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TIFFIN’s Back Baby!

Goodness me – doesn’t the time just fly?  I see that it’s been nearly seven months since I last blogged and nearly each one has held a gourmet delight.  Every town or region we visit is famous for something and try as I might, I can only ever sample a small portion.  I know it’s been a long time between posts but in August I made the executive decision that I could not fit in a travel blog, emails and updates to friends and family, itinerary planning, hotel and ferry bookings, home exchange negotiations, touring, sightseeing and a food blog so I’m afraid TIFFIN had a little holiday of it’s own.  But, as the title states – I’m back baby!

So, before we resume normal transmission, I better give you a bit of an update on some of the many, many, many things that have caught my eye or arrived in my stomach over the last while:

Brittany – famous for salted butter and consequently Salted Butter Caramels (mmmmm), seafood, Galettes (savoury) and Crepes (sweet).  In St Malo, there are so many Creperies cheek by jowl, all competing on crepe specials and mussel & frite combos. One delicious item that requires a special mention are Gavottes Crepe Dentelle –  a delicate buttery, caramel wafer that is cooked flat and then folded around on itself. These are certainly not a biscuit that travels well as they will end up as just a bunch of tasty crumbs at the bottom of the box.  So, you will have to visit to enjoy them.

A whole shop dedicated to butter….

Scotland – not known for gourmet foods but certainly known for their canny marketing of offal.  I had to whip out the camera when I walked into the local branch of Morrisons in Fort William and saw this box of ready made Haggis, Neeps & Tatties in the fridge.  Just in case you ran out of time to make some for Burns Night.  I’m a bit of a fan of Morrisons and know their chilled product range fairly well so I can attest that Haggis is not available south of the border.  There is also the time that Anthony had the memorable combination of a good Scottish Whisky accompanied by a Victoria Sponge after a day hiking the foothills of Ben Nevis.
 

Over 20 to choose from!

Cheese – I can’t even begin to count the multitude of cheeses that have passed my lips since we started our European sojourn.  Sure, I enjoy a piece of sharp, crumbly cheddar but this holiday has really let me enjoy many weird and wonderful cheeses.  The smellier the better.  Memorable cheesy moments include the unbelievable selection offered on the cheese board at the end of a bargain priced meal in Tournon Sur Rhone (France);

buying a chunk of semi cured, sharp sheep’s milk cheese in a doorway in Pag (Croatia) from the local granny who made it (including tending the sheep).  Even better with the dried figs we bought from another granny along the roadside; buying a selection of Gruyeres of various ages from the eponymous town in Switzerland so we could undertake a vertical tasting; and in a country not known for it’s dairy products, eating endless La Vache Qui Rit triangles on the numerous long haul bus and train trips through Morocco. It was cheap, portable and germ free.  I never thought I’d want to see that cow’s smile ever again but all is forgiven. (Have you ever noticed the earrings the cow wears?)

Well, that’s just the tip of the iceberg lettuce so, I’ll be back soon.

1 comment… add one
  • Anonymous February 25, 2011, 10:58 am

    "…that's just the tip of the iceberg lettuce…" Well done, madam, well done.

    Tony O.

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