Cherry, Almond and Chocolate Trifle

You can never have too many indulgent treats this time of year. Last year I made a chocolate and orange trifle for Christmas Day dessert. For a family party this week I decided to give it a new twist, taking advantage of the Amaretto that is hanging round in my parent's kitchen. I adore this chocolate custard - some can be quite thin which means the trifle ends up a bit all over the place. This is rich and creamy and makes the dish something special.

This recipe is a mix of favourite dessert flavours all in one: the cherry, cream and chocolate combination of a Black Forest Gateau; the almond flavour topped off with cherry inspired by Bakewell tarts; all layered in the traditional trifle style. Perfect for an indulgent but reassuringly old fashioned dessert to be served at a family gathering.

I hope everyone has had a lovely Christmas!

Cherry, Almond and Chocolate Trifle

Layers of vanilla and almond sponge, topped with raspberries and cherries, a rich chocolate custard, and whipped cream, topped with cherries, almonds and grated chocolate.


Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 large raspberry and vanilla Swiss roll
• 4 tbsp Amaretto 
• 200g raspberries
• 200g cherries
• 3-4 tbsp raspberry or cherry jam
• For the custard:
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 200ml milk
• 200g dark chocolate, melted
• 250g tub ricotta
• 225ml double cream (or other cream suitable for whipping)
• Flaked almonds, to decorate
• Grated chocolate, to decorate

Method

1. Cut the Swiss roll into chunky slices. Lay these in a large serving dish, filling in any gaps with small pieces of sponge.
2. Sprinkle the Amaretto over the sponge to soak in.
3. Wash and pat dry the raspberries. Layer these on top of the sponge slices. Wash and chop the cherries, reserving 10 whole ones for decoration. Add these to the raspberries.
4. Spoon enough jam over the fruit so there is a thin coating over the sponge to keep it moist. 
5. Mix the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a large bowl to make a paste.
6. Heat the milk in a pan until it reaches just below boiling point. Pour it over the egg mixture and stir until thoroughly combined. Return to the pan and heat through, stirring continuously, until the mixture is thickened and smooth.
7. Return the custard to the large bowl. Add the melted chocolate and the ricotta and stir until combined. Pour over the fruit, smooth with the back of a spoon and leave in the fridge for an hour, or until set. 
8. Whisk the cream until slightly thickened. Spread over the custard layer, or pipe if wished. 
9. Arrange the remaining cherries over the cream. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds and grated chocolate. Store in the fridge until ready to serve. 

Mince Pie Slices with Lemon Icing

While I may begin making Christmas plans and buying presents before December hits, the one thing I manage to save until the 1st is indulging in Christmassy treats. Then I can't help but dig into chocolates, fruit cake, and my favourite, mince pies. Living next door to a bakery this year has been both brilliant and dangerous for my taste for thick buttery pastry encasing rich fruity mincemeat and sprinkled with sugar. I have had some of the best mince pies, but probably a tad too often than I should. Though isn't that the definition of this time of year?

I first made these mince pie slices last year and they went down very well. I do admit to cheating with the pastry; while most of the time I try to ensure everything I make is from scratch I feel there are some things that are acceptable to include a short cut. There is enough busyness in the kitchen at Christmas that sometimes it's more important to have these ready with as little stress as possible, and focus that extra time on spending it with loved ones.

This recipe is easily adapted to suit different tastes - include whichever dried fruit and nuts you fancy. Flaked almonds, pistachios or a few chopped glacé cherries would look particularly attractive in my opinion.

Mince Pie Slices with Lemon Icing

Adapted from Good Food

This twist on a Christmas favourite combines an extra fruity mincemeat filling with flaky puff pastry, drizzled with a zesty icing


Cuts into 12 slices

Ingredients

• 400g jar mincemeat
• 1/2 apple, cored, peeled and finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 tsp juice
• 40g dried cranberries
• 25g chopped nuts
• 1 heaped tbsp ground almonds
• 375g pack ready-rolled puff pastry
• 50g icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas Mark 7. 
2. Combine the mincemeat, chopped apple, lemon zest, cranberries and nuts in a bowl.
3. Roll out the pastry and trim the end to make a 23cm square. Lay on a baking tray.
4. Scatter the ground almonds evenly over the pastry. Spread the mincemeat mixture over the whole of the pastry, right to the edges. 
5. Use the spare pastry to decorate the top of the slices. I cut strips and lay them over the mincemeat in a lattice pattern, making sure they are secure to the pastry base. Or cut shapes from the pastry (stars, hearts) and lay them equal distances apart. 
6. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until the pastry is risen and golden. Leave to cool.
7. Once cool, mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice. A little water may be needed to reach the right consistency. Drizzle the lemon icing over the mince pie and cut into 12 slices. 

