Orbital by Samantha Harvey – Booker Prize Winner 2024

A friend asked me recently whether I liked modern books. I told him that I like good books, some of which are modern. This good modern book is a sterling example of an outstanding book written in the last year. Orbital is a short novel, some 130 pages, and very...

The Bungalow Galle Fort, Sri Lanka

Charlotte and I were in Sri Lanka recently for a wedding of a dear friend. We took the time to explore the beautiful country. We visited the capital Colombo first, then Galle Fort, followed by Negombo for the wedding and, finally, Kandy, in the mountains. We then...

Chez Antoinette – Chic French Bistro Victoria, London

Charlotte and I enjoyed a magical trip to London just after the Bank Holiday weekend to celebrate Easter. Easter is the most important time in the Church's calendar. Christians across the world celebrate the reality of Christ's resurrection and by extension His defeat...

Rest on the Flight into Egypt – Caravaggio

Charlotte and I saw a trio of beautiful Caravaggio paintings while visiting the Doria Pamphili Gallery in Rome in September last year. The gallery has hundreds of paintings and many masterpieces. I may do a piece on the gallery as a whole and then on some of its...

Saint Michael The Archangel Defeats Satan – Guido Reni

I did two posts on Guido Reni a while ago, one on St Joseph with the Infant Jesus, and another of the Portrait of Cardinal Bernardino Spada, which I think I saw in Rome. One (former) Cardinal I saw with Charlotte, for sure, was the Velasquez painting of the Portrait...

Locura – Virus – AOTM February 2023

Hello from your absentee blog host. I am sorry, to the few souls who will see this post, for my absence of late. I will heal the keenly felt rift in content with my favourite album of late, Virus, by Locura. This is the fifth studio album from the Argentine New Wave...

Christ in the House of His Parents – Sir John Everett Millais

Amazingly, this painting is Millais' first important religious subject. It shows the boyhood of Christ, of which not much is known. The gospels of St Luke and St Matthew speak on Christ's childhood years. Christ's dedication is at Luke 2:21-40 and His visit to the...

The Merry Maid Bar & Grill Birmingham – A Night to Remember

Picture the scene: Charlotte, Colin, Soyful and I are driving up to the Merry Maid, up through Five Ways, up the Belgrave Middleway, then up the back of Dunelm. We parked opposite the restaurant, which is situated between Priestley Road and Athole Street. During the...

St Joseph with the Infant Jesus – Guido Reni

This 1620 painting took my by surprise this morning. I was wondering out of my room about to prepare for the day and Nicholas showed me the Universalis painting today. Universalis is a wonderful app for Catholics with the Divine Office and Mass readings for the day,...

Favourite Album Cover – March 2023

I first heard of this band on Toast of London, when Steven Toast was dating Clancy Moped. Clancy was a 'weather girl' and was telling Toast her favourite bands over dinner: "the Weather Report, Snow Patrol, Earth Wind and Fire, especially the Wind bit". On the day of...

Hello and welcome to CEDRIC SUGGESTS, specially designed for those of us who are partial to a slice or three of The Culinary Arts…

But Nota Bene Dear Reader: this blog is NOT limited to my recipe and restaurant ramblings alone! I shall also take it upon myself to decribe my various other encounters and experiences in this wonderful world we all share. Expect recommendations of excellent service received, for example, and lively discussions on a variety of exhilerating sublects like as Fashion, Art, Education, Religion and Fitness my word. Not forgetting my regular Favourite Albums of the Month / Year feature. Are you ready? Then enter Freunde, Étranger, Stranger…

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Panzerottini

Panzerottini

As a young and impressionable lad I frequented Ask! Italian restaurants where I would always order the cheesy doughballs as my starter. A kind waiter once explained to me that their ovens heated up to 300° C — hence their always slightly carbonised edges. So treat...

Strawberry & White Chocolate Cheesecake

Strawberry & White Chocolate Cheesecake

You’ll need bowls to make this dish. In all seriousness, this will cause a mess of your kitchen. This is a universally approved dish. Unless you’re a vegan or have been sectioned. Though these two are seldom exclusive of each other.   If you want to leave your...

A Di Maria & Sons – Italian Wholesalers

A Di Maria & Sons – Italian Wholesalers

It is rare to see me aghast, but pulling into the yard of A Di Maria and Sons saw my jaw drop. I've returned from perhaps my sixth visit to this wondrous place. An oasis in Coventry. This family run business has truly taken my breath away. From start to finish, this...

The Cotswolds Distillery

The Cotswolds Distillery

There are several ways to deal with great upset. One most commonly adopted is to drown one's sorrows in whiskey. Others prefer leaving the house and taking a long drive. Today, I found a way to combine the two. I drove almost an hour to get to  my furthest Coventry...

Ye Olde Saracen’s Head, Balsall Common

Ye Olde Saracen’s Head, Balsall Common

"Ah, you're the food blogger." Even before my blog goes live, my reputation precedes me. But trumpet blowing aside, it is true that I returned to the Saracen's Head. I had to. And hopefully so too shall you, dear reader. This 16th Century pub makes the most accurate...