Friday 24 June 2011

Week beginning June 27th - Catherine

We are very pleased to announce the wedding this week just gone of our own Catherine, @cathosaurus, Cat, Catho, Cathy to her partner Levent Ali. What a proud day it was for us all, and especially her parents, who flew all the way from Australia for the wedding.

Levent used to be one of our very regular customers back in the day (I now know why of course, it was not just the coffee), until he had to move away for his work to Old Street. But still he persisted and that paid off this week.

Catherine has been with Kaffeine since before the start, believing in me that we could achieve our vision, and in fact being a very major part of that vision coming true. Both her and Chef Jared came to Kaffeine when it was still a building site and believed me that it would work, and both have made a very real and appreciated impact on the business.

We have a lot of respect and gratitude to both of them for their work, but this week especially it was time to pay that respect to Catherine.

We celebrated with a small party here on Wednesday night, after the ceremony and a lovely lunch. Some wine, beer, champagne and canapes and a bit of a cheesy wedding dancing, it was a great night.

We truly wish both Catherine and Levent all the very best in their lives together, may it be long and happy. Respect.

Breakfast
Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.90
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.90
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit, peach) 3.30
Ciabatta Roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.20
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.20
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 3.20
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Cinnamon and raisin toast 2.00
Banana Bread 2.00

Porridge with condiments of muscovado sugar, dried fruit, chopped nuts, honey or rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.50

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissants 1.60
Pain au chocolat 2.20
Almond croissants 2.70

Baked Treats
Flat Mountain Peach muffins 1.80
Vegemite and Cheese savoury muffins 1.80
Mango tea friands 1.90
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.20
White chocolate blondies 2.20
Portuguese tarts 1.80
ANZAC cookies 1.60
Afgan biscuits 1.60
Lamingtons 2.50 (THURS, FRI, SAT ONLY)

Lunch

Foccacias with sea salt and rosemary crust 4.70
Smoked salmon with aioli red onion, dill, rocket and capers
Roast aubergine with goats cheese, sweet chilli and spinach

French retro baguettes 4.50
Ham with gruyere, red onion, dijon, gherkin and spinach
Cucumber ribbons with tomato, avocado, carrot ribbons, spinach and harissa mayo

Salads £4.40/£5.30
Tuna with mizuna, olives, potato, red onion, dill, green beans, pecorino and egg
Camargue red rice with kumara, chantenay carrots, spinach, basil and orange segments
Broccoli in oyster sauce

Tart
4.00 or 6.30 with salad
Chicken, mushroom and thyme

Sunday 19 June 2011

Week beginning June 20th - Justin

This week is a bit of a sad week as one of our baristas, Justin, is leaving to head to Brighton for the summer to see what he can achieve down there. Since arriving fresh off the boat back in September, Justin has been an amazing person to have in our employ. He is fantastic with coffee, exceptionally clean and tidy around the machine and overall is amazing with our customers and staff alike.

Justin will be very sorely missed at Kaffeine, and we wish him all the best in his future.

On the other hand, we welcome three new people, Candice, Claire and Ewelina. Candice will be a barista, Claire will be on the floor and Ewelina is in the kitchen.

I warmly welcome all 3 to the family that is Kaffeine, I hope you enjoy working here.

By the way. Blueberry muffins back on this week. Yum.

Breakfast
Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.90
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.90
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit, peach) 3.30
Ciabatta Roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.20
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.20
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 3.20
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Cinnamon and raisin toast 2.00
Banana Bread 2.00

Porridge with condiments of muscovado sugar, dried fruit, chopped nuts, honey or rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.50

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissants 1.60
Pain au chocolat 2.20
Almond croissants 2.70

Baked Treats
Blueberry muffins 1.80
Leek and onion savoury muffins 1.80
Mango tea friands 1.90
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.20
White chocolate blondies 2.20
Portuguese tarts 1.80
ANZAC cookies 1.60
Afgan biscuits 1.60

Lunch

Foccacias with sea salt and rosemary crust 4.70
Pancetta with mango, brie and spinach
Olive tapenade with rocket, plum tomatoes and bufala mozzarella

French retro baguettes 4.50
Ham with gruyere, red onion, dijon, gherkin and spinach
Tuna with lemon mayo, dill and rocket

Salads £4.40/£5.30
Vermicelli noodles with organic free range chicken, carrots, coriander and sesame oil
Cherries with goats cheese, rocket and basil
Green beans with chilli, garlic, peanuts and lemon

Tart
4.00 or 6.30 with salad
Red Cabbage and feta

Friday 10 June 2011

Week Beginning June 13th - Cafe Life

Is the life of a cafe owner glamorous? Financially rewarding? Life affirming? Ha! Perhaps to some it may appear to be, and that is why some people decide to go into this business, even though they have no experience in this industry but wish to follow their dream of owning their own place.

