Food And Drink Round-Up May 2020

Our reviewer community has been busy trying out various items of food and drink. This is what they had to say about the products they were sent. Some products have been included in the latter part of this round-up that we did not get to try out.

Walkers Shortbread

Nexba kindly sent us a tin of shortbread. I am unable to tell you what the Walkers shortbread tasted like as my 7 year old twins did not give me a look in. They demolished the whole tin of shortbread. That said, judging by how much they enjoyed them and the fact that they ate the whole tin, I feel that I can recommend this product to others. The tin is the perfect size to give someone as a gift and the contents are well presented. I have kept the tin and will use it for storage.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £6.00

Available to buy from Walkers Shortbread here.

Nextba Soft Drinks

Nexba kindly sent us a 1 litre bottle of elderflower and lemon flavour Kombucha live sparkling probiotic, a 1 litre bottle of strawberry peach flavour Kombucha live sparkling probiotic, a 330ml can of watermelon, cucumber and mint flavour sparkling water and a 330ml can of coconut and mango flavoured sparkling water. The bottles and cans look great and what I like most about these drinks is that they contain no sugar and no artificial flavourings. I really liked these products and would recommend them to others.

Rating: 5/5

RRP:
330ml cans £1 each or £2.50 for a pack of 4
1 litre bottles of Kombucha are currently £2 each at Sainsburys

Available to buy in store at Sainsburys.

The Fresh Sauce Company Sauces

For as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed having sauces to accompany my meat, much more so than eating plain meat. I was therefore delighted to be sent four different sauces from The Fresh Sauce Company. All of the sauce packets have simple but informative preparation and cooking instructions on the back of the packet. What I love most is that preparation is quick, ideal for those of us juggling a lot of commitments at present. The use by date of all of the sauces was a good amount of time into the future The first sauce we were sent was a 140g Jalfrezi. It smells and tastes amazing. The second sauce we were sent was a 100g Lemon Tagine. This too was fantastic. The third sauce was a 100g Pesto. This sauce was my favourite. The final sauce we were sent was a 90g Thai Green sauce. Again, this sauce was wonderful. I love the fact that the sauce portion is for 2 people, making them ideal for a nice dinner for two. Whilst there are cheaper sauces on the market, these are well worth their price for how amazing they are.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £3.95 each

Available to buy from The Fresh Sauce Company here.

Idahoan Perfect Mash

I love mashed potato, especially mashed potato with loads of gravy, and have done since I was a child. I was therefore delighted to receive several packets of Idahoan Perfect Mash to try out. The ones I was sent were classic, buttery, cheddar cheese, roasted garlic, bacon and cheese and butter and herb. What I love most about them, apart from how good they taste, is the fact that they are so easy to prepare and take up so little space in my cupboards. My favourite two were roasted garlic and bacon and cheese. I would recommend these products to others.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £1.50 each

Available to buy from Tesco here.

Mr Trotters Pork Crackling

I have loved pork crackling snacks since I was a child. I can remember going to the local corner shop to buy my own. I was therefore delighted to be sent several packs of Mr Trotters Pork Crackling to try out. The first one I tried was the Skinny Dips, which had a container of the most amazing apple sauce within the packet. I demolished these in no time at all and I have to say they are my favourite. The second pack I tried was the salt and vinegar flavour. Wow! just about sums them up. I also tried the original flavour, jalapeno flavour and english mustard flavour, all of which tasted absolutely devine. I would recommend these products to others.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: varies

Available to buy from Mr Trotters here.

Mr Lee’s Noodles

There are some days that life gets busy and you want a quick to prepare go-to food wise. Mr Lee’s noodles are perfect for this purpose. I was delighted to be sent two flavours of their noodles to try out, Warrior Fighting Shrimp and Tai Chi Chicken. These look and taste great. Portion sizes are generous too. I would recommend them to others.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £

Available to buy from Mr Lee’s Noodles here.

J2O Summer Shine

My teenager daughter, her father and myself all really love J2O. The drink is one of the most flavoursome and refreshing drinks that I have ever come across. We were therefore over the moon to try the new Summer Shine flavour. My daughter loved the fact that the drink contained drinkable glitter. It is perfect for a relaxing summer day. I would recommend this product and the other J2o flavours to others.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: varies depending on how big a pack you buy

Available to buy from most major supermarkets.

Madegood

I love trying out new snack bars. I was therefore delighted to receive several packs of Madegood granola bars to try out. I also love having granola for my breakfast. The flavours I received were mixed berry, chocolate banana and chocolate chip. These were perfect for when my 7 year old twins have their snack time. We all really enjoyed them. My favourite flavour was mixed berry. These will be perfect for my childrens’ lunchboxes when they go back to school. I would recommend these products to others.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £2.90 per pack

These products can be purchased from Madegood here.

