Merry Christmas bits and bobs [@NLi10]

It’s Christmas! What’s better than popping a few bits and bobs from Iceland in the oven to go along with your left over meats.

First up we have these mini hash brown dogs, it’s sausage - inside a hash brown, awesome,

They look a bit odd when raw

We also had these cheese and jalapeños hash pockets!

With a few cheesy bits it all goes in the oven 

And it looks very beige - but they are all really flavourful and with a few veggies and some sauce are perfect for leftovers 

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 

Saltaire Brewery: White Christmas Pale Ale (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

It's a little damp and cold outside. A white Christmas seems to be something of the past. I think I remember a white Christmas back in the 80's, but we haven't had one for many years in the Midlands in the UK.

We have fishy Picky-bits for dinner tonight. This White Christmas pale ale, by Saltaire Brewery, had orange peel and coriander added in the brewing. At 4.8% in volume, White Christmas was lightly hopped, and was described as having festive citrus and warming spice.

On opening White Christmas there was strong spiciness from the coriander, and a hint of orange in the aroma. On pouring, White Christmas pale ale had a golden shine like the star on the top of the Christmas tree.

On taste, this full bodied White Christmas pale ale had warming spice mixed with sweetness of malted barley and wheat, followed by a mild bitter hop and a touch of citrus from the orange peel.

Have a merry Christmas, wherever you are.

Dark Chocolate Cranberry Jaffa Cakes (Marks and Spencer) By @Cinabar

Marks and Spencer have given their classic Jaffa Cake style treat a seasonal twist with these Dark Chocolate Cranberry Jaffa Cakes, and they feel very much like a Christmas special rather than a year round flavour. From the moment you open the box, they look the part. The bright red packaging is bold, festive and eye catching, and it would not look out of place on a Christmas snack table.

Instead of the usual round shape, these Jaffa style biscuits come as neat little rectangles, which somehow makes them feel a bit more grown up. There are plenty in the box too, so it does not feel skimpy. The dark chocolate topping is the first thing you notice when you bite into one. It cracks pleasingly, which is always a good sign, and adds a slightly bitter edge that balances the sweetness underneath.

The sponge base is soft and light, just as you would expect, but the real star here is the cranberry layer. It has a lovely sharpness to it while still being sweet, giving that classic sweet and sour contrast that works so well at Christmas. The cranberry flavour feels festive without being overpowering, and it pairs beautifully with the dark chocolate.

These are perfect with a cuppa, especially on a cold winter afternoon. They feel indulgent but not too heavy, making them easy to reach for more than one. Overall, this is a really nice seasonal variation on the regular orange flavour. Familiar enough to please Jaffa Cake fans, but different enough to feel like a proper Christmas treat.

Baileys Mince Pies (Iceland) By @Cinabar

Baileys have really leaned into festive treats this year and I am not complaining. Alongside the return of their squirty cream from last year, which I currently have two cans of in the fridge, and the Baileys chocolate buttons, we can now add Baileys Mince Pies to the list. Honestly, it feels like a no brainer of an idea and I am surprised it has taken this long to appear.

The box contains four individual mince pies, each sitting in its own foil case. On top, they are finished with a swirl of creamy icing and scattered with tiny edible glitter balls, which immediately makes them look more special than your standard mince pie. When I opened the box, I was genuinely impressed. They looked neat, festive and very tempting.

Getting one out of the foil case, however, was another story. The sticky icing top made things trickier than expected. Peeling and lifting did not work at all, so I eventually resorted to turning it upside down onto a tissue to remove the foil. This did flatten the icing a bit, which was annoying, but at least it freed the pie.

Flavour wise, these really deliver. The pastry is buttery and soft, the mincemeat is rich, sweet and nicely spiced, and it has a juicy quality that stops it being dry. The icing is the real star though. It is sweet, creamy and unmistakably Baileys, and it works brilliantly with the filling. Some mince pies include a splash of alcohol, but having Baileys on top feels like the ultimate indulgence. If only there were a neater way to get them out of those foil cases.

