Today's Review: Doritos Collisions Habanero Chilli & Guacamole

Doritos sure are loving their dual flavour packs recently. They started out with the Roulette, hiding a few hot chips in the midst of some cheesy ones, then moved onto chips that changed flavour as you ate them. Now you can grab Collisions, which are two differently flavoured chips in one bag, designed to complement each other. Seeing as I'm a spice fiend, I couldn't resist the call of the habanero, and this bag also features a guacamole flavoured chip, which intrigued me to no end.

The lighting is not the best there, but you can just about make out that the chips come in both a green and reddish hue, so it's easy to identify which chip is which, and pair them up accordingly. There's a good number of both flavours throughout the bag, so you won't be left with one over the other. But how do they taste? Well, the habanero is something of a return to form, similar to the ones found in the original Roulette bag before they wimped out and replaced them with the inferior Tobasco chips. They taste like habanero, and have a decent level of spice that builds up quite effectively the more you eat. I was a little disappointed on first trying these chips, I was expecting more of an instant hit of spice, but looking back having demolished a few, my tongue is on fire to a satisfying degree.

The guacamole chips are very interesting. Definitely reminiscent of that classic dip, a smooth, cooling guacamole taste that complements the spice quite well. The flavouring doesn't quite last as long as I hoped, the chilli wins out fairly quickly, but it's a pretty novel flavour for a chip that's done pretty effectively. This is another good idea from Doritos, and I'll be hunting down the other variety as soon as I can.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Costa Watermelon & Coconut Cooler

Here's a quick review of the new summer cooler from Costa, an interesting combination of watermelon and coconut. Previously I would have shuddered at the thought of this, but coconut has grown on me in recent years, and I can never resist the call of the watermelon. It's a nice light, refreshing cooler, the watermelon provides a good base, a nice fruity flavour, but I'm sure we all know that it can be pretty watery, I mean the clue's in the name. That's where the coconut is on hand to fill in the gaps, and it does a somewhat decent job. It's a little overwhelming, the sweetness is a little over the top, but combined with the watermelon it does make for a nice little concoction, sweet and refreshing and definitely a summer drink. Worth picking up.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Cadbury Oreo Cake

Cadbury have been going a bit gung ho with their Oreo products lately, with some fanfare. I stumbled across this box of treats in Poundland, and having heard nothing about them previously I was a little skeptical. Upon closer inspection they're an import from Egypt, and in that respect a box of 12 cake bars for £2 is not bad. Basically, these consist of a chocolate cake with a vanilla filling, coated in Cadbury chocolate. I assume the recipe is a lot different over in Egypt, as the description on the box says the chocolate has a "cocoa butter substitute". It also describes this as "cake with fat", so that probably gives you some idea of the quality.

These are not good. The cake is dry, the filling is neither substantial nor flavoursome, and the chocolate on top doesn't really taste like chocolate. I don't know why they've slapped the Oreo name on here, there's nothing Oreo-related about this. I mean, there's barely anything Cadbury-related either. It's just a very sub-par cake bar, and not deserving of any brand name. I'd say £2 for 12 of these is pushing it a little bit. Not good.

My rating: 1/5

Today's Review: Kenco Yummy Caramel Instant Coffee

Flavoured instant coffee is by no means a new thing, but Kenco have brought out a few and I figured I'd try out the caramel one. It's nice they haven't tried to shove some salt into the flavouring as well, they're starting simple, and sometimes simplicity is best. This is instant coffee, so chuck on some boiling water and you're good to go, and it's actually pretty tasty. It's not the level you'd find in your caramel lattes from Costa or Starbucks, but for a flavour shoved into instant granules, it's pretty authentic, and provides a nice level of sweetness. The caramel doesn't hang around forever in the overall taste, but I have to say I was impressed by this stuff, I'll definitely try out the other flavours.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Maltesers Truffles

There seems to be a big focus on Maltesers lately, their buttons released last month, alongside these Truffles. All wrapped up in a nice little gift box, and with the price tag to match, it took a while for me to justify taking the plunge. These are individually wrapped, "posh" chocolates, consisting of a chocolate base with honeycomb pieces, a malt filling on top, all wrapped up in more chocolate.

