MY LONDON | FIENDISH & GOODE
Words by Fiona Symington. Photos courtesy of Fiendish & Goode.
NOVEMBER 2013
NOVEMBER 2013
Fiendish & Goode is the purveyor of British delectable dainties. Co-founder and baker Frankie talks about the art of the miniature, great British bakes, and where to find the best croissant in London.
“A little naughty, a little quirky but at the same time, simple and classic” is how Frankie of duo Fiendish & Goode describes delectable dainties. The award-winning label she and her partner Chux started three years ago. (Frankie is the baker and Chux is the "chief taster" and responsible for sales and administration.
“A little naughty, a little quirky but at the same time, simple and classic” is how Frankie of duo Fiendish & Goode describes delectable dainties. The award-winning label she and her partner Chux started three years ago. (Frankie is the baker and Chux is the "chief taster" and responsible for sales and administration.
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Each dainty is eaten as a petit four, with each one offering the perfect indulgence closer to the world of tasting menus and high class chocolatiers than voluminous cupcakes. The experience as the name Fiendish and Goode suggests is deliciously good.
Frankie confesses that she has always been obsessed by the miniature. As she explains, “we created the ‘dainty’ because we wanted to tailor our cakes to the individual, highlighting a uniquely English experience and rendering it more personalised and luxurious - a modern English petit four”.
On the appeal of British Baking, Frankie shares, “classic Victoria sponges, scones, proper bread - it’s simple but that’s what makes it so great. It’s not fussy nor intricate.” In the same way that coffee and chocolate have been revolutionised by London roasters and chocolatiers, Fiendish & Goode saw a similar opportunity to overhaul the traditional British cake and offer an alternative to its American cousin, the cupcake.
Frankie confesses that she has always been obsessed by the miniature. As she explains, “we created the ‘dainty’ because we wanted to tailor our cakes to the individual, highlighting a uniquely English experience and rendering it more personalised and luxurious - a modern English petit four”.
On the appeal of British Baking, Frankie shares, “classic Victoria sponges, scones, proper bread - it’s simple but that’s what makes it so great. It’s not fussy nor intricate.” In the same way that coffee and chocolate have been revolutionised by London roasters and chocolatiers, Fiendish & Goode saw a similar opportunity to overhaul the traditional British cake and offer an alternative to its American cousin, the cupcake.
There are nine flavours to choose from including their award winning cardamom, white chocolate and raspberry; parsnip, pecan and ginger; and bramley apple and fruit dainties. (All winners of a Great Taste Award in 2013).
Other classics include a very lemony lemon drizzle and pistachio, a Victorian sponge, as well as a ginger lime with lime honey and mascarpone cream. The range also includes gluten-free dainties such as the orange almond dainty with dark chocolate, and a seriously indulgent dark chocolate, prune and hazelnut with whipped cream filing. Easter Simnel Dainties and Christmas Dainties complete the range.
There are also the Chewy Chunks (think flapjack only more toffee-like) and the equally tempting, Melting Morsels. Favourites include the Peanut Butter Melting Morsels (another Great Taste Gold Star award winner). Chocolate Pistachio Melting Morsels and Sun-dried Banana, Walnut and Star Anise Chewy Chunks are new additions.
Next for Fiendish & Goode is developing a mail-order cake service as well as continuing experiments with true British classics. And always at the heart of this London purveyor is a focus on British produce and of course, great flavour.
You can find Fiendish & Goode at Broadway market as well as Partridges Market, Duke of York Square every Saturday as well as Feast on the last Sunday of the month. Follow them on Facebook (http://fiendishandgoode.co.uk) and Twitter (@fiendish_goode).
LONDON’S BEST FOOD MARKET
Broadway Market (@Broadway_Mkt) for its diversity as well as Duke of York Square market (@DOYSQ) for its great bread producers. We also do a brilliant market called Feast (@WN_FEAST), which occurs once a month in West Norwood. It is a lovely community market and very different from what else we do.
