An Edible Voyage

June 2020 Hidden away in a beautiful, quiet Oxfordshire village of a handful of thatched cottages set around a green, a cafe unexpectedly nestles.  Quince and Clover, originally an Events Catering company, planned to open a cafe this spring and, incredibly, have managed to make it happen despite the lockdown situation.   They make all of their own ever changing flavours of ice cream and sorbet - the pink grapefruit sorbet is so refreshing (and tastes almost guilt free!).  The coconut ice cream has a delicious sweet, yet nutty flavour which holds all the way until the end of the scoop.  They also make their own ice cream milkshakes, super thick and served in big, American style cups. Cakes are moist and not overly sweet - the coffee, chocolate and date cake is an inspired combination, and their weekly changing salads, tarts, soup and special are so colourful and fresh it's a near impossible decision to choose.  Highlights have been the courgette...

June 2020 A couple of years ago I went a pizza oven building course.  Not because I actually had any intention of building one, but because I thought it would be a fun day out - at the time, I lived in a flat so there was no opportunity to build one anyway.  Then I moved to a house with a garden, albeit it very small, and I begun to think about whether I should )and could!) build one.  When lockdown happened, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.  Due to lack of space and funds, I decided to build it at ground level.  I also had no idea how much clay to order - 125kg sounded a lot, potentially too much even! Actually I could have probably done with double. My brother was the guinea pig and the first one was almost inedible - we had to finish it off in the kitchen oven and ended up just eating the topping... I've definitely learnt a lot since that first pizza.  From how to heat the oven (instant light BBQ bags are my new best friend), how to stop...

October 2019 Hands down my go to coffee place in Copenhagen is Coffee Collective.  They really know their stuff when it comes to roasting and brewing coffee.  Hand brews are expertly brewed and are served with an information card which is a lovely touch, espresso based coffees are expertly extracted and milk steamed to perfection.  There are also bags of beans available to take home.  Find it at Torvehallerne, Copenhagen, Denmark.  They also have another 4 branches across the city.

October 2019 I find there is something really satisfying about raw treats and plant-based mylks and smoothies.  Not only do they taste really good but they feel nutritious too, like afterwards I have nutrients buzzing around inside me. This take on a Bounty has a really meaty middle with all the sweet nuttiness of coconut, balanced by dark cacao that snaps satisfyingly as you bite in to it. Or for something a little more fruity, go for a a smoothie bowl made from all manner of exotic fruits, from acai to dragon fruit, and topped with crunchy granola, sweet banana, coconut and the tiny powerhouses that are chis seeds. To quench your thirst, choose from a rainbow of raw mylks.  Will you go for fruity, chocolatey, nutty, simply vanilla, or off the wall spirulina with it's eye-catching blue colour? Find all of these and so much more at Torvehallerne, Copenhagen, Denmark.

June 2020 What do you want in a doughnut?  Pillowy dough? A generous dusting of sugar to coat your lips?  A sweet, fruity and jammy, or creamy and custardy filling? There's a bakery start-up in Oxford that can deliver you all of these and more.  Patron.  With exciting fillings such a hazelnut praline, lemon curd, chocolate and tonka bean, and the cheery sounding chuckleberry jam, you will be spoilt for choice.  And if that wasn't enough decadence, they also make banana bread and gooey chocolate brownies.  Eco-friendly home delivery around Oxford by bike or collect from Jericho Coffee Traders Osney Mead or Tap Social's White House Horse Box outside The White House pub on Abingdon Road.

June 2020 I am a complete convert to pomegranate molasses.  Always one to substitute ingredients for what I have in store, on first glance at this recipe sent to me by a friend, my immediate reaction was pomegranate molasses?! Definite substitution.  However coincidentally, later that day, another recipe caught my eye in a magazine and scanning through the ingredients, I noticed that too called for pomegranate molasses.  It seemed this was something I needed to invest in. And I'm so glad I did! This Iranian dish is typically eaten of the longest night of the year to celebrate the coming of winter, so I was a full 6 months out.  But it sounded so delicious, there was no way I could wait another 6 months to try it.   Fesenjoon is made from 3 main ingredients - walnuts, chicken and pomegranate.  Ground walnuts are boiled for 2 hours before any other ingredient is added, eventually thickening to the texture of an Indian curry sauce and giving a ric...

June 2020 I'm often wary of miso.  I think it's the thought of it that I don't like.  And it's very easy to go overboard, adding too much and eclipsing all other flavours in a dish.  But, most of the time, I do actually enjoy the strong umami taste.  I was a little skeptical of how it would work as the main ingredient of this pasta 'sauce', and although I feel it would be too much as a main dish, it makes an elegant starter, taking minutes to prepare.  Asparagus is lightly pan fried with miso, mixed in to cooked fettuccine with a little of the cooking water, and topped with dill, fresh from the herb garden. 

