Visit to Castle Drogo-11 June 2008

[David Nicholson]

Our visit today was to Castle Drogo which was the last castle to be built in England and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. It isn't really a castle at all but is a 'folly' designed to suit an over impressioned would- be aristocrat. He was one Julius Drew who founded the Home and Colonial Stores. Having a great amout of time and money he researched his ancestry and assumed a relationship with the Norman Baron Drogo de Teign, after whom the nearby parish of Drewsteignton had been named in the 12th century. What you see today is the result of one rich man's dreams.

The foundation stone was laid in 1911 but work on the 'castle' was not completed until 1930 and is built of the local Dartmoor stone, granite. Today it is owned by the National Trust and is surrounded by gardens and woodland.

Well worth a visit if you are ever in the area, first class tea shop with Devon cream teas and some lovely lemon drizzle cake (I managed two pieces!)
Here are a few pics.

[David Nicholson]

Castle Drogo-final few.

[Lesley Cox]

Another interesting visit David. You do lead a lovely life.

Imagine building such a place today. Who says retailing doen't pay?

[ranunculus]

Another interesting visit David. You do lead a lovely life.

...And you help us to lead a lovely life with your fine postings David!

[Lvandelft]

Lovely pictures David.
Must be a very wet country where even the cake is drizzling 
The good thing is you don't have to dip it in tea
but seriously, would like to know what is lemon drizzle cake?

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wonderful pictures David !  Looks like a beautiful estate !
Thanks for sharing it (and the cake  ) with us !

[David Nicholson]

Thanks to all, yes life is pretty good. As I have said before we preserve Wednesday for trips out, sometimes to gardens which we both like to see, and sometimes shopping which I don't really like but never admit to it!!

Luit, as lemon drizzle cake defeats my written descriptive powers here is a recipe

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/recipe.asp?article=1148

[Tony Willis]

David

lovely pictures of a super place. We reserve thursdays for days out,it must be a retirement thing, although I think you have more scope for places within travelling distance to go to in a day.

[David Nicholson]

Tony, yes, I think it is a retirement thing, and not a bad 'un. We are ideally placed really with Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Wiltshire, and Dorset all within easy travelling distance, and if we get of to a reasonably early start (0930 is early by our standards!) we can manage the western parts of Hampshire, southern parts of Gloucestershire, and very occasionally some shopping in Cardiff. 

[Lesley Cox]

Unfortunately the link to the lemon drizzle cake won't open for me but I have a lovely version in which the cake is "drizzled" with a syrup of lemon juice, zest, sugar and water, as soon as it comes out of the oven. Even nicer (in my opinion) is when the syrup is made with orange juice and zest. The cake itself has a lot of cuoconut in it and so the texture is very moist and almost fudgey. It cuts into 25 pieces so I sometimes take it on field trips. I know several Scots who liked it a lot. Recipe to follow if anyone wants it.

[Maggi Young]

 
 Here's the recipe from David's link... it was posted by someone saying it had been copied from a newspaper some years ago, so I don't think I'm stealing anyone's copyright!!
 
Cake ingredients:

4oz softened butter (make sure it's really soft)

6oz SR flour

1tsp baking powder

6oz golden caster sugar

2 large eggs

6 tbsp milk

 
 finely grated rind of a large unwaxed lemon



Icing:

juice of a large lemon

4oz golden caster sugar

 
 
 
 
preheat oven to 180 degrees C/gas mark 4

Use an oblong tin which measures 9" x 8",about 2inches deep, lined with baking parchment. could also be made in a round tin, but size of which, i'm not sure!!

1. Tip all cake ingredients into large mixing bowl and beat for 2-3 minutes; mixture will drop easily off spoon.

2. Spoon mixture into tin and smooth with back of spoon. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden & firm to the touch.

3. Beat together icing ingredients and pour over the cake while it is still HOT.

4. Cool in tin & cut into squares.
 
 
 

[Lesley Cox]

Ah... so it's the icing that's drizzled over, not a syrup. Sound good and I'll try it not so sticky as mine.

[Lvandelft]

Thank you all for explanation and the recipe.
I'll pass it on after I have translated the text to "Austrian" and tried to
translate the measurements, from oz. to gramms etc.
Then I hope it will ever be tried to make, otherwise I have to travel to
GB for tasting this specialty. 
After Lesley's last posting I at least understand what is meant by "drizzle".