Week beginning October 27th - London Latte Art - Second Heats

There is already a waiting list. Forty- eight baristas have entered and we already have a waiting list of about five people. What are we going to do next year? Think we will worry about that when we get to it.

In the meantime, we had a fabulous night on Tuesday as about 35 people crowded into Kaffeine to watch the first heats. For those who know the shop, we move all our sandwich grills, cash register, retail products and decaf grinder off the bench top and move all our stools downstairs to make more room. Chef Jared had made some of his famous savoury scrolls and sweet muffins and we have some beer in the fridge that was available to calm peoples nerves if required, or make them more rowdy (as if that was needed).

The obligatory fixie wheel bikes were parked out the front and at 7:30 pm we started with the first heats. We had people standing at the bar, people standing on the benches, Kate Beard from Barista magazine taking photos, loads of other cameras and camera phones going off all over the place with judges Glenn, James and Oli behind the bar deliberating and being very, very serious.

The first round started and our own Bianca stepped up to be the first off, very much like taking the first tee in golf in the Saturday tournament in front of an expectant crowd. (I know what that's like...) and so here are the results of Round one

Bianca from Kaffeine against Ross from Browns - Winner Ross
Oscar from Artisan against Simone from HMC - Winner Oscar
Jakub from Kaffeine against Samuel from Artisan - Winner Samuel
Robin from Prufrock against Elin from Curators - Winner Robin
Tim from Curators against Marek from Taylor Street - Winner Tim
A person whose name I can't remember from Browns against Piotr from Prufrock - Winner Piotr

So in the second round we had
Ross v Oscar - Winner Ross
Samuel v Robin - Winner Samuel
Tim v Piotr - Winner Tim

So these three go through to the final on the 18th at SQM.

This week it is on again with cafes being represented:
Elliots
Nude
Artisan
Kaffeine
Taylor Street
Curators
Iris and June and
Prufrock

Judges are Ben Townsend from Espresso Room and London School of Coffee and Phil 'Bass Player' Wain.

Entry from 7 pm, heats start at 7:30 pm, all done by 9 pm.

We have some photos here from the legend that is lead judge Glenn Watson

https://www.flickr.com/photos/getnoticed/sets/72157649006266665/

In other news, it is the end of the month, so we have our own Lamingtons on this week, Thursday, Friday and Saturday only. Don't miss out.

We hope you enjoy this weeks menu, as we will enjoy bringing it to you.

Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60 (V)

Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60 (V)
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passion fruit) 3.70 (GF, V)
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 1.90
Povitika bread 2.40
Banana bread 2.40
Porridge (V) 3.00
served with condiments muscovado sugar, dried fruit, chopped nuts, golden syrup or honey

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissant 1.90
Pain au chocolat 2.50
Almond croissant 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet muffin: Blueberry and bran (V)
Savoury Scone: Red onion, thyme, dijon and gruyere (V) 2.40
Friand: Passionfruit (V, GF)   2.40
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 2.00
Almond and custard slice 2.40
Canele 2.40
Special: Mini pumpkin curd pies with nutmeg icing (V) 2.40
Special: Lamingtons (Thurs/Fri/Sat only) 2.50

Lunch
Soup 4.50
Ratatouille with polenta bread (V)

French retro baguettes 5.00

Ham, gherkin, dijon, gruyere, red onion and rocket

Baked courgette, feta, chutney, pear and spinach (V).

Foccacias 5.30

Pancetta, creamed mushrooms, fennel and spinach 

Crumbed pumpkin, pickled cabbage, dijonnaise and rocket (V)

Salads: 5.50/6.90

Slow cooked beef shoulder with black mustard, pears, gorgonzola and walnuts (GF)

Roasted celeriac and peanuts with ox-eye daisy and salad burnet dressing (VE, GF)

Raw kale tossed in crushed slow roasted tomatoes and served with paprika pumpkin seeds (VE, GF)

Tart: 4.40 or 7.90 with salad

Cream of crown prince squash with charlock flowers and wholemeal pastry (V).

Week beginning October 20th - London Latte Art - First Heats - October 21st

So here we are, the first week is upon us already and the amazing news is that at this time (10 pm Friday night), there are only five spaces left on the final heat night, November 11th *Updated Saturday 4 pm - One Space left* . Yes, we already have 47 of London and beyond's baristas competing in the 2nd annual Latte Art Smackdown and are pretty sure we will get the full 48.

So there will be 12 per heat, with the heats to be held at Kaffeine every Tuesday night from October 21st, with the top three going into the final to be held at Square Mile Roastery on Tuesday November 18th.

We are very lucky to have had prizes donated by the amazing Coffee Hit and also Square Mile (and are also open to others donating prizes if you wish) and the full entry pool of £480 will be split amongst the top 3. That is a bit of cash for Christmas.

