Tag Archives: eggs

May 1, 2020 · 4:01 pm

Bristol brunch in lockdown: Chapter & Holmes, FED 303 & Farro Bakery

We’ve all received countless emails from a myriad of brands we don’t remember buying from, reassuring us that they are here for us in these unprecedented times. Yet the thing that I found truly reassuring – strangely comforting, and a reminder of things pre-COVID – was having a real coffee made for me by someone I didn’t know, frothy milk and everything.

This was a happy accident: the Egg Poacher and I had stumbled upon a working coffee van when out on our weekends’ hunt for green space, this one parked at the Ashton Court-end of the Suspension Bridge. Chapter & Holmes had adapted quickly, with queue markers and store cupboard essentials which were to be bought alongside takeaway coffees, teas and excellent homebaked goods. Cyclists, windswept parents and dog walkers all lined up, with some of the latter looking as if the “a puppy is for life, not just for quarantine” realisation was sinking in, one twitching eyelid at a time.

We felt a bit grubby buying up not one but two bags of flour (surely the most middle class ‘must have’ item of 2020) and scurried parkwards with our lattes, salted caramel brownie and blueberry bakewell tart. It was only on arrival that we realised the logistics of eating and drinking while “exercising” might be difficult, so instead we pushed our new-found rebellion further, found an empty sunny spot on the grass and shovelled it all in without grace. Delicious it was too, and suitably calorific to power a long-winded walk home, weighed down with three kilos of flour.

Energised though we were with our brush with the law, we felt it was time to explore brunch options from the safety of our own home. Happily there are plenty on offer, with many Bristol institutions moving to pick-up or delivery only within hours of the lockdown. Our local favourite, FED 303, are open from Tuesday to Saturday and deliver brunch, cakes and lunch alongside eggs, bread and coffee to make at home.

We opted for our usual phenomenal chocolate and hazlenut babkas with a bag of salted maple granola that stretched to two days (unless you’re like the Egg Poacher, who hoe’d it all down in one go. Gluttony is apparently all the rage during a pandemic.) Delivery slots meant this was more of an afternoon treat than brunch, but given we’ve all lost any sense of day or date, it was a welcome treat at any time. It won’t be long until we’re back. Their rhubarb and custard doughnuts are calling, and their lunch options will make any quarantined weekday much brighter. Get in early – orders are to be put in the day before, and the most popular items sell out quickly.

Our latest foray has been with Farro Bakery, recently ensconced in Brunswick Square. With a £15 minimum for delivery I decided to brave the streets of Stokes Croft and pick up our order myself. Breathing in the fresh air I wondered at the crispness of the blue sky and clarity of the friendly faces I passed, until I realised that this was the first time I’d put my glasses on in a week.

Their set up is swift and well-organised, with my order ready to go at the door. It was another one for the triceps, having fed our habit with yet more flour (the lesser-spotted plain, this time) alongside some truly exceptional double baked honey almond croissants. They are a small outfit so deliveries and collections are limited to Thursday to Saturday, but given their reputation as one of the finest bakeries in the city, you can be sure it will be worth the wait.

For more on local takeaway and delivery options, visit: https://www.thelockdowneconomy.com/

Ceres, Stokes Croft, Bristol

Melbourne and Bristol have a lot in common – a competitive street art scene, randomly changing weather, narrow alleyways hiding well-loved eateries and a whole herd of hipsters around every corner. It even has a north/south divide, the rivers Avon and Yarra dividing the cities’ inhabitants into rivalries not seen since Coyote vs. Roadrunner.

It could be argued that where the cities most align is in their respect of the most sacred of weekend meals – brunch. When in Australia we spent a good proportion of our days moving from cafe to restaurant and bar being served by beautiful people in tiny bowler hats and tattoo sleeves, and in Melbourne the food is particularly great. There foods from across the world combine into great plates of breakfast fare – and they take their coffee very, very seriously.

