Afternoon Tea @ The Scarlet, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall

I had heard a great deal about the luxury, adult only, eco hotel. The Scarlet certainly does offer luxury spa and dining experiences for guests. Set in a truly stunning location above Mawgan Porth bay, you can pay for a day spas or longer overnight stays in the romantic setting. I took my beautiful mum for a champagne afternoon tea and the whole experience left both of us feeling very spoilt.

For £37, we received a range of finger sandwiches and sweet treats along with a glass of champagne. Granted it is not cheap and the portions aren't huge, however the setting and overall experience is priceless. The staff were more than helpful making the tea surpass my expectations.

This was a lovely afternoon and great for a special treat.

https://www.scarlethotel.co.uk/

Sunnyhill Glamping, Borden, Kent

This is a bit of a different post but it was such a good weekend I thought it needed sharing. We celebrated my cousins 40th birthday at Sunnyhill Glamping. The site has four bell tents and two gypsy wagons for hire. We had hired the whole site but I feel it would have been equally as enjoyable if we had shared the site with others.

There is a communal barn with hay bayles, fire pits and bbqs, and each tent/wagon also has its own outdoor seating.  All bedding is provided, along with vintage crockery in the communal kitchen. I loved all the little touches, such as the watering can shower and little cakes on arrival.  The hosts were also very happy to help.

It must be noted that additional guests to the site of an evening have to pay £5, I assume to stop it being used as a party venue. Also, any of the sites wood used in the fire pits will be charged.

 

http://www.sunnyhillglamping.com/

Cookbook Review...All Things Sweet! by Rachel Allen

I recently received Rachel Allen's All Things Sweet! cookbook for my birthday. I made these dulce leche brownies. The recipe was really easy to follow and they turned out perfectly. There are lots of great recipes in the book for those with a sweet tooth, especially some interesting recipes with cinnamon, which I am a big fan of!

#youcanneverhaveenoughcookbooks

 

http://www.rachelallen.com/post/all-things-sweet

THE BEST PIZZA EVER @ SimBIOsi, Florence, Italy

SimBIOsi was definitely my favourite restaurant of my recent Italian adventure. Our hotel manager recommended my friend and I try it on our first evening in beautiful Florence. It did not disappoint. Serving organic food and craft beer, you can see your pizza cooking in the authentic oven at the back of the on trend, local hang out. 

We had a beautiful plate of cured meat and soft cheese to start followed by honest and truly authentic, organic pizza. I genuinely feel no pizza will ever compare to that served in SimBIOsi. I will be going back!

 

https://www.facebook.com/simbiosiorganicpizza/timeline

Gastrosteria Ai Mercanti, Venice, Italy

This was the final meal of my lovely trip to Italy recently. Ai Mercanti is tucked away down one of the many pathways in Venice. My friend and I sat outside in the little courtyard and thoroughly enjoyed the sophisticated dining experience. The Italian prosecco was spectacular and was the perfect compliment to silky, garlic and chilli spaghetti with parmigano fondue.

We also shared two desserts. Crème brulee and 'Chocolate interpretations'. The chocolate dessert was nothing like I had ever tasted before. The chocolate mouse and ice cream discs contrasted a bitter, dark cocoa crumble. There were flavours of chocolate I never knew existed. It was a truly stunning dessert.

What a fantastic restaurant in the city of contrasts that is Venice.