2 DAYS IN DÜSSELDORF - REUNITED AT LAST!

It only took 10 months, a cancelled Christmas (thanks Boris), a missed 60th birthday (my mum's) and quite honestly a lot of pretty mentally challenging days for me to finally make it back to Düsseldorf and be re-united with my mum.

If you have read my blog for a while you will know that I don't exactly have a big family (dead dad, only child, one cousin - you get the idea) so not seeing my one woman family unit because of this god damn pandemic was incredibly, incredibly hard - harder than I could have imagined.

Pre the big C it was so easy to pop over for a long weekend to my home city and spent some quality time with her, a 50 minute flight into Europe about as much as effort as getting on a train to Leeds, a freedom of movement and travel which was quite literally obliterated as the entire Europe pretty much closed it's doors to the UK (once again, thanks Boris!).

I remember when two days before Christmas every single flight between Germany and the UK got cancelled, and, faced with a Christmas alone, I was pretty uncertain when I would see my mum the next time.

Indeed that sense of uncertainty remained firmly in place for most of 2021. Whenever I thought there may be a chance to visit, there suddenly was another hoop to jump through: 10 day quarantines either side, a need to be fully vaccinated, ever changing test requirements - it felt that like everything was working against me seeing my mum (and trust me I became more than a little bit obsessed with checking the news and latest travel developments every day and every hour).

I had always hoped that by August there would be chance to make it finally over to see my mum, not that it was easy in the end! If you want freedoms, the chance to travel and are not a total idiot GET VACCINATED!!! I refreshed the NHS website every day until it was the turn of 29 years to get the jab and then managed with a little clever research to cut the time between my jabs from 12 weeks to 21 days which meant that by the time August came around, 14 days have to pass after your second jab for it to become "valid", I was officially fully vaccinated with certificate which opened up travel and made the trip finally a realistic possibility.

Of course there were still some tests to book, forms to fill out (more on that below) and actual planes to book, and honestly until I was sat on the plane I was still fearing some freak mutant strain suddenly breaking out in the UK, I mean we've done well with the "Kent" and Delta variant in the past, BUT it all worked out in the end and it never felt better to be back in Germany and with my mum. 

I so dearly appreciated every Düsseldorf favourite I had missed and finally got to re-vist, treasured staying at hotels after being confined to my own four walls for so long and most importantly valued my mum more than ever. After all we have been through there just wasn't time for petty arguments, instead only time for making amazing memories to make up for the last year and a half of cancelled trips and teary calls.

I really truly hope this will be the longest gap in terms of my visits but I will never take for granted the freedom to travel freely and to call two countries my home. 

It also made me realise you don't always need to fly 12 hours to an exotic location for a real holiday, going to a place so close to my heart that I had missed so dearly did much more for my mental health than any beach in a place far, far away would have done. 

Yes, travel has become a lot more complicated, stressful and expensive but don't wait to see your loved ones abroad, go now while you can - if I have learnt one thing from living with Corona it is that it is not predictable and we are still some time off from fully mastering and managing it. 

HOW I GOT THERE IN TIMES OF CORONA: 

