Starting The Year Off With A Successful Self Care Ritual | Lush Lunar New Year 2026

Hey everyone!

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I thought that today I would talk to you all about Lush's Lunar New Year 2026 Range.

Gallop To Success Bath Bomb 

 Ingredients: 

Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Alcohol Denat., Cornstarch, Parfum, Bergamot Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Orange Flower Absolute, Sicilian Red Mandarin Oil, Popping Candy, Titanium Dioxide, Aqua (Water), Sodium Coco Sulfate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Propylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Silica, Tin Oxide, Limonene,LLinalool, Colour 15985:1, Colour 19140:1, Colour 14700, Colour 19140, Colour 77491, Colour 45410:1.

The brand new product Gallop To Success Bath Bomb is inspired by Chi Tu. Chi Tu is  known as the Red Hare and was ridden by Lu Bu who was known to be a formidable warrior. Chi Tu is famously known for their strength and great speed. 

Gallop To Success contains Bicarbonate of Soda, Corn Starch and Popping Candy which combine to help this bath bomb gallop across the water spreading luck and prosperity and showcasing what Chi Tu was all about. I've used this bath bomb and I do have to state that the Popping Candy crackles quite loudly and vividly as soon as this stallion hits the water which makes it truly feel like they're galloping in a race across the water! 

Gallop To Success contains Sicilian Lemon, Bergamot, Sicilian Red Mandarin and Orange Flower Absolute which all blend together to create a gorgeous citrus fragrance that isn't too sweet but also has an air of lightness to it. In my opinion, the lightness of the fragrance of this gorgeous bath bomb mainly comes from the Bargamot as it provides a light citrus element with a peppery undertone to me. The Red Mandarin and Sicilian Lemon blend to create a punchy  fragrance that has a slight bit of depth to it due to the slightly bitter Red Mandarin. Well to my nose it comes across slightly bitter which contrasts beautifully against the lip puckering Sicilian Lemon. This fragrance also has a slight element of floral to it from the Orange Flower Absolute which makes the whole fragrance feel fit for a celebration such as Lunar New Year or a birthday which I absolutely adore!

Horsepower Massage Bar

Ingredients:  

Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Sunflower Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Cinnamon Leaf Oil, Clove Bud Oil, Lime Oil, Brazilian Orange Oil, Patchouli Oil, Camphor, Paprika Oleoresin, Titanium Dioxide, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Silica, Tin Oxide, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate, Cinnamal, Citral, Coumarin, Eugenol, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool, Parfum, Colour 77491.

Horsepower Massage Bar has been designed to not only give you energy but also to aid relaxation and to relieve muscle pain so you have energy for the whole year. 

Horsepower contains a plethora of gorgeous butters and oils such as Rice Bran Oil which is known for absorbing into the skin easily meaning that you'll save time in the morning waiting for something rich and heavy to sink into the skin. 

Horsepowe contains Fair Trade Organic Cocoa Butter. This gorgeous ingredient is known for deeply hydrating the skin. Alongside Cocoa Butter, Horsepower contains Sunflower Oil which is known for being rich in Vitanin E which is known for its soothing and nourishing properties. I've been using Horsepower for some time now especially when I've been in a  rush first thing in the morning getting ready to go out or last minute at night when I'm in a little bit of pain and I do have to admit that the formula of this Massage Bar sinks into my skin beautifully and very quickly. Alongside this, when I'm using a body care product first thing in the morning rushing I hate that sticky feeling and I have noticed none of that whilst using this bar. 

Horsepower contains Cinnamon Leaf, Patchouli, Lime, Benzoin Resinoid and Orange Oils which blend together to create a beautiful spicy fragrance with a bright zingy undertone that just boosts the essential oils that make this Massage Bar oh so gorgeous   that little bit more. If you're a big Lushie then you may recognise the fragrance of Horsepower as it shares the same scent as Hot Toddy Shower Gel/Cinnamon Roll Bubble Bar. If you're an avid reader of the blog then you will know by now that I adore anything spicy from Lush especially the Hot Toddy fragrance so I absolutely adore this fragrance. It's fiery, it's spicy and it's the perfect fragrance to make me feel comforted yet ready to get on with the day and smash it. So much so that whilst writing this blog post, I ended up popping to a Lush store near myself to grab some bits and ended up grabbing another one! It's definitely a fragrance at the moment that's helping me push through some mental health stuff and get out and about. Lush, I definitely need you to release a Hot Toddy Body Spray! 

Not only is the fragrance amazing but the actives and design of this Massage Bar are amazing too. Horsepwoer contains a horse embellishment on the top of it which is inspired by  Chinese Paper Art and even contains a dusting of plastic free glitter on top. If you know me or read the blog a lot then you will know that I am a lover of lustre so to me this is amazing. Not only do I love that the embellishment will help to bring you prospertity all year long but it also means that if you're going out to celebrate Lunar New Year and want to look radiant then you can make sure your skin is nourished and hydrated on one side and then switch th bar over and use the lustre to highlight and dazzle all night long. 

Horsepower is the first product from Lush to include Camphor. Camphor is utilised in a lot of Chinese medicine products and is a main ingredient in the well known Tiger Balm. Camphor provides a stimulating and warming element to the massage bar which helps to aid muscle pain and other ailments whilst having a slight Menthol note. I think that this note goes  well with the spicy notes provided from the Hot Toddy scent profile. I am going through a big spout of muscle pain at the moment mainly neck and back pain and I have to admit that this bar has really been a godsend for me. Alongside physio and stretches, applying this beautiful bar when my body plays up and I end up being in a fair amount of pain. I've been having trouble sleeping even more than usual due to the pain and smearing this massage bar an massaging it into my skin has reduced the tension, the inflammation and has definitely helped me relax more to help me sleep. 