October 2019 Kodbyen, or meatpacking district, was once a run-down industrialised part of town, but no longer.  Trendy restaurants and craft beer halls have moved in to the derelict warehouses, food trucks roll up every spring and summer weekend, doling out a tempting array of world cuisine, and the area buzzes with the chit chatter of locals and tourists alike. At Kodbyens Fiskebar, beautifully presented plates of the freshest fish and dainty desserts are served alongside more low-key newspaper cones of fish and chips and balls of sourdough, warm from the oven. Go to Kodbyen if for no other reason for the atmosphere and grab a beer (if you can ever choose from their wall of beer taps) from Warpigs Brewpub whilst you peruse the variety of tantalising food establishments. 

October 2019 Kanelsnegl scream Denmark to me - the doughy, sweet, spicy, comforting balls are the epitome of hygge.  This was a particularly good specimen - soft and airy, buttery and spicy, and topped with a little icing. Find it at Laura's Bakery, Torvehallerne, Copenhagen.

June 2020 It was one of those days when I had lots of bits to use up in the fridge - not enough of anything to make something.  Or so I thought.  Broccoli croquettes were born!  Steamed potatoes and broccoli mashed together, a little seasoning, rolled in panko crumbs and pan fried.  The lonely slice of ham finely chopped and thrown in to the pan for the last few minutes.  Parmesan cheese grated over hot croquettes to begin to melt ever so slightly.  The crunchy croquettes, the crispy ham, the sweet, umami parmesan cheese...an accidentally delicious creation.

May 2020 Think of the stickiest, meatiest, most tender rack ribs, so big you can only fit two thirds on your disposable BBQ for an impromptu dinner in the park...  Think of the freshest, zingiest ceviche with the juiciest pieces of plaice... Think of brioche rolls bursting with sweet, tender lobster... Find all of these edible delights at D'Ambrosi deli in Stow-on-the-Wold.   

June 2020 It was love at first bite and, ever since, Gatineau in Summertown has been a favourite of mine.   The croissants are perfectly crisp on the outside and delightfully soft in the middle, the kind where you can pull the end and the light and airy middle will tumble out.   Pain aux raisins balance generous spirals of creme patissiere and raisins without being overly sweet and sickly, and the colourful display of beautifully crafted patisserie always makes it a challenge to choose. Le Cappuccino is a decadent summery alternative to an iced coffee - coffee soaked sponge and silky coffee custard wrapped in a crisp white chocolate cup with a little crunchy biscuit on top. If matcha is your thing, go for the matcha sponge soaked in a tart passion fruit syrup, balanced by sweet and fruity raspberry jelly.  In case this isn't luscious enough, it's topped with a creamy yet airy Opalys 33% whipped ganache and gold flecks. ...

November 2019 I pretty much lived in this cafe whilst in Copenhagen.  Everything is pant-based but that certainly doesn't mean their offerings are lacking flavour or creativity - their brunch was a taste sensation!   For the sweet tooth, enormous stacks of fluffy banana pancakes with silky cashew cream and the sweet, tart crunch of freeze dried raspberries.   For the more savoury inclined, a smorgasbord of dehydrated peppers and aubergines, and raw crackers to dip in sweet potato puree and mushroom pate; rice paper rolls with sprouts and pickled red onions; tahini avocado with sweet pops of balsamic pearls; rye and sourdough bread - a feast of nutrients to set you up for the day. The turmeric latte was the best I've ever taste, with the addition of ginger juice giving it an addictive spicy kick. Find it all at Plant Power Food, Copenhagen.

June 2020 For moments of edible bliss, head to Barefoot in Jericho or order online for their brownies and cakes.  This biscoff brownie is sublime - so gooey , so chocolatey and with the caramelised flavours of biscoff.  It should be seriously sickly but somehow it isn't, and above all, it looks beautiful.

What better way to cool on a tiny desert island than sipping on a young coconut, opened by machete to order!

Whether it's BBQ'd on the beach, daing dried and salted on a street stall, or grilled to order at a market, there's no shortage of delicious fresh fish in the Philippines.    Head to Makati market in Manila to join the crowds jostling for whole grilled Batangas fish stuffed with tomato and peppers.

October 2019 Ma Poule in Torvehallerne serves what some hail as Copenhagen's best sandwich.  Juicy, tender duck, a kick of mustard and peppery rocket made for a satisfying baguette.  Would I go as far as to say Copenhagen's best sandwich? Probably not. But it was delicious nonetheless with a glass of MBC beer from Chamonix. Find it at Torvehallerne.