Review- M&S NEW Potato Tots

I love potatoes.. Be it as chips, jackets, roasters or mash, I am only too happy to eat them any which way offered! I have however never had the American classic of Tater Tots which is why I was curious to see how these M&S NEW Potato Tots would fair.. Just another "kids" croquette wannabe or something of an epic "Stateside" level!?

Mash potatoes with butter and seasoning. 

I picked up the 265g sleeved pack in the fresh section, amongst all the other potato side dishes, for what I think was £2.. Ish - I appear to have lost the receipt, sorry! Suitable for Vegetarians, the Tots ingredient list is pretty sparse making them not too bad calorie and fat wise for the health fanatics also.. But neither group should freeze them as the packaging says not!

16 delightfully dinky, cylindrical shapes were presented and ready to be tipped onto a baking tray, to go into a 200ºC Fan oven for about 20 minutes - Shame they weren't already in a handy foil number but alas. 

The Potato Tots cooked a treat and looked remarkably alike the image on the packaging.. Albeit not as flat - Perhaps I should have squished mine a bit! A crispy outer coating was the ideal contrast to the interior* within which was similar to mash potato in being extremely soft and fluffy. Flavour wise, they were a little stranger with a taste somewhere between artificial and an undercooked frozen potato product, be it Waffles or an equivalent. There was definitely a butteriness but I can't say that improved things much along with a real pepper-y kick which as expected, wasn't to my liking at all! Not for me! 

So.. Is this really what the famous and ever so popular Tater Tot is all about? Because either M&S have royally cocked up or they genuinely are pretty rubbish. I won't be buying them again that's for sure and suggest you don't either! It's a 1.5 out of 5 from me. 

  

*There was an interior shot but I've never seen anything so blurry in my life. Things I need to work on: Receipt management, Photography skills. 

Review- Thorntons NEW White Chocolate Caramel Shortcake Bites

It helps having friends who are eager snack finders.. Not only do they inform you of said NEW products but if you've been really good, they send them to you too! It's a win win situation! 

My lovely buddy-chum, Charlotte is to thank for these Thorntons White Chocolate Caramel Shortcake Bites which appear to be the same as the regular Milk variety just with a different topping - It's about time we all got something even sweeter in our lives! Purchased in Asda and priced at £1, I am yet to see the Veggie friendly, dinky delights in store myself or in any other supermarket.. But no doubt, Thorntons themselves have their shelves stocked to the brim!

Scrumptious shortcake squares covered with a delicious caramel layer and topped with smooth white chocolate. 

Turns out, they were a bit smooshed but no matter - No one is ever going to refuse oozing caramel.

I cut the Bite in half, purely for picture purposes and it actually turned out to be more robust than I expected with not a single crumb out place. Smelling beyond ridiculously sweet of a butter, Werther's Original combo, I popped a piece into my mouth and let the sugar overload engulf me. Starting with the base which was quite gritty, it didn't add anything to the flavour with the middle of thick, squidgy caramel completely overpowering any potential other taste and generally being just how it smelt! The white chocolate, albeit a nicer contrast to all the soft, didn't really come through either due to the aforementioned but did add further sweetness. The 3 elements together were pretty sticky, cloying and definitely something that would give you diabetes.. And a dry, sore tongue! 

Overall, unless you're an absolute sugar fiend or are prepared to power on through the initial sweet, sickly punch to the face, I am not sure these NEW White Chocolate Caramel Shortcake Bites are going to woo everyone.. There is nothing wrong with them as such but even I, the lover of all things with more sugar than anything else, found them to be a tad too much. Perhaps Thorntons should stamp "Enjoy with a strong coffee!" on their packaging.. Because believe you me, you're going to need it! It's a 3.5 out of 5! 

Review- M&S NEW Spirit of Summer: Ultimate Burger Buns

Since it's been quite possibly the hottest few days ever as well as it being National Burger Day, chances are you'll have had or will be having a Barbecue at some point this week. This means you will most definitely be needing a Bun to contain all the meaty goodness.. M&S have us covered! 

