Edinburgh cafe - lovecrumbs

During our trip to Edinburgh we have noticed a new cafe scene that was noticeably absent when I first lived in the city over a decade ago.  One of the best examples of these cafes is lovecrumbs.  E has unequivocally declared it to be his favourite cafe.  It is a gorgeous welcoming space of warm wooden surfaces, fairy lights and beautiful layer cakes.

I had another reason to enjoy lovecrumbs.  Not only did fellow blogger Shauna recommend it, but she also met us there to share some cake.  I have been reading The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl blog for some years now and in the last year I read the fantastic book of the same name.  Shauna, an Aussie expat living in Scotland, is an entertaining writer and always strikes me as a warm and interesting person.  It was a great pleasure to meet up and spend time chewing the fat with her.

We had fun ogling the amazing layer cakes and deciding what to order.  Shauna chose the coconut snowball cake.  Layers of coconut cake, jam and frosting, it was simple and delicious.  This was perhaps my favourite cake among all the ones we ordered.

Sylvia chose the chocolate chestnut tart.  This was a gooey rich chocolate chestnut filling in a pastry case.  I tried to help Sylvia cut hers into neat pieces but she ended up making a complete mess of it - as only a three year old can- with chunks of the chocolate filling all over her plate and her hands.  Thank goodness I remembered to bring along some wipes.

My choice was the spiced honey chocolate cake with a rose and cardamom hot chocolate.  I really loved the dense spiced cake but I left quite a lot of the chocolate frosting on the side.  I prefer a ratio of more cake to frosting.  The hot chocolate was wonderfully warming and nicely spiced in a Middle Eastern style.  Sylvia quite enjoyed sampling it and got most of it in her mouth.  (Note to self: when Sylvia is eating hot chocolate with a spoon, do not let her sit on my knee!)

E had a carrot cake and an orange, chilli and clove hot chocolate which he said was the best hot chocolate he had ever had.  I don't doubt it, even though he had also claimed this the day before when he had ordered a hot chocolate.

This Christmas tree was a great distraction for Sylvia who spent quite some time admiring it with E while I chatted with Shauna.  I regret that my photos don't do justice to the gorgeousness of the cafe.  E commented that it seemed someone with an eye for design had a hand in the presentation, possibly from the nearby Edinburgh Art College.  In fact, we were quite amazed at some of the changes in the West Port where we lived years ago.  If only I still lived there, I would definitely be a regular at lovecrumbs.

lovecrumbs
155 West Port
Edinburgh EH3 9DP
www.lovecrumbs.co.uk

Edinburgh Larder and the National Museum

After a stressful morning in Marks and Spencers (I lost E, we queued for ages for scones, we spread jam with a fork!), Sylvia and I arrived early at Edinburgh Larder to meet Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes and her wee boy Cooper.  The place was full.  How awkward!  We had only met online so there is always a slight anxiety about meeting a bloggers in the flesh.  When Jac and Cooper arrived, a table became available and everything seemed easy and natural.

I had expected Edinburgh Larder to be half food store and half cafe.  Instead it is mostly cafe with a small area dedicated to local food products such as oatcakes and preserves.  The menu is mainly soups, sandwiches and quiches.  Jac and I ordered the parsnip, kale and cheddar soup accompanied by a sandwich. (My sandwich had brie, peppers and chutney, I think.)  Everything was fresh and made with quality local ingredients, though my soup could have done with a bit more seasoning.

E arrived just after me.  (We had found each other in Marks and Spencers but he had stopped at a charity shop on the way.)  He was amazed at the place because when we lived in Edinburgh it had been a cafe called Lianachan.  It was a venue for E's solo gigs but looked very different.  He was less impressed with his sandwich than me.  Sylvia had oatcakes and a wonderful tasty crumbly cheddar cheese.  Cooper had porridge.

Upon leaving Edinburgh Larder I was more focused on buying granary bread and oatcakes than on the stroller in the corner.  I didn't get far with Jac, Cooper and Sylvia before realising I had left the stroller behind.  I retrieved it and we went to the National Museum of Scotland.

