Drop Bear Beer Yuzu Pale Ale (Ocado) By @SpectreUK

I fancy a citrus fruity pale ale to go with my spicy curry tonight. I’ve got quite adept at cooking curry now, with my kitchen assistant (Cinabar, who does all the chopping). We used to have takeaways, but they gave me so many chips to have with my curry, that I just couldn’t eat them all or any sides.

I think they call it a Fakeaway. I cook curry and chips, but leave enough room for a starter, such as a Sheik Kebab or Onion bhaji, and also have popadoms, and dipping sauces. It’s cheaper than a takeaway. I get more variety of food to enjoy, and a beer on the side.

This Yuzu Pale Ale is produced by Drop Bear Beer Company. It has Yuzu flavouring added in the brewing for extra tartness. There was certainly a strong citrus aroma on opening the can. This super fizzy pale ale frothed out the top of the can on opening.

Even for an old barman, this Yuzu Pale Ale was difficult to pour. On taste, this deep golden beer had an initial tart citrus flavour, followed by sweet biscuit malts into the aftertaste. Very nice indeed, and it washed my curry down a treat.

Jaffa Cakes Mango (Ocado) By @Cinabar

Another summer edition from Jaffa Cakes, who are really going all out with new flavours this year. They have even released a range of Jaffa Cakes that are specifically marketed as biscuits, but that's a review for another day. Today we're talking about the wonderfully tropical-sounding Jaffa Cakes Mango. The box is lovely too, with a bright, summery design that certainly catches the eye.

As much as I enjoy trying the new flavours, my heart will always belong to the classic orange Jaffa Cakes. They just work so perfectly together. That said, I'm also a fan of mango, so I was keen to see how these compared.

Opening the box, they looked exactly as expected. I broke one in half and there wasn't much difference there either, with the familiar layer of jelly looking much the same as usual. There wasn't a particularly noticeable aroma either.

The flavour, however, was a different story. From the first bite the mango really bursts through, delivering a juicy, tropical sweetness that is genuinely delicious. Combined with the familiar soft sponge and thin layer of chocolate, it works surprisingly well. The mango is distinctive without overpowering everything else, making these a fun twist. They're definitely worth picking up if you spot them, especially if you're a fan of fruity treats.

Cadbury & More Caramel Nut Crunch (Tesco) By @Cinabar

The main problem with hot weather is that chocolate melts. I mean, there are plenty of problems: not being able to sleep, trying to stay cool and hydrated, worrying about sunburn... but as a food blogger, chocolate is a genuine concern.

Thankfully, this bar was tucked away in a cupboard where it was a little cooler, before being promoted to the fridge drawer once we remembered it during the peak of the heatwave. Honestly, I know the photo shows our bar looking a little less crisp than usual, but considering the temperature, the fact you can still almost read "Cadbury" on every piece feels like a small summer miracle. After chilling it, I finally opened the bar, and it is satisfyingly chunky. There's a generous amount of filling and, as someone who loves nuts and chocolate together, I couldn't wait to tuck in.

The standout flavours are the creamy Cadbury chocolate and crunchy hazelnuts, which work really well together. The caramel isn't particularly gooey, but it adds a pleasant sweetness that complements the nuts nicely. Personally, I would have preferred a pure flowing, gooey caramel filling, but I still enjoyed the combination of textures. The flavour also reminded me of an old chocolate bar. Wasn't there one called Nuts About Caramel, or something similar?

Anyway, fear not, dear reader. Our chocolate stash has now been given priority space in the fridge drawer, along with the chocolate biscuits. Move over, tomatoes, we're snack bloggers.

Pizza Express - Pizzaiolo Specials - Marry Me Chicken [@NLi10]

 Pizza Express at home is quite a fun deal.  Often there are special offers, and with that you get a just about restaurant quality pizza, for a just above home price.

I spotted this interesting flavour - "Marry Me Chicken" - apparently the sauce is so good you propose to the pizza.

Typical professional box and nicely packaged pizza.

And some kind of loyalty for the restaurant app. Nice touch - onboarding but with freebies.

And while I don't want to marry the pizza, the fresh bits are very tasty, the meat luxurious and big chunks.  The sauce could be a little more saucy, but cooking pizza at home you never quite get the heat/time right for these.  

Overall though this (and the accompanying veggie one) were greatly enjoyed and I hope that Sainsbury's still has the deal on next week.

Iced Caramelised Banana Macha Latte and Oat Shaken Espresso (Starbucks) By @SpectreUK

First off, I think they need to work on the titles. Try saying “Iced Caramelised Banana Oat Shaken Espresso” when you need to sober up. Or “Iced Caramelised Banana Macha Latte” when you’re overheating in hot weather.

It’s hot today, and after two mini heatwaves, we stopped at a local service station, as I was feeling tired from driving. Cinabar mentioned a couple of cooling drinks we could try in the Starbucks there.

I was too hot or at least too tongue-tied to order. I also couldn’t decide between Iced Caramelised Banana Macha Latte or Iced Caramelised Banana Oat Shaken Espresso. I couldn’t even decide when they were delivered.

I tried both. The Iced Caramelised Banana Oat Shaken Espresso tasted mostly of coffee, with a little sweet caramelised banana milkshake. It was fairly strong, but at least it didn’t taste like Starbucks regular Americano.

Whereas, on first sip of the Iced Caramelised Banana Macha Latte, it tasted solely of sweet caramelised banana. Well, until Cinabar told me to angle the straw to the top of the drink, which was pure bitter Macha. Once mixed up the Iced Caramelised Banana Macha Latte was quite sweet with caramelised banana and slightly bitter Macha, which was okay. Cinabar like it. I couldn’t decide if I liked either.