It's been a bittersweet week. We went to the Lake District for my husband's granny's funeral. She was 93, at least. It was nice to see Sam's family and especially nice for me that we could pick up my mum from the airport on the way and stop to leave her with my aunt and spend a few hours with them both there and on the way back
It's definitely been a sweet week, food-wise. Since Wednesday I've almost solidly eaten bread, scones and cake, with just three salads filling the gaps!
- The first delicious and memorable new thing I ate this week was breakfast at the Moon & Sixpence in Cockermouth on Wednesday. Turns out they didn't offer cooked breakfasts but I was sold on the fact they made their own seeded sourdough and cakes, seemed to know what they were doing with coffee and had Kokoa for their hot chocolates. So we stayed. Round one was sourdough with butter and marmite and a perfect oat milk latte. I could have eaten rounds and rounds of the toast if they'd let me. They sell the loaves on Thursdays. Breakfast round two (immediately after) was a shared piece of their banana, walnut and chocolate cake with an 82% hot chocolate to myself. All perfect. Don't miss this cafe if you go to the Lake District.
- On Thursday back in London I went to Dominique Ansel as Felicity Spector's guest. They fed us well with some of the new strawberry desserts. I also tried the Zahra Rose which was exactly my kind of dessert - a light raspberry chocolate mousse with a raspberry and rose coulis centre sitting on a crunchy pistachio praline base.
- Because I'm a glutton for sweet things I took a break for a few hours and then went to the opening of Artisan du Chocolat's new shop in Hampstead. They've just launched a vegan chocolate soft serve ice cream. It's made with only chocolate and water and you'd never know it!
- On Friday I was invited to give feedback on afternoon tea at the Principal Hotel. The tea service opens to the public on Monday. There was a quail egg en cocotte truffle to begin, four types of sandwiches, four types of scones and eight little pastries. I was surprised to enjoy the apricot and lavender tart the most, but I also loved the yuzu and black sesame macaron, the rose and blueberry and creme fraiche mousse on an almond cake and the chocolate tonka bar. It's only £38 (not cheap, but relative to other afternoon teas, it is) and it's in the most beautiful room with excellent Rare Tea Company tea or Caravan Coffee.
- Yesterday I led the Ice Cream Ecstasy tour but Monday I just got to attend as a guest and take some pictures. The current most popular flavour seems to be the Peanut & Blueberry from Gelupo. It's one of my favourites, too. The range of favourites amongst people is always but broad, but this is coming up a lot lately and it's a limited edition so you should probably try it soon!
I was hoping to get to Leeds this weekend for the Bake for Syria event at North Star Roast Coffee Shop, but I'm not sure I'm going to make it. Do try to get there if you can! It looks so delicious.