Christmas Food Post Round Up

That this is a hectic time of year is an understatement. Despite recently beginning my break from uni for Christmas, I have been trying to get on top of my workload so I can relax a bit when I head home. Hopefully then I can fully appreciate all the things I love about Christmas, my favourite of course, being the seemingly non-stop preparation and consumption of delicious food.

I haven't done much of my own Christmassy cooking/baking yet (apart from these snowy-effect chocolate crackles), so I thought I'd do a quick post of some of the best ideas and recipes I've come across on the internet so far. 

First up, I think these cookie gift ideas from Spoon Fork Bacon are brilliant! The packaging is cute, modern and seasonal, and the cookies themselves look absolutely delicious. Check out the post here.

I adore truffles; in my opinion there's nothing more indulgent than tucking into a box of rich chocolate truffles with a light dusting of cocoa powder. These chocolate truffles from Pastry Affair flavoured with red wine add an extra sophistication and would be very welcomed as a gift or served after dinner, I'm sure. Recipe here.

And of course, not forgetting the main attraction, Christmas Day dinner itself. This twist on turkey and potatoes from Mama's Pantry looks incredible: perfectly cooked meat with a golden finish, served with crispy potatoes - what more could you wish for? The recipe here has started off my roast dinner cravings!

I'll share any Christmas cooking I get up to over the next couple of weeks and let me know of any yummy looking recipes you come across too! I've also been wanting to check out some new blogs, so feel free to leave me your link below :)

Chocolate Crackles and a Fox in a Jumper

Bundled up in burgundy gloves and a big woolly scarf whilst running around shops crammed with people, products and Christmas decorations, hoping to find the perfect gift for a family member. I'm not having much luck finding stuff for people this year so I end up popping into shops constantly, spinning around for ages but not actually finding anything. Too fussy for my own good.

As always I'm really looking forward to Christmas; a chance to go home after a few months of being at uni and get cosied up with my family and friends, laughing lots and eating too much. Because of all the moving around, my usual Christmas tree and decorations have been forgotten about, left in the loft back home, so instead I've picked up this cute little real tree, sprinkled with glitter and with a fox wearing a jumper to finish it off (just what every tree needs!). A few bits of tinsel and some lights and we'll still be able to get the flat all Christmassy feeling.

I spent the afternoon baking these chocolatey cookies from the Great British Bake Off book (How to bake the perfect Victoria sponge).

They turned out better than I hoped, soft and squidgy in the middle, almost brownie-like, with a crispy sugary outside.

The pavement-covered-in-snow type effect is made by rolling balls of the biscuit mixture into icing sugar just before baking, so it cracks as they spread out in the oven.

Perfect with a big mug of tea on a Winter evening!

Ocean, wash us all away...

Since Trent Reznor decided to currently leave working on music as Nine Inch Nails, as a huge NIN fan I've been intrigued about the new music he's been making in the meantime. I've casually kept an ear out for the offerings from his current project, How To Destroy Angels, also involving his wife Mariqueen Maandig on vocals, Atticus Ross, and Rob Sheridan. I haven't had chance to fully immerse myself in their two EPs yet, but I did check out their latest video for 'Ice Age', below.

This song is very different to Trent Reznor's work as Nine Inch Nails, but still maintains the haunting beauty underlying a lot of his previous music. Mariqueen's vocals are gorgeous, ever-so-soft over the keyboard and plucking of a stringed instrument. The video mirrors the music perfectly, nothing too overdone, full of intrigue.

How To Destroy Angels are still in early stages, with their first full length album due next year. The material I've heard so far from their second EP, an omen_, has caught my attention more than their first release, and I'm becoming more hooked by the mix of electronic elements coupled with Mariqueen's ethereal voice, making me excited to hear what's coming next from this band.

