While I am happy to be back, there are things I miss about London. It goes without saying that I miss my friends and their children, and being able to spend time with them... So, even though my list doesn't have an order per se that is number one without a doubt...
- Weather: I didn't expect it to be that mild in London. It was perfect to walk around and the best thing was that there were many people walking around as well as sitting at cafes outside. Of course some of them do it in order to smoke, but I saw lots of people who simply enjoyed being outdoors. (as I write this it is snowing in London so much so that Heathrow was closed for a couple of hours... go figure.)
- Scones: I loved being able to sit down in the afternoon with a pot of tea and -kind of- stop the world as long as the pot lasted. Of course not everyone did this, and my tea break came in the middle of sightseeing or museum touring, but it was the perfect break... especially because it came with wonderful scones. Whether it is at Victoria & Albert Museum's Cafe (which was my absolute favorite tea experience because it was in a beautiful room - but you didn't have to pay an arm and a leg for it, and the scones and clotted cream were absolutely great, especially paired with my favorite tea in the winter: a smoky lapsang souchong) or from M&S (Marks and Spencer's grocery store). With my vast collection of teas, I am certainly having lots of morning, daytime, and afternoon tea, but there's nothing like those scones here... So now I am in search for the perfect scone recipe to recreate that experience here at home.
- Brown Bread: I normally don't eat that much bread (this goes along with my coffee philosophy "drink coffee only when it's good") but the bread in London was too hard to pass. And I must say, that was my favorite treat after a long day of sightseeing and walking, when I finally sat down in the evening, preferably paired with:
- Real Cheese: The perfectly sharp cheddars, wonderfully creamy stichelton, the pungent stilton (preferably in a prune)... Whether from the temple of cheese Neal's Yard, or from Borough Market, or simply from M&S, the wonderful taste of "real cheese" lingers in my mouth as one of the best memories of London. So does the passion of the cheese-mongers I met, always willing to tell you the story and make you share the joy they are having with cheese. To me, good cheese and bread (preferably paired with a good beverage appropriate for your mood) is always the perfect escape to heaven no matter what's going on, and London provides lots of it... And the wonderful thing was that you could have the best cheeses from anywhere in Europe as well as lesser known British cheeses that deserve an exploration on their own (project for my next visit!)
- Good coffee on every corner: Being able to find good coffee when you want it is one of the simplest pleasures in life. No matter what's going on, when you can sit down (I'm not a fan of coffee on the run) and sip a perfectly made coffee, time stops and things go back to their places, even for a second giving you that peace, and the feeling that no matter what there are good (no great!) things in life. A perfectly brewed coffee with the intensity of flavor, aroma of exotic lands, and possibly the creaminess of a milk that reminds you of green pastures is a world that comes together in a cup especially when someone pours it with care, and takes the time to serve it to you with a smile even off the counter. Readers of my travel blog know that I consider Monmouth Coffee the "temple of coffee" in London, as those things come together time and time again without skipping a beat. Even though they are not on every corner (fortunately or unfortunately?) there is an independent coffee shop not too far when you wonder around in London, and I love that you can get a decent coffee without an effort. (another project for my next visit: explore more coffee shops)
- St. Martin in the Fields: I had wonderful experiences at this small church listening to all kinds of music, as well as escaping to its crypt to get a break from the city. If I lived in London, I would probably go at least once a week, and definitely when there is a jazz concert. I miss the intimate and friendly atmosphere where you listen to music in a casual environment and (in the crypt) where you can enjoy a glass of wine or beer at decent prices.
- Fish 'n Chips: The fish and chips in England has very little in common with the greasy, batter heavy, dough covered tasteless white meat that looks like fish I am used to seeing in the US. They are crunchy, light, and wonderfully fishy; the batter is used to crunch up and wrap the fish so it cooks with all its sea flavor still intact in this little package. It is of course served with tartar sauce, and mushy peas (which are served almost cold, for which I have found no explanation), and thick cut of "chips" which are generally crisp on the outside (I was lucky to have my most perfect fish 'n chips in London on my first day and now hold all fish and chips against that!) Needless to say, this type of fish 'n chips goes very well with beer, in my world, with a nicely hoppy beer to balance out the crunch and the slight sea taste of the fish.
- Brindisa (at Borough Market): Jamon Iberico is a magical experience... Not to have that available as good is tough... And simply being able to walk in and chat with the proud jamon slicers, smell the chorizo cooking outside and eye the paprika, peppers, and other spices is an experience I miss...
- Real France's yogurts (atBorough Market): I've had yogurt all around the world, but there is nothing like these yogurts. Creamy and milky so much so that you can taste the fresh milk. And I love how sweet the yogurt is -not the sugary sweet taste, but the sweetness of the milk delicately coating your mouth and making it a perfect yogurt experience. (not to mention their creme caramels... I am not a huge flan/creme caramel fan, but I find myself yearning for that perfect cup of creme caramel which is made with that perfect milk and eggs...) Now all I have are the empty jars on my desk...
I guess we can say that I miss Borough Market... but more than that I miss having access to the "real" things whether it is coffee, cheese, yogurt, or sausages. I love that in London you can step out and have the real thing as opposed to things that are called cheese, coffee, and yogurt... And that if you take it one step further, you can easily talk to people who make them and take pride in making them. Totally miss that!