Alongside the fragrance the Camphor was a big reason to why I grabbed another Bar but honestly with the gorgeous scent, the muscle tension alleviating properties and glitter, it all equals the perfect product in my eyes and I hope that Lush create  more products like this in the future! 

Sunrise Shower Gel 

Ingredients: 

Glycerine, Aqua (Water), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Blood Orange Juice, Calcium Lactate, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Limonene, Lauryl Betaine, Almond Oil, Carrageenan Extract, Titanium Dioxide, Propylene Glycol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Tin Oxide, Citral, Parfum, Colour 15510.

Sunrise Shower Gel is a beautiful Shower Gel that has returned from the Lunar New Year 2025 Range. 

Sunrise contains Blood Orange Juice and Sicilian Lemon Oil which blend together to create a gorgeous sprightly citrus fragrance that perks you up and makes you feel like you can tackle the day and the year on with the best intentions possible. I absolutely adore the smell of Sunrise as it is just so juicy, zingy and uplifting. I've used it first thing in the morning and when I'm going through S.A.D and it has honestly helped me to not feel absolutely horrible. 

Not only does it smell gorgeous but it looks it too. This gel has a slight orange tint which makes it look like a sunrise first thing in the morning in a bottle! 

 Alongside this, Sunrise contains a bunch of gorgeous glitter that just makes it shimmer when the bottle hits the light or when it hits the skin when I'm using it in the bath or shower. I'm an absolute fiend for glitter so I adore that Sunrise has as much glitter as it does. 

I think that Sunrise in a Solid Perfume or in a Temple Balm format would be amazing too as it would mean that you could have peek up ready to do anything feeling on the go for when the day is just getting sluggish.

Black Tea Mochi Fresh Face Mask 

Ingredients: 

Kaolin, Black Tea Infusion, Zea Mays Starch (Cornstarch), Glycerine, Sake, Organic Jojoba Oil, Vanilla Absolute, Almond Essential Oil, Green Tea Powder, Agar Agar, Black Sesame Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Perfume, Dried Black Tea. 

Who doesn't love a good face mask to ensure that your skin is glowing and looking amazing before the festivities start? 

I'm a sucker for all things Mochi to the point when I went to Hong Kong last year with my partner I ended up bringing back far too much Mochi back with me via going for a quick shopping trip to Don Don Donki which ended up with me grabbing far too many goodies. To give this Fresh Face Mask it's beautiful Mochi texture, Lush have included both Agar Agar and Cornstarch which combine together to create a beautifully soft yet slightly stretchy texture that is reminiscent of Mochi yet still ensures to hydrate the skin. 

Black Tea Mochi contains Vanilla, Black Sesame Oil and Almond Essential Oil which blend together to create a very Black Sesame forward fragrance that to me is nutty yet sweet with a slightly resinious smoky element to it. In my opinion I feel that both the Vanilla and Almond are included to help accentuate the natural notes of Black Sesame as the Vanilla plays on the sweetness whilst the Almond plays on the slightly smoky nutty element of Black Sesame which creates a slightly more sweeter more smoky Black Sesame fragrance for this Fresh Face Mask alongside the Tea elements that play a big part in this Face Mask. I've been enjoying Black Sesame fragrances and sweet desserts for a long while now. I even tried the Black Sesame Soup from the famous Kai Kai whilst in Hong Kong which was brimming with that gorgeous nutty flavour to the point that it took my breath away. 

As the name of this fabulous Fresh Fact Mask states this product not only consists of having the texture of a beautiful Mochi  but also contains Black Tea Infusion, Dried Black Tea  and Green Tea Powder. The addition of both  of these Teas help to stimulate the skin and thus helps to soothe and depuff skin. Alongside this, both of the teas blend together to create a slightly earthy and smoky base for the fragrance of this face mask and combines beautifully with the resinious smoky Black Sesame to create a fragrance that in my opinion is out of this world.

I've been using this Face Mask religiously since the Lunar New Year Range was released and I have to say that it is absolutely incredible! My skin feels softer, smoother, hydrated and honestly radiant. I do hope that in the future Lush uses this brand new scent family in other products. Maybe a Perfume? Maybe a Massage Bar? Who knows but I would love to see this fragrance in other formats. 

I have absolutely adored this years Linar New Year range the products have been amazing. The range has been very conceptual centric. I honestly can't find any faults with it. If I was to try and find one I do think that they could've tied the Black Tea Mochi to the Hybrid Shampoo Bar and put them in a gift together as they both contain Black Sesame but that's me being me. It's also because it's a Hong Kong exclusive that I managed to grab when I was there last year. 

What has been your favourite item from the range? Let me know your thoughts on the Lush Lunar New Year 2026 Range!

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

My Friends Of Lush Affiliate Link. 

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

Maryland Cookies Lemon Drizzle Cake Chunkies Review

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I recently saw on Instagram that Maryland had released some new cookies and I thought that today I would talk to you all about them. 

Taking inspiration from the beloved Lemon Drizzle Cake, Maryland Cookies have released a new product that contains all the zesty citrus flavouring of the cake mixed with wonderful white chocolate chunks. 

The texture of this product was exactly what I was wanting and expecting. Crunchy with chunks of softness provided from the white chocolate . I know that this isn’t texture but I thought that it would be best to put it under this category. My one problem with these cookies were that they weren’t as chunky as some of the other products in this range which was a little bit disappointing. 

The taste of these on the other hand were amazing. I saw that some bloggers were annoyed with these cookies due to them not actually containing Lemon Drizzle Cake pieces but I wasn’t expecting that as it would mean you would either get crumbs of dried cake or you wouldn’t get much of the cookie itself. When I bit into one of these cookies, I was met with that well known citrus taste that I associate with Lemon Drizzle Cake. Citrusy but light. This taste blended well with the White Chocolate as the White Chocolate added that little bit of creaminess that maybe a good frosting on top of a cake would deliver. Such a marvellous mixture of flavours.  

