Christmas at Costa

Even though I absolutely love Christmas and the festive time of year, I hate getting into the Christmassy spirit too early. Its still November, and I don't let myself really think about Christmas until the beginning of December, but with the recent change in temperature and the end of term fast approaching I guess there's no harm in starting to feel a bit festive now. Especially if that means I can enjoy the Christmas specials in Costa.

I love Costa. I think their coffee is really nice, the food offerings are pretty good and it has a nice feel to it. There are a couple of stores on campus and I find myself there quite a lot, either meeting friends, grabbing a coffee to keep me going through the day or on a table in the corner doing some study.

On to the Christmas menu!

First, take a look at how cute this cup is! I love the Christmas cups from Costa. There are four designs; rudolph, snowman, elf and Santa. They are all so cute and you can also buy ceramic cups with these designs on.

I have to say I was a bit gutted Costa didn't bring back the Honeycomb Hot Chocolate from last year but the Black Forest Hot Chocolate has made a return which I am thrilled about.

Costa's hot chocolate is good anyway as its pretty thick and is chocolatey but not sickly. The Black Forest Hot Chocolate on the Christmas menu also has a shot of blackberry syrup and is topped with whipped cream, chocolate curls and some cherry sauce. I love the combination of chocolate and berries, and this tastes like a liquid black forest gateau. Very indulgent but perfect for a treat on a cold day.

I've had a sample of the Orange Hot Chocolate, which for a non-orange/chocolate fan was pretty good and I'll probably try a full sized version and I've also had the Brownie Hot Chocolate.

I asked for only a bit of whipped cream, hence why the picture above looks a bit lack lustre. I'm not sure I'd have this one again because I prefer other drinks at Costa but it was yummy and I definitely enjoyed it. It has a shot of walnut syrup which made it very brownie-like and it was topped with tiny pieces of brownie.

I probably sound like I spend all my time in Costa because I've had a couple more things from the Christmas menu. (Its true, I do go there a lot - goodbye student loan). Before a two hour lecture on Monday I popped in to get a coffee and I decided to go for the Praline Cappuccino, which I was pleasantly surprised by. I like my coffee very strong, so for me I couldn't taste coffee at all, but the praline syrup was a really nice flavour, and when it was topped with a gold dusting it really brightened up my day. (Sorry I don't have a photo)

On the food front, when I had lunch with a friend a couple of weeks ago I had the bacon, brie and cranberry panini which was very festive and so good.

I'm not huge on cheese but I like a bit of brie every now and again and I'm glad there wasn't too much in this panini. I haven't had any of the cakes but I've heard the gingerbread muffin is tasty.

On the whole a lovely, festive menu that will help to get anyone in the Christmas spirit!

Places in Norwich worth trying out

Everywhere we ate in Norwich was really nice. I don't know what it is and why there aren't more places that serve really good food in Cardiff but Norwich is obviously a place to go if you're a bit of a foodie.

Mustard

One day when we were looking for somewhere for lunch in the independent quarter we stumbled across Mustard. It was a simple little café that served sandwiches or jacket potatoes with old fashioned crockery that looked like it had been picked up at a car boot sale (in a good way). There was art for sale on the walls and there is a notebook on each table with pencils for customers to doodle or write in, and the owners will stick up their favourites in the café. It may not look particularly impressive but the café had a lovely homely feel and was perfect for a quick and tasty lunch.

I had a pot of tea and the ABC sandwich (avocado, bacon and chicken).

It was very reasonably priced and I really enjoyed my sandwich - the bacon was particularly good!

Roots

We were looking for somewhere to pop into one morning for a drink and a little bite to eat and decided to try out Roots. As it was such a sunny morning we sat out in the little courtyard, which was lovely and a great advantage Roots has compared with lots of other cafés with no outdoor seating.

They had a great selection of hot drinks and cakes. I plumped for a flat white (which was perfectly made) and a slice of orange and poppyseed cake.

