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In cereal

Eggo Cereal: Chocolate Flavour Review

Eggo has been part of my childhood, so seeing Eggo cereal in store is pretty cool and nostalgic. They are celebrating 50 years in Canada by introducing the new Eggo Chocolate Flavour Cereal featuring mini chocolate-flavoured waffle-shaped cereal pieces, dusted with a chocolate coating. The newest member of the family brings Eggo’s iconic, well-known, much-loved and delicious brand to life in the cereal aisle. 

We were sent a box to review from Eggo.

Eggo History in Canada

First introduced in Canada in 1971, Eggo disrupted the breakfast scene with its frozen toaster-sized waffles featuring a great tasting “secret formula” that made serving a hot breakfast both easy and delicious. The beloved brand quickly became a breakfast staple, and the unforgettable “L’Eggo my Eggo” slogan was introduced the following year. To this day, the majority of Canadians can properly complete this famous catchphrase†. An international sensation, Eggo has introduced many different flavours and formats over the years, including the Canadian launch of the first-ever Eggo cereal – Eggo Maple Syrup Flavour Cereal – last year. And now, as it celebrates its 50th birthday in Canada, Eggo brings a new sweet and crunchy chocolate flavour to the cereal aisle with Eggo Chocolate Flavour Cereal. 

What’s inside?

It is made with whole grains and containing no artificial flavours or colours, the mini waffle-shaped pieces offer a chocolate flavour that doesn’t quit, and the unique waffle pieces stay crispy in milk. The final flavour surprise is revealed when the cocoa saturates the milk, leaving a bowl of delicious chocolatey cereal milk at the end.

Taste Test

The shape of the cereal is supposed to look like a waffle, but it somewhat looks like a honeycomb too. It has a dominant chocolate flavour and doesn’t get soggy quickly because of it’s thick size.

It is sweet but not too much compared to other cereals in the market. It’s a solid chocolate cereal, but nothing really screams Eggo except for the shape.

I do like this flavour a lot more than the Maple Syrup flavour.

Final Thoughts

It’s a solid chocolate flavoured cereal and it does stay crunchy for a while, which is good if you love the crunchy texture but slow at eating the bowl of cereal.

Website:
https://www.kelloggs.ca/en_CA/brands/eggo-consumer-brand.html

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In product

Matt & Steve’s Hot & Spicy Caesar to warm up the Holidays

Matt & Steve’s has just launched their read to drink Hot & Spicy Caesar right out of the can. A classic Canadian beverage just in time for the holidays no matter what you’re doing.

Even if we can’t get together over the holidays, we can warm up at home or any socially distant activity with close family. If you’re not a fan of boozy eggnog, a caesar might just be for you.

Don’t Forget the Garnish

Pickled vegetables are an absolute must, they act as palette cleansers. Vary the veggies you are putting out, add some that are crunchy. Matt & Steve’s has pickled veggies like their Asparagoos, Extreme Bean, and pickle spears to enhance the experience. They also sell a Caesar rimmer too.

Taste Test

Shake it up, pour it over ice, and garnish with your favourite items. The can is 473ml in size and also 5.5%. This vodka based beverage is also made with the Extreme Bean brine to add a nice kick to the drink.

It is definitely a hot and spicy caesar and decent as it just comes out of the can. It does have more of a stronger pickly tang because of the brine.

Pair it with Bites

Of course drinks are only one part of the equation. You gotta pair it with food! Here are a few tips according to Matt and Steve’s:

  1. Know your serving sizes – Two people or ten (this season it typically changes by the day), knowing how many people to prepare for is a crucial part of building your board.
  2. Change up the flavour and textures of your cheese and meat selections – When selecting your cheeses, look for a mild, a medium and one sharp. For meats, try spicy or smoked with different sizes and textures, get some sliced thin and try some cubes.
  3. Timing is everything – To ensure all elements of your board reach optimum flavour. Cheeses should be arranged 30-60 minutes before serving, while meat should stay in the fridge until 15 minutes before serving. 
  4. Pickled vegetables are an absolute must, they act as palette cleansers. Vary the veggies you are putting out, add some that are crunchy. 
  5. Choosing Crackers and Breads – For a real treat, use freshly baked bread.
  6. Add a little Fresh & Sweet – Finish off the board with a selection of fresh fruits, nuts, chutneys, dips and spreads.

