Vapourlites electronic cigarettes

IT seems everyone is turning against electronic cigarettes lately. And by everyone, I mean no one – no one worth listening to at least. With the EU, self-satisfied medical chiefs and privatised rail companies, coming out tacitly in favour of actual, cancer-causing cigarettes, by trying to ban these potentially life-saving devices. Rail companies have ludicrously claimed ‘vaping’ would “normalise” smoking and have banned them from trains and stations. Idiots. Copper-bottomed idiots. Rail companies banning steam… the irony! Anyway, as electronic gaspers go, Vapourlites are some of the best of the bunch. I know I have reviewed other e-cigs in the past, but they are a product I believe in and one of the best inventions of modern times in my view. Vapourlites’ slant on the now fairly standard design is sleek, clean and tidy. And the ‘vaping’ experience is realistic and satisfying, though fairly light. Freeloader House took delivery of a trial disposable e-cig and a rechargeable USB one. I enjoyed them immensely and would heartily recommend them. Obviously the company makes no such grand claims, but I think they sell themselves short – they’re product just might save (or at least prolong) your life. Stick two fingers up to the idiots in thrall of the tobacco companies and keep vaping!

Sacla pesto and pesto sauces

Being quite the connoisseur of la grub Italiano, thanks chiefly to Sacla for their supportive a freebie-friendly ways I was eager to try the firm’s latest exciting products. 

As they rightly say Italian cooking is all about celebrating the best seasonal produce, cooked simply.

And Sacla’s new pestos and pesto sauces will help make even the least dab hand in the kitchen, into a pouting Saatchi-divorcing culinary goddess like Nigella.

And the company’s delicious recipe for Piemontese Peppers is perfectly in keeping with that spirit.

Replacing the traditional anchovy with Sacla’ Classic Basil Pesto, the wonderfully simple recipe takes two of the most famous northern Italian ingredients – peppers and pesto – and combines them to make a dish that’ll have you mamma mia-ing in no time.

Here’s the recipe: 

Ingredients

 4 large red peppers, halved and seeded

4 tomatoes, cut into quarters

3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

4 tbsp Sacla' Classic Basil Pesto

5 tbsp olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small handful fresh basil leaves, to garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/gas 4.

Arrange the peppers cut-side up in a baking dish. Tuck the tomato pieces inside the cavities of the peppers along with the garlic. Spoon in the Pesto, then drizzle with the oil.

Season with salt and pepper and roast for 45 minutes, until the peppers are soft and tender and very slightly golden at the edges – be careful not to let them burn (lower the heat if they look like they might be cooking too quickly).

When ready to serve, spoon over the juices and scatter with fresh basil leaves.

Join Sacla’ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/SaclaItalianFoodLovers or visit the website www.sacla.co.uk

·         Do you have something I can freeload? Email me shamelessfreeloader@hotmail.co.uk

Emmi Caffe Latte

Coffee is a hot drink right? Wrong.

Those boffins at Emmi have come up with a concept of serving the bean-spewed beverage cold.

And wonderful it is too.

Available in a variety of flavours from rich cappuccino, smooth latte, creamy caramel, flat white and tasty vanilla, they really do have all bases covered.

A wad of vouchers arrived at Freeloader House recently, entitling your's truly to five of these delicious beverages… but, owing to a supermarket deal, the coupons were good for six units – another victory for the Freeloader!

So after parting with the odd 13p (the difference in the amount covered by the vouchers and the price)  I was good to go.

And, after a heavy night, I put Emmi Caffe Latte to the test first thing the next day…boom!

I had been inducted into the Wide-Awake Club.

The drink itself was smooth, tasty and authentically coffee

Not content with proving a morning pick-me-up however, the company has also come up with a cocktail recipe using one of it beverages as the base for a potent party-starter.

The ‘Skinny Rhumba’ can be made using 35ml of golden rum half a cup of Emmi Caffe Latte Skinny and half a banana.

And best of all the livener weighs in at just 180 calories… not to mention the ‘nana making up one of your five-a-day!

• For more go to www.facebook.com/emmicaffelatteuk or follow on Twitter: @UKCaffeLatte
• Do you have a product I can freeload? Email shamelessfreeloader@hotmail.co.uk and follow on Twitter @thefreeloader1

Domino's Pizza - Hot Dog Stuffed Crust and the Curious Case of the Missing Sausage

This post explores the curious case of the missing sausage.

Those legends at Domino’s Pizza furnished Freeloader HQ with a voucher for their spectacular new hot dog stuffed crust pizza. 