I picked up the pack of 2 Burger Buns from the Bakery section* for £1 which I thought was relatively reasonable given the Spirit of Summer status and "luxury" feel. Suitable for Veggies as well as the freezer, the doughy delights are a source of Vitamin D and fibre.. Which for some reason M&S felt compelled to plaster on the side of their packaging. 

Egg glazed bun enriched with egg and butter. 

I cut the strongly butter scented, almost cheese like, gleaming Bun in half with ease to reveal the fluffy, aerated texture within which naturally, screamed for a smorgasbord of extras..

Cheese, onion and ketchup! - Doesn't it look a beaut? Taking a bite, the Bun proved to just as soft and squishy as expected with a lovely moist feel and zero in terms of stodge. Taste wise, it was extremely buttery as its aroma suggested with a subtle yeasty flavour as well as a hint of sweetness - This went well with a savoury filling and was by no means overly sweet. Thankfully, the other element I smelt, cheese, wasn't reflected in the flavour - Despite adding a slice myself, I am not sure how I would feel about an actual cheese brioche bun! A richness was definitely noticeable which I can only assume was down to the eggs (And butter no doubt!), to make for one all round fantastic burger buddy!

The name didn't lie.. These Ultimate Burger Buns really are ultimate! They are top notch in both texture and taste and I think you would struggle to find better.. And that's coming from someone who adores her bread products! Get yourself some pronto, *M&S even make it easy for you by having a stand right next to their Barbecue meat fridge section. It's a 4.5 out of 5 from me.

Review- Ikorn NEW Gourmet & Health Kick Popcorn: Sweet, Salted & Himalayan Salted

Last week, a lovely chap called Richard (Hi Richard!) from Ikorn Popcorn contacted me asking if I would like to try their recently released, brand spanking NEW Premium Gourmet Popcorn. I was never going to refuse such an offer and in no time at all, an assorted box of 12, 25g bags landed on my doorstep.

Ikorn is proud to present you with our Popcorn. We use the highest quality non GM, butterfly corn along with premium coconut oil to bring you this delicious snack. Using the finest corn, finest ingredients and finest recipes, we satisfy the finest popcorn connoisseur. We're sure you won't be disappointed. Gluten and Wheat free. 

Inside was 3 flavours, all having under 120 calories each.. Sweet Korn and Salted Corn (RRP £1.29) along with a Himalayan Salted (RRP £1.49) coming from the Health Kick range - With some very fancy thick packaging that was almost a struggle to get into, I might add! All made from the most poppy, voluminous corn known to man, the team at Ikorn tried and tested over 40 different varieties of the stuff to ensure only the best was to make it into their product with refined coconut oil and Virgin Organic coconut oil (Used in the Health Kick) being the catalyst to ensure for the most fulfilling, healthy snacking option - None of this "cheapy" Canola oil which is slowly killing us all. 

Tech to your eyeballs, Folks.. Or save and zoom for those less frivolous. 

Sweet Korn

Starting with the Sweet and my personal favourite when it comes to Popcorn flavours, upon opening the bag an immediate buttery scent was apparent with what I thought was lemon tones despite none being in the ingredients. Taste wise, the sweetness I envisaged wasn't quite there and certainly not the sugary stuff I am used to with some pieces being more coated that others, in turn being a bit hit or miss on the flavour front! It did however have that "cinema-esque" feel with a satisfying airy crunch, transitioning into melt in the mouth goodness. A 3.5 out of 5 from me. 

Salted Korn

Moving onto the Salted.. I have to say I was dubious - I have never been one for savoury Popcorns with the whole notion just not sitting well with me quite frankly! Trying to keep an open mind, the Popcorn once again had the buttery and lemon scents mentioned above but of course this time, not remotely sweet in taste. The salt was undeniable and at first a bit of a shock for me but thankfully with the buttery tones, things mellowed and along with another fantastic texture, it really wasn't half bad! It's a 3 out of 5 from me. 