Cake and Cocktails

I'm officially a year older now and spent the day getting thoroughly spoilt by my amazing family and friends (thank you!). I let myself have a day off and a bit of a breather from recent madness, starting off with a delicious home cooked breakfast.

This cardigan is a present from my bestest, I love the length of it and it's so comfy.

Safe to say I spent the day all snuggled up and relaxed wearing this and my new Boux Avenue slipper boots. Normally I slide all over the place in these kind of slippers but these fit perfectly and I'm love with the design.

And then there was cake... lots and lots of cake. Which is never ever a bad thing, birthday or otherwise.
My fiancé spent the evening before baking cakes to surprise me with when I got home from work. To say these were the first cakes he'd made, they look and taste pretty damn good!

My family couldn't get down to Plymouth to come visit but surprised me by sending some gorgeous flowers and getting a box of cupcakes delivered from Choccacino. How brilliant do these look?!

I have been after a leather jacket for ages now and finally came across the perfect one in Superdry a few weeks ago, so this was my present to myself. I don't normally splash out on stuff but this jacket ticked all the boxes of what I've been looking for, it fits gorgeously and the leather is so soft, I just couldn't walk away.

After a pretty lazy day, we got dressed up and headed out to The Village, a lovely little Greek seafood restaurant in the Barbican. We indulged in tiger prawns and scallops in garlic butter, pitta bread with taramasalata, crab and calamari, followed by a plate of lemon sole and john dory accompanied by chips and Greek salad.

A wander towards the sea was in order after the extravagant amount of food - one of my favourite things is seeing the sea in the dark with just the twinkles of the boats further out, everything around so calm and quiet.

We then headed to Annabel's to check out the music and burlesque acts on for the evening, while hanging out in the cabaret-esque bar, sipping on strawberry daiquiris (poor quality photo I'm afraid).

I drifted home, sleepy and happy, and above all for grateful for the amazing people in my life who always put a huge smile on my face.

Stand up for what is beautiful

There is so much incredible new music coming out at the moment I can barely keep up. I just want to sit and listen all day, absorbing as much as possible.

Nico Vega

Despite having quite a break since their first full length album due to singer Aja Volkman's pregnancy, Nico Vega haven't stopped working and this week released a video for a new song. Cue a lot of excitement - I've adored this band ever since stumbling upon them soon after their first CD release, which remains one of my favourite albums. The rawness and passion of Aja's voice combined with energetic rock makes for some pretty awesome music. The lyrics encourage individuality, freedom and compassion and stand out as something truly creative and empowering. This live version of 'Beast' never fails to blow me away.

Their new song 'We Are The Art' differs from their raw rocky sound, going in a more electronic direction than previously. Opinions have been varied regarding this: personally I love it. As a relatively young band,  they have lots of room to grow and develop their sound, yet they have still kept the style of lyrics and power that defines Nico Vega. I did find myself wishing that the electronic modifications on Aja's voice wouldn't last throughout the whole song, but I think in the context of an album (that I have a feeling is going to be pretty varied) this song will fit in well and add an extra dimension to their current music. Hearing this has gone me super excited for their second album, which is due out sometime next year.

Monty's, Plymouth

Watching Pulp Fiction always makes me crave breakfast. Towards the end of the film, when John Travolta is tucking into a huge plate of pancakes, bacon and maple syrup = instant craving for my own plate of sticky fluffy pancakes topped with crispy bacon. Ok, so I'll admit that's probably a bit weird, and not the reason why I love Pulp Fiction (if you have yet to get round to watching this film, do it!).

I've always found American-style breakfasts a bit strange, and I couldn't understand what the attraction was of putting bacon on to one of the sweetest breakfast dishes you can get. So obviously I had to try it.

I first popped into Monty's for just a quick coffee break while out and about in the Barbican during my first couple of years studying in Plymouth, and checked out the menu while I was there to see if it looked good to revisit. Monty's is a modern cafe serving breakfasts and lunch all day, along with a selection of drinks and cakes. And among the numerous tempting breakfast options they also offer pancakes, bacon and syrup - I had finally found somewhere I could try the dish that had intrigued me for so long. I dragged Tom back a few days later and we indulged in an amazing, beautifully presented breakfast. I must admit pancakes with bacon is pretty damn good, and I'm slowly coming round to the whole mixing sweet and savoury thing.

