I'm a complete sucker when it comes to cookbooks.  I love to browse through them and pick out recipes, tweak them, or put them in my 'one day I'll make' pile.  I don't consider myself to be the best cook in the world but I do think my cooking-strength is in the baking department.  And that's why you'll find the Hummingbird Bakery cookbooks in my collection.

I was first introduced to the Hummingbird Bakery when I stumbled across their cook book 'Cake Days' in my local book shop.  It may have only been in my life for a few years, but that book quickly became my go-to baking book. Needed a stand-out recipe for a friends birthday?- it was there, in-laws making a surprise visit for tea? it was there. The recipes were easy to follow and were distinctly no-fuss. My copy of  'Cake Days' is one extremely well-used and well-shared cook book, so when I heard that they had a new cook book out called 'Life is Sweet' I knew I had to get my hands on it.

The Hummingbird Bakery was first opened by Tarek Malouf in London in 2004.   American-style baking is their main focus and this is reflected in 'Life is Sweet' which is full of tantalizing recipes that range from 'easy first time baker', to the more technical show stoppers.  It took a lot of deliberation as to which recipe I should try first, but I eventually settled on the 'Ozark Pudding Cake'.  The recipe hails from the Missouri region of America and the original recipe was supposedly a favourite of President Harry S Truman who was from the area- well if it's good enough for a President then it's good enough for me!

The recipe includes apples, almonds and ginger which is probably my favourite combination of ingredients, and I found the recipe really easy to follow.  This cake is definitely one to whip out when friends turn up unexpectedly for a cup tea and you need something yummy fast.  I think it's best served hot with a drizzle of cream..... if you want to be a little naughty.

I've already decided which recipes I'll try next from the book (hello 'Lady Baltimore Cake') and after my boyfriend flicked through the book, I've got a request list from him that is going to keep me baking for a while yet.  There's a wide variety of yummy options in the book including Peanut Butter & Marshmallow cookies, Red Velvet Brownies and Lemon drops, as well as some interesting options such as Grape Jelly cupcakes, Blue Hawaiian cupcakes and Grasshopper pie ice cream.  No matter your taste buds or baking skill level, I'm sure you'll find a recipe in here that will make you a star baker.​

You can buy a copy of The Hummingbird Bakery cook book via Amazon.

Never trust any one who says they don't like Mexican food.  My mind boggles at any one who can look at, smell or taste Mexican and decide they don't like it.  Lucky for me, Mexican food has really taken off in the UK recently and earlier this week I was invited to a burrito making masterclass at Barburrito in Edinburgh.
 
Barburrito can lay claim as being the founder of Mexican 'fast food' in the UK.  Their first restaurant opened in Manchester in 2005, at a time when Mexican restaurants offering great quality food, ready in minutes, was unheard of.  Once they'd conquered England and Wales, the team at Barburrito set their sights north of the border and have made their way to Edinburgh.  Located on Lothian Road, Barburrito has taken over the site of Pinto, giving it a rather sleek makeover and tweaking the recipes to make them just right.
 
When I went along for my masterclass with some fellow bloggers on a Wednesday evening, the place was already busy.  I really liked the vibe of the restaurant- it felt relaxed, cool and fun.  I'm always suspicious of 'fast food' and try to avoid it, but Barburrito takes fast food to a whole new level.  Their ingredients are fresh, piping hot and actually look like someone has put some effort into making them.  In short, you could be around at a mates place for dinner (admittedly a mate who is clearly a talented chef).  ​

Big kudos has to go out to the team at Barburrito who put up with us getting in their way as we tried to make it like a pro behind the counter.  Thankfully we weren't going to be released on the public for some burrito making carnage, instead we got to make our own under the expert guidance of the team.  I'm happy to say that I proved to be a bit of a ninja with my burrito making and managed to make it through without spilling or dropping anything, and at the end I had a pretty impressive burrito.  On it I had rice, spicy beans, mild salsa, pork, chorizo, mushrooms, guacamole and cheese.  I don't want to brag or anything but it was pretty epic.
 
This was my second visit to Barburrito since it's opening 2 weeks ago, and I can happily say the food is great.  It's perfect for grabbing on the go, sitting in with friends, or in my case 'post-gym workout stuff your face' occasions.  Unfortunately for you, I won't be there to expertly roll your burrito myself, but you'll be in safe hands with the team at Barburrito.
 
Barburrito
119 Lothian Road, Edinburgh
EH3 9AN
 
You can also find them at:
6 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh
EH2 4RN
 
And opening soon in Glasgow!
 
www.barburrito.co.uk ​​

I love discovering new places to eat in Edinburgh and this month I have found a real gem.  The food at Kim's Mini Meals was so good, that I debated whether to tell you all about it for fear of never being able to get a table there again!  In the end I decided I had to tell you about this place as it is just simply too good not to share.

