Today's Review: Ben & Jerry's Topped Pretzel Palooza

You wait ages for a new Ben & Jerry's flavour, and two come along at once. Yes, I made a special trip to Sainsbury's just to spend £7 on ice cream, and no, I don't regret it. The birthday cake tub is good, and I also picked up this new variety of Topped. Underneath that oh-so-fantastic spoonable chocolate topping is a malted vanilla ice cream, embedded with chocolate covered pretzels and chocolate chunks, finished off with a chocolate hazelnut swirl. I mean, just the pretzels was enough to get me interested.

As far as ice creams go, I'd say I'm a pretty avid Ben & Jerry's supporter. I love all the flavours, I went to the amazing festivals they used to hold in London. But despite my love of the brand, I have to be somewhat critical about this tub. It's just not particularly exciting. There's lots of stuff packed in there, sure, but it all comes with little disappointments. I assumed the ice cream would have a bold malted flavour, but it's more the classic Ben & Jerry's vanilla, which isn't bad, but I was expecting something different. The chocolate hazelnut swirl is not as prominent as i'd hoped. There's a hint of nuttiness in the after taste, but I didn't really notice it while eating. As for the pretzels, they add a pretty satisfying crunch paired with a chocolate hit, but they could do with being more salty, as they are they don't add too much to the overall taste. Don't get me wrong, this isn't an awful tub, it's still better than a lot of ice creams out there. I was just expecting something amazing, and this is pretty mediocre by Ben & Jerry's standards. If you're crazy for pretzels, by all means give it a go. If not, there are far better Topped varieties out there.

My rating: 3/5

Today's Review: Cadbury Oreo Bites

Oreo is the latest Cadbury bar to get the share bag treatment, and it's taken me a while to get hold of some. But finally they have arrived on my counter top, and subsequently into my mouth. Basically, they're a bite size version of the Oreo bar, chocolate bites with a creme filling, embedded with Oreo pieces. It's safe to say that if you like the Oreo bar, or just Oreos in general, you'll like these. The filling is great, creamy with a substantial amount of crunchy cookie bits thrown in. It can get a little sickly after a few pieces, the balance between chocolate and creme isn't as equal as in the bar. But still, a very decent attempt at a new sharing bag. Besides, them being a little sickly made me more willing to share, and that's always more healthy, right?

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Ben & Jerry's Birthday Cake

It's Ben & Jerry's 40th birthday this year, and what better way to celebrate than with cake? Well, cake flavoured ice cream that is. Yes, now you can get cake in frozen creamy treat form, with this tub of vanilla cake batter ice cream, swirled with pink frosting and strawberry, and embedded with cake pieces. They had me at cake batter ice cream.

There are a few new elements to tackle in this here tub, but I'll start with the ice cream. It's pretty good, a twist on the classic vanilla that actually tastes like cake batter. It's got that almost doughy, gritty taste to it, while remaining a pretty smooth ice cream. I'm not sure how that's possible, but there you go. The swirls kick it up a notch, adding in some bold strawberry notes, with the frosting providing that distinct buttercream taste that blends in really well with the batter flavour. So all in all, a pretty great combination of cake-like elements, though I would say the cake pieces fall a little short. They provide a nice bit of chewy texture, but they don't really add anything to the overall flavour. Still, every Ben & Jerry's tub has to have chunks, and it pretty much had to be chunks of cake in this one. Overall, a pretty fitting birthday variety, that does a lot of things right. I hope this one sticks around for a while.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Hartley's Lemon Cheesecake Jelly

After being bitterly disappointed by the black forest gateau jelly a few days back, I was a little apprehensive to try out this lemon cheesecake jelly. Sure, there's no chocolate flavouring to be found in this one, but can a jelly really pull off `cream cheese and a buttery biscuit base? The short answer is yes, yes it can. It's not perfect by any means, but all the elements are in there. The lemon is at the forefront, a sweet yet tart flavour. I love lemon jelly, especially the electronic duo. But underneath that jelly, there are indeed hints of biscuit, and even that classic cheesecake taste. It's a little off balance, sure, and the flavours don't hold up for too long, but it's a pretty decent attempt for a 10 calorie pot. The texture isn't quite the same as other jellies, but I think that works in its favour, it's more of a sloppy, moussey like texture that gives a bit more of a cheesecake vibe. A pretty great, alternative jelly flavour. I recommend it.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Choc Lick 'N' Dip

