Limited Edition Ritter Sport - Pistachio (Asda) By @Cinabar

Pistachio seems to be having a bit of a moment, it’s the flavour of the year, riding the wave of that pistachio-obsessed Dubai trend. I’ve tried a few pistachio-inspired treats recently, and while the Angel Hair chocolate wasn’t quite for me, I’m still a firm believer that nuts and chocolate are usually a winning combo.

This Ritter Sport Pistachio bar feels like a much simpler offering, and all the better for it. I snapped off a strip, and could immediately see it was generously packed with chopped pistachios.

The milk chocolate is smooth, sweet, and has that lovely creamy cocoa taste Ritter Sport does so well. What really makes this bar stand out, though, is the texture, loads of crunchy nut pieces throughout and the clever balance of flavours. There’s a hint of salt with the nuts, adding a subtle savoury edge that really makes the sweetness pop.

Honestly, I might finally be warming to the pistachio craze. This bar was absolutely delicious, satisfying, snackable, and one I’ll be picking up again before it vanishes off the shelves.

VIELE Angel Hair Strawberry Flavour Chocolate (Morrisons) By @Cinabar

The Morrisons website now features a label on some items that reads ‘As Seen On Social’, and that’s exactly what caught my eye with this: VIELE Angel Hair Strawberry Flavour Chocolate. Pistachio is having a moment right now and has become a major trend, largely thanks to the popularity of Dubai chocolate on social media. We’ve tried the odd product, but honestly, much of it is so expensive that it can be off-putting. Even this small bar of VIELE Angel Hair cost £5, which is more than some high-end bars.

When it arrived, I took a proper look at the packaging and ingredients. Inside is a pistachio cream, candy floss (aka cotton candy), and a Milky Cocolin coating. I had to look that last one up, it’s a type of chocolate made with other fats instead of or with cocoa butter. Odd, and not something I’ve come across before.

The bar was packaged in a cardboard pull-out tray and wrapped, though not sealed, in gold foil. It smelled strongly of strawberry and was thick and chunky, with a hint of green showing through. Although the pieces were marked out, it looked tricky to break, so I gave in and used a knife. The bar is hairy inside, with visible strands of candy floss poking out.

I gave it a try, and I genuinely don’t know how to describe what I tasted. There was strawberry, then a strange aftertaste, presumably pistachio, with salt, but also something woody, slightly sweet, and almost menthol-like. It reminded me a bit of pine. Apart from making it difficult to cut, the candy floss was too soft to affect the texture. I’m sorry, but I just didn’t get it. The only reason I went back for another bite was to try and figure out why it tasted so weird.

Green on Toast? I Siciliani Pistachio Crunchy Cream [@NLi10]

 My sister got me some Pistachio themed birthday presents - including this green spread!

As it's a variation on nut butter (I have almond and others at home to go with peanut butter) I figured I'd pop it on some muffins

The fact they are calling it a nut cream instead of butter should have been a give away! This is for spreading on cakes and deserts.

It does look interesting... but the smell is fantastic - this would be great on baklava

And yeah - this would be perfect on a chocolate muffin, but a bread muffin is the wrong place to put it.

It worked though - a bit fragrant, and a strange texture when warmed, but really tasty and certainly a novel experience.

 

Influencer Bait at Home! Tesco Finest Pistachio & Raspberry Tarts [@NLi10]

 Sometimes you know food is meant to be admired and photographed rather than eaten - like this beautiful Tesco Finest Pistachio & Raspberry Tart.

Rather than being in a cafe and stretching towards the £5 mark - these are in Tesco's!

...and £2.66 in the last minute buys section. What a result!

While the packaging and design is luxury there is actually a lot going on here too - and there are layers within the tart.  I'd have sprinkled some pistachio on top too, but as it stands this is an awesome flavour punch.  Very reminiscent of the Patisserie Valerie high-st high-end café chain.

It truly is café grade at home, and made a lovely change from the basic snacks and puddings.  As a treat mind - I don't think you could sit and eat through one a day.

I look forwards to seeing what else is in the summer treats range.

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. 

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.

Poppies Macarons (from Home Bargains) [@NLi10]

 We picked up a few things from Home Bargains for a eurovision party - the host has bunnies so we picked up the lovely apple & banana stix for them - and a frozen box of Macarons for us!

