Travel Archives - Travels for Taste

Eco friendly backpackers hostel in Lapland, Finland -7 Fells resort

February 11, 2019 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

January and February have brought icy cold weather, wind chills and snow to many parts of the world.

Reading about the recent polar vortex causing shockingly low temperatures in Chicago, reminded to our trip to Lapland last year.

We were chasing the Aurora and with that thought in mind wanted to book a slightly remote getaway.

I found the cottages at 7 Fells Resort at Akaslompolo very attractive and was very excited about our trip.

A lot of firsts were to happen on this trip to Finland!

First ever experience of being surrounded by so much snow
First ever stay in a secluded cottage
First ever attempt at chasing the Northern Light – the elusive Aurora Borealis

We thought it would be a good way to acclimatise to the weather and so we stayed one night in Helsinki at a lovely Air BnB before heading to Lapland.

Landing at Kittila airport was magical. It was truly a pristine white winter wonderland. The airport itself is tiny but brilliantly managed.

There is a public transport bus from just outside the airport which goes to most of the popular ski resorts and also towards 7 fells.

Our rest was a short walk uphill (50m) after the last stop on the bus. Now here’s the tricky bit for people like me. It was snowing heavily, the road had no vehicular traffic passing, it was absolutely quiet and all the road signs were covered in snow. All I knew was that we had a short walk uphill and the resort was on the right.

To add to this scene out of a suspense film, because we had taken a late afternoon flight into Lapland, by the time we got off the bus it was almost dark.

Obviously, there was no one around to ask for directions! We ended up walking past the resort, uphill, dragging our suitcases. My lungs were exploding, the snow was coming down so heavily now, it was getting difficult to see properly and the heavy jacket that I was wearing was weighing me down a lot.

Luckily, the resort turned on the lights and we saw a faint light leading down a path behind us… Alleluiah! So much drama for a 600m distance …. lol

As soon we entered the heated reception area, everything seemed perfect again 🙂 As the relief washed over us, the realisation that we had finally made it to our destination began to sink in.

The lounge is very beautifully done up and the toasty warm interiors are very inviting. One can sit for hours on the comfy couch and watch the snow fall softly outside…sighhh

A short wait and a very friendly staff member checked us in and showed us to our studio cabin.

It was love at first sight for us. This beautiful log cabin has everything one could ask for.

A super comfy bed, a spotlessly clean shower, a very cute kitchenette, a mini refrigerator, table and chairs, a jar of oats, tea and coffee. The kitchen is very well equipped with everything one could possibly need to cook a meal, cutlery, glasses, dishes, a kettle and coffee maker, also packets of spices and soup cubes left behind by previous occupants.

One of the main reasons we picked 7 Fells Hostel was because of its location. Located in the beautiful village of Äkäslompolo in Kolari, Lapland, it is conveniently situated for skiers and adventure sports seekers alike. Also, we really wanted to experience what it would be like to live in a little cabin in the woods.

This gorgeous eco hostel is run by an enthusiastic backpacker Tinja and offers a selection of accomodation options to suit every need.

One can book into single or twin rooms or dorms with shared facilities in the main hostel area. Apart from these rooms which are located in the main building, there are cosy log cabins called studio apartments which come fully equipped with their own shower and kitchenette and there is also a luxury chalet with its own sauna and fully fitted kitchen.

But the most amazing part about this hostel is that it is eco-friendly. They use green energy, provide organic tea and coffee, use eco products for washing up and the rooms are all painted using plastic free odourless paint.

After we settled into our room, we walked down to the village supermarket – Jounin Kauppa Supermarket. It is located 1.8 km away from the hostel.

After browsing through the huge and very well stocked supermarket which has a pharmacy and a cafe inside too.

Cooking dinner in our little cabin was great fun and very quick and easy. We enjoyed a spicy chicken and vegetable soup which I made using all the fresh ingredients I’d just purchased from the supermarket.

We had a long day of exploring our surroundings planned starting early the next morning, so we decided to turn in early on our first night in. A bowl of my chicken soup and a hot shower later, I think I fell asleep before my head hit the pillow.

I love the whole concept behind this hostel. To be able to provide such a beautiful experience on a budget in a remote location, keep it eco-friendly, warm and welcoming and ensure that all rooms and common areas are so well equipped and clean is a brilliant achievement. The opportunity to meet and interact with friendly people is an added bonus.

7 Reasons to book 7 Fells Hostel:

Budget-friendly
Eco-friendly
Convenient location for transport links, activities and local amenities
Fantastic Sauna available for use after a long day
Free wifi in the huge lounge
Free organic tea and coffee, free food shelves, Free kicksleds and bikes to borrow
Walking distance from Bus stop from Kolari Train Station and Kittilä Airport bus, Frozen lake a short walk away, Ski tracks and Ski Resort Ylläs close by, Restaurant, Pubs and a well stocked Supermarket a stone’s throw away.

I could go on but honestly, you can’t put a price to an experience like this. I am positive that I will return to this beautiful gem of a place, to be one amongst nature once again. And hopefully, be rewarded with stunning views of the Northern Lights.

* I planned this entire trip on my own and have paid in full everywhere I have stayed at and eaten at, also for all activities. As always all opinions expressed are as always my own.

Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo, Review – Venice

June 20, 2018 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

An undying love for crumbling old buildings, vintage architecture and a yearning for rustic appeal – one of the main few reasons I picked Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo for our three night at Venice.