• Get vaccinated. Being double vaccinated will allow quarantine free travel into most European countries and will also enable you to not quarantine once you are back in the UK.
• Get proof of being vaccinated - this means downloading the NHS app (not the track and trace app) on which you can download a PDF proof of vaccination with QR code which you will be required to show at check in. 
• Get your fit to fly test done (if your final destination requires you to). Germany required a proof of a negative lateral flow test with an official certificate which means your at home tests WON'T do the trick. There are a few places like QURED that will send you the test to do at home which you have to take via a zoom call so it can be verified as being done correctly. On this occasion I did a walk-in test instead with DocTAP which was a little more expensive (£49 for a rapid antigen) but meant no worrying about lost mail / not getting the results / certificates on time before the flight - something to bear in mind especially during holiday season. FYI there are a few dodgy companies out there when it comes to testing so if the offer seems to good to be true, it probably IS too good to be true!
• Make sure you do a test BEFORE you board your plane back to the UK or you will not be allowed back into the country. A rapid antigen will do the trick (taken within 48 hours of departure) and most European airports have testing facilities on site! I simply showed up 3 hours rather than 2 hours before my flight, did the test (€29 euros for a lateral flow test), grabbed a coffee and had my negative test certificate within half an hour. It is however worth researching this a little ahead of time just in case your airport does not have the facilities, you don't want to end up a few hours before take off with no way of doing a test!
• Also make sure to purchase the right test package in advance for when you get to the UK. If you are full vaxxed you will only need a day 2 test, if you are not vaccinated or only had your first vaccination you will need a day 2+8 bundle - THERE IS NO WAY AROUND PURCHASING THESE as you need to enter a unique code which you receive after purchase that needs to be entered into your passenger locator form. No code = no completed form and without that NO entry in to the Uk. I used Randox who had a super cheap day 2 test for £49 which I ordered the day before my flight, in time to take it on day 2 of being back in London.
• Save yourself the stress at the airport and if possible fill out the UK passenger locator form once you have checked yourself in online as it can take a little time and you don't want to be making mistakes as this form is what will get you back into the country!
• With all these forms and certificates to consider I emailed myself a little schedule with everything attached which came in really handy as I had everything in one place!
• LASTLY! These requirements are very country specific and are constantly reviewed and changed (sometimes with less than 24 hours notice) so if you want to be sure about the most current and up to date rules for the country you are travelling to check their government or embassy website.

WHERE I STAYED 

MOTEL ONE

If you are after a cheap yet stylish and clean hotel in a super central location in Düsseldorf, Motel One is a total winner! Literally a minutes walk away from the main station and 10 minutes walk from Düsseldorf's city centre it may be no boutique hotel but rooms a modern, clean, bright and a total bargain at €69 a night! I am not a massive hotel breakfast fan anyway so love the idea that you aren't forced to having it included in the price and overall was very impressed by friendly and efficient service plus the hotel bed was INCREDIBLY comfortable and had me sleeping like an absolute baby after a day of travel!

THE FRITZ

The Fritz is a decent small boutique hotel option near Düsseldorf's version of Bond Street. My room could have been a little bigger and brighter but I did like the thoughtful interior design touches and it felt like a treat to stay here for one night! 

WHERE I ATE

THE KITCHEN FOR CREATIVE SMALL PLATES

As much as I am a creature of habit when it comes to my culinary choices whilst in town, I am also always keen to find out what the new hot place to eat at is (especially when I have not been there in a while) and THE KITCHEN came highly recommend by my stylish and always in the know friend Marcel and it did not disappoint! Creative small plates, fantastic flavours, great wine and attentive service. It's not cheap but worth every penny and a real treat!

FISCHHAUS OBST @ CARLSPLATZ MARKET

Carlsplatz is a wonderful spot for a little snack or afternoon drink as this daily covered market ,with ample outside space if weather allows, has just about every fresh food on offer ones heart could desire, from classic German meaty dishes like the currywurst, to a plethora of bakeries and of course this little gem of a stand that sells plenty of fresh fish and seafood and some great food eat right there! 

I went for a sort of battered fish on a bread roll, served with the most wonderful remoulade, while my mum went for a generously stuffed smoked salmon roll, accompanied by a glass of ice cold white wine which you can have on the side for scandalously affordable €2.50 a glass. The fish was first class, the wine just what we needed and perched on one of their outside benches it was the perfect spot to people watch on a sunny Saturday afternoon!

BRASSERIE HÜLSMANN BECAUSE IT NEVER FAILS TO IMPRESS

No visit to Düsseldorf is complete for me without a dinner at Brasserie Hülsmann, a proper local culinary institution that is always packed with locals and never fails to wow with its food! It's a 10/10 every time I go -  atmosphere, menu, staff - you cannot go wrong here and I will be returning for many years to come.

