Tapería Bouquet, Cáceres

After a rather tiring and intense day at uni Penny and I decided to relieve some stress and head into town and find some food. We stumbled across Tapería Bouquet  and decided to pop in. 

Despite us both speaking Spanish we were slightly baffled by the menu and just decided to pick what we thought, from the few words we could understand, sounded good. Seeing as it was a Tapas restaurant we picked 4 plates and it turned out to be plenty. 

We started with Sinfonía de Croquetas de Setas, Jamón Ibérico y Morcilla. We both decided that the croquets were the least favourite dish of the meal, but still tasty even if we were unsure what the sweet orange sauce was supposed to accompany.

Next was the carpaccio (Carpaccio de Bacalao y Ralladura de Naranja al Pimentón). this we both enjoyed and would definitely order again, the slight spice of the paprika?, coupled with the tang of the orange against the salty cod was delightful. 

Next we went for Secreto Ibérico con Jarabe de Regaliz (Pork in a sticky sauce with vegetable crisps and potatoes) and Solomillo de Cerdo al café de Olla (pork again, this time with an amazing café au lait sauce). Both of these were perfect; beautifully tender meat, both served with delicious sauces. 

We were so excited to eat the Solomillo that i forgot to snap a photo of it, but as you can see we both wiped the plates clean! 

We mopped up each of the plates with the bread that was served with them, so much so that the waiter commented on it! Having enjoyed everything so far, we couldn't not try the deserts. Penny went for a nutty caramel concoction and I plumped for the 'Chocolate Passion'. 

Both were delicious, the chocolate suitably rich and the caramel was lovely, if a little solid but if we had been a little more patient this wouldn't have been a problem. 

We made such an impression on the owner that he said he'd whip us up a cocktail. A take on a traditional gin and tonic, but the gin was infused with fruits of the forest. A combination that I'd never heard of before, but will definitely be ordering when I go back again. 

Penny clearly thought the same and had to grab a photo for herself! 

The restaurant was great value, and i would recommend it to anyone in the area looking for an affordable, casual but delicious dinner in Cáceres. 

Find the website here. 

Chewy Chocolate Bar Cookies

Sometimes a simple chocolate chip cookie isn't enough. Even a triple chocolate jobby just wont cut the mustard. It's these moments that we call upon the humble chocolate bar to fill that all-the-sugar-in-the-world-won't-be-enough-craving. And then what do we do with it? Chuck it in a cookie with a couple its friends to really make things interesting. Today i've gone for Mars and Milky-Way for some molten caramel goodness, but you can choose what you like, go wild - add some marshmallows! 

Here's what you'll need: 

110g butter
55g caster sugar
110g dark brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
150g flour
a pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder 
90g rolled oats 
3-4 normal sized chocolate bars of your choice 
(I used two of each; Mars and Milky Way) 

Now, what to do:

Pop your butter, sugars, vanilla and egg into a bowl and beat together until lighter in colour and creamy. Next reduce the speed and add your flour until just combined. Stir through the oats and chocolate bar morsels. Chill your dough for about 30 minutes. Take out of the fridge and use an ice cream scoop divide your mixture evenly. Bake in the oven at 190°C for 9-10 minutes until browned at the edges. Leave to firm up on the tray for a few minutes and transfer to a cooling rack. If you can bare it, leave to cool otherwise beware of the molten caramel - it will be hot!

There perfect snack to satisfy your sugar craving. and, if you're crazy and don't feel like baking them all at once the mixture will keep in the fridge for a few days or can be frozen in scoops ready for a cookie fix whenever you need it! 

Volunteering.

I would recommend volunteering to anyone. The last three weeks of my trip were spent in a small Mexican town on the Yucatan peninsula, working at a summer camp set up for under privileged children. We were also able to teach them basic swimming skills which, for me, was the most rewarding - there are few places to learn how to swim in Valladolid and it's something that I think everyone should be able to do. It's both useful and a fun activity for the children. 

There are so many benefits to Volunteering and I would recommend it to anyone. Not only is it great for your C.V with a view to going to University or for setting yourself apart from other job applicants, but it's also a great experience. You meet new people, form close friendships with them and plan to meet up with them if they're ever in town. Cue a #ShamelessSelfie.

Then there's the kids. Aside from being a- DORE-able, I was able to learn a lot from them. I choose Mexico as it is a beautiful country and, as I bonus would be able to practice and improve my Spanish. If you speak another language and need extra practice, there is no better tool than a child. Their fast words and there willingness to repeat it back to you until it makes sense is like nothing you'll find in a classroom. 

Meet Rey, at the beginning of the 3 weeks he was terrified of the water. He wouldn't even get in the pool, let alone put his face in the water. After 2 and a half weeks he was swimming, front crawl no less, un assisted. But, most of all his confidence in the water was mos improved and I knew that his fear had disappeared. He'd done it! 

Remember, they are kids. They aren't always going to listen to you and sometimes it'll be difficult. But, it's worth it. Trust me. the pride you feel when a child has conquered something YOU taught them is an unforgettable feeling. And, just look at their faces..

 If you're thinking about volunteering, do it. I couldn't recommend it enough and can't wait to do something like this again next year. 

Beach!

You can't go to Mexico and not visit the beach. 

Rather than going to Cancun full of resorts and noisy tourists, we decided on Tulum. A small town with a gorgeous beach perfect for relaxing and escaping the hustle and bustle. We gathered a group of us packed up a mexican pic-nic, squeezed into the cars and took the 2 hour trip to the coast. 

One of the things I love about the beach is watching everyone else; the couples enjoying eachothers company under the sun. Children making new best friends and bonding over sandcastles and playing 'burried alive. Grandparents seeking shelter under the shade of the palm trees. You can't feel sad at the beach, it's everyone's happy place. 

And here come the obligatory beach shots... 

The sun began to set and we decided it was time to head home...

Until next time!