Bizarre Maple Bacon Chocolate (The Chocolate Smiths)

A couple of Mondays ago I received the best kind of parcel a girl could wish for: a surprise delivery of chocolate. It wasn't just any chocolate either, oh no, it was a lovely packet of goodies from The Chocolate Smiths! Now I hope you'll remember my introduction to the entirely handmade Chocolate Smiths' range, but if not then please feel free to check out my review of their Birthday Cake bar here. 

Of course, given that Easter Sunday has been and gone the eggs won't be obtainable again until 2018, however I hereby promise to publish a review of them in Lent next year*. The Maple Bacon Bar is still available however, so let's press on...

"Not a morning person? Neither are we - but we’d definitely rise and shine for this! Bacon flavoured milk chocolate with a little butterscotch, topped by creamy maple flavoured white chocolate and sea salt. A sweet and savoury delight for any time of day!"

As you might recall, I've recently got my head around savoury-sweet combinations thanks to M&S's cheese hot cross buns (which I filled with bacon and ketchup). This impulse purchase in Malaysia of a cheddar cheese filled mocha chocolate cake was also surprisingly tasty...

My dad thinks I've lost the plot and is just about to disown me for my newly discovered liking, but I'm more open-minded than he is 😉 and as such was really excited to try The Chocolate Smiths' Maple Bacon Bar! 

The tablet had snapped in transit, but still looked rather attractive with its combination of milk and white chocolate. I could smell a slight bacon-y scent, but it was mild. The sweet chocolate scent was stronger.

Biting into the bar, my tastebuds embraced the wonderfully confusing melange of flavours. The salt hit first, then the smooth creaminess of the chocolate, followed finally by a beautiful smoky flavour. The depth was both interesting and delicious. I had wondered if the bacon could or would work with the chocolate, but it's genius, and now I finally understand why Nigella hails it 'the unholy union' in her recipe for bacon brownies (which I admittedly previously thought of as revolting, but now must give a try).

For those of you wondering, the bacon in this bar doesn't come from meat but is a bacon oil flavouring, similar in taste to that used in Frazzles. This means that the chocolate is also suitable for vegetarians. Now this might seem odd. Perhaps you're thinking: Surely you don't you want to taste bacon if you don't eat meat? But of course many vegetarians give up meat for ethical reasons and indeed some research suggests that bacon 'is the gateway to meat for vegetarians'. Why would Quorn invest in making meat-flavoured Mycoprotein products otherwise? I'll get off my high horse now. In essence it's a delicious combination for both carnivores and vegetarians. 

My only qualms are that the maple flavoured white chocolate is a little lost against the milk chocolate (I think a higher % of white chocolate would work better), and that the bacon flavour isn't present in every square -but maybe I'm simply a greedy pig for bacon, does that make me a cannibal?

Do you think you're brave enough to try the Maple Bacon Bizarre bar? If so, make sure you pop on over to The Chocolate Smiths' shop where you can purchase any three (100g) Bizarre bars for just £10.50! What are you waiting for? Go go go! 

9/10

Thank you The Chocolate Smiths for my parcel of goodies! 

* but here's a teaser... they're awesome!

Cappuccino Popcorn Review & Portlebay Round-Up

Cappuccino Popcorn

I've made my way through the entire box now (thank you again Portlebay for the opportunity to sample your range!). The packet I saved until last was Cappuccino, a flavour I've been dying to try since I discovered the brand in September. It sounded so original, and I love coffee and coffee flavoured products -especially cake and chocolate!

I opened the bag, and was met with quite a mild coffee flavour. The corn was dusted with a dark brown powder, and as usual there were no un-popped kernels. Flavour-wise the popcorn wasn't as expected, the Crispy Bacon & Maple syrup actually has more of a sweet edge. The coffee didn't come through as strong as I'd have liked either- more latte than cappuccino.

Sorry Portlebay, I'm not as fussed on this variety- although that's probably a good thing because it's less widely available than most of the other flavours! 

6/10

Portlebay Round-Up

From left to right, I've ranked my favourite to least favourite Portlebay flavours. Overall I think their quality is astounding, and if you're after a healthy snack at a reasonable price you cant go far wrong with their products. 

Big love to Portlebay! 

Here are the links to my revews of their other flavours:
Cinnamon Swirl
Crispy Bacon & Maple Syrup
Wasabi & Sweet Ginger
Lemon Sherbet
Very Berry
Sweet & Salty 
Chilli & Lime

NEW Pringles Pigs in Blankets

These new Christmassy Pringles got me really excited! It was disclosed at the start of November that Pringles were going to be launching a new limited edition flavour based around what is arguably the best part of Christmas Dinner, and I've been eagerly awaiting their arrival into stores since.

Chipolata and Bacon Flavour Savoury Snack

Now the one thing I couldn't get my head around was how Pringles were going to differentiate the two pork products. I think after all, what makes 'pigs-in-blankets' so special is the contrast between the crispy bacon casing and the squishy sausage within. So does it work in Pringle form?

For me? No. Whilst the Pringles had a lovely smoky flavour, I didn't find them particularly meaty. The most powerful flavour by far came from the Paprika, with an acknowledgement towards pork (which was more ham than chipolata or bacon) resulting in a product that's probably better described as Barbeque. I've found in recent years that Pringle's flavourings have become more mild, lacking the 'pow' that once kept you going back for more until you'd finished the entire tube.

They are a pleasant crisp, and make a welcome change to the normal salt & vinegar that is the Pringles staple in our house, but I won't be stockpiling them before they're gone from supermarket shelves.

6/10

Crispy Bacon & Maple Syrup Portlebay Popcorn

I'm down to my last three bags (and favourite sounding flavours) now from the sample box that Portlebay Popcorn sent: Cinnamon Swirl, Cappuccino and the cause of today's review- Crispy Bacon and Maple Syrup. I love bacon frazzles, and I imagined this popcorn to taste similiarly. As with the Wasabi popcorn, the sweet element coming from the maple syrup (which I also love in it's own right) fazed me slightly... I just can't imagine pouring syrup onto bacon like the Yanks do.

When I opened the bag, I was greeted with a dusty orange coloured popcorn. I could smell hints of bacon, but the aroma most prominent was that of the syrup. This was also reflected in the taste, and although I could detect the smoked bacon element, the sweet maple was definitely more overpowering. I didn't believe that a ratio favouring Maple Syrup over bacon would work well, but once again Portlebay have turned my preconceptions on their head- the salty bacon tang balanced the sweetness out perfectly.

I absolutely loved this Popcorn, which I'm over the moon about because it's one of two flavours that our local Boots stock, meaning I can enjoy it again and again. I'd recommend trying this product if  you're either a maple syrup fan or a sweet and salty popcorn kind of person.

9/10