
Exploring the Lake District

Recipe ideas for budget meals, everyday cooking and a little indulgence. Travel inspiration and restaurant reviews too.
When you drive into Inglewood you can see the large house in the distance; at this time of year with the lights on it looks very welcoming. We had been invited to have dinner at Blandy's Bistro at Inglewood House in Kintbury. I was really looking forward to it as I had been only a few weeks before and immensely enjoyed their afternoon tea. My expectations for dinner were pretty high.
Sometimes I'll go to a restaurant and the choices on the menu
A quick whistle-stop visit to a British seaside town is a perfect way to blow away the cobwebs and having recently spent a weekend in Brixham, Devon I wanted to share some of my favourite spots to eat and drink. As a harbour town with a thriving fish market it’s no surprise that there’s Brixham fish, crab and shellfish almost everywhere. From little seafood stalls on the harbour front to the restaurants it’s not hard to get fresh fish and Devonshire
Apart from a weekend in Edinburgh I hadn't been to Scotland before. A few weeks ago we set off for a stay in central Scotland, overlooking a loch, naturally. The weather was exceptional for the whole week we were there; blue skies and sunshine every day! The views, sights, towns and villages were all fantastic but the thing that really stood out to me was the food. It seemed that whether you were in a little cafe or a restaurant the food was almost
We learnt a few things about Sweden while we were there. Firstly, if you drive on the smaller roads there's hardly anyone else driving the same way. Secondly, if you like lakes, red houses and pine trees then Sweden is the place for you. Lastly, it doesn't seem to matter where you are, all the food is brilliant. Embarking on a west coast Sweden road trip meant we had to consider a few things we don't normally have to think about on other road trips:
I think being in connection with the seasons is hugely important. When it gets dark in the evenings and the mornings are gloomy and grey it can be hard to see the different colours, the natural changes and shifts that happen at this time of year. Last weekend we headed down for a Shepherd's hut weekend getaway to the New Forest and it was just what I needed.
Stay
The Shepherd’s Huts are the perfect size for two and contain everything you could
I planned a brilliant road trip; it was all mapped out, places of note to stop at if there was time, places to stay and eat all sorted. There was going to be plenty to see and do and then after a series of unfortunate, last minute events, the plan went out of the window entirely and a new road trip was drawn up rather hurriedly, while on the road! But you know what, managing to see two UNESCO sites in two days and then tick somewhere else off my bucket
I do love a good afternoon tea, everything about it just demands some time out to properly sit back, enjoy and relax. There have been a few occasions where I've slightly overindulged on the clotted cream I have to admit. I was invited to try the new vegan afternoon tea available at Careys Manor Hotel; I was really looking forward to trying it and was really curious to see the desserts most of all!
I do love Winchester as a city. Compact, historic, quaint and with just about everything you could need (including a fantastic tea shop) all in one place. At the bottom of the main high street there's a subtle, unimposing restaurant called No 5 Bridge Street and we were invited for dinner. I have been before, the menu was completely different a few years ago, so I was looking forward to seeing what had changed.
Oh, so THAT'S what you do with those leftover cranberries that didn't make it into the sauce. allthatimeating.co.uk/blog/201… #cranberries
This gratin works wonders shoved in the bottom of the oven while you're making a roast. Happily blip-blopping away… twitter.com/i/web/status/12043…
This week’s meal plan. An easy week as it’s a hectic time of year. #thisweeksmeals pic.twitter.com/qOrbWynXjA
I had halloumi fries on Sunday. Now all I want are more halloumi fries. I don’t think today’s Marmite toast lunch is quite going to cut it.