Hatherwood Porter (Lidl) By @SpectreUK

I have steak pie and mash with veg tonight. I usually go for a stout to wash down my pie, although a Porter also compliments all those beefy flavours.

This Hatherwood Porter should go rather well with my dinner tonight. At 4.5% in volume, it's described as having roasted coffee and sweet toffee flavours, with a slight smokiness as those two dominant flavours collide.

On opening the bottle there was indeed a smoky roasted coffee aroma, with sweetness from the chocolate malt. On taste this almost black Hatherwood Porter, had a strong bitter and lightly smoky roasted coffee flavour to begin with, followed by a mild malted chocolate toffee sweetness into the aftertaste. This Porter was definitely very flavoursome and washed my pie and mash down a treat. Cheers.

Colin The Caterpillar Chocolate Cookies (M&S) By @cinabar

Aside from the name and the packaging, I am not entirely sure how these relate to Colin the Caterpillar. They are chocolatey, yes, but there are no faces or caterpillar shapes involved.

There are seven cookies in the box, and I will be honest, the first impression is not great. Once opened, they are a bit disappointing to look at. The sprinkles are barely visible and the chocolate coating on top is messy rather than decorative. Some cookies have a light coating, others are absolutely smothered, and none of it looks particularly deliberate. If these had turned up on Bake Off, they would definitely have been marked down for lack of neatness.

That said, they are seriously chunky cookies, and once I actually tried one, I very quickly forgave how they looked.

These deliver a proper chocolate overload. The flavour is rich and sweet without being dull, and the chocolate colour coated beans add a satisfying crunch to the texture. The milk chocolate coating may not be tidy, but it is generous, full of flavour, and gives the cookies a definite sense of indulgence.

So no, they are not the prettiest cookies on the shelf, and the Colin branding feels a little loose. But in terms of texture and taste, they absolutely do the job and then some.

Kellogg's Crunchy Nut - HOT HONEY flavour Crunchies [@NLi10]

 It appears to be Honey week for me here at FoodStuffFinds as both the review before this and after this are honey based!  Is hot honey this year's trendy food?  I really hope not.

Here Kellogg's have a Hot Honey version of Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, with a Crunchies version of the flake too.  For once I'm glad this is a limited edition as it's a bit odd.

Would you like your breakfast to be both too sweet, and too spicy - while having none of the trademark Kelloggs consistency of texture?  Well - here you go!

They look interesting enough

And the smell is vaguely similar to cornflakes - but I think this is intended to prank little brothers or sisters as it is terrible.  

The flavour falls off the flakes due to the milk.  the flakes barely require chewing and are far more similar to B&B grade own-brand cereals than Kelloggs itself.  

The flavour is both spicy and bland at the same time, it's very hard to place what is causing the heat - but it's not a pleasant honey & cinnamon as I'd hoped for.  It's just sweet and hot with no real depth to the flavour at all.  Stick to golden grahams and leave this one on the shelf.

I'm genuinely wondering if I'll bother with a 2nd bowl of this or just gift it to a teenager who might find it amusing.

Shortbread Flavoured Tea (M&S) By @SpectreUK

Personally I don't know anyone who doesn't like tea and biscuits. Biscuit tea, however, can sometimes be an acquired taste. There are some I've liked, some I've loved, and some I've not been keen on at all.

This Luxury Gold Shortbread Flavoured Tea was blended from fair trade tea and some flavourings, and was produced for Marks and Spencer's. It's been languishing in the tea cupboard for far too long, been as though I really didn't like the last biscuit tea. Now it's coming up to its best before date, Cinabar and I have forty cups of tea to drink in quick succession. If we like it, of course.

We both decided to have a mug of Shortbread Flavoured Tea each, and compare notes. After brewing for sometime and adding milk, we agreed that this tea does smell like All Butter Shortbread. We then took a tentative sip from our mugs.

Cinabar commented how buttery the flavour was. I'd have to agree with that. There was a lot of sweet butter in the flavour first, followed by biscuity shortbread, and black tea. This Shortbread Flavoured Tea was rather nice, and no need for a biscuit, unless you really need to dunk.

Rowntree’s Randoms Egg-Venture (Morrisons) By @Cinabar

These new Randoms Egg-Venture sweets are the Easter edition of Rowntree’s Randoms. The bag promises new shapes and a few new flavours, with the usual mix of jelly and foam sweets.

I have always liked Randoms. The variety is the whole point, and the shapes are part of the fun. Pouring these out, I was pleased to see the Easter theme come through straight away. There are the expected seasonal shapes like chicks, eggs, and bunnies, alongside more spring inspired ones such as umbrellas and pigs, including an actual “oink” sign. True to Randoms form, there are also some properly odd choices, including a mermaid and a house.