I am a big fan of Choc Nibbles, the tiny nibs of chocolatey goodness that don't look like they should taste as great as they do. So when I saw this fairly sizeable bag in B&M featuring a similar design, I snatched it up straight away. Here we have Lick 'N' Dip, which is essentially a bag of chocolatey dust. It seems like this is the result of some crushed up Choc Nibbles, but this dust is also mixed up with nuts and biscuit. Also, there's a lollipop to dip into it, because I guess selling a bag of pure chocolatey dust might be seen as extreme.

The lollipop doesn't make sense, but I figured that straight away. A combination of strawberry lollipop and chocolate and biscuit dust is not particularly great. I mean, it's not awful, but after a few licks I figured I might as well just be eating this stuff with a spoon. The choc part is pretty fantastic, with a great combination of chocolate, biscuit and nut with a pretty unique texture, that leaves a nice creamy after taste. The back of the pack says you should try sprinkling it on pancakes and the like, and I'm pretty sure that's a great idea. If you love Choc Nibbles, you can't go wrong with this stuff. You just might want to ignore the lolly. There's way too much in the bag to even eat with the thing anyway.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Coke Zero Peach

It took a little while, but I finally managed to grab a bottle of the new peach Coke Zero. After being bitterly disappointed with the feisty cherry, I had faith that this would fare better. Thankfully, it's fairly decent. There's a distinct peach flavour that runs throughout. It's not entirely authentic, and it doesn't linger as much in the after taste, but it's a pretty decent attempt at peach Coke, especially with the lack of sugar. I definitely think the mango Diet Coke is the winner of this new range, but the peach isn't bad either. 

My rating: 3/5

Today's Review: Hartley's Black Forest Gateau Jelly

Hartley's have released a few jelly flavours based on some classic desserts, and at just 10 calories a pot. Well, the calorie count is good for your waistline, but I wasn't sure how the lack of sugar would affect the flavour. I figured I'd start with the strangest flavour, it's black forest gateau. Cherry jelly, I can get on board with, but how does it turn out in cake form?

Well, I guess there's a reason chocolate jelly isn't a thing. The cherry part is fairly decent, but the fact that it also tastes like chocolate is not ideal. It's not even a great attempt at a chocolate flavour, though I don't see how it's particularly achievable in jelly form. There's not really any hint of cake either, but I don't think that would have improved it at all. So yes, I suppose the right flavours are in place, but just because you can make black forest jelly, doesn't mean you should. It just doesn't taste that good. Let's hope the other desserts fare better.

My rating: 2/5 

Today's Review: Diablo Sugar Free Strawberry & Cream Sweets

I'm still hurting from the loss of Campino, and I can't help but grasp at every faint glimmer of hope that comes my way. Any sweet that looks even vaguely like those strawberry wonders go straight in my basket, even though they all seem to be sugar free these days, and I'm pretty sure Campino were not. I was pretty excited to grab this bag of Diablo sweets at Home Bargains, despite the fact that I've been burnt before by horrible tasting swirly boiled sweets. Would these be the ones to properly emulate that goodness?

Not bad, Diablo, not bad. Not perfect, but there's only so much you can do without chucking some sugar in. Like all sugar free efforts, the flavour does fade eventually, but it starts out as a pretty sweet, pretty good tasting strawberry and cream flavour, probably the closest I've found to the original Campino (though it's been a long time since I've had one). They taste smooth, almost creamy, and until the flavour subsides it's very enjoyable. Even once the flavour does fade, it's still quite good. These are a pretty great effort at some strawberries & cream sweets, and each one is 13 calories, so that's even better.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Sour Dip Dab

You can't go wrong with a Dip Dab, sherbet is great, and the addition of the lollipop makes it better. Here we have a sour Dip Dab, featuring sour sherbet, and a tangy apple lolly. I had no doubt that this would be fantastic, and it turns out it is. The sherbet has a great tangy kick to it, there's a whole lot of the good stuff in there that provides a generous coating on the lollipop and packs a whole lot of flavour. The lolly has a lovely fruity apple flavour, as well as a little hint of sourness that carries on the flavour after the sherbet has disappeared. I enjoyed this sachet to the very last speck, it's a long lasting, sour hit of sweet sherbet goodness, with a good quality lollipop to help it along. A great variation on the classic Dip Dab.

