Caffe Life

Yes, it's a chain, but a chain with the most amazing daily-baked sweets and frothiest cappuccino. From Dubai to Dublin, don't expect anything less than full-fat milk and freshly-ground coffee beans from the family-run roaster in Piacenza at Carluccio's.

What gives this caffe its street cred? The prices are reasonable, the food is fabulous, and Antonio Carluccio, OBE, founded it after managing, then owning, celebrity favorite Neal Street Restaurant {where Naked Chef Jamie Oliver began his professional career as pastry chef.}

Buon appetito

Petit Dejuner @ King Arthur

Yesterday morning we escaped the housekeeper and headed to King Arthur Flour in Norwich --  where you can shop an extensive selection of fine ingredients, learn to bake the perfect baguette, or just sit & enjoy wonderful pastries with steaming hot coffee...

I poured a mug of Omar's Organic Blend (shade-grown & fair trade) and headed over to the case, where I ordered the prettiest morning pastry I could find. Although it was called almond danish, 'danish' seems too pedestrian a term for this creation. Its tender, light crust was more like a croissant, a delicious, not-too-sweet almond paste was wrapped within, and the entire flaky confection was topped with honey-glazed, toasted almond slivers.

Heaven.