Crumbs to Crunch

Have you ever wanted to experience a scene from a film? I love the moment in Tangled when Rapunzel arrives in the kingdom, dances to folk music and lights a lantern.   My dream came true yesterday in Lannion. I heard that Santa was in town and as I am full of Christmas cheer, I went to find him. I did not realise that Santa's possy would be a Breton bagpipe marching band!  To celebrate Christmas, the whole town was given a lantern and a free cup of mulled wine or hot chocolate. Fuelled with hot beverages and festive cheer, we marched through the medieval streets, clutching our lanterns and following the sound of the bagpipes. It felt so special to be part of a tradition so different from my own.  The festivities did not end there. The next morning, I got up bright and early to watch the Trail Urban - a 5km fun run. I loved seeing so many runners dressed as Father Christmas. They had to run up some very steep steps which lead to a church o...

I recently rediscovered how much I love drawing with crayons. You might be wondering how are crayons related to cake. Well, while I was waiting for my Chocolat Gourmand (more on that later), the owner of Crêperie Le St Glinglin slammed a pot of crayons down on the paper tablecloth. He said very seriously "No joke!" and waited for me to start drawing. I must say that I have absolutely no idea why he insisted that I do some colouring as none of the other customers were given crayons. However,  I gladly picked up my first crayon in years and started drawing. I found that it was very relaxing and wondered why people stop stop using crayons past the age of six. When my Chocolat Gourmand arrived it was magnificent. My hot chocolate was placed on a chopping board accompanied by lots of mini desserts: Crème brûlée ice cream A salted caramel and apple muffin A brownie Melted Chocolate and banana A Canelé (a mini sponge from Bordeaux) This marvellous ...

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..." but what do you do if you don't have a fireplace? Nothing feels more cosy and festive than chestnuts so I was very happy to discover the delights of chestnut moelleux at  Le Bistrot à Lire  in Quimper.  You may be wondering what moelleux are and how on earth to say this peculiar French word. A helpful waitress coached me on the pronunciation - mweh-luh . I felt oh so very French attempting to say such a foreign word! These little cakes are baked for a couple of minutes so the centre is all gooey. The result is a silky smooth hot chestnut treat.  My moelleux was accompanied with the Italien Thé des Ecrivains (fig and quince tea)  as part of the cake and hot drink deal for €6.10.  Le Bistrot  à Lire is also a bookshop so I felt perfectly at home polishing off my chestnut dessert while thumbing through books from all over the world. You can't get more cosy than that! 

Bath is a town steeped in history, well-known for its attractive Georgian buildings, connection with Jane Austen and, of course, its Roman Baths. As we're  Austen fans , Bath has always been high on our list of favourite places. Luckily, we've had the opportunity to visit the town many times, which means plenty of chances to find the perfect place for afternoon tea. The most famous tea room is  Sally Lunn's  which is situated in a lovely old building. For fellow Austen fans, I would also recommend the tea rooms at the Jane Austen Centre . Spend the morning looking round the fun exhibitions (plenty of opportunities to dress up in bonnets and practice your fan flirting), then pop upstairs for tea in the Georgian themed tea room. It's good fun as all the teas are named after Jane Austen characters and the people who work there are dressed up.  Scone and Bath Bun at The Bath Bun Tea Shoppe However, this week when I visited Bath, I decided it was time to eat a ...

There has been a Great British Bake Off shaped hole in my life since the show ended last month. I could no longer follow the dessert related triumphs and meltdowns from the comfort of my sofa until I discovered  Le Meilleur Patissier . This is the French version of Bake Off and is pretty much exactly the same but in French. Instead of Paul and Mary, they have Cyril and Mercotte. The contestants do the same type of challenges but the only real difference is that the cakes are mainly French. In a way, Le Meilleur Pattisier is more interesting to watch as I have not heard of at least half of the cakes.  Last week the contestants had a particularly difficult challenge to make their own Bavarois . This is a mousse made out of different layers of mousse and fruit with a sponge base. When the judges cut through the middle, the inside was stunning with the different colours of each layer.  After I watched this episode, I knew I had to try some. I found a salted...

We heard that Brittany produces a lot of butter and salt so we were intrigued to try some of there salty buttery desserts. A slightly salty cake may sound strange but is actually quite nice, if not a little heavy! We bought some  Far Breton which is a type of flan with prunes. We are not huge fans of prunes so this cake was not our favourite. However, we  were also curious to try Kouign Amann which is a flaky buttery cake that featured on Great British Bake Off.  Slices of Far Breton and Kouign Amann The Kouign Amann caused many problems on the Great British Bake Off as nobody had ever heard of this breton cake. However, in Brittany, you will find this cake in every bakery. Having tasted the local boulangerie's Kouign Amann, we were inspired to make our own . We knew it would be a challenge but if they can make it on the Great British Bake Off, so can we!  We wanted to use an authentic French recipe so we used this excellent recipe  fr...