Flavour wise, most of these are familiar fruity notes and they work well. The orange stands out in particular. It is sharp, citrusy, and very moreish, easily my favourite of the mix. One of the new flavours appears in the foam sweets and is biscuit. It sounds interesting, but in reality it is just sweet and creamy and gets a bit lost compared to the fruit flavours. It is not unpleasant, just forgettable. Overall, this is a cute and easy pack of Easter themed sweets. Nothing revolutionary, but a solid seasonal twist on a range that already works well.

Reese’s Big Cup: Easter Spring Sprinkles (Tesco) By @Cinabar

I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, so I usually have some Reese’s in the house. We often pick up one of the big imported bags of individually wrapped cups to have as a snack or a pick me up with coffee.

In previous years, Reese’s have released what is essentially the standard peanut butter cup in seasonal shapes for Christmas or Easter. Think soft tree or egg shapes, but with no real change to the formula.

These Easter Spring Sprinkles Reese’s Big Cups are clearly aimed at the Easter market, although I am not entirely sure how coloured sugar sprinkles fit the theme. When I opened the pack, the Big Cup looked fairly standard, just larger than usual. Once I bit into it, the coloured sprinkles revealed themselves and added a lot of visual appeal, with plenty of colour inside.

The chocolate to peanut butter ratio was heavier on the peanut butter, which I really liked. The sprinkles added some texture and an extra hit of sweetness that worked well for me. I really enjoyed these. They could have done with a few sprinkles on top as well to make them look prettier, but overall I think they are a success.

KFC Hot Honey Drip Meal (burger & wings) [@NLi10]

 I get excited whenever I see a new thing appear at KFC, as the last few have turned out great.  As part of a series of three Honey themed reviews this fits in nicely too.

So - the large box meal was £12 which is insane for a lunch, but I skipped dinner later so that balanced out.

Then they brought over the wrong meal and looked confused that I minded and actually wanted my burger.

Then the burger wasn't exactly the warmest...

Looks pretty good though, just a sweet chilli version of the red-stranger things burger that I enjoyed.

Unfortunately though - this is not it.  The sauce is odd, it's not really adding to anything other than making it harder to eat.  The buns are heading to McDonalds quality so they disintegrate on contact.  The chicken was fine, but I really didn't feel like I got my money's worth - the wings were skimpy, and  coated in the sauce of disappointment.

As my colleague isn't a fan of the spicy mayo I usually get given that to use as a dip, and that's decent (if sub-nandos) but it was more of a sugar glaze than a hot sauce.

I double checked the windows to make sure we hadn't gone to McDonalds by mistake - but no - this is a rare fail from KFC.

Chips decent as usual, and the Lipton tea continues to be a pleasure - but on a cold, cold day I really wanted a nice spicy chicken burger, and for the price I paid I'm sure I could have got one from Nandos.  Ah well.

Snowflake Winter Pale Ale (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

We've had quite heavy snow this week. All around us everything seems to have ground to a halt. I don't usually drive in snow. It's not easy, you have to stay slow and careful, tapping the break if you begin to slide, and there are many drivers out there who cause accidents. I just don't want to put my car and us at risk for a journey that could be done on a different day.

This Snowflake Winter Pale Ale, by Black Sheep, is the last of my winter ales I picked up just before Christmas. I thought I'd keep it until now, because this is the month when we often get snow. We had to miss a toy fair this time last year, but managed to get there this year before the snow began.

This 3.7% in volume winter pale ale is a session beer. With its low alcohol by volume, you should be able to drink one and then make a decent snowman. The label suggests a mix of pale malts, with citrus and fruity hops. I'm hoping this Snowfake will wash down my fish fingers and chips well tonight.

On opening the bottle there was a citrus hop aroma with sweet pale malts. On first taste there was a crisp bitter citrus hop and a little fruitiness, followed by sweet pale malts into the aftertaste. Snowflake went perfectly well with my jumbo fish fingers and chips. This was a lovely warming wholesome beer for this time of year.

Big Night In: Pigs in Blankets Crisps (Iceland) By @Cinabar

This feels like the very last of the post Christmas treats lurking in the cupboard. The mince pies are gone, the yule log has been polished off, I am back at work, and next Christmas feels a very long way off. Still, tonight is movie night, so we are finally opening these Big Night In Pigs in Blankets crisps.

It really is a big night in too, with around five inches of snow outside. If you are reading this from somewhere that is used to snow, you will be surprised to hear that Britain reacts to it with complete disbelief every single time. Everything grinds to a halt, buses and trains give up, and everyone just stays indoors.