My hot dog-free pizza



Hungry one eve last month I called my local Domino’s, placed my order for a large meaty hot dog stuffed crust, and awaited delivery.

The pizza arrived quickly, in under 25 minutes, and as I salivated at the prospect I rushed indoors to open it and gaze upon its magnificence.

Alas, all was not well, it took me a couple of bites to real



ise what was wrong.

Then it hit me like a freight train – where was the hot dog?!



Yes, dear readers, there was no tasty German sausage nestled within the rim of my, admittedly already meat-engorged, repast.

“Where is my sausage?” I bellowed, alone in my kitchen, as salty tears welled in my incredulous eyes.

Needless to say I was unimpressed.

But it is always darkest before the dawn, and salvation lay in the delivery driver’s haste to furnish another hungry diner with a Domino’s delight.

For he had forgotten to collect my gift voucher.

And, let’s face it, I had been sent the

voucher to review this new concept, and review it I would.

So, this month I picked up the phone again, and placed my order again.

What followed was an agonising, but again thankfully short, wait.



Domino's epic hot dog stuffed crust pizza



A knock at the door, a helmeted driver large flat square box in hand, it was de ja vu all over again.



I handed over the voucher… there was now no going back.

I opened the box, and relief washed over me like an awesome wave.



There, inside the crust lay my elusive sausage

.

And ketchup.



And mustard.

It was literally a huge hotdog around the entire circumference of my pizza, a Frankenstein’s monster of culinary genius.

Even Heston Blumenthal would struggle with this kind of culinary alchemy.

It tasted delicious and was worth the wait.

I’d heartily recommend it.

Roll on Domino’s next experiment.



How to get free perfume or aftershave

This 0.04 fl oz (1.2ml for our Continental amigos) container of Davidoff’s ‘The Game’ may not look much, but it represents another freeloading triumph.

For many a year I have popped into Debenhams, Boots or another shop stocking scent to ‘freshen up’ before a night out, gratis of course.

But it seemed that while this was freeloading per se, there was nothing tangible.

A couple of weeks ago I rectified all that.

Here is how to get free eau de toilette/perfume/aftershave:

1.      Loiter around the scent aisles, spraying, sniffing, generally reading the labels.

2.      Innocuously invite a member of staff over (most likely they will come to your aid anyway, asking if you need any help with the terribly taxing task of spraying smelly stuff on your wrists/neck/armpits/nether-regions).

3.      Enquire about the product you want to freeload; ask the price, availability, sizes on offer.

4.      State clearly that you’re not in the market for buying today, but that you’re considering a purchase in the near future.

5.      Now you have hopefully gained the perfumier’s trust, close the deal – ‘the deal’ is obtaining free samples. Ask whether they have any for you to take away to help you make your mind up.

I did this and left with an ample handful of Davidoff ‘The Game’, which is great by the way.

The samples I got have lasted me well since, and I look forward to my next visit.

Happy freeloading.      

Yorkshire Gold teabags

By ‘eck, ‘appen I’ve only bin sent 80 teabags from the reet nice folks at Yorkshire Tea.

Yes, it is true, last week Freeloader House took delivery of a consignment of Taylors of Harrogate’s finest – Yorkshire Gold.

And what a cuppa it is, but I’ll come to that in good time, consider the next few paragraphs as a metaphorical bag-brewing.

Firstly the packaging transports one to a world of rolling hills, playful sheep and dry-stone walls, flinty folk drinking ale, and obviously tea, and if one cocks one’s ear in a particular direction; the sound of leather on willow wisps on the wind, as another hardy gentlemen thwacks a six over the bowler’s head.

It is like Emmerdale, but with all sexual deviancy taken out.

Or like Midsomer Murders minus the murders – a Hobbit-like realm of simplicity and joy.

Ah, I think our metaphorical teabag has been submerged long enough.

The dark reddish liquid in my mug is now begging, gasping for the last ingredient – milk – I don’t take sugar, as I’m sweet enough.

I add a small amount of semi-skimmed to the cup and after stirring am left with a fine, balanced and beautifully-brewed mug of nut-brown tea.

And the complex rich cuppa certainly hit the spot, I had it with a nice slice of ginger cake… here’s to the other 79 bags!

• For more information go to http://www.yorkshiretea.co.uk/
• Do you have something I can freeload? Email me shamelessfreeloader@hotmail.co.uk
  
  

Ring of fire meltdown pizza from Domino's Pizza

With hated January nearly at an end and diets and detoxes running out of steam as the frost bites, why not warm up with something spicy?

And you don’t get much spicier than a stuffed crust ring of fire meltdown pizza from Domino’s.

