Travel Archives - All That I'm Eating

Exploring the Lake District

November 12, 2019 By All That I'm Eating 18 Comments

Exploring the Lake District has been on my list of places to go for ages! I can’t believe how long it has taken me to get it booked and head up there. We went in November, certainly not the warmest time of year to go, but I would argue it’s one of the prettiest. The trees are all turning orange and although it’s cold, it’s not icy cold. Anyway, cold hands are just an excuse to get a hot chocolate.

We were based near Windermere and Bowness-on-Windermere, a convenient 10 minute walk from either town. There is so much to do whether the weather is sunny or raining and we visited several different places offering different activities. Below are some of my highlights and top places to visit. read more

A Weekend in Brixham

July 18, 2018 By All That I'm Eating 9 Comments

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 ice cream, wine and more from almost everywhere.

Simply Fish

Is it just me or is eating chips by the sea so much better than anywhere else? Maybe it’s the peril that accompanies the enjoyment of the chips; at any moment an overly-confident seagull could swoop down and snatch that chip right off of your chip fork. Perhaps it’s the smell of the salty sea air as you munch through the hot, crispy chips that you don’t get anywhere else. Simply Fish are next to the harbour and there’s normally a queue to get in, not surprisingly as their batter is crisp, chips are well cooked and not greasy and their mushy peas and curry sauce are delicious.

Rockfish

One of a few restaurants of the same name I have to say I’ve been to Rockfish many times. Despite them offering plenty of delicious menu options I just can’t say no to their fish and chips; which come with unlimited chips! There are three types of tartare sauce to choose from (classic, seaweed or jalapeno) and the fish depends on the day’s catch. With a real emphasis on Devon produce and serving sizes as generous as the views over the harbour it’s a great place for lunch or dinner. They do have a takeaway too and you must try their pickled onion rings.

Port Espresso

I really like it in Port Espresso, it’s a small coffee shop with an equally small menu but the emphasis is on proper, quality coffee and food. They make a cracking iced (and hot) coffee and it would be rude not to get a cannoli while you’re in there. Other menu options include homemade granola, avocado on toast and some very squidgy looking brownies.

The Curious Kitchen

Home cured bacon? Yes please. The menu at The Curious Kitchen all sounds so tempting but I had to try the home cured bacon and homemade tomato ketchup. Quality here, again, is king and the coffee is great, the portions generous and just look at that bacon! There are plenty of veggie, vegan and gluten free options on the menu too.

Food Highlights in Scotland

June 19, 2018 By All That I'm Eating 11 Comments

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 always brilliant. I wanted to share some of the food highlights in Scotland I found on our travels; there was a lot of cake and thorough quality testing.

The Watermill Aberfeldy

We timed a trip to Aberfeldy perfectly; there was a brilliant market on in the town with fresh fruit, bread and cakes, beer, fish, meat and plenty of other local food and drink to stock up on. One thing which definitely needs a mention is the wonderful cinema in Aberfeldy; the films are written on a blackboard outside the cinema and they have a lovely little cafe inside. It is so charming.

We headed to The Watermill for some lunch. It’s got three different levels: home wear and furniture upstairs, books on the middle level and then the cafe in the basement. The menu was full of different things I wanted to try but I went for a sandwich. I can’t say no to a good sandwich. This one was a crusty seeded roll absolutely full of smoked chicken, homemade pesto and rocket served with a small beetroot cous cous salad and shredded veg with a delicious citrus dressing. Should you be passing, or staying, in Aberfeldy definitely stop here for lunch!

Deli Craft Fort William

The next day, after driving through stunning Glen Coe we went to Fort William. There were plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants to choose from but Deli Craft had a really good range of sandwiches, paninis, pizzas, quesadillas and all sorts that we couldn’t resist. The cafe is set up as a takeaway but there are tables you can sit at to eat the food there.

I had the goat’s cheese pizza with balsamic pickled onions, caramelised onions and pesto. My Mum had the vegan quesadilla which looked great, Dad had the spicy lamb pizza (harissa lamb, rocket, pomegranate, mint yoghurt) and the OH had the pastrami, mustard and pickle panini. We all left pretty stuffed and it was really reasonably priced for the portions, freshly cooked food and quality.