Where to purchase

Currently, you can find Matt & Steve’s Hot & Spicy Caesar in Alberta and British Columbia liquor stores.

Website:
https://can.mattandsteve.com/

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In product

M&M’s Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownie: Review

M&M’s and brownies go hand in hand and it’s about time they created Fudge Brownie flavoured M&M’s. If you don’t want to spend an hour and at least 10 ingredients to make brownies, this quick fix will do.

With M&M’S Fudge Brownie,  the ‘recipe’ is just open the bag, pour into a bowl, and enjoy – that’s it. Also, I couldn’t find a good brownie shop near my house as all my favourite ones are in Downtown.

This flavour will be rolling out in stores across Canada throughout 2020 and is available in 109g Sharing Size bags, 185g Take Home bags, and 380g Bowl Size bags.

Taste Test

We got our hands on the 109g sharing size bags and gave it a try. I absolutely love the dark chocolate M&M’s as I find that the sweetness is more balanced now that I’m older.

When you bite into it, you get the crunch from the outer coating and then the hit of dark chocolate inside.

Final Thoughts

Definitely check this out if you see the Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownie M&M’s in stores. You don’t want to miss out on it.

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In product

Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Sure-Crisp Air Fry Toaster Oven: Review

Air Fryers have been a hit this year as everyone is spending more time at home during this pandemic. I love the concept of air frying, but I hate having an added appliance in the kitchen that takes up more counter space.

Hamilton Beach has created the Easy Reach Sure-Crisp Air Fry Toaster Oven, which is a 2 in 1 toaster and air fryer in a nice compact size. It still has enough room for six slices of toast, a 12” pizza, and even a 9”x11” baking pan.

We got sent one to give it a try in the kitchen to test it.

Viewability

One thing I love about this Air Fry Toaster Oven is the ability to look inside to made adjustments as you go. With other air fry machines, you have to open up the machine to see inside.

When I was cooking a few different dishes inside the Air Fry Toaster Oven, I love watching the items cook.

Roll Top Door

I love how the door just rolls up when you open it. Removing food from the oven is easy and you won’t burn yourself in the process.

Reheating Food

I really enjoyed using this to cook small quantities of food when you don’t want to turn on the regular oven.

Large Capacity

We found that the air fry basket does hold a good amount of food compared to other air fryers. Just make sure not to overcrowd the basket like us as it takes a little longer to cook.

Heating

I do miss the digital temperature monitor so you can see if the oven has come up to the correct temperature before putting food in.

Included Accessories

The oven comes with a small mesh basket for air frying, bake pan, broil rack, and a slide-out crumb tray. You don’t need to purchase anything extra. It’s all ready to use on any mode.

Timer Setting

The oven has a 30 minute timer with a stay-on setting, auto shutoff, and a ready bell. It helps keep track of your cooking time. If you want it to be longer, you can turn it on the ‘Stay On’ Setting to extend the cooking time if needed.

Final Thoughts

We tested the Hamilton Beach Easy Reach Sure-Crisp Air Fry Toaster Oven for a few months now to see how it performs. It’s great for reheating food and the air fry mode helps get our food nice and crispy.

The size is very large yet compact for a counter top appliance. The downside is we wish there was a digital thermometer to indicate that the toaster is up to temperature.

Nonetheless, it’s a great Air Fry Toaster Oven for under $100.