They are in the freezer section which means they are perfectly fresh and in tact when you get them home, and 30 mins later they are ready to consume.  This really does feel like the perfect way to sample them.

The flavours are Vanilla, Lemon, Caramel, Chocolate, Raspberry & Pistachio and you get two of each - so a dozen for £2.89 which feels reasonable.

They are well packaged too so a good thing to present to a host of a party!

Poppy wasn't allowed to have one, even thought they do look a bit like dog treats.

The lemon one had a good flavour and was very fresh, the raspberry one was fruiter and very nice.

I'll have to try the rest next time!

What was I drinking? Summery IPAs!  This first one bordered on a sour - and as a split can was a nice size

You could totally taste the fruits!

This tropical one in comparison had none of the fruity sharpness, but the beer itself was more smooth and drinkable.  Our host loved this one so I might have to nab a few to donate.  It's Vocation which we are already big fans of from holidays in Cornwall.

Sainsbury's Pistachio Tiramisu [@NLi10]

 We love puddings, so when the supermarket is near closing and clearly isn't going to sell all of the reduced but exciting puddings on offer it feels rude not to try a new one.

As it's Eurovision week TV puddings are especially welcome - this Pistachio Tiramisu is a little alcoholic but a lot tempting

It looks much better like this

And it's a pain to serve so doesn't look great in the bowl - maybe a fish slice required not a serving spoon!

The taste is great, there isn't enough coffee and the alcohol is a bit fumy (probably better after it's sat for a bit) but it's got a lovely mix of flavours and textures and is something I'd try again.

Does feel like it needs a sauce pouring over the top to elevate it - but I'm already planning seconds tonight!

Pistachio Velvet Latte (Starbucks) By @Cinabar

I have a feeling this Starbucks Pistachio Velvet Latte is going to be a very popular drink. When I ordered mine, the barista behind the counter immediately put up a "sold out" sticker for the pistachio drinks. I double-checked, and they confirmed I had snagged the last one—the syrup, which was meant to last their entire campaign, had already run out halfway through. I was just in time!

The drink consists of a hot espresso, white chocolate pistachio syrup, and oat milk, topped with a cold milk foam flavoured with pistachio. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about cold foam on a hot drink, but I’d committed to it, so I went with it.

When it arrived, I loved the pale green swirl peeking through the foam, it looked awesome. My first sip was tepid, which was disappointing, but the flavour was sweet, nutty, and milky. Thankfully, as I drank further down, the temperature improved, and the white chocolate and pistachio notes really shone through. The flavours were well balanced, with a lovely nutty creaminess that complemented the coffee perfectly. The drink was also thicker than a regular latte, giving it a luxurious feel, and I really enjoyed it.

Pistachio is shaping up to be one of the big trend flavours for 2025, so I’m intrigued to see what other products emerge throughout the year.

Yorkshire Tea Caramelised Biscuit Brew (Ocado) By @SpectreUK

I do like a good mug of tea. I drink a lot of tea whilst working out at home. Yorkshire Tea makes a good strong builder's brew, especially as I have a habit of leaving the teabag in my mug for as long as possible.

One thing I do really like are biscuits for pudding at night whilst watching the TV or part of a movie. Yorkshire Biscuit Tea has a way of complementing other biscuits whilst washing them down, or keeping a sweet-toothed hungry mind going during exercise.

I have tried quite a few different biscuit teas now. I'm hoping this new Yorkshire Tea Caramelised Biscuit Brew will also keep my sweet-toothed hungry mind going. It's made with black tea and natural ingredients. A tea with a reminder of continental lightly spiced caramelised biscuits such as Lotus Biscoff. This should be a good addition to my selection of teas in the tea and coffee cupboard.

On smell there was a sweet caramel lightly spiced biscuit aroma from the teabag. Once brewed the milky black tea smelt much the same, not so strong as the bag though. After a crisp sandwich and a Soreen bar for lunch, I hoped this Yorkshire Tea Caramelised Biscuit Brew would be a sweet treat without extra calories before continuing with my afternoon workout.

