Category Archives: Cafe

Spring salad recipes

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It’s warming up and spring is almost here. Here are some super easy and delicious salad recipes from our friends over at Bake and Brew.

Caesar Salad

Bake and Brew’s Caesar salad and potato salad

 

Caesar salad recipe

Caeser recipe

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole Cos lettuce (washed and sliced)
  • 6 rashers of bacon (with rind removed and chopped)
  • 50g Shaved Parmesan cheese
  • 8 Boiled eggs
  • 4 slices of toast to make croutons
  • 100mL of Caesar dressing (Zoosh brand)
  • Parsley (optional)

Method:

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the bacon, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until crisp and browned. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.
2. To boil eggs, place 2-3 eggs in a saucepan and cover with warm water. Cook on high until the water starts to boil, then remove from the hot plate and cover with a lid for three minutes (set a timer). Once three minutes is up, transfer the eggs to cold water and leave there until cool enough to peel.
3. Toast and butter the bread, before cutting into small squares for croutons.
4. Combine the lettuce, croutons, bacon and half the Parmesan in a salad bowl.
Drizzle over the dressing and top with the remaining Parmesan.

5. Sprinkle parsley over the top if desired.

Potato salad recipe
Potato Recipe

Ingredients:
  • 1kg potatoes (quartered)
  • 6 rashers of bacon (with rind removed and chopped)
  • 1 whole red onion (finely chopped)
  • Six pickles (chopped)
  • 200mL Coleslaw dressing (Zoosh brand) OR mayonnaise
  • Parsley (optional)
  • Balsamic glaze (optional)
  • Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the bacon, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until crisp and browned. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.

2. Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

3. Mix potatoes, coleslaw dressing, bacon, pickles, onion, salt, and pepper together in a bowl until all combined. Refrigerate to allow flavors to blend and bacon to soften, about 1 hour.

4. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and parsley if desired, prior to serving.

 

Recipe: winter warmer veggie soup

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I don’t know about you, but this weather makes me crave soup: packed full of flavour and healthy veggies, served hot with a buttery piece of bread or a savoury scone… yum!

The cafe here at the Library, Bake & Brew, were kind enough to give us their recipe to share with you all. Happy soup-making!

Ingredients:

2 Turnips

2 Swedes

1 Pumpkin

2 Zucchini

1 Celery head

4 Carrots

6 Potatoes

Vegetable stock (the amount of stock will be the amount of soup liquid you get)

(This the Bake & Brew suggested veggie combination, but the great thing about soup is that you can chuck so many different ingredients in! Experiment with different veggies if you like)

Note: The veggie amounts in this recipe is for a big serve of soup, if you are cooking for a small group of people, adjust the recipe for less veggies and less stock.

 

Method:

1: Dice all veggies in even sizes.

2: Take pumpkin, swedes, carrots, potato, celery, turnips. In a large saucepan or pot big enough for your soup, saute off in a little butter.

3: Add stock. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender. Add zucchinis in last few minutes.

4: Season with salt and pepper to taste, and top with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with savoury scone or bread with butter if you like.

5: Enjoy!

Soup 1

Recipe: Pumpkin, Haloumi, & Chickpea Fritters

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Meatless Mondays just got a whole lot more exciting thanks to these easy, healthy (but more importantly) tasty Pumpkin, Haloumi, & Chickpea fritters! The cafe here at the Library, Bake & Brew, were kind enough to give us their recipe to share with you all. Happy cooking!

 

Ingredients:

1/4 Pumpkin, grated

200g Haloumi, grated

1/2 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup self-raising flour

 

Method:

1: Combine pumpkin, haloumi, chickpeas, flour, and egg in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper if you like.

2: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.

3: In batches of 3, spoon a heaped tablespoon of pumpkin mixture into the pan. Flatten slightly with a spatula. Cook for 3-4 minutes each side, until golden.

4: Serve with garden salad and capsicum mayo*, and drizzle patties with balsamic vinegar if you like.