WHERE I DRANK

EN DE CANON FOR GREAT GERMAN WINE

One of my favourite places to go for a drink, this wine bar by the Rhine promenade serves a fine selection of German wines. The food served is great and staff even greater plus being a little tucked away from the main "tourist strip" you won't be surrounded by obnoxious day trippers and are always likely to secure one of their lovely outside tables.

BAR CHERIE FOR AFTER DINNER DRINKS

Tucked away on a side street of the bustling old town, Cherie is a quirky little bar with plenty of outside space which is perfect for after dinner drinks and cocktails and offers a great starting point for some bar hopping afterwards. 

THE RHINE PROMENADE

If the weather is good, there is nothing better than grabbing a bottle of cremant and heading to Düsseldorf's lovely Rhine Promenade. If you are lucky enough to find an empty to bench watch the world go by and relax! It doesn't get much better for me.

WHERE I SWEATED IT ALL OUT

THE BEST SPINNING @ BECYCLE

I adore this state of the art spinning studio which I have never failed to make a stop at since it opened a few years ago. It's founder Jennifer isn't only one of the most welcoming people you will ever meet but she has also managed to built an incredible studio space that offers some of the best spinning classes I have ever enjoyed, and I have been to just about any hyped spinning class there is! They have not had the easiest time with Covid but she still hosted me in the most warming way as I arrived and then preceded to have one of her world class instructors truly kick my ass at 9:30am on a Saturday morning after quite a few wines the night before!

ROASTED RED PEPPER PASTA WITH BURRATA & FRESH FIGS

As I type this I am suffering from my first cold in what must have been a year and, jeez, I forgot how NOT fun being poorly is! 

I mean, I feel very lucky that this has turned out to be your run-of-the-mill, feeling bunged up, producing phlegm left, right and centre head cold and not the big C (especially as I am meant to be flying to Germany this week to finally be reunited with my mum), but I am still feeling a little sorry for myself and what is more comforting than a delicious bowl of pasta to help lift spirits! 

Even better, the roast pepper sauce, which accompanies this rather amazing pasta, is whizzed up in a food processor in a matter of minute and the whole dish is ready to be plated up in less than half an hour! 

The roasted pepper sauce (which also has a good helping of sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts and parmesan in it), gets tossed with the pasta and everything is then topped with an irresistible finishing touch in the shape of burrata and fresh figs.

What you get here is not only a beautiful pasta main but a real flavour explosion for the palate - all the different elements of the dish - the zingy-ness from the sauce, the sweetness from the figs and the creaminess from the burrata, working together like an absolute dream!

Exactly what I needed whilst miserable and poorly at home with my cold and a dish that will cheer you up no matter how crappy the day!

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 jar roasted red peppers
• 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes oil drained + reserved
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan 
• 450g pasta of your choice
• 1 bunch fresh basil roughly chopped
• 2 handfuls fresh rocket
• 2 burrata cheese balls
• Chilli flakes to taste
• fresh figs, quartered + toasted pine nuts for serving 

METHOD

Combine the roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, salt, nuts and parmesan in a blender or food processor. 

Add 1/4 cup of the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar and then pulse to combine until the sauce is mostly smooth.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

Boil the pasta until al dente, reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain. 

Add the pasta right back to the hot pot along with the roasted red pepper sauce and about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. 

Toss to combine. 

Add the basil and toss. 

Thin the sauce as desired with more pasta cooking water.
Divide the pasta among plates or bowls and top with fresh arugula, mozzarella, figs and nuts. EAT!

THE BEST EVER MEAT FREE BOLOGNESE

I have been meat free since my early teens and have never really missed meat in any shape or form in the years that have passed since. 