We started off last weekend trying out some of the other options on the menu.

I had a bagel topped with bacon, cheese and poached eggs. The bagel was soft with a lovely toasted crunch, perfect for soaking up the runny yolk oozing out of the fluffy eggs.

Tom had the breakfast bap, a huge floury cob encasing thick rashers of bacon, sausages and mushrooms.

Monty's is great if you want something a bit different from fish and chips or pasties that are everywhere around the Barbican, either for a coffee and cake break while exploring or a tasty lunch somewhere more modern and distinct.

"Hey Puddin'!"

So, obviously Batman is one of the best super heroes (in my eyes anyway) - what with his awesome fighting skills and fancy gadgets, plus that brooding dark side - but I think it's safe to say that one of the things that really makes Batman so good is the fact that the villains are bloody brilliant. I first properly got into Batman when I saw The Dark Knight, and it goes without saying that the Joker is the star of the film. My boyfriend and I got obsessed with playing Arkham Asylum when it came out (I'm still working my way through Arkham City - damn real life getting in the way of important things!). The Joker is once again the main bad guy, but due to the games being a bit more in line with the comics his sidekick girlfriend, Harley Quinn, also has a substantial role. And ever since I started playing I have been in love with the crazy, quirky and lovable character that is Harley.

Harley Quinn in the animated series and her makeover for the Arkham Asylum game

Her background of falling in love with the Joker while analysing him at Arkham, inspiring her change from the psychiatrist Harleen Quinzel to the insane criminal Harley Quinn complete with jester outfit, is probably a big part of why I think she's one of the best characters in Batman. Don't all wannabe forensic psychologists dream of having their heart stolen by a sociopathic criminal?! (Just me? Ok...)

Harley's naivete regarding her relationship with the Joker and quirky comments adds humour to the games, which are otherwise quite dark like Christopher Nolan's interpretation of the films. Plus who doesn't love a badass female who can handle a gun but simultaneously just wants to spend time with her Puddin'? 

This is my awesome necklace I got from Geekropology on Etsy the other day and I love it. What with Halloween coming up it's made me really want to put together a Harley Quinn outfit, complete with my boyfriend as the Joker. We've dressed up as Batman and Batgirl for a party previously, but I think this pairing would be even more fun. I think I'd go more for her look in Arkham Asylum - the outfit below would be perfect! Arkham Asylum Harley Quinn costume

One of these eye makeup looks would be great too if I didn't feel like wearing a face caked in makeup or a mask.

Are there any characters you also have a bit of a geeky obsession with?  What outfits are you planning to put together for Halloween?

*All photos apart from the necklace were found on google and are not mine*

'Sink the teeth and bat your eyes..'

Just a quick post before I get back to uni work, so much to do but hopefully I should be able to start running my experiment for my dissertation project from next week, so it's pretty fun at the moment. On placement I got to administer neuropsychological tests to patients most days and I really miss it, so it'll be nice to get back into something similar for a bit but this time working with students instead. Bit evil but it's so much nicer when you're in the experimenter chair and not the one being tested!

I'm also getting really excited for the new Deftones album, 'Koi No Yokan', released November 13th. These guys have been one of my favourite bands for so long now, since I was like 13 or 14, and their new stuff just seems to carry on getting better. I listened to the first 30 seconds of the new song 'Tempest' and had already fallen in love with it. Go to their website to check out the first couple of songs from the album, 'Tempest' and 'Leathers', or click on the video above for the audio for Tempest.

And before the last of the warmth and sun disappear into Winter, I whipped up a Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake for friends yesterday. (Excuse the wonky photo above though - was in a rush to tuck in!) I probably shouldn't have - this cheesecake is so deliciously fresh and light tasting that it doesn't feel like I'm eating dessert at all, so 'yes' to another slice seems like I'm almost making a healthy decision. Despite the fresh lemon and dairy from the ricotta and yoghurt, I realise the biscuits, butter and sugar probably aren't gonna feel so good in the long run. But hey, hard work equals more cake, right?

Sweet and Sour Chicken

It's one of those times where I wish I didn't need to sleep so much; I have so much to do and the days just aren't feeling long enough. As it gets colder I feel even more like burying myself in oversized jumpers and getting comfy in front of the tv with a big mug of tea - however my degree is kinda of getting in the way of those plans. It's final year though and amazingly I have been really enjoying uni so far, so I have no choice but to just get on with it. 

