I received another tasty Degustabox at the end of July and have been enjoying it's contents in the ensuing weeks. You can see evidence of that in the lovely Lemon and Chocolate Chip Cake I baked with the bar of Green & Black's Lemon Bar a bit later on but first I want to tell you all about what I got in the July Box.
I do enjoy these boxes when they arrive each month. It's like getting a Christmas package because you never know what is going to be in it until it arrives. It's quite exciting really! Once a month, each month Degustabox will deliver to your home 10 to 15 new, special or innovative food products for you to try in the comfort of your own home via a subscription service. A monthly subscription costs £9.99 and there is a delivery fee of £3, for a total of £12.99, and what you receive can be tailored to the types of things that you like and would use. Here is what was in the July box . . .
Right at the top of the box was a tasty assortment of Portlebay Popcorn! Portlebay Popcorn is a new brand with an ambition to reinvent a classic favorite snack – popcorn! They have created Kracklecorn. Popped by hand, they add raw cane sugar into the pot just as the grains are popping to give a delicious, more brittle, crunchy texture. A bit of salt and some natural flavours are then added.
-Original Kracklecorn: A sweet and salty artisanal treat.
-Bacon and Maple Syrup Kracklecorn: Kracklecorn sprinkled with a natural Crispy Bacon and Maple Syrup seasoning. Sweet and salty bacon heaven!
-Chilli and Lime Kracklecorn: Tangy lime with kicks of chilli to bring crunchy Kracklecorn to life.
Of the three flavours I enoyed the Chilli and Lime one the best. Available at Tesco and other retailers across the UK at an RRP of only 79pence per pack.
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Forget the usual sweet and sticky soft drinks. When it comes to refreshing yourself this summer, get stuck into ZEO. It's a crisp and dry soft drink with a tingling taste that comes in three light fruity flavours . . . Peach and Grapefruit Burst, Citrus Crush and Lime Zest. I am no stranger to these drinks having been sent some by the ZEO people last year. I quite enjoy them. They aren't overpowering like some drinks can be. Last Christmas they even had a sparkly lava lamp type one.
They RRP £1.29 for singles and £4.29 for a four pack and are available at Tesco, Co-op, WH Smiths and Ocado
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A delicious assortment of the Maggi cooking mixes for casseroles and meats. I received six sachets in several flavours:
Cheesy Chicken and Leek Potato Bake - containing a mix of herbs and spices to help to create a delicious family meal following 3 simple steps.
Oriental Sly and Garlic Chicken - containing a delicious Oriental Soy & Garlic recipe for Chicken along with a special cooking bag that helps lock in all the juices so there is no need to add oil!
PiriPiri Chicken - a mix of delicious herbs and spices to help you make delicious Piri Piri Chicken. Simply combine the recipe mix with water, pour over your fresh ingredients and bake in the oven.
Beef and Ale Casserole - a mix of delicious hervs and spices to help you make a classic beef and ale casserole. The result is sumptuous, rich ahd hearty casserole.
Note these mixes contain no artifical colours, no added MSG and no Hydrogenated Vegetable oil. Also I often use the Maggi packets when I am using my slow cooker on Sunday mornings, which means I have a tasty casserole type of meal waiting for me when I get home. I simply follow the instructions on the packet, adding a bit less liquid and cook on low for the four hours we are away. Works a charm. Each mix retails at an RRP of between £5.44 and £5.54 per pack and are available at most grocery stores in the country.
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Dr. Oetker Eton Mess Sprinkles are a mixture of meringue pieces and freeze dried strawberry pieces. Inspired by the classic dessert favourite, Eton Mess is perfect for adding colour, taste and texture to your cakes, biscuits, desserts and ice cream as well as a beautiful finish. RRP £1.99
Dr. Oetker Violet Crystals are pretty violet coloured sugar crystals with a delicate hint of violet flavor. Violet Crystals are perfect for adding delightful flavor as well as an eye catching effect to your cakes, biscuits, desserts and ice cream. RRP £ 1.29
Inspired by the latest baking trends, new Dr Oetker Eton Mess and Violet Crystals Sprinkles are the perfect way to add extra color and flavor to all your home baking and desserts. These Edible Decorations can be easily added to your home baking to create your very own special look.
These are a part of the Dr Oetker Premium range.
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Frank Blueberry and Chocolate Snack Bar - gluten free, source of protein with energy smart. A snack bar made with 100% natural ingredients which are good for you and taste delicious. The Frank bars are available in five flavours . . . blueberry, Strawberry, Orange, Oat and Double Chocolate. Free from gluten, nuts, dairy and refined sugar, they are also suitable for vegans and retail at the RRP of 85 pence.
