Appetising Alice

"He subsequently stayed to tea, and devoured every single muffin.' (
Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest)

One of my favourite chains in London has to be the Hummingbird Bakery. Describing its delicious baked goods as 'authentic American' style, the bakeries started in Portobello Road in 2004 and have since increased to include 6 shops all over the city. They sell a great range of cakes and desserts, but have managed to retain a quirky, independent feel despite their rapid growth.

The best cake they offer is probably... Well, it's incredibly hard to chose! Apart from their gooey chocolate brownies, their beautifully nutty carrot cake, and the adorable miniature cupcakes they sell for celebrations, they also make one of the best chocolate cupcakes I have ever eaten. It may be impossible to chose a favourite, but one thing's for sure, I've never had a dessert from Hummingbird which disappointed.

I was reminded of just how good these cake crafters are recently when we had some cakes sent into work. I was lucky enough to get a red velvet cupcake, which is definitely a choice I'd recommend. Not only was the sponge light and fluffy, but they are also exceedingly generous with cream cheese frosting, which in my opinion can never be a bad thing.

You can check out their full range and find all of their shops on their website: https://hummingbirdbakery.com/

"Hope is a good breakfast. Eat plenty of it." (Ian Fleming, James Bond: From Russia With Love)

I have to say that I would not describe myself as a morning person. All too often I find it difficult to drag myself from my bed, escaping bleary eyed and foggy headed, and claiming it a near miracle if I manage to turn up to anything early on time. Despite this, I do love breakfast. Maybe it's because a good breakfast numbs and erases all the pain of leaving your warm duvet, or maybe it's because food tastes even better when your body's had the whole night to reset itself. Either way, breakfast is probably my favourite meal of the day.

This week, I was lucky enough to go to Berners Tavern for breakfast. Located just off Oxford Street in the London Edition hotel, the restaurant is beautiful: a spacious room with lofty ceilings, tall arched windows, and ornate plasterwork. The walls are covered in framed artwork and photography, and chandeliers hang low, giving the dining room a feeling of incredible glamour, even at 8.30 in the morning.

The breakfast menu- penned by Jason Atherton- is equally decadent: a wide choice of pastries and cereal, traditional cooked breakfast options and a selection of sweet treats. The Tavern (thought to call it that seems rather absurd given its opulence) also has a good selection of drinks from fresh juices and smoothies to teas and coffees. After staring at the menu in awe for a few minutes, I chose the buttermilk pancakes and a cranberry juice. While my choice of drink was nothing to shout about, the food certainly didn't disappoint. The four light, fluffy, American style pancakes I was presented with were almost cake-like in their consistency and had a sweet but delicate flavour. On top of this, the generous portions of vanilla cream and berry compote presented alongside them were the perfect accompaniment- sweet, creamy, tangy flavours to adorn the perfectly cooked staple.

Overall, as you may have expected from Atherton's third venture in London (he already directed menus at Pollen Street Social and Social Eating House), breakfast at Berners Tavern was fabulous- both food and setting were almost perfection and I can only hope to return soon to sample the lunch and dinner menus!

"What I say is that, if a man really likes potatoes, he must be a pretty decent sort of fellow" (A. A. Milne)

Somewhere between the humble quiche and the slightly posher sounding frittata lives the 'friche' (yes, I did make that word up...). The friche is a protein packed, delicious and healthy open pie; it has an egg based filling similar to a frittata and a sweet potato crust which, despite is much lighter than traditional quiche crusts, definitely exists demarcating it from its omlette-like cousin.

The sweet potato base in this recipe is much healthier than conventional crusts (delicious as they are), but contrasts beautifully with the savoury, almost meaty filling, much like traditional pastry. I think that the vegetables included in this recipe complement the base particularly well, contrasting with the richness of the egg and sweet potato, and adding additional texture to the filling.

Not only is this recipe delicious, but it's really easy to make and looks much more complicated and exciting! A simple way to impress friends or a quick route to a healthy, versatile meal which can be eaten morning, noon or night.

Ingredients

For the crust:

2 sweet potato

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to season

For the filling:

8 eggs

100g cheddar

1 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion

100g spinach

200g mushrooms

1 tbsp chives

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius, and prepare your pie dish by greasing the base and sides with 1tbsp of olive oil.

2. Grate your sweet potato. You can either do this by hand or in a food processor- I chose to do it in a food processor to save time.

3. Put the grated sweet potato into your greased dish and push it into the base as well as onto the sides  to make a evenly spread, base shaped layer. At this point, it's good to feel as though you have a surplus of sweet potato as it will fuse together and condense as it cooks.

4. Place the dish in the oven and bake the sweet potato for 15 minutes.

5. While the crust is beginning to bake, you can start to cook the filling. Begin by cutting the mushrooms, and red onions- I like to cut these quite thinly, keeping the ring shape of the onions where possible. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and cook the onions and mushrooms on a medium heat for around 5 minutes until browned, and softened. Then, turn the heat down and add the spinach on top. You really just want to wilt the spinach so that it is easier to mix into the egg- you should be able to remove it from the heat after a couple of minutes.

