On one of the warmest days this week, I took to the coast with a trip to Whitley Bay for a walk along the golden sands and promenade, and a must do visit for fish and chips in the salty sea air.
Whitley Bay's award winning Fisherman's Bay is a popular spot for anyone looking for quality fish and chips and this sunny afternoon was no different.
I had to sample the fish and chips from the renowned restaurant and takeaway, but couldn't turn down the experience of having a go at the battered Creme Egg that has been on the menu in recent months.
The sensation of biting into it could almost be described as mind-bending. You have a learned perception in your mind what you are expecting to experience, but it turns out to be quite different.
The batter is thinner than on your fish, sausage or any of the usual delicacies we all enjoy from a fish and chip shop trip. But it adds a nice initial crunch when your bite into it, and also serves to hold the whole lot together.
It is when I get to the Creme Egg it lights up the neural pathways in the brain's pleasure centre. I expected to be forcing my teeth through the thick chocolate exterior of a Creme Egg to get to the sweet delight of the centre, as it is the usual process of eating the confectionary delight.
But this experience is quite different. Once through the batter, I get to the warm, liquid chocolate of the usually tough outer wall and the warm and glutinous texture of the melted chocolate would delight any chocolate lover.
I then reach to syrupy 'yolk' of the Creme Egg which is equally warm and melted and provides a soothing and sweet cuddle on your tongue as all of the flavours meld together.
For £3 you get two of these flavoursome delights, but there is a caveat. They are very rich and if you do not have a sweet tooth, you could well be overcome. Also I sampled these little pleasures after having fish and chips first, and given the ample portion size and the decent sized fish, taking on these two as a 'pudding' could well be just a bit too much for most, it was a mountain I couldn't summit.
I have blanked out in my mind what the calorie count might have been, but I made sure to got lots of steps in enjoying one of the jewels of our coast on one of our first sunny days of the year, hopefully paving the way for a lot more.
Read next:
- I tried Good Friday fish and chips at one of the best chippies in the North East
- The North East's best places for fish and chips, according to a local expert
The North East fish and chip shops with the worst food-hygiene ratings
Hairy Biker 'keeps coming back' to award-winning Northumberland chippy
Pilgrims mark Good Friday by making their annual trip across the causeway to Holy Island