The Museum was not open on our last visit to Edinburgh due to renovations.  I was most impressed, but then who could fail to be impressed with such a magnificent Grand Gallery.  If I had visited with E (who was off shopping) I am sure we would have stopped for a cuppa at the cafe on the first floor balcony and enjoyed watching the people down below.

Instead we spent a lot of time shepherding Sylvia and Cooper, mainly through the Animal World (below).  Jac was great at finding activities to keep the kids amused in the museum.  Both our children's lives have been documented on our blogs so it was just gorgeous to see them playing together.

Jac was one of the first bloggers that I started exchanging comments with when I began blogging about 5 years ago.  I was drawn to her vegetarian recipes firstly and then found she was both generous and entertaining.  It was lovely to be able to chat with her in the flesh - well as much as we could with two small children demanding our attention. 

After we had finished at the museum and swaddled the kids in the winter woollies to go outside, we headed to the nearby Elephant House cafe (which I blogged about on my last visit).  E rejoined us and we met up with Chele of Chocolate Teapot.  Chele is a more recent blog acquaintance but has struck me with her kindness, as well as resonating with me as an Aussie expat in Edinburgh.  I wasn't surprised that she was as lovely in the flesh as in the ether.

I ordered a margherita pizza to share with Sylvia, hoping she might eat a plain topping of cheese and tomato.  She didn't eat much, but then she had a little friend in Cooper to distract her.  E wasn't that impressed with it but I thought it ok.  We both were struck by the J K Rowling fan graffiti in the toilets.  Everyone loved seeing the fireworks at the Castle.  It was fantastic to sit sharing a cuppa with two lovely bloggers and great to be back at the Elephant House where I have some fond memories. 

Edinburgh Larder
15 Blackfriars Street
Edinburgh
EH1 1NB
Tel: 0131 556 6922
www.edinburghlarder.co.uk

NCR Snow Snow Snow and Edinburgh Botanics

Growing up in Australia where it is an effort to "go to the snow" (ie the mountains where it snows in winter), I have always loved snow in Scotland.  So this morning I was delighted to wake up and find it had been snowing.  Below is what I saw out our window.  There wasn't much snow lying.  Probably just as well.  Sigh!  I love the thought of looking out over a scene blanketed in peaceful white snow but I know it is just not very practical.

We had planned to visit Edinburgh Botanic Gardens so once we attempted to organise ourselves.  Actually we didn't do brilliantly.  We just missed the bus that took us there directly, regretted not taking a blanket for Sylvia's legs in the stroller and found that I had taken a hat instead of a scarf for my neck.

We took a bus that dropped us off in Raeburn Place in Stockbridge instead.  It meant a visit to a charity shop first.  They really know how to do a charming Christmas display in Scotland.

Then we walked past a park where the poor birds were tentatively walking along the frozen pond.  I was worried we might see one fall through the ice as it seemed quite thin in places.  You can see the tracks of the birds along the ice.  We also admired the clear view of Edinburgh Castle.

Once we arrived in the Botanics, Sylvia was out of her stroller and very excited to stand in the ice.  We were pleased she wore her new gumboots.  I don't think her mary jane shoes would have survived very well in the snow.  Of course, as those of you who understand snow might have guessed, it was just a pile of snow in the corner of a path.  Yet for a little girl who has never seen snow, it was very exciting.

We had lunch at the Terrace Cafe.  I wrote a  post about the Botanic Gardens when we visited in 2009, so I wont go into great detail about the gardens.  E seemed less happy about the cafe and his haggis this visit.  I really enjoyed my root vegetable and mull of kintyre cheese bake, though with a cheese scone it was too filling to finish.  (As with last time, the cheese scone was not the best of the trip.)

I really liked the offerings for kids.  They had lots of little things to choose from.  Sylvia had cheese wotsits (like cheezels), a piece of cheese, apple juice, jelly and pineapple chunks.  It is one of the best places we have been for kids food.  So much on children's menus is just a small serving of adults food.  The Terrace Cafe did kids style food really well.

