April 18, 2011

All over Jolly Old

Strapped for a gift for Kate and Wills or more likely, your Mom for Mother’s Day?

Look no further than, my latest book, ENGLAND’S HIDEAWAYS, shot by the very talented, Englishman, Tim Clinch, which is now in stores or available online everywhere they sell quality books (natch).

Hotel Endsleigh - one of my favorite Hideaways in the World.

I am planning a roster of signings, the first one will be in my hometown of Greenwich, CT with location TBD.  Please check back for details. In the meantime, though, you can always order it on the site, here, through PayPal and I will happily inscribe it and ship it to whomever.

Here are a few picks of the book’s interior pages to whet the appetite..

“Mummy will be chuffed by such a gift!”

AS, ALWAYS, THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT!

LONDON

JULY 30th

Ehem, High Breakfast is not a term describing the person enjoying the tiered feast of breakfast goodies (though they’d certainly be psyched) but rather a take on England’s tried and true tradition of High Tea adapted to breakfast. Devised by the manager of London’s Haymarket Hotel, High Breakfast (pictured below) is a three-tiered celebration of the first (and most important) meal of the day’s top offerings.

For the 'just a nibble' in us all

Don’t worry, I got involved eventually. The little parfaits with homemade granola were the ideal size – in that they left room for the follow-up croissant.

Check out the adorable vintage-style coffee cup. I ordered three over the course of the day.

ALL OVER HER MAJESTY’S GREAT LAND

JULY 2009

Okay, so I had some pretty grand illusions about the PUB.  I had heard all about its ‘poncy’ culinary-based cousin, the GASTROPUB and the brewery-less FREE PUB and was altogether ready to be wowed by the entire Pub family.

A rather touristy pub (plus my sad attempt to take a cool out-of-focus travel magazine style photo)

As we toured the land pub by pub, I came across a lunchtime dish that I quite fancied and decided to then establish it henceforth, as the one and only meter from which to judge a good pub. Given that I’m pretty ignorant about good beer, I was more confident that I could safely attest the merits of The Ploughman’s Lunch.

The basic Ploughman's Lunch (courtesy of BBC

More or less, an aggrandized version of a Lunchables but sans plastic and Oscar Meyer’s slimy stamp, the Ploughman’s Lunch is, at its barest, basic state: cheese, a side salad, Branston pickle (which is super pickled relish), sliced apple and some crusty bread.

My first Ploughman's - clearly best paired with a Pint of local brew

So, I remain today, still searching for the top Ploughman’s and welcome all sorts of suggestions (particularly while I am still in London). But as it stands now, the best Ploughman’s I enjoyed (much to my purist Photographer’s dismay) was the one I had at the Potting Shed Pub in Crudwell.  The acclaimed “Rolls Royce” of Ploughman’s Lunches, this spread was beyond what any olden-day Ploughman would have even liked, (3 chutneys, four types of homemade bread, three cheeses (stilton, cheddar and some stinky one) let alone thought should be consumed by one person. Sadly, I had zero problem tackling it solo and with a pint of Timothy Taylor to wash it all down.

A lesser version of the real thing (awaiting real photo please bear with me)

Me and Madonna's favorite beer - Timothy Taylor on tap at the Potting Shed