The Big Reveal

Well, the Olympics are over, and even though Matt and I only caught snippets of the action in London (one of the downsides to having no TV), I'm already going through the early stages of UK withdrawal.

I know things have been a little Brit-centric around here lately, but there's good reason for it - beyond the infectious display of Olympic spirit. You see, while the rest of the world turns its attention away from the UK, in the coming weeks I'll be focusing on that lovely corner of the world more than ever. As the athletes fly back to their respective countries and the ink dries on London's Olympic headlines, the headlines on The Traveling Spoon will be zeroing in on all things British.

That's right, in plain English......

The Traveling Spoon is going to England!!!!!

And we're not just talking about a two-week jaunt: I'll be relocating with one suitcase, my computer, a few books and this blog for the next 9-11 months!

Those of you who've been following along for a while might be a little confused; I've mentioned that Matt is scheduled to deploy for Afghanistan soon...and he's still going. The only thing that's changing is that I'll be using our year apart to attend grad school at the University of Cambridge.

I can't believe I'll be seeing views like this every day!

As you might have guessed, this plan has been in the works for a while - and keeping it under wraps this long has been one of the hardest things I've ever done! I've talked about going back to school for the past few years, but when I submitted my application back in January, I really had no idea that I would be accepted, find funding, and actually end up, seven months later, packing all my worldly goods into a single suitcase for a year abroad.

It may sound hopelessly romantic, but sometimes the prospect is as daunting as it is thrilling. Preparing for a military deployment is challenging for any couple, but it's an entirely different experience when both parties are relocating within weeks of each other (on the bright side, the time difference will be less). Over the past few months, I've struggled to balance school work with deployment preparation, trying to carve out time for preliminary studies while preserving some quality time and making memories with Matt before he leaves.

While I've been stockpiling warm sweaters and potentially useful manuscripts, Matt has been spray-painting his name onto an endless array of military supplies. While I've been dropping useful gadgets into our large, blue suitcases, Matt has been filling olive-drab A-bags with issued gear. Usually my pre-deplyoment activities consist of researching what can and can't be sent by post to Afghanistan, not ferreting out the most competitive British banks and cell phone plans.

Which brings me to another important point. Much like this blog, Matt's past deployments have been fueled by baked goods and tasty treats in regular installments. During the last deployment cookie-filled packages arrived with absolutely regularity, but that's not likely to be the case with this one. While I haven't been allocated lodging yet (I'm still waiting for the student visa that will allow me to stay in the UK for a year) the likelihood that it will come with a kitchen is very, very small. I'm crossing my fingers for at least a hot plate of sorts, but it's possible that for the next 9-11 months, The Traveling Spoon could have a lot more traveling and a little less spoon!

Too bad I won't have a kitchen - I love this apron from Cost Plus World Market!

I hope this won't deter you from following along. At the very least, I'll be eating my way through one of Britain's most beautiful university towns, and possibly lifting the veil a little on my experiences as a Cambridge graduate student. As much as I'm aware of the challenges of this trip, I'm also incredibly excited about it - especially now that I've finally had the chance to break the news - and I hope you'll be excited about it too!

Since Matt and I are counting down the days to his departure, I might not be as much of a presence on the blog as I'd like over the next fews weeks. Rest assured, though, that I'll be back to take you all in my suitcase on this English adventure! Before you know it, we'll be saying 'Cheerio' to Kentucky and a sweet hello to Cambridge!

Pub Grub at Home: More Free Kindle Books!

Those who've followed The Traveling Spoon for any length of time know that I have a very special relationship with the United Kingdom. It's where I spent the majority of my childhood and where I first developed a taste for travel. It's also where I developed a taste for mushy peas and Cadbury's chocolate; where I learned to devour any meat smothered in brown gravy, or any meal doused in malt vinegar.

These days - thanks to the Olympics - it seems the world is going bonkers for Britain, and while British food is much maligned in culinary circles, I believe its poor reputation is undeserved. Some of the best meals I've ever eaten have consisted of stick-to-your-ribs pub grub, and now I've uncovered a few more free Kindle books to help you whip up some up at home. Of course, I'm not sure how long they'll be free, so what are you waiting for? Get connected and start cooking!

