Crumbs to Crunch

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 ...

It's very easy to get stuck in a tea rut - 2 cups of English Breakfast a day and perhaps a mug of Earl Grey if you're feeling fancy. However if your taste buds are craving adventure, get down to Chaiholics now! Chaiholics spacialise in Chai Latte and no they're not like the sickly sweet concoctions found in chains. As soon as I entered the café, I was struck by the exotic aroma as well as the fun Indian train station themed décor. I was immediately greeted by the friendly staff who were eager to help Chai novices such as myself. They have the whole range of Chai on display so customers can have a good old sniff to help them decide which Chai to choose. If this is not enough, there is also a guide on the wall stating the properties and health benefits of each flavour. As it was my first Chai,  I opted for a traditional Masala Chai which is Assam tea with cardamom, ginger, black pepper and cinnamon. I also chose Cardamom Chai which is supposed to help with ind...