Turntable Kitchen Pairings Box July 2013

I am really excited about this subscription service.  They send a limited edition 7" vinyl record, a digital mix 'tape' (indie music), 3 interesting recipes, and a sample of a unique ingredient every month.  The mixed tape included 20 songs!  I was expecting around 8 or 9.  As I usually pay $1 - $1.30 a song from iTunes, this really adds a lot of value for me.  This subscription doesn't come with a ton of physical stuff, so it isn't for everyone.  It is basically a box of things that can be easily put together to create wonderful experiences.  This really appeals to me.  My cooking skills are pretty abysmal, and I don't really listen to music much.  That makes me a rather dull host at get togethers, but this subscription is turning that around nicely.  I had previously ordered a gift set from them that had me cooking soup from scratch and inviting over family.  It was an amazing experience, and I have already learned a lot about cooking basics.  I have fallen in love with a couple new bands as well.

July was my first formal subscription box, and the founders included a handwritten note and some amazing extra recipes to get me started off.  This lead to an exciting 'spice hunt', as I needed a special thing or two to go along with the extra cards.  I found some great local stores I didn't know existed and had a blast finding things I needed.  My favorite/most awkward moment was having to ask the lady at the spice store if toasted cumin was a thing that you buy or a thing that you do.

I haven't tried the main dish from July yet, as it is a bit 'fishy' (shrimpy? That's not a fish, lol), and I know too many people with aversions to things from the briney deep to figure out who to invite for it.  I will likely make it and hog it all to myself.  I have tried out a few other fun things from the box though, including the iced coffee with maple sugar, which is AMAZING.  I am having technical difficulties measuring coffee grounds into ounces, and I think I am overdoing it.  Which is a delicious mistake, but wow do I get hyper.

The iced coffee I made is pictured here in the background.  The delightful food pictured is a recipe Turntable Kitchen posted on their Facebook.  I guess this is their most 'pinned' recipe on pinterest.  For good reason too, it tastes and looks amazing.  Egg poaching was another first for me, and a great skill to pick up.  And now I have a cheap, easy brunch option to offer anyone stopping by.

So yeah, I freaking love this sub.  Even if you are not interested in the subscription service, their blog is full of great recipes and music suggestions.  I follow them on Facebook and they even just shared an entire mixed tape with a summer wine theme.  Really, check them out - they rock:

http://www.turntablekitchen.com/