Would I buy these again? Definitely? I think that these would go amazingly with a cup of tea or a glass of iced lemon tea in the middle of Summer and only at 79p a packet there is no reason not to get them again! If they sorted out the ‘chunky’ problem that I have mentioned I would buy them as much as possible. I’d give these a 8.6/10.

I found these at Poundland in case you are wanting to find them to try. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x 

OMG! I Love Licking Out That Chocolate Crevice! | The Chocolate Smiths & George’s Bakery Collaboration Bar

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I purchased a George’s Bakery Collaboration bar a while ago and it has finally arrived so I thought I would tell you all about it today!

If you don’t know what a collaboration bar is then the best way to put is that it’s a chocolate bar all about collaborating with other small businesses to promote said business. The chocolate smiths do this by collaborating with businesses not only through promoting them on the wrapper of the bars but by putting some of the other small businesses most liked or most known product into the bar itself  and this time it’s the turn of the sumptuous, sublime and damn right sexy salted caramel crevice that blew up on TikTok not only for its hefty holes in the middle but for the titillating tutorial of how George makes it. 

‘George's famous cornflake crevice filled with the most delicious caramel, stuffed inside a milk and white chocolate bar with white chocolate spread. And of course. We had to feature his signature OMG!'

The texture of this bar is amazing. So many different layers and textures in one bar. Not only do you have the crunchy texture of the crevice itself, but you also have the gooey caramel, the thick spread and the slightly snappy chocolate. When you put all of these in your mouth via this bar, it creates a textural experience like no other. I love a bar with different textures in it so this bar just from textures alone ticks all of the boxes for me. 

When I put a piece of this beautifully bulging bar in my mouth, the first taste that entered my mouth was the sweet yet slightly savoury cornflake crevice base itself. The crevice had a bit of a treacly undertone to it which instantly made me want to grab the whole bar and just ram it into my mouth. After this, the flavour of the devilishly decadent caramel flooded the interior of my mouth. Once this fabulous flavour flitted away from my tongue, a saline hit swam across my tongue. If you know me well, then you will know that I love not only Salted Carmel but anything with a good salty kick to it. I mean, who doesn't? This saline kick merged into the white chocolate spread which created a lovely flavour as well salty and creamy flavours are always a good thing too me. To finish off this bar to me, the last flavour that I got was the sightly sweet chocolate that The Chocolate Smiths are known for which ensured me that I remembered that this was not only a bar cranked full of delicious delights but an amazing collaboration between two small businesses. 

Would I get it again? Definitely! You get to support two small businesses, get to eat some amazing chocolate and also have the ability to lick out a delicious crevice which lets be honest is everyones number one fantasy. (This is all only possible if The Chocolate Smiths ever brought this bar out again). Now that I know what the products from George’s Bakery taste like too, I’ll definitely be making an order for one of their boxes very soon!  

Check out George’s Bakery. 

Check out The Chocolate Smiths. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Krispy Kreme UK Vegan Doughnuts Review

Hey everyone!

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I recently tried the three new Vegan Doughnuts from Krispy Kreme UK and I thought that I would talk about them to you all today.




Apple Custard Crumble

‘A classic apple and custard vegan filled doughnut which is topped with icing & a cinnamon crumble crumb.’ - Krispy Kreme UK.

So the texture of this doughnut was a bit tough compared to the other two vegan doughnuts which I was a bit unsure about. It seemed soft but sort of stale around the edges? It was a bit weird. The texture of the rest of doughnut was sublime otherwise. The interior was slightly chunky but smooth at the same time due to the mixture of the apple and custard which I adored and the crunchy crumble on the top contrasted beautifully with this instantly making me fall in love with this doughnut!

The taste of this doughnut was delightful! When I took a bite, the first flavour profile that hit my tongue was a sweet vanilla taste from the dough. Once this taste had dissipated, the next flavour that hit my palette was the slightly tart but fresh apple flavour. I love a good tart apple flavour in a sweet dish as this contrasts against all of the sweetness normally and stops the sweet dish (in this case the doughnut) from being sickly. The vanilla from the custard blended into the apple flavour and normally I’m a bit iffy about custard and fruit flavours mixed together but I really loved this one. Once this combination had left my tongue, the last flavour to hit the inside of my mouth was the cinnamon crumble. Now, if you know me well then you will know that I absolutely love cinnamon. The level of cinnamon in this doughnut was quite subdue though which would enable people who aren’t friends of cinnamon to enjoy the doughnut but me being me I would have loved a bit more cinnamon here.

Fudge Brownie Bliss

‘Indulge in our delicious Belgian chocolate filled doughnut, topped with chocolate icing, dark chocolate drizzle & crunchy brownie pieces. ‘ - Krispy Kreme UK.

This doughnut was similar texture to the one above but the brownie decorations actually added a bit of texture to this doughnut. The decoration added a much needed crunch to this product which I really enjoyed.

The main flavour that I got from this doughnut was chocolate. I know that this sounds severely obvious but the level of chocolate throughout eating this product was varied which I really liked. The doughnut had a slightly sweeter flavour to it which when contrasted against the slightly more molten dark chocolate filling made for a more three dimensional tasting experience compared to other chocolate baked products that I’ve had before which have ended up being really bland and one dimensional.

Caramel Choc Delight

‘Made fresh, delicious and vegan friendly doughnut. With a double filling of creamy caramel and Belgian chocolate, topped with caramel icing & dark chocolate.’ - Krispy Kreme UK.

Honestly the texture of this was quite one note. It was soft which doughnut: should be but that was about it.

The taste was questionable for me. The first flavour that jumped onto my tongue was the vanilla from the dough and then it all got a little bit confusing.

