Curiosity Kitchen

05/02/2025

Limited slots left for this Friday’s pizza!

Absolutely buzzing to see more secret menu items ordered than the regular menu—love that you’re all embracing the surprises!

I shouldn’t have favorite customers… but to those of you who ordered my personal favorite pizza, just know you’ve got great taste.

I’ll be closing orders tomorrow, and if there are any slots left, I’ll post an update. But once online orders close, that’s it—no guarantees!

Riverside Shopping Centre

​​​​​ Pizza Choices ..... Tuscan Sausage & Honey A deliciously savoury Bianca base with a blend of mozzarella and ricotta, and parmesan cheese, Tuscan style sausage and honey Caramelised Onion & Goats Cheese Bianca A creamy Bianca base with a blend of mozzarella and ricotta topped ...

04/02/2025

The cookies have been flying out today! Biscuits are on my brain, so I thought I’d share my top picks. Let’s be honest—nothing makes you appreciate a handmade cookie like mine more than breaking it up with the bog-standard every now and then.

Check out my latest blog, The Biscuit of Both Worlds, where I dive into the best of both: the classics we all know and how I've elevated them to another level in some of my bakes. 🍪👇

P.S. while your on the blog check out the secret pizza menu and grab your slot for this friday

You might assume, given my passion for baking gourmet, handmade cookies, that I only ever indulge in high-end treats. But you'd be wrong. To truly appreciate the luxury of a top-notch cookie, you've got to balance it with the humble charm of a classic supermarket biscuit. These biscuits may not be p...

03/02/2025

🎉 After last week’s successful trial run, you can now pre-order your pizza for this Friday! 🍕 Any questions? Just drop me a message. If you'd rather order directly, that's cool too! A few slots have already been taken so don't risk missing out!

This week, I’m adding a little fun with a secret menu! 🤫 Want to know the story behind these exclusive items? Follow the link to find out. If anything piques your interest, why not give one a try?

Rolling on from the success of last week........Feast your eyes on last week’s pizzas—you clearly enjoyed them, and they’re making a comeback! But why not take things up a notch? If you're craving something a little more exciting and want to feel like you’re part of an exclusive club, I’ve...

02/02/2025

Friday Night Pizza was a hit! 🍕

I’m thrilled to say it’s sticking around for at least another week (and hopefully the rest of the month—but let’s take it one step at a time!).

The quality of the pizzas was exactly what I wanted, and from your reactions, I could see you felt the same. If you didn’t get a chance to try them, don’t worry—I’ve used the remaining Neapolitan dough to whip up some special pizzas for this week’s menu (check it out below!).

Pre-orders for next Friday, the 7th, open tomorrow evening. In the meantime, let me know what flavours you’d love to see again—or if you have any new ideas you’d like to try!

Hope to see you this week—let’s kick off February with good food and good vibes!

31/01/2025

was very very nervous about my first run as dough is such a fine balance of time, temperature and the correct ratio of ingredients. Even the weights need to be adapted so suit time and temperature.

What a relief when i opened the fridge this morning to see exactly what I'd hoped for!

I will be open until 2pm with a break until 4pm. Pizza slots have been booked but I do have a few spare. Brownies and cookies will be available again from 4pm until 7pm if you happen to be passing.

To my first pizza customers I very much look forward to seeing you later and thank you for trusting me with your Friday night treat

30/01/2025

Two huge things happening tomorrow! First, we’re finally saying goodbye to January—the month that feels like the longest stretch of recovery after the holiday rush. And second, we’re diving into February with Friday night pizza! There are still a few spots left, so make sure you grab one and kick off the new month right.
Plus, February marks my 12th month of opening Curiosity Kitchen—nearly a full year of serving you all! Let’s finish January strong and welcome February with a fresh outlook. Don’t miss out!

You can also message me directly to book your slot (there are less than 5 left!

https://www.curiositykitchen.co.uk/category/friday-night-pizza

28/01/2025

I've heard people say it's sad that there's nowhere in town to get fresh-baked bread...

Well, let me assure you, my bakes are definitely bread! Whether it's my rye blend taglio loaf, focaccia, or soft milk bread, they all make a fabulous sandwich or toast. Honestly, I've been known to eat a slice just as it is—it's that good!

If you visit my website, you'll find plenty of choice to satisfy your bread cravings. And while you're there, don’t forget to book your spot for Friday Night Pizza—it’s the perfect way to start your weekend!

27/01/2025

It’s been a quieter day at the shop—probably thanks to the horrible weather scaring everyone off! 🌧️ But I’ve been completely wiped out of my loaf cake for the week, so that’s a fun job lined up for tomorrow. 🎂
And after a slow start, made-to-order focaccias have been picking up a little lately! Freshly baked bread is hard to beat, isn’t it? 🥖

On the brighter side, pizza night is already selling fast! 🍕 There are still slots available, but yesterday evening saw a big burst of orders. The most popular choice so far? Caramelised onions and goat’s cheese—a very good choice, if you ask me! 😍

If you’re still deciding, don’t wait too long—those pizzas won’t wait forever! 🕒

Now I’m off to dream of cake and pizza… probably in that order.

