Age proves no barrier to a warm welcome.Byline: ZOE Zoe (born c. 978, Constantinople—died 1050, Constantinople) Byzantine empress. The daughter of Constantine VIII, she married Romanus III Argyrus in 1028. He died in 1034, perhaps poisoned by her, and she married her lover and chamberlain, who became Michael IV. CHAMBERLAIN BANCROFT TEA ROOM, Stratford-upon-Avon THE tables are dressed with daisy tablecloths in cornflower cornflower, common herb (Centaurea cyanus) of the family Asteraceae (aster family). It is a garden flower in the United States but a weed in the grainfields of Europe. blue, the afternoon tea is served on three-tier platters and the cakes are home-made. It sounds like the quintessential English tearoom, except for one difference. This one is child-friendly! In the family room, the pretty tablecloths are wipe-clean, there's an abundance of highchairs and there's a beautiful playroom filled with books, cuddly animals and puppets and traditional wooden toys. It makes for a very relaxing, not to mention indulgent, afternoon for mum. I went there with my mum and one year-old, and we shared a coffee and walnut cake (pounds 3.60) and a scone Scone (sk  n), village, Perth and Kinross, central Scotland. Old Scone, west of the modern village of New Scone, was the repository of the Coronation Stone (see under coronation) and the (pounds 3.60).
The cake was deliciously nutty and rich with a lovely butter cream Butter cream or buttercream or mock cream is a type of icing used inside cakes, as a coating, and as decoration. In its simplest form, it is made by creaming butter with icing sugar, although other fats can be used, such as margarine. filling but it was the scone that we fought over, little one included!
Served warm, we smeared each half with shiny strawberry jam and decadent clotted cream, lapping up each mouthful until we'd licked the plate clean. Our cappuccinos (pounds 1.15) were excellent, and I particularly liked the fact the sugarcubes were served in pretty antique glass vases. Meanwhile, having devoured what was supposed to be our scone, baby went on to have great fun playing peepo with puppets while we relaxed on the comfy sofa. A good afternoon was had by all, and I thoroughly look forward to a return for full-blown afternoon tea and the works! ZOE CHAMBERLAIN Bancroft Tea Room, Bridgefoot, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire (01789 404 600). The bill came to just over pounds 10. CAPTION(S): CHILD FRIENDLY: Kimberley Malins serves Quentin Creese and son Archie; WELCOMING: Bancroft Team Room manageress Stephanie Malins |
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