*Capsicum mayo is a mix of capsicum puree and mayonnaise: you can buy capsicum puree and mayonnaise from groceries, or you can make them yourself.

The simple, but delicious scone

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Who doesn’t enjoy a Devonshire tea, with warm scones fresh from the oven, topped with lashings of thick cream and jam?

The simple but delicious scone is loved around the world. In Patisserie : an encyclopedia of cakes, pastries, cookies, biscuits, chocolates, confectionery and desserts, celebrated pastry chef Aaron Maree writes that scones come in many flavours and varieties. In America, scones are known as biscuits or soda biscuits and they can be served with both savoury dishes and sweet toppings. The scone is a cousin of the Scottish bannock, a flat disk baked on a hot griddle plate, which is then marked into triangles.

“A good scone should be of uniform colour and size, lightly golden brown on the base and top, but with white sides. The interior should be light, soft and white.” He stresses that in order to ensure that your scones are soft and well risen, you must always rub the butter into the dry ingredients lightly. Never overwork the dough and do not knead it at all.”

Next door to the Library is our cherished cafe Bake and Brew, who bake delicious scones daily. And! We have secured the recipe from Sue the pastry chef.

Scones

Oh sweet scones, how graceful you sit. Your fluffy, subtly sweet texture melts in our mouths on these days we toil. We honour and give thanks to you, heavenly light beings.

 

Here it is:

World’s Best Scone Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups of self-raising flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 50g butter
  • 500mL milk
  • 1 dessertspoon cream

Method:

Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the baking powder.

In a microwaveable jug add butter, milk and cream and microwave for three minutes on low.

Add this liquid mix to the bowl.

Mix gently and then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently and pat like a baby’s bottom.

Use a scone cutter or glass to make round scone shapes and put them onto a greased oven tray. Ensure the scones are placed close together, as they give each other support as they cook.

Cook in a 180° oven for 15 minutes.

You can also borrow Patisserie : an encyclopedia of cakes, pastries, cookies, biscuits, chocolates, confectionery and desserts from the Tea Tree Gully Library.

Recipe: Cornflake Cookies

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There’s truly nothing better than a Cornflake Cookie from Bake & Brew cafe to go down with a hot cup of tea or coffee. Made fresh on-site next door to the library, these biscuits are made from a simple recipe, with the perfect combination of sweetness, cornflake-y crunch and juicy sultanas.

Cornflake Biscuit

Get your daily dose of cornflakes from these sweet babies

The Cornflake Cookies are made by Sue the pastry chef, who inherited the recipe from her mother. Sue recalls the recipe originally appearing in an old Lutheran Church cookbook, but wasn’t sure which one! No matter – she knows this recipe by heart as she makes a fresh batch every week. They are for sale $4 each – and now that Sue has generously passed on her recipe – you can have a go at making them yourself!

Cornflake Biscuits

A fresh batch of Sue’s Cornflake Biscuits not long out of the oven.

Cornflake Biscuits – makes 24

Ingredients (NB quantities have been converted from Imperial measurements)
230g butter
340g sugar
2 eggs
455 g self-raising flour
2 cups of sultanas
1 bowl of cornflakes

Method
Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs, SR flour and sultanas. Stir until mixed. Roll dessert spoonfuls of the mixture into balls and then roll them in the bowl of cornflakes, gently pressing the cornflakes into each ball.

Put the balls on a baking tray and gently press them down with your hand. Bake at 160 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Let the biscuits cool on a wire rack.

Dried apricot bits and choc chips also work well in this recipe – simply substitute them for sultanas.

Thanks again Sue for sharing your recipe!

Treats for kids at The Topiary Pantry

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Sweet treats at The Topiary Pantry

Yum – these colourful funny face biscuits are only $3.50 each!

Mums and dads, why not enjoy lunch at The Topiary Pantry when you come to the library with your children. There are some fantastic $6 lunch specials for little people at the moment. Such as:

  • Ham and Cheese Croissant
  • Kids Grazing Plate
  • Kids Penne Pasta

The Topiary Pantry also has a wide variety of freshly homemade sweets like the funny face biscuit little Elijah is holding in the picture above! They are $3.50 each and go perfectly with a tea or coffee.

