The Cake & Bake Show - London 22 & 23 September 2012

After a weekend of strolling round the ‘Cake and Bake show’ at Earl’s Court, London, I had rather sore feet this Monday morning. And sore arms, for that matter. I hadn't planned on spending any money, and so I hadn't brought anything for carrying heavy items in – and thus the long arms from carrying my goodies.  I'm not complaining though, there were some good deals on offer; both on cookbooks, cake carriers, sugar craft moulds and much much more.

I’d bought tickets for both days, thinking that since I had to go all the way down to London I might as well stay for the full experience. The tickets had sold out well in advance, and the demand had been so high they had increased the opening hours on the Saturday, and with it released more tickets for the evening only. And I do believe those were sold out as well.

On the day of the opening I arrived early, having misjudged the distance from my hotel (it turns out those guides online that tell you how far things are, and how long it takes to get there are rather careful with their timings, and I used a third of the time they suggested). So the only sensible thing I could do was to join the steadily growing queue of people waiting to get inside. By the time the doors opened I could no longer see the end of the queue, but bearing in mind it was 5 persons wide, I think there were quite a lot of people there. Luckily the sun was out, and people were mostly friendly and chatty, looking forward to the show. 

With a sudden surge people were moving forward, and it wasn’t long before I was inside. The ticket checker was a bit baffled by my ticket being valid for two days, but soon I was on my way up the escalator and into the fun. Momentarily confused I took a minute to get my bearings, but then headed towards the nearest stalls. Soon I found someone selling a programme, and I headed towards a quiet corner for a read. It seemed other people had the same idea, and soon there were programme reading people everywhere. Having made sense of the layout I headed for the ‘Edible Beach’ competition area. This was an area where people who had signed up to take part in the competition had brought in and exhibited their cakes. As the name suggested, the theme was beach. And what beaches they were; one more stunning than the other.

After some gazing I moved on to the stalls, which had quickly filled up in the time I had spent by the beaches. Thinking I couldn’t be bothered with the crunching and queuing by the stalls, I moved on to the other end of the hall, where the wedding cake stands and chocolate area was. I have to admit I had expected a bit more than a table with a few cakes on it from the wedding section, but the chocolate section was better. There were people selling chocolate, and there were classrooms advertising talks throughout the days. Moving on I located the other classrooms, and also the large demo area. The classrooms required tickets, but the demo areas were free for all. Having brought a marker pen I made a strategic plan using my programme, and made a move to catch the first talk.

In the afternoon the hall started to thin out, before there was a slight increase in numbers again. Presumably these were the lucky ones who had got tickets for the evening. I was also heading home around that time, when suddenly it was nearly eight o'clock and the show was closing.  

The next morning I knew not to arrive so early, and I joined the queue of people just before opening hours. The weather had changed overnight, and instead of the lovely sunshine that had accompanied us the day before, we were threatened by large black clouds. Thankfully the organisers redirected the queue indoors, so there was only a short sprint in the rain.

The second day took on much the same pattern as the first day, with me walking from one talk to another. There were a lot of very interesting things to see and hear, but I have to admit that I thought some of the guest speakers were a waste of time. Hopefully some of those will be weeded out before the next show. But overall, the presentations and demonstrations were very good.

Eventually it was time for me to catch my train home, and I cast a last glance over the hall before heading towards the doors, where a very nice team was handing out goodie-bags to the leavers. A nice touch, I thought. 

Breakfast at The Natural Kitchen (London) – Monday 16 January 2012

The weekend in London had turned out to be a bit of a foodie indulgence, and the morning of the last day was to be no exception. We’d walked past this place the previous day, and decided that since it was not far from the hotel, and on the way to the tube, it would be a good place to go for our last breakfast together before catching trains back to our homes.


The Natural Kitchen looked very tempting from the outside, with lots of produce on display, and a delicatessen counter that brimmed with delicious-looking food. We went upstairs to the signposted café, and found a table in the corner, where our luggage wouldn't be in anyone’s way.

Having been quite naughty previously this weekend, and eaten more gluten than my body could cope with, I tried to find something on the menu that was edible. Disappointingly I didn’t have much luck, but I asked the nice waitress if there was anything they could make up for me, and she explained that there wasn’t, but that I could go downstairs, buy a loaf of gluten free bread, take said bread upstairs and they would make me a lovely sandwich. This sounded to me like a viable option, so my friends ordered their breakfast, and I ventured downstairs for bread.


