A Postcard from London Pt. 2

Day two of our London feasting began with a breakfast of epic proportions. We were staying at No. Ten Manchester Street in Marleybone, which houses the Italian restaurant Dieci, so out with your usual buffet brekkie, and in with a naughty menu of all the Benedict's, pancakes and meaty eats. I had Italian poached eggs, which had the darkest yolks imaginable, served on english muffins, with Norcia black truffle ragout on top. Truffles for breakfast, I really can't think of a more extravagant start to the day.

Bermondsey's Maltby Street Market (with a friend, pictured above!) was our main aim of the day, and after seeing it on Tom Kerridge's programme last month, we couldn't wait to go check it out. Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side, but brollies up, we made it in time for Monmouth Coffee catch-ups before lunch. The market on the Ropewalk, has a number of stall holders, both outside and under the railway arches, and is a more concise version of the famous Borough; less crowded and seemingly more sincere. The smaller scale makes it a little easier (not much) for greedy folk like me. When there's too much choice, it becomes almost impossible to decide what to eat (usually I want it all).

Anyway, Monty's Deli has a bit of a reputation - Jewish style, pastrami, swiss cheese, rye, pickles kind of thing - and with a sign on the door saying 'sold out' and a queue still poking out of the archway, there was no chance. We plumped for Market Gourmet's big brioche buns instead, with a tumbler of red wine from the stall opposite. Beef brisket with rarebit and horseradish, and a mean pulled pork with onion/apple/cranberry. If I had to pick, the beef was the winner, and with a 72 hour sous-vide recipe, I'm not surprised.

For dessert, which we had to take away with us for laters, we made a b-line to Poppy & Sebastian's domed delights. I'd seen and heard of the perfectly made patisserie before, mainly thanks to The YBF's (Young British Foodies), in which Poppy won the baking category earlier in the year. The chap had a take on a 'Snickers' (seen above); creamy, chocolatey, peanutty, with a luxurious salted caramel and chocolate pastry base. I had a pistachio green coloured one with a yellow flower on top; it was autumnal, with quince and custard, and almost too pretty to eat. Easily the most exciting patisserie I've ever seen/had.

As we hit the evening, drinks before dinner took us to Beard To Tail; 'Shoreditch Sisters' with Callooh Callay (award winning cocktail bar) but focussed just on meat and whisky, simples. There's a dirty Americana vibe; big meats, big flavours, pickles, bourbon, rye and whisky spelt with an 'ey' - we'll forgive them for that - and it's all very industrial chic, you know the sort. With an impressive looking bar as you walk in, filled with eager boozers, and stuff to look at on the walls, we made ourselves at home. I chose an 'Elegant Illinois', FEW Bourbon, black cherry and violet liqueur, topped with champagne, whilst the other half had his spirit straight up. Down they went, and off for our dinner reservation.

Rotary Bar Diner was our restaurant of choice tonight, if that's what you'd call it. In their words, it's an all day until late-night bar/diner/music; great food, serious booze, and a DJ busting out the tunes in a 70s-teak-retro-kitchen-get-up. It's a pop-up of sorts. It's had it's home here near Old Street for quite a while, but sadly, after a 10 month stint, the building is going to be demolished and re-developed at the end of the year. You'd better go now or regret it later - there's only 21 days left!

Working with Carl Clarke from Disco Bistro, they serve US style food - buns, BBQ, grills - which you can eat in or take away, alongside craft beers and pint sized cocktails for a tenner. They also do a flight of six Mezcals, which, if you polish them off, you get your name up on the hall of fame. The idea of fried foods, dips, slaws, and the likes, doesn't sound like it could carry itself with much finesse, but Rotary goes against those presumptions, and the hype behind it is most certainly deserved.

Armed with a margarita that was bigger than my face, I went for one of the specials, Dexter Veal sirloin cooked on wood, with fermented kimchee and crispy onions. There were so many interesting flavours and textures on the plate, and I had a very generous amount of rosy veal; I'm salivating just thinking about it now. The chap chose Hickory Smoked Belly Ribs, which had a Korean twist, and came with pickles, potato salad and jalapeno cornbread, then some naughty dripping chips on the side. Instantly I had some jealousy, and demanded I try some. Frankly, it was perfect. I don't know whether it was because we weren't expecting it, or what, but it blew us away and we both agreed it was the best food we had eaten out in a long time.

Following that, we had one last mission - Hawker House. No doubt you'll have heard about Street Feast; London's pioneering night market, where the best street food traders, chefs, restaurants and bars come together to take over car parks, warehouses, builders merchants, old tube stations, to 'create a haven for lovers of great food and drink'. Well, this is the latest venture; found somewhere between Hackney and Broadway Market, it's a warm, indoor, knee's up every weekend in the run up to Christmas.

