Mad Hatter's Tea

Tea for two

4pm is my favourite time of the day. Without fail I drop what I'm doing, make myself a cup of tea and take a few minutes out. The break normally involves something sweet and yummy too, often a biscuit (ok make that two biscuits), cake, flapjack, shortbread, chocolate...hmmm anything I can get my mitts on! It's not a habit I started because it's now trendy. The last few years has seen a huge resurgence in taking afternoon tea but I'm proud that I grew up with it. I've always been a four meals a day kind of girl, breakfast, lunch, teatime and dinner (and I admit, there's normally a treat at elevensees too...so maybe that's five meals a day?)  After school my dad would always have something ready from Greggs for my sisters and I; an iced ring doughnut, apple turnover and sometimes a coconut cheesecake. These days the teatime ritual isn't as fun, I normally enjoy it on my own unless it's the weekend. And one such weekend passed a couple of weeks ago. Whilst researching places to take tea in London I heard about The Mad Hatter's Tea at the Sanderson Hotel. Promising a tea time experience like none you've witnessed before, the entire menu is inspired by Alice in Wonderland ...it sounded like the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon with my best friend as she celebrated her 30th birthday. We've known eachother since we were 16 and everything about the concept of this tea summed us up then and now; we both love daydreaming and fantasies and are suckers for fairytales.

Rainbow sarnies

So what was in this extraordinary tea? After the tea was ordered (I chose Freshmint and she opted for English Breakfast) which was served in gorgeous iron teapots, the type you often get in spas, we were presented with rainbow finger sandwiches made from yellow saffron and green spinach bread. There's not much you can say about a sandwich and infact one finger was too soggy to eat, it just makes you feel like you've at least had something savoury to balance out the forthcoming sugar rush.

Looks yummy....

And of course we had  to start with this Queen of Hearts 'Heart'. Obviously in that appealing shade of pink it looked fabulous but when things look this pretty they don't always live up to expectation. Thankfully it exceeded every single fantasy....

Tastes like the best thing ever!

We both agreed it was one of the tastiest 'dessert' items we've ever eaten and it didn't even contain a sprinkling of chocolate. Inside was a smooth, creamy, fluffy, melt in the mouth strawberry mouse on a light sponge base. It was divine and memorable and without a doubt the best afternoon tea item I've ever eaten!

Excitement mounts....

And in true Alice style there was a concoction on the table baring a label with 'Drink Me' on it. Promising to taste like Apple Pie, Lemon Curd and English Toffee, you're supposed to experience each flavour as you sip through the straw. Nice concept but in truth it looked and tasted like Pepto Bismol but don't let that put you off...

Where's the rabbit, we have his watch!

The chocolate and coffee sponge watch was missing its chain but luckily it didn't need one. Like a gateaux it was rich, sweet and felt a bit naughty.

Lollies to lick

To let you reminisce about childhood memories there are also yummy lollies - the hazelnut praline pop which you have to put in your mouth in one go - do not attempt to bite it, and a blueberry lollipop.

 One thing I'm abit confused about is that when I booked last month the price of the tea was £25 which I thought was an absolute bargain for such an amazing spread but when I checked today it had risen to £35....a very steep rise. Luckily I found this special offer so you can experience a Mad Hatter's Tea for £26.25 if you go before September 30th though sadly it is only valid Monday-Thursday.
So it's actually very much a luxury treat, best reserved for very especial occasions. Infact there's no reason why you can't make a whole daytrip out of your visit. Staying at the hotel is impossible unless you're a lottery winner (rooms start at over £500 for the night with the penthouse costing a staggering £3k per night.) But alas you can still live the highlife inside this incredible boutique hotel for free by enjoying its stunning reception area. On entering you are greeted by a Dali inspired lips sofa...it is my ultimate dream to own this sofa, it is pure design magnificence.

One day I will own this sofa...

But it is not the only piece of beautiful furniture...The Sanderson is chair heaven.

...and this chair!

This swing chair had a soft fluffy cushion as a seat and venturing inside it was like a mini adventure in itself.

Sci-fi seat

This chair was the most unique, it's a kind of capsule which you can lie back in and be closed up. It was solid and hard but even so, surprisingly comfortable.

