missiecindz.com | Missie Cindz

Yorkshire’s coming to London!
I’m going on the historic Orient Express with Yorkshire Tea next week and ‘Excited’ is an understatement.

On Wedneday 24^th April, the generous people at Yorkshire Tea are taking key influencers, journalists, bloggers and Friends of Yorkshire Tea on a magical journey for the #TeaOnTheTrain experience aboard the world famous Orient Express. I’ve been told it’s a fun-filled three-and-a-half hour experiential journey filled with afternoon tea and goodness, creating tea-cocktails, all in the fantastic company with fellow lovers of a proper brew.

Having just relocated to London, it’s been torture missing a ‘proper Yorkshire brew’! ~ I’m looking forward to next week, no doubt it’s going to be a slurping good day! – Missie Cindz

{photos of Yorkshire Tea by Paul Winch-Furness from BlogNorth4 / paulwf.co.uk}

Missie Cindz pops up to Bradfield Farmers Market. Green is the new purple?

Missie's Sheffield Food adventures. Bradfield Farmers Market full of Sheffield Food

Missie always loves a big cuppa Sheffield tea after a busy day fooding around. Thanks TeaBox! :)

Bradfield Farmers' Market full of Sheffield Food. Say hello to 'Just Preserves' :)

Bradfield Farmers' Market - Sheffield Food. Say hello to 'Heavenly Cheesecakes'

Bradfield Farmers' Market - Sheffield Food. Say hello to 'Lorna's Heavenlies'

Spring definitely sprung on us this weekend, casting lots of sweet rays of sunshine. I drove up to Sheffield’s Bradfield Farmers’ Market up at Bradfield Farm yesterday, With the aim to grab some groceries for my big Easter meal. The farm is only about 20 minutes from the city centre and if you know me well enough by now, you’ll know, where Sheffield Food goes, Missie C will try to make an effort to support and find her local Sheffield buddies. How can I resist when food’s involved? I can’t! Fork please!

Bradfield Farmers’ Market
In the spring sunshine the village looked very picturesque, nestled in among the hills with a pub, village shop and a massive central green area. If you missed out on yesterday’s Farmers’ Market don’t worry, the markets happen monthly (the next one being on Saturday 21st May, 10am – 4pm). The market is held in a modern village hall building. Featuring over 15 different food exhibitors selling fab Sheffield produce ranging from beef, pork, chicken, milk, pies, ice cream, fruit, vegetables, beer, chutneys, bread, honey, cheesecake, jams and cakes. Other items on sale include soap, bird feeders and fire wood. A Refreshments area is also available from the in-house cafe shop. I was indeed definitely spoilt for choice. Just take a look at my photos above (you can see how much fun the Missie had) – and if you’re not hungry after looking at these Sheffield treats, you’re smart to had eaten before reading! :)

If you asked me last year to attend a Farmers’ market, I’d probably laugh or ask what these were. Like I said to many of the food producers I said hello to (it was really lovely to meet you and to put a face to those foody tweets), I’ve always been a very ‘City Girl’ so to go out to the countryside this was very new to me.

For those who aren’t too sure what Farmers’ markets are (it’s OK, a year ago I was the same). Farmers’ Markets consist of individual vendors, mostly farmers but nowadays it’s quite common to find bakers, confectioners and talented craftmans too (yesterday I picked up some beautiful Sheffield soap). They set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and prepared foods and beverages. At places like this, half the fun is going around each stall and enjoying the free tasters :)…if my definition is wrong please let me know (cc @OurCowMolly @MOSSVALLEY @HeeleyFarm @justpreserves :)

I’m beginning to love the Farmer’s Market! As I got there, the room was very full with very hungry members of the public who all shared a passion for FOOD! If you ever get to come to these Markets make sure you try the FREE tasters (this isn’t to say that all the food is overpriced because they’re not, plus whatever I bought here I knew I was getting good products as well as supporting independent producers).
The atmosphere was very colourful (I almost got out my sketchbook and lazed on the grass too) – a great community spirit, smiley faces everywhere I turned, all in all, a very ‘wholesome’ environment that left me feeling very well fed (definitely make sure you don’t eat anything before attending these markets). Farmers markets definitely add value to communities. I was very chuffed to had hi-fived my local farmer, Our Cow Molly’s farmer Eddie – Have a read of one of my previous posts to find out why hi-fiving your local farmer is a good thing: All the Fun at the Fair :)

Finally, with so many fruits and veggies as well as great baked goods, meats, and the BEST preserves in the world! Unfortunately I walked out without any chocolate easter eggs, but I’ve stocked up on a lot of other great stuff! (my purple larder is currently smiling now – Mission completed). Sheffield has a fantastic bunch of artisan producers with strong enthusiasm to promote themselves as Sheffield Food. Its true when they say “Good Food tastes better when it’s served at home”.

I’m always on the hunt for Sheffield’s best food producers. Give me a shout at hello@cindycheung.co.uk

Happy Easter everyone! Have a superb day and remember to eat something special.

I’m looking forward to this year’s event – Potty lots of luck to all the players involved in the World Snooker Championship :) May the best man win.

The World Championship which starts today is one of the most eagerly anticipated for years (my mum goes MAD for this sport!), and there is a real sense of excitement in the city centre, I walked through Tudor Square yesterday where they were putting the finishing touches to the ‘interactive’ outdoor marquee and I can say it’s all looking really good! The big screen’s ready and there’s also a huge number fringe events put on for the public relating to the snooker too – one of them being ‘Street Snooker in Tudor Square’, a snooker-inspired kickwall game and it’s free for adults and children to have a go.

