Toughness is not normally a positive term when associated with food. “Mmm, that was really tough…” is not a phrase you want to hear someone at the next table saying when you’re waiting for your food to arrive. Especially the “mmm” bit – that’s just odd.
I haven’t heard anyone say this, I should hasten to add. But if someone were to, it would probably be about something like biltong.
A few weeks ago I had a day off work. I had various errands to run, and calculated that I would be passing through Alton (Hampshire) at around lunch-time.
I actually went to sixth form college in Alton, and even worked there for a couple of years, but I hadn’t really been there for about 10 years, so thought I should check out what had changed when it came to food.
Back in October, the budget finally felt flexible enough to stretch to a random Sunday lunch out, and some research into possibilities led me to Wheeler’s of St James’s at the Casa Hotel in Yateley.
A quick glance at the site will show you it is part of the Marco Pierre White empire, but on that subject I am going to remain stoically silent.
I’d like to pretend someone will remember my post of almost two years ago about fern tarts, but I’m not holding my breath.
Back then I had my first encounter with a fern tart, and as it was a rather unglamourous supermarket version I was hoping to find one in a bakery some time.
Fast-forward to my Maybole sweet treat hunt, and on scanning the shelves in Bakery Bites (11 – 13 High Street, Maybole), I spied an old chum.
One afternoon in Maybole I felt in need of a sweet treat.
My first port of call was a teeny bakery Delicious Delights (33 High Street). They used to be a wholly different tiny bakery, but at some point since I was last in Scotland they had changed hands.
