Crumbs to Crunch

If you love board games but don't have a great selection at home, I have have found just the place for you - Draughts , London's first café dedicated to board games. My goodness, their collection is vast ranging from quick and easy games to complex strategy based games. The format is simple, you pay £5 for a session to access over 800 games and you can play as many as you like. My friend and I are board game amateurs so we stuck to the family section and had a laugh drawing terrible pictures in Pictionary, playing Banagrams and Who's in the bag? Not only can you play games with friends but also have a cuppa and a natter. While the cake selection is small, it is tasty. I enjoyed a gorgeously gooey brownie packed with chocolate chunks and a zingy lemon tart. All in all, it was an excellent way to spend the day, in from the cold. I would love to go back with a big group so we wouldn't be limited to two player games. I can't wait!

Who'd have thought that you could find a safari in South Wales, let alone one made out of Lego? Cardiff Bay was recently taken over by the Great Brick Safari, twelve giant Lego animal models. There was a whole range of Lego models including a crocodile, gorilla and lion. All the models were highly detailed, it was incredible to think they were all created from a toy that every child has played with. I absolutely adored the kangaroo complete with a little Lego joey in her pouch. The elephant was very impressive, measuring 2.5m tall and it took 1600 hours to build! After examining the models, I visited a cupcake shop nearby called The Deck . What sets their cupcakes apart is that each one has a special filling as well as flavoured icing on top. I was spoilt for choice as many flavours are inspired by my favourite chocolate bars but in the end I went for an apple crumble cupcake. This cake had a gorgeous fresh apple centre and was topped with icing and crumbled bisc...

When I think of the Barbican in London, masses of concrete springs to mind. Recently, I was amazed to discover a jungle is stashed in the heart of this urban space. This jungle is housed in a huge conservatory which is rarely open to the public. I was struck by the stark contrast between the lofty trees and carp drifting in water with the concrete walls and metal pillars. Every turn led to another surprise as the foliage was quite dense. Following a walkway in the canopy, I came across a whole hidden section dedicated to weird and wonderful cacti.  What's more, you can have a proper afternoon tea amidst the jungle. Unfortunately, I did not have the foresight to book ahead so the normal Barbican café was the next best thing. The conservatory was surprisingly cool so it was good to warm up with a hot chocolate and munch on a tasty white chocolate and raspberry muffin.  I cannot recommend enough exploring the Barbican conservatory. It's free to visit and ...

Ice cream is not just for summer, in my book! I found the perfect ice cream for a nippy winter evening at Chin Chin Labs in London which specialises in ice cream made using liquid nitrogen.  Chin Chin Labs produce a whole host of interesting flavours such as blackberry and coriander, coconut sticky rice and advacado! I chose a scoop of white truffle popcorn. As it was chilly outside, I had the ice cream as part of the 'warmie' - a hot chocolate brownie cookie, topped with ice cream of your choice, covered in a chocolate dome. This dessert was as good as it sounds! I loved the contrast between the soft warm cookie and the ice cream. The ice cream had a different texture from conventional ice cream, it was more like melted marshmallow but cold! The chocolate dome added another level of extravagance. So this is the way to enjoy ice cream in winter, have a warmie!

The most famous literary tea party is the Mad Hatter's tea party in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland so where better to have tea than Guildford, the town where Lewis Carroll wrote Through the Looking Glass ?  Guildford has many links with Lewis Carroll who bought a cottage there for his six sisters. Throughout his life he was a frequent visitor to the town and is even buried in the local cemetery. There is a lovely statue of Alice through the looking glass which is just a stone's throw from where Carroll's sisters lived. On the riverbank, there is another fun statue of Alice chasing the white rabbit.  Delving into the world of Alice couldn't be complete without my own mini tea party! I went to Caracoli , a bright café with huge windows overlooking the High Street. As the weather was rather autumnal, I tried the buttermilk spice cake which was a rich sponge with a tangy icing. I was intrigued by the Monk pear tea, purely because of its name. This bla...

