First Impressions is a series that introduces and reviews new brands to My Subscription Addiction, drawing from readers' requests for an insider's first look. Interested in seeing more reviews from this brand, or have another box in mind that you'd like to see reviewed? Let us know in the comments.
Madalyn et Rose is a bi-monthly French goods subscription box for anybody with a love of French cuisine and culture! In each "Le Petit Déjeuner" box, you can expect to receive around five products: a spread, a beverage, something edible, something sweet, and an accessory.
The curations feature an array of hand-selected artisanal products, including pastries, teas, and confitures. Having arrived just before I head to Paris, this box provided a (delicious!) taste of what I can expect to enjoy in the City of Light.
Writer's Note: Also, hi MSA! I've been behind the scenes for a while, but this is my first official review. And: please note that the Euro to Dollar exchange rate was calculated at time of publication - late August/early September 2023!
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.
Subscription Details
Subscription Box: Madalyn et Rose
What's Inside: Every other month, you should receive five items: a spread, a beverage, something edible, something sweet, and an accessory. Each product is hand-selected and curated to ensure you receive the finest French products. You'll also receive a handwritten note and a summary of the items in your box.
Price: $99.00 every other month ($92.50 for 2 boxes over 4 months, $90 for 3 boxes over 6 months, and $84.50 for 6 boxes over 12 months).
Shipping: $30 USD; box ships worldwide from France. Additional shipping costs may incur depending on your location.
What's Inside this Madalyn et Rose Box
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My Madalyn et Rose shipment arrived from France in a standard shoebox-sized cardboard box, cleverly wrapped in a thick stock paper-esque wrapping with the brand's name, a cute graphic, and a text box for a handwritten note. It was filled with crinkle fill and a few packing peanuts here and there.
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The first item I pulled out was a lovely handwritten note. With my name written on both the box and on this cute card, I'm digging the personalized touches. Included was a double-sided printer-paper size sheet with all the included products, plus a little information about each thing (a welcome sight, as I can't read French!).
The curators also included a recipe for Camembert au four (baked Camembert), and they encourage you to use the marmalade/confiture from the box. I love the recipe inspiration and applicability—if only there had been a wheel of Camembert thrown in!
VERY THÉS Thé Noir Bio - Breakfast Anglais (English Breakfast black tea); €7,90 for 15 infusettes (approx. $8.53)
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The first goodie I pulled out of the box was this organic English Breakfast black tea in a very pretty tin. Though I did live in London for a while, I still prefer a cappuccino over tea (but I'm easily swayed by a cup of Yorkshire Gold for nostalgia's sake). Fun fact: growing up, I had a Bullmastiff dog named Tetley after the British tea brand of the same name!
Now, on to the actual tea: a small note was that the protective seal arrived broken on both sides, which was probably a result of the customs process. It smells like the English Breakfast everyone knows and loves, and the silky-smooth triangle sachets feel more luxurious than your standard square-shaped tea bags. Again, I don't normally seek out English Breakfast, but I can tell from the sophisticated packaging and organic ingredients that this is a tasty one!
NÈULO Confiture aux Abricots Intenses Bio et Notes de Lavande (apricot and lavender jam); €8,30 for 290g (approx. $8.96)
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Woah, the first thing I noticed about this jam was how weighty the glass jar was—more than half a pound! The summary sheet says that this 100% organic jam has been prepared and cooked in small quantities in a cauldron in Provence, and the label supports that by listing the supervising chef: Chef Pierre-Jean Quinonero. I'm obsessed with provincial, traceable foods like this, and it's super cool how this isn't just any mass-produced jam. This is specialty!
When I opened the jar, I noticed the lavender scent was strong, but not overpowering. It also has a way thinner texture than I expected from a jam: you can see in the last two photos from me tilting the jar that it's easily pourable. This jam is a darker color than a lot of apricot jams I've seen in the US—a testament to its quality, I think.
I thought about gifting this to someone who appreciates these kind of epicurean delights more than I do, but I couldn't resist trying some, so maybe I'm not gifting it anymore... (sorry!). it didn't taste as floral as it smelled and it wasn't at all tart. It had a slightly sweet, but not saccharine, fruity flavor, and it was really delightful.
