I was lucky enough this weekend to be sent some lovely samples from the New York Soup Company. I’m currently trying to watch my weight and keep myself hydrated whilst training for my 10k run in July so soups for lunch or dinner are absolutely perfect. They are packed with minerals and vitamins and are even a great way reach your five a day without noticing, as many soups successfully hide the flavours of some fruit and veg ingredients; ie. celery for one!

With Spring in the air, I decided to be spontaneous and request something a little different, New York Soup Co’s limited edition flavour for Spring, Smokey Bacon and Herby Tomato Soup. There really is nothing better than a warming soup on a chilly day accompanied by a crusty petite pain.

New York Soup Co has three main ranges; Original Soups (Chicken Jambalaya, Corn Chowder -which looks deliciously creamy, Tomato, Bean and Basil), Fully Loaded (Tomato & Meatball, Nacho Chilli Chicken, BBQ Pulled Pork and Chunky Lentil & Bean) and finally, the Skinny Soup range which I will be reviewing at a later date. These are all available to buy at Tesco stores around the country for £2.20 (600g pack is larger than most other soup brands).

One thing I noticed and particularly liked about the product is that the packaging is resealable. No more worries about someone nudging the packet in the fridge and it spilling everywhere, which is the case for one of its main competitiors.

So back to the soup. The Smokey Bacon & Herby Tomato flavour has been created in line with superbowl season during Spring. It is a particularly rich soup with a strong smokey flavour and bacon sinews throughout. Not as much spiciness but very peppery – I found it a little overpowering towards the end. The taste of the herbs is pleasant but overshadowed by the smokey taste. Alongside a fresh baguette, this soup really comes into its own and is a nice change to boring old tomato and basil.

I was a little naughty and grated some cheddar cheese to sprinkle on the top. In fact, I picked up the most delicious mature cheddar that I have ever tasted; Wyke Farms ‘Crunchiness’. It has delicious naturally occurring calcium lactate crystals that give it a satisfying bite but it isn’t too tangy that it will knock your socks off. I am a huge cheese fan so was very pleased to have found my new favourite cheese. Only problem was, I polished off the whole pack in a few hours! It is available in Waitrose for £2 (most likely on promotion as it is brand new).