The Crumbs to Crunch sisters have always loved autumn colours . This year, I planned a special hike up Fukushima's most famous mountain, Mt. Bandai. Unfortunately, the weekend I chose for the hike happened to be right before typhoon Lan! Due to the lashing rain, we were forced to abort our walk. However, nothing eases wet weather blues like a nice cup of tea.  Mt. Bandai We found a charming little cafe called 1888, right next to the  Mt. Bandai Erruption Museum (a great little museum with information in English, well worth checking out). The name of the café refers to the eruption of Mt Bandai in 1888 which buried five villages and killed 477 people. Part of the mountain was blown off, creating the nearby Five Coloured Lakes (Goshikinuma).  Five Coloured Lakes (Goshikinuma) Ordinarily, 1888 would have a lovely view of the twin peaks of Bandai. However, due to the terrible weather, we could only just make it out in the mist! Even ...

Crumbs to Crunch have long been fans of the cake shop, Konditor & Cook . Over the years, their signature bake, the Curly Wurly (a dark chocolate sponge with vanilla cream cheese icing and chocolate curls) has been our birthday cake of choice. However, it is dull to eat the same thing so I popped into their London Bridge bakery to check out what else was on offer. As the weather is distinctively autumnal, I tried some pumpkin spiced cheesecake. The cheesecake filling was silky smooth, not too sweet and full of spice. The crumbly pastry base contrasted well with the filling. I also ordered the new sticky toffee cake. Sticky toffee pudding is my favourite dessert and this cake version did not disappoint. The toffee cake was sandwiched with caramel, smothered in mascarpone icing and drizzled with toffee sauce. So often, toffee flavoured desserts just taste of sugar but this cake was spot on.  After trying these sweet delights, I can't wait to go back to try some mor...

I love the outdoors and watching natural history documentaries yet I had never heard of Gilbert White who is often dubbed as the father of ecology. I recently visited his house-turned-museum, in the idyllic village of Selborne in Hampshire where I learnt about this fascinating man. Gilbert White was a man with many hats - a curate, naturalist and author. His most famous work , The Natural History of Selborne, was published in 1789 and was the first English language book of its kind. In fact, it has never been out of print since. Gilbert White observed animals in the wild which was highly unusual at the time as most scientists dissected specimens in the comfort of their own study.  Through Gilbert's observations, he identified that what was thought of as one species of bird, was actually three separate species. Nowadays, you can visit the garden where Gilbert made all his important discoveries. The grounds were ever so tranquil and full of colour. They are so lovely t...

I have spent many hours drooling over Cupcake Jemma's imaginative recipe videos on YouTube. My icing skills are not a patch on hers so I went to see how the professionals do it at her bakery, Crumbs & Doilies in London. Space unicorn cupcake I was not disappointed! Two bright cakes caught my eye, the space unicorn cake and the rainbow cake . Often multicoloured cakes are more style than substance but these enticing creations were delicious. The space unicorn had a wacky swirly icing with a melt-in-the-mouth chocolate sponge with chocoalte chips. The rainbow cake also had an excellent flavour. My favourite was the less visually stunning yet tasty Biscoff rocky road. This was a fun update on a normal rocky road by using white chocolate, marshmallow, Biscoff biscuit spread and biscuit chunks. The contrast between the silky smooth mixture with the crunchy biscuit was a dream. Rainbow cake Crumbs & Doilies is located in the quaint Kingly Court in Soho. The bake...

Why is it whenever someone opens a box of Jaffa Cakes, we have to have the old biscuit/cake debate? I assume this is just a fun British quirk that perplexes foreigners. However, I have discovered a Jaffa Cake in distinctive cake form at the wonderful Chapter One Books in Manchester's Northern Quarter. Chapter One is paradise as it combines my two loves, books and cake.  My Jaffa Cake was a wonder, a slice of delicate orange sponge with an orange curd centre and smothered in dark chocolate. There was also a lovely loose leaf tea collection. Unlike many bookshop cafés, the books and food are not separated but are blended seamlessly together. There are books all over the walls, bookcases dotted around and books even take pride of place on a picnic bench by an indoor fountain! One of my favourite parts of this space is a corner dedicated to typewriters in various states of repair, perhaps to inspire budding writers. The jumble of books and curiosity items provides lots of...