My rating: 5/5

Today's Review: Daim Orange

Daim is one of those classic chocolate bars that don't seem to have undergone any changes for a long time. Apart from the fact that they used to be called Dime, they're still that good old smooth on the outside, crunchy on the inside (not to be confused with armadillos). But now there's an orange Daim bar, which is like a regular Daim bar, but with orange chocolate.

A simple change, sure, but it's a welcome one. I do love a bit of orange chocolate, and this stuff is pretty good. It is a little overwhelming with the orange flavouring, especially in the initial stages of chewing. But once the caramel centre kicks in, it all comes together quite nicely into some crunchy, chocolatey orange goodness. A neat little twist on a classic chocolate bar. Pick them up while you still can.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Diet Coke Feisty Cherry

After trying the Exotic Mango Diet Coke the other day, I was on the hunt for the Peach Coke Zero. Unfortunately, while I found a standee dedicated to the new flavours, it was only populated by this new Feisty Cherry Diet Coke. Now, I'm pretty sure Cherry Diet Coke was already a thing, so I'm not sure what they want to accomplish by putting "Feisty" in the name. I'm pretty sure it was a re-branding for the new American Diet Coke flavours, but I figured I'd pick up a bottle and see if the formula has been re-worked.

They've done something to this drink, that's for sure. It's not good. It smells a little of cherry, and the initial taste is there a little, but it soon gives way to a chemical flavour, and for some reason it burns my tongue and throat after I've drunk it. Forget the feisty, this Coke is fiery, and I don't know why. Cherry Diet Coke was already fine, it wasn't the best, but it was alright for a diet drink. I don't know what they've done to this, but it's nowhere near the same league. It's a chemical tasting sweetened mess that leaves my throat on fire. That's not what I want from a refreshing drink at all. Coke have really dropped the ball on this one.

My rating: 1/5

Today's Review: My Missing "V" Key

My laptop is slowly disintegrating, as is the fashion when I have small children who use it on occasion. When I bought it my "V" key was somewhat loose, but easy enough to snap back on if it became detached. Ah, the perils of buying second-hand. But now the kids have had their way with this thing, the key has fully come off, and is nowhere to be seen, leaving a gaping hole where the "V" should be.

Thankfully it still works, I just need to shove my fingertip somewhat forcefully into the hole to type the appropriate letter. Some may say it's not a huge loss, "V" isn't exactly one of the most common letters, but just look how much I've just used it. Basically, losing any key is a pain, it's a disruption in the typing flow that I've developed over the years, it's jarring having to change the angle and pressure that I apply to every other key just to get that one letter of the alphabet. I suppose I should stop being lazy and just order another key, but while it's annoying, it's not quite annoying enough to be entirely frustrating. Just mildly inconvenient, and that, perhaps, is the worst of all.

My rating: 1/5

Today's Review: Vimto Lolly Mixture

I love Vimto sweets, they've tackled a lot of different varieties and done a pretty good job at all of them. I picked up this bag of Vimto lollies in Home Bargains the other day, and it's a pretty great way to get that Vimto fix in small bursts. These come in cherry, strawberry and blackcurrant flavours, much like the drinks, and I have to say, they're put together very well. Every lolly has that distinctive taste you can link to the classic Vimto flavours, and there are a lot of lollies packed into this bag. The blackcurrant ones in particular are good, there's a variety in there with added fizziness which makes it even better. A pretty fantastic bag of lollies, I'm hoping I can keep some on hand for a while, great for a sweet little pick-me-up.

