Movie night – The Review Studio

TokyoTreat and Sakuraco Subscription Boxes

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Halloween, snacks, Stocking Fillers, Subscription Boxes, Winter

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Try these different gift ideas for Christmas with the TokyoTreat and Sakuraco subscription boxes delivered straight to the door!

If you’re stuck what to buy someone for Christmas, try a subscription box… they’re not what you think! Becoming even more popular during lockdown, subscription boxes cover a whole range of products now including these Japanese snack subscription boxes, direct from Japan. Each box contains a months’ worth of treats from top Japanese brands but the boxes have different qualities for different loved one. We were sent some samples (which we’re still munching our way through now!) to see what was in them and honestly, it’s a whole new world and adds a different dimension to gifting…

The TokyoTreat box is probably aimed more at children, or at least the big kids. Absolutely stuffed full of Japanese treats including brands such as Kit Kat but mostly brands you’ve never heard of, there’s chocolate, biscuits, sweets and even a whole Danish pastry! Some of the sweets are similar to what we would find in the UK or US but some of them are completely different. Part of the fun is working out what’s inside the packaging but most of the packets are small enough that you can take a risk on opening it… I say most, there are some big packets of Japanese biscuits but luckily you can work out what’s in them before you open them! The TokyoTreat we received this month was a Halloween special but each month they have a different theme. Great for the family to fight over but also more exciting than a usual box of biscuits for the neighbours next door.

From the same parent company, we also received the Sakuraco subscription box. This one is more based on Japanese culture as it has other items in it such as this beautiful Japanese finger bowl. There are lots of snacks in there too including a cat shaped biscuit, a bag of sharing biscuits, sweets and some green tea bags. The box is beautifully presented with products that support Japanese small businesses and promote Japanese culture, so you’re learning a lot too, and the enclosed leaflet gives a background to each product. Like the TokyoTreat, the content changes with each months’ delivery so you won’t get bored and the whole family will learn something new each month!

Sakuraco and TokyoTreat subscriptions from US$32.50 per box subscription: https://sakura.co/subscribe

https://tokyotreat.com/subscribe

TokyoTreat Halloween Sweets

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, Children, Family Life, Gifts for children, Halloween, Home, Lunchbox Fillers, snacks, Subscription Boxes

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

With Halloween round the corner, TokyoTreat have the perfect ‘Halloween in a box’ for you! The snack box subscription company have their Halloween sweet selection for the month of October if you sign up now, and you’ll find Japan’s favourite snacks all in one box.

For anyone who loves Japanese chocolates and sweets, or if you want to snack on something novel for a Halloween horror movie, we found the TokyoTreat box perfect. Inside there are loads of snacks, most of which are nothing like what you’d find in the UK. The exception being the Kit Kat selection – but in Apple Pie flavour! There’s snacks in the box from all of Japan’s top brands including Hi-Chew, Pocky and Calbee. Yes, they’re all in Japanese and mostly difficult to read but… that’s the fun of working out what the snacks are! I must say, it’s a delicious way to spend movie night or if you’re feeling adventurous, then Halloween Trick or Treaters will have a blast with these snacks, especially when they try to work out what they are!

TokyoTreat subscriptions start at US$32.50 per month for a 12 month subscription. See their website for more: https://tokyotreat.com/subscribe

Joe & Seph’s Popcorn for National Cinema Day

Children, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Home, Summer

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

3 September is National Cinema day in Britain this year. It’s the day when we are all invited to visit the cinema and support the film industry, but this year it’s particularly important as the SAG union strikes are affecting all films made in the US, and most which are scheduled to be made around the world – including the UK.

Joe & Seph’s are big supporters of the movie industry, which is not surprising for a gourmet popcorn company! Joe & Seph’s don’t make just one kind of popcorn though, and it’s not your usual butter coated Saturday Morning Pictures popcorn either!

To celebrate National Cinema Day, and to give you some ideas of their gourmet flavours to try when you get to the cinema, Joe & Seph’s have worked with some big names to get exclusive flavours out there for you. We were sent the flavours; James Bond Dry Martini (popped, not stirred), Dungeon’s & Dragons Chilli Chocolate Caramel (Sweet & Fiery) and Asteroid City Belgian Chocolate & Caramel Asteroids (almost definitely not asteroids, but popcorn!). If those flavours don’t get your mouth watering as you wander into your local cinemas, I don’t know what will!

You’ll notice that each of the flavours is based around a film franchise, which is not surprising given how well popcorn and movies go together. I love both sweet and savoury popcorns, especially if they’re well cooked and the popcorn is soft which it always is with Joe & Seph’s. Starting with the James Bond Dry Martini flavour, it’s more savoury which is what you would expect, but the flavour doesn’t develop until you’ve let it melt in your mouth a little bit. It’s not as overpowering as an actual Martini either, so if you like the taste but not the alcohol, this is very edible! Be warned though, especially if you’re on medication because the flavouring is 5% real gin and vodka! You can also taste the lemon a little bit and the caramel balances the flavour out nicely.

The Dungeons and Dragons Sweet & Fiery is for chilli lovers. Based on the idea of Dungeons & Dragons, the fiery comes from red chilli pepper flavouring, and the sweetness is from caramel and Belgian chocolate. The chocolate isn’t just ordinary chocolate though, Joe & Seph’s only use the best quality Belgian chocolate in any of their popcorn recipes, so you’ll find that this is extra smooth, creamy chocolate and compliments the chilli taste. You’ll love the juxtaposition of the two flavours together, and taking a big handful is not an option unless you’re a really, really big fan of chilli so I would go easy on these until you find your level! It’s a fabulous combination and one that you don’t normally find with popcorn so well worth trying it out.