Kim's Mini Meals is a Korean restaurant on Buccleuch Street and if you didn't know it was there you may walk straight past it.  The restaurant has a really homely appearance to it and it makes you feel like you are having dinner at a friend's house.  They are only open from 12:00- 3:00pm for lunch and 5:30pm to 9:00pm (last orders 8:30pm) for dinner and be warned that this place is so popular that there are sometimes queues at the door.  We arrived at 6pm and had to put our names on a waiting list, but thankfully 56 North is just up the road and we could sit and enjoy a gin cocktail while we waited for a call.

About 45 minutes later we got a call to say a table was free, and we headed back to the restaurant.  The minute we walked in the smell of the food was AMAZING!!!  My dining buddies and I had already pretty much decided what we were going to eat by now (thanks to online menu stalking that we'd been doing all day).  After we'd ordered we were given some chicken and sweetcorn soup as an appetizer as well as some tasting plates that included kimchi in a chilli sauce.  Our food came quickly afterwards.  We went for Dolsot Galbi (pork ribs), Pork Bulogi and Chicken Bulogi- all of them were served with rice.

Now, I know I've used words on my blog before about amazing food, but this food was something else. It was INSANELY good, and I think this is now my favourite place in the whole of Edinburgh.  I can't even put into words how good the food was as any words I think of just don't do it justice.

Apart from the amazing food, I think what really sets this place apart is the homely atmosphere, the sweet staff (one who showed us how they eat the dishes in Korea), and the value for money.  Dinner only cost us £10 each and we were so full that we decided to walk all the way home afterwards.  It's almost unbelievable that somewhere this good only costs £10 for a fantastic night out.  Do yourself a favour and head to Kim's Mini Meals- I know I've already made plans to go back again next week!

Stalk the menu for yourself on the Kim's Mini Meals website

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I've been feeling a bit blah about the UK this month, due to the fact that it HASN'T STOPPED RAINING for months now.  I was desperately in need of a little bit of Australian sunshine in my life, but seeing as though flights are super expensive I had to settle for making some lamingtons instead.  If you aren't from Australia then you probably haven't been introduced to the wonder that is the humble lamington.  I lived on these when I was growing up and for some reason they always make me feel just a little bit better.  If you want to try them yourself, they are actually really easy to make.  Follow my recipe below and let me know what you think!

INGREDIENTS

For the cake:
3x eggs
200g of granulated sugar
1x teaspoon of vanilla extract
200g of self raising flour
100g of butter

For the icing:
75g of butter
250ml of milk
80g of cocoa powder
400g of icing sugar

approx 4 cups of desiccated coconut


METHOD

Melt the butter and then let it cool slightly.  Beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla in a mixing bowl on a medium speed with an electric mixer until it is light and thick.

Sift in the flour and add the butter a little at a time. Mix lightly with a spatula (not too much- you want to keep some of the air in the mixture).

Pour the mixture into a prepared cake tin (you can do a round one or a square one- lamingtons work both ways!)

Cook the cake for about 25 minutes until it springs back when lightly touched.  Turn it out onto a rack to cool.  The cake will need to be completely cool before you can ice it.

For the icing:

Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into separate bowls.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and then mix in the milk.  Take off the heat once they are well combined- and don't have it too hot!!

Using a whisk, mix in the cocoa powder.

Once the cocoa powder is completely mixed in, add the icing sugar gradually, whisking it in so ensure it doesn't clump.

Put the mixture into a bowl and then into the fridge to cool down a bit.

Cut the cake into pieces (either slices for a round cake or rectangles for a square cake).

Put the desiccated coconut onto a plate.

When the icing is cooled down, dunk the cake into the chocolate mixture (it will be runny so don't worry!).

Once the cake is coated on all sides, dunk it in the coconut and cover all the sides.

Place the lamingtons in the fridge for a few hours or overnight and then served with some whipped cream.

You may remember a few weeks ago I posted an article about Mamma's Pizza in the Grassmarket celebrating their 30th birthday with a Star Wars themed party (if you missed it you can read it here).  There's still time to taste their Star Wars themed menu, and after going along for dinner there earlier this week I can safely say the pizza is out of this world.

I'm a big fan of pizza (who isn't), but I rarely go out for pizza because I often find that the pizza's never live up to my rather large expectations.  I'm quite particular you see.  I like a crusty base (not too crusty but not too thick and heaven help me if it's soggy), it can't be too salty, has to have enough sauce on the base (but not too much) and enough toppings that I don't feel like I'm being short changed (anyone else ordered a pizza that says it comes with olives and it comes with the equivalent of one olive??)- oh and it has to have enough cheese but not too much that it over powers the rest of the flavours..... it's safe to say that I'm just a little high maintenance when it comes to my pizza....

