Profiteroles, Miette and the Cotswolds

Mmm. Profiteroles. I haven’t made these in years. After the tart at Alex’s a few weeks ago (I mean the dessert, the women in attendance were lovely!) I haven’t stopped thinking about these. So decided last night after declining on dessert at the restaurant that I might as well make them when we got home. They were slightly more effort than I remembered. You have to beat the batter pretty hard. Would be great if you had any frustrations to vent. Not so great when you’re having a catch up with your lovely cousin visiting from South Africa. Finally they were made, along with the chocolate sauce and organic double cream. Delicious and still warm. Though by now more a midnight snack than a dessert. The recipe will be in this month's newsletter which I'll send out in a few days.

Said cousin stayed the night and we headed off to the Cotswolds on this beautiful, sunshiney day. Perfect day to get out of the city. We managed to find the gorgeous country pub our Uncle had taken me to on an earlier visit (even though I couldn’t remember what it was called) and even bagged ourselves a table outside in the sun. The food at the Horse and Groom is fantastic.
A good bet for a country pub. I hear the Old Butcher’s is also good, so we might have to try there next time. Or the Fox which Uncle Claude also said was “a good boozer” but impossible to get a table in.

We made such good time on the way up that after lunch we had a few moments before getting to the brewery (where our Uncle lives) to stop back into Miette that I visited last time. Some of the chocolates I had wanted to try last time but there weren’t any, were on the menu today. So I selected six and packaged them away. I haven’ tried them yet. The only sad thing I see about Miette – apart from being so far away – is that they make really yummy sounding fillings in white chocolate varieties. I just don’t like white chocolate much. Such a waste of interesting combinations. Sour cherry is the only one I remember from a long list. When I start eating them I will report back.

There are dozens of birds at the brewery, including seven peacocks and three peahens, and the baby swans hatched recently. Budgens kindly save bread for the menagerie. The little ones were so cute swimming up to the trough to get their food. We were also treated to the peacock’s full feather display (and then a little bit more than you want to see - we don't go in for bird porn on this site!).

The brewery really is one of my favourite places, it is stunningly beautiful. Given that Miette’s is a short walk, perhaps I could even consider living there. Chocolate and countryside and good places to eat. That’s most of the bases covered.