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Mad as a March Kitten + Kaffre talks Candy #28
Posted 8 years agoMad as March KittenHi everyone and thanks for reading!
Don't worry, I'm not really mad. Just a little grumpy maybe -. February wasn't quite so productive as I'd hoped it would be as you can probably tell by the absence of any of the art or drawings I've been promising since pretty much forever. It goes beyond just that, however, I wasn't able to arrange a Doctor visit, do my taxes, or any of the other important tasks I promised myself I'd get a head start on this year though I am currently ahead of schedule (and under-budget) in terms of buying clothing, bed-sheets, towels, and similar items thanks to some spectacular after-Christmas bargains so that's something I can relax about in coming months. Also, due to unseasonably warm weather these last few weeks I've been able to take care of some yard-related tasks I had thought would have to wait until at least early April so it hasn't been a total loss.
I was also a bit sad that no one saw fit to reply to my previous journal which makes me feel a bit silly and selfish, but I suppose a kitty is allowed to try and elicit just a little bit of extra attention sometimes. This had also, somewhat belatedly, drawn my attention to the fact that I've not been particularly sociable myself here on FA myself lately – something I hope that I'm able to rectify in coming months by reining in some of my obsessions to focus on more productive pursuits.
Well, I guess that's it for this journal, but ever since posing the question about Kaffre talks Candy in last month's journal, I've been thinking about switching to doing two journals a month for a while – one being a normal monthly update and another being either a little piece of fiction or maybe something written in-character I'm not quite sure yet, but it would certainly be another option for working through my backlog of candy reviews a bit faster and might be a way to get back into a habit of creating babyfur stuff without having to produce a full-fledged picture or story...
Thanks again for reading *hugs* Also, anyone wanna pretend to be crazy with me? It's fun! *chases tail in circles*
PS. dydd gwyl dewi hapus, I think...
Kaffre talks Candy # 28Name: Dairy Milk Mint Crisp
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 54 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Dairy Milk Mint Crisp consists of a flattish bar of Cadbury milk chocolate with 'honeycomb mint granules' embedded in it and flavoured with mint. It features grooves allowing the bar to be broken up into eight pieces (2x4).
Opinion: An Irish product I'd not seen or heard of before snapping it up at a local import shoppe. The bar is an interesting one combining the smooth creaminess of Dairy Milk chocolate with a mint flavour that while, not especially intense, seems somehow 'deeper' than other mint chocolates by which I mean it lacks of coolness having a more robust balanced tone which is quite good, but detracts somewhat from the nuances of the chocolate. The somewhat disturbingly described 'honeycomb granules' turned out to be ordinary bits of toffee similar to the content of a Skor bar and provided a very pleasant crunch. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this bar and would probably buy it again on a semi-regular basis if my local importer would stock the things more reliably.
Name: Dr. Pepper
Manufacturer: Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Size: 1L bottle
Where Purchased: Dollarama
Description: Dr. Pepper consists of a dark carbonated beverage flavoured with a secret blend of 23 flavours.
Opinion: A product I've tried many times before, but never really considered reviewing. Despite the description on the bottle, I find the taste of Dr Pepper to be somewhat nondescript, but clean taste with hints of only 3 flavours (cherry, licorice, and vanilla) but blended quite nicely. While not necessarily any 'fizzier' than competing carbonated soft drinks, I have found that Dr. Pepper seems unusually prone to overflowing its bottle/can when even slightly agitated. Overall, this product tastes pretty much as I remember and makes a nice change from colas. In particular, it seems less 'sticky' tasting in hot weather and is more palatable when flat. In any case, I enjoy this beverage and will continue to purchase it intermittently for the foreseeable future.
Name: Lay's Fries n' Gravy Chips
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 66 gram bag
Where Purchased: Shopper's Drug Mart
Description: Fries n' Gravy consist of fairly normal looking potato chips with a slight brown cast from the seasonings used.
Opinion: A flavour I used to enjoy when it was intermittently available by Hostess (prior to their merger with Lay's), but haven't seen in years. The flavour is pretty much what I remember and quite similar to Tayto's Beef & Onion crisps. There doesn't appear to have been any attempt to replicate 'fries', but given these are essentially deep-dried potatoes anyway, that's hardly surprising, but the bouillon taste does substitute nicely for 'gravy'. Overall, I found these chips quite nice for a nostalgic change of pace and I'd probably buy them again from time to time, but there are too many flavours I prefer for this to ever become a regular purchase...
Name: Walkers Worcester Sauce Crisps
Manufacturer: Walkers (Lays)
Size: 32.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Walkers Worcester Sauce consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: A flavour I'd not heard of, but grabbed up anyway. I'm not sure whether I've ever tasted worcester sauce by itself so I can't really vouch for the flavour's authenticity, but they do offer an acidic yet savoury taste that reminds me of a more vinegar-y take on 'all dressed' chips or, perhaps, prawn cocktail, neither of these comparisons are quite right, I'm afraid. In any case, I found these chips quite good but doubt I'll ever buy them again due to the difficulty in obtaining this product in Canada. Still, they could make for an interesting change of pace from time to time so you never really know.
Name: Wispa Gold
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 48 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Wispa Gold consists of a milk chocolate shell filled with aerated chocolate and topped with a layer of caramel. Like the standard Wispa, the bar features a slightly trapezoidal cross-section, but is otherwise rather plain-looking.
Opinion: A British product I'd heard of, but never seen here before. The bar, unsurprisingly, tastes much like the standard Wispa despite having a relatively small proportion of that bar's aerated chocolate filling. As usual, I'm ambivalent regarding caramel in chocolate, but I think it works fairly well here, adding a chewy texture and complimenting the sweetness of the chocolate. Overall, I enjoyed this bar, but don't think I'd purchase it again as I like the plain Wispa better.
Groundkitten's Journal + Kaffre talks Candy #27
Posted 8 years agoWell, it's February so it's time for my monthly journal!
Firstly, 2017 has thus far been a good year on the babyfur front. While I've not yet drawn or written anything thus far, I have, in fact, found myself awash with newfound energy and inspiration! Unfortunately, most of this has been in the form of new ideas rather than the sort of focus I'd need to actually get to work on anything much less complete the work I'm presently working on, but with any luck I should manage to settle down and crank out something before the end of the month as I've decided to make it one of my top priorities for February!
My personal life seems to have stabilized as well and as such I'm hoping to arrange some long-overdue visits to my Physician and Dentist this month with, perhaps, a trip to the Optician for some new glasses in March or April. For his part, Kaffre has been pretty busy in dreams visiting friends and having adventures which I think may have been responsible for the plethora of new art/story ideas mentioned above. In any case, I'm feeling more connected to him than I have in a long time and hope to get in some quality playtime with him in the future too!
Also, our very best prognosticating rodents have predicted an early spring so that's good although it seems to have been pretty mild thus far anyway so I'm not quite sure how one would tell... Still, mother nature can be tricky and we still have a whole two months until the equinox so it might be a bit premature of me to comment... :worries:
Finally, I now have a whopping 12-month lead time on Kaffre talks Candy! As a result, I'm considering whether, perhaps, I ought to go back to 10 items per installment or consider posting installments more regularly - which do you think would work better?
Well, I guess that's about it for now. Thanks for reading, everyfur! *hugs*
Name: Boost
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 48.5 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Boost consists of a chocolate core with biscuit (cookie) bits embedded in it that had been surrounded in caramel and then enrobed in chocolate. The bar has a somewhat ovoid cross-section similar to Starbar/Wunderbar, but is otherwise rather plain-looking.
Opinion: A British product I'd not heard of before, but grabbed up anyway. The chocolate is very sweet and rich albeit with an unusual (though not unpleasant) texture. The caramel adds a bit of chewiness, but didn't really seem to affect the flavour much and while I was somewhat sceptical of the cookie bits at first, I think they worked very well here, being larger, but less numerous than in most bars utilizing them and thus having a greater impact upon the overall texture. Overall, I thought this bar was quite good and will probably buy it again at some point, but due to price and availability issues in Canada, as well as tough competition from my favourites, means it will probably remain an occasional change of pace.
Name: Dairy Milk Orange
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 100 gram bar
Where Purchased: Shopper's Drug Mart
Description: Dairy Milk Orange consists of a flattish bar of Cadbury milk chocolate flavoured to taste like orange The bar features a series grooves allowing it to be broken up into 21 pieces (three columns and seven rows). Visually indistinguishable from the standard 100 gram Dairy Milk bar.
Opinion: A product I'd seen, but never tried before today. This bar is characterized by its orange flavour so how one feels about orange flavoured chocolate will be the main criteria by which it's judged. I, personally, liked the product and feel that this bar provides a perfect blending of creamy milk chocolate with a robust orange flavour - a combination I think works better than the harsher flavours of, for example, Fry's Orange Cream. Actually, in retrospect, I find this bar to taste a lot like the Terry's chocolate oranges one sees around Christmas time. Overall, I liked this product and would probably buy it again, but the large size might present an obstacle if there's nobody for me to share with.
Name: Fanta, Orange
Manufacturer: Coca-Cola
Size: 2L bottle
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Orange Fanta consists of a carbonated orange beverage (in both colour and flavour, though I have heard claims the taste is more reminiscent of tangerine).
Opinion: A product I've had many times before, but never thought of reviewing until now. The orange flavour is very different from, for example, Crush, being less sweet and orange-y, but somehow having a more sophisticated orange flavour than similarly flavoured soft drinks (whether this is a consequence of the natural colours and flavours so proudly advertised on the bottle could not be determined). Overall, I still quite like Fanta and while the orange isn't my favourite variety I still find it quite tasty and will probably continue to purchase it from time to time for the foreseeable future as it makes a nice change from Cola.
Name: Walkers Salt & Vinegar Crisps
Manufacturer: Walkers (Lays)
Size: 32.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Walkers Salt & Vinegar consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: Probably my favourite local flavour, I was curious to see how the UK version compares. The chips are pretty tasty, but do seem quite a bit milder than the Canadian version; I don't really mind so much as the flavour of those can sometimes be a little too intense to the point of making my mouth hurt. Overall, however, I found this product to be very much a lateral move from our domestic Salt & Vinegar chips and as such am unlikely to bother tracking these down again.
Name: World of Flavours Barbecue Baby Back Ribs Chips
Manufacturer: President's Choice
Size: 200 gram bag
Where Purchased: Shoppers Drug Mart
Description: World of Flavour Barbecue Ribs chips consist of ripple-cut potato chips with a slight orange cast to them from the flavourings used.
Opinion: A product I don't think I'd seen before finding them on sale one night. As I'm not terribly familiar with the food type whose flavour is supposedly being replicated, I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this product. I found the flavour to be most reminiscent of a smoky ketchup. Not bad by any means, but not great either. I also found the taste seemed to fade a bit more rapidly than usual. Ultimately, these chips were pretty tasty, but I don't think I'd buy them again as I just don't care for the flavour that much.
Firstly, 2017 has thus far been a good year on the babyfur front. While I've not yet drawn or written anything thus far, I have, in fact, found myself awash with newfound energy and inspiration! Unfortunately, most of this has been in the form of new ideas rather than the sort of focus I'd need to actually get to work on anything much less complete the work I'm presently working on, but with any luck I should manage to settle down and crank out something before the end of the month as I've decided to make it one of my top priorities for February!
My personal life seems to have stabilized as well and as such I'm hoping to arrange some long-overdue visits to my Physician and Dentist this month with, perhaps, a trip to the Optician for some new glasses in March or April. For his part, Kaffre has been pretty busy in dreams visiting friends and having adventures which I think may have been responsible for the plethora of new art/story ideas mentioned above. In any case, I'm feeling more connected to him than I have in a long time and hope to get in some quality playtime with him in the future too!
Also, our very best prognosticating rodents have predicted an early spring so that's good although it seems to have been pretty mild thus far anyway so I'm not quite sure how one would tell... Still, mother nature can be tricky and we still have a whole two months until the equinox so it might be a bit premature of me to comment... :worries:
Finally, I now have a whopping 12-month lead time on Kaffre talks Candy! As a result, I'm considering whether, perhaps, I ought to go back to 10 items per installment or consider posting installments more regularly - which do you think would work better?
Well, I guess that's about it for now. Thanks for reading, everyfur! *hugs*
Kaffre talks Candy #27Name: Boost
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 48.5 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Boost consists of a chocolate core with biscuit (cookie) bits embedded in it that had been surrounded in caramel and then enrobed in chocolate. The bar has a somewhat ovoid cross-section similar to Starbar/Wunderbar, but is otherwise rather plain-looking.
Opinion: A British product I'd not heard of before, but grabbed up anyway. The chocolate is very sweet and rich albeit with an unusual (though not unpleasant) texture. The caramel adds a bit of chewiness, but didn't really seem to affect the flavour much and while I was somewhat sceptical of the cookie bits at first, I think they worked very well here, being larger, but less numerous than in most bars utilizing them and thus having a greater impact upon the overall texture. Overall, I thought this bar was quite good and will probably buy it again at some point, but due to price and availability issues in Canada, as well as tough competition from my favourites, means it will probably remain an occasional change of pace.
Name: Dairy Milk Orange
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 100 gram bar
Where Purchased: Shopper's Drug Mart
Description: Dairy Milk Orange consists of a flattish bar of Cadbury milk chocolate flavoured to taste like orange The bar features a series grooves allowing it to be broken up into 21 pieces (three columns and seven rows). Visually indistinguishable from the standard 100 gram Dairy Milk bar.
Opinion: A product I'd seen, but never tried before today. This bar is characterized by its orange flavour so how one feels about orange flavoured chocolate will be the main criteria by which it's judged. I, personally, liked the product and feel that this bar provides a perfect blending of creamy milk chocolate with a robust orange flavour - a combination I think works better than the harsher flavours of, for example, Fry's Orange Cream. Actually, in retrospect, I find this bar to taste a lot like the Terry's chocolate oranges one sees around Christmas time. Overall, I liked this product and would probably buy it again, but the large size might present an obstacle if there's nobody for me to share with.
Name: Fanta, Orange
Manufacturer: Coca-Cola
Size: 2L bottle
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Orange Fanta consists of a carbonated orange beverage (in both colour and flavour, though I have heard claims the taste is more reminiscent of tangerine).
Opinion: A product I've had many times before, but never thought of reviewing until now. The orange flavour is very different from, for example, Crush, being less sweet and orange-y, but somehow having a more sophisticated orange flavour than similarly flavoured soft drinks (whether this is a consequence of the natural colours and flavours so proudly advertised on the bottle could not be determined). Overall, I still quite like Fanta and while the orange isn't my favourite variety I still find it quite tasty and will probably continue to purchase it from time to time for the foreseeable future as it makes a nice change from Cola.
Name: Walkers Salt & Vinegar Crisps
Manufacturer: Walkers (Lays)
Size: 32.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Walkers Salt & Vinegar consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: Probably my favourite local flavour, I was curious to see how the UK version compares. The chips are pretty tasty, but do seem quite a bit milder than the Canadian version; I don't really mind so much as the flavour of those can sometimes be a little too intense to the point of making my mouth hurt. Overall, however, I found this product to be very much a lateral move from our domestic Salt & Vinegar chips and as such am unlikely to bother tracking these down again.
Name: World of Flavours Barbecue Baby Back Ribs Chips
Manufacturer: President's Choice
Size: 200 gram bag
Where Purchased: Shoppers Drug Mart
Description: World of Flavour Barbecue Ribs chips consist of ripple-cut potato chips with a slight orange cast to them from the flavourings used.
Opinion: A product I don't think I'd seen before finding them on sale one night. As I'm not terribly familiar with the food type whose flavour is supposedly being replicated, I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this product. I found the flavour to be most reminiscent of a smoky ketchup. Not bad by any means, but not great either. I also found the taste seemed to fade a bit more rapidly than usual. Ultimately, these chips were pretty tasty, but I don't think I'd buy them again as I just don't care for the flavour that much.
Happy New Year, 2017 + Kaffre talks Candy #26
Posted 8 years agoGreetings journal-readers!
First, please accept my apologies for the delay in getting around to typing this up. I was a bit busy over the weekend and am only now getting caught back up with my online activities.
2016 wasn't a great year for me, but I am pleased to say that my resolution was partially successful in that I managed to post at least one journal per month as promised even though my artistic output plunged to abysmal new depths. For this year's resolution, I intend to try and organize my life a bit more in the hopes of getting more stuff done - with any luck this will include me creating more art and writing to submit here, but based on the failure of previous years' promises I'm leaving that particular as a maybe in the hopes that I won't grow frustrated and give up on the resolution prematurely. Sadly, I'm off to a rather poor start this year, but I'm putting that down to a lot of stuff being closed for the holidays still and hope to get on track soon.
Also, we'll soon (January 28) be transitioning from the year of the Monkey back to the year of the Rooster. I'm a bit concerned about the whole Fire theme though. Will the new roosters like to set fires or will they just be extra-crispy? I suppose, as the Metal variety, I'll probably be OK either way, but I am a bit worried for the Wood Roosters born 12 years ago... :concern:
Well, I guess that's about it for this month's journal entry. Thanks for reading and I wish you all a very happy 2017! *New Year's Hugs*
Name: Awake Caffeinated Chocolate, Milk
Manufacturer: Awake Corporation
Size: 44 gram bar
Where Purchased: Bulk Barn
Description: Awake consists of a bar of milk chocolate containing added caffeine equivalent to a cup of coffee (110mg). The bar features furrows that can be used to break it into four segments. Seems to have a slightly lower melting point than most chocolate.
Opinion: A Canadian product I'd seen before, but never really paid much attention to before grabbing it for this review. The bar's taste was a fairly standard milk chocolate - sweet, creamy, but with a slightly gritty texture and a distinct, but not unpleasant, aftertaste that I was unable to identify. Overall, I thought this was an interesting product and reasonably tasty, but ultimately there are milk chocolate products I like better that are much easier to acquire so I can only really see myself grabbing this product if I want a quick caffeine rush - a rather rare situation for me.
Name: Brio
Manufacturer: Party Beverages Limited.
Size: 1L bottle
Where Purchased: No Frills
Description: Brio consists of a dark carbonated beverage flavoured with chinotto (myrtle leaved orange), as well as sweet orange, licorice, rhubarb, and vanilla. Said to go well with pizza.
Opinion: A Canadian soft drink I've had before, but haven't tasted in a few years. The first time I tried the stuff, I founded it unbearably bitter, but it grew on me fairly quickly. This time, however, I was able to make note of a complex blend of flavours albeit still with a bitter aftertaste. Overall, I found Brio to be an interesting beverage with a very unique taste, however, despite no longer finding it overpoweringly bitter, I just don't like it enough for it to ever be more than an occasional change from my usual drinks of choice.
Name: Dairy Milk Mint
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 100 gram bar
Where Purchased: Shopper's Drug Mart
Description: Dairy Milk Mint consists of a flattish bar of Cadbury milk chocolate flavoured to taste like mint The bar features a series grooves allowing it to be broken up into 21 pieces (three columns and seven rows). Visually indistinguishable from the standard 100 gram Dairy Milk bar.
Opinion: A product I'd seen, but never tried before today. Obviously one's enjoyment of this bar is dependent upon an appreciation for mint-flavoued chocolate, but if so this has smooth flavourful chocolate with a pleasant mint taste - a bit milder than I'd expected, but ultimately I think it works well within the context, retaining much of Dairy Milk's iconic flavour with the mint taste acting as a counterpoint. Overall, I liked this product a lot and would probably buy it again, but between the large size and greater availability of Mint Aero, it would likely only be as an occasional treat.
Name: Walkers Ready Salted Crisps
Manufacturer: Walkers (Lays)
Size: 32.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Walkers Ready Salted consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: A flavour I was dimly aware of as the UK equivalent of Original/Regular, but picked up a part of a variety pack. The flavour was more or less what I expected though perhaps a touch saltier than its North American equivalent, but that may be coincidental. Overall, these were pretty tasty but too similar to the domestic version for me to bother tracking them down again. That said, 'plain' does tend to be a rather underrated flavour, I think.
Name: World of Flavours Maple Bacon Chips
Manufacturer: President's Choice
Size: 200 gram bag
Where Purchased: Shoppers Drug Mart
Description: World of Flavours Maple Bacon chips consist of ripple-cut potato chips with a slight orange tint from the flavourings used.
Opinion: While I've sampled the World of Flavour line before, I can't remember whether I've had these particular chips before or not. In any case, they do manage to deliver a smoky-sweet flavour as advertised though I don't think I've ever had maple bacon myself and so can't vouch as to the faithfulness of the representation. Normally, I'm not a fan of 'sweet' potato chips, but I actually think it works well here. First, it's not overly sweet, more like a maple sugar taste and in any event, the smoky flavour is quite dominant with the sweetness playing only a supporting role. Overall, I liked these chips better than I thought I would and would probably buy them again from time to time, but there are other flavours in this particular line that I liked better.
First, please accept my apologies for the delay in getting around to typing this up. I was a bit busy over the weekend and am only now getting caught back up with my online activities.
2016 wasn't a great year for me, but I am pleased to say that my resolution was partially successful in that I managed to post at least one journal per month as promised even though my artistic output plunged to abysmal new depths. For this year's resolution, I intend to try and organize my life a bit more in the hopes of getting more stuff done - with any luck this will include me creating more art and writing to submit here, but based on the failure of previous years' promises I'm leaving that particular as a maybe in the hopes that I won't grow frustrated and give up on the resolution prematurely. Sadly, I'm off to a rather poor start this year, but I'm putting that down to a lot of stuff being closed for the holidays still and hope to get on track soon.
Also, we'll soon (January 28) be transitioning from the year of the Monkey back to the year of the Rooster. I'm a bit concerned about the whole Fire theme though. Will the new roosters like to set fires or will they just be extra-crispy? I suppose, as the Metal variety, I'll probably be OK either way, but I am a bit worried for the Wood Roosters born 12 years ago... :concern:
Well, I guess that's about it for this month's journal entry. Thanks for reading and I wish you all a very happy 2017! *New Year's Hugs*
Kaffre talks Candy #26Name: Awake Caffeinated Chocolate, Milk
Manufacturer: Awake Corporation
Size: 44 gram bar
Where Purchased: Bulk Barn
Description: Awake consists of a bar of milk chocolate containing added caffeine equivalent to a cup of coffee (110mg). The bar features furrows that can be used to break it into four segments. Seems to have a slightly lower melting point than most chocolate.
Opinion: A Canadian product I'd seen before, but never really paid much attention to before grabbing it for this review. The bar's taste was a fairly standard milk chocolate - sweet, creamy, but with a slightly gritty texture and a distinct, but not unpleasant, aftertaste that I was unable to identify. Overall, I thought this was an interesting product and reasonably tasty, but ultimately there are milk chocolate products I like better that are much easier to acquire so I can only really see myself grabbing this product if I want a quick caffeine rush - a rather rare situation for me.
Name: Brio
Manufacturer: Party Beverages Limited.
Size: 1L bottle
Where Purchased: No Frills
Description: Brio consists of a dark carbonated beverage flavoured with chinotto (myrtle leaved orange), as well as sweet orange, licorice, rhubarb, and vanilla. Said to go well with pizza.
Opinion: A Canadian soft drink I've had before, but haven't tasted in a few years. The first time I tried the stuff, I founded it unbearably bitter, but it grew on me fairly quickly. This time, however, I was able to make note of a complex blend of flavours albeit still with a bitter aftertaste. Overall, I found Brio to be an interesting beverage with a very unique taste, however, despite no longer finding it overpoweringly bitter, I just don't like it enough for it to ever be more than an occasional change from my usual drinks of choice.
Name: Dairy Milk Mint
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 100 gram bar
Where Purchased: Shopper's Drug Mart
Description: Dairy Milk Mint consists of a flattish bar of Cadbury milk chocolate flavoured to taste like mint The bar features a series grooves allowing it to be broken up into 21 pieces (three columns and seven rows). Visually indistinguishable from the standard 100 gram Dairy Milk bar.
Opinion: A product I'd seen, but never tried before today. Obviously one's enjoyment of this bar is dependent upon an appreciation for mint-flavoued chocolate, but if so this has smooth flavourful chocolate with a pleasant mint taste - a bit milder than I'd expected, but ultimately I think it works well within the context, retaining much of Dairy Milk's iconic flavour with the mint taste acting as a counterpoint. Overall, I liked this product a lot and would probably buy it again, but between the large size and greater availability of Mint Aero, it would likely only be as an occasional treat.
Name: Walkers Ready Salted Crisps
Manufacturer: Walkers (Lays)
Size: 32.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Walkers Ready Salted consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: A flavour I was dimly aware of as the UK equivalent of Original/Regular, but picked up a part of a variety pack. The flavour was more or less what I expected though perhaps a touch saltier than its North American equivalent, but that may be coincidental. Overall, these were pretty tasty but too similar to the domestic version for me to bother tracking them down again. That said, 'plain' does tend to be a rather underrated flavour, I think.
Name: World of Flavours Maple Bacon Chips
Manufacturer: President's Choice
Size: 200 gram bag
Where Purchased: Shoppers Drug Mart
Description: World of Flavours Maple Bacon chips consist of ripple-cut potato chips with a slight orange tint from the flavourings used.
Opinion: While I've sampled the World of Flavour line before, I can't remember whether I've had these particular chips before or not. In any case, they do manage to deliver a smoky-sweet flavour as advertised though I don't think I've ever had maple bacon myself and so can't vouch as to the faithfulness of the representation. Normally, I'm not a fan of 'sweet' potato chips, but I actually think it works well here. First, it's not overly sweet, more like a maple sugar taste and in any event, the smoky flavour is quite dominant with the sweetness playing only a supporting role. Overall, I liked these chips better than I thought I would and would probably buy them again from time to time, but there are other flavours in this particular line that I liked better.
Obligatory December Journal + Kaffre talks Candy #25
Posted 9 years agoWelcome once again journal-readers to my December journal entry!
I'd like to start off today by wishing my good friend
mjbear a very happy Birthday! *huggles*
Secondly, I'd like to apologize for not being on quite so much as I normally am. This month has been quite hectic for me and show no sign of letting up soon. Nevertheless, I will endeavour to try and keep up with RPs I'm involved in and hopefully even get some art and writing done - I know I say that every journal, but right now I feel particularly energetic and motivated to draw, but am having trouble finding the time to actually work on anything so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll be seeing more Kaffre-stuff really soon!
Also, as the holidays rapidly approach and Kaffre begins to eagerly scribble up his own letter to Santa Claws, I'd like to hop briefly on the bandwagon and announce my own special holiday requests in the unlikely event that anyone reading this would like to help make them come true:
1. If you can find the time, a PM or Shout would be much appreciated.
2. There are lots of nice furs with no art of their characters. If you have the time and inclination, perhaps you'd consider drawing something for one of them?
Well, I guess that's it for now. Thanks for reading everyone! Also, just in case I don't post another journal before Christmas, I'd like to wish all of you a happy holiday season right now... *hugs*
And now, without further ado, Kaffre talks Candy #25!
Kaffre talks Candy #25
Name: Dr. Pepper Flavoured Candy Twists
Manufacturer: Kenny's Candy Company
Size: 142 gram bag
Where Purchased: Giant Tiger
Description: Dr. Pepper Flavoured Candy Twists consist of dark brown lengths of candy reminiscent of licorice.
Opinion: A product I've never tried before, but thought sounded appealing. At first, I found this product to taste rather bland apart from the slightest hint of cherry - not bad, certainly, but not great either. As I tried more pieces, however, I began to detect some of the other notes in a complex, but somewhat nondescript flavour (not unlike the softdrink itself). Overall, I thought this item was reasonably tasty, but don't know if I'll but it again as they still seem a tad milder than I'd prefer...