However I have always had very, very fond memory of my mum's bolognese, the sort of dish that evokes childhood memories and a sense of nostalgia that is hard to replicate when you have sworn off mince for good.

I was therefore instantly intrigued by the sound of this vegetarian friendly bolognese, which uses pulsed Shitaki mushrooms and cauliflower plus plenty of spices and herbs to create an incredibly mince like texture which also delivers the warmth and depth of a bolognese with not a fake meat product in sight.

I truly wasn't sure what to expect here but the end result was pretty impressive, I really felt like I was having a bolognese, just a lot lighter and without any animals harmed and can't wait to make this for a crowd - I reckon even the biggest carnivores I know would struggle to not love this dish.

A total game changer of a recipe that let's me recreate one of my most treasured childhood and that should be part of everyone's cooking repertoire, trust me!

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 300g shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
• 1 medium head of cauliflower ), broken into florets
• ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil,
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 red chilli, finely sliced
• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
• ⅓ cup tomato puree
• Salt
• 450g ricatoni
• 1 cup parmesan, grated
• 3 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
• ½ lemon

METHOD

• Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped. 
• Transfer to a small bowl. 
• Wipe out food processor bowl.
• Working in 3 batches, pulse cauliflower in food processor until pieces are about the size of a grain of rice (some smaller and some larger ones are fine), transferring to a medium bowl as you go.
• Heat ¼ cup oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a large frying pan. 
• Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 4–6 minutes. 
• Add onion and 2 Tbsp. oil to pot. 
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is very soft and golden brown, 6–8 minutes. 
• Add garlic, chilli, and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is softened and mixture is very fragrant, about 3 minutes. 
• Add tomato puree and cook, stirring constantly, until paste is slightly darkened, about 2 minutes. 
• Add cauliflower and cook, yes, still stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is cooked down slightly and begins to stick to bottom of pot, 6–8 minutes. 
• Season with salt, then keep warm over low heat.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until almost al dente, about 1 minute less than package directions.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer pasta to pot with sauce. 
• Add 1 cup Parmesan, remaining 2 Tbsp. butter, and 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. 
• Increase heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and sauce is clinging to pasta, about 3 minutes. 
• Remove from heat and stir in parsley. 
• Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. 
• Finely zest lemon over pasta and toss once more.
• Divide pasta among bowls AND ENJOY!

HOMEMADE PIZZA WITH BURRATA & SUN-DRIED TOMATO, ROCKET, PINE NUT TOPPING

My burrata obsession is showing no signs of ending any time soon so I simply HAD to try burrata in a baked form and as a pizza topping and boy it did not disappoint! 

Indeed this wasn't just any pizza, it was a vegetarian's dream - topped with a gooey mix of parmesan, mozzarella and of course burrata, pan fried mushrooms and asparagus, chilli flakes and as most interesting final touch after the pizza had baked away in the oven, a most fragrant rocket, sun-dried tomato and pine nut sort of salad topping that gave a wonderful contrasting texture and flavour dimension to the dish.

You can buy ready made dough but I found this recipe pretty idiot proof and fast to prep during the day, ready for the most delicious to be made by hand for dinner!

Far from your average margarita, a pretty statement worthy pizza that will wow a crowd!

Serves 2 

INGREDIENTS

Pizza Dough

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon oil

Toppings

• 6 tablespoons olive divided
• 220g mushrooms
• 1 small bunch asparagus ends trimmed and then cut into 3rds or 4ths
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli flake
• Good pinch of salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup packed fresh basil chopped
• 1 clove small garlic minced or grated
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
• 4-8 ounces burrata cheese
• 2 cups fresh rocket
• 2 tablespoons oil packed sun-dried tomatoes oil drained and reserved
• 1 tablespoons 
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

METHOD

For the Dough:

• In a large bowl, combine water, yeast and honey. 
• Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. 
• Add in the flour and olive oil stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but is still sticky. 
• Using your hands, on a floured surface, form the dough into a ball and work the additional 1/2 cup flour into the dough if needed. 
• You can also do all the mixing and kneading in your stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. 
• Now rub the same bowl with olive oil, then place the dough inside, turning to coat. 
• Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1 1/2 hours.

