The icing on our cake

Book review: The Cake Shop in the Garden by Carole Matthews

2015-09-10T17:34:00.001+01:00

I must admit, I haven't really had (made!) time to read much this summer. My mini reviewers are quite time consuming! But with school heading back and a trip to the Library, I saw a book that caught my eye. Yes, I admit. I am a reader who sometimes judges a book my its cover...

The Cake Shop in the Garden, by Carole Matthews

This book had drawings of cake. It had 'cake shop' in the title and it looked an easy read, i.e. something I could pick up and put down to fit into my mummy life.

It look me only a handful of chapters and I was there. In the kitchen with Lija. Watching Fay bringing bowls of soup to Stan. Gazing down the tow path....

Fay - our cake baking, cafe running heroine - is a lovable and down to earth character, who doesn't realise life is missing something. Until that something arrives on a barge!

I really enjoyed this book. One, because I like daydreaming about running a cake cum cafe type tea room like Fays. Two, because it reminded me of a very happy holiday in childhood when we spent a week on a barge in Yorkshire. I fell in, but lets not dwell on that... And three, because it was really quite down to earth which made me bond with the characters. It even made me weep. I won't spoil it and tell you where though.

I'm still wondering whether Carole, the author, based our rugged Danny on real life Danny, lead singer of The Script? It's certainly the person I was imagining when reading this book...

Definitely worth a read!

5 cupcakes out of 5 from me
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

If you want to read an extract or buy the book (actual or e-version) head to Carole's webpages.

A really easy, quick and inexpensive(!) Teacher's Gift

2015-07-16T12:38:00.001+01:00

It's come around so quick, I can scarcely believe tomorrow is the last day of term! Have you got your son or daughter’s teacher a gift?

If not and you're starting to panic, I have an idea to share with you...

Clever Cookies!

My son will be presenting his teaching staff with some delicious cookies tomorrow.

1. I got together some shop bought cookies*, nice crepe and greaseproof paper to wrap the cookies, a presentation box (99p from ebay!) and some labels.

2. The cookies were lined up with a label saying what they were. *Admittedly I would have preferred to make the cookies with my son but time ran away and I wanted to be sure they were edible.

3. I created a label for our Clever Cookies and had my son write a thank you on the back.

Easy, quick and fairly inexpensive!

Stratford-upon-Avon Wyvale Garden Centre

2015-06-03T12:15:00.001+01:00

With a professional gardener for a husband, we spend quite a bit of time in our local garden centres. The Wyvale Garden Centre near us has a good restaurant along with a soft play area for the kids.

We visited for tea and cake recently and, at long last, I have written this up as a review!

On this visit I went for what was labelled as rhubarb and custard cake accompanied with English breakfast tea.

Now, as much as I enjoyed this cake, it was light, fluffy, tasty, it wasn't rhubarb and custard. I couldn't tell you what it was. Most likely had orange in it. I think there was a bit of a mismatch with the cake labels.

But like I said, it was very tasty! On other occassions I have enjoyed their range of sponge cakes. One of my favourites had to be a mint cake. Definitely worth a try!

We have a gardening club card and after 2.30pm on weekdays we get half price cake! Sign up and see what rewards you might get...

I would award Stratford-upon-Avon Wyvale a score of...

4.5 out of 5

Tea in the park! The Aviary, Leamington Spa

2015-04-01T15:58:00.001+01:00

The school Easter holiday began this week so, as like many people, a trip to the park is in order! Luckily we aren't far from Jepherson Gardens in Leamington Spa. A lovely park with a very lovely cafe too...

We popped in just as the weather was starting to turn grey. Saying that there were still people buying their delicious local ice creams!

Our order consisted of lattes, a scone and doughnut muffin.

The staff were very friendly. Welcoming smiles and checking everything was ok once we had our order.

Coffee was delicious. Cakes amazing. Especially the doughnut muffin, although I dread to think of the calories contained!!!

I would definitely make a point of going back. Its a cute little place, beautifully decorated. I particularly liked their doggy portraits hanging on the wall! Cards from local artists depicting nearby places are sold too.

My favourite feature by far? An old laughing policeman in the corner. I will be back (with a 50p coin) to hear him soon!!!

Our rating...

It had to be...

5 out of 5!!!

