Cadbury's Portsmouth Outlet

I think I’ve found Shangri-La! Or you know El Dorado, something that people only dream of finding. The type of place a person wastes their lives searching for. Yet, I Roy Saxon have found it! In Portsmouth of all places! What is this mythical place, you ask? (You should be) It’s a Cadbury outlet store, yes a shop owned and run by Cadburys and indeed they sell chocolate. 

I feel like Indiana Jones or that guy who discovered that tomb. You know that one, right? I know this place will contain treasures beyond my wildest dreams, however, to get them there will be perilous traps. Traps that could easily take my life, or more likely my money. Without thinking of the risks too much I delve in for adventure.

Bask in the wondrous glory!

I was correct there is indeed chocolate to be had here, and at a discount price too. I enter and turn left (as statistically everyone does, apparently). A range of sealed bags bearing little description beyond misshapen bars are there before me. What a weird and wonderful idea I think. Perhaps all along those bars that are deemed unfit for sale do find a home beyond the rubbish heap I had expected. However it was a shame and on closer inspection these were in fact just jumbles of Cadbury Heroes and Roses. I was bitterly disappointed and sought comfort in the arms of some chocolate. The very chocolate I purchased and have brought to you today.


Before I made my actual purchase I had a further look round not wanting to miss a thing. I noticed how curiously it wasn’t just Cadbury products on sale here as I had expected.  It was their own products that were being sold at a reduced outlet price though and other names were their usual retail offering. The bar I picked of Toffee Popcorn Crunch can attest to this at a discounted price then I had been accustomed to seeing.

Looks sweet and innocent now, right?

So that’s today’s item. Which I soon unwrapped and consumed after escaping Cadbury’s candy cove. I was at once very surprised, well twice technically as I was taken aback two fold. Firstly just how thick this bar is, it is rather beastly, being almost twice as thick as a Dairy Milk bar. Obviously this is to allow it to contain whole pieces of popcorn which looks rather impressive. Secondly the worryingly sparse amount of chocolate, with just enough here to hold together said popcorn and a bit more for the top and sides.

I try a piece soon enough anyway. As always I try and let it melt for the first tasting. The chocolate is the usual beautifully sweet and creamy Dairy Milk but due to little coverage this fades quickly. The popcorn also melts nicely on the tongue but unlike the Dairy Milk the sensation isn’t as pleasant. Instead it just turns mushy and tastes a bit plain. The again popcorn isn’t really meant for melting in the mouth is it?

But look it's a friggin monster!

No, it’s meant for chomping down on in a noisy manner to annoy all other movie goers! So the next piece I chomp down on with glee. The experience is much better with a good bite and great texture its clearly not meant for a sucker like me. But it tastes great like this and the popcorn this time had a hint of toffee to it. This combined well with the chocolate and created a nice combination. The toffee was a bit fleeting, but there was obvious potential here.

Overall this bar is quite cool, but could be made better by having more of a toffee taste. The main thing is still my discovery of the Cadbury store, a modern day miracle!

Score
8 out of 11

Found
Cadbury's outlet store

Final Thoughts
I wonnder how many of these ancient chocolate worshipping sites exist?

Toffee Time Troubles

Remember, remember the fifth of November. Gunpowder, treason and plot. If your English this phrase will be a clear sign of something for you, that Autumn is well and truly upon us. You know as if the Christmas stock banaza that begins in June hasn't already given you clues.If your American I don't know what your reminder is perhaps giant inflatables floating past your window or every product incorporating pumpkin.

Apples wrapped in anything, another tradition

Well what ever your idea of what it means to be Autumnal, I have a couple of appropriate products today ready for review. Both of these products are traditional firework night treats here in Britain, toffee. To those who don't know fireworks night is when we celebrate a man who failed to kill our king and government, I don't know why everyone views us British as a cynical bunch. I understand how we choose to celebrate with fireworks, there is a clear link there to the attempt to blow up Parliament. Not quite sure why Toffees traditional candy for the day though, surely it should be popping candy.

Anyway so today's item is a British tradition and tomorrow I'l do some American traditions for Autumn, see I'm not biased. The toffee in question is rather special too and comes from my recent trip to Cumbria, where I found a shop called 'The Toffee Shop' in Penrith (know your product well I guess). According to the tourist information this was the place to go for toffee treats. Disappointingly the shop only does two types of toffee and three types of fudge. Although by the signs of the fudge samplers I had I was in for a treat.

It's all in the name

The first type is your typical treacle toffee, handmade on the premises they proudly proclaim. I'm not a big fan of treacle but when in Penrith do as the... Penrithians do? I found the chunks to be very sweet and very hard. Exactly what you want in toffee really, it had a great bite and it didn't take too long to soften enough to be chewed. The taste was very much treacle but it managed to be the right level of sweetness throughout and I saw why these guys were experts in their craft.

They don't really look appetizing, but they are!

