An Edible Voyage

March 2020 Haddie and Trilby's chocolate brownies are divine.  Perfectly gooey, and intensely chocolatey without being overly sweet - I'm hooked!  This one is a take on a peanut butter brownie, using halva to give a delicious fudginess, sea salt and tahini for some extra nuttiness. Find it at Haddie and Trilby in Leamington Spa

March 2020 Afternoon tea always feels so decadent  but they can be quite samey.  I jazzed mine up with some exotic flavours.   'Sandwiches' of Red Leicester and Lincolnshire Poacher with home pickled rhubarb adding a crunch and cutting through the richness off the cheese, on deliciously chewy Yorkshire Levain bread.  Scones with sweet and spicy pineapple and pink peppercorn jam, kefir lime to freshen it up, and coconut cream for that luxurious creaminess.  Light, zingy and gluten free pistachio, rosemary and almond polenta cake with orange and thyme syrup, offset by malty assam tea.  The sparkle of prosecco bubbles fizzing on the tongue...

March 2020 Crunchy, chewy and a little bit sweet.  For those times when you want to add some crunch to your salad but keep it healthy, or have an odd parsnip to use up.  Slice thinly, drizzle with olive oil and smoked paprika, and bake in the oven at a low heat.  

March 2020 The greatest bacon butty there ever was?  Thick, juicy bacon; soft, fresh bread, and the crunch of the crispiest rind I ever did taste.  A texture sensation! Find it at The Handmade Bakery, Slaithwaite.  Devour alongside the canal with one of their delicious flat whites brewed with Dark Woods signature 'Under Milk Wood' blend, roasted just down the road in Marsden, for a perfect Sunday morning.

February 2020 During Fasching, the carnival season in Munich, trays of krapfen (doughnuts) fill shop windows, with every flavour imaginable from traditional apricot to wacky chilli.  Jam filled, and glazed or simply dusted with icing sugar, these fluffy balls of dough aren't dissimilar to your standard doughnut. Find them in every bakery or konditorei.

November 2019 If you’re on the hunt for picnic supplies to soak up the wine on a day exploring Sonoma’s vineyards, be sure to stop at Freestone.   This village is tiny with only a handful of houses but it’s big on artisan produce.   There’s a queue out of the door at Wild Flour Bread which makes many exciting flavours of sourdough, including lemon, olive and tarragon; Greek olive and zaatar; and caramelised smoked garlic – absolutely delicious with a crisp crust contrasting with the slightly chewy inside, and the sweet and smokey garlic balanced with the sour tang of the loaf.   In the queue, there was a lot of excited chatter about the cinnamon, walnut and raisin sticky bun.   I was envisioning a bun sized offering but it was in fact an entire loaf.   The filling wasn’t evenly distributed which meant some bites were overly sweet, and the cinnamon eclipsed the other flavours.   But maybe that’s just me as this loaf certainly had a fan club! They al...

November 2019 Being in California in November means a day doesn’t go past without coming across a pumpkin inspired food.   What better than the classic pumpkin pie – a generous layer of sweet and smooth filling, with a mousse like lightness, warmth from winter spices and the crispness of fresh pastry. Find it at Chile Pies Baking Company in Guerneville in the town’s old bank – worth a stop to go in to the walk in safe which now contains a photo booth for a moment of silliness.  They also do a fantastic key lime pie – zesty and refreshing with a crumbly biscuit base and topped with soft meringue.  Toasted coconut sprinkles give a good texture and add a slight nuttiness.

November 2019 All along the coast you’ll find casual shacks, high end restaurants and everything in between selling oysters.  For classic oysters, try the Hog Island Oyster Company at Marshall (they also have a branch in the San Francisco Ferry Building market).  For something a bit different, try the grilled oyster sandwich at Seascape, Trinidad, against the glorious back-drop of the Pacific Ocean.  I’m a great lover of oysters so I was a bit sceptical to try this as I thought the concept might destroy everything I love about raw oysters.  It sort of did, but as a dish in it’s own right, I enjoyed it.  These were big, meaty oysters so they remained soft inside - a good textural contrast to the crispy batter.  The taste of the sea cut through the greasiness, giving a satisfying, if a little unusual, sandwich filling, and the toasted bread gave another dimension to the texture of the dish. Find it at Seascape, Trinidad.

