Wednesday 31 August 2011

Texture excellent

There was no soup (at least that i could find) in town at the bank holiday, so i couldn't blog anything. Did go to "Red Hot" the all you can eat buffet, which was (as always) amazing. I did consider blogging that but alas, i found no soup and taking pictures in public with children nearby is bound to produce some frowns, so i didn't.

I think that four days away from the CB is enough time to rebuild the taste buds and replenish the wonder.

The CB today is good, if a little cold. Texture excellent.

Dipping choice for today: Sea Salt and vinigar by Seabrooks.


Friday 26 August 2011

This meaty liquid

Steps must have been taken to soup up the quality of this meaty liquid today, although there is a slightly gritty undertone to it though...
  • Is this due to yesterdays scathing review, who knows?
  • Do they even know I or this blog exists, who knows?
  • Does anybody care? I can't answer that one, but it's not important to me either way.
I'm not back reviewing the CBS until next wednesday, but i intend to find, review and blog some guest liquid nourishment the matthew street festival.

Dipping choice for today: Cheese and Onion by Seabrooks



Although not as thick as the McCoys crisps, the galvanised nature of these crinkle cut potato chips does hold soup well and due to the increased surface area of this particulat design of wavy potato, you get more soup per dip. Below is a photo to illustrate my point.



And it's a big bag which'll probably keep me going for the remainder of the day, with stinky fake onion breath. Chewing gum time me thinks...

Thursday 25 August 2011

From dust

Ummmm, trying to identify food tastes and quantify then into english language is a tricky task, doing it daily kinda helps because i think (hope) that I'm getting better and more descriptive.

I can't seem to think of any other way to describe the main taste of this soup today except 'dusty'. It's not good that it tastes like dust either. I mean it tastes old, not fresh, musty.
I think it could be the meat but something is wrong in the spolies soup world.

Dipping choice for today: Rogan-oh-my-josh by McCoys


They just about taste like Rogan Josh, but you have to concentrate really hard...

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Rich and fulfilling

The steep assention to the quality of Fridays soup has begun, soup consistence is better, taste is starting to become rich and fulfilling and that slightly peppery/spicy heat is tentively making an appearance.
And, i got a nice full fresh scoop. Happy days... :)

Dipping choice for today: Classic by Lays



The relatively 'clean' ingredients list compared with yesterdays chemical concoction. Strange coming from American, eh? I expected a ton of pollution to gush out when i opened the packet.


Tuesday 23 August 2011

Seventy one percent

The results of the variation poll are in and a almost overwelming 71% have voted for more variety of crisps. Hoorar!

Which is why today I'm risking the dreaded 'Crispy Bacon' flavour (Any need to stipulate whether it's crispy or not? Supose it'd be better than 'boiled bacon' flavour.) Just been checking the ingredients to see what it is that does not agree with me in Bacon flavoured crisps, erm, yeah. Potassium Chroride. I'm sure that there is a reason for the use of this stuff, but a quick search on the internet brought me the following result:

"Toxic agent (not used by all states) - Potassium chloride is given at a lethal dose in order to interrupt the electrical signaling essential to heart functions. This induces cardiac arrest. " - Taken from http://www.howstuffworks.com/lethal-injection4.htm

Now, I understand that there are food safety hygene standards, and this obviously can't bee too bad for you/I in small doses, but still...
Compared with the extremely limited ingredients that where on my American crisps from yesterday, which where simply 'Potatoes, Vegetable Oil and salt'.

The taste of the soup kinda passed me by today, last sip did give me an ever so slight twinge of spice, but then it's gone.

Dipping choice for today: Crispy Bacon by Wheat Crunchies

Monday 22 August 2011

Happieness in Every Sip.™

A work colleague returned from honeymoon in Florida and he brought me back some crisps, he knows me well.

Considering that i normally have super flavoury 'potato chips' (as they call them across the water), Classic (ready salted to you English readers) seems a little standard, but this simply gives the CB a chance to shine and not have to compete with the other full on flavours, giving me a truer reflection of the taste. That said, it's probably not a repeat perscription.

Soup is ok today, just standard really. Quite tomatoey...

How these crisps survived a trip across the atlantic ocean, in a pressurised aeroplane I don't know. I once attempted to cart several large bags of crisps to Egypt, they where open and smashed to pieces when i unpacked. Although i later considered that it might have been one of the baggage handlers kicking it, as it was a bag with a liverpool address, with a LFC lable on it, travelling from Manchester...