Below are some products that other members of our reviewer community tried out….

Martini Rosé

Martini Rosé is made from Moscato, Prosecco and Brachetto grapes and the origin is the Piedmont region in Italy. Alcohol Volume is 11.5%. Bottle size is 750ml On opening the bottle it has a silver foil sealant then a wire cage protecting the cork to be twisted amd popped. I found once my bottle was open there is no way of putting the cork back into the bottle, I found my bottle stayed fizzy for 3 days in the refrigerator. A salmon pink pleasant sparkling wine without the over power of fizz. Dry with a touch of sweetness though not sickly sweet, a full impact taste of strawberries hits you on the first sip, the taste of raspberries comes as an after taste with a slight hint of rose. Ideal for a budget celebration drink and would be a nice touch to add to an afternoon picnic.

Rating: 3/5 Stars based on supermarket sparkling rose I have tried, lost points due to being a bit too acidic.

RRP: £9

Available to buy from Tesco Supermarkets here.

Martini DOC Prosecco Collezione Speciale

The sparkling wine origin is from Italy and made from Glera grapes which are grown in the Fruili and Veneto regions of northern Italy. Alcohol Volume is 11.5% Bottle size is 750ml Housed in a beautiful faux Crystal effect bottle, with a foil sealant then a wire cage and lastly a cork which required a little strength to twist and pop open. A very pleasant light, dry fruity Prosecco that has a crisp and refreshing taste, the apple flavour is very noticeable in every sip, also very aromatic. I would certainly recommend that this is served cold. Best served in the warmer months on any occasion for a refreshing alcoholic beverage.

Rating: 4/5 Stars based on supermarket Prosecco I have tried. I was impressed on how nice this prosecco tasted.

RRP: £15

Available to buy from Tesco Supermarkets here.

The Flava People

I was given the opportunity to review a box full of fabulous products from The Flava People – and oh what a treat it was 🙂
I love experimenting with flavours when I am cooking/serving up food for my family, so this box of goodies was right up my street!!
I am not familiar with this brand at all, so I was really impressed when I grabbed a few items from the box and started to read the packaging. Sugar free dipping sauces – ooh something I can actually have when I am trying to be good and eat healthy (give the boring ‘diet’ food some flavour!) I loved the look of the marinade pouches, which offer natural ingredients and are offered as quick, easy & knockout tasty. I couldn’t wait to have a try with these. I chose the Chinese marinade first. The sachet contains 45g of marinade, which doesn’t seem much but a little does go a long way. I marinated 3 chicken breasts and wrapped them up and popped in the fridge overnight. The next day I took the other 3 breasts and covered with the remaining marinade and set them all in the oven to cook. It smelled amazing cooking and the children were all commenting on how good it smelled. I have picky little eaters in my house, so I wasn’t sure how well it would be welcomed! I made some homemade chunky chips, some sweet potato Fries and Corn on the cobs to serve with our Chinese chicken. It was absolutely delicious. Full of flavour. No one noticed the difference in the overnight marinade, which was a plus for me as I rarely have time to think about preparing my meat the day before cooking it! Shows what a flavoursome product this is though as works well both ways. We also sampled the Vegan friendly (No Yolk) Mayo and the Piri Piri versions along with the Wasabi hot chili sauce. The mayo was a good alternative and was very tasty. I did not try the Piri piri version but my husband said it was very nice and not too hot. Just an extra kick of flavour. The Wasabi hot chili sauce was sampled mainly by my husband (who loves spicy food) and he was not disappointed. He commented on how it had a flavour not dissimilar to Horseradish – I then learned that it is in fact Japanese Horseradish! My 3 children even had a try of this and they also liked it. So good to try new flavours for sure. We used some of the other sachets of marinade on meats for a BBQ tonight, and once again was so impressed with the flavours and how tasty it made the food. We had Piri Piri, Sweet Chili & BBQ on our chicken pieces and they were enjoyed by all. We used the Sweet & Sticky Teriyaki Stir Fry with some Noodles & vegetables, it was so simple and served up a flavoursome side dish with our meats. These sauces are suitable to use with meat/fish/Vegetables so they are also suitable for Vegetarians. These are all round fab products, full of flavour, natural ingredients, suitable for various dietary requirements and simple to cook/serve. Brings a bit of ‘Street Food’ style to your very own kitchen! I will most certainly be looking out for these in the supermarket next time I visit. Anything which gives my picky kids an appetite and the motivation to try something new is a winner in our house!

Rating: 5/5

RRP: varies

For more information please visit The Flava People website here.

