New Interesting Product Finds

Re-Introduction

It has been, quite a lengthy absence from blogging.  Indeed this blog has had many guises and much varied content from football to books to films.  It was rather mixed up, much like myself.  I had always wanted to have an exclusively food blog but really enjoyed writing about other things, namely books.

Now that I have acquired a camera, I will be able to use this as a place to share food product reviews.  I am a vegetarian, though may have non-veggie products featuring now and again that look interesting (will mention gelatine etc if it appears).  Brother is really into new products and has a real sweet tooth, often seek out things for him.  I am pretty healthy but like treats now and again.  Really attracted to the unusual, lovely packaging and seasonal specials.  I love food from all over the world and very much enjoy baking and cooking.  Have an unhealthy love for condiments:- sauces, dressings and chutneys of any kind.  So there'll probably be a fair few of those posted!

Lidl Sriracha Sauce Sauce

A new and interesting find.  Siracha Sauce seemed to be all the rage for a-while.  As ever and as an avid condiment fan, I certainly sought it out.  I had so far only tried an unknown brand bought in a Chinese supermarket.  However, I was delighted to find this sauce in my local Lidl store.  Possibly a remnant from a recent Asian week special.  I am uncertain whether thus will be a regular product.  So much from Lidl can appear just once due to a particular promotion, often never to be seen again.

I was pleasantly surprised due to just how flavoursome the sauce is.  It is not too overpowering in the heat stakes.  It has quite a rich tomatey flavour and is rather salty too which I enjoyed.  It is excellent as a dipping sauce and makes a delicious dressing too (with lemon zest and five spice).  The only fault I'd really pick is that there wasn't much of a twang from vinegar.  I associate that with being a  fairly important aspect of Sriracha.  However that is very mild criticism indeed and it really is quite a delicious product.

Lidl, Scandinavian Week- Almond and Chocolate Pastries (biscuits)

Another special promotion product this time from Scandinavian week.  Bought these lovely looking biscuits at the start of the promotion week three weeks ago.  My local store seemed to have rakes ordered in. Thought they looked so very tempting.  I bought these for my Mum to take home to her when visiting.  They went down well with a cup of tea.  She said that they were fresh tasting, quite homemade like and had a  strong, natural almond flavour.  I will have to take her word as I am not a fan of that flavour, they did look good though.  Crescent shaped, topped with toasted almonds and the ends were dipped in dark chocolate.

Lidl, Scandinavian Week- Hazelnut and Chocolate Pastries (biscuits)

These hazelnut biscuits look rather like compacted flapjacks.  Thought they were also pretty unique, had never come across anything like them before.  It is a winning combination, hazelnut and chocolate.  A light, soft baked biscuit style treat.  Found these to be very moreish and full of flavour.  They have a homemade look about them, they are an unusual  oblong type shape and their base is dipped in dark chocolate.  Though not a coffee drinker myself, could really see that pairing working.

Blue Dragon Massaman Curry Paste (Tesco)

A curry lover, I'm always on the lookout for the new and interesting.  I do enjoy making curries from scratch; but cooking for one- sometimes convenience is the only order, especially when you are feeling tired.   This paste looked really attractive, it was the packaging that initially drew my eye. It is a regular meal choice, therefore I am always seeking out new sauces to try.  Have heard of but never tried- Massaman curry.  It is a richly spiced sauce of Malay origin and is most commonly served containing beef, potatoes and peanuts.

Very simple to use, all you need to do is  to heat and add in vegetables, meat or fish of your choice.  Follow that with coconut milk.  Though not what instructed, I added in tomato sauce from a jar as I prefer tomato based curries.  I don't like creamy things.  It was very tasty and flavoursome.  Liked that it was not oily or greasy, find sometimes these paste sort of things are.  Has an array of flavours including lemongrass, kaffir lime and galangal.  Veggie and vegan friendly, no shellfish used. 

Blue Dragon Cantonese Style Stir Fry Sauce (Tesco)

The go to and fails safe meal.  It is a twice (at least!) weekly thing to have stir fry, so quick and easy.  Cheap too.  Really enjoy that as a meal as there is so much that you can do with it.    As it is such a regular choice, find that it is important to keep seeking out new flavours and brands of sauce.  As with the curry paste it was the packaging which drew me in.    A beautiful blue colour, the package design is highly detailed and artistic. The product itself, I enjoyed just last night.  Had it with buckwheat noodles, broccoli, peppers, sugar-snap peas, spring onion and carrot.  The Sauce was full of flavour, slightly spicy and also aromatic due to the addition of Chinese five spice.  It was enjoyable as it was, was not necessary to add any extra flavour which can frequently be the case.

Marks & Spencers Haul, Fruit and Treats Review

My lovely Mum handed me in a delicious selection of messages from Marks and Spencers.  The local M&S, has recently started selling more exotic fruits.  It is great to be able to sample such unusual items and was delighted to see kumquats and star fruit (which I've not seen sold in stores for a-few years).  A childish delight befell my sister and I as we dug into a fruit platter, trying out a fruit new to us in mangosteen.  It is a fantastic ending to a meal and also way to encourage children's curiousity trying out these unusual fruits. Morrisons supermarket is also very good for their exotic fruit options and that extends to veg too.

