Food Porn - British Version

This has been sitting on the back burner for some time now.... This is partially for Tea with Lemon who appreciates a good meal now and then & its partially for Dawn and myself as we had lovely meals while we were on vacation which we couldn't help but photograph.

Actually, before we began our trip the concept of blogging about our meals was a topic we kept coming back to, so here are the fruits of our labor.... however it never felt laborious to enjoy these amazing (and some normal) meals.

Hope you don't get too hungry while viewing my pictures.




Cambridge Markets

Our first real day in Cambridge started with a bus ride into town and a short walk to the Art & Craft Market. After that and a jacket potato for lunch we walked around the Cambridge Market where there were stalls with so many different things (food, flowers, clothing, plants, etc). I just loved the vibrancy of the veg at this stall.


St Martin in the Fields, London

Our first meal in London was at the Crypt Cafe where we had lunch after our London Eye adventure and before we headed to the National Gallery

Crypt Cafe - Whether enjoying a full English breakfast, a hot or cold lunch, traditional afternoon tea or value for money evening dinner,diners can enjoy their meal sitting under the brick-vaulted ceiling and over the historic gravestones lining the crypt floor.


As it was so close to Christmas they were serving a Christmas Dinner which consisted of Turkey, stuffing, potatoes and veg and a bacon wrapped sausage.



Harrods, London: Food Hall - The Iberico Ham House

Walking through the Food Hall's with Dawn and (our Cambridge host) Neil we were drawn in, fixated, watching the man below expertly shave delicate slices of Iberico jamon (Spanish Ham, but if you've never had it before believe me that its SO much more than just ham).

Before we knew it, we were seated an ordering a small feast for three


Two servings of jamon - shoulder and leg and a cheese tray (which included Stilton cheese, lol)

close up of one of the plates... everything was drizzled in olive oil


& for dessert we all shared a frozen sangria 'drink'



Boxwood Cafe * The Berkley Hotel, London

While we were in the UK we couldn't get into the Gordon Ramsay's F Wood restaurant so instead we made our way to Boxwood Cafe for lunch during day trips to London.


I ordered the Prix Fixe meal but also got this tiny teacup size butternut squash soup as the pre-starter
Dawn ordered the full size soup - her soup included porcini mushrooms


Chicory, Stilton and walnut salad with poached pear


The entree was butter roasted hangar steak with spring onion mash. The steak just melted in my mouth.


The tea service included salted caramel chocolates



York - The reason we were on vacation in the UK ~ the Wedding of Tim and Grace.

The night before the wedding, we attended the wedding rehearsal and then went to the dinner for family and out of town guests at Bishopthorpe Palace

It was a casual evening...

Tasty homemade Thai Chicken Curry was served by Grace's mother who cooked the curry herself (below are are the stock pots that held the curry and rice).This was a palace without a doubt.... the room we were in had amazing portraits.


& in case we felt that the casualness of the evening overlooked that we were in a palace this signed picture of the King & Queen in the foyer wiped that idea right out the door!



Wedding Day Reception Dinner - Though I didn't get any photos of the dinner I want to mention that the father of the bride and his staff were busy cooking the meal for all the guests before and right after the wedding.

Below is a photo of the wedding cake prior to all the tiers being stacked up to make a beautiful wedding cake. The book cake is the brides cake (the grooms cake, which you can't see, was in the shape of a computer mouse).



The Streets of York

Travel plans changed - we had to bypass our trip to Scotland due to weather, etc so we stayed in York and extra day providing us an opportunity to walk around downtown and see all the food stalls

Death by Candy

Death by smoked meats




Lo Spuntino, York

After leaving a pretty mantastic pub, we escaped the snow by stopping for an Italian dinner

My chicken was stuffed with sundried tomatoes, ham and in a rich cream sauce


Dawn's carbonara pasta was so good


Sadly these vegetables were just gross...


