We did our best to finish every delicious crumb
I recently visited Hessle while making the most of a rare sunny day amid all the gloom and rain we’ve had in November. After a walk along the Estuary, I was able to work up an appetite for tea and cake.
There were roadworks in Prestongate in the centre of Hessle, but all the businesses appeared to still be open. A sign outside The Black Cat read ‘homemade cake’ and I was instantly sold.
For a Thursday at 2pm it was very busy, which we took to be a good sign. Luckily, there were still a couple of tables free inside and we found a toasty spot where we could warm up and peruse the menu.
There is a cat theme throughout and I spotted the famous Tournée du Chat Noir poster hanging on one wall. Music played at a gentle volume from a speaker: The Beatles, the Beach Boys, among ’60s pop hits.
But what really attracted me was a glass display by the counter which was chock-full of homemade cakes and scones. My eyes feasted on lemon drizzle, carrot and orange, coffee and walnut, and decadent chocolate.
We were informed the quiche of the day was cheese and onion which sounded amazing – who can resist homemade quiche? The other homemade specials included a burger made with meat from a local butcher.
Unfortunately, we’d already had lunch, but there was still room for dessert. In the end, we chose a chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and a big slice of lemon drizzle cake.
The lemon drizzle was three luxurious layers sandwiched between fresh buttercream, finished with candied peel. The intense citrus flavours popped in my mouth – it was one of the finest cakes I’d had in ages.
Happily, the chocolate cake actually tasted of chocolate, with a rich, cocoa flavour we wished we could savour forever. The vanilla ice cream was velvety smooth and complemented the cake beautifully.
Both cakes were very moist and I reckon they have been baked within only a day or so. A couple nearby had an afternoon tea with tiered platters laden with more goodies and I felt a stab of jealousy.
I wished we had come with bigger appetites, because it really did look like an experience not to be missed. I checked and pre-booking for afternoon teas is advised, but it can sometimes be possible to order on the spur of the moment.
We did enjoy our tea, a refreshing and flavoursome Earl Grey I would guess was genuine loose-leaf. We will definitely return – and afternoon tea will be a must.