Jacob’s Bites Mature Cheddar & Caramelised Onion Flavour

Well here we go. I thought these sounded good. On opening the silver baggie the initial aroma was rather good. The first taste was also rather good. But the more I tried it the more the taste wasn’t quite right for me. Too… oniony? Too much taste? Too much something. And the texture wasn’t quite right. Not to mention lots of ingredients (Sodium Metabisulphite anyone?) that I could do without.

I asked Cliffs of Moher Taste Tester what she thought. She wasn’t a fan. The taste wasn’t right and what’s more, the texture wasn’t right for her either. Her verdict was “No”.

However, Family Vegetarian rather liked them. Graffiti Artist Taste Tester wasn’t averse. But honestly I think Family Vegetarian would have finished the whole packet if dinner wasn’t going to be ready in 10 minutes. So, as ever, you have to try these things for yourself.

The Family Vegetarian was quite enthusiastic. She ate quite a few, and I’m sure she would have eaten more of these crispy snacks if she hadn’t known I was cooking a large dinner which was in the oven as we taste tested. I think even the Graffiti Artist liked this not very crispy snack more than I did.

This snack comes in a silver baggie inside a cardboard box. So at least part of the packaging is readily recyclable.

Forest Feast Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Where did I pick up this fancy packet of nuts? I can’t remember. Oh wait, it might have been Sainsburys. But I thought it looked as though it might be rather good.

The nuts themselves are large and look to be good quality. But I thought there was an awful lot of added flavour dust, and not much taste of nut. I asked the Family Vegetarian what she thought, and she absolutely agreed with me. She said that nuts have quite a delicate taste and she thought they were quite overshadowed by the strong taste of pepper. 

I also asked Graffiti Artist Taste Tester. He said he wasn’t that keen on nuts and didn’t really want to try… but he did try. And here’s why you always have to try for yourself: he quite liked these nuts. How could we predict that?

This packet is a mix of “Jumbo Peanuts, Colossal Cashews, Almonds, Pecans and Macadamias”. And this packet is brought to you by Kestrel Foods based in Northern Ireland.

My verdict? Too much pepper.

Made for Drink Baron Bigod Cheese & Onion

This flavour of Made for Drink (premium bar snacks) crisps was created in partnership with English Heritage. I visited my local English Heritage property recently by myself, pottered around the garden and landscape for a while, and then I fancied a drink and a snack.

I found these crisps. Cheese and Onion flavour. Made with fancy Baron Bigod cheese (a British artisan cheese made by Fen Farm Dairy). And very nice too. Properly cheese and oniony.

Unfortunately I don’t remember these crisps very well because I was grumpy that my bank card was rejected* at the café till. It was rejected again at the garden shop, for no reason that I could think of, but that rather overshadowed my visit. I might try the Dorset Sea Salt next time. Not the Truffle because truffle is disgusting. 

*I called my bank and they said they only allow £300 of contactless payments before you have to use your PIN number again. They do not tell you this. This information is not on the letter that comes with your new PIN. The man I spoke to admitted that a lot of customers get in touch because they had their cards deactivated too. And they didn’t know about the £300 limit any more than I did. Apparently this information is in the terms and conditions. But where are they? 

Anyway, nice crisps.