erika, Author at The Chipped Teapot

The best weekend in Bangkok

When you’re looking for a little bang for your buck (or baht) a weekend in Bangkok is the perfect getaway. Recently my husband and I celebrated our 13 year wedding anniversary and wanted to celebrate in a very special way, especially since the past few years have been pretty isolating due to the pandemic. We decided on an extended weekend in Bangkok, Thailand and had an absolute blast.

Riding in a traditional Tuktuk in Bangkok, Thailand. — Nothing beats the heat like a brisk ride in an open-air Tuktuk in Bangkok, Thailand.

With only a few days we had to be a bit more selective with our choices of activities, and as it was our anniversary weekend we were focused more on luxuries and relaxation rather than stop by stop sightseeing so our itinerary might vary from yours. My top priorities were shopping, spas, temple gazing and food! My husband was pretty much just glad to follow along with me.

I knew for sure that the Chatuchak Weekend Market was a must-do and Saturdays and Sundays were the best days for the public to attend. I love art and artful fashion so I was particularly interested in visiting the artisan section of the market. I spent…a lot..of my baht at the market. Honestly, if it weren’t for the relentless heat and our desire to visit the Royal Palace in the afternoon, I could have spent our entire Saturday winding my way through the thousands of stalls and small shops, contentedly sipping on watermelon juice and blowing my budget. As it was, I bought new clothes from local designers, a beautiful leather bag, delicious food and a couple of small souvenirs and had an amazing time in the process. A highlight was the food area with dozens of stalls selling delectable Thai dishes, fresh juices and a very interesting way of making slushies.

Shopping at Chatuchak Market in Bangkok, Thailand. — Laden with bags from my budget-blowing shopping trip at the mind-blowingly good Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok, Thailand.

I know it sounds a little vapid but anyone who has been to Bangkok in the past decade will tell you that you have to visit one of the mega malls in Bangkok, if only for the experience if not the shopping. If you only have time for one mall (and you should definitely make time) I highly suggest checking out ICONSIAM. The food court is the reason to visit this shopping center. For lack of a better description this food court is amazing. There is an indoor floating market and so many food stalls that I couldn’t even guess how many. The entire bottom floor is dedicated to Thai delights and is themed in a Thai/Indochine motif with psuedo street vendors and classic Thai decor. The food is every bit as delectable as it is out on the streets but about 20 degrees (farenheit) cooler thanks to the blasting Air conditioning. Make sure to give yourself at least a few hours here to see and taste all that your heart and tastebuds desire.

I would be remise not to mention temples in Bangkok. Obviously a little bit of culture is necessary for the mind and soul and Thailand knows how to nourish the whole body. Because our time was limited we only were able to visit one temple so we chose the Royal Palace due to the cultural significance and the shear size of the site. The palace was beautiful and full of culture and tourists. It was also hot, and visitors must make sure to be respectful of the sacred space by covering up in modest clothing and wearing a K95 mask. We were able to spend a couple of hours here and thoroughly enjoyed our visit, however, my husband started to look pretty red in the face and we realized we needed a reprieve from the heat. We jumped in a TukTuk and headed to some much needed relaxation in a local spa.

A beautiful view of the Royal Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.

Thai massage is legendary and for good reason, spas are luxurious and cheap! We opted for an hour long full body Thai massage and spent about $20 (USD) each for the experience. We just checked our local area and walked to the closest spa with the highest rated reviews, walked right in and enjoyed. There’s really no need to seek out specific spas as pretty much any establishment you find online with high reviews is going to be outstanding. A massage in Thailand is a must!

There is so much to do and see in Bangkok that one post isn’t nearly enough, but it was one of the best weekends of our lives. The food is amazing, the prices are super affordable and the culture can’t be beat. The only downside of our weekend in Bangkok is the small taste it gave us and now we’re craving more Thailand!

