Grain and Grind

My Grandpa and I have traditions. He is 89 and going to visit him in Glasgow has become a bi-annual (at least) occurrence – he is easy and pleasant company and I treasure every moment I get to spend with him. Firstly, we go to Morrisons to do a food shop, then we'll watch the soaps, drink lots of tea, eat Kit Kats (okay, that's just me) and, if I'm lucky, he'll make me his famous macaroni cheese for tea. Time spent in Glasgow is typically relaxed – a real break from my regular routine. Coffee and brunch must be incorporated, too, then, and having spied Grain and Grind on Tally's Instagram I decided to pay a visit after my Monday morning run (one habit I can't give up, no matter where I am in the world).

Since I ditched my 9-5 and started working in a coffee shop brunch has become a full-time hobby and I really can't complain. Food is one of life's greatest pleasures and, as one of the few things you can always rely on, I make a conscious effort to enjoy the very best of it.

The staff at Grain and Grind were some of the friendliest I have encountered in a while – super chill and accommodating but not overbearing. I took a seat by the window and ordered an oat flat white and the poached eggs and avocado with halloumi because treat yourself, and, can I just say, how perfect...

I don't know about you but sometimes when I go out by myself I feel a little self-conscious and can spend the entire time hiding behind my phone, but I felt at home at Grain and Grind and got to spend some time writing in my bullet journal, which always centres me. It was a calm space, yet nearly every table was occupied – I can imagine the buzz on weekends is just as delightful.

Every time I visit Glasgow I feel I could uproot and move to this beautiful city, spend more time with my Grandpa, find more time for solo brunches and the best coffee, but something bigger tells me the grass is always greener... so I think I'll stay put, for now, at least.

East Village Cafe - Bristol

The arch house deli had been a highlight of many visits to Clifton village, a corner of Bristol I frequent most weekends, actually – it’s so close to where I live.

I once had the most delicious chunk of cheese from that deli. I don’t know what it was – a comte or gruyere – I couldn’t tell you, but a nice man wrapped it in wax paper for me and I paid £6.50 for the privilege of midnight nibbles and after-work snacks like no other.

You can imagine my sadness then, when the arch house deli closed last year! I was so sad, that I did what any normal, loyal, person would do, and stuck my nose up at the news of a vegetarian/vegan café taking its place. My stubbornness didn’t last long, however, (it never does), as I popped in for some cake and coffee one Saturday before Christmas and LOVED the place.

I’m not usually this fickle but all good things must come to an end and better things can often take their place and old doors close and new ones open etc etc etc.

Anyway, since East Village took over the space, it seems to have doubled in size, and is so much brighter, too. An original lover of flamingos (before every major retailer took it too far), my eyes fixated on the flamingo print – it’s unlike anything I’ve seen before and I want it for my future home. I’ll also have greenery draping from the ceiling and gold and silver stars on the walls; a sweet, fun and homey yet enviably stylish setting for coffee catch ups. East Village Cafe certainly fits in with its neighbours – which include some of my absolute favourites; Anna Cake Couture and Papersmiths to name a couple.

While on the surface East Village Cafe looks to be just another place for Basics to Instagram their coffee and cake against a fuzzy backdrop of glowing gold and green (that would be me) – something Bristol definitely does not need – it is, in fact, exactly what Clifton needs. The vegetarian and vegan cafes are sparse in this particular area of the city, and as this way of living becomes more popular the demand must be met. East Village Café filled a gap in the market with a menu made up entirely of vegetarian and vegan food and drink and I couldn't be happier about it.

As a temporary vegan, this café appeals to me. I can go in and order absolutely anything without having to look for the (V) sign. Isn’t that great! I save all of three minutes of my menu browsing experience.

Anyway, these are the cakes Emily and I got: 

Carrot cake with, what tasted like, coconut cream (yum).

And the last slice of their cranberry bakewell tart (YUM). 

Along with the interior decor, we especially liked the cutlery and crockery. These things matter, deeply, and East Village Cafe is smart to take care in these aspects of its new business. Anything aesthetically pleasing will find its way onto the 'gram, and that's free advertising. I have a feeling this place is here to stay, so check it out next time you're in the village. If you can try a slice of the Nordic blueberry pie then definitely DO. It's incredible and, like, Nordic Bakery standard.

Chocolate Coconut Popcorn

I've been obsessing over coconut lately, as you'll probably see in a few posts to come, and I'm not sure when this love started, but I can't get enough of the stuff. It's coconut EVERYTHING right now, and the scent and taste of it is taking over my life. I just love it so much.

When I came up with this recipe I was amazed at my own creativity and the end result was impressive to say the least. Not only does it look stunning - the dark chocolate coating half of each piece of popcorn and dessicated coconut laced on top - it tastes pretty damn good too. I'm gonna give myself a pat on the back for this one. Here's how you can make some too, and enjoy all of it for yourself because it's too good to share - plus, it's healthy, yay!

Ingredients:

• 100g dark chocolate - the darker the better. Dark chocolate is good for the brain and gives you the sugar fix you need without eating too much of it.
• 1tbsp raw virgin coconut oil - so so good for you, I don't even know where to start but for more information on the health benefits of coconut oil click here - it may be a pricey oil to invest in but it's versatile, smells and tastes amazing and will last you a long time.
• 50g popping corn
• 1tbsp dessicated coconut (optional - not pictured)

Method:

1. Put the coconut oil into a large saucepan on a low heat. This stuff melts crazy fast.

2. Add the popping corn and stir it around to ensure each kernel is coated in the coconut oil. Then place a lid on the pan and let it heat up - it might take a while before you hear any kernels begin to pop but you must keep it on a low heat otherwise it will burn.

3. While you're waiting, melt the chocolate in the microwave and line a baking tray with some greaseproof paper. Make sure you keep an eye on the popcorn and shake it about every minute or so (this will require two hands - I had a bit of an accident here and half the popcorn ended up flying out of the pan so please be more careful than I was!)

You could just leave it at that and have yourself a super healthy snack, but why not put in a bit of extra time and effort and create something even better. It's so worth it.

4. I started off with just dipping the popcorn in the melted chocolate, but decided a bit later on that I would get the dessicated coconut out of the cupboard and mix it up a bit. I did about half dipped in coconut and half just plain chocolate - just to give some variation in flavour and texture.

6. Leave the popcorn to set on the tray - I left mine at room temperature and they were set in about an hour, but if you can't wait that long stick them in the fridge.

Now to eat all of it and feel good about not having parted with silly amounts of money for a cheap and easy to make snack :) I am so happy with how this popcorn turned out! Usually I'll eat a whole bag of Tyrrells popcorn but with this homemade stuff I was good with just a handful. Let me know in the comments below or tweet me @hello_flower if you decide to try this recipe.