Himalayan Salt

Some salt is good for you too, don't cha know! Get zooming and reading please.. Apologies for the blue hue!

Last but by no means least, the Health Kick Himalayan Salted, designed for those super duper health conscience. Tearing into the bag, as seen previously it was almost full to the brim with the decently sized Popcorn pieces although this time not having the familiar buttery aroma. I grabbed a handful and got munching.. Salt. That is all I can say. I found this variety to be overly salty - Almost to the point where it was unbearable. I can't fault the light, melty feel and total lack of hard husks or kernels but the sheer amount of salinity was all to much for me.. But brilliant, I expect if you're on a bit of a sugar rush! It's a 2 out of 5 from me. 

Overall, it is mixed bag from Ikorn. I really can't fault the texture and quantity found in an individual bag but I do feel the flavours need tweaking ever so slightly.. Ideally, more sweet in the Sweet and less salt in the Salt with a better distribution of coating to ensure the flavour flows throughout. The team at Ikorn are currently working on obtaining retail outlets (And expanding the flavour range!) so in the mean time, do check out Ikorn online if you fancy ordering yourself some Popcorn in bulk and go say "Howdy Do!" on Twitter. Thanks Ikorn!

Review- M&S NEW Spirit of Summer: Alfajores Biscuits

For once, it's a SoS number which actually is undeniably Latin American - Today is golden, it's sticky and cloyingly sweet.. It's Dulce de Leche! Alas, not straight out of the jar as I favour to eat it but sandwiched in the M&S NEW Alfajores! 

I was in two minds whether to buy these or the Dulce de Leche Teacakes* but swiftly decided against the latter after remembering the disastrous Christmas Red Velvet Teacakes* which were essentially the thing of nightmares and tasting a bit like a shoe! Sadly, the price difference between the pair was vast and although not swaying me, I begrudgingly forked out £2.50 for the 210g brightly coloured box of Veggie loving, Biscuits. 

All butter biscuits with a dulce de leche caramel centre. 

I was even more narked to discover that it was only a pack of 6 - 6, albeit large, slightly cheesy smelling cookies! That's 41p each and who knows how much cheese!

I attempted to cut the biscuit in half and the texture instantly seemed weird - Hard yet soft, making for not a very clean cut but more of a wiggle. Munching my way through, it proved to be quite heavy going and dry with an almost powdery feel and uncanny to "shortbread gone stale" - I can't say this was all that pleasant especially mixed with the grainy centre! Thankfully and more on the positive side, the smell didn't reflect in the taste.. Instead a flavour that can only be described as extremely buttery with the sickly sweetness of caramel which was only vaguely like actual Dulce de Leche - Certainly not the jarred stuff! Naturally, the combination of elements were fairly claggy in the throat and poor MSW even started to question whether they were salty as they were so ridiculously sugary and hurt her tongue - There must be a fine line! 

Overall, these M&S Spirt of Summer Alfajores Biscuits are plain peculiar - They aren't really one thing or another and without a shadow of a doubt, require a hot beverage to get down. I suppose they aren't horrific if you can handle the impending diabetes and aren't fixated on the Dulce de Leche aspect.. But even then, I think most would struggle to eat more than one in a sitting. Perhaps they could be a diet biscuit? I'm struggling to be constructive when they could very well be a love-hate thing! It's a slightly frazzled, 2.5 out of 5 from me. 

*NibsnScribs AKA Peanut has reviewed both so go have a read and leave a friendly comment!

Review- M&S NEW Spirit of Summer: Toffee & Honey comb Traybake

Happy July Folks! I trust you're all well and have had a fun filled fortnight - I have been so engrossed in Wimbledon, I found myself incapable of putting up a review for the duration.. But I'm back now.. Here I am! Everyone ready to crack on? You better be in the Spirit of Summer. 