Caoldair Coffee and Craft Shop Laggan

We stumbled upon this coffee and craft shop by complete accident, it was just down a side road on our way back to where we were staying. The blackboard outside announced that it served ‘Yummy Things’ and that sounded like an opportunity not to be missed. What a wonderful place. You can sit in the beautiful courtyard garden surrounded by flowers and enjoy your cup of tea and slice of cake then have a look round the small shop inside which is full of things made in Scotland.

The cakes (you might be noticing a cake and sandwich trend by now) here all sounded so good I held up the queue a little bit while trying to make a choice. I decided on a spiced plum tart with a crumble topping and it was perfect with a cup of tea in the sunshine. I can also testify that the millionaire’s shortbread was excellent too, from the little corners I managed to steal.

Dunalastair Hotel Kinloch Rannoch

Next we managed to combine the two essential staple foods in one: sandwiches and cakes. We had a fantastic afternoon tea at this hotel sitting on hugely comfortable velvet sofas and munching our way through sandwiches, warm scones, copious amounts of tea and coffee, cake, macarons and mini lemon tarts. The outdoor courtyard was bathed in sunshine so we finished our tea basking outside with some more drinks. If I’m up this way again I’d certainly look at staying at this handsome hotel.

Caledonian Canal Centre Fort Augustus

Driving down the north side of Loch Ness means you will arrive at Fort Augustus at the southern end. It’s a very sweet little town and the Caledonian Canal Centre is worth stopping in. Built right next to the canal and its locks separating Loch Ness and Loch Oich it’s full of history about the area, and, you guessed it, a marvellous coffee shop. A quick cup of coffee and a Tunnock’s caramel wafer was ideal afternoon sustenance.

Fiddler’s Pub Drumnadrochit

While I was in Scotland I really wanted to get my hands on some cullen skink. Of course we had to take a trip to Loch Ness and it was at a pub near Loch Ness that I managed to find a bowl of this delicious soup. It was so full of smoked haddock and the smoky flavour was so well balanced throughout the soup with soft potatoes, silky leeks and creamy broth.

House of Bruar Pitagowan

Would you believe that this next place has (almost) nothing to do with cake?! The House of Bruar is mind-bogglingly huge and definitely worth a stop. It’s got everything: fish and chip shop, fresh fruit and veg with plants and flowers, ice creams, café and restaurant, a huge food hall and even clothes shops. Of course I was there for the food hall; it was immense.

Tea, coffee, cakes, biscuits, jams, honey, butchery, condiments, sauces, bread, cheese, smoked meat and fish, beers, wines, spirits, chocolate; the list goes on. So much choice and all of it so tempting. We made up a grazing dinner from here with different pies, smoked terrine, veg, dips, bread, cheese and all of it as local as it could be. To give you an idea of the scale of the shop they had one whole ‘aisle’ devoted entirely to different types of fruit cake. And there was me thinking there was only one kind.

Rannoch Cafe

This is no ordinary train station café. In fact, it is so extraordinary it’s almost worth making the trip on the train just to stop here and visit. You might have a bit of a wait before your next train but it would be worth it. The station is actively used but so well-tended; fresh flowers in the hanging baskets and scrupulously clean inside and out. The café is right in the middle of the station with inside and outside seating on both sides stretching down the platform.

Next time you go to your local train station, just check the food on offer and see how it compares to Rannoch Station’s offerings (this is just a few of them): dippy eggs with sourdough soldiers, homemade soup or freshly baked cakes. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try the midge cake; a perfectly sharp lemon drizzle filled with poppy seeds (the midges). After filling up on food you can take one of the various walks from the train station, all provided on a little map you can take with you.

We certainly covered some ground while we were up in Scotland and found some real food highlights. I always like to find somewhere small and local to visit as they are always more interesting than the big places. With plenty of walking, cycling, various water related activities and even bungee jumping there’s plenty to do to burn off all that cake.

West Coast Sweden Road Trip

May 5, 2018 By All That I'm Eating 10 Comments

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: ferry crossings and waterproofs being the two most important.

Gothenburg and The Volvo Museum

We landed in Gothenburg and within half an hour of the plane touching down we were through the airport and in the hire car. We’ve been to Gothenburg before; there’s lots of museums, galleries and brilliant restaurants to check out. This time however we were heading to stay with family just outside Gothenburg and on the way we stopped at the Volvo Museum.