This gorgeous 18th-century Venetian palace oozes charm from every brick and tassel of the glorious gold damask curtains.

Our room overlooked a quiet canal, a great view to wake up to, only made better by the occasional gondola gently flapping through the calm waters.

The plush interiors are a conscious effort to recreate the fashionable opulence of 18th-century Venice. Yet, you will not be kept wanting of any modern day comfort that you could possibly think of! Most of these comforts have now become a basic need and come to think of it we can’t seem to make do without them.

Think wifi, satellite T.V, electric heating, a posh stocked mini-bar, bathrooms kitted out with modern day accessories, electric heating and of course the adjustable electric lights that add just the right touch of splendour to the massive decorative Murano glass chandeliers.

Our room had a little alcove, conveniently hidden away from sight, perfect soft for storing away luggage and other unsightly objects that might take anything away from this near – perfect room. The large bed had two velvet upholstered armchairs at the foot of the bed and a delicate pistachio coloured writing desk and chair. Heart shaped chocolates wrapped in bright red and gold paper, placed on the elegant desk seemed to match not just the red velvet chairs but also the gold damask curtains, gold bordered mirrors and picture frames and even the regal looking gold-embroidered top sheet for the bed.

The bath was spacious and had the unmissable separate bidet (although personally I quite prefer a combined bidet toilet seat equipped with a seat warmer – ah! But more on that later – I guess!)

We visited in Feb or else would have loved to sip our morning coffee in the beautiful courtyard. Imagine having breakfast with ancient columns and statues of angles peering down, watching over this 17th-century building…

When you peek through the beautifully crafted wrought iron gates, you will catch a glimpse of the private bridge made out of marble, leading into a private courtyard. This bridge which lends its name to the Hotel.

Located right behind the hotel is a grand 17th-century church called San Stae and few meters away is the vaporetta stop or public water bus. Rialto market is a short walk from the hotel and St. Mark’s Square is a not too far either. In fact, when we got to Venice from the airport bus, we walked to Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo and by morning the next day we were walking to Rialto market from the hotel, navigating narrow bylanes and hopping across brides like seasoned locals!

I wouldn’t think twice before booking this 2-star hotel if I went back to Venice. They offer fabulous rates especially when booked directly via their site, the rooms are luxurious, the staff polite and very friendly and the breakfast is hearty.

Washington D.C Air BnB stay

May 15, 2018 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

We are gearing up for our very first stay in an Air BnB in the U.K. Naturally, that reminded me of our very first stay anywhere in the world in an Air BnB,

Seems like it was ages ago, in Washington D.C – our first ever trip across the pond too! We were so excited because we were off to spend Thanksgiving with our family in the USA and meet our cousins and my cute nephews! Sightseeing in New York was obviously on my mind but I was very eagerly looking forward to a short trip to Washington D.C

I found Cody’s air BnB listing easily and the booking process was very easy. We were lucky to get a booking with him because of all the positive reviews he had already earned.

I was looking for a place from where it would be easy to commute to the main tourist spots and also a safe, clean and lively neighbourhood with a spattering of good cafe’s. This listing ticked all the boxes.

I sent Cody a message asking few questions regarding location etc and once he accepted my booking request, it was smooth sailing from there on.

On the day we arrived, there was slight confusion but Thanks to Cody being such a fab host it was resolved pretty quickly! The previous occupant has not followed instructions to leave the key safely and this had delayed our check-in time. So basically, we then had to leave our luggage with Cody while he arranged to have our room clean and ready for us.

But that gave us a chance to walk around and explore our surroundings and we found an amazing cafe and bookstore called Busboys and Poets and spent a happy few hours sipping coffee and relaxing.

When we walked into Cody’s flat, everything was neatly arranged and looked exactly like the photos he has on the Air BnB listing.

A short flight of stairs leading to level one houses two bedrooms, the ensuite one was occupied and we had one large bedroom with a comfortable double bed ready for us.

Neatly folded towels left on the bed were a nice touch. The bathroom outside was huge and we were the only ones using it – woohoo!

Cody’s fridge was stashed with various things which he said we could use, though we had all our meals outside and didn’t really need anything it was good to know he is so generous. Plates and coffee mugs, cutlery was available to use and we washed whatever we used which was only a few mugs and spoons for our morning coffee and cereal. There were various types of sweeteners and milk also stocked up in the fridge. On the morning we checked our we briefly met Cody’s partner but unfortunately because of Cody’s busy schedule ( he is a nurse) we couldn’t spend any quality time with him.

The refrigerator door had loads of post-its with lovely messages from guests who had also enjoyed Cody’s warm hospitality.

On the day we arrived the weather was lovely but the ext day it was really rainy! If it had been sunny, we would have loved to spend time in his lovely little front garden with a cuppa.

We had booked our bus journey online from London and after a busy morning where we managed to pack in some last minute sightseeing, we took a cab and sped off to the bus station. Somehow though, I was very happy to get back to get back to New York! New York reminds me so much of Bombay city – the pace, the vibe, the spirit and the general feeling of being in a big, buzzing city – it simply can’t be compared!

Have you been to Washington D.C? And have you ever booked an Air BnB accommodation? Tell me what it was like in comments below – I love hearing from you!

*We booked and paid for our stay, travel, and food in full. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always this is an honest account of my experience. All information is correct to my knowledge but would advise anyone using this post as a guideline to please check for updated information.