How to Make An Authentic Sunday Roast with Yorkshire Pudding

How to Make Cornish Pasties

How to Make Devonshire Tea with Scones, Strawberry Jam and Clotted Cream

How to Make English Breakfast

How to Make English Fish & Chips in a Beer Batter

Again, I haven't been compensated for this post, nor have I had the chance to cook from any of these books. I'm just passing on a tasty-looking tip!

"Traditional British Pudding Recipes" FREE Kindle download

True story (i.e. embarrassing but cute vignette from my English childhood): My family moved to the UK when I was four years old. Since my birthday came up shortly after our arrival, my mother made plans to bake a cake for sharing with my new school friends - that is until I came home and announced that all British school children celebrated their birthdays with pudding. Fortunately, my mother's suspicions were aroused and she did enough prior research to discover that 'pudding' was just a catch-all British term for dessert!

In the end it was a phrase well learnt: anyone who disparages British food clearly hasn't tasted their desserts (or Cadbury's chocolate!), and in the years that followed that early and important lesson, I would become intimately acquainted with British 'puddings.' They may give them funny names - like treacle, flapjacks, and, of course, the infamous spotted dick - but they still make them wonderfully delicious. And now you can, too!

"Traditional British Pudding Recipes" is currently available as a free Kindle download, so if you've always wanted to try Sticky Toffee Pudding (there's that word again!) or just want to celebrate the Olympics with a bit of host-country style, this book is a great find.

I have yet to try any of the recipes, but I should warn you you'll need a scale since they're given in metric measurements - and you may find some of the ingredients unfamiliar (caster sugar, for example, is extra-fine granulated sugar commonly sold in the UK). Also, while the term 'pudding' is used to denote pretty much any kind of dessert in UK parlance, most of the recipes in this book are for actual baked or steamed puddings, so you won't find Victoria Sponge Cake or Shortbread here. That being said, how can you argue FREE?

Update: I just came across Traditional British Biscuit Recipes for free, also (Biscuits = Cookies, and everyone loves cookies)! Apparently there are two other books in this series so I'll keep my eye on them and let you know if they come up for free as well.

Note: This does not constitute a review, nor was a I compensated in any way for this post - I'm just passing along free books!

Dad's Favorite Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Father's Day is just around the corner, and I love seeing all the Dad-themed crafts that are popping up all over the internet - the tie-shaped cookies, the painted stones that say 'Dad Rocks', the King-of-the-Grill aprons, the creative candy bar cards. My dad would have loved all of those things, but he passed away four years ago and this holiday has always hit close to home ever since.

To honor his memory and keep myself from too much introspection, I always make an effort to mark the day in a way that would have been special to him. Sometimes it's reading a nautical book (Arthur Ransome's stories are a childhood favorite), or watching an Alfred Hitchcock movie, but more often than not, it's baking strawberry rhubarb pie.

Last year, I spent the holiday on the road so I had to be satisfied with store-bought pie (at least it was Amish-made!), but this year, I had the opportunity to make my own. My Dad was a great lover of pie - a fellow sweet-tooth in a house full of savory-lovers - and strawberry rhubarb was his favorite.

We had our own rhubarb when I was growing up in England; a few large plants that sprung up at the back of our garden, amidst some rambling raspberry bushes and a hedge of beautiful-but-deadly foxgloves. I remember distinctly the first time I saw it, the slender, ruby red stalks a stark contrast to the large and spreading green leaves. I thought it was a vegetable (and it is, technically!) so I was amazed when a friend taught us to cook it with sugar and bake it in pies - such sweetness from a sour vegetable seemed nothing short of kitchen alchemy to me! I've been enthralled ever since, and though I love the magic and simplicity of a pure rhubarb pie, the addition of strawberries really does give you something special.

