An Edible Voyage

May 2021 Not just your standard village cafe, this Cotswolds hub is owned by a cooperative of more than 650 villagers, and sits alongside a well stocked shop, the result of a successful fundraising campaign. By day, there's an array of baked goods far more elaborate than I was expecting from this tiny cafe - ruby chocolate cruffins, pistachio and rosewater buns and deliciously gooey Black Forest friands, all courtesy of Cheltenham's Baker and Graze.  Breakfast is served with Mark's Cotswold Bakery sourdough; for lunch, colourful salads and fat sandwiches feature alongside more hearty offerings such as Cotswold goat tagine with Israeli couscous, pomegranate, pistachios and harissa yogurt.  New Ground, Oxford's specialist roasters who provide training and employment to ex-offenders, provide the coffee beans, and for dinner, this quaint cafe transforms in to a chic dining venue, creating impressive dishes from seasonal, locally sourced produce. The village itself is rather...

April 2021 Some may say it's ridiculous to plan my entire trip back from Scotland based on the opening days of a coffee window...but that's how I roll!  Having missed out on visiting Hatch during my last trip to Newcastle, I thought it would make the perfect journey break on my way back south.   From a former parking attendants cabin surrounded by Northumbria University, Mark serves up expertly crafted espresso based beverages, having fallen in love with coffee in Melbourne.  Local roasters Colour Coffee, the roastery behind Pink Lane Coffee, provide the beans, and even the Acorn Dairy organic milk is from just down the A1 near Darlington. Find Hatch on the edge of the Ellison Place car park.

November 2020 Stroll around Portree, the capital of Skye, and enjoy the gentle lapping of the Loch against the row of picturesque pastel houses perched on the water's edge.  Then head to Birch Cafe for one of the best coffees on the island - expert extraction of locally roasted Skye Coffee Roasters beans alongside perfectly steam milk, served in a beautiful, locally made ceramics.  Sit at the counter in the window and watch the world go by whilst contemplating the eye catching, rock music inspired coasters. There is also a selection of homemade cakes and bakes (I had to get 2 because I couldn't decide!), and sandwiches and toasties made with Skye Bakehouse sourdough. Find Birch Cafe on Bayfield Road.

November 2020 From a warehouse on the outskirts of Aberfeldy, a cool little town on the bank of the River Tay, wafts the delicious aroma of roasting coffee.  Glen Lyon sources single origin beans from around the world and roasts them in small batches to showcase their flavour and produce some outstanding coffee.  The coffee on offer frequently changes, staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and milk is steamed to perfection. The name stems from their original location in Glen Lyon.  However winters spent digging delivery trucks out of snow drove them to relocate to somewhere a little more accessible! Find Glen Lyon Coffee Roasters in the Aberfeldy Business Park, or just follow your nose!  

December 2020 For the freshest bread in Pembrokeshire, get yourself down to Crwst.   Often still warm from the oven, the sourdough has a lovely soft texture and a full flavour, making it impossible not to break chunks off and eat it plain on the way home.   The flat white made with the local Bay Coffee Roasters beans is very good, and there is an exciting selection of doughnuts.   Not usually a huge fan of caramel, the salted caramel doughnut deserves a mention for its fluffy texture, silky mousse that bursts out as you bite it, and the little crunch from popcorn adorning the top – a lovely contrast of textures. Find it on Priory Street in Cardigan.   They also serve brunch which I think would definitely be worth a try, and a selection of deli produce – Bay Coffee Roasters beans, creamy Perl Wen from Caws Cenarth Cheese, and the delicious Gethins cider from Maenclochog, amongst other things.