LONDON LARDER
I always try to buy British and food in season. So in my larder, you’ll find something from England Preserves (@engpreserves). Darling Damson is definitely our favourite. There’s some local honey: a friend of ours keeps bees in Peckham and it is the most incredible honey that I have ever eaten. Blackbird bakery in south London does blinding bread and I always have a bag of Monmouth Express blend coffee beans. Mountains Boston Sausage chipolaters (@bostonsausage) are a favourite Sunday morning treat from Borough Market, and in our larder, you’ll also find some Charles MacLeod Stornoway Black Pudding. It is the best black pudding ever.
COOKBOOK I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT
I get a lot of inspiration from my Mum and my Gran. Growing up Delia Smith’s Book Of Cakes was the mainstay. It was just this little paperback that was completely falling apart because it was so over-used. Now I create my own recipes.
UK FOOD HERO
I don’t really have one but I do admire the work that Jamie Oliver did on school dinners. Someone needs to do a similar thing with hospital food. I am a great admirer of William Curley Patissier Chocolatier (@William_Curley). His business is amazing as is his packaging and the tasting menu at his dessert bar.
LONDON FOR A DAY
Monmouth for coffee (@monmouthcoffee) and Maison Bertaux (@Maison_Bertaux) on Greek Street, Soho for the best croissant in London. Hawksmoor (@HawksmoorLondon) in Seven Dials does the best Sunday roast.
Other classics include a very lemony lemon drizzle and pistachio, a Victorian sponge, as well as a ginger lime with lime honey and mascarpone cream. The range also includes gluten-free dainties such as the orange almond dainty with dark chocolate, and a seriously indulgent dark chocolate, prune and hazelnut with whipped cream filing. Easter Simnel Dainties and Christmas Dainties complete the range.
There are also the Chewy Chunks (think flapjack only more toffee-like) and the equally tempting, Melting Morsels. Favourites include the Peanut Butter Melting Morsels (another Great Taste Gold Star award winner). Chocolate Pistachio Melting Morsels and Sun-dried Banana, Walnut and Star Anise Chewy Chunks are new additions.
Next for Fiendish & Goode is developing a mail-order cake service as well as continuing experiments with true British classics. And always at the heart of this London purveyor is a focus on British produce and of course, great flavour.
You can find Fiendish & Goode at Broadway market as well as Partridges Market, Duke of York Square every Saturday as well as Feast on the last Sunday of the month. Follow them on Facebook (http://fiendishandgoode.co.uk) and Twitter (@fiendish_goode).
LONDON’S BEST FOOD MARKET
Broadway Market (@Broadway_Mkt) for its diversity as well as Duke of York Square market (@DOYSQ) for its great bread producers. We also do a brilliant market called Feast (@WN_FEAST), which occurs once a month in West Norwood. It is a lovely community market and very different from what else we do.
LONDON LARDER
I always try to buy British and food in season. So in my larder, you’ll find something from England Preserves (@engpreserves). Darling Damson is definitely our favourite. There’s some local honey: a friend of ours keeps bees in Peckham and it is the most incredible honey that I have ever eaten. Blackbird bakery in south London does blinding bread and I always have a bag of Monmouth Express blend coffee beans. Mountains Boston Sausage chipolaters (@bostonsausage) are a favourite Sunday morning treat from Borough Market, and in our larder, you’ll also find some Charles MacLeod Stornoway Black Pudding. It is the best black pudding ever.
COOKBOOK I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT
I get a lot of inspiration from my Mum and my Gran. Growing up Delia Smith’s Book Of Cakes was the mainstay. It was just this little paperback that was completely falling apart because it was so over-used. Now I create my own recipes.
UK FOOD HERO
I don’t really have one but I do admire the work that Jamie Oliver did on school dinners. Someone needs to do a similar thing with hospital food. I am a great admirer of William Curley Patissier Chocolatier (@William_Curley). His business is amazing as is his packaging and the tasting menu at his dessert bar.
LONDON FOR A DAY
Monmouth for coffee (@monmouthcoffee) and Maison Bertaux (@Maison_Bertaux) on Greek Street, Soho for the best croissant in London. Hawksmoor (@HawksmoorLondon) in Seven Dials does the best Sunday roast.
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