Copa Natural Juices by Frubaça

Influenced by its XII century Monastary, the portuguese region of Alcobaça is known for its tradition in pastries and orchards.

Developed by Frubaça agricultural cooperative and recurring to the High Pressure Processing (HPP), the Copa juices retain the taste and freshness of their 100% natural ingredients.

The juices are available in several tastes, including some combinations, such as: apple; orange; apple and orange; apple and strawberry; apple and pineapple.

From all the brands that I've tried until today, this is the one that approximates the most of a freshly squeezed natural juice - and I'm not seeing you squeezing an apple.

Its price is of course higher than those from most soft drinks or juices made from concentrate, but its taste and benefits for your health make it worth the expense.

The Copa juices are sold in several supermarkets in 750ml plastic bottles, without a set price, so you better look where it's cheaper.

My opinion about these natural juices is as positive as it can be, moreover they even carry the Portuguese Cardiology Foundation logo.

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Wishes of a Merry Christmas 2010

To all the readers of this blog and their families, I wish a Merry Christmas 2010 with lots of good things.

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Anthon Berg Strawberry in Champagne

I could start by saying that marzipan is not one of my favourite things, but years ago I bumped into this box that had written "Strawberry in Champagne" and I thought: mmmm this must be good. Moreover it got chocolate, which is obviously a plus.

Maybe the marzipan wasn't that much, I thought, and decided to give it a try. Afterall a product from Danmark and from a company establish in 1884 and still going on could not be bad.

First bite: the chocolate is good and the combination of the strawberry (11%) with the champagne (2%) contributes to enhance the taste. The marzipan taste (10% of almonds) is noticeable, which is a good thing for its appreciators, while for those like me who don't like it much is greatly compensated by the other elements.

The chocolate and marzipan count for 38% and the filling counts for 30%, the rest goes for the usual ingredients in these kind of products.

The fact that the brand has been appointed as purveyor to the Royal Danish Court confirms its quality, evident in these Anthon Berg Strawberry in Champagne from their Fruit & Marzipan line.

My opinion is obviously positive.

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Twinings Infusions Selection (Fruit Flavour and Herbal Infusions)

Among the brands of tea and infusions that I've tried, which aren't many, Twinings is one of my favourites, not only for its quality but also for its variety.
For people who don't get along well with caffeine, infusions are a good option.

Twinings offers different infusion selections and the one that I've chosen to review today is Fruit Flavour and Herbal Infusions.
The box contains 25 bags equally devided in 5 flavours: Lemon Twist; Strawberry & Mango; Peach & Passion Fruit; Raspberry & Echinacea; Blackcurrant, Ginseng & Vanilla.

I can tell you that I'm the kind of person who will eat anything, but I'm a bit more selective with what I drink, and one of the worst things that can happen is when a food or drink has a noticeable artificial taste.
Until now Twinings has proved itself worthy of my purchases and this Infusions Selection (Fruit Flavour and Herbal Infusions) has confirmed my trust, with all the flavours being tasteful, although I keep thinking that no boxed lemon infusion can beat a natural lemon one made directly from lemon peel.

If like me you like to drink a cup of tea or enjoy a new infusion, this selection should be on your list of things to try.
There's no link on this article to the product because I could not find it on Twinings official websites; of course that I didn't try all the countries.

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NewTree Eternity Chocolate: Cassis (Blackcurrant)

Created by Benoît de Bruyn and made in Belgium by Newtree S.A. this blackcurrant natural flavoured chocolate contains quality ingredients that include pure cocoa butter ( this one is for me a real plus in comparison to vegetable fats) natural grape extract and sugar - yes I prefer sugar - besides other ones that include of course the obvious.

The NewTree Eternity is a dark chocolate with 73% of cocoa and therefore rich in antioxidants and flavonoids.

With a pleasant blackcurrant bouquet and smooth degustation, it's a chocolate to eat parsimoniously and not like a chocolate bar that you eat in five or six bites. Besides in my opinion any dark chocolate is to be consumed moderately.

This chocolate is a good one, but for now it stays out of the group of my favourites, mostly because I'm not a huge fan of dark chocolate, however its quality has convinced me and it's more that likely that I'll try another of the several flavours from this brand that has already conquered some awards.

I cannot recomend a flavour, since I've only tried one, but it's a chocolate brand that I can recomend you to try, especially if you are an appreciator of flavoured dark chocolate.

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Pur Natur Bio Blueberry Yogurt

If you are a usual reader of this blog, you've already noticed that I like yogurt and buy it often.

One of my latest try outs are these organic yogurts from Pur Natur.

Today I'll let you know my opinion about the blueberry one (referred as billberry on their website)

Creamy towards solid, the consistency of the Pur Natur organic blueberry yogurt is similar to others of the same kind and quality.