Review : Tea for Two at BHS

2015-02-24T14:06:00.001+00:00

So we were out shopping in town with baby in tow and we needed lunch. Having spent a fair amount in the shops, we needed something not too pricey and very purse friendly. It also needed to be baby friendly. Big enough to getblost in if said baby decided to be a monkey...

We decided to go to our local BHS cafe. A high street store. Friendly enough and reliable.

And what did we see when we walked in. A lovely big banner showing their newest offering. Tea for two. And at only £7.99 we couldn't refuse!

What was included...
We could choose one type of sandwich and plumped for soft cheese and cucumber (crusts cut off of course!). The other options were ham and tomato and egg mayo, if I remember right.
We also got a scone each with a pot of clotted cream and jam, two macaroons and two bite sized cakes.
The food was presented in a tall tiered stand.

I really couldn't fault it, all of it was delicious and at such a great price definately value for money. We'll be back again!!!

5 out of 5!!!

Tea-iffic Valentine's Day card

2015-02-13T13:51:00.001+00:00

I was inspired by a post I saw on pinterest, and decided to make something similar for Valentine's day...

Cadbury Creme Eggs straight from the... freezer?!

2015-02-04T11:11:00.001+00:00

If you're a regular reader of our posts, you're sure to know how much we love a creme egg (or two...dozen). We have posted a number of recipes for Creme Egg Bakes on here before. In fact they are our most popular posts ever! I guess we're not the only Creme Egg lovers round here then.

So have you tried this?

Creme Eggs straight from your freezer.

No? Fear not. Neither had we until this last week when we happened upon a tweet from Katie at mummydaddyandmemakesthree.

So I had to try it...

I put my creme egg in the freezer for around 24 hours. I had planned on leaving it a little longer, Katie left hers a couple of days, but I couldn't wait!

The egg didn't look, smell or feel any different and it was just as tricky to cut! But the eggy-goo didn’t get all sticky and go everywhere when I cut into this. It wasn't quite solid, more moose-like.

But how did it taste?

Odd. Not a bad odd at all. Just, nicely, sweetly, cremely odd.

If I have the patience, I might well do it again!

If you try it, leave us a comment and let us know what you think!

Review : Henley Tea Rooms

2015-02-04T11:04:00.001+00:00

A week or so back a group of mummies wanted to celebrate a birthday. There were 6 of us mums. Easy. We can alwayd find a place to accommodate us in Stratford-upon-Avon. But what about us plus babies?! Not so easy.

A friend called round a few places who sadly were unable to provide an accessible and large enough space for us and our pushchairs. Frustrating for us, but we appreciated their honesty.

But then we tried Henley Tea Rooms. They were so helpful! They only had 2 highchairs but they did offer us an area we could dine called 'the snug'. It was tucked just out of the main tea room area so we wouldn't worry about babies (inevitably) making noise and disturbing other diners. We couldn't wait. Mummy lunch out was a go!

On the day of our visit we found the staff to be so, so friendly and welcoming. Nothing was an inconvenience to them.

The snug area was to the back of the tea rooms, just past the kitchen. We loved it. It was a lovely place to be seated. A little tight, but, hey, it's called the snug! As it happened we only had 2 babies with us. I think it might have been a little tight if we'd had more than 3 as we couldn't have really fit them round the table. But that's more for us mums to figure out than the venue.

So what about the food?
It was delicious! Everyone enjoyed their meals.

In ordered;
☆ eggs benedict - gorgeous!
☆ Mango black tea - I thought I would be brave and order something different. I did enjoy it however I found the flavours weren't as powerful as the aroma. The tea had a delicious smell as it brewed and was poured, but it wasn't a very strong taste when I drank it. All in all I enjoyed it but perhaps I didn't let it brew long enough?
I think it might be handy to have a little brewing egg timer like they have at The Four Teas.
☆ Chocolate sponge pudding with clotted cream - to die for! Absolutely delicious. So chocolately, I could not manage it all. I know. Shame on the tea room reviewer!

I will definitely be heading back to try their afternoon tea!

So based on our food and overall experience, the Henley Tea Rooms is awarded;

4.5 out of 5!

http://www.stratfordupon.com/Henley_Street_Tea_Rooms.html

Vegan cakes : Baking with Giovanna Fletcher

2014-11-03T12:45:00.001+00:00

I love cake. I eat it a lot. I even review and blog about it right here. I cannot imagine life without it. (Does that sound a bit too extreme?)

