Book Blogger Holiday Swap

Well the holidays are over but I have one last post to do for the Book Blogger Holiday Swap. I posted previously about the gift I received just before Christmas. I decided to wait to open the package so I posted a picture of the still-wrapped contents. I'm doing a post now to show what was in the box and to thank my Santa for the lovely gifts!



The package was from Belgium. There was a note accompanying the box (as I also mentioned in the first post about this) that said it was difficult to choose a book for someone who owns a bookstore. This is true and was not something I'd really thought about before. (My husband and I only opened the store last fall.) Well, my Secret Santa was very successful in choosing a book for me. It was Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. I do (well...did) not own it and my store does not have it. But I have picked that book up in bookstores many times, looked at it, read the back and then thought, next time I'm in I'll get it. One time I was even carrying it around intending to buy it but was in a rush so didn't. I'm a bit of a foodie, I have approximately 300 cookbooks and love to read memoirs by chefs so this was the perfect book to get me!

Also in the package was a lovely box of Belgium specialty chocolates. I say 'was' because the chocolates are long gone. I can tell you though that they were delicious wafers of pure heaven, some filled with delectable hints of orange, caramel and pistachio.


The last item in the box was a package of cookies that my daughter and I shared. They had a sponge toffee flavour and crispy texture. Soooo good! The note mentioned that this cookie is in the likeness of Belgium's Saint Nic. The cookies are called Speculoos and they are Belgian molded spice cookies. I've never had them before and my daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

Thank you to the wonderful blogger who sent me this package. I hope your holidays were filled with love, laughter and wonderful days and the new year brings everything you wish for!