Week beginning May 27th - Lamingtons, Scots Flowers and Elderflower

Plenty more wild and wonderful foraged items are on offer after a very pleasant and sunny bank holiday weekend. This weeks highlights are:

Scots pine flowers, these buds resemble miniature soft pine cones, raw these buds are powdery and a mission to swallow. However, cooked these florets become spongey and taste like a hybrid of asparagus and globe artichoke. Like globe artichokes these buds alter the flavour notes your tongue produces. For at least an hour after eating scots pine flowers your saliva will produce sweet, quite similar to the sweetness found in artificial sweeteners. Scots pine flowers are also high in testosterone, last week I sampled 4 in a row and found myself very alert and awake. Mixed with your coffee of preference your day suddenly becomes very assertive and productive.
You will find scot pine flowers in a salad lightly baked and served with fresh peas, confit of garlic, croutons, parmesan, gem lettuce and dressed in a rich tomato mayonnaise.

Second on our list of foraged highlights are honesty seed pods, their appearance resembles very tiny mange tout and taste of sweet peppercorns. Very pretty and delicate, I can see these pods becoming a trend on resturant menus in the near future. We will be garnishing this weeks roasted red pepper tart with these striking green pods. 

Also worth mentioning is the delay of elderflower, due to the prolonged winter elderflowers have blossomed later this year. All bank holiday weekend I kept an eye open for elder bushes, every bush I encountered had closed buds and no blossom. However, very late this afternoon on a walk through Harrow on the Hill I found the first blossom of elderflower. Some people get excited over a new Ryan Gosling film or the launch of a new game console. I get excited over the arrival of elderflowers. Great made into a cordial, mixed with gin or infused in a jelly, the aroma of elder is just as enticing as vanilla and roasted coffee. In the next week or 2 you will see elderflower somehow incorporated in our menu. 

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 3.50Fruit 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: peach and almond 2.20
Savoury Scone: ham and nettle pesto 2.20
Japanese knot weed 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, gherkin, gruyere, spinach
Roasted courgette, tomato, parmesan aioli, avocado, rocket

Foccacias 5.00
Smoked salmon, capers, dill, red onion, aioli, rocket

Saute st george's mushrooms, camembert, onion jam, spinach

Salads: 5.50/6.50
Chicken adobo with camargue red rice, coriander and rocket

Roasted scots pine flowers, fresh peas, confit garlic, tomato mayonnaise, gem, parmesan, croutons,

Green beans with peanuts, chilli and fish sauce

Tart: 4.00 or 7.50 with salad
Roasted red peppers with goats cheese, honesty seed pods

Week beginning May 20th - Edible Spring Flowers

This weeks menu is mostly about the edible spring floral items that grow all around us. Spring has finally made our surrounding bright with vibrant colours. London might lack a coastline but it has some extraordinary parks to loiter and embrace in. These parks also flourish in edible scented efflorescence posy. You don't necessarily need to pick and eat these items but instead use another sense, smell. As important as taste, smell is a memory of surroundings and quite often nostalgic. Without smell an onion would taste like an apple and every wine would taste like the other.

Featured in Kaffeine's bouquet this week are purple and white nettle flowers, nutty, sweet and with a pleasant and slightly lingering bitterness. The prince of spring herb is married with baby beetroot, hazelnut crumble, mature cheddar, watercress and another foraged leaf, oak leaf. Oak leaves are mild nutty and sweet, dare I say nature's popcorn.

Speaking of popcorn we also have what I'd consider Japanese answer to popcorn, edamame. In English edamame means soy beans, these green pods are so versatile and could potentially replace the need for meat. The same produce makes many varieties of ingredients from tofu, soy sauce, milk, flour and oil etc...

Soy beans has also proven to reduce the risk of prostate and breast cancer.
This week we will be gently steaming the whole bean (stripping with the teeth is required when eating) and dressed with a sauce made from raw pepperwort. All in the name pepperwort taste very similar to peppercorns and is another floral bud that will happily linger in this weeks menu.

Sea kale broccoli will make an appearance on our menu this week for the first time. Not only here but probably one of the first places in the UK to have these tender sea grown stems to feature on any menu. These juicy florets taste very similar to broccoli but are naturally seasoned by its environment the ocean. We've combined sea kale with fish goujons and complimented the salad with honey pickled bucks-horn, cucumber and garnished with zesty wood sorrel.

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: Mango and brazilnut 2.20
Savoury Scone: Curried peas and feta 2.20
Damson and melilot 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
Salmon, cucumber, lime cream cheese, thai basil, rocket
Mushroom pate, crushed minted peas, red onion, spinach

Foccacias 5.00
Ham with baked golden delicious, rosemary aioli, spinach

Tomato, mozzarella, rocket, chimichurri

Salads: 5.50/6.50
Fish goujons with bucks-horn plantain and cucumber pickled in honey vinegar, sea kale and garnished with wood sorrel

Roasted baby beetroot with oak leave, hazelnut crumble, mature cheddar, watercress and garnished with purple and white nettle flowers

Edamame beans in pod with pepperwort dressing

Tart: 4.00 or 7.50 with salad
Tomato and mozzarella risotto balls baked in sliced cured pig cheeks

Week beginning May 13th - Darwins Barberry Blossom & Alexandra Road Estate

Last week's raw-based menu turned out to be a lot more popular than first expected, especially the raw vegan lasagne. I knew we had an audience for raw food, but I also expected many people to turn their noses up and ask for a toasted foccacia instead. The floor staff reported some amazing, well received feedback which is a great compliment, thank you.

