Costa Coffee Barista Creations Maple Hazel Latte (Iceland) By @Cinabar

It feels like autumn is creeping in, and this new box of Costa Coffee Barista Creations Maple Hazel Latte sachets couldn’t look more seasonal if it tried. I love autumn, so I was excited to give these a go.

When I opened the box, the first thing I noticed was the amount of air in there. The packaging looks like it could easily fit eight sachets, but inside there were only five. It felt a little disappointing before I’d even made a cup.

I put one sachet in a mug, added hot water, and it dissolved straight away. No lumps, just a nice frothy top, which looked very inviting. The flavour was spot on. The maple added a gentle sweetness, and the hazelnut brought a warm, nutty edge. Together they made a very moreish drink that really suited the season. I enjoyed every sip, I just wish Costa had been a bit more generous with the sachets.

Exhale Medium Roast - healthy Coffee by post [@NLi10]

I get a lot of adverts for food and drinks - I buy the odd one so this just encourages them.  One I've had my eye on for a long time is this Exhale Coffee.  I had an initial  stash of filter coffee after Costa Rica and have been trying a few smaller companies versions to see what I like.

And as a bonus - this was free (not just for me - it's a standard thing in the UK - go ahead!) and fits through the letterbox

This is the first that has focused on it's health and not the luxurious flavours

And it's all very eco too

I decided to use my dripper from the last coffee company I used with some astonishingly white replacement filters I got at the supermarket.

I think I need to try the cafetière - but washing those is a pain - and this works well for most coffees.

And I went for almond on the first cup, and dairy milk for the second.  Tomorrow I will try it black - but in the trial pack I think I get maybe 4 or 5 cups which is certainly fair for free.

I liked the flavour and it's certainly a good coffee for focus and a clear head - and I didn't get huge caffeine crashes which was an issue with some of the more typical supermarket brands.

I've moved my subscription forwards so that I have coffee ready for when this runs out, and kept the same flavour and grain size but maybe I should alter that for the filter method.

Meaty Pizza - Tesco Finest, Franky & Benny + Italian Deli [@NLi10]

 Sometimes I skim through my hard to review photos and notice a theme, or in this case that I've essentially been eating the same thing repeatedly.

This time it's meaty pizza things.

My partner got me this meat plater pizza - and for a Tesco pizza it's amazingly lush

All the right things in all the right proportions and a pleasure to eat.

This was the Frankie & Bennies version - and for a restaurant I think you'd be underwhelmed - but for a chain outside a cinema with the prices and speed factored in this was actually a lot more luxurious than it needed to be - the sausage was a lovely touch.  I'd have it again - although a little oily!

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum this was a little more indulgent and a lot more Italian is the cafe on Bearwood high-street - I even got to watch the meat be sliced off the giant ham.  My only regret was not ordering an espresso macchiato to drink as I waited

Tomato focaccia on top of a lightly toasted base with the smoked ham, parmigiana, potato and goodness knows what else

An amazing sandwich to be absolutely savoured - and definitely an encouragement to walk more to get the 30 mins round trip to the deli and back at lunchtimes.

The best of the bunch then, but at £8 a go (not including the Cannelloni I got to take home and next times inevitable coffee) it'll soon add up.  But wow - so worth it.

Cadbury Dairy Milk Ice Latte Edition (Morrisons) By @Cinabar

I feel like this chocolate bar could spark a debate about where people store their chocolate. I usually keep mine at room temperature, unless it gets too warm and starts melting, then it goes in the fridge. I was actually quite pleased recently to find a forgotten Dairy Milk bar hiding under some cheese, stashed away during the last heatwave. It was a lovely surprise.

This particular new bar, Cadbury Dairy Milk Ice Latte Edition, is designed to be chilled. Firstly, it represents an iced latte, so the fridge adds the “ice.” Secondly, it has a clever colour-change design on the wrapper, once chilled, the latte swirls on the front turn blue, letting you know it’s ready to eat.

I chilled mine and then opened the pack. The aroma was fantastic, rich chocolate and coffee. There just aren’t enough chocolate and coffee products in the UK, and it’s such a good combination. I took a bite and it was absolutely gorgeous.