I make my strawberry rhubarb pies with a crumb topping because that's the way my dad liked them, but there is method to my madness - one of the most common problems with strawberry rhubarb pies is that they can become 'sloppy' during baking. Lots of recipes add cornstarch or tapioca to counter this, but I prefer to keep additives to a minimum, so I have a few tricks up my sleeve:

Firstly, the crumb topping helps to absorb some of the excess liquid while also allowing steam to escape easily during baking, unlike a regular pie crust, so there's no need for venting. Secondly, I cook my rhubarb on the stove first, with some of the sugar, to create a rhubarb compote which makes the filling thicker. And thirdly, the trick is to allow your pie to 'rest' before serving. I know there are few foods more comforting than a hot slice of pie with a cool slick of vanilla ice cream, but resting the pie does make a difference - you'll notice that I did not rest my pie before taking these pictures (do as I say, not as I do!) which is why some of them still look a little gooey.

If you really, desperately want to serve your pie hot, you can re-heat the pieces individually after cooling or just serve it fresh from the oven with the knowledge that you probably won't be dishing up picture-perfet wedges. Along the same lines, you'll get even better slice if you refrigerate your pie before serving - if you can wait that long! Of course, absolutely none of this matters if you're just going to eat it straight out of the pie plate with a fork. Or perhaps a teeny tiny spoon. Don't worry, I'm not one to judge.

Disclaimer: I have to admit that I'm not happy with the photos of this pie - Matt and I were so eager to dig into it that I didn't take the time for a proper shot, and it shows. I'm also a little disappointed that I had to use 100% whole wheat flour for the crust. I don't recommend this since it creates a drier crust, but since we're in the process of moving and trying to use up our groceries, I had to make do with what we had on hand. I guess all of that means I'll just have to make it again - soon!

Now that my excuses are out of the way, I will say that there was one thing that completely lived up to my expectations - the taste! This pie was absolutely delicious, from the first sticky-sweet mouthful to the very last brown-sugary crumb...and yes, Matt and I ate the entire thing between the two of us. Somehow, I'm pretty sure my dad would have approved.

Hot Cross Buns (the real English way!)

There are some things that are just quintessentially Easter. Of course, you've got your chocolate bunnies and a plethora of egg-shaped treats, but for me the holiday isn't complete without an Easter Lamb Cake (a German/Eastern European tradition) or a batch of hot cross buns.

I suppose that's because these treats emphasize the Christian aspect of the holiday (although it's been hotly debated that they have their pagan roots, too) while still allowing me to get my hands dirty in the kitchen and fill my belly with delicious foods.

Hot cross buns hold another special place in my heart - right up there with bangers-and-mash, Cadbury's chocolate, and golden syrup-rich flapjacks - in my treasured food memories of childhood in England. Each spring, I'd look forward to the appearance of the soft, spiced, currant-studded buns, and spend the few weeks of their short season trying to enjoy as many of them as possible.

These days, the buns are sold practically year round, but they weren't always so ubiquitous. In fact, these doughy delights were actually banned by Oliver Cromwell during the Protectorate, when their religious/Catholic associations were considered a threat. I guess that brings a whole new meaning to the phrase 'dangerously good' (and I'll bet you didn't know you'd get a history lesson today)!

In all seriousness, though, the hot cross bun does have a fascinating history (you can read about it in greater detail here), and is surrounded by a whole host of interesting legends (you can read about them in greater detail here). Traditionally, the buns are prepared and eaten on Good Friday, as a celebration of the end of the Lenten season (i.e. "yay we can eat butter and sugar again - lets have some sticky-sweet buns to celebrate") and in preparation for the celebration of Easter (hence the cross). It's said that buns prepared and eaten on Good Friday will never mold, and that such buns, if kept, have all sorts of powers in the home. I'm not sure I'm willing to put these tales to the test, but I am willing to go out on a limb and say that you absolutely must make these buns this Easter.

I haven't been this pleased with a recipe in quite a while - to the extent that I didn't make even a single alteration. Of course, that's also because I spent hours (and I mean hours) searching for the perfect recipe beforehand. There seems to have been a surge in popularity of these treats Stateside in recent years, and while I'm sure that's a good thing, I wanted a version that would replicate, as exactly as possible, the hot cross buns of my British youth.

I pored over dozens of recipes before rejecting them on some grounds or other. Some had no currants, some had no sugar (everyone knows that hot cross buns are sweet, Nigella), and some were just tarted up cinnamon rolls (I'm looking at you, Pioneer Woman).

