Jardin Bio Hybiscus Lemon Tea

After trying the infusion of red vine (vitis vinifera) with natural aroma of red fruits, from biological agriculture, I've decided to try the hybiscus lemon tea from Jardin Bio (part of the Léa Nature group).

This green tea from bio agriculture contains hybiscus flower, lemon peel and lemon natural aroma and is picked at the Venture plantation, situated 1000 meters height in the region of Dimbula, Sri Lanka.

With a light pinkish colour, it's a tea with a light body and suitable to drink on its on, or with a quick snack.

The lemon notes are pleasant and although I haven't gone into a garden before to eat hybiscus flowers, I will give this tea a positive note.

Carrying the Max Havelaar logo, this tea is part of the line of Jardin Bio Équitable, respecting the environment and contributing to fairtrade commerce and solidarity.

In the case of the Ventura plantation, exists a model of social development that includes kindergartens, professional improvement and house construction.

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Cadbury Crunchie Chocolate Bar

Originally launched in 1929 by J. S. Fry & Sons (merged with Cadbury in 1919) the Cadbury Crunchie is a milk chocolate bar with a honeycombed centre.

Reminding of a honeycomb with very tiny holes, the centre feels hard and shattering when bit, featuring an attractive golden tone and its taste is of a subtle mix of honey and burnt sugar, with a slightly salty note.

Available in several sizes, being the most common the 40g single-serve bar, Cadbury Crunchie has known some limited editions.

The fact of resisting all these years is a good reason to give it a try.

Image from Candy Blog

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Wishing a Delicious Christmas

I wish you all a delicious Merry Christmas in the company of family and friends.
Calories are our friends :-)

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Whitman's Chocolates 1.75 oz Sampler

Only recently I tried the Whitman's chocolates and my reaction was quite positive.

I was given a 1.75 oz sampler box with four chocolates.

Although I cannot speak about the other boxes with more pieces, I would suppose that quality will be on the same level.

I'm not going to say that these chocolates are the best that I ever had, but in terms of price/quality they stand quite high.

Of course that to know if you agree with me or not, you'll have to go and buy them.

Now part of Russel Stover, Whitman's was established in 1842 by Stephen F. Whitman at the age of 19, in Philadelphia.

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Bontà Divina Tiramisù

There was only once that I had a tiramisù in a restaurant here in Portugal that I liked (they tend to skip the marsala wine), however since I've never been to Italy, I cannot compare.

I suppose that the top restaurants, namely those in hotels, must do it well, but I don't frequent them.

Some years ago I found the Bontà Divina brand in the supermarket and when I saw the tiramisù, I had to give it a try.

I must say that I'm always suspicious about buying desserts that are not home-made, but after reading the ingredients that include mascarpone cheese from Alto Adige, sicilian DOC marsala wine and coffeee, I thought that it could be a good option.

Like I said before, I've never been to Italy to try the original, but I can tell you my option resulted quite positive.

The product is well presented and its degustation is pleasing, with a special touch given by the marsala wine.

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Lizi's Treacle and Pecan Granola

I know that cereals are good for breakfast and that they are a healthy and lasting source of energy, however I get tired after a couple of days eating them.

There are not rare the times that I eat them before going to bed, instead of having them in the morning.

Anyway, I'm not the kind of person who goes to buy something just because it showed in the media, however a packing with a good image will call my attention. That's what happened with Lizi's Treacle and Pecan Granola, from GoodCarb Food Company.

I can't remember if at that time I had the intention to buy breakfast (or not) cereals, but since the packing had such a nice look and the word "granola" was on it (I had read good things about it on a blog), I picked it up, read the ingredients, that include pecan, which is something that I like and it's rare to find in products here in Portugal, and decided to buy it.

With roasted pecans that contain selenium, zinc, vitamin E and anti-oxidants, this granola is complemented with black treacle, resulting in a "golden toffee flavour".