31 Castlegate, York

Before leaving York to head back to London Dawn and I spent the morning walking through York and found our way to 31 Castlegate for tea and breakfast



Traditional English Breakfast - egg, beans, bacon, black-pudding, grilled tomato & mushrooms & of course toast


Donut cart found while walking around York - though we didn't try any donuts, the cart just had to be photographed


Dawn happily sipping Filtered Coffee. Not being a coffee drinker myself I had no idea how HARD it was to find filtered coffee in a country that lives off of french press coffee



Back in London Dinner

We thought we were ordering a big serving of hot mozzarella with ham wrapped around it but instead we got this lovely salad with ham wrapped mozzarella


I had sausage and fava beans w/ a small slice of polenta (it was good but I wish there had been more polenta)


Dawn's Risotto (risotto was definitely an ongoing trend during our trip)


Bloomsbury Bowl, London

We hoped for a bar where we could have a drink and watch people bowling... Who knew we were going to stumble upon a free Punk Concert?! - there were about 4 bands, some were okay and one was REALLY good. It was a great night of people watching and hanging out.





London Breakfast near the Generator Hostel We found a cafe nearby which served a nice English Breakfast at a VERY reasonable cost. It was a nice way to start each day while we were unexpectedly in London for those extra days.



British Museum, London - Court Restaurant


The Red Snapper was off the Aztec Exhibition Menu
The potatoes were like tiny mountains topped with guacamole



Chili Chocolate Mousse with Tequila Sorbet - it was a piece of art



Ha Ha Bar & Grill, London

Before going to see La Cage aux Folles Dawn and I had dinner at the Ha Ha Bar & Grill which was just a few blocks away from the theater

Dawn enjoyed a glass of Italian sparkling wine with her fish and chips


My risotto with shrimp and greenbeans

The first Ice Tea I had had in two weeks - the waitress said they could make the ice tea for me when I originally asked for hot tea with a glass of ice so I could just make my own at the table


Trio of desserts - lemon tart, chocolate fondant cake and a berry mousse


Criterion Restaurant, London

After an afternoon of shopping at Liberty we were ready for a nice meal. We enjoyed a leisurely relaxing drink while we waited for dinner and soaked in the amazing ambiance.

Criterion History: The name alone conjures up visions of a glorious past. As you sit and lose yourself in the opulence of the neo-Byzantine architecture, it's easy to believe the building is soaked in a fascinating history. With its gold and marble shimmering alongside the mosaics, mirrors and plaques, the restaurant has an almost celestial air.

If the walls could talk, they would surely whisper to you their secrets... They would tell of when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle first imagined the meeting between Dr. Watson and the enigmatic Sherlock Holmes, in the Criterion Long Bar.

More recently, they would describe the epic Hollywood production of 'Batman: The Dark Knight', as well as the magnetic presence of Russell Crowe as he filmed scenes for 'A Good Year'.


Drinks in the bar before dinner
My starter was carpaccio with a salad


Dawn's pasta had truffle shavings, she was nice enough to share a bite with me


My Chicken Supreme entree with celery foam and spinich


My dessert was a chocolate hazelnut cake with berries on top

Dawn's dessert - pumpkin mousse was as yummie as it was artistic


Fortnum & Mason, London Piccadilly since 1707

Dawn & I had lunch at the Fountain Restaurant


They had a very nice tea service

Dawn had the risotto - if I remember correctly it had butternut squash in it.


Lunch special for the day was Stuffed Saddle of Lamb with Rosemary Fondant Potatoes and it was delish!



Harrod's, London

MMMMM.... Candy

I like the flowers but why would anyone want candy oxford shoes?


Marzipan fruit

I have NO idea what Red Velvet Whoopie is but I just loved the name



Drinks On A Plane (on our way home)

Almost home.... it was the longest Christmas Day ever (lasted almost 40 hours by the time I got home and tried to stay up to start combating jetlag, unfortunately it didn't really work I was jetlagged for about a week)




Bonus Blog ~ Snacks

We found lots of gluten-free items at Sainsbury's


I don't really like vinegar and salt crisps but the balsamic flavor was really good - wish I could find these here at home


These really tasted like bacon and had the consistency of something that kinda wanted to be a corn chip

One late evening I needed to eat badly - badly enough to eat something that actually promises not to kill you. (Loved this label)


Things in the hotel:

Instant coffee ~supposedly...

What is it about Europe and their unrefrigerated milk.... ick


Finally here was my favorite tea while we were on vacation.... it's yummy 'everyday'