An Edible Voyage

November 2020 At Cocoa Mountain, hot chocolate isn't just a drink to warm up, it's almost an event in itself.  Liquid chocolate is combined into steamed milk, topped with froth and drizzled with copious amounts of melted milk and white chocolates.  It's a decadent treat, and one which I bet you can't save until you get down to the beach, despite your best intentions.  Cocoa Mountain also make their own chocolate bars, individual truffles and chocolate enrobed fruit, as well as small chocolate tarts if you fancy a snack.  You can even order a chaser of 3 handmade truffles with your hot chocolate.  Flavours range from classic Champagne to adventurous chilli and lemongrass, to fiery redbush, ginger and honey. Find Cocoa Mountain at the Balnakeil Craft Village, just outside of Durness.  Then head down to Balnakeil beach to walk off your treats along the vast white sand beach or through the dunes to Faraid Head, a rocky headland stretching 2 miles in to the Pent...

March 2020 London's best burger?  I'd say so!  Finger-lickingly good, messy, truffle mayo oozing out.  Fig jam in a burger? Genius!  The beef and smoked bacon patty is full flavoured, meaty and perfectly pink; the brioche roll soft; the crispy shallots adding some crunch.  This is a luxurious burger, naughty but nice, where the truffle actually comes through (unlike many of its counterparts).  The only bad point, the raclette cheese is totally overpowered so you wouldn't even know it was there.  Which begs the question, is it even needed?  Find it at Truffle Burger, Seven Dials Market, London