To assemble the Pizza:

• When the dough is ready, start assembling the pizzas. 
• Preheat the oven to 220 celsius.
• Heat a large frying pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and once hot add the mushrooms and asparagus. 
• Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the veggies are just slightly cooked and softened. 
• Season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. 
• Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Once the pizza dough is ready, lightly flour a counter. 
• Use your hands or a rolling pin to roll the dough out until you have a flattened disk. 
• Place the pizzas on a greased baking sheet and then use your hands to gently tug, pull and push the pizza dough into your desired shape. 
• Drizzle at least 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the pizza dough. 
• Add the chopped basil, garlic and parmesan, spread out evenly over the pizza. 
• Add the mozzarella cheese and then sprinkle the veggies over the pizza.
• Break the burrata up over the top.
• Bake the pizza for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is all melty and gooey.
• Meanwhile add the rocket and sun-dried tomatoes to a bowl and toss with 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, toasted pine nuts, 1 tablespoon balsamic and a pinch of salt and pepper, toss well and set aside until ready to use.
• Remove the pizza from the oven and serve the rocket salad over top the pizza, or on the side. 
• Slice and EAT!

SQUID INK LINGUINE WITH PRAWNS & BURRATA

THANK GOD summer appears to be back this weekend and if you need some cooking inspo look no further than this pasta dish that literally screams ITALIAN HOLIDAY, a real bonus as most of us are probably not going to make it anywhere near Sicily, Capri or Sardinia this year. 

Squid ink pasta is not a must but does add a wow factor and most well stocked delis should have it!

A super easy to make dinner that will not fail to impress - best served with an Aperol Spritz on a balmy summer evening.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 500g squid ink pasta
• 400g cooked king prawns
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon garlic cloves (minced)
• 4 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Lemon juice and zest from one small lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 2 tablespoons parsley (finely chopped)
• Black pepper and salt- to taste

FOR SERVING

• 2 fresh burrata balls

METHOD

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
• Add the squid ink pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. 
• Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining. Drain and keep aside.
• In a large frying pan melt butter over medium heat. 
• Add the tomatoes to the frying pan. 
• Season with salt and red chilli flakes
• Cook until the tomatoes start to pop, about 3-4 minutes. 
• Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 40-50 seconds.
• Reduce the heat to low, add 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water, honey , lemon juice and zest. 
• Season with salt and pepper. 
• Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the sauce thicken slightly.
• Add the cooked pasta and prawns. 
• Mix well. If needed , add more pasta water to thin the sauce.
• Divide the pasta between the bowls and top with burrata.
• Enjoy!

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING TRAYBAKE

Inspired by the scrumptious baked goods I got to enjoy in Yorkshire the other week, I thought I would try my hand at something a little more British inspired than my usual baking and this tray bake twist on the classic sticky toffee pudding was AMAZING!

Disclaimer: the caramel sauce isn't the easiest to perfect and took me two attempts to make, I blame a slightly off double cream, but the rest of the bake is whipped up super fast and won't leave a huge kitchen mess to clean up.

The sponge ends up super moist and is packed with flavourful dates - I don't usually like doughy things but seriously I could not stop eating this! 

Best eaten with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a helping of creme fraiche and equally delicious at room temperature as it is warmed up for a hot second in the microwave.