Even though there was chocolate and caramel in the middle, neither of these flavours jumped onto my tongue. The main flavour that I got from the interior of this doughnuts was pretty much just sugar. I did get a bit more of a chocolate note from the topping of the doughnut but again the one dimensional sugar flavour overwhelmed any other flavour that was in or on this doughnut. Honestly, I’d say try this flavour but In my opinion the two flavours mentioned above were ten times better.

Would I buy them again? The first two definitely. I think I would even get a dozen of just the apple flavour which is rare for me to say. All three are definitely worth a try though! Thank goodness for brands releasing vegan items that my lactose intolerant stomach can handle.

Have you tried these? Have you tried any amazing Vegan products lately?

Check out Krispy Kreme UK.

Thanks for reading!

Jamie x

Subway T.L.C (Tastes Like Chicken) Tikka Review

 Hey everyone! 

I recently had to go out to run some errands. Whilst on my little trip outside, I decided to grab one of the new T.L.C (Tastes Like Chicken) Tikka Subs from Subway UK. I thought that today I would talk to you all about my thoughts on this new Vegan Fast Food product. 

'Introducing our new plant-based T.L.C.® Tikka, unbelievably delicious. Packed full of flavour with traditional Indian spices, loaded with crispy veggies.' - Subway UK. 

As you know, Subway is the land of imagination and choices. I decided to choose Hearty Italian bread, Vegan Cheese Toasted, Red Onion, Mixed Peppers and Gherkins with Garlic Aioli as the components that would be helping the Vegan Tikka sing when it came to consuming this sandwich.

The texture of the TLC Tikka itself reminded me of a very succulent strip of Chicken. I will probably use this reference many times throughout this post, but, imagine a piece of the ready cooked chicken that you can get for picnics and such in the supermarket but more succulent. I love that Subway have decided to ensure that these TLC pieces were in strip form rather than in chunks as it made for a more easy eating experience in my opinion. The soft and succulent TLC pieces contrasted with the crisp vegetables and slightly crunchy bread is what really made this sandwich an amazing product to consume. 

When I wrapped my mouth around this perfect product, the first flavour that jumped onto my tongue was the slightly spicy yet slightly sweet Tikka flavouring. To me, it reminded me of a classic Tikka flavouring that you can find in many products around the UK but with a little bit more sweetness to it. It made me think that Mango or something fruit based had been added to the Tikka paste as it had a slightly fruity yet slightly sweet tang to it. This flavouring was the main star of the show. However, once this flavour had flown from my tongue, the flavouring of the TLC came through. To me, the flavour notes of the pieces themselves reminded me of a sort of a savoury broth. Not too strong in flavour, but enough to add a bit of umami to the pieces and Tikka flavouring that coated them. Finally, the last flavour that hit my palette was the mixture of sour and heat from the mixture of Onion, Gherkins and Garlic Aioli. The Peppers did add a bit of sweetness but I noticed that the sweetness mainly didn't stand out unless it was paired with the TLC pieces. This mixture of sour and heat was amazing against the slightly sweet bread. I love anything that has a Garlic kick to it so it made me enjoy this superb Sub even more. 

Would I purchase this again? Definitely. I would get it again and maybe change some of the vegetables that go into it up a bit. The Tikka pieces themselves were great and I would love them to be around all year round! I'm glad that Subway are adding more meat free options and hopefully the T.L.S (Tastes Like Steak) comes to all stores soon. Definitely a bright burst of flavour that we all need during this very cold January! 

Have you tried the T.L.C Tikka? Let me know down below! 

Thanks for reading!

Jamie x

Ferrero Rocher Original Milk Chocolate & Hazelnut Dark 55% Chocolate Bars Review

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I finally got my hands on the Ferrero Rocher bars after pretty much hunting them down whenever I was at a supermarket so I thought that today I would talk to you all about them. 

During my childhood, two confectionery based products were the height of excellence to me. Lindt Lindors and Ferrero Rochers. Seeing those adverts where all of the chocolates were encased in gold packaging that would glimmer and shine against the lines in the studio. All of the spherical chocolates lined in a pyramid ready to be unwrapped. The sound of someone biting into one in the advert which would make your mouth water instantly. These are some of the factors that made me instantly connect Ferrero Rochers with excellence... Now that same celebrated chocolate treat has been turned into a chocolate bar. 

The two bars that I could find were the Original Milk Chocolate and the Hazelnut Dark 55% Chocolate. I did hear that there is a White Chocolate bar that is on supermarket shelves and that Ferrero hope to release some more flavours but I have only heard this through the grapevine so take this with a good pinch of salt. 

Both go these bars share a similar texture, so I will mainly focus the texture on one bar as the difference between these bars lies more in the taste rather than the texture, or the textural contrast of different components against each other (eg. smooth cream against a crunchy nut praline and so on). 

The texture of this bar was quite interesting. I was expecting it to be exactly like the original Ferrero Rocher truffles but that isn't the case with these bars. When I placed a piece of these practically perfect bars into my mouth, the first thing that hit my tongue was the oh so smooth chocolate. Whether this be milk or dark chocolate, it didn't matter, they were both smooth against my tongue. Once this texture hit my tongue the nubbly nutty filling hit the roof of my mouth which made for an amazing textural contrast against the smooth chocolate. The nuts were of a fine texture which meant that the filling didn't feel like chunky clusters going into my mouth. 

The Milk Chocolate Original Bar tasted amazing. The first component that hit me was the chocolate. Instead of texturally, this time the chocolate hit my tongue with the sweetness and creaminess that milk chocolate gives when anyone places a square of it into their mouths. This milk chocolate was instantly contrasted with the toasty and slightly savoury note that came from the toasted Hazelnut filling that was next to hit my palette like a wave hitting a surfer without a care in the world doing their thing in the waters. These two flavour notes combined later on in the tasting experience of this bar to create a salty sweet concoction that is to die for. 

