Crumbs to Crunch

Brownsea Island is a mere twenty minute boat ride from Poole but it feels as remote as a desert island! This island was the birthplace of the scout movement so as soon as I stepped off the boat, I was ready for an adventure.  Though the island is small, the topography is diverse, from secluded beaches to heathland smothered in vibrant heather. The forest was of particular interest as Bownsea is famed for red squirrels, a rare sight in Britain after the introduction of grey squirrels from North America. I was thrilled to see my first red squirrel in a matter of minutes! Strolling through the wood, I met a mother peacock with her young. From the hide overlooking the wetlands, I spied many wading birds. All this exploration required sustenance which I found in the tea room in the shadow of a castle! The main appeal of the café was the vast window which offered spectacular views of Poole Harbour. The grub was pretty good too, we had a lovely cream tea and a slice of...

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!  ...

Battling through wind and rain at the seaside can only mean one thing - it's New Year! It may sound like madness but if you live in drizzly England, you might understand the peculiar tradition of battling the elements between Christmas and New Year to walk off mince pies and bond with your family. This year's wet excursion was along the cliffs towards Cuckmere Haven in Sussex. It is a truly beautiful spot and I was one of many windswept walkers to appreciate this eccentric tradition! Now that's my kind of mountain! To warm up after my chilly walk, I gladly had cream tea at the quaint Singing Kettle teahouse in Alfriston . As I was smothering my last scone of the year in jam, I felt rather reflective.  2015 has been an exciting year for the Crumbs to Crunch sisters. Once sister moved back from France while the other jetted off to Japan. This blog has inspired so many adventures in the name of good food. I'll leave you with some of my favouri...

8 cream teas in 10 days... we think that we have a serious problem! We spent ten glorious days in the West Country where we binged on the local speciality - cream tea. Never have we seen such an abundance of piping hot scones and lashings of clotted cream. The cream was so thick and delicious, we never knew that we had been missing out till now. As we have clearly been doing our research, here is a list of our favourite cream tea variations in Devon/Cornwall.  Strawberry Cream Tea - Madeleine's, St Ives A perfect way to finish a beach day in St Ives. With lovely staff, this is a traditional homely tea room. The fresh strawberries that came with our fresh out of the oven scones got us in the summer mood. Savoury Tea - The Dwelling House, Fowey Has the incessant afternoon-teaing left you shunning sweetness? Never fear, for you can have your scone and eat it too with a savoury tea. Hot cheese scones with chilli jam and luscious salad can tide you ove...