On taste Yorkshire Tea Caramelised Biscuit Brew tastes of sweet caramelised caramel to begin with, a lightly spiced biscuit flavour followed, but only mild, merging with the black tea into the aftertaste. This was certainly a sweet treat of a mug of tea. I'll look forward to the rest of the box. However, I do prefer the original Yorkshire Biscuit Tea over this one by comparison. It's all about the biscuit flavour for me.

Nescafe Vanilla Cookie Dough Latte (Morrisons) By @Cinabar

Another grocery trip brings with it another exciting variety of coffee. This has been a fantastic year for new flavoured instant coffees, and I’m not complaining. I've had the pleasure of trying all sorts of interesting flavours, and the Nescafe Vanilla Cookie Dough Latte is my latest find.

As usual with these sachets, I followed the instructions meticulously. One part of the process still puzzles me: after stirring, waiting twenty seconds, stirring again, you are supposed to tap the mug. I always do this because the instructions say so, but I can’t quite understand how this step contributes to making the drink creamier. It says it does, bu tI don’t get it.

Nevertheless, once prepared, and after all the instructions were followed I gave it a try. The drink was sweet, but not overly so, and it had a creamy texture. There was a delightful vanilla tone throughout, which complemented the coffee beautifully. Although I couldn’t distinctly identify the cookie dough flavour part, it was undoubtedly a good flavour and made for a lovely afternoon pick me up. The creaminess and sweetness of the drink were well-balanced, making it a satisfying and enjoyable drink.

Nescafe Quality Street Green Triangle Mocha (Morrisons) By @Cinabar

Here we have another product that has what I think is a Christmas twist: Nescafe Quality Street Green Triangle Mocha. I think it is because we probably only buy one tub of Quality Street a year, and it is for sharing during the festive season. As a chocolate nut lover, my favourites in the tub are the purple ones and the green triangles, so this drink really appealed.

 

On a day with roasting hot weather, we should be having iced drinks, but I fired up the kettle to make a mug of Nescafe Quality Street Green Triangle Mocha. I added the sachet to my mug and followed the instructions. I added hot water and stirred. Then I waited 20 seconds and stirred again. I also followed the slightly weird instruction of tapping the mug on the surface. I don’t really know what this does, but it was simple enough to do. Thankfully, the drink mixed up nicely without lumps either.

I gave the drink a sip and have to say I was super impressed by the flavour. There was a nice coffee base, and then there were lovely rich tones of chocolate and hazelnut. It was sweet, well balanced, and soothing, like a melting chocolate. I know I’m biassed about chocolate nut flavours, but my word, this drink was gorgeous. A hazelnut coffee delight, I didn’t even mind having a hot drink made on the hottest day of the year so far; it was that level of good. 

Mr. Kipling Strawberries and Cream Fancies (Morrisons) By @Cinabar

We are officially in Wimbledon season; the tennis is on, and that means the classic Wimbledon dessert of strawberries and cream is now in fashion too. One of Mr. Kipling's new summer cakes are these Strawberries and Cream Fancies, based on the fondant fancy cake with a twist of strawberry. If you haven’t had this type of cake before, it is a square of sponge, a dollop of soft fondant, and covered in icing. I have had these cakes throughout my life, and as is the case with many things from childhood, I’m convinced they used to be bigger.

 

Inside the box are eight small cakes, and each one is in an individual paper case. These ones are a lovely pink colour, and I immediately picked up on the fruit aroma. I bit in, and there was a yummy blast of sweetness and plenty of strawberry flavour. The sponge square is lovely and moist, and the dollop of fondant makes the texture good too. These are sweet, and they went perfectly with a cup of tea, especially with the tennis in the background. It was so nice to have a summery treat. I just wish the weather would brighten up a bit too. 

Um Bongo Tropical Drink - It's back! (Iceland) By @Cinabar

People of a certain age reading this blog are about to go all nostalgic for this Um Bongo drink. It was a staple of my childhood, then it disappeared. I can remember the television advertising and most of the words and tune even though it was from several decades ago. Um Bongo Um Bong, they drink it in the Congo. 