A new favourite bake!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 x 250g pack dried, chopped dates
• 75g softened butter 
• 175g light muscovado sugar 
• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

FOR THE SAUCE

• 100g light muscovado sugar
• 100g butter
• 1 x 150ml carton double cream
• Pinch of sea salt

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. 
• Lightly butter a 20 x 30cm traybake tin at least 2.5cm deep.
• Put the dates on a chopping board and roughly chop, then put in a medium pan with 250ml boiling water. Bring to the boil then cook for 2-3 minutes to just soften the dates. 
• Pour into a large shallow bowl and mash with a fork.
• Put the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until light and creamy; gradually add the eggs and beat well. 
• Add the bicarbonate of soda to the dates – it will foam up – stir well, then add to the cake mixture with the flour, spice and vanilla, and beat with a wooden spoon until combined.
• Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 25 minutes or until the mixture feels firm to the touch in the centre.
• Meanwhile put all the sauce ingredients into a medium pan and bring to the boil. 
• Cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened slightly.
• Let the sauce cool slightly then generously pour over your tray bake, sprinkle on top some flakey sea salt with AND ENJOY!

A WEEKEND IN YORK

I had the absolute pleasure to head up to York for the weekend to celebrate the baby shower of one of my longest and dearest friends and decided to make a weekend out of London of it rather than just going north for the day!

I mean let's be honest, it is not going to be the summer of exotic trips and I reached a point at which I was getting sick of being in London. 

Don't get me wrong, I will never not love this city but I was literally doing the same walks, the same weekend activities and the same weekly schedule over and over again and it was slowly but surely driving me a little bit insane.

Even though I was only in York for a bit less than 3 days I got to properly detach myself from the hustle and bustle of London life and enjoy this beautiful city which has surprisingly many hipster friendly spots on offer that can totally hold their own compared to the capital's culinary scene!

It may not be New York (LOL) but York is a lovely little city, filled with the most wonderfully friendly Yorkshire people and for me offered the perfect break from Covid reality. 

I will be back that is for sure and not only to meet my friend's family addition, but also because I left a little bit of my heart in York.

HOW TO GET THERE: LNER

Plan ahead when it come to travelling to York because I did not and ended paying £86 for my return ticket. Book in advance and travel at off peak and you can easily get a return for under £60, or even less with a rail card. 

The LNER trains themselves are super modern, spacious and equipped with board bistro which means the 2 hours and 20 minutes from Kings Cross to York will pass in no time! PS: the station is a manageable 10-15 minute walk from the city centre, even with luggage!

WHERE TO STAY: THE GRANGE

I am going to be honest here. With staycations being the only safe bet when it comes to holidaying this year there wasn't much choice in terms of hotels with availability and the ones that were still free definitely weren't cheap BUT hey a year stuck in ones own 4 walls makes going to a hotel an event so I treated myself a little bit!

The Grange ended up a lovely choice, not quite high end boutique standards, but located in a wonderful old Edwardian and very grand building. 

The room, though on the small size, won me over with its incredibly comfy bed and amazing rain forest shower and altogether The Grange proved as great base for the weekend, the city centre and minster about a 5 minute walk away and the train station about 10, making it super easy to spend a whole weekend exploring York on foot without ever being too far away from that gorgeous bed!

FOR BRUNCH: ROBINSONS

A short walk from the centre you will find Bishopthorpe Road, a quirky high street filled with independent shops, cute restaurants, delis and this lovely brunch spot. 

It really reminded me of London fields and I recommend a nose around the street even if you don't plan to brunch at Robinsons, though you would be stupid not to because the food there is pretty special! 

Indeed, the Aussie inspired menu reminded me of Workshop Coffee, a brunch time favourite during my uni years, long closed, which I frequented just about every weekend and blew a considerable part of my student loan on, and Robinsons thankful also managed to deliver on all taste fronts. 

It was hard to choose what to go for on the well written menu, there was an enticing sounding truffled mushroom on sourdough and incredible looking pancakes stacks but I settled in the end on the corn fritters with perfectly poached eggs, avocado, crispy halloumi and katsundi (a sort of chilli pickle) and WOW It was pretty damn good and only £8.5, which for London standards is more the price of a juice than a whole brunch. 