I wouldn't say these are your conventional truffles, but the truffle part is sufficiently creamy, with a nice malty texture to boot. The base packs a nice little crunch and that classic Malteser chocolate flavour, so all in all these are some good chocolates. I wouldn't say they're worth the inflated price tag, they're not exactly the height of luxury, at the end of the day they're not dissimilar to a Malteser bar. Worth a try, or good for a gift, but I wouldn't buy these regularly.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Twix Soft Centres

More cookie goodness from Mars, although their M&M and Galaxy offerings were not fantastic. Turns out these ones are much the same. They're basically soft baked cookies with chocolate chips and a gooey caramel centre. The cookie is alright, nothing to write home about, and the centre, while definitely sweet and plentiful, is a bit too gooey and sickly. I guess they're trying to emulate the classic Twix biscuit with the cookie, but it's not the same, soft bake does not provide that satisfying crunch. It also feels like there should be a bit more chocolate, it's pretty overshadowed by the caramel, so I just wish that was a bit better. Some passable cookies, but not great.

My rating: 2/5

Today's Review: Wild West Salmon Jerky

I spied this pack of jerky while walking around Poundland, and immediately did a double take. I'm used to beef jerky you see, so the sight of this filled me with both disgust and wonder. Eventually I gave into the latter, I just had to see what dried marinated salmon was like.

Turns out it's not too bad, not nearly as fishy as I thought. Sure, it tastes like salmon, but the dehydrating process has really beefed up the meatiness, if you'll excuse the phrase. It's somewhat reminiscent in texture to beef jerky, but obviously with that salmon flavour. The salt and black pepper aren't particularly overwhelming, and don't add a whole lot to the overall taste. but hey, they're there at least. Overall, not a bad little snack. I still prefer beef jerky, but this is a good substitute.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Pringles Salt, Pepper & Herb Wedges

There are some new "festival edition" Pringles on the shelves, and for some reason I passed up on the chilli sauce flavour and went for this one. Here we have salt, pepper & herb wedges, which are three very generic seasonings, but I was hoping the combination would be great. The crisps themselves can count for the wedges, that classic potato base, but how do the rest stack on top?

The herb is pretty strong with this one. It's that sort of generic herby flavour, and it works quite well in crisp form, but it is a little too generic. The salt and pepper aren't much to write home about, definitely noticeable, but nothing special. So the herb is the main attraction here, and while it gives a nice boost to the flavour, overall this is a pretty mediocre tube of Pringles. I'll be going for the chilli sauce next time.

My rating: 3/5

Today's Review: Haribo Squidglets

Why, it's an all new bag of Haribo, I do love it when this happens. ere we have Squidglets, which are tiny cubes of chewy Haribo goodness. Also, they have faces on, because Emojis are all the rage these days. They come in a few interesting flavours, some fruity, some not, but they are all cuboid.

Oh man, these are so good. The texture is a little odd at first, almost bubblegum-like, but don't let that deter you from swallowing. These little cubes pack a lot of flavour, be it raspberry, cola, apple or vanilla. Each one tastes damn good, and they're really moreish. Seeing as they're small as well, I had no trouble polishing these off. Just writing about them now makes me want another bag, another Haribo hit.

My rating: 5/5

Today's Review: Tyrrell's Posh Prawn Cocktail

I do love a good bag of prawn cocktail crisps, so I had to grab this bag of Tyrrell's when I saw it. I was sure this wasn't as new as the label on the shelf proclaimed, but it seems I was getting confused with the lobster cocktail flavour I tried a few years back. So yes, Tyrrell's have brought out a prawn cocktail. Now, I'm a fiend for the Walkers variety, so that's the standard I'm measuring against.

These do taste prawn-like, I'll give them that. A lovely, bold flavour piled onto those classic crunchy hand-cooked crisps. The cocktail element isn't so well represented, they're not as caustic as Walkers, and I do love the tingly tongue sensation that comes from that classic prawn cocktail. It's clear the focus here is on the fish, I just wish the flavouring went a little further, as it does get a little bland in places. Still, a decent swing at a nice pack of prawn crisps. Worth picking up.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Crunchy Caramel M&Ms

The news of caramel M&Ms was pretty huge last year, and despite only being an American release, I did manage to track some down on import a few months back. So imagine my surprise when I wandered into Poundland and saw I could grab a share size bag of caramel M&Ms for a mere pound. But wait, something seems different. These are "crunchy caramel", not just regular. Could it be we get an exclusive flavour in the UK for once?

