Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 28 August 2017

"People want honest, flavourful food, not some show-off meal that takes days to prepare."

Ted Allen, American author and television personality

Quick Cake Stop - The Vintage Cupcake Kitchen

High Street, Uppermill, Oldham 

This week, during a day out in Uppermill, I stumbled across a gorgeous little cake emporium, The Vintage Cupcake Kitchen. It does what it says on the tin: it’s a vintage tea room which specifically caters for the sweet-toothed amongst us. Cupcakes, cheesecakes, tray bakes, brownies, rocky roads, milkshakes, ‘freakshakes’, cream teas and afternoon teas – this saccharine gem is a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds, with a spectacular display of aesthetically astonishing cake creations.

The interior looks just as beautiful as the cake counter. It’s as traditional as a tea room could possibly be, with Lilliputian tables, wooden stools and benches to perch on, strewn with a mishmash of cushions. On each table, there’s a tiny china cup filled with sugar cubes and a hand-written chalkboard sign with the table number. It’s cosy and quirky. There’s a large veranda out the front, meaning you can indulge in the perfect mix of coffee, cakes and gossip whilst watching the world pass by this idyllic little village in Saddleworth. 

I stared and stared at the mammoth selection of cakes, all of them making my eyes and my mouth water simultaneously. Their gargantuan slices of cheesecake proved too hard to resist. I decided to go for the Milky Bar flavour.

Milky Bar Cheesecake

It was a soft and creamy vanilla cheesecake centre with a hint of white chocolate. The white chocolate topping was reminiscent of a Nestle Milky Bar, every kid’s favourite choccy treat. The cheesecake itself was delicious, but I would have preferred a slightly stronger chocolate flavour. A chunky biscuit base is a very important aspect of a cheesecake – there’s nothing more disappointing than a wafer thin layer of crumbs – so although this box was ticked, it crumbled as soon as my fork went through it. It needed more binding.

Topped off with a squirt of cream, a piece of the good old fashioned Milky Bar and one of those white chocolate disco coins that used to be a mainstay of a pick and mix, overall, it was a delight.

Don’t believe what anybody else tells you – when it comes to cake, size is everything. This was large enough to serve as lunch all on its own, and for an appetite as insatiable as mine that is no mean feat. By the time I’d eaten by last mouthful, I even left feeling slightly queasy, albeit in a satisfying way. There was plenty of tea to wash it down with.

The Vintage Cupcake Kitchen serves up scrumptious cakes in delightfully twee, vintage surroundings. If you’re passing through Uppermill, you can’t miss it – it’s in a prime location in the middle of this charming little village. 

Liking their Facebook page may prove to be a huge mistake, as I’ll drool over pictures of their daily specials every morning, wishing I could go back and indulge all over again.

I’d love to return in the future to try their brownies, and the afternoon tea. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thevintagecupcakekitchen/

Afternoon Tea at The Midland Hotel

Peter Street, Manchester

Last week was National Afternoon Tea Week, and I’ve certainly done my fair share of celebrating. Following my alternative, extra-saccharine afternoon tea at Home Sweet Home, laden with delicious cinnamon churros and a selection of stodgy cakes, this week’s offering was much more traditional.

As a special birthday present for my Grandma, I treated her to afternoon tea at The Midland Hotel, one of Manchester City Centre’s premium hotels. It’s an iconic and historic venue which has played host to stars from across the globe – even Prime Ministers, Presidents and members of the Royal Family have stayed there. There are conference rooms, two fine dining restaurants, a spa and four-star accommodation all under one roof. 

In April, The Midland added a new string to its bow: The Tea Room, a dining room dedicated entirely to its renowned afternoon tea experience. The tone is set from the moment you arrive. Walking through the marbled reception, the elegant interior is beautifully grand, oozing glamour. The Tea Room itself is opulent and tranquil, complete a silver and blue marble-effect carpet and comfy chairs covered in flock fabric.

We were seated at a cosy table for three in the corner of the room, an excellent position for being nosy. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a bit of people watching? Each table is accompanied by a silver stand, from the floor to table height, which is a genius idea, as it means that a) the tea stand isn’t going to take up valuable table space and b) you won’t get a crick in your neck from peeping around it to talk to your companions. Crisp white table cloths and China cups and saucers are very much the order of the day. There’s even a chefs counter, where you can see your afternoon tea being prepared. 

