#Fitzbillies

[thebeaniemartineau]

Not me completely freaking out because I just got my prize from winning the MMU 10 year anniversary costume comp! I feel like I’m sitting with Daisy and Hazel in Fitzbillies. This is so so so generous (and absolutely delicious, the brownies are sublime). Thank you so much @redbreastedbird!!!

[rebeccalouisaferguson]

“Things you don’t expect: directing Rebecca Ferguson to Fitzbillies in Cambridge when you’re a sweaty mess after the gym!” via @JoeRobinsonUK on Twitter.

[lapsang-and-earlgrey]

Q: No, no, no, Tanner isn't a Cinnamon Roll too good for this world he's a good dependable British Chelsea Bun

or how Tnner got his nickname

Everyone knows Q and his minions love memes as much as they love sweet and sticky treats there is even a round-robin email group specifically for sharing them so it should have surprised no one when Q was heard in unhushed tones telling the whole of Q Branch " No, no, no Tanner isn't a cinnamon roll he's a good dependable British Chelsea Bun. If a few days later several boxes turquoise boxes of Fitzbillies' Chelsea buns arrived from Cambridge and a certain chief of staff was seen wiping sticky kisses from his blushing cheeks they were after all one of young Q's favourites when he was a precociously young Cambridge undergrad recipe beneath the cut

For the dough 200ml 3/4cup plus 2 tbsp Milk 60g/4Tbsp+1tsp butter 450g/1lb/3+2//3 cups plain /all-purpose flour 2 tbsp caster /fine sugar 5g quick yeast/1 sachet 1 egg, lightly beaten Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon 1 tsp mixed spice/pumpkin spice 1 tsp salt

For the filling: 30g2 tbsp +1 tsp butter, slightly softened 35g soft brown sugar 100g currants (small raisins will do at a pinch)

For the glaze: 2 tbsp caster sugar 1 tbsp milk 2 tbsp demerara sugar (optional)

For the dough Heat the milk and the butter until blood warm if you can stick your little finger in and it feels neither hot nor cold that's about right add the sachet of yeast and set aside

Put the flour, salt, and sugar n a large bowl and whisk to combine add the milk yeast, and beaten egg and stir until it forms a soft dough/

now add the lemon zest and mixed spice and mix again

Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead for about 10 minutes / about 5 if you are using a stand mixer with a dough hook the dough should be smooth and elastic. Cover and put in a warm place for one to two hours or until it has doubled in size.

knock back the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface roll the dough out until you have a rectangle that is approximately 25cm by 35 cm or 10 by 14 inches. working with the longer sides toward you smear the softened butter over the surface of the dough sprinkling the sugar and currents over the top.

roll the dough from the edge furthest away from you keeping the roll as tight as possible.

cut the dough into nine even pieces and place them swirl-side up into a greased 27cm square or 10-11 inch tin spacing the rolls out so they have room to prove cover and prove for 30-45 minutes

Pre-heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and bake the buns for 20-30 minutes covering with foil if the currents start to burn

For the glaze heat the milk in the same pan or bowl you used to melt the butter stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Brush the glaze onto the buns as soon as they come out of the oven optionally sprinkle the demerara sugar on top. leave to cool before devouring with a nice cup of Earl Grey

[sweet-s0rr0w]

I see your cinnamon rolls and i raise you...

The world's best Chelsea Buns!

(from Fitzbillies, Cambridge)

[withabackpackandcamera]

August 21st, 2023

Day 6: To Cambridge We Go!

Arrived early to King's Cross Station for our train ride to Cambridge. Tried to wait in line for a photo op with Harry Potter's Platform 9 3/4 but the line was WAY too long.

Our first stop in Cambridge as we meandered our way into town was Fitzbillies, a bakery chain, where we stopped to buy quick breakfast pastries to try. Of course, we had to try their "famous" Chelsea Buns. Not bad. Not sure why they're so famous though.