These are different to the American caramel M&Ms. Those ones have a gooey centre, while these are exactly what they say on the pack, crunchy caramel. You have your regular crispy coating, and a layer of that classic M&M chocolate, but underneath is a little nugget of crunchy caramel goodness. Biting into it unleashes another level of sweetness, and it's pretty awesome. The closest thing I can compare it to is the inside of a Daim bar, so this is like an unholy matrimony between two amazing chocolate products. The crunch in the caramel is more satisfying than the gooey, chewy stuff in the American version, and I think it helps inject the flavour a whole lot more effectively. These could even be my new favourite variety of M&Ms. Grab them while they're around, they're great.

My rating: 5/5

Today's Review: Vanilla Chalwa

Here's an interesting little bar I picked up from the Polish section of Tesco. It's a bar of Chalwa, which I assumed was a confection based on the fact that it's vanilla flavour, but it's also sesame-based. It's also greasy on the outside of the packaging, so I was a bit suspicious from the start.

Turns out this is a version of Halwa, a Middle-Eastern delicacy that I can't quite get on board with. But while that's gelatinous and spices, this one is indeed sesame-based, and also sweet. It's odd, it's a greasy lump of stuff with a very gritty texture, a definite sesame flavour, and a sickly vanilla element chucked in too. I'm not a fan of the texture at all, and despite that fact that the overall flavour grew on me, I couldn't bring myself to finish the bar. It's just odd, and very greasy. I think this is an exotic snack food I'll never understand.

My rating: 1/5

Today's Review: McVitie's Moments Salted Caramel Billionaire

Yes, I'm back for more McVitie's Moments. I was slightly disappointed by the Rocky Road edition, but I figured I'd dive back in for some salted caramel goodness, in the form of these billionaire squares. These feature a a chocolate topping and a salted caramel layer on top of some crushed Digestives squares.

These are good, not perfect, but pretty good. I mean, I enjoyed these more than the Rocky Road, but they are still a little on the dry side. The chocolate is nice and thick, with a smooth, sweet sauce underneath, which has a nice salty kick to it. The sauce permeates well into the Digestives, allowing the flavour to carry through, I just think it could have done with a bit more caramel to perfect that balance. Some nice little cakey squares.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Haribo Tangfastics Fruit Spritzers

I do like these yearly variations on the classic Haribo bags, even if they're pretty much different combinations of fruit. So there's not too much to say about these if you've had any of the other "Frenzy" bags. Here we have quite an eclectic mix, featuring pomegranate, lemon, blueberry, apple, pineapple, all in strange combinations. For the most part the fruity flavours are pretty authentic, though some of the mixtures are a little off. Still, a decent twist on a classic formula, and it's nice to see they're not just rehashing their Frenzy flavours from last year. Worth grabbing while they're around.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: The Dripping Tap In My Kitchen

Someone hasn't turned off the kitchen tap properly. I can hear it, every now and then, water droplets landing in the sink. It's annoying, grating, and the flow always steadily increases to the point where I can't take it anymore. The problem is, I'm quite lazy, so a slightly dripping tap isn't quite enough to make me get up and turn it off, even with the potentially wasted water. But I know that with this tap, it will keep dripping and dripping, faster and faster, until I have no choice but to leap from my seat and end the nightmare. So I resent the tap, though I do applaud it for its ability to put an end to my laziness. Now I've stalled long enough to write this, I do believe it's time to turn off that tap.

My rating: 2/5

Today's Review: Rustlers All Day Breakfast Sausage Muffin

Not content with providing a wide array of microwaveable burgers of dubious quality, Rustlers have decided to tackle the breakfast market, with their take on the classic Sausage McMuffin. Where a McDonald's breakfast is a haven for the lazy and hungover, it seems this is for those who are one further than that. It's a quick fix breakfast, a sausage patty in an English muffin, that you can chuck in the microwave for a minute.