November 2019 Originally brought over with European settlers and with recipes handed down through generations, there is much debate over where to get the best clam chowder.  In Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, there are many stalls claiming to be the oldest or the best, serving their chowder in a sourdough bread bowl.  Being addicted to bread, I thought this was going to be a winner, but was disappointed to find the bread to be dry and crumbly, and the chowder gloopy.  Hands down the best one was from Café Aquatica in Jenner, an eccentric place selling locally roasted coffee beans.  Not only was the chowder a delicious textural delight – hot, creamy, garlicky, big chunks of soft potato, the slight crunch from celery and super crispy croutons, the setting was beautiful.  Jenner is on the Russian river so you can slurp your chowder out in the sun, looking out over the sparkling blue water dotted with kayakers, and Penny Island.  Other than the c...

November 2019 Micro-roasteries are popping up all over the city.  My favourite was the Lady Falcon Coffee Club for a perfect flat white from their truck.  Located up a hill in the Alamo Square Park, you can sit out on the grass in front of the Painted Ladies, with a 270 degree view over the city and bay.  They also have beans for sale in their funky packaging. 

November 2019 Gelato, classic or innovative, take your pick of ice cream shop in San Francisco.   I love experimental interpretations of conventional foods so I couldn’t walk passed Salt and Straw in Hayes Valley without having to go in to investigate.   Flavours change monthly so being a week before Thanksgiving, that was the theme of most of their flavours.   Think turkey, sweet potato casserole, stuffing and pumpkin pie in ice cream form.   Initially I wasn’t convinced, however taking a look at the ingredients revealed how cleverly this had been done.   I sampled the Thanksgiving turkey – caramelised turkey skin folded in to salted caramel ice cream.   An explosion of flavours – sweet, salty and a definite meatiness that meant it had a very rich mouth feel.   Delicious as a sample but not sure I could have managed a whole scoop.   Much fresher was the goats cheese and winter spice ice cream, streaked with baked pumpkin pie.   The ta...

November 2019 The home of the Mission Burrito, you won’t walk far in San Francisco before coming across a Mexican restaurant.  Handy for anything from a good value, filling snack, to a gourmet Mexican inspired feast.  A stand-out burrito for me was the fried plantain and black bean offering at The Little Chihuahua in Polk Gulch.  It jumped out at me as it was a little more unusual than the standard meat and shrimp fillings.  The fried plantain was almost caramelised, giving a sweetness to balance the smoked chilli salsa and roasted bell peppers, and the black beans ensured there was a bit of bite to it rather than a monotonous soft texture.  With only a sprinkling of cheese, a dab of sour cream and fresh coriander pico de gallo, this burrito was fresh and lively.  There are 3 other branches across the city.

November 2019 No trip to San Francisco would be complete without a good brunch.   For a bakery lover’s delight, head to Mr Holmes Bakehouse in Lower Nob Hill, great for grabbing brunch on the go.   Think matcha white chocolate coated croissants, cruffins (croissant/ muffin hybrid), churro croissants, crème brulee danishes, and a daily changing donut which can be anything from lemon meringue to smoked bacon and Baileys.   But be quick, they close once they sell out. I found the raspberry buttercream of the raspberry hibiscus croissant overpowered any hibiscus notes and was overly sweet, and the Bostock was also disappointing – crunchy, dry and heavy going.   The lemon meringue donut, though, was a winner.   Oozing with tangy lemon custard and topped with a smooth dome of lightly torched meringue.   Deliciously messy, sticky fingers, sugar coated lips, just how any great donut should be.   It’s lemon meringue pie, it’s a donut, it’s lemon mering...

