Reviewed by
Evelyn
Following on from last month’s awesome Halloween themed box, I was excited to see what Lick My Dip were going to pull out of the bag for November’s box. If you’re new to Lick My Dip, they’re a monthly foodie subscription box with a difference – everything is hot sauce and chilli inspired! Their team sources some of the best and most innovative chilli products from a wide range of artisan producers and independent companies. I’ve been introduced to some amazing products over the past couple of months, and their boxes are a great way to add some hot spice and inspiration to your home cooked meals. Everything comes well packaged in a sturdy black cardboard box which is delivered by Royal Mail (always a bonus in my book!).
Below are the contents for November’s Ultimate Lick My Dip Box:-
East Coast Chilli Company Midnight 21 Reaper Sauce (206g – RRP £4.95)
Midnight 21 Reaper Sauce is the latest creation by the East Coast Chilli Company, and boy does it pack a punch in the flavour and heat department! Midnight 21 has a strong base of honey and soy sauce, but don’t fooled, there are still 3% Carolina Reaper Chillies in this mix and they provide a seriously fiery kick at the end. It’s deliciously sweet, salty and spicy all at the same time. I’ve tried it over traditional Chinese takeaway dishes to give them a different twist, and my sister has enjoyed it over chicken and fish. Very versatile and unique.
Chilli Mash Company Scotch Bonnet Chilli Mash (125ml – RRP £4.95)
Most chilli sauces that I use are either straight up hot sauces or some kind of marinade, so it was interesting to try out this one which is more like a purée. Composed of just three ingredients, Scotch Bonnet Chillies (70%), Cyder Vinegar and Salt, this chilli mash can be used to liven up many dishes as you just use a tiny amount in place of what you would use fresh chillies for. I haven’t cooked with it yet, but I’ve given it a tasting by adding a teaspoon into guacamole which made a great spicy dip for nachos. It’s safe to say that this is a hot one!
The Chilli Mash Company came together as a joint venture between Muschemi Fire and Thousand Hills, and they’re currently the only major scale chilli mash fermenters in the UK, so thank you Lick My Dip for including them.
Karkli Fiery Ghost Naga Chillies Snack (40g – RRP £1.50)
These Indian inspired, lentil based snacks are handmade and are seasoned with a special blend of spices which includes the famous Ghost Naga Chillies. They’re wonderfully crunchy and taste similar to the lentil pieces you get in a good Bombay Mix, but with a thicker, more satisfying texture. A really cool alternative to have instead of a bag of crisps with a cold beer or cider – watch out for that hot Ghost Naga Chilli bite at the end though! Gluten free and suitable for vegans.
Jimmy Ginger’s Heat Sauce (250ml – RRP £4.50)
With a name like ‘Heat’, I was preparing myself for the worst, but this hot sauce is one of the tastiest I’ve ever tried. Made with 3% super hot chillies (Trinidad Scorpion and Dorset Naga), Heat is a delicious and versatile hot sauce that you can use on virtually everything. It has an almost zingy/tangy aftertaste, and works amazingly well in spaghetti bolognese and five bean chilli dishes. I’ve also tried a splash on cheese on toast and it was SO good!
Kinomi by Hiromi Stone Pori Pori Almonds (40g – RRP £3)
Hiromi Stone is a Japanese cook who has developed her knowledge for good food into a range of moreish snacks made with the finest ingredients. These Pori Pori Almonds are organic and seasoned with a gluten free Soy Sauce, Sake, Kombu, Amchur and Red Jalapenos. They’re seriously moreish and it’s so hard to not eat the entire tube in one sitting! Deliciously smokey with a subtle chilli spice that adds to the overall flavour but doesn’t dominate it. Gluten free and vegan.
Crunchy Critters Chilli Chapulines (10g- RRP £3.20)
I have to admit that I almost screamed when I pulled this out of the box! I’m not good when it comes to insects but luckily I live in a shared student house with people who are far more adventurous than I am so this was soon passed around! These are chilli seasoned dehydrated grasshoppers which are sustainably sourced from Mexico. They’re high in protein and low in carbohydrates, making them an ideal low-fat snack. Taste wise? Well, I managed to duck out of these as I’m a vegetarian (and even if I wasn’t, I think I’d be too squeamish to try them!), but friends who ate them said they were ‘nutty’, ‘crunchy’, and had a ‘mild chilli’ flavour.
An interesting array of chilli food products that had a good mix of sauces and savoury snacks – one to consider as a gift subscription for Christmas if you’re looking for something different!
