Thomas J Fudge

I was lucky enough to be sent some samples of Thomas J Fudge’s new products. Thomas J Fudge started as a bakery in Dorset 100 years ago and they now produce a huge range of biscuits – sweet and savoury – available to buy both online and in stores. I’d seen some of their other products such as their Florentines in supermarkets but I’d never actually bought any so I was excited to try their products for the first time!

They recently added Mini Wafers for nibbling and Cracker and Crispbreads for dipping and topping duo packs to their savoury biscuit selection and I jumped at the chance to try them as I’m always snacking so I love trying out new ideas! The first thing that I noticed was the packaging – it’s so appealing! Although taste is obviously the number one priority, I think packaging says a lot about both the company and the product – I certainly can’t be alone in thinking that if the packaging on a product is appealing I’m instantly drawn to it! The crackers come in cute little cardboard packs which are so pretty that I’d be happy to serve them directly from the pack, and I love that there’s a small see-through part so you can actually see what you’re getting before you buy them. The crackers come in sturdier boxes with beautifully colourful designs which are both eye-catching and imaginative. I love how elegant they look despite using a broad range of colours – they definitely wouldn’t look out of place in an artisan deli or independent café.

There are two types in each of the cracker and crispbread packs which I love, as the more variety the better in my opinion, especially when snacking!

• Spelt Sourdough/Rye Sourdough
  I loved these! They were thick and hearty crackers – slightly firmer than the others which meant they could hold more toppings! I mainly ate mine with cheese and hummus, but I also topped the rye crackers with cream cheese and smoked salmon which made a delicious snack!
• Sunflower and Caraway/Pumpkin and Sesame
  I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of caraway at all – something about that herb is so distinctive (and not in a good way!). It seems to be in crackers and even breads quite a lot, so perhaps I’m in the minority but I find it is generally quite an overpowering flavour which I’m not too keen on. The pumpkin and sesame crackers were delicious though! Anything with nuts and seeds is usually a winner for me and they went perfectly with both sweet and savoury toppings!
• Almond and Cranberry/Hazelnut and Apple crackers
  These were the ones I was most excited about! The spelt and rye crackers were delicious but these sounded a lot more exciting and I couldn’t wait to try them. They were every bit as awesome as they sound 🙂 crisp, crunchy and full of flavour. I liked these two best.. it’s hard to pick a favourite between them but if I had to I’d probably say the apple and hazelnut! Though they come in a pack of two so you don’t have to choose 😉

There are so many options with crackers – I tried them spread with hummus, cream cheese, Nutella, nut butter (obviously) and chutney. I also topped mine with cheese, olives and sundried tomatoes to name a few! They’re a great addition to a mezze board and make the perfect quick and easy starter when entertaining.. or even just for a nice starter at home!

The mini wafers also come in three flavours – melty cheddar, punchy jalapeno and thai chilli. No prizes for guessing which one I went for first! The melty cheddar wafers were amazing, and so moreish – I devoured the whole pack in one sitting! I think that like the crackers, these wafers were probably designed to be eaten with dips but I don’t even think they need anything to go with them! They tasted like grown-up mini cheddars, with a strong (and not artificial) cheese flavour. They’re crunchy enough to be indulgent and satisfying but soft enough to melt in your mouth – definitely my favourite of the three! The other flavours were both still delicious though – the jalapeno wafers are made with paprika, cayenne pepper and real jalapenos so they had a bit of a kick to them. I’m not great with spice but I thought that they had the perfect amount of heat to be flavoursome without setting your mouth on fire! I thought that my least favourite flavour would be the Thai Chilli wafers, purely due to personal preference but they actually exceeded my expectations so it ended up being a close call!

Overall I was really impressed with the products I was sent and I think that they make a great addition to the range already available. There are some great flavour combinations, I absolutely love the packaging and they’re perfect for picnics, BBQs, dinner parties or any other excuse that calls for a good food spread!

Both the Mini Wafers (RRP £2.25) and the Crackers & Crispbreads (RRP £2.45) are currently available to buy online (http://shop.thomasjfudges.co.uk/) and at Waitrose.

This post is not sponsored, all opinions are my own.