Yes, it's trusty old M&S once again with another South American inspired treat - Toffee & Honeycomb Traybake. I picked up the dessert in the chilled section (Where it was situation along the plethora of cheesecake flavours) for £3. Sadly, this one isn't Veggie friendly thanks to the use of beef gelatine and it's also not advisable to freeze.. So don't do that.. Promise?! 

Bourbon biscuit topped with toffee mousse (52%) and toffee sauce (14%), finished with chocolate and toffee drizzles and chocolate coated honeycomb (2%). 

The packaging concerned me at first. No way did I think that by running a knife around the inside of the card tray before pulling the flaps down as instructed, would the whole thing not get torn to pieces! - It's a miracle!

Cutting also proved to be easier than expected with the dessert staying together pretty well and not cracking or crumbling despite the glorious oozing sauce. Taking a forkful, I was immediately in sweet, sticky, creamy toffee heaven with the crunchy and of good thickness biscuit base adding some "darker" signature bourbon tones. Pairing up perfectly and contrasting in texture was the dense yet light and whipped mousse which certainly delivered in terms of flavour! The toffee tones were spot on in both the aforementioned and the silky smooth, fairly liquid sauce to pack a real buttery, golden, sugary punch - Not cheap or artificial in the slightest! As for the honeycomb on top, I can't say the flavour was anything other than mild but once again, the harder pieces complimented the soft layers beneath with the drizzles of chocolate and toffee sauce only adding to the sticky delight! 

Wow-wee.. What a way to return with a bang - This Spirit of Summer Toffee & Honeycomb Traybake is out of this world good! Yes, it is fairly simple in its components but if indulgent, gooey, sweet, crunchy, soft, creamy and borderline sickly desserts are up your street, you will find it very hard to go wrong with one of these.. I do however have to mention that it is designed to feed 4 which I think would be a struggle if you're remotely into any of the things just listed! It's a 4 out of 5 from me - Well done M&S! 

Review- Lurpak NEW Smoked Chipotle Infusions

Does anyone else have a particular Baking Butter of choice? I know I do.. It's Unsalted Lurpak - Always has been and always will. When it comes to quality I don't think you can beat it.. Which is exactly why I was quite excited to see something a bit different from the brand - It's a NEW Infusions line! 

Give your flatbreads and wraps a flavour kick with Lurpak Infusions Smoked Chipotle. The whipped blend of Lurpak butter and rapeseed oil, infused with smoky chilli and spices, is the easy way to life your food Dollop and spread straight from the fridge, then top with whatever takes your fancy. 

I discovered the dinky 115g, Smoked Chipotle tub in Tesco where it was on offer for £1 along with a Chilli & Lime version as well as Sea Salt & Pink Peppercorn. The spread which is suitable for Vegetarians, contains no palm oil, hydrogenated fats or artificial colourings.. And is suitable for home freezing but not microwaving*. 

Since I'm not all that keen on flatbreads or wraps, I decided that topping Ryvita with the spread was the next best option. Very light and mousse like with a texture that I can only liken to Boursin, the Infusions smelt also like a spiced cheese and was very smooth in the mouth. Taste wise, it wasn't cheesy at all but super smoky with a real kick of chilli which almost bowled me over but MSW loved it. A garlic flavour was also most apparent, pairing up nicely with the fiery heat. As for the "butter" aspect.. I wouldn't say you would know it was one despite containing 62% - There was no real flavour of Lurpak itself due to all the Chipotle burn.. But was delicious nevertheless! 

Well, this NEW Smoked Chipotle Infusions is definitely one for the heat lovers - The potency of spice is unquestionable and as spreads go, it's faultless. I would say though, if you're looking for a butter equivalent, this isn't really it.. And if you're looking for a cream cheese equivalent, it's not going to be that either.. It's more of its own mysterious, tasty condiment! - A 4.5 out of 5 from me! 

*Does anyone even care about this information? I get the Veggie brigade kicking off (Ish) but who is concerned if they can microwave their spread.. Heck, you're clearly a bunch of rule breakers anyways and would do it regardless.