So it’s perhaps surprising that Melbourne hasn’t come to Bristol sooner, as it has now in the guise of Ceres, a sparkling new start-up cafe in the fashionably ramshackle Stokes Croft. Across the road from the great vintage market and nestled between dub-themed cafes and Halal grocers, it’s minimal signage and stark white interiors give a sense of someone having just moved in. The homemade feel continues inside, with simple wooden tables and upholstered crates for chairs, a few key pieces of graffiti, a shining coffee machine, and not much else.

Once your eyes have adjusted to the white wall glare they can settle on a truly excellent breakfast menu – baked eggs, sweetcorn fritters and smashed avocado, smoked salmon bagels, bircher muesli, pancakes with salted caramel and banana… The flat whites – surely a requisite when dealing with Antipodean baristas – were as strong as you’d expect and, in a post-brunch delirium, the inch-high millionaire shortbreads were just too tempting to ignore.

Barman and chef both mingle with diners and have a cheery word for the local business people who drop by for take-away sandwiches and afternoon treats: they’re clearly doing all they can to join the community. And, with a passion for good cooking and a brunch menu this interesting, perhaps even those south of the river might beat a path to Ceres’ door.

Price: from £2.50 (toast and Vegemite) to £8 (avocado, marinated feta and poached eggs on sourdough).

Eating like a local, Guayaquil, Ecuador

The guilt we feel for not eating purely local food is, of course, entirely of our own making. I’m sure no-one – local, tourist, or blog reader – really gives much of a monkey’s. Be that as it may, we were resolved to get back to trying more unusual food, shop in small tiendas and follow unsuspecting Ecuadorians into neighbourhood restaurants in the hope of finding new and exciting gastronomic experiences.

Our first foray came in the form of bus food; that is, snacks often sold by men and women who wander down the aisle between stops, baskets filled with pre-chopped fruit, deep-fried tamales, and mysterious packages wrapped in black plastic bags, usually served with scorching hot chilli sauce, or syrup (sometimes both). Long bus journeys are a bit of a necessity in South America, as the distances between major towns and cities are vast. As such, we were soon on the look-out for something to eat on our 14hr journey south from Quito, and it wasn’t long until we were rewarded. As five heavily-laden women squeezed onto the bus, the sweet aroma of freshly steamed corn on the cobs filled the air. These were served, piping hot, with a generous slab of fresh cheese (something like a cross between mozzarella and halloumi, and delicious). Later, we’d maintain our salt and fat intake by tucking into cheese tamales, bought as we passed through some of Ecuador’s less salubrious neighbourhoods which were heavy in both petrol stations and hopefully named ‘love hotels’. From a feeding perspective at least, things were going well.

Having arrived in Guayquil late at night, we were ready for a proper meal by morning. The town is a fairly standard urban centre, our opinion not helped by its immediate comparision to the hot and beautiful Galapagos Islands, and the fact it was pissing with rain. In a rush to escape the weather, we ducked into the nearest strip of food stalls we could find and took a seat. Tenedor del Oro is a chain, serving Ecuadorian classics from breakfast through to dinner. Having fared so well before, I opted for fried plantains with fresh cheese, while the Egg Poacher chose a ‘Guayaco’, much the same as mine, but the plantain and cheese are mashed together, formed into a ball and then deep fried. There was also a side of fried egg, while we both had what can euphemistically be called DIY coffee: a tiny cup of instant granules, a mug of hot water, and some sugar.

It can’t be said this was our finest meal – the cheese had a somewhat sour aftertaste, while the eggs had been fried a long, long time ago, the yolks sagging like collapsed souffles. We certainly weren’t hungry anymore (and unlikely to need to eat again for many days to come), but a pressing desire for vitamins drove us straight into the arms of the nearest smoothie stall – proving that, as with most things and despite good intentions, you can’t win them all.