So, there I was in Mamma's Pizza in the Grassmarket.  Firstly, the restaurant has a really cool laid back American diner style vibe with cool murals on the wall mixed in with band posters and some great tunes playing over the sound system.  I went along with my boyfriend and my sister (no one ever says no to pizza) and we ordered 3 pizza's between us.  We had a BB King (chicken, bacon, sweetcorn and barbecue sauce), The Cash (spicy beef, jalapenos and roquitto peppers, onions and salsa) and The Veggie (mushrooms, onions, peppers, garlic tomatoes and black olives).  We ordered the medium sized pizzas and they were HUGE!! 

One of the great things about Mamma's is that all of their food is handmade which is definitely reflected in the quality and the look which has a great rustic feel to it.  My favourite pizza was the BB King mostly because barbecue sauce, sweetcorn, bacon and chicken are my all time favourite toppings on a pizza.  I'd like to be able to tell you that we ate the pizza's like civilized adults enjoying a meal in a nice restaurant, but they were so good that we made total pigs of ourselves.  The pizza's were the best I've tried in any restaurant in Edinburgh (and for the record there was no sign of soggy bases).

My dining companions and I have already decided that we are definitely going back again to try the rest of the menu.  It's the perfect place to go on a relaxed date, but also a place to get your friends together as there is plenty on the menu aside from pizza to tempt even the fussiest of eaters.  In just one night Mamma's Pizza became one of the my favourite places to eat in Edinburgh.

Try it, I know you'll love it!


Mamma's Pizza & Panzerotti
30 The Grassmarket
Edinburgh, EH1 2JU
www.mammas.co.uk

I think that right now, half the world is eagerly counting down the days, hours and minutes until the 18th of December.  If you don’t know the importance of that day (shame on you), then you clearly have been living under a rock, or perhaps another planet.  The 18th of December is the day that the new Star Wars film (called ‘The Force Awakens’) is released in cinemas.  But, if the 18th just seems too far away for you to possibly bare the anticipation any longer, then I may well just have a remedy to what ails you.   How would you like to try some Star Wars themed pizzas and meet Gold Leader? (Also known as actor Angus MacInnes….yes THE REAL GOLD LEADER FROM THE FILMS).

Mamma’s Pizza in Edinburgh’s beautiful Grassmarket is celebrating its 30th birthday with a FREE Star Wars themed party on the 8th of December.  You may well be scratching your head and thinking- why would a Pizzeria host a Star Wars themed party? Well it turns out that Gold Leader also once moonlighted as the owner of Mamma’s Pizza….. how awesome is that?

As well as getting to meet Gold Leader, you’ll also get to taste some Star Wars themed Pizzas (‘Ham Solo’ anyone?! No? how about a ‘Cheese-3-PO’?), take part in some blind pizza tasting competitions and view some cooking demonstrations…..oh and it is totally socially acceptable to come dressed as your favourite Star Wars character (I knew my Princess Leia costume was a good investment!).  Tickets are available for FREE through eventbrite.

If you can’t make it on the night, fear not! The Star Wars themed menu will be running from the 8th of December until the 31st of January.  I’m putting ‘Darth Veggie’ at the top of my list to try because there’s just something a tiny bit irresistible about Darth Vader.  See you there!

Mamma's American Pizza
28-30 Grassmarket
Old Town
Edinburgh, EH1 2JU
​www.mammas.co.uk

One of my favourite things in the world is Afternoon Tea- what’s not to love about cakes, tea and dainty sandwiches?  It is an often underrated British tradition that I would love to see making a full revival (yes let’s all please pause work at half 3 and indulge in some cake and gossip!).  I recently read an article in Stylist magazine that said we have one woman from the 1800s with an attack of the munchies to thank for this tradition.  The Afternoon Tea tradition was sometimes as much about the gossip as it was the cakes, which makes it the perfect excuse to get the girls together.  I recently met up with fellow expat travel bloggers Camila (Adventitious Violet) and Jordan (Beer Time with Wagner) to try out the Afternoon Tea at Mimi’s Bakehouse.

With two locations in Edinburgh, Mimi’s Bakehouse is cake heaven for those with a sweet tooth.  We headed along to their Leith location on a Saturday afternoon and I was surprised at how busy it was- this is definitely a place to book in advance if you don’t want to be disappointed.  Our Afternoon Tea came out quite quickly after we ordered it, but I expect the staff are total Afternoon Tea ninjas by now.  The first tier of our stand was filled with dainty scones which had jam and clotted cream to go with it, the second layer was even more tempting with a variety of cakes including a red velvet biscuit with filling (oh my god they were good!), a caramel tray bake, a huge meringue topped with fluffy cream and a raspberry and a delicious carrot cake cup cake. The bottom tier was filled with bite sized sandwiches- ham and mustard, egg mayonnaise, and Thai chicken.

It didn’t sound like a lot when I read it on the menu but it was definitely a feast when we made our way through it all.  By the end we were all teetering between a sugar induced happy coma and feeling like pigs.  The staff at Mimi’s certainly know how to do a decent Afternoon Tea, and at £15 per person (including your choice of teas)- I would definitely recommend this as one of the best places for Afternoon Tea in Edinburgh.