The museum is amongst all sorts of Volvo factories and warehouses but it’s easy to find. As you’d expect, there are many Volvos. The cars are arranged by decade, lots of their concept cars are on display too and there’s also a car made out of Lego. Our visit was a welcome pit stop after sitting on the plane and it was great to see all the old cars, I think the OH enjoyed it a bit more than I did!

Tanum

The Vitlycke Museum is worth a stop. The museum itself is small but full of facts and the model bronze age village is fully open to walk around. Most of the reason to stop however is over the other side of the road from the museum at Tanum.

The rock carvings here date from the bronze age and are remarkable because there are so many of them, the subjects they depict and the quality of the carvings. The carvings are all signposted through walkways and stairs through the forest and the site is UNESCO listed.

Strömstad

Strömstad is far north on the west coast of Sweden, near the Norwegian border, and we headed up there to stay at Emma’s bed and breakfast; a renovated 18th century house.

We ended up having the B&B to ourselves, not even the host was there, so we didn’t get the second B as part of our stay but we were welcome to use whatever was in the fridge to make our own breakfast! It was a lovely place to stay and easy to walk to Strömstad; you just have to get a little ferry across the water to get to the town. There was a little drizzle while we were there but I bet the town is glorious in the sunshine.

Fjällbacka

On the way to the next place we stayed we stopped at Fjällbacka. Their town square is dedicated to Ingrid Bergman but we went to climb Kungsklyftan where from the top you can get a 360 degree view of the archipelago around the town. I won’t lie. The rain hampered our plans somewhat so we set our sights on finding somewhere for lunch.

We ate at Stora Hotellet Bryggan and they had a fantastic set lunch menu. For the equivalent of around £9 you got unlimited salad (a selection of different ones to help yourself to), a hot meal (on Mondays it was goulash or cod), unlimited soft drinks (water, lemon water or iced tea) then coffee and a biscuit to follow. I had the cod, it came with simple boiled potatoes and an egg sauce and it was just perfect to eat as the rain came down outside.

Smögen

Smögen is a really beautiful town. It has a hugely long boardwalk that runs alongside the water’s edge with classic red, and sometimes not so red, houses, bars and restaurants on the other side. There wasn’t a lot open when we were there as it was out of season but I bet in the summer it is rammed with people soaking up the sun on the boardwalk.

Fiskebäckskil

Another lovely seaside town but different to the others as all the streets are cobbled. We stayed at the Slipens Hotell which was probably one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in. It was in such a great seafront location and the room was immensely comfortable.

The food was fantastic too. We asked for something vegetarian, with no idea what we would get, and we were not disappointed. There was bread to start of course; four different types with two different butters and a tapenade. The main was baked celeriac, Jerusalem artichoke purée, arancini, raw asparagus, lentils and herb oil. So hearty and filling. What we didn’t realise is just how many whiskys they have in their collection…and they gave us a key to the cupboards to smell as many as we liked before choosing which one to drink!

I would like to do this road trip again, but in the summer months, to see how different these towns are with more people around; but in a way it was very nice to have them almost to ourselves.

A Long Weekend in North Yorkshire

February 17, 2018 By All That I'm Eating 9 Comments

We went for a long weekend in North Yorkshire to start exploring more of this beautiful part of the world. Yorkshire is rather large you see: with two of the UK’s National Parks in Yorkshire (The Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors) and two others really rather close (The Peak District and The Lake District) there’s rather a lot to get through. And that’s only the parks. There’s towns, cities, villages, museums, galleries, food shops and all sorts to keep you occupied.

If you’ve never ventured to Yorkshire I would recommend definitely stopping in York, Harrogate and Whitby. All wonderful in their own way to wander around. Scarborough too is a fantastic seaside town which makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. This time however we were headed to North Yorkshire to meet up with friends and do a little exploring.

Our base was a beautiful converted chapel in the village of Bellerby and it was a great location; easy to head out for a walk or jump in the car and head somewhere. But before we reached our final destination there was somewhere we needed to stop first.

