Here at AGI, we regard ourselves as fairly epi-curious. Given a sniff of something new and potentially tasty, we are always eager to give it a go, be it super spicy chili, Japanese pancakes, or Chinese bubble tea innovations. Which is why we were excited to receive a tasting box for review from Flavrbox.
lavrbox bills itself as a service which champions the amazing range of independently produced food available in the UK, helping people discover new tastes and introducing exciting new flavours to supplement the average weekly shop. They offer an annual tasting box subscription, where every month a package stuffed with five to six assorted goodies handpicked by the Flavrbox team will arrive on your doorstep, along with a lovely little note telling the story behind each product.
There was a definite breakfast theme to our box. Nestled inside the package was a jar of bacon jam (more on that later), a selection of cereal bars, luxury granola, a mint and lime and an orange raw cocoa bar, and some North Coast Roast coffee beans.
Deciding that the most logical thing to do would be to taste the food in the most natural combinations, we brewed up the coffee to have alongside the granola. After a small hitch with a cracked pot and excessive amounts of brown goo spilling over the kitchen, we were ready to get stuck in. The coffee was as rich as it smelled, and certainly gave us the required pick-up after a Saturday night out on the mean streets of Stratford. The granola was chewy, fruity, and not too sweet, although we were still a little peckish. This left plenty of room for the cereal bars.
Our top pick was the Rocky Road Jackson Ceral Bar- dubbed the son of the flapjack, these bars are a whole food lover’s dream, but still sweet enough to satisfy die-hard sugar junkies, with pleasing marshmallow bites scattered between the oats. Similarly, the cocoa bars (we felt in necessary to continue the taste session once we’d got going) provided a nice mouthful of flavour, although some may find the texture slightly unusual. They were a long way from Dairy Milk, but perhaps that’s the whole point. I’d definitely recommend them to a friend looking for a lactose free substitute to the standard stuff, if not an equivalent.
Later that day, it was decided that the time had come to let ourselves loose on the bacon jam. The brainchild of a Walthamstow American diner, the jam was in fact more of a relish. Spread liberally on burgers, it provided a really interesting smoky, slightly zingy edge. We also experimented with egg on toast, where it proved equally yummy.
Overall, I’d saythe Flavrbox tasting box is great value if you love trying new products but don’t necessarily have time to trawl around farmers’ markets (or happen to live a less than cosmopolitan surroundings, where the local market is more about dog biscuits, dolls heads, and chips. Oh the glamour of East London!). They also do a meat-free version, which would be a fantastic gift for a veggie stuck in a cheese and lentil rut. And who doesn’t love getting a parcel stuffed full of surprises?
More details about Flavrbox and their subscription services are available here. Or even better, why not enter AGI’s fantastic competition, a WIN a three month subscription, absolutely free? Click here to have a go!
