Chocolate Squirty Cream (Asda) by @Cinabar

This is one of those seasonal products that really ought to be available all year round. Sadly, it’s likely your last chance to grab a can before it vanishes until December 2025. So, let’s talk about one of my absolute favourites for this festive period: Chocolate Squirty Cream from Asda.

This delightful can dispenses chocolate-flavoured cream that’s as versatile as it is delicious. It’s the perfect companion for all sorts of treats, we’ve enjoyed it on slices of Chocolate Yule Log, but my ultimate favourite is dolloping it generously on a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Not only does it look beautiful, but the flavour is just as impressive. The cream is rich with cocoa, not overly sweet, and decadently smooth.

I’ll definitely be stocking up on these cans before they’re gone. For those of us who savour hot chocolate all year round, this cream adds that little extra indulgence. Is there any better way to kick off the New Year than with a cosy mug of hot chocolate topped with chocolate cream, a good movie playing in the background, and the promise of more delicious moments ahead?

Happy New Year, everyone!

Exceptional Chocolate Yule Log Cake (Asda) By @Cinabar

I recently took an Uber ride and had an unusually chatty driver. Normally, Uber drivers don’t tend to chat much, but this particular driver was eager to share how much he was enjoying the Christmas season’s food offerings. He mentioned that his wife’s sister was staying with them for the holidays, but as she didn’t like Christmas pudding, they decided on a chocolate Yule Log cake instead.

Determined to find the best one, and at great personal sacrifice, he said he embarked on a taste-testing mission. After trying six different cakes from various supermarkets, his verdict was clear: Asda’s Yule Log was the best, closely followed by M&S. Impressed by his dedication, we decided to pick up one of Asda’s cakes ourselves.

I must say, the cake looked stunning. It came in an elegant box and featured a generous fondant coating topped with gold chocolate shavings that gave it a festive and sophisticated touch. When we sliced it, the interior rings were well-defined, with a good balance of fondant filling.

The taste was simply divine. The sponge was soft and moist, the chocolate curls added delightful texture, and the overall flavour was rich with chocolatey goodness. This Exceptional Chocolate Yule Log Cake truly lived up to its name. The taxi driver was absolutely right in his review!

I hope his sister-in-law enjoyed it as much as we did, and appreciated all the effort he put into finding the perfect cake.

M&S Winter Sky Chocolate Box - Eat The Planets! [@NLi10]

 Ever wanted to eat a chocolate Galaxy? Not the bar - but an actual galaxy!

This present from the M&S posh chocolates range allows you to do so.  And it's easier to photograph without the plastic.

Look at that luxury!  Unfortunately I assumed these were spherical so I destroyed the box trying to get in.

But - they are coffee pod shaped - with a flat bottom! The top isn't coated in plastic but a shiny shell for the planet patterns - they just need *persuasion* to get out of the packing.

You get 4 flavours

Dark Mint

Milk Ginger

Blonde Brulee

White Honey

and while I expected them to be intense they are very mild hits - but with massive staying power. 

I've tried the brulee and mint versions so far and both were very sophisticated bites.

These are perfect after dinner chocolates and if you were fortunate enough to spot them discounted in the sale I suspect they'd keep really well and go down fantastically at a dinner party or movie night.

Vague India Pale Ale (Asda) By @SpectreUK

Do you ever get the feeling your future may be vague rather than mapped out for you? Some people believe in fate and others in Karma. I'm not sure what I believe, and I don't know what's going to happen around the next corner. I just know there are things that happen that are out of our control, and chaos can reign down any second, just like the image on the can of this Vague Hazy IPA, by Northern Monk Brew Company.

At 6% in volume I reckon I could place a safe bet that this Vague India Pale Ale will go down rather well with my cheese and cold meats meal, after a tough day trying to sell my products at a toy fair. There were problems with traffic that may have put people off, and problems with trains too. My toys and boardgames are more for families, where the hard collectors fought their way to the toy fair instead.

On opening the can there was a smell of punchy citrus tropical fruity blast from the hops followed by sweet pale melts. Vague IPA was certainly very hazy indeed on pouring. On taste, Vague had fresh, crisp and fruity tropical and citrus hops bursting over my palate to begin with, followed by wheat, a full body of oats, and then sweet pale malts to the finish. Gorgeous. I think I'd rather stay Vague in the future. It's much more interesting.

Cadbury Creme Eggs (Milk and White Chocolate) Are Back! (Newsagent) By @Cinabar

It was before Covid when Cadbury first introduced the White Creme Egg, and back then, finding one was a challenge, they were hidden in boxes of milk chocolate Creme Eggs and came with a cash prize. Thankfully, they’re much easier to find now and are officially back for the 2025 season, available in their own box on the shelf.

