Monday 29 July 2013

Week beginning July 29th - Wild cherries, pea flowers and sea rocket

This week’s menu sees an array of eccentric combinations, from Italian ham with golden kiwi in baguettes to peaches with fennel in a salad. Coming up with new menu ideas after 4 years can be a bit tricky but thankfully I have a forager supplier and a kitchen team (Khan, Karolina, Silvio and Rory) who are always inspiring me with constructive brainstorms. 

Our highlights this week:

Wild Cherries which have been picked from within the UK are surprisingly ripe and juicy, a bit smaller than regular cherries but definitely fuller in flavour. We will be turning these delicious cherries into a dressing that will be drizzled on a spiced chicken pumpernickel tart. 

Wild Pea Flowers are back on the menu for a second year. These large purple blossoms have a sweet and delicate crunch and distinct taste of raw peas. You will find these garnishing flowers with roasted candied beetroot and served with dill and horseradish soured cream, simple and vibrant.

Sea Rocket is a newly discovered foraged vegetable. Incredibly strong with a pleasant metallic bitterness and hot horseradish flavours. Intense but strangely addictive, we will be incorporating this green with one of our more regular hot smoked salmon coleslaw. 

Melilot has been a regular ingredient that has featured on several Kaffeine menus. However, this time round we will be using it fresh and not dried. This fragrant blossom and stalk has a peculiar aroma of vanilla, hay and almonds. At £400 a kilo very little is needed to infuse recipes with amazing flavour of melilot. This week you will find the melilot has been added to a hollandaise style mayonnaise and generously spread in our ham baguettes with slices of golden kiwi and gruyere cheese.

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

Jared Bryant
Lead Chef
@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, passion fruit) 3.70
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
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with home made 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: Apricot and almond 2.40
Savoury Scone: Puttanesca 2.40
Chocolate and passion fruit friands 2.40
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, melilot mayonnaise, golden kiwi, gruyere, rocket
Mozzarella, aioli, plum tomato, spinach

Foccacias 5.00
Chorizo, roasted red onion, courgette, brie, pesto and spinach
Roasted aubergine, sweet chilli, thai basil, goats cheese and rocket

Salads: 5.50/6.50
Hot smoked salmon, mouli, carrot, red onion, celery, cabbage, sea rocket
Roasted candy striped beetroot with dill and horseradish soured cream, and wild pea flowers.
Peach, golden samphire, fennel, toasted almond with red wine vinegar dressing

Tart: 4.40 or 7.50 with salad
Chicken and wild cherry on pumpernickel pastry

Saturday 20 July 2013

Week beginning July 22nd - Sea Aster, Raw Kohlrabi & Strawberry Daiquiri muffins

With another record breaking hot week on the way Kaffeine's kitchen is going to attempt another week of very light cooking. This keeps the kitchen staff coolish and hopefully sustains your dietary needs throughout summer.

Points of interest on this weeks menu include new season sea aster. This hairless perennial has large basal leaves and tastes quite strong, sharp and slightly herby, great with seafood. You will find the sea aster in a salad lightly sauted in browned butter, baby capers and served with salmon baked in foraged water celery and dried red dulse (seaweed). 

Also making a refreshing appearance after a years absence is our cantaloupe salad with toasted fennel seeds, smoked pancetta and dressed in white sambuca; basically an edible cocktail. A lovely balance of warming spice, saltiness and booze finished by the cooling effect of sweet refreshing cantaloupe.

Lastly, is our new raw tart made with layers of kohlrabi. This eastern European vegetable is slowly making waves and gaining popularity on English menus. Kohlrabi is crunchy, slightly sweet and tastes of cabbage and turnips. Our kohlrabi tart is thinly sliced and layered with goats curd infused with curly parsley and lemon juice.
Come get caffeinated and while you're at it, satisfy your hunger pains.
Jared Bryant
Lead Chef
@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, passion fruit) 3.70
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
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with home made 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: Strawberry daiquiri 2.40
Savoury Scone: Red pepper and feta 2.40
Chocolate and passion fruit friands 2.40
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
Smoked salmon, lime cheese, cucumber, thai basil, spinach
Hummus, grated raw carrot, red onion, rocket, sprouts

Foccacias 5.00
Ham, fresh raspberries, mature cheddar, rocket
Herb and garlic ricotta, red onion, pine nuts, spinach

Salads: 5.50/6.50
Sea aster cooked in brown butter and white wine, capers, water celery and dried red dulse baked salmon
Cantaloupe, pancetta, toasted fennel seeds, chicory, sambuca dressing
Common purslane, fat hen, cucumber, avocado, mint and satay dressing.

