Monday 25 March 2013

Week beginning March 25th - Hot Cross Buns and Jack-by-the-Hedge


Spring's warm sunny gates are still shut and looks to remain closed for another week, at least until the end of Easter. This week, our hot cross buns will replace our sweet muffins, hopefully these toasted goods will comfort you through another week of weather endurance. I highly recommend that these buns be served toasted and eaten with loads of unhealthy calorie spread and marmalade. No need to worry about the beach body, summer is still miles away.

However if you are being healthy this week then our salads will please your conscience. We have quite a few foraged items featuring on this week's menu. Starting with garlic mustard, also known by an older common name of Jack-by-the-hedge, this green weed initially tasted of bitter horseradish but soon after chewing mellows into a mild garlic flavour. I've mixed this leafy green into a salad with bite-sized capsicum tomatoes, dutch yellow chillies, freshly baked cheddar balls and drizzled in a heart of ribwort plantain dressing. You're probably wondering what ribwort plantain is? It's a weed that grows in the grass and has a very strong and distinct mushroom flavour. Quite deceiving as this plant is more closely related to a banana.

Another healthy salad on offer is a twist on the tradional tabouli. I've replace parsley with ox-eye daisy which has a peppery and grassy flavour with underlining tones of medicine. Dressed with lemon and the added sweet-and-sour flavours of fresh tamarind, this salad is very healthy and completely vegan and gluten free.

This week's savoury scone is made with mashed potato and mixed with rye and caraway seeds. This combination of ingredients creates the traditional flavours for pumpernickel. As usual the scones will be rolled into a pin-wheel binded by the goodness of cream cheese. These scones are almost a meal on their own.

Have a happy, safe and warm Easter. Note our opening hours over Easter weekend:
Good Friday 9:30 to 5, Saturday 8:30 to 6, Easter Sunday closed, Easter Monday 9:30 am to 5


We hope you enjoy this week's menu as much as we have putting it together and as much as we will enjoy serving it to you.

Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.50
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.50
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit, peach) 3.70 (add 30 p for granola or yoghurt)
Ciabatta roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Ciabatta roll with courgette omelette, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.90
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 4.00
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Coffee, cherry and walnut toast 2.30
Banana bread 2.40

Porridge - Served with rhubarb and raspberry compote, chopped nuts, muscovado sugar, golden syrup or honey 3.00

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissants 1.80
Pain au chocolat 2.40
Almond croissants 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet Muffins: Hot cross buns 2.20
Savoury Scone: pumpernickel and cream cheese 2.20
Chocolate and orange friands 2.20
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 1.80
Afgan cookies 1.80

Lunch
Soup: Beef and wild horse radish 4.50

French retro baguettes 4.90
Roast duck, grapefruit marmalade, brie, rocket,
Prawn, avocado, jalapeno, coriander, spinach

Foccacias 5.00
Ham, red blush pear, oregano mayonnaise, rocket
Red peppers, courgette, mozzarella, basil, aioli, spinach

Salads: 5.50/6.50
Capsicum tomatoes, garlic mustard, Dutch yellow chillies, heart of ribwort plantain dressing, cheddar balls
Crispy chicken, satay dressing, cucumber, golden saxifrage
Ox-eye daisy, bulgur wheat, tomato with a lemon and tamarind dressing

Tart: 4.00 or 7.50 with salad
Slow roasted tomato with sea purslane dressing

Monday 18 March 2013

Week beginning March 18th - Hot Cross Buns, Borscht and baby Christian

Hot cross buns are back this week. This year I will be making them a little bit different from last year. Instead of using dried yeast, I will be making them with a fresh yeast I made about 6 months ago. Fresh yeast gives the dough a more fruity aroma and slightly soured taste. The yeast is created by leaving rasins to ferment in water for a week, then flour is added to turn the liquid into a paste. When the yeast is running low I simply stir in more flour and water and leave the yeast to sit overnight before using it again. 


If you've ever had the soup at Kaffeine you would have had bread made from this yeast. Our fresh yeast hot cross buns are packed with raisins, cranberries and flaked almonds. When ordering a hot cross bun please ask one of our staff members to toast it for you. Best served with butter and our own carrot and lemon marmalade. Seriously the best hot cross buns within the west end.