The Traditional Afternoon Tea is £25 per person, and you’re presented with three tiers of pure excellence. Start savoury, of course, with five miniature sandwiches. If you’re a fan of the plain sandwich, this isn’t the place for you. To appreciate this experience, your palate needs to be as sophisticated as the surroundings. There was duck egg and mustard cress on white bread, smoked salmon and lemon verbena crème fraîche on dark malt bread, honey-baked gammon with garden pea mousse on granary, goat’s cheese with beetroot chutney on walnut bread and Goosnargh chicken with barbecued sweet corn on a brioche bun. All the sandwiches were very flavoursome, with the variety of breads adding an extra dimension. My favourites were the smoked salmon and lemon - a combination that you wouldn’t expect to work but was very powerful – and the goat’s cheese and beetroot. The unusual mix of sweet and savoury worked very well.

As I peeped around at the busy dining room, I noticed that some parties ate the cakes before the scones, whilst some ate the scones before the cakes. Which is correct? Personally, I thought this was a no-brainer: scones first, my argument being that they bridge the gap between savoury and sweet. Either way, you have to give warning when you’re ready to tuck into them, as you are served a scoop of jam onto your plate. We were given a choice of three: strawberry, raspberry or lemon curd. Intrigued as I was by the lemon curd, I’m not sure it sits correctly on top of a scone, so I played it safe and opted for the strawberry. Heaped on with clotted cream, you really can’t beat it. We had a plain scone and a sultana scone each, and they were decent sizes. We could have opted for the ‘scone of the day’, which was strawberry. Served slightly warm, they were quite possibly the best scones I’ve ever tasted. They pulled apart on the seams effortlessly, without crumbling, and had the perfect crunch on the outside.

The third and final round: the cakes. For me, the most important part of your afternoon tea experience. First of all, there was a passion fruit and white chocolate meringue tart. This played tricks with the mind as it looked like a lemon meringue pie, so I think my taste buds were completely unprepared for the sweet passion fruit flavour, instead expecting a tart citrus taste. It was delicious, with soft, peaked meringue, just the way I like it.

Next up was a dark chocolate delice, a layered dessert with a biscuit base, cranberry filling, chocolate mousse in the centre and chocolate ganache on the top, finished off with feuilletine and flakes of gold leaf. I’d never had a ‘delice’ before, but I loved the cranberry flavour and the light, airy texture. 

Number three was a pistachio and olive oil cake, topped with orange curd. It was a deliciously moist sponge with an intense nutty flavour. I had no idea what to expect, but it turned out to be one of my favourites.

We ended on a dome of Scottish strawberry and champagne moose with a Victoria sponge base. The exterior, made from strawberry coulis, was sweet and fruity, underneath which lay the champagne mousse. The sponge base paid homage to the traditional Victoria sponge cake. For my companions, it was a little too sweet, but that’s a phrase that doesn’t enter my vocabulary. 

As we placed our silver cutlery down on our plates and wiped our sticky fingers on the napkins draped across our laps for the final time, we were feeling pleasantly full, but not stuffed – a sign of an excellent afternoon tea. You shouldn’t be left wanting more, but neither should you feel uncomfortable.

Afternoon tea at The Midland Hotel is one of the finest examples of this great British tradition. It oozes glamour and elegance, putting a contemporary stamp on this conventional pastime. The food is exquisite, the staff are attentive and there’s an unlimited supply of tea – what could be more perfect?

You can add bubbles to your afternoon tea, upgrading to the Royal version for an extra £7. There is also a vegetarian, a vegan, a gluten free and a children’s option, so there’s something to suit all needs. 

At the heart of Manchester City Centre, The Midland Hotel is a must for a unique afternoon tea experience. It can make a special occasion extra special.

View the menus and book online here: 

http://www.afternoontea.co.uk/uk/north-west/manchester/the-midland-hotel/

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 21 August 2017

"The meal is not over when I'm full. The meal is over when I hate myself." 

 Louis C.K. - American comedian, actor and writer

Afternoon Tea at Home Sweet Home

The Great Northern Warehouse, Manchester

I’ve previously spoken about my love of partaking in a spot of afternoon tea. There is nothing more quintessentially British. I’ve tried a fair few different ones, from the plain and simple to the elegant and extravagant. As with anything, some are better than others, but I really appreciate it when a place brings something a little different to the table.

Henceforth, it’s time for me to tell you about my latest spot of afternoon indulgence, courtesy of Home Sweet Home. I’ve previously written about this little gem of Manchester City Centre – you can read my review here.