Make sure to leave some space for the homemade cakes as well - we shared a huge slice of layered sticky toffee cake with dates which was the dreamiest cake I have had in a long time and one that Mary Berry would be proud of. 

Expect to queue at the weekends but make Robinsons a must visit for any weekend spent in York

FOR DRINKS: PAIRINGS 

I adored this small but mighty wine bar and its concept of pairing wines with sharing boards featuring all the nibbles your heart could desire. 

On this occasion I only had a couple of glasses of wine at Pairings and no food but was already very impressed by their wine selection, fair pricing and super friendly service and was quite enviously watching the boards of food go past me! A definite revisit for my next trip and a place I would happily spent a whole evening at!

FOR A GREAT BEER GARDEN (THAT IS VEGAN FRIENDLY): DÖNER SUMMER

My friend had planned a sunny picnic as the main event for her baby shower but in typical British fashion it was more actual rain showers than sunny baby shower when it came to the day. 

Luckily she and her partner had thought ahead and had made it a mission to find a covered outdoor dining spot that had space for about 16 people on a Saturday that was also the day of an England match. 

Sounds impossible but they actually fully succeded by stumbling across Döner Summer. I must admit I was a little confused when, upon my arrival in York, my friend told me the baby shower lunch was now taking place in a kebab shop. 

A kebab shop in mind was a grim place one would stumble into in East London at 3 in the morning to somehow line the stomach with food, not exactly a place for a baby shower that also included both their parents. But thankfully Döner Summer turned out to be pretty much the complete opposite of that. 

The outside space is gorgeous - all covered, wooden benches and fairy lights everywhere, even cosy as the heavens opened. Then there was the food! Because this was really not your average kebab shop in that it was FULLY vegan. 

Yes, you heard me right - not one slither of meat gets served here, instead chik'n (a fake meat made from not quite sure what but it tasted good so better not to ask) is used to reimagine classic fast food dishes like fried chicken and the famous German doner kebab. 

Sounds slightly weird but the end result is pretty damn tasty! I had the Korean bbq "teller", fries layered with Korean slaw, mayo and all sorts of other amazing stuff and I got to say it was surprisingly delicious! 

So were the drinks - there is an excellent wine list, £6.50 Aperol Spritz's and some rather invented cocktails (my pregnant friend had a mocktail that arrived topped with blue candy floss). 

Service was superb, branding very trendy and east Londonesque and overall it was THE perfect spot, though rather unplanned, for a big group to spend a Saturday afternoon celebrating a new life coming into the world at. A thumbs up for me for Döner Summer and not just as last minute plan b!

AND THE CLASSIC NOT TO MISS: BETTY'S

A few years ago I made a day trip to York to have their famous afternoon tea and no York visit should be complete without a stop at this world famous tea shop and bakery. Grab a scone, macaroon or millionaire shortbread and get a taste of the best of British baking.

THE BEST EVER AUBERGINE PARMIGIANA

There are some recipes that are a true labour of love and this outstanding aubergine parmigiana will end up taking you a good part of a whole day to prepare (or a lot of day ahead prep) but WOW the end result is so, so special that you won't mind any extra minute spent on it.

On paper this veggie main doesn't exactly scream culinary revelation. Sliced aubergine, cheese and tomato sauce, layered and baked in the oven not exactly anything out of the ordinary but here every step in making it elevates the final result into something very special.

The tomato sauce is slow cooked in the oven for 2 hours before it gets blended to fuse all the flavours that have simmered together to create a sauce that is a world a way from one out of a jar.

The sliced aubergines first get salted and weighed down for a good hour to extract excess water, giving the final baked aubergine an almost custardy texture, before being coated in a panko, parmesan crust and pan fried in batches for extra crispiness.

The aubergine, homemade tomato sauce and a shredded mozzarella and herb mix then get layered and baked in the oven for a good hour before fresh slices of mozzarella get added to the top for the most wonderful oozy finish.