You know, this isn't too bad. I mean, it's not fantastic, but it contains a substantial, satisfyingly meaty patty, and while the muffin isn't much to write home about, it's pretty alright for microwaved bread. The cheese and ketchup are a welcome addition, even if they are rubbery and watery respectively. So yes, this is by no means gourmet food, but it's a decent attempt at a quick breakfast, allowing you to nuke and leave. 

My rating: 3/5

Today's Review: Tesco Corndogs

I've tried corndogs but a few times in my life, only while visiting America. But now you can get them in Tesco. I never thought this day would come, I figured they were so distinctly American there would never be a market for them anywhere else. For those who don't know, corn dogs are basically hot dogs on a stick, covered in a corn based batter. They're disgusting by nature, but also so good, a fatty, calorific feast of everything that makes all that over the top American food so good. But how do these stack up?

These corndogs are ones you oven bake from frozen, while the ones I bought over in America were microwaveable. As such, I'm not sure if I gave these the perfect time required in the oven, but they came our with a crispy corn shell, compared to the softer batter I tried in the States. It's no biggie, the flavour is still there, a nice corn based dough that complements the hot dog quite well. The dog in the middle is decent, fairly meaty, not your most disgusting level hot dog. I would say I'd prefer a softer outer layer than the crispy one I got, but overall these were like a blast from the past. It's a shame they're only in miniature party form, I'd love to snack on a full size corndog one of these days. Oh well, this is a step in the right direction. Now if only Tesco could start making peanut butter and jelly...

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Incredibles 2

I've only been waiting for this movie for 14 years. No biggie. I mean, for most of that time it was officially stated it wasn't coming, but its announcement a few years back made me more than excited. Now it's here, Incredibles 2, the sequel to movie that turned the superhero genre on its head before the superhero genre had really found its feet. Before the Avengers, Pixar had a whole family fighting together with complementary super powers, and had addressed the problems of supers on the loose long before Captain America: Civil War.  

Incredibles 2 starts where the first left off, literally, with the super family taking on the Underminer. After taking care of business, the Parrs once again find themselves on the wrong side of the law, but Elastigirl is soon offered a job that will hopefully change how super heroes are perceived. So off she goes to save the world, leaving Bob with the kids...

Okay, I get some of the criticisms for this movie. In terms of story beats, it's somewhat similar to the first. I guessed the twist before it happened, there's nothing particularly new in terms of social commentary, but still, it's a solid plot with a few twists and turns. Where the story falters, the action more than makes up for it. With the first movie establishing the characters, this one just lets them loose, all the powers working together in some truly awesome action set pieces, with some new super heroes chucked in for good measure. Someone's been paying attention to the Avengers, the fights in this movie are just great. 

The visuals have received a fantastic update (no surprise for 14 years later), everyone looks great, and most of the old voices are back, as well as a fantastic score from Michael Giacchino. As always, that Pixar charm is ever present, some great comedic moments alongside the pure, beautiful action.

The plot may be simple, re-hashing some of the stuff from the first movie, but this is a very entertaining update on the original, a new Incredibles for a new generation. I had a blast, and I would be very happy to see it again. Pure enjoyment.

My rating: 4/5

Today’s Review: Supermarket Aisles Changing

As you may have guessed, I like food shopping. It allows me to look for all the interesting new snacks on offer. But despite my love for new things, I still go into the supermarket with a specific order in mind. I know the layout, which aisle holds which foods. So imagine my horror when yesterday I turned the corner expecting to find cereal, and was instead met with chocolate.

It bewildered me. Not only were the aisles completely changed, they were still in the process of swapping them around. In the process I somehow managed to not pick up any crisps, it was horrible. Why mess with the formula? I get the need for merchandising changes, but something this drastic makes for a jarring shopping experience. I have a route, an agenda. I’m still getting over the time they moved the cucumbers to an end cap instead of next to the peppers. Now I have a whole new route to plan out, and it’s awful.