This year, there’s no competition involving prizes hidden under the wrapper, which is a relief for me. In previous years, there was nothing worse than discovering a box of Creme Eggs in a shop or supermarket where someone had peeled back the foil to check for a winning egg, leaving them all half-open and unappealing.

I’ve always loved Creme Eggs, though I wish they weren’t limited to a season. Still, part of me wasn’t quite ready for Easter chocolates just yet. However, I couldn’t resist picking up a couple of these. Setting aside the After Eights and other Christmas classics, I decided to try the White Chocolate Creme Egg.

It was absolutely gorgeous! Regular readers will know I have a serious sweet tooth, and the combination of the deliciously sweet filling with the creamy white chocolate was perfect for me. Perhaps Easter chocolates in December aren’t so bad after all!

Dinky Dim Sum Veggie Selection [@NLi10]

 Happy left overs day! Before we got to the Christmas stuff we had a mini Christmas with my parents and had these cool snacks from Sainsbury’s

They look like vegetables

Yummy!

Pop them in a steaming pot and heat away!

Oh dear - too long - they stuck together!

2nd batch done for 30msec less and much better - and we still have a 2nd box to crack. But look at these lovely veggies.

I’m tempted to shallow fry the next lot as these were still a little squidgy but the flavours and textures inside were great and they added a bit of pizazz to the buffet. 

Exceptional 4 Brown Butter Flavour & Rum Mince Pies (Asda) By @SpectreUK

Merry Christmas. I hope Santa brought you everything you wanted. I hope everyone is having a great day, getting on with family and friends, as well as enjoying your presents. I hope Santa enjoyed whatever mince pies he was left out with a tot of brandy, or rum (if I was Father Christmas).

Now, I've never eaten a mince pie I didn't like. So, you may think this is another high praise blog about snack food I love. I am guilty of looking for foodstuffs I most often than not will likely enjoy. I count calories for my diet, so generally if I really don't like something I bin it and go straight for biscuits or chocolate, or chocolate biscuits

These Exceptional Brown Butter Flavour & Rum Mince Pies from Asda are my only ever exception. Considering they were supposed to be from a top notch range, the pastry was messy, the tops didn't quite fit the base, and the tops were a little off centre.

On taste the brown butter pastry was quite thick, and had a slightly burnt biscuit flavour. It was a little chewy but it did melt in my mouth after a time. I just wasn't sure I wanted it there after my initial bite. I've never tasted pastry like that before, it tasted different, and I'm not entirely sure I liked it. When Walkers did mince pies previously with shortbread it really worked, but this Asda Exceptional pastry was a miss.

The mince pies were supposed to be filled with a rum laced spiced vine fruit and citrus peel mincemeat. However, from the photograph you can see there was not much filling either, it was half empty, or half full depending on what type of person you are. Anyway, they had a huge air bubble.There was a juicy fruity rum tasting half filling though, but there needed to be more. I did like the sugar dusting though.

If this was a mass produced supermarket mince pie these mince pies would be fair enough, but as an Exceptional product they needed something more. They went okay with the more rum I drank with them, and they were okay with vanilla ice cream too.

Merry Christmas, I hope you find some nicer mince pies to enjoy!

Information on the box; There were 230 calories per mince pie, with 9g of fat, 20g of sugar and 0.1g of salt. Please see photograph for the ingredients.

Roast Potato Mayonnaise (Asda) By @Cinabar

I’m a big fan of mayonnaise, especially as a dip for chips, it’s my go-to over ketchup every time. I also enjoy spiced mayo, particularly when it has a gentle warming kick like peri-peri, paired with that creamy finish. Naturally, I was intrigued by Asda’s new Roast Potato Mayonnaise, and as someone who loves trying quirky condiments, I picked up a tub to give it a go.

Deciding what to pair it with was a bit of a dilemma, roast potatoes or chips? As chips were on the menu for dinner, they won out. I served myself a generous dollop and gave it a taste.

It was… fine. Just fine. I finished it with my chips, but if I’m honest, I wouldn’t buy it again. The flavour didn’t evoke roast potatoes for me at all. Instead, there was a noticeable tang, almost vinegary, and an overwhelming herbal taste, likely sage or rosemary. When I make roast potatoes, I tend to keep it simple with no herbs, just a touch of salt and pepper and a splash of gravy.

The heavy-handed herbal notes threw me off. While it wasn’t terrible, it didn’t wow me either, and I can’t see it earning a spot on our Christmas dinner table.

