Unless you
are one of the super organised, chances are you, like me, are trying to get
organised for Christmas! I still can’t believe that we’re already in December
and the official countdown to Christmas has well and truly begun, but it has!
I’m always
on the lookout for something different for presents and so I was delighted when
I was asked if I would review some food products from Ten Thousand Villages.
Ten Thousand Villages is a non-profit organisation and is the oldest and
largest Fair Trade organization in North America. The website is packed full of
beautiful artisan gifts, home décor, jewellery, stationery and of course my
favourite - food products. But it’s not only an online store, Ten Thousand
Villages Canada has many shops across the country. What really makes it stand
out however, is the fact that the mission behind Ten Thousand Villages is “to
create opportunities for artisans in developing countries to earn income by
bringing their products and stories to our markets through long-term,
fair-trading relationships”.
The products
I was sent included a bottle of Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Palestine,
a bag of Za’tar spice mix and a beautiful square serving plate which could be
used for multiple purposes. Both the Olive Oil and the Za’tar came from a
company called Zatoun which is a volunteer-run organisation that provides
marketing aid to olive farmers in Palestine.
| Photographs courtesy of Ten Thousand Villages |