To my disappointment I was told that they did not have any gluten free bread on sale. I am not normally the sort of person who gives up, so I asked if there was anything else that I could take upstairs, explaining that my friends were eating there and the waitress had told me to find food downstairs. I was abruptly told that there was nothing that could be sold there and eaten in the café upstairs. Feeling rather disappointed with this news I sighed and asked again if there was anything at all that I could take with me, feeling frustrated with the miscommunication and lack of service, but trying to smile and be friendly. By this point the waitress from the café appeared, looking quite confused when told that there was no gluten free bread. I was promptly told off by the deli staff for being negative, but was finally rescued by a lady who offered a gluten free quiche with a side of salad.


Feeling exasperated and sad I headed back upstairs to await my food, finding my friends enjoying their tea. I sank down into my seat, wondering if anything would appear, and if so, what it would be like. It turned out that when food eventually arrived (we were jokingly wondering if they had to grow the food first, concluding it was a good thing that our trains weren’t leaving for quite some time) it was delicious. However, I don’t think that it was delicious enough that I would go through the stresses of ordering gluten free food there again.

Breakfast at La Fromagerie (London) – Sunday 15 January 2012

We discovered this treasure-trove by chance the previous day, and decided that it would be a good place to have breakfast. So on a sunny Sunday morning in London we set out to find the cheese shop again. Luckily it wasn’t too far from our hotel, my legs were still tired from all the walking we had done the previous day, and I was ready for some proper breakfast. As it turned out, we had come to the right place. After a couple of minutes’ wait (there were not many tables, but a steady stream of customers wanting to eat) we were directed to four available seats in the middle of a long table. It was a homely wooden table with benches; it had that French rural feel to it, and with it an anticipation of great things to come. 

I ordered a plate of the home made baked beans, and went in to the cheese room (yes, a whole room filled with cheese, kept behind a closed door to keep cool) to choose a cheese platter to go with it. My friends selected an assortment of toasties and granola, and judging by the look on their faces when the food was tasted they were very happy with what they were served. And so was I. The beans were coated in a thick and tasty tomato sauce, and the cheeses were wonderful.

As we were eating it was coming to the end of breakfast service, and lunch was put out on a nearby table. At the same time the queue of people waiting to be seated quite exploded – it was like they all knew what was in store and were waiting patiently for their turn at the table. I have to say the lunch items looked fantastic; I decided there and then that I have to go back next time I’m in London to try it out.

For our pudding (one should always have pudding after breakfast on a Sunday) we had hot chocolates, made with Valrhona chocolate. Nothing can beat hot chocolate made with real good quality chocolate, and these were no exception.

I look forward to going back for lunch some day.

Afternoon Tea at The Langham (London) – Saturday 14 January 2012

I have to admit that this was not my first visit to the Langham Hotel in London. I went there for afternoon tea last spring as well, and it was so pleasant I decided it warranted another visit. So when I found myself planning a weekend in London I just had to book a table for an afternoon of indulgence.

Afternoon tea at a posh hotel is not something that I can afford to do every day, but that makes it even more of a treat when I do splash out on something like this. There were two menus to choose from, the Wonderland Afternoon Tea (£38 per person) and the Stephen Webster Bijoux Tea (£49 per person). We chose the Wonderland menu, and did not regret it.

There is an extensive tea menu to choose from (some teas are included in the menu price, whereas others have an additional charge). Luckily you are given plenty of time to make your choices, and should you have any questions there is a tea sommelier at hand to help.

Once we had finally made our tea choices (much more difficult than the food choice), we were rewarded with an amuse bouche; a rhubarb jelly with custard. It was mouth-wateringly delicious. And then our teas and sandwiches arrived in a steady stream of pots, plates and waiters. Our cakes arrived at the same time, standing there – tempting us with their presence. 

Being a vegetarian I asked for an alternative to the standard menu, which included fish and meat. This request was no problem at all, and I received sandwiches that looked, and tasted, just as delicious as the standard ones. There was even a refill of sandwiches if we wanted.