Perhaps the most amusing antidote from last week's raw menu was a visit from a representative from Westminster council last Friday. They've had a complaint from an anonymous neighbouring local claiming pungent cooking smells were coming from our extractor fans all week around 11:30 am-12:00 pm. I explained to the officer it clearly was not us. Firstly we don't use an extractor and secondly we haven't been cooking all week due to our raw-themed week. Once the officer realised the bad smells weren't coming from Kaffeine, he apologised and said it's probably coming from a near by cafe.

This week's menu is back to cooking over a stove-top, but I will devise another raw menu shortly. In the meantime English asparagus is at its peak and best eaten during the month of May. We will be lightly roasting the asparagus in red miso paste and serve it with brittle and very healthy linseed crisps famously served in Noma and Fäviken. The asparagus and linseed crisps are then garnished with foraged Darwin's barberry blossom. These bright saffron-coloured flowers have the most amazing citrus flavour with a powdery texture. I've included a photo of these bright beauties so you can go forage them for yourself. You won't have to look far as they grow all around us even in the most urban areas. This picture was taken next to one of London's most populated and famous council estates: Alexandra road estate, which is also a grade II listing building due to its unconventional design (think Noah parting the red sea). I even saw these blossoms growing outside my local supermarket in the middle of a car park. I must warn you: once you start looking to the ground for foraged items, you can't stop. It's a highly addictive hobby.

We also devised some interesting new sandwich combinations in honor of the 251st anniversary of the invention of the sandwich, courtesy of John Montague, 4th Earl of Sandwich. Kaffeine is a previous winner and nominee of the UK Sandwich Award and for that we take pride in pushing the boundaries in what can be considered as a filling. This week you'll find all sorts of interesting ingredients from poached rhubarb to creamed fennel to rock samphire.

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

Please enjoy.

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: Raspberry and passion fruit 2.20
Savoury Scone: Chilli jam and cream cheese 2.20
Damson and melilot 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
Bresaola beef, creamed fennel, gem lettuce, red onion jam
Tuna and capers with rouille and rocket

Foccacias 5.00
Ham, poached rhubarb, brie, spinach
Mixed heritage tomatoes, rock samphire, taleggio, oregano

Salads: 5.50/6.50
Parma ham, maple syrup, cornmeal balls pickled rainbow radish
Cucumber spaghetti with pesto, fresh peas and sea arrow grass
Miso roasted asparagus with linseed crisps and darwin's barberry blossom

Tart: 4.00 or 7.50 with salad

Goats cheese pie with gooseberry marmalade

Week beginning Tuesday May 6th - One year of foraging

Last week I had the pleasure of being invited to the book launch of Cook It Raw by Kaffeine's Forager supplier Miles Irving. Cook It Raw is an event held once a year where the world's leading chefs are invited to a remote corner of the world to forage and collaborate on dishes. It's a boy scout's camp for a male-dominated profession. Cook It Raw is a recipe book with no recipes and documents what these world class chefs created with limited resources. It's more of a well-structured diary.

The launch of this book also reiterated that foraged and raw foods are on the rise in some of the world best restaurants. Foraging's popularity was confirmed again the day after Cook It Raw book launched with the announcement of 2013 best 50 restaurant awards. At least 15 of the 50 restaurants nominated use foraged goods in their menus. 

A year ago this week I was introduced to foraging by Mr. Irving, also an author of a popular foraging dictionary. He opened my eyes to a whole new world of ingredients and way of living. It's because of this one-off foraging trip through Hackney Marshes I constantly use foraged goods in Kaffeine's changing menu. 

Flavours are more vibrant and the health benefits outweighs foods bought in supermarkets. Foraged goods are grown in natural environment and not from recycled soils and no fertilizers. The best part is that it literally grows all around us, even in the heart of London. My local woodlands Hampstead Heath grows bulrush, rib-wort plantain, crab apples, elder, dandelion, sloe blossom, lesser celandine, just to name a very small few. If you consider yourself a foodie and like to keep your finger on the pulse of hospitality trends then I suggest you look up local foraging groups and get involved. Foraging was a lost art, however because of some of the world's best chefs this way of living is making a welcoming come back.

In honour of Kaffeine's one year anniversary of incorporating foraged goods into our menu, we are having a raw week of food on offering. From raw cured bresaola beef to sharp and sweet Japanese knot weed to fiery dittander, all of which will challenge your taste buds in the best way possible.

Please enjoy.

Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.50Granola 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: Pancetta, parmesan and sun dried tomatoes 2.20
Sticky date 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

French retro baguettes 4.90
Smoked salmon, lime cream cheese, cucumber, thai basil, rocket

Parma ham, pear, gorgonzola, spinach

Foccacias 5.00
Ham, avocado, tomato, rocket, chilli aioli

Pickled beetroot, mature cheddar, creamed leek, spinach

Salads: 5.50/6.50
Bresaola beef, radish, sliced fennel, goats curd, radicchio, ground ivy

Julienne Japanese knot weed, rock samphire, fresh peas, carrot, wild horseradish and lime

Shredded Dittander and asparagus, willow catkins, grapefruit, pistachio

Tart: 4.00 or 7.50 with salad
Raw vegetable lasagne salad