Of course this means making sure I'm full of delicious hot food full of healthy veg (especially because of all the bugs going around recently!). Which brings me onto the recipe below. 

I always want to try and learn how to make my favourite dishes. This has meant delving into numerous cookbooks in search of a sweet and sour recipe that I can shut my eyes and just for a moment maybe think I got this from a takeaway or restaurant. 

I think I'm there with this.

Obviously it had to be easy (and student budget friendly!) to put together. This uses mainly storecupboard ingredients with just a couple of fresh vegetables and chicken thrown in, so whenever I fancy this it's not long before I'm sat down in front of a fluffy pile of rice topped with steaming hot sauce.

Cheap, easy and healthy! And most importantly, warm and filling enough to get me through the ever-accumulating book chapters and journal articles that keep piling up!

Feel free to swap the chicken for pork, or extra vegetables can be easily added for a veggie version. This also goes well mixed in with some cooked noodles and served with chinese nibbles on the side.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

This sweet, mildly spicy sauce is quick and easy to make and full of delicious flavours, and goes perfectly with either chicken or pork. 

Serves 2

Ingredients

• Oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Small piece of ginger, chopped finely
• 1 tsp chilli sauce
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1-2 chicken breasts, cut into equal sized pieces
• 1 red or yellow pepper, chopped
• 1 432g tin of pineapple rings in juice, rings chopped into eighths and juice reserved
• 2-3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 heaped tsp tomato puree
• 1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
• 1 level tsp cornflour (optional)
• Boiled rice or egg fried rice, to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a wok. Add garlic, ginger, chilli sauce and onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. 
2. Add the chicken and a couple of tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice to the wok, and cook through. 
3. Add the pepper and pineapple pieces and continue cooking for a further 2 minutes or so.
4. While the pepper and pineapple is cooking, make the sauce. Add the soy sauce, tomato puree, 5 spice and the rest of the pineapple juice to a bowl. Stir until evenly mixed. 
5. Add the sauce to the wok and let it bubble for a few minutes until thickened. If necessary, add a teaspoon of cornflour and heat through until the sauce is thickened to your liking. 
6. Serve over plain or egg fried rice.

Seasoned Oven Chips

It's been such a hectic week, first week back at uni and I already have numerous books/articles to read, coursework to start, and I'm still in the process of figuring out my dissertation project! Busy but I've been loving it: I feel a lot more settled this year, placement has really given me the time off I needed to return with a better perspective on things. Saying that though, give it a couple more weeks and I'll probably have regressed back to my former stress head self! 

Also thought I'd mention the blog's new header, courtesy of my brother, Nick (@nicknak49 on Twitter). He's currently studying Interactive Media so spends his time creating graphics and animations, and he offered to mess around with something for here in his spare time before he's gotta head back off to uni. It's amazing to see how good he's getting with this kind of stuff, the animation stuff he did last year was brilliant. Proud big sis right here :) Every now and then he posts some of the stuff he's working on over on his blog, which I recommend checking out. 

Anyway, I'll finish off with a quick recipe that I whipped up the other night. Comfort food season is definitely starting for me!

Seasoned Oven Chips

These chips are really quick and easy to make, the only time you might get impatient is waiting for them to cook!

Place an oil-drizzled baking tray into a pre-heated oven (200-220C/400-425F/gas mark 6-7) for about 5 minutes.

While the oil is warming up, chop your potatoes (Maris Piper are great) into chips as thin or as chunky as you fancy (peel as well if you like, though I always prefer to leave the skins on), until you have as many as you need - depending on the size of your potatoes, this is usually around 2 per person. 

Take the tray out of the oven and lay the potatoes evenly on it (be careful, the hot oil will spit!).

Add whatever seasoning you fancy. For these I added generous amounts of garlic salt and paprika. Use a spoon to carefully toss the chips so they are evenly coated in oil and seasoning.

Cook in the oven for about 40 minutes to an hour, depending on the quantity and thickness of chips, rotating the tray a couple of times.

I served the chips with home-made herby garlic mayo (a few tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1 crushed garlic clove and a sprinkle of herbs to taste), and chicken, bacon and cranberry mini baguettes. These were topped with the last of the brie we got hold of at the Plymouth Seafood Festival and popped under the grill for a few minutes. Seriously yummy, trust me.