Our cups were refilled throughout the meal, and more pots of tea were provided when we ran out. My tea was the rose-bud tea, a deliciously fragrant one.

When we had finished our sandwiches it was time for scones. They were served warm, in a little basket, with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Sometimes scones can be a bit heavy and cloggy; not so these ones. They were light and airy, and melted in our mouths. As did the clotted cream and home-made jam.  It was one of those moments when I wished I’d had more room in my tummy; I could have eaten many many more.

Finally it was time for cakes; we had looked at them in anticipation for a very long time (at least it felt like it). The only problem was which one to eat first? I went for the salty popcorn and toffee macaroon, since it sounded a bit dubious and I wanted to get it out of the way first, so that I could enjoy the nicer-sounding ones afterwards. How wrong I was. It was absolutely delicious, possibly the best one out of the lot. Slightly salty but sweet, buttery and more-ish.

After our afternoon tea was devoured we were sat there looking at each other, knowing that we eventually would have to move, but wondering how we were going to manage. I have not felt that full for a long time, although not unpleasantly full, just full in a very content and happy sort of way. We’d been there for a couple of hours, eating our way through mouthful after mouthful of delicious food, being waited on hand and foot, enjoying the complete relaxation and break from reality that The Palm Court at Langham is.

Dinner at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon – Friday 13 January 2012

I’d been looking forward to this dinner for some time. I’d heard of the restaurant quite a while ago, and then it was featured in the BBC programme ‘Master Chef – The Professionals’, and I decided I had to go there. Soon.  So when a visit to London was planned I seized the opportunity and booked a table.

The prices were quite steep, at least for my wallet, so we went for the pre-theatre menu. This is a somewhat reduced list of options, but there is still enough of a choice that there is something for most people’s tastes. The only drawback, I found, was the limited time when it is available (5.30pm to 6.15pm). We had the three courses for £32, and even a picky eater like me found something that I fancied. Not bad.

Before our starter arrived we were presented with an amuse bouche, a little taster to get our appetite whet. My friends received a foie gras jelly topped with parmesan foam, and I was given the vegetarian option; fennel jelly with lemon foam. Delicious.

I started off with the L’OEUF COQUE SANS COQUE, while my friends had the LE SAUMON D’ECOSSE, accompanied by a glass of their house champagne. Lovely. Both were good choices. The egg was runny but in a good way (I don’t normally like runny yolks), and the mushroom sauce was divine. The salmon was served paper thin, with delicate yet flavoursome spices.

For our main courses we chose LES SPAGHETTI (Spaghetti with confit cherry tomatoes in basil, black olive and parmesan, the only vegetarian option – but oh so yummy), LA VOLAILLE (Chicken with chips), and LE LIEU (Pollock with leeks and lemongrass). The amazing thing is that these dishes sound so ordinary but taste so out of this world. You could ask who goes to a two Michelin starred restaurant and orders spaghetti, but it was honestly the best spaghetti I’ve ever had. It melted in my mouth, and was both spicy and mild at the same time. Definitely something to aspire to when cooking at home. We had a white wine with our main courses; a Chablis, which turned out to be perfect. One of us had an apple juice, which was freshly pressed and beautifully presented.

There was no hesitation from any of us when ordering the desserts, it had to be the LE CHOCOLAT TENDANCE (Creamy Manjari chocolate, bitter chocolate sorbet and Oreo cookie crumb) for all of us. It was stunningly beautiful to look at, and even better to eat. It was one of those moments when you dive into a creamy chocolaty heaven, and never want to leave again. The creamy chocolate was light and airy, the sorbet was cold and refreshing, and the oreo cookie crumb was a perfect contrast to the rest.

I assume the main menu holds many more delights, it definitely looked lengthy, but the pre-theatre menu was more than good enough for me. I can understand why they have received their Michelin stars, the ambience was lovely, and the waiters were always present but discreet.  I loved the décor as well, with a black and red colour scheme, and a living green wall to one side. The kitchen was open so that we could see the chefs at work, but still there was no noise, no screaming and shouting – it was all very tasteful and pleasant, and professional. I’d love to go back there.

