November 2021 Degustabox review : Party & Feeling Festive

Now, I'm not one to panic and it takes a lot to crank up the stress levels here at The Madhouse, but .... it's Christmas in twelve days ! TWELVE DAYS !! That's less than two weeks. Aaaggghhhh ! I suppose it's not too bad - I've got most of the presents organised (I just need to send a box of presents to my mum and dad's and order Sophie's present, but she needs to choose it) and get the Christmas food bought (I will go on a special festive supermarket haul next week). The decorations and the Christmas tree have been up for a couple of weeks already. Yeah, I guess it's under control, we can do this ! The postman dropped off the latest Degustabox a couple of weeks ago, which also helped us to get more organised as it has a Party and Feeling Festive theme. Perfect !

This box contains lots of things that I looked at and thought "ooh, that looks perfect for cooking such and such or for using up the leftovers, perfect for us as a family" but I've never seen any of them in the supermarkets before now. Here's what was in this month's box. Maybe some of them will make their way into your festive cupboards !

 

Hellmann's Sour Cream & Chive Sauce (RRP £1.70) is a new addition to the extensive Hellmann's range and it sounds absolutely perfect for jazzing up the leftover turkey in sandwiches and salads. That's not all it's good for though - Hellmann's suggest using it in fajitas, nachos, jacket potatoes and burgers. It's also been tried and tested mixed into mashed potatoes, which works really well, and the kids lovely using it in sandwiches or as a dip with crisps, veggie sticks and breadsticks.

The English Provender Co Caramelised Red Onion Chutney (RRP £2) is another perfect ally for adding some zing to leftover turkey, alongside a million other things. This is something that we eat from time to time and I just checked on the blog. We received a jar in a Degustabox back in 2017 and I also reviewed a jar all the way back in 2012. During the upcoming festive season, it is perfect served with a cheeseboard or stirred through casseroles and stews. Definitely one to add to the store cupboard !

Mr Filbert's Sea Salt & Herb Mixed Nuts (RRP £1.50) are very tasty, whether you're grabbing a handful as a snack or serving them alongside Christmas or New Year drinks. The crispy, crunchy nuts - a mixture of peanuts, almonds and cashews - are tossed in sweet basil, oregano and sea salt which really enhance the flavour. Very moreish !

Ines Rosales Sweet Olive Oil Tortas (RRP £2.50) are an interesting Mediterranean snack that I'd never heard of before. Each flaky torta is handmade using natural ingredients and these ones have a tasty orange flavour. They have apparently been Spain's favourite pastry snack since 1910. They can be nibbled on their own, served with tea or coffee or, if you fancy something a little different, combined with cheese. As well as containing no artificial colours or flavours, they are dairy-free and vegan, which may be handy if you're hosting a Christmas meal this year.

 

Radnor Infusions Unsweetened Raspberry & Black Cherry (RRP £1.50) sounds like the perfect drink for seeing in the New Year if you have healthy New Year's resolutions on the  cards. It is made using sparkling spring water, delicately infused with all-natural flavours and extracts. It's free from sugar, sweeteners and preservatives and is vegan-friendly. The cherry and raspberry flavour is lovely and even better, it's almost calorie-free. What more could you ask for ?!

Knorr Mushroom & Italian Herbs Seasoning (RRP £1.80) is an interesting way to inject great flavour into your dishes while avoiding any added salt. It contains a blend of chilli, paprika, green pepper, smoked paprika powder and sunflower seed oil and it's great for perking up the leftovers or adding extra depth of flavour to anything from risotto and omelette to stir fries or soup. 

This month's Product of the Month, McVitie's The Fully Coated Ones Digestives / Hobnobs (RRP 2 x £1.79) were, needless to say, gobbled up enthusiastically. The idea is pure genius - take a well loved but basically plain biscuit and smother it in chocolate - what's not to like ?!  Each bite offers the perfect combination of delicious crunchy biscuit and even more of McVitie's signature silky-smooth, milk chocolate. Utter perfection.

 

Menier Salted Caramel Finest Swiss Chocolate (RRP £1.99) is an interesting new product from the brand. After over 200 years producing cooking chocolate, they have branched out into eating chocolate, including this Salted Caramel Chocolate, which is their hero product. Sourced with the finest ingredients, it is very tasty and moreish. I'll definitely be looking at what else they have on offer.

Nairn's Cheese Oatcakes (RRP £1.50) are perfect for finishing off all the leftovers from the festive cheeseboard or even the remnants of the turkey. Like all Nairn's products, they are made with wholegrain oats and only the best, very simple ingredients. Sounds perfect as an antidote to all the rich festive food ! Oats are something of a super-food and they're high in fibre, helping to keep our gut healthy. They're very tasty too and perfect for when you want a light meal or something to nibble on.

 

Sweet Piquanté Peppers (RRP £3) are crunchy, sweet and tangy, with a definite burst of heat coming through right afterwards. They're great chopped up and added to sandwiches (especially cream cheese or, you guessed it, turkey) and pizzas. You can also serve them whole with pre-dinner drinks, if you don't mind the heat ! 

Passoa (RRP 13 for a full-sized bottle, £1.60 for the mini bottle) is a drink I've often wanted to try, so I jumped at the chance to sample this one ! I love fruity flavoured liqueurs so this passion fruit option appealed to me and ticked all the right boxes. You might like to try it in a Porn Star Martini - 40ml Passoa, 40ml vanilla vodka, 15ml lime juice. Shake and fine strain into a martini glass. Garnish with passion fruit and prosecco shot optional. It can also be mixed with tonic water or champagne (perfect for Christmas and New Year cocktails). I added some orange juice, as it was what we had in the fridge. Verdict - very nice indeed !

 A subscription to Degustabox costs £12.99 per month including delivery, with each box having a value of much more than that, but the great news is, I have a discount coupon code for you which means you'll get the first box for just £9.99 - enter code PKUFE at the checkout. 

for more information :

http://bit.ly/DBhomepage - website

http://bit.ly/DBUKfacebook - Facebook

http://bit.ly/DBUKTwitter - twitter

Also now on Instagram @DegustaboxUK

Disclosure : We received the box in order to write an honest review. As a Degustabox blogger, I receive all of the products that go into the monthly boxes, but subscribers may not get exactly the same selection.