Cakies

Whether or not the term 'Cakie' has been previously coined, it was the only suitable adjective I could think of to describe the happenings at Fredericks Coffee House yesterday evening. Comparatively, this event was reminiscent of a convention, perhaps not that far removed from what I'd imagine a Star Wars convention to comprise, lots of over excited people, tongues at the ready with nothing but praise for their favourite topic. Apply this principle to 30 cake lovers, and you should be able to get a feel for last night's event. If only you could actually have tasted the cake!

Upon hearing all us Edinburgh cakies calling, Lynn boarded the train from Leeds, bound to try and test the talents of us bakers that live north of the border. Having firmly established The Clandestine Cake Club, Lynn is a cake expert, who put all her expertise into organising this wonderful event. And weren't the cakes a thing to behold!

Not one for letting food defeat me, my approach to this evening was simple, everything in moderation. I failed to have a whole slice of anything, but a sliver goes a long way, meaning that I got to sample twice the number of cakes I originally anticipated. There were so many combinations, and since I didn't take any individual photos, I won't take you through them all, but I have to say I was bowled over by the quality. The cakes generally were outstanding, and each one more delicious than the next.

My contribution to the evening was my chocolate and hazelnut cake. A rich Italian cake, which unfortunately looked rather modest amongst the more grand baking gestures. But the lovely comments from my cake tasters were touching, and left me feeling proud of my more plain looking contribution.

Last night didn't happen all on its own. There were so many people involved in making it the event that it was, so firm hats off to Lynn, Fredericks and of course the bakers. My mouth's watering and tummy rumbling for the next Edinburgh Clandestine Cake Club.

Treacle Review

This review previously appeared on Edinburgh Spotlight.

It seems that some people get everything right. In the case of the good folks that brought us Hamilton’s in Stockbridge, it comes in the form of Treacle. Situated at the top of Edinburgh’s fashionable Broughton Street, Treacle has become a firm favourite with locals, lured by their ample drinks list, good food, and an atmosphere other Edinburgh bars wish could be bottled and sold.

Upon entering Treacle, it’s hard not to feel trendy. With the exposed brick walls and pop art feature areas, the decor is reminiscent of Hamilton’s, but with a more intimate feel. The menu is varied and affordable, with starters, mains and desserts ranging from £6 to £10.  Incorporating food from the length and breadth of the globe, you would be hard pressed not to find something to satisfy your appetite. I opted for the organic steak and ale pie with home cut chips (£8.95), whilst my dining partner veered to the other side of the continent with his choice of crispy chilli beef noodles with honey and sesame (£8.95). The first thing that struck me as our plates arrived was the unique presentation of our food. The steak pie was served on a wooden board, with the chips oh so coolly presented in a stainless steel pail. They say you eat with your eyes, and this theme was to continue as my dining partners noodles were served in a quirky New York style box, looking just as good as they do on the TV.

As we dived in, our lack of conversation wasn’t the result of nothing to say, but rather due to sheer enjoyment of the wonderful food. My steak pie had a glorious crust, and oozed with sumptuous pieces of steak in a deliciously rich gravy. The chips were thick cut and crispy, the perfect accompaniment to the pie. I washed this down with a large glass of Pinot Grigio Rosé
wine (£4.90) which was sharp and refreshing.

My partner’s noodles were strewn with soft slices of battered beef, before being dressed with sesame seeds and soy sauce. The noodles were perfectly cooked, with just the right amount of chilli to accompany the dish. Add to this a pint of Staropramen (£3.80) and I had one very happy dining partner.

I unfortunately don’t have an ever expanding stomach and was too full for dessert. However, my dining partner’s pudding had me loosening off my trousers and asking for another spoon. Belgian waffles, lathered in nutella, served with ice cream and strawberries. This desert was truly a thing to behold and even by our greedy standards, it was polished off in record time.

After leaving a very happy, if not gluttonous customer, I couldn’t help but think that this establishment really has got everything right. Good food, a great selection of drinks and excellent customer service, I think there is very little more you could ask for.

The last person to visit London?

I know, it’s hard to believe that I hit the ripe old age of 26 before adorning my finest tourist getup and boarding the shuttle to London. My reasons for not having visited our capital city prior to last week were fairly unremarkable. Being the opportunist that I am, I tend to opt for more exotic climates, where my disposition generally becomes a little sunnier. The prospect of visiting a city where I could understand the native tongue was an alien one, but having returned with some of my preconceptions being both met and shattered in the same weekend, it was certainly time for me to give London a true and honest first hand evaluation.

