Short Treats Starbucks Pistachio Latte  Happy Saturday! Welcome to a new type of post I’m calling "Short Treats"—bite-sized reviews for things that don’t quite need a full-length blog post. Think of it as the blog equivalent of YouTube Shorts. Today started as a simple trip to town to buy a new cookbook (stay tuned for that review), but thanks to winter's icy grip, it felt more like navigating a bobsled track. Living on a hill in January? Definitely a winter sport. While passing Costa, I couldn’t help but wonder what their post-Christmas menu might look like—surely nothing could top the Black Forest Hot Chocolate. There was no adverts in the window, whatever it is I shall wait to find out, then I looked across the road at Starbucks, a very green poster in the window caught my eye: Pistachio Latte. I wasn't actually going to get a coffee out, personally its very rare, there has to be a reason to hand over many hard earned pennies for something I can make in a minute at...

Cookbook Review: Fire & Ice - Classic Nordic Cooking Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all! We've just entered January, and every part of the country, except here, is covered in beautiful white snow. I used to hate snow—other than it being beautiful—mostly because of walking, or sliding, to school and work on a route entirely downhill. My outlook changed after working in Switzerland for three months over winter in 2017, where I learned to enjoy the white fluffy stuff. Quite fittingly, the first review this year is not only of a Christmas present (that I may have bought for family to give me), but it’s also titled Fire & Ice — no, not a Game of Thrones book, but a celebration of classic Nordic cooking. Personal Connections to the Nordics The Nordics have always appealed to me. Perhaps it’s because I prefer cold environments over hot ones, or their consistently high rankings on happiness indexes. Maybe it’s their location, tucked away and mysterious—an introvert’s d...

Christmas Spiced Shortbread Who doesn't love shortbread? A pointless question, unless you're vegan or avoiding gluten, I suppose—but even then, surely the idea of it still sounds good! Shortbread feels inherently festive to me. Maybe it’s the buttery richness or its association with colder months. I wanted to take this classic treat closer to Christmas, inspired by the warm spices and bright citrus notes of the season. Think Christmas Pudding, Christmas Cake, Mince Pies, or Stollen—there’s something about cinnamon, clove, and allspice that perfectly complements winter’s chill. For my festive version, I’ve added a mix of spices, citrus zest, and a small twist: raisins soaked in Cointreau for a hit of fruity sweetness and orange flavor. (Feel free to switch up the soaking liquid—rum, hot tea, or even water will do.) A quick note on clove: it’s a potent spice, and not everyone loves its strength. If that’s you, reduce it to 1/4 teaspoon. I’ve also added almond extract for a subtle...

  Isle of Wight: Part 2 It’s Isle of Wight: Part 2 ! I said I’d be back, and this time, I delivered! The Bay, Vegan Deli If you caught Isle of Wight: Part 1 , you’ll know my feet and legs were protesting loudly after a long, long walk. That evening, I had a chat with my trusty friend GPT about how to plan the next day. I wanted something fun but less demanding on my legs. After a bit of research, I discovered that the Isle of Wight is famous for dinosaur fossils. Being a bit of a geek, this sounded like the perfect adventure. It turned out Sandown was the best spot for fossils, so the next morning, I hopped on the bus from the conveniently located stop near my accommodation. There was just one little hiccup—I took the bus in the wrong direction! Luckily, the island’s bus routes are loops, and the fare is set, so I eventually made it to Sandown. On the bright side, I got an unplanned scenic tour! While en route, I looked up food options and found a vegan deli called The ...

Bakehouse Wanders: Isle Of  Wight Part 1 This one has been a little slow in the digital printing press, but the mental toner got topped up. Since the time of COVID and lockdowns—which I miss in an introverted, slower-paced kind of way—I haven't had many excursions. A couple of trips to Devon, and that's about it. This year has been particularly testing, each month seeming to snowball on the last. Are we really still in 2024? It’s been rough. I’m sure others have had it worse, but it hasn’t exactly been a joyride here either. With a lot of unused leave and the year running out, I decided to plan a little trip. As I've gotten older, the idea of going on holiday has started to feel like effort. Picking a destination, the expense, packing, early starts, flights, language barriers—you get the idea. Exhausting. Anyone else feel the same? Then I had a brainwave: a short train ride followed by a ten-minute ferry would land me on an exotic island—the Isle of Wight! Okay, "exoti...

Bakehouse Wanders: Brighton Part 1 As mentioned at the end of the previous post, here's another instalment of Bakehouse Wanders—aren't you lucky! Notice that ended with an exclamation mark, not a question, purely rhetorical. Today we're off to the seaside. Brighton. An strange eclectic world of liberalism, pebbled beaches designed to be difficult for both walking and sitting, and ninja-trained seagulls. Of course we're here predominantly for the food, spoiler warning, and a tipple too! This trip was not planned, purely a spare of the moment decision made.  I booked some leave for my birthday, and while I’m not one for big celebrations, it felt like the perfect excuse to indulge in a spontaneous food adventure.