Bonne Maman Pear and Chocolate Mousse (Ocado) By @Cinabar

Today I fancied a bit of a chocolatey treat after lunch and decided to pick a Bonne Maman Pear and Chocolate Mousse from the fridge. I think pear is one of those flavours that is underrepresented in desserts, and this reminded me of a dessert my mum used to make called Pears Belle Hélène, which combines poached pear, ice cream and hot chocolate sauce. It definitely deserves to come back into fashion.

This is a much simpler affair, consisting of a creamy pear mousse topped with a layer of chocolate sauce. When I opened the pot, I could see it had been shaken up a bit during the online grocery delivery, so the layers were not quite as neat as intended.

I tried the chocolate sauce first. It was pleasant, with plenty of chocolate flavour and a good level of sweetness. Then I sampled the pear mousse, which had a mild, lightly sweet and refreshing pear taste. There were pear pieces too for texture. Combined with the chocolate sauce the pear mousse gained a little extra sweetness and the two flavours worked well together.

It made for a nice lunchtime treat, although it definitely left me craving a proper Pears Belle Hélène. Perhaps that's a project for the weekend.

KFC Summer - New Upgrades to Meals, Dirty Chips & Kwench Krush [@NLi10]

 We had a late lunch this week - and a movie at 4pm so dinner would be late - so I went larger than large and had a full box meal.  What have I let myself in for!

It doesn't look so bad here.

But - I upgraded the fries to 'dirty loaded' and the drink to 'Krush' which is essentially a bubble tea pop thing

The important detail here is that it's 1566 Kcal, which is generally considered a large lunch.

And nearly £15 which is officially too much for fast food lunch.

I'm a fan of the 'Supercharger' dip which I usually get donated by my friend too, but here I had my own - and the chips had three colours of sauce - but also oddly popcorn chicken too.

I added in my own popcorn chicken from the meal to use all the sauce and dipped in the one solo fillet you get too.  I even had a little tub of beans to eat with them. This part of the meal was a hit - even the sadness of popcorn chicken couldn't ruin these wonderfully saucy fries.  This was the highlight - get this £2 upgrade and ignore all previous instructions.  They are £4 solo, the charger dip is 60p and small beans is a mad £2.

The cherry refresh Krush has a lovely flavour with the lemonade base, and the popping bits were decent quality - and then - it was gone!

You can't tell that well here, but the cup was 60% ice.  And not crushed ice like a slush puppy, but hard solid useless ice.  Your large drink is actually a small cup.  And with a saucy salty meal - that's not enough.  Luckily I had some water with me but for £1.50 extra on top of a normal drink this is a mugging in fruit form.  Stick to the Lipton tea options and hold the ice.  Actually - I wonder if you can hold the ice on a solo order of this and actually get a drink?  Just checked on the app - sadly no.  

Oddly these are only 10p more than the large drinks in the solo app, so the upgrade prices of 1.50 must be vs the regular size one.  It's still a £1 upgrade on the large which is evil.

After finishing all the sides I eventually made it to the sad burger, who hadn't had any innovations so was merely fine.  Honestly - I didn't need it but ate it anyway as it was there.

Overall then - I think you could build your own meal quite successfully without it costing £15.  You'd want some kind of wrap or fillet & dip, and the Dirty Fries and a drink that isn't a solid.  Even that version of the Twister Wrap box meal comes out at £12 though!  Without the beans and bonus fillet it's £10 and a more reasonable 1000 Kcal...  

Outland West Coast IPA (Tesco) By @SpectreUK

Pizza night tonight. I hadn’t been all that keen on pizza for sometime, after they took Carne Amanti off the menu at Pizza Hut. However, we now have something meaty, sharing half a pizza each, with a fried egg on each quarter and a jacket potato with beans and cheese on top.

I like a beer with my tasty pizza meal. So, I thought I’d try this Outland West Coast IPA from Hall & Woodhouse, in Dorset. This 5% in volume India Pale Ale has Amarillo, Cascade and Mosaic hops for a citrus bitterness with all those Pale malts.

There was a citrus hop aroma on opening the can, followed by sweet malted barley. This deep bronze, almost brown IPA had a flavoursome sweet biscuit Pale malty goodness throughout its taste, with an initial citrus bite, followed by warming spice and hints of pine, and a little earthiness into the aftertaste. Yum. Perfect with my pizza dinner.

Walkers Max Portuguese Chorizo & Onion (Ocado) By @Cinabar

Here we have another flavour from Walkers' FIFA range celebrating tastes from around the world. This one is inspired by Portugal, specifically chorizo and onion.

As soon as I opened the bag, I was greeted by a lovely meaty aroma that reminded me of salami. We poured some into a bowl to share while watching Netflix, as we're still a little early for the World Cup itself. The crisps are ridged, which means they hold plenty of flavour in all those grooves.

I gave one a try and was impressed. You can really pick up the meaty chorizo flavour, complete with a nice smoky taste and a gentle hint of spice. The onion adds a slight sharpness that works well alongside the richness of the chorizo. Overall, these are very tasty, easy-to-eat crisps.

