Il dolce far niente

...the sweetness of doing nothing.

That's how I sugar my tea, by doing sweet nothing whilst I sip.

On a rainy Sunday such as this there really was only one thing to do; sweet nothing but stay cosy indoors and bake! So here's my afternoon cuppa with my freshly baked (still warm) peanut butter biccies.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1503655/peanut-butter-cookies
For the recipe

I wish I was....

Claridges.

Today has been so rainy and miserable and generally just a little bit mid week so I've been having a think about places I would like to be.

a. under the duvet with a mug of tea & a good film

b. somewhere sunny with a coffee on a pavement cafe watching a promenade of pretty people

c. Claridges. With afternoon tea and some good friends.

So I trawled through my photos and found a little joyful clotted cream Claridges pic to help get me through the rainy day.

Hands up if you'd rather be here too...

caffine buzz

http://www.londoncoffeefestival.com/

Last week I attempted to recreate my Mum's Coffee cake which I loved as a kid. Not a bad replica although I forgot the Walnuts (to my brother's delight). Very tasty.  You can't beat a great coffee cake.

Hit the road...

 First coffee of the Great British Easter hols road trip: planning the route at Vintage Pretty, East Dulwich.

Great Freshly made juices here from the juice bar next door. The kind of place you could while away a good few hours with the right company.

 Brighton Rocks: First stop.

Cocktails at Bohemia. Nice vibe but a little OTT on the gimmicky cocktails. Good fun but there was better in store........(watch this space) 

Sorry Brighton, but the cocktails at Christchurch knocked spots off the Brighton Rock! (note: cocktails at Jamie's Italian in Brighton were the exception: amazingly fresh and zingy aperitifs pre yummy food)

Can't compliment James (our mixologist at The Kings) enough for his bespoke cocktails for me and the chap pre and post dinner. My English Garden Earl Grey Gin cocktail was just scrumptious. have to thank James for jotting down the recipe for the Rum Cocktail he mixed for the chap too. Rum never tasted so good!!

http://www.thekings-christchurch.co.uk/

That's all for now peeps. Easter hols nearly over and I'm sat updating the blog with a cup of tea and a hot cross bun on the sofa. Easter eggs all gone and the rain has set in. :-(   Might have to crack out the egg cup and get the boileys on just to prolong the chilled out Easter vibe...



The streets were paved with coffee

As I sit on the not so speedy train to London I've been reading this rather interesting article about the past of London's coffee houses. A far cry from today's Starbucks or Pret where very few strangers will share a glance across a cup of flat white, let alone ask the opinion of another customer.
Anyone wishing to share their favourite independent coffee shop in London for me to sample this weekend?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/uk/london/9153317/London-cafes-the-surprising-history-of-Londons-lost-coffeehouses.html

get cosy

...and whilst yesterday's post was dedicated to teapots, today is all about the cosy.

Teapot tragedy.

I've just read in the Sunday Times (better late than never) that tea pot sales are down 40%. Sacrilege! How are people brewing a good cuppa without them?