Um Bongo has a bit of a patchy history since then; it has had temporary reappearances and then sadly got discontinued again and again. It is now back and available in Iceland, and I would suggest getting this while you can if you are a fan. If you are new to Um Bongo, give it a try and find out what all the fuss is about. Um Bongo is a mix of many tropical fruits and has a distinctive flavour, which for me is mainly pineapple, but with a lovely mix of mango, passion fruit, and mandarin too. I gave the drink a try, and it did taste like I remembered, refreshing and super fruity. It is like a liquidised tropical fruit salad, and I know the nostalgia helps with my enjoyment too. 

Reading the ingredients label, I could see that the ingredients include sucrose, an artificial sweetener, which I’m guessing used to be sugar in the old version, but with sugar taxes, etc., I’m not surprised if this is a switch. I still loved it, and I will go back for more (while it is still available). 

Angel Delight Butterscotch flavour ice cream dipped in milk chocolate (Iceland) By @SpectreUK

After all the rain for the last six months or more, we seem to be having a hot spell here. What could be better than a choc-ice in hot weather? Well Angel Delight may have gone one better with this new butterscotch flavour ice cream dipped in milk chocolate. Knowing my favourite Angel Delight flavour is butterscotch, Cinabar let me write the blog for this one. She also told me a fascinating fact that Sean Connery invented the choc-ice with a stick.

As you can see from the photographs, on opening the wrapper there was a slim milk chocolate coated choc-ice with a stick, courtesy of the first James Bond. On biting in and trying not to lose any crunchy chocolate, there was a soft mallowish butterscotch ice cream inside. Perfect together, the milk chocolate complimented the Angel Delight butterscotch flavour in a moreish refreshingly naughty but rather delightful fashion. Yum. Just what I needed on a hot sunny afternoon.

Information on the box; The 3 x choc-ices in the box have 215 calories in each one, with 13.4g of fat, 20.7g of sugar and 0.07g of salt. Please see photograph for the ingredients.

McVities Iced Gems Candy Floss Limited Edition (Iceland) By @Cinabar

I think I might have been around eight years old when I last had Iced Gems. I remember the cute little biscuits with a dollop of solid icing from my childhood. I specifically remember having a bag of them as an after-school treat, but I just don’t remember buying any in adulthood. I do remember the flavour though, the sweet, sugary goodness and crunchy biscuit. What prompted me to buy them again after all this time was the inevitable ‘limited edition’ label that lured me in, and what an interesting new flavour. Here we have McVities Iced Gems Candy Floss Limited Edition.

Inside the pack are 5 mini packs for a portion-controlled snack. Inside the bag, they do look the same; some had pink and some had blue icing on top, and some had the icing fall off. The aroma was slightly different; it had a much stronger, sugary scent, unless my memory was playing tricks on me.

I gave one a try, and the nostalgic crunch was all there. I could remember the crispy icing, and it took me back to childhood. The flavour is as sugary as you would expect, but there is also a slightly burnt sugar taste, the candy floss element. There was enough of the original flavour for it to bring back the memories, but the twist of candy floss was there, and it worked too. I absolutely loved eating Little Gems again, and this McVities Iced Gems Candy Floss Limited Edition was so nice. They also made me feel like a giant with these tiny biscuits. I will try and pick them up more regularly now as an afternoon snack; they are too good to leave it so long before having them again. 

Heinz Tomato Ketchup Smokey Bacon Flavour (Iceland) By @Cinabar

Heinz has been bringing out quite a lot of new sauces recently, but mostly they have been flavoured mayonnaises. We had Heinz MayoMust, which is mayonnaise with mustard. That was nice on ham sandwiches, but not something I went out to buy a second bottle of. Ketchup is their classic product, so I’m rather hoping that this Heinz Tomato Ketchup Smokey Bacon Flavour works well. This is a sauce that I hope when I taste it I think I hope this hangs around on the shelves.

Tonight for our dinner, we have Southern Fried Chicken and chips, the homemade kind rather than the takeaway kind. With this, we would normally have a spicy sauce to dip in, but I was looking forward to trying this as an alternative. The flavour worked really well with this meal. The ketchup is sweet with the tomatoes, but the smoky taste just works so nicely with it. There is a meatiness too, and I found myself making sure I got every last drop with my last chip. I hadn’t expected to love this as much as I did, but I’m so glad it worked as well as it did. This Heinz Tomato Ketchup Smokey Bacon Flavour is one that I want to buy again, and I will be going back for another bottle.