I didn't realise that vegans had such a difficult time with cakes.

I only discovered their plight when catching up with author and vlogger, Giovanna Fletcher. Via her YouTube channel that is, I haven't had the pleasure of meeting the lovely lady, although if we did meet, I feel we'd have a right hoot over afternoon tea!

Anyway, I digress. Poor vegans! They deserve delicious cakes too, yes? So I thought I would share Gi's latest vlog - the one when she bakes.

Dear Tom - The One When I Bake

Do you have any vegan friendly recipes? Why not share them, add a comment below.

Just to mention, Giovanna baked this to not only feed her husband, but to also promote Children in Need 2014.

This year we're being encouraged to bake and donate. Haven't I said before how cakes and charity are so well linked? Very worthy cause - find out more on the Children in Need website. Go on, be a baking hero!

(Copy aand paste this address into your browser to visit said website >

https://www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/herohub/fundraising/baking)

Heavenly Horner Tea Garden, Somerset

2014-10-08T16:25:00.001+01:00

Towards the end of August, on a sunny but showery day, we had the pleasure of visiting Horner Tea Garden, nr Minehead in Somerset.

It happened to be a certain reviewers' birthday... (no, not mine, sadly) and we were lucky enough to spend part of the day with her. Horner tea rooms had been a place frequented by said reviewer, but when it was managed by another proprietor.

The tea rooms, well, its a tea garden I suppose, is tucked away in a rural spot on what I believe was a National Trust estate. The garden is dotted with polka dot covered tables. Some covered with parasols and under a shelter, others ideally placed to catch the sunshine.

We began outside but as grey skies appeared we made a dart for the inside seating area. This was empty apart from us, so we felt like we had our own private dining room! The room was decorated with lovely nicknacks, the sort of things I have in my home, so it was right up my street.

Cream teas were the order of the day. The scones were served warm with a light dusting of icing sugar. Jam and cream just perfect too! I especially liked the presentation. Heart shaped plates and mini milk bottles!

The service was excellent. Warm welcome and attentive, but not too attentive - we were given our space once we were served.

I loved it here and think that Horner deserved an impressive....

5 out of 5!

Sunny Sudbury's Coach House: Good enough for Darcy?

2014-10-03T10:07:00.001+01:00

Back in September, we paid a visit to another National Trust site, Sudbury Hall.

Sudbury Hall is in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. It boasts an impressive 17th century mansion with intricate pasterwork, wood carvings and murals. You may recognise parts of it as it was used as a location for the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (the one starring Colin Firth as Mr Darcy). There are some gardens around the house, but they're not extensive, although there is a playground for mini-TIOOC reviewers to take advantage of.

Speaking of mini people, you could be transported to your childhood when you visit the Museum of childhood - also on site! I was very happy to see Cabbage Patch Dolls, Penny Pocket and Noddy in the museum. Some of my favourites!

But what about my other favourite things... cake!

There is a cafe on site. It is in the old Coach House. You wouldn't realise that if it weren't for the name as it has been transformed into a light and airy, rather lovely, tea room serving hot meals, sandwiches, ice creams and, of course, National Trust cakes!

On this visit I ordered a slice of Victoria sponge and a cappuccino.

My cake was lovely. Light, fresh and incredibly tasty. I believe, from seeing a tweet from @Sudbury_HallNT, the jam is NT jam. Possibly even available to buy in their shop just next to the cafe.

Sadly, I didn't enjoy the cappuccino. In fact, it wasn't really a cappuccino at all. There was barely any froth to the drink and it was a tad too hot. Not sure what went wrong. :(

So, on this visit, I award Sudbury a...

2.5 out of 5

Have you been to Sudbury? How would you rate it?

Kenilworth Castle : a view fit for a queen, but what about the cake?

2014-09-19T11:55:00.001+01:00

Kenilworth Castle, owned by English Heritage, has very recently opened up a new platform. If you are brave (and fit) enough to climb the many steps, you will be treated to spectacular views. Views that were no doubt enjoyed by Queen Elizabeth I when visiting Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester here on her tours.

There are many interesting stories about Elizabeth and Leicester, you will learn more when you visit. But we were more interested in the tea room on this occassion. Would it meet our mighty expectations?

The tea room is situated in the old stable building. It has a spectacular timber roof to admire when you're sat inside. We loved the space and the ambiance.

