Chai and Indian Almond Croissant

Location: Taxi stand, Kovalam, Kerala, India

Date: 12 January 2009

Details: Chai with an Indian pastry

Notes:

This chai wallah served a fantastic shot of chai for the grand sum of 5Rs - less than 10p. His stall was close to the taxi stand in Kovalam so he was busy all day from 8am until early evening. Watching the chai being prepared is great street-theatre. The milk is heated with spices (cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, peppercorns, cloves) and then the hot tea is strained into it. Then the wallah pours it from above his head into the tiny glasses. Aerating it like this supposedly brings out the flavours, and it certainly makes it more aromatic.

The pastry was a kind of Indian almond croissant. Again, only 5Rs. The wallah told us it was called a "baps" or something... Imagine a Peshwari naan morphed into a croissant. Delicious. Nick would scoff four in a row if I wasn't watching him.

Jasmine Green Tea and Dime Bar Ice-cream

Location: G&Ds, Little Claredon Street, Oxford

Date: 12 December 2008

Details: Jasmine green tea and an American-sized scoop of 'Dime Bar' ice-cream.

Notes: This quirky little ice-cream parlour has a well-deserved excellent reputation. We rolled in at gone 11pm and the place was gently winding down. A few quiet clumps of students were enjoying ice-cream and hushed conversation; a few unwashed types pecked away at laptops. Great selection of products, great prices, great staff. Quirky bagel-themed Christmas decorations. Highly recommended.

Fruit Juice with Giraffe (!)

Location: Giraffe cafe, Oxford

Date: 13 December 2008

Details: Apple juice with giraffe stirrer

Notes: Our first visit to the Giraffe chain for breakfast after a long night out in Oxford. Great menu, with suitable choices for all tastes. We especially liked these giraffe stirrers which peep cutely over the rim of the fruit juice glasses. Nice touch.

Technically not a normal 'cuppa and cake' entry but I'm making an exception for such a novel piece of tableware.

Maison Blanc patisserie: Tarte fraise and Larieux

Location: Benson's Café, Bard's Walk, Stratford-upon-Avon
http://www.bensonsrestaurant.co.uk/
Date: Mon 1 Sept 2008
Details: Two cakes from Benson's range of fabulously OTT patisserie from Maison Blanc in Oxfordshire. These two creations are 'Tarte fraise' and 'Larieux'.

Notes: The cakes were sectioned into thirds by Benson's so Katy, Mat and I could share :-)

Cream Tea @ Benson's Cafe

Location: Benson's Café, Bard's Walk, Stratford-upon-Avon

Date: Mon 1 Sept 2008

Details: 'Cream tea' - a pot of Assam tea with a scone (topped with strawberry), strawberry jam and clotted cream.

Notes: Swapped the cream for butter. Is that wrong?

Cookie Cheesecake and Pot of English Breakfast Tea

Location: The Baraset Barn, Tiddington, Stratford
Date: Wed 4 June 2008
Details: Cookie cheesecake with vanilla icecream, and a pot of tea.

Note: Cheesecake perfection. Ridiculous raspberries though, had to offload those. Tea not bad either, for a pub.

Chocolate and Pecan Terrine

Location: The Warehouse Café, Birmingham
Date: Saturday 14 May 2008
Details: Chocolate and pecan 'terrine' with stewed prunes in ginger syrup and vanilla ice-cream, with a cup of hot water.

Notes: 'Terrine' seems to be a trendy word for 'chocolate fridge slab'. Very nice though, and the prunes-in-ginger-syrup was yum.