First Tastes

The first time I was presented with a banoffee pie I was eager to devour the creamy goodness that awaited me. Made by the M-in-L it was pretty much guaranteed I was going to enjoy it, she is after all an amazing cook (I am sure this will not be the last time I mention that fact).

Oh dear though, it was all I could do not to openly gag on each mouthful. It would be obvious something was wrong if I just left it though, so I powered right through to the last mouthful. Only for the M-in-L and the other half to stare at me as though I had just eaten my own arm.

“I can’t believe you just ate that!” says the other half.

“Why, what was wrong with it?” I ask now worried. ”

“It had bananas in it”

Busted, time to confess all.

“I wondered why it was making me feel a little queasy.”

I admitted I didn’t like it but I was too polite to say anything. If someone has gone to the effort to make something for me, surely the least I can do is eat it, no?

So that was my first taste of banoffee pie, which didn’t end well. This memory popped back into my head two days ago when it was time to start weaning my little bambino and I was attempting to spoon-feed him his first few mouthfuls of baby rice.

It was a momentous occasion for me. The M-in-L, the Sister-in-Law, even the auntie and cousin were there to witness the event.

I can’t imagine what it would be like to only eat one thing for five months and then to suddenly find yourself being force-fed this foreign mush which is so often, and quite rightly so, likened to wallpaper paste.

I am so excited to introduce new flavours but am trying hard to kerb my enthusiasm as apparently you can’t rush these things. The cupboards are already stocked with little pots, each a different flavour from the last. Don’t frown on me just yet, I do intend to make my own baby puree, but just for the first couple of weeks I am going to cheat.

I have every intention that I will be able introduce him to the widest range of food possible at a young age in the hope that I can avoid him being as fussy as I was as a child.

Wish me luck!

Cóte Restaurant – Guildford

As much as I love the Bambino, I am sure any mother will agree that sometimes, once in a blue moon, we need a night off. The little blighter, at five months old, has slept through the night a total of three times, one of which just happened to be the night I am about to write about meaning I wasn’t around to reap the benefits. As you can imagine, it’s been a long time since I can remember what it was like not to be tired. The M-in-L has helpfully bought a second-hand cot for such occasions where sleep deprivation drives me delirious.

The first time we sent Bambino off for a sleepover at Nanny’s, we were excited by the prospect of acting like our old selves and embarking on an evening of posh food and unpronounceable wine.

So off we popped on a train to Guildford, giddy with the idea that for the first time in 18 months we can both drink wine at the same time. Is it just me or is drinking as a couple far more entertaining than watching the other enjoy a gallon of alcohol while you have to sip a diet coke as the designated drive?

I have only ever eaten French food in France, but I don’t think that really counts as I was pregnant at the time which meant the good stuff was banned for me, so I wasn’t really sure what to expect and therefore this review is by no means written from an experts viewpoint.

We started off the evening in a little pub called The Keep just a couple of doors down from Côte. On first glance we think we are onto a winner. It has the feel of a proper English pub but with a contemporary twist. Just the right kind of lighting, comfortable sofas and a stack of board games to keep you amused for hours should that take your fancy. We had the time to take all this in while standing at the bar waiting for a member of staff to appear. Funny how the best impressions can be flushed down the toilet when we are made to wait by a bar tender who acts like he has been smacked too many times with a wet fish, ‘I’m sorry Sir, I didn’t mean to bring you custom!’ We only had the one drink so didn’t stay long enough to allow the fellow to redeem himself.

Moving on to the main event, we arrived on time to be greeted by friendly attentive staff which became the running theme of the evening despite the obvious fact the restaurant was filled to capacity. I feel somewhat over dressed with my sparkly leggings and little black dress. A lot of the clientele seem to have adopted a far more casual look, I don’t really care all that much though, this is my first proper night out in ages and I was going all out.

Seated by a window on a large table for two, we were immediately offered water and nibbles in the way of olives which were greedily devoured in seconds (I can’t just have one or two, I eat olives until they are gone). All the wine is understandably French of which I have no experience in drinking (why did I go to France while I was pregnant???) so our very helpful waiter guided us towards a very lovely bottle called St Chinian, Domaine Du Barres 2010 (Mulberry, Blackberry and Black Cherry).

I must apologise for the poor quality pictures, a couple of glasses of wine and dim lighting are my excuse.

To start I ordered the Rillets, coarsely shredded duck and pork paté, shallots, cornichons and served with toasted sourdough bread. I had no idea what a cornichon was until I announced how much I was enjoying the kick the little gherkins were giving the dish and the partner filled me in. I could have eaten this as a main meal. Never before has pate had me resisting the temptation to wipe the bowl clean with my finger.

For the main course I was torn between the roasted duck breast (served pink) with potato gratin and a griottine cherry sauce or the pan roasted pork belly with a potato, créme fraíche and chive purée, caramelised apples and calvados jus. The duck won out as the partner went for the pork belly. I added on a side order of carrots as I am a traditional gal needing a bit of veg on my plate. The duck could have done with being a little hotter but my guess is that it was left to rest slightly longer then it should have been and I am not fussy enough to send it back to be warmed up. I think a roasted or sautéed potato would have worked better than a creamy gratin but that isn’t to say the potatoes weren’t lovely.