Let me just clear this up before we proceed: real hot cross buns don't have icing crosses. Ever. I'm not usually one to object to icing, but somehow it seems to go against the wholesome, traditional, and somewhat ascetic nature of these 'treats'. The real method is to use a paste of flour and water, with maybe a bit of sugar added in. That's all. Got it? (Sorry to be so dogmatic, but you don't mess with my hot cross buns - you just don't!).

Proper flour crosses before being baked into goldeny goodness

As you can see, I have high standards when it comes to hot cross buns. The more recipes I perused, the more I despaired of ever finding The One (apparently, I'm not the only one who's had this dilemma) - and then, suddenly, there it was. The perfect recipe for hot cross buns comes courtesy of a Sydney-based food blog called Citrus and Candy. The recipe is given in metric/by weight measurements, which is good news for authenticity and deliciousness, but bad news for the average American cook. I certainly hope you can find a scale and follow along - otherwise, here's a decent-looking recipe in imperial measurements (but be warned: I can't vouch for it's authenticity or deliciousness!).

If you're still reading, I'll assume you've decided to try the metric recipe. Congratulations, your world-of-hot-cross-buns is about to be rocked! This recipe turns out a dozen of the most perfectly spiced, perfectly moist buns, each of them generously studded with soft raisins and topped with a thin, perfectly shaped flour cross.

For those of you inexperienced in baking bread at home, this recipe also serves as a great initiation. There were several points at which I thought things might go wrong (my dough was very moist at first, my cross paste was a little thin, and I had to substitute strawberry-rhubarb jam for the more traditional apricot glaze), but yet the buns turned out absolutely perfect. Perhaps the rumors of divine protection are true, or perhaps it's just a really good recipe. Either way, I hope I've convinced you that you absolutely must make them: these buns really are dangerously good!

Spring Pea Salad (with Bacon!)

Yesterday I shared a small slice of springtime with my grow-your-own-green-onions tutorial - and today I have a recipe to put them to good use!

I guess you could whip up this light, easy 'salad' any time of year, but for some reason I always associate it with springtime - perhaps because it's often a regular feature of Easter potlucks. In addition to being quick and easy to make, it's also a great way to incorporate peas in your diet (because how often do you cook up a big bowl o' peas?) and also makes a nice change from the usual broccoli salad or coleslaw.

Since Matt was skeptical when I mentioned I'd be making a pea salad, I decided I'd bring this along to a church potluck. Unfortunately, I had to cancel at the last minute, which left us with a big bowlful for just the two of us. I thought I'd be eating pea salad for the rest of my days, but as soon as Matt saw that it included bacon (that's right, BACON!), he was happy to test it out. I think I got maybe two servings before he'd finished the whole thing off - so it's definitely husband approved!

There are endless variations of this recipe - and now that Matt's convinced, I hope to test more of them out -  but this one is pretty darn tasty. Don't be afraid to have a little fun with your mix-ins, just be sure to use frozen peas (they're sweeter than canned, but softer than fresh)...and don't forget the bacon!

A House Divided

So, I don't have a recipe for you today. I don't even have a travel post or restaurant review - but what I do have is a funny story about two goofy jackets, a legendary college rivalry, and football.

This weekend is the Army-Navy Game. It may not be the season's biggest ticket, but it's really the only weekend out of the year that Matthew and I become football fans (not counting the Super Bowl, of course, when everyone suddenly loves football). Of course, our enthusiasm for this historic match-up is not without a little bit of tension; you see, Matthew is a West Point grad and I'm a graduate of the Naval Academy.

Lest We Forget

I woke up this morning with the intention of writing up and sharing the last of my Hilton Head restaurant reviews. I got only as far as the title when I realized that I would be remiss if I let today pass without making at least some mention of Veterans Day.

When I was a child in England, we observed Armistice Day on November 11th, pinning paper poppies to the lapels of our school uniforms in a tradition that harked back to the end of WWI, and the very first Armistice Day on November 11th, 1918. I remember watching news coverage of the Remembrance Day ceremonies, as veterans of that 'war to end all wars,' now frail and old, but still living, honored their fallen comrades and received honor themselves. In a country still so conscious of the ravages of that war, the history of this day felt almost palpable.