I probably wouldn't put this on a slice of toast due to how liquid-y the texture is, but I can see how this would pair amazingly well with Camembert.
DE LA ROSÉE Miel de Lavande et Combava (lavender honey and kaffir lime); €12,90 for 250g (approx. $13.94)
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This is not your average golden honey that comes in a bear-shaped bottle from the supermarket! This honey is made from lavender + lime harvested on the Valensole Plateau in Provence, and it isn't the typical amber color we're accustomed to. I'm sensing a theme! It has an almost milky coloring, reminding me of both lemon curd and...honey mustard? It has little flecks of what I assume are lavender, and while I don't smell the lime outright, it has a subtly floral, vaguely citrusy scent.
The texture of this honey looks more viscous than store-bought honey—I think it's easier to dive into this with a spoon rather than trying to pour it. There's a recipe on De La Rosée's website for Honey and Kaffir Lime Biscuits (yum), but I can see this sweet, zesty honey working with something more savory like a ricotta toast, on a charcuterie plate, or even in a dressing.
LE PETIT ZESTE Sablés - Chocolat Noir et Fleur de Sel de Camargue (dark chocolate and Camargue sea salt cookies); €4,95 for 120g (approx. $5.34)
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On to the "something sweet!" The summary page says these shortbread cookies are rich and intense with a salty touch at the end, but personally, I didn't think the flavor was that intense, and the cookie was crispier and crunchier than traditional buttery shortbread. Many of the cookies in the box arrived broken, but they were so tasty I didn't really mind!
These cookies had such a "moreish" quality about them—the fact that they weren't too sweet meant I wanted to keep munching on them like I would potato chips from a bag. These were a nice pick-me-up afternoon snack, and I found myself reaching for them often (probably because I was hungry, too, let's be real).
LECONTE-HERITAGE x Bibliothèque Nationale de France Journal - retail value unknown
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Try as I might, I couldn't find the retail value for this journal anywhere on the internet. This journal appears to be a collaboration between Leconte Heritage and the National Library of France, and the summary sheet says it has a "19th-century gastronomy newspaper cover." What a fun accessory to tie this box together, and I felt very important holding it!
I'm left-handed, so spiral-bound anything irritates me (as do most scissors, can openers, etc...). I really appreciate that this journal's thin binding is made from what looks to be a sturdy thread—that means no more spiral indentations on my wrist! The pages inside are entirely blank, giving the user free rein to write, draw, make lists, and more.
I used to document all of my travels in a journal like this, and I'm inspired to pick that up again now that this French-themed journal is in my possession. How fitting for an upcoming trip to the French capital!
Final Thoughts
My Madalyn et Rose box was filled with items you likely can't get in the US, so the subscription feels valuable from a curation point of view. I would've liked to see a savory item included in here to round out the jam/honey/cheese vision I have going on—maybe a box of crackers or something? To be fair, though, the box offers exactly what it says it's going to: a spread, a beverage, something edible, something sweet, and an accessory. So, I can't say the items were unexpected.
After researching this box a bit more, I found out that I received the February 2023 box, with a few substitutions. Instead of the Citrus Jam by Magdeleine & Joseph, I received the Nèulo apricot & lavender jam (which I'm very happy with, BTW), and instead of the salad bag from La fée l’a fait, I received the journal.
I'm not sure why I got an older box, but the subs make it an exciting curation. The value of the contents, in USD ($), add up to around $36.77, not including the value of the journal (unknown). This box's value falls short of the box cost ($99), but you do have to factor in that these are unique, curated items, which does count for something.
When does this subscription automatically renew? Boxes are shipped at the beginning of every other month (e.g. February, April, June, August, October, and December). Order by the last day of the month to receive that month's box.
Can you customize this subscription? According to their page, personalization is available; however, the exact details are unclear. Contact the seller for more information!
Can you skip a month with this subscription? The good news is this box comes every other month, anyways! You can cancel this box at any time.
Keep track of your subscriptions by adding this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What do you think of the Madalyn et Rose box? Let us know in the comments!
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