I am so lucky because I spent a number of sunny summer days as a child exploring the city of York in the north of England. I can remember going to the incredible train museum (located right next to the railway station fittingly) and wondering around the medieval narrow streets of the city called The Shambles. You cannot miss the York Minster as you approach the city from any direction or forget the absolutely magnificent stained glass windows on every wall of the church. For those who love architecture like I do, the York Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe. There is a stained glass window inside (see the photo below) that is the size of a tennis court. Of course, the stained rose glass window on the southern transept is one of the most beautiful of its kind in the world, and was thankfully saved from a fire that destroyed the transept roof in the summer of 1984. Read about the incident here and how the community of York rallied to rebuilt the minster.
However, this blog is about sweets and an visit about one of my favorite places in the world is not complete without going to Betty’s Tea Room in the center of the town. The restaurant is famed for its amazing dessert cart and for serving Fat Rascal’s (scones), which are pictured below (these are my version).
It is not surprising that people will wait hours to get a spot at the restaurant, which is always crowded, even with an upstairs and downstairs seating section. Go early so you also get the best items! I went back to Betty’s before walking back to get my train and managed to buy one of the last Fat Rascals they were selling.
Needless to say, none of the baked items made it back to London!
HW
Sweet Notes and Tips 