We have four concentrated days on this fascinating peninsula in the Atlantic and so will require considerable sustenance enroute.

We will of course be visiting the now famous Camel Valley Winery to try and buy their bubbly as well as tasting the various ciders of the region. Thank you C-W.

Having received an email from our host listing the nearby culinary highlights of Cornwall we havent got time to visit them all so I thought we might call on some local knowledge and possibly from those who visit, so as to critique this list. Any other ideas greatly appreciated. Here goes =
The Halzephron Inn Gunwalloe
The Godolphin Arms Marazion
The Abbey Restaurant Penzance
The Summer House Cornwall Terrace Penzance
The Ship Porthleven
Kota. Porthleven
The Victoria Inn Perranuthnoe
The Portminister Cafe St Ives
The Alba St Ives
Caffee Pasta Mount Zion
Coast, The Wharf
The New Yard Restaurant. Trelowarren Estate
The Beach Restaurant Sennen Cove
The Gurnards Head

Ann, we will make time to pick up a lobster as well.

Thank you for your advice and up to date info in these changing times.

hi Will

i couldn't find this thread, then realised I could just click on your name. voila!

the only notable omission I can think of at the moment is the one I mentioned in the other thread, namely Trevaskis Farm. good for a blow-out and /or tea and cakes.

regards, ann

I dont think that this thread is going to fly Ann.

Eating out no longer seems popular. We are also experiencing that here for more than one reason. Of the Cornwall restaurants recommended to us it seems that at least three are presently for sale.

Trevaskis Farm looks very much like our sort of place and they seem to have a good commercial espresso machine there too. One of our travel challenges has always been to be able to find coffee as good as we make here. Cornwall coffee recommendations also greatly appreciated and particularly if they roast the coffee on site.

I understand the Doc is back in Port Isaac this week.

2 weeks to d-day.

I think you're right, Will - perhaps too esoteric, even for Fodors?

IMHO coffee is surprisingly good in Cornwall - most decent restaurants and cafes have an expresso machine and there's not much weak "americano" unless you ask for it. I'm not aware of anywhere that does its own roasting though, apart from one place in Wadebridge [along the estuary from Padstow] that I found via google. perhaps you'll have more luck.

I'm not sure about eating out being unpopular, though i do think that perhaps people are being more discerning. which of the ones you mention are for sale?

regards, ann

A recommendation for Caffe Pasta in St Ives

I don't know why the website for Caffe Pasta says "finally we are open" since we went there 8 years ago it's right on the seafront in St Ives.

Also Peppers on Fore Street - try the baked brie - yummy!

http://www.peppers-stives.co.uk/contact.htm

It's a beautiful area -enjoy

Thank you Alya
Our host has recommended Caffee Pasta and said, "Basically a good, inexpensive pasta and pizza place with some other dishes thrown in as ‘specials’. Fine views over the harbour and some tables outside on the Wharf. Families and friends of all ages like it – it’s not haute cuisine but they try." Sounds good to me for one night of four. Do they let you bring your own wine ? Which is the better of Peppers and Caffee Pasta ?

Ann, I am aware that The School House in St Ives (you may have mentioned that) and The Old Coastguard Hotel at Mousehole are for sale. Mousehole ? Havent read up on the history of that name yet.
I was told that the upmarket Abbey at Penzance was also for sale but it appears to now have new management / chef. It sounds like the standout for cuisine, but maybe they have not re-earned their reputation just yet !?

I am glad that you have commented on "americano" coffee. I have got myself into a little bit of light controversy on another thread re Orvieto on that subject

I like the sound of The New Yard Restaurant at Trelowarren Estate, particularly if what the Chef says is true and not hyped up marketing.

2 weeks and six days to Cornwall.

I preferred Peppers, a little more formal (if you can be formal in a seaside town ) but the view from Caffe Pasta is hard to beat. Back in the day they were owned by the same company just aimed at slightly different markets. I'm not sure about BYOB.

As you walk around St Ives, look across the bay and you will see a long white beach with a lighthouse at the end, that is where I and my parents and then my children spent our summers.

St Ives is one of my favorite places - enjoy.

To clarify - we didn't stay in the lighthouse but just about in the center of the beach.