Top 5 fun things to do in Amsterdam

February 9, 2018 by manjirichitnis 4 Comments

Don’t miss out on these fabulously fun things to do in Amsterdam!

Hello Folks! It’s that time of the year again for us when we feverishly make travel plans, budget our trips and hope and pray that everything goes to plan. February is the month of birthday and anniversary celebrations in our family.Starting last year we have celebrated landmark birthdays and anniversaries and this we wanted to plan a holiday that will create memories for a lifetime.

So after much research, I finally booked a holiday to an amazing destination. Last year, our annual February celebrations were spent in Venice. We had a really romantic short break and enjoyed great food, lots of fabulous Italian wine and fell madly in love with Venice – so much so that we made a promise to ourselves to visit again in exactly 5 years time. ( Why 5 years? well we have pretty elaborate travel plans and places we want to tick off our bucket list until then!)

For now, I would love to share my Top 5 fun things to do while in Amsterdam, we visited last year over the Easter break and loved every minute of our stay.

Amsterdam evening canal cruise – Cruising along the canals during the evening is the best time to see the lights and take in the sights and sounds of this vibrant city. Its a whole new experience compared to a daytime cruise.
Cycle across Amsterdam: Pretend to be one of the locals for a few hours by cycling around the city. It can be quite a thrilling experience, especially at night! Riding along the canals and ringing your cycle bell to make your way through crowded narrow cobbled streets is quite exciting. Fuel up along the way at one of the many traditional brown cafes.
Explore De Pijp: 19th-century architecture sits comfortably alongside modern structures. Sample authentic Dutch street food at the city’s largest street market Albert Cuyp Market. Shops for souveniers or just stroll around admiring the various offerings from the street vendors. Also home to the Heineken Experience, step inside the red-brick building to go on a bottle ride on their interesting tour and of course sample a pint or two 😉
Wind down at Vondel Park: After a long day of admiring art at the Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum, get some downtime at Vondel Park. This large green space offers an escape from the hustle bustle of the busy city streets. Grab a coffee from the posh restaurant cafe and settle down of the grass. If you enjoy people watching, this is the place for you, scores of enthusiastic cyclists riding past, tulips in full bloom during spring.
Eat from one of the many FEBO vending machines – Cheap and cheerful food was never more fun than getting piping hot and filling treats from FEBO. This chain of food vending machines dots the main tourist areas in Amsterdam. Perfect after you haven’t spent the day guzzling loads of beer or after a late night walk around the pretty.

Though spring can be chilly in Europe, we only needed extra layers when we visited Keukenhof gardens, the rest of the trip we managed with light jackets and I always had my trusted scarf from FatFace wrapped around my neck to keep me cosy. Easter break brings in throngs of tourists to Amsterdam as is to be expected so advance bookings for some of the bigger attractions are highly recommended – coming up soon – a short guide to which attractions to book in advance and some money saving tips to ace your trip to the Netherlands. To plan your day – trip to Keukenhof have a look at my detailed how-to guide here.

Have you done any of my top 5 fun things while in Amsterdam?

Two-night stay with Premier Inn, Southampton

November 27, 2017 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Exploring the food scene in Southampton was on the cards when I planned a short two-day trip to Southampton. Every year I explore new places when I go to events like blog camp, this is a great way for me to explore the food and local culture. With lots of things planned during our two-night stay, I wanted to ensure a comfortable and rested evening with a clean and well-equipped room. Premier Inn has two locations in Southampton and my friends Heidi, Nayna and me stayed at the one in City Centre.

The other branch is at West Quay. Southampton offers lots of options for stay as it is home to one of U,K’s top-ranked universities. Naturally, like most other university towns, lots of good budget stay and food options are available. So an opportunity to review Premier Inn for our short-stay was great as it ticked most of my must-haves.

These are my basic Budget Hotel must-haves:

Comfy clean bed
Spotlessly clean bathroom
Close to transport links
Safe, quiet and with easy access to local eateries
Breakfast options
Free wifi
Easy booking options online

I wanted something close to the railway station, within walking distance from the city centre and ideally not too far away from the harbour as we were to spend the day aboard a luxury cruise liner called Msc Preziosa.

Premier Inn guarantees a good night’s sleep or your money back and with their luxury king-size Hypnos beds am sure they fulfil this guarantee.

Check-in was a breeze and our rooms were all cleaned and ready for us to move in. After setting the temperature to a toasty 19 deg, I sat down to enjoy a much-needed cuppa. The room comes with a kettle and some basic tea and coffee making facilities.

We did have the option to get the generous Premier Inn breakfast but decided against it as we had an early start the next day.

My double-room came equipped with a king-size comfy bed, a sofa and massive table with all sorts of plug points. This made coming back after a long day and checking emails over the free 24/ 7 wifi, very easy. I normally carry my DSLR camera and along with my phone and battery pack, need to charge all of them. No problem there, as the room was well-equipped with all modern day amenities and several plug-points.

The bathroom with a bath-tub had a basic shower gel and was spotlessly clean.

Extra fluffy pillows, a toasty duvet, the luxuriously comfortable bed and the blackout curtains ( to leave the outside world – well- outside) ensured I slept through the night, both nights and woke up re-energised.

Premier Inn is a great budget option, especially for short stays. You cannot fault the good night’s sleep promise and the other basic amenities are exactly what you would need. They are certainly a popular choice and have won many awards in the mid-range category and come with a high ranking on TripAdvisor too.

