Direct from Paris!

I have participated in quite a few BBM´s and EBBP´s by now but this Saturday when I got to the post office something new happened. I immediately recognized the name on the box (no, not my own but the sender´s). Most foodbloggers know who David Lebovitz is, and in this fourth EBBP I was his "chosen one" to receive a parcel of goodies. In triumph I carried the precious box through the melting snow and mud and finally reached my kitchen table where I could open it and find this:

• First of all a nice letter and postcard explaining about the contents and his book The Great book of Chocolate
• Fleur de sel, a really really good salt from Brittany which I am not supposed to cook with, merely sprinkling it over vegetables, meat (or chocolate!) to feel the taste. I am such a sucker for good salt so this was very welcome!
• Gavottes, a kind of cookie (also from Brittany) which is served with ice cream. They are kind of thin, rolled wafers but I am trying to save them for a special occasion and hasn´t opened it yet.
• What I did open though is the next cookie box with Traou Mad, yet another kind of cookie from Brittany made with "lots and lots of butter". Well, I don´t mind. Butter is goood. In Brittany they apparently bake with salted butter which brings an extra touch to the flavour. David, I think you would like the Swedish cookie culture because we use salted butter all the time here! Unsalted butter is available but I have only seen recommendations to use it in some dessert recipes.
• Then I got a jar of the finest Dijon mustard, Edward Fallot. I really like mustard and look forward to use this for example in my roulades some time soon when I lay my hands on some good tender meat...
• Chestnut cream, this is intriguing! When I studied French at high school we buggered our teacher to make some cookie (I don´t remember exactly) with chestnut cream but it took him two years to get some and then we didn´t like it... I am sure my palate has developed remarkably since and cannot wait to try this! David recommends me to try it on crêpes or for baking. Maybe I should contact my old teacher and get his recipe?
• Finally some green lentils which are called "the caviar of lentils" in France, with a recipe on (I assume) one of many ways to cook them, with vinaigrette, goat´s cheese and walnuts. I think I will try this with some lamb chops, for example. Lentils is a favourite in this house.

Thank you so much David for these wonderful, hard-to-get-in-Sweden goodies! I loved everything and will enjoy it for a long time. Also a big thank you to Andrew for arranging this! You can read his round-up here for more parcel-stories!