Coconut Cupcakes from Mrs. Hudson’s Tea Room

After you’ve engaged in a shopping frenzy at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, located at 222 Baker Street, West London, Massachusetts, be sure and pop next door for afternoon tea at Mrs. Hudson’s.

Head baker Jayne Wilson does a marvellous job of crating the perfect, fully-traditional afternoon tea. You might even be lucky enough to get one of the special Sherlock tea pots and matching cups.

Occasionally, for a special occasion, Jayne is forced to reply on her business partner Gemma Doyle for help in the kitchen. And, occasionally, Gemma gets to enjoy the fruits of their labours.

Fiona placed a large teapot on the table as well as a small jug of milk, a sugar bowl, a plate of sliced lemon, and two cups and saucers. She dropped a mug of coffee in front of Kevin.

“What a beautiful tea set,” Linda said. The pot and cups matched: roses of pink and pale blue on fine white china trimmed with gold. “May I pour?”

“Go ahead.” I leaned back to allow Fiona to place the three-tiered silver tray in the center of the table along with pots of butter, strawberry jam straight from the kitchen of a West London woman, and proper clotted cream.

Ignoring any pretext of good manners, I snatched one of the cucumber sandwiches before my dining companions could get it. We’d also been served salmon, roast beef and arugula, and cream cheese with chives. The middle level of the tray held scones plump with raisins and on the top layer tiny perfect strawberry and lemon tarts nestled beside miniature coconut cupcakes piled high with buttercream icing.

“I try to have at least one scene involving afternoon tea in each of my books,” the author said. “It gives Desdemona and Sherlock a chance to get together and talk over what they’ve learned.”

I refrained from mentioning that I couldn’t imagine Sherlock Holmes, man of action, pipe tobacco and lover of a seven percent solution, enjoying a cream tea.

Body on Baker Street, by Vicki Delany

Mrs. Hudson’s Coconut Cupcakes