Top model

I'm not going to share all the chairs (some should be kept a secret that you'll only discover if you visit the hotel) but this one above was inside a kind of games room. I love this photo. Rukia is sooooooo photogenic she looks amazing in all her photos but this one is just pure class.

What a wall!

Every aspect of the hotel is mind boggling...mainly because from the outside it's the most non-descript looking concreate block, but as soon as you step inside you're transformed to another world. From the loos to the bar chairs to the space themed lifts that make you go 'wow', it's such an exciting place to visit. Pop in next time if you are ever near Oxford Street, it's just a short walk and is worth every footstep getting there.

Mad Hatter's tea is now also available as a takeaway picnic (£30) from The Sanderson and it's sister hotel St Martin's Lane and comes with maps and bicycle hire so you can discover your own wonderland in Londinium.

Something Smells Good!

I've been wanting to get along and visit Homemade London for a while and I finally popped along last week. It's a little crafty heaven which runs creative workshops and private craft parties. Yes there's a few of these places in Londinium these days but believe me, they vary in quality (some seem to think they 'started it' while everyone else copied them)...well my view is anyone who thinks like that is not a true creative. 

The fact is if you like making things you should respect that skill sharing and accessibility is all part of the enjoyment. I believe there is plenty of room for crafty workshop venues, there should be one in every town of the UK, just like there (used to be) public libraries (but hey that's another story.) They'll always be a place for colleges and longer creative courses but short workshops, sewing cafes, ceramic cafes etc allow you acquire new skills and get inspired when you can fit it into your life. Yes you have to be prepared to invest, (average workshop prices at most places cost around £35) but they are small businesses that need investment like anything else. So although you may not be able to afford to go all the time, you can be sure that when you do, you'll get something special out of it. OK RANT OVER....back to my lovely trip.

The crafty heaven is based in a pretty village street

Believe it or not, Homemade London is just a couple of minutes walk from one of the busiest spots in London (the flagship Primark in Marble Arch) it's located in a quiet, picturesque street in an area called Portman Village (which I had never heard of until I got here...this is why I love London, it is continously full of surprises even for lifelong dwellers of the Capital like myself).

Nicola Barron, owner of Homemade London

It's the brainchild of Nicola Barron, who used to work in TV and is a self-confessed interiors and fashion junkie. She opened the 'store' less than a year ago. (Birthday coming up next month.) So it's no wonder the inside is so pretty.

Ooh, how I wish I had a making table this big!

It's fresh, light and airey though still has a sense of 'early days'. There's a downstairs and upstairs section and if you hold a private party here you can use both areas.

Getting crafty is just the start

Workshops can be designed to suit your preferences, or you can book on one of their  sessions which include bag making, handstitched notebooks, lampshade decor, wedding crafting and even lingerie.

I made my own bottle of 'Begum Blend'

I attended their newest session 'Perfume Making AND Afternoon Tea'....talk about blissful afternoon! The session runs on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and with just four pupils in each class, yummy cakes from local bakery Cocomaya and 1-2-1 attention from Nicola herself it's a truly pampering way to while away a couple of hours (not forgetting you get to take home a scent that's all yours.)

It's all in the blend

Having no prior knowledge of working with scent I presumed it would be a fairly straight forward task, after all most people know what they like and what they don't yet I discovered within minutes that perfume blending is in fact a complete art form. I had no idea that smells and mood can change so quickly with just one drop of fragrance.


We started by having a sniff of top, middle and base notes to see what took our fancy. A huge fan of vanilla like cocoa smells, I was most drawn to Benzoin, Cedarwood, Black Pepper and Rose (the turkish delight variety) and decided I'm not keen on citrus (too many associations with all the lemon scented cleaning products I have at home.)

Farah made a fruity blend

Farah my workshop companion interestingly chose the opposite scents to me, light fruity, summer ones - her blend although not to my taste, smelt very tempting and 'professional.'

This tea set looks even more amazing in real life!

Incidently the Afternoon Tea element of the session was a nice touch though it is a little hard to enjoy yummy cakes that look like dinky chocolates when your nose is so infused with the whiff of excitement. But anyone thinking of going for an afternoon tea I recommend instead of going to a regular hotel, combine the tea and chat with doing something crafty - it's the best of both worlds so you'll leave feeling doubly as happy. A brilliant session for friends, a unique way to spend a day off work, or if you're in London on holiday and fancy seeing a different side of British life, a slice of homecrafing couldn't be more cultured.