Walked around Cambridge town and the University of Cambridge and took in the spectacular architecture all around town and campus. Got a glimpse into some of the colleges at the University of Cambridge: King's College, Trinity College, St. Catharine's College, Corpus Christi College, etc.

After strolling around the campus for a bit, we went back to Fitzbillies for an affordable Afternoon Tea experience. It was OK. You definitely pay for what you get.

Afternoon Tea was followed by punting on the River Cam via the punting company Let's Go Punting with our young tour guide Joe. A fun experience of sitting on a boat and touring the the University of Cambridge by river. Very relaxing as well to sit and not walk around. All-in-all, a great experience!

With a couple of hours until our scheduled train ride back, we continued our exploration of Cambridge and stopped by and walked into a couple of colleges (Emmanuel College and Downing College) on the way out (since they were open to visitors walking through). Nice to see what each individual college looked like from the inside of its campus walls.

Sat around and hung out at Parker's Piece Park before heading back to the train station for the ride home.

Once we were back in London, Cynthia, Minh, and I walked to the Carnaby area in SoHo for dinner at Mother Mash since we wanted to try some pies. Cynthia and I shared the Steak and Blackheart Stout Pie with Champ Mash and Farmers Gravy and the Chicken and Bacon Pie with Sweet Potato Mash and Onion Gravy. Yum! Of course, we had to finish it off with an Apple Crumble Pie with Ice Cream.

After a post-dinner stroll through SoHo, we concluded the busy day with a disrupted train ride (where our rail line was closed indefinitely after an incident). So, we had to walk a bit between a couple of train stops before taking the bus all the way back home. On our walk, we met and chatted with a nice girl from Argentina named Julietta on the way back.

5 Things I Learned/Observed Today:

So, Platform 9 3/4. Interestingly enough, it looks like that area is actually controlled and maybe owned by the Harry Potter movie studios and/or company. And they are really trying to monetize the area and make it profitable. When people visit the platform, man do they spend a lot of time there. And it's partially because there is a photographer and assistant there to help dramatize your photos (especially with the swaying scarf lol). And of course, a little store next door to sell HP gifts.

There are 31 colleges at the University of Cambridge. Some of these 31 colleges were added over time, with the last college, Robinson College, added in 1977. The way the college system works is similar to what the house system was in Harry Potter. Simply put, it's a glorified dormitory ecosystem. Where people can live and hangout with each other.

The University of Cambridge is the second oldest university in the UK and was founded in 1209 as a result of some murder. The university has 13k undergrads and 7.5k grads. Supposedly, Oxford is harder to get into than Cambridge... But Stanford is harder to get into than all of them. :) Go Card!

Supposedly, Trinity College is flashiest, most expensive, and most-endowed of Cambridge's colleges. Trinity College has cranked out more Nobel Prize winners than all of Oxford's colleges combined. Trinity College is the 4th largest land owner in the UK. Famous people who were a part of Trinity College who are still alive and well-known in today's society: the current King Charles (who supposedly wasn't the sharpest tool in the tool shed in school lol) and Eddie Redmayne. Another famous figure in Cambridge's history is Stephen Hawking, who completed his graduate studies at Cambridge.

The bridges built over the River Cam that you float under on the punting tour have all sorts of stories and histories behind them. Punting is definitely a must-do for tourists in the area.

[ngssignsmithslondon]

Top 5 NGS copperplate script fonts

Our Famous Slant on Scripts Love Hate Social Club Notting Hill Gallery of hand crafted Copperplate Script sign writing works and inspiration. Fitzbillies of Cambridge Crazy Pig Covent Garden The George Tavern Stepney Soho inspiration Belgium Dutch style Sarf’ Lundun . Script or Cursive lettering is an art and a whole area of expertise that writers either have or not.  Luckily I always…

[pics2200]

https://linktr.ee/nichproductions DSC06057-Edit.jpg https://www.flickr.com/photos/fitzbilly/52900235573/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr https://linktr.ee/nichproductions

[cafesigns]

Fitzbillies, Cambridge. They’ve been there since 1920...

