Costa Coffee Christmas Range 2023

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I thought that today I would talk to you all about the new Costa Coffee Christmas range. Yes, I know it may be a bit early for some of you to see Christmas but who doesn’t love hearing about some new delicious goodies that are coming to a Costa Coffee store near you very soon? 

Sticky Toffee 

Who doesn’t love a good Sticky Toffee Pudding when the days get dark and cold very quickly? 

The Sticky Toffee drinks come in two formats. A Latte to keep you warm when the weather gets chilly and a Iced Latte that will help to refresh you when the Christmas shopping gets a little bit too stressful. 

Both of these drinks will feature a yummy sticky toffee flavoured sauce, topped with Light Whip, and drizzled with even more sauce, finished with a sprinkling of bronze shimmery, angel-like dusting. 

Black Forest & Cream Hot Chocolate 

Black Forest is back baby! I know a lot of people including myself were devastated when Black Forest was scrapped for last years Christmas range and then had to rush to try and grab it in a store during the last week leading up to Christmas. This year, Costa has brought Black Forest back with a bang! 

The iconic drink features a rich hot chocolate with cherry sauce topped with cream and drizzled with cherry sauce. 

If you are a Costa Club member and have the App then you are already able to get the Black Forest & Cream Hot Chocolate in stores before the rest of the range and before non-members can grab it on 2nd November. All you have to do is scan your card and ask for one at the till or order one through the Click and Collect feature on the Costa Coffee App. 

I must admit, I may have already grabbed one through the Costa App when I was out with Luke the other day and oh my god it was worth the wait. Delicious and fruity. Utter perfection. 

Roasted Hazel 

Is it just me or does the scent of roasted nuts makes it  feel like its the beginning of the festive season? Now you can enjoy that feeling in a drink! 

Roasted Hazel will be available as a Latte and a Hot Chocolate. Both of these warming drinks will include a flavourful roasted hazelnut syrup, topped with Light Whip, and completed with a beautiful, bronzed shimmer and mini gold stars. 

I do love Hazelnut and this screams a very me drink so I am intrigued to see what Roasted Hazel tastes like. I also love the addition of gold stars. I bet it looks pretty and adds to the festive vibe! 

Gingerbread & Cream Latte 

Gingy is back and  they’re looking tastier than ever! 

This drink features a milky coffee laced with a generous slurp of sugar free gingerbread syrup, topped with cream and adorned with a mini gingerbread person.

I love anything Gingerbread so I will definitely be grabbing one of these. 

Inspired by After Eight® Hot Chocolate & Terry's Chocolate Orange® Hot Chocolate

Who doesn’t love a good couple of After Eights after a filling Christmas Lunch? Well Costa have made an After Eight® Hot Chocolate so you can have it all Christmas season long! 

Is it just me who associates Terry's Chocolate Orange® with Christmas? I just imagine one of these tasty chocolate balls in the bottom of my Christmas stocking. Costa has also decided to bring back the well loved Terry's Chocolate Orange® Hot Chocolate for those who love a good Chocolate Orange drink throughout the festive period. Both of these drinks come with either a  Terry's Chocolate Orange® Segment or an After Eight® slip on the side. 

Costa Express:

Costa Express customers can enjoy a taste of the festivities with the new Sticky Toffee Latte, new Sticky Toffee Hot Chocolate, and new Sticky Toffee Iced Latte (only at Costa Express’s Hot and Iced self-serve machines). 

Shell customers can get exclusive access to the new Roasted Hazel Latte, new Roasted Hazel Iced Latte (only at Costa Express’s Hot and Iced self-serve machines) and new Roasted Hazel Hot Chocolate.

Food:

Pigs In Blankets Toastie

Pigs In Blankets is an ultimate staple of Christmas Dinner for a lot of people in the UK so cramming these beauties into a toastie sounds like a perfect idea to me. 

This brand new product for Costa Coffee features succulent pork sausage and maple cured bacon, with sweet, caramelised onion chutney, all in tempting garlic, onion and sage crumbed cheese-topped bread. 

Vegan Turkey & Trimmings Toastie

Just because Christmas is full of meat doesn’t mean that we can leave the vegans out of having some delicious festive food

This toastie consists of vegan turkey with stuffing, yummy cranberry sauce, vegan mayonnaise, vegan gravy, all in toasted white bread. 

I love to incorporate some Vegan products into my diet a lot of the time so I will definitely be trying this one out! 

Honey Roast Ham & Wensleydale Ciabatta 

All I’m going to say is Cheese, Gromit, Cheese! 

This sandwich features juicy British Honey roast ham and Wensleydale cheese, mature Cheddar and honey and béchamel sauce, packed into a cranberry stuffed ciabatta.  

I have been enjoying sandwiches and burgers with a Bechamel sauce recently so I may try this to see how Cranberry, Honey, Roast Ham, Wensleydale and Bechamel all work together. 

Melton Mowbray Pork Pies & Sausage Rolls

Who doesn’t love some good picky bits? 

The Melton Mowbray Pies consisting of seasoned uncured British pork baked in a rich hot water crust pastry. The Sausage Rolls have seasoned pork sausage meat, pulled pork and divine Bramley apples, in an all-butter puff pastry topped with a wonderful festive pastry star. 

I love both a Pork Pie and a Sausage Roll so I’ll definitely be tempted to grab one of each. The Sausage Roll sounds divine to me. Savoury, full of flavour and still utterly seasonal. 

What’s Returning? 

The following savoury delights are returning for the festive season at Costa Coffee. 

Brie, Bacon & Cranberry Panini, Brie & Cranberry Toastie, Turkey & Trimmings Toastie and the Turkey Feast Sandwich. 

Sweet Treats: 

Belgian Chocolate Ganache Cake

I mean, who doesn’t love Chocolate Cake? 

This new product is a rich chocolate cake, filled with chocolate frosting and topped with an indulgent chocolate ganache and star sprinkles. 

Honestly, this sounds amazing! I love anything that has a ganache in as it adds some texture to the cake. I just hope that the cake itself is terrifically tender! 

Sticky Toffee Loaf Cake 

A piece of Sticky Toffee Loaf Cake and a Sticky Toffee Latte? Can anyone imagine a better pairing? I can’t! 

This afternoon delight consists of a toffee flavoured sponge cake which is topped with caramel frosting, caramel drizzle, and indulgent fudge pieces.  

I love the different textures that are going on in this cake. You have the cake itself paired with the smooth frosting and the chunky fudgy pieces. A definite must try! 

Vegan Christmas Cake Slice 

 Vegans need a sweet treat too! 

A rich fruit cake base and is topped with a layer of marzipan and white icing.

Honestly, I’m not a big fan of Christmas Cake. If you are then this will definitely be a treat for you! 

Polar Bear Gingerbread & Christmas Tree Shortcake Biscuits 

A cute biscuit can really perk up the dullest of days! New for 2023, Costa have released two cute biscuits to go alongside a drink and a catch up with friends. There’s a cute Polar Bear shaped Gingerbread Biscuit and a festive Christmas Tree shaped Shortcake Biscuit. Definitely a great treat for a catch up or those little ones who need a sweet treat. 

Bags Of Sweet Treats 

Sometimes when you are out and about with either friends or your own, you just want a little bag of something. Well, Costa has come to the rescue with these amazing bags of goodies that are new fof 2023. 

There is Salted Caramel Honeycomb Bag (Salted honeycomb coated in caramel flavour milk chocolate, in collaboration with Mighty Fine). There’s also Clotted Cream Fudge bag (rich, crumbly fudge made with West Country clotted cream and handmade by Mr Stanley’s)., These would be great alongside a warm drink or stashed in your bag for when you need a little pick me up. 

What’s Returning? 

Back for 2023, we have Vegan Mince Tart, All Butter Mince Pie, Terry's Chocolate Orange® Muffin (which is available in Costa Coffee stores right now), Gingerbread Muffin, White Chocolate Trillionaire’s Slice and the Crispy Festive Wreath. 

Will you be trying any of the Costa Coffee Christmas 2023 range? What’s your favourite festive drink? Let me know! 

Costa Coffee’s Christmas Menu is available to purchase and try on 2nd November. 

All photos are from Costa Coffee PR. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Letting My Hair Drink Up All Of That Goodness | Garnier Banana Hair Drink & Delicate Oat Milk Hair Remedy Hair Mask Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I thought that today I would talk to you all about some haircare products that I was kindly gifted by Garnier. 

Garnier Banana Hair Drink 

‘Thirsty Hair? Dig into Garnier Ultimate Blends Nourishing Banana Hair Drink, for dry hair! Our natural origin formula contains ultra thin lamellas that coat the hair fibre to polish and smooth your hair. Instantly, your hair is 10x smoother*, frizz-free, and reflects light for a mirror-like shine. Hair drink is specially formulated with 97% natural origin ingredients**, is 100% vegan*** & silicone free for a natural feel. Always store this product as room temperature, if crystallisation appears, please shake well and place in an ambient environment. Our bottle is made from recycled plastic and is 100% recyclable (except the cap and label).

FOR BEST RESULTS: After using our Banana Hair Food shampoo squeeze out excess water from hair and apply Hair Drink to lengths. For fine hair apply 1 dose, for medium to thick hair 2-3 doses and for long hair add +1 dose. Massage into lengths for 10 seconds and rinse.’ - Garnier UK. 

When I heard that Garner were coming out with this range, I was super intrigued. Intrigued by the consistency, the effects and the fact that you only have to leave it on for ten seconds. The week that I was planning on going out to grab one to try as I had just finished some conditioner that I had been using for a while, I heard a knock at the door and by some miracle it was a parcel from Garner containing a bottle of the Banana Hair Drink for me to try and test. 

The scent of this product was amazing, Honestly when I heard that beauty products are Banana scented I expect that sort of foam Banana scent that can be either delightful or vomit inducing due to experience but with this Hair Drink that wasn’t the case. The scent of this product was fresh yet light. It reminded me of when you walk past a shelf of bananas in a supermarket and get that sort light fruity but grassy sort of scent which I kind of adore but then again I love weird scents. Post washing this product out of the hair, the scent keeps calm and cool for a while and isn’t too overwhelming, 

The texture of this product was a new one for me. When I removed the lid and tipped the bottle into the palm of my hand, a light oily liquid pooled onto my hand which reminded me of some of the hair oils that I have used in the past but a touch bit lighter which I didn’t think was possible when I already think that some of the oil based styling products that I have used before are quite light but this was on another level. 

I have used this for more than a month hence the delay to publishing this post but with hair and beauty products I like to use them for a fair while so I can give them a fair and honest review. When I have massaged this product into my hair post shampoo, I have noticed a slight warming effect start to happen on my hair. Warming but not irritating. After ten seconds of massaging and the warming sensation, I wash it off and normally choose to dry my hair with a towel briefly before going in with a hair dryer and the effects are positively noticeable. My hair is quite dry so I instantly noticed a difference in regards to moisture. It was soft and supple and definitely had a shine. One of the times that I have used this product, I have gone out later in the day and have been complimented by friends and strangers on how good my hair looks. 

Do I think that this is a product that everyone should try at least once in their lifetime? Oh definitely! Will I be buying more once I have used this bottle up? Oh definitely but as there is different scents such as Papaya and Pineapple, I may go for a different scent just to see what they are like. Available to buy from Boots and Superdrug. 

Delicate Oat Milk Hair Remedy Hair Mask 

‘One scoop, one minute, one week of goodness! Steal a minute for yourself with Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Remedy Masks. Our hypoallergenic mask for delicate scalp and hair, has a ECARF certified formula blended with Rice Cream & Organic Oat Milk into a creamy remedy to deliver a truly sensorial moment for you. Hair hydrated and healthier-looking with 3x more softness*. Vegan formula** without silicones for a natural feel. Jar is made from recycled plastic (except from cap, colourants and additives).
FOR BEST RESULTS: After using our soothing Delicate Oat Milk shampoo, apply our creamy remedy to lengths of wet hair, wait 1 minute & rinse.’

The scent of this mask is quite a light one. It is creamy with a touch of sweetness to it from the oat and reminds me of an Oat Milk Yoghurt that you would pair with fruit first thing in the morning. I’ve been using this more towards my nighttime routine and the delicate scent is perfect as its not too much and just perfect for when I want soothing scents to help me relax in the evening. 