After lunch we wandered down the path towards the gate past the huge old trees.  The Botanic Gardens are truly beautiful with amazing twisted branches and views of Edinburgh Castle and Salisbury Crags.

Most memorable of all on this visit was the wildlife.  We watched the antics of a few squirrels.  They dart across the paths so quickly but if you spy one at the bottom of a tree they are entertaining the watch.

We stopped to look at the ducks in the pond.  While we were watching them we saw a robin red breast.  It darted about with its red breast glowing in the wintery landscape.  I was very pleased to snap a photo of the robin in the snow (at the top of the post).

I am sending it to Jacqueline for the Festive Photos edition of No Croutons Required.  It is a hard decision because there are so many wonderful festive sights on our Edinburgh travels.  But the robin in the snow is such a traditional Christmas image and it is so rare to be able to photograph one that I have chosen this one.

We passed more snow as we walked through the gardens.  Not heaps of snow, but enough to enjoy without it making it hard to drive a stroller along the paths.
 

Last time we visited these gardens, Sylvia was a little baby who sat placidly in her stroller with the plastic cover over her to keep her warm.  This time Sylvia was in and out of her chair and her gumboots fell off more times than I care to count.  It made for slow-going but she enjoyed herself thoroughly.  She did feel the cold, the skies threatened rain and we had arranged to meet the lovely Shauna (more about that later).  So it wasn't a long visit but we will remember it for a long time to come.

Edinburgh Farmers Market and a fete

Under the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, the Edinburgh Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning.  I rose early, leaving E to mind Sylvia at our holiday flat, and headed off to the bus stop this Saturday.  The buses weren't running as regularly as on weekdays and then I discovered I didn't have enough coins (they don't take notes) so I rushed off to the nearby Greggs to buy potato scones and get change.  I just missed the no 49 bus but I caught the no 42 bus. I was very excited about finally visiting this farmers market.  It was every bit as interesting and delicious as I had anticipated.

I had a lovely time wandering about the stalls, tasting foods and chatting to stallholders.  Writing up this post and checking all the websites has made me full of desire to visit many of the wonderful cafes and bakeries represented here.  Unfortunately I wont have much time to so on this trip.  Instead I am glad to have had the opportunity to get a sample of the foodie offerings of Edinburgh at this market.

One of the first places I looked at was the Arran Cheese Shop.  I was instantly fascinated by the cheese oat cakes.  I decided to leave my purchase until on the way back.  When I did I found myself looking closer at the cheeses.  I bought not only the cheese oat cakes but also some raspberry infused cranberry cheese.  Both are amazing.

Sylvia would have loved to come to the market with me.  Instead I brought her home apple juice from Laprig Fruit.  She is rather fond of apple juice but rarely has such quality juice.  This is like really good cloudy apple juice and does taste of apples.  I bought a small bottle of apple juice and a large one of apple and raspberry juice.  Actually I think I preferred the straight apple juice.  I had a chat to the man at the stall about sourcing apples.  He said there was not a great stock of British apples this year.

I didn't buy any berries but wishes I had later.  However I have fresh cranberries in our fridge and felt obliged to use these rather than start buying more berries.  But those blackberries would have been superb with some yoghurt or ice cream.

I didn't buy any bread but I loved seeing all the baked goods.  We have some granary bread from the Edinburgh Larder (more about that later) and some supermarket bread, plus oatcakes and potato scones.  Probably is enough.  These round loaves were just gorgeous and I was tempted by the pumpkin bread.

I also resisted temptation at the Valvona and Crolla stall, despite having a fondness for their Edinburgh deli and cafe bar.  These sugar doughnuts looked delicious.

I did however stop and buy croissants from Bakery Andante because E hadn't been able to find them in the supermarket.  these soft buttery flaky pastries would embarrass anything the supermarket has to offer.  I loved the large rustic loaves of Covenanter's sourdough bread.  The idea that we are still eating the same bread as our ancestors resonates with me.