Tart: 4.40 or 7.50 with salad
Raw layered kohlrabi with lemon and parsley goats curd

Saturday 13 July 2013

Week beginning July 15th - The week of Raw (and the Ashes cricket)

2013 is belting out a disturbingly hot summer. As much as we love the sun it can also make the kitchen seem like a bikram yoga session. At the time of writing this menu I looked to the following weeks forecast and the stunning weather is here to stay. So the timing is perfect for us to bring back one of Kaffeine’s most popular menu theme ‘Raw’. So this week the ovens and hob are off (apart from the usual light baking for our sweet treats and savoury scones. 

Speaking of savoury scones and the return of Kaffinated popular foods Aussie vegemite and cheddar scones are making a comeback for the first time since Australia day back in January. This week seem appropriate for their return as Australia is playing England in the Ashes at Lords Cricket Ground.

Our mid-July star ingredient is a foraged item called Hogweed. The name may not sound appealing, but it is a very versatile and complex perennial. Hogweed got its name because it was once used as pig’s fodder to improve the animals health making a for a better end result come slaughter time. This forgotten green is aromatic, sweet and slightly citrus in flavour. We will be shredding the hogweed buds raw and serving it along with gorgonzola, crow garlic bulbs, pumpkin seeds and common purslane to create a healthy foraged salad experience.

Lastly I must mention the return of purple and orange cauliflower. The change of colour in purple cauliflower happens naturally due to the high levels of antioxidants. And orange cauliflowers are considerably higher in vitamin A than regular white species, also has the added benefit of carotene.

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

Jared Bryant
Lead Chef
@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, passion fruit) 3.70
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
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with home made 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: Rose petals and raspberry 2.40
Savoury Scone: Vegemite and cheese 2.40
Salted caramel and chocolate friands 2.40
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, dijon, gherkin, red onion, gruyere, rocket
Pear, basil pesto, Camembert, spinach,  

Foccacias 5.00
Smoked salmon, aioli, red onion, dill, capers, spinach
Pancetta, goats curd mayonnaise, tomato, oregano, rocket,


Salads: 5.50/6.50
Smoked salmon, orpine, English affilia, kohlrabi, lychee, with a brie and lime dressing
Shredded hogweed buds, Gorgonzola, crow garlic bulbs, pumpkin seeds, common purslane.
Raw purple and orange cauliflower, peanuts, chilli and fish sauce.

Tart: 4.40 or 7.50 with salad
Raw vegan lasagne

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Week beginning July 8th -

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, passion fruit) 3.70
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
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with home made 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: Gooseberry 2.40
Savoury Scone: Goats cheese, sweet chilli and lemon verbena 2.40
Salted caramel and chocolate friands 2.40
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
Pancetta, tomato, avocado, aioli and rocket
Roasted courgette, crushed peas, tomato mayonnaise, red onion and spinach

Foccacias 5.00
Ham, white nectarine, mature cheddar, onion jam and spinach
Aubergine, goats cheese, sweet chilli, thai basil, rocket
Salads: 5.50/6.50
Slow cooked beef with roasted courgettes, peppers, Cornish potatoes, gruyere crisps, wild fennel stems, wild cabbage seed pods and saffron soured cream
Smoked mozzarella, watermelon, pickled almonds, red onion, tree mallow cheese with a pommery mustard and honey dressing
Raw cauliflower with ramson capers and lemon

Tart: 4.40 or 7.50 with salad
Prawn mousse with lemon and chilli marmalade in peanut pastry