I’ve travelled a long way over the last week or so and my love of food has been taken to a whole new level! Here are some of my highlights from what can only be described as a list of guilty pleasures…

English breakfast… Blackpool style!

The cupcakes I made at Hey Little Cupcake in Manchester, not bad for a first attempt!

Ok, now check this out… It’s Manchester vs Food, a challenge you can take on at Southern Eleven, an American smokehouse restaurant in Manchester’s Spinningfields. If you finish it, you get it for free! Guess what? I paid! I told you it was a week of guilty pleasures…

The ‘meat easy’ sandwich at Southern Eleven in Manchester

As if I wasn’t feeling fat enough after that, I then came across the Yorkshire cake, biscuity, scone like delight known as a ‘Fat Rascal’ on a visit to Harewood House. After missing out this tasty treat at Betty’s tea rooms the week before I did not make the same mistake twice!

Fat Rascal and Clotted Cream, a Yorkshire favourite!

Ice-cream even the Italians would be jealous of! Our Cow Molly in Sheffield

Trying out real ale in Derby

Afternoon tea at the Cathedral Quarter Hotel, Derby

I had no idea that Derby was a such a foodie haven but as well as washing down my ale with fine local cheeses and savouring my first afternoon tea of the trip I also discovered a traditional leavened bread indigenous to Derbyshire, the mighty Pyclet, delicious warm with butter!

The Derby Pyclet Company hard at work in the market, I bought some made with fresh thyme

After so many calorific dishes I thought I better opt for the salad starter when I got to Birmingham!

My mouthwatering starter at Marco Pierre White Steakhouse, Birmingham

I think I may need to go a bit healthier next week but with Melton Mowbray and traditional seaside towns on the route I think the chances of that happening are a lot slimmer than my waist right now!