French Food Giveaway!

Do you like French food? Mmmm, me too. And I’m giving some away, to celebrate the (several months ago) launch of Almost Frugal Food.

I’ve assembled five different foods and drinks that come from and represent the region in which I live: the Rhône-Alpes (at the foothill of the French Alps, closer to Geneva than to Paris). This is a cold and hilly area, but one which has always been a crossroads for international trade and culture. Now unfortunately, the United States will not allow the entrance of meat products into the country (and I’m a starving student, after all) so no fois gras for you. Also, despite living in France for eight years, I still have my weird American hangups about dairy products needing to be refrigerated, so there’s no cheese either. What is included?

First up: a bottle of Chartreuse liqueur. You know the color chartreuse? Well it comes from this liqueur, which gets its name from the mountain range where the monks who make it come from. It’s made from an extraordinary amount of herbs, and is best taken in small (very small) doses as an after-dinner digestif.

A package of small squared chestnut pasta from a local pasta manufacturer. My husband loves to eat it baked with gooey melted cheese on top. It’s a classic mountain dish, rich and designed to get you through those cold winter months.

Tea, by another local producer. It’s an herbal tea, made with the genepy plant. Genepy is also used to make another local liqueur, but I decided that the Chartreuse was enough to start with!

Nut cake. While the above products come from areas that are a bit further away, the immediate area in which I live is known for its nut harvest. Nut cake is a popular fall and winter treat, served warm or room temperature, for an after-school snack or with ice cream as a dessert.

And finally, what box of French goodies would be complete without chocolate? None, I say! That’s why I’m including a bar of high quality delicious French chocolate. I’ve hidden it from my husband, so it should still be intact…

Here are the official rules: This contest starts October 9th at 12 noon Paris time and ends October 16th at 12 noon. It is open to contestants worldwide. You get one entry for each of the following: by leaving a comment, subscribing by RSS or email and emailing me the secret code, or by mentioning this giveaway on your own blog. Or sign up for a Friday is for Food slot and get three more entries!

This contest is now closed.