Sainsbury's Pistachio Tiramisu [@NLi10]

 We love puddings, so when the supermarket is near closing and clearly isn't going to sell all of the reduced but exciting puddings on offer it feels rude not to try a new one.

As it's Eurovision week TV puddings are especially welcome - this Pistachio Tiramisu is a little alcoholic but a lot tempting

It looks much better like this

And it's a pain to serve so doesn't look great in the bowl - maybe a fish slice required not a serving spoon!

The taste is great, there isn't enough coffee and the alcohol is a bit fumy (probably better after it's sat for a bit) but it's got a lovely mix of flavours and textures and is something I'd try again.

Does feel like it needs a sauce pouring over the top to elevate it - but I'm already planning seconds tonight!

Maryland Choc and Caramel Cookies (Sainsburys) By @SpectreUK

I ran out of rum the other day. Devastating I know, but with both mom's constantly in and out of hospital, and my personal losses mounting up over the years, things are beginning to look very bleak. I needed a treat.

I like spiced rum, not too alcoholic in taste. If it has vanilla in it, even better, but it's not written in stone. I usually put around four shots in a 330ml glass and top it up with cool 7UP. I've tried other lemonades, but to me, 7UP is the best for rum.

When I was a kid I used to drink shots, but I drink with meals these days and prefer to savour it. I've tried all sorts of rums over the years, some very expensive, some not expensive at all. The first rum I tried was Captain Morgan's when I was a kid and hated it. I say 'kid', I was around 18, but when you reach 50, everyone below 40 is a kid. I've never tried the Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum, because I always figured I'd hate that too. Short on cash the other day, I picked the cheapest bottle of rum in the store, which happened to be Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum.

So, feeling slightly foolish with my new favourite spiced rum next to me, I opened up these new Maryland Choc and Caramel cookies. I'm not sure Cookie Monster would approve, but I don't care.

Although they were relatively small cookies, there were quite a few and I'd saved up on calories. They had a lovely crunch and there were lots of chocolate chips. These cookies had a nice chocolatey taste to begin with, and a sweet caramel flavour into the aftertaste. They also went perfectly with my new favourite rum.

"Me love cookies (and spiced rum)".

Milka Bubbly White (Tesco) By @Cinabar

It's always a treat to find a different version of Milka chocolate here in the UK, and as a fan of bubbly bars, I had high hopes for this one.

As soon as I unwrapped it, I thought the bar looked lovely with its bubbly design. It’s not the easiest to share, though, the pieces don’t break off very cleanly, and it did crumble a bit.

Taste-wise, I was really pleased. That distinctive Milka flavour still comes through thanks to the fairly thick coating. The white chocolate adds a lovely sweet creaminess, reminding me a little of Kinder chocolate. It’s sweet, creamy, and a proper little treat, perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Texture-wise, it hits the mark too. The bubbles give it a lightness while still feeling firm. I really enjoyed it and would happily pick up another bar. Let's hope we see more Milka variants in the UK.

Lyons Salted Caramel Iced Latte (Iceland) By @Cinabar

I’m going to start with a bit of a tangent. Lyons Corner Houses were one of the original UK coffee house chains, founded in 1909. They disappeared from British high streets before I was born, but the brand lives on through pre-packaged treats like this Lyons Salted Caramel Iced Latte. The reason I know about the cafés is because I studied Computer Science, Lyons was the first commercial company in the UK to use computers for stock management. They were ahead of their time in 1949. You’ll thank me when that comes up in a pub quiz.

 

Anyway, back to the drink. This Lyons Salted Caramel Iced Latte comes in a generous box with 12 sachets. The pack suggests mixing it with cold water, milk, or a half-and-half combo, I went with half and half. It blended easily, with no lumps, and I really enjoyed the flavour. It was creamy, with mellow coffee notes and a sweet caramel tang that made it refreshing on a warm day.

I couldn’t really detect much of the “salted” part of the salted caramel, but the drink was rich and smooth, with just the right hint of sweetness. I’ll definitely be reaching for these again when the sun’s out, and next time, I might even add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for full-on indulgence.

Giggling Squid Lunch Menu [@NLi10]

 We went for a family lunch to the Giggling Squid in Harbourne, Birmingham. The menu has been tweaked since we last went and is based around Thai tapas - small plates called Samrub and grouped into combos of 4 for your ease.

This is the veggie combo.

I chose a spicy chicken Samrub solo and added a full Pad Thai Gai too

And then for puddings there was a choc and ice cream combo with a coffee for £6 so most of the table had that

And I had a cappuccino with the matcha cheese cake

We all enjoyed our meals, and adding the spicy edge to the Pad Thai made it a little more special.

The matcha cheese cake was lovely and smooth too - and now I need a nap!