When I saw Grilled Fillet of Black Bream and Chermoula chalked up on the Spanish Tapas menu board at The Old Bakery in Kingsbridge, South Devon, I thought it might be good but it turned out to be more than excellent...I asked for a salad and bread to go with it and they brought fresh focaccia and smokey chargrilled courgettes and rocket - inspired.
Robin's was a focaccia sandwich with patatas bravas and a sweet beet and bean salad. I knew without seeing it that the chocolate brownie would be good ......and it was ....beyond rich sticky dense heaven.... also everything was bigger than mini tapas portions. Such an unexpected, fabulous and satisfying dining experience. We didn't have to wait too long either which is always good as waiting isn't Robin's favourite thing any more.
It's 8 years since we've been to Kingsbridge.... we stopped here for tea and cake on our way to spend the night on Burgh Island for our 20th wedding anniversary - another lifetime ago.
Gull in the Kingsbridge estuary mud.
Yesterday a friend whom I haven't seen for several years came for lunch. It was so hot that we sat on the patio under the green umbrella and had this salad speckled with chopped wild garlic - the three cornered stem variety - and its flowers which
I picked at the allotment the other day.
We ate it with Asparagus and Gruyere tart and extra grilled asparagus - the first of the season - organic but sadly Spanish not English - I just couldn't resist the treat of it at Riverford Farm shop.
Followed by this Raspberry Coconut Mousse - which contains no cream or eggs - thanks to Ella of Deliciously Ella fame which I did adapt slightly, of course. It's made with coconut cream ( the block type), raspberries ( I added banana as didn't have enough raspberries), ripe avocado, roasted almond butter and honey - all just whizzed up into a thick and creamy gloop. The raspberry pips make it a bit seedy and the almonds and avocado make it a rather dull browny pink colour - hence my disguise of passion fruit and toasted coconut shards - but the flavour is gorgeous and it's hard to stop spooning it in.
Worth experimenting with soaked cashew nuts and strawberries and maple syrup maybe....mmmmmm. And it has reminded me that chocolate avocado mousse is divine too.
The sky from my study window the other night....didn't see the bird on the wire till I downloaded it.
This morning I made this gluten free Chill Cheese Corn Bread to take to brunch with friends. Inspired by Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's recipe ( thanks Hugh) and adapted by me....I added chopped wild garlic and preserved lemons, coriander and olives along with the chilli and red onion - I think polenta can be quite boring without something to perk it up - and then brushed it with Carluccios's divine lemon olive oil when it came out of the oven.
It went well with the fabulous spread of chive scrambled eggs, roasted cherry tomatoes, fried mushrooms and potato cakes......followed by red berries and yogurt....rye toast, croissants and jams and an endless stream of tea and coffee.
Kept me going all day - that, and the softness of the love being passed around the table.
No comments:
Post a Comment