Wagamama in York – Monday 12 December 2011

Wagamama has finally opened in York, their first day of service was today. I had expected there to be a massive queue and that it would be impossible to get a table, but this was not so. It was fairly full, but with a few free tables here and there. Nevertheless, the waiters and chefs seemed to be keeping busy; getting into the routine of the place no doubt.

Walking into the restaurant was very much like stepping into any other Wagamama restaurant, as they do have their own very distinctive style. Light and airy, modernisticly simple, and yet welcoming. It is streamlined for effectiveness, with every person working there having their own particular task, like seating guests, bringing menus, taking orders, or taking payment. I can see it being a bit tedious for the staff members, but from an organisational point of view it must be very efficient and thus profitable. 

The menu had a lot of choice on it, mainly meaty dishes, but also at least one vegetarian choice in each category of food. I’m sure it would be possible to spend quite a lot of money at Wagamama’s, if you choose to have both starters and side courses and drinks, but it is also possible to keep it economical. Most main dishes are below £10, and if you choose to drink green tea, that’s free.

I chose the “yasai katsu curry”, which was a very tasty and lovely dish. There were deep-fried sweet potato, aubergine and butternut squash, with sticky white rice and a curry sauce. For dessert I had the Chocolate fudge cake with dark chocolate wasabi sauce and vanilla pod ice cream. I was initially a bit worried about the wasabi in the chocolate sauce, not being a fan of hot flavours, but it turned out to be lovely. My friend had the ginger cheese cake, which was also very tasty.

There was some unfortunate confusion amongst the waiters, with food being brought to the wrong tables, but I would assume that this was down to inexperience with the menu and service system; it was after all their first night of service. And it was not enough to ruin the experience, as they were all very friendly and very quickly corrected any mistakes. The food, prepared by chefs on display along the wall of the restaurant, arrived promptly, and both looked and tasted delicious.

I had a lovely meal at Wagamama’s, and would love to go back there very soon. 

Asia Gourmet in York – Sunday 30 October 2011

Fancying some Asian food, and having just had Asia Gourmet recommended by some friends, my friend and I headed to Gillygate to find out if it was as good as we had been told. It didn’t look promising from the outside; plastic food in the window, and photos on the menu is usually not a good sign, but because the place had been recommended to us we still went in. The interior did not do anything to instil any more confidence, the entrance was a bit like a storage room, and the restaurant area was painted bright orange and furnished with uncomfortable looking sparse tables and chairs. The acoustics exaggerated any noise – all in all not such a good first impression.

 The extensive menu comprised both Japanese, Korean and other East Asian cuisine, and as we scrutinised it we found that it had lots of vegetarian and gluten free choices. The price was reasonable, and with a huge selection of differently sized dishes there should be something for everyone. I decided on some sushi with avocado, tempura vegetables, and stir fry noodles with vegetables.

The friendly waitress took our orders, and brought us our food in no time at all. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that it both smelled and looked delicious. And it didn’t stop there, it tasted great as well. The tempura was perhaps a little bit bland, but overall the food was lovely. 

My friend and I enjoyed our meal at Asian Gourmet, and we are very likely to go back to try something else. Unlike the decor, the food was good, and well worth a try. 

Cake time at Kafeneion in York - Sunday 30 October 2011

This was not my first visit to Kafeneion in York. I'd been there once before, and quite liked it, so when my friend suggested it for our Sunday mid-morning treat, I was more than happy to go along. The café looks quite small from the outside, but opens up when you look past the counter. If you can actually tear yourself away from the counter long enough to look for a place to sit, that is. There are delicious-looking cakes that make your mouth water, and a good selection of both warm and cold drinks. Once you have made up your mind you can choose if you want to sit in the small section by the street window, or in the more secluded section in the back, where there are comfortable sofas as well as tables and chairs. One of my friends commented that the place has a spa-like feel to it, with calming pictures on the wall, and some green plants in a large open and airy space. I’m not completely sure about the spa-thing, but it is definitely a calming and cosy space.

I settled down onto the sofa, and soon my cake and hot chocolate were brought over by a lovely waiter. That is another thing I like about Kafeneion; the staff are lovely and friendly and not at all afraid to go out of their way to make your stay even better. The floor and tables are cleaned regularly, adding to the comfort of the guests.