Saltaire

Saltaire is just north of Bradford and if you’re passing anywhere near you really should stop and take a look around. It’s a village with a significant history; when it was built in Victorian times everything was designed be in a consistent Italian style. All the buildings from the mills, housing and public buildings are unified and exceptionally still in tact. The most impressive of all the buildings is Salts Mill.

When we arrived in Saltaire and parked up there was a little drizzle in the air and it was bitingly cold but we forgot about that pretty soon after arriving. We walked towards Salts Mill and the huge building almost appeared from nowhere! In the picture it looks big but in reality it is absolutely massive. As we walked in I didn’t know where to look first; on the right they were showing a film about Saltaire during WW1, the entrance hall was impressive in its own right and to the left was a huge gallery come art and book shop.

Thus far it was looking good. We climbed stairs to different floors of the mill and every floor had something different going on. One floor had a coffee shop and restaurant, another floor had a homeware shop full of everything you could think of, there was a bike shop outside on the ground floor too. Most wonderful of all though was the floor dedicated to a permanent exhibition of David Hockney’s work. Then after that was an exhibition about the people who worked at Salts Mill including some of the machinery they used and some amazing photographs of the workers.

Oh, did I mention, Salts Mill is completely free to go to. You’ll be hard pushed not to grab a coffee, a bite to eat or a new book though.

Bellerby and Leyburn

From our holiday home in Bellerby it was very easy to walk to Leyburn. It’s a great little town with everything you could need; apparently they have a market each Friday but unfortunately we missed that. The road between Bellerby and Leyburn has some fantastic views over the moors. Once you’re in Leyburn there’s plenty of choice of pubs and cafes for a little bite to eat.

Somewhere else nearby that I would have liked to visit, but ran out of time to, was the Wensleydale Creamery. I would have liked to see them making the cheese, and more importantly try and buy some Wensleydale. We did manage to fit in some excellent treats from Lottie Shaw’s, the chocolate flapjack you can see at the top is the best!

Fountains Abbey

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden are run by the National Trust. This means two things: excellent signposting and maps and massive hunks of shortbread are guaranteed. Did you know that Fountains Abbey is the largest monastic ruin in the country? There’s a great walk you can do around the whole estate taking in the abbey, water gardens, the deer park, Fountains Hall and Mill. There’s a little museum in Porter’s Lodge too.

I liked the little room they had showing all the natural materials gathered from the estate used to dye wool; you can attend a class and make your own if you book in advance. It takes a good few hours to walk around the whole estate and gardens, and to stop for a cup of tea and some shortbread of course.

On the way back we stopped at the Black Sheep Brewery in Masham. We were too late to do a brewery tour so instead we did the only sensible thing we could do; head straight to their bar for some beers. An excellent way to spend an afternoon if you ask me!

I like to think I’ve made a somewhat decent dent into all the places to see in Yorkshire but there are still so many places left! Visiting Saltaire and Fountains Abbey did mean I could cross another two UK UNESCO sites off my list: 13 down, 12 to go!

A Shepherd’s Hut Weekend Getaway

November 24, 2017 By All That I'm Eating 5 Comments

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 possibly need for your stay; except (and I think importantly) a television. You spend your time tending to the wood burner in the corner, listening to the radio, reading a book and just completely relaxing. At the huts we stayed in in Fritham there is no light pollution and it is so quiet; a real and proper escape.

The Shepherd’s huts themselves are behind the gardens of The Royal Oak pub in Fritham which serves ploughman’s and soups for lunch; what more could you need. I find many pubs in this country describe themselves as having friendly locals and it’s rarely actually true. Unless you count being stared at by the regulars when you walk in and the whole place going quiet. However, The Royal Oak is actually genuinely filled with interesting local people; some of them will come and sit at your table, some will have a chat at the bar and the staff at the pub are all great. Oh and there’s loads of local beer and an extremely old fireplace. And live music on Friday nights. It’s the pub that everyone wants to have as their local.

Visit

With our base in the village of Fritham it’s an ideal location to walk to other villages in the New Forest; there’s one in every direction. We chose to walk to Nomansland through the forest and were surrounded by browns, oranges, reds, greens, yellows, mushrooms, mosses, ponds, puddles, tree stumps and every imaginable bit of autumn.

The Lamb was where we ended up for a quick morning coffee; the pub is so full of different things on the walls! Our coffee turned into lunch and we filled our bellies with steaming soup (a rather tasty, smoky tomato and pepper) before embarking on the walk back.