The texture of this is also reminiscent of a thick Oat Milk Yoghurt. Thick and voluptuous. It spreads onto the hand quite well and doesn’t really thin out when massaged into the ends of the hair. To me, I quite enjoy this as I can tell that the thick texture is doing its trick to nourishing the hair. I did use this mask as directions state and honestly I loved that I only had to leave it in my hair for a minute and I could feel the benefits. I have used masks before that have requited me to leave it in for half an hour and my hair hasn’t felt as nourished as it does with this mask. 

Would I repurchase either of these products? I think that I would but I think that when I do finish using these products I would like to try the other versions just to see how my hair gets on with them. For me, these products fall under the mantra of a little goes a long way so it will take me a long while to finish them. I do think though that I will pick up another Hair Drink for travelling as a 10 second based product will be great for when I’m on the go in the country or abroad. 

Have you tried either of these products? Would you pick any of the products mentioned in this post up? What are your haircare favourites at the moment? Let me know down below or on social media. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x 

The products mentioned in this post were gifted in return of a blog post. All views and opinions are my own.  

ALDI Moser Roth Nocciola Review

Hey everyone!

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I thought that today I would talk to you all about the new Nocciola Chocolates from Aldi which you may recognise.

The festive season is slowly approaching. I don’t know about you but I associate it with Ferrero Rocher. Now, as we are all tightening our purses this Christmas, it was great to see that Aldi had released their own version of the well known chocolate at a much lower price. As I was wandering Aldi, they were in my eyeline so I knew that I had to grab them.





Ingredients:

Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Mass, Whole 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐤 Powder, Lactose (𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐤), Emulsifier: Lecithins (𝐒𝐨𝐲𝐚); Natural Vanilla Flavouring), Sugar, Chopped 𝐇𝐚𝐳𝐞𝐥𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐬 (16%), Vegetable Fats In Varying Proportions (Palm, Sunflower), Roasted 𝐇𝐚𝐳𝐞𝐥𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐬 (8%), 𝐇𝐚𝐳𝐞𝐥𝐧𝐮𝐭 Paste (5%), 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫, Fat Reduced Cocoa Powder, Skimmed 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐤 Powder, Whey Powder (𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐤), Flavouring, Emulsifiers: Lecithins (Sunflower, 𝐒𝐨𝐲𝐚); Lactose (𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐤), Raising Agent: Sodium Carbonates; Caramelised Sugar Syrup, Salt.

The texture of these are amazing and spot on. When I unwrapped one of these amazing chocolates and popped it into my mouth, the rough yet crunchy chocolate was the first texture that my tongue interacted with. After this, I was met with the smooth wave of melted chocolate . Finally, this wave of chocolate was contrasted with the crunchy nut that was hiding in the centre of this chocolate. Such an adventure of textures.

The taste of these were amazing. The exterior had a superbly strong and decadent milk chocolate flavour to it. The interior of the chocolate had more of an intense cocoa flavour to it which reminded me slightly of a sort of dark milk type of flavour. Although these two flavours harmonised together to create a rich chocolate flavour in my mouth, they were instantly contrasted with a slightly smoky yet still rich Hazelnut which managed to cut through all of the sweetness that the chocolate provided. They did remind me of a Ferrero Rocher but with a slightly bit of difference to me.

Would I buy these again? Definitely! These are amazing. You get 12 for £2.59. They taste amazing and would be great for the party season! 8.5/10.

Have you tried these? What are your favourite Chocolates for the festive season? Let me know down below.

Thanks for reading!

Jamie x

Sinking My Teeth Into Tim's Bits | Tim Hortons Manchester Market Street First Impressions

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I recently went to Manchester and whilst I was there, I decided to check out the new Tim Hortons as I haven't been to a Tim Hortons before.

I was staying in Manchester for a few days to celebrate Alex's birthday and we saw Tim Hortons in the distance so we decided to check it out. After wondering what to have for quite a while we decided on getting the Sherbet Lemon Coolers, Tims Smoky Maple Burger, Crispy Meatless Chicken Sandwich and Timbits. 

Sherbet Lemon Cooler 

Cool down this summer with our fruity ice cold Cooler

I'm not the biggest fan of slush based drinks but the drink contained Lemon and I have to try anything that contains Lemon. When Tim Hortons said Sherbet Lemon, they meant it and I liked that about them. The Lemon flavour in this drink made your mouth go ooh whilst still having a slightly sweet edge to it which to me is perfection. The weather was also quite warm which made for more reason to enjoy this drink. I loved it. If you want a good Lemon slushy sort of drink in the Summer then I would definitely recommend this drink. 

Tims® Smoky Maple Burger 

Everyone's new favourite burger. Made with beef, onions, shredded iceberg lettuce, cheese and maple & chorizo sauce ketchup inside a lightly toasted brioche bun. 

I was expecting so much from this burger and sadly it just didn't deliver. This burger was quite small to begin with for the price which was a little bit annoying. The burger patty was juicy and succulent but lacked a tiny bit off seasoning for my liking. The Onions provided a good amount of crunch which I adored. The sauce was great and sweet which complimented the meat. The only problem is that I didn't get Maple and Chorizo. I got more of a sweet and slightly curry powder based taste which I didn't mind but I was expecting the heat and the taste of Chorizo to kick me in the face a little bit. This burger satisfied my hunger but I think that I just wanted a little bit more oomph. 

Crispy Meatless Chicken Sandwich 

Made with a plant based meatless chicken patty, mayonnaise, green leaf lettuce and smokey tomato mayonnaise inside a toasted brioche bun. 

I love a good meatless burger so I had to try it. I quite enjoyed this burger. The flavour of the meatless patty itself was a bit muted but the texture was amazing and resembled meat which was amazing. The batter of the patty was crispy and had flavour running through it. I have had meatless burgers that have been dry as hell and some that have resembled a sponge soaked in Mayo. This one was neither of them which I adored. The Smoky Tomato Mayo added a sort of flame grilled flavour to the burger which I quite liked as not only did it add a bit of depth to the burger but added some sweetness to the burger too. If you're looking for a new meatless burger to try out then I would definitely recommend this one. Even Alex stated that they would come back and get this burger again. 

