Giant Jammie Dodger (Spar) By @Cinabar

The only thing that could improve a Jammie Dodger is, naturally, more Jammie Dodger! So, when I spotted this Giant Jammie Dodger at a local Spar, I couldn’t resist picking one up for an afternoon treat with a cup of tea. Right away, it felt satisfyingly hefty, truly a supersized biscuit. Once home, I measured it and found it’s a generous 8cm in diameter.

The biscuit itself is pleasantly thick, with a decent layer of jam in the middle. The balance is spot-on, with the raspberry jam’s flavour shining through. The biscuit has an extra crunch thanks to its thickness, yet still delivers that familiar sweet, buttery taste. Although the jam might look like it should be thicker, the flavour is all there, blending perfectly with the biscuit.

This was a delightful pick-me-up for the afternoon, and since it’s a single biscuit, I didn’t even feel guilty indulging! Though it’s definitely a novelty, this Giant Jammie Dodger hit the spot perfectly.

Yorkshire Parkin Cake (Morrisons) by @Cinabar

If you’re from Yorkshire or a fan of The Great British Bake Off, you’ll likely know what Parkin cake is, though my spell checker doesn’t, as it keeps insisting on changing it to “parking.” Parkin is similar to a soft gingerbread cake, filled with warm spices, black treacle (which has a rich, liquorice-like flavour), and oatmeal to make it quite hearty. Traditionally enjoyed in autumn and especially around Bonfire Night, I couldn’t resist picking one up.I found this one at Morrisons, oddly placed in the fruit and veg section near the bananas. I have no idea why, but I still popped it into my basket.

At home, we opened the Parkin Cake and were greeted by a lovely aroma of spices. We sliced it up and gave it a try. Although the cake wasn’t quite as moist as I’d expected, the flavours were divine. It had plenty of ginger and dark treacle, and the sweetness was well balanced. With its wonderfully warming taste, it was a delightful treat on a cool autumn evening, perfect for enjoying while watching the fireworks.

Drinks in Costa Rica - functional and tasty! [@NLi10]

 In a hot climate like Costa Rica it’s important to stay hydrated - and it’s fun too!  Here we had some fresh milk-shake style drinks made with blackberries (and a chocolate based one for my partner).  Very necessary after a big walk through the cloud forest on a ‘feels like 40 degrees’ day.

There are a few good regional varieties too - the red Fanta was good as expected (we get that imported to the UK enough now that it’s not exciting!) but they did have some mandarin varieties of the orange drinks, which I guess makes sense.  Didn’t see the Mexican drinks but we were a little too far away for that.

And for people like me that maybe forget to drink as much as they should there are electrolytes and rehydration 

And boy are there more choices than in the UK! It was twice the price of the normal drinks so I only had the one on the day where I really needed it.

And if you are troubled by all the bitey insects then tonic water can help to keep them at bay - I couldn’t find my usuals so went for the Canada Dry which was a nice change.

But of course - there are plenty of fresh ingredients with electrolytes and bug repelling properties built in - so it’s much better to just keep having the smoothies and staying hydrated that way.

Tipico! Costa Rica is Pura Vida Rice & Beans [@NLi10]

 Breakfast in Costa Rica, and lunch & dinner too feature one main theme - Rice & Beans!

Posters advertise it and people love it - and after the first day you will too!

Essentially it's seasoned differently for each meal, and every place has their own twist, but it's all fundamentally local stuff.

Here we have beans and plain rice, with fried plantains, lovely smashed beef, potato mix and salsa.  We cooked this one outdoors on our homestay.

This was one of the restaurants versions - I learnt to avoid the spaghetti versions quite quickly - but the beans as paste and the meaty blend were great.

Breakfast saw a more traditional Gallo Pinto where the rice and beans were mixed and we got banana and omelette too.  Result!

The coffee was universally good here too - all locally grown.

Another day, another traditional casada mix.  We helped make this one again, but only very tangentally.

For the Americans they provide Pancake options, and it'd be rude not to try these - especially as some places were from fresh batter and absolutely amazing (others you could hear the packets being opened)

And for the final meal in Costa Rica - more rice and beans! This time with some of the nicest pork I've ever had - and the minty lemonade which got us through the hotter days.

Pura Vida!

McRib Burger (McDonald's) By @Cinabar

Today, we decided to get a takeaway. After a tough day, we needed something quick and comforting. I took the chance to check the menu for anything new and spotted something both nostalgic and exciting: the McRib Burger. Originally introduced in the 1980s but later discontinued, the McRib has made a few limited-time comebacks over the years. I was delighted to see it available tonight.

I ordered the McRib along with my childhood favourite, a vanilla milkshake, and fries. There’s something so comforting about a vanilla milkshake, never underestimate its simple joy. The McRib looked enticing in its box. The oblong bun held a generous portion of beef, along with onions and pickles. As soon as I took a bite, I noticed my fingers were covered in barbecue sauce, this burger is definitely a bit messy! Thankfully, I managed to keep it off my shirt.

The beef flavour was richer and more intense than I remembered, and I loved how the pickles and onions added a bit of crunch and tang. After a long day, this was just the treat I needed, finally bringing a smile to my face. I’d recommend picking up a McRib Burger while it’s back on the menu at McDonald's, as it’s available only for a limited time. At least they’ve kept the vanilla milkshake, some things are too good to take away!