It is a warm sunny afternoon in May and as soon as we step passed the gateway into the Kingsbury water mill and waffle house, I can smell a concoction of sweet and savoury flavours. The friendly staff welcome us in and we sit by an old fireplace. The low ceiling is lined with Tudor beams, we feel the warmth coming from the busy kitchen and can see out of the sash window along the length of Fishpool street. An antiquated pendulum clock hangs on the wall above us alongside framed black and white photos of the mill, faded newspaper clippings and old menus.
We take a look at the menu and there are many combinations to choose from. Within minutes my daughter looks up at me enthusiastically and we both agree, that it’s got to be Chili con carne on our waffles. Wow! It turns out to be the perfect choice; the meat and vegetables are generously topped with sour cream, grated cheese and tortilla chips and the flavours blend wonderfully together. As for dessert, it’s a no-brainer, and we share a banoffi waffle; the warm toffee sauce and banana slices merge perfectly and are topped with chocolate shavings and icing sugar.
Afterwards we go and look at the mill museum. We peer through a glass wall at the millwheel and machinery and imagine how noisy it must have been when the huge cogs were in motion. The building is Tudor with a later Georgian brick façade, and before the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the original building belonged to the Abbot in the parish of St Michael’s. We discover that milling for flour continued until the mid 20th century and that it was turned into a working museum and waffle house in 1978.
We decide to have our coffee outside; it’s such a tranquil setting, we take in the sun and spot an abundance of little fishes in the water. Amazing to think that this river has been flowing through its valley since the last Ice Age! It sustains a great variety of plants and flowers; kingfishers and butterflies can be spotted further along the river together with grebes and herons. Later we cross the road and head into Verulamium park, ready for a leisurely stroll around the lake; a perfect opportunity to take in the fresh air and work off those calories.