Upon arrival, and after negotiating the Stansted Express, we piled into a taxi, where I was given an impromptu tour of the streets of London. As we made our way towards Mayfair, I was astounded by just how busy it was. Professional looking people charged through the streets, cappuccino in hand, ripe for any sort of networking opportunity. I however was more than ready to find my hotel, and more importantly seek out some lunch.

Our hotel, The Millennium Mayfair exceeded all expectations. Generally, hearing the words ‘free upgrade’ can only have positive connotations. In relation to our beautiful room this was certainly the case. A quick brush and spruce up later we hit the streets of London in search of some good honest lunch time fare. With the lack of Lebanese cuisine in Edinburgh, I decided this would be a trip of firsts, resulting in me opting for a selection of delicious mezze at the wonderful Messina. We opted to share stuffed vine leaves, bread and hummus and pitta breads stuffed with minced lamb. It was a delicious start to our trip.

Stuffed vine leaves

Lamb pittas

Known for our meandering along the streets of Edinburgh, we applied the same principles to London, walking all the way from Mayfair to Covent Garden for our evening meal at Carluccio's Italian restaurant. We shared a typical antipasto, with Parma ham, grilled vegetables and mozzarella, which didn’t disappoint. I followed with spaghetti and clams, whilst Rob opted for the risotto with chicken and asparagus. I loved my pasta dish, which was subtly flavoured with garlic and chilli. The risotto however was overloaded with cheese, detracting from the flavour of the current seasons asparagus. We ended the evening with a selection of homemade ice creams, which were authentic and beautifully flavoured, accompanied by a glass of Vin Santo and homemade biscotti. Overall the experience was good, and for £65, I was impressed in terms of value for money, considering we were in a city renowned for its expense.

Antipasto at Carluccio's

Risotto at Carluccio's

Spaghetti with clams

Not content with all we had just eaten, we could not avoid the entrancing window at Paul's Patisserie. The window was a veritable mix of every pastry imaginable, and with purse in hand, poised to make my selection, I realised that my status as a greedy guts had been firmly rooted. Consumed later on that evening, I would go as far as to say that it was the best cake I have ever eaten. This prompted a return the following day for a fresh baguette stuffed with ham, olives, cheese and salad. Again the freshness and quality were second to none, and I left one happy customer.

Paul's Patisserie window

Baguette from Paul's Patisserie

I had merely uttered the words, “London isn’t quite as expensive as I thought”, when we stumbled across the super trendy nightspot Sketch, where a French martini, albeit the best one I have ever drank, was just shy of £12. Needless to say my purse wasn’t quite heavy enough to last the pace, so I took my jealous self off to a more modest watering hole.

The high standard of the food in London set the tone for everything else, and as a girl who loves culture, interiors, fashion and of course food, I found myself in a city that offered this in abundance. My attachment to Edinburgh is so strong that I failed to see the appeal of living in the hustle and bustle of our capital city, however, I could see why so many people want to make it happen in ‘the big smoke’. I enjoyed London, and being able to finally say I have been there is a welcome alternative to the usual look of disbelief from seasoned London goers, who find it difficult to understand why I haven’t penetrated their bubble. I wait, in anticipation of a return to the red part of our united flag. 

Crail calling

With the sun shining, the wind in my hair and a grumbling tummy, I embarked upon my trip to Crail last Sunday. As a new visitor to Crail, I was entirely objective as to what I might find. I pictured a small seaside town ripe with neighbourly camaraderie, the sort of place where every corner you turn there are huddles of locals catching up on the recent happenings. Upon my arrival this was confirmed, but what I didn’t expect was a village that exuded such beauty. A village where a great deal of effort has been made to keep things as traditional as possible, and in so many ways, the villagers have triumphed.

In an attempt to add yet another notch to the already booming belt, local guesthouse and tearoom owner Graham Anderson is championing the Crail Food Festival. Taking place from the 17^th June – 19^th June 2011, the festival has been organised in order to raise awareness of the melting pot of local culinary offerings available in and around the Fife coastal area. Graham, owner of The Honeypot, has been relentless in his campaign to get local food producers involved. After chatting to him on Sunday, some of his passion had clearly rubbed off on me, as I wandered around the village, taking in the local bounty.

Excited by the prospect of the festival itself, I was so pleased to hear that there will be a launch night for the festival on the 23^rd of April. This will be an opportunity for locals and producers alike to meet over a drink and some nibbles to discuss the outline of the festival, whilst encouraging those from near and far to make the most of the delicious local produce on their doorstep.