26/01/2025

🌟 Exciting News – Pre-Order Your Pizzas Online! 🍕

You can now pre-order your pizzas through the website! For the first night, I’ll only be offering a limited number of slots, and with all the interest so far, I expect these to fill up quickly.

💡 Plan to order but don’t want to pay yet? No problem! Just send me a message to reserve your slot. Payment is required by Friday morning at the latest, and I’m only able to accept online payments at the moment.

I've tried to make ordering online as simple as possible, but there is one little quirk:
👉 If you're ordering a Margherita pizza, it’s £2 cheaper than the other options. The system won’t adjust the price, so you’ll receive a £2 refund for each Margherita ordered.

✨ Thank you so much for your support – I can’t wait to share these pizzas with you! Don’t wait too long to grab your spot!

Experience our Neapolitan-style pizza, where authentic recipes meet exciting new flavors. Available every Friday—pre-order slots open on Monday. Get ready for the best night of the week!

25/01/2025

I couldn’t quite help myself—there’s always something to do at the shop, so I popped in this morning to take care of a few errands.

Running your own bakery comes with its fair share of ups and downs, much like having a little sister. Both require patience, hard work, and a sense of humor, but the rewards always make it worthwhile!

A box of goodies for my long-suffering big sister and a strong espresso for my journey.

Watch this space tomorrow as orders will be open for Friday 31sr the first pizza night, there's been lots of interest so i anticipate time slots will go quite quickly!

23/01/2025

Stock Up Before the Weekend!
I’ll be closed this weekend, so make sure to grab your favorites tomorrow to see you through until next week!

Pizza Night is Coming!
Mark your calendars for Friday, 31st January—my very first Pizza Night! It’s a soft launch, so spaces will be limited, and I won’t be taking walk-ins.

The online ordering system will go live this Sunday evening, so be sure to check back and secure your spot. In the meantime, why not get familiar with the menu?

Oh, and for my regulars—don’t be shy about asking for cheeky little extras, like my special sweet chilli jam! Who knows, maybe I’ll introduce a secret menu just for my loyal followers 😉

22/01/2025

Celebrate All Kinds of Love This Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is coming, but why wait until then? Treat someone you care about (or even yourself) to a little gift now. The two little sable men on my Berry Tart could be friends, they could be a couple, they could be men, they could be women—or maybe they don't care for pronouns at all. What matters is that they’re delicious and perfect for anyone who needs a little love right now.

21/01/2025

My flyers have arrived, and they're ready to spread the word! If you know anyone who loves a hand-stretched, stone-baked artisan pizza on a Friday night, be sure to grab a flyer for them.

If you have a shop or workplace where you'd be happy to display some flyers, let me know—I’d love to drop some off for you! Let’s share the pizza love!
❤️🍕❤️ 🍕❤️ 🍕 ❤️

20/01/2025

Exciting News! 🍕✨
Next Friday, I’ll be opening online pre-orders for my first-ever trial run of Friday night pizza! 🎉 Since it’s a test run, there will only be a limited number of slots available, so make sure to grab yours fast when they go live!

I’ve been thinking a lot about the competition—big chains like Domino's pop into my mind. I’ll admit, sometimes it’s easy to feel a little nervous about going up against such giants. But honestly, it also inspired me to reflect on why local, handcrafted pizza is so special. It’s about more than just the food—it’s about creating something unique, with love and care, that brings people together. 💖

Check out my blog for the full story, and prepare for a special pizza night. The link is below!za and the pizza I make—it's not just about convenience or consistency, it’s about flavour, experience, and creativity. There is place for both in your life, but only one Friday a week so make sure you make the right choice on the right day ;)

Pizza is an iconic, globally loved food. Billions of pizzas are consumed around the world each year, but when you dig into what pizza really is, it’s easy to see how the definition can get blurry. From the traditional Neapolitan pizza with its wood-fired bubbly crusts to the endless variations fou...

17/01/2025

I’m sure people are starting to get fed up with seeing my face in The Western Telegraph now 🤣

While I might come across as confident in the shop – especially when I’m talking about pizza, which gets me very animated – putting myself out there still feels a bit surreal.

That said, I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share what I’m passionate about with the wider community. It’s a privilege to be featured again, and I hope this write-up gets you as excited as I am!

Thank you for the continued support – it means the world!

Rachael Popplewell from Curiosity Kitchen will host a weekly pizza night every Friday in February

16/01/2025

Feeling the January blues? Don’t worry, I’ve got two little pick-me-ups for you:

1. Feast your eyes on these beautiful pastries—just imagine treating yourself to one (or a few) tomorrow for an early weekend indulgence. You deserve it!

2. If you’ve done something recently that made you feel a little silly, I’ve got a story to make you feel better. After weeks of battling with the “broken” dishwasher and finally calling in a professional, it turned out the child lock had been on the entire time. The professional figured it out in under two minutes! So, I guess my dishwasher and I share the same mental age right now…

What’s your recent “oops” moment? Let’s hear it—I could use the laugh!

13/01/2025

Does anybody know anyone who can fix dishwashers? 🙏