Canterbury is such a historic city so I was looking for a traditional place for afternoon tea. Tiny Tim's Tearoom was the perfect place. Housed in a gorgeous 17th century building, this tearoom is particularly inviting with its baked goods displayed in the shop windows. Inside, Glen Miller was playing softly in the background, giving the place a nostalgic, vintage feel. Many British favourites were on offer, such as, crumpets, scones and hearty sponge cakes. I had an excellent coffee and walnut cake which had a wonderfully potent coffee flavour unlike many shop-bought ones. Served with a dollop of cream, ice cream or custard, these cakes are the ultimate comfort food. Tea is also in abundance. I tried Keemun Orchid which was a black tea that had notes of plum, orchid, sesame and pine. There are also more traditional blends for those who prefer more conventional tea. I attended this tearoom alone after a pleasant morning visiting Canterbury Cathedral. However, was I t...

Cake consumption is a serious business so Teacup Kitchen in Manchester's Northern Quarter is not for the faint-hearted! Make sure you're hungry as their cake slices are towers of sponge and icing. Not only are these cakes enormous but also visually inviting such as the blinding rainbow cake and the red velvet in a deep shade of red.  I opted for a huge slab of lemon cake with white chocolate curls. It was a glorious combination of flavours, the sponge was very lemony and the icing was silky smooth. They also offered an interesting range of teas, I had the vanilla cacoa which was a blend of yunan and assam tea with cocoa nibs and vanilla. It had a sweet scent that smelt a lot like a cake you might eat! So if you're looking for a hearty slice of cake, Teacup Kitchen is for you.

Books and tea are a winning combination. Our latest find is London Review Cake Shop , a tiny café part of the London Review Bookshop. It is just a stone's throw from the British Museum and is the perfect spot for a cuppa and a browse after visiting the museum.  This chic café takes tea ever so seriously and offers an extensive selection. I ordered the white peony tea with rose buds served on a gong fu tea set. I have to admit that I am not familiar with gong fu but from what I gather, gong fu is a Chinese tea ceremony which translates as 'the art of doing something well'. This means that the tea making process cannot be rushed in order to brew the perfect tea.  The tea set was a thing of beauty - a glass teapot, jug and cup served on a bamboo box. There were quite a few steps to follow, firstly I poured hot water into the teapot with the tea leaves and waited for the tea to infuse. The scent of the rose buds was divine. I then poured the tea into the glass jug ...

Halloween is almost upon us and when you think of Halloween, you think of pumpkins. While I do love carving them, I hate eating this mushy vegetable or so I thought till I tried pumpkin bread at yumchaa at Camden Lock in London.    Pumpkin bread with Chilli Chilli Bang Bang tea I think spices are the flavour of autumn. At this time of year, I love making apple pies and crumbles with lots of cinnamon so I decided to try pumpkin bread as it is also full of spice. In the UK, putting pumpkin in desserts is less common so I was intrigued to see how it would taste. I was pleasantly surprised, the pumpkin bread was quite dense yet smooth and packed full of flavour from the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. To continue the spice theme, I had a pot of the amusingly named Chilli Chilli Bang Bang, a rooibos tea with a kick of ginger, red peppercorns, red thistle and cinnamon. The spices in the tea were very warming without being overpowering. Maple glazed spiced p...

Scones piping hot from a 1930s Aga, the tinkling of ivories and stunning views of the rolling Surrey Hills is the perfect recipe for a relaxing day out. Tea with a view! I had a very musical outing at the home of composer Ralph Vaughn Williams, Leith Hill Place in Surrey. I only discovered this special place fairly recently and I am so glad I did. The house is run by the National Trust but it is still quite a small operation. While the house is quite rough around the edges compared with other National Trust properties, it feels more alive than some other stuffy stately homes.  The house's musical tradition is kept alive by having pianos everywhere! Not only can you see Vaughn Williams's piano but visitors are also serenaded by fantastic pianists on the grand in the drawing room. Moreover, there are plenty of other pianos dotted around the house so I couldn't resist having a little play. What I love is that all the visitors get involved so you needn't feel ...