Originally based in the Northern Quarter, it’s a quirky and quaint American diner which specialises in sensationally stodgy comfort food. Its enormous popularity led to the opening of a second joint inside the Great Northern Warehouse a couple of years back.

Last month, they launched their own take on the afternoon tea. My first glance at the menu almost caused palpitations. It offers something completely different. Rather than the usual triangle sandwiches and scones, there’s a selection of American and Mexican inspired delights, including open bagels, cinnamon churros and a conglomeration of Home Sweet Home specialities. 

There were three mini open bagels. Cheddar cheese and tomato was the simplest of the trio, a classic that you can’t get wrong. The second was a BLT, layered up with a slice of tomato, rocket leaves and crispy, maple-cured bacon. The final bagel was an unusual combo: smoked salmon and smashed avocado. Two delicious ingredients that, on paper, you wouldn’t expect to work together, but they do. The bagels were freshly baked, soft and ever-so-slightly sweet, reminding me more of a brioche roll. Served with a handful of homemade crisps – sorry, ‘potato chips’, as the Americans bizarrely call them – dusted with barbecue and paprika. These salty, crunchy morsels were a welcome little extra, and certainly needed in preparation for the forthcoming sugar overload.

At stage two, on the middle tier, were the churros. These choux pastries, fried until crunchy and sprinkled with sugar, are mainly eaten for breakfast across Spain, Portugal and France, but the cinnamon version originated in the States. Traditionally, they’re eaten dipped in chocolate. It couldn’t be more different from the humble fruit scone with jam and clotted cream. Generally, they’re not something I’d order for dessert, so I haven’t tried many of them. However, these will certainly take some beating. They were incredibly light and fluffy on the inside, cripsy on the outside, and they pulled apart effortlessly, making for easy dipping. They were served with a pot of Nutella and ‘Dreamcheese frosting’, a Home Sweet Home creation. Coupled together, the Nutella and the Dreamcheese frosting together with a shameless bit of double dipping made for a taste sensation. It’s a dessert that needs creating here and now.

Onto the top tier, which was filled with a plethora of Home Sweet Home delights: a lemon meringue pie, three squares of red velvet cheesecake brownie, the cupcake of the month – which also happened to be red velvet – a cup of chocolate espresso moose and three chocolate truffles. The cakes are always the highlight of an afternoon tea, and truly are the jewel in Home Sweet Home’s crown, so I was highly unlikely to be disappointed.

The lemon meringue pie struck the perfect balance between sweet and tarty, oozing with lemon filling and topped off with soft meringue. The cheesecake brownie squares were a delicious mouthful, a red velvet brownie filled with a dollop of creamy vanilla cheesecake. I would have preferred a standard chocolate brownie exterior, however, given that the cupcake of the month was also red vevlet. Delightful though it was, with a vanilla butter cream icing and topped with a glacier cherry. A shot of rich, smooth chocolate espresso moose was another item on the top tier. As a loather of all things coffee, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this, but it was actually very nice. I think this was down to the fact that it was milk chocolate based, rather than dark. The milk choc helped to soften the bitterness of the coffee. It made the perfect dip for the two fresh strawberries which were thrown in for good measure. Well,  if there’s some fruit in there then it’s healthy, yes? 

We ended on the three half-moon chocolate truffles: one lemon, one chocolate fudge and one red velvet (again!), all coated in white chocolate. I’m not quite sure how to describe the texture of a truffle: think a slightly moist, stodgy sponge. They’d gone slightly gooey by the time we were got to them, having spent too much time under the low-hanging ceiling lights whilst we were gossiping, but they were still yummy, my favourite being the chocolate fudge one. The top tier was, literally, the icing on the cake and reminded us of exactly what Home Sweet Home does best.

This stupendously scrumptious afternoon tea is a novel change from your usual sandwiches and scones. It’s a tooth-achingly sweet treat that may leave you bouncing off the ceiling by the end of it, but it’s worth it. Your first hot drink is included, but you’ll certainly need to purchase extras in order to get through it. The majority of the cakes, with the exception of the red velvet cheesecake brownies, had to be cut up and shared, rather than being served as mini individuals, so it’s very much a couple’s afternoon tea – quite how it would work with an odd number of people, I’m not sure.