We didn't have any room for anything remotely solid, we were only here for liquid top ups, but if we did find ourselves peckish, there was plenty of choice - BOBs Lobster, Breddos Tacos, Slider Bar, Smokestak, and more. It's free to get in before 8pm, but after that it costs 3 bucks, you do get a 'Hot Shot' on entry though, and you can stay til 2am, so it's a done deal. Drinks wise, Rotary man the main bar, serving up all the staples and more giant cocktails. Street Vin take charge on the wine front, and there's a hot bar, dishing out steamy beverages; boozy hot chocs, hot buttered rum, and the most delicious orangey mulled wine.. Quite festive if you ask me. The main attraction is the whisky bar, choose from a list of 50 or let the Gods decide with the Random Whisky Generator. Or, if you're like me, go for a cocktail - sours, manhattans, old fashioneds - the classics, all served in big milkshake paper cups with a straw.

All year I've been following Tweat_Up/Street Feast on Twitter, absolutely green with envy because of the momentary happenings, effortlessly stylish food and creatively crafted drinks. Now, finally, I've managed to get to one of their events, and it was everything I hoped it would be. I only wish I had a bigger belly to fit all the goods in.

Eat responsibly. Drink dangerously. That's my motto. 

A Postcard from London Pt. 1

Earlier this month, the chap and I hit The Big Smoke for a weekend trip. We only had one aim in mind: to eat and drink ourselves silly. So, where I'd normally plan an itinerary of art galleries and 'must-see's, I replaced it with a lengthy list of bars and restaurants. A gourmet getaway if you wish. Anyway, not to bore you with all the details, I'll just tell you where we went and what we ate, with lots of visuals.

First stop, Honey & Co, a Middle Eastern jewel in Fitzrovia, which recently won the award for 'Best Newcomer' at the Observer Food Monthly Awards. We were one of the first there for lunch, and sat in the window of the tiny restaurant, we watched as, one by one, it filled to capacity. We had a selection of homemade bread and olive oil to start - milk, brioche and flatbreads - all light and fluffy, and to drink, I went for one of their own iced teas; it was orange blossom, and it was divine. The chap had moussaka with a big leafy salad for a main course, whilst I had chicken, braised with lots of spices and currants, all wrapped up in a flatbread, and served with a parsley/pomegranite/sumac salad. It was perfect. I only wish that I had saved some room for dessert as their cake/pudding selection looked ace; think pistachios, honey, cherries, rose, almonds.. I'll be back

We ventured to The Experimental Food Society exhibition in Shoreditch; a culinary arts event featuring a number of pioneering foodies. Greeted with a meadow of sugar flowers and a cake constructed to a life size version of The Queen, we went on to try breathable tea, bread made from brocolli, boozed up chocolate bars and smoked liqueurs. The Meringue Girls had their colourful 'kisses' for sale, and there were odd ice creams from Lick Me I'm Delicious; I had a quinelle of port and stilton on a savoury cracker, whilst the chap had a scoop of salted caramel whisky in a bitter dark chocolate cup. Our favourite experimentalists were The Robin Collective, who have created Winston Churchill Historical Bitters; bitters infused with moisture extracted from the walls of Churchill's underground bunker. Fancy a taste of the iconic figure? Apparently we did. The bottle's now sitting on our shelf. Oh, and we tried some of their 'Medicinal Marshmallows' too - an 'aphrodisiac', rose, chilli and ginger, and a 'remedy for a broken heart', red wine and black pepper.

Next on the list was to find Upstairs at Nancy's, a little London pop-up above The Crown and Shuttle pub, serving the likes of Borough Wines, Boodles, Sipsmith, Partizan and Redchurch Brewery. The main reason I wanted to go was for their barrel aged cocktails, I had my heart set on a Negroni made with Kamm & Sons Ginseng Spirit and Sacred Vermouth, but it wasn't open. The pub was really lovely though, so it didn't really matter, instead, I had a strong Botanist gin and tonic as the rain pummelled down outside.

After a spruce up, we galloped to The Running Horse Mayfair, a recent re-opening just around the corner from Bond Street tube station. With the face of Chase Vodka behind the bar, along with the ex-bar director of Sketch, it's obvious this place will do well. It's early days at the moment, a very British drinking den - filled with modest tables and chairs, wood panelled walls, and pubby green tiles - but the pair have big plans for the place, particularly the upstairs area. Watch this space. It has a limited menu, but it's all top quality, and pre-dinner bar snacks of a pork pie and scotch egg, washed down with a 'healthy' gin, beetroot and lemon balm sours, was spot on.

