A Coffee in Edinburgh VIII: Peter's yard [On The Road: Edinburgh]

Hey, I got the body of a taught, pre teen, Swedish boy

Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld episode “The Wait Out”)

Peter’s Yard is an artisan Swedish bakery opened by Peter Ljunquist in Edinburgh. With now two locations and online presence, Peter brings a dominating minimalistic sun lighted place with glass windows, great baked goods, and lovely coffee.

Coffee Time

We got the usual formula, a flat white and a macchiato, both were excellent, great balance, perfect extraction, and top latte art.

Espresso Machine: La Marzocco

Beans: Artisan Roast

Score: 5/5

A lovely Nordic bakery with amazing coffee.

Peter's Yard

T: 0131 228 5876

Swedish Bakery

Approx Damage: £10pp

Area: Southside

Edinburgh
Twitter: PetersYard

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Sweet time in Edinburgh [On The Road: Edinburgh]

Yes it is. Well let’s see what I have today. Darn it! It's ham and cheese again and she forgot the fancy mustard. I told her I like that fancy mustard. You could put that fancy mustard on a shoe and it would taste pretty good to me. Oh! She made it up with a cupcake though. Hey look at this! You know I got a new system for eating these things. I used to peel off the chocolate now I turn them upside down, I eat the cake first and save the frosting for the end

George Steinbrenner (Seinfeld episode “The Jimmy”)

While wandering around New Town we bump into a lovely bakery. Bibi’s Bakery offers hand made cakes, cupcakes, macaroons, and other sweet stuff. The idea came simply from bringing cupcakes that taste as good as they looked.

Macaroon time

As their promise, the cupcakes we had not only looked beautiful but tasted great, We also indulged with some macaroons that were great.

Sweet Take Away

If you want a sweet treat while in Edinburgh just pass by Bibi’s, also they offer baking courses so you can make these amazing cupcakes at home.

Few Survivors

Bibi's Bakery

T: 0131 226 5563

Bakery

Approx Damage: £10pp

Area: New Town

Edinburgh

Twitter: bibisbakery

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Doughnut the Correct Way to Spell Donut

No, I'm sorry, if Joe DiMaggio wants a donut, he goes to a fancy restaurant or a hotel. He's not sitting in Dinky Donuts

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episodes “The Note”)

The first week of June is the National Doughnut Day to celebrate the men and women who served doughnuts to World War I soldiers. Thanks to this a couple Bloggers and now even Zagat did their list of top fried dough delights, so we took the chance to try some of them.

Glazed & Confused

G&C sources several cafés and places around London, they even have a map on their website so you can know when and where are their doughnuts. We got a double chocolate one during our visit to Timberyard. Chocolate dough filled with chocolate ganache, really nice filling, and lovely twist.

G&C one

Damage: £2.20 each

Location: Several Locations

Score: 3/5

Twitter: GlazedLondon

St. John

The classic ones, created by Justin Gellatly now founder of Bread Ahead. They source to different locations but nothing like going on Saturday morning to Druid St to get a couple of them directly in their bakery, make sure to buy at least 2 as 1 won't be enough. I lost count on how many I have had so far, the latest one I got a rhubarb one, nice filling, and keeping the original recipe.

SJ one

Damage: £2.00 each

Location: Any of their St John restaurants/bakeries, Druid St (Saturday only), Selfridges, Fortum & Mason, and Melrose & Morgan

Score: 5/5

Twitter: StJohnBakery

1235 donuts

If you don't want the hassle of going to the flower market on a Sunday and to buy their doughnuts on the front door of the MacDonald's residence, then you can head instead to The Lockhart from Friday to Sunday and get your stash there. We tried salted caramel and lemon fillings, both were brilliant, lovely filling, a perfect treat.

1235 one

Damage: £2.50 each

Location: Columbia Rd (Sunday), The Lockhart (Friday to Sunday)

Score: 4/5

Twitter: 1235donuts

Bread Ahead

Justin left St. John to join forces with Matt Jones and opened his bakery and baking school to bring us artisan breads, brownies, and the delicious doughnuts. Their stall operates in borough market, the options available when we visited on Saturday were Vanilla and Salt Caramel. Great flavours, spotless, a must sweet treat in the market.

BA one

Damage: £2.50 each

Location: Borough Market

Score: 5/5

Twitter: breadahead

Dum Dum Donutterie

If you dare to incursion into Harrods and hassle with all the tourist there, you will find the counter selling Dum Dum in one corner of the food court. These are the light option of the bunch as they are baked instead of fried. Plenty of options available, including a traditional take. We got the Zebra cronut, the Almond Creme and Pistachio, and finally their Harrods exclusive Berry Meringue. They were ok, some good ones others not as good.