Mmmm, my favourite part, the chocolate dessert course. Whenever I look at a dessert menu I find it difficult to see anything that doesn’t say chocolate. I can’t help it so chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream it had to be. Warm chocolatey goodness, practically a cuddle, devoured in seconds without a pause to wipe the chocolate smears on my lips. Dare I say it? Delectable!

I wouldn’t say this is a posh restaurant by any means, but it does definitely feel more upmarket than most places around this area, especially as the night goes on and yet isn’t over priced. I will probably come back here as a birthday restaurant, I like to use tried and tested venues for birthdays, and I will certainly be recommending it to family and friends.

The Hidden Hut

So the other half and I recently took the Bambino, the Mother in Law and the M-in-L’s partner for a weeks holiday down to Cornwall holding high hopes that we would be spoilt for choice when it came to fresh locally produced grub. Surrounded by the sea and inundated with farms, we weren’t disappointed.

We had heard about Porthcurnick Beach, a very secluded place which is at the end of a little lane (if you drive down the lane and think you are about to hit a dead-end, keep going, you are probably in the right place) in Rosevine on the south coast. A little hut sits slightly raised up at the back of the beach, it doesn’t look like much but it offers a fantastic view together with a surprisingly delicious array of tapas dishes. There is no covered seating so you are exposed to the elements, but that for me added to the appeal. You can sit in a cafe or restaurant anywhere but this is something very different.

The menu wasn’t huge but that just means the chef can concentrate on ensuring that what comes out of his kitchen is delicious. We chose the following dishes at a cost of 5 for £15.

Houmous with flat bread
Chorizo in balsamic
Parma ham with wild rocket
Asparagus with egg and parmesan x 2
Olives
Mixed bean salad
Tomatoes with garlic and feta
Chicken liver pate with toast
Anchovy fillets

I was pretty disappointed when the olives arrived. Served in a shallow bowl no bigger than a ramekin, you can’t help feel you have wasted a choice when you compare that to the larger dishes such as the asparagus with egg and parmesan, which might I add was an unusual but interesting combination.

I’m often sceptical about paying for houmous in a restaurant. It’s not the kind of dish that gets the taste buds going or has me salivating in anticipation. I was however pleasantly surprised at how moreish it was. Served with a mountain of flatbread, we all found ourselves going back for more until we had wiped the bowl clean.

The parma ham, chicken liver pate and the mixed bean salad were all great tasting dishes enjoyed by all. The anchovies fillets split the group. The flavour of the anchovy is very strong which for me meant one or two was plenty. The Mother in Law and the other half weren’t keen but the M-in-L’s partner loved them. An aquired taste for sure, but I am glad we tried them.

The biggest hit amongst the group was the chorizo in balsamic. The best quality sausage had obviously been sourced and the balsamic seemed so simple yet made for an exciting pairing, so much so I will be recreating this as an appetizer at my next dinner party along with the tomatoes with garlic and feta.

We have since found out The Hidden Hut hosts regular feast nights, each with a different theme. However if you fancy going along you will find yourself disappointed as each event is ticketed and sells out months in advance. Frustrating as this may be, it does prove how popular and delicious the food must be.

For more information about The Hidden Hut, please follow the link –

http://www.hiddenhut.co.uk 

If ever you find yourself visiting the south coast of Cornwall, I do urge you to take the time to visit Porthcurnick Beach and treat yourself to lunch at this lovely little gem of a place, as much for the experience if not for the food.

 

For Starters

Hello, and welcome to my first post. 

Before I write any reviews I thought I would tell you a little bit about myself regarding the nature of my blog. 

From the age of 16 I have worked full time and used to enjoy spending my wages on treating my friends to lunch or dinner at local pubs, much to their delight. As I have gotten older, not much has changed, except I now make my friends pay for their own meals or the other half pays for mine. 

Over the years my tastes have radically changed. Eight years ago I went to an Indian restaurant for my Brother in Laws birthday and refused point blank to have anything other then scampi and chips. To this day I get ridiculed over my scampi obsession. I even phoned a restaurant once to check that scampi was on the menu before agreeing to go!  

Don’t get me wrong, I am still partial to a bit of scampi, but there is a whole world of food out there just waiting to be explored. I genuinely feel people are missing out when they either cook or order the same dishes over and over again. 

Lets talk about food heaven and hells. My least favourite food is easy, bananas! Even the thought of them turns my stomach, especially the idea of eating them once they have started to go brown. Why would you eat something that was once yellow but now appears to be going mouldy? Each to their own though. 

My food heaven is a little trickier, there is too many to choose from. Remember we are just talking about ingredients and not complete dishes. I love the ‘meaty’ type of vegetable such as potatoes, parsnips, and butternut squash. However, I adore game too, duck, rabbit, venison, and pheasant. As I write this I am thinking of more and more ingredients – pork belly, paprika, chorizo, smoked salmon, goats cheese, mozzarella…. 

That’s enough about me for now, reviews, recommendations and rants to follow. 

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy my future blogs. 

=D