So, while it’s an interesting concept, this Roast Potato Mayonnaise didn’t quite hit the mark for me. If you’re a fan of strongly herbed condiments, it might be worth a try, but it’s not one I’ll be repurchasing. Oh well. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Cinnamon Sugar Palmiers (Marks and Spencer) By @Cinabar

Visiting the Marks and Spencer food hall this close to Christmas might not be the best idea, but here we are, hunting for last-minute treats. I have a real soft spot for cinnamon; it’s my go-to flavour, especially during this time of year when it seems to truly shine.

Among the festive offerings, I discovered these Cinnamon Sugar Palmiers. Not being overly refined, I initially assumed they were biscuits. They certainly look like biscuits, and I fully intended to eat them as such! However, once I got home and inspected them properly, I realised they’re actually made from pastry. Essentially, they’re puff pastry sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, rolled from both ends into a charming heart shape, adorably cute!

I couldn’t resist trying one immediately. They start off wonderfully crunchy and are delightfully buttery, an absolute treat. The sweetness is perfectly balanced, with plenty of cinnamon to satisfy any fan of the spice. The texture is melt-in-the-mouth indulgence, and, as often happens with the best snacks, they’re highly moreish. Let’s just say I ate more than I’d planned!

Curious, I tested whether these would work as a dunker for tea. Despite not being actual biscuits, they held up well, softening slightly but staying intact with no crumbs left behind in the mug. A success in my book!

While the box makes no mention of Christmas, I have a sinking feeling these Palmiers might only be available during the winter months. That means I’ll need to stock up before they vanish!

Iceland Absolute Banger Pizza - Hot Dog Filled Crust [@NLi10]

 I was going to save this for the Boxing Day leftovers review - but I found something else!

This was a fast pick-up in Iceland for dinner one night - but when I got it home I realised what a big meal it would be. Three kinds of meat on top and one kind hidden inside.  So I saved it for another day.

And it looks pretty loaded

And the ingredients suggest it's 30% meat!

And it's a long cook too.

But it's got Iceland's typical high quality meat - and was an absolute pleasure. The hotdog in the crust wasn't too odd - but it really retained the heat which means the crust is nice and toasty for the whole meal.

The variety of flavours and meats on offer are great, and it's one of the cheaper pizza they do too so I'll definitely get this one again.  

Rosey Nosey Beer (Morrisons) by @Spectreuk

We're all very close to a Santa visit. Well only if you've been nice this year anyway. If you've been naughty, then you might need to buck up for a visit later on in 2025. I think I've been fairly okay this year, running my own company selling toys to collectors and families at toy fairs and comic cons, so hopefully I should get a visit from Father Christmas.

This Rosey Nosey from Batemsn's Brewery could be good to leave out for Santa with a mince pie or two when he delivers your presents. With 150 years of family traditional and innovative brewing, Bateman's should know what they're doing by now. At 4.7% in volume, crystal and chocolate malts were used in Rosey Nosey's creation, whilst being hopped with English Challenger and Goldings. This Ruby Ale should have flavours of raisins, sultanas, and biscuit malt, with spicy and peppery hops.

On opening the bottle there was a luscious sweet biscuit malt aroma, with a little fruitiness and spiciness behind it. On pouring this deep red Ruby Ale, Rosey Nosey did have a flavour of fruity raisins and sultanas, with sweet biscuit malts behind it, and a spicy pepperiness from the hops into the aftertaste with all those malts.

Gorgeous in complex flavours, Rosey Nosey was a rich and delicious Ruby Ale, with fruitiness and biscuit malt flavours, and warming winter spiciness that went perfectly with my Lamb Rogan Josh and chips curry takeaway, and my mince pies for afters.

Merry Christmas!

Fully Flavoured Turkey Stuffing Crisps (Golden Wonder) By @Cinabar

A big thank you to the lovely people at Golden Wonder for sending us some of their Fully Flavoured Turkey Stuffing Crisps to try. With December upon us, I’ve been looking forward to festive flavours, and these crisps certainly delivered. It’s been a while since I’ve had turkey-flavoured crisps, so I was thrilled to find these in the parcel. As a fan of chicken crisps, turkey crisps are naturally high on my favourites list, although they’re definitely harder to come by, especially outside the festive season!

Upon opening the bag, I was greeted by a savoury, meaty aroma that instantly set the tone for a delicious snack. The crisps themselves were wonderfully seasoned, with a rich turkey flavour complemented by a medley of herbs reminiscent of stuffing. The balance of seasoning was spot-on; the salt wasn’t overpowering, which allowed the turkey and herb flavours to really shine. Each bite was both tasty and full of flavour, making them incredibly moreish.