What is it that you look for when you book short stays or business trips? I would love to know your thoughts and I always read and reply to comments with suggestions, queries and tips, besides I love hearing experiences from fellow travellers.

Why not check out what Heidi thought of her stay in Premier Inn, Southampton by having a read of her review post here

*With thanks to Premier Inn for offering a complimentary two-night stay. As usual, all opinions expressed are my own and no monetary compensation was offered for a positive review.

Exploring the food scene in East Village, New York

November 27, 2017 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

Exploring the food scene in East Village, New York

Walking Tours fascinate me, always have. There is no better way to really explore a city than to walk around, wander and allow yourself to wander.

During our first ever visit across the pond, over Thanksgiving, two years ago, we decided to take as many recommendations from friends and family for foodie places and visit as many as possible.

But New York is such a huge city and wrapping your head around the travel routes or getting to the best foodie spots is not possible without a proper plan or maybe a good walking tour. We found a free walking tour online and took a chance and booked it.

One of the reasons I was drawn to this tour was the opportunity to sample foods from various cultures in the space of an hour. How else can you devour Kosher treats to Eastern European sausages and a large portion of ice cream all in the space of few hours 😉

After walking along the Brooklyn Bridge the day before and clicking a million photos I was eager to explore another part of the Big Apple. The group wasn’t too big which is always good, have seen very large walking tour groups many a time in London and I really feel for the tourists.

It’s always a good idea to start off with a Frankfurter aka a hot dog. Papaya King has been in business since 1932 and everyone from Julia Child to Martha Stewart. Who can say no to a hot dog declared as the best in NYC by the likes of Anthony Bourdain?

Another very interesting stop was Baczynsky Meat Market, established in 1970 by Baczynsky who came to the east village all the way from Ukraine. Give the kielbasa or smoked sausage a try, they are smoked in-house and while you are at it, why not take home some of their delicious smoked ham?

Our guide shared some local history with us as we strolled into a fantastic Jewish Bakery called Moishe’s Bake Shop. My DH and our lovely hostess for our stay in NYC were as eager as I was to sample some treats and we picked the rugelach. I couldn’t stop at one and took comfort in the fact that many of the other folks on the tour also gave into the temptation of a second helping. In the face of such a wide variety of fantastic baked goods, which Moishe’s have been baking since 1978, I don’t blame anyone for their defences crumbling!

Now one would think that after eating at so much food, we would firmly refuse any ice-cream, that too American portions being massive it was a complete no-no. But the last stop on the tour had Star Wars themed ice cream on offer…hum… we were on holiday after all;)

Multi-cultural cities like New York always remind me of the vibe that cities like Mumbai and London exude. They seem to embrace every culture and make it their own.

Walking food tours like one epitomise one thing – that there is no better way than to travel the world via your taste buds without a passport!

Though the tour as such is free, you do have to pay at each stop to sample the food but most places do offer generous portions for a few dollars. I did tip our guide quite generously though some folks who didn’t wait to get desserts didn’t, it is a matter of personal choice.

After the tour, we took detailed instructions to get back to Upper Manhattan then promptly lost our way (again) Change of plan on the spur of the moment and Thanks to some tips from friendly folk we found our way to Greenwich Village and spent a few happy hours exploring the place – also a fab way to walk off the calories we consumed eating such a variety of delicious food. To explore the various places the tour guide will take you to and their tours check out details here

Coming up on Travelsfortaste soon:

Top 5 things to do in New York City
How to plan a short break in Washington D.C
Photo feature – Central Park

Meanwhile, why not read some of my other travel adventures including my experience of a local London walking tour?

Exploring SOHO on a gastronomic adventure with Scratch, London
A week in North Wales – Part 1 – in and around Holyhead
A week in North Wales – Part 2 – Southstack Lighthouse and Ceames Bay
Springtime in Keukenhof – The garden of Europe

Springtime at Keukenhof – The Garden of Europe

August 11, 2017 by manjirichitnis 24 Comments

Visit to the World’s largest Tulip Garden – Memories of spring at Keukenhof

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of the Tulip Garden at Keukenhof is the famous song from the famous Bollywood film SilaSila. A mega success from at the box office in the 70’s, this Yash Raj film saw the popular screen couple Amitabh Bacchan with Rekha at the gardens, Bacchan serenading his lady love, surrounded by a sea of stunning tulips and the melodious title track playing …..sighhh…

Even today, that song remains one the most popular song from that era. And as you can now imagine, I have been dreaming of visiting these beautiful gardens forever. Finally this year, we made the trip to Holland, especially for the Tulips.

It was still early spring but most of the blossoms were in full bloom. But no matter how many pictures you see online, nothing compares to the feeling of walking into Keukenhof Gardens for the very first time.

We managed to leave as early as possible from our hotel, made our way to Schiphol airport/railway station and took the shuttle to the gardens. A quick 30 minute journey and you will be at Lisse, where the garden is located. When you are about to approach the gardens, you will be greeted by huge fields of tulips in all possible colours, we saw stunning shades of lavender and cream and rows and rows of bright red and yellow tulips.

I was a bit apprehensive when I saw a large number of tourist buses parked outside, but it was peak season for the tulips and a bank holiday weekend so crowds were to be expected.

Once inside we were greeted by friendly staff and handed a handy free map of the gardens.