There was a light crunch I hadn’t expected, which turned out to be from biscuit pieces mixed into the soft fondant filling. The centre was smooth and sweet, with a lovely coffee kick that reminded me a little of white chocolate. The classic creamy Cadbury Dairy Milk coating completed it perfectly. The coffee and chocolate flavours worked together beautifully, making it an absolute delight.

It’s such a shame this is a limited edition, I’d pick this over several of their regular bars any day.

Jimmy’s Iced Coffee — Donut Edition (Ocado) By @Cinabar

One of the best things about summer is hunting down new cold treats to beat the heat. Besides ice cream and lollies, I’m always drawn to interesting chilled drinks, like this Jimmy’s Iced Coffee Donut Edition. The can looks fun, with a pink sprinkle design that feels more birthday cake than doughnut, but it’s still eye-catching.

I made sure it was properly chilled before opening it. The flavour, though, was underwhelming. There was no hint of doughnut, or birthday cake, for that matter, in the taste. I swirled it around, inhaled deeply, but all I got was a pleasant coffee and milk sweetness. That was perfectly drinkable, but the promised doughnut flavour just wasn’t there. The aroma had more of a doughnut vibe than the taste did. Decent enough overall, but it needed a stronger flavour punch to live up to the name.

Nescafe Classic Unsweetened Espresso Coffee Concentrate (Morrisons) By @Cinabar

As it was nice and sunny today, I decided I wanted to try a new cold drink. I remembered that I had picked up a bottle of Nescafe Classic Unsweetened Espresso Coffee Concentrate last time I was at the supermarket. I thought it might be useful for baking, but mostly it says 'for easy iced coffee' and that was exactly what I wanted today.

I checked the bottle, and it said to pour a 'shot 30ml' over 150ml of milk. My glass isn't huge but it almost holds a full can of pop, so I figured I needed to double everything. I measured 60ml using tablespoons, which is four, into the drink. It was only then I realised this precision and obsession with numbers is definitely a side effect of me being on the spectrum, and that most other people would have just guessed. You should try spending a day in my head.

Anyway, I gave the drink a stir and a taste, and it was lovely. There is no sweetness (there is a sweetened version available if you prefer) but this drink is all about the rich coffee. It was a smooth, creamy drink with lots of coffee flavour and it was perfect as a cooling treat on a warm day.

Next time, I will definitely add some ice and not worry so much about the measurements. I’ll just add a little until the colour looks right.

Nescafe Iced Caramel Latte (Iceland) By @Cinabar

As the weather warms up, the number of new chilled drinks on shelves is definitely increasing. Today I’m trying out a Nescafe Iced Caramel Latte I picked up at Iceland (the supermarket, not the country – lol).

First off, I love the cute carton. It's compact, and the size means it fits easily in the fridge. I did find it amusing that an entire side of the packaging is dedicated to explaining that you need to refrigerate the drink and pour it into a glass. Slightly condescending? Or maybe just filler text. I’m not sure – but I followed the instructions anyway and chilled, shook and poured it properly.

On tasting, I really enjoyed the flavour. The caramel is subtle, and it’s not overly sweet. The coffee is strong and lovely, with a creamy milk base that makes it smooth and refreshing. It was a perfect drink for a warm day.

I’d definitely buy it again, it’s one of those easy fridge staples for summer.

Starbucks Cool Creamy Tiramisu iced drink [@NLi10]

 We went to see Mission Impossible, the last one, at the cinema yesterday and I wanted a cool drink that would last the three hours run time so chose the Oat based version of the Tiramisu

It was very expensive at £7 for a large

But it's a mighty drink, and tasty too - just enough strong coffee to excite - but enough Ice and choc to give you flavour.

And there is enough fluff and choc to give the drink a nice pudding like body.  And I liked it a surprising amount. I had some coffee chocolate ice still left for the credits and was happy enough with the whole thing.

The film was the ScreenX version and was good too.

Earlier that day I had a Tim Hortons coffee which was fine but not exciting.

And six doughnuts - the fillings are thicker than Krispy Kreme, but overall they were similar to me.  At 9.99 for 6 inflation has hit hard, these are not a buy a dozen for the office kind of vibe anymore!

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!