The next piece was some of their butter toffee and this is when their love of toffee clearly lies. Again these chunks are pretty solid and my dentist was on hand ready to fix breakages. The taste was amazing at first I got a kick of sugar. This was soon complimented by a creamy, salty butter taste that created a sublime combination. Again it's no wonder these guys have a name for themselves, even if it is rather product restricting.

Overall these were nice, although the fudges they make were to me much nicer. I did buy rather a lot of fudge to keep me stocked if I'm honest. See you tomorrow for Pumpkins galore!
Score
Treacle Toffee- 6 out of 11
Butter Toffee- 9 out of 11

Found
The Toffee Shop, Penrith

Final Thoughts
Hope everyone's celebrations went off with a bang over the weekend!

I let down my hair!!!

Guess where today's item comes from. Go on bet you can't think. Where's the last place you would expect to find me one of the most unsophisticated people around. Someone who shuns refinery in favour of the quick and the sweet.Times up!

Now you better sit down for this one, I was at the ballet! Or rather the ballet came to my town and I went along for a gander. Now normally I wouldn't be too fussed about dancing and a prancing but a few reasons struck a cord. Firstly my girlfriend (insert amazing here) wanted to go, secondly the show was a darkish telling of Rapunzel. But finally because a trip to any theater brings an interval and that means Ice-cream. All three of these meant I was looking forward to today and the possibilities ahead.

The hair aspect is an odd thing to focus on as it didn't feature much.

The show was really cool, believe me I only go to the theater for comedy shows usually and have never seen anything to do with dancing in my life. But the dark and haunting soundtrack, coupled with the earthy tones was amazing and the all important interval became less important and quick to come around. I can strongly recommend the Lorent Ballet's telling of the Rapunzel fairy tale tour dates can be found Here.

I don't quite know when toffees considered old... or English

Before the ensuing ques and hordes of show seekers descended upon the trays of ice cream I flew to be ahead of the curve. On offer before me wasn't just the trio of Vanilla, Strawberry and Chocolate I had expected. No also there was Mint Choc Chip (not a fan sorry), Honey and Ginger (tempting). But there literally the last pot was the one for me Minghella's Old English Toffee. I snatched this up without even thinking of where the spoon was or if it was included. To be honest in the state of excitement I was in I would have shoveled with my palms like a meercat.

I quickly popped the lid and found the spoon within. Now the problem occurred for my ice cream routine tells me to wait for the second half and for the ice cream to melt before digging in. This is very difficult as you can imagine. I stared longingly at a beautifully beige frozen dessert with rather large looking chunks of burnt toffee. The wait seemed unbearable. Then the curtains rose the lights went down and the ballet and binging begun.

They look and feel really fancy!

The ice cream was great a lovely sweet and almost salty tasting ice cream. Really good quality no wonder the outside packaging boasted of it's heritage. The little pieces of toffee worked great adding crunch and bursts of toffee that I love. The only drawback was that the second half was shorter than the first and was over in what felt like ten minutes.

Overall I had an amazing night, show was great and the ice cream wasn't bad either. Now you weren't expecting me to say that ever. were you?

Score
Ice-cream - 9 out of 11

Found
Local Theater in those cool ice-cream tray things the users have.

Final Thoughts
I feel so manly after this post, well kinda, well not at all actually. But I'm loving it!!!

Hark how the bell gets ready to toll!

Really isn't long left folks until Halloween. I am fully prepared I believe now, I have a pumpkin for carving. I have a costume for treating and some friends for surviving. I hope you guys have this much planning or plotting in place. Of course the most important aspect is candy.

Today we have a few products themed towards Halloween as part of my spooktacular challenge. We have a spooky Cadbury's cinder toffee cake bar. I like the sound of this flavor and haven't seen it offered before. We have a skeleton chocolate lolly from Thornton's, Something for the luxuriously spoilt kids. For the cheap kids like moi we have a milky bar ghost whom was on offer when I snatched it up.

Don't know what qualifies cake to be spooky if I'm honest

First up the cake bar, according to the packet each is wrapped by mummies. Now I'm not certain but judging by the packaging it's the hammer horror kind not the maternal. Not sure this is that reassuring because I don't particularly think Egyptian mummies were big on hygiene. This aside I venture inside the tomb to try one of these "frightfully good" (slightly better than mediocre then eh Cadbury's?) cake bars.
Now I'm not normally a fan of cake bars but I'll try regardless.

As soon as I did I was pleased the chocolate coating was up to the usual milk chocolate standards but that's not what hit me. I was really hit by the toffee it was fangtastic, a beautifully rich taste and a nice fluffy sponge. However I found as I ventured further I found the toffee became rather sickly. Thankfully the sponge is light and unflavoured so there is slight balance. But not enough and I came out feeling a bit over indulged. the chocolate coating was good, melted well with a subtly sweetness.

At least he has that look of someone who's long time dead and not like...