Dinner was a grand affair, the much talked about Duck & Waffle atop Heron Tower, which I had booked months ago. Shooting skyward in a glass lift felt a bit like Charlie and The Chocolate Factory; I'm not used to big city living and hoofin' skyscrapers, so going 40 floors up at a very fast pace, peering over London's landmarks, was a breathtaking experience. We arrived a little early in order to soak up the surroundings, and I'd already heard about the bar's inventive cocktails. If there's something a bit weird on a menu, you can be rest assured that I'll probably pick it, so my drink of choice was a Verde; gin, chartreuse, agave, rosemary, citrus and kale juice. Yep. Vivid green in colour, quite sharp, with a savoury/kale-y aftertaste. A new take on the Bloody Mary perhaps. Predictably, the chap chose a gin martini with a lemon twist. Even if you don't come here for food, I'd definitely recommend coming just for a cocktail; leave all your troubles at street level and enjoy the ride, it feels magical.

For eats, we were persuaded into trying their freshly baked bread, a spicy sausage and gruyere combo, which taunted us as it arrived, as it was too hot to eat with all it's molten cheese and oozing oils. The idea is that you get a few dishes to share but, being in a two, it makes it a bit awkward as you don't want to over-eat/over-spend. We started with a raw plate; yellowfin tuna with watermelon, balsamic and basil; presented on a block of salty-marble-rock, which we were told to rub the fish on to get added flavour. There were five nibbles, so we fought over the last one. We then asked for the rest to come together so we had lots to pick at and taste; roasted octopus/ chorizo/ potatoes/

lemon/ capers, pollock meatballs/ lobster cream/ parmesan, and the duck and waffle. To be honest, I was a little gutted that they had sold out of the spicy ox cheek doughnut, but I'll have to try that another time.

Neither me or the chap were very keen on the fish meatballs, everything about them was a bit bland; rich but without flavour. The octopus had it all though - salty, sour, smooth, chewy, crispy - all the tastes and textures you'd want in a dish, so we were able to forgive. And as for the duck; it lived up to expectations. A duck leg confit sitting on a picture-perfect waffle (though I doubt the Belgians would approve), topped with a fried duck egg, and mustard maple syrup on the side. Its the breakfast dish turned badass, the humble bacon sarnie just wouldn't make it in these waters. Sweet, savoury, and super indulgent; I'm glad it was to share. So, whilst I don't think it was the best food I've ever had, I'd go as far as to say that it was possibly the best restaurant... What a view.



Part 2 Coming up..

Of Mice & Men // Of Cheese & Beer

A few weeks ago the chap and I headed over to John Gordon's for an impromptu tasting session; a selection of beers mostly from Cotswold Spring Brewing Co and a whacking great cheese board that could happily feed an army of furry little rodents, all from The CheeseWorks in Cheltenham.

JG's have been doing tastings for quite some time now, though, surprisingly, I've never actually been to one. They've had a bit of a revamp recently. Earlier in the year they redesigned their downstairs space in order to stage these kinds of events and, where they used to only host one every couple of months, they now have weekly shindigs - more heavily focussed on whiskys. To coincide with all of this, they've dramatically updated their website, so its much easier to see what exciting things are coming up, and there's even a TV Channel to learn about all things grape and grain. So quickly drink up, it's all go go go..

As the nights draw darker and colder, you'd probably think a robust red wine and cheese pairing most appropriate, but beer and cheese is actually a match made in dairy heaven. Not being an avid beer drinker, I feel as though I've now come out a little wiser, and - sorry hops - I may have given you a bit of a bad rep in the past, I hope you'll forgive my naivety.

Cotswold Spring Brewing Co. were responsible for 6 out of the 8 beers we tasted that evening (the other 2 were guests on the JG menu). Established in 2005, they've worked hard to build on their reputation as being a leading craft micro-brewery in the South West. Using pure natural Cotswold spring water, they traditionally brew their beers and ales with no added colourings, flavourings or artificial preservatives, and they're all naturally cask conditioned, giving a variety of cleverly named characters; Ambler, Stunner, Codger, etc..

The CheeseWorks also take pride in having that 'local' touch, right from the off you can tell how passionate they are about the handmade products they sell; be it from from producers in the area, nationally, or over the channel. As a family run business, they bring the shopping experience down to a personal level; inviting you in to soak up the atmosphere, gain some knowledge from the friendly staff, and ultimately, get a helping hand in finding the perfect cheese for your occasion. In this instance, the 8 cheeses we were given were all made in the UK, and had been specifically picked to match each beer, though cross contamination was encouraged - being a food nerd, I stuck to the planned pairings, and made lots of notes, so here it goes..