Website:
https://hamiltonbeach.ca/easy-reach-sure-crisp-air-fryer-toaster-oven-31523c

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In product

Potters: Western Canada’s largest Christmas store now open

With this pandemic, we have eagerly been awaiting the Christmas festivities to begin while staying safe. For us, our tree went up on November 1st to bring more warmth into our living room. With our little one almost turning 2, we wanted to make sure the holidays is the best. I needed to pick up a few more items to complete our home, so I headed to Potters, Western Canada’s largest Christmas store located in South Surrey, BC.

The Christmas Store at Potters has tens of thousands of holiday-related items in their 28,000-square-foot space. They are open now through December 24 for all your holiday needs. You’ll find things from ornaments, designer trees and collectibles, to stocking stuffers, food items and much more.

Safety

They are implemented a series of safety protocols to keep everyone safe during the pandemic.

Store management and staff have implemented safe shopping protocols, including reduced occupancy, temperature checks, hand-sanitizing stations placed throughout the store, widened and one-way aisles, check-out lanes with clearly marked distancing lines, and Plexiglas screens at every cashier desk. All visitors are requested to wear a mask and respect physical-distancing guidelines.

Store Layout

An annual holiday shopping tradition for many, The Christmas Store at Potters is guaranteed to put visitors into a holiday frame of mind. But this is about more than just shopping.

Come and marvel at intricate displays, such as the Enchanted Fairy Garden that greets all who enter. Venture into the 3,000-square-foot Dark Room, illuminated by more than 75 different Christmas-themed canvas paintings and more than 60 different Christmas-themed water lanterns. 

And check out the brand new Bee Tree (an upside-down tree featuring a giant honeycomb and bee-themed ornaments) and the returning Ice Cream Tree (a white tree with a three-foot scoop of “ice cream” at the top, complemented by ornaments in the shape of ice cream cones, donuts, cupcakes and more).

Also returning this year is WhoVille, an entire section devoted to Grinch-themed items, including teddy bears, ornaments, mugs and snow globes.

For the foodies in your life (or for yourself!), the Gourmet Food area offers thousands of rare and special products, including hot chocolate from Montreal’s Gourmet Village (available in seven different colours and flavours); dessert toppings (including ice cream sauces in tasty flavours such as Banana Bread); locally-made jellies and syrups from Krause Berry Farms and The Preservatory; maple syrup and maple butter from Muskoka Lodge; and for the first time this year, Dr. Henry Whisky BBQ Sauce, created by local Chef Ann Kirsebom in honour of Dr. Bonnie Henry (100% of proceeds from every bottle will go to the BC COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund). 

Cool Finds

Potters has an incredible inventory of toys, jigsaw puzzles, games, Coca-Cola collectibles (including ornaments and figures), Christmas stockings (more than 50 styles), and unique items for those hard-to-buy for adults. 

I spent more time and money than I thought, but it was so worth it. I ended up getting a train set, some decor, and a dancing Santa. I never knew I needed a dancing Santa until now.

Address:
19158 48th Avenue, Surrey, BC

Website:
potters.ca/christmas

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In British Columbia

Virtual Happy Hour at Home

After going back to work from my maternity leave, a lot has changed as we now have a pandemic and majority of my colleagues are working from home. What once was happy hour right after work has becoming Virtual Happy Hours once a month to bring everyone together. It’s definitely a strange time, but we make it work.

I put together a charcuterie board of my favourite items from my local grocery stores to put together the perfect Virtual Happy Hour for one.

Choose your favourite drink

I love light beers, so I went with Coors Organic as it just launched. We were gifted this a while ago, but I decided to crack it open for a taste test. Very refreshing and has a clean taste so it balances well with the charcuterie board. Simple and not overly complicated.

Some times I do wine, but beer is more of my go to beverage.

Visit you local market

I love going to our local butcher in the neighbourhood as there is always good selection of meats and cheeses for your board. I went with a salami, habanero cheddar, and a regular cheddar.

While I was there I also picked up some crackers grapes, pistachios, artichoke hearts and olives to round out the board.