The Dark bar was surprisingly just as delicious! My qualms normally with dark chocolate when its mixed with another flavour (in this aspect, its nuts but I've tried bars with caramel, fruit etc) is that the Dark Chocolate overwhelms the other components in the bar which then makes the other component (eg fruit) pointless. The Dark Chocolate is at a 55% Cocoa rate which means that it isn't too strong and thus allows the other flavours in this bar to dance on the tongue without having their thunder stolen by the chocolate. I really enjoyed the Dark as the slightly more rounded and fruity chocolate gave a completely different taste experience compared to the Milk. As someone who isn't the biggest Dark Chocolate fan, I would definitely recommend this bar to others. 

Would I buy this again? Yes, but I have a few stipulations. First, I wouldn't hunt them down in several stores for several weeks and I wouldn’t buy them often due to the pricing of the bars. I would get them when I wanted to treat myself and if I knew that I could purchase one in my local area. I also would like a few more flavours. I think that a fruit flavour would be nice especially against the warming flavours of the nuts that are in the bar and I would love to see some experimentation with the nuts themselves. Macadamia, Coconut, Almond. The list could be endless. The bars are priced ai £2 for 90g. 

Have you tried out the Ferrero Rocher Bars? 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. 

Panda Sweets Pick & Mix Box Review

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I was kindly sent one of the wonderful Pick & Mix boxes from Panda Sweets and I thought that today, I thought I would talk to you all about it. 

'Our Pick N Mix Boxes are huge, they contain a massive 1,000g (1kg) or sweets. The Pick N Mix Boxes are perfect for movie nights, family gatherings parties or any other occasion, they are absolutely stuffed to the brim with a huge range of sweets, such as jelly sweets, chewy sweets, fizzy sweets, chocolate and marshmallows. The Pick N Mix Sweet Box has been photographed to show you the products contained in the box; the box will come with all of the sweets hygienically packaged in an airtight bags. In rare cases items may differ from those listed but would be replaced with a similar item of equal or higher value.' - Panda Sweets. 

Now due to the lovely and decadent amount of sweets that are in this box, I think it might be a bit better to pick some sweets out and tell you what I think instead of talking about every type of sweet that is in this beautiful and marvellous box. 

White Chocolate Jazzies: 

I used to love these as a child. Whenever I used to go to the shops with the rest of my family I used to get these all of the time. Creamy smooth chocolate against crunchy little hundreds and thousands. Absolute perfection. Sadly, as I grew up, I fell slightly out of love with these, not out of choice but just due to growing up as a human and slightly forgetting that they existed. So imagine my surprise, when I opened the box to find a few of these whimsical white gems glaring at me. I was amazed. I instiantly felt like I was transported back to my childhood. I absolutely loved them. If you like anything that has white chocolate in them or is bright and colourful then I urge you to try them.

Fizzy Cola Bottles: 

Who doesn't love something that is coated in Sugar? These bottles to me are amazingg. I love the sort of sweet interior which tastes like an classic favourite flavour of Cola mixed with the sort of seriously sour exterior that just makes your whole face pucker. If anyone knows me, then you will know that I love sour things so these are always a great favourite for me. 

Fried Eggs: 

Eggs, Eggs, Eggs, all I want is Eggs! Who doesn't love Eggs? Again, these little fabulous Fried Eggs have been a staple favourite for me. The sweet yet slightly tart flavour of these eggs just are devious! I could eat these all night long. 

Gummy Worms: 

Do the worm! These worms are wonderful! These sweet and sour sweets are the great afternoon snack. You never know what you're going to get when you take a bite. These just remind me of my teenage years when I used to grab packets of organic Gummy Worms and spend all day out on adventures and just soaking up the atmosphere. I just adore these. 

Cherry Lips: 

These are amazing. To me, these will always remind me of my brother Luke, as these were his favourite sweet to get whilst growing up. Not only are they a great sweet to eat due to its punchy flavour but just fun to buy due to the shape of these sweets. I always loved as a kid to put these up to my face and pretend to have red plump lips. I just think that these are great sweets to bring a little bit of fun to anyone during these dark times. 

Would I get these for someone as a gift? Definitely! This box contains so many goodies for anyone that you love or want to give a bit of fun to. The variety of the sweets that are included are off the chart and the price for this box is less than £10 which for a kilo of sweets is amazing to me. 

If you want to save 15% then use my code JAMIE. This offer can be used against everything on the Panda Sweets website. This offer is available until the 31st May 2021. 

Have you tried Panda Sweets? What is your favourite childhood sweet? Let me know down below. 

Check out Panda Sweets. 

Check out the Pick & Mix Box. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x 

This blog post was in return for a product. All views, ramblings and opinions are my own. 

McDonalds Katsu Curry Chicken McNuggets Review

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I thought that today, I would talk to you all about the brand new Katsu Curry Chicken McNuggets from McDonalds 

These McNuggets are a part of their brand new promotional menu that is around via stores, drive thru and delivery, from the 30th December and is available for six weeks only. 

I love Katsu Curry and I love fast food. So, when I saw that the two had combined in the format of McNuggets, I had to try them. I was out running some errands with Luke earlier today and remembered that it was the day of their release, and as a McDonalds location was in our reach, I decided to drag Luke along to try some. 

The texture of these McNuggets were amazing. Honestly, I'm not the biggest fan of their original Nuggers because there isn't much of a textural difference and it puts me off a bit. These Katsu ones are different. They contain a spicy Panko coating. When I popped one of these Nuggets into my mouth, a crispy crunch enveloped my mouth making me want to pop another one into my mouth instantly. I loved popping these into my mouth. After the crispness came a wave of succulent Chicken. I'm always a bit dubious of Fast Food based Chicken because it normally ends up being on the dry side. This definitely wasn't the case with these Nuggets. The Chicken was tender and succulent and I loved it. It was such a pleasant surprise!