1) (CS) Trooper with Swaledale Goats Cheese.

Being the strongest of the night, this amber IPA at 5.2% was a good way to kick those taste buds in gear. A pleasing nose of fruit and gooseberry; sweet malty start in the mouth with fruit coming through and a punchy hop bite with a distinctive bitter finish. Any more than a pint then I'd be sure to write off the next day, but it's a great opener to a boozy evening, and paired with the goats cheese; lovely. I'm a MASSIVE goaty lover - cheese, milk, butter, and recently, meat - but I'd not tried this type from the Yorkshire Dales. Made all year round - which affects the taste, season to season - it was not overly 'goaty' but initially sweet and minerally with a smooth rich tang as the flavour develops. It didn't fight for attention over the beer, and would be a good 'starter' to any cheeseboard; even those that don't like a goat would probably enjoy this.

2) (CS) Codger with Smoked Worcester.

The brewer's 8 year best seller; a dry, crisp, chestnut, perfectly balanced beer with a subtle hoppy finish. Though neither were necessarily our favourite, this nutty flagship beer alongside the smoked cheese was the best combo. The codger longs for a smoky partner, and this local - almost bacon-y - beast, is just perfect. Being smoked over oak chippings for a week enhances the earthy notes in the base cheese, and can be very strong.

3) (CS) Old Sodbury Mild with College White with Truffles.

Despite it's dark sultry appearance, this complex 7 grain beer, as the name suggests, has a very low ABV. Initially dry with a bitter sweetness. Chocolatey notes and a long finish. We're told it was voted as the Supreme Champion at the SIBA 2011 National Beer Competition, and goes hand in hand with pretty much all things savoury. The College White, made by The Oxford Cheese Company, is very similar to a brie, but has a layer of truffle butter sprinkled with truffles running through the middle of it, which enhances the strong yet creamy texture. If you're not keen on the fungus, I'd truffle-shuffle away from this one.

4) (CS) Aviator with Hereford Hop.

This 5% Cologne-style lager is cool, crisp and refreshing. Having lots of carbonation in this one means that it works really well with cheese as it cuts through that fatty goodness.. Mmm. The Hereford Hop, though not actually made in Hereford, is coated with golden toasted hops; this gives a savoury, beery, yeasty, umami flavor, which contrasts well with the natural sweetness of the cheese. Obviously, a beery cheese is going to go with beer, so these 2 are the winners in my beer-goggled eyes.

5) Point Black Ale with Old Winchester.

This gothic number is an American interpretation of black beer as an ale, which means more hops as well as fruity notes that come from using an ale yeast. It uses roasted malts which adds a slightly burnt character to the beer, but doesn't have any bitter aftertaste that you might expect. It comes from Wisconsin, yep, America's Dairyland, home of the 'cheese-heads', so you know it's going to work. Old Winchester, made in the New Forest, Hampshire, is a big award winner. A hard cheese aged for 16 months, with a crumbly texture; it has a nutty, browned butter taste and a pronounced sharp tang. I bloody love this one, and it's a fab match to beer.. All beer.. Anything.. Just eat it.

6) (CS) Stunner with Isle of Mull.

This straw coloured ale is the fresher faced brother to the Codger, another bestseller but with a very different style. A mouth-filling malt complemented by a tropical fruitiness on the nose and palate, with a long refreshing finish. This citrusy stallion is almost grapefruit-like and needs a feisty pairing, like the Isle of Mull. An 18 month old Scottish cheese, made next door to a whisky distillery; it smells and tastes winey and fermented, which contributes to the yeasty and sharp flavours. This one is strong, I'm informed that it might be one of the strongest they have in the shop, prepare yourself.

7) Curious Brew with Crozier Blue.

If nothing else, this one just sounds like it's meant to be. The new draft beer at JG's, from Chapel Down Vineyards in Kent, is a uniquely satisfying, drier, cleaner, fresher, lager beer. Fermented using champagne yeast, before adding the rare and fragrant Nelson Sauvin hop, the beer is cold filtered into bottles. A sweet, almost floral, finish craves a salty blue. The Crozier - similar to Roquefort - is made from ewe's milk, and has a toasty, biscuity flavour, with a peppery punch and roast lamb on the finish. One of the standout cheeses for me, in all it's mouldy glory.

8) (CS) Ambler with Colston Bassett Stilton.

