Holly and The Ivy

This week was my third visit to The Ivy in Harrogate. Once with husband of our anniversary, once as a treat for my daughter Holly post university exams and pre trip to do Camp America. This week was a visit with my octogenarian parents. 

The Ivy was first founded in 1917 as an Italian cafe in London and its proximity to theatre-land made it popular with theatre goers, actors and celebrities. This Art Deco gem has been rolled out across the country in the form of Ivy Cafes and Ivy Brasseries.

My daughter and I had recently visited the Granary Square Brasserie near Kings Cross and had enjoyed our rushed meal very much before having to rush for our train. On visiting The Ivy Harrogate we were struck by the similarities and now realise they are part of the Ivy Collection.

On both occasions I went for a roasted butternut squash base with chickpeas, feta, leaves and pomegranate. Both delicious. (The Granary Square was a bigger portion!)

Dad had steak with eggs and chips. He didn't manage all the steak and so we asked to take it home for my dog. Beautifully packaged, I won't show you what's inside the box!

This little veggie went to market

On 26.11.17 I wrote a blog about vegetarian eateries in London. A further visit this weekend led to another discovery. 

If you're seeking tasty vegetarian and vegan food, like any little piggy, you must go to market. Camden Market to be precise. As well as finding bric a brac, jewellery, clothing, art and music, there are food stands galore. KERB has 34 street food stalls open 7 days a week and there are many more besides. It's like taking a trip around the world from the Caribbean to Indonesia, Mexico to the USA, Holland to India, Hungary to China ... You get the idea.

The stall holders take pride in their food and the presentation is a delight. We brunched at Cafe Chula which serves authentic Mexican food bursting with flavour and colour. I ate the breakfast taco - soft tacos with tomato, avocado and eggs emitting a comforting bit of heat presumably from chillis. On offer were hot sauces to accompany - rather like playing Russian Roulette!

Camden Market is definitely worth a visit. There is a great vibe, good shopping and fantastic food. Take in another sight and burn off those calories by taking a ten minute walk to Primrose Hill, sit on a bench and admire the view.

Overseas with the Portuguese

Dear reader, sorry I missed writing a post last week. I was spending a few days in Portugal and spent Sunday afternoon to evening at Thai Beach; a restaurant/bar with DJ and dancing, at Vilamoura. To be frank, I was in no fit state to write a blogpost.

Whilst having a great time with husband and friends, the vegetarian cuisine was nothing to write home about. We hired a catamaran and kayaked into a small cove for a meal on the first day. My companions tucked into fresh fish dishes whilst I was offered a mixed salad or vegetable stew. This turned out to be carrots and green beans and was a mere accompaniment to the fish. The young waiter explained to me that it was a fish restaurant. It was as if my friends were welcome but I should have stayed on the boat!

The following evening an even larger crowd of us went to a fabulous restaurant called Parilla with beautiful gardens illuminated with fairy lights. After cocktails on the terrace we chose our food. It turns out that parilla means grill and yes, it was a steak restaurant.  Luckily there was a vegetarian option of asparagus and sun dried tomato risotto. It tasted a bit like boiled rice with specks of vegetables but was passable. The starter was delicious; melted provolone cheese with oregano, cherry tomatoes and pesto.

At Thai Beach the following day my starters were served separately upon request but the only dish I could eat from the banquet was Pad Thai noodles whilst those around me tucked in to fish and meat dishes. To be fair, when the heavens opened and we had to rush inside, they reset a table and provided more food. The copious amounts of rose wine and the pouring of sambuca along with the sun reappearing, the dancing and the most beautiful sunset more than made up for any culinary disappointment.

So, on the last day I decided to try Pastel de nata, a delicious Portuguese sweet egg custard encased in a crisp pastry shell. Delicioso!

Saluti

A short break in Venice provided the perfect excuse to drink my favourite wine-based cocktail/aperitif; Aperol Spritz. I prefer this to the bitter Campari Spritz which has a higher alcohol content.

They are made with:-

Aperol/Campari

Soda Water

Prosecco

Ice cubes, olive and orange slice

This time I encountered a third contender. The Hugo Spritz:-

Gin

Elderflower cordial

Soda water

Prosecco

Ice cubes, mint leaves and lime wedge

All delicious and refreshing

Not so poison Ivy

It's Bank Holiday weekend, the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race has been on, it's been my wedding anniversary and YES the weather has been amazing. Yorkshire has been shown in all it's glory - God's Own County indeed.

Our anniversary celebration was spent at The Ivy in Harrogate where I enjoyed:-

Mozzarella di buffalo - asparagus & endamame with roasted pine nuts, pesto & baby basil

Chargrilled halloumi with Padron peppers - red pepper sauce, toasted fregola, San Marzanino tomatoes, olives and a chilli and mint sauce

Everything tasted fresh and was beautifully presented. Thirty-four years on, it's our opal anniversary. 

Red as a Beetroot

Beetroot is the tap root part of the beet plant and the beet leaves can be eaten in salad or cooked Iike spinach.  Both parts are healthy; a source of iron, folate, magnesium, vitamin C, potassium, manganese and fibre.

It can be used in many ways; pickled, roasted, grilled, blended into soup or juice, made into a dip, used in risotto or grated in a salad. Beetroot can even be used to make a red velvet cake (with the addition of chocolate).

M&S sell beetroot wraps.

        

I enjoyed an Arcobaleno (meaning rainbow in Italian) pizza topped with tomato, spinach, avocado, chilli threads, purple basil and pink beetroot "beet balls" at Zizzis. 

I won't beet about the bush ... It was delicious!

Given the runaround

Today the London Marathon saw Mo Farrah come 3rd and smash the British marathon record. This has been overshadowed by Watergate; Mo couldn't find his own water bottle, picked up the wrong one and had to run back to the station to find his own. Why he needed his own bottle I'm not sure. Presumably they all have special, individual additives whereas the main throng of runners have, well, just water. 

As the runners were pounding the pavements in London, I was running 5k around my home village. I drank water before and after the run but the real reward was this delicious brunch.

Avocado with lime juice and chilli flakes on oats and ancient grains toast topped with a poached egg

Greek yogurt with muesli, banana, raspberries and chia seeds

Earl Grey tea

A nice meal at the end of a run is a great motivator. Like the donkey and the carrot. Like Mo and Quorn!