All images from Homemade London apart from the ones taken at my workshop (it's not hard to tell the quality apart!)

Alice Crafts

The only summer crafting guide you need!

I'm a sucker for anything themed...especially a party! Yesterday I was working out  the number of themed parties I've held over the past few years....a jungle fiesta, under the sea, village fete, winter wonderland.....disappearing into another land and pretending to be someone else is one of the most fun things you can do. We do it all the time in our imaginations - as children we speak about these experiences more yet as adults we keep these fantasies to ourselves.

But the child in us, no  matter how much we suppress it manages to pop out whenever we see something that puts a smile on our faces. And that's why Everything Alice is a craft book that from just one mere flick through will make you happy. It's a remedy to every day stress allowing you to dip into a secret place where anything is possible.

'Alice' of course needs no introduction....she is Alice in Wonderland. Lewis Carroll's remarkable story about a little girl and her amazing adventures involving a secretive white rabbit, a smiling cheshire cat, teeny tiny doors and tempting tasty morsels. In this book (released today) the authors have delved deep into Wonderland and designed 50 projects that celebrate Alice and show you how to capture a piece of her imagination in your home. 

Authors Hannah & Christine

And here they both are, showing off mosaic masquerade masks, one of the projects in the book.

Craft ideas

Craftwise there are some fantastic and original projects that will bring sparkle to your life like a teapot flower pot, giant rose lights and playing card bunting alongside more classic projects that you've seen before like shoe bags, a notice board and tea cosy. (This isn't a bad thing - just an observation. Regardless though they are lovely and useful so no complaints from me!)

Holiday activities

But it's not the craft projects that stand out and make this book different. The truth is these days there are too many fantastic craft books out there.  When I was the editor of a crafts magazine I saw so many craft books on a daily basis I used to tear my hair out because 90% of them were dull and unappealing. Six years on craft books are glorious and most are like coffee table inspiration books that keep you coming back for more.. Another analogy is the fact that craft books these days are very much like craft porn, people just buy them and look at them but don't actually make anything.
What I like about this book most is the short one page ideas and projects that have minimal instructions like fabric covered furniture and the vintage cake stand. I've never liked following instructions so these smaller simpler projects work better for impatient crafters like me who just don't have time to read lots of 'what to do' paragraphs.
There are also activity ideas like making a shadow puppet play (above)....now that's the kind of thing a parent should see and feel inspired to do with their children over the summer holidays.

Yummy ideas

'Pure craft' books seem also to have been replaced by generally 'making' and in this DIY vein, the book also includes scrumptious recipes. Alongside these beautiful red velvet cakes (which look more pinky than the usual recipes) the Duchess Macaroons are my favourite. The ultimate treat, French style macaroons are as stunning to look at as they are tasty. And these ones sound like the yummiest flavour in existence, rosewater with lavender cream I am salivating just imagining them. The truth is I will never make this recipe because I don't have the confidence to make a macaroon; they are too special to go wrong. I would rather once year on my birthday go to Laduree and buy myself one (one because that's pretty much all I can afford). But Alice's macaroon is like a fantasy, one I'll look at from time to time and imagine eating. I have a total lavender obsession when it comes to edible things - lavender tea, lavender shortbread....it just tastes so special! And for the ultimate refreshing 'Drink Me' cordial, there's also a recipe for Lavender lemonade. Yum!

For those not feeling crafty

Just incase you are more of a craft porn hoarder than a maker, the authors Hannah and Christine will soon be launching their own Alice stationary range so you can own something Alice themed without having to make it! (Sounds good to me! For time saving reasons -obviously I shall never stop crafting!)

So, overall, should you get this book? If you own lots of craft books then don't just get this to add to your collection - it will be wasted. Get it because you honestly want to make something different and have someone in mind to make it for...(admit it most crafters never have time to make things for themselves but presents are always a good motivation).

Also get this book if you need to keep children occupied over the summer holidays. It's a very summer friendly book, don't leave them alone to make things themselves; these projects were made for enjoying with groups or friends. You could invite your friends over for an afternoon of Alice themed craft activities (cake and tea compulsory). This is what I would do if my flat was bigger and made for entertaining. Sadly it isn't and I don't have a huge garden like the one in the book but I guess if I use my imagination enough just like Alice there's always the communal concrete courtyard where I hang my clothes out to dry!