The taste of these were different. The Panko contained a wonderful blend of spices that danced upon my tastebuds. The spices were warm but not spicy and left me wanting more. I loved these warming spices as they contrasted beautifully against the coolness of the Chicken that lied within. Sadly, I wasn't fully a fan of the Curry Sauce and Nugget combination as the Curry Sauce that was provided had such bold fruity notes, that it, overwhelmed the flavour of the Nuggets themselves. The Sweet and Sour Sauce was a better match for these as it still added a note of fruitiness that you would get within a Katsu Sauce (S&B Katsu sauces contain Apple which gives a fruity roundness to their sauces) but still allowed the palette to grab onto the warming spices. I think that McDonalds should've created a separate Katsu sauce for these Nuggets instead of relying on the Dips that they already have for other products. 

Would I buy these again? Yes I would! I loved the uniqueness of these. I loved the warm notes that were provided by the spices and the Panko coating made me want to go back for more and more. I think that these are a great addition to the McDonalds UK menu, even if they are only available for a short time. 

Have you tried them? Let me know down below! 

Check out McDonalds UK here.

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

(This isn't a sponsored post. I just like food a lot and thought I should discuss my opinion on this brand new product to you. I paid for these out of my own money and were not paid for in exchange for a blog post.) 

Jammie Dodgers Gooey Apple Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I saw some new Jammie Dodgers, so I thought that I would get some, try them and tell you what I thought about them, so that's what I am doing today. 

Gooey apple flavour filing sandwiched between two shortcake biscuits. - Tesco. 

I have always loved Jammie Dodgers. They were definitely a biscuit that was the centre of my childhood, along with BN's, Blue Ribands, and, Golds. I love the texture of the biscuits. The slightly crisp yet crumbly shortcake biscuit goes well against the smooth filling which slowly melts into a pool of deliciousness on your tongue. I think due to their texture alone, they are one of those biscuit products where you can say that you're only going to have one, and then five minutes later, you've finished the whole packet without even realising what you have done due to the fact that they are sinfully delicious. 

I know what you're thinking... An Apple flavoured biscuit, what a weird product to release into the world! Whilst I hear your worries and questions, the mixture of Apple and buttery Biscuit is not only amazing in this product, but a flavour combination that us Brits, and, probably most people internationally are used to.  We all know this combination via the amazing Apple Pie. When I first bit into this product, my mouth was hit with a beautiful blast of buttery biscuit. Not too rich, but not too oily tasting either. (I've had some biscuits before that taste quite oily). After the blast of biscuit calms down, the amazing avalanche of Apple  hit my tastebuds. After about a minute or so, this Sharp flavour died down and mixed with the background note of sweet bakery products to create an interesting Apple Pie flavour. I adore Apple Pie.

Would I buy these again? Yes, I definitely would. I am sad that they are a limited edition. I believe that they are, even, a Halloween limited edition product so I am going to have go on the hunt and get some before they disappear from the shelves. I love these. They fit into the Autumn aesthetic of life quite well via being Apple Pie flavoured and actually deliver on flavour unlike some biscuit products that I've recently tried. I hope that this product comes back next year. If I was to give them a rating, I would give them a 9.5/10. 

Have you tried these? Let me know down below! 

Check put my last post here. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Terry's Chocolate Orange White Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I recently popped into my local Morrisons and found the new Terry's Chocolate Orange White, so I thought that it was worth giving it a review and telling you all what I thought about it. 

Just before I properly review the blog post, there's a little story that I need to tell you. I heard about this product coming out via other food bloggers. I was very intrigued as I know that this product has been out before, but I don't remember them. Luke, my brother, had tried them before and loved them as he loves White Chocolate and Orange flavoured products. With the pandemic being a thing, it is hard to pop out just for a food item to review, so I decided to check the supermarket (Morrisons) as I had heard that it would be available there when I was doing a medium sized shop. I checked for weeks and weeks... Nothing. I honestly thought that these spherical shaped sweet products were rarer to find than an Unicorn. Then, as I was going in before my face to face Masters Induction, I saw a big sparkly white light. It was the product that was rarer than any other product in the land. It was the Terry's Chocolate Orange White. I  snapped them up, took them home, gave one to my brother and my mum and decided to have some with Mean Girls and review it at the same time. 

The description is quite vague, It just says, 'Made with real orange oil, Suitable For Vegetarians.' - Morrisons. 

The texture of the chocolate. was average. I'm one of those people who likes to chill their Chocolate products to get a sort of crisper texture. I think that the crispness of the Chocolate, post chilling, makes for a greater experience with the Chocolate Orange. Not only, do you get to hear a more pronounced snap when you bite into the product, but you also get to have a bit more fun trying to 'tap it' instead of 'whacking it'. If you remember the adverts and slogan, then you will grasp what I am getting at. I also find it very gratifying when I am finally able to get into a Terry's Chocolate Orange post doing the above. 

The main feature of this post, is reviewing the taste of this product, which is what I will focus on within this paragraph. When I bit into the White Chocolate Orange, my tastebuds were hit with a wave of sharp and seductive Orange. After a few moments of the Orange blasting onto my tongue, I was slowly hit with a tumbling tidal wave of White Chocolate. I'm not the biggest fan of White Chocolate normally, because, I find it too sickly and strong. However, this wasn't the case for this product. The White Chocolate added a bit of creaminess to the Orange, instead of taking over the taste of Orange. It was more a Terry's Chocolate Orange with White Chocolate, rather than a White Chocolate Terry's Chocolate Orange. 

Would I buy it again? I think that I would. I'm not the biggest fan of White Chocolate, but this has changed me. I really like this product and I think that I would get it again and again. I would probably get it for either gifts towards the festive period, or, get it as something to enjoy as a treat with a film or two. 

Have you tried the Terry's Chocolate Orange White? Let me know down below! 

Check out my last post here. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Dairy Milk Crispy Mint Creme Chocolate Bar Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I thought that today, I would talk to you about a Chocolate Bar that I found at B&M. 

