Another Allergy Show Confession

Did you make it to the Allergy Show in London, last month? Did you spot the Eskal stall? Arriving fairly late in the day, I confess I very nearly didn't. It wasn't one of the 'big names' of the show. The stall didn't shout, 'Come over here and try some!' But I did. 

Perfect for a cuppa!

On the day I wasn't overwhelmed; the biscuit that I sampled seemed nice enough - enough for me to buy a packet. However, because the brand didn't quite grab me in the same way that the show stopping ice cream and desserts had done, I didn't rush to mention them before. I wondered whether they merited enough of a mention on their own, or whether I should forget the biscuits and just add their ice cream cones to my blog post, Ice - a - cream - oh! However, having bought some of their products and tried them at home, in a quiet way, I'm kind of hooked!

There were a selection of gluten free products on their stall, much like many of the other gluten free stalls. When I mentioned I was also dairy free, they were able to point me to three products: a tea biscuit, an ice cream cone and a packet of crackers. I was underwhelmed, because you can get these elsewhere from other brands, then I tried them.

The Biscuit

The biscuit, looks in shape and size a little bit similar to a Malted Milk but in no way tries to taste the same. In fact Eskal calls it a tea biscuit although they don't try to make it taste like a rich tea. Gluten and dairy free (but not soya or egg free) it comes in two flavours: vanilla and coffee. I bought the vanilla and these have really grown on me (perhaps because they're not trying to replicate something else that already exists - they're just themselves). Baby loves them too - no surprise there, as they're a little 'short'  and quite sweet!

Baby will eat these cones without the ice cream!

The Ice Cream Cone

The ice cream cone is a little smaller than the Barkat cones that we've used up until now, but actually taste nicer - they've added a hint of sweetness, which takes away the blandness. Baby likes them too, but I try to keep them for me, as she can have the dairy free cones that are made by Carousel. Eskal's cones have come at the right time for us, as the Barkat cones seem to have vanished from Sainsbury's.

Not only are they gluten free, they are also dairy, soya and egg free. However,  be warned, they may contain traces of nuts!

How do you get hold of Eskal Products?

Eskal are no easier to come by, as apart from the Allergy Show, I've only found them online at Goodness Direct and Amazon. Goodness Direct is fine if you only want one box (£2.74 for one box) and don't mind paying for post and packaging (unless you spend £35, in which case p&p is free). Amazon is better if you have space for six boxes (£15 for six boxes - each box containing twelve cones) as it can be delivered free in the UK.

Now, as for the crackers, I haven't tried those yet, partly because I can't have them with cheese and I've been wondering what to use instead, but also because I'm saving them for a family occasion that's coming up. But if they are any good, I'll let you know!

Update on Stockists:
The tea biscuits are now available online at Ocado, alongside a few other Eskal products. However, be warned, not all of the other Eskal products are dairy free!

Update: Another Eskal Biscuit - Dairy Free Chocolate chip Shortcake

They look so yummy! If only...

I've recently found a new Eskal product, that wasn't at The Allergy Show, online at Free From For Kids. I think they look great. They are dairy, but sadly, being made of wheat, they are not gluten free so I'm afraid I haven't been able to test them. However, Baby made short work of them, so I imagine they're not too bad! No mention of eggs or soya (just 'lecithin') or nuts, so if you need to know, you might like to contact the manufacturers, just to make sure.

Other posts that might be of interest:

Confessions of an Allergy Show Virgin

Bessant and Drury's Dairy Free Ice Cream