Milkshake With Oreo Toppings (Iceland) By @Cinabar

My latest grocery order was from Iceland, and of course I had to search for new milkshake flavours. Most summers I discover plenty of new varieties in the shops, but this year I’ve really struggled. I’ve been keeping a proper eye out and trying different supermarkets, so I was pleased when I spotted this Milkshake With Oreo Toppings.

 

It comes as an all-in-one cup with a drink and a section of toppings. I took off the lid on the toppings side and found the instructions underneath: open the milk section, open the toppings, then shake them together. I had visions of this getting messy after removing the foil seal, but I decided to give it a go.

The toppings looked like crushed Oreo biscuit pieces, without the filling. The milk section had a slightly grey colour which wasn’t very appealing, and it was also quite thin in texture.

I poured the toppings into the milk, put the lid back on, and gave it a gentle shake. Visually it seemed fine, with cookie pieces floating on top.

Taste-wise, it was a bit of a let-down. The biscuit bits made the drink lumpy, but not in a good way, it felt more like accidentally swallowing chunks rather than enhancing the drink. The milk was watery, and the biscuit flavour didn’t taste quite right. Overall, it was sweet and vaguely biscuity, but with an odd aftertaste that didn’t work for me. By the time I got to the bottom, the Oreo bits had turned into a soggy sludge, which didn’t help matters. Sadly, this isn’t the exciting new milkshake flavour of the summer for me, but I’ll keep searching!

McVitie's PINK Digestives - Raspberry & Cream flavour [@NLi10]

 We love pink on this blog, and it's a fight to see who finds and reviews the latest pink things.

We also have a pink bedroom, which is perfect for these new, limited edition McVitie's pink digestives - they are raspberry & cream flavour from Sainsbury's

And Pink Marvel artwork to show that these are really just regular (shrunk) digestives with a pink not-chocolate coating.  But that's fine too - I love pink mice, and non-chocolate chocolates.

The biscuits show up much better on the black & gold

My childhood memories of digestives have them at least 25% larger than this, but then everything has to conform to the insane portion size rules now (even though I'm allowed to eat all 15 in the pack because I'm a grown-up and no-one will ever know except you guys).  The charts on the front are per biscuit so nothing flags as red, but three biscuits is 36% of my 'saturates' for the day.

They also aren't so pink as to feel unhealthy, we get the idea but will not end up with red tongues.

And the flavour balance is good.  The fondant seems too thin on inspection, but if you put much more on it'd overpower the crunch and earthy tastes of the digestive.  While I'm happy this is the literal flavour of the month (they even put stickers on the floor to alert you to their presence) I hope this is part of a trend and we can get mandarin ones in a lovely pale orange.  Easy Halloween win there for any biscuit-makers that stumble across this.

Overall a win, but not really ideal in a heat-wave so I'll have to buy more once the sun has calmed down a bit.

Shandy Shack Elderflower Lager Top (Co-op) By @SpectreUK

I fancy a shandy. I haven't had one in years. I used to drink sweet lemonade shandy all the time when I was a kid. It just seems difficult to find it in the shops these days.

Shandy made me feel grown up as a kid, with the feel of drinking a little beer with my lemonade. Now I prefer beer, but sometimes I do reminisce for the simpler times.

This Shandy Shack Elderflower Lager Top should go well washing down my calamari and scampi and chips tonight. It is a pilsner lager with a top of elderflower cordial. At 105 calories per can, gluten free and with an ABV of 2.5%, it won't give me a headache for my early start in the morning to Milton Keynes Film and Comic Con.

On opening the can there was a light aroma of elderflower and pilsner. The elderflower cordial was fresh and sweetened the lager shandy, making it very moreish indeed.

Shandy Shack Elderflower Lager Top was a very refreshing drink, and after a very hot day, I could see why the can mentioned simpler times of summers on the village green.