Name: Irresistibles Sea Salt & Malt Vinegar Chips
Manufacturer: Metro
Size: 150 grams bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Irresistibles Sea Salt & Malt Vinegar chips consist of kettle-style chips with a slight orange cast and supposedly flavoured to taste like salt and malt vinegar.
Opinion: A product I haven't tried before, but grabbed up, in part, because their flavour is my favourite way to prepare fries. The flavour is, unsurprisingly, most reminiscent of Salt & Vinegar but these are noticeably more sour and have an somewhat understated malt-taste to them while still managing to maintain a pleasant balance with the saltiness. Overall, I enjoyed these chips and will probably buy them again from time to time, but they were ultimately too similar to the standard salt & vinegar flavour for it to ever become a regular purchase.
Name: Lay's Wasabi Ginger Chips
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Loblaws
Description: Lay's Wasabi Ginger chips consist of fairly normal-looking potato chips with a brownish cast from the flavourings used.
Opinion: A new product I'd never seen before, but came highly recommended by an aunt. The flavour was somewhat unusual, but grew on me rather quickly. As expected, the dominant taste was 'hot', but the ginger does provide a certain depth, I do think it could do without the wasabi, however, which I didn't think adds much. Overall, the chips were reasonably tasty, but at the same time I found that their appeal wore off rather quickly. I'd eat these again, but am unlikely to purchase them myself.
Name: PUR Gum, Wintergreen
Manufacturer: Action Candy Company
Size: 12.6 grams in 9 pieces.
Where Purchased: Bulk Barn
Description: PUR Wintergreen Gum consists of white chicle style gum pieces flavoured with wintergreen.
Opinion: A product I'd seen from time to time, but never purchased until now. The gum features an unusually intense flavour, bringing an almost painful chill to one's mouth and nose with each inhalation. Despite this, the gum was actually quite good with a robust, refreshing flavour and while quite strong, the intensity can be controlled to some extent by chewing more slowly. Overall, I thought this gum was quite good, but I think I might try a different flavour next time.
Name: Tic Tacs, Orange
Manufacturer: Fererro
Size: 24 gram box
Where Purchased: Dollarama
Description: Orange Tic Tacs consist of tiny white candies flavoured to taste like oranges.
Opinion: A treat I've had many times in the past, but somehow never thought of reviewing until recently. The candies deliver an nice, reasonably long-lasting, orange flavour. Overall, I still enjoy these candies and while not very substantial, they are easy to carry and a pack can sucked on all day if needed. I'll probably continue to purchases these well into the future as they are, in fact, my favourite variety of Tic Tac.
I'd like to start off today by wishing my good friend
mjbear a very happy Birthday! *huggles* Secondly, I'd like to apologize for not being on quite so much as I normally am. This month has been quite hectic for me and show no sign of letting up soon. Nevertheless, I will endeavour to try and keep up with RPs I'm involved in and hopefully even get some art and writing done - I know I say that every journal, but right now I feel particularly energetic and motivated to draw, but am having trouble finding the time to actually work on anything so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll be seeing more Kaffre-stuff really soon!
Also, as the holidays rapidly approach and Kaffre begins to eagerly scribble up his own letter to Santa Claws, I'd like to hop briefly on the bandwagon and announce my own special holiday requests in the unlikely event that anyone reading this would like to help make them come true:
1. If you can find the time, a PM or Shout would be much appreciated.
2. There are lots of nice furs with no art of their characters. If you have the time and inclination, perhaps you'd consider drawing something for one of them?
Well, I guess that's it for now. Thanks for reading everyone! Also, just in case I don't post another journal before Christmas, I'd like to wish all of you a happy holiday season right now... *hugs*
And now, without further ado, Kaffre talks Candy #25!
Kaffre talks Candy #25
Name: Dr. Pepper Flavoured Candy Twists
Manufacturer: Kenny's Candy Company
Size: 142 gram bag
Where Purchased: Giant Tiger
Description: Dr. Pepper Flavoured Candy Twists consist of dark brown lengths of candy reminiscent of licorice.
Opinion: A product I've never tried before, but thought sounded appealing. At first, I found this product to taste rather bland apart from the slightest hint of cherry - not bad, certainly, but not great either. As I tried more pieces, however, I began to detect some of the other notes in a complex, but somewhat nondescript flavour (not unlike the softdrink itself). Overall, I thought this item was reasonably tasty, but don't know if I'll but it again as they still seem a tad milder than I'd prefer...
Name: Irresistibles Sea Salt & Malt Vinegar Chips
Manufacturer: Metro
Size: 150 grams bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Irresistibles Sea Salt & Malt Vinegar chips consist of kettle-style chips with a slight orange cast and supposedly flavoured to taste like salt and malt vinegar.
Opinion: A product I haven't tried before, but grabbed up, in part, because their flavour is my favourite way to prepare fries. The flavour is, unsurprisingly, most reminiscent of Salt & Vinegar but these are noticeably more sour and have an somewhat understated malt-taste to them while still managing to maintain a pleasant balance with the saltiness. Overall, I enjoyed these chips and will probably buy them again from time to time, but they were ultimately too similar to the standard salt & vinegar flavour for it to ever become a regular purchase.
Name: Lay's Wasabi Ginger Chips
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Loblaws
Description: Lay's Wasabi Ginger chips consist of fairly normal-looking potato chips with a brownish cast from the flavourings used.
Opinion: A new product I'd never seen before, but came highly recommended by an aunt. The flavour was somewhat unusual, but grew on me rather quickly. As expected, the dominant taste was 'hot', but the ginger does provide a certain depth, I do think it could do without the wasabi, however, which I didn't think adds much. Overall, the chips were reasonably tasty, but at the same time I found that their appeal wore off rather quickly. I'd eat these again, but am unlikely to purchase them myself.
Name: PUR Gum, Wintergreen
Manufacturer: Action Candy Company
Size: 12.6 grams in 9 pieces.
Where Purchased: Bulk Barn
Description: PUR Wintergreen Gum consists of white chicle style gum pieces flavoured with wintergreen.
Opinion: A product I'd seen from time to time, but never purchased until now. The gum features an unusually intense flavour, bringing an almost painful chill to one's mouth and nose with each inhalation. Despite this, the gum was actually quite good with a robust, refreshing flavour and while quite strong, the intensity can be controlled to some extent by chewing more slowly. Overall, I thought this gum was quite good, but I think I might try a different flavour next time.
Name: Tic Tacs, Orange
Manufacturer: Fererro
Size: 24 gram box
Where Purchased: Dollarama
Description: Orange Tic Tacs consist of tiny white candies flavoured to taste like oranges.
Opinion: A treat I've had many times in the past, but somehow never thought of reviewing until recently. The candies deliver an nice, reasonably long-lasting, orange flavour. Overall, I still enjoy these candies and while not very substantial, they are easy to carry and a pack can sucked on all day if needed. I'll probably continue to purchases these well into the future as they are, in fact, my favourite variety of Tic Tac.
Newest Journal + Kaffre talks Candy #24
Posted 9 years agoGreetings, journal-readers and welcome to my November journal! I'm posting it a bit earlier than I had planned for various reasons, but please bear with me, there's quite a bit of stuff despite my last journal being posted just over a week ago!
First, it is with a heavy heart that I must inform you all that Blaze, the cat who served as one of my primary inspirations for Kaffre and was the namesake of his father, Blaise, passed away this weekend. I found him curled up behind a hay bale and he appears to have passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was 10 years old and was a very good cat. He will be badly missed.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1759309/ = Blaze. RIP, old friend...
Secondly, I wanted to apologize for my lack of activity here since my birthday. In addition to my sorrow regarding our cat's death, I contracted a nasty flu on Halloween and am only beginning to recover. I also have an appointment for dental surgery (really more of a procedure lasting about 1 hour and requiring only topical anesthesia), but with any luck, I'll have plenty of time later this week to devote to catching up on pictures and writing. In particular, I'm thinking I'd like to commemorate Blaze with a Father/Son picture of some kind, but am not yet entirely sure what I ought to draw. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated, however.
Thirdly, Kaffre had a fairly happy birthday (October 29) and wants to thank everyone who took the time to leave shouts or comments - they were all greatly appreciated! At the same time, however, he is very glad to be three again. Cute as he may be as a newborn, being that tiny can get boring after a while so he's very eager to make up for all that playtime lost to naps!
Well, I guess that's it for now, thanks for reading! *hugs* And now, I proudly present....
Name: Big League Chew, Original
Manufacturer: Ford Gum and Machine Company
Size: 60 gram pouch
Where Purchased: Bulk Barn
Description: Major League Chew consists of finely shredded pink bubblegum dusted with a white powdery substance.
Opinion: An American candy I've not had in a long time until buying some for this review. The flavour of this treat is unremarkable, tasting very similar to other varieties of bubblegum. The nice thing, however, is that you can pick just as much or as little as you want allowing you to customize the chewing experience a bit. Due to the relatively high surface area, this gum does lose seem to lose its flavour a tad quicker than tab gum, but as you generally get more, it's a minor issue. Overall, I thought this gum was fairly tasty and will probably buy it again, but I'm still partial to 'Thrills' for my gum-chewing needs.
Name: Crystal Pepsi
Manufacturer: Pepsico
Size: 591mL bottle
Where Purchased: No Frills
Description: Crystal Pepsi is a clear carbonated soft-drink flavoured with a fairly standard cola flavour.
Opinion: A product I had fond memories of from back in the 90s and recently saw a limited rerelease. The taste is, as I remembered, fairly similar to the regular Pepsi, but does seem to be a tad sweeter and has a slight 'clean' taste (perhaps vanilla or citrus), though I suppose I could be imagining it. Overall, I found this product to be fairly tasty and will probably buy it again, but the flavour is so similar to the standard Pepsi that, apart from its possessing a certain nostalgic appeal, I'm not really sure why...
Name: Irresistibles Olive and Feta Chips
Manufacturer: Metro
Size: 150 grams bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Irresistibles Olive and Feta chips consist of kettle-style chips with a slight orange cast and supposedly flavoured to taste like olives and feta cheese.
Opinion: A flavour I don't think I've had before (though I may have tried something similar), but grabbed up on sale. It has been too long since I've had either of the titular foodstuffs for me to comment on the accuracy of their representation, but feel the resultant flavour would best be described as 'tangy' and feels very reminiscent of Greek cuisine. I did, initially find it a bit incongruous in a potato chip, but found that it grew on me very quickly. Overall, I found these chips to be quite tasty and will probably buy them again from time to time as a change of pace though it would have to be relatively infrequent as none of the people I normally share snacks with seem to like them at all!
Name: Lay's Chalet Sauce Chips
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 255 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Chalet Sauce consist of fairly normal looking potato chips supposedly flavoured to taste like the signature condiment of the Canadian restaurant chain "Swiss Chalet".
Opinion: A limited edition flavour I'd not seen before and grabbed up for review. As I don't visit Swiss Chalet frequently, I'm not really familiar with their signature sauce and thus can't vouch for authenticity, but have heard it described as being a gravy-type condiment, but with a sweet/tangy hit. The flavour of these chips, however, is a savoury blend of various herbs and spices that I find myself unable to single out (except, perhaps, vinegar). Overall, the chips are quite tasty and while they're not my favourite flavour, I'd probably buy them again were they not a special edition though I'd have to be careful as the person I was sharing with did tend to hog them a bit..
Name: Tunnock's Tea Cakes
Manufacturer: Thomas Tunnock Limited.
Size: 144 grams in six cakes.
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Tunnock's Tea Cakes consist of a quantity of biscuit topped with sweet marshmallow fluff and coated in milk chocolate.
Opinion: A product I'd never seen or heard of before, but grabbed up on a whim. The cookie was nice and crispy, but I found the marshmallow a bit too sweet and while the chocolate was of good quality, I felt the proportion, compared to the marshmallow was too low. Overall, a tasty snack and one I certainly wouldn't mind having again, but doubt I'll buy again myself as there are similar domestic products I both like better and can obtain more readily.
First, it is with a heavy heart that I must inform you all that Blaze, the cat who served as one of my primary inspirations for Kaffre and was the namesake of his father, Blaise, passed away this weekend. I found him curled up behind a hay bale and he appears to have passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was 10 years old and was a very good cat. He will be badly missed.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1759309/ = Blaze. RIP, old friend...
Secondly, I wanted to apologize for my lack of activity here since my birthday. In addition to my sorrow regarding our cat's death, I contracted a nasty flu on Halloween and am only beginning to recover. I also have an appointment for dental surgery (really more of a procedure lasting about 1 hour and requiring only topical anesthesia), but with any luck, I'll have plenty of time later this week to devote to catching up on pictures and writing. In particular, I'm thinking I'd like to commemorate Blaze with a Father/Son picture of some kind, but am not yet entirely sure what I ought to draw. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated, however.
Thirdly, Kaffre had a fairly happy birthday (October 29) and wants to thank everyone who took the time to leave shouts or comments - they were all greatly appreciated! At the same time, however, he is very glad to be three again. Cute as he may be as a newborn, being that tiny can get boring after a while so he's very eager to make up for all that playtime lost to naps!
Well, I guess that's it for now, thanks for reading! *hugs* And now, I proudly present....
Kaffre talks Candy #24Name: Big League Chew, Original
Manufacturer: Ford Gum and Machine Company
Size: 60 gram pouch
Where Purchased: Bulk Barn
Description: Major League Chew consists of finely shredded pink bubblegum dusted with a white powdery substance.
Opinion: An American candy I've not had in a long time until buying some for this review. The flavour of this treat is unremarkable, tasting very similar to other varieties of bubblegum. The nice thing, however, is that you can pick just as much or as little as you want allowing you to customize the chewing experience a bit. Due to the relatively high surface area, this gum does lose seem to lose its flavour a tad quicker than tab gum, but as you generally get more, it's a minor issue. Overall, I thought this gum was fairly tasty and will probably buy it again, but I'm still partial to 'Thrills' for my gum-chewing needs.
Name: Crystal Pepsi
Manufacturer: Pepsico
Size: 591mL bottle
Where Purchased: No Frills
Description: Crystal Pepsi is a clear carbonated soft-drink flavoured with a fairly standard cola flavour.
Opinion: A product I had fond memories of from back in the 90s and recently saw a limited rerelease. The taste is, as I remembered, fairly similar to the regular Pepsi, but does seem to be a tad sweeter and has a slight 'clean' taste (perhaps vanilla or citrus), though I suppose I could be imagining it. Overall, I found this product to be fairly tasty and will probably buy it again, but the flavour is so similar to the standard Pepsi that, apart from its possessing a certain nostalgic appeal, I'm not really sure why...
Name: Irresistibles Olive and Feta Chips
Manufacturer: Metro
Size: 150 grams bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Irresistibles Olive and Feta chips consist of kettle-style chips with a slight orange cast and supposedly flavoured to taste like olives and feta cheese.
Opinion: A flavour I don't think I've had before (though I may have tried something similar), but grabbed up on sale. It has been too long since I've had either of the titular foodstuffs for me to comment on the accuracy of their representation, but feel the resultant flavour would best be described as 'tangy' and feels very reminiscent of Greek cuisine. I did, initially find it a bit incongruous in a potato chip, but found that it grew on me very quickly. Overall, I found these chips to be quite tasty and will probably buy them again from time to time as a change of pace though it would have to be relatively infrequent as none of the people I normally share snacks with seem to like them at all!
Name: Lay's Chalet Sauce Chips
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 255 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Chalet Sauce consist of fairly normal looking potato chips supposedly flavoured to taste like the signature condiment of the Canadian restaurant chain "Swiss Chalet".
Opinion: A limited edition flavour I'd not seen before and grabbed up for review. As I don't visit Swiss Chalet frequently, I'm not really familiar with their signature sauce and thus can't vouch for authenticity, but have heard it described as being a gravy-type condiment, but with a sweet/tangy hit. The flavour of these chips, however, is a savoury blend of various herbs and spices that I find myself unable to single out (except, perhaps, vinegar). Overall, the chips are quite tasty and while they're not my favourite flavour, I'd probably buy them again were they not a special edition though I'd have to be careful as the person I was sharing with did tend to hog them a bit..
Name: Tunnock's Tea Cakes
Manufacturer: Thomas Tunnock Limited.
Size: 144 grams in six cakes.
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Tunnock's Tea Cakes consist of a quantity of biscuit topped with sweet marshmallow fluff and coated in milk chocolate.
Opinion: A product I'd never seen or heard of before, but grabbed up on a whim. The cookie was nice and crispy, but I found the marshmallow a bit too sweet and while the chocolate was of good quality, I felt the proportion, compared to the marshmallow was too low. Overall, a tasty snack and one I certainly wouldn't mind having again, but doubt I'll buy again myself as there are similar domestic products I both like better and can obtain more readily.
Birthday Journal, 2016!
Posted 9 years agoWell, it's my Birthday again, making me 35 years old!
Sadly, I won't really be able to spend much time at home today, but thankfully, due to the same Birthday Magic that's been active the last few years, Kaffre has once again found himself mysteriously regressed back into a tiny newborn kitten for you to shower with affection while I'm out!
*puts the cute baby kitty out in a bassinet*
As usual, the effects will last until such time as I post another journal which will probably be about a week. Other than offering up a venue for Birthday salutations, I also wanted to let everyone know that I'll be undergoing dental surgery on November 8th which means I'll be spending a week or two unable to eat solid food - much like Kaffre is now!
Well, I guess that's it for now. Thanks for reading! *newborn hugs*
Sadly, I won't really be able to spend much time at home today, but thankfully, due to the same Birthday Magic that's been active the last few years, Kaffre has once again found himself mysteriously regressed back into a tiny newborn kitten for you to shower with affection while I'm out!
*puts the cute baby kitty out in a bassinet*
As usual, the effects will last until such time as I post another journal which will probably be about a week. Other than offering up a venue for Birthday salutations, I also wanted to let everyone know that I'll be undergoing dental surgery on November 8th which means I'll be spending a week or two unable to eat solid food - much like Kaffre is now!
Well, I guess that's it for now. Thanks for reading! *newborn hugs*
Thanksgiving-y Journal + Kaffre talks Candy #23
Posted 9 years agoThanksgiving Journal + Kaffre talks Candy #23
Greetings again loyal journal-readers and welcome to my October 2016 journal!
First of all, as the clock only just rolled over, I'd like to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving *hugs* I'm not quite sure what my family and I will be doing today, but there's a very strong chance I won't be able to access the internet at all so I wanted to make sure that I posted this when I had the chance!
Also, I'd like to request that you all take a few moments to think about our good friend
yosh-e-o who is undergoing surgery today to get his retina reattached - good luck, Yosh-E! *hugs*
Last month was a very important one for me. Not only did I surpass 12,000 page views (thanks everyone), but I was also fortunate enough to receive a whole heap of lovely pictures of Kaffre for whatever reason. Thanks again to Toddlergirl, MJ, Tavi, Sarah, and Yookey. I greatly appreciate all the hard work I know you must've put into rendering me so very cutely in your respective drawings! The pictures (in chronological order) are:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21349362/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21142751/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21227771/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21245880/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21598049/
Important as September was, however, October looks set to be a big month for me too! Not only are my 9th anniversary on FA and 35th Birthday coming up (Oct 18 and Oct 29, respectively), but the whole month is chock full of cute babyfur birthdays (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6612190/) so be sure to save lots and lots of room for cake! As per recent tradition, Kaffre will spend from his birthday to the posting of my next journal magically regressed into a tiny newborn kitty - all the easier to snuggle and play with!
Finally, apparently the deadline for Toddlergirl/Babystar's Halloween collaboration has been extended so there is potentially still time remaining for you to scribble up your fursonae in their costumes and join in what promises to be a really fun project! (http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/7776916/)
Well, I guess that about covers what's going on right now. Thanks for taking the time to read about me! *hugs* And now, I proudly present...
Name: Crispers, Ranch
Manufacturer: Christie Brown & Co.
Size: 175 gram bag.
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Ranch Crispers consist of thin, flat, crackers with a wavy, but rectangular shape that have been flavoured to taste of 'ranch' salad dressing.
Opinion: I'm quite sure I've had these before, but it's been far too long for me to really remember what they taste like. It has been a while since I put ranch dressing on anything, but these deliver a smooth, creamy flavour with a very subtle tanginess - which I think is pretty close. The flavour isn't quite as intense as I remember, but that's true of many Crispers varieties and isn't really a problem. Overall, I enjoyed this product a good deal, probably won't buy it again any time soon; mainly due to there being other flavours of Crispers that I like better rather than any real flaw in these.
Name: Crunch
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 44 gram bar
Where Purchased: Dollar Tree
Description: Crunch is a slim bar of milk chocolate filled with rice crisps. The shape of the bar is such that it can be broken up into four pieces. Each individual segment has 'Crunch' cast into its upper surface, but otherwise the bar is relatively nondescript.
Opinion: A bar I once enjoyed, but haven't seen around here in years. Despite the redesign, this bar tastes very similar to what I remember except that it seemed a bit dry (probably a result of all that crisped rice), but this is a minor fault in light of the delightful crunchiness they lend the bar. Overall, I enjoyed this bar and will likely continue to buy it though I'll not know with what frequency until the nostalgic effect has worn off some more. Ultimately, however, Crunch is very much a one-trick pony and those who don't like chocolate with crisped rice inside will probably want to pass on this product.
Name: Hot Tomales
Manufacturer: Just Born Inc.
Size: 141 gram box
Where Purchased: Dollarama
Description: Hot Tomales consist of semi-soft cylindrical candies that are dyed red and flavoured with cinnamon to give them a 'hot' taste.
Opinion: A product I've had before, but not thought about in a while before buying a box for review. The candies have a pleasing texture, being neither too hard or too soft and while the flavour is, admittedly, a bit controversial, I've found that one can adjust the intensity quite reliably by varying the number of candies eaten in a single mouthful. Overall, I like these candies and will likely continue to grab them up from time to time, but no more than that as I personally tend to grow weary of them rather quickly.
Name: Irresistibles Lime and Black Pepper Chips
Manufacturer: Metro
Size: 150 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Irresistibles Lime and Black Pepper chips consist of kettle-style chips flavoured to taste of lime and pepper.
Opinion: I suspect I may have tried before, but can't really remember. The chips are quite nice with a surprisingly vivid citrus flavour while the pepper taste is really more of a counterpoint, providing some depth of flavour and a pleasant heat. While I had initially been somewhat leery of this particular flavour combination, I actually found this product to be one of the most appealing non-mainstream chip flavours I've tasted. Overall, I found these chips to be very tasty and would gladly purchase them again from time to time.
Name: Tayto Spring Onion Crisps
Manufacturer: Tayto
Size: 37.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Tayto Spring Onion consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: An Irish import I'd not heard of before, but grabbed up on a whim. The flavour is relatively mild, but mimics the taste of a spring onion fairly accurately and was somewhat reminiscent of 'Sour Cream & Onion' flavour, a staple chip flavour in North America, but with less of the 'sour cream' taste (a good think for me as I don't care for the stuff). Overall, I thought these chips were OK, but the relatively mild flavour, combined with their similarity to a more readily available flavour means that I'm unlikely to buy them again.
Greetings again loyal journal-readers and welcome to my October 2016 journal!
First of all, as the clock only just rolled over, I'd like to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving *hugs* I'm not quite sure what my family and I will be doing today, but there's a very strong chance I won't be able to access the internet at all so I wanted to make sure that I posted this when I had the chance!
Also, I'd like to request that you all take a few moments to think about our good friend
yosh-e-o who is undergoing surgery today to get his retina reattached - good luck, Yosh-E! *hugs*Last month was a very important one for me. Not only did I surpass 12,000 page views (thanks everyone), but I was also fortunate enough to receive a whole heap of lovely pictures of Kaffre for whatever reason. Thanks again to Toddlergirl, MJ, Tavi, Sarah, and Yookey. I greatly appreciate all the hard work I know you must've put into rendering me so very cutely in your respective drawings! The pictures (in chronological order) are:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21349362/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21142751/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21227771/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21245880/
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/21598049/
Important as September was, however, October looks set to be a big month for me too! Not only are my 9th anniversary on FA and 35th Birthday coming up (Oct 18 and Oct 29, respectively), but the whole month is chock full of cute babyfur birthdays (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6612190/) so be sure to save lots and lots of room for cake! As per recent tradition, Kaffre will spend from his birthday to the posting of my next journal magically regressed into a tiny newborn kitty - all the easier to snuggle and play with!
Finally, apparently the deadline for Toddlergirl/Babystar's Halloween collaboration has been extended so there is potentially still time remaining for you to scribble up your fursonae in their costumes and join in what promises to be a really fun project! (http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/7776916/)
Well, I guess that about covers what's going on right now. Thanks for taking the time to read about me! *hugs* And now, I proudly present...
Kaffre talks Candy # 23Name: Crispers, Ranch
Manufacturer: Christie Brown & Co.
Size: 175 gram bag.
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Ranch Crispers consist of thin, flat, crackers with a wavy, but rectangular shape that have been flavoured to taste of 'ranch' salad dressing.
Opinion: I'm quite sure I've had these before, but it's been far too long for me to really remember what they taste like. It has been a while since I put ranch dressing on anything, but these deliver a smooth, creamy flavour with a very subtle tanginess - which I think is pretty close. The flavour isn't quite as intense as I remember, but that's true of many Crispers varieties and isn't really a problem. Overall, I enjoyed this product a good deal, probably won't buy it again any time soon; mainly due to there being other flavours of Crispers that I like better rather than any real flaw in these.
Name: Crunch
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 44 gram bar
Where Purchased: Dollar Tree
Description: Crunch is a slim bar of milk chocolate filled with rice crisps. The shape of the bar is such that it can be broken up into four pieces. Each individual segment has 'Crunch' cast into its upper surface, but otherwise the bar is relatively nondescript.
Opinion: A bar I once enjoyed, but haven't seen around here in years. Despite the redesign, this bar tastes very similar to what I remember except that it seemed a bit dry (probably a result of all that crisped rice), but this is a minor fault in light of the delightful crunchiness they lend the bar. Overall, I enjoyed this bar and will likely continue to buy it though I'll not know with what frequency until the nostalgic effect has worn off some more. Ultimately, however, Crunch is very much a one-trick pony and those who don't like chocolate with crisped rice inside will probably want to pass on this product.
Name: Hot Tomales
Manufacturer: Just Born Inc.
Size: 141 gram box
Where Purchased: Dollarama
Description: Hot Tomales consist of semi-soft cylindrical candies that are dyed red and flavoured with cinnamon to give them a 'hot' taste.
Opinion: A product I've had before, but not thought about in a while before buying a box for review. The candies have a pleasing texture, being neither too hard or too soft and while the flavour is, admittedly, a bit controversial, I've found that one can adjust the intensity quite reliably by varying the number of candies eaten in a single mouthful. Overall, I like these candies and will likely continue to grab them up from time to time, but no more than that as I personally tend to grow weary of them rather quickly.
Name: Irresistibles Lime and Black Pepper Chips
Manufacturer: Metro
Size: 150 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Irresistibles Lime and Black Pepper chips consist of kettle-style chips flavoured to taste of lime and pepper.
