An Edible Voyage

September 2021 Having had the most extraordinary gelato in Florence, I didn’t think there was any point trying to compete in Bologna, but I’ve always found something alluring about ice cream shops and cafes, places that traditionally in the UK close late afternoon, that are open late in to the night.   Maybe it’s feeling a little bit naughty having ice cream at night-time, or maybe it’s that feeling of being able to sit outdoors with a warm breeze, a late night culture meaning there’s a buzzy atmosphere despite it being dark.   So, to avoid competing, I went for something totally different – vegan ice cream in Bolognina, Bologna’s edgy, multicultural northern suburb. Often, whether home or away, I’ll pick the weirdest sounding thing on a menu just to try it.   Sometimes I regret it and think to myself “why don’t I just stick with the nice things sometimes!”, but when I saw wasabi ice cream, there was absolutely no way I wasn’t going to try it.   I like wasabi (exce...

September 2021 If there’s one requirement that has to be fulfilled during any trip to Italy, it’s visiting at least one gelateria, and I firmly believe I found the best one in all of Italy.   And not just because I’d hiked 166km across the Apennine mountains to get there! As soon as we stepped off the Via Degli Dei in to the outer reaches of Florence, we had one mission, and one mission only.   Gelato.   Google Maps reliably informed us that there was a gelateria just a couple of minutes walk away.   Unassumingly tucked on a residential street, away from the throngs of tourists and seemingly frequented mainly by locals, it was love at first sight! With all of the Italian classics – Stracciatella, Hazelnut, as well as juicy fruit sorbets and rich chocolatey offerings of various darkness, it was a tough choice.   Rarely do I have two scoops but this felt like a two scoop occasion, plus it meant I could go for the winning combination of pistachio and dark choco...

August 2021 Pedro Ximenez. The taste of the sweetest, molten raisins. A perfect pairing for roasted stone fruit and chocolate.  Combine that with French toast made from chewy, tangy sourdough, and what ensues is the most indulgent brunch, made for a leisurely weekend with a perfect cup of coffee and a good magazine. For this creation, I simply roasted apricots with a little Pedro Ximenez and piled them on to French toast with some vegan chocolate ice cream I had made previously from soaked cashews blended with coconut milk and melted chocolate, chopped almonds and cocoa nibs. It had crunch, it had fruitiness, it had creaminess, and that kick of Pedro Ximenez.  One seriously stylish brunch. 

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...

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 During my weekend in Aberdeen, I made an exciting discovery.  A few miles outside of the city, close to Kinellar, is Forest Farm Dairy - an organic dairy surrounded by lush green pastures where their cows roam free.   Not only can you get their delicious non-homogenised milk straight from the source via Scotland's first milk vending machine, you can also get many other delicious products made on the farm.  In the cheese line up, there's Scottish curd cheese and some of Connage Highland Dairy's cheeses, as well as Forest Farm's own haloumi - I'm a big haloumi fan anyway so didn't need much convincing, but this was a whole other level - absolutely gorgeous cooked over a BBQ until the outside caramelises and the inside goes all gooey... Anyway, I digress.   Artisan gelato is the highlight of any trip to Forest Farm.  Made in small batches on the premises, it has zero food miles and flavours change regularly.  The honeycomb is an absolute m...

April 2021 For a town as small as Lerwick, I didn't expect to come across a place as exciting as Island Larder.  Working with sustainable producers who use the highest quality of ingredients, the deli showcases the best of Scottish food and drink, alongside which they make their own artisan fudge, chocolate and ice cream.  The ice cream is definitely one not to miss! Whatever the weather, even if it means having to have a hot drink afterwards to warm up, it's a must try.  Made in the building with 100% Shetland milk and cream, flavours change with the seasons and the maker's mood! I tried the incredible chilli chocolate which was so intensely dark and not at all sickly, with just a hint of chilli to balance the richness.   Even the hot chocolate goes the extra mile with the marshmallows torched to order. If it's something savoury you're after, choose from gourmet fish finger butties with the freshest local haddock in the crispest batter, daily changing soup, or ...

April 2021 Eyam is a sweet little village in the Derbyshire Dales, and Village Green Cafe is it's charming cafe.  Watch the world go by from the tables and chairs scattered on The Square, or read up on the history of the bull ring stone which lay hidden beneath the road for 40 years and now stands outside the cafe. Enjoy excellent flat whites made with Huddersfield roaster Dark Woods beans, huge slabs of towering sponge - the Victoria sponge filled with whipped cream and fresh strawberries is particularly noteworthy, or why not go for a homemade Bakewell tart whilst you're just up the road.  For something more substantial, you can't go wrong with the toasted sandwiches made with bubbly focaccia - there are meaty, veggie and vegan fillings so everyone's covered. Find Village Green Cafe on The Square in Eyam.  Browse the beautiful homewares collection inside and then grab a locally churned ice cream to take on your Peak District walk.

December 2020 For the friendliest service and a vast array or Welsh produce, head to Siop Carla just outside Maenclochog.  Food shopping turns from a chore to an enjoyable activity when you can chat with Carla whilst perusing everything from locally roasted coffee and meat reared on nearby farms, to Pembrokeshire chocolate, cheese and cakes.   Highlights for me were the homemade scotch eggs - succulent and not at all greasy, they make a fantastic addition to a picnic or just a great snack, as well as Mary's Farmhouse ice cream.  Available in a selection of unusual yet exciting flavours, such as apricots, walnut and brandy; double chocolate, cherries and fudge; or Caeltic Crunch, alongside the classics, this is ice cream for grown ups as well as kids, churned just down the road in Crymych. Stock up for a picnic or BBQ, or get your hands on some quality ingredients to cook up a seasonal, locally sourced meal. Find Siop Carla on the road between Maenclochog and Pontfaen...