March 2020 I'm not usually a fan of pork pies, I find them too dense and often bland.  Wortley farm shop's pork pies, though, are anything but.  With a layer of pork meat, layer of chicken, and topped with either cranberries, black pudding, or apple sauce, they are full of flavour and textures, without the monotony of a standard pork pie.  I went for the apple - the sweetness and acidity of the fruit balancing the meatiness of the pork in this classic flavour combination, without overpowering the chicken.  The pastry was thin, light and crispy, adding yet another texture. Find it at Wortley Farm Shop, UK. 

March 2020 I decided lockdown was a great opportunity to try out some new creations.  Haddie and Trilby in Leamington Spa have started making 'government bread' from old dough.  It's surprisingly tasty and has a wonderful chewy crust - just how I like a crust!  I also had some Red Leicester cheese left over from a trip to a Leicestershire farm shop, and some rhubarb that I didn't want to go to waste so pickled in cider vinegar with pink peppercorns and finely chopped ginger.  It seemed I had the makings of an exciting cheese toast. And exciting it was! The slightly sweet, slightly spicy rhubarb cut through the richness of the cheese, with the tangy bread adding an extra flavour dimension.  The rhubarb's crunch and chewy bread ensured this dish was anything but monotonous when it comes to texture.  

March 2020 Each week I get a vegetable box from the local farm.  This week, all I had left was the cauliflower so I decided to make some soup.  I was wondering how to jazz it up when I saw in the saucepan the finely chopped turmeric and ginger I had made a tea from earlier in the day.  I blended this in to the cauliflower soup and it worked! A light, nutritious, dairy free soup, with warming spices and a wonderful colour.

March 2020 I've recently discovered how addictive caramelised white chocolate is, and how dangerously easy it is to make at home.  Since my brother was spending his birthday in isolation, a doorstep delivery of caramelised white chocolate and hazelnut cake seemed in order.  The sweetness of white chocolate is pared down during the grilling process to give complex toasted caramel flavours, which is accentuated by the earthiness of the hazelnuts.  The caramelised white chocolate also has a surprising texture - smooth yet airy, whilst retaining a definite bite, a wonderful texture addition to the soft cake and crunchy nuts.

March 2020 I'm a sucker for a great cheesecake and this was one of those great cheesecakes.  So smooth, so creamy, slightly sour, and balanced with the sweetness of halva and crunch of pistachios, and an unassuming base that let the topping shine.  This is everything I want in a cheesecake. Find it at Haddie and Trilby in Leamington Spa.  

March 2020 Haddie and Trilby, a bakery in Leamington Spa, does some of the finest pizzas going.  The handmade dough is soft and chewy, with crispy edges, I could eat the base by itself!  The weekly changing toppings are always exciting combinations of quality produce.  Despite usually being against tomato-less pizzas, I particularly enjoyed this one with zesty lemon cutting through the richness of the Tomme cheese, flavoursome meaty salami, and nutty artichoke. Find it at Haddie and Trilby's weekly Pizza Club in Leamington Spa

February 2020 Sometimes it feels like you don't walk more than 50m before coming across the next bakery and/ or pastry shop. Not that this is a bad thing! Franzbrotchen are typically a breakfast item found in Northern Germany, however they also go particularly well with coffee. This flat, croissant-cinnamon bun hybrid is the best of both - a little bit flaky, a little bit doughy, with a hint of cinnamon, and just enough sweetness to make it moorish without being sickly.  Pair it with a coffee to balance out the sweet butteryness. Find it at Man Versus Machine on Mullerstrasse

February 2020 There are a few speciality coffee shops that have sprung up around Munich. My favourite was Gangundgabe. With an eclectic mix of comfy chairs, wooden chairs and old cinema seats, it has a homely vibe without feeling cluttered. The coffee offerings are impressive with espresso, drip and french press offered, and multiple roasts to choose from. I opted for the light, fruity roast as a flat white, a fine example with perfectly steamed milk and a distinctive flavour. This cafe puts all its energy in to coffee so food is limited to brownies and cookies. Beans are available to take home. Find it on Kapuzinerstrasse.