As a teen, I visited the battlefields of WWI in France and Belgium, making pilgrimages to the Menin Gate  (a memorial to the soldiers of the British Commonwealth) at Ypres, the still-preserved trenches at Vimy Ridge, and the Douaumont Ossuary at Verdun. I was impressed by the stillness of these places, and the reverence with which they had been cared for and preserved through the years.

These early encounters gave me an appreciation for the value of military service, and fostered an understanding of the importance of remembering, so it shouldn't be so surprising that, a few years later, I was putting on a uniform myself. I don't talk much about my military background on this blog, mostly because this is a food and travel blog and I don't consider my experiences to be particularly relevant. But occasionally, on days like today, they intersect.

The wars of today may look nothing like the First World War, but the importance of remembering has not diminished since that first Armistice Day almost a century ago. In fact, the case for observance grows more important with each passing year. The wars we fight today have no possibility of sobering battlefield visits, and daily casualty numbers and graphic news footage have inured us, somewhat, to the horrors of war. Without remembrance, there is the very real possibility that war and sacrifice will become nothing more than background noise in our ever-busy lives.

So today is an important day, not only for those of us who have lost friends, colleagues and loved ones, but also for those of us who are tempted to forget the individual and sometimes personal price of freedom, and for our children, who are just beginning to understand the meaning of sacrifice. If you know someone who has served or is serving in the military, take the time to thank them today and make it personal - their service certainly is!

Midnight Chocolate Cake with Magic Ovaltine Icing (12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies - Week 5)

Okay, so this definitely isn't a cookie, but it is a really good cake  - and one that I plan on serving this holiday season - so it makes the list. If it helps, you can call it the 'Mid-Night Before Christmas Cake' (get it? midnight...mid-night? nevermind.).

I think I've mentioned, more than a few times, how fond Matt is of chocolate. Even the prettiest, tastiest desserts to ever grace a kitchen won't have much pull on Matt unless they're spiked with a bit of the sweet, dark stuff. Lucky for him, then, that this cake has chocolate - lots and lots of chocolate.

Dark, rich and very moist, this cake looks sophisticated and chic, but it's easy enough to throw together for a weeknight dessert. That's exactly what I did, and Matt loved the surprise. Sure, we were eating cake for days (it takes a long, long time for two people to polish off an entire layer cake) but I don't think it ever got old for him. My favorite part, of course, was the icing. We were low on powdered sugar - hence the rather skimpy frosting, which I truly regretted - so I had to improvise with a few other sugary items, and, behold, Magic Ovaltine Frosting was born.

Ovaltine by itself is great, but what's magic about this icing is that it doesn't really taste like Ovaltine - it tastes like Cadbury Mini Eggs. Anyone who knows me well, knows of my obsession with these pastel, Easter-themed candies. They're definitely my favorite edible English export, and probably my favorite sweet in the whole world - and you can be sure that I don't bestow that mantle lightly. I've always regretted the fact that Mini Eggs are only available at Easter-time, but now, thanks to this Magic Ovaltine Icing, I can have them any time I want. Even on the Night Before Christmas!

Book Bite: Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Travel Guides

It's time for another Book Bite! This one showcases some of my favorite travel guides - the Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness series. If you haven't explored this series yet, you're missing out!

As a child growing up in England, I fell in love with Dorling Kindersley books. I loved their interactive and informative formats - the lively descriptions, full-color pages, breathtaking photographs and extraordinarily detailed watercolors - and the wide range of topics covered (everything from cooking to cars). DK books seemed to be everywhere and I read them with childish enthusiasm. I was disappointed when we moved back to the States and I could no longer find them so easily.

You can imagine my delight, then, when I discovered the DK Eyewitness Travel Guides a few years ago.  Our first was borrowed from the library and took us on a trip through the Czech Republic. Since then, we've amassed a small collection and they really are fantastic. DK call themselves the 'illustrated reference publisher,' but their books are so much more than a reference guide - they're an experience.

Each book gives detailed historical information about the specific destination, as well as practical travel tips (on transportation, money issues or social customs) and a quick-reference language glossary that's come in handy more than a few times! They're richly illustrated and chock full of photographs and the DK signature watercolor drawings that feature floor plans and cutaways of famous buildings, as well as 3-D aerial maps of popular locales.