Images taken from the Everything Alice website (thanks!)

The book is out now priced £14.99 from Quadrille Publishing. 

All in one shop!

Yesterday whilst on the way to  friend's afternoon tea party in Bethnal Green, East London, I saw a hand drawn sign that said 'vintage clothes', I followed it down an alleyway to discover a secret retreat which is a bit like someone's house converted into a special 'all in one' shop.
It's part art gallery (current exhibition consists of hanging fabric dolls - pictured), part vintage boutique and upstairs there's a retro 50s coffee shop with sofas and magazines for chillaxing. But that's not all!! There's also a hairdressers offering styling and cuts from £5-£15 - bargain.
A brilliant place to hang out, esp a Sunday afternoon. Exhibitions change regularly - updated on their website.


Well worth a visit, a proper 'hidden gem'! 
www.10gales.co.uk
Address: Arch 10, Gales Gardens, E2 OEJ. 

Hmmmm, teatime!

When my friend Johnathan invited me around for 'Sunday Lunch on a Saturday' I was determined to keep up with his culinary expertise and produce something equally as stunning for dessert. It gave me a chance to finally try out the recipe in the Hummingbird Cookbook that has been taunting me for a year. The Raspberry Cheesecake Brownie looks amazing in the pictures but the trouble is I hate recipes. I just can't follow them. But I tried my absolute best and something amazing was created - although true to form, I didn't stick to the recipe, there were a few strays....

What you need:

200g melted plain chocolate (1 whole bar)

200g melted unsalted butter

500g icing sugar (1 whole box!)

5 eggs

110g plain flour

400g cream cheese (2 pots)

teaspoon of vanilla extract

300ml whipping cream (2 pots)

2 punnets of raspberries

Start by mixing and whisking up 1/2 box of sugar and the butter until it's lovely and smooth. I found melting the butter in advance which the book didn't suggest a much easier option.

Next beat in 3 eggs, add one at a time. This was my first mishap, I added all 5 eggs at once : (

Then melt the chocolate by breaking into pieces and placing in a heatproof container over a pan of boiling water. Add it to the mixture and stir well. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and then pour the mixture on top.

Next make the cheesecake layer. Beat the cheesecake mixture with 2 eggs (this meant my dessert ended up with 7 eggs in total!!) Mix in 150g sugar, again I didn't notice this and added the remaining 1/2 box by mistake.......

Pour it ontop of the brownie and bake at 150 degrees or gas mark 3 for 40 minutes until set.

Allow to cool and then put in fridge overnight.

In the morning whisk 1 punnet of raspberries into the cream until it's lovely and thick. The recipe suggested adding 100g of sugar here but as i'd already added it to the cheese I left it out, the sharpness of the raspberries went well with the sweeter base. Then place it in fridge until it's needed and top with raspberries to decorate. It produced over 20 slices!

The verdict???????? Well only one person asked for a second slice but then again we also had a lovely lemon drizzle cake and the main was so good there wasn't much space for pud. But I was proud...if you look closely below you can see the coloured layers.

This morning I had some leftovers, they were quite stodgy but still very tasty and I feel less mystified about the whole following a recipe malarky.

On another notes I LOVED the Blacksmiths episode of Mastercrafts, it was my favourite to date, the gates they produced were really impressive, they were all worthy winners : )

Sundays were made for afternoon tea

For my birthday last year my sister promised to treat me to an afternoon tea in a posh hotel, so today we donned on our glad rags and headed to the Athenaeum in Mayfair. It was a tough choice but I settled for 'Bingo Blueberry' as my tea of choice for the afternoon.

Of course the highlight of the experience was the cake trolley!

Knowing where to start was the problem......

Rather interestingly, it was a very crafty hotel, intricate papercrafts were on display throughout including this paper dress once worn by Kate Moss

I guess this is what happens to the broken teacups, they end up in mosaics

There was a fabulous array of mirrors on display too, I wanted to take this one home

My sister preferred the mirror edges with London buses

But in the end she also had her eye on my favourite one

We started with a selection of finger sandwiches, followed by scones with homemade preserves, moved onto the cakes and finished with crumpets and teacakes. Highly recommended, though next time I will be putting on my own tea party. Anyone fancy coming to mine?