Week beginning June 17th - Fishcakes with strawberry and sandwort salsa

Summer is in typical British emotional swing, one moment it’s sunny; the next rain and wind. Typical. Thankfully Kaffeine’s kitchen has no windows and is located down stairs. Most mornings when we arrive at Kaffeine the sun has been up and shining since 4:30am. This puts the kitchen team in a bright mood and it hopefully comes out in the food. Don’t ask how we feel when it’s home-time and the weather has taken a mood swing. 

On our mock summer menu this week we have large fish cakes made with cod, kumara (white flesh sweet potato from New Zealand) and garnished with strawberry salsa. Strawberry and fish may seem like an odd combination. However strawberries are much like a tomato – sweet, juicy, tender flesh when ripe, and both grow off vines. Although strawberry vines are much shorter, given a chance they can climb and grow over obstacles. Blind folded and nose pinched it really is quite hard to tell the difference between tomatoes and strawberries. Which is why I’ve made a strawberry salsa with lemons for some sourness and foraged sea sandwort. This plant has succulent, crunchy texture and is distinctively architectural, with a sharp angular form, and a flavour of peas.

As the strawberries and elderflower are so good at the moment they will also be making a married appearance in two menu items this week. First is the friands. I’ve had a couple of request from customers and staff to make strawberry friands. Strawberries come from the rose family and are great paired with another aromatic blossom, elderflowers. This little combo is also found in our new summer cascara beverage. I have infused strawberries, elderflowers and cascara to make a pretty and delicate sweet sparkling beverage. The floral notes of elder and strawberries over powder the flavours of cascara. But still contains the caffeinated strength, great for a little pick me up. But not to worry if you still prefer the original cascara, both will be on offer. We are purely making the most of two ingredients at its prime.

Come get caffeinated and while you're at it, satisfy your hunger pains.

Jared Bryant
Lead Chef
Kaffeine
@redjar50

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

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: Tomato, basil and cheddar 2.20
Strawberry and elderflower friands 2.20
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 1.80
Chocolate chip cookies 1.80

French retro baguettes 4.90
Ham, apple butter, gherkins, gruyere, rocket

Asparagus, crushed peas, feta, mint and spinach

Foccacias 5.00

Smoked salmon, aioli, red onion, capers, dill, spinach

Roasted peppers, courgette, brie, pesto and rocket

Salads: 5.50/6.50
Chicken poached in water celery stock and served with spinach, roasted almonds and red pepper dressing
Roasted courgettes and burdock with hollandaise sauce

Pineapple, celery, blue cheese, red onion with pineappleweed dressing

Tart: 4.00 or 7.50 with salad
Fish cake topped with strawberry, lemon and sea sandwort salsa