Cafes already competing include:
Prufrock
Kaffeine
Curators
Dose
The Fields Beneath
Artisan
Terrone
Taylor Street Baristas
Her Majesty's Coffee
Dose
(and others I cannot remember at this time but will update later)

We also have three judges per night allocated from some of the legends of the London Coffee scene including Glenn Watson as lead judge, Oli Bradshaw, James 'I won last year' Bailey, James Hoffman, Marty Latham, Pete Garcia, Andrew Tolley, Phil the Bass Player, Tim 'Styles' Williams and Jeremy 'Etchgate' Challender.

So what are the rules? A full rules sheet will be available on the night of competition, but here is a breakdown (which may be subject to slight changes).

• Double shots in a 5 oz flat white bowl cup - shots poured by a Kaffeine barista
• Competitor to steam their own milk, then split into two jugs and pour their best latte art
• Rosettas, Tulips and Hearts only
• Bottom of latte art to be at 6 o'clock on the cup with the handle to the right hand side
• Barista to present both cups and choose their best one.
• Judges to judge on symmetry, contrast, presentation, cleanliness, dribbles (or lack of) etc etc.
• Next barista goes and does the same thing.
• Judges choose best barista and that barista goes into the next round

There is to be no:

• Running
• Jumping
• Bombing
• Diving
• Etching
• Swans
• Rude Things
• Kissing

Supporters are welcome each night, we will have cheap beers available and some food. Entry is from 7 pm onwards and heats kick off from 7:30 pm with estimated finish up about 9:30 pm.

If you still wish to compete and have not yet entered, you can either come into store or call us up and pay over the phone. This is going to be a great event and a great opportunity on so many levels, we hope to see you there.

In the meantime, please enjoy this weeks menu, as we will enjoy bringing it to you.

Peter Dore-Smith
Director
Kaffeine Ltd

Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60 (V)

Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60 (V)
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passion fruit) 3.70 (GF, V)
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 1.90
Povitika Bread 2.40
Banana bread 2.40
Porridge (V) 3.00
served condiments muscovado sugar, dried fruit, chopped nuts, golden syrup or honey

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissant 1.90
Pain au chocolat 2.50
Almond croissant 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet muffin: Pluot and almond (V)2.40
Savoury Scone: Pumpkin seeds, ginger, chilli and wensleydale cheese (V) 2.40
Friand: Passionfruit (V, GF)   2.40
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 2.00
Almond and custard slice 2.40
Canele 2.40

Lunch
Soup: Szechuan beef, spelt grain and wild cabbage with soda bread

French retro baguettes 5.00

Pancetta, mozzarella, tomato, basil and rocket

Aubergine, goats cheese, sweet chilli, thai basil and spinach (V)

Foccacias 5.30

Ham with grilled pineapple, blue cheese sauce and spinach 

Roast pumpkin, saute mushroom, brie and rocket  (V)

Salads: 5.50/6.90

Salmon cooked in bubbleberry jelly, castelfranco, fresh black pepper curd, cucumber and wild sorrel (GF).

Camargue red rice, pickled damsons, candied saffron cashew nuts, baked green olives and coriander (VE, GF). 

Blanced cima di rapa with chilli, lemon, rosemary and pine nuts (VE, GF).

Tart: 4.40 or 7.90 with salad

Turnip greens, mushroom, potato and sherry pie (V)

Week beginning October 13th - London Latte Art Smackdown

The London Latte Art Smackdown is nearing the starting line and we only 20 spaces left out of the total of 48. Judges have been almost confirmed for every night so far and include some of the top legends of coffee in London with names like Glenn Watson, Oli Bradshaw, James 'I won last year' Bailey, Jeremy Challender, Andrew Tolley, Marty Latham, James Hoffman and Phil the Bass Player.

As you may already know, we have all the heats going on at Kaffeine over the following dates with arrival around 7:15 and start time of 7:30 pm on October 21 and 28, November 4 and 11.

The final will be held at Square Mile Roastery on November 18th.

We have 12 spaces available each night in the heats, the top 3 will go through to the final at SQM. With up to £480 cash entry fees going back to the prize pool, and prizes doinated by SQM and Coffee Hit with perhaps more sponsors prizes to come, this is a great opportunity for baristas of London and beyond to get involved, have some comp practice, have some fun and win some prizes.

Competing cafes so far include
Climpsons
Nude
Curators
Prufrock
Kaffeine
Artisan
Elliots
Terrone
Holborn Grind
His Majesty The Coffee
Look Mum No Hands

If you or your baristas wish to compete, the best way is to pop into Kaffeine and pick your night and pay your £10 entry.

In the meantime, here is the menu this week by Chef Jared Bryant with a welcome return for porridge and our very favourite soup, we hope you enjoy.



Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60 (V)

Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60 (V)
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passion fruit) 3.70 (GF, V)
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 1.90
Pumpkin seed and apricot fruit toast 2.40
Banana bread 2.40
Porridge (V) 3.00
served condiments muscavodo sugar, dried fruit, chopped nuts, golden syrup or honey

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissant 1.90
Pain au chocolat 2.50
Almond croissant 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet muffin: Carrot cake (V) 2.40
Savoury Scone: Courgette and feta (V) 2.40
Friand: Passionfruit (V, GF)   2.40
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 2.00
Almond and custard slice 2.40
Canele 2.40

Lunch

French retro baguettes 5.00

Ham, gherkin, gruyere, Dijon, red onion and rocket.