The reason I say this is because I do get asked fairly often by people who want to set up their own place for advice. But is worries me that some people may be going into this with a false sense of what life is like.

While I fully support and encourage people to follow their dreams instead of laying awake at night wondering 'what if?', I also give a very strong word of caution. If you have no experience in this industry, then you are already well behind the ball, no matter how much time you spend eating and drinking in cafes in your leisure time or how well you make food or coffee at home or host a dinner party.

I recently asked an architect friend, that if I all of a sudden I had a career change and wanted to be an architect and came to them for advice, what would they say. The answer?.... Good luck. And it's true. If I wanted to be a mechanic, or an accountant or whatever at the age of 40, then already in a very competitive market, I am against all the others who have been doing it for 20 years already.

This industry is rewarding, it is life affirming and it can be glamorous, but it is also very very very hard work. This is why I have a lot more respect every day for those people who have created amazing businesses, because they are very talented people indeed, and it is usually those for who the hospitality industry is a lifelong career.

Opening Kaffeine was easily the most terrifying experience of my life, and was so for at least the first year and it still occasionally terrifies me today.

Be aware, if you think this looks easy, it most certainly is not. (But I still love it!!) And if you do still want to do it, well then...good luck.

Breakfast
Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.90
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.90
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit, peach) 3.30
Ciabatta Roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.20
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.20
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 3.20
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Cinnamon and raisin toast 2.00
Banana Bread 2.00

Porridge with condiments of muscovado sugar, dried fruit, chopped nuts, honey or rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.50

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissants 1.60
Pain au chocolat 2.20
Almond croissants 2.70

Baked Treats
Frais de bois muffins 1.80
Sweet Corn savoury muffins 1.80
Mango tea friands 1.90
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.20
White chocolate blondies 2.20
Portuguese tarts 1.80
ANZAC cookies 1.60
Afgan biscuits 1.60

Lunch

Foccacias with sea salt and rosemary crust 4.70
Salmon, aioli, red onion, capers, dill, rocket
Plum tomato with salsa verde, bufala mozzerella and spinach

French retro baguettes 4.50
Ham with apple butter, gruyere, red onion, gherkin and spinach
Tuna with cheese fondue

Salads £4.40/£5.30
Mountain flat peaches with dandelion, lemon balm, ham and pecorino
Cous cous with roasted olives, feta and smoked garlic
Green beans with chilli, garlic, peanuts adn lemon

Tuna Bake
4.00 or 6.30 with salad
Polenta with grilled vegetables, goats cheese and avocado

Thursday 9 June 2011

Week beginning June 5th - World Barista Championships

Last night saw the finals of the WBC held in Bogota, Colombia and Square Mile Coffee who roast our beans for us again had a major representation there, with their own John Gordon trying out to be the World Champion for the second year in a row.

We have known John here at Kaffeine since we first opened and he came and did a weeks work with us, something I will be forever grateful for. At that stage he was the UK latte art champion and we were very much in awe of him and very humble that he chose to work with us.

John ended up coming 6th on Sunday night, yes that's sixth in the world. An amazing achievement and full repsect to him and the SQM crew who supported him.

We hope that he competes again and gets the coveted crown one day, but at least in the meantime we can only hope that he continues to be a great ambassador for coffee.

John, well done. A true champion.

Breakfast
Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.90
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.90
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit, peach) 3.30
Ciabatta Roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.20
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.20
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 3.20
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Cinnamon and raisin toast 2.00
Banana Bread 2.00

Porridge with condiments of muscovado sugar, dried fruit, chopped nuts, honey or rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.50

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissants 1.60
Pain au chocolat 2.20
Almond croissants 2.70

Baked Treats
Blueberry muffins 1.80
Tomato herb and cheese savoury muffins 1.80
Mango tea friands 1.90
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.20
White chocolate blondies 2.20
Portuguese tarts 1.80
ANZAC cookies 1.60
Afgan biscuits 1.60

Lunch

Foccacias with sea salt and rosemary crust 4.70
Pancetta, avocado, tomato, rocket, aioli and gruyere
Puttanesca with tomato, bufala mozzerella and spinach

French retro baguettes 4.50
Ham with gruyere, red onion, gherkin and spinach
Roast aubergine with chimichurri sauce, feta and rocket

Salads £4.40/£5.30
Green beans with mizuna, goats cheese, toasted almonds and lemon dressing
Organic free range chicken with chilli coconut, mango, coriander, baby spinach
Coleslaw of kohlrabi, radish, mooli, red onion

Tuna Bake
4.00 or 6.30 with salad
Tuna and brown rice bake