Avoja

What's in the box: A monthly selection of Italian regional products such as cheeses, cured meats, preserves, baked goods, sweets, beer or wine, plus ingredients for a typical dish.

Avoja is an Italian food box service that sends a new pairing of regional specialties each month. Boxes come in four sizes (mini, small, medium and large) and the product range is broad: baked goods, cheeses, cured meats, preserves, pâtés, sweets, beer and wine. Avoja says its food and wine specialists choose the producers and build each month's box as a tasting, with the box designed to serve four people. Each box also includes ingredients for a typical Italian dish, so it works as a light cooking kit as well as a tasting hamper.

The more unusual extras are augmented reality content and a matching music playlist. You scan the product labels to read about each item, its background and an exclusive recipe. These touches are fun, but how much they add will depend on your taste.

If you would rather choose for yourself, Avoja runs a shop where you can build a custom box or buy products from earlier months. Gift cards are delivered by email, and there is a separate section for corporate gifts. The site does not clearly state prices or shipping terms up front, so check those before you subscribe. The site is in Italian and the service is aimed at shoppers in Italy.