Beautiful balls! (Red Mill Cheese Balls)

Member Name: GentleGenius

Product:	Red Mill Cheese Balls
Date:	28/02/09 (370 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tasty, crispy, light, airy, no artificial colourings or flavourings

Disadvantages: None

COST: 40p

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (per 58g bag):

Calories: 306
Kj: 1,277
Protein: 2.9g
Carbohydrate: 33.0g
- of which sugars: 2.9g
Fat: 17.9g
- of which saturates: 2.0g
Fibre: 1.2g
Sodium: 0.34g
- salt equivalent: 0.8g

INGREDIENTS:

Maize, vegetable oil, cheese flavouring blend, maltodextrin, paprika, annatto, milk lactose, salt, whey powder, potato granules

DIETARY INFORMATION:

Suitable for vegetarians, no artificial colours/flavours, no added MSG

ALLERGY INFORMATION:

Contains milk and milk derivations

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Red Mill Cheese Balls is a new product which as far as I can tell, isn't yet widely on sale, but I managed to find a pack at a little grocers shop in a town close to where I live.

The bag is the standard red and mustard-yellow colour which is typical of Red Mill crisp-type products, and the front is decorated with images of a few cheese balls. The back of the pack contains all the nutritional information, ingredients list, allergy advice, storage instructions and a Red Mill quality claim. There is also an invitation to try other Red Mill products, such as Bacon Streaks, BBQ Saucers, Onion Rings, Savoury Sticks and Crunchy Twirls.

Inside of the bag is a very generous serving of little cheese-flavoured corn-based balls. A lot of crisp-type products are in bags which contain mostly air and a very sparse amount of the actual product, but Red Mill is different in that the bag is at least three-quarters full. The balls are fairly small (about the same size as Maltesers) and liberally smothered with a vivid bright yellow-coloured dust, which I assume is the cheese flavouring. There is quite a strong synthetic cheesy smell that emanates from the opened bag, but I personally don't find this offputting, as it isn't any different to other cheese-flavoured corn-based savoury snacks. I'd estimate there to be around 30 balls per bag.

Once I'd examined the contents of the packet that I bought, I delved inside, fished out a single cheese ball, and slowly (with great delicacy lol) eased it into my mouth. Crunching slowly, I found the little cheese ball to be light, airy and though at around no.10 on the crispiness factor chart, very easy to chew and savour. The cheesy taste was rather strong, which I like, and the little ball very quickly melted in my mouth. On swallowing, I felt a satisfying sensation, plus was left with a deliciously cheesy after-taste in my mouth that didn't linger for a greater length of time than appreciated. Greed overtook me, and I ate the rest of the bag too fast; even though the serving is very generous, I managed to scoff the whole lot in the space of about five minutes, and wished I'd bought many more bags than just the one.

Once I'd eaten the whole bag, I wasn't later on plagued with that horrid after-taste which some crisp products can leave behind.

On first impressions it does appear that Red Mill Cheese Balls are disgustingly high in fat, salt and calories, but when you compare the vast quantity contained within a single pack to the very sparse offerings inside other packs of crisp-type products which often have the same or even higher fat, salt & calorie content for much less produce, then Red Mill cheese Balls aren't quite as evil as they initially seem. Even though they are very light and fluffy, one bag is a very substantial serving which would more than satisfy most people's snacking appetites - but, I warn they are very moreish.

Overall verdict: Light, crispy, tasty little corn-based cheesy balls that melt on your tongue and in your mouth. Not as evil in fat and calories as first impressions suggest, well worth 40p per bag, and no unpleasant lingering after-taste; well, not for long. I shall certainly be buying these again, and would even go out of my way to do so, as they are truly delicious.

Nice one Red Mill. Keep up the good work!

Thanks for reading!

Summary: A delicious crispy and satisfying snack