Sophie's Coffee Shop

Hello everyone! 

Today is a very rainy, grey day where I am. The kind of day that makes you want to curl up under a blanket with a hot chocolate and a good book. As I write this I am drinking an after eight hot chocolate and it has made me think of last weekend. It was so sunny then! My family decided to make the most of the sunshine and head into our local town Lymington for breakfast. 

Now, finding a good breakfast place is very important. Personally I like tiny boutique places with a cosy vibe and fabulous food. Lymington is full of places that fit the description, but Sophie's Coffee Shop really stood out for me. Situated on one of the cobbled streets leading down to the quay, it overlooks some lovely little shops and houses. Perfect for people watching if you're a nosy parker like me! 

 See it even has a window seat!

Once you get inside it feels almost like someones living room, with flowery wall paper, shabby chic wood furnishings and cosy armchairs! It even has a garden to sit out in the sun. 

Love all the book covers on the walls! 

A real bonus for me is their selection of teas, they stock a huge range of Tea Pig teas, many of them not caffeinated which is ideal for me. I went for a mint choc chip tea and it was nicely refreshing with a little after kick of dark chocolate! So yummy! According to Mr.Gingersnap they also make a mean flat white coffee :-) 

I know you're all wondering about the food...I'm getting to that. Mr.Gingersnap had a slice of lemon drizzle cake which was gone in about 8 seconds flat. He is a bit of a cake fiend! I had a scone with butter and jam. I can be a little strange in that I like my scones warmed up, so when this one came to the table pre-warmed I was in heaven. It was light and fluffy and tasted so fresh! 

If you are in the New Forest area this summer and want somewhere with lovely food and service then please do check them out :-) Have you been anywhere delicious for brunch recently? Let me know in the comments below! 

xoxo

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Manly Mondays - Breakfast of Champions

Hello everyone, 

Don't you just think the week would start off so much better with a big breakfast? I am all about breakfast and finding new ways to make it interesting, I feel that if you have something yummy and exciting to look forward to you're more likely to want to get up. Keeping that in mind here is a favourite recipe of Mr.Gingersnap's. I usually make this for him on Sunday, though he likes to "help" by eating my ingredients as we go along! 

I first saw the idea for Bacon Egg Cups over at A Little Freckle and thought they looked too good not to try! They can be made as a big breakfast, a brunch or as a starter depending on how many you want to make. I wrote this recipe as if you are making 6, so 3 each, but in the photos I only made 3, sorry guys. 

You will need: 

• 6 medium-large eggs 
• butter 
• 3-4 slices of brown bread 
• cheddar cheese 
• pepper 
• paprika 
• 8 rashers of bacon 

Firstly you want to grill your bacon until it is almost done, this usually takes around 2 minutes for each side under the full heat of the grill. The bacon should still be a little soft and pink. While you are doing this pre-heat your oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark.

Next, prep your muffin tins with a bit of butter for greasing. Just get on in there and smear a thin layer around the bottom and sides of the muffin part of the tin. 

Use a glass to cut circles out of your bread, I find that one slice of bread makes two circles if you go to opposite edges of the slice. Save the left-over bits for the birds, they get hungry over the winter! Place the bread circles in the tins, one in each hole. 

Slice your bacon into strips and wrap it around the edge of the muffin tin, if you have gaps then use some bits from the extra bacon slices to patch it up. If you don't need these bits then just eat them...yum! 

Grate your cheese so you can make a layer of similar thickness to the bread inside your bacon cup. Almost done! Crack one egg into each bacon cup, sprinkle on some black pepper and a teeny bit of paprika and voila, ready for the oven. 

I find that to have a runny yolk it is best to cook them for 11 minutes. If you like a more solid yolk, try 12 or 13 minutes. When they are done it is super easy to scoop them out onto a plate and enjoy! 

This recipe is really quick and easy, you can serve them on their own as a breakfast, with beans and tomato as a bigger brunch or serve on a bed of rocket salad singly for a tasty and decadent looking starter. 

How do you enjoy your breakfast? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo