Gift Guide for Coffee-Loving Dads for Father's Day 2022

Dads are notorious for just buying themselves whatever they want, making it nigh on impossible to surprise them with a gift they'll actually like. 

But fear not because if one thing's almost certain, it's that your dad loves coffee and, if that is indeed the case, he'll be delighted to receive any of the coffee-related gifts we've rounded up below.

Great Wave of Coffee t-shirt

Based on the famous 19th century Japanese woodblock print by artist Hokusai, this cool and comfortable black cotton t-shirt will be your dad's new favourite item of clothing.

Perfect for wearing around the house or out and about, the design is timeless and the message is clear - I need coffee!

Coffee ice tray

If your dad likes iced coffee, he'll love this funky and functional coffee ice tray. 

Never again will he need to use traditional ice cubes to cool his drink - with this coffee ice tray, he'll have his own dedicated tray he can fill with coffee to make 'coffee cubes', ensuring his cups never get watered down when the ice cubes melt.

Reusable coffee cup

With environmental awareness at an all-time high, there's really no excuse for anyone to still be using disposable cups in 2022. Some people, though, are creatures of habit and if your dad's one of them, it's time to get him on-board with sustainable coffee receptacles.

There are loads to choose from but our favourite is this one from Circular & Co. Made from recycled coffee cups, it's not only incredibly sustainable but also extremely robust, with a leakproof design and several colour options. It's even dishwasher safe!

Espresso machine

If you decide to really push the boat out this year, nothing will excite a coffee loving dad more than a shiny new espresso machine.

As these aren't the cheapest items on this list, you'll need to choose your model carefully and we recommend this Dualit 3-in-1 Coffee Machine for its versatility. It allows for many options in terms of the coffee you can use (grounds, pods, capsules etc), so it's suitable for every household; it also looks great, doesn't take up much room and is built to last. And it comes with a handy milk frothing wand!

Prepaid Cafe2U Card

If your dad is a regular Cafe2U customer, make his next few visits free by picking him up one of our prepaid gift cards. If you pre-pay for five coffees, you'll get the sixth one free!

Get in touch with your nearest Cafe2U barista here.

Happy Father's Day from Cafe2U!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, we hope you all have a great day. Our Cafe2U vans will be on the road as usual to help you celebrate if you're out and about.

Why Cafe2U Is The Green Option For Franchisees

Launched in 2017, Clean Air Day is an annual event designed to focus public and political attention on the UK's air pollution problem. Most of us don't realise the severity of the issue but air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to health the country faces, with between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths attributable to long-term exposure every year.

Fortunately, the good people at environmental charity Global Action Plan are here to raise awareness of the issue among the general public by encouraging everyone from NHS trusts, schools and local authorities to businesses, government departments and community groups to organise their own events and help get the country talking about the extent of the problem and what we can do to combat it.

As a mobile coffee franchise with a fleet of nearly 100 vans, you might think our business would be responsible for more than its fair share of air pollution. However, that couldn't be further from the truth.

We know how important it is to the planet - not to mention consumers and potential franchisees - to be an environmentally-friendly company and that's why we're on a mission to become the first carbon neutral coffee company in the UK. Here are just a few of the ways we're going about it.

Electric vans

We recently replaced the diesel generators in our fleet of vehicles with lithium-ion batteries, immediately reducing our emissions from in-van generators to zero. Then we went one step further and launched an all-new fleet of 100% emission-free electric vehicles. By switching from petrol powered to electric vans, we expect to massively reduce our CO² emissions over the coming years.

Furthermore, our electric vans have minimal moving parts and more effective brakes, so fewer replacement parts need manufacturing, reducing our greenhouse gas emissions even further.

Recycling

We offer our customers the opportunity to recycle their paper cups to slow the rate at which new disposable cups are produced, as well as a coffee grounds recycling initiative to counteract the 1.8 million tonnes of carbon emissions which are generated by the 500,000 tonnes of coffee waste disposed of in the UK every year.

The initiative sees waste coffee grounds being recycled into biofuel pellets to power biomass boilers, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping keep the air cleaner.

Going digital

These days, we're almost completely paper-free at Cafe2U.

All files at head office have been digitised and we've done away with traditional loyalty cards and physical pamphlets in favour of an app which allows our customers to receive news, offers and updates digitally instead, massively reducing the amount of paper we use and helping keep more trees in the ground where they help remove pollutants such as carbon dioxide (CO²) from the atmosphere.