Sauté mushrooms, cheese fondue, tarragon, roasted chestnuts and spinach (V).

Foccacias 5.30

HG Walters organic chicken, Brie, puttanesca pesto and rocket 

Crumbed aubergine, tomato, mozzarella, spinach(V)

Salads: 5.50/6.90

Chorizo, manchago, grilled Laeticia plums and green olives

Frisee lettuce, pickled carrots and red onion with a buckthorn mayonnaise and roasted peanuts

Roasted curried parsnips (VE, GF)

Tart: 4.40 or 7.90 with salad

Two whole baked Munchkin squashes filled with Dijon, thyme, gruyere and crème fraîche (V)

Weekend Menu 

On the weekend we change the salads and the tart offer and also put on one of the best weekend foccacia sandwiches ever invented.

Breakfast Foccacias 6.50

Cotechino Sausage with fried egg, gruyere cheese and aioli 

Salads 5.50 or 6.90

Grilled HG Walters Organic chicken with bulgur wheat, red onion, red pepper, cherry tomatoes, parsley, mint and cashew nuts

Poached pears with Turkish black figs, walnuts, goats cheese, watercress and honey

Roasted parsnip strips fried with a coating of parmesan cheese crumbs and a romesco sauce

Tart 4.50 or 7.90 with salad

HG Walters Bacon with new potatoes, spinach, eggs and cheese

Week beginning October 6th - London Latte Art Smackdown

In case you were not aware, last year in conjunction with Square Mile, Union Coffee and Coffee Hit we held the first ever London Latte Art Smackdown and this year it is on again.

We have had an amazing uptake already after just one small announcement last week and have 12 entries including people from Climpsons, Elliotts, Look Mum No hands, Nude and Artisan.

Last year we had 8 baristas per heat, the heats were held over four weeks and the top 2 went to the final at Square Mile. This year we have already increased the number of competitors per heat to 12, meaning that the top 3 of each heat will go through to the final.

Square Mile, Coffee Hit and Kaffeine will all donate prizes and we are open to any others wishing to be involved to add to the prize pool. Entry per barista is £10 and the entire entry pool will go to the prizes as well. So that is a possible £480 to be split between the top 3 in London as well as the prizes and trophies donated by the sponsors.

The superstar that is Glenn Watson will be lead judge each week and we will be asking some of the top London Coffee legends to assist in judging the heats and finals. Already confirmed is Jeremy Challender from Prufrock and James Hoffman and Oli Bradshaw from Square Mile.

Entry is by coming into Kaffeine and paying your fees and picking which night you wish to enter. The heats start at 7:30 pm and you are welcome to bring supporters along to help encourage you. We will have beers and food available on the night too.

Dates are Tuesday nights
October 21st
October 28th
November 4th
November 11th and the final
November 18th

This is a great opportunity to compete, practice your skills, possibly win, have some fun and get the London and wider coffee scene together for beers and conversation.

We hope to see you and if you do come in, here is our menu for next week as well.

We hope you will enjoy it as much as we will enjoy bringing it to you.




Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60 (V)

Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60 (V)
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passion fruit) 3.70 (GF, V)
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 1.90
Pumpkin seed and apricot fruit toast 2.40
Banana bread 2.40

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissant 1.90
Pain au chocolat 2.50
Almond croissant 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet muffin: St Edmond's pippin and raspberry 2.40
Savoury Scone: Pickle and mature cheddar (V)2.40
Friand: Passionfruit (V, GF)   2.40
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 2.00
Almond and custard slice 2.40
Canele 2.40

Lunch

French retro baguettes 5.00

Ham, apple butter, gherkin, red onion and rocket.

Roasted sweet potato and red peppers with dill mayonnaise and spinach (V).

Foccacias 5.30

Pancetta, tomato, taleggio and spinach. 

Sauté mushrooms, tarragon pesto, mozzarella and rocket (V)

Salads: 5.50/6.90

Baked ham, raspberry vinegar cured rainbow chard, feta and guelder rose berry jelly (GF).

Raw kale, soaked in lemon and earl grey tea, served with baby capers, parmesan and basil.

Roasted root parsley with a buckthorn curd and lady smock leaf (V,GF)

Tart: 4.50 or 7.90 with salad

Kaffeine made ricotta tart with foraged sea radish and smoked salmon 

Weekend Menu 

On the weekend we change the salads and the tart offer and also put on one of the best weekend foccacia sandwiches ever invented.

Breakfast Foccacias 6.50

Cotechino Sausage with fried egg, gruyere cheese and aioli 

Salads 5.50 or 6.90

Grilled HG Walters Organic chicken with bulger wheat, red onion, red pepper, cherry tomatoes, parsley, mint and cashew nuts

Poached pears with Turkish black figs, walnuts, goats cheese, watercress and honey

Roasted parsnip strips fried with a coating of parmesan cheese crumbs and a romesco sauce

Tart 4.50 or 7.90 with salad

HG Walters Bacon with new potatoes, spinach, eggs and cheese