I recently found a new bar from Dairy Milk when I was in B&M. Dairy Milk Crispy Mint Creme. I have never tried it before, so I thought that I would pick up a bar to try because I love anything that is Mint Chocolate flavoured. 

'Cadbury Dairy Milk Crispy Mint Creme with mint flavoured creme & crispy mint pieces.' - Cadhury Australia. 

The texture of this product was very interesting. The beginning of the texture journey started off with the smooth feeling of the Milk Chocolate. After the smooth Milk Chocolate melted on my tongue, a blast of thick cream hit my tongue, unlike the melting chocolate, this coated my tongue a bit more compared to the smooth liquid like melted Chocolate. Finally, once the cream had left my tongue, bursts of crispy mint pieces came through. I liked these pieces, as they were a much needed contrast against the two quite smooth components of the bar. However, after eating a bit of a bar, crunching on so many tiny little sharp shards of mint honeycomb started to hurt my teeth. Yes, they were quite sharp. It was slightly intense and after a while did put me off the bar a tad. 

Even though the texture put me off a bit, the refreshing taste of this bar made me want to go back to it again and again. The richness of the Chocolate instantly hit my tongue like a grenade, ensuring me that I knew that I had bit into a bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk, after a few moments, a wave of sweet Vanilla coated my tastebuds. I love how it cut through all the richness of the rich Chocolate. I'm sometimes a bit finicky when it comes to Vanilla flavoured products but I loved how this cream tasted. Finally, a brilliant burst of cooling mint pierced my palette. I love how the Mint mixed with the Vanilla to ensure that the Mint wasn't too much of an intense flavour on my tongue. 

Would I try it again? Honestly, maybe. The price of this bar was £3 at B&M, and even though I can see why it's priced at that price, due to the bar being from Australia and having three different components which normally makes a chocolate product more expensive. Saying that, I don't think its worth the price to an extent. I think if it was in a slightly smaller bar then I would get it every now and again, but only being able to get it in a big bar for £3 puts me off a bit especially as I know I'd be paying to end up having mint shards trying to break my teeth. There are very similar products on the market that deliver a similar textural and flavour sensation. If I saw this and was in the mood for a luxury Mint Chocolate bar, which sometimes I am then I would probably pick a bar of it up as a treat. 

Have you tried this product? Let me know down below! 

Check out my last post all about the Lush Halloween 2020 Range. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

S&B Foods & Hyper Japan Virtual Japanese Dinner Party Event

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I was invited to a virtual Dinner Party by the wonderful guys over at S&B Foods and Hyper Japan, so I thought that today, I would talk to you all about it. 

Since 1923, S&B Foods has been producing a marvellous mixture of food products including, curry sauce mixes and much more. You may know S&B for their gorgeous Golden Curry Mixes and their terrific Tube Wasabi products that have made the brilliant brand become world-wide. Personally, I believe that if it wasn't for S&B and their amazing products, the majority of the UK's population, would be scared and confused when it came to cooking Japanese food at home. 

Before the Virtual Dinner Party, Hyper Japan kindly sent me a box of the S&B Golden Curry Japanese Curry Mix In Block in Medium Hot to cook with to make my own personal Japanese Curry, so I had something to bring and talk about to the Dinner Party. I followed the recipe on the back of the box, which I will include below this paragraph, but I added a few extra things, including, Chilli Paste and some Garlic to garnish the dish with. 

Golden Curry Recipe: 

This recipe makes 5 servings, but you can always make more or less. 

Ingredients: 

Protein (This could be Beef (or Chicken, Tofu etc, chopped - 450 g

Medium Onions, minced - 1 3/4 (350 g)

Medium Carrot, chopped - 1/2 (100 g)

Potato, chopped - 1 (150 g)

Vegetable Oil - 1 Tbsp

Water - 540 ml

S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix - 1 pack

Directions:

Stir-fry meat and vegetables with oil in a large skillet on medium heat for approx. 5 min.

Add water and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until ingredients are tender, approx. 15min.

Turn the heat off, break S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix into pieces and add them to the skillet. Stir until sauce mixes are completely melted. Simmer approx. 5 min., stirring constantly.

Serve hot over rice or noodles.

I cooked my food and waited for the Zoom call to start up. After a few minutes, we all joined and said hi. The Party was about to begin! We all talked about how we made our Curries and presented them to the camera. A fair few members of the group, said that the sauce itself needed a bit more heat for their liking, and, I agree. If you like your curries on the slightly mild sweet side then this block will definitely suit you. I love Japanese Curries, so this block was an easy way for me to get my fix, but I have started to like a touch of heat with my Curry which is why I added a touch of Chilli Paste to my dish. Other members of the party talked about using a Rice Cooker, I have been meaning to invest in one for a while and hearing how easy this appliance makes cooking for some of the members of the party has made me want one that little bit more! 

After we talked about how we had personalised our dishes, we were introduced to Avinash Shashidhara. They talked to us about three different recipes that can be made with the S&B Golden Curry Block. I loved this, as I never end up using a whole block in one go if I'm making a Japanese Curry just for myself. The dishes that he made with the block include, a Lentil and Vegetable Curry, Mixed Vegetable Puffs, and,  Monkfish Curry but other Fish or Seafood could be used. I thought that I would include the recipes below. I know that I will be making the Lentil and Vegetable Curry as it sounds amazing to have on those cold Autumn nights, or for me, after a virtual day at University. 

Lentil and Vegetable Curry: 

Pigeon Peas/Any Lentils - 150g

 Carrots (diced) - 2

 Potatoes (diced) - 2

 Tomatoes (diced) - 2

 Green beans - 100g

Turmeric - 0.5 tsp

S&B Golden curry mix - 0.5 block

Tamarind juice - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Tempering:

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaf - ripped up

Method: 

Wash the lentils.

