Costa's Large Cup For Cappucino or latte

Large cup with two handles in Costa. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

This cup is used for massimo, maximum or large size drinks. In addition to coffee, options include hot chocolate.

 I noticed the huge two handled cup used by the person next to me in Costa under Sainsbury's in Hendon, NW London. The cup is for a large drink. Massimo. Favoured by people who want to occupy a table for an hour or two or more. Whether for meeting friends, or, more usually, working at a laptop. 

Why? Some people may be working from home, but to get away from distractions of family, noisy children, crying babies. 

Or out of the office. Or between meetings in the area. We were waiting for deliveries. Or for appointments with tenants and letting agents. Or to wait for cleaners to finish cleaning a flat.

You can buy these cups on line. The one from Costa was on ebay, used, at about twelve pounds. Several more at that price, in heavier porcelain. Lots of cheaper ones in light weight plastic. For invalids, or the elderly. On Amazon.

I also spotted a smaller two handled cup for only about four pounds. Maybe for a child, or for a novelty.

Useful Websites For Two-handled Cups

Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Handled-Drinking-Coffee-Tableware-Released

Many styles, two handle holders for one handle cups, practical affordable styles, as well as elegant and expensive porcelain:

https://www.mobilitysmart.co.uk/daily-living-aids/drinking-aids/two-handled-cups

ebay two handled mugs under five pounds, plus postage:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/298029458555?var=0&shprz=EBAY_GB

Costa Coffee Shops:

https://www.costa.co.uk/stores/sainsbury-hendon

https://www.costa.co.uk/behind-the-beans/our-story/history

Costa, Starbucks, Cafe Nero and others worldwide:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_coffeehouse_chains

Info On Mug Sizes Compared To Coffee and Tea Cups:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mug

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Costa In London and Bear Biscuits

 We sought refuge from the rain in a large branch of Costa near Brent Cross. 

The Costa had restful peacock colour walls with green leaf patterns. Stools carried on this theme wirh pattern on the fabric. Varied seats, as you'd expect.

Two toilets, one for the disabled and wheelchairs.

I instantly discovered my favourite almond bake. A bit like a British Bakewell tart.

My husband ordered a doppio espresso con panne (double espresso with milk). He off-loaded the superfluous white cream from adop his coffee onto my portion of cake.

Our almost four-year-old quickly found a packet of bear-shaped biscuits.

Useful Websites

Costa locations in London and England

Toilets In Starbucks & Coffee Bars

If people are using Starbucks for rest rooms (in the UK we say toilets), are there public rest rooms nearby? If so, put a sign on the door saying,

If you just want a rest room, go to (such and such a place).

If there are no public rest rooms within half a mile, the local street or area business owners, or council, should be providing some.

Where else can people go?

Costa.

McDonalds.

Pubs

Shopping malls

Restaurants

Useful Websites

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxnv4rjdq4o

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/article-14281411/Starbucks-announces-major-reversal-policy-force-customers-pay-simple-pleasure.html

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Almond Cakes Around Europe - England, France, Spain & Portugal

Spanish Almond Tart

 In Spain we had almond cake for evening dinner dessert, at the Parador de Fuent De in the Picos de Europa (European Peaks) in the north of Spain.  I loved the almond filling. The same item appeared again at breakfast.

French Almond Tart

Just across the border is France. The French call their marzipan tart frangipane.

Another Spanish Almond Tart

We travelled west through northern Spain to Santiago de Compostelo, the city whose cathedral is the end of a hiking pilgrimage. The city's classic dish is the Tarta De Santiago.

We crossed the border to Spain, off to Oporto and the port wine region of the Douro.

Portuguese Almond Tart (Tarte de amendoa)

As we travelled onwards, west into Portugal I had a pleasant surprise. My favourite almond tart appeared again.

English Almond Tarts

Back in London, England, I noticed Bakewell tart or almond tart in Tesco Express. We once stopped in Bakewell to try tart from a shop claiming to be the original site of the recipe. But their tart seemed to me no better nor different than others I had tried. I was quite happy with locally bought Bakewell tart down south in London.

Bakewell tart picture by Brynn in Wikipedia under Bakewell Tart. Notice the red fruit jam (Americans say jelly) on the pastry base of the tart. Flaked almonds and icing sugar (Americans say powdered sugar) on the top of the tart.