Timbits

A variety of fillings, sprinkled and powdered mini donut style cake balls

Who doesn't love top bite into a bit of Tim? I have heard so much hype about Timbits so when I saw them on the menu, it was fate. For anyone who hasn't tried Timbits. Imagine little doughnut balls filled with different flavoured fillings all shuffled up in a box to create a sort of surprise tasting experience. There was Churro, Birthday Cake, Apple, Chocolate and other flavoured little bits of beautiful goodness. I liked the Churro inspired one the most. I think it was Churro? I love Cinnamon so anything that was coated in Cinnamon is a good thing to me. I kind of expected a little bit more from the Birthday Cake one as it just tasted of a normal doughnut bite with some sprinkles on top. Overall though, they were amazing and definitely worth the hype! 

Would I go back again? Yeah! I would go back but I would want to try some of the other products that are on offer to try if I was to visit Tim Hortons again. I would definitely like to see what their breakfast menu is like and I would definitely like to try their hot drinks. Overall, Tim Hortons is definitely worth a try if you can get to one. 

Have you been to Tim Hortons before? Let me know down below. 

Thanks for reading!

Jamie x

Having A Fiesta In My Nouth | McDonalds UK Taste Of Spain & Cyprus Menu Review | The Spicy Spanish Stack & The Chicken Fiesta

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I recently tried the burgers from the limited edition Tastes Of Spain & Cyprus Range from McDonalds UK and I thought that today I’d talk to you all about them. 

The Spicy Spanish Stack 

‘Delicious layers of two 100% beef patties, chilli cheddar, red onion, spicy tomato sauce and lettuce served up in a warm paprika flavoured bun.’ - McDonalds UK. 

The texture of this wasn’t the best. The Meat was a bit dry which wasn’t too bad but I’m picky with textures and prefer my burgers to not be dry but I do get that it can happen on a busy day at McDonalds. This was contrasted with soft texture of the Paprika Bun and the crisp crunch that came from the Lettuce and Red Onion. 

The first element of this burger that jumped onto my tongue was the meat of the patty. Slightly seasoned and savoury. After this, the spicy tomato sauce danced on my tongue. Alongside this, the Red Onion jumped onto my tongue and provided an extra element of sharpness and spice. The final sort of flavour that tantalised my taste buds was the slightly creamy cheese which was instantly contrasted with the slightly spicy Paprika Bun which left a very subtle stain on the inside of my mouth. To me, I think that this burger could’ve packed a lot more flavour. I know taste is subject but I think that the spiciest could have stood out a little bit more but I guess with McDonalds catering to a UK audience who are known for keeping things mild then it made sense to do so with this burger. 6.5/10.

The Chicken Fiesta 

‘A delicious crispy chicken fillet topped with chorizo, chilli cheddar, spicy tomato sauce, red onion and lettuce served up in a warm toasted chilli and paprika topped bun.’ - McDonalds UK. 

The texture of this burger was amazing. The crunchy chicken contrasted with the crunchy batter and red onions. The sauce added a smoothness to the Burger whilst the cheese added some creaminess which went against the slightly floury burger bun amazingly. 

The taste of this burger was phenomenal in my opinion. The Chicken was succulent and had a very savoury taste to it. This contrasted with the slightly spicy Chorizo. These two were both contrasted with the refreshing Lettuce and Red Onion which added a bit of freshness. The Cheese cut through a bit of the savoury and spice even if it was meant to be Chilli Cheese…The Bun rounded everything out and have a lasting impression through its use of Chilli and Paprika. It’s obvious that the flavouring that I was missing in the firs burger was hiding in this second burger. 9/10.

Am I glad that I tried these burgers? Definitely. Would I want them to return to the menu at a later date? Probably the Chicken Fiesta as I loved the flavours of the burger. 

Have you tried these burgers? Let me know down below!

Check out McDonalds UK. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Kin Thai - The Broadway Bradford Review

Hey everyone! 

I was recently invited to go check out Kin Thai at my hometown shopping centre The Broadway Bradford and I thought that today I would talk to you all about it. 

'With our solid background in restaurants , we are now creating a new healthy concept around Thai food in a mall kiosk. Modern Thai food to grab and go!' - The Broadway Bradford. 

Due to the heatwave that is going on at the minute I decided to stick to the bubble teas that Kin Thai have to offer.

Myself and Luke had decided to make a trip into Bradford City Centre. As it was a couple of days after Luke’s Birthday, we decided to grab a slice of Cake and Ice Cream from the wonderful Cake Ole that is located in the heart of Bradford City Centre. After this, we had a quick jaunt around the superb shopping centre itself. After this, we decided that it was time to go and check out the wonderful people over at Kin Thai. 

I got to see how the staff at Kin Thai create their wonderful Bubble Teas and you can instantly see the passion that they have for creating their products. After a brief conversation, I decided to try out their traditional Thai Milk Tea. Luke prefers the fruitier sort of Bubble Teas so the staff suggested that he tried their Miss Kin tea. 

After shaking the Bubble Tea up, I punched my straw through the lid and took a sip. If anyone knows me then they will know that I am notoriously bad at punching Boba straws through the lid of a Bubble Tea so I was surprised when I didn’t make a mess of doing it for once. I took a sip of the Thai Milk Tea and oh god it was gorgeous. Milky but not cloyingly sweet. The Tea flavour itself still had room to shine which I really liked as it cut through some of the sweetness of the Milk. Dwfinitely a drink worth getting again. The Pearls themselves were slightly chewy and bouncy but not too chewy which is my perfect pearl consistency personally. The Pearls themselves seemed to add a slight nutty taste to the drink which again helped to cut through the milk. I love anything nutty so I really liked this flavour combination. I can definitely see myself getting again and again! 

Like most Bubble Tea vendors, you can choose the amount of sugar and ice that you want in your drink which I really like as I have sweet tooth and normally don't like too much ice in my drinks. The price for the Thai Milk Tea for a regular is £4 and a large is £5. 

Luke got the Miss Kin Tea. This tea consists of Jasmine Tea,Passionfruit & Strawberry and what I believe is Passionfruit Popping Boba if I remember correctly. (I could be completely wrong and my memory could be deceiving me but I am pretty sure that it was Passionfruit Popping Boba. I loved this drink. It was so refreshing! The Strawberry added a bit of sweetness whereas the Passionfruit added a bit of tang which created an amazing flavour combination. The Jasmine added a slight light floral note which didn't overwhelm the flavours of the drink at all. The Popping Boba added a textural aspect which was to die for. I always love how the balls just pop in your mouth! (I know that Popping Boba are a love or loathe type of food, let me know your opinion in the comments below). The price of this drink started at £4.50 for a regular and costs £5 for a large. 

