Chilly but Cheerful

Peyton & Byrne's Chilly Snowmen and Mini-Christmas Cakes.  On with 2014 and we are forecasting another great year for cafes.  Catch us at the National Farm Attractions Network Awards Dinner on 11 Feb (we judged the Best Food and Beverage Award) and Garden Centre Catering Conference on 12 Feb (where we have been asked to chair the proceedings).  Happy New Year.

Little Waitrose: Big Offer

The "Little Waitrose" in the City has tempting displays, fresh unrefrigerated baguettes ....

.... and free take-out coffee for Waitrose card holders.

Croissant + Doughnuts = Cronuts

Now a registered trademark by the Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York City. See http://dominiqueansel.com/cronut-101/

Slice of Lemon

Lemon meringue slices at Maison 3 Garcons cafe in Shoreditch with a slice of lime and gluten free.

Jammy

Fried Jammy and Honey Croissants at Albion.

Doughnut + Muffin = Duffin

Hold the calories and cross a doughnut with a muffin - Duffins are at Starbucks and elsewhere.

Notable in Norwich

 Honeycomb in a glass plus Naked Fruit Cake and Miniature Lemon Tarts at Jarrold's cafe in Norwich.

Clotted Cream & Nutella ... in a Scone

Double Chocolate Chip Scones with clotted cream and Nutella at Pandora's Kitchen cafe in Norwich.

Chocolate & Chilli Buns

Flavourful buns at Albion

Monks & Buns

The Swedish Bakery/Bageriet in Covent Garden is worth visiting.

 Cream Monk - vanilla whip dipped in chocolate.

Vanilla Bun - Cardamon bun filled with cream custard.

Apple Pie plus Chips

Apple pie muffin with chocolate chips at Rome's airport.

Lemon Curd Slice

 EAT tries out lemon curd slices

Rhubarb Tart

Albion Caff, Bakery & Foodstore's simple and seasonal rhubarb tart.

Cosmic Hearts

"A fudgey chocolate hazelnut cake enrobed in marzipan and chocolate fondant, decked out in spacey bling, and inscribed with 'Take Me to the Moon and Back' for a cosmic Valentine's Day"  at Konditor & Cook.

Cuore (Heart) at Princi

Coffee with Mastic

Kahve Dünyasi has cafes throughout Turkey and have opened up on Piccadilly.  Coffee with Mastic may suffer in the translation - mastic is a resin obtained from the mastic tree.

There are some interesting cakes and pastries - chocolate pizza and mozaic cake for example -  in addition to the UK staples. 

 The chocolate spoon is a fun touch.

A Royal Dusting

Ampersand's Mincemeat Bakewell tarts with appropriate logo at the Tower of London.

Sweet Focaccia

&Pasta's sweet focaccia

Upside Down at the Opera

Pineapple upside down cake at the Royal Opera House.  Pastry ace Claire Clark is working for caterer Company of Cooks with good results.

 Blackberry and apple cheesecake tarts plus Eccles cakes

Original, Inventive & Contemporary

Slow cooked beef shin brioche

Great tasting savoury and sweet pastry items at The Espresso Room opposite Great Ormond Street Hospital from baker Fynch http://fynch.cc/ whose owner David (Pip) Pippin sets out to make original, inventive and contemporary pastries.

Whiskey & Orange Eccles Cake

Pulled Pork Sausage Roll

Cafe of the Year?

The Delaunay Counter Cafe on the Aldwych is great quality and value; as one has come to expect from London's top restaurateurs Chris Corbin & Jeremy King.  Chicken Soup with Noodles and superb bread and nicely presented butter in a beautiful setting for £4.50 is just an example.

The pastries are equally memorable; experience the Lemon (Meringue) Tart