At 3.8%, this is a good heavy-session beer - LADS - smooth and perfectly balanced, it has a malty start with a rounded hoppy finish, which really goes with blues. Stilton; a classic, this particular one, made in Nottinghamshire, has a complex flavour. At first sweet and creamy, giving way to a grassy, long, piquant tang but never sharp or harsh; rather mellow and fruity. 

As much as I'd like to tell you that this is the romantic love story where their amber and milky eyes met across the room; they'd noticed eachother before; but this was their first encounter; they knew it was meant to be; and happily ever after.. Its actually more like a holiday fling; doing something you wouldn't normally do; when in Rome and all that. You might dapple again in the future, but for now you simply treasure the memory. Ahh beer, we'll always have John Gordon's.. So, pass me the port.

Colourful Cake Club

So, I've joined a cake club. It was only a matter of time really, wasn't it? I'd read an article about it in a magazine a few months ago, The Clandestine Cake Club its called, and now, whilst the post Bake Off depression has started to set in, it seemed like the perfect time to join.

The premise is straightforward; bake, eat and talk about cake. A theme and a date will be posted on the website, though the location is kept top secret until the last minute, members then interpret and bake their own creation to bring and share. You chat, gossip, swap ideas, share knowledge, and ultimately attempt to eat your body weight in sugary sponge. Its free, fun and you get to take cake home - if you haven't over done it, and can face it, that is.

As with all clubs, there are a few rules; each cake must be large enough to cut into 8-12 decent slices, and cupcakes, muffins, brownies, cookies, pies and tarts are all prohibited. Its a strict cake only club, as conversations begin as soon as you sink that knife in for the first time. Both home-bakers and pro's can join, but its not a competition, so no one should get hung up about what their cake looks or tastes like. Even if it is a failure, at least there's something to laugh about! Experiment, eat and enjoy.

It was the Cheltenham group's fifth meeting last week, though it was my first, and the theme was 'colours of the rainbow'; an attempt to brighten our spirits after all of this dreary autumnal weather. After scouring through my stack of cookbooks, I ended up choosing a little recipe that I had cut out of a newspaper supplement; a basil and berry cake. Possibly a risky move for my first attendance, but its all about being adventurous, so a heap of the herb was whizzed up in the cake mixture, and then a generous dollop of green food colouring was added for good measure. I can honestly say that its the brightest cake I've ever made, and sandwiched together with a cream cheese icing and a scattering of berries, it was a feast for the eyes - sunglasses were probably necessary.

The secret location turned out to be Whole Foods Market, in their little 'cooks kitchen', and not knowing quite what to expect, I rocked up clutching my rather heavy cake tin hoping that the car journey hadn't massacred it - fear not, all was fine. There were 20 people in total, and about 15 shades of cake; lots of red velvet variations, rainbow sprinkles, bright icing and pretty piping. I was quite glad that I'd gone for an unusual recipe as most were vanilla, fancily coloured as opposed to fancy flavours, so the sharp fruits in mine softened the sugary blow. A lemon curd and raspberry cake, spiced pumpkin and a couple of chocolate ones were also a welcome addition. Though, if I had to pick a favourite, it would be the fluffy pink velvet layer cake, with pastel ribbon-like icing, all expertly executed. 

Most of the group were in their late 20's - 30's I'd say, with a handful older, and all women, bar one man who was also popping his cake club cherry, and confessed that the massive multicoloured cake he'd brought along was actually the first cake he'd ever made - both impressive and brave. A lot of people knew one another from work, and many had met at the previous events, but none of that mattered as everyone was openly chatting. The cakes had little name tags too, so it made it a bit easier to match names to faces, or cakes to faces at least.

This gay-pride-for-cakes only lasted an hour, which is probably quite a good thing as after a sugar high comes a sugar low, so, armed with tupperware, we manoeuvered round the crumbs and piled slices in to take home. I think I tried 5 cakes whilst there - a strong effort - and I took slivers of the others back for the chap, though it did look a bit like a kids party bag gone wrong when he opened the box. 

The next event is in December, and will be festive themed; Christmas jumpers at the ready.



Hawkes House Happenings

On Monday evening, I was lucky enough to be invited to a sneak preview of a friend's new business venture, Hawkes House, Thornbury. Located on St Mary's Street, the former pub/live music venue, The Barrel Inn, has been stripped back and transformed into a beautiful new neighbourhood café bar. Local Cotswold folk might already know James and Simon as they own a firm Tewkesbury favourite, Theoc House, but to those that don't, their concept is simple; they open 8:30am - 11pm seven days a week, where you can eat breakfast, brunch, elevenses, lunch, afternoon treats, early evening snacks, dinner, late night munchies, and if needs be, some nibbles to soak up all that accidentally drank alcohol.