Opinion: I suspect I may have tried before, but can't really remember. The chips are quite nice with a surprisingly vivid citrus flavour while the pepper taste is really more of a counterpoint, providing some depth of flavour and a pleasant heat. While I had initially been somewhat leery of this particular flavour combination, I actually found this product to be one of the most appealing non-mainstream chip flavours I've tasted. Overall, I found these chips to be very tasty and would gladly purchase them again from time to time.
Name: Tayto Spring Onion Crisps
Manufacturer: Tayto
Size: 37.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Tayto Spring Onion consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: An Irish import I'd not heard of before, but grabbed up on a whim. The flavour is relatively mild, but mimics the taste of a spring onion fairly accurately and was somewhat reminiscent of 'Sour Cream & Onion' flavour, a staple chip flavour in North America, but with less of the 'sour cream' taste (a good think for me as I don't care for the stuff). Overall, I thought these chips were OK, but the relatively mild flavour, combined with their similarity to a more readily available flavour means that I'm unlikely to buy them again.
Costumed Cats + Kaffre talks Chips 2
Posted 9 years agoAs I'm sure many of you are aware, Toddlergirl/Babystar is currently organizing a largescale collaborative project (http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/7776916/) in which entrants draw their character in their Halloween finest and have them copied into a shared background similar to the picture seen here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/10855548/
This will be a lot of fun, but the trouble is: I'll need to draw myself as a Halloween costume of some kind, but haven't yet been able to settle on a costume and the deadline (1 October) is fast approaching! Therefore, I'm asking you, gentle readers, what should little Kaffre go as this Halloween? All suggestions will be evaluated and the best will be selected as Kaffre's Halloween costume for this year. As always, any comments or suggestions are appreciated.
Truth be told, I'm not that particular as to the specifics of he costume and, as my character's a toddler, he doesn't necessarily have 100% input into how he's to be dressed so feel free to propose any outfits you like. Nevertheless, I do feel it prudent to publish some of my own thoughts on the matter since they may serve as a source of inspiration in costuming not only Kaffre, but your own fursonae as well...
- Kaffre probably doesn't want to scare anyone so cute or funny costumes are likely a better fit.
- Unlike a real costume, ideally the characters here should be recognizable on some level so some classic costumes such as the bed-sheet ghost are less than optimal.
- Don't know why, but the thought of fur-bearing species wearing makeup annoys me more than it ought.
- Previous costumes (Pink Panther, Black Cat, Bucky B. Katt) have all had a feline theme. Undecided whether to continue the theme, break with it, or subvert it.
Well, I guess that's pretty much it for this journal. Thanks for reading and be sure not to forget your complimentary hugs on the way out! *huggles*
Kaffre Talks Chips 2
Also, it's time again for Lay's annual Do Us a Flavour event. Here in Canada, this year's entries were themed by nation and then the initial crop of 12 was narrowed down via online poll to the three finalists: Bacon Poutine, Cheese & Onion, and Thai Sweet Chili. These will be the only flavours covered this year, but for the sake of curiosity, I did research a few other nations:
The US version of the contest features a somewhat more explicit Olympic theme with the following entries: Brazilian Picanha, Chinese Szechuan Chicken, Greek Tzatziki, and Indian Tikka Masala.
While UK subsidiary, Walkers, promoted 'sarnie' (sandwich) themed crisps this year in the following varieties: Bacon & Tomato Ketchup, Cheese Toastie & Worcester Sauce, Cheese Cucumber & Salad Cream, Ham & Mustard, Roast Chicken & Mayonnaise and Cheese, and Sausage & Brown Sauce.
And now, the reviews:
Name: Bacon Poutine Chips (Do us a Flavour 2016)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Lays' Bacon Poutine chips are a fairly normal looking potato chip with a slightly orange cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Inspired by a Canadian fast-food staple consisting of fries, gravy, and curds (as well as bacon in this case), I don't actually eat poutine that often as I find most franchises use more gravy and cheese than I think is optimal so it's difficult for me to judge the authenticity, but these chips offer a smokey savoury flavour that does a reasonable job of standing in for bacon and gravy respectively while the chips themselves manage 'potato'. Overall, I enjoyed these chips and, despite superficial similarities to 'smokey bacon', feel it's probably the most unique out of this year's batch of flavours (though those from the maritime provinces might feel differently, having better access to the 'fries n' gravy' flavour) and would probably buy it again from time to time as a change of pace, but it doesn't really threaten my favourite flavours...
Name: Cheese & Onion Chips (Do us a Flavour 2016)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Lays Cheese and Onion chips are a fairly normal looking potato chip with a slightly yellow cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Inspired by the crisps from the British Isles (I've previously reviewed the Tayto and Walker's versions of the flavour), I was somewhat surprised by this choice given that last year's winner (PEI Scalloped Potatoes) struck me as very similar in concept. The chips have a robust cheesy flavour with an equally strong onion aftertaste. Of the previously mentioned varieties, these were probably closest to the Walker's version of Cheese & Onion (unsurprising given Walkers is a subsidiary of Lay's), having a sharper cheese taste than the 'scalloped potato' chips and not being as salty as the Tayto version. Overall, I liked these chips a lot and would definitely consider buying them again, but feel I must subtract points for the similarity to last year's winning entry which, ultimately, I'm approximately as likely to buy
Name: Thai Sweet Chili Chips (Do us a Flavour 2016)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Lays Sweet Chili chips are a fairly normal looking potato chip with an orange cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Inspired by a Thai condiment I don't think I've ever tasted (and thus cannot verify the authenticity of), these chips have a flavour that combines heat and sweetness in what I would consider very close to the perfect ratio. This sounds quite a bit like barbecue and the taste is close, but there's something different - probably the source of the heat - that renders these chips somehow 'cleaner' tasting than that. Still, the similarity does exist and could potentially count against this flavour a bit, but overall I thought this flavour was pretty good and would definitely consider buying them again if they're adopted on a long-term basis.
This will be a lot of fun, but the trouble is: I'll need to draw myself as a Halloween costume of some kind, but haven't yet been able to settle on a costume and the deadline (1 October) is fast approaching! Therefore, I'm asking you, gentle readers, what should little Kaffre go as this Halloween? All suggestions will be evaluated and the best will be selected as Kaffre's Halloween costume for this year. As always, any comments or suggestions are appreciated.
Truth be told, I'm not that particular as to the specifics of he costume and, as my character's a toddler, he doesn't necessarily have 100% input into how he's to be dressed so feel free to propose any outfits you like. Nevertheless, I do feel it prudent to publish some of my own thoughts on the matter since they may serve as a source of inspiration in costuming not only Kaffre, but your own fursonae as well...
- Kaffre probably doesn't want to scare anyone so cute or funny costumes are likely a better fit.
- Unlike a real costume, ideally the characters here should be recognizable on some level so some classic costumes such as the bed-sheet ghost are less than optimal.
- Don't know why, but the thought of fur-bearing species wearing makeup annoys me more than it ought.
- Previous costumes (Pink Panther, Black Cat, Bucky B. Katt) have all had a feline theme. Undecided whether to continue the theme, break with it, or subvert it.
Well, I guess that's pretty much it for this journal. Thanks for reading and be sure not to forget your complimentary hugs on the way out! *huggles*
Kaffre Talks Chips 2
Also, it's time again for Lay's annual Do Us a Flavour event. Here in Canada, this year's entries were themed by nation and then the initial crop of 12 was narrowed down via online poll to the three finalists: Bacon Poutine, Cheese & Onion, and Thai Sweet Chili. These will be the only flavours covered this year, but for the sake of curiosity, I did research a few other nations:
The US version of the contest features a somewhat more explicit Olympic theme with the following entries: Brazilian Picanha, Chinese Szechuan Chicken, Greek Tzatziki, and Indian Tikka Masala.
While UK subsidiary, Walkers, promoted 'sarnie' (sandwich) themed crisps this year in the following varieties: Bacon & Tomato Ketchup, Cheese Toastie & Worcester Sauce, Cheese Cucumber & Salad Cream, Ham & Mustard, Roast Chicken & Mayonnaise and Cheese, and Sausage & Brown Sauce.
And now, the reviews:
Name: Bacon Poutine Chips (Do us a Flavour 2016)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Lays' Bacon Poutine chips are a fairly normal looking potato chip with a slightly orange cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Inspired by a Canadian fast-food staple consisting of fries, gravy, and curds (as well as bacon in this case), I don't actually eat poutine that often as I find most franchises use more gravy and cheese than I think is optimal so it's difficult for me to judge the authenticity, but these chips offer a smokey savoury flavour that does a reasonable job of standing in for bacon and gravy respectively while the chips themselves manage 'potato'. Overall, I enjoyed these chips and, despite superficial similarities to 'smokey bacon', feel it's probably the most unique out of this year's batch of flavours (though those from the maritime provinces might feel differently, having better access to the 'fries n' gravy' flavour) and would probably buy it again from time to time as a change of pace, but it doesn't really threaten my favourite flavours...
Name: Cheese & Onion Chips (Do us a Flavour 2016)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Lays Cheese and Onion chips are a fairly normal looking potato chip with a slightly yellow cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Inspired by the crisps from the British Isles (I've previously reviewed the Tayto and Walker's versions of the flavour), I was somewhat surprised by this choice given that last year's winner (PEI Scalloped Potatoes) struck me as very similar in concept. The chips have a robust cheesy flavour with an equally strong onion aftertaste. Of the previously mentioned varieties, these were probably closest to the Walker's version of Cheese & Onion (unsurprising given Walkers is a subsidiary of Lay's), having a sharper cheese taste than the 'scalloped potato' chips and not being as salty as the Tayto version. Overall, I liked these chips a lot and would definitely consider buying them again, but feel I must subtract points for the similarity to last year's winning entry which, ultimately, I'm approximately as likely to buy
Name: Thai Sweet Chili Chips (Do us a Flavour 2016)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Lays Sweet Chili chips are a fairly normal looking potato chip with an orange cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Inspired by a Thai condiment I don't think I've ever tasted (and thus cannot verify the authenticity of), these chips have a flavour that combines heat and sweetness in what I would consider very close to the perfect ratio. This sounds quite a bit like barbecue and the taste is close, but there's something different - probably the source of the heat - that renders these chips somehow 'cleaner' tasting than that. Still, the similarity does exist and could potentially count against this flavour a bit, but overall I thought this flavour was pretty good and would definitely consider buying them again if they're adopted on a long-term basis.
A Semi-Serious Kitten Journal + Kaffre talks Candy #22
Posted 9 years agoGreetings, journal-readers. This journal is, perhaps, a bit more thoughtful and introspective than is my norm, but I do hope you'll all bear with me as this is something I've been thinking about since I first joined FA almost 9 years ago and would greatly appreciate any input you can see fit to provide.
A few nights ago, I had a dream. I was studying or perhaps working in a mysterious facility that resembled a school or hospital. There was no evidence of anything overtly sinister going on, but the whole place nevertheless felt very shady and mysterious, a feeling that and only got stronger until I was blamed for a mistake I don't think I'd made and was sent to the main office which resembled a cross between a cubicle and a horse's stall where a centauress was waiting my arrival - this was clearly unusual for the setting, but not particularly threatening. We discussed what had happened and she seemed to agree that I wasn't at fault. However, she did at one point show me my file which was full of alleged comments from my peers that I thought were unfair and hurtful... and then I woke up.
What does this have to do with FA? Well, the name and photo in the file she showed me were those of my fursona, Kaffre, despite the fact that I was, presumably, human in the dream (I didn't actually see myself). After a few days' contemplation, I think I've managed to puzzle out the meaning: I know I'm hardly the most personable person here on FA, but believe it or not, I'm far quieter and less sociable in real life, and even on FA for every comment I actually make there are two or three others I typed up and then deleted. However, recently I've been watching a lot of Picarto streams and the live chat format give me less to time to think before I post. This makes me a lot chattier, but looking over some of the transcripts, I can't help feeling anxious about some of things I've posted - I don't think I've said anything rude or offensive, but can't help feeling some of my posts were inane or boorish. Since I go by the handle KittenStream on Picarto, I was also slightly shocked by the realization that more furs out there recognize 'Kaffre' than I'd previously thought - not a bad thing, obviously, but it did surprise me a bit - I'd always though I was a rather anonymous/generic babyfur... *shrugs* Anyway, as I've said, communication isn't a particular strong point for me and would appreciate any feedback so that I can improve or reassure myself as appropriate.
Apart from that dream, things seem to have settled down a lot. I've still got some important RL things happening, but for the next month or so it looks like I'll just be waiting to hear back from others about what's going to happen. Hopefully, that means I can finally get into the habit of drawing and writing semi-regularly again though, going over some of my art books, I do now feel that perhaps I don't really want to invest the time, effort, and money to draw 'properly' and should stick to my current art style and just try and smooth the edges with more practice.
Well, I guess that's about it for now. I will, however, try and squeeze in an extra journal at some point this month if I can think of anything worth saying. Thanks again for taking the time to read my journal, please accept this hug in return *hugs*
Now without further ado...
Name: Crispers, Barbecue
Manufacturer: Christie Brown & Co.
Size: 175 gram bag.
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Barbecue Crispers consist of thin, flat, crackers with a wavy, but rectangular shape and a red/orange colour that have been flavoured to taste like 'Barbecue'.
Opinion: A product I believe I've had before, but have largely neglected for other flavours and grabbed for the sake of completeness. The flavour of these chips is best described as as 'smokey', but with a 'hot' aftertaste which is good as I've never been fond of the overly sweet barbecue one frequently gets with potato chips. Overall, I enjoyed this product and will probably buy them again from time to time, finding them to be much better than I remember. That said, however, there are still several flavours I like better.
Name: Everton Mints
Manufacturer: Bassett
Size: 192 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Everton Mints consist of black and white striped hard candies flavoured with peppermint and possessing a toffee centre. Named for the EPL club, not the place.
Opinion: A British treat I' never heard of before, but grabbed from a clearance bin. The candies themselves have a taste remarkably similar to 'Humbugs' (apparently the two sweets are related) in having a relatively mellow mint flavour. The toffee centre doesn't really seem to add much in terms of taste but does give a certain pleasant chewiness once the candy has dissolved. Overall, I liked this candy, but I'll probably stick to the more readily available humbugs as opposed to tracking these down again.
Name: Irresistibles 3 Cheese & Roasted Onion Flavoured Chips
Manufacturer: Metro
Size: 150 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Irresistibles 3 Cheese & Roasted Onion chips consist of kettle-style chips supposedly flavoured to taste like roasted onions and three different cheeses (based on the illustration, cheddar, parmesan, and possibly brie).
Opinion: I'm not sure whether I'd tried this flavour or not, but they were on sale so I snatched up a bag for review. I enjoyed the characteristic crunchiness of the kettle chips and found them to have a pleasant savoury flavour that I found quite appealing despite not really being able to pick out much beyond a certain nondescript cheesy taste myself. Overall, I liked this product and would definitely consider buying them again from time to time.
Name: Lion Bar
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 50 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Lion consists of a caramel filled wafer cookie that has been covered in rice crisps and then coated in milk chocolate. Overall appearance is lumpy and somewhat unappealing.
Opinion: A bar I was aware of, but had avoided due to (false) rumours it contained peanuts. The combination of wafer cookie and rice crisps give the bar a pleasant crunchiness and chocolate seems to be of good quality. The caramel, by contrast, provides a certain chewiness, but doesn't really add much to the flavour - not a problem for me, mind. Overall, I found this bar to be reasonably tasty, but somewhat dry despite the caramel. An interesting product to be sure, but probably not one I'm likely to purchase again - just not for me, I guess.
Name: McVitie's Chocolate Hobnobs
Manufacturer: United Biscuit
Size: 300 grams in 16 cookies.
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Chocolate Hobnobs consist of flat oatmeal-type cookies with a coating of milk chocolate on one side (officially, the bottom)
Opinion: A product I'd seen before, but has been out-of-stock for some time. The taste is, unsurprisingly, very similar to the regular hobnobs, combining sweetness with a robust oatmeal flavour and a hint of cinnamon. They're still a tad dry and gritty for my tastes, but the chocolate seems to help alleviate that quite a bit and, as they're intended to be served with tea, it's hardly a fatal flaw anyway. Overall, I found these to be quite tasty and while I'm still not too crazy about oatmeal, I would probably buy them again from time to time as they do, in fact, offer a rather unique experience.
A few nights ago, I had a dream. I was studying or perhaps working in a mysterious facility that resembled a school or hospital. There was no evidence of anything overtly sinister going on, but the whole place nevertheless felt very shady and mysterious, a feeling that and only got stronger until I was blamed for a mistake I don't think I'd made and was sent to the main office which resembled a cross between a cubicle and a horse's stall where a centauress was waiting my arrival - this was clearly unusual for the setting, but not particularly threatening. We discussed what had happened and she seemed to agree that I wasn't at fault. However, she did at one point show me my file which was full of alleged comments from my peers that I thought were unfair and hurtful... and then I woke up.
What does this have to do with FA? Well, the name and photo in the file she showed me were those of my fursona, Kaffre, despite the fact that I was, presumably, human in the dream (I didn't actually see myself). After a few days' contemplation, I think I've managed to puzzle out the meaning: I know I'm hardly the most personable person here on FA, but believe it or not, I'm far quieter and less sociable in real life, and even on FA for every comment I actually make there are two or three others I typed up and then deleted. However, recently I've been watching a lot of Picarto streams and the live chat format give me less to time to think before I post. This makes me a lot chattier, but looking over some of the transcripts, I can't help feeling anxious about some of things I've posted - I don't think I've said anything rude or offensive, but can't help feeling some of my posts were inane or boorish. Since I go by the handle KittenStream on Picarto, I was also slightly shocked by the realization that more furs out there recognize 'Kaffre' than I'd previously thought - not a bad thing, obviously, but it did surprise me a bit - I'd always though I was a rather anonymous/generic babyfur... *shrugs* Anyway, as I've said, communication isn't a particular strong point for me and would appreciate any feedback so that I can improve or reassure myself as appropriate.
Apart from that dream, things seem to have settled down a lot. I've still got some important RL things happening, but for the next month or so it looks like I'll just be waiting to hear back from others about what's going to happen. Hopefully, that means I can finally get into the habit of drawing and writing semi-regularly again though, going over some of my art books, I do now feel that perhaps I don't really want to invest the time, effort, and money to draw 'properly' and should stick to my current art style and just try and smooth the edges with more practice.
Well, I guess that's about it for now. I will, however, try and squeeze in an extra journal at some point this month if I can think of anything worth saying. Thanks again for taking the time to read my journal, please accept this hug in return *hugs*
Now without further ado...
Kaffre talks Candy #22Name: Crispers, Barbecue
Manufacturer: Christie Brown & Co.
Size: 175 gram bag.
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Barbecue Crispers consist of thin, flat, crackers with a wavy, but rectangular shape and a red/orange colour that have been flavoured to taste like 'Barbecue'.
Opinion: A product I believe I've had before, but have largely neglected for other flavours and grabbed for the sake of completeness. The flavour of these chips is best described as as 'smokey', but with a 'hot' aftertaste which is good as I've never been fond of the overly sweet barbecue one frequently gets with potato chips. Overall, I enjoyed this product and will probably buy them again from time to time, finding them to be much better than I remember. That said, however, there are still several flavours I like better.
Name: Everton Mints
Manufacturer: Bassett
Size: 192 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Everton Mints consist of black and white striped hard candies flavoured with peppermint and possessing a toffee centre. Named for the EPL club, not the place.
Opinion: A British treat I' never heard of before, but grabbed from a clearance bin. The candies themselves have a taste remarkably similar to 'Humbugs' (apparently the two sweets are related) in having a relatively mellow mint flavour. The toffee centre doesn't really seem to add much in terms of taste but does give a certain pleasant chewiness once the candy has dissolved. Overall, I liked this candy, but I'll probably stick to the more readily available humbugs as opposed to tracking these down again.
Name: Irresistibles 3 Cheese & Roasted Onion Flavoured Chips
Manufacturer: Metro
Size: 150 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Irresistibles 3 Cheese & Roasted Onion chips consist of kettle-style chips supposedly flavoured to taste like roasted onions and three different cheeses (based on the illustration, cheddar, parmesan, and possibly brie).
Opinion: I'm not sure whether I'd tried this flavour or not, but they were on sale so I snatched up a bag for review. I enjoyed the characteristic crunchiness of the kettle chips and found them to have a pleasant savoury flavour that I found quite appealing despite not really being able to pick out much beyond a certain nondescript cheesy taste myself. Overall, I liked this product and would definitely consider buying them again from time to time.
Name: Lion Bar
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 50 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Lion consists of a caramel filled wafer cookie that has been covered in rice crisps and then coated in milk chocolate. Overall appearance is lumpy and somewhat unappealing.
Opinion: A bar I was aware of, but had avoided due to (false) rumours it contained peanuts. The combination of wafer cookie and rice crisps give the bar a pleasant crunchiness and chocolate seems to be of good quality. The caramel, by contrast, provides a certain chewiness, but doesn't really add much to the flavour - not a problem for me, mind. Overall, I found this bar to be reasonably tasty, but somewhat dry despite the caramel. An interesting product to be sure, but probably not one I'm likely to purchase again - just not for me, I guess.
Name: McVitie's Chocolate Hobnobs
Manufacturer: United Biscuit
Size: 300 grams in 16 cookies.
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Chocolate Hobnobs consist of flat oatmeal-type cookies with a coating of milk chocolate on one side (officially, the bottom)
Opinion: A product I'd seen before, but has been out-of-stock for some time. The taste is, unsurprisingly, very similar to the regular hobnobs, combining sweetness with a robust oatmeal flavour and a hint of cinnamon. They're still a tad dry and gritty for my tastes, but the chocolate seems to help alleviate that quite a bit and, as they're intended to be served with tea, it's hardly a fatal flaw anyway. Overall, I found these to be quite tasty and while I'm still not too crazy about oatmeal, I would probably buy them again from time to time as they do, in fact, offer a rather unique experience.
August Kitten + Kaffre talks Candy #21
Posted 9 years agoGreeting again, loyal journal-readers to my monthly journal! *hugs*
To be perfectly honest, however, not much has really changed since my last journal post. I have made some further progress on my psychiatric issues, arranged a dental appointment, and handled some other important paperwork, but none of that's really going to be dealt with until much later in the month or possibly even September so there's ultimately little I can say about that.
I have, fortunately, found myself much more motivated to work on my art and stories than I have for a couple of years. Unfortunately, degradation of my (always feeble) skills in these areas has hampered me somewhat, but I'm slowly making progress and will hopefully be posting some doodles soon if I can convince my scanner to cooperate *attacks it*
Something I have been thinking about is that with my hair starting recede and spending more time out of doors, I could do with a hat. It'll be winter and I can wear my touque, but I'd like to have something I can wear in war weather as well. Unfortunately, I've never really worn hats much so I'm not really sure what kind to get (except that baseball caps don't look good on me) so I'm very interested in hearing any suggestions you may have for what hats might look good on me.
Well, I guess that's it for the time being. Thanks for taking the time to read my journal! *more hugs*
PS. I'm feeling rather bored so you can ask me stuff if you like!
Now, without further ago....
Kaffre talks Candy #21
Name: Birthday Cake Soda
Manufacturer: Jones
Size: 355mL bottle
Where Purchased: Beaver Variety and Takeout
Description: Birthday Cake Soda consists of a clear carbonated soft drink flavoured to taste like cake.
Opinion: A limited edition flavour created to celebrate Jones' 20th Anniversary (and thus probably long gone by now), that I grabbed this up on a whim. The product is an interesting one, being very sweet and having a stronger vanilla flavour than normal cream soda and did indeed manage to replicate the taste of cake frosting quite well (a friend who also bought a bottle described the taste as resembling the icing that used to come in 'Dunkaroos'). The carbonation does give this product a slight aftertaste, but it's far from unpleasant. Overall, I enjoyed this product, but am uncertain whether I'd buy it again even if it weren't a limited-time product, it's very different from most other pops I've enjoyed, but perhaps a bit too different to be regular choice...
Name: Crispers, Dill Pickle
Manufacturer: Christie Brown & Co.
Size: 175 gram bag.
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Dill Pickle Crispers consist of thin, flat, crackers with a wavy, but rectangular shape that have been flavoured to taste like dill pickles.
Opinion: Another product I've often eaten, but hadn't tried for a while. The flavour is about what I remember, not too vinegar-y and possessing a nice tanginess that, while not quite tasting like pickles, was still quite pleasant and is probably the most accurate chip to cracker flavour conversion in the Crispers line. Overall, I enjoyed this product a good deal and plan to purchase them again. While still only my second favourite flavour, it's a much closer race than I remember...
Name: Irresistibles Bacon & Cheddar Flavoured Chips
Manufacturer: Metro
Size: 150 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Irresistibles Bacon & Cheddar chips consist of kettle-style chips with a slight orange cast and flavoured to taste like bacon and cheddar cheese.
Opinion: A product I'd seen often enough, but never actually tried before. Like most kettle-chips, this product featured a pleasant texture and a nice crunchiness. The flavour, while not overly intense and seeming to represent a fairly authentic interpretation of 'Bacon & Cheddar', was nevertheless I found them to be just a tad too rich for my tastes. Overall, I thought this product tasted quite good, but found myself only really able to enjoy them a few at a time. I might buy these chips again, but only it I had someone to share them with.
Name: M&M's Chocolate Bar
Manufacturer: Mars
Size: 42 gram bar
Where Purchased: Dollarama
Description: M&M's Chocolate Bar consists of a flattish bar of milk chocolate with M&Ms candies embedded in it. The top features a raised M&Ms logo and illustration of 'red' being engulfed in chocolate. The bar has shallow grooves allowing it to be broken up into eight pieces (two rows of four).
Opinion: A product I'd heard of, but hadn't seen locally until now and grabbed up. This product is, unsurprisingly, similar to Smarties sharing block, featuring a chocolate that despite having a rather unusual texture, managed to be quite flavourful and tasty (actually, I suspect it's the same chocolate that M&Ms are filled with). Overall, the concept of chocolate filled with candy-covered chocolate pieces still feels a bit weird, but I liked this item and would probably buy it again.
Name: Polo Mints (Spearmint)
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 34 gram tube (23 mints)
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Polo Mints consist of white, ring-shaped candies flavoured with spearmint. One side has POLO POLO on it.
Opinion: A product I was only dimly aware of before grabbing it up on a whim. These candies have a smooth, mild, mint flavour that I found to be very pleasant as it lacks the vaguely medicinal taste or almost painful hot/cold effect that a lot of mints have. While I did enjoy this product, I'm not sure whether I'd buy them again as they're the kind of candy I tend to go through very quickly and without really enjoying them much.
To be perfectly honest, however, not much has really changed since my last journal post. I have made some further progress on my psychiatric issues, arranged a dental appointment, and handled some other important paperwork, but none of that's really going to be dealt with until much later in the month or possibly even September so there's ultimately little I can say about that.
I have, fortunately, found myself much more motivated to work on my art and stories than I have for a couple of years. Unfortunately, degradation of my (always feeble) skills in these areas has hampered me somewhat, but I'm slowly making progress and will hopefully be posting some doodles soon if I can convince my scanner to cooperate *attacks it*
Something I have been thinking about is that with my hair starting recede and spending more time out of doors, I could do with a hat. It'll be winter and I can wear my touque, but I'd like to have something I can wear in war weather as well. Unfortunately, I've never really worn hats much so I'm not really sure what kind to get (except that baseball caps don't look good on me) so I'm very interested in hearing any suggestions you may have for what hats might look good on me.
Well, I guess that's it for the time being. Thanks for taking the time to read my journal! *more hugs*
PS. I'm feeling rather bored so you can ask me stuff if you like!