Some background on the Walkers/Lays brand of crisp:
Lay's & Walkers Wikkipedia page

Diupping choice for today: Classic by Lay's


Friday 19 August 2011

Is that a little it of spice?

I wonder whats in this soup? I mean, apart from the beef the name is just misleading. As i mentioned earlier inthe week, i've only ever found one chilli seed in it. It's kinda hot, but more peppery than chilli i'd say. Then again, i like chillies, so it might be very hot and i just can't tell.

I was going to go down the route of trying to figure out what's in it, but i think that path will lead me to a place where disapointment lives. Ignorance is bliss, as Cypher from the Matrix once said.

Dipping choice for today: Sea salt and vinigar by Seabrooks


Back to the classic.

Thursday 18 August 2011

A third dimension

Normally someone would not be able to notice the consistency of the soup, as it arrives in a polystyrene cup and is then consumed whilst being viewed from a 2 dimensional view. Because i now transfer mine from one vessle to another, i had a chance to see it from a third dimension, where the thickness, texture and beef content can be easily estimated. I guess that this is a new soup because it's loads runnier than yesterdays. Unless I go back to Spolies and ask them, I've no real way of telling, so I'll have to leave it at that, sorry.

Dipping choice: Roast Beef & Mustard by Brannigans.


Despite the fact that these crisps cost me 70 pence for a crappy little 40gram bag, I'm pleased with the flavour results. The crisps are thinkly cut and do no snap when under a heavy soup load, but the flavour of the mustard does peak slightly over the other tastes, thus leaving them in a respectable 3rd dipping choice behind Spicy tomarto Crunchies and first place Chilli McCoys.

Wednesday 17 August 2011

So much stuff to write, but how much is relevant?

That's a question i ofter ask myself, but rarely answer, simply because i care not for the expectations of others and what they expext should happen, I'd rather concentrate on what IS happening right now. The ability to switch randomly to another topic is essential i think to keep things interesting.

With that in mind:
Spoilies have made an addition to their counter setup, they now have 6 soup cauldrons instead of 4. What this means for the CB I'm not sure, but it's only gotta be good. Perhaps they can now offer more varieties of soup, or double up on the popular soup types?

Other miscellaneous points:
  • Soup levels - Seem to be a little low today.
  • Bread - Bought new bread today because i somehow forgot to bring my own. M&S half loaf Multiseed Bloomer is very, very nice.
Dipping choice for today: Spicy tomarto by Wheat Crunchies


I think this combo is right up there with the Chilli McCoys, lovely...

I've found the best freak crisp for scooping soup. The normal tubes are straight, but this one has a kind-of pinched area, which act's like a handle to aid the scoop:


Erm, oh yes, the soup! Once again, it's really good. Thick and tastey. Mondays soup was average and yesterdays was good, so the rest of the week should just get better and better.

Tuesday 16 August 2011

Chilli Seed

Hunger encourages stupidity. I burnt my mouth with the first eager sip, again.
Ah well, sh1t happens.

Just had the most pleasing discovery: There is actually a chilli seed in the soup! (maybe there will be more?) It wasn't very hot, but still. At long last, the "Chilli" Beef Soup has some Chilli in it.

The soup tastes amazing today, really lush and most palatable. Loads of beef and not watery at all. This means that tomorrows soup will either be watery and crap or even better than today's. The CB followers are in for a treat if the latter transpires.

Dipping choice for today: Worcester sauce by Wheat Crunchies


You'd think that with their tube based design, would be easy to fill up with soup. I've attempted this and gave up due to a need to avoid the following:
A. Soup all over my keyboard - Trouble explaining that to our IT team
B. Get soup all over my shirt.
C. Scold my fingers in the CB.


Monday 15 August 2011

Average

I would say today's soup taste is very, erm, average. If you can have "very" average. There's nothing special about it. Maybe i do need to try another flavour because I'm getting too used to the taste and my expectations are all wrong. I should say that the CB's average standard of quality is far higher that any other cafe, instant quick fix, soup while you wait I've tried.

Dipping choice for today: Smoked Ham & Pickle by Brannigans.


"Proper think cut crisps" apparently...

I didn't read the label properly and thought that these crisps where mustard and something, so they tasted like mustard until right now when I read the packet, now they taste like ham and whatever. Strange how your taste buds can deceive you when you are deprived of the facts.

Went quite well with the soup actually, the smoked ham flavour really stood out. There are more in this range (one including Roast Beef), so I'll be experimenting with them soon.