February 2020 Head to Braustuberl for simple but hearty Bavarian home style cooking. Big hunks of roasted pork served with potato dumplings - with the texture of chewy balls of mashed potato, they are an acquired texture. As with many traditional foods, it's not something I'd necessarily choose at home, but when in Rome... The zingy, finely chopped cabbage salad was surprisingly tasty and needed to cut through the rich meat. Wash it down with a sweet white beer. They also do a delicious looking wiener schnitzel. Find Braustuberl on Brauhausstrasse

February 2020 I actually really enjoy eating at restaurants on my own sometimes. It's a great opportunity for a bit of me time, plus it's much easier to get a space at popular, booked out restaurants. In Munich, chefs are taking inspiration from traditional, hearty Bavarian fayre and giving it contemporary twists - lightening it up, veganising it, playing around with local ingredients. Max Pett is the place to go. Relaxed, homely, just enough off the beaten track to feel like a neighbourhood secret (but not a well kept one judging by the constant flow of hungry diners flowing in) - everything you want for a warm, cosy evening, catching up with friends, or a quick bite to eat when you can't be bothered to cook, where every bite is a mouthful of goodness.  The soy wiener schnitzel with remolade, homemade fries and  date ketchup seemed to be a popular choice, although I went for the barley risotto - warming and filling, but maintaining a freshness at the same time. The...

March 2020 A fusion of cuisines, a jazzed up breakfast, a textures of masala egg.  Cumin, chilli flakes and fresh coriander give Indian tones to your run of the mill omelette, and the same mixture used to make masala eggy bread with chewy sourdough adds texture.  Chuck in some fresh cherry tomatoes to cut through the spices, and you've got a winning brunch.

March 2020 How can something as simple as a naan bread be so delicious?  Cooked in a tandoor oven in front of your eyes and topped with an array of butters and seeds, or filled with cheese or falaffel, these could not be fresher.  An incredibly cheap and very filling snack (they are enormous!), eat it straight away whilst it's still warm. Find it at Baban's Naan, Finsbury Park or Ararat Bread in Dalston Kingsland

March 2020 For a great scoop of ice cream, check out Hackney Gelato.  Run by two chefs who met whilst working at a Michelin starred restaurant, this is grown-ups ice cream.  Vegan offerings are made with coconut cream and have a mousse like texture which I really enjoyed. although the Coconut and Lime flavour could have done with a little more zestiness.  The Chocolate Marmalade was smooth, rich and luxurious, perfect for any chocolate orange lover.  It was a divine mouthful, although I'm not sure I could manage a whole scoop.  Following my taste test, the one I went for was Pistachio, Almond and Lemon.  The lemon made it refreshing, and the almond added another dimension to the nuttiness.  A delicious scoop which held its flavour right to the end of the scoop.  Even the waffle cone was flavoursome and perfectly crispy, and there was the added benefit of a flake on top (I thought those were limited to childhood 99s when they were actually 99p)...

March 2020 I was very excited by this concept and couldn't wait to try it.  Imagawayaki, or wheel cakes, are a Taiwanese hand-held wheel of pancake enclosing a flavoured custard - matcha, chocolate, adzuki bean...  This had the potential to have a crispy outside and fluffy middle, oozing with sweet custard offset by matcha.  Unfortunately it was a bit soggy, I think from being cooked in batches earlier in the day, and the matcha was incredibly bitter.  But if you manage to get your hands on a fresh one, I think they could be great! Find it at Wheelcake Island, Seven Dials Market, London.

