Inspiring, dynamic and wonderful, I never tire of visiting New York and enjoying the unique energy the city has in abundance. There is always so much that's new to discover, as well as the chance to return to favourite places, providing welcome continuity in an ever-changing world. This time I had the privilege of being there with a small group of six Australians, four of whom had never been to the USA before. We had an adventure and loved every moment, from taking in the impressive views from the observation deck of the Empire State building, to riding the Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty, exploring Brooklyn, walking the impressive High Line gardens, and a wonderful day in the Hamptons, despite really dire weather.
Having taken the Jitney coach service from mid-Manhattan to Southampton we began our day out of the city with a restorative coffee at the excellent East Hampton Coffee Company, where they serve the most delicious cinnamon rolls ever.
Perhaps the premium wine tasting at the impressive Wolffer Estate Vineyard also helped...
Followed by lunch of lobster rolls at Bostwick's chowder house, which were truly superb and worth the trip alone. That dining experience had been on my bucket list for years and now very happily fulfilled.
New York city's restaurant scene was a daily indulgence, thankfully balanced with walking miles, but even so some corrective diet action back home is the order of the day. From the iconic pastrami on rye at Katz's delicatessen - famed for the Meg Ryan scene from the film 'When Harry met Sally', to our final night dinner at the fabulous Union Square Cafe, my vote for the most amazing dessert on the trip goes to the totally decadent S'mores concoction at The Smith opposite the Lincoln Center. Featuring rich creamy chocolate mousse, delicious toasted marshmallow and Graham cracker biscuit crunch this definitely created a 'wow' response at the table and was the perfect taste to finish with. New York, I will be back!
From Game of Thrones filming locations to Iberico ham production, I was very fortunate to experience this hidden area of Spain for a workshop and familiarisation visit for Tasting Places this Spring.
The Extremadura region is as large as the Netherlands, but only has one million inhabitants compared to the 17 million population of the Netherlands. Consequently there's a lot of countryside, perfect to explore on a self-drive holiday. Merida is less than two hours from Seville and a great place to start. Once capital of Lusitania (Spain and Portugal), Merida was founded in 25BC. Staying at the wonderful Parador in the centre of Merida, complete with storks nesting on the roof, everywhere was within walking distance.
With history dating back nearly 2,000 years Merida has some of the finest Roman ruins in Spain including the longest Roman built bridge (790m) in the world. There's also an impressive Roman ampitheatre and Temple of Diana. The National Roman Museum is well worth a visit and the modern architecture cleverly evokes the feeling of being in a public Roman building.
After Merida we continued to the Dehesa for the chance to learn all about Iberico ham, which involves a five year process including ageing after curing. No wonder Extremadura ham has its own Designation of Origin status.
Only an hour's drive from Merida, the ancient town of Caceres was another delight. Designated a World Heritage City by UNESCO in 1986, it blends architecture from many civilizations throughout history and in 2015 was named Spanish Capital of Gastronomy.
Last destination on the itinerary was Trujillo, a walled town (and one of the locations used for the Game of Thrones filming), which was the birthplace of Francisco Pizarro, conqueror of Peru. There's an equestrian statue of him in the main square. Just outside Trujillo the Habla Wine Cellar is an impressive contemporary vineyard to visit for a tasting.
Never having been to Madrid before I then spent an extra couple of days exploring the city before returning to London. Being able to walk everywhere was a pleasant surprise as Madrid is quite a compact city. Visiting the Thyssen Museum was a highlight. As I'd avidly watched Paul Hollywood's City Bakes television programme on Madrid I was also keen to try some specialities including the famed churros with hot chocolate at San Gines. Unbelievably open 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, this renowned place has been going since 1894 (and invariably there's a queue, but worth the wait).
So next time you're wondering where in Europe to go, remember central Spain and the wealth of options off the beaten track.
