Vico Dixi

At least, I think this crispy snack is called Vico Dixi. Either, or both, is/are a French brand from euro snack giant Intersnack and both are listed as brands on Intersnack.fr. And Vico seems to be the second (second to what I have not discovered) brand in the French snacking market.

Whatever... here we have a fluffy little ball of maize and peanut (un boule de maïs soufflé croustillante) flavoured with tomato. Each little ball is about the size of my thumbnail if that big, so not very large, and they are rather more-ish. Quite light, a little dry in the mouth but not off-puttingly so, really rather peanutty, and with a delicious tomato taste. And a rich tomato colour. The packet says the taste is un gout tomate intense et irristibles; and that's about right.

The packet also says that Vico is the king of aperitif  - by which I suppose it means the king of snacks to go with your gin and tonic, or glass of sherry. Or in my case today, a glass of white Swiss wine. Johannisberg since you asked.

Made without preservatives or colouring, and I imagine from the list of ingredients that they are suitable for vegetarians although the packaging does not say so. No palm oil. And made in France.

Avoid at all costs if you are allergic to peanuts: otherwise give them a try. Probably available at a supermarché near you if you happen to be in France (I only saw them at one motorway service station).

The newspapers say it has been the most horrible summer in Switzerland since 1965. My family went to Holland that year for our summer holiday and I can just remember it being freezing cold and very wet. Ever eaten an ice-cream on a freezing cold dark day in a howling gale? You would remember it too. It was lovely here on Thursday and Friday - lizards in the garden enjoying the sun - but today (Sunday) it is grey and wet and dark. So we have a wood fire even though it isn't as cold as it looks, a polar on the TV and a selection of interesting snacks to try. And we thought these little crispy balls were rather good.