It is no secret that at Crumbs to Crunch do love their afternoon tea , so you can imagine my joy when I came across a chocolate afternoon tea. Chococo is a brightly coloured chocolate café just a stone's throw from Winchester Cathedral. Here you cannot simply ask for a hot chocolate. Oh no, you need to consider several factors - the percentage of cocoa, where the cocoa beans are sourced as well as extra syrups. I was feeling particularly extravagant so I ordered the chocolate afternoon tea. My hot chocolate was of the Madagascan variety, 70% cocoa flaked chocolate. This luscious drink was rich and creamy yet not too sweet nor bitter. It even came with a little chocolate. Instead of your average scone, I received a warm scone dotted with melted chocolate chips, smothered in thick dulce de leche and clotted cream.  The chocolate afternoon tea was a decadent delight. However, this amount of chocolate is not for the faint-hearted, only chocoholics need apply!  ...

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside... The Literary Lady and I did a little day trip to Brighton. We were quite deflated when we were met with high force gales and lashing rain. Not exactly ideal for a beach day. However, we are British and like so many of our countrymen, we soldiered on regardless because what do you expect from the Great British Summer?  In fact it turned out to be a lovely day. We navigated the warren of streets that is The Lanes and took refuge in the aptly named That Little Teashop In The Lanes . You cannot find a more traditional teashop from the floral china to the waitresses dressed in little hats an aprons. As well as all the cake classics like Victoria Sponge, they had also rustled up a raspberry and elderflower cake.  Elderflower is one of the flavours of the summer. I recently made some elderflower cordial so I was intrigued to taste it in cake form. At first all I could taste was the raspberry but then the elderflower suddenl...

After celebrating the arrival of Spring in Japan , it was high time to do the same in England. While in Japan it's all about blossom, England has to offer some fantastic bluebells.  Hatchlands in Surrey is a stately home famous for its large collection of pianos and harpsichords. However the star attraction that day was to be found in the forest.  I followed the trail past a tree house and eventually came across a bluebell glade. It was a magical sight, I even found a fairy sized door at the bottom of one of the tree trunks. I knocked but there was no answer... After losing myself amongst the bluebells, I headed to the stables which have been converted into a delightful tea room. I came late in the day and was crestfallen at the lack of cake. However there was some Victoria Sponge still going. I'd forgotten just how good Victoria Sponge is, often mistaking it as a boring choice but now consider it a classic. I had suc...

All You Read is Love is one of those rare places where you can stay for hours and never run out of things to do. This quirky café-cum-bookshop-cum-radio station in Leytonstone is the ideal place to spend a relaxing Saturday afternoon or a quiet evening with friends.  The decor is rough around the edges yet teeming with interesting upcycled pieces. It feels like you're hanging out in your hipster friend's living room listening to classic tunes on vinyl or improvising on the piano. The bookshop part offers eclectic secondhand or new volumes. I was loving the Scandi Lit corner, a nod to Nordic Noir fanatics like me.  The café also did not disappoint. My friend an I polished off a simple yet delicious pecan and banana slice as well as a generous slice of coconut and nutella sponge. Strangely, what stood out for me was not the cake but the homemade hot elderflower. I had just been on a walk in Epping Forest therefore it was an ideal post-walk treat. Whilst enjoying ou...

One of my pet hates about Britain is that tea rooms close so early. Many a time have I been turned away at 4pm, gasping for a cup of tea! Spain is the perfect antidote to this as their whole day starts hours after ours. So you can imagine my delight when I stumbled across Tekoe , a tea bar in Madrid.  Hooray! I can finally have a late night cuppa if I wish! Tekoe is ultra modern yet cosy. They boast shelves upon shelves of loose leaf teas in bright green tins. I ordered an Evening Chai, an orange chamomile and mint concoction. It was a very light and soothing tea which was also a naturally sweet. For the real tea addicts, they also offer Earl Grey cake which is a lovely sponge with just hints of Earl Grey and a drizzle of icing. If you fancy going out one evening but don't fancy drinking then Tekoe is the perfect place for a chill evening with friends.