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...

November 2020 It seems that creativity with vegetarian and vegan foods these days is exploding and some of the most exciting flavour combinations I've come across recently are in these cuisines.  So when researching food stops for my weekend in Newcastle, Little Green Social was high on my list.  On a lovely, leafy Sandyford street close to Heaton Park, the family-run Little Green Social serves up all things vegan - think pizzas, doughnuts, Sunday roasts, and burgers made with the chef's homemade tempeh.   The Celeriac Reuben caught my eye and oh boy was it good - probably winning the coveted title of the most delicious sandwich I've ever eaten! Creamy salt baked celeriac, punchy sauerkraut, oozy cheese, and the tastiest poppy seed rye.  I left Newcastle wishing I lived close to this place so I could have it on an at least weekly basis! Find the Little Green Social on Goldspink Lane in Sandyford.

December 2020 Carmarthen has quite a few cafes ready to satisfy you if you aren’t too bothered how you get your caffeine fix.   However, for the coffee snobs amongst us, it has to be Finn’s Coffee Shop.   Hidden away down an alleyway, this small but perfectly formed café has expertly crafted, silky but robust flat whites alongside a tantalising display of the most divine Edan Ash chocolates.   Seriously, these chocolates, crafted just south of Carmarthen in Kidwelly, are exquisite.   The smoothest ganache is combined with exotic flavours which hold their own without overpowering the flavour profile of the high quality cacao, and enrobed in a crisp chocolate shell which shatters as you bite in to it.   Seasonal cinnamon toast, and warming rum and ginger were my favourites. Upstairs is a small, industrially decorated seating area where you can enjoy coffee and chocolates alongside homemade vegan banana bread and toasties.   There is a also a small selecti...

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...

March 2020 For a great scoop of ice cream, check out Hackney Gelato.  Run by two chefs who met whilst working at a Michelin starred restaurant, this is grown-ups ice cream.  Vegan offerings are made with coconut cream and have a mousse like texture which I really enjoyed. although the Coconut and Lime flavour could have done with a little more zestiness.  The Chocolate Marmalade was smooth, rich and luxurious, perfect for any chocolate orange lover.  It was a divine mouthful, although I'm not sure I could manage a whole scoop.  Following my taste test, the one I went for was Pistachio, Almond and Lemon.  The lemon made it refreshing, and the almond added another dimension to the nuttiness.  A delicious scoop which held its flavour right to the end of the scoop.  Even the waffle cone was flavoursome and perfectly crispy, and there was the added benefit of a flake on top (I thought those were limited to childhood 99s when they were actually 99p)...

And when you’re in need of some vegetables (a rare find in Argentina!)… Head to Viva La Pepa in El Calafate.    Specialising in crepes and with a great ethos behind them of wanting to create a place for people to be able to take a pause, they have every sweet and savoury crepe filling imaginable, from those stuffed with lamb, to aubergine and spinach, to trout with leek in lemon sauce, to stewed apples with calafate icecream.    And when I say stuffed, I mean stuffed.    Like their length of the table sandwiches on home-made bread, they are filled to bursting which was perfect when I was in need of a vegetable hit after weeks of meat.    With its flower filled garden, chirpy music and colourful wooden chairs, it makes you feel happy when you walk in, and just a couple of metres from the main street, it’s a tranquil haven from the hustle and bustle.    The staff are genuinely friendly, every table receives complimentary carrot stic...