Lyons Salted Caramel Iced Latte (Iceland) By @Cinabar

I’m going to start with a bit of a tangent. Lyons Corner Houses were one of the original UK coffee house chains, founded in 1909. They disappeared from British high streets before I was born, but the brand lives on through pre-packaged treats like this Lyons Salted Caramel Iced Latte. The reason I know about the cafés is because I studied Computer Science, Lyons was the first commercial company in the UK to use computers for stock management. They were ahead of their time in 1949. You’ll thank me when that comes up in a pub quiz.

 

Anyway, back to the drink. This Lyons Salted Caramel Iced Latte comes in a generous box with 12 sachets. The pack suggests mixing it with cold water, milk, or a half-and-half combo, I went with half and half. It blended easily, with no lumps, and I really enjoyed the flavour. It was creamy, with mellow coffee notes and a sweet caramel tang that made it refreshing on a warm day.

I couldn’t really detect much of the “salted” part of the salted caramel, but the drink was rich and smooth, with just the right hint of sweetness. I’ll definitely be reaching for these again when the sun’s out, and next time, I might even add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for full-on indulgence.

Nestle Kit Kat Nescafé Mocha Flavour (Ocado) By @SpectreUK

A Kit Kat is ideal for a quick break. I don't see them in the adverts on TV so much these days. I remember the paper and foil packaging, and someone running their fingernail down the centre to break the two chocolate wafer sticks apart, to complete the "quick break" pun.

Nowadays, the packaging has changed to plastic, like most other chocolate bars, which is a shame I think. Although you may see me as a traditionalist, I still think the paper and foil was better for the environment.

This new Nestle Kit Kat Nescafé Mocha Flavour should be good for a quick afternoon coffee break. There was a strong smell of coffee on opening the packet. It was then I remembered I have never liked Nescafe instant coffee. Having said that, on taste there was a good strong flavour of coffee, which mixed perfectly with the chocolate and wafer flavours.

I'd definitely recommend this Nestle Kit Kat Nescafé Mocha Flavour, especially if you like a low calorie chocolate treat with your quick coffee break.

Information on the packet; Each Kit Kat contains 104 calories, with 5.1g of fat, 10.2g of sugar, and 0.05g of salt. Please see photograph for the ingredients.

Ritter Sport Coffee Duo (Asda) By @Cinabar

I think the people at Ritter Sport may have been having a debate about which of the two new coffee flavours they had been working on should be released as a bar. Should they go with Milky Macchiato or Crunchy Coffee? I am guessing both were good, and the answer to the argument was to release both. Here we have Ritter Sport Coffee Duo, a single bar with half of each flavour. I unwrapped the bar and the aroma of chocolate and coffee was very enticing. The bar has two different logos on the chocolate pieces, showing where the change in flavour occurs. I broke a strip off so that I could try some of each.

 

Crunchy Coffee This section has a darker looking filling than the other half. I decided to start here as I do like texture. I broke off a piece and gave it a try. I really enjoyed the coffee and chocolate flavour. The coffee was strong and rich, but not overpowering, and it was well balanced with the chocolate. The chocolate chunks were very crunchy, which added a satisfying texture and made it feel substantial to eat. I loved both the taste and the texture.

Milky Macchiato I broke off one of the cubes from this section and gave it a taste. It offered creamy chocolate with a smooth, mellow coffee flavour. This was good, although it was milder in coffee than the other half. I still liked it. I think this is the sweeter and creamier part, but the coffee was still prominent enough to shine. I was also pleasantly surprised to find a light crispiness in the texture, which worked well.

I love coffee and chocolate as a combination and honestly I would happily eat either side as a new main bar. It is just nice to see some new coffee and chocolate pairings appearing on the shelves.

Lavender Velvet Latte (Starbucks) By @Cinabar

We stopped for coffee at the motorway services during the Easter break, and as usual, I went for whatever the current ‘special’ drink was. I have to admit I was a bit surprised they’d gone with a floral flavour, but I ended up ordering the Lavender Velvet Latte. I like lavender, it makes a lovely soap or bubble bath, but it’s not something I usually go for in food.

I watched as the barista made my drink. The base coffee had lavender and vanilla syrup, and there was more lavender in the cold foam on top. I’m not usually a fan of drinks with a cold foam topping, but they seem to be popular at Starbucks, and I wanted to try it as it was intended.