Whilst the bar is well stocked with an excellent selection of spirits, both local and continental beers, and a concise but varied wine list, Hawkes House isn't just a pub. They serve expertly made coffees, cuppa's from Attic Tea, and a range of soft drinks that would cater to anyone's taste. It's all very relaxed, and with a stack of books and board games, the whole family can stay entertained. So whether you just pop in for a swift one, or leisurely spend the day browsing the daily papers, or even make a night of it, glad rags and all, this is the place to go.

Having a bit of inside gossip about what the place was like beforehand, and a few updates on the progress of the refurbishment, these guys didn't have a particularly easy ride, but boy, what a masterpiece they've created. The pair have clearly learnt a lot since they opened the doors to Theoc two years ago, she's like the older and wiser sister, whereas Hawkes House, with it's open kitchen, exposed brickwork, retro furniture, and industrial lighting, is the new swankier sibling. 

As for the food, in celebratory style we decided to start off with some antipasto and tapas to share between us; salami, chorizo and prosciutto were the stars on the meat board, with sun dried tomatoes and olives dotted about, rounded off with a few bread-y goods. Tapas wise, we had to try the black pudding scotch egg - which, you'll be glad to know, had a perfectly runny centre - and the beer battered cod with tartare sauce was another winner too. Roasted veg with goats cheese, sesame and soy beef strips, and lime, chilli and garlic tiger prawns were also thrown into the mix, and priced at £7.50 for a choice of three dishes, you can't go too wrong.

For a main course, after much deliberation, I went for the Cataplana fish stew (I had no idea what Cataplana meant, but trusty Google has informed me that it's a Portuguese seafood dish). It was a plate almost overflowing with a rich, smoky tomato sauce, with a bounty of prawns, mussels, chunks of cod, salmon and chorizo lurking underneath. I was more than happy that it came with a wedge of sourdough to mop everything up. The other mains on our table were the classic steak and chips, pork t-bone with Tewkesbury mustard mash and gravy, shepherds pie topped with sweet potato and a curry from the specials board, all of which everyone enjoyed.

To give you a bit more info on the food - though you could, and should go check it out for yourself - the menu contains a list of all day brunch options, sandwiches on local Hobbs House bread or in a focaccia, antipasto and tapas dishes,  a variety of burgers (not just your standard beef) and more substantial seasonal fare, currently titled 'winter warmers'. There is also a daily specials board which, as you'd expect, changes on a daily basis, and sees the likes of more unusual 'chef's special' dishes (I spied swordfish on Monday), and that's where you'll find your Sunday roasts.

There's a separate dessert board, which, again, changes according to what the kitchen fancy making. We were late in the game when we'd finished dinner, so our options were limited, but we snapped up some creme brûlée's and sticky toffee pudding, which were both sumptuously satisfying. Take note, if you're clever enough to scout out what's on offer early on, get in there quick before your favourite gets crossed out!

Its probably safe to say that Hawkes House won't be winning any fancy schmancy awards for their offerings because, basically, its not that kind of place; they're all about serving quality food and drink which is affordable (most things are under a tenner with the most expensive being the 8oz rump at £12.95). Whether you're local, or just a passer by, there are plenty of friendly faces to welcome you no matter what the occasion, and right now it makes a gorgeous retreat from the cold - they have a lovely outside seating area which will come into it's own in the summer months. Despite not really knowing what else is in Thornbury, Hawkes House seems like its on to a good thing, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye on it.. Like a hawk some might say.

Khool French Kitchen

Last weekend I found myself at another foodie event at the Literature Festival, 'Lunch with Rachel Khoo'. The British born kitchen queen, who actually has a degree in Art & Design from Central Saint Martins (yep - art & food - pretty much THE dream), is famed for cooking in her tiny Parisian apartment, where, in days gone by, she hosted intimate supper clubs for just a handful of people. Lured to the French capital by the exquisite patisserie, she studied pastry at Le Cordon Bleu, and has since thrown herself into the world of food. Her first TV show/cookery book 'The Little Paris Kitchen' was a global success, and with the release of her new book 'My Little French Kitchen', this event gave her the chance to divulge more about it, along with the attendees being able to taste a few of her recipes.

I suppose it was more like an 'in conversation with..' kind of thing, and the interviewer, who seemed like a less orange David Dickinson, started off very straight to the point. "There are so many cookbooks around these days, so why should we buy yours?" Phwoar. Bombshell. Luckily, Rachel is just as she appears on TV - very bubbily with a strong personality - so she was able to cope.