Costa's Almonds

Across the road, in Costa in Hatch End, I was able to indulge myself in part of a slice of almond cake, shared with my husband. Costa is Italian. 

Costa Exterior with pavement seating for summer. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. 

Costa interior with indoor seating in the light by the window. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Almond bake on display (lower center) at Costa in Hatch End, London. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

It is very fattening. All that almond cake in Spain had fattened me up. After all that cake and hotel and restaurant meals in Spain and Portugal I needed to go on a diet. But, who can resist cake. 

I ate a third.

Almond tart, divided, in Costa. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Tesco Almond Cake

Tesco in London also had croissants, hot every morning, with almond fillings. (We also saw these in Singapore last year, 2023). I looked up the calorie count for almond filled croissants and was horrified.

Today I went online looking for recipes and found a few. Almond cake or rather tart, seems more easy to make than cheesecake.

You have a shortcrust pastry base. You can buy this from the supermarkets in rolls unbaked and roll it out. Then three equal amounts, 180 grams, of ground almonds which American call almond flour), granulated sugar, and butter. Add three eggs. 

Either mix the eggs and sugar, then the almonds, or mix the dry sugar and almonds, then add the eggs.

You may have to pre-cook the base so it doesn't go soggy

How high and long do you cook it?  170 degrees for 45 minutes.

Optional extras are lemon juice and/or cinnamon.

On top you can put almond flakes (also called sliced almonds), or confectioners' sugar (icing sugar(, or raspberries. If you think fruit is healthier than sugar this would be a good idea. Adding flour is optional, and some recipes without it or tars without it are promoted as gluten free. Almond essence is added by some books to enhance the almond flavour.

Another variation is individual cupcakes with white icing on top and a cherry in the middle, recently revived from an old recipe book promoted as Gloucester tarts which were given away free at the city's museums as a promotion. The distinctive ingredients were ground rice and raspberry jam.

Gloucester tart from Wikipedia.

Gloucester is a cathedral city in southwest England on the way to Wales, near Monmouth. 

I must admit I was familiar with this kind of cake or tart. I remember clearly trying both this one which was cheaper and an almond tart I decided that the almonds were lost under the sugar icing, which seemed to me a way of giving you a layer of sugar without almonds, which looked pretty. An economy for mass production. But for pure almond taste, I preferred an almond cake.

I am now thinking of making an almond tart at home, with and without the almond essence. I shall read the label to check if it is really intensified flavour from real or roasted almonds, or a chemical. But since I am already over-indulging in the delights of a tart made by mixing sugar with almonds, admittedly with added egg. maybe I should be less prim and proper and just enjoy.

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Useful Websites

The Shop and Cafe in Bakewell, Derbyshire, Peak District, England

https://www.bakewelltarts.co.uk/

English Almond Tart Recipe - Waitrose supermarket video on making Bakewell Tart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R8V_yooAEc

Spanish Almond Tart Recipe

https://www.carolinescooking.com/tarta-de-santiago/

Portuguese Almond Tart Recipe Video

https://honestcooking.com/tarte-de-amendoa-portuguese-almond-tart-recipe/

Italian Almond Tart Sbrisolona

https://www.bing.com/search?q=ialian+almond+tart&pc=GD03&form=GDAVG1&ptag=7301&showconv=1

French Frangipane Almond Tart

https://thecafesucrefarine.com/ridiculously-easy-french-almond-frangipane-tart/

See my next post on Italian almond cake.

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Hospital Visitors, Tips For Northwick Park Hospital

 

1 Know which department to visit. 

I was sent a letter to go for a blood test at Northwick Park hospital. When I arrived there were separate car parks and entrances miles apart for differnt departments. If I parked in the wrong place, I would have to take a long walk and pay twice  and be late for my appointment. There was no answering service at car park entrances to get advice. I had no idea where to go. I didn't know that the department I needed was haematology. 

I went to see my uncle's body in the morgue in Barnet hospital. No such building. They don't label it as such inhospitals because it unnerves the patients and visitors. Instead it has a mystery name to disguise it such as the trees or the John Smith building. 

Check the drop off points. The A & E may be for ambulances over, no access for cars and taxis. 

2 Take with you food and water and a change of clothing. 

You could be sitting hours waiting for your name to be called.. 

