Crumbs to Crunch

As we had a heatwave last weekend, I decided to compile a list of perfect picnic spots in and around Cardiff. 1. Roath Park You can hire a boat on the lake in summer and grab an ice cream from the kiosk or the ice cream van. http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2%2C2868%2C2965%2C2991 2. Fforest Fawr - Castell Coch  We went for a lovely walk in the forest around Castell Coch and there is even a sculpture trail located  in the woods. The castle is also well worth a visit. You can get a bus from Cardiff to Tongwynlais. http://cadw.wales.gov.uk/daysout/castell-coch/?lang=en 3. Cosmeston    Not only is there a beautiful lake but also a reconstructed medieval village to explore. http://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/en/enjoying/parks_and_gardens/cosmeston/cosmeston.aspx 4. St Fagans National History Museum This is an open air museum that showcases Welsh buildings through the ages. It is free to get into and there is a bus that goes d

Given that I am a tea and cake fanatic, I cannot believe that I have never had a proper afternoon tea on a tiered cake stand until last week! I have clearly been missing out and I cannot recommend enough the afternoon tea at Waterloo Gardens Teahouse in Cardiff. Tea timers are a great idea to make sure that your tea is not over brewed! Waterloo Gardens Teahouse is ultra modern and chic unlike some of the cosier places I have reviewed previously on this blog. When I entered, I was struck by the sheer variety of tea, it was tea heaven! The menu describes all the teas in detail to help you make the difficult choice. What I enjoyed most about my afternoon tea was the fact that you could choose any cake and hot drink instead of being given a set menu. I was lucky enough to go with my family so I could try all of their cakes: - Squash, blueberry and orange cake - White chocolate and raspberry cake - Ginger and pear cake - Ginger, apricot and white chocolate blondie

Given that most of us lead busy lives, it is quite rare that we take the time to enjoy breakfast. I for one am guilty of hurriedly wolfing down some cereal before heading out. It is fun once in a while to take breakfast at a more leisurely place, therefore, if you are looking for an interesting alternative to a Full English then Thé Pot in Cardiff is the place for you!  Thé Pot offers an excellent Welsh Breakfast which includes scrambled egg, bacon, thick slices of toast and the welsh specialities: Glamorgan Sausages and Laverbread. Their names are quite misleading as Glamorgan Sausages are vegetarian and Laverbread is not actually bread! Glamorgan sausages are made out of cheese, leeks and breadcrumbs whereas Laverbread (or bara lawr in welsh) is in fact made out of seaweed called Laver found on the welsh coast. The seaweed is minced and formed into a patty. It may sound strange but trust me, it is delicious! You can see that I had a sneaky bite of toast before taking the p

Even though it is not the most elegant of desserts, Bilo Bilo really does make great comfort food. It is my favourite Filipino dish and I thought it was high time that I learnt my Mum's recipe. Bilo Bilo roughly translates as 'round round' to describe the glutinous rice balls (sort of like dumplings) which are served in a sauce made out of coconut milk, tapioca and jackfruit. I have tried to write down my Mum's recipe to share with you. You should be able find all the ingredients in Asian food shops. Ingredients 400ml Coconut milk 1 tin Jackfruit in syrup 1/2 cup Tapioca pearls 250g Glutinous Rice Flour Optional: A handful of sweetcorn or sweet potato Method Put the glutinous rice flour in a bowl. Mix in a teaspoon of cold water at a time until you can form a ball of dough. Make sure the dough is not too wet.  2.  Roll small pieces of the dough with your hands to make little rice balls and then put to one side.