My rating: 5/5

Today's Review: Walkers Sensations Sweet Chilli Prawn Crackers

As the Beach Boys once said, "I'm snacking on new Sensations." I may be paraphrasing, but it does adequately describe me right now, in the wake of not one, but two new varieties of Sensations hitting the shelves. There's a carribean jerk chicken version of the regular crisps, but these ones piqued my interest more, some sweet chilli prawn crackers. I'm used to the greasy ones you get with your Chinese, which are fine, but I was hoping these would add a little bit of finesse.

These are some clean tasting crackers, no greasiness in sight, and a satisfying crunch when you bite into them. The prawn is evident straight away, it's not an outrageously strong flavour, and it sticks around for quite a while. There are a few spices chucked in there to add a bit of an exotic taste, but the heat doesn't particularly present itself in the initial stage. After eating a few I started to feel a certain amount of spiciness that is still slightly present in the after taste, but I was hoping for a simultaneous prawn and chilli experience. Still, these are some really nice prawn crackers, well worth a try.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Diet Coke Exotic Mango

Happy Valentine's day! I'm sure you've all had enough of the lovey dovey sentiment by now, so let's move from the erotic to the exotic. Exotic mango to be exact, which is the interesting new flavour of Diet Coke that's hit the shelves. I've been a bit of a mango fiend of late, so as soon as I heard about this flavour I rushed out to grab one, thankfully finding it in my nearest Tesco Express. 

This is definitely an ambitious flavour for good old Coca Cola, maybe one they should have tackled in a full sugar drink before moving onto the diet version. Still, this is a decent effort, despite being sugar free the mango flavour is emulated pretty well, it's instantly apparent and a pretty nice fruit flavour. It does dissipate eventually, leaving behind that sweetener-like taste, but at least while it lasts this bottle has some nice tropical fruity undertones. Not perfect by any means, but an interesting new addition to the range. Now to track down that peach Coke Zero I've heard about...

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Lamps With Weird Toggle Switches Close To The Bulb

I don't own a lot of lamps, but I do realise their usefulness. Sometimes all you need is a little bit of light to read a book or not stumble blindly around the room. Most lamps have a fairly easy to locate switch, normally along the wire that leads to the socket. But some lamps are baffling, and have that weird plastic toggle switch that blends in with the rest of the lamp, making you fumble blindly in order to get a bit of light.

I guess it makes sense from an aesthetic standpoint. Camouflaging the switch prevents some bulky switch sticking out of the sleek wire. But logistically it's not effective. Sometimes I spend a lot longer than I need to fumbling for a switch, and when I'm turning the ring off the switch's proximity to the bulb means it's really hot. I just don't like these cryptic switches. Give me something simple, and visible.

My rating: 1/5

Today's Review: Kit Kat Lemon Drizzle

I haven't met a flavour of Kit Kat that I didn't like. Whether it be Chunky or regular, all the varieties have really knocked it out of the park, with sch glorious additions as peanut butter, toffee and cookies & cream. Now you can get a lemon drizzle Kit Kat bar, and just the thought of it made me drool slightly.

Basically, this is a regular Kit Kat bar, but with lemon flavoured chocolate. But the result is so much more than basic. You can smell the lemon through the packaging, and it presents itself as a fantastic sweet, tart twist in the chocolate, blending in beautifully with the wafer to give something of an overall cake-like experience. You don't see lemon chocolate around, but this gives me reason to believe it should be a thing. Another amazing addition to the Kit Kat range.

My rating: 5/5

Today's Review: Having Really Dry Hands

My hands are really dry. Like, not just not-wet dry, but devoid of all moisture, almost sandpaper like dry. It happens from time to time, and I don't like it at all. I can feel the dryness with every movement, it makes me uncomfortable, and every task I perform is like a cacophony of dry skin against dry skin. Thankfully, moisturiser has been invented, which can be a quick solution to the problem. But at the moment I don't have access to any, so I'm left to my own devices, having to deal with this overly dry skin rubbing together until my body seems it appropriate to do something about it. Really dry hands are the worst.

