Generally speaking the Dormouse Team love living in the north, it's not all flat caps and whippets you know, but then again flat caps and whippets what's not to like?  

This week is National Baking Week and here at Dormouse and The Teapot we are still banned from the kitchen as preparations for the renovations move ahead at a pace.  

There are days when I simply love writing and this is one of these days. 

As anyone who loves food and enjoys writing about food will tell you, it is a dream to write and have a cookery book published. As food bloggers we taste a little of this dream, we write and we are read (hopefully) but it's not quite the same as being in print.

There's been a lot of good things said about Clippy's Apples preserves in particular their conserves.  After all there are not many apple jams around really so they are a bit of a novelty.  

Ever since we tried Lollicakes gorgeous cake pops we have been desperate to have a go ourselves.  

There's nothing like a lovely trifle but when summer hits the traditional pud can be a little heavy on a hot day.  It's still one of our favorite puds though and when we were sent a sample of The Bitter Truth Violet Liqueur the old cogs started turning....

The Dormouse Team all love chocolate.  Chocolate cake, hot chocolate, chocolate biscuits.Mmm! We are all in agreement however, thate there is nothing like homemade cookies straight from the oven dripping with melted chocolate.  Here's our tried and tasted favourite recipe when we are in a hurry and desperate for that chocolaty hit.

You will need

• 50g Milk chocolate
• 50g Dark chocolate
• 100g Granulated sugar
• 75g Sugar brown sugar
• 1 Egg
• 2tsp Vanilla extract
• 150g Plain Flour
• 1/2tsp Baking powder
• Pinch salt

How to make them

• Heat your oven to 190c / Gas Mark 5.  Line two baking sheets with baking parchement. Break the chocolate into little chunks and set to one side.
• Heat the butter in a saucepan until just melted.  Pour into a mixing bowl and ad the sugars. Beat well with a wooden spoon.
• Add an egg and the vanilla.  Beat again until the mixture is blended.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl and stir in.  Add  the chocolate.  Mixture should be slightly sloppy.
• Dot spoonfuls of the mixture over the lined baking sheets. Be sure to leave space and they really spread out!
• Cook in the oven for 8 - 10 minutes until they are just turning golden brown.
• Remove from oven leave to cool for  a  few inutes then carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Serve warm with a lovely cup of tea (equally good served cold as an ice cream sandwich).

Photo credit: missyredboots from morguefile.com


I have been looking for something to decently cut herbs with for a long time. I have tried all the gadgets, herb snippers, tearing them by hand,  Nothing really cut the mustard.  I had an old pair of scissors that took one look at my Rosemary and fell apart so when a lovely shiny new pair from scissor experts Kitchen Devils arrived on my doormat with the recommendation rhat they could be used for herbs, I though yeah OK I will give them a whirl but I didn't hold up much hope of them not bruising the soft herbs and making light work of my rather woody sage but I have been pleasantly surprised that they really were very good indeed.  They also have a rather cool bottle opener in the middle that is just the ticket for opening bottles of oil and the like for dressings and salads.


The scissors I tested are part of the Control range which won a a prestigious red dot design award in 2006. They were really comfortable to use with the strong serrated blades made from high quality Japanese steel. They retail at around £9.99 and really are good value for money.


As well as cutting herbs to bring them inside from the garden, the scissors made short shrift if finely and neatly chopping the herbs to go in todays recipe which is lovely served as part if a Summer afternoon tea.


Garden Herb Omelette


You will need


We received  scissors free of charge from Fiskars to review.

True domestic goddesses know how to pamper themselves without even leaving the kitchen. Everything you need for a pampering spa experience is right there in your larder. So why not kick back, relax and take some tea time-out...

To refresh puffy tired eyes and soak aching feet

Brew 1/2 cup of unscented black or green tea leaves in two pints of boiling bottled water for at least 10 minutes. Strain the leaves and set them aside. Cool this liquid and refrigerate. This solution will keep in your fridge for up to 7 days.

For puffy tired eyes:

Soak cotton pads in the cold tea brew and lay them on your eyes. Keep the pads on your lids for about 10 minutes. You can also refrigerate your used tea bags and lay them on your eyes.

For aching feet:

Soak your feet in the cold tea brew for about 15 minutes. This is a great way to treat your feet after a long day of standing, walking, or running. You can also try soaking your feet in a peppermint herbal tea brew for an aromatic soak.

Fantastic face packs (not for sensitive skins)

Mix one teaspoon of fine cornmeal with cooled chamomile tea to form a gentle scrub. Let dry, then gently rub off.

Or

Make an exfoliating paste using chamomile tea and powdered milk. Rub on skin, let dry, and then rub off before washing.

Hair treatments

Dark hair

In a small saucepan, warm (do not boil) 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons fresh ground lavender, and the dry contents of 2 good quality peppermint tea bags. Massage into scalp over damp hair. Cover hair with shower cap to keep heat in for 20-25 minutes. Shampoo and rinse hair. Repeat this treatment once a month to nourish and strengthen hair.

Light hair

To bring out highlights and lighten blonde hair, steep 1/2 cup of camomile tea in two pints of boiling water. Strain and cool slightly. Shampoo hair until oil free, and then rinse with the tea infusion.

Photo by the green gal




Here at Dormouse there's nothing we love more than a beautiful stream of brightly coloured bunting blowing in the breeze.  It shouts garden parties, weddings, fetes or in other words a CELEBRATION!  It's perfect for a street party or just as a decoration and the best thing of all?  it's so easy and cheap to make.  It's a lovely way of using all those remnants and scraps you can't bear to part with.  So why not have a go and make your own

Photo by PSD

(Photographs by Oimon)














If you have never tried Simnel cake, you are in for a real treat. It is much easier to make than it looks in fact it is simply delicious. Simnel Cake is a light fruit cake covered in marzipan eaten during  Easter. There is a layer of marzipan baked into the middle of the cake as well as on the top of the cake, and around the edge, are eleven marzipan balls to represent the true disciples of Jesus; Judas is omitted. Lovely as the centrepiece of a special Easter tea.


Traditional Simnel Cake

You will need

The the first cakes I ever baked were rock buns, they were my first introduction to cooking and taught to me my grandmother. They were also my grandfathers favorite treat. I always think of both of them as I make them.

If you have twenty minutes and a few store-cupboard ingredients to hand you can whip up a batch of these delicious buns in a flash. Teach this recipe to your children or your grandchildren.

Grandma's Rock Buns

This unusual twist on afternoon tea is perfect for a special occasion!