Bloggers across Europe are currently enjoying receiving food parcels from other mystery bloggers as part of Euro Blogging By Post (EBBP). Many from outside Europe wanted to join in all the fun and now they can with their own dedicated parcel exchange - Blogging By Mail.

The event is being organised by Dispensing Happiness who asks that anyone who wishes to take part to email in their details by the 25th August with parcels to be posted by the 15th September.

It is great fun receiving mystery parcels so if you have a blog (food dedicated or not) I hearty recommend you join in. I received in my EBBP package from Italy an array of great stuff - Homemade Figs and Almond compote, Sardinian Honey and sun-dried tomatoes also homemade to pick out just three items form the parcel.

Across Europe bloggers are planning a little foodie exchange. It's such a fun thing to do (and I know there have been Canadian versions) where five or six little food related items are carefully selected and packaged for shipping out to a fellow food blogger.

The anticipation of receiving a parcel in returnis hard to explain - but as you don't know from who yours will be from just adds to the fun and excitment. There are the nerves that yours wont arrive in time or in one piece (such are the vagaries of the postal services) but invariably they do and then the anticipation over what you will be getting in return. Sometimes it is a blogger you read, other times it is someone new. It certainly broadens the on-line community spirit. In the past I have received fresh lemons from a bloggers garden, a delicious cheesecake (tricky sending fresh stuff in the post though), jams, spiced bread and more. Others have sent magazines, ingredients and recipes, homemade jams, speciality chocolates - all sorts in fact.

This is the fifth time a UK blogger has hosted such an exchange. This round sees Cooksister organising the list. She has selected a Summer theme for the goodies. What joys await!

These are supposed to be muffins! They don't look like them and certainly don't resemble Nicole's wonders.

In addition to cranberries (that's the red stuff) the recipe called for a little olive oil and one egg. This scarcely bound the flour and sugar together - the mix resembled little more than breadcrumbs. I added a splash of orange juice and another egg. Not a great improvement but I packed a muffin tray and baked them anyway. The resulting texture is a little odd more like a fruit crumble on the outside and a cake further in. Lovely flavour, though ,from the cranberries and a mix of nutmeg, cinnamon and clove.

They are actually destined for a mystery European - well I know who it is but they don't - as part of the Euro wide food parcel exchange - Euro Blogging By Post. I made eight, had to try two (obviously) and managed to drop one in the washing up bowl. So five are heading out somewhere to the med.

[Photo Andrew Barrow]