The bag is huge, which is just as well as Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery runs for over two hours. The crisps themselves are nice and big without being too thick, and they have a light, satisfying crunch. These are meaty crisps at their best, and I am firmly in the camp of loving meaty flavours.

The taste is salty and very bacon forward, with just a hint of herbs coming through. They are properly moreish too. I will admit I have eaten a fair amount already and we have not even put the film on yet. That feels like a good sign. They are easy to eat, ideal for sharing, and perfect for a cosy night in.

I hope you are all staying warm if you are also dealing with the snow from Storm Goretti.

Kraken Rum Gift Set [@NLi10]

 I dropped Santa the hint that the Kraken Rum gift sets were only £10 before Xmas in Tesco and he delivered!

I don't tend to drink spirits at home these days so I though it'd be a nice change, and give me a distinct glass to leave at a relative's house so I always have one available. 

The little bottles are very cute too - and could easily be re-filled and used decoratively.

The rum is as good as usual, darker than I'd tend to go for and with a hint of spice which complements the Fever Tree colas well.  A decent bargain (each bottle is 2 shots) and easily wrapped to boot.

(gives me an excuse to show off the octopus table matts too) Yarr!

Doom Bar Zero (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

Many people are looking to go on a health kick this time of year. The phrase 'new year, new me' gets bandied around a lot. Maybe you are looking for a non-alcoholic drink for Dry January, or a beer to be able to drive after dinner. You may like the taste of beer, but don't drink booze, or you want to cut your calories.

Whatever the reason, non- alcoholic beers like this Doom Bar Zero Amber Ale might be what you're looking for. Not me, my initial reaction when I picked it out of the Foodstufffinds' beer fridge earlier was, "oh good, it's actually 0% in volume".

I'm planning on having this Doom Bar Zero with my pizza, with fried eggs on top, and a jacket potato covered with beans. Followed closely behind by a few shots of rum and 7UP in a glass, and a big slab of fruitcake. Okay, so I workout all year around.

On opening this Doom Bar Zero there was a light spicy hop aroma, with sweet malted barley. Pouring with a slim head, this deep amber ale had a mild fruitiness from the hops and a light maltiness into the aftertaste. I've definitely tasted stronger non-alcoholic beers in my time.

Pigs In Blankets Cheddar (Asda) By @Cinabar

We are still making our way through the Christmas goodies and recently decided on a proper cheese and biscuits night. While rummaging in the fridge, we were reminded that we had picked up Asda’s Pigs In Blankets Cheddar and figured it was finally time to give it a go.

The cheese comes smartly packaged in pink wax and suggests it serves three. There are only two of us, but we were happy to be a bit greedy. I cut the cheese in half straight through the wax, which I always find peels off quite easily afterwards.

Once unwrapped, the cheese itself looks fairly plain, with no visible bits running through it. It is a standard dark cheddar colour, which initially made me wonder how strong the flavour would be. Thankfully, the taste delivers. The cheddar flavour is clear and well defined, but the meaty pork notes come through nicely too.

Interestingly, I found the flavour leaned more towards sausage than bacon, likely due to a subtle herby background taste. That said, it works really well with the cheese and feels well balanced rather than gimmicky.

Yes, this is very much a seasonal novelty product, but it is one that actually tastes good. Served on buttered crackers, it was thoroughly enjoyable, which is really the most important thing.

Heinz Beanz Pigs in Blankets Edition (Ocado) By @Cinabar

We love pigs in blankets, and this time of year is peak season for them. We had some with Christmas dinner, but they have also featured alongside picky bits, and we even have a couple of trays tucked away in the freezer.

So when we spotted Heinz Beanz Pigs in Blankets Edition while ordering from Ocado, it was an easy choice. These are beans with added pigs in blankets, which feels like a festive crossover made for this time of year. The packaging itself is not especially Christmassy, but it does mention Christmas seasoning, and this is very much a limited edition product.

I was pleased to see that they still cook quickly in the microwave, and we split the can between the two of us. Slightly annoyingly, there were five pigs in blankets in the tin, which meant I ended up with two. Given that Heinz talk about a portion being half a can, six would have made far more sense. It is Christmas, after all.

The sausages are Richmond, so you get that familiar, traditional flavour. There was also a subtle stuffing like taste going on, which I am assuming comes from the added Christmas seasoning. They tasted lovely and were a fun addition to the meal. Being cooked in beans, you do lose the crispiness you would normally get from the bacon if pigs in blankets were cooked on their own, but flavour wise they still worked well.