Once again the weather hasn't picked up, so I shall be making a hearty and comforting Borscht with freshly foraged hogweed streams and leaves. Hogweed gives the soup a slight savoury tarragon and sage flavour which is a lovely contrast with the earthy sweet beetroot. Our Borscht will be meat-free and served with our own soured cream. Lemon added to cream left for a day to set.
After a year's absence, cornbread will be making a return this week, served with a squashed baked tomato on top and garnished with caper sauce, basil and pretty foraged sweet greens called pennywort.

In other news, Peter and his wife Rita welcomed Kaffeine's newest addition last thursday evening. Christian John Dore-Smith was born at 5:15pm and we've been told he's tall like his dad. If you are reading this and have a twitter account please send message of congratulations to @kaffeinelondon it would mean the world to them both.

We hope you enjoy this week's menu as much as we have putting it together and as much as we will enjoy serving it to you.

Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.50
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.50
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit, peach) 3.70 (add 30 p for granola or yoghurt)
Ciabatta roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Ciabatta roll with courgette omelette, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.90
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 4.00
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Coffee, cherry and walnut toast 2.30
Banana bread 2.40

Porridge - Served with rhubarb and raspberry compote, chopped nuts, muscovado sugar, golden syrup or honey 3.00

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissants 1.80
Pain au chocolat 2.40
Almond croissants 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet Muffins: Blueberry and bran 2.20
Savoury Scone: Ham, fennel leaf and chilli 2.20
Mango friands 2.20
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 1.80
Afgan cookies 1.80

Lunch
Soup: Borscht with hogweed and sour cream 4.50

French retro baguettes 4.90
Aubergine, goats cheese, sweet chilli, thai basil, rocket
Ham, dijon, red onion, gherkin, gruyere and spinach

Foccacias 5.00
Pancetta, tomato, avocado, red pepper salsa, spinach
Pear, red onion jam, blue cheese, chilli and rocket

Salads: 5.50/6.50
Chilli fried squid with pickled red onions, toasted almonds, spinach, lime and garlic dressing
roasted sweet potatoes with coconut curry sauce and coriander
Baby kiwi, pecorino, honey and chickweed


Tart: 4.00 or 7.50 with salad
Cornbread with slow roasted tomatoes, pennywort and caper sauce


Monday 11 March 2013

Week beginning March 11th - Beef roasted with coffee extract

Last Tuesday we had a glimpse and tease of summer, then by the end of the week mother earth spun her axial back. At the time of writing this the weather report had predicted light snow at the start of the week with sub zero temperatures. I’ve tried to reflect this week with a mixture of prolonged winter foods with a hint of a Spanish summer.

The tart this week is quite hearty and the beef filling has been roasted with coffee extract, red wine and Dijon mustard creating some ultimate savoury flavours. Essentially this week’s tart is a comforting pie served with sweet, tender haspi cabbage or as some people like to call it cone cabbage. Then each slice is garnished with fresh leaves of lady smock. This amazing little herb has a strong kick of horseradish. Quite intense at first, like a sneeze, then the flavours quickly mellows into a lingering mild peppery flavour.

Making a return this week in the salad department is something that will hopefully encourage the sun to push its way through the overcast skies. Watermelon served with smoked mozzarella, red onion, toasted almonds and dressed with lemon juice and pommary mustard. Sweet, creamy and very healthy, great eaten on its own and has enough substance to keep you going though to dinnertime. I quite often make this at home for lunch or dinner and it definitely kills any hunger pains and subdues the need for something sweet after my main. If you’re looking to shed some kilo before Easter, we have your lunch sorted.

If you’re looking for protein you’d better order a plate of salmon which has been baked in smoked paprika and served with tender and fragrant wild fennel leaves, strawberries, cucumber with a buckthorn dressing. Think Pimm’s meets paella, plenty of fibre, protein and omega 3.

Keep an eye out for the return of Kaffeine’s most famous spread carrot and lemon marmalade. I will be making a fresh batch on Monday, which will be ready to consume and purchase in jar from Tuesday. By the end of the week we will also reintroduce our hot-cross buns which are best served toasted and spread with butter and carrot marmalade.


Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.50
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.50
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit, peach) 3.70 (add 30 p for granola or yoghurt)
Ciabatta roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Ciabatta roll with courgette omelette, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.90
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 4.00
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Coffee, cherry and walnut toast 2.30
Banana bread 2.40

Porridge - Served with rhubarb and raspberry compote, chopped nuts, muscovado sugar, golden syrup or honey 3.00

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissants 1.80
Pain au chocolat 2.40
Almond croissants 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet Muffins: Pear and plum 2.20
Savoury Scone: Red peppers and pesto 2.20
Mango friands 2.20
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 1.80
Afgan cookies 1.80

Lunch
Soup: Courgette, feta and mint 4.50

French retro baguettes 4.90
Pancetta, grilled plums, brie, spinach
Tuna, rouille, capers and rocket

Foccacias 5.00
Ham, blue cheese dressing, pickled red onions and rocket
Mushroom, welsh rarebit, spinach

Salads: 5.50/6.50
Salmon cooked in smoked paprika with wild fennel leaf, strawberry's, cucumber and buckthorn dressing
Watermelon, smoked mozzarella, toasted almonds, red onion, rocket with a lemon and mustard dressing
Saute medley of wild cabbage, sea beet and wild radish, with sea purslane dressing.

Tart: 4.00 or 7.50 with salad
Beef roasted in coffee and mustard, with hispi cabbage and lady smock leaf


Monday 4 March 2013

Week beginning March 4th - Alexander seeds and Fat Hen Pastry

With the welcoming demise of winter, returns our iced sparkling cascara. I made a fresh batch of syrup last week which will be ready to consume this week. As featured in the new Caffeine magazine this lovely Kaffeine original is best paired with a certain salad which is also making a grand return--the Tandoori Chicken Salad.

However this Kaffeine regular has had a new ingredient added to it, Alexander seeds. Foraged Alexanders have been a constant item on our menu since last October. Alexanders are a forgotten vegetable commonly used in cooking until the end of the 19th century.

Alexanders resemble a thick-stalked flat-leafed parsley and taste of pungent celery. The seeds or fruit of the Alexanders have a distinct aroma of strong celery, spice and medicine, quite unusual to sniff at first but I found myself addicted to its smell over the course of the day. I've made my own tandoori paste and incorporated toasted and ground alexander seeds which gives the chicken an extra aroma, all balanced in a salad with avocados ruby grapefruit and a yoghurt dressing.

When ordering tandoori chicken salad this week consider a sparkling iced cascara as your beverage. There is a spicy, salty/sweetness in the salad that pairs nicely with iced cascara. If you're after a potent caffeinated hit then there is no need to fret. Cascara is very strong on caffeine and will keep you alert and wide eyed.

Also worth noting this week is the tart pastry base which will be made using the seeds of a plant called fat hen. Commonly found in waste lands and construction sites, this weed has edible leaves and grows little clusters of seeds or grains very similar to quinoa. This week I will be grounding these grains and will be incorporating them into flour to make a textural and slightly nutty pastry. Filled with our own cottage cheese and foraged greens, a health-conscious start to spring.

We hope you enjoy this week's menu as much as we have putting it together and as much as we will enjoy serving it to you.


Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.50
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.50
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit, peach) 3.70 (add 30 p for granola or yoghurt)
Ciabatta roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Ciabatta roll with courgette omelette, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.90
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 4.00
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Coffee, cherry and walnut toast 2.30
Banana bread 2.40

Porridge - Served with rhubarb and raspberry compote, chopped nuts, muscovado sugar, golden syrup or honey 3.00

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissants 1.80
Pain au chocolat 2.40
Almond croissants 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet Muffins: Nectarine and coconut 2.20
Savoury Scone: Courgette and feta 2.20
Mango friands 2.20
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 1.80
Afgan cookies 1.80

Lunch
Soup: Pork and pumpkin with chilli and mugwort 4.50

French retro baguettes 4.90
Ham, pear, honey mayonnaise, pecorino, rocket
Salmon, cucumber, lime cream cheese, Thai basil, spinach

Foccacias 5.00
Ham, slow roasted smoked paprika tomatoes, red onion, cheddar, rocket
Rainbow cherry tomato salsa, avocado, brie, spinach


Salads: 5.50/6.50
Chicken marinated in tandoori and alexander seeds with avocado, cucumber, cos, ruby grapefruit and yoghurt dressing
Ox-eye daisy, red cabbage, carrot, onion with a fish sauce and lemon dressing
Roasted round courgettes with three corner garlic sauce

Tart: 4.00 or 7.50 with salad
Fat hen seed pastry filled with foraged greens and home made cottage cheese