History of the world’s largest Tulip garden

The worlds largest spring flower garden which is home to a mind boggling variety of tulips was originally a kitchen garden! Dating back to the 15^th century, this was once home to a Bavarian countess whose kitchen was supplied by produce from these gardens. Hence, the name – Keukenhof which in literal translation means kitchen garden. After being passed on from the Dutch noble family, in the 16^th century, an admiral took over the estate and built the Keukenhof Castle in 1641.

In the 19^th century, landscape architects Jan David Zocher and his son, famous for their work at Amsterdamn Vondel park re-designed the castle grounds to what we see today. Later in 1949, the then mayor of Lisse, threw open the gardens to floricultural commerce and even today more than 500 exhibitors showcase their plants, bulbs and blossoms in over 20 shows. So do make sure you don’t miss out on the custom made floral displays and do go and see the indoor exhibits. Be prepared to feast your eyes on not just tulips but stunning roses and a huge variety of flowers and potted plants.

Millions of spring blooms that grace these gardens give picture postcard perfect opportunities for budding photographers.

Though the best time to visit the gardens is mid- April, when we did, over the Easter break, the garden is open to the public from March end to mid-May.

Because the gardens are massive it is essential you chalk out a route for yourself and it is possible to walk through the whole garden in a few hours while packing in a quick lunch. That is, of course, possible if you do not linger around too much at any one spot – or you could if you like walk around and pick a favourite spot (like the one below) and spend some quality time there admiring the blooms and the grounds.

This was the best time we had during our trip to Netherlands. And although I did resist the impulse to run through the tulip fields pretending to be Rekha to my Bacchan, I did manage to tick the number one place off from my list of ‘Top 5 – Must see places to see in the world’ (and yes we did manage to get this picture clicked, that’s about as much of a Bollywood-style pose that I can force out of the hubby)

Next year the flower parade for 2018 will be held on the 21st of April 2018. To plan your trip and make the most of your vacation, here are some important details:

Where: Keukenhof gardens are located in Lisse, Netherlands (Holland)

Opening Times: 8 am – 7:30 pm

Dates: 22nd of March 2018 until the 13th of May 2018

Transport:

Keukenhof is located at Lisse in Netherlands, a 30-minute bus-journey from Amsterdam. There is a bus leaving every 15 minutes from Schiphol airport to the garden. There are good transport links from all the major cities of the Hague, Haarlem and Leiden. Hoofddorp is a popular tourist location to stay during peak season too with loads of hotels in the town with regular shuttle services to Schiphol.

For tickets and information visit the official website: Keukenhof, Holland and for more detailed information to help you plan your stay in Holland visit the official website Visit Holland

Coming up soon on Travelsfortaste Blog:

Top 5 tips to make the most of your visit to Keukenhof Garden, Holland.
Photo-blog of the Graden of Europe and Tulip fields.
Top 5 travel and stay tips to plan your visit to Amsterdam.
Cheese and wine tasting at Reypenaer Amsterdam.

*With thanks to Visit Holland for our tickets to view this stunning Tulip garden.

*All opinions expressed are as always my own. No monetary compensation was provided for a positive review.

Behind the scenes at a free range Happy Eggs Co farm

August 19, 2016 by manjirichitnis 13 Comments

Scrambled, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, poached, in an omelette, in a frittata – whichever way you like your eggs, they are an unbeatable source of protein and unsurprisingly, a much-loved way to kick start the day with a power packed breakfast. I have always loved eggs especially runny scrambled ones like the ones my Baba makes for breakfast. It was hard for me then, to say no to a tempting invitation by Happy Eggs to come visit their farm up in Tring.

Having read so much, about how Happy Eggs Co like to have their girls roam around freely, this was a chance for me to experience things firsthand. So on a perfectly fine summer afternoon, I set out from London to the Hertfordshire. Arriving from London on the day would have been a nightmare, so I decided to stay one night in the village nearby the farm.

After a rather nightmarish re-routing of my otherwise straightforward journey to Luton, I finally managed to get there only about two hours late, thanks to cancelled and delayed trains. Thankfully, after that bit, it was a just quick drive from Luton station into the picturesque countryside.

No better way to recharge my batteries than a quick getaway out of London city limits. After I checked into the Five Bells Vintage Inn, I met lovely Jane who writes at The Hedgecombers for a quick drink and dinner. It was absolutely fabulous catching up with her after months. Jane is just one of the many amazing bloggers I have met at FBC and over the years we all have become really good friends. While Jane went back to her cute camper van for the night, I settled in early to ensure I got to the farm on time.

120 acres of space at the Bulborne Happy Eggs Co. Farm

Breakfast at the B&B with Jane was a quick affair and I even got to ride with her to the farm in that camper van – Woohoo!!! – quite a treat for a city like me! We lost our way a bit and after driving around in circles for a bit we finally made our way to Bulborne farm. We were greeted by a big bunch of bloggers and the Happy Egg co team.

It was a good that we had an early breakfast then, as we missed the morning treats laid out for us. After a quick introduction we all donned fresh blue overalls and sipped into wellies – I have NEVER walked for so many hours in wellies before but it was not as bad as I thought it would be.

Farmer JP of Bulborne farm is one of the many farmers who work with Noble Foods, the company that owns the Happy Egg brand. Bulborne Farm houses 14,000 girls as the hens are known or VIBS – very important birds in a space spread across 120 acres. This farm is a fully organic farm which means it is audited by bodies such as Organic Food Federation or Organic Farmers & Growers. This is in addition, to being certified and audited by the BEIC Lion Code.

