Gressingham Duck & Hoisin Sauce Crisps (@CorkersCrisps) [By @SpectreUK]

Corkers very kindly sent a few of their bags of crisps for us to try. This Gressingham Duck & Hoisin Sauce flavour caught my eye and I just had to try them first. I've tried duck in hoisin sauce flavoured crisps before, but they had gone a bit mad with the spring onion, so I wanted to see how Corkers faired. I do like duck, especially in a restaurant with salad or rice. As Basil Fawlty said "If you don't like duck, you're out of luck!" I'm reliably informed (via their website http://www.gressinghamduck.co.uk) that Gressingham breed, hatch and rear their ducks rather than just catching them off the nearest duck pond. Although the idea of a couple of hapless blocks in a dodgy old rowing boat with a huge net on a bent pole does appeal to my warped sense of humour.

There was a goodly whiff of hoisin sauce once I opened the bag and a meaty smell from the Gressingham duck. These were very crunchy crisps made from Corker's Naturalo potatoes which they grow on their farm. Heavy on the hoisin sauce flavour which runs all the way through each crispy munch. There was a burst of sweetness, a hint of vinegar and a herbiness mixed with an oniony flavour in the background that moved into the aftertaste. I could also taste the meatiness of the duck mixed in with the authentic hoisin sauce flavour. These crisps are definitely as big on flavour as they are on crunch. Very tasty, very moreish... Pass me another bag!

Information on the bag;
40g bag at 194.4 calories with 9.7g fat and 0.8g of sugar. Ingredients include; East Anglian Naturalo Potatoes, Gressingham duck flavouring, sunflower oil, sugar, salt, yeast extract powder, rice flour, natural colour caramel and paprika extract, malt vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, herbs and spices. Contains barley, no artificial or MSG products.

By Spectre

New Walkers Mix Ups Sweet and Salty Popcorn [By @Cinabar]

This is a new product in the new range of mixed bags by Walkers called “Mix Ups”. It is different from the other products though as it popcorn rather than being crisp related. I think my favourite flavour of popcorn is sweet and salty, so I eagerly opened up the bag and poured myself a portion. We were watching the latest episode of Blacklist, so I needed a serious snack to keep me going through the twists and turns.

The other varieties of sweet and salty popcorn I’ve tried are a mix of the flavours, as such each piece of popcorn has both sweet and salty coating. This is not the case the with the Walkers Mix Ups, instead they are half and half, a bag of sweet popcorn and salty popcorn made separately but mixed together. I realised once it was poured out that you could spot which pieces were which, oh dear. The paler bits were clearly the salty and the darker ones were sweet. This is the point where I have to confess to something, I’m a bit odd. When I eat a Trifle I eat it in separate layers, carefully scraping the cream off the custard to start. If I can separate things I will, I don’t know why. Consequentially when I was eating the popcorn I found my hand picking out all the pale bits first and generally categorising my popcorn. I ate all the salty pieces first, which were lovely. The salt was generous, and the popcorn fluffy. When things started hotting up for Red in the Blacklist I made the transition from the salty section to the browner sweet pieces to finish off. They were fab too, they had a generous sugary coating and the sweetness hit the mark. I think I’d prefer a mix where each piece had both flavours, because this particular popcorn didn’t bring out the best in me. I can’t be the only person that eats things in layers or sections? Oh well, I think that might say more about me than the popcorn.

By Cinabar

Kellogs's Star Wars - A new Force at Breakfast [@NLi10] #StarWars

I'm not that bothered by Star Wars, I've seen them all but I think they are mostly for the younger generation. As I never saw them as a child I never got that into it. I did win some Ewoks at the bingo counter on holiday one year.

I still had to see what Kellogg's had done when I saw this happy little R2 unit on the box.

And what's on the back - oh no it's Darth Vader - Lord of the Sith! Breakfast is ruined!