Lastly, there’s an old favourite. Asteroid City Belgian Chocolate & Caramel. Anyone who loves either chocolate or popcorn will love this flavour, and it’s great for children too. The soft texture of the caramel comes through first, then the chocolate flavour then the sweetness from the caramel. It’s a more subtle flavour than the Sweet & Fiery or Dry Martini but it’s just as enjoyable, if not more so. This Belgian Chocolate & Caramel flavour is also great for adding to ice cream or desserts, and if you’ve never tried Joe & Seph’s before (where have you been?) then I can tell you that the popcorn is robust enough to withstand ice cream sundaes, lashings of whipped cream or even custard without going soggy.

I hope you manage to support the British film industry on 3 September and if you never go to the cinema, this is the one day you’ll not regret making an effort for. Joe & Seph’s are with you all the way, and there’s a flavour for everyone – so see you at the flicks!

Available online from £4 each: https://www.joeandsephs.co.uk/popcorn/smooth-caramel-belgian-chocolate-popcorn?product=6_std

Joe & Seph’s Chocolate Lover’s Gourmet Popcorn Selection

Birthday Gifts, Children, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Summer

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Popcorn has become the most fashionable snack nowadays, probably since lockdown and we’re all spending time at home watching on demand TV with better quality food!

Joe & Seph’s Popcorn has also gained in popularity not just for the convenience but for the quality of the kernels and the different flavours available. Not just content with the usual sweet flavours like Toffee or Sweet & Salty, but there’s the summer limited editions such as Eton Mess and White Chocolate & Raspberry. Don’t get me started on the savoury flavours too like Mojito or Goat’s Cheese & Black Pepper.

We were sent one of Joe & Seph’s specialty Chocolate Lover’s Gourmet Popcorn Selection boxes. Unlike the other bags, this 105 gram box is a mixture of four different chocolate flavours; Caramel & White Chocolate, Caramel & Belgian Chocolate and Double Chocolate Popcorn and our luxurious, rich Dark Chocolate Popcorn Bites. If you’re not familiar with the flavours already, then the first 3 are varieties of chocolate coating on the famous Joe & Seph’s popcorn, whilst popcorn bites are piece of popcorn set in chocolate cups. Not just ordinary chocolate cups, but cups of delicious dark chocolate where you can really taste the richness of cacao.

The box makes it the perfect shape for sharing, or for giving as a gift. If you have a friend or loved one who loves chocolate, popcorn or both, this is perfect because of the mix of flavours, all of which work together nicely to create a type of ‘dessert’ in the form of a box of snacks, thanks to the mix of sweet flavours.

The quality of the popcorn really is as gourmet as you would hope, with no unpopped kernels at the bottom of the box, no strange shaped, odd pieces that missed the delicious chocolate coating, just a box packed full of quality popcorn.

If you’re not keen on chocolate flavoured popcorn, have a look at the website for lots of other flavours, and different sizes of bags.

Available from £6.00 from: https://www.joeandsephs.co.uk/gifts/chocolate-lovers-gourmet-popcorn-selection

Joe & Seph’s Popcorn Ultimate Night In Gift Box

Birthday Gifts, Children, Easter, Family Life, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Lunchbox Fillers, Mother's Day

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Whenever I buy Joe & Seph’s Popcorn, my friend Lisa always asks me, “Have you got any more of that posh popcorn?” so when we were offered the Joe & Seph’s Ultimate Night In Gift Box, I knew we had to review it!

The box is priced at £12.50 with three different flavours of popcorn; Salted Caramel, Caramel & Belgian Chocolate Popcorn and the slightly different Milk Chocolate Popcorn Bites. The Bites are different because they are cups of chocolate with a piece of popcorn set in them. These were particularly nice because the chocolate and popcorn worked together well, and we had them in the fridge as little snacks to eat throughout the day! The chocolate was particularly good quality too which made them more of a treat.

The Salted Caramel and Caramel & Belgium Chocolate Popcorn were for us to enjoy after dinner on a Friday. Both of the flavours are favourites of mine so I was keen to try them. The Salted Caramel is not as ‘salted’ as you might think, but more caramel. I love Joe & Seph’s popcorn because it’s not sticky at all, and the Salted Caramel flavour is no exception. You can pick it up and hold the popcorn without it melting in your hand or feeling sticky which makes it much easier to handle as well as easier to share. The quality of the popcorn itself is much better than your cinema popcorn because there are minimal kernels and unbaked pieces of corn. In fact, there’s no un-popped corn pieces at the bottom of the bag, so all you get is proper, fluffy popcorn!

The Caramel & Belgium Chocolate Popcorn was my favourite of all the flavours. Layered in a light coat of chocolate, you can taste the Belgium chocolate straight away, and the second flavour is the delicate caramel. The see-through grab bags are easy to share, but just as easily pour into a bowl due to the shape of the bag.

The Joe & Seph’s Popcorn Ultimate Night In Gift Box arrives in a presentation box to your doorstep, after being handmade and packed in London, but the boxes can be sent to anywhere in the country. Ordering on the website, you can also add a 60 character message, which makes it a great gift for anyone who loves popcorn, chocolate or snacks in general. I think this Ultimate Night In Gift Box works as either a Girls’ night in with some Prosecco, a movie and a bit of gossip, or as a gift for a teenager’s birthday, along with the Amazon gift card they all crave!

Joe & Seph’s Ultimate Night In Gift Box costs £12.50: https://www.joeandsephs.co.uk/gifts/gift-box-ultimate-night-in