Spice it up

Condiments are a must, but I went with mustard this time as Smak Dab’s Canadian Maple mustard goes well with meats and cheeses. It has a smokiness and sweetness that pairs nicely.

Other condiments we usually enjoy are raspberry jams, hummus, and tzatziki.

Enjoy

I hope everyone has doing well as much as they can during the pandemic. There has been a lot of negative news in the last year, but we have to count our blessings as there has been some positive aspects.

There’s more and more delivery and pick up options available for groceries and take out. A lot of technology issues that we’re possible and now possible! Families have been spending more time together where possible and we are lucky to have our health.

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In coffee

Nespresso Coffee: Aged Sumatra, Ethiopia, and Costa Rica Capsule Reviews

Nespresso Coffee is always coming up with new capsules for their different machines. With the pandemic, having a good source of coffee in our home is a life saver. We’ve been able to save so much money by not making regular trips to the cafe.

Aged Sumatra, Ethiopia, and Costa Rica are the latest capsules to be released and it’s actually our favourite capsules too.

Aged Sumatra

Intensity: 8
Espresso: 40ml

The Aged Sumatra single origin coffee is split into two batches for roasting. The first is roasted intensely for a short time, reaching a medium dark colour. The second is roasted longer, thus adding intensity. The flavour profile is woody with a slight sweet after taste.

It is smooth and we love making it into a latte with oat milk.

Ethiopia

Intensity:4
Grand Lungo: 150ml

The Ethiopia Master Origins coffee is roasted in two splits. One is light and the other is medium roasted to keep the aromatic flavours alive. It’s very smooth. It is naturally flowery coffee which gains fruitiness and complexity due to their drying method. You can notice hints of blueberry and a touch of musk.

There is hardly any bitterness and it’s become one of our favourites with a bit of oat milk to pair. This is my personal favourite.

Costa Rica

Intensity: 7
Gran Lungo: 150ml

The Coasta Rica has a roastiness and full body taste with low acidity. It gives it a malty and cereal flavour profile. Similar to the other coffee, they split the roast to develop the flavours. Another solid coffee and like the other ones, we add a touch of oat milk to it.

Final thoughts

Of the three new capsules, I absolutely love the Ethiopia the most. Costa Rica is a family favourite too. I would usually gravitate towards espresso like the Aged Sumatra, but the others blends did impress us.

Website:
https://www.nespresso.com/ca/en

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In British Columbia

Earthling Gluten Free Foods: Almond Meringue Dacquoise Patisserie in Vancouver

I was recently introduced to Earthling Gluten Free Foods for their Almond Meringue Dacquois. They have put their own twist to this treat with Korean flavour influences and tea flavours too.

They starting making dacquoise during the pandemic as they really missed having them back in Korea. After many trial and error making their ideal Dacquoise, Earthling Gluten Free Foods was born. Their secret is rice flour, which gives it a crispier and chewier texture.

They produce all these Dacquois in a 100% gluten-free commissary kitchen in Vancouver.

Free Delivery and Pick Up

You can get free delivery if you have a minimum order of $40 or more. They delivery to the Greater Vancouver Regional District from Monday to Fridays.

You can also pick up your order at Bobacabana in New Westminster.

Follow them on social media as they do have pop-up events once in a while. See where they will be next.

Injeolmi

This Dacquoise has soybean powder (Kong Garu) dusted shell and kong-garu (injeolmi) buttercream center. This was our favourite flavour of the flavours we tried. Highly highly recommended.

Mugwort 

This is a very unique flavour using Korean mugwort herb (Ssuk) infused shell and mugwort buttercream center. It’s very interesting and definitely has an earthly flavour. I was very indifferent about the flavour but my sister was really really into it.

Hojicha Matcha

I love the colours of the Hojicha infused buttercream and matcha infused buttercream. They use the Paragon Tea Room Hojicha and Matcha tea powder in the buttercream. I would have preferred the flavours seperately to be able to taste the tea better.

