Eridanous Halloumi

The squeaky cheese that blisters!

I bought this during Greek Week. 225g of medium fat semi-hard cheese from Cyprus for £1.39
The cheese comes in a vacuum pouch within the packaging box.  The box is just for show!  Best before 30/04/16 (that's about a year from purchase date) but eat within 5 days of opening.

Best served grilled/fried/barbecued as it gets more flavoursome with heat.  It can be a bit salty.

It is tradition for Halloumi to have some mint (I usually see this in the centre layer)  This didn't have any so I added mint sauce to my serving suggestion.  I looked at the packet and it does say in the ingredients: Halloumi Cheese, Mint!

I served on toasted Pitta Bread, Pickled Red Peppers and Mint Sauce (all bought from Lidl) Good flavour and texture combinations. Crispy, moist, rubbery, salty, sour and refreshing.

When Greek week comes again, I'll be sure to buy 2 packs minimum!

OceanSea Seafood Sticks

 

65p for 10:
"Individually wrapped crab flavour surimi fish protein sticks with water and starch"

Produced in Lithuania.

Contains 35% surimi.
Surimi originated in Japan and translates as "ground meat".  It is minced up fish that is then washed to get rid of any undesirable odours.  It is then beaten and pulverised to form a gelatinous paste.  Then it is mixed with flavourings and additives and formed into shapes.
It was made to use up lesser fish to mimic higher end fish like crabs and lobsters.

Now that we got the lesson out of the way.  How does it taste?

These sticks have a texture I would not associate with anything seafood.  They have a nice flavour.
If you can get over the fact you're eating a highly processed food, they aren't so bad.  I don't eat these very often (I think these are the first ones I've eaten this year!)
You can snack on them as they are (remove plastic first!), chop them up into cubes or treat them like "cheese strings" and peel them.

I like to peel them into strings, mix with either salad cream or mayonnaise (if mayo, add some lemon).
Serve with crusty bread and something green.

Aleo Aloe Vera

79p for this premium aloe vera drink 500ml
Less calories (ml for ml) than a well known cola brand and more refreshing in my opinion.
If you haven't had this before, you might think it's strange to drink this.  Usually associated with pot plants or in toiletries!

Best served cold.  Yummy jelly-like bits in the drink.  This drink is vegetarian.
The liquid is slightly too sweet but it is nice and refreshing with nice textures.

Made in Taiwan. Produced for Lithuania.

I think these are ad hoc products.  I think I'll go back and buy a few bottles.  I can always dilute if too sweet.  I see these as an odd treat rather than a way of life.

There was a strawberry flavour but I didn't like some of the ingredients so stuck with this.