Now, without further ago....
Kaffre talks Candy #21
Name: Birthday Cake Soda
Manufacturer: Jones
Size: 355mL bottle
Where Purchased: Beaver Variety and Takeout
Description: Birthday Cake Soda consists of a clear carbonated soft drink flavoured to taste like cake.
Opinion: A limited edition flavour created to celebrate Jones' 20th Anniversary (and thus probably long gone by now), that I grabbed this up on a whim. The product is an interesting one, being very sweet and having a stronger vanilla flavour than normal cream soda and did indeed manage to replicate the taste of cake frosting quite well (a friend who also bought a bottle described the taste as resembling the icing that used to come in 'Dunkaroos'). The carbonation does give this product a slight aftertaste, but it's far from unpleasant. Overall, I enjoyed this product, but am uncertain whether I'd buy it again even if it weren't a limited-time product, it's very different from most other pops I've enjoyed, but perhaps a bit too different to be regular choice...
Name: Crispers, Dill Pickle
Manufacturer: Christie Brown & Co.
Size: 175 gram bag.
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Dill Pickle Crispers consist of thin, flat, crackers with a wavy, but rectangular shape that have been flavoured to taste like dill pickles.
Opinion: Another product I've often eaten, but hadn't tried for a while. The flavour is about what I remember, not too vinegar-y and possessing a nice tanginess that, while not quite tasting like pickles, was still quite pleasant and is probably the most accurate chip to cracker flavour conversion in the Crispers line. Overall, I enjoyed this product a good deal and plan to purchase them again. While still only my second favourite flavour, it's a much closer race than I remember...
Name: Irresistibles Bacon & Cheddar Flavoured Chips
Manufacturer: Metro
Size: 150 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Irresistibles Bacon & Cheddar chips consist of kettle-style chips with a slight orange cast and flavoured to taste like bacon and cheddar cheese.
Opinion: A product I'd seen often enough, but never actually tried before. Like most kettle-chips, this product featured a pleasant texture and a nice crunchiness. The flavour, while not overly intense and seeming to represent a fairly authentic interpretation of 'Bacon & Cheddar', was nevertheless I found them to be just a tad too rich for my tastes. Overall, I thought this product tasted quite good, but found myself only really able to enjoy them a few at a time. I might buy these chips again, but only it I had someone to share them with.
Name: M&M's Chocolate Bar
Manufacturer: Mars
Size: 42 gram bar
Where Purchased: Dollarama
Description: M&M's Chocolate Bar consists of a flattish bar of milk chocolate with M&Ms candies embedded in it. The top features a raised M&Ms logo and illustration of 'red' being engulfed in chocolate. The bar has shallow grooves allowing it to be broken up into eight pieces (two rows of four).
Opinion: A product I'd heard of, but hadn't seen locally until now and grabbed up. This product is, unsurprisingly, similar to Smarties sharing block, featuring a chocolate that despite having a rather unusual texture, managed to be quite flavourful and tasty (actually, I suspect it's the same chocolate that M&Ms are filled with). Overall, the concept of chocolate filled with candy-covered chocolate pieces still feels a bit weird, but I liked this item and would probably buy it again.
Name: Polo Mints (Spearmint)
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 34 gram tube (23 mints)
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Polo Mints consist of white, ring-shaped candies flavoured with spearmint. One side has POLO POLO on it.
Opinion: A product I was only dimly aware of before grabbing it up on a whim. These candies have a smooth, mild, mint flavour that I found to be very pleasant as it lacks the vaguely medicinal taste or almost painful hot/cold effect that a lot of mints have. While I did enjoy this product, I'm not sure whether I'd buy them again as they're the kind of candy I tend to go through very quickly and without really enjoying them much.
July Kitty + Kaffre talks Candy #20
Posted 9 years agoGreetings again, loyal journal-readers! *hugs*
I've been a busy kitty since my I last posted a journal, running around to all sorts of appointments and performing various errands that prevented me from doing, well anything. The good news, however, is that the next month or two seem like they'll be relatively peaceful, however, so with any luck I'll be able to concentrate on all those pictures/stories that I've been meaning to draw/write for ages now. Probably not, but a kitten can always hope! *crosses claws for luck*
My main reason for writing this journal, however, stems from FA's most recent shutdown last month and how it got me thinking of all the people I know here that I hardly ever speak to (something I've been trying to rectify the last few weeks) and how I don't know if some of them still active here, or even alive. Therefore, if it's not too much trouble, I would like to request that anyone reading this journal please post a comment of some kind. Particularly if we've not spoken recently.
The biggest piece of news, however, relates to one of my appointments last week: I've finally gotten the paperwork associated with my psychiatric assessment filled and ready to be sent in! Once that's done, I will hopefully be approved and can begin discussing treatment of some kind.
Well, I guess that's it for now, but thanks for reading *hugs*
Kaffre talks Candy #20
Name: Aero, Mousse
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 34 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Aero Mousse consists of a milk chocolate shell filled with a portion of aerated chocolate mousse along with the normal Aero filling (aerated chocolate). Sold in a smaller format than the standard size Aero, this product features eight dome-shaped pieces joined together in two columns of four.
Opinion: A product I'd never heard of before until I saw it at my local importer and snapped it up. The flavour is pretty similar to the standard Aero bar except that the lighter coloured aerated chocolate seemed to be very soft and creamy and the whole thing was quite a bit sweeter than normal. Overall, I thought this product was very quite tasty, however, I'm a bit conflicted as I found myself somewhat ambivalent about the texture of the mousse and suspect that the taste may be a standard feature of the British Aero bars. Based purely on its own merits, however, I'd probably grab this up from time to time as a bit of a change.
Name: Crispers, Salt & Vinegar
Manufacturer: Christie Brown & Co.
Size: 175 gram bag.
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Salt & Vinegar Crispers consist of thin, flat, crackers with a wavy, but rectangular shape that have been flavoured with Salt & Vinegar in the style of potato chips.
Opinion: A product I've often eaten before, but generally only when they're on sale. The flavour isn't quite what I remember, but is still fairly tasty. Vinegar is the dominant flavour and while robust, doesn't seem to quite have the sharpness of many salt & vinegar chips (perhaps due to the thickness of the crackers?) they didn't actually seem much saltier than any other Crispers variety, however. Overall, this remains my favourite Crispers flavour and I will continue to purchase it in the future.
Name: Excel Spearmint
Manufacturer: Wrigley
Size: 16.8 grams in twelve pieces
Where Purchased: Unknown (gift)
Description: Excel Spearmint consists of a white chicle-type gum with a spearmint flavour.
Opinion: An (apparently Canada exclusive) gum I'd bought before, but never really thought of reviewing for some reason. While longtime readers of this feature will remember that I do like the taste of mint, I've never been a huge fan of it in gums so while I do appreciate the breath-freshening qualities this product brings to the table, it did start with a point against it. The taste is very fairly sweet and has a pretty intense mint flavour without becoming toothpaste-y. Overall, I enjoyed this gum and had no real trouble finishing the pack, but I'm just not fond enough of mint gums in general to buy it on more than an occasional basis.
Name: Kinder Chocolate
Manufacturer: Ferrero
Size: 21 gram bar
Where Purchased: Staples
Description: Kinder Chocolate consists of a very small bar of milk chocolate with hemicircular grooves allowing the bar to be broken up into five segments. The centre of the bar contains what the label refers to as 'milky' filling that tastes rather reminiscent of semi-solid white chocolate.
Opinion: A product I've never noticed before and grabbed up on an impulse. The bar is fairly tasty and the individual components appear to be of good quality, but ultimately I can't think of much to say about this item other than the obvious: It tastes like a Kinder Egg. Naturally then, whether this is a good thing or a bad one will depend on your opinion of that more famous confection. Overall, I enjoyed this product, but can't really say whether I'd buy it again or just grab a Kinder Egg...
Name: Toffee Crisp
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 38 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Toffee Crisp consists of a block of soft toffee with crisped cereal embedded in it and enrobed in milk chocolate. Externally, the bar is plain looking.
Opinion: A bar I'd never heard of until I decided to grab one up on a whim. Despite the somewhat bizarre sounding description above, this product was actually quite good. The 'toffee', such as it was, had a flavour and texture similar to caramel and ultimately tasted quite a bit like a soft, caramel-flavoured, rice-crispy treat covered in chocolate. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this product and would probably buy it again from time to time as change from my usual bars.
I've been a busy kitty since my I last posted a journal, running around to all sorts of appointments and performing various errands that prevented me from doing, well anything. The good news, however, is that the next month or two seem like they'll be relatively peaceful, however, so with any luck I'll be able to concentrate on all those pictures/stories that I've been meaning to draw/write for ages now. Probably not, but a kitten can always hope! *crosses claws for luck*
My main reason for writing this journal, however, stems from FA's most recent shutdown last month and how it got me thinking of all the people I know here that I hardly ever speak to (something I've been trying to rectify the last few weeks) and how I don't know if some of them still active here, or even alive. Therefore, if it's not too much trouble, I would like to request that anyone reading this journal please post a comment of some kind. Particularly if we've not spoken recently.
The biggest piece of news, however, relates to one of my appointments last week: I've finally gotten the paperwork associated with my psychiatric assessment filled and ready to be sent in! Once that's done, I will hopefully be approved and can begin discussing treatment of some kind.
Well, I guess that's it for now, but thanks for reading *hugs*
Kaffre talks Candy #20
Name: Aero, Mousse
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 34 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Aero Mousse consists of a milk chocolate shell filled with a portion of aerated chocolate mousse along with the normal Aero filling (aerated chocolate). Sold in a smaller format than the standard size Aero, this product features eight dome-shaped pieces joined together in two columns of four.
Opinion: A product I'd never heard of before until I saw it at my local importer and snapped it up. The flavour is pretty similar to the standard Aero bar except that the lighter coloured aerated chocolate seemed to be very soft and creamy and the whole thing was quite a bit sweeter than normal. Overall, I thought this product was very quite tasty, however, I'm a bit conflicted as I found myself somewhat ambivalent about the texture of the mousse and suspect that the taste may be a standard feature of the British Aero bars. Based purely on its own merits, however, I'd probably grab this up from time to time as a bit of a change.
Name: Crispers, Salt & Vinegar
Manufacturer: Christie Brown & Co.
Size: 175 gram bag.
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Salt & Vinegar Crispers consist of thin, flat, crackers with a wavy, but rectangular shape that have been flavoured with Salt & Vinegar in the style of potato chips.
Opinion: A product I've often eaten before, but generally only when they're on sale. The flavour isn't quite what I remember, but is still fairly tasty. Vinegar is the dominant flavour and while robust, doesn't seem to quite have the sharpness of many salt & vinegar chips (perhaps due to the thickness of the crackers?) they didn't actually seem much saltier than any other Crispers variety, however. Overall, this remains my favourite Crispers flavour and I will continue to purchase it in the future.
Name: Excel Spearmint
Manufacturer: Wrigley
Size: 16.8 grams in twelve pieces
Where Purchased: Unknown (gift)
Description: Excel Spearmint consists of a white chicle-type gum with a spearmint flavour.
Opinion: An (apparently Canada exclusive) gum I'd bought before, but never really thought of reviewing for some reason. While longtime readers of this feature will remember that I do like the taste of mint, I've never been a huge fan of it in gums so while I do appreciate the breath-freshening qualities this product brings to the table, it did start with a point against it. The taste is very fairly sweet and has a pretty intense mint flavour without becoming toothpaste-y. Overall, I enjoyed this gum and had no real trouble finishing the pack, but I'm just not fond enough of mint gums in general to buy it on more than an occasional basis.
Name: Kinder Chocolate
Manufacturer: Ferrero
Size: 21 gram bar
Where Purchased: Staples
Description: Kinder Chocolate consists of a very small bar of milk chocolate with hemicircular grooves allowing the bar to be broken up into five segments. The centre of the bar contains what the label refers to as 'milky' filling that tastes rather reminiscent of semi-solid white chocolate.
Opinion: A product I've never noticed before and grabbed up on an impulse. The bar is fairly tasty and the individual components appear to be of good quality, but ultimately I can't think of much to say about this item other than the obvious: It tastes like a Kinder Egg. Naturally then, whether this is a good thing or a bad one will depend on your opinion of that more famous confection. Overall, I enjoyed this product, but can't really say whether I'd buy it again or just grab a Kinder Egg...
Name: Toffee Crisp
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 38 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Toffee Crisp consists of a block of soft toffee with crisped cereal embedded in it and enrobed in milk chocolate. Externally, the bar is plain looking.
Opinion: A bar I'd never heard of until I decided to grab one up on a whim. Despite the somewhat bizarre sounding description above, this product was actually quite good. The 'toffee', such as it was, had a flavour and texture similar to caramel and ultimately tasted quite a bit like a soft, caramel-flavoured, rice-crispy treat covered in chocolate. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this product and would probably buy it again from time to time as change from my usual bars.
Busy June + Ask me stuff + Kaffre talks Candy #19
Posted 9 years agoHi again, journal-readers! *hugs*
This month's been very hectic so far with the arrival of three calves and ten chicks. Plus, the ducks seem to think they have fertile eggs (we have our doubts so there may be little ducklings soon too. Cute as all these things are, however, caring for them constitutes a lot of work and has kept me quite busy these last two weeks.
Next week, however, promises to be even busier as I have both a dentist appointment on Tuesday and a doctor's appointment Thursday. Plus, there's a strong chance I'll need to go with my sister to an appointment of her own this coming Monday so I'll be a sleepy kitty for the near future! Despite this, I've not given up on the long-overdue picture I had wanted to get done for the month even if I must place it on the back-burner for the time-being while I focus on some health-related issues.
Despite all this stuff to do, I'm also kind of bored today, and since it's a Tuesday, feel free to ask me any questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer.
Well, I guess that's it for now, thanks for reading *more hugs* And now, without further ado, Kaffre talks Candy #19
Name: Aero, Orange
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 41 gram bar
Where Purchased: Beaver Variety and Takeout
Description: Orange Aero consists of a milk chocolate shell filled with a mass of bubbly orange-flavoured chocolate(?) dyed an unsettling orange colour. The shape of the bar, like that of the original Aero, was redesigned recently. Formerly, the shell was fairly flat with only slight grooves so that the bar could be broken into seven pieces. The new design, however, features ten dome-shaped pieces joined together in a two columns of five instead.
Opinion: A product I've had before, but hadn't seen recently and snatched up for this review. As with the peppermint Aero, this product is indistinguishable from the standard bar except for the different flavour and as such one's opinion of this product will correspond directly to their feelings regarding orange-flavoured chocolate. Personally, I do enjoy citrus-flavoured chocolate from time to time and felt this bar was quite tasty having a mild orange flavour that blended seamlessly with the milk chocolate. If availability were better, it might even displace the Peppermint Aero from my regular buy list!
Name: Crispers, All Dressed
Manufacturer: Christie Brown & Co.
Size: 175 gram bag.
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: All Dressed Crispers consist of thin, flat, crackers with a wavy, but rectangular shape that have been flavoured to taste like a combination of Ketchup, Sour Cream & Onion, Barbecue, and Salt & Vinegar. This is a fairly standard flavour of chip in Canada (but apparently unknown elsewhere) and tastes much better than it sounds.
Opinion: A product I've often eaten before, but generally only when they're on sale. While milder tasting than I remembered, Crispers are still quite tasty and have a more satisfying crunch than most chips can deliver. The flavour, a satisfying gestalt that's simultaneously sweet, salty, sour, 'hot', and creamy once mystified me, but knowing the constituents is actually pretty obvious in retrospect. Overall I liked this product and while it's not my favourite variety of Crisper (#3), I will probably continue to purchase them from time to time in the future.
Name: Dairy Milk Chips Ahoy Cookie Dough
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 100 gram bar
Where Purchased: Walmart
Description: Dairy Milk Chips Ahoy Cookie Dough consists of a flattish bar of Cadbury milk chocolate with small pieces of cookie dough in it. The bar has grooved that would, theoretically allow it to be broken up into three columns of seven pieces, but they do not work well at all.
Opinion: A confection I'd seen before, but decided to grab up on impulse. This bar was an interesting one because the cookie dough taste dominated so much that I couldn't really taste much of the Dairy Milk. This isn't a bad thing per se, but does make it somewhat difficult to review. As such, I'll simply say that whether or not you like the taste of chocolate chip cookie dough will determine whether you like this bar or not. As it stands, I enjoyed this product and would probably buy it again, but due to the size, only on a very occasional basis or if I have someone I'd like to share with.
Name: Midget Gems
Manufacturer: Maynards
Size: 190 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Midget Gems consist of small hard gummies that come in a variety of colours and flavours (lime, pear, orange, blackcurrant, apricot and raspberry) and are either square, ovate, or circular and have tapered tops.
Opinion: A candy I was only vaguely aware of, but decided to snap up. The candies are composed of a very firm gummi material and have a taste I found reminiscent of Wine Gums, having a somewhat muted fruit flavours with an unusual, but quite pleasant aftertaste. Overall, I found these to be fairly enjoyable and would probably be ideal as a light snack, but at the same time, I thought they were rather too reminiscent of Wine Gums for me really bother seeking these out again.
Name: Tic Tacs, Arctic Rush
Manufacturer: Ferrero
Size: 24 gram box
Where Purchased: Giant Tiger
Description: Arctic Rush Tic Tacs consist of white and blue tic-tact candies with a strong minty flavour. Despite having two different coloured candies in the package, I found myself unable to discern any difference in flavour between the two.
Opinion: Another item found in my Christmas stocking, I've purchased this item before, but am generally more partial to the Orange and Fresh Mint flavours. In any case, while Tic Tacs are sometimes marketed as breath-freshening agent, I've generally consumed them as a candy and so will only be evaluating them as such. Arctic Rush delivers a fairly intense mint flavour starting rather mild, but becoming stronger as it dissolves. Regretably, I haven't got any of the Fresh Mint ones around to compare them to directly, but I feel quite confident that Arctic Rush provide a substantially stronger mint flavour. Overall, I thought this product was quite good and would probably buy it again, but there are still other Tic Tac varieties that I like better.
This month's been very hectic so far with the arrival of three calves and ten chicks. Plus, the ducks seem to think they have fertile eggs (we have our doubts so there may be little ducklings soon too. Cute as all these things are, however, caring for them constitutes a lot of work and has kept me quite busy these last two weeks.
Next week, however, promises to be even busier as I have both a dentist appointment on Tuesday and a doctor's appointment Thursday. Plus, there's a strong chance I'll need to go with my sister to an appointment of her own this coming Monday so I'll be a sleepy kitty for the near future! Despite this, I've not given up on the long-overdue picture I had wanted to get done for the month even if I must place it on the back-burner for the time-being while I focus on some health-related issues.
Despite all this stuff to do, I'm also kind of bored today, and since it's a Tuesday, feel free to ask me any questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer.
Well, I guess that's it for now, thanks for reading *more hugs* And now, without further ado, Kaffre talks Candy #19
Kaffre talks Candy #19Name: Aero, Orange
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 41 gram bar
Where Purchased: Beaver Variety and Takeout
Description: Orange Aero consists of a milk chocolate shell filled with a mass of bubbly orange-flavoured chocolate(?) dyed an unsettling orange colour. The shape of the bar, like that of the original Aero, was redesigned recently. Formerly, the shell was fairly flat with only slight grooves so that the bar could be broken into seven pieces. The new design, however, features ten dome-shaped pieces joined together in a two columns of five instead.
Opinion: A product I've had before, but hadn't seen recently and snatched up for this review. As with the peppermint Aero, this product is indistinguishable from the standard bar except for the different flavour and as such one's opinion of this product will correspond directly to their feelings regarding orange-flavoured chocolate. Personally, I do enjoy citrus-flavoured chocolate from time to time and felt this bar was quite tasty having a mild orange flavour that blended seamlessly with the milk chocolate. If availability were better, it might even displace the Peppermint Aero from my regular buy list!
Name: Crispers, All Dressed
Manufacturer: Christie Brown & Co.
Size: 175 gram bag.
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: All Dressed Crispers consist of thin, flat, crackers with a wavy, but rectangular shape that have been flavoured to taste like a combination of Ketchup, Sour Cream & Onion, Barbecue, and Salt & Vinegar. This is a fairly standard flavour of chip in Canada (but apparently unknown elsewhere) and tastes much better than it sounds.
Opinion: A product I've often eaten before, but generally only when they're on sale. While milder tasting than I remembered, Crispers are still quite tasty and have a more satisfying crunch than most chips can deliver. The flavour, a satisfying gestalt that's simultaneously sweet, salty, sour, 'hot', and creamy once mystified me, but knowing the constituents is actually pretty obvious in retrospect. Overall I liked this product and while it's not my favourite variety of Crisper (#3), I will probably continue to purchase them from time to time in the future.
Name: Dairy Milk Chips Ahoy Cookie Dough
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 100 gram bar
Where Purchased: Walmart
Description: Dairy Milk Chips Ahoy Cookie Dough consists of a flattish bar of Cadbury milk chocolate with small pieces of cookie dough in it. The bar has grooved that would, theoretically allow it to be broken up into three columns of seven pieces, but they do not work well at all.
Opinion: A confection I'd seen before, but decided to grab up on impulse. This bar was an interesting one because the cookie dough taste dominated so much that I couldn't really taste much of the Dairy Milk. This isn't a bad thing per se, but does make it somewhat difficult to review. As such, I'll simply say that whether or not you like the taste of chocolate chip cookie dough will determine whether you like this bar or not. As it stands, I enjoyed this product and would probably buy it again, but due to the size, only on a very occasional basis or if I have someone I'd like to share with.
Name: Midget Gems
Manufacturer: Maynards
Size: 190 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Midget Gems consist of small hard gummies that come in a variety of colours and flavours (lime, pear, orange, blackcurrant, apricot and raspberry) and are either square, ovate, or circular and have tapered tops.
Opinion: A candy I was only vaguely aware of, but decided to snap up. The candies are composed of a very firm gummi material and have a taste I found reminiscent of Wine Gums, having a somewhat muted fruit flavours with an unusual, but quite pleasant aftertaste. Overall, I found these to be fairly enjoyable and would probably be ideal as a light snack, but at the same time, I thought they were rather too reminiscent of Wine Gums for me really bother seeking these out again.
Name: Tic Tacs, Arctic Rush
Manufacturer: Ferrero
Size: 24 gram box
Where Purchased: Giant Tiger
Description: Arctic Rush Tic Tacs consist of white and blue tic-tact candies with a strong minty flavour. Despite having two different coloured candies in the package, I found myself unable to discern any difference in flavour between the two.
Opinion: Another item found in my Christmas stocking, I've purchased this item before, but am generally more partial to the Orange and Fresh Mint flavours. In any case, while Tic Tacs are sometimes marketed as breath-freshening agent, I've generally consumed them as a candy and so will only be evaluating them as such. Arctic Rush delivers a fairly intense mint flavour starting rather mild, but becoming stronger as it dissolves. Regretably, I haven't got any of the Fresh Mint ones around to compare them to directly, but I feel quite confident that Arctic Rush provide a substantially stronger mint flavour. Overall, I thought this product was quite good and would probably buy it again, but there are still other Tic Tac varieties that I like better.
Apologies + Kaffre talks Candy #18
Posted 9 years agoHello friends and other journal-readers.
First, I want to offer you all my sincerest apologies from my absence from FA and other sites these past few days. I was, unfortunately, hit by an infected tooth on Sunday night and wound up having to spend Monday in Kingston getting antibiotics. Unable to sleep due to the pain, I was reduced to gargling with cold water almost constantly in an effort to relieve the pain until this morning.
Furthermore, something happened to my computer (I think I may have accidentally done something to the settings while in a sleep-deprived state) which prevented me from doing much yesterday. Replacing the keyboard seems to have resolved the worst of the issues - I probably spilled cold water on it after drifting off at the keyboard. I am, however, still experiencing some problems and don't really know whether they'll be getting better or worse in the short-term so f I suddenly drop off here again for a few days, please understand and try to be patient with me while I try my very best to get back to you.
Beyond that, I'm afraid I've done no art or writing this week and while it's really quite tempting to place all of the blame on the blinding dental pain I was experiencing, I'm not really sure how much of an effect it actually had on my productivity since I've never been the most prolific artist. Still, now that my mouth's feeling better, my optimism is renewed and I hope to have something to present to you all sometime in the next week or so - maybe that December picture I've been talking about the last five months or so?
Beyond that, this week I shall need to focus on writing up a self-report for my upcoming meeting with my psychiatrist and making an appointment with a dentist to see if we can get some of my broken teeth repaired before they become infected again!
Well, I guess that's it for now. Thanks again for listening to all my whining! *hugs*
Kaffre talks Candy #18
Name: Ben Shaw's Cloudy Lemonade
Manufacturer: Cott
Size: 330mL can
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Cloudy Lemonade consists of a fairly standard looking carbonated lemonade - surprisingly, to me at least, it's not especially cloudy-looking.
Opinion: A beverage I grabbed on a whim, this product is quite tasty. The carbonation is fairly mild, but I think it works well here. Likewise, there's a nice amount of lemon flavour and the drink manages to avoid being either to sour or too sweet. While I enjoy the occasional lemonade, it's not really my beverage of choice and so I probably won't be buying this product with any frequency, but as one of the tastier canned lemonades I've ever had it will definitely see additional purchases.
Name: Dairy Milk Oreo Cookie Crunch
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 100 gram bar
Where Purchased: Loblaws
Description: Dairy Milk Oreo Cookie Crunch consists of a flattish bar of Cadbury milk chocolate with bits of broken Oreo cookies embedded in it. The bar has grooved that would, theoretically allow it to be broken up into three columns of seven pieces, but they do not work well at all.
Opinion: A confection I'd seen before, but hadn't really wanted to grab because it only came in the larger size bar. The chocolate tasted about the same as a standard dairy milk, but the texture did seem a bit harder though this may be a consequence of the cookie pieces or the proportions being different from the 42 gram bar. While it has been a while since I last ate an Oreo (look for them to be reviewed soon), from what I remember the taste is quite authentic having a hint of the sweet creaminess of Oreo filling as well as a welcome bit of crunch from the cookie portion, all of of which nicely compliments the Dairy Milk itself. Overall, I felt this product was quite good and would probably buy it again though, due to its size, it will remain an occasional treat unless I have someone I'd like to share it with.
Name: Lay's P.E.I. Scalloped Potatoes Chips
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 255 gram bag
Where Purchased: Loblaws
Description: P.E.I. Scalloped Potatoes consist of fairly normal looking potato chips with a slight orange cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: A product I tried before as part of 'Do Us a Flavour, 2015', and discussed in 'Kaffre talks Chips', but wanted to include in the main feature too as this is the first time a flavour I liked has won that competition. The chips, unsurprisingly, have a cheesy flavour which I suspect is supposed to represent cheddar or a similar variety with a pleasant sharpness without being too salty, I do believe there's a slight onion taste as well (which makes sense given the dish being emulated). Overall, I enjoyed this product and would probably buy them again from time to time albeit preferably in a small format as the 'Family Size' bags are, I find, a bit much for a single person.
Name: Scottish Fudge
Manufacturer: Lees of Scotland
Size: 60 gram block
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Lee's Scottish Fudge consists of a beige brick of fudge about the size of a candy bar. Very plain looking.
