One must take afternoon tea...or coffeeWhen visiting London or when one wants to relax in the afternoon with some lady friends, one goes to take tea at a posh London establishment. When the Dolce's were in town we went for afternoon tea at The Wolseley in Piccadilly for a belated Mother's Day celebration. Joined by Madeline and the Rabbit we had a girly afternoon sipping tea (or coffee as Momma Dolce did) and champagne.

I know it sounds odd to have tea and champagne but the Brits take any opportunity to integrate alcohol with every meal or ritual. I highly recommend The Wolseley as the service is superior and the decor is grand and elegant. It was once a showroom for the Wolseley car, then the home of Barclay's Bank and is now the home of a great culinary establishment.

We ordered the Afternoon Tea which comes with lovely patisserie, finger sandwiches and a lovely pot of our choice of tea - Ms. Madeline ordered the Batenburg cake which looked interesting but reminds me of something an old granny would order (but she is a lovely spritely young thing!). Am too tired to type any more (it has been a busy day) but if you want to learn more about how to get to the Wolseley to eat your own Batenburg cake or some lovely scones with jam and clotted cream - visit their website here.

Afternoon snackScones and tea with clotted cream - a lovely afternoon treat at work - sometimes the Brits live it up! Today I am writing a publishing test which is sure to be extremely tough so am pumping the body up with French toast, water, coffee and some new vitamins I bought (calcium and Vitamin E, D & K - as I can't get into goat's or soy milk) but first, after I press send, I am going straight to Pilates!

Jamie O made French toast the other night on tele with eggs and freshly cut chili pepper and used a crumpet / English muffin (as we call it in Canada), it was a nice alternative to using regular toast. There are crumpets in the kitchen today so will try it out!

Edmonds & Dee's scones
Dee made these scones from a recipe from the biggest selling book ever in New Zealand, no not the Da Vinci Code or the Guide to Counting Sheep, but Edmonds cookbook. They were delicious! She made plain ones and ones with bacon and onion...yum! Everyone in New Zealand (and those Kiwis in London) have this cookbook.

Edmonds started in the early part of the 1900s by a retailer who decided to make a better quality baking powder as his customers complained about the various types he sold in his shop. From his better quality powder, the business blossomed from there into more cookery products and became a large Kiwi empire, which still continues today.
Way back then, when couples got engaged they received a free copy of the cookbook as a gift (this has stopped now).
The history of the company is very interesting, the intro to the cookbook is an interesting read. The book has the basic recipes to the main foods a 'housewife' back then should know how to cook for her working husband. Recipes are still relevant today and made by both male and females!

Scones

• 1 breakfastcup flour (piled up)
• 1½ teaspoons Edmonds' Baking Powder
• 1 oz. butter (or lard)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 egg

Rub butter (or lard) into flour, then add other dry ingredients, beat egg with little water, mix all into dough. Bake as usual, quick oven. If made without the egg, use milk in place of water.