ARCHIE BROWNS CAFÉ - PENZANCE

A day out in Penzance - Saturday 12 August 2017

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Jim and I were joined by our good friends Karen and, Karrie on a day trip to Penzance - by train.
It was a ridiculously early start as the train was at 7.20am, but it was well worth it.

The sun was shining as we walked around the town, browsing all the lovely little gift shops, and stopping here and there for a cup of tea or coffee.

Lunch was a more serious business. Wanting to eat something tasty and healthy we were recommended Archie Browns - a vegetarian café above their comprehensive healthfood shop.

It was lunchtime and the café was bustling and we were lucky to get a table. The menu was full of tempting veggie dishes, but what I really wanted was a mixed salad - and by this I don't mean a few green leaves and a tomato. Archie Brown's mixed salad was a cornucopia of grains, vegetables, pulses and fruits, all tasting exquisite. I went for the optional feta and olives topping, while Jim had halloumi on his.

It was absolutely delicious.

Karen and Karrie who had been off doing something joined us shortly afterwards, and by the time they had finished their salads, we were ready for something sweet.

Karen and I both opted for the Orange Cake that was moist and scrumptious, while Jim of course had a chocolate brownie!

We finished our day out with a lovely walk along the sea wall, before catching our train home.

Archie Browns
Old Brewery Yard
Penzance
Cornwall
TR18 2EQ

Archie Browns also has a café in Truro, which we will be sure to visit next time we're there.

FLEXITARIANISM!

My name is Chantal and I'm a flexitarian!

People like to put you in boxes - label you - but I find it hard to describe my diet...

Up until the summer of 2013 I was a proud carnivore, who would eat my steaks 'bleu' and regularly order a beef tartare... but then I went on a 28 day juice fast and that changed everything (the details of my juicing will fill another post, so that's for another day).

During my fast I was so looking forward to a nice confit of duck or filet steak, but after the fast the idea of eating meat suddenly turned my stomach. And this was nothing to do with animal or planetary welfare, this was simply my body rejecting something it no longer wanted to ingest.

The desire to eat meat has not returned. I'm not saying I will never touch it again, as my body may suddenly crave it; though in the past four years I have done quite a bit of research, and with all I've learnt I think I would try to very hard to resist that urge, for the good of the planet, the animals and my own health.



After a second 28 day juice fast in 2015 I went off alcohol and almost entirely stopped wanting dairy.

At home, my current daily diet is almost vegan, but I do eat a little fish from time to time (though less and less), as well as the odd egg, so how do you describe that to someone? Well, it looks like I'm not alone as the term 'flexitarian' has appeared, and while many make fun of it, I think it's a pretty good description of the way I now eat.

THE DARTMOOR HALFWAY INN

A birthday night out with the girls – and Jim

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Tuesday 8 August 2017

This is our second girlie visit to the Dartmoor Halfway Inn. It’s well placed for us all to get to and has a lovely atmosphere and friendly accommodating staff.

Although we haven’t yet had a proper meal there, we have eaten quite a bit from their light bites and sides menu, and everything is always delicious.

To celebrate our friend’s birthday, a portion of Chocolate Fudge Cake was ordered with 6 forks. We stuck a candle in it and sang happy birthday. It didn’t take long for the plate of chocolate gooey-ness to be demolished, and we all went home, well fed and content!

Karrie adding a candle to the sticky chocolate fudge cake

This is a lovely place to come out for a drink, snack or meal, on the edge of Dartmoor, near Newton Abbot.

The Dartmoor Halfway Inn

Ashburton Road, Bickington,

Newton Abbot, Devon

TQ12 6JW

THE VERY BEST CHOCOLATE BROWNIES!

This one is for Jim. He's the chocolate brownie connoisseur. His firm favourite, and as yet unbeaten for taste and texture comes from the Cognitive Coffee Company and is made by Lou 🙂

So here's the current leader board:

Cognitive Coffee Company
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The Blue Hut - Teignmouth
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Cakeadoodledo - Exeter
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THE VERY BEST GINGERBREAD MEN!

For some reason which must be linked to childhood, I have a thing about gingerbread men.
So I am on a mission to try as many as I can and rate them from 'best' to 'not so great'.

I like my GB men quite gingery/spiced, and slightly chewy...

Here is my current leader board:

Big Bakes Bakery - St. Marychurch
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(This is the giant gingerbread man from Big Bakes Bakery - he's about 12 inches tall!!)

Shauls Bakery - Newton Abbot
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Shauls Bakery - Exeter
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(Didn't enjoy this little fella at all. Quite tasteless and not a particularly pleasant consistency. Very different from the ones from their Newton Abbot shop)


I am always keen to try new ones. so please let me have your recommendations.