What sets her apart from the endless stream of newly published books, is her sincere approach. You can tell from the size of her miniscule working space that she doesn't have a hell of a lot of equipment, and there's definitely no room for all the high-tech gadgets that do really cheffy things, so in turn, none of her recipes require us to have any of that stuff either. Some pots and pans, a good sharp knife, and some stirring utensils are all we need, she says, and if we top it off with good ingredients, then we're all set.

For the book, Rachel visited six different regions of France - Brittany, Bordeaux, Basque, Provence, Lyon and Alsace - where she'd gone out to meet the locals and the food producers, be it in their homes, on farms or at markets, etc. She immersed herself in their cultures, their traditions, and most importantly, their cuisines, and taking inspiration from each of these, she's stacked up a list of over one hundred of her own recipes that give us a food tour of France that we can recreate at home. Unlike Paris, which has that all-year-round touristy perfection when it comes to food produce, the regional areas thrive on the histories behind what they make, and use the seasons to dictate what is best to eat when. This is evident from the herby, floral dishes of Provence, or the spice-laden, festive eats from Alsace, to the rich, hearty gastronomy of Lyon.

Being asked if she's here to "fight for real food", she responded by saying it was more like a mission to discover and reveal the stories behind the food that our European neighbours eat; it's not all fine dining and complicated cooking, and no matter how hard you look, there are certainly no frogs legs here. Rachel's key is enjoyment, she wants us to take pleasure in following her recipes, whether they're the easy pop-it-all-in-one-pan-and-hey-presto kind of thing, or the slightly more refined, take-your-time-to-impress-your-friends extravaganza. In both instances, the recipes are short and simple, and where she's used french ingredients, she has listed English alternatives, so everything is do-able.

The book itself is a thing of beauty, and its clear to see that Rachel takes great pride in being part of the whole creative process - she's even responsible for all the cute little illustrations that run throughout. The photographs are all shot on location, straight after cooking, and the crew eat what was made straight after, there is no faffing around with food styling, and everything is done under natural light, which gives the whole thing a fresh feeling. She stipulates that she's "not just a pretty face", and even when it comes to the TV show, she doesn't just turn up and read a script, like many others do; she does it in her own way, and that's very honest.

Talking of honesty, Rachel admits to being a fully fledged croissant snob; it has be the butteriest, flakiest, most delicious one she can find. There's no point in having a crap one, when you secretly know that there are better ones in existence, as it will only end in disappointment. Which leads to questions on health; the French cuisine isn't exactly known for being 'light', so how does she stay looking so fabulous? Whilst "butter is better", it's all about quality over quantity, she'll have her cheese, wine, pastries, etc, but just not all the time. Actually, she tells us that the French are very much anti-snacking, and it's almost unacceptable to be seen eating in the streets. It doesn't matter if its a freshly made baguette, still warm from the oven, with the glorious boulangerie aromas wafting in your face, you must push those temptations aside. It's basically social suicide.

Being put on the spot once more, ol' Dickinson asked what he should go home and make from the book this Autumnal evening. A few umm's and ahh's, then some sticky ribs cooked in cassis, with a broad bean cous cous, was suggested. Failing that, what we were having for lunch would be perfect: Poulet Roti au Vin Rouge - or Roast Red Wine Chicken to the rest of us - a boozy bird from Bordeaux, with crisp potatoes, and plenty of herby vegetable accompaniments. If this was anything to go by, 'My Little French Kitchen' is set to be a winner, and even cooked for the masses, it was delicious.

Dessert was the Chocolate Basque Beret; a genoise sponge encased in a rich chocolate ganache, coated with chocolate orange shavings. We're told that the black beret is the sartorical symbol of the Basque region, so that's where the inspiration for the cake comes from. Rachel pre-warned us that this was for serious chocaholics, rich and doused in syrup, however, luxurious as it was, it didn't quite come across as this. Nevertheless, it's made me want to try and make it for myself, so by letting us sample a couple of dishes, this whole promo-event has done it's job. 

Book purchased and signed, this weekend I'm all set to gastro-trip around France in the comfort of my own home. I best go get my stripey shirt back out.  

Breakfast with Malcolm Eggs

Early Saturday morning, day two of Cheltenham Literature Festival, and luckily I had tickets for 'The Full English'; a talk with Seb Emina about his new book 'The Breakfast Bible', with added brekkie no less.

I didn't initially have this of my list of things to go to during the ten day event, but after talking to a friend about it, it went straight to the top. Being a massive lover of breakfasts in all shapes and sizes - those crafty little nibbles on the go, long luxurious weekend treats, and even a simple bowl of cereal - why would I not want to go to hear more about this eating ritual we do day in, day out.