Included are also sunflower and pumpkin seeds (know for their benefits in prostrate problems prevention).

The taste is pleasant, not as sweet as those breakfast cereals for children, nor dull like other ones and after adding the milk, they keep crunchy.

If you like cereals, you should give it a try.

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Milka ChocoWafer

Milka, a Kraftfoods company, has recently introduced a round shaped wafer sandwich with cocoa filling and covered with milk chocolate.

The wafer is of good quality, which is noticeable when crunched.

As for the chocolate, it features the Milka's quality and is used in a suitable quantity.

If you don't have a sweet tooth, but still like these kind of wafers, there is also a white chocolate version that has a more subtle taste.

At the time of this article being published, Milka doesn't seem to provide an easy to find information on their websites about this product.

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Rio Mints Honey Melon Flavour

The brand Rio Mints has recently launched two new flavours that took their main debut in the australian market and are now available in other countries, yesterday I had the opportunity to taste them here in Portugal.

Pink Grape Fruit and Honey Melon are the new fruit flavour options in a line of sugar free mints that come inside these really neat tin boxes with a practical mechanism.

Not being a fan of these kind of products and not wanting to make judgements about their use in terms of diet/health issues, I found the Honey Melon flavour to have a good taste and a pleasant cool sensation.

If you are into these kind of products, it's quite possible that your opinion may be positive.

Rio Mints is a brand from Sweet Life AG, Switzerland.

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Win a Christmas Gourmet Box

My Gourmet Guide, the food and drinks review blog, wants to thank its readers for their support and this Christmas is going to offer to one of them, a box with some of the goods that were reviewed.To win this gourmet box you only have to acomplish two simple tasks :

a) Be a follower of this blog

b) Write an article on your blog (with a link to this post) mentioning this promotion and make a comment here with a link to your post.

The post doesn't need to be about this promotion, you can just mention it together with other subjects, just don't forget the link.

The deadline to participate ends on November 30th, 2009.

Everyone can enter and the shipping expenses are fully supported by My Gourmet Guide.

image taken from Gift-Boxes.us

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Fox's Chunkie Fruit & Nut Extremely Chocolatey

The Fox's brand of biscuit exists since 1853 and is part of Northern Foods plc since 1977.

Based in UK, they have three factories, one of them located at Batley in West Yorshire, which is also the head office.

Today I bought the Fox's Chunkie Fruit & Nut Extremely Chocolatey cookies and will tell you that they deserve a positive review.

In the market there are many brands that offer chocolate chip cookies and biscuits, some of them are quite good and others have a long way to go.

Fox's cookies have a good balance between the dark chocolate chips, hazelnuts and raisins, resulting in pleasant taste. They don't have that strong chocolate taste found in some good brands of chocolate chip cookies, but if you are not looking for that and want to try something different, this can be a safe bet.

image found at womanandhome

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Jacques Callebaut - Panaché

Using a knight as its visual key, the belgian Jacques Chocolaterie was founded by Antoine Jacques in 1896.

Later in 1982, Stollwerck acquired Jacques Chocolaterie and in 2002 Stollwerck was acquired by Barry Callebaut.

Finally in 2005 the brands Callebaut and Jacques were merged, originating the Jacques Callebaut brand.

Yes, it does seem complicated, but lets talk about what really matters: chocolate.

Now, the first thing that got my attention was the box showing chocolate bars with raisins and some orange peal by the side, it seemed a good combination.

I picked up the chocolate box, turned it around, read the ingredients and that it was made in Belgium, which for me is a plus, of course.

The orange flavoured chocolate covering the bars is good and the rumflavoured filling with its raisins is of a very pleasant consistency and a really well achieved taste.

Maybe a bit too sweet for some, I found this Panaché version to be a really good surprise.

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Emmi Swiss Yogurt (Mango Flavour)

When I was a kid I didn't like yogurts that much because they were quite sour and I guess that many kids didn't either.