​
Mimi’s Bakehouse
63 Shore, Edinburgh, EH6 6RA
PH: 0131 555 5908
www.mimisbakehouse.com

One of my favourite Aussie treats is ANZAC biscuits, named so because they used to be sent to ANZAC troops serving in Gallipoli during the war (ANZAC stands for Australia and New Zealand Army Corps).  They are super easy to make and taste great dipped in a nice hot cup of tea.

To make some ANZAC biscuits for yourself, follow my easy recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
85g of porridge oats
85g of desiccated coconut
100g of self raising flour
100g of caster sugar

100g of butter
2 heaped tablespoons of golden syrup

TO MAKE:
Mix oats, coconut, flour and sugar together and form a well in the middle.
Melt the butter and syrup in a pan on the stove and then pour into the dry ingredients.
Mix well together and then spoon onto trays lined with grease proof paper.
Each biscuit should be about a tablespoon of mixture and you should pat them down slightly- they'll spread in the oven as they cook.  Make sure you leave some space around each one to allow room to spread.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven (180 degrees) until brown.

NOTE: Because of the oats and golden syrup in them, the biscuits are going to go a dark golden brown...don't panic! they are supposed to be that colour!


Hope you like them! If you try the recipe yourself, get in touch and let me know what you think of the traditional Aussie ANZAC biscuit.

Sushi is one of my all time favourite foods, but I have to admit to being a bit picky with my sushi restaurants.  When I find a good one, I tend to cling on and object to trying anywhere new for fear of being disappointed.
I'd heard on the grapevine that Harajuku Kitchen at Tollcross was good, but it wasn't until I happened to find myself walking straight past its door on a cold Sunday afternoon, starving hungry, that I finally gave it a go- and I'm so glad I did.

Harajuku Kitchen has a laid back cafe feel to it, and some fascinating murals on display showing images of Tokyo and Japanese scenes.

I always take ages to decide what to have at a sushi restaurant, but it's fairly safe to say that if they do a dragon roll, I will be ordering one.  My boyfriend and I settled on dumplings, a dragon roll, chicken skewers and a California roll.  It didn't sound like much when we ordered it, but it was a feast when it arrived!

I loved that the dragon roll even had a face made into it to make it look like a dragon, and even better was that it tasted great and was HUGE. My second favourite dish was the dumplings which were cooked perfectly and weren't too soggy (one of my pet hates at a sushi restaurant is an overly soggy dumpling!!!)  My boyfriend was particularly impressed with the size of the chicken skewers as there would have been at least two whole chicken breasts on that plate (or plenty of 'protein' if you speak his language).

We managed to make our way through all of that food, and I can definitely see why Harajuku Kitchen has so many admirers.  The food was good and I loved the laid back cafe feel to the place.  All of that food and our drinks came to around £35- so not bad for a meal for two.  I'll definitely be back to try the rest of their menu.


Harajuku Kitchen
10 Gillespie Place,
Edinburgh, EH10 4HS
​www.harajukukitchen.co.uk

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So last week I let you know about the new Mexican street food restaurant that was open in the Grassmarket- this week I thought you'd want to know what the food was like.

For those of you who missed my last post about their launch night, you can read it here.  I went on Sunday afternoon for lunch with my boyfriend.  El Toro Loco has a really inviting exterior, and its interior is authentically designed to look Mexican.  It has animal skulls on the walls, a beautiful mural and a floor made of Mexican coins.  The menu has a great 'no faff' approach- burrito, taco, quesadilla or 'naked burrito' with 3 choices of meat or a vegetarian option plus your choice of beans and extras.  After much deliberation, we went for a chicken burrito, a pork burrito and a pork quesadilla- ambitious I know, but we love Mexican food and had just been to the gym to work up an appetite.

My pork burrito had white rice, a pork/ bean mixture, pulled pork, cheese, sour cream, lettuce and guacamole on it- and it was huge! My boyfriend had the same but with chicken and we shared the pork quesadilla with cheese.  The outcome was the best burrito I've had in Scotland (I love Mexican food so this is quite a statement).  The restaurant has an impressive selection of super hot and spicy sauces to go on your feast.  We thought it would be rude not to try some so went for the Kick Ass hot sauce, something called Whoop Ass Chipotle Fire and another one called Bacon Hot Sauce (my favourite).  Great names and REALLY hot, so if you know anyone who loves a hot sauce then send them to El Toro Loco.

After we'd devoured our mains, hardly uttering a word to each other apart from things like 'Christ that sauce is hot', we moved on to a sweet treat.  Now, sweets and desserts is not something I usually get at a Mexican restaurant mostly because I have stuffed myself silly with a main, but I thought you would want to know what the whole menu was like, so I took one for the team and tried dessert..... just for you guys.  We had a chili chocolate mousse and a crème brulee with chili flakes on top.  It seems everything in this restaurant has chili in it.  I've always wondered what chili and chocolate is like as a combination, and this chocolate mousse was pretty damn good.  I had a chat to the owner, and he said they tried it without the chili but felt like after having a spicy main, the plain chocolate mousse would feel a bit bland- an idea I totally agree with.  As for the crème brulee with chili flakes on top, well it was actual heaven and you HAVE to try it.

