WE'VE COME UP TRUMP...ERS!!

Apologies for the awful title - in a previous career I was taught that a good title is the key to an audience - I hope someone's still reading!!  What I'm actually referring to is that last week at Salvation, we played host to the wonderful team behind Trumpers Tea - our loose leaf tea suppliers.

Claire Trumper has been a stalwart supporter of Salvation since it was a seedling of an idea; she has enlightened me on to the path of the tea-leaf and it's many delectable varieties so when she asked if Trumpers could use the cafe as a backdrop to their new ad campaign and rebranding, how could I refuse?

Bella, the most beautiful (and well behaved) Gaffer I've ever met...

 It was such a fun day and an absolute delight to meet everyone; Simon and Rebecca from Photopia Photography created some beautiful sets and styled the shoots so tastefully, whilst Sue from Susan Wincott PR (0208 2924299 or sue@susanwincott.co.uk) was a total dream to work with and had a nack for sniffing out Posterity's finest offerings....The team have promised to send us the images that they captured on the day, meanwhile you have my humble offerings (although my skills lean towards ladles, not lenses...).

 So please do accept my apologies for the lack of blog action, but what with the shoot, an extremely civilised 'rave in a cave'  near here for my best friend's birthday (you really must visit this place, it's heavenly), and then an impromptu family break in this part of the world (which featured this glorious cafe: http://www.hivebeachcafe.co.uk/ - we recommend the whole sea bass), I've been somewhat up against it!

In order to prove that I do actually open for business and indeed serve food, here are some photos from last weeks menu (featuring my experimental Courgette, Brocolli and Paneer fritters, which went down a storm; I promise to post the recipe when I get a moment!).

Butternut Squash and Apricot Cous Cous

Baynham's Beetroot and Carrot Salad (home-grown)

Those delicious Courgette, Brocolli and Paneer Fritters...

Salvation Salad

And if any of you happen to find yourself at a loose end this Thursday, Friday or Saturday, here's this weeks menu:

BREAKFAST  BRUSCHETTA

Rustic bread, topped with:

Oak Roasted Salmon and Creamy Eggs £5.00

Creamy Eggs and Smoked Bacon £4.50

Mushrooms and Parsley£4.00

Tomatoes £4.00

 (or combo of your choice: 2 x toppings £4.50; 3 x toppings £5.50)

TOAST

with Jam/Marmite £2.00

Beans/Cheese £3.00

Dippy Eggs £3.00

TOASTED TEACAKE

With Jam and butter £1.80

HEADLINERS

Poached Chicken in Ginger

Beautifully tender chicken breasts poached in ginger and coriander.

Sweet Potato Cakes

Roasted sweet potato with a hint of herbs and chilli….

Mixed Bean Chilli

Mixed beans, fresh herbs, low G.I – delicious with lime yoghurt.

Salads

Happy Carrot

Leon’s gorgeous carrot salad, with fresh herbs and lemon dressing.

Lime and Coriander Rice

Basmati rice seasoned with lime and coriander.

Salvation Salad

Mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, fresh herbs and seeds glorious seeds...

Lentil Salad

Puy lentils with carrots, celery and parsley in a yummy dressing.

A Bit On The Side

Lime Yoghurt

FOR THE KIDS@ £3.50

½ Pint portions of the above menu

KID’S PITTA POCKETS

£2.50

With Ham or Cheese

Unless otherwise stated: £5.50 for 2 items, £6.50 for three (includes one Headliner)

 

BIG CHILL WEEK

We've had a busy week here at Salvation, largely due to the fact that the Big Chill is well under way and with the cafe located on the very edge of the festival site, we've been preparing ourselves for the extra mouths that may need feeding...

The Turkey and Sweetcorn meatballs are back by popular demand (even better with the accompanying  Roasted Red Pepper Sauce).  I'm also really excited about the Cauliflower and Cumin fritters - a recipe that I'll definitely be sharing on this blog; they were so easy to make and taste divine - Mr. Ottolenghi, you are a genius.  It's a similar cooking process to last week's Courgette, Feta and Herb Fritters (which went down a storm with Lime Yoghurt) - I'm thinking Courgette and Cumin would work well, too....

