Universal Yums December 2015 Subscription Box Review – United Kingdom

Cheerio!  Universal Yums is a monthly international snack subscription box. Every month you’ll take a trip to a new country and munch on brand new snacks. Yum Yum! There are two sizes of box, the Yum ($13) and the Yum Yum ($25). This is the Yum Yum box, and it’s a really solid subscription that shines each and every month.

This month we were treated to some of the United Kingdom’s favorite snacks.  The intro card shares some trivia about the host country, plus a few cultural insights so you snack like a local!

I love the tissue paper set up to look like the country of the month’s flag.  It’s a simple touch that makes the box even more fun to dig in to.

The information card has descriptions of all the snacks.  It has a handy ingredient/potential allergen breakdown on it, and the snack descriptions have gotten to be quite detailed.

One of the great things about Universal Yums, particularly the Yum Yum box, is the experience of uncovering layer after layer of goodies.

All the Yums in the December Yum Yum box.

Walkers Nonsuch Treacle Toffees:  These chewy treats have the soft and smooth texture of a caramel, but they are flavored with a strong dose of black treacle, giving them a dark, sweet richness.

Oatfield Clove Drops:   Surprisingly not bitter, these sweet candies have a nice clove aroma and flavor that develops an almost menthol quality when chewed.

Nestle Caramac:  Featuring the characteristically English treacle flavoring, this bar is like a caramel-flavored white chocolate bar.  It is creamy and sweet, with a nice bit of granularity in the texture.

Swizzels Mallow Drumstick Chew Bar:  Super chewy and sweet, this is basically the British version of an Airhead.  It has a rich raspberry and milk flavor combo.

Fry’s Turkish Delight:  Sweet rosewater flavors this delicate and smooth gummy chew.  Unlike Haribo-type gummies, this one is extremely tender and soft.

Jammie Dodgers Minis:  A nice little biscuit with a dab of strawberry jam in the middle.

Chewits Blackcurrant Flavor:  Black currant adds a unique and delicious sweetness (somewhat like a cherry/grape admixture) to these square chews. They are very chewy taffy-type chew, similar to a Now & Later.

The Turkish Delight was coated in a chocolate casing for easy handling.

A peek at the unwrapped Caramac, Chewits, Jammy Dodgers, and Drumstick.

KP Meanies Pickled Onion Flavour:  This Irish snack comprises corn puffs infused with a rather pleasant pickled and onion flavor.  These were quite good, with a flavor a bit like French’s  fried onion strings, but lighter and paired with a drizzle of vinegar.

Hula Hoops Salt & Vinegar:  The salt & vinegar is less aggressive than that found on most American versions of the flavoring.  With the appearance of calamari rings and the smooth texture of wonton noodles, these have a very crunchy texture.

Tomato Ketchup Walkers Crisps:  Fresh, perfectly cooked crisps (potato chips) with bright tomato flavor.

Cheese & Onion Tayto Crisps:  The cheese and onion flavor is very intense and umami.  We thought these were almost closer to a cheesesteak flavor due to the heartiness and “meatiness” of the flavor.

Jaffa Cakes:  I don’t normally go for this sort of snack, but I found these to be delightful.  A very solid, but smooth, disk of orange jelly sits between a light sponge cake and a chocolate coating.  The jelly reminds me of the type found in a Whitman’s sampler, with the flavor of marmalade, but not the texture.

KP Skips Tingly Prawn Cocktail:  These are much more intimidating in appearance than they are in taste.  I couldn’t really detect any distinctive prawn flavor (even fish-adverse Brandy thought they were fine), just a nice onion and vinegar flavor.  The texture is super-light and crispy — the corn disks crunch easily and melt if held on the tongue.

We have never been dissappointed in a Universal Yums box.  They are always packed with treats spanning the savory to sweet spectrum, and they really showcase the unique taste preferences of the featured country.  The curators do a great job of introducing some new flavors and textures, while fulfilling their promise:  “100% yum; 0% yuck.”

Next month, we head to Turkey!  Home to the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire, Turkey has been a cultural crossroads for millennia.  That makes for a rich snacking tradition!

Visit Universal Yums to subscribe or find out more.