Opinion: A product I've never heard of an grabbed on a whim. The first thing I noticed about this product is that it is very sweet, but with a nice amount of fudgey warmth. I wasn't quite able to discern what flavour of fudge was meant to be represented, but that could just be a flavour not common to North America. Overall, I thought this product was fairly tasty and would consider buying it again, but probably without great frequency as, while I do enjoy a nice fudge from time to time, it's not something I indulge very often.
Name: Trident Peppermint
Manufacturer: Mondelez
Size: 16.8 grams in twelve pieces
Where Purchased: Unknown (gift)
Description: Trident Peppermint consists of a white chicle-type gum with a Peppermint flavour.
Opinion: A gum I'm quite sure I've had before, but can't really remember much about. While I do enjoy the flavour of mint, it has never struck me as particularly appealing in gum. That said, the gum has a nice balanced flavour having a pleasant sweetness, but without the mentholated bite of some candies. Overall, I enjoyed this gum, but at the same time found it rather generic and can't really think of anything to say that would distinguish it from other similarly flavoured gums. While I didn't buy this particular pack, I have bought them in the past and and likely will in future, but can't really claim any special affinity for the product.
First, I want to offer you all my sincerest apologies from my absence from FA and other sites these past few days. I was, unfortunately, hit by an infected tooth on Sunday night and wound up having to spend Monday in Kingston getting antibiotics. Unable to sleep due to the pain, I was reduced to gargling with cold water almost constantly in an effort to relieve the pain until this morning.
Furthermore, something happened to my computer (I think I may have accidentally done something to the settings while in a sleep-deprived state) which prevented me from doing much yesterday. Replacing the keyboard seems to have resolved the worst of the issues - I probably spilled cold water on it after drifting off at the keyboard. I am, however, still experiencing some problems and don't really know whether they'll be getting better or worse in the short-term so f I suddenly drop off here again for a few days, please understand and try to be patient with me while I try my very best to get back to you.
Beyond that, I'm afraid I've done no art or writing this week and while it's really quite tempting to place all of the blame on the blinding dental pain I was experiencing, I'm not really sure how much of an effect it actually had on my productivity since I've never been the most prolific artist. Still, now that my mouth's feeling better, my optimism is renewed and I hope to have something to present to you all sometime in the next week or so - maybe that December picture I've been talking about the last five months or so?
Beyond that, this week I shall need to focus on writing up a self-report for my upcoming meeting with my psychiatrist and making an appointment with a dentist to see if we can get some of my broken teeth repaired before they become infected again!
Well, I guess that's it for now. Thanks again for listening to all my whining! *hugs*
Kaffre talks Candy #18
Name: Ben Shaw's Cloudy Lemonade
Manufacturer: Cott
Size: 330mL can
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Cloudy Lemonade consists of a fairly standard looking carbonated lemonade - surprisingly, to me at least, it's not especially cloudy-looking.
Opinion: A beverage I grabbed on a whim, this product is quite tasty. The carbonation is fairly mild, but I think it works well here. Likewise, there's a nice amount of lemon flavour and the drink manages to avoid being either to sour or too sweet. While I enjoy the occasional lemonade, it's not really my beverage of choice and so I probably won't be buying this product with any frequency, but as one of the tastier canned lemonades I've ever had it will definitely see additional purchases.
Name: Dairy Milk Oreo Cookie Crunch
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 100 gram bar
Where Purchased: Loblaws
Description: Dairy Milk Oreo Cookie Crunch consists of a flattish bar of Cadbury milk chocolate with bits of broken Oreo cookies embedded in it. The bar has grooved that would, theoretically allow it to be broken up into three columns of seven pieces, but they do not work well at all.
Opinion: A confection I'd seen before, but hadn't really wanted to grab because it only came in the larger size bar. The chocolate tasted about the same as a standard dairy milk, but the texture did seem a bit harder though this may be a consequence of the cookie pieces or the proportions being different from the 42 gram bar. While it has been a while since I last ate an Oreo (look for them to be reviewed soon), from what I remember the taste is quite authentic having a hint of the sweet creaminess of Oreo filling as well as a welcome bit of crunch from the cookie portion, all of of which nicely compliments the Dairy Milk itself. Overall, I felt this product was quite good and would probably buy it again though, due to its size, it will remain an occasional treat unless I have someone I'd like to share it with.
Name: Lay's P.E.I. Scalloped Potatoes Chips
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 255 gram bag
Where Purchased: Loblaws
Description: P.E.I. Scalloped Potatoes consist of fairly normal looking potato chips with a slight orange cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: A product I tried before as part of 'Do Us a Flavour, 2015', and discussed in 'Kaffre talks Chips', but wanted to include in the main feature too as this is the first time a flavour I liked has won that competition. The chips, unsurprisingly, have a cheesy flavour which I suspect is supposed to represent cheddar or a similar variety with a pleasant sharpness without being too salty, I do believe there's a slight onion taste as well (which makes sense given the dish being emulated). Overall, I enjoyed this product and would probably buy them again from time to time albeit preferably in a small format as the 'Family Size' bags are, I find, a bit much for a single person.
Name: Scottish Fudge
Manufacturer: Lees of Scotland
Size: 60 gram block
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Lee's Scottish Fudge consists of a beige brick of fudge about the size of a candy bar. Very plain looking.
Opinion: A product I've never heard of an grabbed on a whim. The first thing I noticed about this product is that it is very sweet, but with a nice amount of fudgey warmth. I wasn't quite able to discern what flavour of fudge was meant to be represented, but that could just be a flavour not common to North America. Overall, I thought this product was fairly tasty and would consider buying it again, but probably without great frequency as, while I do enjoy a nice fudge from time to time, it's not something I indulge very often.
Name: Trident Peppermint
Manufacturer: Mondelez
Size: 16.8 grams in twelve pieces
Where Purchased: Unknown (gift)
Description: Trident Peppermint consists of a white chicle-type gum with a Peppermint flavour.
Opinion: A gum I'm quite sure I've had before, but can't really remember much about. While I do enjoy the flavour of mint, it has never struck me as particularly appealing in gum. That said, the gum has a nice balanced flavour having a pleasant sweetness, but without the mentholated bite of some candies. Overall, I enjoyed this gum, but at the same time found it rather generic and can't really think of anything to say that would distinguish it from other similarly flavoured gums. While I didn't buy this particular pack, I have bought them in the past and and likely will in future, but can't really claim any special affinity for the product.
A Busy Week + Kaffre talks Candy # 17
Posted 9 years agoGreetings, dear journal-readers!
As some of you no-doubt noticed, I wasn't really around much last week. The reason for this is that I had consecutive appointments in Kingston on Wednesday and Thursday and consequently wound up staying in town all day on both dates and, of course, spent most of Friday catching up on chores I wasn't home to perform the previous two days. The whole thing was quite exhausting, but I think I managed to make a goodly amount of progress in obtaining diagnosis/treatment for my psychological issues. Unfortunately, the earliest they were able to book my next appointment is mid-June which will be cutting things close in terms of starting treatment.
In other kitten-news, I'm doing well, but am ashamed to say I've not really drawn or written anything since my last journal. I do, however, have plenty of ideas I want to get down on paper so hopefully I'll manage to do so at some point this week which should be relatively quiet one. So with any luck the number of Kaffre arts on FA should increase greatly in the near future! If not though, this journal will still work for this week's quota though I do believe I'm still a week or two behind schedule on that front so I'll really have to get moving!
Well, I guess that's about it for this journal, but I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read my journal as I realize their probably not the most interesting. As compensation, please accept a hug! *hugs* Also, even though it's a Monday, I'm rather bored so if any of you have questions you'd like to ask me or Kaffre, now would be an ideal time for you to do so!
In any case, bye-bye for now! *hugs some more*
Kaffre talks Candy #17
Name: Barley Sugar
Manufacturer: Bonds Confectionery Ltd.
Size: 150 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Barley Sugar consists of translucent orange hard candies individually wrapped in pieces of cellophane.
Opinion: A candy I was aware of from its mention in the 'Pig and Pepper' chapter of 'Alice in Wonderland', but had never seen before and decided to grab up. I have the bad habit of crunching hard candies which, together with bruxism, has led to a lot of premature wear on my teeth, but the hardness of these sweets is comparable to a candy cane while the flavour is mostly reminiscent of orange, but there's something else too (ginger or molasses perhaps?). While advances in candymaking have eliminated the need to use actual barley extract for this confection, it is apparently still used as a flavouring agent sometimes. Overall, I enjoyed these candies quite a bit, finding the sweet, but understated flavours to be soothing and delicious. I'm not normally much for hard candies, but I can see myself buying these again albeit probably only to share or in a smaller bag.
Name: Coca-Cola, Vanilla (UK version)
Manufacturer: Coca-Cola
Size: 330mL can
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Vanilla Coke consists of a dark coloured carbonated beverage flavoured to taste like kola and vanilla. Can is more of a burgundy colour than the fire-engine red we have here in Canada.
Opinion: While vanilla coke is not officially sold in Canada, I have in fact tried it from 'Coca-Cola Freestyle' machine at a local Wendy's restaurant and found it reasonably tasty. The taste is superficially similar to the ordinary Coca-Cola, except that it had a noticeable vanilla aftertaste and was, perhaps, a touch sweeter. Overall, I thought this product was reasonably tasty and, if it were more readily available, I'd probably buy it again, but as it stands, I just don't find it different enough from the regular variety to justify the purchase.
Name: Excel Bubblermint
Manufacturer: Wrigley
Size: 16.8 grams in twelve pieces
Where Purchased: Unknown (gift)
Description: Excel Bubblemint consists of a white chicle-type gum with some combination of bubblegum and mint flavours.
Opinion: An (apparently Canada exclusive) gum I'd seen, but never purchased let alone considered reviewing until receiving a pack as part of a gift. Given the name, I wasn't quite sure what flavour to expect from this product, but ultimately the taste was a pretty conventional 'bubblegum' with just a hint of mentholated coolness at the end. The gum seemed to lose its flavour a bit quickly, but I tend to get that effect from most gums (perhaps an effect of chewing too vigorously). Overall, I quite enjoyed this gum and while I don't necessarily feel the mint added much to the equation, I would probably buy it again if not for my strange attachment to 'Thrills' gum.
Name: Macaroon
Manufacturer: Lees of Scotland
Size: 70 gram block
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Macaroon consists of a block of fondant that's been covered in milk chocolate, roasted coconut, and breadcrumbs.
Opinion: I've had macaroons before, but apparently 'Scottish macaroons' are a somewhat different confection (though I didn't know that when I bought this). The first thing I noticed after biting into this product was the intense almost painful sweetness of the fondant centre. The chocolate and toasted coconut did nothing to mitigate this, but do compliment it very nicely, resulting in a surprisingly tasty snack. While somewhat overly sweet for my tastes, I did enjoy this product and will probably purchase it again from time to time.
Name: McVitie's Fruit Club
Manufacturer: United Biscuit
Size: Eight 23 gram bars.
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: McVitie's Fruit Club consists of a cellophane wrapper containing 8 individually wrapped chocolate bars. The bars themselves consist of a crunchy biscuit (cookie) enrobed in chocolate with an small amount currant-flavoured stuff baked into the body of the cookie, giving a chewy texture.
Opinion: A product I'd never seen before, but grabbed up despite finding them a tad intimidating. Ultimately, though, it was much better than I had expected with the fruit flavoured melding nicely with the chocolate and the bar's chewiness being rather mild. Overall, I felt this product was reasonably good and while I'd no trouble completing the bag, I don't really think I'll be buying it again. Primarily due to my not really caring for fruit-flavoured cookies.
As some of you no-doubt noticed, I wasn't really around much last week. The reason for this is that I had consecutive appointments in Kingston on Wednesday and Thursday and consequently wound up staying in town all day on both dates and, of course, spent most of Friday catching up on chores I wasn't home to perform the previous two days. The whole thing was quite exhausting, but I think I managed to make a goodly amount of progress in obtaining diagnosis/treatment for my psychological issues. Unfortunately, the earliest they were able to book my next appointment is mid-June which will be cutting things close in terms of starting treatment.
In other kitten-news, I'm doing well, but am ashamed to say I've not really drawn or written anything since my last journal. I do, however, have plenty of ideas I want to get down on paper so hopefully I'll manage to do so at some point this week which should be relatively quiet one. So with any luck the number of Kaffre arts on FA should increase greatly in the near future! If not though, this journal will still work for this week's quota though I do believe I'm still a week or two behind schedule on that front so I'll really have to get moving!
Well, I guess that's about it for this journal, but I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read my journal as I realize their probably not the most interesting. As compensation, please accept a hug! *hugs* Also, even though it's a Monday, I'm rather bored so if any of you have questions you'd like to ask me or Kaffre, now would be an ideal time for you to do so!
In any case, bye-bye for now! *hugs some more*
Kaffre talks Candy #17
Name: Barley Sugar
Manufacturer: Bonds Confectionery Ltd.
Size: 150 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Barley Sugar consists of translucent orange hard candies individually wrapped in pieces of cellophane.
Opinion: A candy I was aware of from its mention in the 'Pig and Pepper' chapter of 'Alice in Wonderland', but had never seen before and decided to grab up. I have the bad habit of crunching hard candies which, together with bruxism, has led to a lot of premature wear on my teeth, but the hardness of these sweets is comparable to a candy cane while the flavour is mostly reminiscent of orange, but there's something else too (ginger or molasses perhaps?). While advances in candymaking have eliminated the need to use actual barley extract for this confection, it is apparently still used as a flavouring agent sometimes. Overall, I enjoyed these candies quite a bit, finding the sweet, but understated flavours to be soothing and delicious. I'm not normally much for hard candies, but I can see myself buying these again albeit probably only to share or in a smaller bag.
Name: Coca-Cola, Vanilla (UK version)
Manufacturer: Coca-Cola
Size: 330mL can
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Vanilla Coke consists of a dark coloured carbonated beverage flavoured to taste like kola and vanilla. Can is more of a burgundy colour than the fire-engine red we have here in Canada.
Opinion: While vanilla coke is not officially sold in Canada, I have in fact tried it from 'Coca-Cola Freestyle' machine at a local Wendy's restaurant and found it reasonably tasty. The taste is superficially similar to the ordinary Coca-Cola, except that it had a noticeable vanilla aftertaste and was, perhaps, a touch sweeter. Overall, I thought this product was reasonably tasty and, if it were more readily available, I'd probably buy it again, but as it stands, I just don't find it different enough from the regular variety to justify the purchase.
Name: Excel Bubblermint
Manufacturer: Wrigley
Size: 16.8 grams in twelve pieces
Where Purchased: Unknown (gift)
Description: Excel Bubblemint consists of a white chicle-type gum with some combination of bubblegum and mint flavours.
Opinion: An (apparently Canada exclusive) gum I'd seen, but never purchased let alone considered reviewing until receiving a pack as part of a gift. Given the name, I wasn't quite sure what flavour to expect from this product, but ultimately the taste was a pretty conventional 'bubblegum' with just a hint of mentholated coolness at the end. The gum seemed to lose its flavour a bit quickly, but I tend to get that effect from most gums (perhaps an effect of chewing too vigorously). Overall, I quite enjoyed this gum and while I don't necessarily feel the mint added much to the equation, I would probably buy it again if not for my strange attachment to 'Thrills' gum.
Name: Macaroon
Manufacturer: Lees of Scotland
Size: 70 gram block
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Macaroon consists of a block of fondant that's been covered in milk chocolate, roasted coconut, and breadcrumbs.
Opinion: I've had macaroons before, but apparently 'Scottish macaroons' are a somewhat different confection (though I didn't know that when I bought this). The first thing I noticed after biting into this product was the intense almost painful sweetness of the fondant centre. The chocolate and toasted coconut did nothing to mitigate this, but do compliment it very nicely, resulting in a surprisingly tasty snack. While somewhat overly sweet for my tastes, I did enjoy this product and will probably purchase it again from time to time.
Name: McVitie's Fruit Club
Manufacturer: United Biscuit
Size: Eight 23 gram bars.
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: McVitie's Fruit Club consists of a cellophane wrapper containing 8 individually wrapped chocolate bars. The bars themselves consist of a crunchy biscuit (cookie) enrobed in chocolate with an small amount currant-flavoured stuff baked into the body of the cookie, giving a chewy texture.
Opinion: A product I'd never seen before, but grabbed up despite finding them a tad intimidating. Ultimately, though, it was much better than I had expected with the fruit flavoured melding nicely with the chocolate and the bar's chewiness being rather mild. Overall, I felt this product was reasonably good and while I'd no trouble completing the bag, I don't really think I'll be buying it again. Primarily due to my not really caring for fruit-flavoured cookies.
March, 2016: The Journalling! + Kaffre talks Candy #16
Posted 9 years agoHello again, loyal Journal-readers!
I'd like to start off this month's first 'real' journal, by apologizing for my lack of artistic output this year. The pic I'm working on is winter-themed so I had hoped to get it out while there was still snow on the ground, but alas this month being 'in like a lamb' has thwarted me - though there is still a fair bit of hard-packed ice remaining so I'm moving the goalposts a bit and make that my new deadline! To further motivate myself to actually draw the thing (it's rather complicated), I'll provide a description here: It was intended as birthday pic for MJ, Ozzie, and Hexaod and featured Kaffre and them preparing to go on a toboggan ride, but I've been struggling with the composition for some time now. I think I'm finally getting close to something workable, however! :hopes:
The next order of business is a question I have of you all: Does anyone know what account jerrytehmunk is using now? I don't have any particular reason of him or anything, but he changes accounts so quickly that I seem to have lost track of him altogether.
As far as real-life goes, I'm slowly, but surely making progress on arranging the specialist appointments I need. It's still scheduled for April 7, but I there's some paperwork I need to have ready for the doctor to fill out and that, unfortunately, giving me some grief. Also, I've a broken tooth that's causing me pain intermittently meaning I may have to arrange an appointment with a dentist soon too...
Well, I guess that's it for this journal. Thanks for reading it! *hugs*
PS. As this journal is being posted on a Tuesday, feel free to ask any questions you may have in mind! *more hugs*
Kaffre talks Candy #16
Name: Kit Kat, 2016 Edition: White & Milk
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: Eight 20.8 gram bars
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Kit Kat, 2016 Edition: White & Milk consists of eight individually wrapped fun-sized Kit Kat bars which resemble the ordinary bars in every detail except that the top half of the bar is covered in white chocolate while the bottom half retains its familiar milk chocolate coating.
Opinion: A special edition 8-pack to celebrate the Year of the Monkey, I grabbed this up from the clearance bin not really knowing what to expect. The result was, in fact, rather interesting with the white chocolate providing a robust vanilla flavour for an overall effect that I found reminiscent of a Kinder Surprise. Overall, I thought this product was quite good and would probably buy it from time to time if it were available year round though I do suspect it may lose some of its appeal once the novelty wore off. On the other paw, at the very least, it's still a Kit Kat...
Name: Scottish Tablet
Manufacturer: Lees of Scotland
Size: 60 gram block
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Lee's Scottish Tablet consists of a beige brick of sandy-coloured material with a texture reminiscent of fudge.
Opinion: A product I'd vaguely heard of via toddlergirl making it at home and grabbed for fun. The bar had, by the time I got it home, developed a slight tackiness and in general, it seems pretty hygroscopic (research indicates this is a common problem in fudge-like confections due to the high sugar content). In any case, the item tastes much like a standard vanilla-flavoured fudge except that the texture's a bt grainier and while not 'harder' per se, it somehow seemed denser though that may be a result of moisture accumulation. Overall, a reasonably tasty treat, but not one I'm sure I'd buy again with any kind of regularity, but may perhaps grab from time to time for a bit of change.
Name: Starbar
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 49 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Starbar consists of a rounded bar with an ovoid crosssection containing a core of crunchy powdered peanut (similar to the crispy crunch, but softer) surrounded by a layer of caramel and finally coated in a layer of milk chocolate. Apart from the unusual shape and size, however, the bar is actually rather plain-looking.
Opinion: Apparently what Cadbury calls Wunderbar in the UK, I grabbed this bar up on a whim. As noted above, the taste was pretty much identical to that of Wunderbar (American readers may imagine Butterfinger, but with a layer of caramel and a softer, less-salty centre). Overall, I enjoyed this product, finding the different textures and flavours to combine quite well resulting in a very tasty candy bar. That said, however, I don't think I'll be buying this again - mainly due to the greater availability of Wunderbar.
Name: Tayto Roast Chicken Crisps
Manufacturer: Tayto
Size: 37.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Tayto Roast Chicken consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: An Irish import I'd not seen before, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this product. While Roast Chicken is a flavour one occasionally sees in Canada, it's not very common and I never was especially fond of it. The actual flavour is difficult to describe and, I suspect, is probably an attempt to replicate the taste of spices used to season poultry rather than the chicken itself. I'm not really sure how successful the endeavour was, but I, at least, had a difficult time identifying any of the individual herbs used. Overall, I thought this flavour to be 'OK', I would gladly eat these again, but they're not a flavour I'd choose to buy for myself.
Name: Tizer
Manufacturer: Barr
Size: 330mL can
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Tizer consists of a bright yellow carbonated beverage flavoured with 'citrus' and 'red fruit'. "The Great British Pop"
Opinion: A Scottish product I'd heard of only the vaguest of terms, but nabbed on a whim anyway. The flavour is somewhat similar to a combination of ginger ale and a lemon/lime flavoured pop like 7up or Sprite. There's also an aftertaste reminiscent of diet soda, a taste I generally dislike, but think works well here, possibly because the drink does contain actual sugar in addition to whatever's responsible for that flavour (as well as yummy black carrot and safflower concentrates). Overall, I found this product to be reasonably tasty, but at the same time didn't think it was really different enough from ginger ale/lemon lime pops to make it worth the effort of tracking it down again.
I'd like to start off this month's first 'real' journal, by apologizing for my lack of artistic output this year. The pic I'm working on is winter-themed so I had hoped to get it out while there was still snow on the ground, but alas this month being 'in like a lamb' has thwarted me - though there is still a fair bit of hard-packed ice remaining so I'm moving the goalposts a bit and make that my new deadline! To further motivate myself to actually draw the thing (it's rather complicated), I'll provide a description here: It was intended as birthday pic for MJ, Ozzie, and Hexaod and featured Kaffre and them preparing to go on a toboggan ride, but I've been struggling with the composition for some time now. I think I'm finally getting close to something workable, however! :hopes:
The next order of business is a question I have of you all: Does anyone know what account jerrytehmunk is using now? I don't have any particular reason of him or anything, but he changes accounts so quickly that I seem to have lost track of him altogether.
As far as real-life goes, I'm slowly, but surely making progress on arranging the specialist appointments I need. It's still scheduled for April 7, but I there's some paperwork I need to have ready for the doctor to fill out and that, unfortunately, giving me some grief. Also, I've a broken tooth that's causing me pain intermittently meaning I may have to arrange an appointment with a dentist soon too...
Well, I guess that's it for this journal. Thanks for reading it! *hugs*
PS. As this journal is being posted on a Tuesday, feel free to ask any questions you may have in mind! *more hugs*
Kaffre talks Candy #16
Name: Kit Kat, 2016 Edition: White & Milk
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: Eight 20.8 gram bars
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Kit Kat, 2016 Edition: White & Milk consists of eight individually wrapped fun-sized Kit Kat bars which resemble the ordinary bars in every detail except that the top half of the bar is covered in white chocolate while the bottom half retains its familiar milk chocolate coating.
Opinion: A special edition 8-pack to celebrate the Year of the Monkey, I grabbed this up from the clearance bin not really knowing what to expect. The result was, in fact, rather interesting with the white chocolate providing a robust vanilla flavour for an overall effect that I found reminiscent of a Kinder Surprise. Overall, I thought this product was quite good and would probably buy it from time to time if it were available year round though I do suspect it may lose some of its appeal once the novelty wore off. On the other paw, at the very least, it's still a Kit Kat...
Name: Scottish Tablet
Manufacturer: Lees of Scotland
Size: 60 gram block
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Lee's Scottish Tablet consists of a beige brick of sandy-coloured material with a texture reminiscent of fudge.
Opinion: A product I'd vaguely heard of via toddlergirl making it at home and grabbed for fun. The bar had, by the time I got it home, developed a slight tackiness and in general, it seems pretty hygroscopic (research indicates this is a common problem in fudge-like confections due to the high sugar content). In any case, the item tastes much like a standard vanilla-flavoured fudge except that the texture's a bt grainier and while not 'harder' per se, it somehow seemed denser though that may be a result of moisture accumulation. Overall, a reasonably tasty treat, but not one I'm sure I'd buy again with any kind of regularity, but may perhaps grab from time to time for a bit of change.
Name: Starbar
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 49 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Starbar consists of a rounded bar with an ovoid crosssection containing a core of crunchy powdered peanut (similar to the crispy crunch, but softer) surrounded by a layer of caramel and finally coated in a layer of milk chocolate. Apart from the unusual shape and size, however, the bar is actually rather plain-looking.
Opinion: Apparently what Cadbury calls Wunderbar in the UK, I grabbed this bar up on a whim. As noted above, the taste was pretty much identical to that of Wunderbar (American readers may imagine Butterfinger, but with a layer of caramel and a softer, less-salty centre). Overall, I enjoyed this product, finding the different textures and flavours to combine quite well resulting in a very tasty candy bar. That said, however, I don't think I'll be buying this again - mainly due to the greater availability of Wunderbar.
Name: Tayto Roast Chicken Crisps
Manufacturer: Tayto
Size: 37.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Tayto Roast Chicken consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: An Irish import I'd not seen before, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this product. While Roast Chicken is a flavour one occasionally sees in Canada, it's not very common and I never was especially fond of it. The actual flavour is difficult to describe and, I suspect, is probably an attempt to replicate the taste of spices used to season poultry rather than the chicken itself. I'm not really sure how successful the endeavour was, but I, at least, had a difficult time identifying any of the individual herbs used. Overall, I thought this flavour to be 'OK', I would gladly eat these again, but they're not a flavour I'd choose to buy for myself.
Name: Tizer
Manufacturer: Barr
Size: 330mL can
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Tizer consists of a bright yellow carbonated beverage flavoured with 'citrus' and 'red fruit'. "The Great British Pop"
Opinion: A Scottish product I'd heard of only the vaguest of terms, but nabbed on a whim anyway. The flavour is somewhat similar to a combination of ginger ale and a lemon/lime flavoured pop like 7up or Sprite. There's also an aftertaste reminiscent of diet soda, a taste I generally dislike, but think works well here, possibly because the drink does contain actual sugar in addition to whatever's responsible for that flavour (as well as yummy black carrot and safflower concentrates). Overall, I found this product to be reasonably tasty, but at the same time didn't think it was really different enough from ginger ale/lemon lime pops to make it worth the effort of tracking it down again.
About my fursona meme
Posted 9 years agoBrazenly stolen from 
zee-zee albeit posted a bit later than I intended...
1. What is your fursona's name?
Kaffre Kitten
2. How old is your fursona?
Three-ish. Except on his birthday (October 29) when he can be 0, 1, or 4!
3. What is your fursona?
A fuzzy little kitten!
4. How much time have you had your fursona?
Not really sure, but probably close to 15 years or so. Although he didn't take his current babyfur form until around the time I joined FA almost seven years ago!
5. Is your fursona inspired by something?
Mostly myslef, but various pets I've had over the years have contributed as well, as have a few of my favourite fictional characters.
6. How much art do you have of your fursona?
Quite a bit actually. Apart from the stuff I've drawn for myself, I've been blessed with lots of gift art from friends!
7. You made your fursona or you buy it?
I created him myself!
8. Why do you consider your fursona special?
To be honest, I'm not sure that he is. I love him anyway though!