On this visit we ordered
○ A slice of Elizabeth cake
○ Millionaire shortbread
○ 2 coffees
○ Gingerbread man and ice cream for the kids

I was quite taken back at how much it cost. I only got pennies in change from a £20 note. On top of admission, I must admit, I found this pretty steep!

But how did it taste? Pretty good, although I think Queen Bess might have expected and no doubt experienced better...

Sadly, the service was lacking. When ordering, I don't think the girl serving even maintained eye contact and seems more interested in finishing her conversation with a colleague.

Despite this, we still love Kenilworth and will be visiting again because it is a beautiful site to explore.

On this occasion we award:

2.5 out of 5

Book Quote: 'Billy & Me' by Giovanna Fletcher

2014-08-30T19:32:00.001+01:00

I have done a few book reviews on the site, mostly from my favourite author Jenny Colgan, and almost all of them somehow linked to cafes, cakes or baking. I chose to read this book without knowing it had anything to do with a cafe...

"As I entered the teashop, my eyes wandered over the seven tables covered in mismatched floral print, tablecloths, each surrounded by two or three chairs - all different shapes and designs. The cups, saucers and teapots being used by the customers were also contrasting in their patterns. Absolutely nothing matched, but bizarrely it fitted together perfectly. The smell of freshly baked scones filled my nostrils and 1950s jazz played softly in the background. I was staring at a secret den for women - why hadn't I been here before?"
Billy and Me, Giovanna Fletcher

This is a romantic story, and I was pleasantly surprised to find various visits to the tea room through the novel. And even better, it looks like I can revisit 'Tea on the hill' this winter. Author, Giovanna, has just shared the news that there is a seasonal sequel due for release soon (available from 6th November). And I for one, can't wait to read it!

Reading can be a bit of a luxury with a baby about!

Guest blog: Review of Catesby's

2014-08-25T11:05:00.002+01:00

We've been somewhat quiet of late due to mini-TIOOC (4 month old Oliver!) and are very much in need of your guest reviews. Just click on the tab to find out more.

In the meantime we thought we'd share one of our fav bloggers posts instead. Miss Sue Flay's review of Catesby's...

"The Secluded Tea Party: Review: Catesby's: It's been a while since I reviewed a venue worthy of a full-throttled mention on my doorstep and this is a little gem that I would q..."
Read more...

Heritage Open Day Cake Bake 2014

2014-07-24T00:00:00.000+01:00

We've been baking! And this is a very special cake for it has been baked for the Heritage Open Days 20th anniversary cake bake. (Perhaps also in honor of our 3rd - yes 3RD - Blogiversary which is in early August too).

HODs is celebrating its 20th year of opening up heritage venues to us all for a long weekend every September. And to celebrate this they have launched a competition to share our special celebration or heritage inspired cake recipes.

These recipes can be ones that you have found through being passed down through family generations, a historical recipe you've tried out or just a damn good celebration cake you'd like to share. We've said it before - and we'll say it again - Heritage and cake is inextricably linked. So a cake baking competition is quite possibly the BEST way to mark this special HODs milestone. Once you've baked your cake you don't have to send it off to the HODs team (although I am sure they'd love to try them all!) you need only email with a photo and the recipe. Find out more on their website. The best recipes will be compiled and shared in an online recipe book later in the year.

We have gone for a recipe with a special family connection. Read on to find out more...

"My Grandma was a prolific baker. My childhood memories of visiting my grandparents often involve cake. Grandma baked the most delicious cakes and always made us delicious dinners. I'm sure my Mam told me she had been a cook for a family before she married, but sadly, I never did ask my Grandma about her life when I had the chance. Loosing my grandparents when I was only 8 years old makes my memories of them all the more precious.

I would often bake with my Grandma in her tiny galley kitchen. She taught me to never be afraid to get my hands messy as she would tell me, "You can always wash them"! Something I can still hear her say every time I'm getting sticky in my kitchen.

Despite all those special times baking and all her yummy desserts, there is one cake that sticks in my mind and it was this that inspired my entry to this cake bake. If I am completely honest, I don't know the recipe. It wasn't one of those that was handed down the generations. Perhaps because it was such a simple cake. A chocolate sponge. Due to this lack of recipe, I have had to rely on my own (limited) baking skills and knowledge but rest assured, I have been channeling the spirit of my Grandma throughout the process!