Lovely memories

Hi, Will,

here's another place that is getting stellar reviews at the moment, and is also quite slose to your base near Camborne:

http://www.rosewarnemanor.co.uk/

I think we "spoke" about the Old Schoolhouse [in Part Isaac, not St. Ives] being for sale before, but I didn't know about the old Coastguard being up for sale, though it doesn't altogether surprise me - the last time we went there [for my birthday lunch last year] I had the smallest portion of scallops I've ever seen, truly, I think they'd only used one and it was a main course! for £14 I'd expected at least two, LOL.

in St. Ives, the Porthminster cafe has an excellent reputation, so much so that every time we've tried to eat there it's been full, so if I were you I'd book well in advance. the cafe on the beach by the Tate is nice too. we have eaten at Alba, which was quite good and does cheap[er] early suppers, sometimes.

Trelowarren we have eaten at a few times - it's a bit "up itself" [do you say that in OZ?] but nice food. if you go there, the grounds are not very exciting but the gallery, if you can find it, is full of lovely things. one year, we bought all our Christmas presents there in one fell swoop!

I've never eaten at the Abbey, but both the Bay and Harris's restaurant in PZ are pretty good, and I used to like coco's brasserie but it's been transmogrified into something new and I've not eaten there yet. the Bakehouse opposite is quite nice.

only 2 weeks hey - now where's that packing thread? [only kidding]

regards, ann

Hi alya and ann

The coast of Cornwall is very attractive to us too. We have really enjoyed watching the Doc Martin series and the scenery portrayed is largely why we are visiting.

We are going to choose Caffe Pasta for the view and for the informality, given that other places we will visit will be more formal. Hmm Rosewarne Manor looks very English but seems rather serious, almost Swiss - LOL. We have now selected from the menu.

Packing thread ? This A type character has his bag sorted and this time we venture off with the high tech gps with everything logged in and the handycam also with GPS and 250GB hard drive. Will bubble wrap the chardonnay today. Sue is horrified that he is not taking enough clothing. She is pondering, indeed agonising on the subject of what to take. I remind her we have less than 2 weeks before the first leg to Shanghai and a few maximum 20kg segments on this trip.

Oh well the exchange rate is relatively good so he encourages some clothing purchases enroute in London and beyond. It is good that we are all different. The tension brings opportunity we hope.

Old Coastguard is off the list - co-ordinates removed. Porthminster Cafe is in. Will book soon. It is also the host's favourite place in Cornwall.

Yes Ann, we say that in Oz. Hence my comment about the marketing hype. Thought it might be potentially self-invested - co-ordinates removed, but will visit the Gallery and move around the Lizard in any case.

Best wishes from Oz.

ooh, Will - the responsibility if you don't like the places I've suggested.

the coast and countryside generally are looking superb at the moment - on my way to Bodmin today, I drove past a verge that was truly stunning - just packed full of wild flowers. hopefully they will still be there when you get here.

on the Lizard, we particularly like the little cove of Porthoustock [pronounced "pralla" by the locals] and the lovely Cadgewith and Coverack. you really can't go wrong on any part of the coast around there.

regards, ann

PS - here's a link to a place on the Lizard that used to be our favourite for Mothering Sunday Lunch.

http://www.polurrianhotel.com/

it went off a bit for a while, but the situation is superb [west facing so ideal in the afternoon] and it's a great place for afternoon tea or an early evening drink. I always imagine Hercule Poirot mincing around the terrace prior to gonig off and solving some mystery or other.

Ann - You are revealing the fact that we have probably underestimated the time we should have planned for Cornwall. We understand mothering sunday lunches. Our two have only moved on in recent years.

We will visit The Polurrian (hope they have an espresso machine) and possibly could have stayed there, but our location is probably better given the time we have available. Looks like a great place to drop a lobster pot.

The wildflowers (our best are in Western Australia during spring) , birds and animals are also of great interest because we chose to live on the edge of a national park here in Sydney. There is much to compare and contrast. I notice you have posted on the subject of weeds elsewhere - here our greatest weed challenge is with broad and small leaf privets as introduced by our English ancestors

And for Alya - from another thread we are truly glad that you do not like Fosters. We know there is good cider in Cornwall. Maybe we can find a few micro-breweries that do good Belgian styles ! ?

We understand that the English are using a new form of lawnmower.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...ll/8064473.stm

This looks like one that comes up to our back fence.