Mokate Classic Matcha Latte (Iceland) By @Cinabar

I spotted these Mokate Classic Matcha Latte sachets in Iceland and decided to pick some up. I enjoy a good matcha latte, but they can be expensive in high street coffee shops, so at just 25p per sachet, these seemed like a bargain.

When I opened the box, I noticed a lot of empty space. It does contain the promised six sachets, but the packaging could easily have been half the size and still held everything comfortably.

I read through the instructions and opted to make a hot version. You can make it cold by blending it with ice, the guide shows an electric hand blender, but since I don’t own one, I stuck with the kettle.

I poured the sachet contents into a smaller mug. It suggests adding just 150ml of water, and I think my mug is closer to 200ml, but I went with it anyway. My usual mug is a beast at 350ml, so I often have to double up on sachets for drinks like this.

I added the hot water and was pleasantly surprised by how easily the drink mixed, no lumps, just a smooth green drink with a nice frothy top, purely from stirring. The flavour was lovely too: that leafy, slightly grassy green tea taste with a touch of bitterness, balanced out with a little sweetness. It was actually quite close to what you'd get from a coffee shop, soothing, slightly creamy, and very enjoyable.

I’d definitely buy these again. In fact, I might even try two sachets in my big mug next time. Even doubled up, it's still a fraction of the price of a Starbucks matcha latte.

FOREVA Dubai Style Pistachio Chocolate [@NLi10]

 Dubai style chocolate is all the rage.  Which is unusual, as it's essentially chocolate coated Baklava 

And it's not usually made in DubVegas but imported - this one from Turkey.

Having the German on the pack inspires confidence - they are selling chocolate to the experts so clearly it's the good stuff

So far - so luxurious.  Clearly designed to survive travel and heat.

And like Dubai itself it's not actually as green as you'd expect.  This is surely just a normal chocolate bar!

All the green is on the inside!  

This is crispy 'bombay mix' style noodles - infused with pistachio and covered in remarkable Lindt-like chocolate.

And it works really well.  It's far too sweet, which I think is the intention, and we shared this one cube on a 30 degree day and were satisfied.

I've put the rest in the fridge to see if that makes the flavours pop a little more, but as it stands it's a very nice luxurious treat.

I'd probably still rather walk to my fresh Baklava shop, but if you don't have access to those on your high-street then this works too. 

7UP Pink Lemonade (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

I haven't had pink lemonade for quite sometime, probably since last summer. 7UP's new summer drink this year is pink lemonade. 7UP is my favourite lemonade to have with rum. Not that this blog is going to be about me trying pink lemonade and rum, that's for after.

7UP Pink Lemonade had a sharp raspberry, lemon and lime aroma. Pink on pouring, this pink lemonade had a very crisp refreshing flavour of raspberries with the traditional lemon and lime flavour of 7UP. It was perfect for a hot summers day like today. Now where did I put my bottle of Captain Morgan's Spiced Gold?

Nesquik Chocoballs Yoghurt (Iceland) By @Cinabar

While searching for new milkshake flavours to try this summer, I did an online grocery shop and used a few key search terms. I looked up Crusha, but only the standard options came up. Then I tried Nesquik. There weren’t any new milkshakes available, but I did spot these Nesquik Chocoballs Yoghurts and added a pack to my basket.

When they arrived, I found there were four yoghurts in the pack. After removing the outer wrap, I noticed all four had a slightly damp patch on the lid in the bottom left corner. The seals didn’t look broken, but I wondered if the yoghurt might have rested on its side during transport or storage. As they were all still sealed and had a long best-before date, I decided to give them a try.

Each yoghurt pot contains a plain yoghurt base with a small section of chocolate cereal balls. I tipped the Chocoballs into the yoghurt and gave it a stir. The yoghurt itself wasn’t too sweet, it had more of a sharp, tangy kick rather than a rich, creamy texture. The Chocoballs were the highlight, adding a nice crunch and a hit of chocolatey sweetness.