Its taste, before reaching the fruit and if you don't stirr it, is a bit more sour than usual, which for me is a good thing since I'm of the opinion that nowadays yogurts have too much sugar.

When getting to the bottom of the glass pot where the fruits are, my opinion turns quite positive, influenced by the great flavour of the juicy blueberries.

I can't remember eating fresh blueberries, but I believe that these compare quite well with other fruits found inside other quality yogurts.

I haven't tried it stirred from the begining, but I'll do it soon since I have a unit inside my refrigerator.

The Pur Natur Blueberry Yogurt is a must try for any appreciator, even if the price tag is somewhat expensive in my opinion.

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Milka Champiolade - For a Limited Time Only

With the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, many are the companies bringing related products into the market.

Milka (a Kraft Foods company) has released a limited in time edition named "Champiolade".

Featuring a football (soccer) ball over each square, this alpine milk chocolate contains a creamy milk filling with butter caramel taste and rice crisps.

In the center of each square, one finds a crispy cocoa rice ball.

The chocolate keeps itself faithful to the quality of the other Milka chocolates, which is something that is up for you to decide about.

As for what I think and considering that I find the brand a good one taking into account the price/quality ratio, this Milka Champiolade doesn't have a noticeable chocolate taste, which is not caused for a lack of quality but only due to its characteristics (45% is filling), however it has a pleasant buttery taste and a good crispy feel to it.

I found it just a bit too sweet for my taste, but I've already received positive comments from other people who are picky about chocolates and even prefer dark ones.

Even if not among my favourites, this chocolate deserves a positive score and I think that will please to most people with a sweet tooth.

We're looking forward to read your opinion about it.

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"Making OeuF" by Alexandre DUBOSC

Once in a while you may spot some videos on this food and drinks review blog.
These are chosen for their creativeness and relation to this blog's theme.
After the amazing animation "Western Spaghetti", My Gourmet Guide presents another quality stop motion animation entitled "Making OeuF" by Alexandre DUBOSC for the Food about you - Concours Festival d'Annecy 2010.

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Andechser Natur Mango-Vanilla Bio Yogurt

Usually organic products are considerably more expensive and therefore I seldom buy organic or also called bio yogurts.
However from what I've seen, the german products are not as expensive, namely yougurts.
So, I've decide to try some from from a company named Andechser Molkerei Scheitz GmbH, afterall it was established in 1908 and if it still exists it must mean something.
I've tried a few flavours, including a stracciatella one that I found quite good.
But the one that really came up as the most positive surprise was the mango-vanilla one (mango-vanille in german).
This organic yougurt features the flavours of mango and vanilla in the correct quantities and its consistency is quite pleasant.
Besides the obvious ingredients, this bio yogurt contains L-type lactic acid and raw sugar (which I prefer to sweetners) It's also glutenfree.
If you like yogurts, I trully advise you to try this brand, especially the "Mango-Vanille".

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Stamp Out Hunger 2010 - Special Article

The articles that are presented to the readers of this blog are usually about food and drinks, however some exceptions can and will happen, and what better reason than a good cause ?

On the 8th of May 2010, letter carriers will collect non-perishable food items donated by individual households, left by the mailbox.

This massive one-day food drive campaign has started in 1993 and since then many starving individuals and families have received precious nourishment.

It's important to emphasize that many people are going through serious difficulties, many of them were working and have recently lost their jobs.

These people are often ashamed to ask for food, just as many of us would probably be.

Implemented by the National Association of Letter Carriers, the 2010 Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive will be organized in partnership with Feeding America.

Facebook users can also help the cause by clicking the "Like" button that can be found on the Stamp Out Hunger website, since Campbell's Soup will donate up to one million cans of soup to Feeding America for each fan.

So, if you want to be a fan, be a fan of a good cause.

Don't forget, it's on May 8, 2010 and you can sign up for e-mail or text message alerts to remind you to leave your food donation by your mailbox.

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Tagliatelle Egg Pasta Delverde

If there's something that I eat alot, that's pasta (here in Portugal we say massa).
Although I suppose that we have some portuguese brands of good quality, the italian ones are indeed superior and obviously me preference goes toward them.
I know this brand for a couple of years, but it's been some time that I've seen it, since it's usually not avaiable in the supermaket that I go to.
Yesterday I saw it there and bought it right away, namely because I needed to buy some pasta.
I bought the tagliatelle egg pasta n. 91, in the form of a nest (tagliatelle al'uovo a nido nº 91).
Like any good italian pasta, it keeps its consistency quite well and it's especially suited for those who like it "all dente".
Usually I like to cook it during a bit more time, but even so it doesn't get mushy.
Comparing with the brands that I know, this one can be placed side by side with the best ones, but that's my opinion.
Have you tried this brand ?
Let us know your opinion.

