I didn't really have any expectations because the food at Coop doesn't really impress.
However, I liked their fishcake range which have a melting middle filled with cheese.
As well as smoked haddock, they also have Cod and Parsley Melting Middle Fishcakes as well as Prawn, Cod, Sweet Potato and Sweet Chilli Fishcakes melting middle fishcake.
I decided to try the Coop Smoked Haddock & Mature Cheddar Melting Middle Fishcakes which were surprisingly good, the fishcake was tasty and the cheesy filling did not disappoint.
These are just simply strawberries at the M&S sandwich section for your convenience.
Strangely, they tasted better than the fresh strawberries because they were ripe and sweet.
They were taken to the next level with M&S pink gin cream.
These cherry scones were so damn delicious.
The cherries were the star because they were juicy and tasted like sweetened fresh cherries with tartness.
I ended up eating two scones without needing clotted cream.
After reading the label I discovered that sour cherries were used which really takes it to another level. https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/277393023
New packaging in 2021:
A while ago I tried some pickled cockles and mussels from Parsons Pickles which was how I discovered Laverbread.
There is no bread in Laverbread but it is called Laverbread because of the way it is kneaded like bread.
I was really excited in trying Laverbread to see how it compares to the seaweed of the East.
Before trying Laverbread, I have tried things like seaweed butter, seaweed bread and soup so I had a rough idea of the taste.
(photos at the end of this post)
Anyway, Parsons Laverbread comes in a tin which makes it convenient.
As it was my first time trying Laverbread, I decided to try it on its own before doing anything with it as I feel that you should taste ingredients before you use them.
The texture was definitely different to the seaweed I tried before, it was more like viscous puree and looks like algae.
The taste was a like the sea but surprisingly not salty like the Asian seaweed which probably contains lots of salt and MSG.
After trying it on its own, I decided to follow some of the recipes and have it on toast which was amazing. It was like thick sticky toast spread.
The laverbread goes so well with Parsons pickled cockles because the pickles cockles complement it so well and makes it appetizing.
Basically anything from the sea goes well with vinegar.
The recipes using laverbread are endless like quiche, soup etc so I topped a savoury cheese and bacon muffin with it and the taste was divine.
Last but not least, I cooked some Welsh inspired breakfast by using the bacon fat to cook the laverbread hence giving it some extra saltiness and meaty kick.
On the side there was haggis because I didn't have any Black pudding.
I also cooked some laverbread scrambled egg inspired by the Chef David Lai at Fish School.
The proper Welsh breakfast with bacon, cockles and laverbread.
It was definitely a different and delicious and I ended up having toast with bacon and laverbread which is the best ever combo.
Toast with laverbread and cockles:
To summarize, you definitely got to try Laverbread because it is so different to Asian seaweed which is chewy and salty and I feel that the Welsh way of eating it is so delicious especially with bacon and cockles.
I hope that more celebrity chefs and restaurants serve it so that it will become a popular and more commonly known ingredient.
Photos of how I had seaweed in restaurants before:
Seaweed soup, Japanese seaweed tamago (rolled omelette) and Seaweed butter with bread.
A while ago I spotted the rice cake series at M&S and I was tempted by the salted caramel as well as the sour cream.
Ended up getting the M&S Marks and Spencers Salt & Vinegar Rice cakes on this visit.
Unfortunately but fortunately I only got the snack pack because they had gone rancid and it is only the 11th of July 2020 today.
Marks and Spencer Apple, Ginger & Dark Chocolate Treat Bars were surprisingly good because they were loaded with so much dried fruit and ginger.
I never imagined the pairing of apple and ginger would be that good.
Every bite was tasty with a fiery kick and sweetness from the dried fruits.
It was so good that I felt that it lived up to its name being a treat bar compared with other cereal bars which are just sugary with lots of oats.
When I saw this mini loaf of Wheatgerm bread I had to get it.
The slices are small and thin which are perfect for that non filling feeling when I'm peckish.