My first experience of the Walkers World Cup inspired flavours was the Walkers Wavy Spanish Queso Crisps, and those absolutely blew my mind. They were the cheesiest crisps I have ever eaten, packed with flavour and then some. So when I opened these Walkers Max Portuguese Chorizo & Onion crisps, I assumed the seasoning levels would be just as intense and that they too would deliver a full-on flavour overload. They don't quite reach those heights. The flavour is well done and they are certainly tasty, but I was hoping for a little more punch. To be honest, I could happily have handled double the seasoning.

Twinings Refresh Juicy Raspberry Lemonade with Hibiscus (Ocado) By @Cinabar

I have had quite a day, mainly trawling around two different cities completing, or attempting to complete, a lengthy list of chores. We hit traffic and had a couple of failures along the way, but thankfully managed to get most of what needed doing done.

Once home, I was looking forward to a refreshing drink and a sit down when I remembered this can of Twinings Refresh Juicy Raspberry Lemonade with Hibiscus waiting in the fridge. Fizzy iced tea sounded perfect.

The can is on the smaller side, but it states that it contains added vitamins and minerals to support mind and spirit. I'm not sure vitamins and minerals work quite that quickly, but I'm more than willing to give them a try.

There is a gentle fizz when you open the can, but this isn't strongly carbonated like a can of pop. It's more of a lightly sparkling drink, which works well with the iced tea style. The flavour is very refreshing. It isn't overly sweet, but the fruity raspberry gives it a lovely boost, while the tea and lemon add a sophisticated, grown-up feel. There is also a subtle floral note from the hibiscus.

Overall, this is a well-balanced and mature-tasting drink that was exactly what I needed after a long day.

Cheltenham is a lovely place to eat! Kibou & Huffkins [@NLi10]

 We had a day out in Cheltenham yesterday for the Science festival - but you don't care about that part - what did we eat?!

First up before talk one we had a coffee and a cake at the lovely Huffkins on what I think of as the main road - it leads from the festival to the high-street and has two huge bookshops on it.

It also looks very English - especially if there is drizzle.

Partner had a carrot cake, but I had a double raspberry éclair.  Decadance.

Cut open, not piped while hot so the bake-off judges would be knocking off points, but the flavours and textures would win them back around.  Not too sweet, and not too fruity.

Between talks 2 & 3 we had a two hour slot for a proper look in the bookshops (and dinner) and I chose a Japanese place we've not spotted in other years called Kibou, purely on the wonderful aromas and lovely atmosphere.

Turns out they had the beer I like most

The perfect pairing of brewed liquids. Hitachino and Kikkoman!

I had the pork mazeudon and it was awesome.  Everything was exactly how you'd want it - melting pork, firm fresh udon noodles and a good mix of veggies and seeds/flakes to add texture.  I could eat here every day and not get bored.

We didn't have space for desert but the green tea crème Brule sounded amazing so plans are already in place to return.

We sat at the bar seating which added to our salary man vibes as we ate and ran to the final talk about genetics.  Despite the lovely beer I managed to not fall asleep too.

And there are so many other little independent eateries around I think we could have done all three days of the festival only eating in 5/5 places with no repeats.

Lucky Saint Lime & Sea Salt Lager (Ocado) By @SpectreUK

I have seen a mixture of lime and salt added to the rim of Tequila shot glasses. Apparently lime and salt are also paired with some Mexican beers. I guess that’s where Lucky Saint came up with the idea of their 0.5% in volume Lime & Sea Salt Lager.

Lime and salt are used to balance Tequila’s bite, enhance its flavour, and replenish electrolytes. Low in sugar, this Lucky Saint Lime & Sea Salt Lager has added sodium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin C. All good for our daily diet. The electrolytes are especially good for me, as I can suffer from dehydration if I don’t drink enough water.

On opening the can there was a lime aroma from the lager inside. On pouring this Lucky Saint Lime & Sea Salt Lager, there was a slight haze to this cheerfully bubbly straw gold beer.

On taste there was a sharp lime bite followed by a saltiness that did make me a little thirsty. This is a drink that makes you go back to quench your thirst. It made me think of the salted peanuts that used to be complimentary on many bars. They stopped doing that when they realised how many people don’t wash their hands when they go to the loo. That keep coming back for more beer, but not necessarily for the right reasons.

Oreo Birthday Party (Ocado) By @Cinabar

I love an excuse to buy Oreos, and this new variety won me over even though it isn't my birthday, or even my birthday month. I spotted these Oreo Birthday Party biscuits and added them straight to my Ocado basket.

As happens to me quite often, I put things in an online basket thinking I know exactly what I've bought, without fully reading the description. That was certainly the case here. I assumed they would be birthday cake flavoured, perhaps with notes of vanilla sponge, jam and buttercream. They are actually caramel flavoured, although they do contain birthday sprinkles within the filling. Unfortunately, the sprinkles are quite hard to see unless you prise the two biscuit halves apart.