It is no secret that we love ice cream but sometimes the same old flavours can get a bit dull. We're always on the looks out for new flavours and found a peculiar tomato ice cream  in Nice.  We even created our own  apple crumble ice cream . However, making your own ice cream requires a lot of effort so on a lazy day Murphy's  in Dublin is the perfect antidote to vanilla induced boredom.   As soon as we entered, we realised that this was no ordinary ice cream parlour. The staff were quick to sing the praises of their most popular flavour - salt. Yes, you read that right, salt . We were highly sceptical but were astonished to find that salt ice cream is strangely refreshing. It actually reminded us a lot of Mini Milks which are ice lollies that were very popular at children's birthday parties. Our nostalgia for Mini Milks pushed us to be more adventurous so we asked for a scoop of brown bread ice cream and another of oat flavour....

As was fairly obvious in my recent post about the beginning of autumn, I can feel a bit negative about the start of the colder months. However recently I've been reconnecting with the outdoors, and I have to admit that autumn sure is beautiful. Winkworth Arboretum is probably the best place to see those autumn colours. Near Guildford in Surrey, this beautiful collection of trees really comes into its own in autumn. The grounds cover a hillside, so you can find yourself winding down a secluded pathway, hidden beneath a beautiful orange canopy. The maple trees are particularly beautiful at the moment, and their stark red colour really makes the landscape stunning. There are plenty of secret corners and good trees to climb! And when you've finished your leisurely walk, there's always time to pop into the tearoom next to the wigwam for a scone or two... Another place to see those autumn colours is Windsor Great Park. At a weekend, this park has such a lovely ...

Guinness is pretty much synonymous with Ireland as you cannot escape the brand from the many pints sipped in pubs to the numerous Guinness related souvenirs. It seems that when in Ireland, it is practically obligatory to try this stout. However, I am not keen on beer and so felt like I was missing out on this typically Irish experience. I was fretting about this predicament until Fellini  saved me. This little café in Cork gave me the opportunity to taste Guinness in my favourite form - cake. I indulged in a chocolate Guinness cake and a jug of hot chocolate. At first I was reluctant to try it because stout and chocolate seemed like a bizarre combination. However I was pleasantly surprised. I could definitely taste the Guinness but it added to the richness of the cake. As a result, I can proudly say that I have tried Guinness and have done one of the "musts" as a tourist in Ireland, even if it was only in cake form!  The spiced orange cake and caramel meringue wer...

We can't deny it any longer, autumn is upon us. After a glorious summer of sunshine, travel and cake, it can be hard to settle into the dreariness of the colder months. We're back at work, the days are getting shorter and the weather is getting worse. Sigh.   However, it's not all doom and gloom. Autumn does bring with it some fairly spectacular seasonal foods. In the cake world, the king of autumn is the crumble.   Recently we tried a pretty good crumble in Dublin that we just had to share. Queen of Tarts is a cosy little café with two premises- one just opposite Dublin Castle, and another round the corner in Cows Lane. Both ooze comfort and homeliness, with the warm colour scheme and magnificent cake stands. It's just perfect when you want a snug hideaway on those gloomy wet days.     So once you're inside, you've thrown off your coat and shaken the rain from your umbrella, what are you going to order? My advice would be the crumble. Th...

We may have found a contender to rival the glorious hot chocolate from  A chacun sa tasse  in Lyon but this time it's in Dublin. Butlers  is a chocolate café (the best kind of café in our opinion) that offers a wide selection of chocolates as well as hot chocolates. As soon as we walked through those shiny doors, we were already salivating at the sweet aroma that hit us. We were met with a chocolate dilemma: what should we try when everything smells so good? Should we buy a hot chocolate or try some of the little chocolates? In the end we opted for a silky praline hot chocolate, the wonderfully spicy chilli flavour and the cookie flavour where they actually crumble oreos into your drink. The variety of hot chocolates was divine but the best part was choosing a chocolate to go with your drink. That's right, chocolate with a hot chocolate - the best of both worlds! Some may say that it's too rich but we weren't complaining. We had entered chocolate heaven.

I'm going through a bit of a peanut butter phase at the moment. I just can't get of that peanutty goodness. So my friend's recommendation to try the peanut butter slice at Accents Coffee and Tea Lounge in Dublin could not be more timely. Accents is a lovely cafe in Dublin that has won prizes for its friendliness. The girl who worked there was so lovely, happy to chat and give tea recommendations. We went for a chai latte and a citrus tea that smelt like pure Christmas. When we requested the much-talked-of peanut butter slice, the girl's face lit up. "it's one of those few things that taste so good that you want to cry" she informed us. It was a lot to live up to, but she was soon proved right. If you like, the peanut butter slice is heated up in the microwave until it becomes a gooey pile of chocolate and nutty goodness. Luxurious, rich and delicious. This is food heaven. Once the peanut butter slice was gone, the café is also a ...

