Joyful June

Joyful June

June has been hot, hot, hot and I am not going to lie and I have loved it. By hot I mean ‘England hot’ which is probably nothing like other countries hot, but temperatures have been hovering around 20-25C which is just perfect for me. Being able to eat outside, take evening strolls and generally just be outside makes everything seem better. Rumour has it that temperatures are set to soar over the next few weeks so we can all look forward to more of the same.

June has been pretty quiet socially. I have had to turn down numerous invitations due to work commitments which has been a shame, However at this time of year with Royal Academy of Dance ballet exams looming, my students have to take priority. I have however managed to fit a few things in so please do carry on reading to find out more.

Arthur’s Deli

My friend Angel and I caught up over lunch in the newly opened Arthur’s Deli in Exeter’s Guildhall Shopping area. A family run business on their second generation. Arthur’s Butchery owners Alx & Bilel Chibouni have taken the exciting step of expanding their popular Topsham based business into the heart of Exeter. Angel and I decided on smoothies and lunches from the specials board. I opted for the fish finger sandwich and Angel the chicken and bacon burger with avocado.

The smoothies were amazing and just what I fancied after the heavy slog of my dance show the weekend before. My fish finger sandwich was tasty but a little on the greasy side I am afraid to say. Angel enjoyed her burger and commented on how succulent the chicken was.

The menu at Arthur’s Deli is pretty basic with sandwiches, panini, burgers and the like so not a place to go for a slap up meal. It’s more of a casual dining experience or somewhere to go in your lunch break. The staff are friendly and eager to assist. It’s a great spot to catch the summer sun.

St Petroc’s Supper

My friends and I try and celebrate special days. It gives us the opportunity to sample new recipes and try out new ideas. This month we celebrated all things Devon with our St Petroc’s Supper!

Red Panda

I stopped in at the newly opened Red Panda on Gandy Street, Exeter for lunch. Delicious and simple Asian street food that tickled my taste buds. I was unfamiliar with the cuisine if I am honest, normally favouring Mediterranean flavours over Asian but my friend Angel insisted we go and I was so glad she did. We went for their bao bun and salad box. My bao filled with spicy teriyaki tofu and Angel’s with pork. The flavours were so fragrant I was an instant convert. Bao buns are to die for. How come I didn’t know this already?

Exploding bakery

Isn’t it funny how you visit places in waves and the Exploding Bakery has been my “go to” coffee shop of late. A perfect pit stop for morning coffee and a slice of cake with friends. To find out more check out my (old and must update!) blog post here.

Friends

I am so lucky to have some amazing friends. Some from way back when and some newer. I love the fact that we can make fun out of anything and being able to laugh is so important don’t you think?

I have been busy creating in the kitchen again so don’t forget to try “Pimping Your Porridge” at breakfast time. Click here for some ideas.

If you need a recipe for Fridays National Cream Tea Day then look no further than my Limoncello Fudge Scones. For the recipe click here.

July will soon be upon us. Can you believe it!? The longest day has been and gone and we are more than halfway through the year. With the end of term rapidly approaching and ballet exams on the not so distant horizon, work will be again taking priority. I can however look forward to the end of term and the summer holidays plus my impending trip back to Sicily. That holiday can’t come soon enough. I feel tired, run down and long to eat mountains of juicy ripe tomatoes and peaches in one of the most beautiful places on earth. I am heading back to Cefalù for the first few days of my holiday then driving across the island to Catania. Somewhere I haven’t been before so I am excited to explore and see what’s on offer. Read about my last visit to Cefalù here.

On top of my holiday, I am taking a little mini break with Steve to The Ginger Peanut in Bampton near Tiverton. Voted in the top 20 (Guardian newspaper travel section, January 2018.) of the best newly opened hotels. it is sure to be a treat. I can’t wait to share that experience with you too.

I finally have given myself a day off to visit the Good Food Festival in Plymouth. A monthly event at Royal William Yard. I also get to tie in a visit to Le Vignoble. The older sister to Le Vignoble, Bath that I visited recently. Check out my review here.

I hope you have been enjoying the sunshine as much as I have. Long may it continue.

Additional photos by Angel Wade and Lee Potter.

Leave a Reply