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...

If you go for a walk in the woods at this time of year, you might get a whiff of garlic. That's because it is prime wild garlic season! I spent a wonderful afternoon after work, foraging in the nearby forest. Wild garlic has long green leaves and small white flowers. It smells like garlic but tastes a lot milder than the garlic you get from the shops. Not only is the taste amazing but it is also free!  I used my wild garlic to make wild garlic and cheddar scones . Nothing went to waste, I used the leaves and the flowers in the scone mixture. The scones were so light and had a crispy cheesy top with a hint of garlic. They were a hit with my family so I definitely need to return to the woods to forage some more! It's a great excuse to get outside and be creative in the kitchen. You could make garlic bread, pesto or bubble and squeak.  The Telegraph  have a useful beginners guide for foraging wild garlic. The National Trust also have a guide on their...

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...

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...

Autumn is upon us once again. Last year Crumbs to Crunch was delighted by the autumnal colours of Winkworth Arboretum . This year I witnessed this gorgeous season at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh . It is hard to believe that this 70 acre haven is nestled in a city. What's more, it's free so everyone can enjoy the jewels of Autumn. As I wandered through the gardens, I passed through Scottish heathland, a peaceful Chinese water garden and towering trees from North America. They were all lovely but the trees stole the show with their vibrant yellows, reds and oranges. The glasshouses are also well worth a visit. For a small fee, I toured the Victorian greenhouses to see many wonders from delicate orchids to sinister Venus Fly traps.  No day out is complete without a trip to the tea rooms! I sampled a gorgeous double chocolate shortbread slice. Scotland is the home of shortbread after all and it did not disappoint! Whilst sipping my Lady Grey tea...

As previously discussed, the Crumbs to Crunch sisters suffer from a clotted cream addiction . However I recently discovered that this addiction also extends to the animal kingdom... Unfortunately I didn't manage to get a good picture of the cat. Oh the perils of being a feline resident of a tea room! I did see the tubby cat lolloping in the garden at the fabulous Orangery Café at  Ham House in Richmond. I sympathised as this is the fate that occurs to many the cake lover! Ham House is a grand Stuart house overlooking the river Thames. It has an extensive art collection that dates 400 years. However my favourite part of the estate were the delightful gardens, a mixture of formal gardens and wilderness. The kitchen garden is still well tended 400 years later and is home to the tea rooms and thus the podgy cat.  The Orangery Café looks straight out of a fairy tale with the creepers curling around the building. I tucked into my white chocolate and raspber...

For me there is nothing better to do on a sunny Sunday than have a day out at a stately home. I love strolling around the rose gardens, having picnics on hill tops and stepping back in time in a grand mansion. My favourite stately home is Polesden Lacey. This pretty yellow house is perched amongst the rolling Surrey hills and has the most beautiful gardens. The house itself is particularly interesting as many celebrities of the day attended raucous parties there, The house is full of secrets... In the grounds there is even a haunted cottage. According to local legend, an old woman transformed into an owl. The cottage is now a youth hostel so you could check out the ghost yourself! After all of this exploring, I inevitably find myself in the tea rooms! I think that it is nice to go traditional at stately homes - the classic British afternoon tea. At Polesden Lacey the scones are always freshly baked and if you're lucky, there sometimes even still hot from the oven....

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 ...

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...