Vanilla Bean

If you’re not into tea of Korean flavours, they have it with fresh vanilla bean, thus creating a classic french buttercream. Back to the basics is always good.

Lemon Creme

Hiding in the centre is their fresh lemon zested curd center and cream cheese buttercream. Love the vibrant lemon flavour.

Final Thoughts

I was pleasantly surprised by their Almond Meringue Dacquoise. It was my first time trying and it’s a nice snack that pairs well with tea or coffee. If you’re looking for something different to give a friend or family member, this might be it.

Website:
https://www.earthlingfoods.ca/

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In British Columbia

Lady M launches delivery in Canada but will cost you a lot

Lady M New York has launched their new site ladym.ca to offer shipping to Canada. Lady M is known for their decadent mille crêpe cake, which everyone goes crazy for. Although there are no storefronts in Canada, at least it’s possible to get a taste of Lady M while the borders are closed for the time being due to the pandemic.

I was curious how much it would cost in total to acquire a whole mille crêpe cake. Each cake features at least twenty golden and handmade paper-thin crêpes layered with whipped pastry cream. It really is a craft and no wonder it will cost well over $100 CDN per crêpe cake for the cheapest option.

I decided to see how much shipping would be and wow, it’s not cheap. They use one-day FedEx International Priority service, so it will arrive very quickly, but at a cost of $56.72 USD. It’s odd how check out converts everything back to USD instead of Canadian.

Either way, getting the cheapest crêpe cake with shipping to British Columbia would cost $151.32 USD or $205.26 CDN. The most expensive ‘Slice of the best mille crêpes’ would be $222.88 CDN.

It’s a very luxurious cake and not marketed to the average person. We’ve had a taste in New York, Chicago, and Hong Kong and these are really really good crêpe cakes that marry the best of French and Japanese techniques.

All the cakes are available for shipping to every zip code in Canada, so it’s possible to get Lady M in Canada if you have the budget for it.

Website:
https://ladym.ca/

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In British Columbia

Drinks to Celebrate on Canada Day in 2020

#MakeitCanadian with Molson Canadian

Look out for this amazing Molson Canadian variety pack showcasing the various Canadian craft brewers out there.

Molson is extending the ultimate Canadian gesture by opening up its case to other brands for the first time to create the most Canadian case of beer ever for limited-edition sale. The Canadian Case is a one-of-a-kind variety pack featuring Canadian-founded brews, standing together, label to label. 

Molson will also be donating $5 for every special-edition case printed (up to $25,000) to local charities supporting people and communities in need of a helping hand in this particularly difficult year. 

You can find this special pack of beer in and around July 1st, 2020. Check out their website to find out where.

Website:
www.thecanadiancase.ca

Caesars with Walter Craft Caesars

Caesars are very Canadian and it’s always a treat to enjoy. We absolutely love Walter Craft Caesars mixes. They are all crafted in small batches and made using vine-ripened tomatoes, grated horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and select spices. They even have a Vegan Caesar Mix that uses dulse (edible seaweed) in place of clam juice for a true Caesar taste while being 100% plant-based.

All you need is the mix, vodka, and some pickles to pair.

Website:
http://waltercaesar.com/

Maple Spiked Coffee with Cabot Trail

Nothing screams more Canadian than maple. The cocoa, cinnamon and amaretto notes go perfectly with a cup of coffee if you’re so inclined to get an extra something something in your morning cup.

Website:
https://ungavaco.com/en/products/cabot-trail-cream/

Taves Estate Cidery – Barnyard Series

Looking to something refreshing like locally made cider? Taves Estate Cidery has their new Barnyard Series featuring flavours like apple, gooseberry, red currant and black currant. All the fruits are grown by Farmer Loren Taves right in Abbotsford.

Website:
https://tavesestatecidery.com/barnyard-series/

Farming Karma Fruit Co Apple Sodas

Looking for a non-alcoholic recommendation? One of our favourite Apple Soda’s is from Farming Karma Fruit Co in Kelowna. It’s made of real apples and the taste is so good and crisp.