6. Break the eggs into a jug, add the cheese and whisk. Once the ingredients have cooled slightly, add them into the mixture.

7. After 15 minutes have passed, take base out if the oven. The sweet potato should have cooked. Take a fork and press the sweet potato into the sides and base, squeezing it together. Then place the dish back into the oven for ten minutes to set in this new shape.

8. When the sweet potato has cooked, pour your egg mixture into the dish and put back into the oven for 30 minutes, or until slightly risen and browned on top. To double check if fully cooked, wiggle the dish, if the mixture wobbles in the middle, pop it back in for 5 minutes until fully set.

"Nella looks around at the shining wooden floors, the scrubbed counter, the pastries adorning the shop window, piled like irresistible presents [...] the smell of sweet cakes is so delicious." (Jesse Burton, The Miniaturist)

Although I suspect most of the food places I write about on this blog will be London based (as that's where I live), I don't want to contain myself to the capital, so I'll be including the gems I find elsewhere on my travels too.

I visited my hometown this weekend and so I thought I'd write something up about one of my favourite cafés: Parklife.

Situated a stone's throw from the beach, this dinky, family run café can only fit around 10 people at it's tables, and is seemingly always full, which is no surprise given the scrumptious treats available inside. I love the cafe for its unpretentious, cosy surroundings and equally comforting simple but utterly delicious food. Every time I go, there's a selection of new cakes and biscuits on offer, as well as the café's trademark glittering cupcakes, and wide selection of drinks.

This time I definitely overindulged, but my gawd was it worth it! After much deliberation, I decided on death by sugar: a (large) hot chocolate and a layered biscuit bar called 'Hello Dolly'. The drink was chocolatey, creamy, rich, and topped with cream and a flake- easily a match for any chain's offering. Even better than that though was the biscuit cake I devoured- 'Hello Dolly' was sweet, crumbly goodness. With a nutty top, a chocolate, coconut and cream filling, and a buttery biscuit base, it was the perfect mixture of crunchy and gooey, sweet and even sweeter: a fantastic treat. I couldn't stop thinking of this manifestation of deliciousness once I'd left, and after a quick google, I have found a recipe which I plan to try- I'm just not sure I will match the Parklife version!

While I didn't have a milkshake on this visit, I feel as though if I didn't mention them in this review, I would be underselling Parklife! The café will make a milkshake out of almost any ingredient you could desire: from cream eggs to jammie dodgers to farley's rusks, there's a plethora of options to choose from. All of the ones I have tried have been incredible, and you can almost literally have anything you want blended into a delicious treat: is this what dreams are made of?

So, if you ever find yourself in the sunny seaside town of Worthing, and decide you want a treat, I definitely recommend checking this cute little place out.

www.parklifefood.co.uk

"Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education" (Mark Twain)

If like me you're trying to be a bit healthier in 2015, then this recipe if for you... We're four months in now, and I've definitely lost some resolve; I love food, and unfortunately, I am particularly partial to the naughty, calorific delicacies which cost most on the scales. Given the chance, I will devour everything from chocolate and cakes to bread, cheese and chips... And I won't even regret it (until my jeans don't fit that is!). However, I am nothing if not determined so I'm always on the hunt for alternative routes to tastebud heaven.

I normally treat myself to a pizza on Friday, and I have to say that this Italian treat is a contester for my favourite food of all time (but that top spot is constantly changing).  So, obviously, as Friday ran around this week I was definitely craving my pizza fix (why do we always want what we can't have?!) and I was on the look out for a tasty substitute. Cauliflower alternatives are well and truly in vogue in recipe land at the moment, so I figured why not give this pizza crust a go and give myself at least some of what I wanted!

Now, I do have to be honest with you, this recipe will not replace pizza in my heart (shout out to the original recipe: I'm sorry I ever doubted you!) but it is a great low carb, guilt free alternative which is great for when you're trying to be a little healthier. The crust really is delicious: it's soft and spongey in the centre and the edges are beautifully crispy. It holds together surprisingly well, allowing pizza to retain its crown as finger food royalty, and the savoury flavour of the vegetable 'flour' partners fantastically with traditional pizza toppings. On top of that, It's pretty quick, it's simple and it really doesn't taste of cauliflower.

All in all, would recommend to a friend (though probably with a little caveat attached), so here's the recipe for a healthier Italian treat... Just don't go expecting miracles:

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Ingredients

1 medium cauliflower

1 large egg

1 tbsp basil

50g of vegetarian Parmesan cheese

4 tbsp marinara sauce

1/2 ball of mozzarella

Your desired toppings

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/gas mark 6 and prepare a tray with baking paper or foil to cook your crust on.

2. Start by grating your cauliflower florets (either by hand or in a blender)- make sure you don't use the stalks as these hold too much water. A medium cauliflower should yield around 500g of cauliflower 'flour'.

3. Put the grated cauliflower into the bowl and cook in the microwave on high for around 4 minutes. This will cook the veg slightly, making it softer.