Then manufacturers started adding more sugar (too much in my opinion) and other "strange Exxx things". Now kids like them better and yogurts have a more prolonged shelf life.

Nevertheless I suppose that we lost in terms of quality.

I've always preferred yogurt in jars, namely because it gives a healthier impression (ok, it's psychological) and well, because usually they're really better.

This Emmi brand seems to have some care with its products and I could confirm it with this yogurt.

The Emmi Swiss Yogurt is available in several flavours, depending upon the country where is sold, like for insteance UK and Germany.

I usually buy yogurts with bits of fruit, but this time I've decided differently and picked the mango flavour one.

With a creamy aspect and a very pleasant taste, this yogurt was a pleasant surprise.

If you like yogurt and haven't tried this one, give it a try and then tell me.

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Andros Pressed Pineapple Juice

With all these soft drinks available for the consumer to choose from and marketing campaigns supported by relatively high budgets, the niche of natural juices may have some difficulties to achieve a noticeable position.

Nevertheless in the later years there has been a more conscious approach of the consumer and natural products have conquered some territory.

Of course that I also buy soft drinks, but I do prefer the natural juices.

When looking at the price tag, usually the consumer's first reaction is : this is much more expensive than a soft drink. However if one thinks that when buying a soft drink you are buying something like 10 to 20 per cent of concentrated juice and the rest is water and chemicals, considering the health benefits of drinking a natural juice, which one is more expensive ?Although I don't buy their juices that often, namely because I know a more affordable brand here in Portugal, yesterday I've decided to try the Andros Pressed Pineapple Juice ( Andros Jus d'Ananas Pressés).

This is an almost 100% natural pasteurized juice (I say almost because it contains pectin and gellan gum) made from pressed pineapples.

You can expect a very pleasant taste, almost identical as if you had pressed the pineapples yourself.

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Magnum Mini (Double Chocolate & Double Caramel)

This weekend I bought a six units pack of Magnum Mini with double chocolate and double caramel.

Both flavours feature an exterior coat of chocolate and a thinner one separated by a layer of the mentioned flavour.

As the name implies, chocolate is the core element of the double chocolate version, while the caramel one has a vanilla inside (it's white so I suppose it's vanilla).

With a creamy interior, one of the main characteristics of the Magnum line of ice creams is the quality of its chocolate, confirmed by Magnum Mini.

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TUC Crackers - Bacon Flavour

It's been a while since I last bought these biscuits from LU.

Thin crackers with a bacon flavour inside layer and the correct salty taste, these biscuits are a pleasant surprise for those who never tasted them.

After trying the first one, it's difficult to stop.

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LU PiM's - Orange Flavour

We all know that the combination of chocolate and orange is one of the most appreciated ones.
Knowing this fact, LU (a Kraft Foods subsidiary) has come up a few years ago with a line of soft biscuits covered with a top layer of dark chocolate and a tangy orange fillng.
I've known these for years and I can tell you that they are one of my favourite choices in terms of cookies, or biscuits if you prefer to call.
The most worth mentioning fact is the well achieved balanced between all the ingredients, making of Lu PiM's a pleasant degustation experience.
Soon I will review the raspberry flavour, which I bought yesterday.

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Toblerone Fruit & Nut

Known for its smoothness and the bits of almond nougat with honey, the Toblerone chocolates are appreciated worldwide.

I've known the classic version for years, but today I tasted the Fruit & Nut one for the first time.

The consistency of the chocolate seemed almost imperceptibly smoother than the classic one (maybe it was because of the temperature) and the raisins add a nice touch.

Although not revolutionary, I found the composition well achieved, making the degustation of this chocolate a pleasant moment and a secure bet for Krat Foods Switzerland.

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Virtual Cuisine

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Jordans Organic Muesli

Made with wholegrain organic cereals, meaning high fibre, Jordans Organic Muesli has no added sugar or salt.

In its ingredients one can find wheat flakes, hazelnuts, vine fruit and coconut.

