The glaze is made of egg yolk, sugar and salt. Salt prevents it to burn, sugar caramelises and gives that effect.I'm guessing a low and steady heat for the caramelising (from my own experience), he didn't go into proportions, so a case of trial and error to recreate that glaze then! Fruit and plain scones were on offer, two of each for both of us, I do love a choice when it comes to the flavours of a scone - I might even be as bold as to say this was the perfect scone.
Friday, 31 July 2015
Review: Afternoon Tea At Hanbury Manor
Review: The Mill Cafe, Hempnall
Monday, 27 July 2015
VIDEO: Afternoon Tea Etiquette Tips With Miss Sue Flay
As my alter ego, "Miss Sue Flay", not only am I by now somewhat of an afternoon tea aficionado (I do love an unusual afternoon tea or a unique sweet treat!), but I also love to learn the history behind our beloved British pastime.
When you find yourself enjoying afternoon tea, do you sometimes question where a certain tradition came from or even why we say or do something in a particular manner around the table? You might be booking yourself in for tea at The Ritz, but then have no idea how to eat your scone in the right way or you may visit a tearoom and realised you aren't quite sure how you pour the tea for your fellow guests.
You may not care at all, but I have a feeling if you're reading this, there's a slight intrigue there and you are going to read on regardless... I'm somewhat of an etiquette rebel myself, hey, I dunk my Jammie Dodgers just as much as you do!
This is all purely for fun and a little education as we go, so I hope you enjoy watching this little video as much as I enjoyed filming it with my puppy friend (Eddy) in tow! Here, I share with you my top tips on afternoon tea etiquette: [youtube height="HEIGHT" width="WIDTH"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhO3q7G-6-Q[/youtube] I also urge you to share your own top tips below in a comment, I'd love to hear from you on your personal afternoon tea experiences. A HUGE thank you to Karen Cann Video for working with me on this fun video guide - if you want to find out more about her services, click here - she's awesome to work with and spurred me to make this video once and for all, thank you Karen!
www.karencann.co.uk
Read my new "About Me" page here! You can also read about Miss Sue Flay's "Around The World In 80 Stays Challenge"and other Secret Stays & Reviews here. See more of my travel videos here and more of my food review videos here. Or get in touch via social media through Facebook, Instagram & Twitter for a natter about life in general! Any questions or to discuss a "Secret Stay" or review, please do email:hello@misssueflay.com All images © 2015 Miss Sue Flay, these may not be used or reproduced without written permission from the owner, many thanks in advance.
Friday, 24 July 2015
VIDEO: Making Bacon Sushi
I have good old Facebook to thank for this one, a recipe of which I desired for many weeks before attempting.
There was a video doing the rounds, showing you how to make a "bacon sushi" wrap with barbecue sauce and coated in crispy onions for ultimate, erm, pork heaven! A rainy weekend came along, my bearded friend had surprised me with a fridge full of meat to recreate this epic recipe and so, create we did...
This was SO devilishly good, but very rich, you don't need much of it. It's the perfect sharing food if you're looking for something a little different at a summer BBQ, informal dinner party or to add to your afternoon tea menu for an unusual twist to the savoury tier.
You'll find the original recipe (of which inspired us to give this a go) from Cook With Meat. We made SUCH a mess with this haha, but it was great fun to make and do together - the nachos were a nice touch, but tricky to mash up and the sizzle as the meat cooked, cooooooooor - just listen to it in the video, it'll make you hungry just watching.
Although not in the original recipe, we used Lawry's seasoned salt (found in supermarkets in the US) for this recipe, delicious. Here's my video of our bacon sushi shenanigans - enjoy! [youtube height="HEIGHT" width="WIDTH"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Og6nUKcfTg0[/youtube] Have you given this recipe a go yourself? Or will you now do so?... How did it go? What do you reckon?
Read my new "About Me" page here! You can also read about Miss Sue Flay's "Around The World In 80 Stays Challenge"and other Secret Stays & Reviews here. See more of my travel videos here and more of my food review videos here. Or get in touch via social media through Facebook, Instagram & Twitter for a natter about life in general! Any questions or to discuss a "Secret Stay" or review, please do email:hello@misssueflay.com All images © 2015 Miss Sue Flay, these may not be used or reproduced without written permission from the owner, many thanks in advance.
