At Le Procope, the first literary coffeeshop was born: Paris' Left Bank area is full of interesting and historical coffeehouses and cafés and one of the most fascinating must be Café Procope. It claims to be oldest coffeehouse in the world. Le Procope is in rue d'lAnciennne Comédie which was previously called rue de Saint-Germain. It was founded in 1686 by Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli, a Sicilian from Palermo. With its close proximity to the old Comédie-Francaise and a reputation … [Read more...]
"k.u.k Hoflieferant" – Purveyors to the Imperial Court
March 7, 2010 by
When "k.u.k Hoflieferant" confirms that you're good enough for the Imperial Court: If your business had the honorary title of “k.u.k Hoflieferant” during the times of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, that meant that you were chosen to be a purveyor to the Imperial Court. It's of course a much sought-after accolade for any company to be supplying to the emperor's household and up to this day, the honorary title is still a symbol of premium quality. During the height of the Austro-Hungarian … [Read more...]
South Devon's Farmers' Markets
February 13, 2010 by
At South Devon Farmers' Markets you can taste the delights of local foods: With its rich and fertile rural land, the South Devon region produces plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, fine free-range meats and outstanding dairy produce, not to mention the abundance of seafood. When visiting this region, a stop at one of the farmers' markets offers the opportunity to taste the delights of local foods, see what's in season and what the locals are buying and perhaps have a natter with members of … [Read more...]
A Full English High Tea Experience in London
January 31, 2010 by
Afternoon tea in the charming living room of an English stately home: Tea and afternoon tea have played important roles in British culture for centuries and up till today having afternoon tea is still an English custom. It is believed that the idea of afternoon tea was conceived in the early 1800's by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford who was one of Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting. In those days, the upper crust ate a big breakfast, little lunch, and a very late dinner and every … [Read more...]
Haggis, Neeps and Tatties Anyone?
January 28, 2010 by
Scotland's National Dish is not for the faint-hearted: The haggis is a national dish of Scotland although some say that the ancient Romans were the first people known to have made haggis-type products. At any traditional meal in Scotland, you can expect to see this dish served, as we were at our Southern Highlands hotel. Haggis is a kind of sausage, or savoury pudding that's cooked in a casing of sheep's intestine. It is traditionally served with "neeps and tatties" which is Scottish swede, … [Read more...]
Magpie Café – The Best Fish & Chips in England?
January 25, 2010 by
Does the Magpie Café have the best fish and chips in the country? You don't have to look too hard for places to eat in Whitby. There are many cafés and restaurants in town and just along Pier Road there are three (Magpie Café, Terry's Restaurant and Quayside) and on Baxtergate there are another three (Mill's Café, Royal Fisheries and Tiffin). Whitby in North Yorkshire is a holiday resort and a fishing town well known for its fish and chips and the most famous place in town appears to be … [Read more...]
Bonjour, would you like to bake like a French Pâtissier?
January 16, 2010 by
Learn Pastry and Dessert making from a French master chef: Paris' patisseries are world famous and some like Ladurée, La Maison Stohrer and Angelina's are Parisian institutions. Life's Sweet in Paris - walk around the city and you'll see patisseries overflowing with the most tempting sweet treats. Dessert connoisseurs don't seem to mind waiting in long queues to have a taste of those mouth-watering macarons, crème brulée, tarte tatin or truffes au chocolat. This we saw for … [Read more...]
Café Americain – Amsterdam’s Art Deco Grand Café
January 15, 2010 by
Dinner at Amsterdam's Art Deco Grand Café: Amsterdam has a number of grand cafés where you can enjoy dining in elegance and on our one free night in Amsterdam, we chose to dine at Café Americain, the oldest of the grand cafés in this city. Café Americain is one of the restaurants of the Amsterdam American Hotel in the Central Canal Ring district. The café has a past reputation for being the hangout for writers, musicians, actors and other artists and on the hotel's website it … [Read more...]
Norwegian Food on our Hurtigruten Cruise
December 27, 2009 by
What to Expect of your Hurtigruten Cruise Foods On our winter Hurtigruten Norwegian cruise, there were only about 45 passengers doing the whole round trip journey from Bergen to Kirkenes and back. Along the way a few passengers joined, but generally there's plenty of room to spread out and mealtimes were very casual. This is not the case during the peak season where there may be several meal sittings and you have to make a table reservation for the voyage on embarkation. Each cruise may … [Read more...]
Café de Paris – Sintra
December 11, 2009 by
Café with a Palatial View: Set in the historic centre of Sintra Vila is the iconic Café de Paris which enjoys fine views of the Palácio Nacional de Sintra (National Palace). At the Café de Paris, you have a choice of dining on the balcony, the terrace or the fine-dining restaurant with its chandeliers and French style decorations. The terrace café faces the National Palace and it's a nice place to relax after a busy day sightseeing. You can watch the buzz of the town in a … [Read more...]