This bad boy was seemingly crafted from molten lava!

Toppings on this hot tamale include meatballs, jalapenos, and English mustard.

I was challenged to eat one of the beasts, and being a fan of fiery foodstuffs I was only to happy to accept.

A spokeswoman for the firm said: “Fancy a challenge? How are you with hot food? “Perhaps you’d like to try our Meltdown pizza – it’s our hottest yet.”

And I can attest it was a spicy one, but being iron-gutted and asbestos-mouthed I managed it, and it was delicious.

So, if you can’t be bothered to cook and fancy pepping up your evening, the ring of fire meltdown pizza is a must!

 Visit www.dominos.co.uk for more details

• Do you have something I can freeload? Email me: shamelessfreeloader@hotmail.co.uk

ASK Italian - numero due

This is my second review of ASK Italian.

But my view is; if you don’t ASK Italian, you don’t get, er Italian.

My dining partner and I sauntered into the modern surroundings of the Welwyn Garden City branch of the popular chain of ristaurante Italianos.

Asked what name to book our table under I used the nom de guerre ‘Tim Bryce’, for anonymity is the way of the freeloader.

Anyway, on to the food.

We began with a generous bowl of olives and Italian bread – the perfect appetisers.

They were rapidly followed by my starter (my partner in dine eschewed the entrees, saving space for the mains).

I chose Prosciutto e Rucola – a superb salad, replete with fresh, sliced mushrooms, prosciutto ham, wedge of lemon and crisp rocket.

Onwards and outwards (waistline-wise), I went for a gorgeous calzone next, and my companion chose the largest lasagne I’ve ever clapped eyes on!

Needless to say it wasn’t finished – I defy anyone to polish off the tasty looking beast.

Dessert was next up, and the butterscotch cheesecake caught my eye immediately. Beautifully presented by the always attentive and courteous staff, it was a treat.

My smaller-appetited companion opted simply for a dark and rich hot chocolate.

Eager to make my meal complete I also ordered a livening double espresso to round off the feast.

And, after we bade our hosts farewell and headed out into the cold night air,  

I resolved to recommend ASK Italian all over again. 

• Do you have something I can freeload? Email me: shamelessfreeloader@hotmail.co.uk

Finlandia grapefruit vodka

Anyone who knows me, which may well be a fairly limited list of close confidantes considering my cloak of anonymity, will know that I’m partial to a drop of booze from time to time.

And so it is my gleeful duty to report that those nice people at Finlandia despatched a 35cl bottle of smooth grapefruit vodka to Freeloader House.

I stored the liquor in the freezer and decided to try it both neat over ice as those crazy Finns would neck it, plus I was told it went well with cranberry juice so tried it that way too.

1. Neat: Strong, smooth and satisfying… a real winter warmer.
2. With cranberry juice: Multi-layered, complex and refreshing.

Having tried grapefruit vodka both ways I have to say I preferred it neat.

I was transported to one of those ice bars, and in my mind’s eye could see polar bears wandering on a giant glacier mint and igloos on an ice flat, although maybe that was the vodka

talking!

• For more information go to: http://www.finlandia.com/flavour.aspx?id=81
• Do you have something I can freeload? Email me: shamelessfreeloader@hotmail.co.uk

Frankie & Benny's

Whoever the probably fictitious ‘Frankie’ and ‘Benny’ are, after whom the eponymous chain of restaurants is named, I’d like to heartily thank them for a fantastic freebie.

My dining partner and I chowed down on a superb meal at one of their eateries the other week.

The grim grey car park at the ‘leisure complex’ quickly gave way to an inviting eaterie, so much so that the ugliness of this particular town (Stevenage), was forgotten amid the heady aromas of pizza, steaks and pasta.

We began with tomato and nut pesto breads and tasty calamari.

I enjoyed a monster 16oz rump steak which sat invitingly across the entire breadth of the plate, while my fellow diner opted for pasta arrabiata.

Naturally I enjoyed a large glass of pinot noir to wash down the enormous slab of beef, cooked medium rare just the way I like it.

It was accompanied by mushrooms, chips and cherry tomatoes.

But, if I’m honest, the additional gubbins were forgotten as I sliced into the delicious steak, which was so tender it fell apart.

There was (just about) room for dessert, so I opted for a light sorbet.

My dining partner had an ice cream sundae.

The meal was rounded off perfectly with a double espresso.

I’ll certainly be going back to Frankie & Benny’s (especially if they send me another voucher!).

• For more information go to www.frankieandbennys.com


• Do you have anything I can freeload? Email me at shamelessfreeloader@hotmail.co.uk

My MesmerEyez Halloween horror story

The fundamental tenets of this blog are and always will be freeloading and honesty.