I loved El Toro Loco for its laid back vibe and great simple Mexican food.  The owner has some great plans for the little place and I'm excited to see where it's heading.  Apparently during the festival, queues to get into this place were out the door so you know it must be good.  I thought it was great and will definitely be back again, I've already decided that I'm trying the tacos next time (a man at the table next to me had them and I had serious food envy even though I had just stuffed myself silly with burritos).

El Toro Loco
60 Grassmarket
EH1 2JU




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Mexican has to be one of my favourite types of food.  Back home in Australia, we have a Mexican restaurant called Montezuma's which I can safely say is the best Mexican food in Australia.  I've been on the search for somewhere in the UK to satisfy my Mexican cravings, so you can imagine my delight when I heard that a new Mexican street food restaurant was opening in the Greater Grassmarket.  Called El Toro Loco (which means Crazy Bull in Mexican.... genius....) this restaurant opened in August but is having their official launch party TONIGHT to celebrate Mexican Independence Day (cue wild Mexican dancing here).

The owners of El Toro Loco have come up with the ingenious idea to let diners create their own burritos, tacos and quesadillas, and prices range from £4.50 to £6.00 for a main course..... I'll say that again to let it sink in.... £4.50 to £6.00 FOR A MAIN COURSE!! Oh and they promise authentically themed Mexican decor..... I literally have my sombrero out and ready.

If you fancy a bite for yourself, you can find them in the Grassmarket (officially 60 Grassmarket, EH1 2JU)...I for one will be first in line for their launch tonight.....probably with my sombrero as its not very often it gets a suitable outing....

Ever since I took a day trip to North Berwick a few years ago, I've wanted to try the lobster and chips from The Lobster Shack.  In North Berwick they are on the water front, but they recently decided to have a pop up Lobster Shack out the front of The Dome on George Street.  On one of Edinburgh's recent uncharacteristically sunny days, I ventured along at lunch time with some friends to give it a go.

You should be forewarned that the Lobster Shack is expensive.....although anyone who hasn't ordered lobster before would know it is a weeny bit of a pricey seafood.  The famous lobster and chips that I've wanted to try for 2 years was an eye-watering £17.

The set up of the 'shack' is very seaside chippy with plastic table cloths and nearly naff anchors and life rings for decoration.  Our food came out pretty quickly and it smelt amazing.  The lobster, chips and salad were served in a brown cardboard box... upmarket chippy vibes again.  My lobster was nice, although somewhat lacking in meat (not the lobster shack's fault.... they just aren't a big fleshy animal), and my chips were nice and crispy even though they had a lot of juice from the lobster on them.  My dining buddies and I devoured our lunches, only stopping between finger licking to ask if we can eat certain parts of the lobster (we all don't eat lobster very often).
All in all it was a nice lunch and I'm glad I've experienced The Lobster Shack, however due to the price I'm not sure it's something I would do again.  Well worth it for a treat though!

If you want to try it for yourself you had better hurry! The Lobster Shack's pop up shack is only at The Dome for a limited time.  After that you'll have to catch them at North Berwick!

www.lobstershack.co.uk

Situated on George IV Bridge opposite the State Library, Ondine is one of the most beautiful restaurants I have ever been too.  It's classy and sophisticated, and I was lucky enough to be taken there by my boyfriend to celebrate our 4 year anniversary.  Ondine describes itself as a 'proper seafood restaurant' which is good news for me as I love seafood.  We went along for an early dinner reservation on a Saturday, and indulged in some very fine seafood.

For my main course I chose Sea Bass which had an aubergine paste at the bottom, topped with ratatouille and then the Sea Bass.  It was beautiful and every piece of the dish and the flavours complimented each other.  It was my first taste of Sea Bass- but what a beautiful piece of fish! My boyfriend chose a Monkfish curry, which was so good that I didn't even have time to take a picture of it before he had wolfed it down.

For dessert, we enjoyed a lemon posset with granola crumb, meringue and lemon curd (above), and a coconut panna cotta with a mango jelly on top (below).  Both of the dessert were insanely good, so it would appear this place can do no wrong.  I could have eaten my coconut panna cotta all day- it was so smooth and tasty!.  We watched other diners in the restaurant tuck into monster prawns and lobsters and had a little bit of food envy which will definitely ensure we go back to sample Ondine's other delights.

I have recently discovered a venue in Edinburgh that I am now obsessed with.  On a Sunday while enjoying a stroll around Stockbridge, my boyfriend and I popped into Hamiltons Bar and Restaurant and had the most amazing lunch.  The restaurant has a great relaxed vibe, with big leather couches for drinks with friends, and an eating area which some cool comic book style art on the walls.