They are also releasing a few new flavours in stores soon too. You can also buy it on Amazon.

Website:
https://www.farmingkarma.ca/

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In British Columbia

Chips Ahoy! Sour Patch Kids Cookie: Review

Who would have thought Chips Ahoy! and Sour Patch Kids would come together to make a cookie? It’s the combination that no one asked for. Either way, it’s in-stores now and we needed to give it a try even though it sounds revolting.

It is available now for a limited time only at most major grocery stores across Canada.

Taste Test

This starts off with the classic Chips Ahoy! base with colourful white chocolate chips and tiny pieces of butchered Sour Patch Kids. It does have a strange tangy aroma, which make it seem like it has gone bad.

There isn’t any sour taste to the cookie either. The Sour Patch Kids pieces are too small to make the cookie sour.

Final Thoughts

If you’re curious, you can give it a try, but I haven’t heard anyone actually like the taste. The Chips Ahoy! Sour Patch Kids Cookie just doesn’t work, but it is fun to talk about.

Save your money and skip this.

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In British Columbia

KitKat Ice Cream: Espresso Explosion, Matcha Green Tea, and Salted Caramel Crunch Review

A few months ago, KitKat launched 3 new Ice Cream flavours – Espresso Explosion, Matcha Green Tea, and Salted Caramel Crunch. I found them at my local grocery – Save on Foods for $6.49 per container. Each container is 500ml.

I am a huge KitKat fan, so I had to give this a try. They also have their Ice Cream Bars in store to. Clearly, I may have an addiction.

Espresso Explosion

The Espresso Explosion has a rich taste of coffee and chocolate notes to it and pairs well with the chocolate covered KitKat pieces. It was the best out of the three flavours. Definitely worth getting if you enjoy coffee.

Salted Caramel Burst

The Salted Caramel Burst is not bad either for the first few bites as the salted really balance out the caramel sweetness. After having a whole bowl full, you are rally left with a lot of sweetness in your mouth.

Matcha Green Tea

The Matcha Green Tea is not very strong. From it’s dull and light colour, you don’t get much matcha in it. It’s more sweet and tastes more like vanilla. Not recommended if you like a bold strong matcha.

Final Thoughts

Overall, these are still fun flavour combinations that play on KitKat’s customer base. Of the three flavours available, Espresso Explosion would be the one I eat over and over again.

Website:
https://www.madewithnestle.ca/ice-cream-and-frozen-desserts

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In British Columbia

KitKat Chocolatory Canada: Special Edition Taste Test

KitKat Chocolatory has closed their in-store experiences due to Covid-19, but that doesn’t stop Canadians from ordering a special box of special edition KitKats to indulge in.

For Mother’s Day, my husband ordered me a gift box of 4 KitKat Chocolatory exclusive flavours from their online store. Each bar is handmade in Canada, which is great to hear.

Spring Shortcake

This special KitKat is made with berry flavoured white chocolate with freeze-dried strawberries and shortbread. I liked the textures of the strawberries and shortbread. It wasn’t too sweet and let the aroma of the strawberries shine.

Raspberry, Be Mine

This KitKat has dark chocolate with raspberries and cacao nibs. I really liked this. Cacao nibs grave it a nice texture and crunch, which the raspberries were fragrant. Highly recommended.

Totally, Butter Tart

This special edition KitKat has milk chocolate with pecans, shortbread cookies and toffee. This one was a bit sweet for me and I felt the toffee really sticks to your teeth afterwards.

Delightfully, Coffee, and Donuts

This ones has donut flavoured milk chocolate with ground coffee and sprinkles. The dominant flavour is the donut with a hint of vanilla to compliment the coffee. This KitKat has a lot going on and was sweet compared to the other ones.

Final Thoughts

I love eating KitKat, so this was fun trying the new exclusive flavours. There are 2 more that we didn’t get – Stop & Smell the Roses and Ruby, I’m Yours.

