Ickles Fancies

I first came into contact with Ickles Fancies when I went to Delicieux for breakfast. Ever the enthusiast for something new, the owner Debbie asked if I would like to try their new flavoured chocolate discs. They were divine. I blogged about them, and next thing I know, I'm having a full blown conversation about all things chocolate with their creator, Lucy.

She's been on a whirlwind journey from teacher to cake baker, fudge maker to chocolatier, and I'm not sure she's done yet. She started her chocolate business with a 99p mould from ebay and some Tesco Value chocolate. She now uses the best ingredients, which she can manipulate into all sorts of weird and wonderful designs.

Delicieux have around thirty different flavoured discs made by Lucy, which I can confirm are absolutely delicious! They're even better when you layer them... Think lemon cheesecake...

Lucy is constantly scribbling down ideas for new products, which are all made at home. One of my personal favourites is the little afternoon tea in a box she brought for me to try!

This came in a pretty little box bound with ribbon, and included a victoria sponge, Bakewell slice, a chocolate eclair and assorted 'biscuits', some of which included fruit pieces or jelly. You can buy these directly from Lucy or sample them at Delicieux.

It was lovely to speak to such a passionate local business-woman, who is doing something a bit creative from her own home. 

Contact Lucy at icklesfancies@gmail.com

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Balthazar, London

When the famous New York brasserie Balthazar graced London with its presence, I was very giddy indeed. As a kipper in fact. We had intended going to the Boulangerie the last time we were in London, but didn't quite get round to it. I'll be honest with you, it was mainly down to over indulgence and general gluttony. So this time I made a booking in the restaurant next door - it was a date.

Although Balthazar hails from New York, their style is very much French inspired brasserie food, with emphasis on fresh produce, home baked cakes and bread, and decadent displays of fruit and shellfish. The Boulangerie is just next door, and serves the same home baked goodies for you to take away.   

We decided to go for breakfast; a simple menu which reminded me of that beautiful meal we had at Bouchon in Las Vegas. Since Vegas is a bit of a trek from Horwich, I was hoping that Balthazar may scratch an overdue itch.

The large dining room is bathed in a gold light which reflects of the large mirrors on the walls. This also explains why some of my photos have a bit of a tan... 

We started with coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice. Very refreshing. We had done the tasting menu at the Ledbury the night before, so were in dire need of a pick me up.

We both ordered tactically. We had a big day of food related fun ahead of us, and didn't want to burn out. 

Balthazar Bacon Roll with Canadian maple syrup butter: This beautiful bacon was served on a fresh, home made baguette. 

Pancakes with cinnamon apples: These were spectacular. The pancakes were soft and actually quite light, and came with a jug of maple syrup and sweet cinnamon soaked apples. They don't look very pretty, but tasted amazingly good.

This has to be one of my favourite breakfasts in London. It's not quite as good as Thomas Keller's Bouchon, but it's the closest thing I have found so far. Elegant and understated, these dishes were all about flavour. Next time I'm heading to the Boulangerie for cake...  

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All Star Lanes, Manchester

One of my friends told me about All Star Lanes months before it opened - a very exciting concept indeed. She had been to the one in London a few years before and was certain the Manchester one would be a hit.

Let me tell you a story. I once had quite a glittering career as a bowler. I'll set the scene: year five school trip circa 1992. I was a machine. I was thrashing those mothers. Then my dad turned up and 'corrected' my poor technique. I've struggled ever since. He chopped me down in my prime, and my form has seldom been seen since.

Granted, my technique is ridiculous. I run up, stop dead, swing the ball and chuck it. Sometimes this has me basking in glory, other times sobbing like the loser that I am. The only time I have been consistently good was on the Kinect, but that's not real life. The reason I am in such a flap, is because my friend Lucie is having her birthday party there, and I'm likely to make a proper show of myself.

Anyway, my own personal terror aside, we decided to go and sample the food at All Star Lanes on Friday night, after several good reviews from our friends Wayne and Vicki. I was expecting 'bowling alley does decent fast food', but it was something a whole lot better than that. I have to apologise in advance for the appalling photography; it was very dimly lit.

Firstly, my husband was thrilled with the choice of beers they had, so much so he ordered two within a couple of minutes of each other, just so he had another one ready to go. I'm sure you've noticed that it's warm out at the moment, so being a beer hating heathen, I ordered the strawberry milkshake. Not quite on the scale (or calorific value) of Byron's, but very pleasant indeed!

Mac and Cheese Croquettes and Hot Chicken Wings: Starters are very generous, so be warned. We probably could have shared one of these, but we tested two in the name of research... The croquettes are very similar to Solita's deep fried mac and cheese (which is a good thing) and the wings are reminiscent of those served in Hooters (a very good thing).

Southern Fried Chicken and Coleslaw: At this point they dimmed the lights, so the photos got even worse! The southern fried chicken burger was utterly fantastic. We ordered it plain, but they put the coleslaw on the side so I could snaffle it. This is tasty, crisp fried chicken served in a brioche bun. My husband enjoyed this so much he declared he will never have anything else from All Star Lanes.

Hamburger with Cheese and Bacon: This needed a reassuring 'squash' before eating. There was a decent sized patty and a good mix of salad. My only slight criticism was that the burger was well done, when they had told me that it is served pink. I wouldn't say this was much of an issue though.

Cherry Pie and Rocky Road Sundae: Jeepers. Cherry pie 'til I die! This was just lovely. It came with a big dollop of ice cream too. The rocky road sundae is huge - this is probably better suited to someone who hasn't had a starter and a big main beforehand... tasty though...

I was really pleasantly surprised by All Star Lanes. The food is very much a star in its own right, and certainly isn't playing second fiddle to the bowling alley. The service is great and the dining room has a nice feel about the place. We didn't bowl on Friday, but it's a relaxed kind of place which hopefully will help me to channel my inner Kingpin ready for the party in August...

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