My rating: 0/5

Today's Review: Fruit-tella 30% Less Sugar Gummies

I was disappointed in the Fruit-tella foam sweets I tried a little while back, but since I hadn't tried all that was on offer I figured I'd go back and set myself up for disappointment all over again. Here we have some gummy sweets with 30% less sugar, compared to other gummy sweets apparently. So basically, they're like the last ones, but with no foam. Which is okay, as the foam wasn't great.

Turns out even without the foam, these aren't particularly good. These are some chewy gummies, sure, but there's not a lot of flavour there. There's a hint of fruitiness in some, such as the raspberry and pear, but it doesn't last long and just devolves into a flavourless, gelatin lump. I should have seen it coming, and actually I did, but at least I can tell you all that Fruit-tella, while fantastic in their sugar-ful forms, are not so good with 30% less sugar. Just stick to the good stuff.

My rating: 2/5

Today's Review: Butterfinger Cups Hazelnut

Butterfinger Cups went on general sale here last year, introducing a coconut variety to go alongside the classic peanut butter. Now they're tackling the hazelnut with this new flavour of chocolatey, nutty goodness. Basically, it's like a peanut butter cup, but with a smooth hazelnut filling, embedded with tiny, crunchy nut pieces. Also, quite simply, they're delicious. The chocolate has a good thickness, and is nice and creamy, while the filling is reminiscent of Nutella, but with more focus on the nut itself. The hazelnut pieces add a satisfying texture and crunch, and rounds the cups off nicely. Another great addition to a very tasty line of chocolate treats. Head over to Asda to grab a pack.

My rating: 5/5

Today's Review: McDonald's Grand Big Mac

You like Big Macs, right? Of course you do, it's a McDonald's classic. It's also 50 years old, and to mark the occasion you can now pick up the Grand Big Mac, which is like a Big Mac, but bigger. I know I've sometimes felt unsatisfied with just the one regular Big Mac, hopefully this would change things.

Grand by name, grand by nature, they could have just called this the Great Big Mac, because that's what it is. Composition wise, it's exactly the same as a Big Mac, which is delicious. Two beef patties, cheese, pickles, onions, lettuce and that fantastic Big Mac sauce. It's all here, and blown up to the size of a Big Tasty. A double decker burger in a Big Tasty size is nothing to scoff at, it's fulfilling and delicious, and I'm sure I'll be disappointed when it disappears and all that's left is the regular Mac. This is a great addition to the menu that's been a long time coming, but it's worth the wait.

My rating: 5/5

Today's Review: Asda Chocolate Coated Cookies & Cream

Chocolate covered Oreos are one of my favourite things on the planet, but I have to go to another country to get them. I've seen inklings of a Cadbury version existing somewhere in this country, but clearly they have not made the splash they deserve to, ore they're just so good they instantly sell out everywhere. Fortunately Asda have picked up the slack. First they delivered us their take on the Cadbury Snaps, and now they're offering their version of chocolate covered Oreos.

It definitely looks the part, a thick layer of chocolate atop the biscuit, and a generous helping of cream. I have to say, this is pretty damn close to the real thing, and I am extremely thankful for it. These biscuits are fantastic, a decadent, chocolatey, creamy treat with a fantastic mix of textures and a whole lot of flavour. I was expecting to be let down, but Asda have done a great job of replicating perfection. I know these will be a permanent addition to my shopping list, they're too good to pass up. The wait is over, people. Go and get your chocolate covered Oreos now.

My rating: 5/5

Today's Review: Cadbury Freddo Biscuits

Another day, another Freddo product. Yes, the classic froggy chocolate is now getting the biscuit treatment, following in the footsteps of the Wispa and Caramel. This is less a chocolate round kind of affair, and more like an Animal biscuit, as you can see in that weird picture up there of a Freddo frog covering one of his peers of some brown liquid shooting out of a hose. I can only assume it's raw sewage. Or chocolate. Let's go with chocolate.

You can't go wrong with a chocolate coating, but you can go wrong in the balance of chocolate and biscuit. The chocolate is pretty thin here, piled onto a thick biscuit that isn't particularly flavoursome. It's not an awful biscuit, it's somewhat buttery, but it's a bit dry and crumbly, and there's just not enough chocolate to make it an overall tasty package. Compared to the other Cadbury biscuits, this is very disappointing on the chocolate front. Stick with the Animals.

