An Offering From Les Alpes

A trip to the alps never fails to provide an offering of mouth-watering treats, and food always seem to taste a hundred times better after a long day on the slopes. A small Traditional French patisserie I found in Val d’Isere over Easter was bursting with immaculately presented fruit tarts. 

 This tarte aux framboise appears too perfect to be handmade, biting into it the taste is pretty good too, the crunchy pastry complements the soft sweet fruit inside and the sharp raspberries are dripping with sugary red syrup, it made me want to try all the other tarts and cakes in the shop. 

Z x

Caffè Vivo - Newcastle upon Tyne

What better way to spend a sunny, springtime Saturday afternoon than enjoying a long, lazy lunch in an authentic Italian café - complete with a glass of wine and a plate of simple yet delicious food. If this sounds up your street, then head down to Caffè Vivo, a charming Italian eatery tucked away on the Newcastle Quayside. Owned by Terry Laybourne (also at the helm of the ever-popular Café 21 round the corner from Vivo), it is unsurprising that the combination of unpretentious yet tasty dishes, and relaxed, peaceful atmosphere just works. 

In search of a satisfying late-lunch, my parents and I opted for just one course each, although the choice was not easy due to the array of appetising dishes on offer, spread across the A La Carte and Express Lunch menus. Once we had made our choices, the food arrived in good time, and service was efficient and accomplished yet relaxed and subtle - adjectives which seem to sum up all aspects of the experience, from the music and atmosphere to the food itself. My father opted for the Springtime Spaghetti Carbonara - a tasty pasta dish with a creamy sauce and moreish flecks of crispy pancetta, yet still light and fresh, being packed with seasonal green veggies. 

Fresh and seasonal Springtime Spaghetti Carbonara

Caesar Salad was my mum's choice - and old classic that she believes can separate the wheat from the chaff in terms of restaurants, and it seems that Caffè Vivo was definitely the former. The generous portion included large, succulent pieces of chicken, rashers of crispy pancetta, oozing soft boiled eggs crisp lettuce leaves, and spicy croutons, all liberally coated in the creamy yet sharp Caesar dressing. Her one criticism was the rather cold eggs compared to the rest of the dish, yet in a busy kitchen I can understand the need to pre-cook and chill such ingredients until needed. Nevertheless, she was adamant that the high quality of ingredients and subsequently impressive flavours made-up for this small hiccup. 

A rustic and hearty take on the classic Chicken Caesar Salad

 I settled on the 'PLT' sandwich - a delicious gourmet take on the standard BLT that we all know and love. This Italian version substituted bacon for thin, crisp pancetta, encasing this, the lettuce, tomato and fragrant basil aioli inside a soft and fresh ciabatta roll - heavenly. All dishes were perfectly complemented by a glass of cool and crisp house white, although for the more adventurous drinker they offer an intriguing selection of unique Italian artisan craft beers - we'll save that for another afternoon!

 All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable eating experience. Besides the great food and informal atmosphere, it was the attention to detail that really impressed. This ranged from the charming vintage-style bread tin which held a selection of artisan breads including focaccia and grissini, to the fresh seasonal daffodils adorning the tables, and delicious home-made lemon and hazelnut biscotti served alongside our coffees. Furthermore, all dishes were reasonably priced, with everything on the Express Lunch menu costing under £10, and the Springtime Spaghetti Carbonara from the A La Carte menu costing £12. If you are ever in search of an informal supper, late lunch, or just a coffee, be sure to seek out this hidden gem!

C x

Caffè Vivo, 29 Broad Chare, Newcastle upon Tyne,  NE1 3DQ

Rum & Raisin Cake

Despite being a classic ice-cream combination, I had never thought of extending the marriage of rum and raisin to baking. Although it is difficult to imagine how the two flavours, particularly rum, work in cake-form, you must take my word for it - the results are simply heavenly. The crunchy golden exterior of the cake, deliciously caramelised from a pre-bake sprinkling of brown sugar, is contrasted by the extraordinarily light sponge which lies beneath. Although separating eggs and whisking up the whites seems like a faff, adding a little extra time and washing up compared to your bog-standard cake mixture, the resulting cloud-like sponge is definitely worth the effort. This sweet, boozy cake would also make an excellent, lighter alternative to a fruit cake, containing only small amounts of raisins and chopped walnuts, and with the added benefit of cooking in just an hour or under.

You will need...

- 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin

- 175g raisins

- 6 tbsp dark rum

- 275g softened butter/marg

- 175g caster sugar

- 4 eggs - separated

- 4 tbsp milk

- 1 + 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

- 275g plain flour

- 1 tbsp baking powder

- 50g chopped walnuts

- 2 tbsp soft brown sugar 

You will need to...

- Preheat oven to 180C, line and grease cake tin.

- Soak raisins in rum for half an hour. Drain, RESERVING RUM.

- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and beat well.

- Add reserved rum, milk and vanilla, then fold in flour and baking powder.

- Whisk egg whites until firm peaks form. Fold into mixture a third at a time, adding the raisins and chopped nuts with the last third.

- Pour mixture into tin and sprinkle the top with soft brown sugar. Bake for 45 mins - 1 hour, until golden brown on top and firm in the middle. 

- Allow to cool in tin.

Enjoy! C x

Smoked Haddock & Horseradish Fishcakes

Now that spring has finally sprung, simple, fresh and tasty suppers are in order after months of comfort eating to combat the cold. Although 'fishcakes' do not sound particularly exciting or inspiring, you really can make them your own with the endless possible favour combinations. In this case, the subtle smokiness of the haddock is perfectly complemented by firey horseradish, and the additions of lemon rind and parsley keep the cakes light and fresh. Served with a simple dressed salad, fishcakes are a cheap dish, having relatively few ingredients, yet definitely don't compromise on flavour - another ideal  student supper!

For 12 fishcakes you will need...

A large fillet of fresh smoked haddock (roughly 400g)

Roughly 400g potatoes

A small knob of butter

200ml approx milk

2 bay leaves

3 heaped tsp grated horseradish

Large handful of fresh parsley - chopped

1 lemon

Salt and pepper to season

A few good handfuls of plain flour and breadcrumbs

1 egg

A little butter and oil for frying

Salad leaves and mayonaise to serve

You will need to...

- Peel and boil potatoes until soft 

- Poach fish in milk flavoured with bay leaves for 5 minutes, (until translucent fish just turns opaque) then remove from the pan and flake into a bowl (discard with skin and bones)

- Drain potatoes and mash with the butter and a little of the fish-poaching milk. Season well.

- Add horseradish, lemon rind and 2/3rds of the chopped parsley to the mash, then fold in the flaked fish. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

- Shape into 12 even fishcakes, then dust each in flour, dip in beaten egg, and dip in breadcrumbs.

- Fry in a little oil and butter until golden and crisp on both sides.

- Stir juice of half the lemon and the remaining chopped parsley into mayonaise to make a deliciously fresh and zingy dipping sauce. Serve with salad.

Enjoy! C x