Lemon, Black Lentil and Quinoa Pecan Salad With Allspice Dressing 

Loved this salad, it is full of lots of little bits, herbs, nuts and is so full of flavour. Within the salad there are wheat berries, quinoa, black lentils, pecans and other grains.  It is ready dressed with a lemon and allspice dressing.  This has a citrus zing, freshness and an aromatic peppery flavour from the spicing. The combination of ingredients makes this salad so palate tingingly delicious!

Product Review- Easter Themed

Easter Treats

The shops have outdone themselves, there is such a beautiful array and selection of food, craft and floral/plant items to celebrate Easter.  I have succeeded in managing to visit each of the major supermarkets available in my area over the past month (Tesco, Asda, Lidl, Aldi and Morrison's- phew!).  Not purposefully, a couple of the times were on request of certain items by others.  I was disappointed and rather surprised to hear that M&S are not running a dine in roast.  Treated Mum to their deal for Mothers Day.  Family enjoyed it and as Dad is cooking, he was hoping to take advantage.  From what I have seen there are a number of offers running over the weekend on meat roasting joints.  It is very much the sweet tastes that arethe main focus at Easter time in terms of products available.  I have not seen but heard about a Hot Cross Bun flavoured beer being available, don't like the sound of that!

Chocolate Mini Egg Review

There is quite a range of mini eggs available and sold in the UK's shops.  They are a real favourite of mine.  The type of eggs I will be reviewing in this blog are chocolate ones in a crisp sugar shell.  I thought that I would share my thoughts on the eggs that I've tried over the years.  All of these are widely available.

  I would be interested to hear from anyone regarding their own favourites, special Easter plans or any varieties local to you or that you may have come across.  Happy Easter in advance and may it be sweet!



Cadbury Mini Eggs

The classic mini egg.  The Cadbury version are the original and for many the best.  I must admit that I am very partial.  These eggs are the perfect size with a perfect coating, not too thick or thin.  The interior is Cadbury chocolate and for some reason to me it is the taste of easter (that type of choc).  Perhaps it is due to it being the commonmost Easter egg choc.  The yellow eggs have a slightly different taste to the others, which is very nice.  You can buy them in a single serve packet in the form of a small cardboard box, the size pictured-100g in size and are available in a larger 360g pack.  I also remember them being sold in tubes but haven't seen any this year.  They are often on offer at £1 for a 100g bag which is very good, Morrisons have an offer of 2 for £2 at the moment.

Christmas Food & Drinks Review

Festive Fancies

Apple Glühwein Aldi


Best served warm and the ideal tonic when jack frost starts nipping!   This was a one of released in November.  It is a shame, as I would have liked to buy some for the family.   The Perth store is not due to get more in but other regions are said to have it in stock. It is a light fruity mulled drink with the festive flavours of clove and cinnamon.  The drink was very pleasant and drinkable, the flavour of cinnamon especially strong.  It also had a lemony and apple flavour to it too.  A great price at £2.99 per 1ltr bottle.  Interestingly, read online that we are absolutely robbed in this country by both  Aldi and Lidl who charge us a great deal more for their standard Mulled Wine than it costs in Germany.  The bottles of these are beautiful, have tried the traditional mulled wine from Lidl and it too is very nice.  As is the label of the bottle it comes in.

Veggie Mallow, Honey and Sesame Crispy Squares

Found some marshmallow fluff in the supermarket and decided to do some experimenting.  I don't like butter and never have it in the house.  I was intrigued to see whether these would work without a fat to stabilise them.  Also, without the addition thought they'd end up being too sticky.  Success, no stickiness, very easy so, thought I'd share. I'm on a budget and these are cheap to make with the few ingredients needed already being in the cupboard.  Recipe is fairly loose and done by eye.  Will definitely make these again perhaps with mixed fruits and nuts, oats, chocolate chips etc...  Could make them double chocolate by incorporating in some cocoa powder or melted chocolate.  Also be nice dipped into chocolate and then allowed to set.

Vice Versas Back & Other Nostalgic Discontinued Sweet Favourites

Whilst browsing supermarket websites to discover which had the best deals going, stumbled upon an old favourite.  Vice Versa's are back!!  A delicious sweet similar to a minstrel but rounder and a little chunkier.  These delights are white and black, the white shell contains a milk chocolate centre and the dark white.  Nestle re-released due to popular demand and are set for general release next month, currently only aware of Asda and strangely Toys R Us stocking them.

Crispy chocolate astros in a medley of colours.  A firm favourite due to a combined love of chocolate and interest in space.  They had a sugar shell and inside was a ball a bit like a malteser but more crispy- this was coated in chocolate.  Whilst on a primary school farm trip, won a box of these for correctly guessing the number of bales in the fileld.  Day equally memorable due to teacher who stupidly donned her inches high bright yellow wedges.  A hilarious sight it was for the whole class of ten yearolds to see her attempts at walking, dodging cowpats and to see her fall over- charming!