Grandma's cake was a delicious chocolate sponge, filled with fresh whipped cream and topped with melted chocolate that was allowed to set firm and crunchy with segments of tangerine adorning each slice. Sometimes there were white and milk chocolate buttons instead of fruit but seeing as it is the tangerine that sticks in my memory, that is the cake I attempted to make in my very hot little kitchen whilst saying a little prayer to my Grandma for her help. I hope she would be pleased with the outcome.

Ingredients
- 175g self raising flour
- 2 tablespoons Cocoa
- 1 tablespoon Bicarbonate of Soda
- 150g caster sugar
- 2 beaten eggs
- 150mls sunflower oil
- 150mls semi-skimmed milk
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup

- A bar of chocolate
- Tangerines
- Whipping cream

What to do...
1. Grease and line your cake tin. (I used a deep 7'' tin)
2. Sieve the flour, cocoa and bicarbonate soda into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the sugar and mix together.
4. Make a well in the centre of the mix and pour in the syrup, eggs, oil and milk. Beat all of these together until they have blended into a sweet, chocolatey batter.
5. Pour into your cake tin and bake in the oven for 25-30mins on 180'/350F/Gas mark 4.

You need this cake to cool completely before moving on to these next steps.

6. Prepare your whipping cream. *I didn't know how much to make and used around 150mls which made plenty.
7. Cut the cake in half and sandwich the cream between each half.
8. Melt some chocolate in a bain marie and pour on the top of the cake. *My grandma always had a very neat circle of chocolate on the top, it never spilled over the sides but go with whatever you feel. My chocolate dripped everywhere at first!
9. Before the chocolate sets pop a segment of tangerine around the edge of the cake
10. Pop in the fridge to set and later serve to your nearest and dearest with a big pot of tea.

I really enjoyed making this cake, despite taking the cake out too soon after a mild panic thinking I had burnt it which therefore resulted in it sinking in the middle. Smelling the cocoa instantly transported me back to that little bungalow in Hebburn and in my minds eye I saw a little brown eyed girl with sticky hands smiling and giggling with her Grandma."

So what do you think?

The Great Middleton Hall Bake Off

2014-07-15T12:01:00.001+01:00

On Sunday we ventured out to Middleton Hall, nr. Tamworth.

Middleton Hall is a lovely place to visit. The Hall has been restored by a Trust and is run by a team of volunteers. The house dates from 1285, built as a hunting lodge and is a typical Norman Manor. There is also a jettied building and Great Hall, both Tudor although you wouldn't think so looking at the hall because it has a later, Georgian facade. Surrounding these buildings are delightful gardens, a lake and nature trails.

Now as much as we like history, our main attraction on this day was a special event they were having. They were hosting a bake off! Right up our street.

Even better, one of the judges was a former Great British Bake Off contestant, Natasha Stringer.

Judging in progress...

We missed the prize giving but we were very impressed with all the entries. The vase of roses in particular...

Edible roses! Our favourite kind!

During our visit we popped into the tea rooms at the Hall. It was a light lunch of sandwiches on offer but my, weren't they presented in a beautiful way. Service was prompt and extremely polite in beautifully decadent surroundings. We were assured that the tea room usually offered a wonderful array of cakes but with the bake off, they had decided to have a rest as everyone would be tucking into the cakes entered into the competition. Due to this lack of cake, we didn't think it was fair to review them but will plan a return visit!

A light, but delicious, lunch...

Funnily enough there was a bake off nearer to home in Warwick on the Saturday. Sadly we were unable to make this one as we had to tend to a cookie emergency... We did see some of the entries thanks to twitter (notably @LoveWarwick) and loved the winning cake from local bee keeper Tanya Weaver.

Have you ever taken part in a Bake off? If so, what did you make and how did you get on?

Cake in the Cotswolds : Batsford Arboretum

2014-07-03T12:24:00.000+01:00

Last week we had a 'spare' afternoon, it was sunny and we decided to go for a walk around Batsford Arboretum. It had been some time since we'd last been there and we remembered there was a fairly decent, if slightly more pricey than usual, cafe there. The Garden Terrace Restaurant.

My eyes immediately alighted upon a decadent chocolate cake with a thick layer of chocolate frosting. I didn't need to think twice, that was the cake for me!