All the Free Range, Barn and Organic farms that Noble Foods works with are also certified and audited by the RSPCA Freedom Food Scheme – a scheme to ensure hen welfare giving them not just wide open spaces to roam around freely but also to ensuring that they have access to dush baths and specially designed activity kits.

The focus on hen welfare and production of free-range eggs is given so much importance that they even sponsor research into work that how to create and maintain a stress free environment for the girls and keep them happy. After all Happy Hens produce Happy eggs!

At the hen house we walked to we saw the hens run outside to enjoy the sunshine and all the while they clucked away sounding very happy. As we stood and took in what Farmer JP told us about a typical day in the life of an egg farmer, the hens roamed around freely around our group, not in the least perturbed by our presence.

While one part of our group went inside the hen house to look at how it is designed and what facilities are provided to ensure the hens are healthy and happy and feel safe while laying eggs, we took turns holding these handsome birds. The naughty hen I held tried to peck at my hand and escaped from my hands before I could pose for a decent picture – naughty girl!

Did you know that a hen lays an egg every 26 hours? Or that hens need dust to keep themselves clean and well groomed? Hens are very intelligent beings and quite inquisitive by nature. To ensure that they get to satisfy their natural curiosity, each farm ensures that at least 20% of every range must have trees planted on it.

Farmer JP explained that he understands the difference between a happy clucking and would know of his girls were unhappy instantly. One of the indicators as I already mentioned is that the hens are fearless around humans, also the hens at his farm have a very healthy and shiny set of feathers.

Now that we have established that these eggs truly are free-range, how do we differentiate them in taste. Farmer JP told us that the happier state of mind and healthy living conditions of his Happy hens results in tastier eggs and lesser eggs with defects like a thin shell or wrinkled egg shell – which indicate that the hens are under stress.

As I walked into the hen house, I steeled myself for an assault on my olfactory senses – what with all the pee and poo of hens, but honestly I was quite pleasantly surprised. There was dust flying around as a bunch of excited hens were jumping around in their dust bath and cackling loudly as if exchanging some juicy gossip.JP explained that the feeders, waste management system and egg collection areas are designed to ensure that hens are well-fed, their living space clean and privacy to lay eggs when ready is provided.

On being quizzed about an article in the Daily Mail about hens being caged, we were informed that those hens were being treated for an illness and the article was factually incorrect. A claim that was backed by RSPCA. Sadly, as the article was not fact based, it was followed by an apology later. Unfortunately, bad news spreads like a virus and this affects all the farmers who strive to maintain high standards. I speak from my personal experience of my visit to Bulborne farm which I can assure you are clean and work hard towards hen welfare, contribute to research and perform better than expected during all their audits, yes, even the ones that happen unannounced and when least expected.

We then picked some of the freshly laid eggs and had a look at the area where the eggs are stored before being shipped out. The stamping of the eggs is a manual process and the unique codes help identify exactly which farm they originate from. The eggs are graded by size and packed into the trademark cheery yellow cartons that are so easily recognisable on supermarket shelves.

Famished after all that hard work we headed back to the base where a freshly prepared four course meal awaited. Chefs from Jackson & Rye restaurants in London cooked us a feast of smoked devilled eggs as canapes’ sprinkled with chives and a taste of delicious mayo, creamy avocados and spinach in Eggs Florentine.

This was followed by a massive portion of the classic Mexican treat – Huevos Rancheros – loved the perfectly poached eggs on top oozing golden yolk and the fresh tomatoes and guacamole. Dessert was a Pecan tart which I wolfed down at lightening speed.

To truly understand the meaning of free range and how gold standards are achieved and maintained one must experience at close quarters how a Happy Egg farm is managed. By no means an easy task, the passion that the whole team here has towards hen welfare is evident from the love they have for these birds.

Why not have a look at some of what the other bloggers who came along for this farm visit have to say? They made egg-cellent company and we were so egg-cited to meet each other!

A day in the life of an egg farmer by – Alex Ryder of The Gingey Bites

Happy Hens make Happy Eggs by Heidi Roberts who blogs at Heidi Roberts Kitchen Talk

Disclaimer: With thanks to the Happy Eggs co for having me as a guest at Tring and Bulborne Free Range Happy Egg Co Farm. Many Thanks to Farmer JP and his team for a fabulous day out. As always, all opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review and was not compensated monetarily for this post.

A slice of Costa Rica – Casado

September 10, 2015 by manjirichitnis 2 Comments

With summer firmly on it’s way out and Autumn settling in, the chilly nights demand some great comfort food. I wanted to try something different so I choose a popular Costa Rican dish – Casado. Why? Well, it’s the ideal comfort food, easy to put together and tastes amazing! Best part is it’s very easy on the pocket and if you plate it well, it looks like a posh meal – no one would guess what went into making it!

Costa Rican Casado

Casado literally means a ‘married man’ and it is said that the name probably originates from how the local men expected food to be served when they were eating outside so that it reminded them of familiar tastes of a home cooked meal. An authentic Casado which is served at ‘sodas’ or local cafes is accompanied by what is known as a Lizano sauce. The brand name Lizano is now generic and retails in N. America. Since this sauce is yet to hit UK shores ( believe me I did a fair bit of looking around in shops that sell Mexican ingredients, Asian, Carribean and most of my local supermarkets) I finally decided to make my own ,which was a great decision – why ? Well scope to experiment and innovate for one, coupled with freedom to incorporate easy to procure, local ingredients – resulting in a deliciously moorish creation! A traditional root vegetables dish from Costa Rico called Picadillo is a popular side dish with rice and tortillas. You can safely say that the gravy sauce is a marriage of sorts between the Lizano sauce and the Picadillo. I have done a fair amount of customisation and the most interesting part of cooking Casado was creating the gravy sauce, combining it with root vegetables and serving it as a wholesome gravy side dish. Let’s get started with the sauce aka gravy as this will take the most time to cook of all the other sides.