3 Know which name you are registered under. 

You may use your middle name, but be known by your first name to the hospital. If you are waiting to be called as John or Mary when your first name is Ali or Mae you might miss the call.

4 Check all facts on the hospital typework. 

I was listed as having an accident in a bedroom when I fell over an uneven paving stone in the street. It makes a big difference if you are suing somebody. I was able to phone and correct it. The person who answered said they would post the new version to me.

5 Shop around

if you have to wait, such as for medicine to be dispensed, while waiting you can go shopping, and shop around for the cheapest sandwiches or meal deals. At Northwick Park hospital on the fourth floor you find a Costa, a shop selling cards and scarves, gloves and gifts, a bag shop,a Marks & Speners, A Smiths bookshop.

6 In A and E by the check in area are masks, jugs of water, toilets, each with washbasins in the cubicle, a machine selling chocolate bars and snacks and drinks.

Also free newspapers.

Newspapers. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Useful Websites

https://nhsgp-online.uk/area/

https://www.nhs.uk/services/hospital/northwick-park-hospital/R1K01

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Best and Worst of Costa In Watford - Coffee and Bakewell Tart

The best and worst in one picture. The best is Costa's excellent coffee. The worst was the tart, overloaded icing, too much sugar, and not enough protein. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

If you are looking for a gift, a metal straw. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

 Why visit Costa under the arches by B & Q in Watford? Why not? A good place to stop if it's tea time.

The Best - My Most Favourite

The Seating

Wide choice, arm chairs, stools, banquettes. My husband chose to sit by a bright window. You could also sit outdoors.

The Coffee with cream.

My husband says Costa is his favourite coffee bar chain. He is a coffee connoisseur. When travelling, since Covid-19, when returning to Singapore and quarantine, we pack a suitcase to leave behind with friends to be sent on to our hotel by courier, and in it we take our own coffee maker.

We order capsules from Nespresso and try their multi-packs of many flavours, the strongest and mildest. He is a frequent visitor Costa, and his second choice is Starbucks and failing these any other coffee bar. 

Before leaving, I looked at what the Watford coffee bar was selling. I noticed the metal straws.

The Worst - My Least Favourite

The Bakewell Tart

Note to self. Never order this again. 

Too much icing. 

Jam with no flavour. 

No almond flavour at all. 

We were considering a chocolate dessert but I thought Bakewell tart, which normally contains nuts is better. i was wrong. No noticeable nuts in sight. If you want a delicious Bakewell with almonds and coconut, try the wrapped biscuits in the brand Mrs Crimble.

Costa had some chocolate offerings, and cheesecake, and lemon dessert. I shall try those next time.

What to order

The Coffee

Our favourite is double espressoj can panne. (Double espresso with cream.)

Covidi precautions provided

Hand sanitiser at the entrance.

Toilets?

At the side of Costa, inside. Not enough. With one person ahead of me in the queue, I decided to wait until I got home.

Useful Websites

Costa

https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/18422704.costa-drive-thru-watford-back-open/

https://www.costa.co.uk/locations/store-locator

Open Air Dining in Hatch End, At Casa Mia and More Restaurants

Problem
It's too hot in London to eat a heavy meal. Holidays are taking up our budget on travel costs. How to eat in the open air and economically?

Answers
In London in July 2018 everybody is enjoying the heatwave. 78 F. 26 C. Light summer clothes. Light colours. Lightweight.

Easier to pack - sleeveless tops, shorts, bikis. You need sunglasses, sunshade or sunhat, and suncream. But in air con cars and hotels or hotel bedrooms you might want a long-sleeved night gown. You might also want a brimmed hat and long sleeves and leggings and socks if you are hiding your skin from damaging sunlight and mosquitos - or if you had to much sun yesterday and your skin now look like a pink and white cherry or a crumpled, wrinkled walnut. Now that we are dressed, let's take a stroll along the nearest High Street.

Indoor Open Window Eating
Hatch End High street (just down the road from Pinner and Harrow) is typically London, but more so, with about twenty eating places all in walking distance. The restaurants are on both sides of one short High Street. The two sides of the road linked by a pedestrian crossing in the middle, with lights to stop traffic. Along Hatch End High Street I found at least three restaurants with either windows or doors open.