9. Does your fursona act too much as you or are they different from you?
Pretty much. Or at least, what I was like as a child based on what I remember/have been told about that time-frame.
10. What kind of hair your does your fursona have?
Well, he's got a plush, vaguely taupe coloured coat. I originally conceived him as a 'classic' tabby, but that was too time consuming to draw so I changed him into a 'mackeral' tabby pretty quickly, complete with a spiffy 'M' on his forehead and everything!
11. Put some drawings of your fursona you like the most:
I've been very lucky about Kaffre finding his way into lots of great art and stories. A few of my very favourites (in no particular order) are:
fredvegerano http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5166821/
tavimunk http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2730792/
marinaneira http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7330405/
zee-zee http://www.furaffinity.net/view/8934329/
toddlergirl http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5518686/
dashinlocat http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3125194/
mjbear http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14891244/
tacki http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2103446/
12. What music represents your fursona?
I imagine something folk-y in keeping with Kaffre's muted personality.
13. If your fursona were insane what music would represent them?
Something similar, but perhaps with some harsher sounds thrown in.
14. Do you wish your fursona were real?
I suppose it would depend on whether I'd be his only caregiver or not. Being him, as with Sarah Kitty or Zee-Zee would be preferable.
15. Do you have any games of your sona?
I'm not quite sure what this question is asking...
16. What would you do if you met your fursona in real life?
Well, once I'd gotten over the initial shock, I suppose we'd spend the day playing various games and maybe drawing some pictures or writing stories.
zee-zee albeit posted a bit later than I intended...1. What is your fursona's name?
Kaffre Kitten
2. How old is your fursona?
Three-ish. Except on his birthday (October 29) when he can be 0, 1, or 4!
3. What is your fursona?
A fuzzy little kitten!
4. How much time have you had your fursona?
Not really sure, but probably close to 15 years or so. Although he didn't take his current babyfur form until around the time I joined FA almost seven years ago!
5. Is your fursona inspired by something?
Mostly myslef, but various pets I've had over the years have contributed as well, as have a few of my favourite fictional characters.
6. How much art do you have of your fursona?
Quite a bit actually. Apart from the stuff I've drawn for myself, I've been blessed with lots of gift art from friends!
7. You made your fursona or you buy it?
I created him myself!
8. Why do you consider your fursona special?
To be honest, I'm not sure that he is. I love him anyway though!
9. Does your fursona act too much as you or are they different from you?
Pretty much. Or at least, what I was like as a child based on what I remember/have been told about that time-frame.
10. What kind of hair your does your fursona have?
Well, he's got a plush, vaguely taupe coloured coat. I originally conceived him as a 'classic' tabby, but that was too time consuming to draw so I changed him into a 'mackeral' tabby pretty quickly, complete with a spiffy 'M' on his forehead and everything!
11. Put some drawings of your fursona you like the most:
I've been very lucky about Kaffre finding his way into lots of great art and stories. A few of my very favourites (in no particular order) are:
fredvegerano http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5166821/
tavimunk http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2730792/
marinaneira http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7330405/ zee-zee http://www.furaffinity.net/view/8934329/
toddlergirl http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5518686/
dashinlocat http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3125194/ mjbear http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14891244/
tacki http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2103446/12. What music represents your fursona?
I imagine something folk-y in keeping with Kaffre's muted personality.
13. If your fursona were insane what music would represent them?
Something similar, but perhaps with some harsher sounds thrown in.
14. Do you wish your fursona were real?
I suppose it would depend on whether I'd be his only caregiver or not. Being him, as with Sarah Kitty or Zee-Zee would be preferable.
15. Do you have any games of your sona?
I'm not quite sure what this question is asking...
16. What would you do if you met your fursona in real life?
Well, once I'd gotten over the initial shock, I suppose we'd spend the day playing various games and maybe drawing some pictures or writing stories.
Regarding my previous journal,,, + Kaffre talks Candy 15
Posted 9 years agoHi everyone! *hugs*
With temperatures dipping to -36c over the weekend and over 30cm of snow on Tuesday, I feel I ought to retract the statements I made about this winter in my previous journal (http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/7361016/) lest Mother Nature decide we need another reminder of who's the Mommy! Fortunately, we had plenty of fuel and most of the snow should melt this weekend when temperatures are supposed to rise above freezing. I'll probably be busy then, however, so there probably won't be anything posted until at least Monday.
As you may have guessed from my posting a second journal this month, I didn't actually managed to get anything drawn or written which is a bit depressing, I think, but with any luck I'll be able to get working on the picture's I've got planned very soon. At present I've found myself preoccupied with household errands that, while slow-going in winter, should be capable of being handled relatively quickly once spring (or at least spring-like weather) rolls around.
As for Kaffre himself, he's been quite well napping, playing with yarn, but like myself has grown somewhat lonely and eager to spend time with his friends (outside the occasional 'Football Cubs' cameo so with any luck the two of us will be able to make sure to pump out oodles of pictures and/or stories over the next few months. Wish us luck!
Well, I guess that's all I have to say for this journal. Thanks, everyone, for taking the time to read it, and, if applicable, comment. Please accept the included hugs as recompense! *huggles for all*
Kaffre talks Candy #15
Name: Banana Toffee
Manufacturer: Walker's Nonsuch
Size: 50 gram slab
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Banana Toffee consists of a stiff chewy toffee of the usual colour sold in a waxed paper packet with instructions to "whack, unwrap, and enjoy".
Opinion: A product I'd never seen before and, to be honest, found a bit unsettling, but grabbed anyway. It took a few good solid whacks to break it up, but it did seem to fragment better than the liquorice-flavoured toffee from the previous day. The banana scent was fairly strong, but thankfully the flavour itself was quite a bit mellower giving a nice blend of banana and traditional toffee flavour. The texture was generally nice, but somewhat uneven with one end being noticeably softer than the other. Overall, this was a fairly tasty snack and comes in a reasonable enough size to consume in a single sitting. I may buy this product again, but almost certainly not on any kind of regular basis.
Name: Coca-Cola, Cherry (UK version)
Manufacturer: Coca-Cola
Size: 330mL can
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Cherry Coke consists of a dark coloured carbonated beverage flavoured to taste like kola and cherry. Can is more of a burgundy colour than the fire-engine red we have here in Canada.
Opinion: While this item is available in various countries around the world, Canada is not among them so I grabbed this up at the import shoppe. The first thing that struck me with this product is how much sweeter it is than any of the other British soft-drinks I've tried being more or less equal to the standard Canadian Coca-Cola. The cola taste is definitely dominant, but with a noticeable aftertaste reminiscent of red (cherry flavoured) licorice. Overall, this product was quite tasty and while I can't say I like it any better than the standard Coca-Cola, it was far better than I expected and I certainly wouldn't mind buying it again from time to time.
Name: Kit Kat, 2016 Edition: Orange
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: Eight 20.8 gram bars
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Kit Kat, 2016 Edition: Orange consists of eight individually wrapped fun-sized Kit Kat bars which resemble the ordinary bars in every detail except that the milk chocolate surrounding the two wafer-cookies is orange flavoured.
Opinion: A special edition 8-pack to celebrate the Year of the Monkey, I grabbed this up from the clearance bin. Despite the wafers' relatively small size, they managed to provide a satisfactory amount of crunch so the main critertia by which this product must be judged is ones attitude to orange-flavoured chocolate. Personally, I'm a fan so long as the taste isn't too overwhelming (a complaint I had with Fry's Orange Cream), but didn't think was a problem with this bar as it blended rather well with creaminess of the milk chocolate. Overall, I liked this product and while I would probably prefer it in a larger size, would probably buy it on a semi-regular basis were it more broadly available.
Name: Luxury Wafers, Chocolate
Manufacturer: Royal Dansk
Size: 200 gram tin.
Where Purchased: Unknown (gift)
Description: Luxury Wafers consist of a cyclindrical chocolate pastry (resembling nothing so much as a cardboard tube), filled with chocolate.
Opinion: A product I'd never seen before unwrapping it, but decided to try anyway. The wafers themselves, despite a cheap appearance were delicate, flaky, and sweet while the soft chocolate filling provided a surprisingly rich flavour for the relatively small volume. Ultimately, they're lacking in mass and aren't even remotely filling, but the taste is pleasant and while I'm uncertain whether I'd ever buy these for myself, I did quite enjoy them and certainly wouldn't mind receiving (or giving) them as a gift in future years.
Name: Walkers Cheese & Onion Crisps
Manufacturer: Walkers (Lays)
Size: 32.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Walkers Cheese & Onion consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: Having reviewed Tayto's take on this flavour in #12, I wasn't sure about reviewing this product, but relented in the face of a sale. The flavour, however, wound up being very different from the aforementioned brand. The cheese flavour was less intense but also smoother and less salty while the onion taste was somewhat understated, but still noticeable, I think. Overall, I liked this product and would probably buy them again, except that they're rather difficult to obtain here and I found the Tayto version rather more to my liking (though naturally the actual flavour probably varies bag to bag). Still, a quality snack.
With temperatures dipping to -36c over the weekend and over 30cm of snow on Tuesday, I feel I ought to retract the statements I made about this winter in my previous journal (http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/7361016/) lest Mother Nature decide we need another reminder of who's the Mommy! Fortunately, we had plenty of fuel and most of the snow should melt this weekend when temperatures are supposed to rise above freezing. I'll probably be busy then, however, so there probably won't be anything posted until at least Monday.
As you may have guessed from my posting a second journal this month, I didn't actually managed to get anything drawn or written which is a bit depressing, I think, but with any luck I'll be able to get working on the picture's I've got planned very soon. At present I've found myself preoccupied with household errands that, while slow-going in winter, should be capable of being handled relatively quickly once spring (or at least spring-like weather) rolls around.
As for Kaffre himself, he's been quite well napping, playing with yarn, but like myself has grown somewhat lonely and eager to spend time with his friends (outside the occasional 'Football Cubs' cameo so with any luck the two of us will be able to make sure to pump out oodles of pictures and/or stories over the next few months. Wish us luck!
Well, I guess that's all I have to say for this journal. Thanks, everyone, for taking the time to read it, and, if applicable, comment. Please accept the included hugs as recompense! *huggles for all*
Kaffre talks Candy #15
Name: Banana Toffee
Manufacturer: Walker's Nonsuch
Size: 50 gram slab
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Banana Toffee consists of a stiff chewy toffee of the usual colour sold in a waxed paper packet with instructions to "whack, unwrap, and enjoy".
Opinion: A product I'd never seen before and, to be honest, found a bit unsettling, but grabbed anyway. It took a few good solid whacks to break it up, but it did seem to fragment better than the liquorice-flavoured toffee from the previous day. The banana scent was fairly strong, but thankfully the flavour itself was quite a bit mellower giving a nice blend of banana and traditional toffee flavour. The texture was generally nice, but somewhat uneven with one end being noticeably softer than the other. Overall, this was a fairly tasty snack and comes in a reasonable enough size to consume in a single sitting. I may buy this product again, but almost certainly not on any kind of regular basis.
Name: Coca-Cola, Cherry (UK version)
Manufacturer: Coca-Cola
Size: 330mL can
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Cherry Coke consists of a dark coloured carbonated beverage flavoured to taste like kola and cherry. Can is more of a burgundy colour than the fire-engine red we have here in Canada.
Opinion: While this item is available in various countries around the world, Canada is not among them so I grabbed this up at the import shoppe. The first thing that struck me with this product is how much sweeter it is than any of the other British soft-drinks I've tried being more or less equal to the standard Canadian Coca-Cola. The cola taste is definitely dominant, but with a noticeable aftertaste reminiscent of red (cherry flavoured) licorice. Overall, this product was quite tasty and while I can't say I like it any better than the standard Coca-Cola, it was far better than I expected and I certainly wouldn't mind buying it again from time to time.
Name: Kit Kat, 2016 Edition: Orange
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: Eight 20.8 gram bars
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Kit Kat, 2016 Edition: Orange consists of eight individually wrapped fun-sized Kit Kat bars which resemble the ordinary bars in every detail except that the milk chocolate surrounding the two wafer-cookies is orange flavoured.
Opinion: A special edition 8-pack to celebrate the Year of the Monkey, I grabbed this up from the clearance bin. Despite the wafers' relatively small size, they managed to provide a satisfactory amount of crunch so the main critertia by which this product must be judged is ones attitude to orange-flavoured chocolate. Personally, I'm a fan so long as the taste isn't too overwhelming (a complaint I had with Fry's Orange Cream), but didn't think was a problem with this bar as it blended rather well with creaminess of the milk chocolate. Overall, I liked this product and while I would probably prefer it in a larger size, would probably buy it on a semi-regular basis were it more broadly available.
Name: Luxury Wafers, Chocolate
Manufacturer: Royal Dansk
Size: 200 gram tin.
Where Purchased: Unknown (gift)
Description: Luxury Wafers consist of a cyclindrical chocolate pastry (resembling nothing so much as a cardboard tube), filled with chocolate.
Opinion: A product I'd never seen before unwrapping it, but decided to try anyway. The wafers themselves, despite a cheap appearance were delicate, flaky, and sweet while the soft chocolate filling provided a surprisingly rich flavour for the relatively small volume. Ultimately, they're lacking in mass and aren't even remotely filling, but the taste is pleasant and while I'm uncertain whether I'd ever buy these for myself, I did quite enjoy them and certainly wouldn't mind receiving (or giving) them as a gift in future years.
Name: Walkers Cheese & Onion Crisps
Manufacturer: Walkers (Lays)
Size: 32.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Walkers Cheese & Onion consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: Having reviewed Tayto's take on this flavour in #12, I wasn't sure about reviewing this product, but relented in the face of a sale. The flavour, however, wound up being very different from the aforementioned brand. The cheese flavour was less intense but also smoother and less salty while the onion taste was somewhat understated, but still noticeable, I think. Overall, I liked this product and would probably buy them again, except that they're rather difficult to obtain here and I found the Tayto version rather more to my liking (though naturally the actual flavour probably varies bag to bag). Still, a quality snack.
Mid-Winter Journal + Kaffre talks Candy #14
Posted 9 years agoGreetings journal-readers.
As the title indicates, today marks the middle of winter which seems as good a reason as any to celebrate with a journal - that and the fact that's I've not yet posted anything this week in accordance with my New Year's resolution! (Please see below, however)
Actually, thanks to El-Nino, it's not been much of a winter here in SE Ontario. There's no snow, little ice, and day-time temperatures have barely dipped below below -10c though there have been warnings that the latter-half of the season will be a bit worse. Actually, that sounds like I'm complaining when really I'm just kinda wondering how we'll tell when spring weather does arrive?
As for myself, I'm doing well and continuing to make slow, but steady progress with my health issues. I am, admittedly 1 week behind on my New Year resolution, but feel quite confident that I can catch up as I have a number of very exciting picture/story ideas in the works and the only thing really keeping me from working on them is a desire to improve my artistic talents a bit before tackling them. To this end, I will be trying to post a few Doodle Sheets soon in the hopes of securing criticism that I can then incorporate into my drawing style!
Unfortunately, as there are some family-related things coming up this weekend, I'm not yet sure when I'll actually be able to get around to making those doodle sheets, but they don't generally take too much time so I'm cautiously optimistic of getting a few posted by the middle of next week...
Well, that's it for today, I think. Thanks again for reading my journal! *huggles tight*
Kaffre talks Candy #14
Name: Fudge
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 25.5 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Fudge consists of a small half-cylinder of fudge covered in a layer of milk chocolate.
Opinion: A product I've never heard of, but was being sold at the counter as an 'impulse' item and is apparently marketed toward small children. Despite its small size, this bar does manage to provide a fairly unique taste experience with the fudge and chocolate blending to provide a warm, but sweet flavour. Interestingly, the fudge itself was too light in colouration to have been chocolate, but I was unable to discern its flavour. Overall, a yummy snack I'll probably buy gain from time to time, but one it's too small and too hard to find here for me to even consider it as a regular purchase.
Name: Liquorice Toffee
Manufacturer: Walker's Nonsuch
Size: 100 gram tray
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Liquorice Toffee consists of 10 pieces of hard black liquorice-flavoured pieces of toffee moulded together in two rows of five. The upper row had the word 'enjoy' to the surface and the whole thing is set in a flimsy plastic tray with instructions to "whack, unwrap, and enjoy".
Opinion: While I do believe I've seen this product before, this is my first time actually trying it. My attempt to eat it got off to an ignominious start when, unable to determine which side was the 'bottom' and ungifted in terms of upper-body strength, I destroyed the tray with three or four solid 'whacks' with the result that some of the toffee was all but pulverized with the opposite end was a huge solid mass. None of this can reasonably be considered the manufacturer's fault, however. The toffee itself was stiff, but very chewy with a rather mellow licorice flavour that was quite enjoyable. Unfortunately, while I like both toffee and licorice, this serving is just a bit too much for me to enjoy in a single sitting and while it would probably keep OK for a few days, it's just not really practical for me unless I've someone to share with.
Name: McVitie's Hobnobs
Manufacturer: United Biscuit
Size: 300 grams in 20 cookies.
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Hobnobs consist of flat oatmeal-type cookies.
Opinion: A product I'd heard of, but didn't know any details about when I saw a pack for 50% off and grabbed it up. Unfortunately, it's too long since I've had oatmeal cookies for me to really compare these cookies to other brands, but evaluated on their own merits, the cookies offer a nice texture giving a hearty crunch, but also being nice and chewy. They were a tad dry, but were surprisingly sweet and had a subtle cinnamon flavour to them. Overall, these cookies were pretty tasty, but feel I'd probably have to sample some other types of oatmeal cookies (not my favourite) before I could say whether I'd buy these again and even so, it would be only as an occasional snack.
Name: Oreo, Candy Cane Creme
Manufacturer: Christie Brown & Co.
Size: 303 gram bag in 21 cookies
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Oreo Candy Cane Creme cookies consist of round sandwich cookies with pink peppermint-flavoured frosting between two chocolate-flavoured cookie pieces.
Opinion: A special holiday edition I found in clearance, but decided to review anyway since they could appear again in future (as they did in 2013). While I enjoyed Oreos a lot as a child, I haven't eaten any in a long time so it's a bit difficult to evaluate this variant. First, the cookies appear to have been assembled more haphazardly and with a more generous centre.than I recall. Also, while these cookies do deliver a nice minty flavour, the overall effect is quite disimilar to the Mint Oreos that I remember though I can't say exactly what the difference is - perhaps these are a tad sweeter? In any case, while these aren't available year round, but I found them quite good and will probably grab a bag next time I see them or perhaps a snap up the regular mint variety next time...
Name: Vimto Fizzy
Manufacturer: Nichols PLC
Size: 330mL can
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Vimto consists of a red-coloured carbonated beverage flavoured with a blend of fruit juices, malted barley, and herbs.
Opinion: A product I'd only vaguely heard of decided to grab on a whim. The can was very heavily carbonated and not overly sweet with a nice, but rather nondescript fruit flavour (the can cites blackcurrant, grape, and raspberry among other flavourings). Actually, apart from the carbonation, this item doesn't really taste much different than a run of the mill fruit cocktail. Therefore, despite actually finding this product to be quite tasty, I don't actually think I'll be buying it again though I might, perhaps, consider one of its many variants.
As the title indicates, today marks the middle of winter which seems as good a reason as any to celebrate with a journal - that and the fact that's I've not yet posted anything this week in accordance with my New Year's resolution! (Please see below, however)
Actually, thanks to El-Nino, it's not been much of a winter here in SE Ontario. There's no snow, little ice, and day-time temperatures have barely dipped below below -10c though there have been warnings that the latter-half of the season will be a bit worse. Actually, that sounds like I'm complaining when really I'm just kinda wondering how we'll tell when spring weather does arrive?
As for myself, I'm doing well and continuing to make slow, but steady progress with my health issues. I am, admittedly 1 week behind on my New Year resolution, but feel quite confident that I can catch up as I have a number of very exciting picture/story ideas in the works and the only thing really keeping me from working on them is a desire to improve my artistic talents a bit before tackling them. To this end, I will be trying to post a few Doodle Sheets soon in the hopes of securing criticism that I can then incorporate into my drawing style!
Unfortunately, as there are some family-related things coming up this weekend, I'm not yet sure when I'll actually be able to get around to making those doodle sheets, but they don't generally take too much time so I'm cautiously optimistic of getting a few posted by the middle of next week...
Well, that's it for today, I think. Thanks again for reading my journal! *huggles tight*
Kaffre talks Candy #14
Name: Fudge
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 25.5 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Fudge consists of a small half-cylinder of fudge covered in a layer of milk chocolate.
Opinion: A product I've never heard of, but was being sold at the counter as an 'impulse' item and is apparently marketed toward small children. Despite its small size, this bar does manage to provide a fairly unique taste experience with the fudge and chocolate blending to provide a warm, but sweet flavour. Interestingly, the fudge itself was too light in colouration to have been chocolate, but I was unable to discern its flavour. Overall, a yummy snack I'll probably buy gain from time to time, but one it's too small and too hard to find here for me to even consider it as a regular purchase.
Name: Liquorice Toffee
Manufacturer: Walker's Nonsuch
Size: 100 gram tray
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Liquorice Toffee consists of 10 pieces of hard black liquorice-flavoured pieces of toffee moulded together in two rows of five. The upper row had the word 'enjoy' to the surface and the whole thing is set in a flimsy plastic tray with instructions to "whack, unwrap, and enjoy".
Opinion: While I do believe I've seen this product before, this is my first time actually trying it. My attempt to eat it got off to an ignominious start when, unable to determine which side was the 'bottom' and ungifted in terms of upper-body strength, I destroyed the tray with three or four solid 'whacks' with the result that some of the toffee was all but pulverized with the opposite end was a huge solid mass. None of this can reasonably be considered the manufacturer's fault, however. The toffee itself was stiff, but very chewy with a rather mellow licorice flavour that was quite enjoyable. Unfortunately, while I like both toffee and licorice, this serving is just a bit too much for me to enjoy in a single sitting and while it would probably keep OK for a few days, it's just not really practical for me unless I've someone to share with.
Name: McVitie's Hobnobs
Manufacturer: United Biscuit
Size: 300 grams in 20 cookies.
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Hobnobs consist of flat oatmeal-type cookies.
Opinion: A product I'd heard of, but didn't know any details about when I saw a pack for 50% off and grabbed it up. Unfortunately, it's too long since I've had oatmeal cookies for me to really compare these cookies to other brands, but evaluated on their own merits, the cookies offer a nice texture giving a hearty crunch, but also being nice and chewy. They were a tad dry, but were surprisingly sweet and had a subtle cinnamon flavour to them. Overall, these cookies were pretty tasty, but feel I'd probably have to sample some other types of oatmeal cookies (not my favourite) before I could say whether I'd buy these again and even so, it would be only as an occasional snack.
Name: Oreo, Candy Cane Creme
Manufacturer: Christie Brown & Co.
Size: 303 gram bag in 21 cookies
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Oreo Candy Cane Creme cookies consist of round sandwich cookies with pink peppermint-flavoured frosting between two chocolate-flavoured cookie pieces.
Opinion: A special holiday edition I found in clearance, but decided to review anyway since they could appear again in future (as they did in 2013). While I enjoyed Oreos a lot as a child, I haven't eaten any in a long time so it's a bit difficult to evaluate this variant. First, the cookies appear to have been assembled more haphazardly and with a more generous centre.than I recall. Also, while these cookies do deliver a nice minty flavour, the overall effect is quite disimilar to the Mint Oreos that I remember though I can't say exactly what the difference is - perhaps these are a tad sweeter? In any case, while these aren't available year round, but I found them quite good and will probably grab a bag next time I see them or perhaps a snap up the regular mint variety next time...
Name: Vimto Fizzy
Manufacturer: Nichols PLC
Size: 330mL can
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Vimto consists of a red-coloured carbonated beverage flavoured with a blend of fruit juices, malted barley, and herbs.
Opinion: A product I'd only vaguely heard of decided to grab on a whim. The can was very heavily carbonated and not overly sweet with a nice, but rather nondescript fruit flavour (the can cites blackcurrant, grape, and raspberry among other flavourings). Actually, apart from the carbonation, this item doesn't really taste much different than a run of the mill fruit cocktail. Therefore, despite actually finding this product to be quite tasty, I don't actually think I'll be buying it again though I might, perhaps, consider one of its many variants.
2016: A feline Odyssey! Plus, a special Kaffre talks Candy
Posted 9 years agoGreetings, loyal journal-readers!
Firstly, I would like to apologize for being late in getting a New Year journal up. I went to visit my brother for New Year's eve and the person who was supposed to drive me home had to take his daughter to the hospital (was just a bladder infection) so I wasn't home till late last night.
After some considerable waffling, however, I have come up with a resolution I think I may actually be able to keep: I will, in 2016, post something to FA every week. I know I've failed at similar resolutions many a time in the past, but the trick this time will be that the post need not be any particular category of work it could, for example, be a doodle sheet or a journal explaining why there's no picture so I think I may have better luck keeping this one than I have in previous years. Also, some of you may have noticed I've been a bit more talkative of late, this is because I've noticed that a lot of my FA buddies have either left altogether or have become considerably less active so I've been trying to expand my circle of friends here. This isn't at all easy for me, but it is something I feel I need to do. Also, a smaller secondary resolution, once I get through my backlog, is to incorporate more local and well-known (in Canada) products into my Kaffre talks Candy feature!
So far as real life goes, the progress that began in the latter half of 2015 seems to be continuing as I'll be having an appointment with a rural coordinator this coming Thursday to try and determine a way for me to start attending therapy on a more consistent basis. I also hope to get around to seeing a dentist and optometrist soon too if I can arrange it - Don't worry, I'm not actually facing any specific health challenges in either arena, it's just been a while since I saw either.
Finally, last year, I'm sorry to say, some of the candies I dealt with in review were melted, stale or otherwise wasn't at its best when I reviewed. Since the New Year, however, I've decided to give the slighted products a chance to redeem themselves as below:
Name: Galaxy Ripple
Manufacturer: Mars
Size: 33 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Galaxy Ripple consists of a slim bar of chocolate that has been folded over itself repeatedly (similar to 'Flake' or 'Twirl' and then coated in a layer of milk chocolate).
Opinion: Since the first Galaxy Ripple I bought was melted beyond all recognition, I felt it only sporting to give the bar a second chance. When it hasn't been melted, the bar has a nice flaky texture albeit not so pronounced as Flake or Twirl. The chocolate is of a good quality and very creamy. Overall, a nice product and one I'd probably purchase again. That said, however, I think I prefer the richness of Cadbury's chocolate for this particular type of bar as I find the smooth creamy texture of the Galaxy chocolate is largely wasted when it's splintered into tiny slivers which themselves have a rather less intense flavour.
Name: Rowntree Fruit Gums
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 48 gram tube
Where Purchased: Bulk Barn
Description: Rowntree fruit gums consist of fruit-flavoured, gummy material about 3cm thick and with a diameter equivalent to a 10-cent piece. The individual pieces come in a variety of colours each corresponding to a different flavour (blackcurrant, lemon, lime, orange, and strawberry). The top of each piece is scored with a # mark.
Opinion: The last time I purchased this item, I suspected it to be stale on account of the dry, relatively tasteless pieces. This pack, confirmed my suspicions, being much softer and tastier than the previous one as well as possessing more identifiable fruit flavours. That said, however, they did have a rather annoying tendency to adhere to my teeth. Not a bad candy by any means, but probably not something I'll be buying with any kind of regularity either.