Costa Rican Casado

Recipe is good for 2 with generous helpings.

Root Vegetable Gravy Side

Prep & Cooking Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

1 medium juicy tomato – finely chopped
2 small red onions finely chopped
3 medium carrots chopped into tiny cubes
3 small sweet fresh peppers finely chopped
A handful of cauliflower florets
A handful of very finely chopped sweet potato
1 heaped tbsp of finely grated celeriac
A pinch of garlic puree
Half a dry red Kashmiri chilli
½ tsp of thick tamarind puree
2-3 bay leaves
1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
2 tsp freshly grated black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp roasted cumin powder
2 tbsp Oil
Salt as per taste
A handful of finely chopped coriander

Method:

In a large saucepan, heat oil and add the chopped onions, add the garlic puree and cumin powder and stir well.
When the onion starts to reduce add the bay leaves, the chopped tomato and chopped sweet peppers, stir the the tomato & peppers around vigorously bit to get them to release their juices and reduce the flame to a minimum.
Throw in the finely chopped carrot cubes, sweet potato, grated celeriac, tomato puree and add enough water to cover this mixture.
Cook with lid on till the sweet potato and carrots begin to soften, then it’s time to toss in the cauliflower florets, season with the dry red chilli,tamarind,cracked black pepper, salt and sugar and give it a good stir.
Let this cook on a low flame with lid for about 25 minutes.
Keep opening the lid, stirring and adjusting the water if it becomes to run dry, we need a gravy like consistency.
When it done, add some finely chopped coriander in the tamarind should give it a bit of tangy twist, while the dried Kashmiri chilli gives it colour and mild heat, the sweet pepper and tomato puree work their magic together and the gravy is delicious and wholesome what with so many veggies hidden inside!

Red Kidney bean side

Prep and Cooking Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

1 can of red kidney beans
1 medium sized red onion
2 large tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp garlic puree
1 tsp red chilli flakes
Salt to taste

Method:

In a large saucepan, heat oil and sauté the chopped onions, add the garlic puree and stir well.
After the onion has sautéed, add the tomato puree and stir then add the beans and mix well.

Red onions for Kidney Beans

Add some water to the mixture and reduce the flame to a minimum, cook with a lid on but check often so that it does not burn or run dry.
4.Since the canned and ready to eat red kidney beans are preserved in salty water, check the taste before adding in any more salt, chuck in some dry red chilli flakes for flavour and set aside.

Red Kidney Bean side is done

Boiled white rice

Cook 1 cup rice using exactly double the water and a pinch of salt

Fried Plantain

Peel and chop the plantain into large chunks and fry in hot oil in a kadhai or wok until they are a light brown. It’s easy for them to char so get them out as soon as the colour turns a golden shade of brown, allow to cool on a plate on a bit of kitchen roll to soak excess oil.

Don’t fret if like me you can’t peel the plantain I simply use a knife and remove the thick green skin, even if that means that the plantain pieces are hexagonal or cubes now, well I never was too good at geometry 😉

Fish

Casado can be served with meat, fish or chicken. Chop one large fillet of fresh salmon and pan fry both sides till done in about 1 tbsp oil.

Cheese Tortilla

Heat a large flour tortilla –shop bought on a pan and adds a generous helping of grated parmesan cheese on tortilla. Just as the tortilla heats up and the cheese shows sign of melting fold the tortilla in half and flip over and toast each side till you have a crispy yum cheesy tortilla, slice into neat triangles ready to be served.

Cabbage Salad

Chop a fresh cabbage fine to get one large handful of cabbage, add half a red onion and a small handful of finely chopped cucumber, squeeze half a lime, sprinkle some cracked black pepper, a small amount of fresh finely chopped coriander and toss all these together. Easy-peasy right?

Serve the steaming hot rice with the salmon on the side, topped with some of the root vegetable gravy. Mop up the beans with the cheesy tortilla and munch on the sweet fried plantain with generous bites of the tangy cabbage salad in between mouthfuls of everything else.

Costa Rican Casado

A week in North Wales – my Travelogue Part 2 – South Stack Lighthouse and Cemaes Bay

January 5, 2015 by manjirichitnis Leave a Comment

After a fabulous day spent walking and lazing on a sandy beach, we had an early start the next day , highly excited that we were off to to see a lighthouse. Now for this excursion we booked a cab as that’s the only way to get there of you do not drive, or you could take bus no 22 from Summer Hill in Holyhead town to the RSPB South Stack Cliffs bird reserve housed inside the delightful Elin’s Tower.

An interesting memory from the day at beach before I tell you all about South stack – The previous evening (Day 2 – 28th July’13 -Sun) we went looking for a place to get some dinner and chanced upon a cute little Italian place on the tiny high street called Graces Bistro which is now closed, I’d imagine it would have had issues surviving because even when we went there, they were out of many things early in the evening and the wine was overpriced. I must admit though that the food was delicious – an Indian – Bangladeshi place called Saffron is now open in it’s place .

