Category Archives: Retail

Food Analysis: Paladin Minuto

The average hot chocolate you get in the UK is pretty uninspiring. I mean, sure, it has a chocolate taste and is warmly comforting, but its lacklustre nature is undeniable, and it doesn’t matter how much whipped cream or marshmallows are piled on top.

I’m always in search of pure, intense hot chocolate. The kind you get if you make it yourself at home with real chocolate and milk (or even, eep, cream).

I’ve had a killer one in the renowned Angelina in Paris*; an excellent shot in Chocolat Chocolat, Cambridge; a dark and delicious 70% courtesy of Mink, Vancouver; and what I swear was just a cup of melted chocolate down in Brighton’s Bar Du Chocolat. However a particularly fond memory comes from a brief visit to Barcelona and assorted stops for chocolate and churros.

paladin minuto

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Food Analysis: Biltong

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.

biltong

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Bottega dei Sapori, Alton

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.

ciabatta sandwich

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Scottish Bakery Treats: Fern Cakes

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.

fern cake

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