Amazing cakes at Batsford Arboretum's Garden Terrace Restaurant

I wasn't disappointed. A lovely light sponge and a naughty but nice topping. It wasn't a very thickly cut slice but the last few mouthfuls were a bit of a struggle and I was glad of some help from our mini-reviewer who had the day off nursery.

The latte was needed to wash this one down. It was a good creamy coffee. Not too hot and not too strong so no need to add any sugar for me.

One of the bonus' of this cafe is the lovely view from the decking. You over look the garden shop (so I could eye up the delightful David Austin roses) and the rolling hills of the Cotswolds are just beyond. Perfectly relaxing!

We awarded this cafe a...

4 out of 5

I must admit, I don't care for the inside of the cafe. It feels to me a bit oppressive as it felt dark and the tables are fairly close together. It is also slap bang next to the shop which feels a little encroaching for my liking. But otherwise it is a lovely venue for an afternoon out and the Arboretum is gorgeous. Although be warned it is a bit steep as on a hill side. I definitely felt I had earned my cake after all that walking!

Images, other than that at the very top, from Batsford Arboretum webpage.

Have you been? Tempted to visit? Let us know what you thought.

Winterbourne...wow!

2014-06-24T17:11:00.000+01:00

Winterbourne House & Gardens had been on my 'to visit' list for some time, not necessarily for the tea room but more because it appealed to my love of history and Mr TIOOC's love of gardens too. So when the sun was shining on a Sunday afternoon and we found ourselves in the need of nourishment (ahem, afternoon tea) and inspiration, to Winterbourne we went!

You will find Winterbourne in Edgbaston on the University of Birmingham campus.

"Winterbourne is a rare surviving example of an early 20th century suburban villa and garden. The house was built in 1903 for John and Margaret Nettlefold, of Guest, Keen & Nettlefold. Designed as a small country estate the house boasted rustic outbuildings and large gardens.

Both the house and garden follow the style of the Arts & Crafts movement with examples of local craftsmanship throughout. The house has large airy corridors and south facing rooms designed to make maximum use of the sunlight.

The garden today is still used by students but is also open to the public to be enjoyed by everyone"

Winterbourne website, June 2014

We started our visit at the Terrace Tea Room with afternoon tea. A reasonably priced tea at £12.75 for two. This included a choice of 2 different sandwiches, scone with jam and cream and a pot of tea for two. It was just the right size so nothing wasted and no doggy bags needed on this occasion.

The staff were very friendly but not too over the top with it. There if you needed them, but otherwise happy to go about their jobs without fussing around you. Top marks to them. It was a fairly busy afternoon with a good turnover of customers but their smiles didn't falter and the tables were swiftly cleared keeping the tea room looking lovely.

We sat on said terrace over looking the stunning gardens and thoroughly enjoyed our tea.

Just a little thing we notice, and liked, was the reuse of those little jam pots. They'd been used to hold the cream! Ironically the jam wasn't in these pots but small plastic pot which could also be reused. We couldn't be sure if it was home made jam, but it was very tasty!

We awarded Winterbourne's Terrace Tea Room a wonderful...

5 out of 5!

Oh and the gardens and house are stunning! Make sure you leave enough time to see both.

Book Review : Jenny Colgan 'Little Beach Street Bakery'

2014-06-17T13:58:00.002+01:00

This was another book I read pre-baby when I began my maternity leave. I had been looking forward to reading it for some time after following Jenny's tweets in the lead up to its publication day.

Now, you will probably know I am a big fan of Jenny's work and have read and reviewed many of her books already. Hence my excitement at picking up the latest novel, Little Beach Street Bakery.

This book is about Polly who has a complete change of direction in life after her business and relationship goes belly-up due to the recession. She ends up in a ramshackle old flat in a quiet corner of Cornwall. At first she is met with hostility, especially when she begins baking her lovely bread, but she perseveres and wins the hearts and the stomachs of the community.

Jenny has created another lovely charcter who I quickly warmed to and wanted to see her succeed. She didn't have it easy and the bumps along the way made the book all the more interesting. What also made me smile was the rather unusual mascot and friend that Polly acquired... Neil the puffin.

Oh and if you're a serial tweeter like me, why not give Neil a follow? Yes, he has his own twitter account!

I don't want to give too much away about the story so perhaps I should just finish up by saying how much I enjoyed the escapism of this book. At a time when I was heavily pregnant with all of those niggling worries about what was ahead and I was so large it was difficult to get out and about, this book transported me to another part of the country, it even took me to another continent to view a wedding, with someone who felt like a friend to me. For this, I thank Jenny for her writing and encourage you to escape through Jenny's stories also.

