Week beginning June 18th - Proof that Ireland and the UK does make good coffee...

I admit that I am not a total expert in the are of Barista Competitions. I do remember before opening Kaffeine taking a 'sick' day off work and going to watch Gwilym Davies in the south east heats with all the Square Mile crew on a road trip down to Lewes where he went on to be the UK and then the world barista champion.

Time, business and a family does not permit me much opportunity to keep up these days, but the staff here do help me keep in contact. For those who do not know, the World Barista Championships were held last week in Vienna and a young man from Guatemala won. I have not seen any of the performances, but one of our staff members did travel over there to see it all happen, so we will wait for his report.

What I do know is that once again, Ireland and the UK have been dominant in the placings. A lot of talk goes about by certain people that you cannot get good coffee in this part of the world, that they do not know how to make coffee etc etc. But what I wish to highlight and congratulate here, is the amount of people who do make exceptional coffee and have been in the competitions to prove it.

Again, I am not an expert, but this is what I do know:

2012
Ireland - Colin Harmon - 3rd place
UK - Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood - 6th place

2011
UK - John Gordon - 6th place

2010
Ireland - Colin Harmon - 4th place

2009
UK - Gwilym Davies - 1st place
Ireland - Colin Harmon - 4th place

2008
Ireland - Stephen Morrissey- 1st place

2007
UK - James Hoffman - 1st place

How fantastic is that! I think it's brilliant. And what not many people really know is how much time and effort these guys put into their performances and how committed they are to it all. It deserves a massive congratulations, in fact anyone who competes at this level should be highly congratulated. Well done.

We hope you enjoy the menu this week.

Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.30
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.30
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit, peach) 3.50
(add 30 p for granola or yoghurt)
Ciabatta Roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.70
Ciabatta Roll with courgette omelette, rocket and tomato salsa 4.70
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.70
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 3.90
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Cinnamon and raisin toast 2.30
Banana Bread 2.20


Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissants 1.70
Pain au chocolat 2.30
Almond croissants 2.70

Baked Treats
Blueberry and elderflower sweet muffins 2.00
Curried corn savoury muffins 2.00
Melilot friands 2.00
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.30
White chocolate blondies 2.30
Portuguese tarts 1.90
ANZAC cookies 1.70
Afgan biscuits 1.70

Lunch

French retro baguettes 4.70
Duck with tarragon mayo, tomato, spinach, avocado
Tuna with rouille, capers and rocket

Foccacias with sea salt and rosemary crust 4.90
Ham with blackcurrant, brie, rocket and red onion
Mushrooms and welsh rarebit with spinach

Salads 4.90/5.90
Prawns with crunched peas, black currants, sea arrow grass and fennel
Ginger curried chick peas with water mint, cucumber, goats cheese, bourbon and rose dressing
Wild watercress with beetroot, walnut, apple and cinnamon dressing

Tart 4.00 or 6.90 with salad
Artichoke and parmesan

Weekend Brunch Menu and Guest Espresso
Salads 5.50/6.50
Soft boiled egg with smoked salmon, croutons, hollandaise and baby spinach
Apricots, cherry tomatoes, bufala mozzarella, pesto and rocket
Roast aubergine with sweet chilli, goats cheese and Thai basil

Tart 5.00 or 7.50 with salad
Courgette, leeks, pancetta, free range eggs and cheese

Guest Espresso
Monkshood