One of our favorite features are the area maps, color-coded and divided into manageable sections which make exploring even the most unfamiliar cities or regions a breeze. We've done several DK-based tours, dividing our time between the sections and relying on their detailed street maps to get around. My favorite thing to do is to dive in, cover-to-cover, on the way to our destination so that I arrive with a sense of the cultural and historical context of the place (it also helps to give me a sense of direction, so I don't get us lost!)

I could go on and on about these guidebooks, but I discovered this little gem of an interview on YouTube, so I'll let their Publishing Director, Claire Currie, give you some more information and a sneak peak at the process behind the publication!

P.S. This isn't a sponsored post - I just really like DK books!

Have Sweet Tooth, Will Travel : A Few of My Favorite Sweet Spots from Around the World

After sharing Lonely Planet's favorite dessert destinations with all of you last week, I got all inspired to create a list of my own. As you all know, one of my favorite things about travel is the opportunity it affords to try new foods  - and these foods always seem more memorable if they come with a hefty dose of sugar! Here are a few of my favorites from the past few years:*
*This list is by no means exhaustive, but it is delicious!

1) Flapjacks, Tom's Cakes, Cambridge, United Kingdom
In addition to being a the creator of traditional pastries and intriguing cakes (like their Lemon and Elderflower loaf), Tom's is the official purveyor of the world's most excellent English flapjacks (okay, official = in my opinion). I discovered Tom's while visiting my brother at university and have made countless pilgrimages since that inaugural visit. Thanks to my wonderful brother, Tom's flapjacks have made regular appearances amongst my Christmas presents for the past few years. Sadly, I'm not sure how I'll get my fix, now that his PhD is over!

2) Tarta de Santiago, Santiago de Compostella, Spain
The Galician city of Santiago is probably better known for the 700 km walk many people take to get there, but it should be famous for this fantastic dessert. Adorned with the symbolic Cross of St. James, this pastry is beloved of pilgrims, tourists and locals alike. It's light, sweet, and heavily flavored with almonds, which, in my opinion, makes it just about perfect.

3) Cookies, Levain Bakery, Upper West Side, New York City, NY
When I first tasted Levain's Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookie, I was pretty convinced that it was the best cookie ever...and it was, for about the five minutes that passed until I tasted their Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookie. In any case, Levain makes some of the best cookies ever - even in the face of tremendous popularity and hype. And that's pretty impressive. Almost as impressive as the gargantuan, behemoth, 6-ounce cookies they serve.

Eating NYC: Chinatown (and A Story of Char Siu Pork Buns)

From 'high brow' to nǐ hǎo! After visiting the trendy shops of Chelsea Market, our next destination was Chinatown. Tucked just below Manhattan's Lower East Side, Chinatown is a favorite with locals and tourists alike, most of whom are drawn by the promise of authentic cuisine, niche shopping (where better to go for loose leaf green tea or a new wok?) and a fascinating cultural experience.

Words of Wisdom from the New York streets: 'Whenever possible, keep it simple.'

Like most places in NYC, Chinatown also has a fascinating history - not only is it home to one of the largest concentrations of Chinese people outside Asia, but it's also one of the oldest. And it all began with a tiny smoke shop, opened in the late 1850s by Cantonese businessman, Ah Ken. These days, you're more likely to see greengrocers and fishmongers than cigar shops, but the area still clings strongly to its regional identity. Bakeries abound with slightly-sweet confections, tea shops offer brewed refreshment, restaurants vie over the title of 'best hand-pulled noodle,' and all around is an air of excitement, energy, and otherness.

Where in the World?: How Many of Lonely Planet's 'Must-Eats' Have You Tasted?

Matt and I are still without a home address for at least a few more weeks, so while my beloved Budget Travel magazines are being delivered to my in-laws, I've been poring over more online travel and food articles. I unearthed this little 'best of' at Lonely Planet, where they detail seven 'must-eats' named for their geographical birthplace.

Of the seven (Buffalo Wings, Peking Duck, Yorkshire Pudding, Salad Niçoise, Nanaimo Bars, Mole Poblano and Singapore Chili Crab) I've eaten only two: I've already professed my love for Yorkshire Pudding, and the Anchor Bar, home of the original Buffalo wings, is just a drive away from my Mum's home in NY. Of course, they all sound delicious - particularly the Peking duck and chili crab!