We both decided on the same thing to eat- sourdough bread topped with avocado and a poached egg, with a chorizo jam.  I'm not even kidding you when I say it was the most amazing lunch I have had in ages.  The chorizo jam is touted as 'homemade' on the menu.  I'd never heard of a chorizo jam before but it was delightful.  I'd love to be able to get a bottle of it and have it at home to put on toast.  I'm sure its a Hamiltons secret recipe, but if anyone else has a chorizo jam recipe, I'd be up for hearing about that.

Hamiltons is now firmly a favourite of mine in the city.  I will be back to taste the other items on their menu, and will definitely be recommending them to others.

Hamiltons Bar and Restaurant
16-18 Hamilton Place, Edinburgh, EH3 5AU
www.hamiltonsedinburgh.co.uk

I love discovering new places to eat and drink in Edinburgh- and I especially love finding ones that are relaxed and homely.  Urban Angel on Hanover Street is one of those cute little places that instantly have charm. 

Apparently, I'm a bit behind in discovering this place as it already has a huge following of its own, and in 2014 won the i-on Magazine Food and Drink Award for Best Cafe in the City Centre.  After visiting, it's not hard to see why.

The cafe has a relaxed exterior that looks like a cute little house complete with rustic plants, and inside is a small window- side seating area and cafe bar.  It may look small from the outside, but they have a large seating area out the back where they put all of their adoring fans (I went one mid-afternoon and the place was heaving!).

A selection of yummy looking cakes and slices are on display, and the staff are more then happy to offer recommendations for what is good on the menu.  I had just stopped in for a coffee on my way to the gym, but in the spirit of trying a selection of what was on offer my gym buddies and I all tried different things: Cappuccino, Flat White and a Hot Chocolate.

The verdict? Amazing! I would consider myself a coffee snob but my cappuccino was perfect temperature and incredibly smooth.  My gym buddies were also suitably impressed with their choices and we've decided we're all going back for brunch/ lunch/ dinner and more coffee.

Urban Angel
121 Hanover Street, Edinburgh, EH2 1DJ
www.urban-angel.co.uk

Cuckoo's Bakery first opened its doors to Edinburgh residents with a sweet tooth in 2011.  Using high quality and locally sourced ingredients, the bakery quickly became a favourite amongst those in the know.  Now, owners Graham Savage and Vidya Sarjoo have expanded their business to include a brand new shop in Bruntsfield.  The shop will specialise in layer cakes, cupcakes, brownies, scones and tray bakes.  I was already drooling at the thought of all the beautiful cakes, and then I got invited to their special opening night and died of pure cake happiness.

Owner Graham Savage describes the new Bruntsfield shop as a 'cake wonderland', which in my opinion is a perfect way to describe it.  The cakes look divine and tempting, with the added bonus that they actually taste great as well.  I had the extremely tough task on their opening night of taste testing some of their creations...all in the name of research for all you readers out there.  It's a tough ask, but I suppose someone had to do it.

The owners are both self-taught home bakers, which gives hope to some of us awful bakers that persistence can deliver cakes that are actually edible.  Graham & Vidya gave up their careers in London working in a theatre ticket office to pursue their dreams of opening a cupcake bakery and tearoom in Edinburgh.  Their empire now consists on sixteen staff members, including five bakers who make an eye-watering 1000 cakes a day.

As a Leith resident, I was super proud to hear that all of the cakes and goodies on offer are made fresh by their bakers in Leith.  I was even more impressed to hear that their bakers start work at 1am to make sure the cakes are the freshest they can possibly be.  The dedication and perfect taste of their products were recognised in 2014 when industry experts awarded them the 'Best Cake in Scotland' title at the Scottish Baker of the Year Awards for their raspberry and white chocolate cupcake.  I wholeheartedly agree with the experts on this one, that cake is divine.  This beautiful little bakery has quickly become one of my favourite places in Edinburgh.

I always get super excited when I discover a new place in Edinburgh that makes great coffee.  You see, I have a coffee addiction that can only be quenched by great coffee from a cool cafe with character.  I'd heard on the grapevine that Fortitude Coffee Merchants was something special, and it was third time lucky for me when I finally got to taste their coffee.  The first time I went to visit they were closed, and the second time they were closed again for staff training.  I was beginning to think the brilliance of Fortitude Coffee would remain elusive to me, until recently when I finally got my fix.

Fortitude Coffee Merchants is located on York Place, surrounded by beautiful Georgian buildings and close by to the National Portrait Gallery.  The venue is quaint on the inside (aka small), but I like cafe's like that- it allows it to have more character and is less hectic.  They have a wall of coffee beans and accessories, a small alcove where they brew your coffee, and a table of sweet treats.

So what's the coffee like? In one word: smooth.  For fellow coffee addicts, you'll know exactly what I mean by this.  Some coffees have a bitter taste, or get ruined by burnt milk, but some coffees made by a true barista have a smooth texture that make them a pure joy to drink.  My coffee from Fortitude was one of these coffees and I have no hesitation whatsoever in saying it is one of the best coffee's I've had in Edinburgh.