I couldn't resist the Chocolate Tree offerings.  I bought a selection of their pretty chocolate bars - winter spice, rose and pepper, strawberry and pepper, maple and pecan.  It seemed only right and proper to support local artisan chocolatiers.  I can't wait to taste some of their chocolate.

Was I living here, no doubt I would be buying one of these trees and a Christmas wreath.  As I am just on holiday, I am content to just admire the festive cheer this stall brings to the market.

I was very excited to see vegan cashew cheese (like a spread rather than a hard cheese) at the Ziggy's Really Good Food stall.  I had a lovely chat to the woman behind the counter who was telling me about a pop up raw food event next weekend.  Sadly we wont be free.  I did take away some of the cheese and having been enjoying it on oatcakes.  It is very smooth and almost as sweet as it is salty.

I was intrigued by the claim of Simple Simon's Perfect Pies that they were a whole meal in a pie.  The woman told me that there is a layer of potato under the filling of the pie.  A complete meal in a pie is exactly what you want on holiday.  I bought a cabbage, parsnip and apple pie for me and a chicken tarragon one for E.  I was impressed at the range of vegetarian pies and would have loved to try a few.  However we have already got quite a few ready meals in our fridge as well as leftovers of a rice soup that I made last night.

One of the first stalls I passed (opposite the Arran Cheese) was Cairn O'Mohr Fruit Wines.  I would have stopped and bought a bottle or two right then but I was told that they were unable to sell any wine until 10am.  So instead I went back later and had a lovely time with a very entertaining and cheerful saleswoman who was very busy pouring generous samples.  I tasted quite a few wines before deciding which ones to buy (a sparkling strawberry wine and a non-alcoholic sparkling wine).  I might have brought more if bottles weren't so heavy to lug about.

The reason I went to the market so early was that we had planned to go to the the school fete of E's nephews which started at 11am.  I got waylaid in Debenham's (where I left my scarf in the dressing room in my hurry) but managed to be back by 11.30 and the school was only a short walk away.  It was very festive.  We bought some Christmas tree decorations to put around the flat (but Sylvia thinks they are her toys and they are constantly moving about the loungeroom).

We visited this fete on our last trip to Edinburgh but Sylvia was just a baby.  It was even more fun visiting with her as a little girl with a love of craft and baking.  She had lots of fun decorating a tea light holder with stickers and sparkles and glitter glue.  Then she had to decorate two biscuits with icing, white chocolate stars, sprinkles and silver balls.

By the time we arrived it was slim pickings at the home baking stall but that didn't stop us purchasing these five bakes for a pound.  I was a bit surprised that the woman wasn't sure when I asked if there were peanuts in the baked goods.  (At Sylvia's fete in Melbourne we have to list all the ingredients of any food we take for sale.)  We enjoyed them anyway and had fun at the fete.  The star of the family was E's nephew Barney who bought two raffle tickets and won two hampers.

Edinburgh Farmer's Market
Every Saturday, 9am to 2pm
Castle Terrace, Edinburghwww.edinburghfarmersmarket.co.uk

Edinburgh Castle views and the Deacon's Hoose

Yesterday was St Andrews Day.  Patron saint of Scotland.  We went to Edinburgh Castle because entry was free.  It seemed a good day to upload my first post about our trip to Edinburgh.  But I was just too tired.  In fact, I am overwhelmed by all that I want to write about our time in Scotland.  So I have decided to start by telling you about my day yesterday.

The day started with me waking early.  Our sleep in Scotland is settling down but I am still finding it a wee bit unpredictable.  Here is my breakfast.  Granary bread with swiss cheese and some leftover roast vegies.  I bought the swiss cheese because Sylvia loves it.  Her eating is unsettled with our travels and she is resisting food that doesn't look like that which she knows (eg she wont eat baked beans in square tubs because they should come in small round tins).

After my breakfast E and Sylvia got up in time to see the sunrise from the window of our holiday flat.  We watched a heron on the nearby burn (that is what E says is the Scottish word for the stream).

We rugged up on our winter woollens to go out.  This is Sylvia's new hat and gloves.  She hasn't really had to wear gloves before.  Only the occasional mittens.  The weather is so cold that gloves are necessary.  The dolly is borrowed from her cousin.

