The last scone report was a bit of a cheat because it featured oatcakes rather than scones. However, it seemed a bit of a waste not to mention oatcakes as we were in Stoke. This one, also from Wednesday, does feature scones.
After the various trials of the day we ended up at Westport Lake. It’s not very impressive at first sight – muddy surroundings, idiots with bread and lots of domestic geese.
It was actually quite pleasant once you started looking at the birds. I don’t need rarities, I can amuse myself with common birds, and the sight of tame geese chasing toddlers for food never loses its appeal.
The cafe is in the visitor centre, which is a wooden building that looks a bit like an ark and is mainly balanced on legs over an artificial pond. I’m not quite sure why they built it on legs, but it’s quite interesting. We ordered scones and tea and sat on the balcony. The seats are a bit tight for a man of ample posterior.
The scones were too dry and crumbly for my taste, but once buttered and jammed looked OK, though one pat of butter isn’t really enough for a large scone.
The first half of my scone had a slight, though not unpleasant, tang of baking soda. Julia confirmed that hers did too, though she thought it was a bit off-putting. By the end of my second half I was beginning to agree with her. Early in my scone baking days I made a batch where I failed to mix the baking soda in properly so I do sympathise, though it should be easy enough for a professional baker to avoid the problem.
I think we’ll be back – it’s a pleasant place to spend time and they have oatcakes in the cafe too.
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I like the bread/ducks warning. I am always a bit put off by those little packs of butter/jam – perhaps I expect too much
That’s the price of progress Derrick – no pots of jam and curls of butter served up by a nippy. 🙂
Perhaps it is because of. where we are, but we do get the pots – especially in the garden centres
We get some pots, but I fear the plastic tubs are taking over…
I had a couple of geese as well as ducks when I was young. They used to pester my mother, pecking at her nylon stockings.
I hope you find the perfect scone!
I’m just happy with an average scone.
Your mother probably didn’t remember them as fondly as you. 🙂
I bet they use a mix. For some reasons, mixes use a bit too much leavening and you can taste it. Ick. That said, the place made me think of Frank Lloyd Wright crawling under Fallingwater to pull out the supports because his construction crew wouldn’t do it (they thought the house would fall in…). So far it hasn’t. This place would need different supports, though, so knocking its legs out from under it wouldn’t likely be good.
I had to look it up – a very impressive house!
Yes, a lot of people seem to use mixes. I suppose it’s a bit more convenient but the results aren’t as good.
I remember once walking into a coffee shop with a friend. It smelled of blueberry muffins, in such a way that I had to buy one (and I am not often tempted to buy baked goods). It came, I took a little pinch off the top, and lo, it was full of baking soda. Blergh. But it smelled fabulous. Glad you learned about FLW and this house! It’s pretty. The houses Wright built almost always have execrable kitchens and no closets. He also thought halls were wast space, so they can be a bit narrow…
At that period I suppose you had staff to work in the poor quality kitchens. 🙂
I have often noticed that the smell is better than the actuality in many cases.
Yes, staff, but the Eusonian houses, which were for regular folks (selling for around $6K in the 1930s) still had some pretty abysmal kitchens. Even a tiny kitchen can be well-designed, but he didn’t spend any of his mental energy on it. Still, we can forgive him, given all the lovely buildings…
More Googling, more learning…
I know a lot more about architecture than I did three days ago! 🙂
I agree with your butter comments. A pat per side is required. I liked your reflective goose at the top of the post.
Thank you – I appreciate your dairy-based solidarity. The geese were good fun, despite my early misgivings.
The place looks fantastic. Too bad the scones were disappointing.
I’ll give the oatcakes a try next time.
I would like to reply/post but it asks for all my personal details. Oh….they were Great Tits not Blue Tits btw. X
Sent from my iPad
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Yes, I noticed I’d got that wrong. I’m following my Dad into dementia…
Not sure why it’s asking for personal details, I’ve not set it up to ask, as I don’t like it when sites ask me. 🙂 I will look into it.