With that in mind I can tell you that I managed to freeload some MesmerEyez contact lenses and that I didn't think they were very good.

I wanted this post to be a 'Hey, are you stuck for Halloween ideas? Try these' kind of caper.

But, after spending an increasingly frustrating 20 minutes trying to append the 'Xtreme Twilight' three-month disposable contacts to my eyeballs, I was forced to give up.

At this juncture it would probably be a good idea to state that I do not wear contact lenses.

 

 

But, I have worn novelty Halloween contact lenses before, and I found them a lot easier to install than these flimsy examples.

Also, presumably MesmerEyez is targeting these at other non-contactoids too.

I must admit that the designs themselves are stunning and was mightily disappointed not to be able to goggle at my own werewolfed or zombiefied reflection.

The packaging (for what it's worth) is also a very eye-catching and attractive black/gold combo.

 

But I suppose the adage that all that glitters is is not gold applies here.

If anyone else has better luck with these, please let me know or comment below.

To get the lenses go to www.mesmereyez.com/

• Do you have something I can freeload? Email me: shamelessfreeloader@hotmail.co.uk

Plasa 2012 - Trade show freeloading

Throughout my career as a shameless freeloader I have come to realise that some of the best places to acquire gratis goods are trade shows.

The token trinkets are often fairly dull, like branded pencils/pens, lanyards or keyrings.

But more exciting quarry can be had too as I found at this year’s Plasa event, held a couple of weeks ago at London’s Earl’s Court.

Stalls at Plasa, which is an exhibition of music equipment, concert rigging and other such stuff, were stacked with free bags and complimentary cookies.

Not very interesting you may think.  

And you’d be right.

But with a little research there is gold to be found amid the mud.

I found out that by attending two mind-meltingly dull demos at the show I could get a pair of £35 Sennheiser/Adidas earphones.

Prior to this the best freebies I’d snaffled had been free ice cream and a glass of Diet Coke.

But, as the afternoon wore on the big potatoes were wheeled out, namely a free bar.

As I quaffed glass after glass of free indeterminate lager with Jaegermeister chasers I inspected my (obviously branded) bag of goodies.

The haul included, four lanyards, a car air freshener, a pencil, a pen, two bags, the aforementioned earphones and, bizarrely, a packet of Cadbury’s Chocolate Buttons.

As I sat there I silently toasted another successful freeloading expedition – cheers!

• Do you have something I can freeload? Email me shamelessfreeloader@hotmail.co.uk

Bluebeard's Revenge shaving products

USUALLY a skull and crossbones denotes a toxic or hazardous substance or danger ahead.

But thanks to Bluebeard's Revenge, the newest shaving experts on the block, the 'jolly' has been put back into the Jolly Roger.

The only “arghhh” you'll get with these shaving creams and post-shave balms is the one you'll be making when impersonating a pirate while staring at your foamy face in the mirror, rather than a reaction to skin irritation or razor burn associated with so many shaving products.

 

And the man love doesn't end there, for the interior of the packaging features information and advice about male cancers from the Orchid charity. 

Now, I may not be the ideal candidate for anti-face fuzz fanatics Bluebeard's, as a bearded/stubbled cove, but I used it for tidying up my errant face furniture.

And a fine job it did too!

Bluebeard's Revenge also boasts a 'secret ingredient' which, in time, inhibits the growth of hair... Follicly-challenged folk such as Shane Warne, Graham Gooch and Jimmy White best steer clear then!

My experience with the witch hazel laced substances was nothing but positive.

I lathered up my face with the shaving cream using the brush also supplied by Bluebeard's, and the razor just glided across my bum fluff, tidying the edges of my 'designer stubble'/beard.

I then finished off with the secret potion post-shave balm to hopefully fend off those pesky hairs.

I'd heartily recommend it me hearties, yo, ho, ho.

All together now: “Arghhh!!”

 

• For more information go to www.bluebeards-revenge.co.uk or follow on Twitter @thebluebeards

• Do you have a product or service I can freeload? Email shamelessfreeloader@hotmail.co.uk or follow me on Twitter @thefreeloader1

Electric Zebra electronic cigarettes

Electronic cigarettes have been in the news recently – with one vaping wally on a coach managing to cause a terror alert on the M6 toll road, by blowing his gaseous discharge into a plastic bag giving fellow passengers the heebie-jeebies.

But this blog post aims to paint the contraptions in a more positive light.

You see the problem is he was trying to hide what he was doing – although Lord knows why since 'vaping' on public transport is perfectly legal.

