On your Bike

Today the Tour de Yorkshire whizzed past the end of my road in a blur of colour. Supporters cheered and waved at every stage. Yorkshire came out in force to embrace the event.

I was born and bred in Yorkshire and live here still. It is a wonderfully diverse county and worthy of a visit.

Over the Easter break I visited the Roman city of York. Its ancient city walls form a walkway lined with daffodils overlooking the River Ouse. Highlights include York Minster, Jorvik Viking museum, The National Railway, Yorkshire and Castle Museums. If shopping is your thing, the city boasts boutiques and chain stores as well as The Shambles; a historic cobbled street with timber framed buildings.

There is no shortage of pubs, cafes and restaurants to recharge your batteries. On this particular visit we found a wonderful Vegetarian Cafe and bike shop called Bicis Y Mas (Bikes and More) situated in Walmgate. It caters for vegetarians, vegans and gluten free diets.

We enjoyed a red kidney bean curry served with peshwari naan and a spring vegetable casserole with garlic bread. Everything was prepared from raw ingredients on site and was absolutely scrummy. 

The cakes looked absolutely amazing but, sadly, we just didn't have room for one. Next time ...

Feast of Saint George

Aka Saint George's Day it is celebrated, by various Christian Churches in several countries, on April 23rd, the date of the Saint's death in AD 303.

William Shakespeare was also born and died on 23rd April. In his play Henry V is the famous line:-

"Follow your spirit, and upon this charge Cry God for Harry, England and Saint George!"

Over the years St. George celebrations have changed but the Scouting fraternity can be seen marching to church where Jerusalem will be sung and flags and bunting bearing St. George's Cross can be seen fluttering along the High Street.

Today I have embraced St. George's Day by consuming traditional English food in the form of a Sunday Roast Dinner. Whilst not exactly roast beef, pork or lamb, I enjoyed a lentil and pistachio nut roast served with a giant Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, sweet potato mash, roast parsnip and spring greens in vegetarian gravy followed by apple crumble with vanilla custard. Scrumptious!

Meal courtesy of Wylam Brewery, the Palace of Arts in Exhibition Park, Newcastle

Feast of Easter

Made Simnel cake, Easter biscuits and Chocolate Nests - sampled each one

Had an Easter Egg Hunt - ate a chocolate egg

Sported Easter Bunny glasses - very fetching

Decorated hard boiled eggs - didn't win a prize (and didn't eat them)

Next year - egg rolling and Easter bonnet parade I think. Watch this space!

Happy Easter everyone

Choco-lots

Easter is approaching and the shops are full of chocolate eggs. Well, let's face it, they've been around since Boxing Day and I have already succumbed to several Cadbury's cream eggs this year. Abroad shop windows glisten with glossy chocolate displays. In Utrecht we saw their home bred Miffy chocolate rabbit disappearing down a chocolate rabbit hole. A friend brought her son a beautiful chocolate sphere from Tuscany and when he opened it there was a penknife inside! Not sure how that got through customs!

In the last year I have had some strangely named chocolate from the continent. Fuchs from Switzerland; Bumm in Budapest and just shared Tony Chocolonely in Holland!

Regular readers will know I am something of a chocoholic and I look forward to receiving my very own chocolate egg which I hope not to have to share with anyone! 

Going Dutch

Four days away with three friends visiting three destinations in Holland. The trip was organised for we art lovers who also, it turns out, appreciate floral arrangements and enjoy food. I was the lone vegetarian and was anxious to try Dutch food.

My main courses consisted of a satisfying omelette brunch, a Greek version of Melanzane parmigiana and Italian pasta and pizza. Not very Dutch I agree. However, in one typically Dutch restaurant I enjoyed an appetiser of cheese with mustard, a main course of vegetables with croquettes and a dessert of apple tart which were all delicious. For snacks we had Patatje oorlog which are potato fries with a mayonnaise based dip. 

It would seem the Dutch are fond of all things sweet and the hotels and restaurants were generous with their cakes and sweetie bowls.

Breakfast in one hotel brought back childhood memories. In 1970 our family stayed with friends in Holland. Bear in mind this was in the days before Nutella had hit our shores and chocolate for breakfast seemed outrageous. My eight year old eyes had popped out on stalks to witness Hans, Annette and Diane sprinkling their morning bread with Hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles). Naturally my sister and I had joined in, luxuriating in the decadence of such a sweet treat at breakfast. Trying it again in 2017 was almost as much fun.

We also ate Stroopwafel which is a thin waffle filled with a sweet, sticky syrup. These are available back in the UK and my son has taught me to balance one on top of my steaming cup of tea until it's soft and pliable. Just watch out it doesn't fall in though!