Although I'm not a fan of breakfast cereals, I eat them once in a while, namely because it's healthy.

These get my approval for their natural taste and pleasant texture.

According to the brand, these are suitable for vegetarians.

I believe that the images are of the same product, depending upon the country.

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McVitie's Fruit & Form

This last Saturday I went to the supermarket and saw these packs of McVitie's Fruit & Form.

Usually I don't buy these kind of products, namely because I don't need to diet.

Nonetheless I like to eat healthy food and so I've decided to give them a try.

Since I'm thin, calories and sugar are not a problem, so what I really appreciate is flavour.

This recent line from United Biscuits may even be good in terms of nutritive quality, but the taste ( I tried the Forest Fruits ) was somewhat disappointing, since I found it weak in terms of intensity.

The crunchy characteristic of the cereal bars ( or cereal biscuits, if you prefer) is a pleasant one though.

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Anna's Thins and Biscuits

I picked the box from the shelf, observed the cookies, read the ingredients and the info about the company.

I liked what I read and bought a flavour which I can't remember now.

After eating a couple of Anna's Thins, I've come to the conclusion that it was somewhat difficult to stop and that I would have to try the other flavours.

The cookies have a natural flavour and are very pleasant to byte.

Gingerbread is quite probably my favourite, but there are others such as lemon, orange and cappuccino.

Anna's was founded in Stockolm ( Sweden) by the sisters Emma and Anna Karlsson in 1929.

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Molenaartje Syrup Waffles

Having tried a couple of brands, some of them dutch, I was positively surprised by these ones.

Usually I don't go to the bio section of the supermarket, but when passing through it, this package draw my attention, namely because I like these kind of waffles.

Well, since they are based on natural ingredients, contain whole wheat, malt syrup and honey, I've decided to give them a try.

Ok, I confess.... I openned the package and ate half of it on my way home.

If you still haven't tried the organic Molenaartje Syrup Waffles, give them a try, you may like them.

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Russell Stover - Fine Chocolates

I don't know if they are sold here in Portugal, but fortunately I have eaten them a couple of times.

Russell Stover chocolates "talk" to me about sincerity. That's how I feel about them.

If you haven't tasted yet, you should give them a try.

Their name may not be among the top "chocolatiers" in the world, but it's one of those brands featuring a line of chocolates that will please almost anyone. And the price is right.

Russel Stover began as a home-based candy business in 1923, started by Russell and Clara Stover.

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Deloba by Bahlsen

With a good price (at least here in Portugal), these Deloba biscuits from Bahlsen feature a puff pastry with a sublime currant center.
It's a simple buiscuit, but addictive and one cannot eat just one, or should I say just five or six ?

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Cadbury Drinking Chocolate

I know that there are these exquisite brands of cocoa and chocolate for making drinking chocolate.

But for someone who likes to drink some hot chocolate regularly, it's not that convenient to pay a high price.

From the few that I know and tried, Cadbury Drinking Chocolate is my favourite, namely because it doesn't have that "sugary" and lack of cocoa feeling that some brands have.

There's one annoying thing though that I have to mention: the tab that is used to pull the foil top, comes off too many times.

I hope that they do something about it.

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St. Dalfour - Fruit Conserves

I will say that I'm not an expert about fruit conserves, but I've had my share and tried some known brands, including those that are home-made.

From those, the St. Dalfour fruit conserves are my favourites due to their faithfulness to the flavour of the fruit and the quantity of it.

It's difficult to pick a favourite flavour, but I quite like the "Black Cherries" and the "Golden Peaches".

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It Starts Here

Dear readers,

This first post establishes the directives for this blog and gives an insight about what to expect.
In a world with millions of blogs, it will be a challenge to raise from the crowd.
My Gourmet Guide will help you to chose food and drink related goods through the publication of reviews by its author.
On a regular basis I will buy goods and will post my honest review about them.
As this blog's motto states : "I try before you buy".

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