Truly Scrumptious - Madame Fromage, Cardiff

Having lived in Cardiff for 4 years and wandered through its arcades and market as a child, I have fond memories of the place.  And as a cheese lover I wish this place had existed when I was there.

And given my Welsh heritage on my dad's side and my mum's Breton ancestry, I wouldn't have thought it possible to find somewhere that embraced them both.  However, Madame Fromage in Castle Arcade, Cardiff, does just that!

With a daily portfolio of 150 French, Welsh and English cheeses you'll be spoilt for choice.  And their deli is also crammed full of jams, chutneys, oils, olives and sweet treats.

If you fancy a spot of lunch they have French gallettes, tartlettes and quiches or Welsh cawl and rarebit.  But even if you're only after a quiet coffee  you can experience the atmosphere of typical French cafe culture all year round in the beautiful Victorian architecture of Castle Arcade.

All images (c) Madame Fromage

Truly Scrumptious - Betty's Tea Rooms, Harrogate

Betty’s tearoom in Harrogate (with 5 others around Yorkshire) is well worth queuing for, if you have too. This graceful, but never pompous, tearoom is not even British in origin but was set up in 1919 by a young Swiss orphan.

Betty’s cooks everything in its own kitchens and stays loyal to the county of Yorkshire, refusing to allow its products over the border to towns elsewhere.

In the tea-room, smart-suited men show people to tables and traditionally-attired waitresses scurry here and there bearing vanilla slices, fruit cakes, caramel chocolate hearts and “plump and fruity Fat Rascals, with bright cherry eyes and cheeky almond grins” on silver-plated three tier cake stands.

And of course as a Swiss chocolatier, chocolates had  to feature heavily too.  So you stretch the experience by taking away a few little treats for later.

All images (c) Betty's of Harrogate

Truly Scrumptious - Hive Beach Cafe, Burton Bradstock

 

We discovered 'Broadchurch' long before ITV and even more special the Hive Beach Cafe at Burton Bradstock.

Owner Steve Attrill took it on nearly 20 years ago and started with little more than a shed on the beach. It has become an award winning cafe that employs over 50 people during the summer but remains true to his original vision.

He wanted a successful local business where anyone could come and relax and enjoy great food in a wonderful location.

As a parent himself, he wanted it to be family orientated and made sure that children and families were always made welcome.  And as a mother of three young children he has achieved his goal.

And you don't need to feel guilty as you can take a long walk along the beach afterwards!

 

 

Truly Scrumptious - Verdi's, Mumbles, Gower

Working today, so I'm not venturing out for coffee.  But that doesn't stop me daydreaming about where I'd like to be sitting.

With panoramic views over Swansea Bay and over 30 flavours of ice-cream, Verdi's is a must for coffee lovers too.  

This family run café/restaurant has prime position on the seafront in the quaint Victorian fishing village of Mumbles.   It's the perfect spot for sitting down with the newspapers at the weekend and indulging in a fancy cake with coffee or treating yourself to one of their amazing ice-creams which regularly feature in top 10 lists.  

In the winter you can shelter from the wind but still enjoy the dramatic weather from behind the glass and when the weather finally warms up there is plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy the scenery and watch everyone else jog or cycle past.  

Meet the Maker - Rosie Cake-Diva

Inspired by a post shared on the Cobwebknits' news feed, and with my younger daughter's first birthday coming up, I thought I'd attempt one of these amazing cakes by Rosie Dummer, of Rosie Cake-Diva.   Here's the link to the tutorial with step by step instructions on how to make this fabulous spotty cake.

Bespoke cakes with a splash of 'Ooh La La'! certainly sums up Rosie's cakes perfectly.  She describes herself as a manic mum of 4, based in the beautiful Ribble Valley. Shebakes and decorates cakes to make any event special and personal. And as you can see from just a small selection of her cakes, her imagination has no limits!

As well as the more traditional, she caters for every taste and each cake tells a story.

I love this cake with the words 'If you go down in the woods today ....'

'.... You're sure of a big surprise.'

And cakes aren't just for kids.  If Rosie needs any further endorsement of her products, the fact that the author wanted to see this design pretty much seals it.

Oh, yes, and here's the one I made for my daughter's first birthday.  Not bad, even though I say so myself.  (And we agree; editor)

Truly Scrumptious - Byfords, Holt, Norfolk

A few years ago we were invited to our friends' wedding near Holt and took advantage of it by having a week's holiday there.  We were even luckier to have happened upon a fantastic cottage in the centre of the village (you can see it at the far right of the picture above) because it was literally a stone's throw from Byfords, an amazing deli, coffee shop, restaurant and boutique B&B.  The owners sum it up perfectly when they describe it as a higgedly-piggedly world of pleasure.  It really is.

We felt almost duty bound to make the arduous trip across the road every morning for fresh coffee and croissants, followed by a quick return to stock up on supplies for a hearty picnic.  We had brought our bikes with us (it being pretty flat terrain) but would still be in need of sustenance on our adventures.  They stocked everything and more that you could wish for in a deli, so accurately described as a culinary Aladdin's cave.  Speciality breads, locally sourced; jams, chutneys, olives and cheeses.

After a full day in the saddle, we felt justified in quenching our thirst with a glass of chilled wine, choosing to sit outside and watch the world go by.

We did venture to other places - usually at the recommendation of information provided by Byfords and were never disappointed.  So if you're in the area or fancy a weekend away, do check this place out.

Truly Scrumptious - Bakelicious, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

If you’re lucky enough to live near Tunbridge Wells and need cakes or cupcakes for a special occasion or just because you fancy one then check out Bakelicious.

Sally Burton is a mother of 2 primary-school children who has been baking ever since she was their age. She love designing and baking cakes and seeing how happy they make people.

She uses the best ingredients - such as Madagascan vanilla pods, organic Belgian chocolate, and zingy homemade lemon-curd - and bakes in her kitchen at home where she creates unique designs with a wide variety of flavours and fillings. Vanilla seems a popular choice and red velvet cupcakes feature too. 

And these lemon cupcakes with homemade lemon curd centres sound truly scrumptious!  The handmade edible decorations are based on a favourite book, Tumtum & Nutmeg...mice who love picnics!

You can find out more about Sally and Bakelicious on Facebook.

Truly Scrumptious - the Tickled Pig, Wimborne, Dorset

Another weekend and another chance to try somewhere different for coffee.  
Today - the Tickled Pig in Wimborne.  It's a restaurant and cookery school but they're also open in the morning, serving tempting pastries and great tasting coffee. 

It's no more expensive that the Costa around the corner, but you don't have to queue for your coffee and their food is made on the premises. 

There's plenty of seating and a welcoming fire which has probably been lit frequently this year.  We'll be booking a table for dinner soon.