This is the opposite of fast food but it is food for the soul and hands down the best aubergine dish that has ever crossed my lips.

Make the time investment for this aubergine parmigiana, you will NOT regret it.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

MARINARA SAUCE

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 head of garlic, cloves crushed
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 3 oil-packed anchovy fillets 
• ½ teaspoon crushed chilli flakes
• 1 Tbsp. tomato puree
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 2 cans whole peeled tomatoes
• ¼ cup torn basil leaves
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• Salt

AUBEGINE AND ASSEMBLY

• 4 medium aubergines, sliced 
• Salt
• 3 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs - I get men at Waitrose)
• 1½ tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups finely grated Parmesan, divided
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs, beaten to blend
• 1⅓ cups olive oil
• ½ cup finely chopped basil and parsley, plus basil leaves for serving
• 180g grated mozzarella 
• 220g fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

METHOD

MARINARA

• Preheat oven to 180 celsius. 
• Heat oil in a large heavy ovenproof pot over medium. 
• Cook garlic, stirring often, until golden, about 4 minutes. 
• Add onion, anchovies, and chilli flakes and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. 
• Stir in tomato puree and cook, stirring often, until slightly darkened, about 2 minutes. 
• Add wine, bring to a boil, and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, breaking up with your hands, and their juices; add basil and oregano and stir to combine. 
• Swirl 1½ cups water into one tomato can, then the other, to rinse, and add to pot; season with salt. 
• Transfer pot to oven; roast sauce, stirring halfway through, until thick and tomatoes are browned on top and around edges of pot, 2–2½ hours.
• Let sauce cool slightly. 
• Blend in a food processor until mostly smooth. 
• Taste and season with salt.
• Do Ahead: Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

AUBERGINE & ASSEMBLY

• Lightly season aubergine slices all over with salt; place in a single layer on several layers of paper towels inside a rimmed baking tray. 
• Top with another layer of paper towels and more slices; repeat as needed. 
• Top with a final layer of paper towels, then another rimmed baking tray; weigh down with a heavy pot or a few metal cans. 
• Let aubergine sit until it has released excess liquid, 45–60 minutes. 
• This step gives the aubergine a creamy texture when baked.
• Meanwhile, pulse panko, oregano, pepper, and ¾ cup Parmesan in a food processor until very finely ground. 
• Transfer to a shallow bowl.
• Preheat oven to 200 celsius. 
• Place flour in another shallow bowl and eggs in a third shallow bowl. 
• Working one at a time, dredge eggplant slices in flour, then dip in egg, allowing excess to drip off. 
• Coat in breadcrumbs, packing all around, then shaking off excess. 
• Place on wire racks.
• Heat ⅔ cup oil in a large frying pan over medium-high.
•  Cook as many aubergine slices as will comfortably fit in pan, turning once, until deep golden, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer to paper towels and immediately press with more paper towel to absorb oil. 
• Working in batches, repeat with remaining slices, adding remaining ⅔ cup oil and wiping out skillet as needed. 
• Let cool. 
• Taste and season with more salt if needed.
• Toss chopped herbs, grated mozzarella, and remaining ¾ cup Parmesan in a medium bowl. 
• Spread 1 cup sauce over the bottom of a 13x9" baking tray; top with a layer of aubergine slices (trim as needed). 
• Drizzle 1 cup sauce over and sprinkle with one-third of cheese mixture. 
• Add another layer of aubergine, followed by 1 cup sauce and half of remaining cheese mixture. 
• Repeat layers with remaining slices, sauce, and cheese mixture. 
• Cover with foil and bake on a rimmed baking sheet until eggplant is custardy, 45–60 minutes.
• Remove from oven and arrange fresh mozzarella over eggplant. 
• Increase oven temperature to 220 celsius and bake, uncovered, until cheese is bubbling and browned in spots, 15–20 minutes longer. 
• Let rest 30 minutes. 
• Top with basil leaves just before slicing.