Sun is shining! Chain is lubed. Dog is walked. 
Nice to see Tim, Triskie and Gemma at the Ace prior to their departure.
We met up with Snooks at the 127 Diner then took a less than direct route to Mersea Island. Caught a little rain between Maldon and Mersea and sat out the storm over a excellent roast dinner in the warmth of the Victory public house in West Mersea.
With the sun on our backs and drying roads we called in at the Tiptree jam factory to stock up on preserves and consume their justly famous Cream Tea.
It was with difficulty that we remounted our machines and made our way back to London for a touch of competitive filtering down the A12. Bidding our farewells beneath the grey underbelly of the A406 we made our way home by way of a drive by spurning of a deserted and desolate Ace Cafe.
Shame no-one else made it on this gastronomic journey of discovery, you missed out on the butter smearing.:w00t:
Glad you had a nice day
Tiptree is high on my list.
In your humblest of opinions, does anywhere else outrank it/place close in the cream-tea stakes?
Their scones are close to perfection with an option of plain or fruit, a choice of four different jams and pleasant and pretty waitresses…
The jury can now retire for consideration:D
Sold!
+1 on the victory …just beware the causeway
was great to meet you too and sounds like you got the weather we didnt lol
For future reference a good pub near there is The Peldon Plough ( well it was a few years ago ) Lovely log fires and low ceilings and great meals
Stop press:
We have just seen on the back of the carrier bag from the jam factory shop the name “Essex Rose Tea Room” Dedham. It appears that Wilkins jam has annexes!!!:
[quote]
Janus (22/11/2009)
Stop press: We have just seen on the back of the carrier bag from the jam factory shop the name “Essex Rose Tea Room” Dedham. It appears that Wilkins jam has annexes!!!:
http://www.trooms.com/index_essex.html[/quote] That be constable country !!!ps think you can also buy their jam in Tesco lol
If you want jam, I would visit this place
http://www.weebirdy.com/2008/11/london-top-tea-spots-paul-rothe-son.html
And i can vouch for the Quince Jelly and their fresh daily soups