Friday 12 August 2011

Fork included...

Due to my forgetfulness this morning, I failed to bring my cheese into work, that being a very integeral ingrediant of my sandwichs, i decided to swerve that and buy some Chicken pasta thing from Stressco's ™. Looks ace, tastes like plastic, not suprising really as they must churn this sh1t out by the factory load, daily. Already armed with this knowledge I still went ahead and bought some. You do get a free fold away fork included though, which are amazing in my opinion.



All the above is a big factor in my dipping choice for today, for i love nothin more than eating pasta with crisps and Doritos are the best for this. But fear not, there is still the Chilli Beef Soup to review, I just have to wait a little while as it was so hot today that i scorched my mouth and
swore rather loudly down our office floor...

In comparison to last fridays CB, this soup is thick and tasty. Not sure if it's the plethora of differnt flavours I've currently got strune around on my desk, but i can't quite pinpoint the flavour, it's not bad, it's just strange.
I'm very pleased with my Thermal Mug. It's lack of polystyrene after taste makes the world of difference, although the contact with polystyrene could be avoided completely if i where to take the Thermal Mug into Spolies for filling... Hummmmm...

Dipping choice for today: Cool Original by Doritos.


Thursday 11 August 2011

Science lesson

Gebus. The soup today is really good man, been munching it without thinking about my blog, it's almost gone and i now have to try and remember what it tasted like initially, because first impressions always matter. I think it was very hot...

Either way, 3/4 in, and I've experienced the second wave of peppery loveliness you only really get with matured soup. Because I'm now analysing it everyday, I've started to see a pattern emerging with the days of the week/quality of the soup. Thursday's soup is generally going to be excellent and Fridays soup might be watery. It's only a idea.

Dipping choice for today: Tangy Cheese by Doritos.



Went together quite well actually...

Last sip + Massive piece of beef = excellent. That's not the science lesson though, that would be math, i think.

To my surprise i saw that the Ribonucleotide was banging on about in my other posts is present in the tangy cheese Doritos as well.
Here is some scientific mumbo-jumbo about it.

  • 5'-Ribonucleotide products, Disodium Inosine-5'-monophosphate (IMP), Disodium-5'-guanosine monophosphate (GMP) and their mixture (I+G), are white crystals or crystalline powder. They are soluble in water and sparingly in alcohols but not in ethers. They are prepared by sugar fermentation following purification process. They have very strong flavour enhancing activity. The greater benefit of them is the synergistic effect on improving the own natural tastes and flavours of almost processed foods when they are used in combination with MSG (Mono Sodium Glutamate). The synergistic effect can be recognized by cost savings. For example, 500gr of nucleotide (2%) + MSG (98%) have same flavor enhancing quality of 2,000gr MSG alone. The use of 5'-Ribonucleotide products in food is approved by FDA. (taken from http://www.chemicalland21.com/lifescience/foco/5%27-RIBONUCLEOTIDES.htm)

Personally, I'm glad these kind of additives exist...

Wednesday 10 August 2011

Today is a classic

Fresh scoop, brand new thermal mug, rainy cold day and getting soaked walking back from spolies, all makes for a thoroughly well anticipated and deserved CB.
Pepper is the word that sprang to mind first, it's good and warming stuff. Texture and taste, both good. Having just got to the end of my soup, I'm pleased to say that my thermal cup acquisition HAS made a difference to the final third, no longer do I wretch slightly at the taste of polystyrene, it's now tomato, excellent. :)

It's probably worth mentioning that in addition to the crisps, I do also have sandwiches for lunch, I don't just have a bag of crisps and some soup. But my sandwiches are not really worth mentioning though, as they vary never.

But I'll do it once:
Whole Grain Brown(ish) Bread,
Cheddar Cheese (seriously strong),
Honey Roast Ham,
and Mayonnaise.

Dipping choice for today: Flamin' Hot by (MEGA) Monster Munch - Yeah, it's not great. There is a surprising amount of resistance when attempting for force the "bigger like they used to be" Monster Munch into the soup, but the two flavours clash and almost separate in my mouth like oil and water and it's like trying to eat a ball of cotton wool that's on fire.
N.B. These crisps also contain Sodium 5'-ribonucleotide (E635).


