He Says She Waffles

We found this adorable waffle house on our first trip to Cirencester in 2012. Louie had a case of the chicken pox which cut our trip short, otherwise I think we would have returned to the restaurant again!! Last year, we didn't make it but this year we went out of our way to have lunch at this amazing eatery.

With brilliant branding, it is laid back and very cool. But the waffles, oh the waffles. They are light and fluffy and in so many combinations! Dan went for smoked salmon and cream cheese, bacon and maple syrup for me and then nutella and ice cream for the bee. Perfection in a brunch, trust me!

Deli Flavours, Leicester

Opened in the beautifully refurbished Silver Arcade, Deli Flavours is easily our new favourite hang out.
Stocking a huge array of artisan eats including organic passata and sauces, pasta, olives, local cheeses and cured meats, it is the perfect place to go for that special something for your meals.

Deli Flavours serve a quirky range of loose leaf teas, fantastic coffees and the food is just phenomenal. The Mexican toasted wrap is an easy winner for me, loaded with yumminess. The Oak Smoked Cheddar Ploughmans is also highly recommended!

Bloom

Can you smell it? The warm and familiar smell of freshly baked bread with a thick, golden crust. 

York by Food

The weekend after Dan and I got married, we zipped up the motorway to our favourite city. York.

A delightful stay in a nearby castle (yes, CASTLE!) and two full days wandering this beautiful city. We may have eaten at Betty's twice, but one of the highlights was our dinner at Jamie's Italian.

At Betty's world famous Tea Rooms we indulged. Rose China Tea for me. Pricey but well worth it, absolutely divine. Dan had a pot of English Breakfast and loved his Eggs Benedict. I think the Full English Breakfast was the best I have ever eaten.

For our evening meal, we spotted a Jamie's Italian. We have always fancied going to one of Jamie's restaurants but have never really been in the vicinity of one to take advantage. Down in the vaults of Lendal, Jamie's Italian York has a beautiful atmosphere inside and out.
We were pleasantly surprised at just how amazing the whole experience was. The waiter suggested a homemade cola in opposition to the Coke Dan ordered and my were we grateful, it beat a regular coke hands down every time. We skipped the starters and deserts as we needed to eat but we weren't starving hungry. Dan went for the seafood spaghetti which he tells me was absolutely superb. I chose a smaller portion (I wish more places offered this!) of the Sausage Paparadelle and it was completely faultless. I think we both wished that we could have had room for a desert as they sounded and looked amazing.

Mediterranean Sunday Roast

Firstly let me apologise for the unintended hiatus! I have been a wee bit busy getting married, I think I can be forgiven!

Today has been the perfect blend of relaxing and doing. A walk in the countryside followed by an afternoon in the kitchen cooking up a Sunday Roast. 

In the UK, the Sunday Roast is an institution. A weekly ritual. A tradition our home celebrates each week. Ham, Chicken or Beef oven roasted with all of the trimmings. Roast spuds, carrots, seasonal veg. Stuffing? Yorkshire puds? 

This week we went for a one pot, Mediterranean twist. 

Lemon and Thyme stuffed chicken. Rubbed with butter and drizzled with lemon juice. Copious amounts of sea salt and cracked black pepper.

Quartered potatoes went in first, followed by the carrots, then the onions and peppers. Each given their time to soak up the delicious juices and fat from the chicken.

 Be-aut-i-ful. 

Always a pudding. It isn't a Sunday Dinner without a pudding. Todays pud was a homemade Tiramisu. Chocolate Fingerettes soaked in home brewed espresso and layered with laced mascarpone. Such an incredible desert, put together in minutes. Perfection.

Tapas

I have been lusting over the amazing meal that Becka and I enjoyed at the Cosy Club so much that I decided to recreate some dishes myself. Chorizo cooked in rosé wine and garlic sautéed mushrooms with ciabatta and sundried tomatoes.
To say that I used to despise tapas... it is now one of our favourite meals!

Hen Do

Last weekend was my hen do. A secret that took months to plan, all behind my back. Becka, my dear bridesmaid baked canapés consisting of mushroom vol-au-vants, goats cheese tarts and mini honeycomb muffins served with pink lemonade.

Afternoon tea served at Stapleford Park, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.
Rose tea, finger sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and strawberry compote and a range of petit four. Pistachio macaron, carrot cake, chocolate torte and raspberry custard tart.

The Old Bull's Head, Woodhouse

We spent our May Day at one of our favourite country pubs, The Old Bull's Head situated in the gorgeous little village of Woodhouse in the National Forest. Decorated with beautiful sketches of cows and bulls throughout, this pub has a classy but cosy pub which serves local ales and food that is simply divine.

Chili and Lime homemade crisps greeted us as we sat down. A perfect little opener for our meal. Just right.

As usual, we went for the sharing bread platter. Three delicious breads (one seeded, one cheesey and one malted) served alongside olive oil, olives and a herby, seedy dip which was a fantastic addition to the bread board.

Dan and I chose burgers for our lunch. A burger is not something that I would usually choose but it sounded so lovely. 

"HOME-MADE WEST COUNTRY BEEF BURGER, gherkin, mustard mayo, Emmental cheese, relish & frites"

The burger had a delightful char, the mustard mayo was a perfect accompaniment to the beef. Crispy frites were served with a red pepper chutney that was absolutely to die for. It was possibly the best burger I have ever had.

And then for the little bee. I always commend a restaurant who caters for the little guys. And I'm not talking run of the mill chicken nuggets etc. Our little bee chose the Fish Fingers with the same crispy chips that we had with our burgers. Fresh cod fillets in light and fluffy batter which screamed 'I was made five minutes ago'. Because of my aversion to children's menus, I usually just let Louie share our meals, but when the standard is this high, he can have whatever he desires, I mean, that is more for me right!

With fantastic friendly service, beautiful surroundings and food this good, I can not wait for the next time we visit The Old Bull's Head.

Picnic Treats

There is nothing better than chocolate fridge cake on a picnic. Crunchy biscuits, chewy marshmallows and fruit smothered in smooth creamy chocolate. Seriously one of the highlights of my picnic anyway!
This weeks creation included a handful of ginger biscuits, a handful of marshmallows, glacier cherries, raisins and a few rice crispies coated with about 300g of milk and dark chocolate topped with 50g of white chocolate, just in case you fancy making your own.

Today we had a dual family picnic, somewhat a tradition between two families. Homemade sausage rolls, potato salad, quiche and savory muffins. A feast for 7, it was absolutely fantastic.

With Belton House as our venue, we sat overlooking the ornamental lake and even had geese try to get in on the fun. What a perfect spring picnic with fantastic company.