Once upon a time, all our bread came from underneath these heavy heavy stones. Today, we have the luxury to admire their beauty.
All posts in category UK
Ancient grind
Posted by Maninas on 30 November, 2014
https://maninas.wordpress.com/2014/11/30/ancient-grind/
Britain’s Best Foodie Street
What do you think is the best foodie street in Britain?
Over at Google, the vote is on! Their panel of judges have created the shortlist, including Britain’s Best Fashion Street and Most Picturesque Street in addition to the Best Foodie Street. Before voting, if you want you can see all the streets using satellite imagery on Google Maps. The really cool thing is that for many, you can explore some of them using Google Street View!
Go vote, and let me know what you think!
If you’re not from Britain, I’d love you to tell me what you think is the best foodie street where you live, and why, too! If you have some photos, you can send them to me if you want, and I’ll post them here as they come.
Posted by Maninas on 12 February, 2010
https://maninas.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/britains-best-foodie-street/
Belfast 1: The Big Fish – aka Bigfish
He is. He’s huge! 10 m long!
He’s a printed ceramic mosaic sculpture of Belfast life and history, made in 1999 by the artist John Kindness. The pictures and text on the tiles are mostly from the Ulster Museum in Belfast, but there were also contributions from Belfast school children.
The Bigfish tells us many Belfast stories. He tells us about the hills that surround Belfast. This particular one is famous. Look closely, and tell me what it reminds you of. Gulliver’s maker, who lived in Belfast at one point, has reportedly been inspired by this hill which reminded him of a giant’s face. Nobody knows for a fact, but we all like the story. Can you see the face of a giant lying, sleeping in the picture?
Whiskey. You can’t miss it in Ireland.
Bigfish tells the stories of the Belfast people, too. The girl was a passenger on the Titanic, which was built in Belfast.
Can you see the dots on his back? They’re red drops under the ceramic glaze. Echoing the recent past, perhaps.
Posted by Maninas on 10 February, 2010
https://maninas.wordpress.com/2010/02/10/belfast-1-the-big-fish-aka-bigfish/
Delicious Cornwall
I’ve been meaning to tell you about our fantastic trip to Cornwall for ages. I knew I’d like it in Cornwall, but I didn’t quite expect how much I’d love it, how it would woo me. As they say, love comes in through the stomach. Here are a few things we loved in Cornwall.
1) Excellent restaurants
Some Cornwall’s restaurants we’ve eaten in deserve a special post. And my special thanks go to the chefs and staff of The Wave in St. Ives, and of the Gurnard’s Head, near Zennor, for their creative and mouthwatering food! In particular, the staff at the Gurnard’s Head deserve special mention because of their friendliness and informativeness.
We simply didn’t have enough days and nights to try everywhere we wanted to try, so we said good-bye to Cornwall with a list of restaurants to try when we come back next. I can’t wait!
2) The best fish and chips in the world
I can safely say I’ve had the best fish and chips in the world now.
The Jewell Chippie in Newlyn sells the most amazing, freshly caught, freshly cooked fish and chips, with daily specials that include lemon sole and scallops. We’ve had one (massive) portion of freshly cooked lemon sole that was just out of this world. Firstly, the fish was freshly caught (the chippie is just behind the harbour, and they buy fresh fish every day). Secondly, it was freshly cooked. Thirdly, and importantly, it was really very well cooked. Just right. Moist and tasty. Non-greasy. Also, it was served by very friendly staff, and incredibly cheap. I give it my vote for the best chippie in the world! This really was something special.
Funnily, we ate our bounty sitting on a wall in a car park opposite the harbour, but boy what a view we had!
3) The best cream tea I’ve ever had
The whole of Cornwall is famous for its cream tea, with gorgeous Rodda’s Clotted Cream. In The Kitchen, Polperro, I’ve had the best cream tea ever, with beautiful scones and delicious local strawberry jam.
4) Fantastic ice-creams
What is a summer without ice-cream? I’m delighted to report that we found excellent ice-cream everywhere in Cornwall, but were particularly impressed by Moomaid ice-cream from Zennor.
5) Beers, pasties, etc.
Cornish are proud of their food, and rightly so. They have excellent seafood, and some really very good local produce (try the Cornish blueberries when in season!). We had some stunning local beers in Cornwall. The Cornish Blonde (note, this is not the same as the Celtic Blonde) is a blond beer, with summery notes of heather and hay – one of the best beers I’ve ever had.
You simply cannot go to Cornwall without trying the famous Cornish Pasty. The Philps pasties from Hayle are especially good.
Yes, we will definitely return to Cornwall. I miss it already.
Posted by Maninas on 6 October, 2008
https://maninas.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/delicious-cornwall/