Week beginning October 17th - Her Majesty The Queen

So it was that on Thursday of last week, I was fortunate enough to be invited to an 'all Aussie bash' at Buckingham Palace, held by the Queen, before she goes off to Australia on business later this month.

I came to work in the morning, then went for a thermal Spa and massage at Spa London in Bethnal Green, then home to get ready. I don;t know how many times I checked my invite, made sure I had my passport and re tied my tie, but it was a lot.

I walked up to the front gates at 5:15, walked past all the tourists taking photos, went up to the police and said 'i'm here for the party'. We waited in a queue for a few more minutes, then were allowed to walk in through the main courtyard up the steps leading into the palace.

It was like the red carpet entrance, with Australian news cameras interviewing the celebrities such as Elle MacPherson, Bill Granger or Jason Donovan. We them went upstairs (I got a bit emotional here, bit overwhelming), into the picture gallery where we had champagne and canapes and met some of the ladies in waiting to the Queen, who were circulating and talking to the guests.

Soon, we were told to have our passes ready and then we walked into another amazing room full of chandeliers and were introduced to the Queen and Prince Philip and shook their hands as we passed into the next room for the main part of the party.

I was talking to a man Called Dick Porter, who set up STA travel and lives around the corner from Kaffeine. At this stage I think I was just in the right space at the right time, as a man came past and said, 'right, you six people, form a horseshoe shape as the Queen will soon enter and she will say hello and may ask you a question'. We were told to call her 'Your Majesty' and then after that to call her 'maam as in ham'.

So then she came in, she spoke to some people in the line including Dick Porter, I was next to the director of the English ballet and she spoke to him first, then she asked me what I do. I explained as best I could what Kaffeine is and she asked where we sourced our beans from. Big plug here for Square Mile coffee and James Hoffman and she thanked me and off she went to the next person.

Amazing.....

The party continued and I then met Bill Granger who has tells me he has been into Kaffeine and thinks it's fabulous, then I chatted to my old boss from MCC, Keith Bradshaw and also Jason Donovan who is good friends with a good friend of ours and then I just wandered for a bit around the rooms, looking at all the incredible art drinking champagne and eating mini lamingtons and pavlovas.

Finally I ran into Shelagh from Lantana who I was really glad to see had been invited as well and we talked for a bit about the party and the people and then it was time to go.

I walked out of the Palace under a full moon and walked slowly up through Green Park, hardly able to believe what had just happened. I feel very very lucky indeed.


Breakfast
Porridge - served w chopped dried fruit, muscovado sugar, golden syrup or honey 2.50
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
(add 30 p for granola or yoghurt)
Ciabatta Roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.50
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.50
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 3.50
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Cinnamon and raisin toast 2.00
Banana Bread 2.00

Weekend Brunch
Lemonade bread with gin butter 2.50
Porage w poached strawberries, apple and pear 4.00
Homemade baked bean casserole with toasted kumara bread 6.50
Smoked salmon lox with toasted bagel, capers, red onion 9.50


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

Baked Treats
Elderberry and Apple muffins 1.80
Tomato herb and cheese savoury muffins 1.80
Pear friands 1.90
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.20
White chocolate blondies 2.20
Portuguese tarts 1.80
ANZAC cookies 1.60
Passionfruit melting moments biscuits 1.60

Lunch

Soup 3.00 or 3.50
Hungarian Goulash

French retro baguettes 4.50
Italian roast ham with onion jam, strong cheddar, spinach
Bufala mozzarella with puttanesca sauce and rocket

Foccacias with sea salt and rosemary crust 4.70
Coppa Cotta ham with crab apple jelly, brie and spinach
Smoked salmon with aioli, red onion, capers and spinach


Salads 4.50/5.50
Chicken adobu with red rice, coriander and rocket
Purple sprouting broccoli with tobasco butter
Roast Jerusalem artichokes with peanut oil

Tart 4.00 or 6.50 with salad
Crown price squash with feta and chilli