Walkers English Bangers and Mash Crisps (Ocado) By @Cinabar

So far, so good for England in the World Cup. We topped our group and made it through to the knockout stages. We decided to have these crisps to help cheer them on during their last match. These were released as part of the World Cup 'Flavours of the World' range, and here we have Walkers English Bangers and Mash. For anyone reading from abroad, "bangers" is a very British name for sausages.

I opened the bag and was greeted by a lovely meaty aroma. We poured the crisps into a basket for sharing and I gave one a try. They really do have a distinctive sausage flavour, making for a wonderfully meaty bag of crisps. I love savoury, meaty flavours, so these were perfect for me.

They are supposed to capture the mash element too, and I think I was hoping for a stronger buttery flavour. Food critic and legend Jay Rayner has talked about mashed potato being 50% butter, and following that wonderfully indulgent philosophy, I was expecting a rich buttery hit alongside the sausage flavour. Unfortunately, it never really came through. Not to worry though, as the meaty taste was so good that these crisps still shone.

Fingers crossed England continue their World Cup journey. I hope you're raising a crisp for the team you're supporting! 

Miskets (mischievous biscuits) Biscuit Bites Strawberry [@NLi10]

 The little shop at the end of our road has been getting some exciting new things in recently.  We've had the Italian wafers, and the pretzels - and now the Biscuit Bites

These are basically big fat Maltesers but with ordinary biscuits - and red flavour chocolate!

Made in Türkiye,  but made with actual 'premium Belgian chocolate these should be pretty good

They are melting just like we are today! We saved the rest and popped them in the fridge.

Squidgy they are fine

Straight out the fridge they are crispy little wonder balls - and very welcome int he heat.  There is something slightly missing to the chocolate for the English taste buds - maybe some dried strawberry on the outside like Pocky? but these are really nice and eating the bag gradually when I visit the fridge to top up my water will be a pleasure

Drop Bear Tropical IPA (Ocado) By @SpectreUK

Cabin fever. I’ve been getting cabin fever for much of the week. Stuck inside trying to stay cool in a house with no air con. It’s a house that doesn’t breathe well. We have a few electric fans and a portable cooler, but they don’t make much difference.

It’s been so hot and damp over the last few days even the tiled floors have been sweating. We have had to buy a dehumidifier that we keep wheeling from one room to another. Every time I walk passed it, it goes into overdrive. Cinabar tells me I’m moist. That doesn’t seem like a compliment. I have certainly shed my quota of sweat over the passed few days, I can tell you.

The freezer truck that brought our groceries had broken down yesterday, so they had to bin all our cold stuff before it arrived. So, this afternoon we braved the local supermarket. The heat is obviously getting to people. Heat and bad tempers are like kindling ready to go up in flames. We’ve all got something on, good or bad. It’s how we act and how we don’t take it out on others that matters.

So, after some stressful parking, we managed to pick up some meat for a barbecue. The expression on the bear’s face on the front of this can of Tropical IPA, by Drop Bear Beer, reminded me how I felt in the carpark. An angry women driver got frustrated and beeped at me because I had to turn around and then wait due to a badly parked car that had blocked one side of the car park, and me trying to let another car pull out of a car park space. Forget cabin fever, she made me wish I’d stayed inside.

On pouring the can there was a herbal and tropical hop aroma from the almost bronze India Pale Ale. On taste this 0.5% in volume Tropical IPA had crisp citrus and notes of peach to begin with, followed by sweet pale malts to finish. It was very nice indeed and cheered me up a little whilst I set the barbeque. I hope you all have a cooler and more cheerful weekend. Cheers.

Warburtons Pizza Flavour Crumpets (Ocado) By @Cinabar

I’ve seen crumpets in all sorts of fun shapes over the years, from giant versions to bunny shaped ones at Easter, and even dinosaur themed ones. These are a standard crumpet shape, but flavoured with pizza, so I knew I had to give them a try.

When I opened the pack, the crumpets didn’t give away much visually, they look like regular crumpets in colour and appearance. However, the aroma was immediately Italian herbs, which became even stronger once they went into the toaster.

I added butter once they were hot and, as always with crumpets, it melted straight through. The taste was spot on, not too strong, but with clear hints of cheese and tomato alongside a lovely blend of Italian herbs. They made a really enjoyable lunchtime treat.

They are not quite as satisfying as a slice of pizza or a toastable pizza pocket, but they are still very tasty. At just 100 calories per crumpet, they also work well as an everyday lunch option. I would definitely be up for trying more flavoured crumpets, as these worked really well.

Kellogg's Starter Pokémon Cereal - Chocolate Squirtle [@NLi10]

 Way back in the Uni days of 1999 I returned after Christmas and got to my branch of GAME to pick up this weird Japanese game called Pokémon that all the Japanese magazines raved about. The store only had two copies - and one of them was my reserved one.  The guy managing the store was intrigued by why I'd want an obvious kids trash game and bought the second copy - and after playing that day immediately maxed out the orders for it to his store (as did the rest of the nation).  And the rest is history! I picked Pokémon Blue (still got it) - and this week my partner surprised me with the same but in cereal form.

In the actual game I chose Charmander as my starter - not knowing that you'd not be able to just get the rest later - it really was a total mystery to us.

Here we see a puzzle with the regular, great and ultra balls - I won't spoil the answer.

And of course with modern Pokémon you aren't limited by just your starter.

They even added Green (not released outside of Japan) and Yellow (where Pikachu stalks you which was my sister's first version).

Naturally it's all exactly the same cereal

And sadly it's the generic Kellogg's kids mix which barely has any texture or flavour - but works fine as a mixer with cornflakes or fruit to provide an actually nutritious breakfast (or starter meal).

Thinks like this are probably why Kellogg's are upset that cereal is being reclassified as junk food - but frankly it's also a big part of the reason.  Maybe if the kids cereals had dried fruit for the sweetness, actual whole grain for the body, with the fortified (sprayed-on) vitamins then it'd work.  Their big argument is that if you reduce the sugar much more then you'd taste the vitamins and it wouldn't be as popular with the kids.

I say try harder - you'll never beat Gary with that attitude.