At $8 per bar, it’s not cheap, but it’s not available anywhere else. My favourite were the Spring Shortcake and Raspberry, Be Mine.

Website:
https://www.madewithnestle.ca/kitkat-chocolatory

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In news

Nespresso’s Most Affordable Vertuo Machine – Vertuo NEXT has Arrived

Nespresso has just launched their latest and most affordable Vertuo machine – Vertuo NEXT. It starts at $199 CDN and available online at Nespresso.ca.

We have used their Vertuo machines for the last few years and we personally prefer it as it makes 5 different coffee sizes. Anywhere from an Espresso (40ml) to an Alto (414ml). If you have different types of coffee drinkers in the house or office, this is definitely a great option.

If you’re worried about sustainability, 54% of the Vertuo NEXT is made of recycled plastic.

Size

The Vertuo NEXT has the smallest counter footprint of the Vertuo range. It’s not as bulky when it sits on the counter top, which makes it great for condo living. If you’re looking for the smallest machine possible from Nespresso, this wouldn’t be it. Their Original machines are small and compact, but the coffee section is more limited.

Colours

It comes in 4 different colours that match any decor – Cherry Red, Light Grey, White, and Dark Gray.

Capsules

The Vertuo NEXT uses an intelligent extraction system that recognizes each Nespresso coffee. Thanks to the barcode on the rim of each capsule, brewing parameters are adjusted automatically by the machine depending on the selected Nespresso coffee. This delivers the best in-cup result with just one button.

If you’re new to Nespresso’s lines of coffee, its best to get an assortment of their best selling Vertuo capsules to get a taste of what they can offer.

I personally prefer any of the capsules in the Espresso and Double Espresso range. Melozio is also another favourite.

Aeroccino

If you bundle the Vertuo NEXT with a Aeroccino milk frother, it will be $269, which isn’t a bad price for the bundle. The Aeroccino on it’s own is $99. If you enjoy lattes, this is a must.

Final Thoughts

The upfront cost of the Vertuo NEXT isn’t bad at all considering each cup of coffee is around $1. The quality of the coffee is solid. In times like these where we are stuck working from home, it’s a great option.

Website:
https://www.nespresso.com/ca/en

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In British Columbia

Three Kingdom Beer Co: Asian Inspired Brewing Project in Vancouver

When I think about Asian beers, I default to a few favourites – Asahi, Tsingtao, San Miguel, Hite and Singha. Three Kingdoms Beer Co. in Vancouver wants to find a cross section between Asian culture and the beer industry. They are working in partnership with partnership with Dogwood Brewing.

Hefeweizen

At 12 IBU, it’s quite hoppy, thus the bunny illustration. The can is smaller 355ml cans compared to the other 473ml. Hefeweizen uses German pale wheat malt, where you get the aroma of banana, cinnamon, clove, and the strong hops. This would pair well with seafood, chicken, mild cheeses, or sweet desserts.

Honey Kolsch

The Honey Kolsch is our favourite of the 4 beers they offer as it matches our personal beer preferences. It has a subtle floral and fruity notes and finishes with a hint of sweet honey. Very refreshing and enjoyable.

You can pair this with fried foods like fried chicken.

Hazy IPA

For an IPA, the flavours are nice with hints of sweet citrus with a tropical hop finish. It’s a very easy to drink IPA and well balanced. We were definitely surprised as we generally refrain from IPAs. You can have spicy food to pair with the Hazy IPA.

Chocolate Milk Stout

The Chocolate Milk Stout is a treat to enjoy. It is dark in colour and is sweet with deep roasted malt flavour with a touch of milky lactose. It is smooth and malty with the dark chocolate taste. You can pair this with BBQ and other grilled foods.

If you’re lactose intolerant, you will need to take lactase pills to counteract the lactose in the Chocolate Milk Stout.