Las Iguanas Chipotle Chicken Burrito at Home from Iceland [@NLi10]

 I like Mexican food and it pays to have a few instant cook things floating around for lazy evenings (or hungry lunches) so I paid the £4 each for a pair of Las Iguanas brand Chipotle Chicken Burritos from Iceland on a recent trip.

They are frozen, and a decent size/weight so I figured worth a go

There is a lot inside, and it doesn't pretend that it's two portions which is nice

Looks pretty unexciting

But once microwaved it actually smells pretty good.  I mean- for the price/effort anyway.

Its a decent light meal, and could easily have a few nachos and dips on the side to convince yourself that it's more of a big deal.

The meat is meaty, and the sauces are mild but tasty.

I'm spoilt (living in walking distance of one of the best Mexican restaurants in the UK according to all the prizes) but at a pinch this'll do nicely.  Especially with a really spicy dip on the side.

Adnams Winter Ale (M&S) By @SpectreUK

It's difficult to tell that it's winter by the ceaseless rain outside. In the UK rain is pretty much a constant all year around, but the beer can change by season. This Winter Ale is described as a Festive & Fruity Seasonal Ale.

Adnams Brewery has made this 4.2% in volume Winter Ale especially for Marks and Spencer's. I'm sure the best thing about this seasonal ale is that it is made with malted rye. So, I'm expecting a red coloured spicy beer that should go very well with my curry takeaway for dinner tonight.

On opening this Winter Ale, there was a deep malty lightly spiced biscuit aroma. This beer poured with a dark brown red tinted colour. On first taste, Winter Ale had a sweet flavour of biscuit malt and a little burnt toast, with warming spice from the rye, winter berry fruits, and a hint of bitterness from the herbal hops into the aftertaste. Wow, this is a lovely warming flavoursome ale for the wintertime, whatever the weather.

Mince Pie Flavour Hot Chocolate (Whittard) By @Cinabar

I am firmly back in my festive hot chocolate season, and this time I picked up a more premium option from Whittard. Their drinks do cost more than supermarket hot chocolates, but they also consistently offer interesting flavours and good quality. Whittard has a solid range available all year round, but this one is part of their Christmas selection and immediately caught my eye. This is the Mince Pie Flavour Hot Chocolate.

Opening the tub was a good start. It was pleasingly full, which always feels reassuring with premium products. The smell was instantly festive, with a warm mix of chocolate and Christmas spices rising out of the tub. Before making it, I checked the instructions, which recommend three teaspoons of powder per mug of milk, with the option to add more if you are feeling indulgent. I decided to stick close to the suggested amount but went with three and a half teaspoons, partly because my mugs are a decent size and partly because this felt like a drink that deserved it.

The powder blended into the hot milk easily, with no lumps or bits left behind. The first sip was exactly what I was hoping for. It is rich and chocolatey, but also fruity and gently spiced. There is a clear citrus note, similar to orange, alongside a raisin like sweetness that really does echo a classic mince pie filling. The spices round everything off without being overpowering.

At three and a half teaspoons, the strength was spot on. This is a proper Christmas in a mug hot chocolate, and one I would happily buy again if it returns next year.

Zero Sugar Pepsi - Strawberry & Cream [@NLi10]

 I was at a party and got offered a new Pepsi! But it’s a non citrus fruit…

Strawberries & Cream ? Hmm. Ok. 

I guess this is to copy American sodas - and it’s kinda effective.

What it’s most reminiscent of is when you make the spray cola in Burger King and mix in a fruity bit too. It’s drinkable but you probably aren’t making that mistake again!

I enjoyed it - but I think the sharp flavours work better with colas.

Fox’s Where’s my Elf? (Tesco) By @SpectreUK

One of my all time favourite biscuits are Cadbury's Animal Biscuits. My Aunty and Uncle Fred used to buy me a box for Christmas when I was a kid. They would always have a box open in their house when I visited with my mom and sister on Saturdays. I used to have a bag in my lunchbox when I worked in an office, and they go very well on top of ice cream.