ENERGYSMART® is a patented, all-natural combination of carbohydrates and fruit-juice concentrates which together provide longer-lasting energy, making them an ideal sports/on-the go snack that keeps you going without the guilt or the 'sugar-low'. See the Frank Food Company website for stockists or buy directly from our online shop.
Hornsby’s Blueberry Cider – Stateside, they use blueberries in pancakes, but here we’ve packed their juicy flavor into this fruity cider. Best enjoyed straight from a chilled bottle, the American Way. Try squeezing fresh lemon over the bottle and pop a twist of lemon peel in for a zesty finish.
Hornsby’s Crisp Apple Cider with Blueberry, blends the taste of refreshing apple with the mouth-wateringly sweet flavor of juicy, ripe blueberries – from LA to the UK, it’s the ultimate transatlantic combination!
Size matters! Hornsby's 330ml is the easy party drink and is best enjoyed 'the American way’, chilled and straight from the bottle, it’s how they do it in California…
Hornsby’s comes in three different flavor variants – Hornsby’s Crisp Apple with Blueberry, Hornsby’s Crisp Pear with Strawberry and Lime, and Hornsby’s Crisp Apple, which are available in Asda and Tesco in 330ml 4-packs, from £5, as well as selected bars across the UK.
For more information on Hornsby’s cider please visit www.hornsbys.co.uk and keep up to date on the latest news at Facebook.com/Hornsbys and Twitter.com/HornsbysUK.
The berry company is a family run business, producing a range of delicious and nutritious juices for nearly a decade. They are one of Europe’s fastest growing drinks brand with a special commitment to sourcing the finest superfruits from around the world. Their success comes from a love of what they produce and from the people who like the way they do it. Anti-oxident rich with no artificial flavourings, colourings or preservatives, they are lactose, fat, gluten and dairy free. They are also vegan friendly and contain no GMO's.
The following flavours are available in a 330ml carton as well as a 1ltr bottle
• Goji berry
• Acai berry
• Blueberry
• Pomegranate
• Superberry Purple
• Superberry Red
• Cranberry
And introducing the new tea range
• Green Tea - with Blueberry and Aronia
• Red Tea – with Hibiscus and Cranberry
• White Tea – with Peach and Lemon
• Black Tea – with Elderflower and Lemon
RRP £1.49 for a 330ml carton
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And finally . . .
Green and Black’s Lemon bar infuses their 60% Dark Chocolate with a zesty lemon flavor striking a balance between a fresh citrusy hit and enticing rich dark chocolate. The subtle lemon tang of the bar will transport you back to those long hot summer days of years gone by. RRP £2.29
I love Green and Black's organic chocolate, any flavor.
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And this is what I chose to use in a recipe this month baking it into my Lemon and Chocolate Chunk Cake.
A deliciously moist loaf cake . . . with a buttery moist batter, enriched with the light tang of plain yogurt and the subtle flavor of fresh lemon zest . . . and studded lucious little bits of creamy dark lemon flavoured chocolate . . . what's not to like?
*Lemon Chocolate Chunk Cake*
Makes one 9 by 5 inch loaf cake
Printable Recipe
Wrapped well in foil, and stored in a cool place, this delicious cake keeps for about 3 weeks, not that I've ever had it around that long.
4 ounces butter, room temperature (1/2 cup)
7 ounces caster sugar (1 cup fine granulated)
3 large free range eggs
the finely grated zest of one unwaxed lemon
8 1/2 ounces flour (2 cups)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
250ml of plain yoghurt (1 cup)
100g bar of Green and Blacks Lemon Chocolate, chopped into bits (1 cup)
2.25 ounces chopped toasted walnuts (1/2 cup) (Optional)
Topping:
3 1/2 ounces caster sugar
the juice of 1/2 lemon
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/gas mark 5. Butter a 9 by 5 inch loaf tin. Line with baking paper, leaving an overhang for ease of removal. Butter again. Set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift the flour into a bowl. Remove 2 TBS and add to the chocolate chips and nuts if using. Whisk the remaining flour together with the lemon zest, soda, baking powder and salt. Add at once to the creamed mixture along with the yoghurt. Beat on high speed for several minutes. Fold in the chocolate and nut mixture. Spread into the prepared pan, leveling the top with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes while you make the topping.
Place all the topping ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour this slowly over the hot cake, allowing it to soak in. Lift out and allow to cool completely before cutting into slices to serve.
Many thanks to Degustabox for sending me this box. It was truly lovely, with lots to enjoy!
Do check out the Degustabox web page for more information and details.
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