Oh. Oh. Oh. I just wrote a long and slightly tortured post about culture shock and the uncanny valley, with jokes about zombies and rabies. Then deleted it and wrote another post on mostly the same topic, but with bacon and Daniel Craig and football boots and cricket whites and rabies and zombies. Then my computer died and I had to stop myself from throwing it through my glass walls onto the foxes, badgers, and squirrels who spend their time making noises at me. And now we’re all happy again but the post is lost and if I have to write all that over for the third time I will stabbity-stab someone in the eye. Since I’m the only one here that seems like a stupid waste, so let’s move on.
Here’s a photo of a Sally Lunn bun instead. These are worth a trip to Bath all on their own. They taste of an impossible combination of gourmet hamburger bun and brioche, and although I can’t explain it now, they exemplify everything I was trying to say in those other posts about things which are familiar, things which are not familiar, and how everything is good with butter, sugar, and a smile.
If Daniel Craig shows up in cricket whites to serve it to you, that’s between you and him. Enjoy.
Crumpets in Camelot 
I’ve lived in Bath for 9 years and I didn’t have a Sally Lunn’s bun until this year! I had a university friend come visit, and she wanted to go, so we went and it was a revelation. Couldn’t believe I’d missed out for so long. Such a weird item but delicious. We had the cream tea version, which was with clotted cream and jam. I was rather jealous of the men at the table beside me who had some sort of stew with theirs. Such a versatile bun, suitable for sweet and savoury.
Also, did you try a Bath bun too?
The Bath bun and an Abbey closed for services are my two ‘excuses’ for getting back to Bath as soon as I may. What a lovely, graceful town! Although I had my first truly touristy moment at Sally Lunn’s house, when the docent in the downstairs museum started listing off all the famous people who had been by or who lived nearby. Cracked me up — like being in LA. *Do* you run into Nicolas Cage all the time??? 😉
There were five of us, so we had the numbers to try a variety. The cream tea version was yums, and the cinnamon butter, and the brie sandwich, and the salmon, and the Jane Austin coffee, and the hot chocolate — lol
*getting in the car right now* Bath is only 4 or 5 hours for me. I don’t need to bring the family, I can stomach 5 or 6 buns myself. Yes I can!
Hahahahaha, let’s go! We brought four buns home but they’re all gone, and I need to re-stock. 10 hours driving roundtrip, totally worth it.
I personally haven’t run into Nicholas Cage but my brother has, since he came to the petrol station where my brother worked and asked to use the loo. One of my friends saw Nic Cage signing for a package at his house in the circus, but I have a feeling he moved. I’ve had friends run into Johnny Depp when he was staying around here, and the old British favourite- John Cleese.
I never seem to run into anyone particularly famous- just people off soaps.
That cinnamon butter one sounds delicious. May have to pop into Bath this afternoon 😛
Why is it so funny (to me) to imagine Nicolas Cage asking “may I use the loo?” Ha! They sell the cinnamon butter as well as the buns to take-away, lol
I’m sorry to have missed the jokes about zombies and rabies. There is nothing quite so entertaining as a computer crash. After I’ve had one destroy something I was working on, I get really religious about backing up everything constantly. It lasts about a day. Maybe.
I made a Sally Lunn a few years ago and it was tremendously easy and delicious. I wonder why I haven’t made it again? I think about it from time to time.
Oh, do you have a Sally Lunn bun recipe? Hers is jealously guarded and I couldn’t peek in to the box where the original is (supposedly) kept. Would you share? And I will write it down on paper so no matter what happens to this annoying laptop, I’ll have it safe …
I will happily get you the recipe I used – if bluehost ever gets the db servers functioning again. =)
http://chcksneggs.zazamataz.com/2006/10/26/sally-lunn/
I have no idea what my source was anymore so I don’t know how authentic the recipe is – but it was good. It was one of the strangest doughs I ever worked with. It went from something like a very thick pancake batter to a soft dough while resting. I always intended on trying it again and forming it into individual rolls.
Thank you! And how many blogs do you have??? I’m looking through the recent chickens and eggs posts and … droooooooooooling. Pumpkin bread and salted caramel sauce? Gorgeous: http://chcksneggs.zazamataz.com/2011/12/24/pumpkin-bread-and-salted-caramel-sauce/
This post was both a delight and a disappointment. If the desolated posts somehow divulge themselves in the form of a day-saving, dramatic and/or desultory back-up, do disperse them in an electronic declaration! If you desire!
I was so ready to run my laptop over with the car, or something equally violent. And is Britain truly ready for rabid zombie jokes? Probably not. It’s just as well.