It’s only been a month since it launched, but I have no doubt that this afternoon tea will become a popular fixture at Home Sweet Home. It’s only available at the Great Northern site. I imagine this is due to the fact that the Northern Quarter place is walk-in only, whereas booking is essential for afternoon tea. This is a shame, as I think the Northern Quarter restaurant is more suited to an afternoon tea, as it’s quaint and quirky,with a tea shop feel, whereas the Great Northern feels much more like an American diner. 

If you’re a sugar fiend who, like me, loves to try a little bit of everything, then this an experience you cannot afford to miss. If your palate is more savoury, it’s perhaps best to avoid it.

£20 per person. View the menu and book your afternoon tea here: 

http://homesweethomenq.com/

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 14 August 2017

"Life is too short for self-hatred and celery sticks." 

 Mariyln Wann

Gusto, Leeds

Greek Street, Leeds

‘Gusto is all about making the everyday exquisite’. That’s what the tagline says, and when you step into one of their restaurants, it instantly feels like something special. It’s a glamorous Italian restaurant with a 1920s theme.

During a recent visit to Leeds, I popped in for a spot of lunch and was taken aback by the elegant and ornate interior. Tall ceilings, hanging wall lamps and beautifully twinkling foliage across the ceilings set the scene for a sophisticated soirée. With candles flickering away on the tables, it feels intimate whilst still being naturally lit. There are lots of different seating areas: casual seats at the bar for cocktails, some tables more formal than others, draped in crisp white table cloths. The big, round booths are a dream for bigger parties. 

On a Monday afternoon, there were only a couple of tables taken. The waiting staff were welcoming, but it was a while before we were offered a drink. First impressions are everything, and for a restaurant that was so quiet, they should have been more prompt. Thankfully, once we’d ordered our drinks, everything else moved along nicely.

We dined from the lunch menu, which offers two courses for £12.95, or three for £14.95. What’s not to like? The set price special brings something completely different to the table, quite literally, with light bites perfect for daytime dining. For starters, there was the likes of pate, houmous, salad and soup, all of which sounded deliciously scrumptious. I had the sun-dried tomato houmous, topped with pumpkin seeds and served with a board of crudités, including celery sticks, cucumber chunks and toasted artisan bread. The houmous had a superb flavour, and the crudités were much bigger than I was expecting. It could have been a lunch all on its own. Pleasing to the eyes as well as to the palate, it was colourful and healthy. Healthy eating is never my number one priority when I’m dining out, so it was a real joy to be eating something that was as nutritious as it was delicious. 

Sun-dried tomato houmous with crudites

For main course, there was just about everything: salads, salmon, fish cakes, burgers and sandwiches. I had the ‘Mozzarella and Prosciutto Arrosto En Carrozza’ – a sandwich of dry-cured ham and mozzarella cheese with slices of beef tomato and pesto, pan-fried in mozzarella and bread crumbs. It was incredibly more-ish and served with a fresh, leafy salad, drizzled in a sweet vinaigrette dressing. The only, very slight, criticism I would have is that the sandwich itself was a little soggy; I wouldn’t have been able to pick it up to eat it. It didn’t ruin the flavour, but the texture could have been firmer. It was served with a tomato coulis. I’m not sure whether this was intended for the salad or the sandwich, but I’d recommend dipping the sandwich into it, as it complimented it beautifully. It may not have been as healthy as the starter, but it was just as yummy.

Mozzarella and Prosciutto Arrosto En Carrozza

Sadly, by the time we got to the end of the main course, I was stuffed. You see, I’d already had a gigantic slice of cake earlier in the day, subsequently making a rod for my own back, as it meant I had to wave bye bye to the Banoffee Pie, my would-be dessert of choice. I hate having to turn down pudding. I’m a firm believer that a meal out is incomplete if you haven’t indulged in dessert. Not only that, but it was only £2 extra for something sweet, so it was, frankly, heartbreaking. Still, there’s always next time.

Having thoroughly enjoyed the lunch menu, I’m intrigued to return to Gusto of an evening. I caught a brief glimpse of a couple of pasta dishes as they were being brought out from the kitchen, and they looked wonderful. As for the set price lunch, it’s one of the best I’ve had in terms of value for money. Gusto is a superior Italian restaurant chain, the perfect place for a catch up with friends or a business meeting over some top quality food.