Eat

For dinner, the huts are equipped with a little electric oven and hob and you can order food cooked by Jenna, the landlord’s daughter. And you will want to. I love how it’s proper, home-cooked, full of flavour and so filling.

On the first night we had individual beef and ale pies, new potatoes, green beans and carrots. Then chocolate brownies, raspberries and ice cream. On the second night we had Shepherd’s pie with peas and carrots and then meringues with forest fruits and double cream. It’s just the comfort food you need at this time of year, and it is all delicious. A little bit of redcurrant jelly in the pies, a dollop of mint sauce in the shepherd’s pie; just brilliant.

Top Tip

This is the perfect place to read that book you never got round to, finish that project you started or just sit and have a cuppa next to the fire. As I said there is no television and no Wifi but that is a good thing! You might spend your time mesmerised by the fire, playing cards and listening to the radio; busy doing nothing. As someone who rarely gets a chance to do nothing I made sure I immersed myself fully in the opportunity to do so.

An Italian Road Trip

October 24, 2017 By All That I'm Eating 13 Comments

Ironbridge to Blaenavon to Cheddar: A Road Trip

August 5, 2017 By All That I'm Eating 9 Comments

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 list makes for a pretty good road trip; even if the routes seem a little erratic. Our Ironbridge to Blaenavon to Cheddar trip was slightly spontaneous and all the better for it.

After staying a night in Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds for a friend’s wedding we headed up to Ironbridge; one of many UNESCO listed sites in the UK. We stopped off in Worcester on the way for a very brief glimpse of the cathedral and to grab a coffee, reached Ironbridge just in time for lunch and went off to explore. I am pleased to report that the bridge itself is free for everyone to walk over and under and that Ironbridge itself is a really sweet little town.

Ironbridge

We were short on time so wanted to find out as much as possible as quickly as possible and opted to visit the Museum of The Gorge. At £4.50 a ticket to get in my expectations were high, too high I think. The museum was small, the mini replica of the Ironbridge area is nice and there are a few tiles on the walls (which I knew were there as they made (or still make) tiles just down the road) but it was all pretty disjointed and I learned absolutely nothing about the bridge itself or the industrial revolution. I did learn that the building the museum is housed in gets flooded from time to time though thanks to a nifty ‘history of floods’ giant ruler on the wall.

Pretty disappointed and without time to head anywhere else, the Tollhouse on the bridge was closed half an hour before it said it would be, we cheered ourselves up with a cracking coffee, tea, cake and doughnut at Number Nine which is definitely worth a visit.

There are plenty of B&Bs in Brosley, the village right next to Ironbridge and we stayed at The Old Rectory which was a great location, really comfortable and does a cracking full English! We’d decided that as we were so close to the Welsh border to head to Wales and another UNESCO listed site: Blaenavon.

Blaenavon

Before we went to Blaenavon I wasn’t too sure what was there and what it was all about. I left Blaenavon knowing so much about it; the site was so well laid out and interesting. And it’s all free to get in to, apart from the Big Pit, more on that later. We did, of course, leave a donation.

The Ironworks have a great exhibition showing the workers houses throughout the years; each house is made up as it would have been in that year from the late 1800s to the 1960s and you can walk around each of them. You can see in the photo above the big brick building in the background, inside which is a big scale exhibition with lights, projections and a lot of noise to give you an idea what it was like to work there. One of the best bits is when they start to simulate pouring the molten iron from the top of the room; they cleverly use lighting installed on the floor to show how it flowed down, settled in the moulds and made the railway tracks. Which incidentally were used at Ironbridge.

The Big Pit is walkable distance from the Ironworks but by this point the heavens had truly opened so we opted to drive there. You do need to pay for parking at Big Pit but considering this is a whole other site the £3 parking seems like a bargain. There was quite a queue to go down the pit, so much so, that after the third group had been called and we’d been waiting half an hour we actually aborted the mission.

There’s another clever exhibition showing you around the caves at Big Pit, including a quite alarming moment where one of the machines they use starts whirring away. It had some sort of terrifying name like ‘The Many Toothed Ultra Fast Rock Remover’ and trust me, you wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of one of those.