Butterflies and a Winter Wishlist

New year at uni of course means new additions to my wardrobe. The weather is changing; student discounts are everywhere and my loan has just come through - the list of excuses goes on. I don't go clothes shopping that often and I know to be careful now, not if I don't want to end up living off dried pasta and Tesco value sauce in a couple of weeks (ahh isn't student life bliss?). But there's a lot of hard work ahead so a few treats are ok, right?

I found this top in New Look for £12.99 and felt the brightly coloured butterflies on floaty burgundy fabric were perfect for the transition from summer to autumn.

The pink vest top (worn underneath) and shorts are also from New Look. I've had the shorts for a while now and absolutely love them; they're perfect for a smart casual look.

With the weather getting steadily colder I've been looking forward to getting cosied up in oversized jumpers, coats and boots. These are the some of the things I've been lusting over recently:

I've been wanting a leather jacket for ever, and this one from Victoria's Secret is gorgeous. The fit is what I'm looking for in this kind of jacket, and the faux fur trimmed hood gives it a cosy edge perfect for chilly days.

Long jumpers are my best friend in winter. The design on this one from Republic is super cute and I'm liking the fitted sleeves, giving it practicality for days when there's more than cups of tea and old films on the agenda. 

I'm not one to follow trends much, but my inner goth is loving the studded look at the minute. A lot of items seem to be a bit over the top and tacky looking though to be honest; I love these boots, also from Republic, because the studs are subtle and overall they seem to be decent quality. 

These Plum skinny jeans are from H&M. I adore this denim in deep reds and purples at the moment; I have some high-waisted deep red shorts that I wear constantly. I would definitely be wearing these a lot; you can't go wrong with skinny jeans at any time of the year!

For me though, the most important Autumn/Winter clothing is of course snuggly nightwear. I haven't yet gotten hold of a onesie, but my friend recently introduced me to this website (http://www.kigurumi.ca/) and it's so tempting to start a whole collection!

How cute is the Fox?

I really wish they had a UK store!

Any particular pieces of clothing you've been wanting recently?

Plymouth Seafood Festival

Waking up to a beautifully sunny Saturday morning, the bustle I could hear from the street outside reminded me that this weekend is the Plymouth Seafood Festival, taking place on the Barbican. It's a good weekend for it: students have been flocking back to the city this past week, settling in before freshers starts on Monday. Plymouth has been full of excited young people getting ready for life away from home and their next stage of education, with their parents around assisting their move. This kind of festival displays why Plymouth is an interesting place to live: in my case it seemed vastly different when I first moved away from the city life in Nottingham, where the sea seems infinitely distant.

Tom and I decided to have a stroll around and see what was happening: surprisingly this is the first seafood festival Plymouth has had, so we were intrigued to see what was on offer.

The street next to the harbour was clustered with stalls, selling fresh fish, hot food, and handmade gifts. Little pots of cockles and prawns were available, plump and fresh with a subtle tangy seawater taste. Delicious.

Cooking demonstrations filled the air with incredible smells as chefs showed how to make the best of fresh fish. One involved topping a fillet of fish with a sauce made from garlic, chorizo, mushrooms and white wine, and finished with mussels and parsley; the only let down was there not being enough to go around!

With our mouths now watering, we wandered back through the crowds in search of crab sandwiches. The one we chose was amazing: thick white bread with a perfect crust, spread with a generous amount of crab mayonnaise sprinkled with spring onion (the photo doesn't do it justice!).

Before heading back, we checked out the cheese stall that's there, a reprieve from all the seafood. Both of us, Tom in particular, love cheese and couldn't resist trying a few samples. The brie was the nicest I've ever had, perfectly creamy. We chose a sundried tomato and a smoked garlic cheese along with more of the brie to take home with us. I have a feeling that they won't last long!

The festival is also on tomorrow (Sunday 16th) from 10 'til 5, so if you're around Plymouth I definitely recommend having a wander round and a taste of some of the food that's available: you won't be disappointed. I'm even tempted myself to go back tomorrow for another of those crab sandwiches!

Any other interesting things going on this weekend?


*All photos courtesy of Tom (@MechanicalTom11)