This is definitely a novelty product. You can buy beans with sausages all year round, so this is not something anyone strictly needs. That said, I would happily buy these again next Christmas for something a bit different and festive.

A Dozen Jaffa Profiteroles - Iceland UK [@NLi10]

 Post New Years there are lots of left over snacks and food presents to be consumed.  We have a freezer full of party foods that we didn't end up needing. Oh dear. I guess movie nights got an upgrade.

As usual most of them are from the UK store Iceland - great for odd things to impress.

Here we have Jaffa Cakes, except instead of cake it's pastry, and frozen, and larger.

The box looks snazzy - the product looks more ordinary.  It also looks like 2 boxes would have been better for sharing as a group. Three is a portion.

They survived well enough though - and defrost in no-time at all.

if you wanted to make them look more exciting then a little icing sugar or sparkly stuff could do that, still - it's an enticing proposition.

And they deliver.  Yes - it's barely chocolate on the outside, but that's not the main event.

The orange is strong and balanced out by the cream which has a good flavour.  The pastry does it's job well enough, and the brown on the outside holds it together.

Small enough to eat in a single bite, you'll want all of your portion. As a light desert and general party food though these are a hit and potentially one to pick up extras for storing once the freezer is a little less full.

Luminous Nights (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

Seems a little strange to blog tonight. I lost my mom early this morning. She had been struggling with dementia these passed few months and is at peace now. I lost my dad in 2017, and my mom has missed him and wanted to be with my dad since his passing.

There is a Super Moon tonight, a full Wolf Moon. A moonchild like me, my mom was born in July. I'd like to think that beautiful full moon, and the sky god Jupiter just beneath are guiding my mom towards my dad tonight. I hope they are together now.

This Luminous Nights is a 7.4% in volume powerhouse Kveik DIPA. This Double India Pale Ale will have a stronger punchier bitterness from the hops, added with Kveik, which is a family of strains of brewing yeast used in Norwegian Farmhouse brewing, should be quite a flavour sensation.

On opening the can there were very strong tropical and citrus notes of peach, mandarin and orange from the hops. This hazy DIPA has an almost face twisting tropical fruity bitterness from the hops, smoothed out into the aftertaste by creamy sweet malted barley and wheat.

Wow, Luminous Nights definitely lit up the nights sky for me. Cheers to the full moon, the sky god, and my mom and dad. My heart is a little sore tonight, I will always love them, and remember them well.

Mallow and Marsh Coconut (Tesco) By @Cinabar

I found this lovely marshmallow bar tucked away in our stash of Christmas goodies, although I am fairly sure it was originally picked up at Tesco.

It is a substantial looking bar, made up of coconut flavoured marshmallow coated in milk chocolate. Straight away, it got me thinking about Bounty, which seems to be a proper Marmite option in Celebrations. Some people love it, others absolutely cannot stand it. Curious, I once tried to get to the bottom of why, and from a very small and unscientific study of work colleagues, it appeared the issue was more about texture than taste.

This bar is interesting because while it delivers coconut flavour, it avoids the shredded coconut texture altogether. Instead, you get a fluffy marshmallow centre. For anyone who dislikes Bounty purely because of the chew, this could be a game changer. Once opened, the bar is a decent size with a thin coating of milk chocolate. The whole bar comes in at 139 calories, which is fairly low for a chocolatey snack like this.

Taste wise, it really delivers. The flavour is sweet and creamy, with the coconut shining through nicely. The chocolate is mild, as you would expect from a thin coating, but it is pleasant and cracks nicely when you bite into it. The marshmallow itself has a great texture, soft and squishy while still feeling substantial rather than insubstantial or foamy.

This is a genuinely lovely bar. Great flavour, good texture, and very moreish. It might just be the bar that convinces Bounty sceptics that coconut deserves another chance.

Tesco Finest - Winter Cranberry Pork Pie - proper Christmas Treat [@Nli10]

Ah Christmas.  My family take the same view as me in that it's a time for buying the slightly better versions of things - so on Xmas day proper we sat down to this beast of a pork pie and it was great.  The end.

Except they still had them in the supermarkets in between Yuletide and New Year so we bought another to tempt our 98 year old Nanna into having a few more vitamins than usual.  And it worked.

Both the topping and the pastry are glorious, and even the jelly layer is high quality.

I suppose the meat must be too - but I'm used to my dad's home made pies with all kinds of fruit and decent cuts of meat inside so this is still a little tame.  

Overall though well worth the festive double dip and I think I've still got a quarter to finish today with my NY Day leftovers plate.  Huzzah!