4. Once cool enough, put the mircrowaved cauliflower into a cotton cloth and begin to squeeze the water out. The secret to the perfect crust is to get as much water out as possible so squeeze, squeeze, squeeeeze. You should end up with what looks like a ball of dough.

5. Put your ball of cauliflower into a mixing bowl and add the egg, cheese and basil. Mix together to form another ball- it will be much more delicate and crumbly than real dough, don't panic!

6. Place the dough ball onto the tray you prepared earlier and use your fingers to spread it out into a pizza crust. It should be around half a cm deep to avoid burning.

7. Pop into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until your can see the cheese bubbling and the crust is browning around the edges.

8. Take out of oven, and spread your marinara sauce, mozzarella and any other toppings upon your crust.

9. Put the pizza under the grill on a medium setting until the cheese has melted to your preference and any other toppings your have included are cooked.

And there you have it a tasty little taste of Italy with a a healthy twist. Delicious!

"She licked a stalk of rhubarb to make it sticky, plunged it into the bag of sugar, and took a big bite." (Bich Minh Nguyen, Stealing Buddha's Dinner)

Rhubarb is one of the few fruits and vegetables which tastes just as good eaten out of season, so when I saw the long, red stalks on the shelf of my local shop I just had to pick them up. Rather than being associated mystery and disappearance, the Yorkshire 'Rhubarb Triangle' has been famous for forcing rhubarb in the colder months for hundred of years. This shed grown variety is extremely similar to the seasonal bunches; it's slightly less sour (I wouldn't go as far as to say sweeter), and more tender than the seasonal variety, but it's just as nutritional and delicious!

As soon as I saw the rhubarb, I knew what I would be making: rhubarb crumble. I love the the combination of the tart fruit with the sweet crust, and it always reminds me of Sunday roasts and winter evenings spent by the fire when I was little. This time though I wanted to make this pudding a little healthier, and after playing around in the kitchen I think I have managed it! This recipe is completely vegan, it has no refined sugar and it is completely free of flour, but the topping is as sweet and tasty as ever. In fact, thanks to the quinoa and almonds, the topping has an extra crunch, with nutty and creamy flavours, as well as being packed full of protein and iron!

Ingredients

500g Rhubarb

1 tbsp coconut oil, softened

2 tbsp coconut sugar

4 tbsp quinoa flakes

3 tbsp rolled oats

3 tbsp ground almonds

2 tsp honey

Method

1. Roughly cut the rhubarb into 4cm chunks, and place into a pan.

2. Pour water over the rhubarb, barely covering it and cook on a low heat for 3-5 minutes or until softening. Drain the water and put into the crumble dish.

3. Put all of the dry ingredients into a bowl, then add the honey and the coconut oil. Use your fingers to rub the ingredients together, until the mixture resembled broken up flapjack.

4. Lay the crumble mixture evenly over a tray, and put under the grill on a low heat for 5 minutes or until browned.

5. Shake up the crumble and then sprinkle over the rhubarb.

6. Put the dish in the oven at gas mark 4 (180 degrees Celsius) and bake for 15 minutes.

Et voila- a healthy and delicious version of a traditional pudding. Serve with almonds sprinkled on top if you want an extra crunch- the nutty flavour goes so well with the fruity rhubarb filling!

"It's good when food tastes good, it's kind of like proof you're alive." (Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood)

The word okonomiyaki may initially seem a bit of a tongue twister to your average Brit, but this tasty Japanese cuisine is much easier to prepare than it is to pronounce. Translating as “what you like, cooked“, the pancake-like dish always has an egg and cabbage base, but the other ingredients can be adapted as desired.

I have kept my version of okonomiyaki pretty simple with an okra filling. I like to use fresh ingredients where possible so I picked up the okra, cabbage and spring onions (just look at the size of them!) from a local market. The simple, savoury flavours go really well together, however, the beauty of this adaptable recipe is that you can include anything from bacon to prawns if you want more layers.

While the actualisation of this Japanese meal varies by region and personal preference in its home country, the sauces which adorn the filling food are a more permanent feature. For me, these delicious, umami toppings are probably the best part of the dish and they certainly complement the flavours of the Japanese pancake. It can be quite difficult to find okonomiyaki sauce in the UK, but many Japenese and Asian supermarkets will stock a few varieties*, and I have also included a recipe for a similar topping below just in case.

Ingredients

For the pancakes (makes 2)

40g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

80ml water

1 large egg

150g cabbage

3 large spring onions

100g okra (plus toppings of your choice)

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

For the sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 teaspoon honey

Method

*If you're vegetarian, do be careful to check the ingredients as some sauces include fish sauce and animal fats.

N.B. I feel like I'm cheating a bit with this post as these particular musings are ones that I originally wrote for the Brixton blog (http://www.brixtonblog.com/) in February. However, as I'm leaving my job very soon, and things are incredibly hectic as a result, I've decided to slightly edit, reuse and recycle this recipe- enjoy!