Name: Time Out
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 32 grams in two bars
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Time Out consists of two smaller bars bundled side by side similar to Twix or Twirl. The individual bars are comprised of a chocolate-covered wafer cookies similar to segments of a Kit Kat bars except that the wafers contain a small amount of textured chocolate similar to 'Flake'.
Opinion: Sadly, the last Time Out I bought was badly melted by the time I ate it, something I felt may have adversely affected the taste. When it hasn't been melted, the bar is actually quite nice with a light airy texture combined with a rich chocolate-y flavour. The chocolate itself is of good quality and the wafers provide a nice bit of crispiness. Ultimately, a very tasty product and one I'll probably buy again from time to time for a change, but don't really like it quite enough for it to become a regular purchase...
Name: Tunnock's Caramel Log
Manufacturer: Thomas Tunnock Limited
Size: 27 gram bar
Where Purchased: Bulk Barn
Description: Tunnock's Caramel log consists of a large caramel flavoured water cookie dusted with roasted coconut shavings. In appearance, it is certainly a unique offering though not, perhaps, an especially appetizing one...
Opinion: While the last caramel log that I tried was dry and tasteless, I had high hopes for my second attempt. The bar was still dry and dense, but this time the product was much more flavourful with the moist chewiness of the caramel wafer cookie providing an interesting contrast with the dry crunchy coconut and proved reasonably tasty. Despite a better appreciation for this item, however, I'm not sure whether I'll be buying it again - the item does offers fairly unique experience, but I just don't think it's for me...
Well, I guess that's it for now. I hope everyone has a good 2016 though! *New Year hugs*
Firstly, I would like to apologize for being late in getting a New Year journal up. I went to visit my brother for New Year's eve and the person who was supposed to drive me home had to take his daughter to the hospital (was just a bladder infection) so I wasn't home till late last night.
After some considerable waffling, however, I have come up with a resolution I think I may actually be able to keep: I will, in 2016, post something to FA every week. I know I've failed at similar resolutions many a time in the past, but the trick this time will be that the post need not be any particular category of work it could, for example, be a doodle sheet or a journal explaining why there's no picture so I think I may have better luck keeping this one than I have in previous years. Also, some of you may have noticed I've been a bit more talkative of late, this is because I've noticed that a lot of my FA buddies have either left altogether or have become considerably less active so I've been trying to expand my circle of friends here. This isn't at all easy for me, but it is something I feel I need to do. Also, a smaller secondary resolution, once I get through my backlog, is to incorporate more local and well-known (in Canada) products into my Kaffre talks Candy feature!
So far as real life goes, the progress that began in the latter half of 2015 seems to be continuing as I'll be having an appointment with a rural coordinator this coming Thursday to try and determine a way for me to start attending therapy on a more consistent basis. I also hope to get around to seeing a dentist and optometrist soon too if I can arrange it - Don't worry, I'm not actually facing any specific health challenges in either arena, it's just been a while since I saw either.
Finally, last year, I'm sorry to say, some of the candies I dealt with in review were melted, stale or otherwise wasn't at its best when I reviewed. Since the New Year, however, I've decided to give the slighted products a chance to redeem themselves as below:
Name: Galaxy Ripple
Manufacturer: Mars
Size: 33 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Galaxy Ripple consists of a slim bar of chocolate that has been folded over itself repeatedly (similar to 'Flake' or 'Twirl' and then coated in a layer of milk chocolate).
Opinion: Since the first Galaxy Ripple I bought was melted beyond all recognition, I felt it only sporting to give the bar a second chance. When it hasn't been melted, the bar has a nice flaky texture albeit not so pronounced as Flake or Twirl. The chocolate is of a good quality and very creamy. Overall, a nice product and one I'd probably purchase again. That said, however, I think I prefer the richness of Cadbury's chocolate for this particular type of bar as I find the smooth creamy texture of the Galaxy chocolate is largely wasted when it's splintered into tiny slivers which themselves have a rather less intense flavour.
Name: Rowntree Fruit Gums
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 48 gram tube
Where Purchased: Bulk Barn
Description: Rowntree fruit gums consist of fruit-flavoured, gummy material about 3cm thick and with a diameter equivalent to a 10-cent piece. The individual pieces come in a variety of colours each corresponding to a different flavour (blackcurrant, lemon, lime, orange, and strawberry). The top of each piece is scored with a # mark.
Opinion: The last time I purchased this item, I suspected it to be stale on account of the dry, relatively tasteless pieces. This pack, confirmed my suspicions, being much softer and tastier than the previous one as well as possessing more identifiable fruit flavours. That said, however, they did have a rather annoying tendency to adhere to my teeth. Not a bad candy by any means, but probably not something I'll be buying with any kind of regularity either.
Name: Time Out
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 32 grams in two bars
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Time Out consists of two smaller bars bundled side by side similar to Twix or Twirl. The individual bars are comprised of a chocolate-covered wafer cookies similar to segments of a Kit Kat bars except that the wafers contain a small amount of textured chocolate similar to 'Flake'.
Opinion: Sadly, the last Time Out I bought was badly melted by the time I ate it, something I felt may have adversely affected the taste. When it hasn't been melted, the bar is actually quite nice with a light airy texture combined with a rich chocolate-y flavour. The chocolate itself is of good quality and the wafers provide a nice bit of crispiness. Ultimately, a very tasty product and one I'll probably buy again from time to time for a change, but don't really like it quite enough for it to become a regular purchase...
Name: Tunnock's Caramel Log
Manufacturer: Thomas Tunnock Limited
Size: 27 gram bar
Where Purchased: Bulk Barn
Description: Tunnock's Caramel log consists of a large caramel flavoured water cookie dusted with roasted coconut shavings. In appearance, it is certainly a unique offering though not, perhaps, an especially appetizing one...
Opinion: While the last caramel log that I tried was dry and tasteless, I had high hopes for my second attempt. The bar was still dry and dense, but this time the product was much more flavourful with the moist chewiness of the caramel wafer cookie providing an interesting contrast with the dry crunchy coconut and proved reasonably tasty. Despite a better appreciation for this item, however, I'm not sure whether I'll be buying it again - the item does offers fairly unique experience, but I just don't think it's for me...
Well, I guess that's it for now. I hope everyone has a good 2016 though! *New Year hugs*
December Journal + Kaffre talks Candy #13
Posted 10 years agoHello, gentle journal-readers and welcome to my December Journal.
As you may have noticed, I finally managed to get my Halloween swapsies done which means I'm in the clear to participate in any future Swapsies. Ultimately, however, given the trouble I've had getting the last few finished, I think I may be taking some time off from them to concentrate on some personal projects - including a secret special one that I hope to have ready in just a week or so!
Beyond that, I'm doing well and have got almost all of my Christmas shopping done - all that's really left is those people I've decide to give perishable foodstuffs to since I'm going to be waiting till the last minute in the (probably vain) hope of ensuring freshness when they finally receive it.
Speaking of food, I've been thinking a bit about my Kaffre talks Candy feature and have been wondering if, perhaps, I've been focusing on British stuff too much lately? The fact that I regularly pass an import shoppe makes it an easy source of stuff I've never seen before, but I can't help wondering if maybe it makes the whole feature less useful to North Americans who don't have access to the various items I'm reviewing. Alternately, perhaps it's less interesting to UK-based furs as I can only really compare the items to stuff I've seen in Canada and so the 'reviews' aren't really very in-depth. What do you think, readers?
In any case, as with Kaffre talks Candy #12, this installment features a limited edition, Holiday bar that will only be available for a bit and so I'm posting it now rather than waiting for #16 which is where it would have fallen had it been posted in chronological order.
Anyway, thanks for reading my December journal, everyone! Just in case I don't get around to posting a new journal in the next two weeks, I want to wish everyone a happy holiday season!
*passes out complimentary cocoa and hugs*
Now, without further ado, Kaffre talks Candy #13.
Kaffre Talks Candy #13
Name: Butterfinger
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 54 gram bar
Where Purchased: Beaver Variety
Description: Butterfinger consists of a fairly thick block of a bright orange compound consisting of flaked peanuts and cornflakes. The whole thing is in then enrobed in compound chocolate. The bar has a somewhat rounded top, but is otherwise devoid of distinguishing features.
Opinion: A product I think I've tried before, but haven't seen for a few years until grabbing one recently. Unfortunately, I can't say this bar is as good as I remember. The centre was nice and crispy, but had an odd pretzel-like taste that I didn't care for and the chocolate coating was unremarkable. Actually, while my description here is mostly negative, I actually found this product reasonably tasty and might buy it again. That said, I prefer Crispy Crunch for the time being.
Name: Dairy Milk Winter Edition
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 100 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Dairy Milk Winter Edition consists of a large flattish bar of milk chocolate. Strikingly, the bar is made up of interlocking Christmas Tree-shaped segments arranged in three rows of ten (plus some change so the bar can have flat sides). Adding to the bar's unique visuals, alternating segments are topped with white chocolate. Despite the unusual shape of the segments, they break off surprisingly easily.
Opinion: Another limited edition holiday bar for Britain that I grabbed up to review. The taste and texture are very similar to the UK version of Dairy Milk (very sweet and creamy). Interestingly, the small amount of white chocolate on alternate segments didn't seem to affect the taste much at all for me though some of those I shared the bar with disagreed on this point. As a limited edition product, I probably won't be able to buy this item again, but I thought it was very tasty and if a similar product makes an appearance next year (as one did last year), I'd happily grab it up again!
Name: Irn Bru
Manufacturer: Barr
Size: 500mL bottle
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Irn Bru consists of a bright orange carbonated beverage flavoured according to a secret recipe. Smell is reminiscent of bubblegum.
Opinion: A Scottish product I'm dimly aware of due to a recall from Canadian markets several years ago, but never got to try. Like other British soft-drinks, Irn Bru seems fizzier, but less sweet than most sodas on this side of the Atlantic. The flavour is probably best described as being a mild bubblegum, but with a vaguely floral aftertaste. Overall, I thought this product was reasonably tasty (much better than Dandelion & Burdock) and while I feel no especial desire to drink it again, I can definitely see myself buying it from time to time to change things up as does, in fact, have a very unique taste.
Name: Walkers Pickled Onion Crisps
Manufacturer: Walkers (Lays)
Size: 32.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Walkers Pickled Onion consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: A flavour I'd not heard of, but felt sounded promising, these chips proved rather interesting. While the smell was fairly mild and reminiscent of 'Dill Pickle' chips, the actual taste was quite strong and could perhaps best be described as a cross between 'Salt & Vinegar' flavoured chips and an onion-y flavour that was proved quite a bit more stronger than I was expecting (far more intense than the "Sour Cream & Onion" chips we have here). While initially somewhat overwhelming, I found that the flavour grew on me surprisingly quickly, however, and while I don't think this is a product I'll actively seek out again, I can definitely see myself eating them again from time to time.
Name: Wispa
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 39 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Wispa consists of a milk chocolate shell filled with a bubbly aerated chocolate similar to the filling of an Aero or Mirage except that the bubbles themselves are finer giving the bar a somewhat different texture. The exterior is slightly trapezoid in cross-section, but otherwise nondescript.
Opinion: A British product I mistakenly described as discontinued in my review of Nestle's Mirage, but recently saw in an import shop and grabbed up. This bar provided an interesting experience - while the description suggested a product more similar to Aero or Mirage, the actual texture seemed more similar to that of Flake or Twirl though I suppose that could be consequence of the different properties in Cadbury and Nestle chocolate. In any case, the chocolate was quite sweet, but still tasty. I'll probably buy this item again, but only as something of a change-up as it's already quite similar to other products I can obtain more readily.
As you may have noticed, I finally managed to get my Halloween swapsies done which means I'm in the clear to participate in any future Swapsies. Ultimately, however, given the trouble I've had getting the last few finished, I think I may be taking some time off from them to concentrate on some personal projects - including a secret special one that I hope to have ready in just a week or so!
Beyond that, I'm doing well and have got almost all of my Christmas shopping done - all that's really left is those people I've decide to give perishable foodstuffs to since I'm going to be waiting till the last minute in the (probably vain) hope of ensuring freshness when they finally receive it.
Speaking of food, I've been thinking a bit about my Kaffre talks Candy feature and have been wondering if, perhaps, I've been focusing on British stuff too much lately? The fact that I regularly pass an import shoppe makes it an easy source of stuff I've never seen before, but I can't help wondering if maybe it makes the whole feature less useful to North Americans who don't have access to the various items I'm reviewing. Alternately, perhaps it's less interesting to UK-based furs as I can only really compare the items to stuff I've seen in Canada and so the 'reviews' aren't really very in-depth. What do you think, readers?
In any case, as with Kaffre talks Candy #12, this installment features a limited edition, Holiday bar that will only be available for a bit and so I'm posting it now rather than waiting for #16 which is where it would have fallen had it been posted in chronological order.
Anyway, thanks for reading my December journal, everyone! Just in case I don't get around to posting a new journal in the next two weeks, I want to wish everyone a happy holiday season!
*passes out complimentary cocoa and hugs*
Now, without further ado, Kaffre talks Candy #13.
Kaffre Talks Candy #13
Name: Butterfinger
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 54 gram bar
Where Purchased: Beaver Variety
Description: Butterfinger consists of a fairly thick block of a bright orange compound consisting of flaked peanuts and cornflakes. The whole thing is in then enrobed in compound chocolate. The bar has a somewhat rounded top, but is otherwise devoid of distinguishing features.
Opinion: A product I think I've tried before, but haven't seen for a few years until grabbing one recently. Unfortunately, I can't say this bar is as good as I remember. The centre was nice and crispy, but had an odd pretzel-like taste that I didn't care for and the chocolate coating was unremarkable. Actually, while my description here is mostly negative, I actually found this product reasonably tasty and might buy it again. That said, I prefer Crispy Crunch for the time being.
Name: Dairy Milk Winter Edition
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 100 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Dairy Milk Winter Edition consists of a large flattish bar of milk chocolate. Strikingly, the bar is made up of interlocking Christmas Tree-shaped segments arranged in three rows of ten (plus some change so the bar can have flat sides). Adding to the bar's unique visuals, alternating segments are topped with white chocolate. Despite the unusual shape of the segments, they break off surprisingly easily.
Opinion: Another limited edition holiday bar for Britain that I grabbed up to review. The taste and texture are very similar to the UK version of Dairy Milk (very sweet and creamy). Interestingly, the small amount of white chocolate on alternate segments didn't seem to affect the taste much at all for me though some of those I shared the bar with disagreed on this point. As a limited edition product, I probably won't be able to buy this item again, but I thought it was very tasty and if a similar product makes an appearance next year (as one did last year), I'd happily grab it up again!
Name: Irn Bru
Manufacturer: Barr
Size: 500mL bottle
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Irn Bru consists of a bright orange carbonated beverage flavoured according to a secret recipe. Smell is reminiscent of bubblegum.
Opinion: A Scottish product I'm dimly aware of due to a recall from Canadian markets several years ago, but never got to try. Like other British soft-drinks, Irn Bru seems fizzier, but less sweet than most sodas on this side of the Atlantic. The flavour is probably best described as being a mild bubblegum, but with a vaguely floral aftertaste. Overall, I thought this product was reasonably tasty (much better than Dandelion & Burdock) and while I feel no especial desire to drink it again, I can definitely see myself buying it from time to time to change things up as does, in fact, have a very unique taste.
Name: Walkers Pickled Onion Crisps
Manufacturer: Walkers (Lays)
Size: 32.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Walkers Pickled Onion consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: A flavour I'd not heard of, but felt sounded promising, these chips proved rather interesting. While the smell was fairly mild and reminiscent of 'Dill Pickle' chips, the actual taste was quite strong and could perhaps best be described as a cross between 'Salt & Vinegar' flavoured chips and an onion-y flavour that was proved quite a bit more stronger than I was expecting (far more intense than the "Sour Cream & Onion" chips we have here). While initially somewhat overwhelming, I found that the flavour grew on me surprisingly quickly, however, and while I don't think this is a product I'll actively seek out again, I can definitely see myself eating them again from time to time.
Name: Wispa
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 39 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Wispa consists of a milk chocolate shell filled with a bubbly aerated chocolate similar to the filling of an Aero or Mirage except that the bubbles themselves are finer giving the bar a somewhat different texture. The exterior is slightly trapezoid in cross-section, but otherwise nondescript.
Opinion: A British product I mistakenly described as discontinued in my review of Nestle's Mirage, but recently saw in an import shop and grabbed up. This bar provided an interesting experience - while the description suggested a product more similar to Aero or Mirage, the actual texture seemed more similar to that of Flake or Twirl though I suppose that could be consequence of the different properties in Cadbury and Nestle chocolate. In any case, the chocolate was quite sweet, but still tasty. I'll probably buy this item again, but only as something of a change-up as it's already quite similar to other products I can obtain more readily.
Update + Kaffre talks Candy #12
Posted 10 years agoHi everyone, this journal is just to announce a few quick little things and reduce my backlog of Candy stuff a bit.
First, I'd like to apologize to wyattotter for the delay in getting his swapsies pic up. I am very sorry and thoroughly deserve my place on the naughty list. I have, however, finally settled on a pic idea that I like and am confident in my ability to actually draw. I willl get started on drawing it ASAP which brings us to the second thing I wanted to say...
Which is that I have to unexpectedly leave home for the weekend. It's nothing especially exciting, just visiting family, but I do apologize for leaving without giving any sort of notice beforehand. I did know this trip was coming up, but didn't know exactly when and am unable to reschedule - sorry!
Finally, I'm pushing this installment of Kaffre talks Candy back into November as it includes a few Christmas themed treats that readers may have a hard time tracking down if my December journal falls near or after the 24th - very possible!
As always, thanks for reading and there I've brought enough hugs for everyfur! *multi-hugs*
Kaffre talks Candy #12
Name: Aero, Winter White (Limited Edition)
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 120 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Winter White Aero consists of a milk chocolate shell filled with a mass of bubbly vanilla-flavoured chocolate dyed a sort of off-white colour that was not particularly appetizing. Sold in a larger format than the standard size Aero, this product features twenty-eight dome-shaped pieces joined together in four columns of seven instead. Probably too much for a single sitting, but eminently shareable.
Opinion: An apparently new product (probably made just for this holiday season) that I grabbed up on a whim. My first thought on biting into this product was that it was considerably sweeter than the more familiar 'classic' Aero, but can't say whether this results from the vanilla filling or is characteristic of UK Aeros. In any case, the vanilla flavour is quite strong though not overpowering and seems to have a faint taste of mint. Overall, I quite enjoyed this product and will definitely consider buying another one while they last. As a limited time product, I don't really have to worry whether it would enter my regular rotation of bars or not, but it would definitely be a strong contender...
Name: Smarties Festive Sharing Block
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 120 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe.
Description: Smarties' Festive Sharing Block consists of a broad, flattish bar of milk chocolate filled with miniature red and green smaries candies. The bar features grooves to faciliate breaking it into 18 segments (three rows of six). Each segment was stamped with either 'Smarties' or one of the letters therein.
Opinion: A product I've never seen before, but grabbed up from an import shop. While the texture of the chocolate used felt a bit unusual, this bar proved to be very tasty. The chocolate itself provided a pleasant sweetness, but kept a 'warm' fudgy taste as well. Likewise, the mini smarties are a bit softer than I expected, but still lent a nice crunchiness. Overall, I rather enoyed this product and would definitely buy it again as an occasional treat - while too big for me to eat alone it is, as advertised, very shareable. Note that, while the version I purchased is a holiday release, this item is, apparently, available year round.
Name: Tayto Beef & Onion Crisps
Manufacturer: Tayto
Size: 37.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Tayto Beef & Onion consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: An Irish import I'd not seen before, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this product. The chips were quite tasty, but I'm afraid the flavour is somewhat difficult to describe the closest I can come is the 'Fries n' Gravy' chips that Hostess put out when I was a kid. This is to say that the chips have a smooth savoury flavour that's not particularly reminiscent of either beef or onion, but is nevertheless quite tasty. Overall, I think I might grab a bag from time to tiome to change things up, but they're too hard to find here and, tasty as they are, there are other flavours I like better.
Name: Tayto Cheese & Onion Crisps
Manufacturer: Tayto
Size: 37.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Tayto Cheese & Onion consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: An Irish import I'd not seen before, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this product. The chips were very tasty, if perhaps a tad over-salted, with a strong cheese and onion flavour (the onion came through a bit stronger than the cheese, I think). While not a standard flavour in Canada, several manufacturers to produce chips flavoured with some variation on the Cheese n' Onion theme and while not my favourite flavour, I do like them a good deal and Tayto's offering is easily on par with the best of them. Overall, I enjoyed these chips and may buy them again, but only as an occasional treat due to the difficulty in finding them here.
Name: Walker's Prawn Cocktail Crisps
Manufacturer: Walkers (Lays)
Size: 32.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Walkers Prawn Cocktail consist of fairly normal looking potato chips with a slight orange cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: A flavour I'd heard of, and slightly feared (not a fan of seafood), but grabbed anyway for review purposes. Ultimately, the flavour, while a little unusual, isn't really bad at all. They start out tasting quite a bit like Salt n' Vinegar, but the sourness quickly fades into something more akin to the All-Dressed or Ketchup flavours. Overall, I thought these chips were OK, but I don't think I'll be buying them again as the flavour's just not right for me.
First, I'd like to apologize to wyattotter for the delay in getting his swapsies pic up. I am very sorry and thoroughly deserve my place on the naughty list. I have, however, finally settled on a pic idea that I like and am confident in my ability to actually draw. I willl get started on drawing it ASAP which brings us to the second thing I wanted to say...
Which is that I have to unexpectedly leave home for the weekend. It's nothing especially exciting, just visiting family, but I do apologize for leaving without giving any sort of notice beforehand. I did know this trip was coming up, but didn't know exactly when and am unable to reschedule - sorry!
Finally, I'm pushing this installment of Kaffre talks Candy back into November as it includes a few Christmas themed treats that readers may have a hard time tracking down if my December journal falls near or after the 24th - very possible!
As always, thanks for reading and there I've brought enough hugs for everyfur! *multi-hugs*
Kaffre talks Candy #12
Name: Aero, Winter White (Limited Edition)
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 120 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Winter White Aero consists of a milk chocolate shell filled with a mass of bubbly vanilla-flavoured chocolate dyed a sort of off-white colour that was not particularly appetizing. Sold in a larger format than the standard size Aero, this product features twenty-eight dome-shaped pieces joined together in four columns of seven instead. Probably too much for a single sitting, but eminently shareable.
Opinion: An apparently new product (probably made just for this holiday season) that I grabbed up on a whim. My first thought on biting into this product was that it was considerably sweeter than the more familiar 'classic' Aero, but can't say whether this results from the vanilla filling or is characteristic of UK Aeros. In any case, the vanilla flavour is quite strong though not overpowering and seems to have a faint taste of mint. Overall, I quite enjoyed this product and will definitely consider buying another one while they last. As a limited time product, I don't really have to worry whether it would enter my regular rotation of bars or not, but it would definitely be a strong contender...
Name: Smarties Festive Sharing Block
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 120 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe.
Description: Smarties' Festive Sharing Block consists of a broad, flattish bar of milk chocolate filled with miniature red and green smaries candies. The bar features grooves to faciliate breaking it into 18 segments (three rows of six). Each segment was stamped with either 'Smarties' or one of the letters therein.
Opinion: A product I've never seen before, but grabbed up from an import shop. While the texture of the chocolate used felt a bit unusual, this bar proved to be very tasty. The chocolate itself provided a pleasant sweetness, but kept a 'warm' fudgy taste as well. Likewise, the mini smarties are a bit softer than I expected, but still lent a nice crunchiness. Overall, I rather enoyed this product and would definitely buy it again as an occasional treat - while too big for me to eat alone it is, as advertised, very shareable. Note that, while the version I purchased is a holiday release, this item is, apparently, available year round.
Name: Tayto Beef & Onion Crisps
Manufacturer: Tayto
Size: 37.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Tayto Beef & Onion consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: An Irish import I'd not seen before, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this product. The chips were quite tasty, but I'm afraid the flavour is somewhat difficult to describe the closest I can come is the 'Fries n' Gravy' chips that Hostess put out when I was a kid. This is to say that the chips have a smooth savoury flavour that's not particularly reminiscent of either beef or onion, but is nevertheless quite tasty. Overall, I think I might grab a bag from time to tiome to change things up, but they're too hard to find here and, tasty as they are, there are other flavours I like better.
Name: Tayto Cheese & Onion Crisps
Manufacturer: Tayto
Size: 37.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Tayto Cheese & Onion consist of fairly normal looking potato chips.
Opinion: An Irish import I'd not seen before, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this product. The chips were very tasty, if perhaps a tad over-salted, with a strong cheese and onion flavour (the onion came through a bit stronger than the cheese, I think). While not a standard flavour in Canada, several manufacturers to produce chips flavoured with some variation on the Cheese n' Onion theme and while not my favourite flavour, I do like them a good deal and Tayto's offering is easily on par with the best of them. Overall, I enjoyed these chips and may buy them again, but only as an occasional treat due to the difficulty in finding them here.
Name: Walker's Prawn Cocktail Crisps
Manufacturer: Walkers (Lays)
Size: 32.5 gram bag
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Walkers Prawn Cocktail consist of fairly normal looking potato chips with a slight orange cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: A flavour I'd heard of, and slightly feared (not a fan of seafood), but grabbed anyway for review purposes. Ultimately, the flavour, while a little unusual, isn't really bad at all. They start out tasting quite a bit like Salt n' Vinegar, but the sourness quickly fades into something more akin to the All-Dressed or Ketchup flavours. Overall, I thought these chips were OK, but I don't think I'll be buying them again as the flavour's just not right for me.
Brief November Journal + Kaffre talks Candy #11
Posted 10 years agoThe last week or so hasn't been an especially interesting or productive one for me, but despite some quality snuggle-time, Kaffre was getting tired of his friends lording it over him with their ability to sit up and eat solid food so I wanted to post this so he can get back to his usual age (three-ish) again.
Despite what I said above, I have in fact, been doing stuff just not anything important - emailing about potential jobs, re-reading 'Get Fuzzy' compilations, and contemplating future drawings and writings. I've also made a Doctor's appointment - don't worry, I'm well, I just want to discuss the results of my assessment last month with her and she's been away.
Finally, I'm at a bit of a crossroads as I'm beginning to consider continuing my education, but haven't really decided just how I'd like to go about doing that yet so I'll be writing to a few of my former professors to get their take on the subject - wish me luck!
Now that that's out of the way, everyone line up for their normal-sized Kaffre hugs! *huggles all*
Kaffre talks Candy #11
Name: Bournville
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 45 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Bournville consists of a bar of dark chocolate with grooves to facilitate breaking the bar into six segments. The overall effect is similar to a Canadian Dairy Milk except that this bar appears to be slightly wider and shorter. Takes its name from the English village where Cadbury had its factory.
Opinion: Another product I'd never heard of but snatched up from a local import shop for review. Cadbury is best known for its milk chocolate creations so I was interested to see what their take on dark chocolate was like; as it happens, this bar is quite good having a rich dark chocolate flavour and nice texture combined with a rather minimal aftertaste and perhaps somewhat controversially, a certain understated creaminess. Overall, I enjoyed this product, but despite its rich dark chocolate taste, the creamy texture (and milk allergy warning) leave me somewhat hesitant to recommend to fans of dark chocolate despite finding it very tasty myself as I suspect they'd use different criteria for evaluating the quality. In any case, I found this bar quite tasty and will probably purchase it again from time to time.