We’ve been lucky enough to receive several bags, so I’m already planning to incorporate them into a Boxing Day leftover sandwich. I can just imagine how their herby, savoury crunch will elevate a turkey and cranberry creation, it should be a good treat! These Golden Wonder Fully Flavoured Turkey Stuffing Crisps crisps are a great festive flavour and a must-try for anyone craving the taste of a classic Christmas dinner in snack form.

Cadbury Dairy Milk - Dirty Little Robins [@NLi10]

We love a festive version here in the FoodstuffFinds grotto - and who better than the New Cadbury to give us some unexpected treats.   Here we have a bag of around 8 Dairy Milk Little Robins

So far so Cadbury - 2 eggs is a portion - for the group I shared these with that would have mean’t buying a second bag.

I can’t remember why I decided these were Dirty Little Robins - I’m sure it’s from a festive movie or something.  They do look a little confused, and like the birds from Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared.  They have wrappers that remind me of chocolate eclairs

But inside is the mini creme egg shell with the easy-mould crumb they use.

And inside that is…

Some kind of mixed up crumb and choc - but it does taste of Dairy Milk!

So - these are a hit - but not a necessity - more of a nice oddity.

And a perfect size for stockings too!

Luxury All Butter Mince Pies (Spar) by @Spectreuk

My christmas adventure into luxury mince pies continues with these Luxury All Butter Mince Pies from our local Spar. They have all butter pastry cases, and are filled with fruit mincemeat made from vine fruits, apple, brandy and port. Gosh, they sound rather nice indeed. They look good too, with their pastry star on top and fruit mincemeat surrounding, but how do they taste?

 

They certainly smelt nice, with their very fruity aroma. On taste they have lovely butter pastry, which is a little crunchy to start with, but then it melts in the mouth and is very smooth. Quite boozy on flavour, the brandy is most prominent, then the fruitiness from the mincemeat and a touch of apple, followed by port into the aftertaste. Sweet juicy boozy fruity flavours, these mince pies were fruity rather than punchy in citrus this time. I must say, I'm half the way through my second bottle of spiced rum, so far mince pie season is going very well indeed.

Information on the box; 6 mince pies with 210 calories per mince pie, with 6.7g of fat, 22.6g of sugar, 0.11g of salt. Vegetarian Friendly, please photograph for the ingredients.

Baileys Squirty Cream (Morrisons) By @Cinabar

We are in the heart of hot chocolate season, a time for cosy indulgence. To be honest, I drink hot chocolate most of the year, but I officially declare Christmas and winter as hot chocolate season because the shops stock more varieties and flavours during this period.

One of the great things about this season is the range of flavoured creams available for topping. While browsing the chilled section at Morrisons, I came across this fabulous-looking Baileys Squirty Cream and couldn’t resist popping it into my basket.

Once home, I made a steaming mug of hot chocolate, leaving a reasonable gap at the top for decorating. I sprayed a generous swirl of the cream, then added some sprinkles for a festive touch. I think it turned out rather well, don’t you?

The cream itself is delightful. I found myself eating it straight off the spoon! It has a lovely hint of Baileys, sweet and creamy, without being overpowering. The Irish cream flavour blends beautifully with the silky texture, making it a perfect treat.

Spectre, always curious, decided to try some on his low-calorie ice cream for dessert. He was quite impressed with the results and even claimed it elevated his pudding.

This is one of those seasonal products that I know I’ll have to wait a year to see again, so I’ll definitely be picking up another can (or two!) to tide me over. Adding a touch of luxury to my cocoa has never been easier—or tastier.

Mince Pie Flavour Cookies (Asda) By @Cinabar

It seems I can’t resist any novelty snack product this season. If it boasts a limited-edition Christmas flavour, you can bet I’m on it. These Mince Pie Flavour Cookies were picked up from the bakery section of Asda. The packaging is a striking festive red, and inside, you’ll find five generously sized cookies.

The cookies smell delightful, and I couldn’t wait to give one a try. They’re wonderfully soft, the kind of cookie that bends in the middle when you tear off a piece. In fact, the fact that you can tear them at all speaks volumes; these aren’t the crunchy sort of biscuits.

As for the flavour, it’s beautifully seasonal, with warm hints of cinnamon and mixed spices. There’s also a generous amount of candied orange pieces, which add a lovely texture and a zing of citrus. While they don’t quite taste like a traditional mince pie, thanks to the prominent orange flavour, they’re absolutely delicious.

