If your busy in town buying your Christmas shopping you soon get ready for a cuppa, and with so many cafe’s to choose from it ends up being which one has a free table. Well, instead of taking a chance take a look on this website www.bestcuppaintown.com and read all the cafe reviews for your town. Then sit back and enjoy your well deserved cuppa…
Author: Treeca
My daughter bought me some for part of my Christmas present last year and it was something to look forward to when the spring arrived. Below is my top five sites for afternoon tea vouchers. http://www.afternoonteafortwo.co.uk/ they call themselves the UK’s largest afternoon tea gift site. http://www.buyagift.co.uk/Days-Out-Afternoon-teas-BN-11wZw4.aspx?cm_mmc=google-_-Days%20Out| they also have a large selection. http://www.pamperingdays.com/afternoon-tea/ – this one could be included in a day at a spa http://www.afternoontea.co.uk/ http://www.redletterdays.co.uk/Experience/Gourmet/Afternoon-Tea?source=aw&affid=76565
With Vintage back en vogue at the moment, its no surprise that some of the old recipes are coming back onto our food tables. One popular one which hasn’t changed an ounce since the 1950’s is Chocolate Macaroons. Ingredients 2 rounded tablespoons of sugar 1 tablespoon Bourneville Cocoa Powder 1 flat tablespoon of butter or margarine 4 tablespoons rolled oats 1 tablespoon milk Vanilla Essence Method Melt sugar, milk and margarine in a pan then stir in the cocoa vanilla essence and rolled oats Mix well, place on greaseproof paper in the fridge until set
According to ‘Pursuitist (Find and share good things in life) http://www.pursuitist.com website, they list the following as the top ten best places for afternoon tea in London. 1.The Lanesborough 2.The Foyer at Claridge’s 3.The Caramel Room at The Berkeley 4.Bea’s of Bloomsbury 5.The English Tea Room at Brown’s Hotel 6.The Parlour at Sketch 7.The Capital Hotel 8.Artea at The Cadogan 9.Sotheby’s Cafe 10.The Maidenville Hotel
Don’t forget all this week is Wallace and Gromit’s Great British Tea Party until 10th December. It’s their 4th time of hosting this tea party to celebrate Christmas and help sick children across the world. If you want to host your own tea party or find a tea party event then go on to their website http://www.wallaceandgromitfoundation.org/great-british-tea-party/ You can also donate online.
Step back in time at the Tea Dance in the historic Palm Court at The Waldorf Hotel in London. On the 18th December, a live five piece band will entertain you with all the ballroom classics, while you enjoy a traditional afternoon tea. The Waldorf has an illustrious history and rich heritage dating back to its opening in 1988. Set in the heart of London’s theatre land, close to Covent Garden, the Hotel has attracted a string of stars from over the world. www.afternoontea.co.uk
Flowering tea consists of flowering bulbs with leaves tied around the flowers. Each exotic bulb blossoms spectacularly in hot water and produces a wonderful drink full of antioxidants, as well as looking and smelling great. I have written about flowering tea before but I just think it’s such a lovely gift that I thought I would share my favourite choice. There are a number of sites that sell them but my favourite is Canton Tea Company, http://www.cantontea.com They have over five different choices of flowering tea gift boxes, flowering tea gift box and round glass teapot, and a flowering tea…
Ingredients 1 Jar of Mincemeat 1 Jus-Rol LIGHT Shortcrust Sheet 320g 1 Tablespoon Cointreau 1 small egg Low fat spread for coating Flour for dusting Icing sugar for dusting Method Heat over to Gas 7/220C/425F Prepare your mince pie tins with a coating of low fat spread Empty your mincemeat into a bowl and add a tablespoon of Cointreau Sprinkle some flour over your worktop Take out of the fridge your pastry and remove the outer plastic wrap for approx 45 mins before use Unroll the pastry sheet and remove the protective interleaf Cut the pastry sheet down the middle…
With ‘homemade’ being the order of the day Cookery classess are popping up all over the place. So, vouchers can be a great idea for a Christmas present. Claridges, Brook Street, London – claridges.co.uk – they do one which includes lunch with wine, and apron and recipes. A great way to master British classes dishes. Grullan Orme runs afternoon tea and baking classes from her home in St. Johns Wood, London – for more details look on her website www.afternoontealessons.com A new midlands based cookery school called ‘Seasoned’ which specialise in making cookery courses inspirational and dynamic experiences. Venues in…
Ingredients 150g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 185g light muscovado sugar 2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 150ml milk 3 medium, ripe bananas, mashed 50g sweet dark chocolate, such as Bournville, roughly chopped 50g walnuts, chopped Method Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Lightly butter and flour a 2 litre loaf tin. Using an electric hand whisk, beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating all the time. Sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and a…
The Vintage Tea Party is a baking cook book, but much more than just your average baking book. Its a trip down memory lane, it’s a discovery fo the five things in life and its a book that will just as happily look good sitting on your coffee table. It will definitely look good propped up in your kitchen being used again and again. A talented book by a talented woman. At the moment TKMax has a number of these available at a greatly reduced price. Otherwise its available from the usual places like Amazon, Waterstones and WH Smith. Product…
A new ‘Mrs Beeton’s’ cookery book has been written with 220 classic recipes adapted for the modern kitcehn. It has been update by Gerard Baker to mark the 150th Anniversary of Mrs Beeton’s original Book of Household Management. Review ‘With sound advice on how to source good food, plus detailed information on ingredients and equipment, and accompanying illustrations of all the techniques required, this cookbook will be your kitchen bible.’ (EASY FOOD ) ‘It’s been 10 years since legendary home-maker Mrs Beeton first published the Book Of Household Management, which told readers how to live econimically, tastefully and well’. To…
www.biscuiteers.com – one of the best sites for home-made biscuits. They also do cakes, chocolates and sweets, but have some really original biscuits as gifts for Christmas, inlcuding some lovely cake tins. www.gowercottagebrownies.co.uk – gorgeous, gorgeous brownies www.megrivers.co.uk – Christmas cakes, biscuits and puddings made with no artificial flavourings or colours or preservatives www.hummingbirdbakery.com – legendary status for cupcakes www.highgroveshop.com – for a true royalist, a royal feather mug !! www.lauraashley.com – a pretty english breakfast tea strainer www.dotcomgiftshop.com – tea party doilies for your mince pies in 36 designs http://www.rareteacompany.com/ – runner up website of the year for their…
With an abundance of pretty box’s and jars around I decided to join the homemade brigade and make some peppermint creams. Ingredients 425g/15oz sieved icing sugar (plus some for rolling out) White of one small egg One teaspoon of crème de menthe or peppermint essence ½ lemon, juice only 175g/6oz plain chocolate Some greaseproof paper Method Whisk egg white until you have soft peaks then slowly add the crème de menthe into a stiff paste Dust your board with icing sugar Roll out the mixture very thinly Melt the chocolate in a bowl over hot water Brush a sheet of…
The Primrose Bakery, www.primrosebakery.org was founded in October 2004 after starting out baking for children’s parties, introducing the cup cake which at that time you found more in America, France and Australia that the UK. They now supply celebrities and Selfridge’s, Fortnum and Mason, Liberty’s and much more. They even have their own app with over 70 recipes on it. They also sell candles, lollies, cardboard cake tiers, party bags and much more. Their cookery book ‘Cupcakes’, is full of their concoctions and deliciously unique cakes. You can find out how to make them in your own home with gorgeously…