Road Trip: Tracing the Path of "The Traveling Tea Shop" by Belinda Jones

In the charming book, "The Traveling Tea Shop" by Belinda Jones, a British tour guide is offered the travel & baking adventure of a lifetime. Protagonist Laurie Davis is asked to organizing a unique bakery-based road trip across New England in a double-decker bus, where at each stop, fictional British baking celebrity Pamela Lambert-Leigh will learn about a traditional pastry and bake a British version of the same. As the organizer, Laurie will not only choose the scenic locations and the featured historic pastry specialties, but she must also troubleshoot the travel dilemmas and personality clashes along the way.

While managing family dramas and flat tires isn't particularly appealing, the rest of the fictional trip is a dream come true for many readers. Wouldn't it be fun to trace the route that Laurie and the gang took, and sample the specialty pastries along the way?

You'll need to allow yourself 5 - 7 days to recreate this trip, and please double-check that these businesses still exist before you go. As this book was published in 2014, some of the food items available at these locations may also have changed.

And now .... your fantasy road trip itinerary!

CITY: New York City

Bakery / Restaurant: The Waldorf Astoria

American Treat: Red Velvet Cake

British Counterpart: Victoria Sponge Cake with jam and cream filling

CITY: Mystic, CT

Bakery: CakeLove Bakery

American Treat: Nutmeg Spice Cupcakes (based on Hartford Election Cake)

British Counterpart: Traditional Fruitcake

CITY: West Kingston, RI

Bakery: Kenyon's Grist Mill

American Treat: Johnnycakes with butter & maple syrup

British Counterpart: Scones with Devon cream

CITY: Newport, RI

Location: Marble House / Chinese Tea House cafe

British Treat: Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes

Also visit: Clarke Cooke House, Newport Sweet Shoppe

CITY: Provincetown, MA

Bakery: ScottCakes

American Treat: Cupcakes

British Counterpart: Butterfly Cakes

CITY: Sandwich, MA

Bakery/Restaurant: Dunbar Tea Room

American Treat: Courtship Tea

CITY: Plymouth, MA

Bakery: Plimouth Patuxet Museum

American Treat: Indian Pudding

British Counterpart: Bread Pudding

CITY: Quincy, MA

Bakery: Dunkin' Donuts

American Treat: Boston Cream Donut

CITY: Boston, MA

Bakery/Restaurant: Upstairs on the Square

American Treat: Zebra Cake

CITY: Boston, MA

Bakery/Restaurant: Omni Parker House Hotel

American Treat: Boston Cream Pie

British Counterpart: Egg Custard Tart

CITY: Boston, MA

Bakery/Restaurant: Abigail's Tea Room

Treat: Fat Rascal

CITY: Portsmouth, NH

Bakery: Popover's on the Square

American Treat: Popover