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Filed under Intrepid Breakfasts

Tagged as breakfast, brunch, coffee, dinner, eggs, fast food, local, lunch, smoothies

March 8, 2015 · 11:06 pm

The Cosy Club, Corn Street, Bristol

Corn Street is having something of an identity crisis. Once the Stella-spattered playground for sports fans and students on the hunt for cheap beer and an argument, it’s now the home of some rather classy establishments helping to raise its reputation from the spew-flecked gutter: Pata Negra and The Ox are doing good things for Bristol’s carnivores, while The Birdcage and Small Street Espresso round the corner are bringing quality coffees to the sleepy masses.

The Cosy Club (newest edition to the relatively well-known chain) seems to fit in the middle of this new mould, serving breakfast through to dinner in the stunning situation of a former church and banking hall. Think vaulted ceilings, cornices and marble floors, all set off with chandeliers and a family of stuffed deer heads nestled amongst oil paintings and ancient flags. The staff are dressed in natty waistcoats and deliver jugs of water while menus are perused; a gleaming bar is tended by similarly fashion-conscious baristas who polish glasses and concoct mid-morning cocktails.

There’s no doubt the setting is sublime . And yet. When coffees come there’s something lacking in their construction, with flat whites quickly dissolving into a tepid milky americano, and, though the menu is well stocked, the food is delivered a touch to soon to be truly freshly made. The ingredients are fine, with local sausage, bacon and black pudding, but the execution a little lacklustre (the Egg Poacher’s potatoes were underdone, my mushrooms somewhat sad and cold). There’s nothing that couldn’t be solved with a little more time and care, but for now the style outweighs the substance. A shame, as with such a large and unique space, this could be an excellent and popular addition to Bristol’s ever-blooming foodie reputation..

Price: from £1.75 (toast and preserves) to £8.95 (steak and eggs).

Spicer & Cole, Queen’s Square, Bristol

Last weekend it was wet. Cats-and-dogs, heaven’s opened, where’s Noah when you need him? wet. As we squelched through Queen’s Square, mulched leaves fusing to our feet as rain drops filled our pockets, a small black sign glowed in the distance, it’s white Swedish font making it look all the world like welcoming Bang & Olufsen store, but with promises of coffee.

And very nice coffee it is too. As well as the house there’s a guest blend that makes all the right provenance noises – single origin, natural process – and the baristas make each cup carefully, no matter what the well-heeled clientele request (soya-decaff lattes proved particularly popular. Shame really.) The interiors match the minimalist signage, with the ubiquitous exposed lightbulbs, brushed steel and plain wooden tables made softer by the low ceilings, quietly cool music and a well-formed list of menu options chalked up on the wall.

As well as simple options – toast from many breads, fresh pastries, granola – there are some bolder offerings like brioche French toast with chai spiced plums and maple syrup, or mushrooms with thyme wrapped goats cheese and a poached egg; the Egg Poacher’s eponymous breakfast choice came with smoked bacon, harissa and rocket in a roll that was artfully crammed into his face, lest the eggy goodness escape down his chin.

During the week this place fills with busy bankers, office workers and freelancers, dropping in for giant toasties or stocked salad boxes. At the weekend, the pace slows and shaggy-haired creatives, offensively well-off students and day-glo’d gym folks can take their time over brunch that’s served ’til 2pm. With another site recently opened in Clifton, there’s little doubt that Spicer & Cole are here to stay. Head for a corner table and settle in.

Price: From £2.25 (toast) to £6.95 (brioche French toast & chai spiced plums)

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Filed under Locals

Tagged as bacon, breakfast, brunch, coffee, croissants, eggs, gym, local, office, organic, pilates, take-away

Tag Archives: eggs

Bristol brunch in lockdown: Chapter & Holmes, FED 303 & Farro Bakery

Ceres, Stokes Croft, Bristol

Eating like a local, Guayaquil, Ecuador

The Cosy Club, Corn Street, Bristol

Spicer & Cole, Queen’s Square, Bristol

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