DDD one

Damage: £3.95 each

Location: Harrods, Shoreditch Boxpark

Score: 3/5

Twitter: dumdumdoughnuts

Crosstown Doughnuts

A fairly new concept that launched in May this year. Trading in Leather Lane Market and a store and delivery option in the horizon. Handmade daily, clever creations, gourmet style with fresh ingredients. We got the Sea Salt Caramel and Banana and it was superb, this is brilliance on a plate.

CT one

Damage: £3.00 each

Location: Leather Lane Market, The Providores, Kopapa

Score: 5/5

Twitter: CrosstownDough

Bea's of Bloomsbury

Nice tea and coffee place with two locations in London, Farringdon and St Paul. The doughnut there is actually a duffin, a mix between a doughnut and a muffin. They only have them from Monday to Friday and they sold out quickly. Really nice, not overpowering, quite subtle. Be sure of going early as they will sold out.

BoB one

Damage: £2.70 each

Location: St Paul, Bloomsbury, and Farringdon

Score: 4/5

Twitter: beas_bloomsbury

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A very late Cronut guide

Twelve dollars? I knew we should have gone to the bakery. I guarantee you they’re not getting no twelve dollar cake

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Dinner Party”)

Cronut, crodough, crodoughnut, dosant or whatever you want to call it is one of the most addictive sweet treats created so far. We are in love with them, not only because they came from NY but also they are pretty damn tasty. Simple concept, a pastry mix between a croissant and a doughnut invented and trademarked by Dominic Ansel.

There are different bakeries and restaurants where you can find them in London, but this ones below are the ones I have tried so far.

Cocomaya

Nice coffee/tea shop with posh clientele in Sloane Square. One of the best I have had so far, but pricy, I guess you're paying for quality and convenience. Different flavours usually changed daily.

The posh one

Fortnum and Mason

I would have never guessed that the tea emporium F&M had them in their confectionary and chocolate section. Usually two options mini cronuts or regular cronuts, we got the smaller ones, and of course one of each of the four flavours they had. Lemon and chocolate the best ones of the four, pretty decent ones, mid price range, they didn't want to tell us who was their supplier but they confirmed they don't bake them there.

Mini Me

F&M Minis

Astons

Nice cronuts you can find them in different farmer markets around London, not an expensive option and probably the easier to find, as Astons is present in several markets across London during the weekend. Sadly their filled Crodos went into retirement "for now", but you can still find the Cinnamon sugar crodo which is quite nice. Just check their twitter or facebook accounts to know their whereabouts.

The Market ones

Rinkoff Bakery 

The last one I tried, they have been highly recommended, and I'm glad I left them for last. Definitely the best ones in town. The fourth generation family bakery that opened in 1911 brings 6 outstanding creations, I got one then ordered the other 5, they are amazing.

Rinkoff's Lot

London

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Coffee Enquiry XXXV: Cocomaya [Closed]

You know, if I could get this Coco woman down to Kruger, they wouldn't be able to call me Koko anymore because Kruger would never allow 2 Kokos

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Maid”)

I love to go to Cocomaya in Sloane Square, the main reason is to get their cronuts or as they call them CocoDoughs or Crodoughs. The Sloane Sq place is a relax and lovely café just walking distance form the square. They serve salads, some sandwiches, tea, coffee, and sweet treats, their specialty are chocolates and bakery.

Cocomaya

Last time I visited I got salmon and cream cheese finger sandwich, a small tomato and mozzarella salad, coffee, and of course cornets. Food is nice and simple, good seasoning, and well presented.

Flat White

The flat white was creamy but a bit too much bitterness, and no latte art.

Espresso Machine: La Marzocco

Beans: Monmouth

Score: 3/5

Coffee is ok, but the cronuts are superb, one of the best in London for sure, highly recommended.

Cronut time

Cocomaya

T: 020 7730 8395

Chocolarier & Bakery

Approx damage: £15pp

Area: Sloane Square

Borough: Kensington & Chelsea

Twitter: CocomayaLondon

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Sweet treats are made in Notting Hill

How come he's getting so smart? I stopped having sex with Ben three days ago and I don't know any Portuguese?

Elaine Benes (Seinfeld episode “The Abstinence”)

As you probably know I don’t have a sweet tooth. However, there are these Portuguese sweet pastries Pastel de Nata I can’t resist, and the right place to get these egg custards in London is no other than Lisboa Patisserie. A busy place between Notting Hill and Kensal, nothing pretentious, simple patisserie, but expect big queues to get their pastries.

The Place

This is the real deal, probably the best you can find in London. Authentic, traditional, and to prove it you have the big queues on the weekends. My recommendation is go and try it soon, be prepared to fall in love with these treats, and who am I to disagree.