When it arrived, I took a little sip of the foam and could definitely taste the lavender. The topping was cooler, of course, but the flavour itself was delicate and thankfully not overpowering. Once I got to the main part of the drink, the flavour was stronger and sweeter. I know Parma Violets are technically violet and not lavender, but it still reminded me of them.

There was a smoothness to it, probably from the vanilla or the oat milk, that helped balance the floral notes. Overall, the Lavender Velvet Latte was okay. It’s not too garish or strong, but now that I’ve tried it, I think once was enough.

Starbucks Frappuccino Sip on Sunshine Iced Coffee (Sainsbury's) By @Cinabar

Today was unusually sunny for April, so I treated myself to something refreshing from the shop. I spotted this limited edition Starbucks Frappuccino Sip on Sunshine Iced Coffee and it ticked all the boxes. The name is cheerful, I like the “sip on sunshine” bit, and the flavour is a mix of toffee and honey. The bottle also has a lovely summery design that caught my eye.

I cracked it open during my break and gave it a try. It’s a smooth, creamy coffee drink that isn’t overly sweet, which was a pleasant surprise. The honey is noticeable but subtle, and the coffee is mellow rather than strong. Altogether, it made for a very enjoyable afternoon pick-me-up, even if I did spend the rest of the day stuck in front of spreadsheets.

Dylan's House Blend Coffee roasted by Poblado Coffi [@NLi10]

Local tea and coffee is a weird one, on one hand it's great to have something tuned to the local water and supporting the local area - but on the other hand it's all from thousands of miles away!

Here we have a great example - they beans are shipped to Wales and the local company makes local coffee blended exactly to the restaurants requirements.  Can't argue with that!

 

Brazil, Guatemala & Ugandan beans - but with it's date of birth on the bag it's all pretty fresh too

And it all smells amazing - and it isn't perfectly homogenous too which I love - it feels like it was crafted instead of being manufactured.

And it makes a good cup of coffee - just a shade too dark for my taste, but I can tune some of that out with a dash of milk, macchiato style.

I'm glad I picked this up as it'll be a great pick me up for work days

And before we went in the shop we had the local food from local ingredients in the restaurant in Conwy - which was fantastically luxurious and a lovely way to recharge after going round the castle for hours in the wind.

Little's French Vanilla Instant Coffee as seen on Dragon's Den [@NLi10]

 My Mom is very good at finding little snacks to review - and spotted this in the supermarket after it's appearance on Dragons Den in the UK.

It's a little jar of instant coffee - made by the nice people at Little's - and it is flavoured with my favourite thing - vanilla!

Only 4 cals per cup - but I'm adding milk so it's more.

But far less than the vanilla syrups the coffee shops want you to buy to make up for them breaking all the good soft drinks.

Indy snack blurb - check!

It looks pretty good though!

And the smell is fantastic.

Unfortunately I assumed I'd taken pics of it in the cup - but even though I took home enough for three mugs worth I forgot to take those.

The smell from the jar is great, and the smell from the made coffee is even better - but once you've had a few sips you'll be immune to it again.  The flavours are great - not as deep as the 'proper' coffees I've been working my way through - but for an instant this packs a mighty punch.

Apparently there is a different flavour my family actually wanted so once they've found it I'll have to pop around for another cup.  Brilliant.

Nescafé Kit Kat Latte (Iceland) – By @Cinabar

The problem with Kit Kat is that it is mostly a chocolatey experience. The most distinctive thing about a Kit Kat when you eat it is the texture, the snap of a piece breaking off and the soft crunch when you bite in. These elements do not translate well to a coffee. So, naturally, my first thought was that this would just taste like a standard mocha, with coffee and chocolate being the dominant flavours. Still, I was curious, so I bought a box anyway.

Once home, I put the kettle on and opened the box. There were seven sachets (limited editions never seem to have eight anymore). As soon as I tore one open, I got a sweet aroma. I mixed the contents with hot water, and it blended smoothly with no lumps, leaving a nice froth on top.

The drink smelled like a mix of coffee and chocolate. On my first sip, I thought I could detect a hint of wafer, perhaps even something creamy like vanilla. There was a slight edge that set it apart from a regular mocha, but as expected, it was very similar. Still, it was a lovely, soothing, sweet chocolate and coffee drink, and I will happily enjoy the rest of the box.