These Where's my Elf? I suspect are Fox's version of Animal Biscuits. This packet contains five mini bags of Fox's Where's my Elf? As you can see from the photograph, each biscuit has the image of an elf face imprinted on one side, with milk chocolate on the other.

On first crunchy taste, try as I might, I couldn't find a single thing wrong with these Fox's Where's my Elf? The biscuit was very tasty indeed, and had a sweet digestive almost shortbread taste, and the milk chocolate was creamy and added further flavour. All seven biscuits disappeared very quickly, and I'd certainly get some more.

Information on the bag; Each 20g mini bag contains 99 calories, with 4.6g of fat, 4.4g of sugar, 0.06g of salt. Please see photograph for the ingredients.

Baileys Chocolate Caramel Buttons (Iceland) By @Cinabar

These were bought as part of an online order rather than picked up in store, and unfortunately the bag arrived looking a bit worse for wear. One side had been creased over several times, leaving the top noticeably slanted. Thankfully the bag was still fully sealed, which is the main thing.

There was a time when either the Baileys brand or the Iceland picker would likely have spotted this before dispatch. That said, this seems to be an ongoing downside of online grocery shopping in general. I have previously had crisp multipacks sealed into the main outer bag, missing cocktail sausages, and bruised fruit. It often feels like there is little time or financial incentive to reject imperfect items. Moan over. As this was not intended as a gift and the seal was intact, it was easy enough to move on.

Inside the bag are fairly chunky milk chocolate buttons with a lovely sweet aroma. The first bite confirmed these are genuinely good. The milk chocolate is smooth and pleasant, while the creamy Baileys flavour comes through clearly with that distinctive Irish cream taste. This then softens into a rich caramel and chocolate finish. The centre is soft and gooey, giving a really nice contrast in texture. These would make a great stocking filler. Hopefully next time the bag itself will arrive in better shape.

Pepsi Gingerbread (Tesco) By @Cinabar

I couldn’t resist picking up this festive little bottle of Pepsi Gingerbread during a quick Tesco run. The packaging immediately caught my eye: a cute wrapper patterned like a Christmas jumper, hinting at the seasonal treat inside. The flavour is clearly Gingerbread, though amusingly it’s written subtly to the side, and it’s part of Pepsi’s zero sugar range.

I popped the bottle open at lunchtime, and it greeted me with a hefty fizz. I had to open it slowly to avoid a mini cola explosion, which I suspect was due to the bottle having been dropped at some point. Once settled, it was time for a taste.

I adore Christmas spices, but I tend to favour cinnamon over ginger, so I wasn’t expecting to fall for this drink. Yet, it was a delightful surprise. The cola blended perfectly with the sweet, treacle-like gingerbread flavour. There was plenty of ginger, but without the sharp heat, and that wonderful treacle note really brought out the festive spices.

It’s a unique twist on a classic soft drink and genuinely captures the essence of gingerbread. I loved it so much I’m already thinking about getting more. If you enjoy festive flavours, this Pepsi is definitely worth a try.

Dunkin’ Doughnuts Pistachio - from Iceland UK [@NLi10]

 While doing the shopping in Iceland I spotted these lovely doughnuts- and figured they would be worth the risk.

I couldn’t imagine how a cardboard box would keep them fresh by the tills - but I like pistachios so figured let’s have a go.

Sounds good.

Looks great! Smells enticing too.

Luna thinks so too. She may have nabbed a bit of the fondant.

The inner was gooey and nice, and the doughnut was surprisingly fresh and soft! A very enjoyable snack and really high quality 

Luna didn’t agree that the rest was for me…

I enjoyed it and I think I’ll try some more flavours if they keep doing these.

Greene King Rocking Rudolph Ale (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

I am keeping the Christmas Ales flowing with this Rocking Rudolph. Brewed by Greene King, in Bury St. Edmond's, this 4.2% in volume ruby ale is described as malty and fruity, with a refreshing finish.