[thedailydoserevisited]

Fitzbillies, Cambridge

[peacefulandcozy]

Instagram: fieldnotesbyfi

[katisha888]

Had a break by having #creamtea at #Fitzbillies in #Cambridge #tea #morningtea #scones #jam #clotted cream #fitzbilliescambridge #fitzbilliescafe #merienda #breaktime #england #unitedkingdom #teabreak #foodporn #foodpornography #foodpic #foodphoto #foodphotography #foodtrip #cellphonephotography #jamandsconesandtea (at Cambridge, Cambridgeshire)

[shakesonaplane]

15 Years Later, Cambridge for a Day

Seasons greetings! You might’ve noticed that it’s been a bit since my last post. As I was aggressively traveling most of the year (including before my move), I decided having a few weeks in London would be preferable. That didn’t really mean I stopped traveling, as I made work trips to Dublin and Copenhagen, but for my personal sanity, I stuck round London for a while and had some fairly unique experiences in this lovely city I now call home.  That said, after the 3 weekends in a row, I got a bit antsy and decided to check off a big item on my “I now live in London” list: a jaunt to Cambridge.

Jesus College, the location of my first British landing, and not where Jesus actually went to school

You might be wondering why Cambridge was an obvious choice on my list. The truth is that Cambridge was the first place I ever visited in the UK. Back when I was 17, my good friend Ankur Poseria (that’s right, he has a Wikipedia page) and I attended a summer program at Jesus college in Cambridge. That summer was my first real “away” experience from home and also my first foray into the British life. Suffice it to say, after countless sausage rolls, international conversations, dives into British slang and afternoon teas, I was hooked. So upon moving to London, I figured a trip to Cambridge was in order. I packed up my trusty day bag (aka small gym bag), popped over to Kings Cross at 9:30am and 45min later was in Cambridge faster than the majority of people I work with commute everyday.

Feels like an advertisement for Leon, but honestly I just needed the coffee boost so early on a Saturday

To give you some context, I was 17 years old when I went to Cambridge last. But if you know me at all, you know I have a weirdly specific memory, so walking through my old Jesus College haunt was kind of like walking back in time. So after a quick (and mediocre) brunch at Black Cat Cafe, IU sauntered over to the place that used to house the (somehow) skinnier version of me for a year. Visiting the old spot reminded me of so many weird firsts I had that summer: first time staying in a “dorm”, first time doing yoga, first British-style breakfast (first time learning I don’t enjoy fungi to start the day) and first time realizing that Australian and British accents are quite different (sorry mate). As a small town boy in Ohio, the Cambridge experience was amongst the most exciting things I’d ever done. Nevermind the curfews, lack of drinking, and Monday - Saturday of courses (thanks Oxbridge Programs)…my summer there was a little slice of sarcastic-humor heaven. That and it instilled in me some lovely slang for a few months which I have now re-practiced to perfection.

Trying to remember what grass I was allowed to walk on and what grass I wasn’t proved more difficult that I realized

After the lovely trip down memory lane, it was time to get out and explore a bit of the town to see what had changed. The walk into town, which seemed like quite the hoofing when I was a kid (and unused to long walks) was brisk and quick (with even a bit of British sun popping out).  What had felt like a big city in my youth was now a cozy little town with the regular stores I knew from 7 months of British living. The French Connection store was right where it was 15 years ago, the market was as bustling as ever, and the views of the major colleges and chapels was still a sight to behold. But, being an adult and having no restrictions on my time, I quickly realized how much I had failed to notice as a child, even though I had a month of time here. The tiny gardens, the luscious smells coming from the bakeries, the mysterious alleyways, streets packed with shops both local and national, they all seemed to remind me that sometimes you need to reimagine the great locations of your past. Seeing Trinity College’s craft market and venturing into chock-full alcohol stores as an adult was a joy I hadn’t had yet.

