By Jove! Tearoom, Burwell, Cambridgeshire

Dr. Tex was gracious enough to treat us to a sumptuous tea at By Jove! tearoom, a charming English house nestled in Burwell.  I loved the enormous sandwiches (the "fingers" that inspired these likely belonged to the Jolly Green Giant), the homemade cake, and the iPod dock secreted behind a vase of flowers.  There are also two little gift shop rooms that sell hilarious things like hand-knitted tea cozies, notebooks with the Queen of England's portrait on the cover, and tartan passport covers.  (Oddly enough, there were also Wizard of Oz mint tins, which did not strike me as either British or tea-related, but oh well).  

Each of us had the traditional set afternoon tea which came with the aforementioned enormous "finger" sandwiches (egg salad, tuna salad, and cucumbers with butter), a ridiculously large "slice" of cake of your choice, two raisin scones served with clotted cream and jam, and tea or coffee.   I was warned to come hungry, so I made a point of eating nothing all day long in an effort to "conquer" this tea.  Well, I managed to devour all of the sandwiches and one of the scones, but I ended up taking home the cake for Major Obvious and the kiddies to share.  Oh, and I took home the other scone, too, but I ended up eating it before I had a chance to tell anyone about it.  These things sometimes happen.

The Rose & Crown, Snettisham, Norfolk

On our way back from Norfolk Lavendar, we stopped off at The Rose & Crown.  This charming gastropub serves up an incredible variety of delicious food.  Skyscraper-high cheeseburgers on ciabatta with bacon, matchstick French-style fries (no thick English-inspired chips here, to the delight of Sweet Pea), crispy pork belly served alongside grilled peaches, sauteed scallops and halibut on a bed of black risotto...everyone found something delicious to devour.  We even had the opportunity to try something new...the scallops and halibut were served with a side of marsh samphire.  It seemed odd to eat these vegetables, as they looked like the plastic plants that one would find in someone's aquarium.  But this sea plant consisted of pods along a rosemary-like stalk that exploded with salty flavor when we bit them.  Complete with a children's menu, friendly staff, and a fun layout made up of multiple little rooms, The Rose & Crown is a fabulous lunch stop and we look forward to going again.

Dinner in Edinburgh...With Kids!

We ate a lot of Italian and Scottish food while in Edinburgh, but it seemed that our favorite stop might have been at Mussell Inn.  It was so much fun sitting outside during a calm summer evening and watching Sweet Pea devour mussell after mussell.  Our server was duly impressed when he saw her empty mussell pot, "Where are you putting it?  You're so tiny!"  

If you find yourself in Edinburgh, you might want to stop off at Martone for some homemade gelato and pizza.  Centotre, located in a gorgeously restored Georgian mansion, offers freshly made pastas and fun activity packets for kids.  

Scottish Brunch and Tea

I just spent the past several days in Edinburgh, Scotland with the family.  Perhaps our favorite activity was eating brunch or having tea there.  This wonderful city has no shortage of places!  We loved our butternut squash risotto at Always Sunday (served on top of a butternut squash half so that you just scoop out more squash while you're eating the creamy rice). Major Obvious and the kids enjoyed munching on bacon and Belgian waffles at Treacle while watching reruns of Streetfighter cartoons.  I particularly loved the smoked salmon sandwiches and shopping at eteaket, where the kids were delighted to partake in their first "babyccinos" (steamed, foamy milk with swirls of cocoa on top).  The hog roast sandwiches at oink are super tasty as well.      

More London Finds

While hanging out in Knightsbridge for a few days, we found some more yummy treats in London.  My mother uncovered the treasure that is Harvey Nichols' Lime and Coconut Curd.  Completely sublime and utterly decadent!

We also loved dining at Da Scalzo on Brompton Road, a dream-come-true Italian restaurant that manages to tick all the boxes.  They serve breakfast (heavenly Eggs Benedict), make wonderful pizzas, turn out the best mushroom risotto I've ever tried, and are somehow child-friendly.  How do they do it?  I have no idea, but it's amazing.  They also have an incredible bakery that turns out fabulous almond croissants, eclairs, tiramisu, homemade donuts and chestnut meringues that you are more than welcome to take home with you in case you ate too much Italian sausage and mash.  It's the perfect stop after marveling at the Chihuly sculpture at the Victoria & Albert, having butterflies land on you at the Natural History Museum, or checking out Lewis Hamilton's F1 car at the Science Museum.

If you'd like to enjoy the famous Fortnum & Mason experience with kids, skip the St. James room at head to The Parlour Restaurant.  You can partake in quail egg and ham or rare roast beef sandwiches while the kids devour grilled cheeses, then dive into fabulous ice cream sundaes or ethereal coffee drinks.  With unique flavors such as stem ginger honey and old favorites like chocolate, mint chocolate chip or toffee, nobody will be disappointed.  

The Easiest Chicken In The World

Even though I love those recipes with the gigantic picture of a seven-layer chocolate cake iced to perfection, I must confess that I get most excited about the recipes that I use all of the time.  Don't you just get so jazzed when you read a magazine and there's an idea for a quick, easy and tasty dinner?  I think to myself, "Why didn't I think of it before?  Thank you, Mr./Ms. Celebrity Chef!!!"

Nigella Lawson is one of those great cooks who has fabulous ideas that work in the everyday kitchen.  I discovered this methodology of hers and use it once a week.  The beauty of this method is that it is extremely forgiving.  You can use 6-12 drumsticks (or any part of the bird, for that matter).  You can use buttermilk or yogurt (although I've found buttermilk to yield chicken that is more tender).  You can use lots and lots of cumin.  You can substitute honey for maple syrup, or you can omit that part all together.  Usually, I just eyeball everything and scoop it into the bag.  Enjoy!

Buttermilk Chicken Drumsticks

12 chicken drumsticks (approximately 1.25kg/3lbs total weight) 

500ml/17fl oz buttermilk 

60ml/2fl oz canola oil, plus 2 tbsp extra for drizzling 

2 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed 

1 tbsp sea salt or 1½ tsp table salt 

1 tsp ground cumin 

1 tbsp crushed peppercorns or freshly ground pepper (optional)

1 tbsp maple syrup (optional) 

1. Place the chicken drumsticks into a large plastic freezer bag and add the buttermilk and 60ml/2fl oz of canola oil. 

2. Add the lightly crushed garlic cloves to the bag along with the crushed peppercorns and salt. 

3. Sprinkle in the ground cumin and add the maple syrup, then gently squeeze the bag to mix the marinade ingredients together and coat the chicken. 

4. Seal the bag, place it on top of a plate, and leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge, ideally overnight, or out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to two hours. 

5. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. 

6. Take the chicken pieces out of the bag, shaking off the excess marinade, and arrange them in a roasting tin lined with foil.

7. Drizzle over the remaining two tablespoons of oil, then transfer to the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, or until golden-brown and completely cooked through. 

The Artichoke Lover In You

I've recently discovered a wonderful blog about...artichokes.  Crazy, right?  Well, look at these delicious dishes!  The author of On Artichokes in Italy travels around the country researching how various artichokes are grown, sampling gorgeous-looking plates, and inventing recipes as well.  Hopefully I will soon be able to try one of these recipes out.  In the meantime, the photos almost satisfy the hunger.  Almost!