Next the chocolate lolly, I like the design they have done a cool idea in using white chocolate as a picture on milk chocolate. Not a new idea but welcome never the less, unfortunately this often means the white chocolate passes unnoticed by the tongue. As I bit into it I recognized that same reoccurring them along with the Gothic themes. Cheaper blends of chocolate, I noticed the usual quality of Thorton's chocolate but with added sweetener and less cocoa. The was a nice subtle nutty aftertaste but I don't now if I was just seeking for excitement. I had noticed half the bar had bloomed, now I'd stored this with everything else and only bought it the other day so this was a concerning sign.

This guy who looks too happy and hyper and being deceased!

But I moved on to the last item a milkybar ghost. Not much to say really it is exactly the same chocolate we all know and love but in a spectral form. Although rather lazy at least they aren't scrimping on quality.

Overall I think the milky bar was the nicest although I could have just bought a regular version and been just as happy. The cake bar started so well I'm rather disappointed that it was a bit too much sweetness. However I may try the other one before it skulks off for another year.

Score
Cinder Toffee cakes- 6 out of 11
Skeleton Lolly- 5 out of 11
Milky bar Ghost- 6 out of 11

Found
Sainsbury's for the cake bars, Thornton's for the skeleton and Superdrug for the ghosty

Final Thoughts
What happens to all the shops Halloween items?

Ginger, cinder Goodness

Sorry if my posts seem a bit intermittent at the moment. I’m currently having a jaunt round the Lake District. The scenery is amazing, with rolling hills with the tops concealed in the clouds to the deep valleys that make your stomach jump. What it isn’t however neither modern nor internet friendly, although for the sights I’m seeing I don’t mind taking a Wi-Fi break.

Something I’ve really enjoyed but didn’t even consider is the quirky towns that we are passing through to get to the sights. Obviously they are purposefully quant and odd as they target themselves to us tourists passing through. I don’t like to think of this as I walk round them because I start to notice how fake everything actually is; at take the weirdness at face value instead.

I had already eaten half by the time I took this, that good!

It helps that for each small town there is usually two great sweet shops and five bakeries. Each one we pass through sends me into a fit of excitement like I’m a child again (again?) Honestly in some of these towns there must be about five cafes per actual resident. I’m developing a theory that the “locals” I see running and drinking in them are actually robots, a bit like in the film West World.

I’ve visited many a sweet shop I can tell you and have a lot of catching up to do when I get home. Today’s review items come from an awesome town we discovered unexpectedly called Keswick. Home to the world famous Puzzling Place, Dinosaur and Raptor Experience and Cumbria’s Pencil Museum. I went to the first of these paid four quid to screw my eyes up and thought I’d give the latter a miss.

One place I didn’t miss however was Bryson’s bakery. In which I found a flapjack, but not just any old flapjack. A ginger flapjack (as in flavour not hair colour), now I can take or leave a flapjack but when you factor in ginger I just had to try it. I’m definitely glad I did believe me, upon opening I was hit with a gloriously fiery ginger aroma and knew I’d picked a winner.

It doesn't exactly look appealing I know

I excitedly took a bite,. There is a reason Bryson’s are known in these parts because they know what they are doing with food. This flapjack is a testament to that, a perfect balance of oats and syrup infused with enough ginger to standout and not be too fiery (although usually the hotter the better). It’s not too dense and stodgy either so it was quite tempting to demolish the whole block at once. I had to restrain myself long enough to take a picture for you guys. I’m hoping for another chance to visit as I was greedily eyeing up their Battenberg cake but didn’t purchase.

The second item is nowhere near as special or one of a kind. No every shop I walk in seems to sell it in some form or another. It didn’t interest me at first but I became so overexposed to it that it annoyed me enough to purchase (I know that shouldn’t make sense right?) I think the thing that was putting me off mainly was the packaging. Every time I saw it, it was in a clear plastic wrapper like those on toys, 0this doesn’t make it very appealing.

The scenery is beautiful

It’s called Cinder Toffee. I’d assumed that it was just hard burnt pieces of toffee and imagined overly sweet rock in flavour. I was very wrong and feel ashamed in my judgement. It is neither rock solid nor overly sweet. No! It’s soft and crumbly like solidified honey (which I love) or soft rock, with an aerated centre like an Aero bar. Creating a brilliantly crumbly sweet that melts on the tongue. The taste is nice too it is defiantly very sweet toffee however because of its hollow nature it is in no way sickly. Honestly I managed to eat most of the bag at once. I’m going to try another variant I’ve seen soon that’s covered in chocolate but I don’t think it will be as nice. Also it won’t have the surprise value this had honestly wish someone had filmed me eating this.

Overall I love Cumbria and the sights, sounds and of course tastes I’m experiencing. I’ve not even been to Kendal yet. When I get there somehow I think there will be a shortage of their famous mint cake!

Score
Ginger Flapjack 8 out of 11
Cinder Toffee 6 out of 11
Found
Bryson's Bakery for the flapjack
Final Thoughts