Tuesday 9 August 2011

Thermal Mug

To get a fair and actual reflection of what the soup is suposed to taste like, i've gone out andbought a proper soup mug, with a lid and a "finger-melter-preventer" ™. I'd love to give you a review of how this has changed my soup experience, but just as i sat down at my desk i received a very annoying phone call which has runined my appitite and my brain. Now the soup tastes just like oxtail soup and the crisps did not get dipped, pity really as i was wondering how the Monster Munch would fair against the might of the CBS.

Should have been dipping choice for today: Pickled Onion by Monster Munch


The new and the old.


The Thermal mug in all it's glory!

Look at it! :)

Monday 8 August 2011

Missed out on the fresh scoop

After another unsuccesful attempt to avoid my ex girlfriend this weekend, a good quality CBS is essential to aid mondays mental recovery.

I was one soup away from getting the sought after 'fresh scoop' but my eagerness in the que meant that I had the last lonley soup which was standing, forming a skin, on the counter. I will never know if I've missed out or not, that's the gamble I suppose. The first sip was interesting, quite tomatoey. It's a good one today, all though it is slightly weak and the beef is quite fatty and scarse.

Dipping choice for today: Cool original by Doritos


Friday 5 August 2011

A soup to forget...

Since I'm now forced to analyse this soup every day, I've started to consider all the possible factors which may alter the taste, texture and general experience of the CB.

Today's soup, i noticed, had been standing there for a while. This is not an ideal situation it would seem. It's still super hot, but i dunno, maybe some flavour dissipates through the cups lid? Would i be able to tell if it had been standing there if I'd not have spotted it first? I'm not sure. But today's soup is definitely weird. I've tried stirring it to unsettle the flavours, to no avail. It's just a bit watery and there is only 1 level of taste compared to the 2 or 3 which i have become accustomed too and the beef bits are really dry. Bang goes my theory of the soup evolving all week to culminate in a taste sensation for us all on a Friday. Well, at least it's Friday.

Dipping choice for today: Salt & malt vinegar by McCoys (not sure why, but these taste strange too, maybe there is something wrong with me today, I did however have 3 onion bhajis and 2 meat samosas before bed last night so my taste buds might be ruined...)

Thursday 4 August 2011

Whoever made todays soup, should always make the soup.

The soup must get better as the week progresses, I wonder what saturday soup tastes like?
Todays is possible better than yesterdays, it's saltier and therefore, tastier. You know when you make a bolognese and then have it again the next day and it tastes even better? That is what has happened here i think. Or if not, whoever made todays soup, should always make the soup.

Dipping choice for today: Salt and Malt Vinigar crinkles by Walkers (to be honest, I've bought a multipack of these, so it'll probably be crinkles for the next few days)

Wednesday 3 August 2011

Oh, it's so good.

Big thank you for Pablo0151 for stepping in for me yesterday, an interesting incite into the world of Potatoe and Leek, one which i probably will never experience.

Ah man, they've stepped up their game for today. The soup looks good and tastes amazing. Kind-of a mix between oxtail soup and really good beef sunday roast gravy. Todays soup is why i started this blog in the first place. Awesom.

Dipping choice for today: Salt and malt vinigar Crinkles by Walkers (more flavour in every groove, apparently)



p.s. Almost chocked on the last bits of beef, i though tht was worth blogging, sorry...

Tuesday 2 August 2011

A view from the Leek side

A chance for a differing view point today, as I'm stepping in for the absent author of the blog (don't worry avid fans, he'll be back tomorrow).

I opted for the Cream of Leek and Potato today, and whilst it's obviously no match for the mighty Chilli Beef, it's definitely a nice alternative. Thick, tasty and slightly less abrasive on the old chest that the CB, it went really well with my chicken and stuffing sandwich. Today was one of those days where I could've sank at least one more cup of the good stuff, I didn't though because that's just greedy isn't it.

Unfortunately, I don't dip anything in my soup, but just for consistency, I did have Seabrooks 'Beefy' crisps with my lunch...possibly the best crisps on sale at the moment if you exclude the awesomeness of Beef Monster Munch (which are technically corn and maize based snacks, as we all know).

P.S - check out my own blog 'Crystal Blue Dreams' for retro game related musings.

Monday 1 August 2011

Hot, humid and hungry

I'd like to apologies for my lack of soup blogging action on Friday, I had to go home ill. I'm a little better now, but i think my pallet isn't quite as sensitive as normal because todays soup is not really exiting me. Having said that, now I'm towards the end of it, it's actually quite hearwarming... :)

Dipping choice for toady: Mexican Chilli by McCoys.