An Edible Voyage

May 2021 My friend's parents have a flat in Salcombe so I've been lucky enough to spend several lovely weeks there over the years.  I've never found a place there that I really love - it almost feels like places know they will always be packed just from the sheer number of of visitors so they don't need to rely heavily on repeat business. On my most recent trip there, I investigated the then newly opened The Salcombe Yawl, and it did stand out from the crowd.  The friendly staff are chatty and there was a fun vibe - it being Covid times with contactless payments and social distancing, they'd designed an ingenius payment system involving a card machine stuck to a badminton racket which is poked out of the hatch. Whilst the milk in my flat white was sadly a bit Mr Whippyesque, I did like that they use Voyager Coffee beans, roasted just down the road in Buckfasleigh, and French hot chocolate.  Sandwich options are creative, mixing things up from the standard fillings a...

April 2021 Many people told me I was mad planning a weekend in Aberdeen.  "What are you going to do there?!". To me it seemed to have the promise of a cool city with an up and coming food and coffee scene.  And that's just what it is! Impressive, austere granite buildings and suburbs each with their own character.   I set off for the leafy suburbs of the West End, lured by Figment Coffee, who roast beans as well as crafting Aberdeen's best flat white alongside exciting brunch options and cakes.  I particularly enjoyed the summer special Sunshine Brew - orange infused, sparkling cold brew coffee - sunshine in a glass! On the food front, sourdough toast topped with Scottish Crowdie curd cheese, poached pears and rhubarb ketchup was an exciting way to try one of Scotland's most ancient cheeses, whilst  vibrant raspberry and peanut butter overnight oats was everything I wanted after a long run. Find Figment Coffee on Countesswells Road.  They sell their b...

May 2021 Every day for 2 years I cycled past the Killingworth Castle in Wootton and never thought much of it.  It was only when a friend of mine recommended The Ebrington Arms in Gloucestershire that I found out these are sister pubs, and not only that, are some of the most highly acclaimed (and supposedly most Instagramable, although I'm not sure who's judging!) pubs in the Cotswolds. After several Covid induced postponements, my mum and I finally made it there one sunny Friday evening, meaning we got to enjoy the beautiful garden with it's sunning, far-reaching Cotswold views.  I rekon it would be lovely in the winter too - the inside looked so cosy with warmth and comfort emanating from the wood paneling. I quite often find I'm a little underwhelmed by the food at high end establishments, generally preferring simple, homely fare that has been cooked exceptionally, to rich, elegantly presented plates.  The Ebrington Arms was an exception. When my mum and I eat out, we...

October 2020 I was so excited to come across this peaceful and cosy cafe with it's roaring fire and dappled light pooling on tables by windows.  Hidden down some stone steps within the unassuming Temple Guiting Pantry, discovering it felt like my own little secret. There's a good mix of staples as well as inventive offerings, alongside coffee, tea and freshly squeezed juice.  Eggs Royale with brown butter Hollandaise or corn and kale fritters with black bean and pomegranate salsa, aji verde and chipotle... there are some hard choices to make here!  This is a place to linger, to absorb the tranquility. Find the cafe inside Temple Guiting Pantry, on the square of the village of the same name.  They can provide a leaflet suggesting a 1.5 hour walk through the beautiful Gloucestershire Cotswolds for a pre or post breakfast/ brunch/ lunch stroll, and the shop itself is well worth a browse.