Wednesday, 22 July 2015
Review: Afternoon Tea And Backgammon At The Halkin
I get asked by many people where my favourite afternoon tea venues are and one of my ultimate locations is actually in London.
The Halkin is a very elegant hotel, just set back from Belgravia Square and they have always been one of my most favourite locations for a peaceful and classy high tea menu in London. The restaurant here holds one Michelin Star and is home to some talented chefs, including Elena Arzak, voted Veuve Cliquot World's Best Female Chef, it's somewhere to go for some relaxation and simple fine dining. This is a hotel of understated luxury, for people who've made it in life - the rooms and suites (five suites within the hotel, one on each floor) here are something very special with a real homely feel to them. When looking out of a suite window, it felt as if I were peering out of an apartment overlooking the neighbourhood below, it's a peaceful haven from the bustling streets below.
If it's good enough for the likes of Meryl Streep when she visits our Capital, it's good enough for Miss Sue Flay. They once served the "Japanese Rituals" afternoon tea in collaboration with William Curley, a highly talented and passionate chocolatier and Pâtissière - those stunning cakes are always in my cakey dreams. However, lately, The Halkin have taken a slightly different approach and now play host to Spanish tapas style food, even when it comes to their afternoon tea thanks to their new menus within the Halkin Bar.
Thanks to good old Twitter, we managed to connect a few weeks back following a conversation I'd started about the new trend in "Gentleman's Teas" and Chris Orlikowski, PR & Marketing Manager for the Como Hotel group made me an offer I simply couldn't refuse... ... Chris advised me of something very exciting and new to The Halkin, inviting me to join not only himself, but their General Manager Andrew Thomson to play a game of Backgammon over a cup of tea or two.
This wasn't just any backgammon set, it has been curated as a bespoke set for The Halkin by COMO by luxury retailer William & Son in London's Mayfair. Andrew is a master at this game, having played with his family for many years whilst traveling the world, making him the perfect mentor to learn the art myself on a grey, but warm Tuesday afternoon. I was a little scared to play to start, I always find board games so confusing, having not played too many as a child myself. If we did play games as kids, my sister and I would argue to high heaven, most likely with the game getting thrown around or somebody stomping off in the opposite direction, so we never played them really as a result.
Admittedly, as we tucked into some tapas style nibbles and a pot of tea between courses (I adore that this hotel serves cold milk in chilled milk jugs, a beautiful touch) Andrew patiently coached me through the game in hand. We took our time, Andrew showing myself and Chris how to play the best moves with the rolls of my dice and to my complete surprise, I actually enjoyed a clear win - although I'm still unsure if perhaps that's slightly cheating when you're being told which moves are the best by a master player. But still, a win is a win, hurrah.
I truly adore this hotel, highly rate their food, especially if you're looking for a slightly unusual twist on a traditional afternoon tea. I sampled their take on fish & chips, but with the most colourful gel potato "crisps" I've ever seen, they were so unusual - such a work of art, I almost didn't want to demolish them... almost. It was all delicious and truly unusual for an afternoon tea (the fish & chips from the Tapas menu) - this is one for you to try. Their latest afternoon tea menu can be found here. I believe that The Halkin will be offering a 25% discount on their afternoon tea bookings throughout National Afternoon Tea Week from 10th August 2015, so book yourself a table and get your hands on this stunning purple leather Backgammon set to while away your afternoon.
In fact, I'm off to buy my own set, I just wish I could afford to replicate this beautiful board myself - this hotel had toyed with offering a bespoke Monopoly board game to add to their bar, so if they do, I'm hoping I'll be the first to give it a whirl! Have you played Backgammon before? Did you find it easy or hard to get to grips with? Do you play board games with your own afternoon tea? I'd love to hear from you in a comment below!
www.comohotels.com/thehalkin
Read my new "About Me" page here! You can also read about Miss Sue Flay's "Around The World In 80 Stays Challenge"and other Secret Stays & Reviews here. See more of my travel videos here and more of my food review videos here. Or get in touch via social media through Facebook, Instagram & Twitter for a natter about life in general! Please note - This visit was complimentary following an invitation from the team. I am in no means obliged to blog or write about their offerings, but I simply choose to share with my readers, should I enjoy the experience. The service team that work on the day or duration of my visit are not aware of my reasons for visiting, to enable a fair review. Any questions or to discuss a "Secret Stay" or review, please do email:hello@misssueflay.com All images © 2015 Miss Sue Flay, these may not be used or reproduced without written permission from the owner, many thanks in advance.
