To ask about your hidden gems at the supermarket?

[CathTurnbull]

Just a bit of fun. I always end up buying similar food items in my weekly shop. Occasionally I’ll try something new and it’s really nice and I’ll continue to buy it. For example last week I bought some balsamic chutney from Morrison’s- it was so good I’ve added it to most sandwich fillings yum 😋

Have you bought anything new recently which you’ve been really impressed with?

Himalayan pink salt. Just so pretty to look at, and makes cooking and eating so much more fun.

No way can American cheddar be anything like the real thing or anything like as good - America and cheese do not belong in the same sentence (they're almost as bad at cheese as they are at chocolate) never mind Cheddar

@RealityExistsInTheHumanMind How odd then that an American cheese took first place in the 2019 World Cheese Awards, along with numerous other prizes:

US cheeses win 131 medals and top honor at World Cheese Awards

The panel recognized the creativity and craftsmanship of U.S. cheesemakers, awarding a variety of new and elegant flavor combinations in additional to traditional favorites. In total, U.S. cheeses had their best showing to date, USA Cheese Guild noted, winning 131 honors, including seven Super Gold, 17 Gold, 40 Silver and 67 Bronze medals.

Along with being the largest single-country producer and exporter of cheese in the world, the United States boasts cheesemakers that tout award-winning production of more than 600 cheese types ranging from soft, fresh options to hard, aged varieties.

Don't despair however. I see here (click on the link for Top 16) that the UK had a cheese that came in fourth, after cheeses from Italy and Spain. I'm sure you'll do better this year.

gff.co.uk/awards/world-cheese-awards/

Shameless placemaking

In Aldi Moser Roth honey salted almonds. They are covered in chocolate. I'm in a diet so I have to walk fast that bit of the aisle.
Also their milk chocolate with whole hazelnuts.
Gia garlic paste. Garlic in a tube. No mess and no vinegary taste as the ones in jars.
Like pp spices from world food aisle. Bigger size and great price.
Biona coconut milk. The only one I have found with no thickeners.

Kinders bbq sauce from Costco. Delish on slow roast ribs.

I use Sainsbury's, search under NATCO for better priced spices. FUDCO for larger reasonably priced bags of seeds and nuts. And KTC brand for reasonably priced store cupboard ingredients and stuff like tomatoes, chick peas, oil, coconut milk etc.

go to an indian store and there will be a lot more of this.

Maple syrup pork belly slices from Asda. Always out of stock, so I grab some to freeze if I find them!

Place marking but also adding Iceland's crispy fish goujons, we get the plain battered ones and they are better than fish from the local fish and chip shop. They do other flavours so going to give those a go too!

Jason’s Bread From Geary’s Bakery sliced ‘Ciabattin’ sourdough loaf.
AMAZING!
Only pain is you can just get it from selected M&S stores and it is on a pricey side for sliced bread.

Fruit jellies in the sweet aisle. Usually own brand from the supermarket, a cheap bag of sweets but so yummy. Personally like the Waitrose version, but morrisons and sainsburys are good too.
Rhubarb and custard trifle, also from Waitrose. Frozen Potato gratins, from morrisons or sainsburys gorgeous with salmon or gammon.

jars of pitted olives in brine.

Great thread. I fucking LOVE food!!

@Harrysmum2020

In Sainsbury’s world food they have jar of what I call kebab peppers the ones you get with kebabs but Sainsbury’s ones are 10 Xs the spice

Do they not taste funny? Or do they taste the same?

Folded flatbreads from Sainsbury's, once you try them you will never go back to pitta bread.

www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/flat-breads/sainsburys-plain-folded-flatbread-x6

And yes to pomegranate syrup mentioned above, you can often get this cheap from specialist Middle Eastern shops if you cannot find it in the supermarket.

Lidl do these chocolate that look like pringles... think they're called chocolate thins, salted caramel omg

Aldi Salmon, Cheese and Dill wellington from the freezer section is a 50 minute ‘thrown it in the oven’ wonder.

Also smoked sea salt, perfect on steak, lamb chops etc.

And Sauce Shop (that's the brand name) Sriracha mayonnaise, mayo with a spicy kick, much more interesting than plain mayonnaise, great with chicken.
www.sauceshop.co/products/sriracha-mayo-255g

Sainsbury's sell it.

Polish chocolate and strawberry jam and Lithuanian vanilla cakes which taste like brown bread rolls

Ben and Jerry’s cookie dough pieces in the Asda frozen aisle

Jars of peppers in oil in Aldi, supposed to be antipasto I think, I thrown them into the oven with some new potatoes, roast for 2 mins - smells and tastes great.

Marmite peanut butter. Savoury bliss in a jar. Mind, I love Marmite in anything. Marmite butter from M&S. Marmite chocolate - haven’t seen that for years but I would buy as much as I could carry. Mmmmmm

The bacon flavoured salad sprinkles from Sainsbury's. Zero bacon but very baconish.

@jessstan2

jars of pitted olives in brine.

Absolutely this

I used to get a wonderful jar of Bruschetta topping from Lidl - absolutely amazing, haven't seen it for ages, can anyone recommend anything similar?

What a great thread, I have my shopping list beside me!

Lee Kum Kee premium dark soy sauce - makes such a difference and I won't buy anything else now!

Cornish Salt Flakes