We did some shopping at Cameron Toll and then met up with E's dad and nephews for lunch at Burger King.  Many years ago when I first travelled to the UK, Burger King had an surprisingly good vegetarian burger.  Now they only do a fairly average bean burger.

After lunch we visited Greggs.  Branches of this bakery are everywhere throughout Edinburgh (and the rest of the UK).  I find the blue fronted shops remind me of the time I lived in the UK.  E loved the doughnuts and I loved the cheese and onion pasties.  Yesterday E had a doughnut, I had a chocolate muffins with rainbow buttons on top and Sylvia had a snowman biscuit.

Then we took a bus to the city centre to visit Edinburgh Castle for free.  Hurrah for St Andrew's Day!  We visited the castle on our last visit to Edinburgh so we were happy to wander without having to see everything.  The sunny photo of the castle above was taken this morning.  By the time we arrived yesterday afternoon, it was around 3 and the light was already drawing in. 

We didn't bother going into St Margaret's Chapel or the War Memorial or the Great Hall or the War Museum.  Instead we joined the crowds by the canons at the viewing platforms.  What I loved best about this visit was the views.

Sylvia declared that she had never seen anything more beautiful.  I felt the same way.  Above is a view of Princes Street.  Locals often bemoan how this shopping strip has gone downmarket.  From above it looks like a grand collection of buildings.

Edinburgh Castle is an interesting place to wander around.  So many fascinating historic details.  I couldn't believe the queues yesterday.  And after walking around the steep footpaths in the cold, we were ready for a warm drink.

E took us off the High Street down a dark close into the Deacon's House Cafe.  As soon as we arrived, the guy from behind the counter offered a drink for Sylvia and brought it to her quickly.  It was typical of the friendly service.

Around the walls were murals outlining Deacon Brodie's life.  The cafe was once the workshop of this rascally councillor who was the inspiration for Jekyll and Hyde. Apparently he hanged in 1788.  It struck me that if he had been arrested a few years later he might have been transported to Australia and become a big wig there.

This room is cosy with olde worlde ornaments along the shelves and in the deep set windowsills.  Above the counter is some bare stone wall as a reminder of the age of the historic building.  Christmas decorations add to the warm welcome.  The top photo is the fireplace with the stockings and pine cone decorations.  Sylvia was fascinated by the baby Jesus in the windowsill and the Christmas tree with the flashing lights in the corner.

The menu was fairly standard offering of soup, sandwiches, toasties, slices and scones.  But what it did, it did well.  I ordered a cheese scone and a hot chocolate.  The scone was large and fresh.  It was served with a magnificent raspberry jam (though E was less enthused with his strawberry jam that came with his plain scone).

I ordered the hot chocolate because Sylvia was so cold that I thought she might like some of my warming drink.  She had a few spoonfuls but that was enough for her.  I find hot chocolates quite rich and would have preferred a herbal tea.  Nevertheless it was a lovely place to sit and relax and thaw out.

We stopped at the supermarket on the way home.  This selection of fruit juices wearing woolly hats amused me.  Supermarkets in the UK are different from home.  In the UK the cashiers sit down but they stand at home.  At home they pack the groceries for you but in the UK they ask how many bags you need and given you bags to pack your own groceries.  I think I would prefer to work in a UK supermarket than an Aussie one.

Rather than going straight home, we took our tea to E's dad's house.  Sylvia and I had wild garlic and parsley sausages with brussel sprouts.  I was glad to be able to offer her some vegetables at last.  She had so much fun playing with her Scottish cousins that I was worried she was too distracted to eat.  Finally she gobbled it up.

So you see, we are having a great time.  We've been sightseeing and shopping and socialising.  I've been to the Edinburgh Farmer's Market this morning, a fete this afternoon and tonight we went to my sister in law's place for her delicious and spicy Mexican lasagne with goats cheese. 

Deacon's House Cafe
2 Lawnmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2PS
Tel: 01312 261894