Portuguese Tart

Lisboa Patisserie

T: 020 8968 5242

Bakery / Coffee House

Approx Damager: £6pp

Area: Notting Hill

Borough: Kensington & Chelsea

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St John of Spitalfield

Somebody double parked, we couldn't help it. It might have been Saddam Hussein,

we're not really sure. He had a British accent though. 

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Dinner Party”) 

Recently I completed the trilogy of Trevor & Fergus visiting St John Bread & Wine. I had been before in the iconic Smithfield restaurant, the only saturday's bakery in Druid St, and also in the now closed Hotel in Chinatown. The placed is in front of the old market, operating since 2003 seven days a week from breakfast to supper. The original intention was to open just a bakery but soon the project became a full restaurant. Same formula as the other places, great British cuisine, offal dishes, same atmosphere, and same great British cuisine. 

The place

Welcome

Inside

We got a couple starters to share, first a blood cake with duck egg. Brilliant, simple but just perfect. The blood cake was rich, and the perfectly cooked egg with the running yolk a marriage from heaven. 

Blood cake

Then we got Foie Gras and duck liver toast, again out of this world, great flavours, beautiful. 

Foie & liver toast

Finally we took advantage of the bakery and ended buying brownies and madeleines to takeaway, but ate half of the madeleines over a lovely coffee. 

Coffe & Madeleine

Great flavours, amazing restaurant, sadly no bone marrow in the menu, but the beautiful baked treats make for it. STJBW is my kind of place.

St John Bread & Wine

T: 020 7251 0848

British Cuisine

Approx Damage: £25pp

Area: Spitalfield

Borough: Tower Hamlets

Twitter: STJBW

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A Bakery in Druid St

Mmmm, I love the smell of bakeries

Elaine Benes (Seinfeld episode “The Dinner Party”) 

St John Bakery opened in November 2010 in order to supply their three locations. Justin Gellatly was the original head baker master of his domain. These days Yohan is running the show and keeping the tradition based on working with hands, focus on sourcing quality, and give the bread all the time it needs to ensure St John’s quality. Good news for all of us is that the place opens for public only on Saturdays as the producers “open door” market in Maltby and Druid streets. 

Bakery

Apart from the bread there are three treats you shouldn’t miss, the doughnuts, the brownies, and of course the madeleines. I have written before about the brownies but they are so good I need to talk about that again. If you love chocolate you must try one. 70% dark Valrhona chocolate, hazelnuts and unbaked almonds, a treat for gods. Madeleines are baked on the hour so you can enjoy them hot. 

Brownies & Madeleines

And finally the doughnut, they are Justin creation, you can choose between custard or jam. As everything they offer it is a real treat. 

Pig & Doughnuts

Doughnuts time

Now you know St John Bakery is open between 9.00 am and 2.00pm every Saturday morning, don’t waste another week without trying their amazing baked treats.

Doughnugram

St John Bakery

T: 020 7553 9842

Bakery

Approx Damage: £6pp

Area: Bermondsey

Borough: Southwark

Twitter: StJohnBakery

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The Best Madeleines in London

I’m obsessed with St John. I love their simple approach, and nose to tail concept of British cuisine. But these days I have been more interested in their bakery. So my latest stop in Farringdon I couldn’t resist to pass by the former smokehouse nowadays St John Bar & Restaurant in order to get some baked treats. 

The place

The madeleines are a must in the place, they are baked to order so it will take more or less 15 min to get them fresh and still hot. I’ve always bought them to take away but they have never made it home as I finish eating all of them on the way back. 

The bakery

Madelines

While we were waiting Marisol ordered a chocolate brownie. It was superb, one of the best brownies I have had, an amazing soft Valrhora chocolate with hazelnuts and unbaked almonds worthy of naughty dreams. 

Brownie

Highly recommended place, the restaurant is great, and the bakery is awesome. I even had the chance this time to see Fergus Henderson having a drink while I was waiting for my madeleine order. Fergus let’s toast for a great place, cheers! 

More Madeleines

B&W

Bakery reminds me the Seinfeld episode “The Dinner Party” 

George: So all right, what are we getting? It's so hot in here!

Kramer: What do you say we get a Mouton Cadet?

George: What's that?

Kramer: It's robust, bold, very dry. As opposed to a Beaujolais which is richer and fruitier. Here's one. Twelve dollars

George: Twelve dollars? I knew we should have gone to the bakery. I guarantee you they aren't getting no twelve dollar cake

St John Bar & Restaurant

T: 020 7251 0848

British Cuisine / Bakery

Approx Damage: £10pp

Area: Farringdon

Borough: Islington

Twitter: SJRestaurant

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