We had a voucher through the door from Uber Eats for 40% off the next five takeaways until the 23rd of December (using the code DEC40EATUK). So, I have curry and chips tonight, and probably four other takeaways next week of varying kinds.

On opening the bottle there was a beautiful beery malted barley aroma from this ruby red ale. Rocking Rudolph had an initial sweet biscuit malted barley flavour with light refreshing bitterness from herbal hops, followed by more sweet malts into the aftertaste. Yum. 

Merry Christmas.

Festive Gingerbread Flavour Hot Chocolate (Asda) By @Cinabar

I could not decide what hot chocolate to open tonight. It took longer than it should have, and the result is that there will probably be several hot chocolate reviews appearing here over the next week. After all that faffing, I settled on the Festive Gingerbread Flavour Hot Chocolate from Asda. It is one of their own brand options and it is designed to be made with hot milk, which already makes it feel a bit more indulgent.

I used three heaped teaspoons, poured over the hot milk and was pleased to see it blended smoothly straight away. No lumps, no gritty texture, nothing to fight against with the spoon. The drink looked rich and inviting, so I took a first sip and found it instantly comforting. The base is a soothing milk chocolate flavour, but the gingerbread twist is what makes it feel seasonal. It brings a sweet, treacle like warmth with it. The ginger is present but not fierce, more like the soft spice you get in a gingerbread biscuit rather than anything fiery. It adds character without overpowering the chocolate.

The drink is definitely on the sweet side, which suits me completely. If you prefer a strong ginger kick, this will feel gentle, but if you enjoy a cosy, pudding like hot chocolate, this fits the bill.

Next time I make it I plan to go all in with whipped cream, a mini gingerbread figure and maybe a few sprinkles for good measure. It feels like the sort of drink that deserves a bit of decoration. It is an easy festive treat and one I will happily have again.

KFC Christmas Dinner Tower Burger [@NLi10]

It's allegedly the most wonderful time of the year - the tabs have been knocked in on the KFC tower burger meaning another special version! 

Also I got a free wrap on the spin thing, but it was an odd small thing with plastic cheese and very little salad so I can see why people wouldn't claim those.

Chips still good though.

And here we have the main event, a lovingly over-cooked chicken and stuffing Christmas Dinner Tower burger!  One of the rare occasions I should have gone for the KFC gravy, but overall they tasted like they were supposed to - and the giant Lipton tea made up for the dryness.

Surprisingly I'd have this again, but I think there might be other festive things with the stuffing added to try instead.

Nestle Milkybar Chocolate Crumble (Tesco) By @SpectreUK

This is an interesting one. I love Nestle Milkybar, however this new Nestle Milkybar Chocolate Crumble is covered with Milkybar white chocolate, and has a creamy crumbly biscuit centre, with a milk chocolate base. I genuinely don't know how I feel about that. Don't get me wrong, it sounds great, but part of me may just wish the whole chocolate bar was Milkybar without the extra gubbins.

As you can see from the photograph, on opening this Nestle Milkybar Chocolate Crumble does indeed have a milk chocolate base, with a creamy crumbly biscuit centre. It tastes amazing, I have to admit it. It's easily one of the best combinations of white chocolate, biscuit and milk chocolate I've ever tasted. Although having said that, I can't recall many in the past.

There is the creaminess from the Milkybar coating, followed by the creamy crumbly biscuit, which provides a little body to this chocolate biscuit bar, and then the milk chocolate base adds further creamy chocolaty flavour. Nestle Milkybar Chocolate Crumble is a triumph really. I don't know what I was worried about.

Information on the wrapper: The 84g bar contains 92 calories per 2 pieces, with 5.4g of fat, 8.9g of sugar, 0.03g of salt. Please see photograph for the ingredients.