Exploring the Royal palace in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Living Out My Harry Potter Dreams in this British Sweet Shop

Leave a Comment / food / By erika

I have been absent for the past week and a half and that is because I am actually a school teacher in real life. School is starting up again and I have had to actually be busy, something I haven’t been for a few months. Anyway, I decided to post this picture today because this sweet shop, Hardy’s in Cambridge, UK reminds me so much of Harry Potter and yesterday, September 1st, would have been when Hogwarts students rode the Hogwarts express to London. So a very, Happy New School year! post indeed!

Honestly, I don’t have a pairing for sweets because my personal favorites are sour gummies and I can’t think of anything that goes particularly well with sour gummies!

Anyway, Happy New School Year!

To my fellow teachers: let’s make this year a good one!
To parents: Please read to your children at night or have them read to you, or at least make sure they’re reading!
To kids: come to school with a positive attitude! We’re going to have a great year!

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Chokladboll and why I am a Swedish Fika Convert

Leave a Comment / food / By erika

Chocolate balls with coconut — Chokladboll; a Swedish treat for Fika!

Sweden has a sacred time of the day when friends and family gather, sip coffee and tea, eat delicious treats and shut off their electronics, this time is called “Fika”. I thoroughly embraced fika, preferring to indulge in the teas on offer rather than the coffees, but whole-heartedly enjoying the treats! My favorite treats were these, chokladboll! Chokladboll are essentially exactly what they sound like, chocolate balls. It’s actually a bit surprising that they would be my favorite as I’m typically not a huge chocolate fiend, however, these were perfect. They’re no baked treats with chocolate, oats and coconut…yum!

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Gourmet on a budget? Try typical Danish Hot Dogs

Leave a Comment / food / By erika

Gourmet Hot Dogs — So many vegetables on these hot dogs you might be able to trick yourself into thinking it’s healthy!

If you don’t already know, hot dogs are kind of a big deal in Scandinavia. I found out about this when I was on my way there this past Summer and I knew that I needed to try them for multiple reasons; 1.) I enjoy a good hot dog, but most importantly, 2.) Scandinavia is effing expensive! Seriously, it’s ridiculously expensive in Scandinavian countries so if you’re like me and like to save a buck…or 50, then checking out hot dogs was high on my priority list. To put it quite shortly, I was not disappointed. A typical danish hot dog is a long, slender sausage, very similar to American franks, a shorter wheat bun, crispy fried onions, pickled red onions and cucumber and heft amount of ground mustard and Bearnaise sauce. Mmmm…

Pairings: coffee! Yeah, I know, super weird but they always came with a free cup of coffee. But they did have some really delicious peach iced tea which I thought went quite well as a pairing on the hot summer day!

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Cinnamon Scones+Tea=The Ultimate Weekend Morning

Leave a Comment / food / By erika

The weekend is coming and I feel compared to bake! I love making scones because they’re relatively easy and I generally have the ingredients available in my pantry at any given moment. I use this base recipe for my scones and can add pretty much any flavoring to them, I love adding blueberries the most, or just topped with cinnamon and brown sugar like these ones.

Recipe soon to come!

Pairings: It’s the weekend, and anything goes with these scones, so grab your favorite blend, my go to is a simple cuppa of PG tips.

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Mazel Tov in Budapest

Leave a Comment / food / By erika

hummus, pita, lemon mint tea, fattoush — Food from the Middle East lends itself so well to certain tea pairings.

I recently had a delicious and super affordable meal in Budapest, Hungary and there was no chicken paprikash or goulash in sight, instead there was atmosphere, amazing ethereal music and delicious Israeli fare at Masel Tov ruin bar. The weather was warm, the breeze was cool and the food was delicious. Budapest is kind of having a moment right now and ruin bars are part of the reason why. I’m not much of a clubbie but I wanted to check one out and although Mazel Tov does turn in to a pretty happenin’ place after hours, it serves delicious food during the day so I decided to give it a shot. If you happen to be hungry in Hungary and have a hankering for some delicious hummus or fattoush go to Mazel Tov, you wont be disappointed.

Pairings: Just like in this picture I had their delicious mint and lemon iced tea concoction with basil and elderberry. There will be a recreation soon to come.

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Pickles and Brine, what more do you need?