March 2020 London's best burger?  I'd say so!  Finger-lickingly good, messy, truffle mayo oozing out.  Fig jam in a burger? Genius!  The beef and smoked bacon patty is full flavoured, meaty and perfectly pink; the brioche roll soft; the crispy shallots adding some crunch.  This is a luxurious burger, naughty but nice, where the truffle actually comes through (unlike many of its counterparts).  The only bad point, the raclette cheese is totally overpowered so you wouldn't even know it was there.  Which begs the question, is it even needed?  Find it at Truffle Burger, Seven Dials Market, London

March 2020 This could easily get me addicted to celeriac.  Peel, rub with olive oil, salt and pepper, wrap in foil with some whole garlic cloves, bake in the oven at 180 C for 2 hours.  Caramelised, garlicky outside, soft, sweet inside.  Optional butter, jacket potato style, but I don't think it even needs it.  Serve with oven baked kalette chips for an added texture dimension.

March 2020 Miel Bakery.  Changing French delights throughout the day. How to choose?! I've done it for you! Get the almost bite sized 70% Valrhona chocolate tart with salted peanuts.  So incredibly smooth, so chocolatey, so deliciously rich, but not at all sickly.  The snap of perfectly crisp cocoa pastry, the crunch of peanuts, and the teeniest accent of salt.  This is proper chocolate at its best. Find it at Miel Bakery on Warren Street.

March 2020 Hidden away in Worton Park, where commercial and rural co-exist in harmony, is an organic farm shop, piled high with fruits, vegetables, Worton eggs, and farm pressed apple juice.  Hidden within this, is a cafe.  Homely and warm with a wood burning stove, food inspired books lining the walls, and the most delicious home-made food. Thai Spiced Beetroot Soup Gorgeously vibrant, I wasn't sure what to expect from a thai-spiced beetroot soup.  Would it work? Yes! It definitely did.  The zingy thai flavours blended perfectly with the earthiness of the beetroot, and a dollop of natural yogurt brought it all together into a hearty but healthy feeling lunch.  The sourdough was divine - a little chewy, tangy and with a delicious caramelised crust - a fantastic loaf! Masala Dosa Originating in Southern India, this rice and lentil crepe is stuffed with potatoes and served with a variety of chutneys and yogurt.  It's fresh but filling, and m...

March 2020 Sometimes it feels as though spring may never spring.  For a mug of anti winter blues, finely chop turmeric root and fresh ginger, add plenty of lemon juice, and boil with hot water.  It's warming, a little spicy, refreshing and tastes like a mug of vitamins.  If nothing else, the vibrant yellow colour will instantly put a smile on your face.

February 2020 For breakfast Philippines style, Bibingka (below) is a tasty option.  This rice muffin is chewy, gelatinous and like a set rice pudding, a little sweet, and with the freshness of young coconut strips.  Served in a banana leave, it's the ultimate in eco-friendly packaging.  And why not pair it with one of London's best flat whites.  These guys really know how to make coffee - the Xingang coffee,  from a mother/ daughter team in China, which has notes of strawberry, nutmeg and vanilla, is particularly exquisite - like a strawberry and cream coffee which shouldn't work at all but somehow really does. The sourdough pandesal (above) are also delicious - fresh from the oven, warm dough balls of joy. Find it at Kapihan in London.  

February 2020 Shrove Tuesday! Arguably the best day of the season.  So many delicious pre-Lent treats from all different cultures. Dutch Pancakes What better way to celebrate than at a Dutch pancake house.  Dutch pancakes are a slightly thicker version of French crepes, and there are some weird and wonderful flavour combos.  I loved the concept of this one where the bacon is cooked in to the pancake batter.  The sweetness of the apples pair perfectly with the saltiness of the bacon, whilst adding some bite.  Syrup optional.  Does this count as the main course or pudding pancake?! Try it at Little Amsterdam in Banbury. Semla Or go Swedish with a semla.  Generally sold from January until Shrove Tuesday, these are cardamom buns filled with almond paste and whipped cream.  Heavy buns, full of flavour - strong cardamom and almond, which I found a little overpowering, and lashings of cream.  Although I wasn't altogether taken by...