And, as usual, there are a number of recipes in the back pages of the book for lots of bakery style treats including cheese straws, cinnamon swirls and bagels.

Loved it!

Cream Tea cravings: National Herb Centre, Banbury

2014-06-06T14:33:00.001+01:00

Ever since we welcomed our litte cupcake (baby Oliver) the family a little over a month ago, I have been seriously craving cake! This could be due to the sleepless nights which lead to a need for sugar and comfort, or the extra calories being used during breastfeeding. Either way, whenever we can get out of the house into the real world, I try to incorporate coffee/tea/cake into those plans.

A couple of weeks ago, we managed to do just that and we visited the Herb Centre, Banbury.

Tempted by their cakes, I couldn't decide between Mint cake, Raspberry and Almond cake, chocolate and all time favourite, Victoria sponge. So I went for a cream tea!

The scone was delicious and served warm. Sadly the jam wasn't home made. Both the jam and cream were bought in, but we were pretty sure the scones were home made. In an ideal world, we love to see home made jams and clotted cream but we recognise not all places are able to do this.

The service was ok, but for some reason the chap bringing our food was a little confused serving our scones, wasn't very chatty/warm. It didn't spoil our afternoon at all though and we will certainly be back to try more of their home made cakes.

On this visit, we would give the Herb Centre....

2.5 out of 5

Book Review : The Beach Cafe by Lucy Diamond

2014-05-30T16:33:00.000+01:00

You may have guessed, I love reading novels that somehow involve tea, cake and/or cafes. And for this reason one of my favourite authors is Jenny Colgan. I have read a number of her novels and you can read my reviews on the blog. Now, when I finished work and began my maternity leave in April this year, I'd not yet managed to get my hands on Jenny's newest book 'Little Beach Street Bakery' but did spot another book in a charity shop and thought I'd give it a go.

That book was Lucy Diamond's 'The Beach Cafe'.

The story follows Evie, the self confessed black sheep of her family, who leaves her boring, temping life and straight laced boyfriend in order to run a cafe in 'sunny' Cornwall. The cafe was bequested to her by an aunt who died suddenly.

Evie has no catering or restaurant experience but throws herself into this new life, with some interesting consequences! We follow her journey as she discovers how to succeed in the hospitality business and also discovers who she really is and wants to be.

I found Evie to be a very down to earth character who was easy to identify with. In those quiet (non-baby moments) I often day-dream and imagine setting up my own little coffee shop so it was lovely to follow Evie as she did just that. Admittedly, it is much easier to read her escapades than take the risk myself!

There was even a very memorable sex scene within the book! Not what I expected, but not gratuitous and certainly no 50-shades-esque encounters (not that I've read that...!).

What I particularly loved is that there was an epilogue. I so frequently get to the end of a story such as this, one which focuses on one character so much that you feel you know them, and then it ends and you're left wondering what might have happened next. Well Lucy (or should I say Sue!) very nicely gives us a peek into the future by writing a 'three months later...' ending piece. So a huge thank you to Lucy/Sue for this!

I found this book to be a nice, easy and enjoyable read. It is likely that I will revisit the Beach Cafe as I have recently discovered there is a Christmas sequel!

If you fancy reading this and want to try before you buy, you can read the first chapter on Lucy's website. I've found this vlog that might also be of interest too. It is a short review from Afternoon Bookery who also loved the story.

Have you read this book? What did you think of it?

What would you recommend I read next?

Baby's first cake : Nappy cake

2014-05-14T12:07:00.001+01:00

A few weeks of silence from us can mean only one thing. No, we're not on a diet and neglecting our duty as cake reviewers, but we have recently welcomed a new reviewer to the fold - our baby son!

He might be on a diet of milk at the moment but he has received his first cake already. A nappy cake!

Guest reviewer (and proud Aunty) Victoria swiftly delivered this to Olly when he was just a few days old. I must admit, it is one of the finest cakes I have had the pleasure of receiving! Ok, so I couldn't sink my teeth into it to meet my recent posts pregnancy sugar cravings*, but everything inside this beautifully cellphone wrapped tower is both useful and needed! We couldn't think of a more appropriate baby gift!