Fish and chips, dine inside, dine outside, or take away, at Sea Pebbles. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

If you want to sit in the sun, try the sunny side:
Costa,
Mosfilo (Greek and fish),
Izgara (Turkish grills),
Steak restaurant (evenings),
Chuck (upmarket burgers and drinks);
Sakonis Indian, and on the corner
Porta Grande Italian in the former Fellini.

The front of Wetherspoons pub, The Moon and Sixpence, always celebrating something. I took this photo last St Patrick's Day.

Towards the railway station at the end, you will find outdoor seating at the front of the Wetherspoons pub. If you don't mind vehicles, you can watch passers-by and traffic. Alternatively, walk through the pub to the back garden for benches around tables amid grass and trees.

We sometimes have to yo-yo from one table to another to avoid smokers. We once swapped garden tables twice, then, having had enought sunshine, ended up inside.

Next door to Wetherspoons, a large pizza place also has a back garden often open (if they have enough staff).

Hatch End station with its clock and weather vane. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

On the other side of the road, you can sit in the shade indoors with cooling open windows and doors at several restaurants:
Black Pepper
Dona Teresa, Italian, or
Casa Mia, Italian.
For more on Casa Mia see my later post.

Useful Websites
visitbritain.org
visitengland.com
visitlondon.com
temperature in london
jdwetherspoon.com
casamiarestaurant.org.uk

What to see in Wollaston: a typical, or atypical, English village

Problem
You drive up the motorway with a lunch time destination (ours was Huntingdon) and on the way you arrive in a small village looking for a stop for elevenses - to Americans that's what the British call an 11 am break. That's what happened to us. The pub we passed didn't open until noon.

We wanted a coffee stop for the driver and toilets and we were prepared to spend five minutes looking around? What is there to see?

Answer
We arrived in Wollaston which had not been on our itinerary. In addition to lunch at Huntington, we were on our way to look for the landscape of a Roman era vineyard in England.
Wollaston had an elaborate sign.

Now we want the High Street. (In the UK that's the principal road with the shops and restaurants. In the USA it would be called Main Street.)

The High street has a Post Office with the red sign, yellow sonte walls on the right, red brick on the left, and the grey thatch roof over white walls beyond the post office on the right.

We parked and walked about.

The Coronation clock had an explanatory green heritage plaque. The original Coronation clock was installed for the Coronation of Queen Elizaeth II in 1953. Hence the crown above it and the number 1953 below. 

Why 1953? She became queen when her father died in 1952. However, neither the royal family nor the people would have been in the mood for jollity at that time, so everybody waited a year for the coronation celebration.

A green heritage plaque about The Old Marquis.

Notice the uneven yellow stone walls. They are not dry stone walls, with gaps between stones, which you get further north, out in the coutnrside and near Hadrian's Wall, but sealed together.

The London Road - hey, that's back to London.

Another green heritage plaque tells you the old manual telephone exchange was installed in 1918. The automatic exchange replaced it in 1936. The wall is red brick, in London called London brick because a large brickworks made orange bricks from red London clay. Provincial universities used to be called Redbrick universities. The top notch Oxford and Cambridge had different architecture.

We bought a Costa coffee in the post office and were told about this place with a café and toilet. 

Here's a chance for shopping, food, clothes, silk scarves at about £25 and silver jewellery Fair Trade from Indonesia. I asked, "Is this one 925?" Yes, not plated. 

Tea room and a customers' toilet. 

A museum.

Author

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

What's As British as Bakewell Tart? For Almond Addicts.

Photos of almond slices by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

A box of Mr Kipling's almond slices contains six slices. But not for long. Within a couple of hours of my buying it, as you can see, the box contains only four slices. In order to take the photo, I had to ask the calorie policeman, "Where have you hidden the almond slices?" 

Problem
I went to Derbyshire, to the Writers' Summer School at Swanwick, but this year they did not serve Bakewell Tart which I had sampled and loved the two previous years.

If you want Bakewell tart or rather pudding from the town of its supposed origin, go to Bakewell in Derbyshire. At least two places serve what they think is the best and most authentic version.

If you don't make it to Bakewell, copy what I did.

I went into my local Tesco supermarket - a small branch. What did I spy? Mr Kipling almond slice.

An alternative excellent almond snack to have with your mid morning coffee or mid afternoon tea is Costa's almond slice.

I don't drive to the shops. I walk. The calorie count of these delicious desserts is horrific.