They were decent enough yoghurts, but not amazing. Probably healthier than some, due to the lower sugar content, but honestly, I wouldn’t have picked them up if it wasn’t for the Nesquik branding. In the end, they weren’t quite what I was hoping for in terms of a fun new summer flavour.

Kettle Brie and Caramelised Onion (Ocado) By @Cinabar

After really enjoying the Kettle Chips Honey Dijon Mustard crisps recently, I found myself adding another bag to my Ocado order, and spotted this new Brie and Caramelised Onion flavour alongside them. These are part of a range designed by Rachel Khoo, who I vaguely recognised. A quick Google told me she’s a food writer and presenter. I never know who celebrities are!

We opened this bag while sharing snacks, and there was a gentle aroma of cheese and onion, subtle but inviting. The crisps themselves are quite thickly cut, more so than standard ones, but not overly hard or crunchy.

Flavour-wise, they were a bit of a let-down. The onion came through nicely; sharp, tangy, and well balanced, but the cheese missed the mark. I was expecting a bold, creamy hit of Brie, with its distinct edge, but instead got a very mild, generic cheese taste. It wasn’t unpleasant, just underwhelming. If you handed me these blind, I’d have said they were standard cheese and onion.

They’re decent crisps, just not £2.40-a-bag decent. I wouldn’t rush to buy them again, especially when the Honey Dijon Mustard variety is still calling my name. Now that’s a flavour worth stocking up on.

Judi Love is a National Treasure - Braised Beef & Butter Bean Pie [@NLi10]

 My partner picked me up a Judi Love's Braised Beef & Butter Bean Pie on a rare Sainsbury's trip - and even took some photos for me as I was at work!

Much more artistic than my usual snaps

For those not in England, this isn't a lady called Judi who loves pie (although lets face it - we all do) it's a celebrity whose name is Judi Love.  She shows up on things, and comes across as someone genuine and that would be a laugh to hang out with.  If she invited you to dinner you'd go, and you'd make an effort with your dinner gift.

Here is a picture of Judi presumably preparing for an interview.  I'd have said Passport photo, but you aren't allowed to smile in those anymore.  Maybe this is to indicate that she's taking the pie seriously.

So far so good - meat & bean pie.  Not exactly common - but sounds good.  Higgidy always deliver too so this should be good.

And spicy? Yes please!

Raw version

Cooked version - with olives because everything needs olives.

Pie is a little more spacious on the inside than some luxury pies - but no less filling.  The meat is insane quality - I mean this isn't pie meat.  This is more like when my dad makes pies and finely slices steak and top cuts of pork.  Full marks. And the beans are whole too - and have had space and time to soak up the sauce.  

The spice level is more of a two chilli level. I can't give this pie to my sister without her exploding, but for me this is spot on.  Probably more suited to a few potatoes and some winter greens than garlic bread that needed using up - but we will know for next time.

For there shall indeed be a next time.  Hopefully this isn't a limited time thing, and hopefully they got Judi to make a whole range.  She's a great comedian, and now great at getting Higgidy/Sainsbury's to make exciting pies.  A national treasure for sure.

Tayto Smoky Bacon flavour crisps (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

After an afternoon in the sun at a school summer fete, I must admit I didn't fancy a beer tonight. I did fancy bacon and fried egg sandwiches though, which are pretty much the only thing I can cook.

I figured these Tayto Smoky Bacon flavour crisps would go well with the sandwiches. I also had beans with hot sauce added to them in bowl. On opening the bag, there was a smoky bacon aroma from the slightly orange crisps inside. On first crunchy taste, these crisps had a sweet and smoky bacon flavour, which was certainly very moreish indeed, and I really enjoyed them.

Information on the bag; The 25g bag contained 134 calories, with 8.2g of fat, 0.8g of sugar, and 0.4g of salt.