My rating: 2/5

Today's Review: Cadbury Freddo Face Cakes

You wait ages for a new Cadbury product to come along, and they all seem to come out at once. Here we have Freddo Face Cakes, which are cakes with Freddo faces on them. Kudos to whoever came up with that name. Anyway, these consist of two soft cake discs, with a choc chip filling in between.

These are fairly sizeable cakes, some large discs with a good amount of thickness. The cake part is nice and soft, almost pancake like texture, and while it's somewhat lacking in flavour, it's a good quality cake. The filling is great, a smooth chocolate mousse with some tiny chocolate chips spread throughout. It's laid on fairly thick, and works really well in combination with the biscuit to make a pretty decent snack. Great for lunch boxes, or for any occasion really.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreo Sandwich

Not content with having two Oreo themed chocolate bars, Cadbury have brought out another two products featuring the now omnipresent biscuit. Here we have the Oreo sandwich bar, which is like the regular Oreo bar, but inside out. Well, it's not quite that simple, but that was my first impression. Here we have squares of Dairy Milk chocolate, with a mini Oreo on either side, and some of that wonderful creme in between.

Well, it looks pretty good, it's nice to see a Dairy Milk bar with a substantial bit of biscuit, even though it seems a pretty transparent way to use less chocolate. The Oreo is a predominant flavour here, with a nice thick bit of Dairy Milk in between, making for a nice creamy, chocolate biscuit bar. Whereas I can't particularly taste the Oreo biscuit in amongst the creme in the regular Oreo bar, it seems the opposite here. The creme is laid on pretty thin, and is only on one side, so it doesn't really show in the overall flavour. With more of the white stuff, this could perhaps overtake the Oreo filled bar, there's definitely more chocolate overall. As it is, it's not perfect, but a decent variation on the Oreo bar.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: The Tesco Tortilla Wraps Packaging

Resealable packaging is a great invention, one that keeps your food fresher for longer. I love a good resealable pack, but Tesco seem to have gone the extra mile with their wraps. The sealing strip is so well made, it's stronger than the plastic surrounding it.

I'm no stranger to the world of opening food, so I don't doubt my abilities. But pretty much every time I try to open a pack of these wraps, I end up ripping alongside the seal instead of popping it open. It renders the entire thing useless, and I'm ever grateful to own a bread bin to stop them going off. This packaging sucks, if you want some good resealable wraps, look no further than Asda, theirs are top notch. But if you like your wraps ripped open and exposed, Tesco is for you.

My rating: 1/5

Today's Review: Haribo Fruitilicious

Looks like Haribo are keeping up with the trend of cutting out almost a third of their sugar with this bag of Fruitilicious. Now, the packaging states that they have the "same great taste", but I can't say I remember having any kind of original Fruitilicious. Still, that didn't stop me digging into these. Here we have fruit gummies with pineapple, lemon, orange, apple, strawberry and raspberry flavours.

For the lack of sugar, I have to say that these are pretty good. The flavours do give way to a blander, gelatine like taste after some chewing, but the fruit is prominent for a surprisingly long time, and they all taste pretty accurate. The apple and raspberry in particular are great, but they're all nice and fruity. Not quite reaching the heights of your classic Supermix, but these gummies make for a tasty treat with a fair bit less sugar. Healthy sweets, right?

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Mr. Kipling Hot Cross Squares

Move over Christmas cakes, now the Easter cakes are in town. Mr. Kipling has brought out a couple of new treats for the season, and this one intrigued me the most. Hot Cross Squares, which are like hot cross buns in cake form. They're lightly spiced cakes embedded with raisins, and finished off with an icing drizzle.

It's a good cake, Mr. Kipling couldn't have risen to the lofty heights he is today without knowing how to make a good cake. The raisins add a nice juicy touch, but it falls a bit short on the spice. There are hints of nutmeg and ginger there, but it's not particularly strong, and is somewhat overwhelmed by the cake, raisins and icing. Still, it's a good effort, certainly reminiscent of the classic Easter bun. Nice one, Mr. Kipling.

My rating: 4/5