This particular day I had chosen the rocky road cake, which was moist and rich and chocolaty. My friend opted for the oreo cake, which of course I had to test – and it was deliciously smooth and creamy, and also chocolaty. I could very happily have both of them again. There were also cakes suitable for coeliacs on offer.

Sadly I eventually had to leave the café, not because I was in any way rushed, but because I had things to do before the shops closed. But I had enjoyed my break, and so had my friends.

Wine Tasting at Sharpham, Devon - Wednesday 10 August 2011

Wine tasting at a local vineyard is perhaps not the first thing that springs to mind when thinking about things to do in England, but the other day I found myself on a guided tour of Sharpham vineyard in Devon, followed by tasting of both their wine and cheese. I’d seen their web page, which was friendly and inviting, but I still didn’t expect much from the experience; after all, what do English people know about wine, and can they really produce anything worth drinking in the wet and cold English climate? It turns out that my worried were unfounded. They’ve been producing wine at Sharpham for quite a while now, and the results are some rather pleasant wines.

The experience started with a guided tour of the estate. You can walk on your own as well, as the routes are clearly marked, but having a guide really does make a difference. A group of random strangers who had all signed up for the walk were escorted though the sunny sloping hillsides where vines grow and produce lovely grapes. There were several stops with explanations and anecdotes, and we were encouraged to taste the grapes on the way, to experience the difference between the different varieties and also the differences in the same varieties created by varying locations. The walk lasted about 40 minutes, and we eventually arrived back at the farm where it all started. Here we were given an introduction to the production of the wines, from the methods used for crushing and fermenting, to the tasting process, while sipping a refreshing rosé sparkling wine.

Now it was time for our tasting, which I think we had all been looking forward to. We started off with a couple of white wines. I am not generally a big fan of white wines, but I have to say that these two were quite pleasant, although I still couldn’t drink a lot of them. Next it was the time of a lovely rosé. With the rosé we were served one of their cheeses; a ‘Rustic’. This was a magnificent cheese, creamy and full of flavour.

Finally we tasted two of the red wines, both served with cheese. Although the reds were from the same grape variety they were completely different wines, we were told this was due to the fermentation process. One was a lovely light wine, perfect for summer evenings, the other was a full-bodied more sturdy one, also beautiful but probably better for cold winter evenings in front of the fire.

After the tasting we were let loose in the farm shop, and between us we managed to fairly much decimate the contents. I tried to constrain myself so that my wallet wouldn’t complain too much, but I walked away clutching a few bottles of red wine and some cheeses too.

Sunday Lunch at Kitley House, Yealmpton, Devon - 7 August 2011

As we were driving along in the rain we suddenly spotted a sign saying something about Sunday lunches. It being late lunch time, we spun the car around and turned back to see if there was something edible on offer. For a while it looked a bit doubtful; after the initial welcoming sign advertising lunches, there was a long narrow lane overgrown with trees and shrubs surrounded by fields, with no signs to indicate that there was any activity, let alone a restaurant, at the end of it. But finally we got to a large stone house. We were relieved to see that there were lots of cars parked outside, as there were no other signs saying that it was a hotel and restaurant. We tentatively parked the car and went inside to have a look, and were warmly greeted by a member of staff. She invited us in for Sunday Lunch, assuring us that we were more than welcome, although the menu stated that the lunch service would end fifteen minutes later. The restaurant was quite busy, but the waiters kindly rearranged a couple of small tables for us so that all three of us could dine together. 

When the food arrived I knew we had made the right choice coming there. The presentation was beautiful, both for my 'Red Pepper and Tomato Soup' and the 'Chicken & Asparagus Terrine with Jumble of Dressed Leaves and Fruit Chutney'. My soup was lovely smooth and sweet, with crunchy fried strips of leeks decorating the middle. My friends said the terrine was also very nice, with flavours that complimented each other beautifully.

While waiting for the main course to arrive I leaned back in my comfortable chair and looked around me in the sumptuous red old library. The decor and furniture were beautiful, but had definitely seen better days. There was a slight air of reduced grandeour, with everything a bit worn out. We quietly whispered to each other that they really did need some more paying guests to afford some restoration. But in spite of the slight run-down look, the whole building still had an athmospere of luxury and comfort, and a lingering memory of a bygone, more affluent, era.