Th 'cake' was created from nappies curled into circular tiers, wrapped in tissue paper, interspersed with useful bounty - a blanket, teether, dribble bibs, bath toys, even swimming trunks! All topped by a cute cuddly rabbit toy.

Don't you think this is genius?!

★ Huge thanks to Victoria for this delightful gift! ★

* To be fair, we were also brought a wonderful M&S food parcel to keep us going!

The Icing On Our Cake

2014-04-25T12:34:00.000+01:00

Guest review: Jane's Cream Tea's, Oxfordshire

2014-04-24T13:12:00.000+01:00

'It's my favourite place for afternoon tea/cake ever... so far' said our guest reviewer, Victoria. Very high praise indeed! So where is this special place? Read on!

"Sitting in the sunshine on the banks of a canal watching the boats glide lazily past whilst enjoying the finest of cream teas, I felt like I was truly on holiday. My family and I were in the most magical and idyllic of tea rooms- the al fresco ‘Jane’s Cream Teas’ close to the village of Kirtlington in North Oxfordshire. This is a hidden gem in the countryside where the food is prepared, cooked and as much as possible grown onsite. Jane lives on a narrowboat next to the gardens where she grows her fruit, vegetables and flowers, and owns a cow which enables her to be incredibly self-sufficient.

The tea room itself is a beautiful secret garden, with rose-bedecked trellises, fruit trees in blossom, a dove cote and a quaint caravan at the end of a footpath. All tables are dressed with tablecloths, fresh-cut flowers from the garden and even hand-sanitizer (a first for me at a tea room!). Dotted around the garden are poems, vintage signs and even a low-strung hammock between two apple trees. A marquee at one end provides shelter for the more typical British weather- but also has comfy sofas and a box of toys for the children.

And the food? It certainly lived up to expectations! Our family ordered 3 cream teas, a filter coffee and a slice of lemon drizzle cake (from a selection of at least 7 different cakes).

Tea was served in a silver tea pot with bone china crockery, perfect for a special afternoon tea. The scones were deliciously fresh and still warm from the oven and melted in the mouth. Both the portions of jam and cream were generous, although we did need additional milk for our hot drinks. As for the lemon drizzle cake, it got a big ‘thumbs up’ from those lucky enough to taste it before it was devoured by my daughter!

After our afternoon tea we took a stroll along the towpath of the Oxford Canal, and watched some boats come through Pigeon Lock. I highly recommend a visit to this friendly and unique tea room. Be warned- Jane only opens her tea room to visitors on alternate weekends of the month between April and October. If you are in the area, check her website for details of opening dates and for directions, but a visit here is a must!

The score for Jane’s Cream Teas…

5 out of 5!"

Our thanks to Victoria for this wonderful review - and remember, if you want to share your favourite tea room, we're always looking for more guest posts. Find out more here.

Guest Review: The White Rose

2014-04-14T12:44:00.000+01:00

One of the pleasures of being in the walking club, apart from the obvious one of splendid Walking club coffee stops countryside walks arranged, is the routine coffee stop an hour before the walk begins.

Saturdays walk was around the beautiful landscape of Helmsley North Yorkshire and so our coffee stop was at the quaint farming town of Thirsk.

The coach party quickly dispersed to their favourite establishment but bring the "newbies" of the club we followed our friend who we knew had a discerning palate and we're not disappointed. The White Rose bookshop and cafe is situated at the end of the market square, a double fronted shop with a beautiful display of local crafts in one window and an inviting array of books in the other.

Being on a tight schedule there was no time to meander through the books so we headed to the back of the shop towards the fragrant aroma of coffee.

The waitress service was very friendly, quick and efﬁcient despite the sudden onslaught from our coach.

In keeping with the season I had a toasted hot cross bun, full of juicy sultanas and subtle spices, my companion needing something more substantial ordered a bacon butty which " was lovely". The coffee was just the right temperature and cups just the right size.

There was a good selection of both sweet and savoury foods and all of our party were extremely happy with their choices and service.

Mmmmm, we like the look of the strawberry cream tea!

As well as being a very good independent bookshop The White Rose is also a very good coffee shop, look out for it whenever you visit Thirsk, you won't be disappointed.

Our score today is ...

4.5 out of 5

Our thanks to Maria for this lovely review!

Remember, you can submit your own reviews of tea rooms and coffee shops you visit. To find out more just click here!

We'd love to hear from you.