Saturday 31 March 2012

Not Your Average Brew Up

Salt not only has good quality tea but tells you the temperature of the water and the brewing time.  Terrific detail for the increasing band of tea connoisseurs.
Hot Drink ideas at our Pinterest Board http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-hot-drinks/

Friday 30 March 2012

Thursday 29 March 2012

Salt's Sandwiches

Great sandwiches at Salt in Great Queen Street
Check out our Pinterest Board for more great examples http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-sandwiches/

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Design Tips 2

Wall as menu in Barcelona
Communal 'distressed' table at Workshop Coffee (previously St Ali), Clerkenwell
Concrete chairs and sun loungers by Barcelona beach
See our Pinterest Board on cafe design http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-design/



Tuesday 27 March 2012

Savoury Muffins

Salt is an independent cafe in Great Queen Street, Covent Garden and the owner also runs an artisan bakery.  It shows.  Spring onion, pancetta and cheddar muffins.  Check out our new Pinterest Board on Savoury Pastries at http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-savouries/ or click on the 'Savouries' label at the foot of this blog to see previous posts.

Monday 26 March 2012

Birthdays - Our 24th & 1st


   
   
Turpin Smale is 24 years young this month and this blog is celebrating its 1st birthday.  How life has changed since 1988!
Our blog has reached over 50,000 page views and the cafe sector is just so dynamic - there is always someone, somewhere doing an even better, more quirky, tastier, more temptingly displayed cafe.  As a birthday treat for you all, check out our Boards on Pinterest:

Sunday 25 March 2012

Barcelona Rocks

How to make rock with a message
The fat sugar sausage is pulled
The message is miniaturised
Nothing to do with cafes but fun to watch in a Barcelona shop




Saturday 24 March 2012

Belgium - Vivid, Fun & Unique

Belgium company Roltex seem to understand that trays don't have to be grey and dull.  See previous blog post: http://greatcafes.blogspot.com/2011/12/are-you-fun.html

Westmoreland Services are one of the few with a little colour in their lives

Friday 23 March 2012

Edible Petals

Edible flower petals - freeze dried or sugared - with no taste but good looks from Uncle Roy's Comestible Concoctions based in Dumfriesshire http://www.uncleroys.co.uk/Edible_Flower_Petals.htm
Adds a touch of (natural) class to any cake.


Thursday 22 March 2012

Video on the Shelf

Caffe Nero have gone high tech on their multideck chiller shelf with video selling the virtues of panini
Plus the old-fashioned back up - poster on easel


Wednesday 21 March 2012

New Juices

Proganic's Mulberry Juice (sourced from Turkey) is not something you see very often - as much iron as a sirloin steak they say.  They have some interesting other flavours - fig for one.  Melia Foods  http://meliaorganic.com/


Tuesday 20 March 2012

Home of the Frothmonsters

 Eat.  Drink.  Worry a bit.  Puccino's have great signage.

Monday 19 March 2012

Cake, Cake and more Cake

The presentation may be a little corporate stainless steel, glass and chilled but you cannot fault the variety, home baking and eye appeal.
Dobbies garden centre cafe, Ashford.



Sunday 18 March 2012

Dog Refreshment Area

Look after the dog and make money from the owner

Saturday 17 March 2012

Two Cuppa Costa

Smart and convenient two cup holder


Friday 16 March 2012

Table Setting

Pain Quotidien's table setting and condiments are that little bit different from most others, available for retail sale and give the impression of something for free.  Their table service format and all-day menu are deservedly popular.

Thursday 15 March 2012

Pies Boxed

Pieminister have their own unit in Boxpark, Shoreditch 
The 'Hope & Glory' rugby special pie



Wednesday 14 March 2012

Be a (Skinny) Angel

Skinny Latte and Flat Whites at Dobbies

Tuesday 13 March 2012

Market Inspiration

Buy with your eyes at Barcelona's food market
 The 1 euro tapas sticks were selling well
Ready-to-drink fruit juice of every imaginable combination
Could we cope with this here?

Monday 12 March 2012

Savoury Swirls

Bridor's roulé - mustard and three cheese plus two other flavours - will be marketed here as a swirl.  Possible confusion with the ubiquitous pain au raisin but they taste good and certainly make a change.
Savoury pastries:
http://greatcafes.blogspot.com/2012/02/fougasse.html
http://greatcafes.blogspot.com/2012/02/spring-has-come-early.html
http://greatcafes.blogspot.com/2012/01/tortino.html

Sunday 11 March 2012

Fast Food Juice

Spied in a Barcelona McDonalds - freshly squeezed orange juice.  They showed the way in UK fast food with bean-to-cup coffee.  When will they set the juice pace here?

Saturday 10 March 2012

Quirky or Corporate?

Quirky cafe design gets you noticed and provides an amazing ambiance
Table of Butterfly specimens at Passatje del temps cafe in Barcelona
Displays of origami
The mop head seating

Friday 9 March 2012

Tea for Two

Afternoon tea is booming at the Ritz and Brown's hotels in London and at stately homes such as Chatsworth.  So why not at your local garden centre?  Dobbies go for it.