johnadams.org.uk

The joy of the swing

Originally uploaded by John The Geologist

This is how to enjoy the sensation of flying through the air on a swing. My niece Charlotte in Newlands Park yesterday.

Driftwood is one of those places that only rarely appear in the travel magazines, and maybe it’s best that the secret doesn’t get out.

The hotel is an oasis of ordered calm situated on a Cornish clifftop above a small beach. The tone is set by the owners, Paul and Fiona Robinson. They are exceptionally welcoming, with an eagle eye for detail. This attitude of welcoming attention to detail has been passed on to all the staff, who are universally friendly and attentive.

During our stay, this was best illustrated by our first breakfast. As it was a beautiful morning, we wanted breakfast on the deck, but could only find a table with one chair. As we turned round to go and sit at a table indoors, one of the staff appeared with a chair and a smile!

The food is some of the best and most complex I have ever tasted, and is in my opinion of Michelin star standard. The chef, Chris Eden, has been at Driftwood less than a year, so this might come.

Amuses bouche:
Swede veloute with cheese crisp.
Cauliflower veloute with Cornish Yarg cheese.

John Dory with St Mawes Bay prawns, peas and garlic gnocci.
Red mullet on a bed of lentils, orange puree, shallots.

Turbot, oxtail, confit of red pepper, celeriac puree, clams.
Loin and belly of pork, apple sauce, cannelini beans, girolles.
Herb crusted loin of lamb with borlotti beans, broad beans, pea puree, tomatoes.

Selection of British cheeses.

Creme brulee with blackberries, orange cardomom ice cream and figs.
Dark and white chocolate delice with ice cream.
Pineapple tarte tatin, ginger rice pudding, ginger and honey ice cream, lychees.

Wine: Austin’s Six Foot Six Shiraz/Voignier.

The extras really make Driftwood though:

• Sitting on the loungers on the deck, looking over the south Cornish coast towards Portscatho, eating cake and drinking tea.
• Breakfast on the deck in the full Cornish sun.
• A long soak in the bath after a 10 mile walk along the South West Coast Path.
• A crisp white wine before dinner.
• Waking up to the sound of the sea.

We’ll be back!

Portadown suffers, not entirely unjustifiably, from a negative public image. It is therefore not the first place you would look for high quality grub.

I had lunch in the Yellow Door Deli with my Mum today. The front of the shop is the bakery and deli counter, and the front window is full of freshly baked loaves. There is a surprisingly large eating area at the rear of the deli, which was busy but still warm and welcoming.

As soon as we ordered, the waitress brought us a small selection of breads - wheaten, sourdough, cheese-topped white, tomato, herbed. I was a bit more full than I intended when the rest of the food arrived. I’ll be more prepared for that the next time.

There was a wide choice - various sandwiches using the in-house bread, soups and main courses. Mum chose the fusilli pasta with chicken in a cream sauce, accompanied by sourdough garlic bread. She pronounced it “lovely” with a big smile on her face! I chose a sandwich - confit of duck, hoisin sauce and sesame seeds on a sourdough roll. It came with nicely dressed leaves and small portions of greek and potato salad. Nicely packed and just the right amount.

We declined the offer of cake or patisserie for dessert, simply beacause we were both full.

Looking around at the other tables, the other dishes looked equally good. In particular, the brown stew came in a large bowl with potatoes and caramelised root veg. Had we been there for breakfast, there were some further tempting things on the menu (French toast with bacon and maple syrup for example).

Overall, this was a real find. OK, it’s made it into the Guardian directory and UKTV food heroes, but it was so different from the more typical Northern Irish lunch offerings that it is worth a visit. There’s not many places in Co. Armagh I could say that about.

My only negative comment is about their website. Not only does it use Flash rather than proper XHTML, but it has white text on a light yellow background on some pages, with no way of changing font size or colour, or even selecting the text to highlight it. Some screens are unreadable. Sack your design team and find someone who knows what they are doing!

I have just done a quick calculation to find out how tall my nephew and neice Jamie and Lucy will be when they grow up. The calculations are based on current age/weight and current heights of parents. The calculations are published in Pediatrics 1994.

The results were surprising:

• Jamie will be 6 ft 7 inches
• Lucy will be 6ft 3 inches

Eek!