We also had an interesting time at a place called the The Edinburgh Castle – The EddieBar, – which is just opposite the ferry line and was packed on Day 2 – Sunday – 28th July’13 – we had a very satisfying lunch of Spaghetti Bolognese and Burger and chips, the way the locals were there in great numbers and enjoying the roast I’d say we missed some brilliant Sunday Carvery…

Which also reminds me that the day we reached Holyhead (Day 1 – 27th July’13 – Sat) we found only one pub open close to LIDL near the railway station – The Boston Arms, very welcoming, we were served hot food and decent beer even late in the afternoon, nothing makes me happier than good fish-n-chips after a long train journey – wouldn’t you agree?

Day 3: Major Sightseeing – South Stack Lighthouse – A 19th century gem

There is a 400 step stone stairway that leads to a suspension bridge over a dead drop that leads to the lighthouse. A mixture of fear and awe filled me while walking this stairway – fear of being on a bridge that is the only support – a sturdy one – not to worry – that leads to this stunning 28 m structure across a chasm and awe for the aluminium bridge that was re-built and opened to people in 1997. In the early days an aerial hempen cable ropeway to bridge the deep chasm between the rock on which the lighthouse stand and the mainland – a hempen cable which was 21 metres above sea level (!!!) was used along which a sliding basket was drawn which carried a passenger or stores- brrrr (shudder – shudder!) finally replaced by a sturdier iron suspension bridge in 1828 – this was replaced in 1983 but replaced by the new aluminium one for safety reasons.

Built in 1808 to facilitate better navigation in the area of the surrounding waters.The lighthouse is now automated and remotely controlled and monitored from the Trinity House Operational Control Centre in Harwich, Essex.

(In the photograph above, notice the white aluminium bridge like a closed cage)

We took a guided tour of the lighthouse, where we were given a peek into the history and fascinating facts were shared. We also climbed up a very narrow stairwell as far as visitors are allowed to go and I was the last to go down this one – praying hard – while giggling kids stood downstairs wondering why I was making such a fuss 😉

After a relaxed walk down 400 steps we strolled to Elin’s Tower which now doubles up as an RSPB information centre and an awesome place for bird watching – for several breeding seabirds, including puffins – we even spotted one – bobbing about on the water, what a treat it was spotting it with the help of the staff and their binoculars- loved it! And a great spot for amazing views of the lighthouse.It also has a cute tourist shop and cafe where we sat outside and ate some food- much needed sustenance I’d say – if you sit outside watch your food like a hawk or one of the many naughty birds is going to steal it before you can say the word hello!

Its good to know that: Ellin’s Tower and the Visitor Centre are open all year, with viewpoint, are wheelchair and pushchair accessible and a network of footpaths provides access to the whole reserve.

( In the top left hand side of this collage – check out the wings of the sea gull as it is flying away after robbing someone’s lunch – naughty bird!)

Hubster and me were really feeling adventurous so after the cab dropped us back at Holyhead we boarded bus no 61 to Cemaes Bay. I was really not sure if it was wise doing this considering the buses back are not very frequent after 6pm and we were really cutting it very close.

But again we have done this thing before, not the journey I mean literally but yes hopping onto a bus going pretty much anywhere, it’s mad thrilling especially if it’s late evening – sometimes in various places we just wait for the bus to turn back and drop us off into town close to our place of stay for the night. But we have ALWAYS met very chatty and fun locals, including the bus drivers, have seen the most amazing spots like when we took a bus into the villagey part at Brighton, it was mad fun, we saw rolling hills and the setting sun and that part of Brighton which is away from the madness of peak touristy places – it is always fun and totally worth it! 🙂

The bus dropped us close to a lovely beach at Bull Bay, Amlwch Port, we walked along the quiet beach and drank in the stunning views…..few families swimming, walking along the fabulous beach and admiring the pretty little harbour in the distance.

A long dreamy walk along the Anglesey Coastal Path later, as we made our way to the bus stop,located on a quite street, all shops shut for the day, very quiet and no sign of any one about we chanced upon a fabulous cafe – Coffee Cups- at the Cemaes Heritage Centre, run by a very friendly couple, who happened to have lived in Surrey at some pint, what fun, and while they made us a really quick cream tea, I went crazy with my camera taking pictures of the lovely cafe and well-maintained back garden. Both husband – wife duo -Carole and Roy Kearey – knew the area well and shared many tips with us, even offered us a ride back into Holyhead if the bus didn’t show up, that was so kind of them. But mostly importantly they saved me from a rather persistent BEE that insisted on joining in our little tea party – humpfh… we took cover indoors and managed to finish our Welsh tea, locally made cones, fresh jam and clotted cream with yummy strawverries – in peace.

Did I mention I fell in love with the china they used too? 🙂

Safely back in Holyhead by the trusty bus service that arrived right on time, we spent the evening strolling around the Maritime Museum, watching the sunset and listening to the noisy sea gulls…amazingly in that quite setting their screams were part of the calm…

Of course dinner was fish and chips – fresh and delicious – most fun I had was saving my meal from the sea gulls…

Stay with me as I take you the beautiful Llanberis, home to the tallest peak in England and Wales – the majestic Snowdon.

*References :

**All hyperlinks in the post lead to information websites – check out bus routes before planning a journey. All information is correct to my knowledge but would advise anyone using this post as a guideline to please check for updated information.