Narborough Hall...fairy cakes galore

Not quite cupcakes BUT I read this story in my current edition of Waitrose Food Illustrated and I just HAD to share it! These two little girls are a fantastic example to the youth of today - I can't believe how adorable they are..almost brings out a maternal instinct in me...well, not quite, but they could bake cakes for me ;)

Welcome to The Perfect Spot.
This idyllic tearoom can be found in the grounds of Narborough Hall, a private country home and art gallery in Norfolk surrounded by woods, lakes and parkland. Narborough's caf� is run not, as you might expect, by rosy-cheeked tea ladies or one of those City-high-fliers turned country-yummy-mummy so beloved of the Sunday supplements, but by a talented, dedicated 12-year-old girl and her seven-year-old sister.

Meet Fen Sandelson, chef-patron of The Perfect Spot. Fen, the elder sister, is in Narborough's huge, sunny jumble of a kitchen, icing a batch of fairy cakes. On top of each dainty cake, she confidently places a sprig of her namesake fennel.

"I really love cooking and baking - I want to be a chef when I'm older," she beams. "It was my idea to open the caf� and I made up the name, The Perfect Spot, because it is."

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Fen's idea is that the caf�'s customers don't pay: the food and drinks are free. Instead visitors are encouraged to leave a donation for Fen and Mermaid's chosen charity, the Fairyland Trust. This organisation aims to inspire and engage children and families in wildlife conservation through workshops and fairs, some of which are held at Narborough. The girls also share the proceeds with local charities, including the nearby church.

You can read the whole story here and get the girls recipes too!