In the red corner we have ASDA’s Extra Special Rich Fruit All Butter Mince Pies (6 for £1.65)… in the blue corner we have ASDA’s Rich Fruit Mince Pies (6 for £1) – at over 60p difference a pack, is it really worth splashing the cash for an allegedly superior product? Is budget better than bling? Armed with 72 mince-pie-halves and a pen, we took it upon ourselves to hit the Union foyer and ask the crucial question: which tastes best?
The Extra Specials (hereby known as ‘A’) started strong, with fans commenting on the “delicate pastry and moist filling.” Some even went so far as to comment that “everything was better” and that A had a “more developed flavour”, but the cheaper pies (‘B’) came back with a vengeance, causing one intrepid taster, Catherine Williams, to praise its “richer taste altogether.” Jo Sait was also a fan of B’s pastry, which was “much softer to nibble on.” The cheaper option’s fate was sealed when one tester was led to exclaim that their taste was “unbelievable”.
A’s main flaw seemed to be its lack of filling – one tester saw the good side of this however; “it’s a guilty pleasure but you’re not getting punished because there’s so much air”. Its pastry was also decried as “quite dry” and “cloying”. However, some also commented on B’s “slightly unpleasant” and “synthetic” aftertaste.
We all love an underdog, and so it is fitting that the bout ended 20-16 for the standard mince pies. The students of Manchester recommend that you save your pennies for the sales, and skip the luxury brand for the basic mince pies this yuletide.
Add Your Thoughts