I loved both of them and before I give them a severely high high rating, I need to go and try some of the other flavours such as the Ube and Mango flavours. It's been hard to find Luke a good Bubble Tea when I grab so Many of them and well Luke adored Kin Thai so that should scream how good their Bubble Teas are. I think once I have tried the other flavours and some of their food then I can give them a accurate rating but for now its a 9.5/10. 

Check out Kin Thai on Instagram. 

Have you tried Kin Thai? Let me know down below. 

Thanks for reading!

Jamie x

I have now joined TikTok at thejamiesowden! 

This post was in return of a product or service. All views are my own. 

Ritter Sport Buenos Dias & Hi There! (White, Mango & Passionfruit & Salted Caramel) Review

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I recently found two new flavours of the chocolate brand Ritter Sport and I thought that today I would talk to you all about them. 

‘Buenos dias or good morning from Costa Rica. Forget the morning, with this bar it's going to be a good DAY. Enjoy fruity mango and passion fruit wrapped in our creamy white chocolate. Deliciosa!’. - Ritter Sport UK. 

The first thing that hit my mouth was the texture of the chocolate. The White Chocolate has a creamy luscious texture to it that pretty much instantly melts in your mouth. After this, the thick mango and passion fruit cream hit my tongue which added to the smoothness of the white chocolate. after all this smoothness, the biscuit provided a much needed crunch which enabled me to go back for more and more due to that textural contrast. 

The taste of this bar was sublime. The first thing that hit my tongue and lingered on it until the end of me eating this bar was the White Chocolate. The White Chocolate provided a rich and creamy flavour that reminded me of quite sweet milk. White Chocolate is a little bit lost on me due to thinking that it always tastes like a mixture of milk and cocoa butter. After this, the mango bursted through and coated my tongue in a fresh yet quite sweet Mango flavour. I love anything that is Mango. Finally, the Passion Fruit came through mainly as an after taste. Sour yet very much needed due to the richness of the White Chocolate. Absolutely amazing. 

‘Hi There! from the south west! This bar is a must for any road trip not just route 66. Delicious salted caramel crisps & crunchy caramel pieces smothered in our creamy milk chocolate. Just make you ride SHOTGUN so you get your hands on it first!’ - Ritter Sport UK. 

The texture of this bar was nice but not amazing for me. This bar delivered a lot of crunch but that was it for me. I think that I need to stop instantly associating caramel with being a runny liqud. The reason I say this is because when bars offer caramel in the crunchy format I get annoyed due to this instant association. The crunch was nice when I took a bite of this bar but there wasn’t much contrasting against all that crunch except the chocolate itself. 

The first thing that I tasted when I took a bite of this bar was the smooth and creamy chocolate . The taste of the exterior of the bar tasted crramy and rich but not sickly which I really enjoyed. The caramel had a sweet yet slightly smoky taste to it which I adored. I love it when a caramel is slightly scorched but not completely cremated. The final thing that I tasted from this bar was the salt. I mean, if anyone knows me I am forever screaming for more salt when a product states that it is salted and this was no different. Even if I did want more of a salty flavour, what I liked about the salt in this bar was that it was sprinkled throughout the bar which meant that I got pops of slightly subtle salty flavour. 

Would I buy these bars again? 

Yes, I would. I think that if I saw either of these bars I would instantly grab them. Maybe the mango one more than the Caramel one but if I see them both when I am next out shopping for food then I will definitely pick them up. I’d give the mango a 8.5/10 and the Salted Caramel a 7.85 out of 10. 

Have you tried either of these bars? Let me know down below. 

Check out Ritter Sports here. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Lush Eid Range 2022 First Impressions

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I thought that today I would talk to you all about the Eid range from Lush. 

Sticky Dates Shower Gel

Who doesn’t love to get sticky? I love a good shower gel so I was excited to see what this gel was going to be like. This Gel contains Organic Date Syrup, Vanilla Pod Infusion, Fresh Orange Juice, Carob and Benzoin Resinoids and Sandalwood Oil. To me, this pretty much smells of a slightly sort of burnt caramel and sticky toffee pudding hybrid which I absolutely love. I’m a massive fan of anything sweet that has a slightly smoky/burnt/complex hint to it. This gel also boasts a low lather formula but to me it is more of a foam texture when lathered up more than anything else. Definitely worth going in and sniffing! Priced from £8. 

Light The Night Bath Bomb 

Let’s turn off the light tonight. This bath bomb contains Jasmine and Vanilla Absolutes, Labdanum and Olibanum Resinoids, Rose Syrup and Pomegranate Molasses. To me, it’s not the most amazing bath bomb. It’s very Jasmine heavy and if you love that then definitely get it but to me it smells of cheap Conditioner and I really wished that you could detect more of Rose and Pomegranate but sadly it’s just Jasmine, Jasmine and more Jasmine to me. Priced at £6.

Check out Lush. 

Have you checked out the Eid range? 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x 

Yo! Sushi Katsu Chicken Noodle Bowl From Iceland Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new post! I saw that Yo! sushi had released a range at Iceland so I thought that I would grab something from the range and tell you all my thoughts about it. 

The Yo! sushi range at Iceland includes Tempura Prawns, Gyozas, Bao Kits and much more such as Korean Fried Chicken and Ice Cream Mochi. 

The Katsu Curry Noodle Soup is described as ‘Delicious  Chicken Dumplings, Noodles, and Asian Veg in our aromatic Katsu Broth.’ - Iceland Foods UK. 

The way to cook this confused me a bit. Some of the Asian noodle bowls/soups that I’ve cooked before have just required boiling water from a kettle to cook, whereas this product requires boiling water from the kettle but also the repetitive task of putting it in the microwave, taking it out, stirring and repeat. I guess this was to ensure that the Chicken was fully cooked but it just meant that it took a while and became quite hot to handle especially for someone who has a tendency to not have the best of dexterity skills in the world. 