In a heavy bottom pan, add the lentils (pigeon peas) and tomatoes. Cover with water about 1 inch above level. Add turmeric and start cooking over medium heat.

Cook until lentils are really soft (top up hot water if needed), keep stirring occasionally. This should take about 25-30 mins.

Once lentils are nearly ready, add the rest of the vegetables, tamarind juice and half a block of the curry mix. Cook until the vegetables are ready. Keep on low heat and get ready to temper.

For the tempering, heat oil in a small frying pan, add mustard seeds, once they crackle, add the curry leaves and dry red chilli and toss lightly. Once fried, add the tempering to the lentils, stir it in and turn heat off

Serve hot with steamed rice. 

Mixed Vegetable Puffs: 

Filling:

Cabbage - 0.25 chopped fine 

Onions - 1 finely chopped 

Green Chilli - 2 finely chopped 

Potatoes - 1 peeled and chopped 

Carrots - 1 peeled and chopped 

S&B Golden curry mix - 0.5 block 

Oil - 2 tsp 

Salt to taste

Pastry:

Ready to roll puff pastry sheet - 2

Egg - 1 for coating/wash 

Method: 

Prepare the filling by frying onions in the oil, followed by chilli, once fried, add the vegetables – potatoes and carrots first followed by cabbage. Season with salt and the S&B golden curry mix. Allow the vegetable to cook until soft and ensure the mix is dry. Allow this mix to cool. 

Prepare the pastry sheets by rolling them out on a dry and cool surface, divide each sheet into 6 rectangles.

Prepare a tray lined with greaseproof paper and lay one of the rectangles on it. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C for fan assisted)/425°F/Gas Mark 7). 

 

In each rectangle, add a tablespoonful of the cooled down mix on one half, leaving a little space on the sides to be able to fold over the second half and seal three sides. Use a bit of egg wash if needed to glue the two sides together.

Leave enough gaps between the puffs and prepare the trays. Brush the tops of the puffs with egg wash.

Place the trays in oven f and bake or approx. 12-15 minutes, or until the pastry is risen and golden brown.

Monkfish Curry: 

S&B Golden curry mix - 0.5 block 

Monkfish fillet(cut into cubes) - 1 fillet 

 Tomato ripe chopped - 3

Onion chopped - 1

Tamarind Paste - 2 tbsp 

Turmeric - 0.5 tsp 

Coconut milk - 250ml

Fish/shellfish - 500g 

Sunflower oil - 2 tbsp 

chopped ginger garlic - 2 tsp 

Method: 

Heat oil in a pan and add the onions, and ginger garlic and cook till light brown

Add the tomatoes and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes till it turns into a smooth sauce

Add the curry block and the tamarind paste and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes Add a tin of coconut milk and cook till the sauce thickens

After watching these recipes being made, we asked questions that we all had about the dishes that had been created. These questions included adjusting certain ingredients to adapt the dishes to our needs and dietary requirements. 

After this, we watched an amazing video about S&B and then we said our goodbyes. 

I had such a wonderful time, creating my Curry and hearing other peoples thoughts and ideas on how to make the dish that little bit more delicious for when I cook it again in the near future. 

What's your favourite Japanese dish? Have you cooked Japanese Curry before? Let me know down below!

Thanks to the wonderful staff at Hyper Japan, S&B and Avinash Shashidhara for inviting me to the Dinner Party and holding the event.  

Check out S&B Foods. 

Check out Hyper Japan. 

Check out Avinash Shashidhara. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x 

Thanks to S&B Foods and Hyper Japan for inviting me to this event. This post was created in exchange for an invitation to the event. All views and opinions are my own. 

Lidl's Fin Carre White Chocolate, Coconut & Cornflakes Bar Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I went to Lidl recently and saw a Chocolate Bar that sounded intriguing so I thought that I would talk to you all about it today. 

I couldn't find a description online. The product is a White Chocolate bar that contains pieces of Dessicated Coconut and Cornflake pieces. 

The texture of this product is amazing. When I popped a couple of pieces into my mouth, the smoothness of the creamy White Chocolate coated my tongue like a blanket. After the blanket of pale Chocolate coated my mouth, a flood of Dessicated Coconut flew onto my tastebuds making me figure out which bits were melted Chocolate and which bits were Coconut. I love Coconut as a textural ingredient in food products as it gives a little body to the product. I think it's why I love Bounty's so much. I had forgot that this bar contained Cornflake pieces when I tried some so I was surprised to then have an explosion of texture burst on my palette via the Cornflakes. It added another dimension to the bar, as the Coconut added more of a chew, whereas the Cornflake pieces added a cheerful crunch to the bar. 

The taste of this product was very interesting. I'm not the biggest fan of White Chocolate. I just kind of think its a bit too rich and sickly for me. However, when I tried a piece of this product, the White Chocolate was rich and creamy but had a slight kick of Vanilla to it which cut through the taste of the Chocolate. After a few minutes, a flavour wave of Coconut flooded my tastebuds. I love Coconut so I was pleased that this was the next stop on the flavour train. I love Coconut in anything and it made me feel like I was laying on a beach somewhere forgetting all of the things that are going on at the moment. The final stop on the taste train was the Cornflakes. Sadly, these were more for texture than taste, but they still added a touch of slight savouriness to the product which I always love as I am a big fan of sweet and salty food. 

Would I buy this again? It is rare that I buy White Chocolate based products again, but I would buy this again and again. If you're not the biggest fan of White Chocolate then I urge you to try this as I think that it will win you over. I think that this would be great to enjoy on a night in whilst watching something. I think that it would also be great enjoyed with a drink when you need a bit of a pick me up. 

Have you tried this product? Is there any great products that I should try from Lidl? Let me know down below! 

Check out my last post about Cadbury Dairy Milk Orange Giant Buttons.

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x