Options White Choc Berry (Morrisons) By @Cinabar

I may have said this before but I love this time of year for all the interesting hot chocolates that appear on the shelves. I adore the stuff and I am always happy to find new flavours. This time I picked up a limited edition from Options called White Choc Berry. As it is an Options drink it is instant and made with boiling water rather than hot milk, so as soon as I got home I filled the kettle.

I opened the tub and peeled away the foil to reveal a white powdered hot chocolate. The photo above shows the carton before I even put any in the mug, so yes, it really was that low down already. This always irritates me. Either fill the tub properly or make the tub smaller. It feels like I am being led to believe there is more product than there is and I do not enjoy paying for air. It is one of my pet hates.

I added three teaspoons of the White Choc Berry mix into a mug and topped it up with freshly boiled water. It immediately went pink. I was not expecting that but the colour shifted to a rosy berry shade that made me smile. I am easily won over by a novelty. I will say that unlike many other Options varieties this one was a bit more difficult to stir and I could not get rid of all the little bits on top no matter how much I mixed it.

On tasting it I realised I was not entirely sure which berries they were aiming for. There was a hint of strawberry and maybe a little raspberry. It tasted lovely but I think they missed a trick by not leaning into Christmas cranberry on the packaging. The flavour was sweet and fruity, which suits me, and the white chocolate added a soft creamy undertone. It is very easy drinking and very pleasant even if it did feel like a surprisingly summery flavour for this time of year.

Fish, Chips and Mushy Pea Stacks (Asda) By @Cinabar

December has a reputation for being peak picky-bits season. Supermarkets suddenly dedicate whole aisles to party food, and even if there’s no actual party happening, the snacks still find their way into the trolley. I fancied an easy dinner, something we could have with a bit of salad, so we went hunting for nibbles. Tempura prawns were an automatic yes, but these Fish, Chips and Mushy Pea Stacks caught my eye straight after. They were also part of a three-for-two offer which led to prawn lollipops sneaking in as well. I never say no to seafood.

The idea behind these stacks is simple but clever. They’re designed to pack the essentials of a fish and chip supper into a couple of bites. Each piece has a tiny battered fish topped with mushy peas and a single chip laid across the top. They look adorable, far more fun than I expected, and they cook quickly in the air fryer.

Once ready, the flavour hit was spot on. There’s a proper salt and vinegar punch that immediately gives fish and chip shop vibes. The fish is soft and flaky inside its crisp batter, and the mushy peas and chip finish the whole thing off perfectly. Yes, they’re a novelty, but they’re a novelty that delivers. They look great, they taste good, and they made a very easy dinner. These will definitely be a repeat buy for us.

Exhale - Ltd Ed Colombian Smooth Coffee Chocolate bar (Dark 76%) [@NLi10]

 I had my bi-monthly Exhale coffee delivery coming up so I added some festive treats for me.  A tiny £3 chocolate bar to review - and a £22 travel mug so I could save money in the long run by buying less out of house coffee.

 

Both look very deluxe and giftable - and the coffee is great too.

Here are all the facts! It's only 30g but it's pretty powerful so that's four sittings.

See - they sliced it up for you!

Although it didn't break that neatly, but it worked in principle.  The flavours are really balanced - the coffee and chocolate are both very present - the caffeine kick is really about an espresso level so don't give this to unsuspecting people!

The main event, and the thing I've been experimenting with all week, is the travel flask.  At only 300ml it's not designed to give you a days coffee unless you are like me and really don't drink that much.  What I have been doing is making one at 11 and then having 4 small drinks - all still hot - throughout the day.  

It has a double lid so you can drink the last little bit ok, and although it didn't keep warm overnight (6pm to 9am was too much for it) I think the 6 hours stated is very fair - you could probably tighten it or drop it in an insulating sleeve to extend that on hikes.

I'm still scared to put milk in these after some stinky flasks of youth, but for luxury black coffee (or maybe jasmine tea) it's really great!

(we aren't sponsored, but they still do a free trial so here is the link - not an affiliate one - it's just my favourite coffee right now).