Travel Archives - Page 5 of 17 Kitchen Conundrum

Kitchen On the Road- Cambridge Folk Festival and Tea at The Almonry

September 15, 2013 by Renee

After a brief trip back home to NYC to finish a project for a client, I made my way back to England. My arrival was just in time to attend the Cambridge Folk Festival for a second year in a row. The lineup was superb with bands such as Capercaille, The Waterboys, Bellowhead, The Levellers, Tommy Emmanuel and KT Tunstall headlining. The festival is one of the highlights of my year and always has so many terrific acts performing. Last year was a special treat with Nancy Griffith, John Prine and Billy Bragg along with so many other awesome performers. Next year is the festival’s 50th Anniversary and I am already looking forward to attending and finding out which bands will be there. No matter, it is sure to be an incredible time! You have to love the laid-back atmosphere and all the festivities going on around you. There are lots of food stands to choose from including Greek, Chinese and Mexican, plus one that sells the most delicious and messiest of burgers. The crowd itself is as interesting and diverse as you can get too. I love just people watching and noting all the fashion choices.

We even met up with some folks that we had met at the concert last year. It was great to catch up with them and to spend the last day of our concert together. I hope that when I get back there we can all get together again.

The festival is also where I discovered one of my new favorite drinks- the Pimm’s Cup. I had several over the course of the event as well as many types of ales and lagers. I really enjoy trying the different beers that are available all around England. To dispel any myths too about warm beer, not a single pint (or half) that I had was warm!

After the festival ended we had a few days to putter around Ely and Cambridge. So of course we explored some dining establishments!

First, there was tea time at The Almonry of Ely Cathedral. While we dined outside on the lawn in the shadows of the cathedral, there is also a full restaurant inside the 12th Century vaulted undercroft.

What a fabulous spot to enjoy a pot of cream tea, scones with clotted cream and homemade, sweet oat filled flapjacks that literally melted in your mouth.

When visiting Ely, The Almonry is a bit hidden and you might walk right by it. But, as you walk down High Street from the cathedral and you get to the town’s market square, look out for an open doorway on your right and take a couple of steps down which lead right into The Almonry’s garden. Here, you can enjoy coffee, tea, homemade cakes, sandwiches or light lunches in the garden with wonderful views of Ely Cathedral. Or in the undercroft restaurant, you can have a more substantial home-cooked meal. But I’d go just for the flapjacks and the clotted cream! And for the company…

The Almonry

Ely Cathedral

High Street, Ely Cambs

www.elycathedral.org

A Perfect Pimm’s No. 1 Cup- A Delightful Summer Sipper

August 14, 2013 by Renee

Pimm’s #1 is an English gin based alcohol, that, when mixed with 7-up (the closet thing we have to their ‘lemonade’) and garnished with various fruits such as strawberries, cucumbers, orange slices and lemon peels with sprigs of mint, transforms into a cocktail called a Pimm’s Cup. It’s so light, fruity and refreshing. A perfect drink on a hot summer’s day. And I love it! It’s my tipple of choice!

When I first saw it being served at the Cambridge Folk Festival, I thought it was Sangria, because of all the fruit they had packed into the glasses and pitchers. But this slightly spicy and fruity beverage is much lighter in color and is rather low in alcohol content making it the perfect drink to have when you are having more than one, which is probably why it’s the traditional drink of Wimbledon. Can’t have the fans become too rowdy at a tennis match! (Leave that to the players!) Anywho…

Here’s my first Pimm’s Cup at the folk festival. They served it with a sparkly stick which I used to spear the fruit from the bottom with. Yum!

I bought a large bottle of Pimm’s No.1 at the grocery store in Cambridge and thankfully, it made it home in one piece, safely bubble wrapped and wedged between clothes and cans of ~~foie gras~~ coffee from Paris (shhh!). So I will be making more of these delightful cocktails for the rest of the summer or until my bottle runs dry. Whichever comes first.

Here’s some I made today. I used a lot of fruit. Next time I will try it with Ginger Ale. But the color matches exactly to the original one I had.

