Should I reopen the happy place cafe?

[sashh]

I'm often awake in the night, today was a lie in for me, only properly awake since 4am.

In lockdown I opened, 'the happy place café where I would make virtual breakfasts and people would come to chat.

When it was last opened my French pastry chef Florence had married Fernando the cocktail waiter.

The kitten bees are inside because it is too old but the bumble cats are in the garden as usual.

SO should I reopen or was just something for lockdown?

@alienslove that waffle and ice cream sounds good! I'll have a serving, too, please.

@sashh I've just had one of my favourite foods of all times...It's a specialty of the area where I grew up in the US...The dish isn't for everyone which is great because that leaves more for me the dish is fried chicken gizzards! Yum. Do you think Florence would be insulted if I asked her to make me some? And a side order of Heinz ketchup to go with them. BTW, Southerners will fry up anything that doesn't run away!😁

My first time popping in. I think I may cry it's so lovely. Are there crumpets?

I'll fry some chicken gizzards, I may have you sample chitterlings as well.

The ketchup is another matter, you can make do with home made tomato chutney.

Morning all.

In honour of @Sweetpea1532 lets have an American breakfast, I have never been there so this will be influenced by US TV and John Grisham's books.

Pancakes with maple syrup, bacon (crispy streaky) eggs, grits, doughnuts, orange juice, waffles and coffee.

@AnuSTart welcome, check out the comfy chairs, if you go into the garden watch out for the bumble cats, they are good natured but can get cranky.

I have missed out on some tasty food thanks to crappy work shifts 🙄.

But if there is any sausage left over can I have a Cumberland on toast with HP.

@Sweetpea1532 , umm I have never tried gizzards , I don't know why but I always think they will be rubbery . Are they ?

@AnuSTart welcome to the hpc , I may join you outside to carefully play with the bumble cats.

Morning.

Well there is a lot of food left over from yesterday so I'll get Florence to make quiche for pack up.

I'm in the mood to just sit and chill so I'll put out cheese, cold meats, fruit, yoghurt I'll cook to request.

@ScottBakula We've missed you..glad you are back! Yes, the gizzards are kind of rubbery, but I prefer to think of them as extra chewy....mind you, my favourite part of a fried shrimp is the tail...extra crispy... Everyone at the supper table saves their shrimps tails for me I draw the line at raw oysters, though.

@sashh You have been so busy..I'm glad you're taking it easy today..the light breakfast sounds good after all the fried food I've had lately...although, I will have a small portion of your American grits. No chittlins for me, please.🤢..I draw the line at those, also.

@Sweetpea1532 , I think I will give them a miss , I once ( unknowingly at first ) ate battered octopus , it was like chewing a mouth full of elastic bands ! I was at a very posh friends house ( think waiter's in penguin suites with canapes on silver trays ) so there was no chance to discreetly spit out the rubbery stuff , the more I chewed it the bigger it seemed to get in my mouth.
It has made me very wary of anything that may have the same kind of texture.
I am with you on the oysters to , but i also dont like shrimp / prawns / muscles . but it there is lobster around i am there like a shot .

@sashh please can I have a couple of the left over waffles and a thick slice of warm gammon .
I have just had another look at the stuffed cabbage leaves recipe and may give that a go tomorrow , I like stuffed vine leaves but I can rarely find them in the shops anymore , a independent deli near where I use to work sold home made ones that were really good but unfortunately it shut down a few years ago.
to be fair the couple that ran it were in their late 60s and had run the shop for over 30 years so retired on a very healthy pension due to all the hard work they put in to the shop.

@AnneKipankitoo , we have not seen you around for a while , I hope all is well

I am not working this weekend and my brother is off tok so we have had a enjoyable impromptu evening out. But are both hungry now . Has anyone got a veggie pizza ?

<Tries to sling a vegi pizza at @ScottBakula but she's asleep> I'll leave it here in an insulated box for when you wake up.

Did someone mention crumpets? I'm just teaching Florence haw to make them and picklets. I might as well add drop scones, scotch pancakes and welsh cakes tot he menu.

It's still chilly so Fernando has made some gluhwein, a spicy alcoholic hot chocolate and mate from Argentina, complete with gourds and metal spoons.

I'd love a matè, please. Drinking it from a gourd sounds delicious and authentic. Thank you @sashh cheers!

<Hands over mate, notices she said spoons> I meant straw, not spoon, well at least I got the gourd right.

@sashh Thank you for the pizza , it was just what i needed .
I think I better stay off the booze today I had a few shandys yesterday 🍺so please can I have a hot chocolate without the alcohol and a asprin

Morning all <Looks at @ScottBakula leaves a flask of hot chocolate and a strip of paracetamol near her sleeping body>

I think chicken souse and Johnny cakes would be a good call today. The usual pastries from Florence and Fernando can make some herbal teas/infusions.

Thank you @sashh I feel much better now.

I have never heard of Johnny cakes , what are they ?

WHAT! You will be telling me you have never had curried goat next.

They are a kind of dumpling / bread type thing, deep fried and popular in the Caribbean.

- second verse

Hangs head sheepishly ( goatishly ???) No I haven't . Though I know that song well it never clicked / I never thought about the words.
Please can I try one.

And if Florence hasn't planed a menu yet for tomorrow/ Wednesday can she make goat curry please.

Morning.

OK lets forget breakfast for today.

We are heading for Jamaica.

Salt fish and ackee, rice and peas, stamp and go, Johnny cakes, fried plantain, jerk chicken and curried goat.

Fernando will be mixing rum cocktails and Florence will be making rum cake and cornmeal pudding.

Never had a rum cocktail but I'll give one a go with a bit of rum cake! Sounds good!

What.

Rum punch

1 of sour (lime juice)
2 of sweet (sugar)
3 of strong (rum - the proper dark stuff)
4 of weak (water)

Please can I have stamp and go ( spicy fish fritter right ? ) Johnny cake and goat curry.

I like rum punch and have made it with soda water in the past , or hot water , it's potant stuff with hot water .
So I will have one of them for tonight please.

Well after a few rums I think we should go for something simple, just coffee and cakes made by Florence with maybe a whisky chaser from Fernando.

Looks like there are a few leftovers so Caribbean picnic for pack up.

Morning.

It's quiet here again, I'll just get a coffee and see if anyone else turns up before I decide what to cook today.

@sashh are the Caribbean pack ups still available, please? ...it's going to be such a beautiful day, I feel like a picnic. Thanks!
And a mocha Frappuccino to go please.

One mocha Frappuccino and a Caribbean picnic.