Final Thoughts

I’m glad Three Kingdom Beer Co is adding more diversity to the beer industry. I’m all for it! Their 4 core beers are a solid line up that attracts different types of beer drinkers. My personal favourite is the Honey Kolsch as I usually lean towards light effervescent beers with less hoppy flavour.

Another local company – Fuggles and Warlock in Richmond is doing an exceptional job merging Asian culture and flavours in the beers they brew.

Website:
https://www.threekingdoms.beer/

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In cereal

Cap’n Crunch’s Cotton Candy Crunch Cereal: Review

Earler this year, we bought a lot of cereal from the United States and we’re still in the middle of eating it all. One of those cereals is Cap’n Crunch’s Cotton Candy Crunch Cereal.

We are fans of the original Cap’n Crunch, so we were curious how they would be able to incorporate the cotton candy element into this cereal. We generally love the original cereals more, but we are always curious, so we must try.

Where do you find them?

I found them at Walmart.com for $3 USD for a large box.

What’s inside?

You will find 326g of Cap’n Crunch’s Cotton Candy Crunch Cereal.

Taste Test

The shape of the cereal are round balls rather than the golden rectangular pillows of the original Cap’n Crunch. We also noticed the very strong sweet cotton candy aroma coming from the box.

Can we mixed in the milk and ate it all, the cereal doesn’t have a strong cotton candy taste. It’s mostly the smell. It’s pretty frightening as a cereal as it’s artificially coloured and has artificial flavourings as well.

It’s not a cereal for everyone, but it’s fun to try. This would make a better dry snack than a cereal.

Nutrition Facts

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a fun cereal, but it still doesn’t compel me to buy this again. We will skip this and stick with the original Cap’n Crunch.

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In British Columbia

Ben and Jerry’s Netflix and Chill’d: Review

Ben and Jerry’s Netflix and Chill’d has finally arrived in Canada. This launched in the United States first and now we are just getting it in Western Canada. It’s such a fun name

The Flavour

The Netflix and Chill’d flavour is made of peanut butter ice cream with sweet and salty pretzel swirls & fudge brownies.

Where to find this?

With the Covid-19 Pandemic, finding anything in grocery stores is a hit and miss. I was able to find this at the Real Canadian Superstore in Western Canada. I have also seen it at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Taste Test

I really enjoyed this. There is a dominant flavour of the peanut butter ice cream. The brownie adds a nice chewy texture and the pretzel swirl really help enhance the taste as well.

It’s a touch on the sweet side, but then again, it’s ice cream. I still really love this flavour as it has everything I enjoy. Highly recommended.

Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed it for it’s name and also for the flavour. I would totally buy this again if I see it. It’s such a great gift to give friends too.

Website:
https://www.benjerry.com/flavors/netflix-original-flavors

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In British Columbia

AriZona Hard Green Tea: Review

When we were in University, we loved mixing AriZona Green Tea with all sorts of alcohol like vodka, sake, and soju. It’s a great drink that’s even better with a splash of something something if you know what I mean.

It’s been a long time coming, but FINALLY they have launched AriZona Hard Green Tea made with vodka. This is 5% ABV.

Where Can You Find this

I found this at my local BC Liquor Store in 473ml single cans. They also have a 6 pack with 355ml cans. You can check online to see which location has it in stock. You can also find that at Independent liquor stores as well.

This is not available in the US yet.

Taste Test

AriZona Hard Green Tea has a dominate taste of the brewed green tea with a touch of the ginseng. Not too strong but still nice, sweet and refreshing just in time for the Summer. The vodka is definitely there but the touch of honey balances out the beverage.

It’s a very easy drink to consume but you’ll know right way that there is vodka in this. Can’t fool anyone.

Final Thoughts

With the nice warm temperature on the West Coast, it’s nice to just have a beverage while social distancing. Next time you’re at the liquor store, check if they have AriZona Hard Green Tea in stock as it’s a great drink for the warm weather.

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/arizonahardca/

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