Here is the final version. Full of fruit and mint. Light and refreshing. They go down easy. Maybe too easy.

Now make your own:

The Original Pimm’s Cup

In a tall glass over ice, mix 1 part Pimm’s No.1 with 3 parts 7-up

Add

2 lemon peel slices
1 slice of orange
2 fresh strawberries, halved
2 cucumber slices
1 large sprig of mint

Give a stir and serve.

To make a Pimm’s Royale, replace the 7-up with Cava, Champagne or Prosecco and omit all the fruit except the strawberries. Leave out the ice and serve in a champagne glass and you have a brunch cocktail to rival a mimosa.

Cheers!

Kitchen On the Road- Sights of London, Tate Modern and The Prince Albert Pub

August 11, 2013 by Renee

I had a day of sightseeing in London, so me and about five million other tourists made our way to Buckingham Palace to see the infamous “Changing of the Guard”. I had no idea, really, just how many people there would be there. Not only was I no where near the gates, I was across the street, down the block and behind some rather tall people. However, my trusty Canon G12 in hand, I was able to at least get some shots worth keeping.

The band was rather good. They played several modern day tunes including several from films and musicals and even some by Sir Elton John.

I even got a picture of the guy in front of me videotaping the festivities.

After the guard took their places and final people were moving away from the palace, I meandered down The Mall to the Horse Guard Parade. I do feel for these guys who stand so staunch while all the tourists pose with them. I wonder if they ever just want to crack a smile or make a weird face in the photos. I would.

The funny thing is, when approaching from The Mall, you literally turn the corner right into the horses here. This little sign is on the far side of the archway and it would be a bit too late if you happened to walk smack into the horse. That’s British humor for you!

Crossing the bridge by the Elizabeth Tower lends some lovely views. (It’s not called Big Ben- that is the bell of the clock in the tower formerly known as the Clock Tower. Trivia alert!)

But across the way, you can take Queen’s Walk all the way along the River Thames towards London Bridge and Tower Bridge passing the popular London Eye. It’s really a great way to see a lot of the city and take some some spectacular views and people watching.

How’s this for urban gardening!?! What a great way to use old windows and create raised beds.

There is also some fun for the kids en route.

These are some fun ads I couldn’t pass up. I can just hear the one on the right as the excuse to why one would play hooky from work.

Three bridges, a boat and a train in a row!

I had made my way to the Tate Modern, which is free by the way, and had a look around. I love the MOMA here in NY and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, so I was hoping this would be of the same caliber. It wasn’t. I was a bit let down. But I did have a brilliant time watching life imitate art. Do you see it too?

And my favorite one-

Could they be any more similar? Her bottoms match the bottom of the painting and the colors in her shirt match the top! Uncanny!

I loved the William Eggleston and Graciela Iturbide photography exhibits, along with several of the pieces of art held there, but for the most part, it just was not the best modern art museum I have been to. But I can check it off the list now!

After this full day of sights I was famished! And who woudnt be after walking the entire length of the River Thames. So I met friends for dinner. I suggested a “pub I found by a bridge”.

Turns out, my pub of choice, The Prince Albert Pub, is a gastro pub right at the foot of the Albert Bridge, one of the loveliest painted bridges in all of London! It’s just opposite the Albert Gate entry to Battersea Park and across the bridge from the neighborhood of Chelsea (famous for Princess Di’s gym). Oh, and the food? Superb! Win!

We started with a zesty, fresh and cool gazpacho and a salad of mixed beans with salty, cracked olives and rocket We had the bone in strip steak which was melt in your mouth tender, peppery and topped with a sweet tomato salsa. and there was also a thinly sliced duck breast served over a spicy watermelon salad with chilis and mint. The watermelon had been soaked in lime juice beforehand and it had the most refreshing flavor. Every now and then you’d get a zing from a chili but it was quickly calmed by the cold of the watermelon and the mint and duck combination. I want to recreate this dish for certain. It was so good!

Of course dinner wouldn’t be complete without dessert. A warm brownie with vanilla ice cream and creme brulee is always a good standard dessert. You really can’t go wrong with that!