The biscuits may not look very different from standard Oreos, but the caramel aroma is immediately noticeable when you open the pack. They are very much like regular Oreos, but that twist of caramel makes them even sweeter than the original version.

They are certainly tasty and paired well with a coffee, but they were not quite as exciting as the name "Oreo Birthday Party" had led me to expect. It is a shame that even the colourful sprinkles feel a little hidden away. A fun variation on the classic Oreo, but perhaps not quite the celebration I was hoping for.

Pasquier Beignets - Choc & Hazelnut [@NLi10]

 While looking for enticing snacks for the Grandmother I spotted these little Beignets - or mini doughnuts (petits doughs).  You get 6 in a bag and they are all individually sealed for freshness.

And as usual they are very French

And it's a lovely little magic bag

The little doughnuts look quite classy

The outer is very soft and inviting, and the inners are all very luxurious.  I think these are certainly snack size - 2 is the right amount but I resisted.

There is a red variety of these too, which means if nanna actually eats them then we can get more.

Savoursmiths Desert Salt and Black Pepper Flavour Potato Crisps (Ocado) By @SpectreUK

Salt and Black Pepper is one of my favourite flavours of crisps. They go with pretty much any sandwich, cheese and cold meets meal, or just for a snack with a beer, or a cup of tea.

I tried these Savoursmiths Desert Salt and Black Pepper Flavour Potato Crisps with a Moussaka and veg, instead of French Bread as the store had run out. I’m a bit obsessed with French Bread, as it too goes with so many meals itself, from Spagbol, lasagne, cheese meals, Moussaka, picky-bits, and even a good curry.

On opening the packet there was a salt and peppery aroma from the crisps inside. These crunchy Desert Salt and Black Pepper Flavour Potato Crisps had a sweetness from the salt I hadn’t experienced before.

Usually salt and pepper crisps are sea salt. The desert salt seems to have a slightly sweet taste to it. After this sweet saltiness came the spicy warmth of black pepper. These Desert Salt and Black Pepper Flavour Potato Crisps were very moreish, and complimented my Moussaka and veg very well indeed.

Information on the 150g bag; Per 100g there were 501 calories, with 27g of fat, 1.3g of sugar, and 1.20g of salt. Gluten free and Vegan friendly, please see photograph for the ingredients.

Mr Kipling 4 Cookies and Cream Whirls (Ocado) By @Cinabar

We are big fans of Mr Kipling products and always keep an eye out for any new flavours or twists on their classic treats. These new Cookies and Cream Whirls immediately caught our attention. They are clearly inspired by the brand's popular Viennese Whirls, but with a chocolatey cookies and cream makeover.

Inside the box are four dark cocoa-coloured whirls sandwiched together with a pale cream filling, creating an attractive contrast. They sit somewhere between a biscuit and a cake, sharing characteristics of both. Whatever category they belong in, they certainly look appealing. Getting one out of the tray required a little care as they are extremely crumbly. Mine shed plenty of crumbs before reaching the tasting stage, although it managed to stay mostly intact.

The dark cocoa appearance led me to expect a rich chocolate flavour, but that wasn't really the case. Instead, the overall taste is quite mild. There is a gentle chocolate note, a hint of cookie flavour and a simple vanilla style cream filling in the centre. Even the buttery richness often associated with Viennese Whirls is fairly subdued, with the cocoa flavour taking centre stage, albeit in a restrained way. These are perfectly pleasant to eat and the texture is nicely crumbly, but I couldn't help feeling they missed an opportunity. Given their striking appearance, I was expecting something bolder and more indulgent. A stronger chocolate flavour or a more distinctive cookies and cream filling would have made them much more memorable.

Overall, these are enjoyable enough if you're looking for a light sweet treat, but they don't quite deliver the rich cookies and cream experience their appearance promises.

Ülker Metro Mini (Home Bargains) – Review by @Cinabar

I do love a wander around discount shops for imported treats you just would not normally come across. These Ülker Metro Mini bars definitely caught my eye, even though we had originally gone in for something as exciting as toiletries. That is the magic of bargain stores though, you go in for one thing and somehow leave with a basket full of things you did not know you needed.

These little bars are imported from Turkey and are essentially mini versions of a familiar style of chocolate bar. Each one contains soft nougat, caramel, and milk chocolate, all neatly packaged into small individually wrapped pieces. They really are mini as well. When I opened the packet I was surprised by just how tiny they are, but in a cute, snackable way rather than disappointing.

Taste wise, they are very pleasant. The caramel and nougat flavour comes through nicely, and the chocolate is sweet and smooth. The texture is quite soft and a little sticky, which works well for this kind of treat, although I think I would personally prefer them to have a slightly firmer bite. That is just my preference though, and it does not take away from the overall enjoyment.

One thing I do really like is that they are individually wrapped. It makes them perfect for sharing, especially if you put a bowl out when friends are over or during a film night. They are the kind of sweet you can just graze on without thinking too much about it.

I would happily pick these up again. They are simple, easy-going little treats that work well for snacking, and they feel like a fun find from the bargain aisle rather than something you would normally go looking for.