Leave a Comment / food / By erika

Without fail every time I eat an olive, at some point, I ask myself (or whoever happens to be with me at the time), who was brave enough to figure out how to consume olives? Well of course we know that answer don’t we? It was the Syrians and Palestinians over 6,000 years ago and they were just trying to make something that they had in abundance edible. They brined the Olives until they could consume them without dying from dehydration after a bad bout of food poisoning. But I can’t help but thank their relentless persistence to find sustenance because, damn, do I love a good olive. And with the Olive you’ve got to have some pickles, break up that salt with some acid right? Like these pickled red onions I had in Skane, Sweden. When I’m planning a picnic I know I am going to need something brined and something pickled, call me a Pacific Northwestern hipster, but this is one thing Portlandia definitely got right!

Pairings: For a picnic once again I am going to have to suggest a great iced tea and this time I’m going herbal, this Yogi Egyptian Licorice tea is Spicy and sweet and will do a great job of balancing out the palate with such strong flavors.

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Eating with my eyes…and mouth at Laduree in Paris

Leave a Comment / food / By erika

french pastry from Laduree. — Nothing pairs better with a hot beverage than french pastry, here’s a small snippet of my experience at Laduree in Paris.

Being the foodie that I am I love pastry, I mean, I know it’s not good for you, I know it’s cliche but who doesn’t love a good macaron? Due to this intense love for french pastry I just can’t help myself but to visit Laduree in Paris whenever I go. I know, it’s touristy, there are definitely better patisseries in Paris. But, come on! It’s beautiful! The pastries are delectable. It’s delicious, expensive and a bit indulgent, but isn’t that just Paris in a nutshell?

Pairings: Pastry and tea go so well together, I almost feel like I don’t need to give a pairing because just about anything will do. But, if you want to really indulgent pair pretty much any pastry, especially macarons, with a rich and bold Earl Grey, hot. Add some milk and sugar for good measure, but not too much, unless you really have a sweet tooth. I suggest this particular organic blend from Clipper.

Info about Laduree here.

What are your travel guilty pleasures? Let’s talk about in the comments so I know where to go in your neighborhood!

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A Smörgåsbord of Smørrebrød in Copenhagen, exploring open faced Sandwiches in Denmark

Leave a Comment / food / By erika

A smorgasbord of smorrebrod in Denmark — Open faced sandwiches in Denmark are the ultimate accompaniment to an afternoon tea or coffee.

Indulging in stylish food and modern design in Copenhagen, Denmark.

On a recent trip to the ever-so-hipster city of Copenhagen I indulged on many a Smørrebrød, the iconic open-faced sandwiches known for the region. This particular beauty was adorned with sliced avocado, salted nuts, micro greens and a perfectly poached egg. I could think of no better place to try my first Smørrebrød than in the Designmeuseum Copenhagen, mainly because I was starving by the time we poured into the cafe (it was a particularly hot and sunny day for breezy Copenhagen), where I first drooled over the eats and later over the amazing furniture. Of course, this wasn’t my only experience with these stylish open-faced sandwiches, I also visited the famous Aamanns Deli later on, keep an eye out out for the upcoming recreation.

I paired this sandwich with a simple Americano coffee with cream and sugar, as is the Danish way, but if I were to re-create the experience at home I would probably pair it with an iced chamomile and no added sweeteners.

Information on the Designmuseum Copenhagen here.

Pro tip: students get in free with ID!

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Classic Summer Victoria Sponge Cake

Leave a Comment / food / By erika

Strawberry Victoria Sponge Cake — Classic Victoria Sponge cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

Nothing quite says Summer like a tea-time picnic, and the best way to end any picnic is with a home-made cake. My personal favorite is the ever so classic, Victoria Sponge, not too sweet, loaded high with berries of the season and freshly whipped cream. Whenever I have a hankering for an easy-to-make cake or just a hankering for warmer weather, I whip out my recipe for this winner! And don’t forget to get the kettle going, the best pairing is, of course, a strong builder’s tea with so much milk and sugar your spoon will stand up straight in the cup.

(Recipe soon to come!)

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