For those unfamiliar with Snooker and that stuff (yes, I used to be too), Sheffield has been the home of Snooker since 1977 and can you believe a few years ago, they were going to take this event away from us too? Over the years snooker stars such as Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O Sullivan and Jimmy White have competed – and won – in our Sheffield’s most famous theatre venue – the Crucible.

Pot Lots of Food!
It’s been said about tens of thousands of people who come to Sheffield over the 20 days stay in local hotels, buying meals in restaurants and buying a drink in local pubs (and if any of the players ever need Missie C’s recommendations on were to eat, all they have to do is to tweet! @missiecindz :)…I’m sure a mean burger served with ‘proper’ chips, splashed with our own Henderson Relish and served with a pint of local beer will put a huge smile on the players faces! – maybe a scoop of Sheffield’s @OurCowMolly for dessert too?

If Marco Fu fancies a Chinese, I know an oriental place he’d take a fancy to or if Ronnie craves for something fiery and sharp – then there’s a cool Indian that might prove to be too hot for him to handle. Well, all I can say is, whatever these players need or want in terms of food and drinks, I’m sure Sheffield will be well catered for them and if all fails, a piece of cake will do the trick shot right? – (and I know the perfect cake shops in town! :) Who knows, if any of the players are free next weekend (a day off from playing or training perhaps?), then I could take them up to Bradfield Farmers’ Market – the biggest food producers market in Sheffield, for some Sheffield – beef, pork, lamb, milk, cream, eggs, potatoes, honey, chutneys, preserves, bread, beer, tea, coffee, yoghurt, the Missie Cindz food list goes on! (I’m sure our friendly food producers will ensure the players are fed well too).

Good luck to all the players involved – let the best man win and many thanks to the event organisers, TV crew and technical staff (all those involved) who have helped to make this year’s event happen.

Event Details:
Date: April 16 – May 2 2011
Location: The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
Click here for the draw and format of play

Missie Cindz knows how to have a nice cuppa TeaBox teas! (how posh is she? :)

Heeley City Farm's Blade the Horse - he's massive!

Did someone just 'Quack!?"

Spring definitely arrived at Heeley City Farm

It doesn’t really matter where you live. Going out to support your local (Sheffield) agricultural industry is important and that’s why I ended up trotting off to Heeley City Farm’s Spring Fair yesterday to celebrate the Farm’s 30th birthday. Just remember that if it weren’t for farmers you wouldn’t eat (or drink, cc @OurCowMolly @GreenSheffield @GrowingDirect – I often have to keep saying this to myself so that I don’t forget!). They toil day and night working long hours so we can enjoy a quality of life that is ‘often’ taken for granted (did you know my mum used to be a farmer too?). So that’s why going to a fair is important, because you not only support them by paying an admission (if there is one – it’s FREE admission to Heeley City Farm), but you also tell our farming friends/producers that we know they work hard and give them their moment in the sun :)

It was a great atmosphere at yesterday’s fair – a really good community vibe. There were lots of all things Sheffield too, ranging from baked sweet and savoury treats (@lornaheavenlies), @SheffieldHoney, tea leaves – @teaboxonline, ice cream – @OurCowMolly, crafty goodness, handmade gifts, cards and hamper sets, etc – an all good round of variety and goodness! This was my second time to the farm, (yes, I do need a slap on the legs!). I ended up arriving around 3ish, despite just having a hour left before the Fair finished, there was still alot of people around. I arrived to the sound of loud drums and rather scary, goth looking typed Morris Dancers dancing on the Farm’s pathway! (they were dressed in black with blue face paint!). I managed to pay the animals a visit too (Blade’s my favourite horse! – look at him above :)

I took a quick snoop in their Café, serving healthy, farm-cooked meals, it was rammed with customers (I looked at their menu and the meals are so good value!). I also managed a good browse in the peat-free Garden Centre and Gift Shop too – featuring local crafts (and maybe one day Missie’s artwork can be found in there?). The rain also stayed put and as I left, I treated myself to a mini tub of ice cream too – because it’d be just plain rude not to! :)

Heeley City Farm (@HeeleyFarm) are open every day from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm and admission is FREE! There are lots of events happening in the Summer so make sure you pay them a visit and hi-five your local farmer.

Heeley City Farm,
Richards Road,
Sheffield
S2 3DT
Tel: (0114) 258 0482

I was sad to hear Sheffield’s oldest shop, Pollards Tea & Coffee, had close after 132 years of business from its premises on Charles Street in our City Centre. There are so few proper coffee shops (that have good coffee, are reasonably priced, and don’t burn/overheat the milk) in Sheffield. It was mentioned on Radio Sheffield that business had dropped from 700 customers a day to under 70! It’s daunting to realise, day by day, our City’s little treasures are disappearing.

Pollards did some great homemade treats (mmm their Quiches!) and they did a memorable hot chocolate too! =) It was full of friendly staff – where customer service mattered – was personal and valuable, which helped made this Aladdin’s cave a really relaxing haven to be in but this alone has not been enough to bring in customers.

I’m going to miss a place where you could really smell the coffee. No doubt the council will see that their windows will be filled with art! (why are people handing money over and kinda saying a picture will do is beyond me, it doesn’t make sense).

RIP Pollards. All the Best – you’ll be deeply missed. I’ll have a slice of cake to you!