Name: Caramac
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 30 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Caramac consists of a slim bar of beige caramel-flavoured stuff with a taste and texture reminiscent of white chocolate. The bar is constructed with grooves to facilitate breaking the bar into five distinct segments, but they do not seem to function well for this purpose.
Opinion: A product I've never seen or heard of before, but decided to grab anyway. This bar has a rich salty caramel flavour with just a hint of white chocolate aftertaste. Somewhat surprisingly, given my indifference to actual caramel candies, I quite enjoyed this product and will probably buy it again from time to time though the difficulty in obtaining them relegates the bar to an occasional treat as opposed to one of my regular purchases.
Name: Chomp
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 23.5 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Chomp consists of a block of dense chewy caramel enrobed in milk chocolate. The one I got was slightly squished, but the bar looks fairly 'flat' anyway...
Opinion: A bar I'd never seen or heard of before before, but snatched up on a whim. Chomp has a nice rich caramel centre and a sweet tasty chocolate coating and was in general very tasty. That said, it does, proportionally, contain quite a bit of caramel, more than I'd really prefer so while I probably won't be buying this item again myself, I do think it could be a very nice snack for those readers who appreciate caramel a bit more than I do.
Name: Kit Kat Chunky White
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 40 gram bar
Where Purchased: Beaver Variety
Description: Kit Kat Chunky White consists of a single large wafer cookie covered in a layer of white chocolate. The structure resembled that of an oversized segment of the classic Kit Kat, but the scale is slightly different, being wider and shorter than a Kit Kat segment of equivalent proportions would be.
Opinion: A product I've never seen before and thus grabbed it up. For a product I hadn't seen before, this item was very familiar tasting. The wafer seems more or less identical to that used in the standard Kit Kat Chunky and seemed to take some of the edge off the white chocolate, rendering the aftertaste less intense somehow. Unsurprisingly, the bar was very similar to the standard Kit Kat Chunky and that ultimately is it's distinguishing factor. Being white chocolate doesn't really seem to add or take away from the product much which is nice, but also defeats the purpose of the bar somewhat, I think. I guess I'm as likely to buy this as I am a standard Kit Kat Chunky.
Name: Tahitian Treat
Manufacturer: Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Size: 355mL can
Where Purchased: Beaver variety
Description: Tahitian Treat consists of a bright red carbonated beverage with a Hawaiian punch flavour.
Opinion: A beverage I occasionally enjoyed as a child, but hadn't seen in so long I'd pretty much forgotten what it tasted like. Upon trying it again, this drink has a pleasant flavour reminiscent of a very sweet fruit punch. If the drink is composed of an actual blend of fruit juices none of them are individually identifiable. Overall, I still like this product quite a bit and will probably buy it again from time to time. Based on the spelling used in the ingredients list (and the fact that Pepsi distributes Dr. Pepper in Canada), I believe this to be an American import...
Despite what I said above, I have in fact, been doing stuff just not anything important - emailing about potential jobs, re-reading 'Get Fuzzy' compilations, and contemplating future drawings and writings. I've also made a Doctor's appointment - don't worry, I'm well, I just want to discuss the results of my assessment last month with her and she's been away.
Finally, I'm at a bit of a crossroads as I'm beginning to consider continuing my education, but haven't really decided just how I'd like to go about doing that yet so I'll be writing to a few of my former professors to get their take on the subject - wish me luck!
Now that that's out of the way, everyone line up for their normal-sized Kaffre hugs! *huggles all*
Kaffre talks Candy #11
Name: Bournville
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 45 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Bournville consists of a bar of dark chocolate with grooves to facilitate breaking the bar into six segments. The overall effect is similar to a Canadian Dairy Milk except that this bar appears to be slightly wider and shorter. Takes its name from the English village where Cadbury had its factory.
Opinion: Another product I'd never heard of but snatched up from a local import shop for review. Cadbury is best known for its milk chocolate creations so I was interested to see what their take on dark chocolate was like; as it happens, this bar is quite good having a rich dark chocolate flavour and nice texture combined with a rather minimal aftertaste and perhaps somewhat controversially, a certain understated creaminess. Overall, I enjoyed this product, but despite its rich dark chocolate taste, the creamy texture (and milk allergy warning) leave me somewhat hesitant to recommend to fans of dark chocolate despite finding it very tasty myself as I suspect they'd use different criteria for evaluating the quality. In any case, I found this bar quite tasty and will probably purchase it again from time to time.
Name: Caramac
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 30 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Caramac consists of a slim bar of beige caramel-flavoured stuff with a taste and texture reminiscent of white chocolate. The bar is constructed with grooves to facilitate breaking the bar into five distinct segments, but they do not seem to function well for this purpose.
Opinion: A product I've never seen or heard of before, but decided to grab anyway. This bar has a rich salty caramel flavour with just a hint of white chocolate aftertaste. Somewhat surprisingly, given my indifference to actual caramel candies, I quite enjoyed this product and will probably buy it again from time to time though the difficulty in obtaining them relegates the bar to an occasional treat as opposed to one of my regular purchases.
Name: Chomp
Manufacturer: Cadbury
Size: 23.5 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Chomp consists of a block of dense chewy caramel enrobed in milk chocolate. The one I got was slightly squished, but the bar looks fairly 'flat' anyway...
Opinion: A bar I'd never seen or heard of before before, but snatched up on a whim. Chomp has a nice rich caramel centre and a sweet tasty chocolate coating and was in general very tasty. That said, it does, proportionally, contain quite a bit of caramel, more than I'd really prefer so while I probably won't be buying this item again myself, I do think it could be a very nice snack for those readers who appreciate caramel a bit more than I do.
Name: Kit Kat Chunky White
Manufacturer: Nestle
Size: 40 gram bar
Where Purchased: Beaver Variety
Description: Kit Kat Chunky White consists of a single large wafer cookie covered in a layer of white chocolate. The structure resembled that of an oversized segment of the classic Kit Kat, but the scale is slightly different, being wider and shorter than a Kit Kat segment of equivalent proportions would be.
Opinion: A product I've never seen before and thus grabbed it up. For a product I hadn't seen before, this item was very familiar tasting. The wafer seems more or less identical to that used in the standard Kit Kat Chunky and seemed to take some of the edge off the white chocolate, rendering the aftertaste less intense somehow. Unsurprisingly, the bar was very similar to the standard Kit Kat Chunky and that ultimately is it's distinguishing factor. Being white chocolate doesn't really seem to add or take away from the product much which is nice, but also defeats the purpose of the bar somewhat, I think. I guess I'm as likely to buy this as I am a standard Kit Kat Chunky.
Name: Tahitian Treat
Manufacturer: Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Size: 355mL can
Where Purchased: Beaver variety
Description: Tahitian Treat consists of a bright red carbonated beverage with a Hawaiian punch flavour.
Opinion: A beverage I occasionally enjoyed as a child, but hadn't seen in so long I'd pretty much forgotten what it tasted like. Upon trying it again, this drink has a pleasant flavour reminiscent of a very sweet fruit punch. If the drink is composed of an actual blend of fruit juices none of them are individually identifiable. Overall, I still like this product quite a bit and will probably buy it again from time to time. Based on the spelling used in the ingredients list (and the fact that Pepsi distributes Dr. Pepper in Canada), I believe this to be an American import...
Kitten-y Birthday 2015!
Posted 10 years agoWell, it's officially October 29 now so as per recent tradition lil' Kaffre will be magically transmuted from his usual age of three into a softer and even cuddlier newborn kitten!
The magic is a fairly unstable one so the duration is malleable - lasting until I post my next journal (probably sometime in early November), but until the effect does expire, he's the perfect size for his babyfur pals to snuggle, and pet, and congratulate on being born!
IRL, I shan't really be doing anything special this year. I will, probably, be going to town on the 30th to try and do some of my holiday shopping and maybe grab a few presents for myself. That said, however, nothing too serious has changed since my last journal.
For those who care, I'm currently an installment ahead on my 'Kaffre talks Candy' feature and plan to post the next installment in my next journal!
Well, I guess that's it for now. Thanks for reading! *hugs* It's really late here though, so I'm a go to bed now - bye bye! *more hugs*
The magic is a fairly unstable one so the duration is malleable - lasting until I post my next journal (probably sometime in early November), but until the effect does expire, he's the perfect size for his babyfur pals to snuggle, and pet, and congratulate on being born!
IRL, I shan't really be doing anything special this year. I will, probably, be going to town on the 30th to try and do some of my holiday shopping and maybe grab a few presents for myself. That said, however, nothing too serious has changed since my last journal.
For those who care, I'm currently an installment ahead on my 'Kaffre talks Candy' feature and plan to post the next installment in my next journal!
Well, I guess that's it for now. Thanks for reading! *hugs* It's really late here though, so I'm a go to bed now - bye bye! *more hugs*
Thanksgiving Journal + Kaffre talks Candy #10
Posted 10 years agoWell, it's Thanksgiving once again. We're not really doing anything this year, I think, but I wanted my FA buddies to know how appreciated they are! *hugs*
Also, I've finished my outstanding art piece for the last Swapsies and hope to post it tomorrow (my scanner's a bit wonky). I'm afraid it's not my best work, but I'm just so out of practice at drawing that I fear it's the best I can do - hopefully this realization will help spur me to increase my output in the hopes of regaining some of always meagre artistic skills which would hopefully prepare me for the current Swapsies - which I hope to sign up for just as soon as my current piece is ready.
In other news, I've finally got an appointment for my assessment with the Psychiatrist. It's tomorrow at 1:00pm. Hopefully, this will result in some sort of treatment plan for addressing my social phobias, wish me luck! Unfortunately, I've lots of other errands to run that day too so I'm afraid I won't be quite so accessible as I usually am, but I'll try and remember to let you all know how it goes!
Finally, it's a very busy month for Babyfur birthdays! See (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6612190/) for details! In particular, Zee-Zee will be getting even more grownup on the 14th and I'll be getting older too on the 29th! So, if you haven't already, you might consider practicing your hugging now so as not to embarrass yourself by giving subpar hugs later on. As has become tradition, Kaffre will be regressing to baby kittenhood on October 29th so as to be all the more adorable! ^^
And now, Kaffre talks Candy #10!
Name: Duncan's Original Ginger
Manufacturer: Creative Confectionery
Size: 58 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Duncan's Original Ginger consists of. a short wide bar of dark chocolate with small bits of crystallized ginger embedded in it and grooves allowing it to broken up into ten segments (two columns of five).
Opinion: Another import I found recently and decided to give a whirl, this product was reasonably tasty, but also rather unusual. The dark chocolate did a nice job of complementing the ginger pieces, but while the texture of the ginger pieces was not unlike that of the crispies found in many chocolate products, the strength of their ginger flavour was a bit startling at first though I quickly grew accustomed to it. Overall, a decent product that I would probably buy again, but didn't quite like enough for me to put it on the list of candies that I try to buy on a more regular basis.
Name: Fox's Golden Crunch Creams
Manufacturer: Fox's Biscuits
Size: 168 gram pack contains eleven cookies.
Where Purchased: Bulk Barn
Description: Golden Crunch Creams consist of two crunchie golden oatmeal-type cookies with a quantity of yellow-white cream sandwiched between them.
Opinion: Another product grabbed on a whim, these cookies actually proved interesting not so much for being unusual as by being almost generic tasting. The cookies were nice and crunchy with a slight oat-y taste that was very pleasant, if rather mild. The cream, while tasty, had a flavour that I found difficult to describe - it was almost reminiscent of the Maple Cream cookies that are endemic to Canada, but not quite so strongly flavoured. In any case, these cookies were quite tasty, but I'm not sure whether I'll ever buy them again or not - there are just so many other varieties out there! PS. Why does a company called 'Fox' use a panda as its mascot?
Name: Jacob's Mint Club
Manufacturer: United Biscuit
Size: Eight 22 gram bars.
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Jacob's Mint Club consists of a cellophane wrapper containing 8 individually wrapped chocolate bars. The bars themselves consist of a crunchy biscuit (cookie) topped with a thin layer of mint-flavoured stuff and then enrobed in chocolate. The word "Club" is pressed into the top.
Opinion: A product I'd seen, but never tried before at Bulk Barn years ago, and decided to grab when the opportunity presented itself. The bars are pleasantly crunchy and have just the right amount of mint flavouring to complement the chocolate without proving overpowering (I think the cookie layer helps here). Overall, a good product that I will probably purchase again from time to time, but the necessity of buying so many at once probably means it will remain an occasional treat...
Name: McVitie's Orange Club
Manufacturer: United Biscuit
Size: Eight 22 gram bars.
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: McVitie's Orange Club consists of a cellophane wrapper containing 8 individually wrapped chocolate bars. The bars themselves consist of a crunchy biscuit (cookie) topped with a thin layer of orange-flavoured stuff and then enrobed in chocolate.
Opinion: While I've tried this product before, but it sold under the Jacob's brand which doesn't make a lot of sense as both are subsidiaries of United Biscuit and, according to the wrappers, are made in the same factory. In any case, this products is pleasantly crunchy with a nice amount of orange flavour - the taste did seem a tad stronger than the Mint Clubs, but that could just be because I find orange provides a stronger contrast with chocolate flavoured sweets. In any case, a yummy product I'll probably buy again from time to time as an occasional snack, but is unlikely to join my regular purchases.
Name: Wilson's Chocolate Kendal Mint Cake
Manufacturer: Creative Confectionery
Size: 55 gram
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Chocolate Kendal Mint Cake consists of a crumbly white block of peppermint-flavoured sugary stuff covered in a rippling layer of dark chocolate. The product's dimensions were slim and wide with a nice rippled appearance.
Opinion: Apparently a classic confection that I was unaware of, Kendal Mint Cake is an interesting treat possessing familiar as well as usual elements. The crumbly mint substance at the sore of the bar possesses a nice mix of sweetness and peppermint flavour with neither taste being too overwhelming the sweetness also helps to offset the bitterness of the chocolate nicely. The texture was a bit unusual at first, but I quickly acclimatized to it and while quite different from the creaminess of, for example, Peppermint Patties, is in fact quite nice in its own way. Overall, a reasonably tasty snack that I think I'll probably buy again at some point - also impressively resistant to extreme temperatures and rough handling, it's no surprise it's (apparently) popular with hikers and mountain climbers!
Also, I've finished my outstanding art piece for the last Swapsies and hope to post it tomorrow (my scanner's a bit wonky). I'm afraid it's not my best work, but I'm just so out of practice at drawing that I fear it's the best I can do - hopefully this realization will help spur me to increase my output in the hopes of regaining some of always meagre artistic skills which would hopefully prepare me for the current Swapsies - which I hope to sign up for just as soon as my current piece is ready.
In other news, I've finally got an appointment for my assessment with the Psychiatrist. It's tomorrow at 1:00pm. Hopefully, this will result in some sort of treatment plan for addressing my social phobias, wish me luck! Unfortunately, I've lots of other errands to run that day too so I'm afraid I won't be quite so accessible as I usually am, but I'll try and remember to let you all know how it goes!
Finally, it's a very busy month for Babyfur birthdays! See (http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6612190/) for details! In particular, Zee-Zee will be getting even more grownup on the 14th and I'll be getting older too on the 29th! So, if you haven't already, you might consider practicing your hugging now so as not to embarrass yourself by giving subpar hugs later on. As has become tradition, Kaffre will be regressing to baby kittenhood on October 29th so as to be all the more adorable! ^^
And now, Kaffre talks Candy #10!
Name: Duncan's Original Ginger
Manufacturer: Creative Confectionery
Size: 58 gram bar
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Duncan's Original Ginger consists of. a short wide bar of dark chocolate with small bits of crystallized ginger embedded in it and grooves allowing it to broken up into ten segments (two columns of five).
Opinion: Another import I found recently and decided to give a whirl, this product was reasonably tasty, but also rather unusual. The dark chocolate did a nice job of complementing the ginger pieces, but while the texture of the ginger pieces was not unlike that of the crispies found in many chocolate products, the strength of their ginger flavour was a bit startling at first though I quickly grew accustomed to it. Overall, a decent product that I would probably buy again, but didn't quite like enough for me to put it on the list of candies that I try to buy on a more regular basis.
Name: Fox's Golden Crunch Creams
Manufacturer: Fox's Biscuits
Size: 168 gram pack contains eleven cookies.
Where Purchased: Bulk Barn
Description: Golden Crunch Creams consist of two crunchie golden oatmeal-type cookies with a quantity of yellow-white cream sandwiched between them.
Opinion: Another product grabbed on a whim, these cookies actually proved interesting not so much for being unusual as by being almost generic tasting. The cookies were nice and crunchy with a slight oat-y taste that was very pleasant, if rather mild. The cream, while tasty, had a flavour that I found difficult to describe - it was almost reminiscent of the Maple Cream cookies that are endemic to Canada, but not quite so strongly flavoured. In any case, these cookies were quite tasty, but I'm not sure whether I'll ever buy them again or not - there are just so many other varieties out there! PS. Why does a company called 'Fox' use a panda as its mascot?
Name: Jacob's Mint Club
Manufacturer: United Biscuit
Size: Eight 22 gram bars.
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Jacob's Mint Club consists of a cellophane wrapper containing 8 individually wrapped chocolate bars. The bars themselves consist of a crunchy biscuit (cookie) topped with a thin layer of mint-flavoured stuff and then enrobed in chocolate. The word "Club" is pressed into the top.
Opinion: A product I'd seen, but never tried before at Bulk Barn years ago, and decided to grab when the opportunity presented itself. The bars are pleasantly crunchy and have just the right amount of mint flavouring to complement the chocolate without proving overpowering (I think the cookie layer helps here). Overall, a good product that I will probably purchase again from time to time, but the necessity of buying so many at once probably means it will remain an occasional treat...
Name: McVitie's Orange Club
Manufacturer: United Biscuit
Size: Eight 22 gram bars.
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: McVitie's Orange Club consists of a cellophane wrapper containing 8 individually wrapped chocolate bars. The bars themselves consist of a crunchy biscuit (cookie) topped with a thin layer of orange-flavoured stuff and then enrobed in chocolate.
Opinion: While I've tried this product before, but it sold under the Jacob's brand which doesn't make a lot of sense as both are subsidiaries of United Biscuit and, according to the wrappers, are made in the same factory. In any case, this products is pleasantly crunchy with a nice amount of orange flavour - the taste did seem a tad stronger than the Mint Clubs, but that could just be because I find orange provides a stronger contrast with chocolate flavoured sweets. In any case, a yummy product I'll probably buy again from time to time as an occasional snack, but is unlikely to join my regular purchases.
Name: Wilson's Chocolate Kendal Mint Cake
Manufacturer: Creative Confectionery
Size: 55 gram
Where Purchased: British Isles Shoppe
Description: Chocolate Kendal Mint Cake consists of a crumbly white block of peppermint-flavoured sugary stuff covered in a rippling layer of dark chocolate. The product's dimensions were slim and wide with a nice rippled appearance.
Opinion: Apparently a classic confection that I was unaware of, Kendal Mint Cake is an interesting treat possessing familiar as well as usual elements. The crumbly mint substance at the sore of the bar possesses a nice mix of sweetness and peppermint flavour with neither taste being too overwhelming the sweetness also helps to offset the bitterness of the chocolate nicely. The texture was a bit unusual at first, but I quickly acclimatized to it and while quite different from the creaminess of, for example, Peppermint Patties, is in fact quite nice in its own way. Overall, a reasonably tasty snack that I think I'll probably buy again at some point - also impressively resistant to extreme temperatures and rough handling, it's no surprise it's (apparently) popular with hikers and mountain climbers!
Kaffre talks Chips???
Posted 10 years agoThis special installment of Kaffre talks Candy deals with potato chips. I was originally hoping to post it in October, but recently learned that voting in Lay's Canada's 3rd Annual "Do us a Flavour" ends on September 30 so I was forced to rush a bit, I'm afraid...
Normally, I'm not very particular as to brand or even flavour where chips are concerned, so I never really thought about including them in "Kaffre talks Candy" before. Particularly as they're not candy. Nevertheless, I do like chips and these contests are a fun opportunity to experience unusual new tastes!
Due the wide variation in the flavours of chips available around the world, I'll begin by stating that staple flavours in Canada (those that most brands produce) are as follows: All Dressed, Barbecue, Dill Pickle, Ketchup, Original, Salt n' Vinegar, and Sour Cream & Onion with some brands having other flavours as well. I mention this both because my own voting criteria for this contest is that the flavour I choose oughn't be too similar to one of those existing flavours and because I have readers from around the world and am a little curious what flavours they have where you live! ^^
Anyway, this years entries are:
Name: Butter Chicken (Do us a Flavour 2015)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Butter Chicken are a fairly normal looking potato chip with a slight orange cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Not being overly familiar with Indian cuisine, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this particular chip. The flavour is somewhat reminiscent of a combination of two common flavours: "Barbecue" & "Ketchup" with sweetness and heat being the dominant tastes, but there's also a vague spiciness that I can't quite identify (onion, perhaps) that adds a certain degree of depth. Overall, I found this product to be a fairly tasty potato chip, but find myself somewhat ambivalent at the prospect of it winning the contest as I feel that it's a bit too similar to existing flavours for me to muster any real enthusiasm one way or another.
Name: Cowboy BBQ Beans (Do us a Flavour 2015)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Cowboy BBQ Beans are a ruffled-style potato chip with a slightly red-brown cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Probably the least appealing-sounding of this year's crop of entries (to myself, at least), Cowboy BBQ Beans turned out to be pretty good. The flavour is, unsurprisingly, reminiscent of Barbecue chips, but it's a nice 'smokey' barbecue rather than the 'sweet' or 'hot' one sometimes gets with that flavour. There's also a certain earthy taste that I feel is probably meant to represent the beans themselves. Overall, I feel that this is a solid entry in the competition and while I probably won't be voting for it myself and feel its similarity to an existing flavour may hurt its chances of victory, I can't say I'd be disappointed if it won this year's competition either.
Name: Montreal Smoked Meat (Do us a Flavour 2015)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Montreal Smoked Meat are a fairly normal looking potato chip with a slight brown cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Not being familiar with the food product references made me somewhat apprehensive about this flavour, but I decided to try it anyway. As it turns out, I was right to be cautious, the taste is difficult to describe, but starts out almost like a standard Ketchup chip, then gets an almost mustard-y flavour before developing a bitter, almost ash-like aftertaste. Overall, I didn't care for this flavour at all (sorry Quebec) and will definitely not be voting for it. Furthermore, I am unlikely to ever purchase it if Lay's does choose to adopt it. That said, it does win points for being quite different from any existing Lay's flavours even though I'm not sure that's a good thing in this case...
Name: P.E.I. Scalloped Potatoes (Do us a Flavour 2015)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: P.E.I. Scalloped Potatoes are a fairly normal looking potato chip with a slightly orange cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Scalloped potatoes, for anyone who doesn't know, are a casserole-type dish made from thinly sliced potatoes, onions, and cheese sauce. I thought this flavour was, by a wide margin, the tastiest sounding of this years options and thankfully delivered upon its promise with a nice cheesy taste with a nice hint of onion. Overall, I think this was probably my favourite of this year's choices and the one I'm most likely to cast my vote for. While initially somewhat hesitant to vote for it due to very similar flavours being available from other manufacturers (Dutch & President's Choice), Lay's doesn't currently have anything in the cheese/onion range making this both one of the more unique options as well as the one I'm personally most likely to purchase in the future!
Well, thanks for reading this special installment of Kaffre talks Candy... or rather chips. *hugs* I'll be posting a more proper journal in October to remind everyone about their favourite kitten's birthday at the end of the month! ^^
Normally, I'm not very particular as to brand or even flavour where chips are concerned, so I never really thought about including them in "Kaffre talks Candy" before. Particularly as they're not candy. Nevertheless, I do like chips and these contests are a fun opportunity to experience unusual new tastes!
Due the wide variation in the flavours of chips available around the world, I'll begin by stating that staple flavours in Canada (those that most brands produce) are as follows: All Dressed, Barbecue, Dill Pickle, Ketchup, Original, Salt n' Vinegar, and Sour Cream & Onion with some brands having other flavours as well. I mention this both because my own voting criteria for this contest is that the flavour I choose oughn't be too similar to one of those existing flavours and because I have readers from around the world and am a little curious what flavours they have where you live! ^^
Anyway, this years entries are:
Name: Butter Chicken (Do us a Flavour 2015)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Butter Chicken are a fairly normal looking potato chip with a slight orange cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Not being overly familiar with Indian cuisine, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this particular chip. The flavour is somewhat reminiscent of a combination of two common flavours: "Barbecue" & "Ketchup" with sweetness and heat being the dominant tastes, but there's also a vague spiciness that I can't quite identify (onion, perhaps) that adds a certain degree of depth. Overall, I found this product to be a fairly tasty potato chip, but find myself somewhat ambivalent at the prospect of it winning the contest as I feel that it's a bit too similar to existing flavours for me to muster any real enthusiasm one way or another.
Name: Cowboy BBQ Beans (Do us a Flavour 2015)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Cowboy BBQ Beans are a ruffled-style potato chip with a slightly red-brown cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Probably the least appealing-sounding of this year's crop of entries (to myself, at least), Cowboy BBQ Beans turned out to be pretty good. The flavour is, unsurprisingly, reminiscent of Barbecue chips, but it's a nice 'smokey' barbecue rather than the 'sweet' or 'hot' one sometimes gets with that flavour. There's also a certain earthy taste that I feel is probably meant to represent the beans themselves. Overall, I feel that this is a solid entry in the competition and while I probably won't be voting for it myself and feel its similarity to an existing flavour may hurt its chances of victory, I can't say I'd be disappointed if it won this year's competition either.
Name: Montreal Smoked Meat (Do us a Flavour 2015)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: Montreal Smoked Meat are a fairly normal looking potato chip with a slight brown cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Not being familiar with the food product references made me somewhat apprehensive about this flavour, but I decided to try it anyway. As it turns out, I was right to be cautious, the taste is difficult to describe, but starts out almost like a standard Ketchup chip, then gets an almost mustard-y flavour before developing a bitter, almost ash-like aftertaste. Overall, I didn't care for this flavour at all (sorry Quebec) and will definitely not be voting for it. Furthermore, I am unlikely to ever purchase it if Lay's does choose to adopt it. That said, it does win points for being quite different from any existing Lay's flavours even though I'm not sure that's a good thing in this case...
Name: P.E.I. Scalloped Potatoes (Do us a Flavour 2015)
Manufacturer: Lay's
Size: 170 gram bag
Where Purchased: Food Basics
Description: P.E.I. Scalloped Potatoes are a fairly normal looking potato chip with a slightly orange cast from the flavouring used.
Opinion: Scalloped potatoes, for anyone who doesn't know, are a casserole-type dish made from thinly sliced potatoes, onions, and cheese sauce. I thought this flavour was, by a wide margin, the tastiest sounding of this years options and thankfully delivered upon its promise with a nice cheesy taste with a nice hint of onion. Overall, I think this was probably my favourite of this year's choices and the one I'm most likely to cast my vote for. While initially somewhat hesitant to vote for it due to very similar flavours being available from other manufacturers (Dutch & President's Choice), Lay's doesn't currently have anything in the cheese/onion range making this both one of the more unique options as well as the one I'm personally most likely to purchase in the future!
Well, thanks for reading this special installment of Kaffre talks Candy... or rather chips. *hugs* I'll be posting a more proper journal in October to remind everyone about their favourite kitten's birthday at the end of the month! ^^