It was one of the best cakes I've had in a very long time. It was pretty moist but it wasn't too gooey, and it was orangey without being overpowering. My mum had a slice of the Victoria Sandwich cake which was very nice too (I tried a bit). I think Roots are also open for lunch and dinner so if I ever venture back over to Norwich I would definitely check it out as I was so impressed with the coffee and cake I had there.

Grosvenor Fish Bar

These chips are without a doubt some of the best I have ever had. The ones photographed were sprinkled with some spicy salt. They were crispy, fluffy and very good value for money. There is nothing else to say about these chips other than if you are ever in Norwich, you NEED to go and get some of these.

Mid Year Resolution

If you regularly read my blog you will know that I have posted very infrequently over the last month or so. I have been quite busy, as since I've been home for the summer holidays I've worked on average five days a week in a hotel restaurant, mainly doing breakfast shifts, which means lots of early starts. Although I am usually a morning person, not having an option to wake up when I want most days has taken it out of me and I feel like I've been zapped of any energy. (I don't want to sound too moan-y because I do enjoy my job and I definitely need the money!)  My general tiredness and mood of the past few weeks has made me completely lose interest in blogging. Because all I've done in the last few weeks is work and exercise (I'm on a bit of a get-fit mission) I haven't really eaten out anywhere interesting and I haven't cooked anything blog-worthy either.

 

I'm currently in Norwich for a few days (this is as exciting as my summer travelling will get) for a bit of a mini-break and I've already eaten at a few really nice places that I just have not been interested in blogging about. I think this is a shame as I used to really enjoy writing posts so I have decided to make a mid year resolution to write at least one blog post a week. Hopefully writing this in a post will mean that I won't break my resolution and it will give me something to look forward to each week. Also it might make me do more than just work and go to the gym if I think I can make plans to go out somewhere I could blog about.

 

I'm determined to keep my promise to myself and to recapture my passion for food and enjoyment of blogging!

 

If you live around or are visiting Norwich then first of all, lucky you! I never realised how lovely Norwich is and there are so many places to eat! I wish I could stay for longer so I could visit more places. Second of all, I thought I would list the places I've visited so far that, although I unfortunately didn't take pictures of,  I recommend.

 

Number 12 Norwich - a pub-type place, that although didn't have the greatest or most stylish interior, was relaxed and served really delicious food. I had the ribs and they were SO GOOD. I don't think I spoke for the whole time when I was eating (a rarity for me) because I was so entranced by the barbecue-y goodness. Also, the service was really excellent.

 

Casa Pato - a Spanish restaurant with a small but incredibly delicious menu. I had the Serrano ham, tomato and olive oil bocadilla (sandwich) which was perfect for lunch time, and lucky for me I got to try some of the meat paella on one of the tapas boards which was really flavoursome and filling. Again, the service was great and they also made perfect coffee (no coffee is as good as Spanish coffee)!

Pandora's Kitchen - a lovely café. We only stopped for a drink but the cakes etc. on show in the window looked very nice. They had a wide variety of teas and yet again, the service was excellent. Everyone in Norwich seems so friendly!

As I'm staying in the city centre, everywhere I visit is close by, and its been lovely to wander through the cobbled lanes checking out the endless amount of cafés and restaurants. I've got a few posts from Norwich which I'll put up over the next week or so that I've planned since making my mid year resolution, but for now I need to get ready to go out to dinner! 

Easy Homemade Lemonade

When its really hot there is nothing more refreshing than real lemonade.

Although you can just buy it, making lemonade is great because you can make it as sweet or as tangy as you like and this method is super easy. You can get the satisfying feeling of making something yourself but without much effort. Its win-win!

I based the method around this recipe but adapted it for my own preferences.

You will need:
5/6 lemons (depending on how big they are)
Between 10-20 tablespoons of caster sugar
Plenty of ice and cold water
A few mint leaves (if available)

Roughly chop up the lemons and throw them in a food processor. There's no need to cut the skin off, just cut the whole lemon into 3 or 4 pieces. Give them a little pulse until they've broken down a bit. Add half a litre of cold water and a few ice cubes and give the mixture another blitz until the lemons are broken into small pieces. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a jug and return the lemon back to the food processor. Add another half a litre of cold water and blitz again. Pour the mixture back through the sieve, making sure all the lemony juice is pushed through.