Tuesday, 21 July 2015
Afternoon Tea At St Ermin's Hotel & #AfternoonTeaWeek
Afternoon Tea Week 2015 is coming to the UK, get very excited.
Last year, you may have seen I was lucky enough to join the team at AfternoonTea.co.uk and Nudge PR where we all met aboard the BB Bakery bus for a tour of London as we dined to celebrate the launch. This year I was invited back to join the team for a much more civilised and relaxed affair within the grand surroundings of St Ermin's Hotel in London's Westminster.
For 2015, Afternoon Tea Week will run between 10th to 16th August, playing host to a series of exclusive afternoon tea events and celebrations nationwide within the our favourite British hotels, restaurants & Tearooms - there will be themed tables, talks, tea tastings and geekery a plenty. For example, certain UK hotels will be offering a generous discount with their afternoon tea menus, such as the St Ermin's Hotel (the host venue for this launch event) with their stunning "Sparkling Tea On The Terrace", complete with unlimited champagne.
St Ermin's Hotel started out as St. Ermin's Mansions in 1889 (smart serviced flats within Westminster) and the red brick Queen Anne style was a fashionable choice back in that time. Nowadays, it reflects a luxurious Victorian interior and boasts London's very first "Bee Hotel" up on the rooftops above, complete with hexagonal boxed suites for a variety of bees to nest in peace. Their menu even includes the option to buy their rooftop honey whilst visiting and their afternoon tea is beautifully presented, served on a tall white layered box, not dissimilar to something you might find in IKEA - I've never see anything like it, I love it.
The savouries include pork & black pudding sausage roll and finger sandwiches with fillings such as salt beef with horseradish, cucumber & cream cheese and smoked salmon with caviar for some true decadence. An assortment of warm, freshly baked scones are served with lashings of strawberry jam and clotted cream, but served with slightly unusual flavours. Not only do they have a traditional sultana scone, but also milk chocolate & strawberry or even a sea salt scone, all truly delicious and very moreish.
It doesn't stop there, the sweet treats will keep you going all week with a chocolate & raspberry tea cake, lemon & rose petal drizzle cake, strawberry macaroon (almost like a fluffy marshmallow!) and a tropical fruit Yuzu posset to cleanse your pallet. The tea selection is hand picked by London-based gourmet tea company "Newby Teas" and at just £35 as the hotels' standard afternoon tea price, this is a luxury afternoon tea venue worthy of a visit, throughout Afternoon Tea Week 2015 or beyond.
They can also cater for gluten free afternoon tea requirements if requested on booking. So... What do you fancy doing to celebrate National Afternoon Tea Week in August? I may even be getting involved in some plans myself, so watch tis space. Or perhaps you'd like to book me to join with an afternoon tea etiquette element to your own proceedings?...
To find out more about his exciting week of high tea themed shenanigans and a full list of what's going on, visit: www.AfternoonTeaWeek.com www.sterminshotel.co.uk/eating-drinking/afternoon-tea Other blog posts from this event: Suzy Pelta Bakes
Read my new "About Me" page here! You can also read about Miss Sue Flay's "Around The World In 80 Stays Challenge"and other Secret Stays & Reviews here. See more of my travel videos here and more of my food review videos here. Or get in touch via social media through Facebook, Instagram & Twitter for a natter about life in general! Please note - This visit was complimentary following an invitation from the team. I am in no means obliged to blog or write about their offerings, but I simply choose to share with my readers, should I enjoy the experience. The service team that work on the day or duration of my visit are not aware of my reasons for visiting, to enable a fair review. Any questions or to discuss a "Secret Stay" or review, please do email:hello@misssueflay.com All images © 2015 Miss Sue Flay, these may not be used or reproduced without written permission from the owner, many thanks in advance.
Thursday, 16 July 2015
Review: A Romantic Spa Break With Hanbury Manor
Pillow fight anyone.....?
www.marriotthanburymanor.co.uk
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