Website: http://gustorestaurants.uk.com/ 

The Clarence

Silver Street, Bury

The Clarence is an independent, contemporary gastro-pub in Bury. One of the highlights of the town centre, it’s a four-story Victorian building which houses a pub, restaurant, wine bar and even its own brewery. Inside, it has a timeless contemporary feel, cosy yet classy. Established, as we know it, in 2014 by Lee and Lottie Hollingworth, they aim to provide a first class dining experience using only the freshest local ingredients, alongside a boozer which oozes Northern charm.  

I’ve heard great things about The Clarence, and it’s long since been on my ‘to dine’ list. We paid a visit on Friday evening. The Kitchen Restaurant is situated on the first floor, above the pub. It’s a brassiere-style restaurant with a traditional gastro-pub feel. It’s full of quirks: vintage, with plenty of nods to Lancashire’s industrial history, complete with spinning wheels and a dumb waiter. 

There’s a whole host of menus on offer, from time-honoured pub grub to upmarket a la carte. In fact, there’s too much choice. They offer a fixed price two course menu from Monday to Friday, throughout the day until 7.00pm. Naturally, we jumped at the chance to try the a la carte selections at such superb value. There’s plenty of choice, from meat and fish dishes to a good old fashioned burger and a vegetarian risotto. 

To start, I had the ‘New Season English Asparagus’, served with a soft boiled egg, delicately placed on top of truffle emulsion, and a few rocket leaves. The three (yes, that’s right, just three) spears of asparagus were deliciously crunchy, and the soft boiled egg was the perfect texture, with the yolk just runny enough for it to trickle out onto the plate without causing a stream. I’m not quite sure exactly what I thought of the truffle emulsion. Normally, I love truffle, but this lacked taste and had a rather slimy texture. It didn’t really add much to the dish.

New Season English Asparagus

The main course selection covered all bases: chicken, pork, fish, a burger and a vegetarian risotto - a superb choice. I had the Chinese Spiced Pork Belly, served with Swiss chard, mashed potato and a sweet and sour chilli broth. I had my reservations, as my palate doesn’t suffer spicy foods gladly. Luckily, this was absolutely fine. The pork fell apart as I cut into it and melted away in my mouth. The sweet and sour spices made for a moist, flavoursome piece of meat. The Swiss chard was cooked to within an inch of its life to create a healthy alternative to crackling, with a deliciously satisfying crunch. The mashed potato was delightfully creamy, and soaked up the sweet and sour jus. When it comes to fine dining, presentation is everything, and this dish was beautifully set out. It was an exquisite main course which really demonstrated why The Clarence has acquired such a superb reputation. 

Chinese Spiced Pork Belly

Sadly, two courses at The Clarence won’t leave you feeling stuffed, or even moderately full. The downfall of fine dining is always in the small portion sizes. But, never fear, there’s always dessert. It wasn’t an overly inspiring choice. Whilst the selection of sundaes did sound extremely tempting, I’m not keen on ice cream based desserts. I had the melting chocolate pudding, which was essentially a chocolate cake with a gooey fondant centre. It was delightfully rich, and primarily milk chocolate, which I loved. It’s the, more common, use of dark chocolate which often makes a chocolate dessert too rich. It was served with a scoop of raspberry ripple ice cream, sat on a bed of chocolate biscuit crumbs. It was a delicious combination and a perfect conclusion to the meal, without lying too heavy.

Melting Chocolate Pudding

It was a splendid introduction to this charming little gastro pub that I’ve heard so many people talk about. The staff were friendly and attentive. When placing our orders, I was concerned that the pork belly may be a little too spicy for a wimp like me. During the main course, our waitress popped over to check that it wasn’t too hot. It’s these additional touches from the waiting staff that make you really appreciate the way the place is run.

The delicious food is definitely for the more sophisticated palate, but you don’t have to go a la carte, as they also offer a fine selection of pub classics, as well as signature grills and steaks. I’d like to try the pub grub, but, having dined on the two course special, I’m not sure I’d return for the main a la carte menu, simply because I don’t think the place justifies the prices. It was very nice, but a little over-ambitious with its pricing. 

Once you’ve dined, you can head upstairs to the Fallen Angel, the wine and cocktail bar. If you’d rather enjoy a more relaxed drink, the pub, downstairs, is open to all, whether you eating or not. 

The vast range of menus can be found at the website:

http://theclarence.co.uk/

Quote of the Week - Week commencing Monday 7 August 2017

"Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad." 

Miles Kington - British journalist, musician and broadcaster, inventor of Spanglish