Perhaps our H2-doh! breather was puffing on one which looked indistinguishable from a real ciggie and was eager to not alert the overzealous eyes of the 'smokefree' elf 'n' safety Stasi.

This would not have been a problem had our hero been happily inhaling an Electric Zebra.

For the Elec-Zeb's USP is it's distinctiveness – namely it's zebra stripes and green glowing LED 'cherry'.

I'd defy even the dumbest anti-terror Plod to mistake this otherworldly machine for an actual cigarette.

Though, despite their anti-cig aesthetics, Electric Zebra sure does taste like the real thing.

With menthol, US tobacco and UK tobacco flavours in their arsenal they have all smokers' bases covered.

And they can be plugged into the mains to recharge or a USB port in your PC.

Personally I prefer the menthol variety, which pack a satisfying punch in the throat, without all the carcinogenic nasties prevalent in those things that contain that stuff Sir Walter Raleigh brought back, in the world's first duty free trip abroad.

All of which means these Zebras won't leave you feeling horse (sorry, hoarse).

The wallet-friendly gaspers work out cheaper than conventional cigarettes too, with disposables at £4.95 (equal to 20 cigarettes) and rechargeable starter packs at £25.95, including a free case and five refill cartridges (each equal to 20 cigarettes).

The stylish packaging also features a stubble-faced chap who has got the girl too, making smoking as cool as it was when Sean Connery's James Bond sparked up a fag at a card table.

The name's Freeloader, Shameless Freeloader.

Electric Zebras look a bit like something Bond's gadget man “Q” would cook up too!

For more info, go to www.electriczebra.com

Do you have a product I can freeload? Email shamelessfreeloader@hotmail.co.uk

Hugo is the Boss of pretty puny freebies!

Usually I like to use this site to wax lyrical about some fabulous freebie I've managed to blag through my capacity as the most shameless of freeloaders.

But, on this occasion I have to be slightly critical.

Great though it is to get unsolicited freebies, I really must protest at the frankly skinflintedness of one of the world's leading scent manufacturers.

Sadly not actual size!

 Forgive me for biting a hand that is feeding me, but a postcard with Orlando Bloom on it (good thing he was labelled as I'd not have recognised his grinning visage without him badly attempting to shoot a bow and arrow), with 0.075ml (0.0025 fl oz) of aftershave appended to it, does not a good freebie make!

I could barely do that wrist-rubbing thing with this drop of pungent parfum!

Although, judging by the postmark, perhaps Hugo exhausted his marketing budget by mailing this particular Bloom-a-gram from Hong Kong.

This is to date the worst freebie I've received, but oddly, in it's sheer triviality it occupies a fond place in my own pantheon of pointlessness.

If anyone from Hugo Boss is reading this and would like me to seriously review your products, obviously in exchange for more than a postage stamp-sized portion, please get in touch: shamelessfreeloader@hotmail.co.uk

deadmau5 at Wireless Festival, Hyde Park

Animal-headed deities supposedly went out with the Ancient Eqyptians, but there I was in Hyde Park last week enjoying a positively religious experience, dancing to a small man with a mouse's head.

Or should that be mau5head?

For the scrawny chap conducting this pumping paganistic party was the one and only deadmau5.

I had come up trumps in the freeloading department once again as two shiny tickets arrived for the BarclayCard Wireless Festival on July 6th.

Torrential rain had rendered the park a tad muddy – but as this was only the first day of a three-day festival, I was quite pleased to give my £6 Wellington boots a rare and not too punishing airing.

Prior to the retired-from-life rodent, Knife Party proved a popular and banging alternative in the Pepsi Max Arena to Roots, who performed to near ambivalence on the Main Stage (clearly acoustic hip-hop wasn't the best choice warm-up material for deadmau5... who'd of thunk of it?!).

Fans of banging bladed bonhomie were not disappointed as the DJ duo smashed it, with a fast-paced combo of house, trance, electro and dubstep.

As the sun began to set over the park mau5 fans (and a group of lads dressed as Kermit the Fog) scurried to the now Roots-vacated Main Stage for the arrival of 'Le Souri5 Mort'.

And what a set he played; Raise Your Weapon, Sofi Needs a Ladder and Moar Ghosts N Stuff were highlights of a stunning audiovisual spectacle.

This was not the first time I've seen deadmau5 for free either... it's my third, and on this form all I can say is long may the freebies continue!

Do you have something I can freeload in exchange for a preview or review? Email shamelessfreeloader@hotmail.co.uk and follow on Twitter @thefreeloader1