I have always wanted to visit Italy. It is the number one destination on my must travel to list, and it's quite possibly the place that hubby and both want to visit together the most. I come from a big, Italian family (my dad's mother's family), so a bit of Italian blood runs through my veins. I have fond memories of growing up and being surrounded by many different cultures, but my sister and I always seemed to connect with the Italian side, and loved (still do) hearing our grandmother tell us about what her life was like with her big Italian family.

I may never get the opportunity to travel to Italia, but luckily, I can have a taste of Rome, delivered right to my door, thanks to Try the World.

Try the World believes that life is too short for people not to be able to experience all that's out in the world, so they created a beautiful subscription box filled with gourmet foods, and culture finds from around the world. Try The World was founded by Kat and David who met while studying at Columbia University, and grew out of their passion for travel and for discovering new cultures. They founded this company to create the experience of learning about new cultures through trying amazing foreign products, without needing a passport! Through their travels, Kat and David realized the importance of local products to specific cultures, and by sharing them, we can learn about the different cultures of the world.

Check out this awesome video of Kat & David sharing their Try the World story...

I count myself pretty lucky, as many people in my family love to travel. I am hoping to be able to use my passport again before it expires. I love it when we're brought special treats after a family member has been abroad. I still have yummy chocolate treats from my parents' trip to Germany, and my best friend's recent trips to Ecuador, and Vienna.

My very first Try the World Box has arrived!

I was thrilled to connect with the team at Try the World, and to be offered a box to try and enjoy. I was given three different box (destination) options, and decided to go with Rome, given my Italian heritage. I couldn't wait to see what would be inside my Rome box from Try the World.

Beautiful box- almost Tiffany blue.

The Try the World box is probably one of the prettiest boxes I have ever received anything in, and I plan on keeping it! It's a deep, square box with lots of room, and a beautiful color, and design printed on the inside of the box lid.

When I opened the box, I found an Italy Culture Guide lying right on top. I couldn't wait to look through it!

Also in my Rome Box from Try the World, a handy card which told me about the products in my box.

My box was filled with delectable goodies from Rome, and they were carefully packed underneath shredded paper.

In the Rome Box from Try the World, were seven products, all of which are USDA approved, yet very hard to find in the US. As I looked the products over, I knew that these were truly authentic Italian products (the Italian on the packages gave that right away). I don't know a lot of Italian, but I do know a little bit, and I was excited to read over the product packaging, recognizing different words and phrases.

The Rome Box contained these four savory products:

Colavita

Lombardo

Pantellerian Capers

Scalia

The two products that I would probably get the most use out of were the Capers, and the Artichoke Pate.

I didn't appreciate capers until I was in my twenties. Capers are grown in Southern Italy, until they are about the size of a corn kernel. The, they are covered and packed in salt, and aged. Capers are a staple in Italian cooking, and now that I have these beautiful capers in my kitchen, I am going to try to start incorporating them into some of my meals. I had a delicious bolengese at Becco (one of Lidia Bostianich's restaurants in NYC) a few months ago, and the capers in the dish truly brought out the flavors of the meat and made the sauce so delicious!

The Colavita, or Artichoke Pate is a delicate, and delicious gourmet treat! I love artichokes, and this creamy pate is the perfect prepared treat to spread over bruschetta and serve to guests, or to enjoy as a snack. This is the type of product that is wonderful to have on hand when you have unexpected or last minute company. My grandmother taught me that you always need to have something ready to offer to guests, even if they're unannounced.

Next, we have Lombardo and Scalia.

The Lombardo is what we would call crushed red pepper. This is what you often find sitting on the table at an Italian restaurant or pizzeria. I love crushed red pepper, and Lombardo comes from the 'toe' of Italy, and is thought to be the best in the world. It can be sprinkled over just about anything you'd like to add a bit of a kick to in cooking. I love to sprinkle a bit mixed with Parmesan cheese over my pizza. You can rehydrate the pepper flakes with olive oil, and toss with pasta for a delicious meal with a fiery kick!

Scalia would be the Anchovies, yet another Italian household staple. Anchovies are high in antioxidants, and are packed with protein. I'll be honest- I am not really a fan of anchovies (and I hope this doesn't make me un-Italian), but I do like Caesar dressing, and would love to try to make some homemade, knowing that I would need anchovies to do that. Maybe I'll be brave and try the anchovies over toast, or better yet, finely chop them and add them to a sauce.

Onto my favorite product consumed- MOGI Caffe.

I am a big coffee drinker, and come from a family of big coffee drinkers. At my wedding reception, the first thing my Aunt Adri did was to make a dash to the kitchen and put on the coffee pot! Italians and their coffee, am I right? MOGI Caffe, however, is not your average coffee, though it is the most common drink throughout Italia, after water. MOGI Caffe is a full bodied, creamy caffe that truly transports you to another time and place. This caffe has low caffeine, which I love, because I can enjoy it in the afternoon, as a little treat, without having to worry that it might keep me up all night. It's also the perfect caffe to have on hand to serve to guests!

Sweet treats- Leone, and Lazzaroni.

Leone is a delicious pastille candy. They are made from bronze molds and high quality ingredients in Torino. The box I received was a box of orange drops, which just melts on the tongue and gives the taste buds a citrus treat!

Lazzaroni- looks delicious, no?

Lazzaroni are delicious amaretti cookies. The recipe is a secret, and the ancient story behind these cookies is that at least three centuries ago, the Cardinal of Milan was unexpectedly visiting the town of Saronno. Two young lovers rushed to bake cookies for his arrival, which combined the bittersweet taste of almonds, and the sweetness of sugar. The couple called the cookies Amaretti from the word amare, for love.

These cookies are extremely delicious! They look like they will be crunchy, but they are actually softened, and almost melt in your mouth, like a meringue might. They are the perfect blend of almond flavor and sweetness, and go so nicely with the caffe!

The Rome Box Culture Guide gives subscribers a little glimpse into Italian life and culture, including sites, literature, history, recipes, and more!

The Try the World Rome Box is an incredible value, and truly does give one a taste of Rome, without ever having to leave the house. Of course, this box and its contents only make me want to travel to Rome even more, which I hope I will get to experience some day.

Want One? Get One!

Head on over to Try the World to learn more about this wonderful subscription box service, past boxes, future boxes, the product selection process, and more! Subscribe monthly for $45 per box every two months. Connect with Try the World through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, and Instagram!

Subscribe to the Try the World Paris Box for a chance to win a free round-trip ticket to Paris!