A craft fair is the best place in Cambridge to stumble upon a new £10 belt or an £8 clay vase, both items I kept forgetting to buy in London

As with any good trip, I did make a few choice selections for things to eat/imbibe, though I can’t say I really spent enough time on this trip consuming. If you make it here, I have but one really important recommendation for you: Fitzbillies. If you’re like me and decided to finally visit a place in the winter bc you were too busy beaching-it-up or watching Craig David this summer, you’re bound to find yourself freezing after walking around for so many hours. Stop into Fitzbillies before 4pm on a weekend and you won’t be disappointed. The easiest thing to do in England is find a good cup-of-tea, the hardest thing is to find something amazing to accompany it. I can’t say I’m proud of this (oh hell, who am I joking, I am), but an afternoon snack of fluffy pancakes + bacon and Chelsea Bread smothered in syrup was exactly what the doctor ordered. I only regret that I had but one meal to indulge here, though I am not sorry about how I chose to spend it.

Can I have one of everything and please make sure it’s covered in your syrup?

After my filling and oh-so-shameful brunch/lunch/supper, I met up with my brother-in-law’s cousin and her family to enjoy some family time. While this was by no means the exhaustive trip I would normally take and write about, it’s not what I needed. Sometimes a quick trip down memory lane is totally worth the 45min (and only £25 roundtrip) train ride. I do intend to return to Cambridge to take part in some (less freezing) punting, drinks at the Watson and Crick bar, and whatever the hell this was. Some other must-sees are the obvious ones, like Trinity College and Kings College, as well as the Corpus Clock, maybe the weirdest time piece I’ve ever seen. If you’re in London for an extended period of time, it’s hard to really give up a day in the bustling city to experience Cambridge and other UK spots, but I highly recommend it as a quick, off-the-beaten path. That goes for you Londoners too, as I was surprised how many people I’d spoken to who live here, yet have never been here.

Cheeky posing on the communal bench that held so many seemingly important conversations of my introspective youth (translation: we talked a lot about nothing here)

With that short little ditty, our story ends. I didn’t do the full on map and depth of my traveling here because I wanted to write this as a quick self-reflection of all the tinier places in the world that can mean so much. The rest of the year is meant to be quite the tour, though, so stay tuned for stories on capitals in Lithuania, returns to Istanbul, small town life in the Midwest and more. If you’d like to see more of the photos from the day, check out the album here.

Cheers! Abhishek

[fineliner04mm]

Beautiful Cambridge 

[clairelions]

Everybody deserves somebody who makes them look forward to tomorrow ❤️ • Cambridge • Fuji X-T1 (at Fitzbillies Bridge Street) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLPi1iIpAPP/?igshid=o2tcxqcjktx2

[ryanclafleur]

#cambridgeblackandwhite (at Fitzbillies Bridge) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJLWSgPBkwg/?igshid=1pw7yqfb0cm1j

[blackswaneuroparedux]

“To put it in somewhat drastic terms, Cambridge in the thirties was characterised by two things: a craze for communism and a craze for homosexuality. “Rubbish!” Farley said. “Well, you’re bound to have been busy with other things as well, like drunkenness, geometry and Shakespeare.” 

- David Lagercrantz, Fall of Man in Wilmslow

My time at Cambridge was characterised by being unshowered and sweaty after doing sports at Fenners; running breathlessly late to supervisions with horribly hand written scrawled essays done at 4am; drowning my sorrows at the Pitt Club; indulging on chocolate brownies at Fitzbillies; falling asleep on my books from exhaustion in the college library; frequently forgetting my towel as I went to shower in the basement and stealthily run back up the creaky stairs to my college rooms without being caught; being bored by boaties and their tiresome chat up lines; warding off wandering hands at the Hawks’ club dinners; putting too much Pimms instead of lemonade at garden parties; pleasantly discovering I had a brain that was more than just a sponge to soak up alcohol; being promiscuous with books rather than boys. Good times!