I tried M&S's new strawberry sandwich and couldn't finish it for one reason

Daily Mirror

13 hours ago

It's the season for strawberries and cream - but would you ever eat them in a sandwich? Upmarket retailer M&S have launched a limited edition Red Diamond Strawberry and Creme sandwich and it's definitely causing a stir.
With Wimbledon just around the corner, everyone is stocking up on the traditional strawbs and cream, however Marks and Spencers decided to take it up a level with this brand new sandwich. The concept is very M&S, however could this be a new sandwich filling that's able to compete with a beloved ham and cheese or ploughmans sarnie?
The limited-edition sandwich goes for £2.80 in stores, and it has been influenced by Japanese cusine, with strawberry sandwiches aka a 'Fruit Sando' found in pretty much every Japanese convienience store they're nothing new. So, with this in mind, I decided to head to my local M&S and give it a go - and it is summer after all.
What was once a modest shop where you'd buy your tights and socks, or your uncle a nice bottle of wine, is now going through what looks like a huge experimental process, and all 'traditional' ideas have swiftly gone out of the window.
M&S sandwiches have come a long way over the years, they seem to have really stepped outside the box when it comes to their fillings. While you may associate the posh supermarket with cucumber and cream cheese, or salmon and dill stuffed buns, they have gone beyond traditional fillings.
Forget your prawn mayo and think more Chicken Katsu Sando or NY style Salt Beef. These aren't just sandwiches, they're M&S sandwiches. Now their dessert style sandwich has been added to the mix - but how did it taste?
I was intrigued by this one, as it sounds like it would be way too sweet for me. The Red Diamond strawberries, sitting ontop of a seriously thick layer of sweetened full fat soft cheese and creme fraiche packed between two slices of brioche style bread. This screamed sickly to me and I didn't know what to expect.
You are only given one slice of the sandwich, rather than two which already makes it a very expensive 'snack'. For £2.80 I'd have thought you'd get both halves of the sandwich, but as soon as I tried it I knew exactly why - it was a lot. The first hit of strawberry was strong and over-powering, but the creaminess of the cream worked well. I was pleasantly surprised at how mild the sweetness was of the cream and bread.
I was expecting it to taste like I was eating a Victoria Sponge cake or a sweet scone, but I was wrong and it was a lot more mild than I thought. The brioche style bread - with crusts included - worked well as it was midly sweet, but not too much. However it was a lot to eat in one sitting, and the thick layer of cream made it tricky to finish.
When I didn't get a slice of the strawberry in a bite, I found myself having a mouthful of just bread and cream which was an unusual experience.
Overall, I think this is a pretty good sweet treat, but I think cut up into smaller sandwich fingers would be much better - and easier to eat. I think it does work well, and much better than I thought, and to truly top it off, all I need now is a chilled glass of champagne to fully accommodate.
I can't say it's replaced a savoury sandwich I'd grab on my lunch break, but it was a very good concept, and fitting for the time of year. It's so wrong it's almost so right? Hats off to you, M&S.