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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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).