Westcombe Dairy

I nearly crashed the car multiple times driving around the tiny, interwoven lanes in the hilly Somerset villages. B was clinging on to the car door and I was desperately trying not to stall halfway up a very steep slope when we eventually found our way to Westcombe Dairy.

Westcombe dairy are a small Somerset dairy who make the most fantastic cheese using their cows'  unpasturised milk. They have the teeniest shop at their farm where you can try and buy their cheese, chat to your heart's content about all things cheese-related, and also sample some of the Wild Beer Company's beers who have based their brewery at Westcombe.

We nibbled our way through the 12-month aged Cheddar and the Caerphilly, sipped on some beer and brandy, and walked out a little while later with a bag of cheese (ironically, without the ricotta, as sadly it wasn't as picnic compatible as the others), a couple of beers for B, and a much better knowledge of this fabulous little dairy and its produce.

Westcombe Dairy, Lower Westcombe Farm, Evercreech, Somerset, BA4 6ER

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The Talbot Inn, Mells

We had planned to spend all three nights of our mini moon at At the Chapel in Bruton, but on maman and papa's recommendation we changed our plans and spent our first night at The Talbot instead. We were shown our humongous, and incredibly beautiful room by the friendliest chap, and celebrated our wedding party with a glass of bubbles in the magical little courtyard.

The Talbot looks and feels like a pretty, country pub. It's welcoming, comforting and warming, packed full of locals and travellers from afar, enjoying tea, a drink at the bar, and dinner. But reading the menu, and then seeing and finally tasting the food, it's clear that this is not a country pub. The prettiest, most delicate food arrived at our table along with a carafe of beautiful red wine. I ooh'd and aah'd and took many, many photos until B made me stop because the food was getting cold. A light, zingy, tender octopus salad for me and mozzarella with the prettiest seasonal veggies for B.

Goat's cheese gnudi with pea shoots was not going to pass me by, so I predictable looked no further on the menu and would have asked for seconds and maybe thirds, had the chef not been cooking these fluffy, crisped dumplings to order. And I knew B's steak was good as he began reminiscing about his gap year in Argentina as he cut through the meat which was decorated with a fiery splurge of chimichurri. 

We awoke the next morning to pouring rain, but that's no bad thing when you've got such a huge, comfortable and beautiful bed to spend the morning in. 

Highlight: Dinner. All of it.

Lowlight: Breakfast. There's a reason I haven't mentioned it.

The Talbot Inn, Mells, Somerset, BA11, 3PN

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The Walled Garden at Mells

The morning after our wedding party, we said exhausted, tearful, grateful and slightly hungover goodbyes to our families and set off for our pre-New York few days of calm, quiet and rest in Somerset.

Several hours later, we arrived in Mells, dropped our bags in our beautiful room at The Talbot, and headed across the road for a much needed cup of tea and piece of cake in The Walled Garden.

Hay bales, long tables, gingham tablecloths, a fabulous range of cakes and lots of teapots are hidden away amongst the tall, roaming plants, polytunnels filled with sweet peas, dove cots, and splashes of sunshine.

We meandered through the vibrant greenery, and sat, smiling sleepily as we drank our way through pots of tea and slices of perfectly homemade loaf cakes: exactly what was needed after a week of planning, the most fantastic party, emotional goodbyes, and a long drive.

The Walled Garden at Mells, Rectory Garden, Selwood Street, Mells, BA11 3PN

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The River Café, Take Two

Sitting and writing this blog post in our little Airbnb in Brooklyn, my last weekend in London feels like many moons ago. But it was a weekend we will always remember as it centred round a meal at our most loved restaurant, The River Café, to celebrate A's (B's younger brother) graduation.

We sat in the window looking out over the Thames on a chilly July evening, toasting A's (and also B's, as it happened) fantastic exam results and all they had achieved over the last year(s) with a frosty, fruity, white peach bellini.

The food was utter Italian perfection, and we ate our way through most of the menu: mozzarella, linguini, scallops, turbot, lamb, ragú, lemon tart, summer pudding, affogato... All accompanied by glasses of crisp white wines and a rich Chianti Classico. The evening ended with a plethora of sweet wine which led to us hopping in our Uber to return to East London in an even happier state than we would have otherwise been.

If there was one way to ensure we left London with the happiest of memories, it was by spending our last Saturday with family, celebrating in the best possible way: with the tastiest food, and a few too many glasses of our favourite wines.

The River Café, Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, London, W6 9HA

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