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Emmi Choco Latte Original

With 84% swiss skimmed-milk and 14% swiss chocolate, the Emmi Choco Latte Original is a drink that will please most of those who, like me, like to drink chocolate milk.

Usually I don't buy these kind of drinks, since I prefer to buy the chocolate in powder and mix it with the milk, but a couple of months ago I was given a coffee version of this brand and I was nicely surprised, namely because I'm from a country where coffee is one of the best in the world.

Besides, I also know Emmi's yogurts and I thought that it wouldn't do any harm to try it.

I won't say that it was the best chocolate drink that I've tasted so far, but this Emmi Choco Latte does have a good chocolate taste and deserves my positive opinion and recomendation, even if I find it to be a bit expensive for the portuguese market.

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Alvalle Zumo de Tomate (Tomato Juice)

I've always enjoyed tomato juice and it has been one of the few kind of juices that one can find without too many "strange stuff" added.

This tomato juice from Alvalle is proposed in a 750ml cardboard packing featuring an attractive layout.

According to the maker, the juice is made with fresh tomatos (95%), extra-virgin olive oil (1.8%), lemon juice and salt.

As you can see, the ingredients are as good as one can ask for, although I like the tomato juice with a bit of pepper, but lets taste it: this tomato juice has a lighter colour that the ones that I'm used to, which I believe means more quantity of tomato than usual, something manifested by it's thickness.

Its flavour is not what I expected, since for my taste it lacks a "je ne sais quois" to make savoury (maybe a bit of pepper) and besides I had the impression that a slight taste of cardboad was noticeable.

I believe that Tropicana Alvalle S.L. has elaborated this tomato juice with the best intention to bring a good natural product to the consumer and although I didn't appreciate it (especially for the supposed cardboard taste), I cannot suggest to avoid it due to the quality of its ingredients.

Maybe they should use different agricultural procedures and develope better fruits.

Having your opinion about this juice would be very important to the readers of this blog.

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Quaker Cruesli Chocolate

I know the Quaker Cruesli brand for more than 20 years and has always been one of my favourites.

Some years ago they introduced the chocolate version into this breakfast cereal line, but only now I decided to try it since I may like chocolate, but for breakfast I prefer other flavours.

My outlook was positive, but at the same time I was aprehensive since the chocolate could mean that I could find it too sweet.

So, I opened the package and put some Cruesli on a plate (some chunks may seem to big, but that's ok), to which I added milk (cold or room temperature).

The cereals, which are mainly constituted by oats, revealed themselves crunchy as is usual with this brand and the bits of dark chocolate, supplied in a generous quantity, have a good flavour.

The chocolate doesn't have that pronounced flavour usually found in chocolates, in fact I suppose that most cereal brands are the same, which in my opinion is a good thing because it would make it too sweet for a breakfast cereal.

Other included ingredients are: wheat, cinnamon, dried coconut and molasses.

Cruesli Chocolate from Quaker Cruesli will satisfy kids and grown-ups who like breakfast cereals and chocolate.

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Grove Fresh - Apple & Mango Organic Fruit Juice (Grove Organic Fruit Company)

Recently I saw a brand of organic fruit juice that I haven't seen before here in Portugal.

Since I like things as natural as possible, especially what I eat and drink, the product deserved my attention.

The apple and mango mix seemed a good combination and after skimming through the ingredients' list (94% of pure organic apple juice and 6% organic mango puree), I thought that it might be a good idea to give it a try.

Usually apple juices tend to be too sweet for some people and the mango balances that quite well, besides handing its characteristic flavour.

That is for me one of the most relevant facst of this organic fruit juice.

Although pleasant and certainly deserving a positive note, I feel that something is missing and in my opinion what is missing a more fruity taste.

I believe that this is something that Grove Organic Fruit Co (Grove Fresh) and most companies of its kind would have some difficult to improve because fruit nowadays, even organic, doesn't taste as it used to, namely due to the use of green-houses and lack of enough sunlight for a good photosynthesis.

However I suppose that the orchards from which the apples are picked for this juice are not in green houses and catch natural light, so maybe the region where they're from is not as good for fruit as lets say a mediterranean or tropical one.

Nonetheless I can advise you to try this juice, not only for its good taste, but also because it's an organic juice.

One positive thing that I must mention is that the contacts are easily available, something that transmits that they care about their customers' opinions.

Carrying the Soil Association logo on its pack (the brand displays it since 1993), this apple and mango juice is made by Grove Fresh Ltd, UK.

Please note that the juice reviewed in this article is part of the rebranded Grove Fresh, now Grove Organic Fruit Company.

Nonetheless the only difference that I've noticed is the percentage of the mix (the one on the website has 91.5% apple juice and 8.5% mango puree.

A case study about this company founded in 1994 by John Taylor, can be read here.

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