The texture of this soup was everything that I’ve been wanting lately. I don’t know if it’s because of the rollercoaster weather that is going on in the UK at the moment but I’ve been craving a soup with every texture going on at the moment. The texture of the dumplings which were the first thing my spoon fell onto has not only an amazing chew to them but also had a a sublime soft and supple texture to them due to the meaty interior. This alone was the best of both worlds but was only the start of the texture train that happened within this bowl of soup. The noodles added a slight sort of bouncy texture to the dish which I really loved alongside the slight chew of the dumpling wrapper. These noodles weren’t like an udon noodle which I learned to love during my time living in Leeds during my undergraduate University degree nevertheless they were excellent to eat. The Asian Veg added a much need crunch which I really loved as it contrasted against the supple filling of the dumplings and all of the chew that was going on. Finally, the soup added a sort of creamy celebrity texture to the dish which made everything sort of combine together into a rich harmonious dish which I really enjoyed. 

The first thing that jumped into my mouth was the dumplings themselves. To some, dumpling wrappers may taste bland which I completely understand due to them being made from flour and water, but to me, they kind of give out a sort of comforting taste which I quite like especially when boiled/steamed. The chicken that laid inside of these delicious dumplings gave off a wonderful amount of umami which made them not only effortless to eat but also addictive and excellent . The noodles again added a sort of comforting slightly creaminess to the dish. The vegetables helped to cut through all of the umami and savouriness that the dumplings gave to my tastebuds and honestly ensured that this dish wasn’t bland. The curry itself gave off a creamy yet quite sweet taste which I was surprised at as the Japanese curries that I’ve had in the past have been more peppery than sweet whereas this one was more sweet than peppery and spicy. 

Would I buy it again? Yes, I would. I’m giving this an 8/10 as it definitely blew my expectiations of something frozen from Yo! Way out of the park. I love all the components and it’s actually decent for the price. I don’t think I would get this all the time but I would get it when I want a heart warm lunch or when I’m craving Japanese Curry.  I definitely advise that if you are thinking of trying the range then you should get this! 

Have you tried anything from YoB Sushi before? Let me know down below! 

Check out Iceland. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

McDonalds Festive Burgers 2021 Review

Hey everyone!

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I tried the new two burgers that are out for the festive period at McDonalds and I thought that I would talk to you about them today. 

Blogger has decided to be weird so please ignore that this may not look like a normal blog post from this blog. 

 


Festive Stack

‘Two 100% British and Irish beef patties with a red onion relish, white cheese sauce, bacon, crispy onions, red onion, lettuce, cheddar cheese in a glazed brioche style bun‘.

I quite enjoyed the texture of this burger. The chewiness of the meat patties against the the crunchiness of the onion pieces was sublime. Once the crunchiness of the fried onions had stopped partying on my tongue, a smooth saucy wave hit my tongue which I absolutely adored. These three textural components for me made up most of the burger and made it a great eating experience.

The flavour of this burger only added to the excellent eating experience. When I took a bite of this burger, after the savouriness of the meat hit my tongue, a wave of rich and delicious red onion relish took over. I really enjoyed it. After the red onion calmed down, the cheese sauce hit my palette like a wave of creamy goodness which combines with the after taste of the onion relish ensured that the cheese sauce wasn’t too rich for my personal taste.

Festive Crispy Chicken

‘ A chicken breast fillet in a crispy coating, cranberry sauce, sage & onion mayo, bacon, red onion, lettuce, cheddar cheese in a glazed poppy and sesame seed bun’.

The texture of this burger was a unusual one for me. The poppy and sesame seed bun created crunch which was different as normally the sesame seeds on burger buns don’t usually provide any texture to the dish overall. After the crunch of the bun came the crunch of the patty itself and, for me; it was a bit too much. After the double crunch came the chew of the bacon which didn’t provide much except an aching jaw. All in all, personally it was just a bit too much.

The taste profile of this burger was fabulously festive. When I took my first bite I had a sea of savouriness flood my mouth, after this the sweet taste of classically festive Cranberry crashed my mouth. I quite like the mix of sweet and savoury so I loved them. Once this had dissipated, a creamy flavour coated my tongue. It was meant to be sage and onion Mayo but honestly it tasted more like savoury cream than stuffing to me but every palette is different.



Would I get them again? If I’m in McDonalds and want something festive then I would pick one up but I wouldn’t rush out to get them.

Have you tried these burgers from McDonalds? Let me know down below.

Thanks for reading!

Jamie x

Aldi Festive Sandwiches 2021 (Turkey Feast & Brie & Cranberry) Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I recently tried two of the new festive sandwiches at Aldi and I thought that I would talk to you about them today. 

Eat and GoTurkey Feast 

Cooked turkey breast, pork, sage and onion stuffing, cranberry chutney, mayonnaise, cooked smoked bacon and fried onion on malted bread

The textural aspect of this product was quite sublime. This sandwich contained a lot of the same sort of texture just in different thickness levels such as the thick chunks of stuffing against the thin texture. Even though these were slightly different (eg. different varieties of meat, different flavours and cut into different shapes), they were very similar when it came to texture. However, what made this sandwich sublime when it came to the texture was the fried onions. Against all of the sort of succulent meats and stuffing, the onions added a much needed crunch which when contrasted with the soft meats and smooth sauce and Mayo made for a great mouth feel. 

When I took a bite of this product, the first flavour note that I got was the savouriness from the turkey. When the savouriness of the succulent turkey disappeared, the flavour of the superb sage and onion stuffing hit my palette like a wave of flavour. I love stuffing in all shapes and forms so when this particular flavour hits my tongue I am always happy to enjoy it. The last flavour that mainly hit my palette from this sandwich was the cranberry. This fruity flavour hit my tongue and contrasted amazingly with all of the savoury flavours that had been going on throughout this product. 

Eat & Go Brie & Spiced Cranberry Chutney Sandwich 

'Mould ripened brie cheese with cranberry, orange and ginger chutney, mayonnaise and spinach on malted bread'. 

The texture of this product wasn't the best. Honestly, the texture of this product isn't bad, but, as there isn't anything severely contrasting, this means that it does scream a bit one note when you bite into this product. I did love the smooth cheese against the slightly crunchy seeded bread. This was the nearest to a textural contrast when it comes to consuming this sandwich in my opinion. 