Like the Topiary Pantry’s Facebook page and view more of their regular specials.

The Topiary Pantry – A Hidden Gem in Tea Tree Gully

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Our guest blogger, Lauren Hunt from Teacher Types  a blog ‘where teachers and parents of young children can be inspired’, has recently written about the Topiary Pantry – the cafe based in the Library foyer.

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Manager Liz at The Topiary Pantry

‘If you like toys, books, a playground and grassy ovals with your coffee, cake & lunch then this little gem might be the place for you! Nestled within the Tea Tree Gully Library/Council building, The Topiary Pantry is a beautiful and child friendly spot. In one outing with your little one you could attend Baby Bounce & Rhyme at the Library, borrow a book, borrow from the Toy Library, have a coffee & lunch and then wander across Civic Park to play at the playground. It has everything! Plus Tea Tree Plaza is just across the road.

 

Topiary 2
Some of the great meals and desserts on offer

At a glance:

  • High Chairs – Yes
  • Change Facilities – Yes in the Library Foyer area
  • Room for prams – Yes
  • Kids Menu – Yes
  • Play Area – no but Civic Park and the playground is right outside.
  • Activities Provided – not in the café but the Library and Toy Library do!
  • Healthy Kids Meals – Yes
  • Kids Eat Free Deals – No
Topiary 7

I’m just a little bit addicted to hazelnut flavouring in my coffee, and Topiary didn’t disappoint. And of course my little miss got a babychino and made a huge mess!

I’m just a little bit addicted to hazelnut flavouring in my coffee, and Topairy didn’t disappoint. And of course my little miss got a babychino and made a huge mess!

I ordered a delicious salad (pear, parsnip, cos, celery, walnut, feta, bacon & avocado) and house-made banana bread for my little one. The food at the Topiary Pantry feels that little bit more fancy that your regular café. Lots of other yummy choices too and some tasty kids menu treats!

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The great view from the Topiary Pantry

If you like ‘High Tea’ or feel like a Mum & Dad date night out – try the Topiary Café (owned by the same people) at 1363 North East Road, Tea Tree Gully, based at Newman’s Nursery.. Perhaps not as child friendly as the ‘Pantry’ but I’ve heard the food and atmosphere is amazing. It’s on my to-do list!’

You can visit Lauren’s blog here for tips on Early Learning and activity ideas for your little one. The Topiary cafe website is here, and they also have a Facebook!

 

 

 

 

How to make choux pastry

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Choux Pastry Swans

No ugly ducklings here….only beautiful choux pastry swans

Many of our Library staff have sweet tooths and to satisfy those cravings we head straight to our neighbour cafe, The Topiary Pantry, to make a selection from the generous presentation of treats in their glass display.

The Topiary Pantry is owned by the same people who own ‘The Topiary’ at Newman’s Nursery, which is renowned for its emphasis on homegrown produce and for making as many ingredients as possible from scratch.

Sue, the resident pastry chef at The Topiary Pantry has kindly shared her unique recipe for choux pastry for the November newsletter. She has recently been making choux pastry for many sweet treats that have been very popular amongst customers.

Here is the recipe!

Choux Pastry – Recipe

At the Topiary Pantry, choux pastry can be used for making profiteroles, eclairs, swans, paris brest, croquembouche and many other things.

Ingredients:
80g butter
240mL water
140g plain flour
4 eggs

Place water and butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add flour and cook out until it all comes together. Place the mixture into a mixing bowl and beat slowly. Add eggs one at a time until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Place the mixture into a piping bag with a nozzle and then it is ready for any kind of application.

Cook the choux pastry at 180 degrees celcius.

Topiary Pantry choux pastry swan

Choux Pastry Swans – a delicious light and fluffy summer sweet treat.

Topiary Pantry Summer Special

Over summer The Topiary Pantry will be serving ‘Coffee Bites’ specials, which will feature a selection of sweet treats – perfect for a morning or afternoon indulgement.