 August 2019 As you can imagine on a sub-tropical island, there is no shortage of ice cream – the test is finding those that really stand out as the cream of the cone!   I’ve done the hard work for you (it was a struggle, it really was) and I can say that the best by a long way is La Gelateria (if we’re talking purely ice cream, the service can be a little hit and miss).   The many, regularly changing flavours, ranging from the classics to the exotic, are generously scooped from stainless steel tubs in to your choice of waffle cone, wafer cone or tub.   Go local with green tea from the nearby Gorreana plantation; mix it up with yogurt, honey and nut; go fruity with peach and rose sorbet; or keep it simple with mint chocolate. Find it in Ponta Delgada on Rua Doutor Bruno Tavares Carreiro.   The shop is light and airy, and there are plenty of tables for a well earned rest after a day of sightseeing.   La Gelateria also serves milkshakes, crepes and artisa...

 August 2019 INTZ 48 is one of those places which manages to do lots of things well.   Out back, they roast their own coffee to be enjoyed as part of a full range of espresso based and filter coffees, or as bags to be taken home, and they have a tempting array of cakes, pastries and tarts.   It was, however, the ice lolly counter that drew me back time and time again.   Fruits and herbs combined in to colourful, refreshing lollies – think pineapple and mint, strawberry, and even sweet tomato and basil.   For the more decadent, there are ice cream lollies and vats of molten milk, white and dark chocolate which can be drizzled over the lollies, instantly freezing to give a thick, smooth and luscious coating that satisfyingly cracks as you take a bite. Find it on Rua Hintze Ribeiro, one of the maze of pretty, cobbled streets in Ponta Delgada.

June 2020 Japanese is one of my most loved cuisines, and although there is a time and a place for delicate, exquisitely crafted plates of food, give me simple, comforting food cooked well and I'm in heaven.  When a friend told me about a small, homely place in London that seemed to tick all these boxes, I was excited to visit. The menu appears to be fairly simple but the flavours are anything but.  The mackerel Balanced Bowl with noodles and a rainbow of fresh salads and vegetables, elevated with the flavours of Japan was not only absolutely delicious, I could feel the goodness being soaked up inside me. I couldn't choose between the tempting desserts so I went for two... Light as a feather Japanese cheesecake and Kuromitsu (Japanese black honey) ice cream sprinkled with little pops of bee pollen.  Even the coffee was unexpectedly delicious, with the flat white silky smooth and flavoursome. Find all these Japanese treats and more at Kissa Wa, Hig...

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...

April 2019 Since discovering how easy it is to make no churn ice cream - just whipped cream, condensed milk and whatever flavouring you desire, I've had a lot of fun trying out new creations, including this Easter Special.  A hot cross bun, broken in to small pieces and soaked with some extra raisins in whisky, folded in to the ice cream base with a little extra mixed spice, and then served in a toasted hot cross bun.  The warmth of the bun works wonderfully with the cold ice cream, and you get the texture of a hot cross bun, with an intensified flavour coming through from the ice cream.  A definite Easter success!   

November 2019 Healdsburg is a town that has one of those vibes where you feel immediately welcome and want to spend the whole day just mooching around the eclectic mix of shops – from antique shops stretching the length of several buildings, to all manner of edible artisan treats.   Moustache Baked Goods and sister ice cream parlour, Noble Folk, are the places to head.   At the latter,  you will be spoilt for choice with unusual ice cream offerings.    The Thai Tea flavour was delicious – given it’s vibrant orange colour, I was surprised to find it tasted similar to matcha.    The almond won me over though – a gorgeous nutty sweetness that commanded lick after lick, topped with crushed rose petals to add floral, earthy notes. At Moustache Baked Goods,  get iconic American sweet treats with a twist.    Pumpkin Spiced Whoopie Pie – spiced pumpkin bread with a cream cheese filling, is less sickly than a traditional whoopee ...

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...

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...

January 2020 Legend has it that a maid was cooking Lechada, a hot drink of milk and sugar, for a political meeting.    She was called away and the Lechada turned in to thick caramel.    She served it anyway and it went down so well that the political deal was sealed there and then.    After that, it became a national favourite.    To say it’s everywhere would be an understatement.    Ice cream, biscuits, pastries, pancakes, toast, enormous tubs in the supermarket, small artisan jars or just by the spoonful, it seems people can’t get enough of this silky smooth, sweet, rich caramel.    It is totally addictive – I had to gaffa tape my tub before I ate it all – just one more spoonful… Find it anywhere and everywhere.

January 2020 When Italians migrated to Argentina, they brought with them their love for gelato.    Ice cream is everywhere in Buenos Aires.    You won’t walk more than a couple of streets before you find a heladeria boasting a whole menu of chocolate flavours, another of fruit flavours, and of course, a whole menu of dulce de leche flavours, making it near impossible to choose.    Maybe it’s the choice of flavours, maybe it’s the heat, the local thing to do seems to be to buy quarter kilo tubs, but with so many heladerias, it’s difficult to know where to begin.    After consulting bar staff and taxi drivers, I settled on Volta and stuck to the basics.    The Chocolate Negro was a little disappointing – I was hoping for a serious cacao hit, the Dulce de Leche on the other hand was dreamy.    A strong caramel flavour, not too creamy, slightly salty, I could have savoured it for hours, but it was melting at a rate of knots!...