They have arrived. They arrived in an overly large lorry, in six different boxes. That "Oh what have I done?" feeling came over, but soon passed and went to my showing off boxes to anyone who stood near the cafe!
We tested a lot of coffee to get it right, but I think we have it. It is lovely, but I do keep thinking I could have bought a good car for that! Good coffee though.
We will be starting our altered menus on April 1st. We have added Hummus with pitta bread, roasted vegetables with cous cous and salad nicoise which we will be able to do as a vegetarian option. We are also adding scrambled egg on toast, and with smoked salmon, as our Sunday morning regulars and Arthur all eat it so often.
Those more observant of you will have noticed our new freezer in the foyer. We are still selling the lines of ice cream we used to and we will add the new berry solero and an orange calippo.
The Park have fitted 5 new windows for us in the cafe. These have replaced the windows in the corner that had condensation within them.
Nene Park Trust have also appointed a new Visitor Services manager called Susan. She will be the person that all the comments cards will now go to and she will be responsible for the new signs maps and the information leaflets. We are hoping to get a large map in the foyer, the border of which will be made up of pictures and information about the birds and animals and trees in the park.
Susan has also arranged for Rangers to be at Hampton and in town giving out leaflets and any information that you may wish to have. Hopefully this year the park will be put on the map so to speak. If you have any ideas that you think would be useful to the park or indeed us, please let me know, or write a comment card, and we will be happy to pass them on.
The bad news is that Car park charges will kick in on April 4th, and at the moment stand at £3.50. Season tickets are available, ask us for a leaflet, or see the website www.nene-park-trust.org.uk
All in all, spring is sprung, the grass is riz and we are all looking forward to a long, warm summer with new things going on in the park and the cafe.
Showing posts with label menus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label menus. Show all posts
Thursday, 26 March 2009
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
New season, new plans
We have been planning and having a bit of a think about the cafe. We have had people striding around with drills and wrenches, looking at lights and scratching their heads. We have had "the suits" in- 4 today, at lunch time, in the half term. Do they not get the connection with the name on the door?? - and we have had the animated conversations which finish generally with me laughing hysterically saying "Yes, why not? We'll have three!"
It's all very exciting and good to go into a new season with a little project in hand, but also quite expensive! Jodie helps me by either putting things into simplistic language and when I'm going off an idea she prices it out in mugs of coffee or similar and tells me how long it will take to pay for itself, or she gets her stubborn look and says "well, we need it. Tell him, we need it. No argument. We just need it, and that's it" There is no come back from that.
We have hand dryers now. That work. All the time. No longer will the ladies have to sidle up to a machine on a wall, with dripping hands, and whack it with their elbow to ensure a blast of vaguely warm air that lasts for 3 seconds. It'll be quite dull really.
We are, at some point getting a new window for the kitchen, and at the same time, will be able to paint the kitchen, and I'm hoping some of the cafe. I am trying to get a date for this, but get asked to innumerable meetings instead that only end up deciding when the next meeting will be.
The biggest purchase of all will be our coffee machine.One could buy a new car for less. This is an Evolution machine, and should do pretty much everything. I was hoping it would take the coffee to the table, but apparently not. The best thing about it all is that we will be able to do two things at once. This sounds quite simple, but as these things run on pressure, it cannot draw milk, make it froth and also spit out hot coffee. The new one will. Half the queue therefore and happy customers. All has been arranged by my lovely coffee man, Richard Palmer. He has helped us from day one, and he provides some damn good coffee. I could write all day about Palmer and Palmer. I love them.
We are also adding new bits to our menu. We will do a proper preview thing nearer April when we will roll it out, but we are looking at proper plated salads, homemade (of course) hummus and some new and interesting specials for the boards- they are new too! Any ideas would be very welcome. Don't mention baked beans, or chicken nuggets though, eh?
We will also get a new freezer from which we can serve ice creams. This will mean building a small mdf box for it, to corale it between the vending machines. I have assured the Walls man that we will have a hot summer. If anyone can help me fulfill this promise I'd love to hear from you.
So it's all going on with us, any ideas you have regarding menus, or comments regarding changes please feel free to let us know.
It's all very exciting and good to go into a new season with a little project in hand, but also quite expensive! Jodie helps me by either putting things into simplistic language and when I'm going off an idea she prices it out in mugs of coffee or similar and tells me how long it will take to pay for itself, or she gets her stubborn look and says "well, we need it. Tell him, we need it. No argument. We just need it, and that's it" There is no come back from that.
We have hand dryers now. That work. All the time. No longer will the ladies have to sidle up to a machine on a wall, with dripping hands, and whack it with their elbow to ensure a blast of vaguely warm air that lasts for 3 seconds. It'll be quite dull really.
We are, at some point getting a new window for the kitchen, and at the same time, will be able to paint the kitchen, and I'm hoping some of the cafe. I am trying to get a date for this, but get asked to innumerable meetings instead that only end up deciding when the next meeting will be.
The biggest purchase of all will be our coffee machine.One could buy a new car for less. This is an Evolution machine, and should do pretty much everything. I was hoping it would take the coffee to the table, but apparently not. The best thing about it all is that we will be able to do two things at once. This sounds quite simple, but as these things run on pressure, it cannot draw milk, make it froth and also spit out hot coffee. The new one will. Half the queue therefore and happy customers. All has been arranged by my lovely coffee man, Richard Palmer. He has helped us from day one, and he provides some damn good coffee. I could write all day about Palmer and Palmer. I love them.
We are also adding new bits to our menu. We will do a proper preview thing nearer April when we will roll it out, but we are looking at proper plated salads, homemade (of course) hummus and some new and interesting specials for the boards- they are new too! Any ideas would be very welcome. Don't mention baked beans, or chicken nuggets though, eh?
We will also get a new freezer from which we can serve ice creams. This will mean building a small mdf box for it, to corale it between the vending machines. I have assured the Walls man that we will have a hot summer. If anyone can help me fulfill this promise I'd love to hear from you.
So it's all going on with us, any ideas you have regarding menus, or comments regarding changes please feel free to let us know.
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