An Edible Voyage

June 2021 Cardiff holds a special place in my heart, it being the city of my student years.  So when I was invited to a wedding there, I decided this was a great opportunity for a reminiscent trip. Back when I was a student, I didn't even like coffee (I do wonder how I survived being a student without!) but I had a feeling that in this day and age, Cardiff would have some pretty great roasters.  I started off at Brodies.  They have a cafe, Bricks and Mortar, on North Road but since it was a lovely sunny morning I headed to their cabin in Gorsedd Gardens to enjoy my flat white in the dappled light of the cooling trees.  There's a surprisingly large selection of sweet treats for such a dinky hut, and they also sell boxes of plant-based Patissiere Thibault Courtoisier's macarons. Next I delved in to the arcades.  I love how arcades always feel like a bit of a secret, and how you never know what exciting shop or interesting boutique you'll find around the next corne...

April 2021 I made a short pit stop in the Strathbungo area of Glasgow on my way north, to suss out the coffee scene.  Unfortunately it was a Monday so many places were closed, although this did make choosing very much easier! First up was Grain and Grind.  I didn't plan on it but the eye-catching blue and white striped awning drew me in.  The flat white was pretty good and there was an array of exciting looking sweet treats - cappuccino macaron? Yes please! Sadly I was saving myself for my next stop so I didn't indulge. Continuing through Queen's Park I came to Cafe Strange Brew.  Using Glasgow roasted Dear Green coffee beans, and with a substantial and varied menu, and a window full of baked goods, choices were difficult!  One thing jumped out at me though as it seemed to combine many of my favourite things - haloumi, chilli oil, poached eggs, sourdough and humous...this sounded like deliciousness on a plate (or in a box it being Covid times).  Other optio...

March 2021 There are 100s, possibly 1000s, of places to buy a coffee in Newcastle, but how to find the great amongst the good? Let me point you in the direction of   Pink Lane Coffee.   With a café that oozes cool on, you guessed it, Pink Lane, this speciality coffee roasters is dedicated to sourcing and roasting the best single origin and responsibly sourced beans from growers around the world. With their rotating filter coffees, as well as all the espresso-based classics, there’s something for every mood.   And with their white, milk and dark hot chocolate options, even non-coffee drinkers could be persuaded to venture in. Find Pink Lane Coffee on Pink Lane, almost opposite the central station.

November 2020 Doughnuts seem to have suddenly become a thing.  I'm sure a few years ago they were restricted to the sugar sprinkled rings or jam oozing balls from supermarket bakery counters or fairs.  Now places are vying for the best - the more outrageous the flavour combination, or elaborate the decoration, the better it seems. Perk in Inverness is fully on board with this latest trends.  6 flavours each month, usually with a vegan offering, ranging from simple but perfectly executed cinnamon dusted rings, pillowy and warm from the fryer, to decadent Kinder inspired hazelnut ganache inside a doughnut that's topped with white chocolate, hazelnut crumble and a stick of Bueno.  There's usually at least one fruity offering, as well as something to satisfy even the most adventurous, like the Breakfast of Champions maple and bacon doughnut.   Coffee is from the Dear Green coffee roasters in Glasgow, and there is also a menu of crispy toasties with a variety of...

June 2019 Traditional Bosnian coffee is potent - strong, thick and bitter, served beautifully in a copper dzezva, on a tray with a small ceramic cup, sugar cubes and rahat lokum sweets.  Made using a different process to that of Turkish coffee, place a sugar cube under the tongue to dissolve as the coffee is sipped.  Try it at Cafe de Alma in Mostar, with cosy furnishings and a shady terrace, the friendly staff roast their own beans in their bright yellow 1991 roasting machine, and are more than happy to impart all sorts of interesting information on the coffee preparation process and drinking ritual.  They also serve tempting homemade juices and cordials. Trendy espresso based coffee bars are popping up all over.  At Melody Art Caffe in Konjic, Cejf coffee roasters from Sarajevo make lovely flat whites with their own roasted bean, albeit served a little oddly with a cinnamon grinder, and there's a music space downstairs too.