I had meant to space the food reviews out a bit more, but I’ve been forced into this by a certain amount of heckling about the lack of scones.
Move smoothly on from Sunday evening, ignore the next couple of days and that brings us neatly to Wednesday and time for elevenses. We are at the Peak Shopping Village, the ducks are clustering round looking for food, and a small scone shaped gap is opening up in my middle regions.
We went to buy half-price boots for Julia, as her expensive ones had started letting in water. This was easy – by the time she had made her selection I had made a circuit of The Works, failed to buy a book, and had left in disgust. We then went to the hospice charity shop where the only thing I wanted turned out to be part of the display. I hate it when that happens.
By that time I was definitely in e of refreshment so we entered Massarella’s cafe and while I sought a table Julia went to get tea and scones.
A mediocre scone, with badly applied egg wash
As we breakfasted late (porridge followed by sausage sandwiches, using the sausages left over from the night before), other people were already lunching. My quest for a clean table did not go well and left me elbow to elbow with a stocky elderly lady (I select my words carefully) chasing the final clean table. She had a fine set of elbows and a surprising turn of speed, and laid her walking stick across the table to claim the prize as I floundered in her wake.
Massarella’s always sounds like an Italian restaurant, with tiled floors and lots of chatter. Add the barking of a dog to that and the whole ambiance falls apart, and not just for me. Several other people were clearly irritated by the dog-friendly aspect of the cafe.
However, compared to the scones, the barking dog was no problem. The scones were dry inside, and lacked flavour. My mother used to mutter “cheap baking” at times like this. It certainly seemed to lack the rich, fluffy, buttery sensation you get from a decent scone.
OK, not as disappointing as England’s woeful rugby performance, but still pretty disappointing
I have a feeling they may have been frozen, and dried out in thawing.
We will go back because we like the atmosphere, and the Italian gent behind the counter charmed Julia. And, of course, because they offer Afternoon Tea at £18 for two people. But, like a trip to the hospice shop, we won’t expect too much.
That last comment could also apply to the charity shops of Bakewell where we visited later – they don’t seem to have much in, and it’s getting harder to justify the time spent looking round when there are no decent books.
So, Massarella’s, the Charity shops of Derbyshire and The Works (where I failed to buy a single book) had all better pull their socks up. This is just not good enough!
Because they have ducks, a nature trail and a carved owl archway, I will visit again, but they would be well-advised to get a grip. Carved owls cannot replace decent scones.
Pingback: Scone Chronicles 35 (Part 1) | quercuscommunity
Pingback: Carmageddon! | quercuscommunity
Following on from our conversation vis-à-vis tyres, it sounds like £65 for one of these is good value in comparison with £18 for dry scones with a cup of tea.
Anyway, your day out seems quite a sacrifice to keep your scone-loving audience happy. Sorry you didn’t even get a new book to read. I have managed to get my first Lindsey Davis book from the library and will be starting it shortly.
I hope you enjoy the book.
The dry scones didn’t cost £18, that’s the cost of the afternoon tea, which probably includes curly sandwiches and sugar-filled pastries.
But I do agree that tyres are good value compared to poor quality refreshments. 🙂
Oh, I see – you didn’t have the afternoon tea!
I’m sure I will enjoy the book. Thank you once again for the recommendation.
🙂
You seem to be converting to a forgiving nature. Why did you have to remind me of the rugby, though.
Yes, I sometimes worry that |I| am becoming positively frivolous. Thoughts of English rugby performances soon calm me down. If, of course, I was Scottish, frivolity would not be an issue.
It is a lovely carved owl.
It is. It wasn’t there last time we visited. I am very much in favour of more woodcarvings around the place.
Life is ganging up on you again. Have you thought of a life of fasting and prayer? That would remove unsatisfactory scones at a stroke.
Have I thought about a life of fasting and prayer. Yes, I have contemplated them often, for I am a man of unsuspected depths and spirituality. However, I’m pretty sure that a bad scone beats a hermit’s cell, so I will soldier on. 🙂
Fair enough. It is better to endure life’s slings and outrageously poor scones than by opposing end them.
I fear that bad scones will always be with us, despite our best efforts.
Proper tea and scones! The photos looked good, anyway. I am sorry they were dry. The breakfast place back east I remember so well made them fresh every morning. The blueberry-oat ones were always the best.
I suppose it is uneconomic after a certain point, and it prevents waste. However, though a bad scone is a disappointment, worse things do happen.