A Taste of Seasonal Britain

A dear friend recommended the restaurant Bumpkin to me, and I had the loveliest time there the other night.  It is a fashionable restaurant with several locations in London, and I visited the one in South Ken.  The restaurant offers seasonal fare and draws upon Great Britain's own products.

The inside of the restaurant is a bit dark -- but in a cozy, warm sort of way.  It has a very English countryside look to it, which, of course, I absolutely adore.  Furniture and fabrics are layered, and there's just a touch of quirkiness.  Little vases of flowers that looked freshly picked from someone's garden were sprinkled around the restaurant.

This macaroni and cheese was pretty darn incredible.  The short, fat pasta was great with the Béchamel-like sauce.

A salad made of peas, "broad beans" and asparagus with a tomato dressing.  I think broad beans are lima beans -- still learning some of the local words!  There wasn't much to this salad other than the ingredients I listed -- and that was perfect, because I could really taste the fresh vegetables.  A wonderful evening, and I look forward to going again soon!

The Sweets of South Ken

Well, I haven't even been here a week, but I've already acquainted myself with most of the sweet shops surrounding the South Kensington Tube station.  I plan on conquering the remaining ones next week.  May I present to you Hummingbird Bakery, Osborne's of London, Gail's and Scoop?

I consider myself a bit of a cupcake aficionado, and let me say, Hummingbird Bakery does not disappoint.  It is the first cupcakery in London and always is full of people.  It offers standard flavors such as chocolate, vanilla and red velvet.  It also creates new flavors such as the American Brunch flavor below.  It's Wimbledon season around here, and Hummingbird Bakery got into the spirit with these fantastic tennis-themed cupcakes.  They tasted scrumptious as well!

This ice cream truck is parked on Exhibition Road, which is the road you walk up from the South Ken Tube station to Kensington Gardens and to Hyde Park.  I'm pretty certain their products are made out of either whole milk or legit cream, because the ice cream is very rich.   And consequently, addictive.

Oh, Gail's.  Where do I begin?  I love this darling, little bakery.  It is perched right on a corner and opens up to the bustle of the South Ken area.  I've tried the carrot cake and the shortbread cookies -- both were delicious. Its packaged baked goods make great gifts for visitors or hosts.  It also offers great options for a light lunch for a picnic in Kensington Gardens.

If you don't have time to skip over to Italy and have some gelato, never fear -- South Ken brings you Scoop! This place always has a line out the door, and for good reason.  It has a couple of dozen flavors.  I died and went to heaven when I ordered Bacio and Tiramisu.

What are some of your favorite sweet shops where you live?  What are some of your favorite sweets to eat?