The main courses swiftly arrived. We had ordered the 'Field Mushrooms filled with Wild Mushroom Duxelle wrapped in Puff Pastry served on a Roast Pepper Coulis and Rosti Potato', the  'Delice of Grilled Salmon with Smoked Salmon Mash and Asparagus Spears', and the 'Roast Pork with Apple Sauce, New Season Potatoes and Seasonal Vegetables'. My mushrooms were a bit too rubbery for my liking, but the rest of the meal was delicious. The carrot was sweet and soft, the green beans cooked al dente, and the rosti soft and tasty. But I have to say that the best bit was the sauce; a red pepper coulis. While being sweet and delicate, the flavour was also fresh and powerful. My only complaint is that there wasn't quite enough of it, I could have eaten spoonfuls more. I'll have to try to replicate it at home, it was too delicious to only be eaten once. The salmon was, I was told, also delicious, particularly the mash which had smoked salmon in it. The pork, however, received mixed reviews. The sauce was nice but not exciting, the potatoes were roasted but must have rested a bit too long, for their skin was hard and chewy. And the green beans were a little too al dente. But the pork itself was delicious, which made the meal worth eating.

After all this food I was starting to feel quite full, but since we were there, and since it was such a lovely place, we decided to make an occasion of it, and so we ordered dessert as well. The dessert was an easy choice for all three of us; 'Dark Chocolate Torte with Chocolate Tagliatelle' (we're all chocaholics). It was a very pretty cake, beautifully flavoured and textured, and the perfect companion for both coffee and hot chocolate (made with nutella and steamed milk - yummy). 

In the end it was time to leave and drive on towards our destination. I was in that happy state where my tummy was full but not uncomfortable, and I couldn't help but smile even thouh it was raining heavily; I had thoroughly enjoyed myself over the last few hours. The food was excellent, the staff were friendly and curteous; what more could you want. I would strongly recommend that you make a detour to Kitley House should you find yourself nearby. 

Eden Project Bakery, Cornwall - Friday 5 August 2011

The Eden Project is so much more than food, but I have to admit that the first thing I noticed when I arrived this morning was the baked goods from the bakery. As we entered just after opening hours the bakery stafff were putting out this morning's fresh produce. And it looked delicious. Fresh soft bread and scones ... the aroma was mouthwatering. Sadly we'd had a full English breakfast less than an hour before, so there was no room in our tummies for those tempting goodies. So we decided to go for a walk in the greenhouse biomes first to work up an appetite, and they were fantastic. Not great for people who don't like humid heat, especially the tropical biome, but fantastic if you do. Tropical plants everywhere, with paths snaking along in between them. There were all sorts of big and small plants, and although there were lots of people it never felt crowded. After a climb to the top of the tropical biome we found a stall selling tropical smoothies. I'm not sure exactly what was in it, but it definitely included coconut milk, mint leaves, baobab juice and pineapple juice. It was just what we needed after a very warm and steep climb, and afterwards I was refreshed and ready for more plants. 

Second it was the turn of the Mediterranean biome, also very pretty, and much more comfortably tempered, but somehow not as impressive as the very exciting tropics - probably because I am much more used to seeing those plants around in the wild. The smell, however, was amazing. At the end of the biome was a refreshment area, where they were cooking huge pans of stew. There were wafts of tempting smells all over the biome, mixed in with the smell of the plants. Sadly there is only so much one can eat in one day, and we decided to check out the bakery before making decisions about food.

The bakery was situated between the two biomes, and was a huge bustling area with food preparation spaces plus long tables where guests could sit. There was also a lovely outside area, but most people who ventured out there very quickly turned around and came back in again, chased by curious wasps. Once in the bakery everything else seemed very far away, so we made our food choices and found somewhere to sit down. I had a greek salad with gluten free bread, very nice but not really out of the ordinary. My companions also tried the brown bread with raisins, which was apparently very good, and a vegetable frittata, which I was told was nice tasting, but a bit difficult to get into because the vegetables were so chunky. All in all though, it was a tasty meal, and just what we needed after a busy morning. Of course we couldn't leave it without something sweet, so to end the meal we shared a scone with clotted cream and jam. It was delicious, and I just wished there had been more room in my tummy so I could have eaten a whole one.