IFE 2013

It's that time of year to eat the most extraordinary range of foods in a couple of hours - the International Food & Drink Event at Excel.  What caught the eye this year:

Halal Beef Bacon - popular in Dubai and possibly worth trying to attract the Halal market for a Bacon Butty here.

Really innovative and one to watch if they can create a market - Fruitbroo hot drinks - from the guy who created and sold Clipper tea.  An alternative to tea and coffee with flavours such as Apple & Rhubarb and Honey & Lemon.

Salmon sold and steamed on a cedar plank from DJM Food Solutions

More to come over the next few days.

Seriously German About Bread

Bakehaus' bakery cafe in Hammersmith has some interesting ideas including out front production.

Self-serve hot drinks and quality tea

Some new pastries that may be common in Germany but aren't usually seen over here

O2, Oh Dear

Really well presented fast food - at the O2

Now when will they sort out the milk powder cappuccino coffee?

Will Stainless become trendy?

Great loose-leaf tea and old fashioned mis-matched china at Foxcroft & Ginger's cafe in Berwick Street - the cafe that uses pummel horses as tables.  I love the quirkiness of the place.  And yet the milk comes in a stainless steel jug!  They do say that every trend comes full circle.

Ultimate Hot Chocolate?

Paul A Young's chocolate shop in Soho

The add-in spices add that touch of something special

Ginger, Green Cardamom, Nutmeg, Cinnamon and Cayenne Pepper Chilli

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:

• Design  http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-design/
• Sandwiches  http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-sandwiches/
• Hot Drinks  http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-hot-drinks/
• Savouries  http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-savouries/
• Fruit Display  http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-fruit-display/
• Cake Display  http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-cake-display/
• Cold Drinks  http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-cold-drinks/
• Kids Food  http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-kids/
• Humour  http://pinterest.com/turpinsmale/great-cafes-humour/

"New" Cafetiere Coffee

Costa with 1,300 stores now has more outlets than McDonalds (and plans to open 300 more this year) so we need to take anything they do into account. They influence our market big time.

'New Cafetiere Coffee' spotted here in Birmingham - one off trial or a national roll-out?

Gourmet Hot Dogs

Primo's Gourmet Hot Dogs in Leeds' historic Corn Exchange look fun.

Cubanos (Cuban sandwiches), Nutella Cappucino and Banana Latte enliven the menu plus some very switched on marketing.

Self-Serve Hot Drinks

Yes we can ...... serve ourselves hot drinks. 

Only relevant to the larger cafe and where queuing is a potential problem but the elderly and the disabled do cope and some actually prefer to serve themselves.