The Cakewalk

Hello, hello. Hurried post today. Favourite things still. Translating Old English isn't one of them, surprisingly.

All of my favourite things so far seem to have been food-based, and this one is no exception. I have a super huge sweet tooth, so I love cakes and biscuits. (Fortunately for me it means I also love fruit so I haven't ended up whale-size.)

Some of the best cakes I ever, ever had were in Tokyo. They make sponge cake as light as air over there. Really tasty air. It's insane.

Cake display in a Tokyo department store's food hall.
(The green melon flavour one up top was my favourite)

Yum.
Yumyum.

I may be drooling a little
just looking at this.

If we could have afforded these, we would have
been all over them.

Ready for the eating.
Look how soft and fluffy and creamy!

This is a very embarrassing picture of me loving cake a
tad too much, in my lovely Tokyo apartment from b-site.

They also love macaroons in Japan. This is the window
display of the Pierre Herme store near Omotesando.

When I'm home and wanting a cake-fix though, I am all about the cupcakes. I bake quite a lot myself when I have time, but if I'm going to buy them I get them from buttercup cake shop, who have branches around London in Westfield, Kensington and I think now in St. Albans, Hertfordshire.

Some of my own, lovingly-decorate cupcakes.
A very good way to waste a Sunday at home.

A selection from buttercup. Nomnomnom.
See here for prices. This box cost £28.

Flavours (from top L): peanut butter cup, fantasy, mango, rose,
passion fruit, chocolate, red velvet, bannoffee, carrot, vanilla,
banana, peanut butter. 

They were started by an American lady (because we all know Americans do cupcakes best, just look at Sprinkles) and are so fresh and so yummy with the best icing, a huge variety of flavours, and the softest sponge. I love them.

My favourite flavours are fantasy, red velvet, vanilla, banana, or anything fruity.

Excuse me now while I go and wipe the dribble off my chin.


Ciao for now,
Charlotte

Tea-total

If you're anything like me (English and with a fondness for warm things in your tummy), you'll be wanting to drink your weight in tea daily while revising for January exams. So, invest in a teapot and tea cosy (an ex-boyfriend got me mine a couple of years ago) or even a whole tea-set so you never have to wait for your next tea-fix and you won't waste precious time going back and forth to the kitchen (unless procrastination was the point all along...)

For the epitome in cute teatime equipment try Cath Kidston or the original, Whittard.

I love:

This adorable tea-set would make a great late Christmas gift for a loved one, and is only £22.50 for the set from Whittard.

This classic glass teapot is super-stylish and allows you to see how soon you'll need a top-up and how strong your tea's been brewed. 
There are matching cups and saucers available, but the pot itself is £18.75 from Whittard.


I bought some amazing floral (jasmine) tea in China where you drop a ball of the tea into your pot and it opens up into a flower; I'd love to be able to serve it in here so it was visible in all its glory. 
It starts off looking like this:

Image from shoponline2011.com

And ends up like this:

Image from cookinganything.blogspot.com

 And p.s., it tastes yummy!

And finally, a good old fashioned bit of British quirk - smaller than your average teapot, but much more fun. This post-box teapot is a great way to show your love for all things British and liven up your kitchen counter. It's also available in a Big Ben model - because who doesn't love having a London landmark in their cupboard?

Each design is £11.75 from Whittard.

Enjoy your cuppa!

Ciao for now,

Charlotte

Revision-al License

Exams = Ew. There's no two ways about it.

Revising is not a fun way to pass the time, but it's what I've been doing endlessly lately.

My tips: colour-code EVERYTHING. The nicer things look, the more likely you are to remember them. Make notes, then make more notes, and make more again. Stick reminders all over your walls. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Get some pretty stationery. It will help, I promise.

Drink lots of tea. It makes me a lot happier, at least.

Snacks are your friend. (In moderation)

Good luck if you have exams!

Ciao for now,
Charlotte