5 ways to use your Brioche Pasquier Loaf

1. Cinnamon Toast

Cinnamon Sugar: 2/3 cups sugar mixed with 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Toast your brioche slice and liberally butter sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top leave for about a minute then tap off the excess cinnamon sugar back into the cinnamon sugar pot/jar.

2. PB & J Sandwich

All you need is your favorite jam be it strawberry, raspberry, or bramble on one slice of brioche and peanut butter on the other. Then enjoy!

3. Hamburgers

Some trendy burger joints are now offering brioche buns for a small extra fee. And other trendy burger places are using sliced bread instead of buns. So, I thought I’d use both trends and use sliced brioche for my hamburgers!

4. Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding:

260g sliced Brioche Pasquier, cubed

100g chocolate chips

3 large eggs

40g light brown sugar

2 tbsp of dark rum

600ml full fat milk

4 handfuls of demerara sugar

Lightly butter a baking dish and add the stale cubed bread. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the stale cubed bread. Whisk the eggs, brown sugar, rum and milk together before pouring all over the stale cubed bread. Then sprinkle about 4 small handfuls of the demerara sugar over the top, this is what gives it a nice sugary crunch on top. Heat the oven to 170C. Soak for about 20 minutes while the oven heats up. Bake in the oven 40-50 minutes. Let it cool slightly before serving!

5. Classic Bread & Butter

Let’s be honest Brioche is delicious and I ate at least half of my Brioche Pasquier loaf with a slathering of butter. Sometimes with Maple Moose Butter! When it's paired with the sweetness of the brioche loaf it is something pretty special! Yum! 

notes: I was given a couple of loaves of Brioche Pasquier to try, please see my contact/policy page for further information. Moose Maple Butter was also given to me at Food Blogger Connect. Recipe is adapted from Nigella’s Kitchen.

Every Meal Should be an Experience {at Handmade Burger Co.}

There is a burger craze going on in England at-the-moment! It seems to be wherever I look there is a new burger place popping up. So, what makes one place stand out from the rest?

The food and the atmosphere.

I recently visited Handmade Burger Co. at the Oracle in Reading and they had both! 

First the food:

All the burgers are homemade. I know I don’t really have to tell you that as it is the name of the place. However they really mean they are homemade. The meat is fresh that day no freezing and then slopping them on the grill whenever it is needed.

There is like a million different choices! I finally decided on the Mexican (beef) burger. It had salsa, guacamole, jalapenos, and my favorite part homemade tortilla chips! All on a brioche bun! The brioche bun added sweetness to the spicy of the burger.

My date and friend, Kirsty, decided on Jimmy’s Farm Beef Cheese & Bacon burger. Which was made from a rare-breed, free-range beef. It definitely had a different taste and was moist and delicious! The caramelized red onion relish was super tasty!

Then we decided share a side of chips and coleslaw. Both were great accompaniments to our burgers. The chips were crisp and fluffy and I loved the Cajun Mayo dip. Our other side the coleslaw was the perfect amount of creaminess to crunchiness.

Then drinks there are a variety of beers, ciders, and wines, sodas, and shakes and malts. I had to have a handmade peanut butter shake. Yummy. Kirsty choose a Peroni as she says you can’t have a burger without a beer!

For dessert there is a selective of sundaes. I choose the brownie and waffle and Kirsty choose the banoffee both were delicious!

Now for the atmosphere:

The décor is simple, yet stylish and relaxing. The staff were lovely! They were talkative and informative. All questions we had were answered and when I asked for no onions, I was I could have my burger however I wanted! 

Once you decide on what you want you pay at the counter (like at Nando’s) and then when your order is ready it is brought to your table. I forgot to order a brioche bun with my burger. Oops! When we asked a member of staff if it was too late to correct it we were told it was not a problem and I received my brioche bun! 

Be careful when asked if you want dessert, because even if you say no they may convince you otherwise! We didn't think we could fit another bit in and we managed a good quarter of a sundae each!

Overall we had great food and a great afternoon! I think every meal should be an experience and at Handmade Burger it is!

notes: I was invited to visit Handmade Burger Co. – official website (for locations, menu, & much more), Twitter, Facebook by the Handmade Burger team.

It's worth following them on their social media sites, sometimes they run some really good promos!! The Oracle in Reading, Berkshire and Jimmy's Farm. 

The handmade tortilla chips on my burger were so good that I would have asked for a bowl all on their own if I thought I could get away with it! Note that the side dishes are actually quite big and your burger will be filling so sharing sides would be a great way to go!

Rock n Roll {Ed's Diner Review}

This weekend I had an opportunity to visit Ed’s Diner, that recently opened up in The Oracle (Reading, Berkshire). 

It wasn't my experience at Ed’s. The first time was years ago wondering around London and randomly happened upon an Ed’s at lunchtime.

Then not too long ago one opened up in Basingstoke, which I made my husband take me too. If that doesn't tell you that I am a fan of Ed’s Diner then I don’t know what will. It’s also pretty obvious then, that I was super excited to see one open up in Reading!! 

My friend, Cathy who loves American style food (I honestly think it’s the only reason she’s friends with me) was my date for the night. We weren't disappointed. The food and atmosphere was great. The staff was friendly and helpful. It was an all around good experience.

Cathy had an Oreo Milkshake, Chili Cheese burger combo plate, and a pancake stack for dessert. Here is what I had!

Rootbeer Float:

Big Bubba’s Bacon N’ Cheese Burger:

Atomic American Fries:

Lot of Waffle:

Have you ever been to an Ed’s Diner? If so what was your experience? What did you get? What flavor of milkshake or malt would you suggest?? (I love the peanut butter one!)

Notes: Check out my full review!! (removed as of 31.1.2016) Ed’s Diner Reading: Upper Floor, Broad Street Entrance; The Oracle Shopping Centre; Reading RG1 2AG (NOW CLOSED 2017) and Ed’s official site visit to sign up for the newsletter you get a coupon for a free shake a few weeks around and including your birthday!