Over summer, the Topiary Pantry will be serving these bite size choux pasty swans filled with cream and strawberries, for $2.50 each or you can order the ‘Coffee Bites’ special, where you receive 3 bite-size treats for $7.

Bon appetit!

Oh the Joys of Toys!

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Lauren Hunt, runs a blog called Teacher Types, a blog ‘where teachers and parents of young children can be inspired‘ and is a regular user of the Tea Tree Gully Toy Library, situated within the regular Library space. She recently wrote a great post about the Toy Library, we thought we’d share some of it here.

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Toy Library space – photo by teacher types

‘All year our family have been members of the Tea Tree Gully Toy Library and it’s become one of my favourite places to visit. We probably go once every 3-4 weeks for a play and a borrow (I love that littlies are encouraged to stay and play). The Toy Library is run by a wonderful group of volunteers and is a not for profit community organisation.

Fun Facts!

  • The Toy Library is located within the City of Tea Tree Gully Library (571 Montague Road Modbury SA)
  • There are more than 3000 items in the Toy Library to choose from.
  • There are 600+ families who borrow those toys.
  • There are 17 friendly volunteers who make the Toy Library run smoothly.
  • It only costs $30 a year to be a member.
  • You can borrow two toys and one puzzle per visit.
  • Their website is here
  • You can pop in to borrow Tuesday & Thursday 10:00 am – 3:00 pm and Wednesday 2:00 pm – 7:30 pm
  • If you go on a Thursday be sure to also check out Baby Bounce & Rhyme for under 2s from 10:30 – 11am or Toddler Time (2-4s) at 11:30 am in the children’s library area
  • They also lend out the bigger items for party hire – bouncy castle, cars, ball pit, bubble machine, play gym, slide, roller coaster…and much more!
  • Most importantly – young children learn through play, so a community resource like the Toy Library is a way to always have new toys in your home to engage your little one in valuable learning experiences.
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A very popular choice! Cars available for party hire. – photo by teacher types

And they even have costumes you can borrow! Keep this in mind for Book Week next year.

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Some of the costumes to borrow – photo by teacher types

Oooohhh and I nearly forgot to mention, there is even a cafe in the main Library foyer! So you can stop for coffee, lunch or morning/afternoon tea when you borrow your toys and/or books. Very child friendly atmosphere with highchairs, couches and comfy arm chairs.

Thank you TTG Toy Library for helping the littlest members of your community bring the joy of play into their homes. If you live in the area, please consider joining up and supporting a wonderful local organisation.’

Thanks Lauren for such a great user perspective of the Toy Library. It’s awesome to hear how much it is appreciated.

Hot Chocolate Art

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While many would agree that making a good cup of coffee is an art form in itself, baristas at the Library’s neighbouring cafe The Topiary Pantry use their down time to perfect their latte and hot chocolate art.

Barista and Topiary Pantry Manager Liz prepares her milk froth...

Barista and Topiary Pantry Manager Liz prepares her milk froth…

Milk needs to be carefully heated and frothed to provide the perfect base to create some seriously cool pics. The milk should be very creamy and consistent with small light bubbles (no big dishwatery ones please).

Three scoops of milk froth = teddy bear head

Three scoops of milk froth = teddy bear head

To create the teddy bear on this hot chocolate, Liz used three dollops of white froth for the head and used the pointy end of the milk thermometer to dip in the chocolate and draw teddy’s face.

Teddy bear gets his nose

Teddy bear gets his nose

And gets a mouth...

And gets his mouth…

 

Seriously sweet - enjoy some latte art with a Lady Alice biscuit.

Seriously sweet – enjoy some hot chocolate art with a Lady Alice biscuit from The Topiary Pantry.

The planets are all aligned on this hot chocolate.

Another example – the planets are all aligned on this hot chocolate.

Request some hot chocolate or latte art for yourself next time you visit The Topiary Pantry, which is located next to the Tea Tree Gully Library. There’s nothing like a cute pic on your cuppa to pick you up and put a smile on your face!