Hi will,

I saw that too - LOL. She hasn't been spotted round here yet!

here's a link to a list of local breweries:

http://www.carnmenellis.demon.co.uk/html/brewers.htm

DH's fave is the Blue anchor at Helston, of which I have previously posted. think spit and sawdust without the sawdust. their Spingo is a cracker, though and it's not very far from where you'll be staying.

a little further away is the Driftwood Spars, near St. Agnes. an excellent pub with reasonable pub food and a restaurant too.

the local bitters aren't bad either - Skinners from Truro does a few good ales, and Sharps in Rock is also good. and St. Austell Breweries, for a large concern, do a good job.

you won't die of thirst, certainly.

regards, ann

Oh thank you Ann - for every beer, we have to walk about one and a half miles.

They say, "Have you been Spingo'd today?" I cant get it to move around the screen like it does on their web site.

How can you get spingo'd on light beer from the royalist inspired Blue Anchor - LOL. Tell DH that I will bring him some premium OZ ale so that we can discuss rugby and test cricket.

Most of our mainstream beer is rubbish nowadays, but the small players are trying very hard to make robust Belgian and other style largers and ales to gain market share.

Like http://www.murraysbrewingco.com.au/web07/07_beer/

I would like to try Admirals Ale from St Austell . Keltek and Skinners look like comedy acts partcularly given website graphics.

C_W posted the great ciders of Cornwall at http://www.ukcider.co.uk/wiki/index....de_to_Cornwall

I am leaning towards the Cornish ciders because I know they will be much better than most craft ciders here. Interestingly they seem to have more punch to them than the beers.

Notwithstanding that we will obviously go by Helston on the way to the Farm after we pick up the car in Truro. So if we cant find an espresso machine enroute after the train ride from London then we will definately try a Spingo.

admiral's is good but I prefer Tribute.

as for Skinners, their website may be pants but their beers aren't - Betty Stoggs and Knocker are both excellent beers.

[BTW, knockers were piskies who lived in the tin mines and "knocked" - i suppose it was the miners' way of explaining the funny noises they heard underground].

<<Tell DH that I will bring him some premium OZ ale so that we can discuss rugby and test cricket>>

very kind I'm sure, but aren't us gals allowed to play?



regards, ann

Your knowledge of the amber product is most impressive Ann and indeed all Cornish products for that matter. I understand the graphics and the piskies now. While my ancestors were not involved in mining there, I do have a business focused on mining here.

Just received a newsletter from Trevaskis so understand that you are all enjoying a long weekend there. Hope the temperature picks up in the next week or two.

It seems that my bag is becoming quite heavy (just wrapped some Rutherglen District old muscat and some sparkling red) and hope the Shanghainese allow us to bring it on to the UK.

Hopefully DH and you may be able to visit Sue and I at the Farm to sample some.

Sorry if I hit a nerve: but, as a former coach of gals cricket, I have bowled to better lady "bats" (batspersons than the well known character I used to open the bowling against in the mid 70's who came from Yorkshire.

Just loaded the breweries and cider opportunities into the GPS. Off to the screen to watch the GP in Monte Carlo. Thanks again.

glad to here that you are a "new man", Will!

the World cup win by the England girls got quite a lot of coverage here and ball by ball commentary - but only on radio. by the time the telly realised that there was so much interest, it was too late for them to organise showing it. shame.

our weather has definitely taken turn for the better and today was really quite hot, at least by cornish standards. I suspect you would stil have needed your winter woolies.

we would be very happy to come and have a jar with you, at the farm or somewhere else.

I don't know about Shangai but the rules about carry-on in europe are becoming very restrictive. so if you are taking booze, [or significant quantities of any liquid] onto a plane, it'll have to go in the hold.

Jensen rules OK!

regards, ann

Hi Ann

Your Button does presently rule and F1 is better for it since the rule changes. Even our MW is deservedly doing well now.

With late Mum tennis champ, rower daughter (4's and 8's) and a wife who makes beer, women definately rule this Family.

Based on genealogy information today from my long lost cousins, who are also celebrating a bank holiday, I need to spend some time at Boconnoc.

I didnt think anyone could afford a bank holiday but I took one in sympathy in any case because I am also a banker (although one does not usually reveal that nowadays) and had to travel to the other side of this city to get us visas for Shanghai ! Oh and was that fun. I think I will post on the appropriate Fodor thread.

So our latest need is to find at least a source of espresso and light food near to Boconnoc while I piece the fragments of history together.

We look forward to meeting in Cornwall. There is much to discuss. I will post some contact info on my profile. Thanks again.