Cornish Pasty in Cambridge

This article got me thinking about other foods that bear geographical appellations.  There are a few debatable choices, such as Champagne (not technically a food...) and a whole host of cheeses (Wensleydale, Stilton, Cheddar, etc.), but also some other legitimate entries that might possibly give LP's picks a run for their money:

Royal Wedding Report

After last week's pre-wedding post, I thought it only fair to return with a few impressions of the big day. As most of you probably guessed, I did get up at 3am on Friday to watch the live coverage.  It's rare that I actually watch TV (we only have one now because we're living in a hotel) so I thought I'd take advantage - and, in any case, what girl wouldn't want to see a real live fairytale in the making?

Perfect for a Princess: English Sweets and Treats for the Royal Wedding

The venue: Westminster Abbey

Everyone, it seems, has caught the Royal Wedding fever and with the big event only days away, I'm caving to the pressure with a London Foods themed post. There's something exciting and almost fairytale-like about the idea of a commoner-turned-princess - and, of course, I'm always eager for an excuse to rave about British sweets!

The pastry case at Harrods

It's been almost two years since I was last in London, visiting my sister and her husband in September 2009, but our family visited often during our years in England. We also had a few brushes with the Royal Family - I met Prince Philip at a presentation at St. James' in 2003, and my mum even appeared with Princess Diana on a national magazine cover. Before my decision to return to the States for college, I was accepted into the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where William and Kate met. I'm sure St. Andrews had a record number of applications during those few years, so I don't have too many regrets about resigning my place to another princess-hopeful!

Cream tea in the garden

I'm not sure if I'll be watching the wedding live (Matt and I are sharing a hotel room and he's none too excited about waking at 3am to watch TV) but I'll certainly catch some of the coverage and possibly celebrate with a tasty treat or two.  We've been informed that the royal wedding cake will be traditional English fruitcake, but I can think of several tastier options for a viewing party - many of which can be obtained or recreated right here in the U.S.A. Here's a round-up of some of my favorite British baked-goods and bon-bons:

Travel Tips: Sleep Cheap in Europe (Part I)

This travel tip comes courtesy of all the family jaunts we took when I was growing up in England.  My parents had a love for travel and a great sense of adventure, but with five children and themselves to accommodate, economy was the watchword.  I credit their frugality with all the wonderful, global experiences I've had, and many of the 'sleep cheap' tips I've gathered were inherited from them.

One of the best kept lodging secrets in Europe is the network of Youth Hostels that spans almost any European country you might find yourself in.  The idea originated in Germany, where they're called Jugenherbergen, but now you can find them all over the world.  Most countries have their own hostelling association (DJH in Germany, and YHA in the UK, for example) but around 90 of these local associations have been organized under the worldwide association, Hostelling International.  This organization has an all-purpose webpage which allows you to view locations  in the US and across the globe and even book beds online.  There is a membership fee (non-members may still be allowed to stay in hostels, subject to availability and the possibility of a small extra charge) but if you plan on traveling often, in areas where hostels are plentiful, it can be a smart investment.

Best of British: English Roast Potatoes

How do you turn a humble Idaho-grown spud into an international superstar?

Before...

...make him into traditional English roast potatoes!!!!!

...after!

Roast potatoes are as much an English institution as fish and chips or mutton and mint sauce, and possibly more beloved than either.  No Sunday roast would be complete without these starchy, golden pockets of crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside goodness.  As a child, I would look forward to Sunday afternoons that held the promise of flavorful, oven-roasted meats, roasted seasonal vegetables and, the pinnacle of perfection, roast potatoes or 'roasties' as they're affectionately known.  Sitting on the wooden pews of our drafty, stone church I would squirm with anticipation of the feast that awaited us when we returned home.

As English as Apple Crumble

Apples for Crumble

When I was four years old, my parents moved our family from western New York to central England.  My youngest sister was born there, and my parents stayed until after I'd grown and returned to the States for university. With the exception of those first few years in New York and a few more, later, in central Indiana, most of my childhood was spent overseas.