As they say, move more and eat less. So I shall swim at the gym and share the next almond slice.

Croissant
Even more shockingly calorific and lip-licking delicious is the almond croissant you can buy freshly baked and often still warm in the morning (is it only Sunday morning?) from Tesco supermarket in London.

Bakewell Pudding and Tart
http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Bakewell_pudding
http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Bakewell_tart

Costa's Raspberry and Almond Bake
See my previous post and picture of the Costa's Raspberry and Almond Bake.
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/costa-at-hays-galleria.html

Croissant with Almond Filling (from Tesco)
https://plus.google.com/+AngelaLansburyauthor2/posts/RPaxZsfwhY1

Tesco's Almond Slice
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/254947308

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Lovely lights at Edgware's Broadwalk Shopping Mall

Problem
Where to park in Edgware? It's free on Sunday but quite pricey in the week. You have to decide whether to park in the supermarket's car park or the long stay car park. We were travelling into town and opted for the long stay and assumed we might be longer than expected. We were stuck in traffic jams at the cross roads, and feared that we would not find a space.

Answer
We successfully parked at Edgware car park behind the bus and train station and the Broadwalk Shopping centre for over four hours (cost £4).

Story
I lived in Edgware as a child, with fond memories of eating cannelloni in Dino's every Saturday lunch time with my mother. Alas Dino's has now gone. Edgware now has Nando's and several other restaurants.
In the centre of the car park was an illuminated Xmas tree. Only later, after pausing to take a photograph, did I realise that it changed colour. First I thought it was blue, which looked odd. I assumed it was either Israeli colours, or politically correct.

However, when we returned later in the day, the tree had turned rad.

We drove around the car park and saw it again at another angle. Was it really the same tree? It was white.

Having paid for long-term parking, in order to have lunch in central London, we had time to go shopping on the way back. We then discovered that with the winter lights, the shopping centre is very attractive.

The lights within the shopping mall also change colour, red, magenta, green blue, white, and multi-coloured. Angels in white are at the corner of the central area which has a Costa in the middle.

The shopping mall has a handy mix of shops, ranging from Poundland to Marks and Spencer, Smiths, and Boots. Sainsbury's is at the back.

Tip
1 Poundland has two queues for payment. The one on the left is for self-service checkout.
2 Check for the current free car parking hours - parking used to be free on Sundays.
3 Remember to validate your car park ticket at the machine before driving out. You cannot pay at the exit point. The barrier lifts when you insert a ticket which has been validated.
4 B & K restaurant, my favourite place in Edgware, is closed on Monday. Check their opening times (which varying seasonally according to holidays).
B and K Salt Beef Bar, 11 Lanson House, Whitchurch Ln, Edgware, London HA8 6NL
Phone:020 8952 8204

Action
For opening times, see their website:
www.thebroadwalkcentre.co.uk/

The pictures in this post are of the inside and from the car park at the back.
My photo in a previous post shows a Christmas tree at the front of the mall.
All photos by Angela Lansbury, copyright 2016.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Billingsgate Mural and Lunch Time Offers In Hatch End

Hatch End - restaurant capital of North West London. What's the latest. I noticed a mural of Billingsgate market inside Sea Pebbles which serves take away fish and chips as well as sit down meals. They are now open seven days a week and have a sign saying Gluten free Mondays.

From Costa, an offer of cake for £1 with certain drinks.

From Chuck, delivery from Deliveroo.

From Izgara, Turkish, and Mosfilo, Greek, more offers.

Finally, Fellini, open all day seven days a week.

And that's just one side of this section of The Broadway.

More restaurants further along the road past Grimsdyke Road towards the station. Cross over and more coming back on the other side of The Broadway.

Billingsgate Fish market
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/business/wholesale-food-markets/billingsgate/Pages/default.aspx

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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Costa Coffee and Cake at Hays Galleria, London Bridge station

A typical Costa, queue up for the food, free newspapers in the rack, and a large unisex toilet big enough for wheelchairs, on ground floor. 

You can get a costa card and sign up for the Costa card ap on your phone.

This is my favourite, almond bake. Like British Bakewell tart. It may look small, but it's full of calories.

We split the sandwich and cake.

Doppio espresso con panne, Italian for double espresso coffee with cream on top.

All you need to know about the smoked salmon sandwich is on the packet. Calories to count.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer, author, speaker.