Food, food....Glorious FOOD!

Okay, we have established that I am a firm believer of shopping while on vacation. I also have a equally strong belief that one must experience the food, of wherever your travels take you. Food, food....glorious FOOD! After all, your taste buds need vacations too.
Welcome to the "amazing" food journal from my recent journey.

 In Notting Hill near Portobello Road, London I began my day with a delicious Aussie Style breakfast at Granger & Co. And after spending 18 months in Australia, I know a good Aussie breakfast when I taste one. So yum.....and seriously the best toast I think I have ever eaten! My sister had their Ricotta hotcakes with Banana and Honeycomb butter.....heavenly.

How often can a person say they have dined with dead people? If given the chance, you must eat here while in London.

  It is the Cafe in the Crypt of St. Martins at Trafalgar square. The food wasn't phenomenal but the atmosphere was inspiring. And, if you pop over to the gift shop (next to the cafe) you can do a rubbing of a tombstone to take home as a souvenir.

 

Then it was off to the Orangery at Kensington Palace. If you want a great Tea while in London, this is the place. Our host and waiter weren't stuffy at all.....very accomodating.

My sister, doesn't she look so proper?

Sandwiches, Scones, and Sweets

 Can you see the wee little Orangery building they printed in chocolate on a divine dessert? Soon after I took this picture, the delicate little cake (complete with chocolate printing) was in my tummy.....delicious!

While visiting the Jane Austen House - Museum in Chawton (seen on the left) we hopped across the street to the pub.....for some Fish and Chips, of course.

Inside the, oh-so-British, pub

.....Complete with mashed peas and some rather tasty Tartar sauce.

It seemed proper that our first meal in Paris should be eaten at Ladurée on the Champs Elysées.

How could you not eat at a place that has towers of French Macaroons in the window? Or that has this....

Corolle Feuillettee' Caramel

....for dessert? I call it death by caramel. There was a thin layer of salted caramel in the bottom of the pastry, followed by a rich caramel gooey mouse, and topped with caramel flavored whipped cream. I don't think I will ever forget this caramel brimmed dessert for as long as I live.

If you are in Paris it is a rule that you have dessert after every meal. This raspberry macaroon was delightfully messy to eat.

 

Look! Its cheese heaven!

This is a Fromagerie the chef from our cooking class introduced us to.

What you can't see is the huge mound of fresh butter back in the corner.....ooo, and it was g-o-o-d!

Fortunately the above pictures don't represent all we ate in London and Paris. The majority of our edible adventures were deliciously consumed before I could say the words, "I should take a picture of this" Such as: Crepe au Nutella, Jabon (ham) Gruyere Panini, Croissants (multiple), etc. and so forth.

.....now who's hungry?!

P.S. If you want ideas of great place to eat locally, or internationally, I would suggest the book, Where Chefs Eat. My sister lugged the giant book with her on our trip and it was the source of some of our yummiest meals.