Belazu Rose Harissa Nut Mix

The Rose Harissa nut mix from Belazu Ingredient Co is a high quality mixture of peanuts almonds and cashews roasted in a Rose Harissa spice mix and is in every way delicious . Rose Harissa is an increasingly popular chilli paste which contains rose petals, it’s a versatile ingredient but this is the first time I’ve tried it as a seasoning for nuts and it works perfectly. The freshness of the nuts is immediately evident on opening the bag and the rich and spicy aroma makes your mouth water. The flavour is well coated onto the nuts, its roasted on, not just a dusty flavouring. The complexity of the flavours means that you can chomp your way through a bowlful without fatiguing your taste buds at all. The level of chilli is noticeably warm and enjoyably so. I will have trouble sharing any of these even thought they’re supplied in a massive bag, I’m almost glad not to be expecting any visitors!

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £28

This product can be purchased from the Belazu website here. 

Belazu Socca Nut Mix

Belazu Ingredients Co’s Socca nut mix is an intriguing combination of almonds, cashews, jumbo corn and chickpeas with a seasoned coating of chickpea flour flavoured with garlic and parsley. It’s inspired by a middle eastern street food snack by the name of Socca. The packaging is attractive and the large bag reseals easily keeping them tasting fresh. Upon opening them, the smell of the nut mix is enticing and the richness of the nuts provides a good contrast to the crunchy corn and chickpeas. The garlic is noticeable whilst enjoying the snack but not in a way that lingers for hours. These are tasty, and alarmingly moreish. I’ve mostly been eating them as an afternoon snack but they do go extremely well with beer and so they’ve been sneaking out of the cupboard in the evenings as well. Obviously they’re full of protein, which is why they make such a satisfying snack.

Rating: 4/5

RRP: £17.21

This product can be purchased from the Belazu website here.

Below are some products that we have not tried out ourselves but that we wanted to tell you about….

Squeezies

Squeezies are the perfect kid’s snack for parents who want to make sure that their children are getting a naturally delicious and nutritious snack, made of 100% real fruit and full of vitamins and minerals. Each pouch counts as one of your five a day, with no added sugar or artificial ingredients, coming in three delicious flavours:

• Apple, Strawberry & Banana –The perfect blend for an energy-boosting snack bursting with vitamins C and E – a match made in Squeezie heaven!
• Apple & Mango – Known as the “king of the fruits,” mango is nutritionally rich and an excellent source of vitamin A, making this an ideal snack for your little prince or princess.
• Apple, Strawberry & Blueberry – Packed with vitamin C, fibre and other antioxidants, your kids are sure to love this as much as you do.

Rating: We did not try this product

RRP: 50p per pouch

Squeezies are currently available in Asda stores nationwide.

Beefeater London Gin

Celebrating 200 years of distilling heritage, Beefeater is still made to the original recipe created by its founder James Burrough. Made in the heart of London, this bold and distinct gin sets the standard for London Dry gins and claims the title of The World’s Most Awarded Gin*.

Beefeater is an exceptionally clean, bold gin whose extravagant juniper character is balanced with strong citric notes. On the nose, the berries are dominant whilst in the mouth the full-bodied aromatic character of the gin emerges, followed by a complex finish.

Beefeater can be enjoyed in a gin & tonic, White Lady, Negroni or Martini K-Ya, alone or in with friends. So, when a cup of tea with friends just won’t do, there’s nothing better than a Beefeater & Tonic!

Rating: We did not try this product

RRP: £18.45

Beefeater London Dry Gin is available at all major retailers.

Caorunn

Caorunn (pronounced Ka-roon) is passionately handcrafted at Balmenach Distillery in the Scottish highlands by Gin Master Simon Buley. Utilising Scotland’s unique natural resources, Caorunn is infused to perfection in the world’s only working Copper Berry Chamber. Caorunn gin is handcrafted infusing five locally foraged botanicals including dandelion, heather, coul blush apple, bog myrtle and rowan berry along with six traditional gin botanicals and natural Scottish water. Fresh and floral on the nose, this gin is clean, sweet, full-bodied and aromatic with a long-lasting dry and crisp finish. 

Caorunn Scottish Raspberry combines the invigorating dry, crisp taste of Caorunn enhanced by a natural raspberry sweetness and is best served with Fever Tree Indian Tonic Water, built over ice and garnished with fresh raspberries and red apple slices. 

Rating: We did not try this product

RRP: £21 per 50cl bottle

Bottled at 41.8% ABV, Caorunn Scottish Raspberry is available to buy from Independent & Specialist Retailers. 

We really enjoyed having the opportunity to try out some of the above products.