Every so often, we get send new things to try and write about: some we love, some we don’t. This is the first in a series of new posts that give our verdict on three products that we’ve recently tried…
1. Pom juices
I was recently sent a couple of vouchers to try Pom juices – and to be honest, it’s not something that I’d choose to buy. Made from 100% juice, the range features pure pomegranate juice, plus pomegranate and mango, pomegranate and cranberry, and the one that we tried – pomegranate and blueberry. You can also buy pomegranate concentrate for cocktails and more.
Flash pasteurised and made in the USA, Pom is a drink that needs to be kept refrigerated at all times. The 710ml bottles are a beautifully curvy shape, but on further inspection, it was disappointing to see that the drink is made from concentrate.
The flavour of the pomegranate and blueberries was undeniably there, but it’s not a particularly refreshing drink, and has a bit of a dry aftertaste. Pomegranates, however, are full of antioxidants as well as various vitamins and fibre, so there are health benefits there.
Pom is priced at around £3.70 per bottle, so it’s by no means cheap. For more information, visit their website.
2. The Higgidy Range
Based in West Sussex, Higgidy are producers of a range of pies and quiches that are available in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda and other supermarkets. Their smaller range is also available in Boots in their chiller cabinet.
Using premium British ingredients, the pie range features varieties such as Sweet Potato & Feta, Slow Cooked Steak & Red Wine and Chicken Pot Pie with Ham and Leek. We tried the latter – beautiful puff pastry, filled generously with large chunks of chicken, sliced leeks and baked ham in a lovely creamy mustardy sauce. The chicken wasn’t that tender in places, but no complaints otherwise.
We also sampled a couple of their quiche range – the Smoked English Bacon & Mature Cheddar and the Spinach, Feta & Tomato. Both were far more generous in their fillings than many quiches that we’ve tried, and the pastry was far superior to the standard supermarket offerings.
At just under £4 for a large (400g) quiche, they’re not cheap, but the quality means that they’re well worth the money. Perfect for picnics or for a lazy meal at home, you’ll also find them on special offer sometimes in the supermarkets. We approve.
For more information, visit www.higgidy.co.uk.
3. Bradley’s Juice
A family run business based at Box Bush Farm in rural Somerset, Bradley’s Juice will be recognisable to many from markets such as Ashton Court and Whiteladies Road, along with festivals such as Bristol’s Foodies Festival. Their range is also on sale in a variety of Bristol bars and restaurants – I’ve most recently seen them at Riverstation in the centre.
They started off with single variety apple juices such as Cox, but have now branched out to include mixed fruit juices and their Quench range of refreshing fruit juice drinks.
Of the juices, it was the Apple and Rhubarb that we enjoyed the most: a blend of Red Pippin (also known as Fiesta) apples whose sweetness is the perfect foil for the slightly tart rhubarb. Delicious!
The Quench range includes a beautiful Traditional Lemonade, a refreshing Elderflower Bubbly and a Cherry Juice among others – I’ve rarely seen cherry juice available, so this is a great find. Our favourite, however, is Bradley’s Ginger Beer – nice and fiery and not overly sweet, as many on the market can be.
They have also recently started producing their own cider – called Bradders – that I need to get my hands on!
For more information, visit www.bradleysjuice.co.uk, find them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.