Venice Of The North

Last Sunday night, we set off to visit Sime's parents in Stoke...
We had to work during the day, so we didn't leave until the evening & stayed overnight in Tewkesbury.

The only photo we took in Tewkesbury - this car is an Alvis...
We arrived there quite late & left straight after breakfast.

Our main purpose was to assist Sime's Mum, Bebe with a couple of appointments.

We also went out for a meal with Grandad Gerry...

And Nana Footstep...

Diets start tomorrow...

A sadly closed traditional Potter's eatery...

We would have loved to have gone in...

Eating out with Bebe...

A place mat which advertises a fantastic sounding tonic stout...
Unfortunately, it no longer exists.

Sime's piled up plate...

Staffordshire Oatcakes!

Outside the oatcake shop...

Next door is interesting - Sime put a box of oatcakes down on the step on a recent visit (thinking it was an empty shop). 
Within minutes a scantly clad woman of dubious character swung open the door & said "Go round the back duck". 
It was before 9am & she was ready for action...
I've never seen him so flustered!

Oatcakes - a Stokie breakfast treat!

Also known as Tunstall Tortillas...

They were delicious!

Kay & Sime xx

Comments

  1. Anonymous14 August 2011 at 22:56

    Poor Sime - I would have loved to see the look on his face when the "lady" told him to go around back.
    Love the car.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Karin15 August 2011 at 15:06

    Does Stoke have canals and gondolas, then, or is the Trent particularly magnificent there?

    The oatcakes look interesting. Are they pancakes made with oatmeal? They don't look like the Scottish ones you see in the shops.

    ReplyDelete
  3. just Gai17 August 2011 at 11:24

    It's years since I had a Staffordshire oatcake. Sainsburys used to stock them and we'd have them with bacon and eggs for brunch. They reminded me of the buckwheat pancakes you find in Brittany. I must look out a recipe.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Catherine18 August 2011 at 13:42

    Oooo.... look at that yummy treat!!
    Diets be darned!!! ;)
    xo Catherine

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just Humans Being22 November 2011 at 21:21

    Hi Karin,
    sorry for not replying at the time!
    Stoke does have canals and lots of them, but they aren't on a par with their Venetian cousins, being grubby and untidy.

    Oatcakes are wonderful! I'm a Stokie though, so I'm biased. Yes, they are oatmeal based pancakes, very cheap and filling. The oatcake shops are all small family run affairs and can be found all across the city. Most people eat them with savoury fillings such as cheese and bacon as a breakfast accompanyment, but increasingly, people are experimenting with sweeter fillings (Weirdoes!)They are very soft and yielding and size-wise are roughly as large as an potstretched palm.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Just Humans Being22 November 2011 at 21:23

    Oops! I meant "Outstretched" palm!

    ReplyDelete

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Kay and Sime
xx

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