My rating: 0/5

Today's Review: McVitie's Moments Choccy Rocky Road

McVitie's are going a bit fancy with their biscuits, they've brought out a range of interesting concoctions centred around their classic brands, and this is the one I went for today. Here we have four little slabs of rocky road, made with Digestives, and pulled together with chocolate, marshmallow, crisp cereal and cherries.

These aren't bad, there's a bit of a heavy focus on the biscuit, but all the elements are noticeable. The marshmallow adds a satisfying chewiness, the cherries give a nice burst of flavour. I wouldn't say the cereal adds much to the experience, especially since it's already pretty heavy on the biscuit. Also, it could probably do with more chocolate, there's enough to give it that overall flavour, but as a whole these squares were a little dry. So yeah, they're alright, but with a retail price of £1.70 I don't think they're really worth it. I picked them up for £1 and was still a little disappointed. You'd be better off making your own rocky road, just grab some Digestives and make sure you've got a load of chocolate.

My rating: 3/5

Today's Review: Football Not Coming Home

Well, that's unfortunate. But what can I say? You all jinxed it. Maybe sing less next time. Oh well, the boys did good, so we've got that going for us, which is nice. Let's keep calm and carry on.

My rating: 2/5

Today’s Review: The Sudden Disappearance Of The Sun

It’s been hot lately, hasn’t it? Well, of course you don’t need me to tell you that if you’re British, it’s all you’ve been talking about. But as much as we moan about the heat, we’re equally likely to moan about it coming to an end, and that’s what I’m doing here. I’ve only just gotten used to leaving the house without a jumper or jacket of any description, and yesterday I was met with a chilly breeze. Unacceptable. I know humans can adapt, but that doesn’t mean I want to constantly get used to new weather. Now I have to get used to these colder climes so I can moan when it gets hot again. It’s hard being British.

My rating: 1/5

Today's Review: McVitie's Hobnobs THins

The thin biscuit trend is very much alive, just check these out. They're like Digestives Thins, but this time they're made of chocolate Hobnobs. Yes, that's about it, these are thin versions of the classic Hobnob, but they still manage to get that chocolate layer on top. You actually get a fair amount in the packet, which is good, because they're very moreish. They have that awesome oaty flavour you'd find in your regular Hobnob, and chocolate makes everything better. What I will say is that in the process of becoming thin, these biscuits have lost a certain something, I think the chunkiness of a Hobnob is what makes it great, but the oats in these have pretty much been squashed to oblivion. Still good though, and better for you, as long as you can stop eating them...

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Tetley Super Squash Berry Burst

This "adult squash" trend that has popped up recently is somewhat baffling. I didn't know that squash was considered just for kids, but apparently there's a market for this stuff, I guess like those Harry Potter books with the "adult" covers. Here we have Tetley's effort at creating a "super squash"which not only contains fruit, but also vitamin B6, which can help reduce fatigue. So this is medicinal squash for adults? I wasn't convinced, but I had to try it just to see what it was like.

I think Tetley should stick to making tea, this is not good squash. There's some amount of berry flavouring in there, particularly strawberry, but the majority is apple, and it's not great The fruit is overall a bit weak and it has a bit of a funny after taste. Plus it's only single concentrate, so it's not even economical. Just get regular squash, the supermarket brands are better, and if you're that worried about fatigue, there are probably better ways to deal with it than drinking cordial.

My rating: 1/5

Today's Review: Propercorn Chocolate Popcorn

The popcorn trend seems to be experience a little revival after dwindling over the past couple of years. Here we have a new flavour of Propercorn, who brought out the divine peanut and almond popcorn a while back. This bag is chocolate flavour, and from the picture on the front I figured they'd found a way to get the chocolate flavouring inside the kernels themselves. However, upon opening, it's clear this is a sweet popcorn with a powdery chocolate coating.

It's pretty good, the stuff on top, a nice authentic chocolate flavour. But the very nature of it does make the experience a little dry. Still quite sweet, but even the kernels themselves could have done with a bit of a kick, a bit more sugar to add in that satisfying crunch, I think that would have accompanied the chocolate quite well. As it stands, this bag is a bit dry and powdery, I definitely prefer popcorn coated in a layer of chocolate, although that's clearly less healthy.