Story-telling is the oldest and simplest form of entertainment. But in today's world of inescapable screens, flashing lights and loud music the humble story has been left behind. Nowadays our concentration can barely stretch beyond a half-hour soap on the telly. Sometimes I worry that we've all forgotten how to listen to each other. Just to sit and enjoy each other's company without special effects or distractions. But then a project like Milk and Cookies comes along and reminds me that, thankfully, I am wrong. Milk and Cookies is a story-telling initiative in Dublin. Once a month, the group meet in a historical building (once it was even in Dublin Castle!) to eat cake and share stories. We popped along to this month's meeting in the Dublin Writer's Centre, a lovely Georgian building in the heart of Dublin. There's an immediate cosy atmosphere as you walk in, with blankets and beanbags strewn across the floor. The room was packed, proving...

We are constantly told on the news that we are living in an unstable world and all of these terrible events can sometimes make us feel disillusioned. However, if you are ever in need of a reminder that people are kind and are capable of wonderful things, head straight to  The Dock Café - an honesty box café in Belfast. You may think that it's crazy to say a cup of tea can restore your faith in humanity but hear me out. The main principle of the café is that there are no prices. Visitors just make a donation for the tea and cake that they have consumed.  An initiative based on honesty is such a unique and rewarding enterprise. The Dock Café  is now in its third year of business so honesty clearly works. In fact, Rev. Chris Bennett, the chaplain who helped set up the café, believes that they are making more money through donations than they would charging £1.95 for a coffee. This unusual project is run by volunteers and a church group to bring together communit...

"Stop watching so much TV and get back into reading" is my mantra for the summer. It recently dawned on me that while I have watched three different adaptations of Jane Austen's beloved classic, Emma , I had never actually read the novel. So it was time to curl up on the sofa with a cup of tea and delve into the world of Austen. As I was reading about the famous, or perhaps infamous, 'badly done' picnic at Box Hill, I thought why not stage my own  (hopefully more successful) picnic at Box Hill. With this in mind, I and my Crumbs to Crunch counterpart donned our best bonnet and top hat and headed for the Surrey hills. For some reason, I could not convince my friends to also sport regency attire in public... While we were munching some cookies kindly baked by my friend, I realised that even though it was unlikely that Emma ate cookies at her picnic, very little has actually changed since the 1800s. The view from Box Hill was pretty much the same as Emma wou...

What do you do when you're gasping for a cup of tea on a hot summer's day? - Grab an ice tea for a refreshing tea fix. I found myself in such a situation on a boiling day in London where I was lucky enough to sip from a cup of home made ice tea at Camellia's Tea House. This tea room is located just off Carnaby Street in Kingly Court which provides a perfect tea break during a day out shopping. I enjoyed my ice tea with a slice of apple tart - a delightfully fruity combination.  The menu at Camellia's Tea House has pages and pages dedicated to tea so I will be sure to return on a cold winter's day to discover the perfect cuppa to warm me up! http://www.camelliasteahouse.com/

Sometimes, you visit a town with so many good cafés that you just can't choose which one to visit. I found myself in this quandary when I visited Toulouse.  The beautiful Ville Rose  is full of classy cafés. Here are some that managed to visit in 24 hours: Breakfast: Le Temps des Tartines I started the day at Les Temps des Tartines with a French take on a Full English. The best addition was the toast- you can't beat french bread and french jam! The raspberry jam was especially good. Also, you're not going to starve with the generous portion size! The highlight for me was the accompanying cinnamon hot chocolate- so delicious. https://fr-fr.facebook.com/pages/Le-Temps-des-Tartines/258250317541844 Morning Coffee: Le Moderni'thé This café wins points for its great modern style. The stylish interior is decorated with pop art that contrasts nicely with the stark white walls and bare bricks. The modern atmosphere was reflected nicely in the cake. We had a frai...

We'll be the first to admit that we're not the most active of people. In fact, we need a little incentive to even attempt some kind of cardiovascular. So when we went on holiday to the alps, our Dad knew the only way he could coax us up a mountain would be if there were a little sweet treat at the end of the trail... This is where refuges come in. These little mountain huts were invented for the hardy hikers to break up their expeditions and refuel. Thankfully, they also come in handy to lazy folks like us, who walk for 2 hours and declare themselves utterly exhausted and in great need of sustenance. This is exactly what happened on our recent trip to the Refuge des Bans in the Parc des Ecrins . Parc des Ecrins is a stunning national park in the French Alps, 2083m above sea level. Refuge des Bans is nestled in the mountains and the scenic walk up to it is not too demanding. You pass waterfalls, frog ponds and beautiful mountain flowers.   As if the wa...