The event itself promises something for everyone. With stalls exhibiting locally grown products, tasting stands, children’s entertainment and the grand finale of fresh lobster on the harbour, Crail Food Festival is a guaranteed date for the diary. So if like me, you have never ventured much past Elie, you are missing out. This village has such a wealth to offer, that I am already counting down the days to my next visit.

This year's must have.....the aubergine!

Being generally attracted to all things of the purple variety has led to my adoration of the aubergine. However, rather than being able to recount my numerous dalliances with this versatile fruit to one and all, I have always felt in the minority with my love for this purple gem. My nearest and dearest all seem to have had an unpleasant encounter with the eggplant at some point in their lives, ranging from trying a piece raw to having delved into the pickled variety.

Considering the versatility of the aubergine, and how widely used it is across a range of cuisines, I have always found its unpopularity a little hard to bear. By masking it using a number of guises, I feel I have helped to create a small cohort who are now much more 'melanzane' friendly. I converted Rob through making a tomato based sauce, slow cooked and laced with aubergine. My concept of trickery seemed to work, and before I could utter the words, 'Yes it's an aubergine', I heard winning sounds of delighted taste buds. Hurrah, I had successfully reeled in my first convert, and was armed with more recipes, ready to entrance the rest. This took on the form of luring friends with slices of grilled aubergine, served alongside a range of antipasti. Had it not been containing a mixture of aubergine infused wonders, my jaw would have hit the floor when they asked for more.

Based on my recent research, I predict big things this year for the aubergine. Should anyone have any further ideas on how to appropriately treat my purple friend, all suggestions are welcome.

Demo and Dine

My obsession with food seems to know no bounds. In fact, if such a thing exists, I am in essence a bit of a back seat cook. I can never let anyone just be, always looking over their shoulder and making a nuisance of myself. There was no room for this sort of behaviour at a recent demo and dine session I attended at Cookingmania in Stockbridge, where I was concentrating so intently on not missing anything, that my usual home cook urges were laid to rest for the night.

We were welcomed into the plush surroundings with a lovely glass of Prosecco, and as I sat at the sturdy wooden demonstration bench, I couldn't help but admire the beautiful glossy red kitchen. As our chef for the evening, Graziella, introduced herself and talked about her wonderful culinary background, I was firmly put in my place. This was not someone I could poke with a wooden spoon, urging them to check their seasoning.




We were treated to the insider scoop on how to make the perfect chicken curry. Starting off with a demonstration of knife skills, we were guided through, step by step, on how to perfectly spice the dish, how to keep the chicken moist, and most importantly, those bewildering secrets on how to keep washing up to a minimum!

To accompany our chicken curry we made a glorious raita, which frankly if nobody had been watching, I would have devoured all on its own. This traditional Indian dip was served alongside a generous helping of the chicken curry and rice. The dish was as promised, delicious. With fluffy white rice, succulent, moist chicken and the perfect balance of spices, this was a truly excellent curry, accompanied by a wonderful experience.

Cookingmania offer a range of cookery courses, from demo and dine to a Sunday baking club and men only evenings. You can find all of this and more on their website http://www.cookingmania.co.uk/

What, no microwave?

These were the words that literally flew out of my mouth upon starting my new job and discovering that there are no microwaves. To put this into perspective, I am generally the type of person who is happy to go with the flow. I'm not bound by the laws of habitude, or plagued by the necessity of routine. However there is one exception, and that is my over reliance on the work microwave. I love a hot lunch, and in a bid not to give fifty percent of my salary to Marks and Spencer, I regularly make huge pots of soup to suppress my hunger, whilst saving me a few pounds in the process. So the news that this lunch time habit would be no longer, has had me re-evaluating my current tried and tested regime.

To further complicate matters, I'm not a huge fan of the classic sandwich. This dislike isn't rooted in childhood memories of boring ham sandwiches, but rather the opposite. Being brought up on an Italian diet, my lunchbox as a child was filled with cheese, parma ham and olives. These treats now go hand in hand with a glass of wine, which I'm pretty sure will be frowned upon in the staff room.

I have therefore been looking for creative ways to make cold lunches interesting. Now I'm sure that many a foodie will frown upon my lack of initial inspiration on this front, but as an advocate of the hot lunch, it was definitely something that needed thinking about. So as far as getting over the lack of facilities, I'm still working on that, but in terms of embracing a new way of midday dining, my mouth seems to be permanently watering. So far this week, I have indulged in a grilled aubergine and quinoa salad, bulgar wheat with coriander, chilli and beef and a slightly less inventive tuna salad.

If you have any suggestions for how to make my cold lunches more interesting, I'd love to hear them. And who knows, with your inspiration I may forever become a cold lunch convert.