I did like the fact that both arts are on the same box, either a metaphor for how we are all capable of being the good guys and the bad guys simultaneously, or just cheaper than printing two boxes and putting puzzles on the back. I have no doubt there will be other character boxes over time.  But what is inside?

It's basically that coco pops but in shapes cereal we've had before. Moons (that's no moon - lol) and stars.

All the real info is tucked away on one side panel due to the big art.

And it's good cereal too, nicer than the Bear chocolate shapes, but probably a heck of a lot less healthy. If you were a Jedi you'd probably stick to normal cornflakes - chocolate cereals are definitely from The Dark Side. At least you can cut eye holes in the box and wear it as a Vader mask while you wait for the next film (or at least the hilarious Mr. Plinket Review of it).

Hurst View Traditional Cider [By @SpectreUK]

Cinabar brought me these two bottles of Traditional Cider back from a farmer's market in Wolverhampton centre a while back. They were produced by Hurst View Cider in Staffordshire. I've been sitting on them for a while before placing them in the fridge and then drinking them. You see I was waiting for Spring to arrive and a bit of the warmer weather. Finally the sun is out and I'm about to crack open the first bottle...

Jibber Jabber

Made with 100% apple juice and at 7.5% volume this Traditional Cider sounded like a proper corker! I popped open the 500ml bottle to the fresh strong smell of cider apple. This still cider poured into my beer mug smoothly but almost bit at me once I'd taken my first long swig. The alcoholic strength of the cider apparent with the mix of flavours from a range of apples, which had been fermented with wild yeasts to produce a kick like an apple cart bouncing over a pot hole at the end of each mouthful. My nose hairs literally standing on end. Certainly a full bodied flavoursome treat here with no room for the weak hearted cider fiends who look for a quick fix behind the bike sheds in a rusty can. A craft traditional cider for the craft traditional cider drinker!

Medium Slightly Sparkling

Okay so perhaps they couldn't think of a catchy name like Jibber Jabber for this Medium Slightly Sparkling, but on pouring this 6% volume Traditional Cider I can definitely agree that it is slightly sparkling. B A Baracus aside this cider certainly does what it says on the tin so to speak. Presented in another smart 500ml bottle this cider had a light cider apple, and a joyful fizz and a medium dry cider taste to it as the bubbles playfully tickled my nose. I really enjoyed drinking this cider as the bubbles forced me savour it for longer than the stronger bitey still cider. I always find the same with a fizzy lemonade, tough to down in one or two gulps as the bubbles try to force they way out of your nose. Besides Cinabar doesn't appreciate cider burps. No class you see... ;-)

By Spectre

New J2O Garden Rose (Ocado @J2O) [By @Cinabar]

I have mixed feelings about rose as a flavouring. I love Turkish Delight, but for some reason as interesting as it sounded as a flavouring for a drink I was left feeling a little unsure about it. Rose can be very overpowering, and a flowery taste in a drink is something that has to be managed well.
I have to admit to having enjoyed all of the J2Os varieties I’ve tried over the years, and they are one of my first choices of drink when I’m out. As excited as I get at Christmas time when Glitter Berry gets its re-release, the idea of an actual new flavour did make me very happy. I am also pleased that they have tried something a bit creative for a new flavour and added something innovative to the area. It is called Garden Rose, but is a mix of apple, raspberry and rose (all of which do indeed grow in our garden).

The bottles come in a multipack of four from Ocado, but I assume it will stocked by the usual selection of restaurant and pubs soon enough. The drink is a pale pink colour, and will probably be known as “the pink one” soon enough. I took a sip and absolutely fell for the flavour. It has a lovely sweet but slightly zingy raspberry taste, the soothing tones of apple and a perfectly pitched floral aftertaste of rose. It is sweet fruity and a clever mix of flavours. The key to it is the balance, and it is balanced to perfection. The rose is delicate and the whole drink is ever so refreshing. This fragrant and summery flavour is going to be a favourite of mine, and the perfect accompaniment for barbecues should the weather ever brighten up!

By Cinabar