After Blaenavon we headed to Ross-on-Wye. Another charming town which had some great independent shops, cafes and delis. A visit to Field Fayre meant we stocked up on all sorts of organic goodies, including the best sourdough bread I’ve ever eaten.

Cheddar Gorge

We went home after Ross-on-Wye ready for an early start the next day to Cheddar Gorge. Not content with one gorge in a week I’ve wanted to head to Cheddar Gorge for ages so it was the perfect time to go.

There are three main things to see at Cheddar Gorge: the gorge, the caves and the town. To see the gorge and caves is £18 per adult and you pay for parking on top of that and I am a bit conflicted about paying to see a natural part of the landscape. For me, the gorge should be free for everyone to see and explore, however I know that it needs to be maintained and rubbish etc. removed. The caves were great and I completely understand charging to get into these. Having said all that you can get to the gorge without paying; it’s further away and getting to the see the view takes longer so if you do pay and walk the Jacob’s ladder then you are sort of paying for the convenience.

We walked up the 274 steps on the Jacob’s ladder meaning we gained height pretty quickly and got spectacular views of the gorge and beyond from the top of the viewing tower. The tower has the names of different cities at the top showing you how far you are from each one.

The photo above is actually of the cheddar cheese that’s matured in the caves. Only the Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company mature there cheese in here and their cheese straws are worth seeking out, they are divine.

You could spend all day walking the gorge, we walked around the top and then through the gorge to get back to the town for lunch. There’s plenty of places to choose from, I can’t recommend where we ended up! Next we headed to the caves of which there are two: Dreamhunters and Gough’s. Dreamhunters is an interactive cave where you follow little projected cavemen around, come face to face with a woolly mammoth and get chased by digital wolves. This is definitely one for children but I enjoyed it!

Gough’s cave is the one you can see in the photo above, full of lighting to make the most of the natural carvings and formations, some of the caverns in here are astoundingly large. You can get an audio guide to accompany you around here but I gave up with mine, he talked far too slowly!

We crammed a lot in to just three days and I ticked off three places that are either on the UK UNESCO list or on my own UK bucket list. I need to get planning the next road trip now.

Vegan Afternoon Tea at Careys Manor Hotel

July 8, 2017 By All That I'm Eating 13 Comments

This was a gifted meal.

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!

Careys Manor is just outside Brockenhurst in the New Forest so we spent the morning wandering around the Blackwater tall trees trail; a collection of some of the tallest and oldest trees in Britain. We then wandered over to the Blackwater arboretum to walk the sensory trail and see trees from all around the world. Both of which are free to get into and to park at.

And then it was time for afternoon tea, we had an early booking at 1.30pm so we could take plenty of time to nibble and natter. The vegan afternoon tea is available for £24 per person. The dining room above is where we sat to have our tea in a lovely curved booth, there were a few other tables having tea too but the room is designed so that everyone is sat close enough for a nice atmosphere but far away enough to enjoy your own conversation.

First of all came two great tea chests; we could open, sniff and choose which tea we would like to have. There were green, white, black, fruit and flavoured teas. I chose to have Darjeeling, it’s a classic, the OH went for the white fusion tea. I loved the teapots they came in and they arrived with a little egg timer too so you can get your brew just right.

So, on the first layer of the beautifully laid out sandwiches we had: falafel and hummus wrap with chargrilled sweetcorn, lime and quinoa wrap, salad sandwich on brown and avocado and sesame on white. I did like all the sandwiches, the falafel one really stood out as the winner. If I could have changed anything slightly it would have been to add some chopped chives to the salad sandwich to give it a bit of a hum and maybe a drizzle of vegan teriyaki sauce in the avocado sandwich.

The scones were warm when they were brought over which I think is always a bonus! We were offered some soy coconut yoghurt to go on the scones rather than traditional clotted cream and I really think they’re on to something. The combination of warm scone, sticky raisins, strawberry and coconut was delicious!

Last up, and let’s be honest, the layer we’re all waiting to get to in any afternoon tea situation: cakes! If your afternoon tea turns up and there are less than four cakes then it doesn’t count as far as I’m concerned. Luckily for us, we did have four little sweet treats to try, they were: coconut and chocolate truffle, apricot tart, chocolate mousse and rice crispie cake.