Top up the jug with another litre of cold water and slowly add sugar, one spoonful at a time, stirring as you go, and add as many spoonfuls of sugar until its sweet enough for your own taste. I like lemonade to be quite tart so only add 10 spoonfuls of sugar. 10 spoonfuls takes the edge off the sharpness of the lemons so if you'd prefer it to be pretty sweet you'd need to add between 15-20 tablespoons of sugar.

Serve in a glass of ice, add a few mint leaves and enjoy in the sun.

The perfect accompaniment for a sunny afternoon in the garden.

Birthday Celebrations in Cosy Club - Cardiff City Centre

Last week it was my friend's birthday and to celebrate we went into town for some food and drinks. The birthday girl wanted to go to Cosy Club, which is part of the same group as the Lounges (read about the Fino Lounge here). Cosy Club is similar to the Lounges and there are few around the South of the UK in town or city centres and they are open all day, for brunch and coffee to dinner and drinks. Cosy Club Cardiff is located in the St Davids 2 centre and is on the first floor with huge windows looking over The Hayes so is really bright and helps to create a relaxed atmosphere. It has a similar feeling to The Plough - the quality and offering of food and drink and the layout of the restaurant makes Cosy Club a casual yet special place for a birthday meal.

I decided to splash out a bit and order a Raspberry Mojito. As I'm only a poor student I normally can't afford cocktails as they can be pretty pricey, and even though this one wasn't cheap it was definitely worth it.

Mojitos are my favourite cocktail and this one was beautifully made. The addition of raspberries made it even better than a standard mojito and the flavour came through nicely but didn't overpower the lime and mint. Very refreshing on a warm evening.

I wasn't particularly hungry and opted for some tapas. I think the menu has changed since I went last week looking at the website and two of the dishes I had have changed or been taken off the menu.

From left to right: chorizo cooked in red wine; broad bean, pea and mint paté; and honey glazed 5-spice pulled pork. I think its been made more expensive on the new menu but they still offer 3 dishes for cheaper than they would be individually and they are still served with ciabatta. If you're looking for traditional Spanish tapas dishes then this isn't what is on offer at Cosy Club but its still really tasty.

It was all delicious; the chorizo was very flavoursome and the pork was very juicy and tender. I really enjoyed the broad bean, pea and mint paté and I think its a shame that its no longer on the menu. It was fresh and was great spread on the ciabatta.

Three of the other girls also ordered tapas and I tried some of the falafels with cumin and coriander yogurt that my friend ordered.

They were really tasty and well spiced and are still available on the menu so I recommend trying them out.

The rest of the girls all had the falafel burger.

The service was wonderful in Cosy Club and our food came quite quickly after ordering. If you're looking for somewhere a bit more interesting than the standard coffee shop or chain restaurant for lunch or dinner in the city centre, then check out Cosy Club, you won't be disappointed!

A slice of tart and iced coffee in Snails - Rhiwbina, Cardiff

Last week I caught up with a friend in Snails in Rhiwbina, Cardiff. Although I live pretty close to Snails I rarely go there so it was nice going there for a bit of a change. The deli opened in 2006 and is a very popular location for a coffee or lunch in North Cardiff.

It was a very warm and humid day so a cold drink was definitely in order. They have a large selection of cans and bottled drinks on offer, as well as hot drinks and iced coffee. My friend chose a can of sparkling elderflower drink while I went for a caramel iced coffee. We sat in the little garden outside to make the most of the nice weather and it was a lovely little place to enjoy the sun for an hour with a few different pretty tables and chairs to sit on.

I can't say it was the best iced coffee I've had but it was nice and I would have it again next time I go to Snails. I think it was just a bit watery - I prefer iced coffee to be pretty milky. The caramel came through nicely though and it was a good choice for a warm day.

When we were ordering our drinks at the counter we were both a bit peckish and decided to share a piece of lemon tart. Lemon is my favourite flavour to enjoy in the summer and I absolutely love lemon tart.

