This Saturday the nation will witness the Coronation of King Charles III with many planning to hold their own watch parties and celebrations.
And if you are looking at putting out a decent spread for the festivities, M&S promised to have "everything you need for a perfect picnic or sensational street party" with their special Coronation treats. While some items have been in store for a few day already, their 'Honey Roast Ham Sausage Rolls', 'crown pork sausage rolls' and 'mini chutney topped crown pork pies' came in to store yesterday, May 3.
Or so we thought. When the ECHO visited a local Merseyside M&S to pick up some of the limited edition delicacies, we were disappointed to find they were not available.
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You will also be disappointed if you are a vegetarian looking for a savoury Coronation snack, as the ready to eat produce and the special 'Coronation chicken handcooked crisps' all contain meat. So we picked up a bag of Coronation chicken crisps (£1.50 for 150g), five mini Coronation Colin the Caterpillars for £3 and a box of Coronation all butter shortbread 9£6 for 450g).
Coronation Colins
First up, Colin. He divided our reviewers, with some not enjoying the new style sprinkles and others welcoming the patriotic addition.
Rebecca Koncienzcy said: "I hated the Colin makeover mainly due to the addition of the very sugary red, white and blue sprinkles. They had a very dry texture and made the overall cake far too sweet for me.
"I enjoyed the smooth chocolate on the outside and the soft sponge in the middle, but if I were to eat one again, I would pick off the sprinkles because they ruined it for me."
Steve Graves said: "Mini Colin the Caterpillars aren't new, with countless variations of the cakey lepidopteran having been on offer down the years. For 2023 Colin's got a crown, naturally, and some red, white and blue sweet shavings scattered liberally on his back (do caterpillars have backs?).
"The sponge was good quality and the white chocolate face/crown combo was a treat, but the real key to a full-size Colin is the chocolate cream which breaks up the slight dryness of the cake. In mini form this is largely absent, so after a couple of bites the sponge became cloying. All the more reason to have a brew alongside your mini Colin."
Jess Molyneux said: "The mini Colin's are fit for a King, or anyone who likes to shop at M&S. Unlike the usual brand, they're decorated in sweet blue, white and red confetti, with a little crown to match the theme.
"To me, they taste a bit more chocolatey then the usual treat, probably down to their decoration. The confetti gives them a little extra crunch too - but definitely will be a street party favourite."
Ellen Kirwin said: "Little Colin looked so cute and I much preferred the snack to a slice of the larger cake. The texture wasn't as moist as a standard Colin but instead more biscuit-like almost and chewy, probably because of the chocolate to sponge ratio."
Charlotte Hadfield said: "I thought the mini Colin the Caterpillar cakes were a lovely addition to M&S's Coronation bundle, adorned with little chocolate crowns. Although they weren't as moist as the standard size Colin cake, they still tasted delicious."
Cheryl Mulin said: "Biting into the cakes the chocolate coating cracked nicely, with the sponge delicious and soft. The chocolate cream swirls inside the sponge added an extra layer of texture, but didn't make the cake too sweet.
"Colin's little white chocolate face was thick, and satisfying - although it was a little sickly after the sugariness of the chocolate roll."
Coronation chicken crisps
The crisps didn't quite hit the right note for our reviewers, with flavour being an issue.
Ryan Paton said: "The crisps are of a high quality and have an excellent crunch. However, I would say the coronation flavour is a bit too subtle and the overriding taste is similar to a ready salted crisp."
Rebecca Koncienzcy said: "Firstly, I am not sure I fully understand what handcooked means - a quick Google informs me it means cooked under individual supervision, instead of a machine, so now we both know... I think.
"I was hoping for a punchy, curry flavour and while I do get a hint of the fruitiness a Coronation chicken sauce brings, there isn't a great deal of spice. It feels like the crisps needed to be supervised for a little longer with the seasoning.
"But they did have a good crunch and you do get a decent amount."
All butter shortbreads
Impossible to go wrong with a shortbread, these Coronation specials were a favorite for our team of reviewers.
Ryan Paton said: "The shortbread is everything you would want from the famous Scottish biscuit. The sweet treat's wonderfully buttery flavour gives it a luxury quality that makes it perfect for a King."
Rebecca Koncienzcy said: "For me, these were the star of the show and really hit the spot. They were deliciously crumbly and not too sweet. I even enjoyed the little flags and crown shapes baked into the biscuits. And I think with the beautiful commemorative tin, they are a great price for a perfect Coronation afternoon tea this coming Saturday."
You can purchase all of M&S limited edition Coronation foods in store now.
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