My rating: 3/5

Today's Review: Oreo Thins Coconut

Oreo Thins came out around the same time as all those other thin versions of biscuits, and while I initially didn't see the point, I conceded that they were pretty good. Now they come in a coconut variety, and I'm always up for a new Oreo flavour. Coconut is a big thing right now, and now it's blended right into the creme, and it works really well. The creaminess works fantastically with the coconut flavour, and paired with the thin but oh so chocolatey biscuit, these are a great little addition to the range. Just the right hint of coconut, probably one of my new favourites.

My rating: 5/5

Today’s Review: Spilling An Entire Cup Of Coffee Down Yourself

I don’t often spill entire cups of coffee down my front, in fact I don’t think I ever did before yesterday, and I don’t even know how it happened. But there I was, standing and sipping a cup of coffee, and next thing I knew it was all over me. Coffee isn’t great when it’s down your front instead of in your mouth. It’s hot, wet and annoying, and I couldn’t change, so I ended up stinking like coffee all day. Not an experience I’d recommend.

My rating: 0/5

Today's Review: Kettle Discoveries Buttermilk Chicken & Sriracha Mayo

I haven't seen a limited edition of regular Kettle Chips for a while now, but I guess they're shifting the focus to these Discoveries flavours. Fair enough, the ones that have come out so far have been pretty good, surprisingly even the salted caramel and cream. I spied this variety in Tesco today, and I'm a sucker for the spicy mayo, so I had to grab them. Buttermilk chicken is an interesting twist on the classic too.

As intriguing as the buttermilk sounded, I can't say I picked it up too much in the flavour. There's a definite chicken flavour, sort of on the same level as the chicken Walkers Sensations. Now, I'm not an avid fan of meaty crisps, but as chicken flavours go, this ain't bad. The real prize here is the mayo flavour, which adds a hint of creaminess, and a decent level of heat that builds up over time, blending nicely with the other flavours to give that impression of some chicken strips dipped in some lovely spicy mayo. Not a perfect representation of what they were going for, but a very decent attempt at an interesting flavour.

My rating: 4/5

Today's Review: Doritos Sweet Chilli Pepper

I picked up this bag of Doritos at Poundland, which I assumed would be very much like the Chilli Heatwave Doritos that I love so. However, the "sweet" element made me think there might be something different to it. Turns out, they're not all that different, though there is some nuance to these chips. I wouldn't say they're "sweet" chilli, there's a good level of heat in these that make them pretty on par with the Chilli Heatwave spice. The flavouring is different, but it's not particularly noticeable in the long run. I'm still in love with spicy Doritos, but you're not missing out if you can't track these down.

My rating: 5/5

Today's Review: McDonald's Fiery Buffalo Chicken Wrap

It's a new McDonald's wrap! That's a pretty poor picture up there, but what can I say, I went to the drive-thru. So while you may not be able to see there, this wrap contains chicken strips, lettuce, pepper jack cheese, onions and buffalo sauce. It's spicy, I'll give it that, a very decent hot sauce that made me pause a little. Definitely more than I was expecting from a McDonald's wrap, but with the level of heat there's also an absence of flavour. The rest of the ingredients make up for it, making it a decent enough effort overall, but the sauce just doesn't do it for me. I appreciate the heat, but with that famous buffalo name, I was expecting something tastier.

My rating: 3/5

Today's Review: Brothers Rhubarb & Custard Cider

They seem to be putting rhubarb and custard in everything these days, and why not? It's delicious. This one seemed a bit odd, but not too out of place. We all like a fruity cider, right? Well, why not one that tastes like our favourite sweet?

A rhubarb cider would be completely acceptable, it's the custard element that seemed a little weird. But in fact, it's pretty well represented. There's a smooth. creamy undertone that gives this drink a certain air of custard, and I'll let you decide if that's a good thing. For me, while it was a bit odd, it was still pretty tasty when coupled with the rhubarb, and this still made for a refreshing drink. The rhubarb is perhaps too subdued, I was hoping for a bit more tartness, but instead it gives more of a hint of something cream soda-like due to the inclusion of the custard flavour. Still, it's a very decent effort at a unique cider. After all, it could have gone horribly wrong.

My rating: 4/5