Thursday 8 March 2012

Chocolate Turncoat

February. A month most people dislike. It’s cold, there are no bank holidays, Valentine’s Day for single people can be a painful reminder of love lost, looking or unrequited … Shrove Tuesday provides the only excuse for gluttony in the whole month and then this is followed sharply by discipline demanding lent.
Personally I like February. Firstly, it’s my birthday so I anticipate quality time with friends, food of my choice and, of course, presents. Pancakes being one of my favourite foods, Shrove Tuesday fills me with child-like excitement as I consider all the hundreds of combinations of pancake fillings. (Although I didn’t indulge this Shrove Tuesday as I was treated to heart shaped blueberry pancakes on Valentine’s Day instead…) February is usually the month of crisp cold sunny days, sprouting daffodils (my favourite flower) and hints of spring.
I’m aware that the above paragraph sounds like one truly terrible attempt at Keats so moving swiftly back onto what I know best … FOOD. February was busy and decadent food was in abundance (hurrah!). Combine this with a fear I would be diagnosed a coeliac (I’m not!)  and I nearly missed out on a February Cream Tea. The horror!
All was saved on a crisp cold sunny late February day in Plymouth at Chocaccinos - http://www.chocaccino.co.uk/

Me and my friend Chloe and her new born Jasper had a Chocoholic’s Dream Cream Tea at £4.75 each. Yes I know, chocolate again! I’m jumping on the chocolate bandwagon. I am living up to all chick lit stereotypes; I am a woman on a chocolate mission. It’s just SO good. I will resume normal cream tea habits soon I promise but winter just makes me want to indulge on a serious level. Your disgust with me aside .. here’s the review :
Appearance -  6/10 – The appearance left something to be desired. Very plain almost clinical looking cutlery. The scone itself was a beast but there was no finesse in the presentation. I was slightly disturbed by the appearance of a knife AND fork on my plate but upon cutting into the scone and realising its crumbly texture I was happy for the fork.
Quantity - 8/10 – Only one scone came out and I think both me and my friend had the same sinking dread – Have we been scammed? But then we had our first bite and it was warm, thick, heavy chocolate scone goodness and we knew we could only ever manage one of these monsters.
Taste – 9/10 - absolutely beautiful taste. The scones were soft and warm straight from the oven. I never thought that a chocolate chip scone, clotted cream, chocolate sauce AND jam would work but it definitely does! You can have a novelty cream tea but also keep the components of a traditional one. Have your scone and eat it, marvellous!
Price – 9/10 - Price was just right. Obviously the bargain hunter in me will always want a cheaper meal but it was very good value.
Ambience – 6/10 - the location of Chocaccino’s is in a pleasant area of the Barbican, it was a sunny day and I had the company of one of the nicest ladies I know. However the inside can have a canteen feel to it.
How I felt -8/10 - I decided in the interests of my waist line that I would substitute lunch for the cream tea. It was a good idea as I felt less guilty about the calories and it kept me full into the evening. The chocolate aspect of a cream tea also makes you feel all warm and gooey (endorphins being released?) in a different way to the usual cream tea.

Overall score 46/60

No comments:

Post a Comment