Cycle Hub, Newcastle

When you experience a weekend full of enjoyment, happiness and love, you hope that nothing will bring you down. So when it gets better, thanks to the tiny slice of life that is a caramel slice, you’re on an absolute high for ages.

I’ve wanted to go to Cycle Hub since I started working in the area, and yet for whatever reason, I’ve never actually gone (laziness is probably the main reason, maybe a lack of social drive too). My folks came up to visit the Baltic Mill and the Quayside, so it seemed very fitting to have lunch on the river at the Cycle Hub. My family are also big into cycling. My dad and I have been on many big cycling adventures together, so the vibe and environment from the Hub was quite fitting. For me, I liked that it was quiet and they did a Bacon, Brie and Cranberry Toastie and frankly, they are divine.

But of course it’s a caramel slice that won my heart over, here. It cost £2.50 and that seems to be a pretty good price for cafe slices and it was worth every penny.

Measuring at roughly 7cm x 6cm x 3cm deep, it was quite the whack of a slice. A monumental thickness at that. Average slices are 2cm thin. Usually this large size worries me, because it means either one or two layers are dominate or they are all equally large and as a general rule of thumb, the base is thickest, the caramel second and the chocolate thinnest. Here though the caramel was the same as the base and the chocolate was sparse.

I thought this would put me off. I want to taste the chocolate in the overall flavour, but it was minimal, because of this amount. That said the caramel flavour was rich and bold and the amount there was not too much to make it sickly. The recipe certainly covered up any thoughts of hate over too much sugar.

The shortbread base (my favourite kind) was cooked to perfection. Not too hard, not too soft and it’s crumble was minimal. I was more than pleasantly surprised by the slice, I was over the moon. Despite the thin chocolate I enjoyed the slice with great splendour. The chocolate when it did come through was creamy and this mixed with the tasting texture of the caramel and made for a fantastic slice.

It was pretty, smelt good and tasted like pure bliss. Hand me another right now! Cuppa tea/coffee, the sound of a whirring wheel, the occasional tap on an ally frame and a thick and full caramel slice poised at my lips. Thrown together with the happiness in seeing my family and having dinner with my girlfriend. What a delight!

10 out of 10

That’s right, I said it! 10 out of 10!

La Venue, Whitehaven

The weekend after Easter I completed the Whitehaven to Sunderland Coast to Coast cycle ride for the fifth time (it never gets old). On the Friday before the ride, I arrived into Whitehaven a few hours before the rest of my cycle party arrived.

The weather in the North East was misty and damp. In the North West it was Sunny. I’d already cycled a bit that day, in my journey to Whitehaven from where I lived, so I showered and went for an explore around this town, usually, we stay at the B&B or walk down the quayside. But now I had time to see the rest of the town. There’s actually more there, than I originally thought.

Trouble is, I stepped outside and immediately it started to rain, had I brought the wetness from the North East? Never mind, with a smile on my face (I like the rain), I explored.

Not long after stepping out I came across La Venue, at the time, a very empty coffee shop. One man sipped from his coffee mug and stared at the rain running down the window outside. The lady behind the counter had a great smile and served me a caramel slice to go. it looked good and was cut in a triangle shape. Makes a change.

I picked up a business card and wrote the price down on it, but I’ve lost it. Sorry. And then I stepped back into the rain and explored the sights.

So this slice, which I ate later that evening, was bad, I’m afraid.

With a slight lack of paper, pen and ruler, I bashed my thoughts into my mobile phone’s memo app. Here’s what it said:

“Smells like a pasty, looks good, triangular for a change. Sadly lost the card with price on. Tastes like a pasty on the outside…hmm. Caramel is thick. Base is creamy, kind of flaky and sugary particles, Choc is thin. Two thumbs long. Caramel is darn tasty. Still tastes like pasty. Choc is creamy, tasty.

“Thick caramel. Very tasty, base is a let down, major. Crumbles like nobody’s business. Let down, rich in flavour though. 4 out of 10 pastry flavour.”

Yeah. How’s that for a review? It sums it up, bit repetitive, though it sums it up and it’s a bit repetitive, but that gets the point across, surely?

La Venue, Whitehaven 4 out of 10

(I think there are two La Venues in Whitehaven, but I did lose my bearings at one point, so it might have been the same one?)