Perfect with a cup of coffee, these cookies are essentially Christmas biscuits in disguise. Festive, flavourful, and thoroughly enjoyable!

Brummie Noodle House - Han Dynasty Food Court, Birmingham [@NLi10]

 A couple of new places have opened in Birmingham - just in time for Christmas - including a fancy new Han Dynasty Food Court - in a building I was last in for a wedding!

As I'm just a scared white person I decided to go for the place with the friendliest branding

but the whole place is pretty welcoming and as long as you talk to the people at the kiosks you'll find something to suit

And you can all order from different places and your food buzzers mean no one misses out

I had the hand cut noodles and (medium) spicy beef.  Absolutely amazing.  £15 so around £5 more than my usual crispy pork at Peach Garden, but I think worth it for groups... and for pudding...

Upstairs is Birmingham's biggest asian-style claw game arcade!

It's no fun to play alone - and my cats prefer the smaller toys I picked up from the nearby pet-shop due to the catnip infusions, but I look forwards to buying tokens and having a go here on a quieter day.

Black Sheep Blitzen Festive Ruby Ale (Morrisons) by @Spectreuk

On the run up to Christmas there are always lovely snacks, such as; Pork Pies, and breaded fried prawns, Duck rolls, Pigs-in-Blankets, Scotch Eggs, and Sausage Rolls to pick up from the supermarket. Apparently such treats are considered as Picky Bits. What better to wash them down with than a Festive Ruby Ale.

This Black Sheep Blitzen Festive Ruby Ale was 4% in volume, and was brewed with Yorkshire Dales fresh water, and infused with orange peel and muscovado sugar for a burnt orange flavour, as well as flavours of dark fruits from the hops, and a hint of chocolate malt. This all sounds pretty mouthwatering, so with lots of Picky Bits on my plate, pieces of toasted Tiger Bread, and some salad, I popped open the bottle.

On pouring this Black Sheep Blitzen Festive Ruby Ale was easily the darkest ruby ale I've ever poured. There were notes of malted barley, dark fruits and chocolate malt in the aroma. On first taste the luscious malted chocolate oozed over my palate, with a slight burnt citrus flavour, added dark winter fruity hops, and a touch of warming spice. This ale was perfect with my Pigs-in-Blankets and other Picky Bits. Merry run up to Christmas to you all.

Beanies Yule Log Coffee (Ocado) By @Cinabar

Sipping coffee in the evening might not be the best idea, but when it’s Christmas coffee, exceptions can be made. I couldn’t resist picking up this Beanies Yule Log Coffee during a recent supermarket shop, it looked so festive with its adorable Christmas tree decorations on the jar.

Upon opening, the coffee greeted me with a strong aroma of rich coffee and chocolate. It was pleasantly bold, though perhaps a little intense. Using just one teaspoon per mug, I hoped the flavour in the drink would balance out.

After brewing, the aroma in the mug softened considerably, becoming lighter and less overpowering. Taking my first sip, I was met with a distinct combination of robust coffee and a chocolate fudge cake-like taste. While enjoyable, I found it lacked sweetness, which made the flavour feel slightly incomplete. It’s an interesting mix, chocolatey yet unsweetened, with hints of vanilla, but it didn’t quite hit the festive mark I was hoping for.

I suspect this coffee would truly shine with a touch of sugar, but as someone who doesn’t sweeten my coffee, I may not be experiencing its full potential. The yule log essence is definitely present; it just doesn’t feel as indulgent as I imagined.

That said, it’s still a delightful twist on regular coffee, offering a cosy seasonal vibe. Next time, I plan to pair it with an actual slice of yule log cake, the added sweetness might help bring out the coffee’s full festive charm.

Marro - Turkey Test [@NLi10]

 Marro are happy to deliver boxes of luxury meat for our cats to devour on demand - and oddly both of them seem to love the Turkey version.  We were asked if we'd like to try a taste comparisson between two versions  - so we said yes!

The idea is you just split the food and they try both and see what they like the most.  On day 1 I didn't get the splut right for the cats but this is just as well as Flo with the white bowls will eat until all is gone where as Luna with the Blue bowls stops when full.

And they were most interested in the setting up that had to go on

Flo liked number 2

Luna liked number 1

but then pretty much demolished the whole thing

And Flo surgically cleaned the bowls ready to try to steal the remaining blue food.

It must be very hard to find out what cats actually prefer - especially ones that want to eat it all then have thirds.  

The Marro food has worked out a little more expensive than I'd have liked overall but they do both love it and it certainly fills them up and gives them energy to play so alongside biscuits they have kept having it for now.