Lamb Kofta Flavour Crisps (M&S) By @Cinabar

Our local M&S is closing, and that does make me really sad. We had a huge branch with several floors, and it was one of the oldest M&S stores still going. I’ll really miss the foodhall, especially having easy access to all the wonderful treats they bring out each season. Their Christmas goodies are always a delight, and it’s going to be hard knowing I won’t be able to just pop in for all the seasonal bits.

We’re in summer now, and these new Lamb Kofta Flavour Crisps are part of their ‘Summer Edit’ range of foodie goodies. Lamb koftas are spiced lamb kebabs, usually served on a stick, and I was curious to see how that flavour would work as a crisp seasoning.

The packet says these are “extreme ridge”, which makes it sound like they should be almost V-shaped, but in reality, they just have a deep ridge that holds the seasoning well, not exactly extreme. I opened the bag and got a light spiced aroma, a bit like curry powder.

I gave one a try and it had a good crunch and plenty of flavour. I could really pick up on the cumin, followed by a mix of spices that gave them a decent depth. Sadly, I couldn’t really taste any meat or lamb. These were tasty crisps, but they were all about the aromatic spices. They weren’t hot with chilli heat, but they also weren’t meaty enough for my tastebuds.

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.

Aldi Knock-off Passion Fruit Jaffa Cakes [@NLi10]

 What has Luna found?  Why - it's Aldi's finest imitation Jaffa Cakes - and they are Passion Fruit flavour!

Unfortunately it seems that concentrated passion fruit juice is very similar to the things they use to flavour children's medicine in England - so nostalgic - but it makes them a bit odd

Each Jaffa cake is listed as it's own portion of 12g

But its tiny!  They are good quality though - and frankly as good (and as big) as the official ones.

I think if Belmont/Aldi wanted to shock the world and sell a lot more then all they need to do is make these a little bigger to suit adult portions and tastes.  As it stands, these are merely good, but an enjoyable snack.

McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes Hot Honey (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

I love McVitie's Jaffa Cakes. I can happily eat a whole packet. I nibble around the edges of each one, bite off the orange jelly filling, enjoy the flavour, and then pop the rest of the cake in my mouth. I can't help it, I'm a bit of a child.

I saw these new McVitie's Jaffa Cakes Hot Honey flavour in our local supermarket. They are honey flavour, with a little orange juice and a kick of chilli. I take it's meant as a waker-upper for those who are falling asleep over their afternoon tea, or in a boring meeting at work.

On opening the packet there was an aroma of honey, a touch of orange, dark chocolate, and with a little of something else. I take it that 'something else' was the chilli. Of course, I ate my McVitie's Jaffa Cakes Hot Honey in the usual way.

On tasting the Hot Honey jelly, there was mild honey sweetness, whereas the added orange juice made it taste slightly of Manuka Honey, and a mouth warming medium chilli kick at the back of the flavour with the dark chocolate coating. These will be good in Autumn and Winter, which are fast approaching.

Information on the box; The box contained ten cakes at 41 calories per cake, 0.9g of fat, 5.3g of sugar, and 0.03g of salt.

Swizzels Marvellous Mallows Drumstick (Morrisons) By @Cinabar

I buy marshmallows for hot chocolate sometimes, but they’re almost always unflavoured. In fact, I don’t think I’ve seen many flavoured marshmallows over the years. I’m not sure why, as it’s a lovely idea. Here we have a crossover product: Swizzels Marshmallows inspired by Drumstick sweets. For those who’ve never indulged, Drumsticks are raspberry and milk-flavoured chewy lollipops.

The bag is bright and eye-catching, and I could see the marshmallows inside were a decent size, perfect for nibbling or topping a hot chocolate. As soon as I opened the pack, I was hit with the fab smell of raspberry. Not just any raspberry either, it was unmistakably Drumstick-scented.

The marshmallows are a little more square than a Drumstick lolly, but they do share the same pink and white two-tone colour scheme. I gave one a try and was impressed straight away by the texture. Light, fluffy, and just gently chewy, exactly how a good marshmallow should be.

The flavour was a little milder than the strong aroma had suggested, but it was still distinctly Drumstick. The raspberry and cream came through nicely, and they were seriously moreish. They melt in the mouth and are quick to eat, so I found myself reaching for another… and then another.

I’ve had to put the bag in the cupboard to make sure there are some left for hot chocolate later!