This lemon tart was delicious. The pastry was light and crisp and the filling was smooth and had a beautiful balance of flavour, with it being very lemony yet sweet enough not to taste sharp. I've made a lemon tart before, a few of years ago now, and this has made me want to make one again soon. 

I recommend heading to Snails if you're looking for somewhere to go for coffee or lunch and make sure to sit outside in the garden (weather permitting) and sample some of the lemon tart if its there. You won't regret it!

We Made Drinks

When I visited the BBC Good Food Show, as well as the yummy things I bought and ate whilst there (read all about that here) I picked up a couple of things that I ate/drank in the days that followed. There was so much to choose from and I only came away with two things, but they were good choices.

The first thing I got was a few bottles of lemonade from We Made Drinks. I don't know a whole lot about the company as they don't yet have a website but I do know they make very good lemonade. I bought both flavours on offer, the refreshingly juicy raspberry and lemon and the refreshingly zesty still lemonade.

This was exactly like it said it was, refreshingly juicy. It wasn't too sweet but not bitter or sharp either and tasted of both raspberry and lemon. Perfect for a summery day.

Real lemonade is one of my favourite things. Every summer I drink a lot of lemonade and I prefer it when sharp rather than sweet. Lemon just reminds me of summer. For me, this was the perfect lemonade, very lemon-y and very refreshing. The balance of sweetness/sharpness was just right and I wish I bought more of it when I had the chance!

If you come across either of these two drinks I recommend giving them a go! If like me you like your lemonade refreshing and sharp then I guarantee you'll love them!

Strawberry, Blueberry and Raspberry Smoothie

I love a good smoothie every now and again. Its a great way to use up any fruit and it definitely helps make revision more bearable. 

Yesterday I had some low fat natural yoghurt that needed using up, and seeing as I had a couple of bags of frozen berries in the freezer* I thought I'd whip up a couple of glasses of smoothie to brighten up my morning.

To serve 2:

• 100g of low fat natural yoghurt
• About 80g of raspberries
• About 40g of strawberries
• About 40g of blueberries
• 150ml of apple juice

Chuck all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth.

I love this combination of berries - blueberries are fast becoming one of my favourite fruits and I love how they give this smoothie such a deep pink and rich colour.

By using either the fruit or yoghurt from frozen it will make the smoothie cold and refreshing.

* I had two 400g bags of frozen fruit from Sainsbury's; one raspberries and one strawberries and blueberries

Easy Homemade Iced Coffee

Earlier this week I had iced coffee for the first time. I don't know why I'd waited so long to try it, I love coffee and a friend of mine always gets it and says how much she loves it. I can just tell that's its going to become a new obsession and I can't wait until the summer when I need a caffeine kick but don't want to drink hot coffee.

 

As much as I enjoyed my Iced Latte from Costa, I couldn't help but think that there must be an easy way of making it at home. After a little research I gave making it myself a go using instant coffee, milk, water and sugar and it turned out pretty well.

Here's my recipe for easy homemade iced coffee:

 

To make 1 large glass

2 level teaspoons of instant coffee granules

1/2 teaspoon of sugar

1/4 cup or 60ml of warm water (hotter than lukewarm but not hot)

1 cup or 250ml of milk (I used semi-skimmed)

Ice

Extra milk if required

 

Take a clean jar with a secure lid or a cocktail shaker, flask etc. (anything that has a secure lid and can be shaken easily) and put all the ingredients in, secure the lid and shake well until it is very frothy. Pour into a large glass half filled with ice and you're done!

 

If you prefer your coffee sweeter (I only ever have about a quarter of a teaspoon in hot coffee - if any) add more sugar until it suits you, and likewise if you want more milk, pour in as much as you need after you've poured the frothy coffee into the glass.

 

I couldn't believe how easy and how well this turned out and I'm so glad I won't have to spend a couple of pounds every time I want some iced coffee in the future!

 

 I'd love to hear if you've managed to make it successfully and if you have any variations I should know about! 

 

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