the price. However, the high quality and the use of only premium raw materials in every single ingredient and every single product are clearly evident in the taste.
Starter of the monthly box: Italian salami with spelt in basil sauce
I tasted each product individually before mixing it with other ingredients and can confirm that ZIBIBBO really does pack high-quality Italian products into their boxes (they aren't shipped from Italy, but they originate there). Such a gift, such a box, certainly lives and dies by "what you make of it." Imagine a beautifully set table with a white tablecloth, lit candles, elegant dishes and cutlery, and smiling people gathered around it. Picture your own home-cooked Italian meal, which you (hopefully after a successful cooking session) serve and enjoy together – along with Italian wine. While my test (for testing purposes, of course) wasn't quite that festive, anyone who appreciates good food and is willing to spend a little more for high-quality products from our Italian neighbors will certainly get a lot of enjoyment from the ZIBIBBO gourmet boxes filled with Italian specialties. Despite my initial skepticism, I can confirm that one box will easily feed four people. Of course, you might need to add a little something extra here and there with herbs, spices, and the like, but ultimately, you're getting a complete meal for your money. The portions certainly won't leave you feeling overstuffed and unable to move afterward, but that's something you should avoid anyway. Oh, and it's also great that you can find out about the Manufacturers of the respective products You can find all the information on the website – complete transparency. I also appreciate that shipping is free.
+++ This article was created in cooperation with ZIBIBBO SRL. Thank you! +++
ZIBIBBO – Italian gourmet boxes | Wolkensteingasse 6, 39100 Bolzano
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Pictures:
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- Tortellini soup – a classic Italian Christmas appetizer.
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- Cotechino with lentils with rosemary served on a plate with some ingredients
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- Starter of the monthly box: Italian salami with spelt in basil sauce
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- Contents of the current topic box „Christmas“.
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- The current monthly box has the theme "Umbria"„
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