This product may have lacked texture, but it definitely didn't disappoint when it came to taste. When I took a bite of this product, the first flavour note that flourished onto my tongue was the salty and creamy Brie. I don't eat Brie often because its sometimes hard to find for me, but when I do enjoy it, I can't get enough of it. After the creaminess cooled, the next flavour that jumped onto my tongue was the Spinach. To me, Spinach does't have much flavour but kind of has a saline yet iron based flavours to em. That sounds weird, I know but do you know what I mean? This added to the saltiness of the Cheese. After this, the final flavour that hit my palette was the fruity Cranberry. This worked amazingly against the salty and creamy flavours that screamed volumes in this product. I loved the flavour contrast of salt and sweet. It was to die for. 

Would I buy these again? Yes, definitely! They both tasted delicious and priced at £1.75, you can't not buy these again and again! 

Have you tried these? Let me know down below. 

Thanks for reading!

Jamie x

I'm The Jolliest Bee In Leeds | Jollibee Leeds Food Review

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! The lovely guys at Jollibee Leeds sent me some food to try and I thought that I would talk to you all about it today! 

Jollibee is a Filipino originated fast food business that is slowly taking over the world one ChickenJoy at a time! Jollibee are well-known all over the world for some of their dishes such as the Jolly Spaghetti, ChickenJoy and Burger Steak. As said, this business started in the Philippines but now has invaded the States and now the Uk. Jollibee started this inevitable invasion of UK by setting up first at Earls Court in London. After this first store, Jollibee has released stores in Leeds, Liverpool, Leicester, Leicester Square, Cardiff, and Reading. Leeds is the nearest store to me therefore I will be focusing mainly on the food served to me at the Leeds branch. 

8 Piece ChickenJoy Bucket 

Chicken that makes me happy? Sign me up! I decided to grab a bucket of their well-known Chicken to try to see if their ChickenJoy was all that it was hyped up to be. I absolutely loved it. Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside! I have tried my fair share of Chicken from fast food establishments and sometimes it is dry and not that great. This ChickenJoy was amazing, I even grabbed an extra 1 piece that you can buy in store to see if it would still be good hours later and it was. Again, I have tried some Chicken that becomes soggy in a matter of mere moments. The outside of the Chicken reminds me of salt and comfort. I know that sounds weird but you know that sort of comforting taste that you want from food when it is cold and rainy outside? Well this ChickenJoy is coated in it. Some may say that it isn't coated in spices and is thus tasteless but I disagree! I think that with ChickenJoy it doesn't need all the bells and whistles of spices and everything else because Jollibee allow the Chicken to speak for itself which I love. If you are wanting Chicken with spice though I would recommend the Spicy Chicken Burger. 

Jolly Spaghetti 

Spaghetti at a fast food establishment that is also jolly? I had to give it a try! Yes I know that Spaghetti isn't something that most Western countries serve at fast food establishments but this is Spaghetti with a twist! I absolutely adored this dish not only due to the textures that were going on but also due to the flavours that were going on in this dish! I love the softness of the pasta mixed with the smoothness of the sauce, the snap of the hotdog and the creamy sort of texture of the Cheese. I also loved the taste of this as it reminded me of rainy days, childhood and barbecue sauce. Yes I know that sounds like a vague and odd mixture but I used to love having spaghetti on cold days so this dish takes me right back to them old moments and the barbecue sauce element in this dish gives it a twist that I wasn't expecting! I also love the slightly smoky flavour that the hotdogs provide too! All in all a great dish that I recommences that everyone tries once in their lifetime! 

2 Piece Burger Steak With Side 

Will this dish drive a comforting stake through my cold heart? We shall see! Again, to most western people, this may seem like an odd dish to serve at a fast food establishment but I am always up for trying new dishes no matter what! The texture of the Burger Steak itself reminded me of a very succulent Meat Loaf to me and the flavour was something that comforted my soul with it's savouriness. To add to this, the gravy contained mushrooms which were a umami bomb against the side of white rice which created a blank canvas for the savoury notes of this dish to jump from. I love Mushrooms so this dish was right up my alley but I do think that this will be either a love or loathe situation for most people. 

I have also tried the Burgers in previous visits with Luke and Alex including the Spicy Chicken Burger and the Tropical Chicken Burger. I may be bias as I love Pineapple but I absolutely loved the Tropical Chicken Burger as not only did it contain Pineapple but it also contained Bacon and Sweet Chilli Sauce, Not only do I love this due to the tastes of the salty Chicken, the sweet pineapple and the spicy Chilli sauce but I also love this burger due to the texture contrasts. I love the crispy Chicken contrasted with the smooth sauce and the slightly chewy Bacon, its to die for! The Spicy Chicken Burger is not for the faint hearted though. This burger has all the spice going on and will punch you in the face with flavour if you try it!

Have you tried anything from Jollibee? Let me know down below! 

Check out Jollibee. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

This post was in return of gifted items. All views, opinions and ramblings are my own. 

Grabbing All The Spoons From The Pot To Start The Day Off Right | Mr Lee's Breakfast Porridges & Congees Review

 Hey everyone! 

Long time, no see! A lot of personal things have happened lately which has stopped me from blogging which I'd rather not get into. However, I do want to state that I am writing a Dissertation for my Masters Degree so posts will be sporadic for the moment. Recently I was kindly sent some products from Mr. Lee's recently and I thought that I would talk to you all about them today!

About Mr Lee's (Taken From Their Website): 

Damien Lee was a real person, not some fictitious character made up by Madmen. After being diagnosed with cancer in 2014, he decided to take a stand against the food choices available to time poor people, passionately believing that we all have a right to quick, honest and tasty food. 

So he started a food company! Damien passed away in early 2021 after battling fiercely and so courageously through the challenges of cancer for over 6 years. 

During Damien’s treatment, he craved his guilty pleasure: instant noodles. But couldn’t succumb, knowing they’re full of junk and that wouldn’t help his diet in the fight. With the help of Andy Chu - an experenced executive Chef and friend of Damien’s - they developed 6 instant noodle recipes that contained no nasties, are low in sugar, low in saturated fats and gluten free. Damien’s idea became reality and Mr Lee’s first product was born. A guilt free, healthier instant noodle!