To give a little potted history about Seb Emina; it was mid noughties, and whilst there was a great deal of emphasis on food culture and eating out, this only ever seemed to apply to lunch and dinner. Having a love of going out for breakfast, but being riddled with disappointment in all those places that were making just half arsed attempts at it, he took it upon himself to start a blog where he could write about his experiences. So with a pseudonym of Malcolm Eggs, and a band of brothers (and sisters) - called the likes of Blake Pudding, Shreddie Kruger, Dr Sigmund Fried, etc - he coined The London Review of Breakfasts, who are still hungrily munching their way through the cafés of the capital.

You may have heard about Seb recently, on Radio 4's Today Programme he posed the idea that people should never feel obliged to talk at breakfast, and that we shouldn't be offended if the room is completely silent, which then escalated - like a game of Chinese Whispers - to people quoting him to have said that 'couples should not talk at breakfast'. The newspapers got hold of the story, it was printed front page, and even Loose Women got in touch, but of course it was just a statement misconstrued. What he was really getting at was that we should use this time in the morning as a bit of leisure time before we shoot off and go to work; many of us lead such busy lives today, to the point where we might often skip breakfast or just eat on the go, but really we should take the time to sit and enjoy it. This may be solitary time, or time shared, you can just stick the radio on, read the newspaper, and not feel as though you should have a deep conversation, when really you're probably still just waking up. Look at James Bond for example, he's the master of solo breakfasting, but no one questions him; but then again, why would you, he's 007 after all.

'The Breakfast Bible', as the title suggests, tells us everything we need to know about breakfast. From extensive research, *cough* eating a lot, there are apparently nine ingredients which create the perfect 'Full English', that truly British dish; bacon, sausage, egg, mushrooms, tomato, black pudding, baked beans, bread (either toasted or fried) and finally, some sort of potato goods, in most cases a hash brown. Potato seemed to be a somewhat controversial ingredient on the list, particularly when bubble and squeak is suggested, though Seb kindly reassured us (not that I needed convincing) that it's a great way to smuggle greens onto your predominantly beige plate, 'a Trojan Horse for cabbage' if you will.

Thinking about other morning foods; we eat a lot of cereal, it's kind of the ideal breakfast in terms of quickness and ease, or maybe we go traditional with porridge (it was coincidentally the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Championship that day). But if we were to look globally, there doesn't seem to be the same kind of breakfast culture that we have here. On the continent you'll find pastries with meats and cheese, America goes big with lots of sweet/savoury combinations (think pancakes, bacon, maple syrup.. mmm), the far east have rice based dishes, and there are lots of spicy egg options amongst other flavour-loving countries, but essentially most of them tend to eat similar things to what they may have had the night before; there doesn't seem to be that, distinctly different to dinner, repetative eating that us Brit's do. 

So, what else can we find in the book? There's a list of songs that are perfect for boiling an egg to, all of which are just the right time depending on your runniness needs; we're told Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights, or Pulp's Common People are great for soft boiled yolks. A substantial section talks about 'Hair of The Dog', which is quite commonplace amongst weekend breakfasters, and has a long tradition dating back to Homer's Odyssey. Drinks range from the famous Bloody Mary, which just takes the edge off of the morning, to a deadly sounding Corpse Reviver, probably the thing to drink if you want to get back on it. It's packed with recipes, advice, and random facts, such as famous last breakfasts, and strange cereals of the 80s. Like it's subject, this really is the most important book of the day.

A Q&A followed the talk, which gave us an extra insight into the breakfast aficiondo. It turns out he's not a fan of brunch; "it's breakfast grabbing the territory formerly occupied by lunch." And don't even talk to him about breakfast in bed, admitting he has a crumb phobia, he'd much rather be sat eating at a table, he hates that feeling of being "prisoned by kindness with a tray." 

Obviously we all want to know where the best place to go is, and after plenty of umm-ing and ahh-ing, where you could pretty much see his brain sizzling away, he simply said that those typical greasy spoons, with a constant stream of taxi drivers coming through the door, are your best bets. However, if you want something a bit more exravagant, try the new restaurant in The Shard, where he can recommend the eggs benedict, or perhaps The Hawksmoor, which seems to be bringing back the old school stuff like kidneys and liver. Just don't go to Macdonalds though, yeah?

With a nod to the bible, out came a nine piece Full English. Alas, there was no solo breakfasting here - Bond would not be impressed. Instead we shared a table with stangers, all chatting away about their own personal ideas of best breakfasts; it's clearly a subject which divides opinions. Seb knows this though, and when asked what's next on his agenda, he said there's still room for more explanation.. How eggs-citing.