The coconut chocolate truffle was like a homemade Bounty, lovely and soft to bite in to. The apricot tart was sharp and worked so well as a contrast to the other sweeter puddings; the pistachios on top were a nice added texture. The chocolate mousse was avocado based and there was a little added spice, maybe chilli, cinnamon, something like that. It was a subtle spice but gave it an edge. The rice crispie cake was sticky and delicious, the slight peanut butter flavour really made it for me, I’d say that was my favourite of the four.

The extra details like chargrilling the sweetcorn and adding just a little spice to the mousse really made it go over the line from a simple vegan afterthought to something where they have really put thought and effort in. It’s not just a good vegan afternoon tea, it’s an excellent afternoon tea.

This afternoon tea was paid for by Careys Manor, thank you to them. All opinions and words expressed are my own. Prices correct as of 8.7.17. If you wanted the vegan afternoon tea you do need to give the hotel 48 hours’ notice.

2016 Best Bits

December 29, 2016 By All That I'm Eating 7 Comments

Those funny few days between Christmas and New Year are the perfect time for a bit of reflection. I like to look back at everything I’ve been up to and where I’ve been, what (if anything!) I’ve learned and achieved in the last year and, most importantly, what I’ve been eating! So this post contains my absolute favourite recipes from this year and some of the best places I have visited.

Beer, Mustard and Onion Macaroni Cheese

To cook up this take on macaroni cheese I made a beer bechamel; it turned out brilliantly and this is ideal for a cold winter night. Full of cheese, mustard and caramelised onions rounded off with flavourful beer. Recipe here.

Honeyed Apricots with Rosemary Crème Fraîche

This was (and still is) one of the tastiest and quickest desserts I have ever made. Perfect for using summer apricots and coupled with rosemary, honey and tangy crème fraîche it’s definitely worth a try! Recipe here.

Easy White Bean Stew with Purple Sprouting Broccoli

So much more than the sum of its simple ingredients, my easy white bean stew is ideal for using up a few old bits of veg and tins of beans in the cupboards. You can use it as a base for all sorts of things. Recipe here.

Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas

These really are just the most delicious enchiladas I have ever tasted *blows own trumpet*. It’s really worth making your own enchilada sauce and spice mix for these. Recipe here.

Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake Brownies

I’m not sure any more words are needed. Chocolate. Fudge. Cheesecake. Brownies. All of the best things in one hugely indulgent and delicious bake. Forget the January diet and get your oven on. Recipe here.

Lime, Thyme and Quince Gin Cocktail

Mixing up and steeping fruit in gin is something I am always experimenting with. This year I made quince gin for the first time so it was only right that I made a special cocktail to show it off. Quince gin, lime and thyme come together for this delicious refreshing drink. Recipe here.

Smoked Cheddar and Pickled Onion Turnovers

I only made these recently but I’ll certainly be making them again soon. The flaky pastry for these is so easy, I use a sneaky trick to make it work every time! They’re really versatile too so you can use up all sorts of leftover bits and bobs. Recipe here.

I’ve had quite a few adventures this year and have been on a few travels. We took a minimoon in France to the Loire Valley and had the best time; and amazing food and wine! We also managed to shoehorn in a flying visit to Gothenburg in the autumn which was very cosy and got me so ready for winter. Below are my top three places in the UK I visited this year.

Cape Cornwall

I’ll be honest, I’d not heard of Cape Cornwall before I booked a hotel there so we could explore the Cornish coast. We were in just the right place at the right time to enjoy this sunset. The whole Cornish road trip was great and we crammed a lot into just a few days. Perfect for a quick getaway. See the full road trip here.

Leigh-on-Sea

As part of a trip to Essex we went to the charming Leigh-on-Sea which was full of independent shops, cafes and delis. We just went for the day but I could have spent much longer there! To see where we ate and what we got up to, the full post is here.

St Davids

Did you know that St Davids is the smallest city in the UK? What a place. A compact collection of shops, pubs, a pie shop built into someone’s garage and of course an impressive cathedral. What more do you need?

What does 2017 have in store I hear you ask? I’m planning plenty of things for next year: more recipes of course (I’m hoping to do more baking), more foraging and cooking up with my wild ingredients, plenty more places to tick off my UNESCO list and I’m sure lots of delicious places to eat.