I was fearing a glut of beetroot in the garden so had initially planned a chilled Beetroot soup, as well as the Beetroot and Carrot salad, but upon closer inspection, half my beets are still tiny, so I opted for the salad -  it will go so well with the meatballs or fritters and it's my current food crush - the beetroot and carrots are so so sweet and the lemon just injects a bit of attitude.  Finished off with some freshly chopped parsley, it's dead pretty too!


It was tempting to do the Courgette Fritters again this week, as I have Courgettes coming out of my ears (it's a good look).  But a chance encounter with a Sunday Times Style magazine led to the discovery of a delicious sounding pizza topping - Courgette and its flowers with Ricotta.  I adore home-made pizzas, so will be having a go at these on Friday - expect to see them in the cafe on Saturday (and Monday, for all the folk on their journey back to reality after what should be a heavenly weekend at the Chill). 

It was very lovely indeed to hear from the gorgeous Mel of AbsolutelyNothingToWear.com this week.  I met Mel a few years back when she and her husband bought our house.  They've since relocated to the Shires and I had no idea that Mel was writing this brilliant blog.  I'm definitely going to do the Beetroot soup (I've been reading this week about beetroot's incredible health-benefits - full of antioxidants and they make a great hang over cure....maybe I should try and make a batch this weekend?!).  And my God, that girl can rock a Kaftan.  It's not only a great site for food and fashion lovers, but the crafty section is superb - please can I have a room full of Peony Pom Poms?

BREAKFAST  BRUSCHETTA

Rustic bread, topped with:

Oak Roasted Salmon and Creamy Eggs £5.00

Creamy Eggs and Smoked Bacon £4.50

Mushrooms and Parsley£4.00

Tomatoes £4.00

 (or combo of your choice: 2 x toppings £4.50; 3 x toppings £5.50)

TOAST

with Jam/Marmite £2.00

Beans/Cheese £3.00

Dippy Eggs £3.00

TOASTED TEACAKE

With Jam and butter £1.80

HEADLINERS

Lemon & Garlic Chicken

Chicken breast marinated in lemon and garlic.

Cauliflower and Cumin Fritters

Ottolenghi’s fantastic fritters.

Turkey and Sweetcorn meatballs

Turkey, sweetcorn and fresh herbs.

Enjoy with salad (s) of your choice, or pop it in a pitta with a bit on the side or hummus

£4.50

Salads

Butternut Squash Cous Cous

With apricots, spices, mint, tarragon and parsley.

Beetroot and Carrot

With a cheeky squeeze of lemon.

Salvation Salad

Rainbow chard, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs and seeds glorious seeds...

A Bit On The Side

Radish and Lemon Raita

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

FOR THE KIDS@ £3.50

½ Pint portions of the above menu

KID’S PITTA POCKETS

£2.50

With Ham or Cheese (add 50p for salad on side)

Unless otherwise stated: £5.50 for 2 items, £6.50 for three (includes one Headliner)

WE LIKE... JOAN AND JOSEPH TEA TOWELS.

We are delighted to have in stock the first range of 'I Like...' tea towels from  UK based company, Joan and Joseph.  Devised and designed by the gorgeous Louise and Adam Hutchinson, the tea towels are printed on 100% Organic Cotton and are made in the UK.

Exclusive to Salvation, the tea towels are available to buy from the cafe or through this blog (just get in touch with your order).  By quoting code: JJ01SALV, you'll be able to purchase the tea towels at a discounted introductory price of £5.00 each.  Bargain!  Alternatively, the tea towels are available to buy direct from Joan and Joseph.

We hear that there are more designs in the pipeline, so we took it upon ourselves to come up with a few suggestions.....after a rather long day with two over-excited children, I Like...Gin is our current forerunner....