Yazoo Birthday Cake Flavour Milkshake (Tesco) By @Cinabar

I’ve noticed this summer seems a bit thin on the ground for new milkshake flavours compared to last year. I always keep an eye out for fresh, fun varieties, but pickings feel slim. Still, I did spot this Yazoo Birthday Cake Flavour Milkshake, so decided to give it a try.

Last year’s lineup was much more playful, ranging from caramel latte to Flumps marshmallow. This “Birthday Cake” offering had potential, though. On opening the bottle, the aroma was pleasantly sweet,  the sort of comforting vanilla scent that makes you think of a dessert table.

Pouring it out, the texture was reasonably thick without being cloying. When I took a sip, the first flavour to hit me was vanilla, and a lot of it. I enjoy a vanilla milkshake, so that suited me fine, but honestly it reminded me more of custard than birthday cake. There was a definite sweetness, but I couldn’t pick up anything “baked” about it, no hint of sponge, frosting, or sprinkles, which is what I’d expect from a proper birthday cake flavour.

Overall, it tasted like a perfectly nice vanilla milkshake, but not one that’s going to turn heads or bring any wow factor. If Yazoo had labelled it “vanilla custard”, I’d have called that fair.

So it seems the hunt for genuinely new milkshake flavours goes on. Have you come across any exciting, unusual milkshakes this year? Let me know in the comments, I’m always up for trying something a bit different.

gwei.lo Neon Jungle IPA [@NLi10]

 Authentic Hong Kong IPA - but brewed in York so easier to get hold of!

Lots of reasons to pick the can up and read it, including all the cultural links, but essentially it's a very smooth and light drinkable IPA.

Ghost Chap instead of Ghost Ship for a change!

Basic ingredients but lovely flavours.

Reminds me of my favourite Hitachino beers, but a bigger can.  Perfect for hot days, and hot nights.  Will seek out both this brewery and inspiration again.

The Real Pork Company Golden Crunch (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

I'm still slowly building strength with light weights after a fall in a car park a few weeks ago revealed an old break in my wrist, and aggravated my already grumpy knee.

I do like pork crunch for a source of muscle fixing protein, as an alternative to the risk of breaking my teeth on pork scratchings. It's happened before. I have tried many pork crunch on the market, but this is the first bag of The Real Pork Company Golden Crunch I have bought.

As you can see from the photograph, on opening these The Real Pork Company Golden Crunch were fairly small rectangular chunks of pork crunch. On taste these pork crunch were definitely crunchy and fairly salty, but after a few, and I don't know whether it's the hot weather at the moment, but I thought they were a little dry, and I found myself regularly taking a sip of drink to quench my thirst. Still, they were tasty, low in calories and helped to fix my muscles after my workout.

Information on the packet; The 25g bag contained 132 calories, with 7.3g of fat, 16.3g of protein, 0.1g of sugar, and 0.49g of salt.

Dubai Chocolate (Morrisons) By @Cinabar

There’s a massive social media buzz around Dubai Chocolate at the moment. I’ve been tempted to jump on the hype for a while now, but whenever I looked, it was either sold out or going for £12 a bar, and I couldn’t bring myself to pay that, no matter how much I love nuts and chocolate.

Then I spotted this smaller version in Morrisons for just £1.50, so it felt like the perfect chance to finally try it. For anyone wondering, Dubai Chocolate is a milk chocolate bar packed with pistachio and kadayif, which is a kind of shredded filo pastry. It looks a bit odd inside, with its bright green centre and all those fine strands running through it, but that just made me more curious.

And I have to say, it was worth the wait. The pistachio flavour is subtle and nutty, with a touch of salt that pairs perfectly with the creamy milk chocolate. The real magic is in the texture, the kadayif adds a lovely light crunch, giving every bite a bit of interest.

Overall, I’m glad I tried it and would definitely pick one up again for a treat, so long as it doesn’t shoot back up to silly prices.