Continued from Part II on the first anniversary of the events…
Driving through the night, we smuggled the Queen of Cakes into deepest, darkest Devon where she fell asleep soundly in an awaiting attic room.
Rising the next morning to clear, blue skies and a burgeoning summer warmth, we prepared gifts of ginger scones …
… for friends over the estuary. While the princesses swung lazily in hammocks in the dappled light of a forest clearing, we feasted regally on wholesome hog roast and mouth-watering crackling.
Fortified against adversity, we set off for adventure amongst the ancient, granite tors of Dartmoor. Whether the little prince and princesses searched for fairies or the fearsome hound among the jumbled, weathered rocks was uncertain, but candy prizes were discovered in hidden places and celebrated with joyful cartwheels.
It was a time for magic to unfold effortlessly …
… in the soft bubbles that left smooth, large holes in the crumb of the bread …
… and in the sunlight that danced on the gentle waves and warmed the round pebbles on the beach at Budleigh Salterton.
The Bridge Inn was sleepily unaware of its second royal visit in history while the Queen of Cakes gracefully sipped from her first pint of Real Ale.
We were transported to a Land of Cakes on the sweet, comforting aromas that filled the kitchen and drifted through the house and out into the streets.
In a final act of mischief, the Queen of Cakes arrived unannounced for tea with Melinda and Jeannette, causing great surprise and excitement among the shelves at Dart’s Farm.
With luxurious spoonfuls of West Country ice-cream …
… and moist slices of Golden Lemon Almond Cake …
… stories were swapped and tales were told.
As the shared meals became no more than treasured memories …
… we reluctantly released our hold on the Queen of Cakes and returned her with promises of everlasting friendship to her homeland.
amerrierworld.com 
Vicki
/ May 13, 2010What an utterly delightful enchanting tale of adventure!
Jeannette
/ May 13, 2010Thank you for that, Kate, bringing back a lovely memory of a lovely day!!! I love the picture of us all together, wasn’t it a fabulous afternoon? We must do it again sometime!
Dad
/ May 13, 2010Ah yes, I remember it well! …………….
Well, some of it.
Crikey – is it a year ago already?
Dad
Rose Levy Beranbaum
/ May 13, 2010i remember every smidgen and miss it all so much.
Melinda
/ May 14, 2010Oh, I am glad I checked your blog. So nice to relive the lovely day we had together!
(Your children are so gorgeous! ) Thanks for the recap and I love the group picture of all of us.
x
amerrierworld
/ May 14, 2010Thanks, Vicki – and I have to say that I’ve just spent a happy time discovering your own blog. Thanks for leaving a link!
I’ll be near Bath at the beginning of August, Jeannette – would that work for another meet-up (although I won’t have any surprises this time, I’m afraid!)?
Yip, it’s a whole year, Dad. You can tell by my additional grey hairs.
Me too, Rose – sorting through the photos and writing about it brought it all back so vividly!
Ditto what I said to Jeannette, Melinda … I’d love to meet up with you both again (and anyone else who wants to talk cake in Bath in August!) 🙂
Jeannette
/ May 14, 2010That sounds like a good idea, Kate, but perhaps you can remind of it nearer the time, I will have to consult my son, Ian, to see if he can put us up! It would be lovely if Melinda could come as well, and as you say, anyone else , especially Rose! If we met up again, with Rose I mean, perhaps I would have some questions ready for her, I was so ‘gobsmacked’ last time! I’d love to know what I was talking about on those pictures above, I can’t think of anything I could say which would create so much interest from Rose and Melinda! HAha!
Melinda
/ May 16, 2010I would love to see us all together again. I am sure if you promise to give one of your children to Rose, she might come over again.
Don’t forget to let me know the date!
Nicola
/ May 20, 2010Such beautiful photos and hard to believe a year has passed.
Bath in August sounds grand. Let me know dates and I will see if I can get find my way out of London.
amerrierworld
/ May 21, 2010It would be lovely if you could make it, Nicola – I’ll add you to the email group so we can sort out a date together 🙂
Mr. P
/ July 14, 2010I see Rose has been baking in the UK. This is obviously an old question, but… what did she do about the flour? Bring US stuff?
If there’s a brand she recommends, having actually baked here, I need to know!
amerrierworld
/ July 14, 2010Hi Mr P 🙂
Rose used my heat-treated ‘kate flour’ when she was over here – it’s the closest thing she’s found to US cake flour for the home baker in the UK. You can read about it (and how to make it at home) here: https://amerrierworld.com/kate-flour/