Unlike most other cup noodles, our ingredients are freeze dried, not dehydrated. This locks in more of the flavour, nutrients and vitamins. So you can scoff away guilt-free, knowing mind, body and soul are getting what they need!

Although their about us is all about the noodles and the background of the noddles and why they are amazing, Mr. Lee's kindly sent me some of their new Congee's and Porridges so this post will be mainly focusing on them. 

The Products: 

Original Congee Rice Porridge:

Congee to me is an Asian food staple. My friend Alex introduced Congee to me whilst being at Dim Sum a while ago and it changed my life. 

The texture of Congee to me is amazing. Thick and velvety. That staple dish that just makes you feel warm on the inside. I guess the best way to put it is a very similar texture to Porridge. As the Congee's and Porridge Instant Pots are all similar in texture therefore I think that it may be best to leave it at this one in terms of discussing the texture as it may become repetitive. The texture of the Congee's and Porridges is amazing. 

Ingredients: 

Rice, Corn Semolina, Gluten Free Oat Flakes, Natural Flavour, Yeast Extract, Freeze-dried Spring Onion, Maltodextrin, Freeze-dried Ginger, Soybean, Salt, Onion Powder, Spirit Vinegar, Sugar. 

The flavour of this Congee is strong but still soothing. The Soy that is in this product adds a sort of soothing saline shake to the product making you want to go back for more and more. After a while of having the smooth saline hit jump onto my tongue, the warming wave of Ginger popped on my tongue afterwards which contrasted against the soothing hit of Soy. As said from the texture, this Congee is exactly what you want when you need to be soothed and the flavour reinstates that. The Ginger may have a kick but it still has the ability to soothe your insides and make you feel warm and toasty. 

Chicken Congee Rice Porridge 

Ingredients: 

Rice, Corn Semolina, Gluten Free Oat Flakes, Freeze-dried Chicken Breast, Freeze-dried Mushrooms, Fermented Shrimp Powder, Natural Flavour, Yeast Extract, Freeze-dried Spring Onion, Maltodextrin, Dried Ginger, Soybean, Onion Powder, Salt, Wild Seaweed, White Pepper, Spirit Vinegar, Sugar. 

The flavour of the Rice, Oats and Salt are the first components to hit your tongue as soon as you take a spoonful of this perfect product which reinforces the soothing properties that I mentioned in the paragraph above. After this, blasts of Ginger and Onion jump onto the palette ensuring that you get hit with both the punchy flavours that these ingredients provide. Once this takeover of the tongue is finished, the coolness returns in the form of Mushroom. I always relate Mushrooms to soothing as they are in such sort of comforting dishes as Miso Soup and such forth. These go well with the savoury flavour of the Chicken which coats your mouth beautifully and makes you want more. I love this Congee as it is definitely the best mixture of contrasts. From soothing and uplifting to salty and sweet to crunchy and soft. It is such an amazing dish. 

So Very Berry Porridge: 

Ingredients: 

Gluten Free Oats, Coconut Milk, White Rice, Organic Coconut Blossom Sugar, Psyillium Husk, Freeze-dried Strawberries, Freeze-dried Raspberries, Freeze-dried Goji Berries, Beetroot, Maltodextrin, Modified Food Starch, Natural Flavouring. 

Oh god this porridge was amazing. I could have this every single day! As soon as I put a spoonful of Porridge in my mouth, I was hit with a blast of uplifting Coconut and I loved it! The Coconut coated my mouth like how the perfect blanket coats you at night. After this, the bunch of berries popped flavour onto my tongue like how a dart has the ability to instantly pop a balloon. I absolutely loved it as it created a great contrast against the sweet Coconut This is definitely a great product that would perk up your morning perfectly! 

Salted Caramel Porridge: 

Ingredients: 

Gluten Free Oats, Coconut Milk, White Rice, Organic Coconut Blossom Sugar, Maltodextrin, Psyllium Husk, Natural Flavouring, Modified Food Starch, Sea Salt. 

If anyone knows me well then you will know that I have a habit of trying Salted Caramel products and end up complaining about the fact that they never have a distinct Salt flavour to them. I was pleasantly surprised that one of the first flavours to hit my tongue was Salt which was probably Mr. Lee's telling me that I was in good hands when it cane to them putting what I wanted into their products. The next thing that hit my tongue with flavour was a sort of toasty warm Caramel flavour which I believe came from a mixture of the flavouring, Coconut Blossom Sugar and Oats. I love anything with a warn sort of smoky flavour to it as it stops products and food from being too sweet and this was no exception! It added a sort of sweet smoky flavour to the product and made me want to go back for more and more every time that I had a bite. 

Original 3-Grain Porridge

Ingredients:

 Gluten Free Oats, Coconut Milk, White Rice, Maltodextrin, Psyllium Husk, Modified Food Starch. 

Simple but sublime. The first flavour that flooded my mouth was a toasty note from the Oats which I adore. I love that sort of warm smoky tastiness that comes from Oats especially on a cold morning. Whilst the smoky note took a slight step into the background, the Coconut Milk came out to shine and gave the oats an amazing contrasting flavour of not only Coconut but also comfort. As a lactose intolerant person, Coconut Milk is my milk of choice because of this sort of comforting note as it reassures me that everything will be okay when I drink it.

Directions On How To Prepare An Mr. Lee's Instant Pot Product: 

Boil the kettle, take the lid off, fill the kettle up to the line, stir, wait four minutes and enjoy! 

Would I Buy These Again?

Honestly? Yes, I would! I absolutely love these. As someone who sometimes forgets to have breakfast and as someone who craves food like Porridge and Congee on the cold days, I would stock up on these to ensure I always have something in to eat for breakfast or those cold days! I love the simplicity of them and they taste amazing which I was pleasantly surprised about as I've had some instant pot products that haven't been up to a great standard of quality. Overall I give all of these a 9/10. 

Where Can I Buy These? 

You can purchase these at Amazon, The Mr Lees website, vending machines and Ocado and start from £2.25. 

Check Mr Lees here. 

I hope that you have enjoyed this blog post. Have you tried any new food products lately?? Let me know down below! 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x 

This post was in collaboration with a brand and was in exchange for products. All views, opinions and ramblings are my own.