Want to visit and try their coffee for your self? Find them at:
3C York Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3EB
www.fortitudecoffee.com

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I recently had the pleasure of attending a special launch event to celebrate One Square's new signature gin, distilled by Pickering's Gin.  First stop on the launch evening was a look around Pickering's Gin distillery at Summerhall.  Surprisingly, the entire process of making the gin is done in two small rooms.  One holds the stills and the other the area to bottle, label and package the gin for distribution.  It's rather less glamorous then what you would think, but then good things come in small packages (or spaces in this case).  The distillery produces 150 bottles per hour- with the entire process of bottling, labelling, waxing and packing done by hand.  

The next part of our evening saw us transported by pedi-cab to One Square (such great fun!).  When we arrived we were handed a gin and tonic featuring the specially distilled One Square gin.  One Sqaure has a reputation as a premium gin bar in Edinburgh.  The bar stocks 65 types of premium gins (who knew there was even that many!?), and over the past 2-3 years has conducted over 1200 gin tastings.  Our gin and tonic was followed by some amazing canapes, and then a guided gin tasting from the Bar Manager.  The One Square gin contains a mixture of 15 botanicals, including juniper, bog myrtle, pink grapefruit and Scottish heather, and can be purchased by the bottle at the One Square bar for £49.95.

One Square has put together a special package for fellow gin lovers to celebrate the launch of their gin.  From £230 per night based on two people sharing you can enjoy accommodation in a classic bedroom with full Scottish breakfast, a gin amenity on arrival, a guided tour of the Summerhall Distillery and the chance to gain some gin knowledge with a One Square Gin Concierge.  Sounds like my kind of weekender.

Find out more about Pickering's Gin here.
Find out more about Gin tastings at One Square here.
Fancy dinner at One Square? read my review here.
Psst! Pickering's Gin has another exciting partnership....

For me, One Square at The Sheraton Hotel is the fanciest restaurant in Edinburgh.  It literally oozes sophistication and five star service.  I've been lucky enough through my day job to be able to dine there on a few occasions, with the food being faultless on every occasion.  I recently took my boyfriend there for dinner mostly because I'm a classy bird that arranges the best date nights, but also because I am going to miss his birthday this year because I will be in Australia- I had some serious making up to do.

One Square knows how to create an ambiance for their diners.  Even though we went on a busy Friday night, we hardly noticed the other diners and had the full attention of the waitress whenever we needed it.  We had opted out of starters (experience had taught me that 2 courses would be more than enough to fill me up), and headed straight for main courses.  My boyfriend had steak with a side of mashed potato and onion rings, and I opted for a half Orkney lobster with warm potato salad.  We were given bread to nibble on while we waited for our mains (they even do bread well here) which came out promptly considering how busy the restaurant was.

So I'm not even exaggerating when I say that my lobster was DIVINE....as in HEAVENLY.... and I was definitely having a moment with it.  The warm potato salad complimented it perfectly, as well as the creamed spinach that I had ordered to go on the side.  My boyfriend's steak was of fairly large proportions and going by the silence from his end of the table I think it's safe to say he enjoyed it.  We complemented our main courses with a glass of Berri Estates Chardonnay- it's an Australian wine so I knew it would be good- but it was delicious and is now my new favourite.

After filling up on our mains, dessert was a slightly more subdued affair.  I opted for 2 scoops of their raspberry sorbet.  I had been tempted to try their special gin and tonic sorbet, but didn't want to spoil my glass of wine by mixing my drinks.  My sorbet was delicious and light- exactly what I needed after my main course.  My boyfriend opted for a dessert cocktail called 'Creme Borelli' which was a mixture of Absolut Vanilla vodka, Amaretto and Kahlua, shaken and served with a garnish of caramelised cream float.  It was as lethal and as delicious as it sounds.

I couldn't fault anything about the service or the food at One Square.  It's the sort of place where I wish I could eat every week, but only manage to go to for special occasions.  My boyfriend was suitably impressed and I think I earned myself a few brownie points along the way.

One Square
within The Sheraton Hotel
1 Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9SR
www.onesquareedinburgh.co.uk

A restaurant boasting to have the best steak in Edinburgh is not a natural dining option for someone who doesn't eat beef.  But after looking at reviews on Trip Advisor, it seems beef is not the only thing they do well.  

On the Friday night that I went, Shebeen was buzzing with a lively crowd of diners who going by the friendly chats with the waitresses, had been there before.  Shebeen has a rustic and authentic feel to it.  It's South African cuisine, and the decor reflected its African roots.  We were shown to a booth by the window and set about choosing what to try.  Even for a non-beef eater, everything on the menu sounded good.  After much deliberation, I settled on Pap en Vleis, which according to the menu is a staple South African dish of lamb chops, tomato and onion sauce and 'pap'.  It's kind of hard to describe to you what 'pap' is but it's kind of like mashed potato only not.

