San Franciscow

Sent by Raphael'L (the USA)

Please, look at this collage closer because it contains a lot of wonderful details.

And it arrived inside a cowcover with a gorgeous (French?!?) cowstamp. I confess I had seen the stamp on a website and I was wondering if one day I would receive it. So this letter made my day!

Vacha'lauréat

These letters appear sometimes in the back of the cheese labels. When that happen, you find a card with questions inside the box. So, this is the game: you must answer the question with a word beginning with the letter you have got in your portion. And I guess that if you fail, you feel like eating another triangle...

The name of the game in French is Vacha'lauréat, a word game with the words vache ('cow') and baccalauréat that means: 'categories (game)' and also 'baccalaureate'. But in Belgium they use another name for the game: La course aux meuhs.

I have found/received so far cards in different languages and shapes. It is amazing to check the differences!

In Dutch: Koeien ('cows') Letters

In French (Belgium): La course aux Meuhs

In French (France): Vacha'lauréat

In German (Switzerland): Achtung, Fertig, Kuh!

In Portuguese: Viraletras

In Spanish: Vacaletras

As VQR can swim...

Sent by John (the UK)

As we discovered that the VQR can swim, I guess all cows can. This little one, for instance, arrived directly from England. Now she is on my fridge's door. I should watch her closely in order my fresh vegetables don't disappear quickly (maybe for this reason is she not laughing?).

Muito obrigada!

Sent by Ângela (Portugal)

This VQR from Portugal is different from this one (eaten in Portugal, not received by post) and that one (sent by Portugal, but Spanish).

Every VQR is different, and I love every one I get/eat/send. Of course.

What is my secret?

These bilingual cards were inside Canadian VQR boxes. I feel disappointed when I realised they contained just recipes, and not the VQR secret announced (if there is one VQR secret...).

Safe and Sound

Sent by Phyllis (USA)

The clerk who handled the cowmail, Phyllis' friend, was somewhat sceptical that the box would get through the customs. She even had to fill a custom declaration form - happily I could unstick it. But finally the box arrived safe and sound, after two weeks.

Sending the whole box could be too expensive. Of course it is ok to cut the front of the box and make a round postcard. 

Anyway, I am very happy when I receive the boxes naked like this one. And, mmm... I am not worried at all about the post office workers thinking I am somewhat crazy...

Brie

Sent by Micu (Hungary)

Two new brands for the project! The first one is Hungarian (at least, it says that Hungarian love that, if Google Translator doesn't lie). But the second one, Cantorel, is French cheese distributed by a Catalan company. Of course I prefer the second; not for these reason but for the not-laughing-but-smiling cow.

Cowpostcards

Since I started the VQR Postal Project I realised that not only the Laughing Cow is everywhere but cows, in general, are everywhere. I want to show you some cowpostcards received before I started to be interested in the VQR:

Sent by Carolajn (Poland)

Sent by Corinna (Germany)

Sent by Elisa (Finland)

Sent by Heleen (the Netherlands)

VQR box from The Netherlands

Sent by Heleen (the Netherlands)

Light/Légère from Canada

Sent by Kilmeny (Canada)

VQR and Smurfs?!?

Sent by Heleen (the Netherlands)

The back (or the front?)

VQR can swim!

Sent by John (the UK)

Did I tell you...

... that VQR is everywhere?

The perfect snacks

Sometimes I receive not just the front but the back of the cheese boxes (or even the box itself!). Maybe you find it silly, but for me is really funny to check the differences between countries, and all these little things.

For instance, they write A LOT in the back of the boxes in USA: slogans, nutrition facts... Look at this:

Can you read it? Maybe the resolution of the picture is too low. It says:

Have you laughed today? [I love this sentence!]

Indulge in the rich creamy taste of Swiss [French] cheese, easy to spread on crackers & veggies, but also great by itself. At 50 calories, it's the perfect snack! 

50 calories par wedge? It sounds not too much. But then you go to the supermarket and find this version:

Indulge in the rich creamy taste of Mozzarella cheese, easy to spread on crackers & veggies, but also great by itself. At at 35 calories, it's the perfect snack!

And in other countries (as UK), the light triangles contained 25 calories (they say)!