My dining companions went for King Prawn Sosatie, Vegetable Samosa and a Shebeen Mixed Grill.  We all ate pretty much in silence because the food was so good, only stopping to speak to say how good it was.  Even after we had finished our food, we were eyeing off the other dishes that were being taken from the kitchen.  We've already all decided to go back and try the Ribs and one of the burgers (they looked HUGE!!!!).  

I really enjoyed the atmosphere at Shebeen.  The staff were knowledgeable, friendly and welcoming.  The food was excellent and I will definitely be going back again.

Shebeen Bar
8 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8BJ
Tel: 0131 629 0261
www.shebeenbar.co.uk

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I recently discovered 2 new kinds of fajita recipes that have totally rocked my world.  They are too amazing not to share to the masses, so here are my recipes for quick and easy fajitas with a twist.

Sometimes when I'm cooking, I feel like high five myself for being a total Master Chef for creating something beautiful with very minimal effort.  Jamie Oliver's recipe for Spinach and Ricotta cannelloni was one such creation.  As usual, I didn't follow the recipe to the full (I never do, it's an awful habit), but it still turned out to resemble what was in the picture and tasted great too (success!).  So if you'd like to crown yourself a Master Chef too, here is my version of Jamie Oliver's Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni.

For some reason, I love being the first in my friend group to try a new restaurant in town.  There's something quite satisfying about someone asking 'have you tried that new place XX?' and me being able to reply with a yes and imparting some culinary wisdom on them.

I recently came across the relatively new restaurant called Sylvesters, and after reading their special Christmas menu online I new I had to go and try it.  Located on the corner of West Nicholson Street opposite the Pear Tree, Sylvesters has a comfortable chic look about it.  Rustic wooden tables are matched with trendy grey tartan's.  It's the sort of place that sophisticates and university students would both feel at ease.

First up on the menu for me was Rabbit Ravioli with a truffle sauce, a somewhat brave choice for me as I've never tried rabbit before.  The ravioli was perfectly cooked and was accompanied with just the right amount of sauce and some walnuts.  The dish had some great reviews on trip advisor, and I could see why- it was perfectly presented and tasted great.

My main course was an easy choice, as what else is there to have for a Christmas meal other then a roast turkey dinner?  Two slabs of turkey were accompanied by pigs in blankets, stuffing, roast vegetables and gravy that reminded me of the Sunday dinner's my Dad used to make.  

The dessert was what I was most looking forward too, when I saw sticky toffee pudding on the menu, I new I had to try it.  Sticky toffee pudding is my favourite dessert, and I've tried a few in my time.  The one at Sylvesters was a light and spongy cake, with ice cream and raspberries- the only thing that could have made it better was more of the hot sauce.

All in all, the food was beautiful- not only in taste but also in presentation.  My dining companions and I were suitably full, but no uncomfortably stuffed.  The three course menu was a very reasonable £25.50, and dessert included tea or coffee, making it great value for money.  The service at Sylvesters was spot on with friendly and attentive staff.

The Christmas menu is available throughout December, and there are a variety of different choices for each course.  I highly recommend checking it out for yourself.

My sister has an obsession with Jamie Oliver that is quite unique.  She owns all of his cookbooks and barely makes anything that isn't featured in one of his books.  Everything she makes is accompanied by the affirmation that this is definitely how Jamie Oliver would have made it.  Recently, I thought I would attempt something from his '15 Minute Meals' cookbook- a yummy Thai Chicken Laksa guaranteed to warm us up on a cold Edinburgh night.  While it took me longer than 15 minutes to make (mostly because I don't have a food processor and had to use a smoothie maker instead which was somewhat disastrous but worked out fine in the end), I was pretty impressed with my efforts.  I didn't follow the recipe exactly, and added extra bits and piece to suit my tastes, so here's my steps if you want to try it for yourself.

In a freezer bag toss the chicken with salt, pepper and Chinese five spice.  Place in a hot frying pan and cook until nicely charred and cooked through.

Pour about 800ml of boiling water into a large sauce pan and crumble in the chicken stock.

Trim the stalk off the butternut squash and grate before tipping into the boiling stock.  Make sure you don't get any seeds in the pot!

Add to a food processor the peeled garlic and ginger, the chilli, turmeric, trimmed spring onions, peanut butter, juice of half a lime, sesame oil, and the soy and fish sauces.  Blitz to a paste.

Add the paste to the boiling stock and then add the noodles.

Trim the asparagus and cut in half before adding to the pot.  Pour in the coconut milk, and as soon as it boils, taste, and then correct the seasoning with soy sauce and extra lime juice.

When the noodles are cooked, turn off the heat and serve the noodles with some of the broth in the bottom of the bowl.

Drizzle honey over the chicken and squeeze over the juice of one lime.  Serve on top of the laksa with extra chilli and lime wedges.