Help us make a difference

It's great news that so many organisations are doing everything they can to combat air pollution and become as green as possible and we all owe the organisers of Clean Air Day 2022 a huge debt of gratitude for raising awareness of the issue.

However, it's clear that a lot more work still needs to be done if we're to eradicate the problem of unclean air in the UK once and for all and we need everybody pulling in the same direction if we're ever going to make it happen.

If you're interested in investing in a clean, green franchise like Cafe2U, click here for more information.

For more information on Clean Air Day, click here.

Delicious Cupcake Recipes for National Cupcake Day 2022

With National Cupcake Day, what you see is what you get. There's no fundraising involved and no need to hang any bunting, just an invitation to enjoy a cupcake or two, alone or with friends, at home or in a cafe. So long as you're eating and enjoying all things cupcake, you're doing it right.

Of course, there's a whole lot of fun to be had baking cupcakes too and if you're the kind of person who prefers to make things instead of buy them, you're in luck because we've rounded up some cracking cupcake recipes for you to try at home.

Vanilla cupcakes

Simple, sweet and satisfying, these tasty treats are a surefire winner. 

Ingredients

To make 12 vanilla cupcakes, you will need:

• 110g softened butter

• 110g golden caster sugar

• 2 large eggs

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 110g self-raising flour

For the buttercream, you will need:

• 150g softened butter

• 300g icing sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 tbsp milk

Begin by heating your oven to 180C/160c fan/gas 4 and fill a 12 cupcake tray with cases. Next, use an electric whisk to beat 110g softened butter and 110g golden caster sugar together until fluffy, then whisk in the eggs one at a time.

Add ½ tsp vanilla extract, 110g self-raising flour and a pinch of salt, whisk until combined, then spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases. Bake for 15 mins until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

To make the buttercream, whisk 150g softened butter until soft then add 300g icing sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Starting off slowly, whisk until smooth, then beat in 3 tbsp milk. Spoon or pipe onto the cooled cupcakes to finish.

Strawberry cupcakes

Colourful and fresh, these little beauties won't last long around kids! Or adults, for that matter…

Ingredients

To make 12 strawberry cupcakes, you will need:

• 175g self-raising flour

• 115g caster sugar

• 2 eggs

• 100g Greek yoghurt

• 115g butter, melted and cooled slightly

• 100g strawberries, finely chopped

For the icing, you will need:

• 300g icing sugar, sifted

• 150g butter, softened

• 2tbsp milk

• 1tsp vanilla extract

• pink food colouring

• 6 strawberries, halved, or 12 small whole strawberries

Heat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases. Mix the flour and sugar together in a large bowl, then whisk together the eggs, yoghurt and melted butter in a large jug. Gradually mix the wet ingredients into the dry until you have a smooth batter, then fold in the strawberries.

Next, fill the prepared cases so they are about three-fourths full. Bake for 25-30 mins, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the middles comes out clean, then leave to cool.

While the cupcakes are cooling, make the icing. First, beat the sugar and butter together until smooth, then add the milk, vanilla and a little pink food colouring and beat until the icing is pale pink. Spoon the icing into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle, then pipe in swirls onto the cooled cupcakes. Decorate each with a strawberry half or small strawberry, then serve.

Coffee cupcakes

Our favourites. Of course!

Ingredients

To make 18 coffee cupcakes, you will need:

• 140g golden caster sugar

• 140g butter, softened

• 3 large eggs

• 140g self-raising flour

• 2 tbsp instant espresso mixed with 1 tbsp water

• chocolate-coated coffee beans, to decorate

For the icing, you will need:

• 200g butter, softened

• 200g icing sugar

• 2 tsp instant espresso mixed with 1 tbsp water

• 50g plain chocolate, melted

Start by heating your oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3, then line 18 holes in 2 bun tins with fairy cake cases. Beat the sugar and butter until light and creamy, then beat in the eggs, one by one, adding 1 tbsp flour at the same time. Beat in the rest of the flour along with the espresso. Spoon into the cake cases and bake for 17 mins, swapping the trays after 12 mins, then leave to cool on a wire rack.

To make the icing, beat the butter until pale, then gradually beat in the icing sugar, followed by the espresso and the melted chocolate. When the cakes are completely cool, swirl the icing generously on top and decorate with the coffee beans.

Salted caramel cupcakes

The UK's love-affair with salted caramel is still going strong and with these indulgent cupcakes, it's not hard to see why.

Ingredients

To make 12 salted caramel cupcakes, you will need:

• 100g softened salted butter

• 100g golden caster sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 100g self-raising flour

• 1 tbsp milk

• 6 tsp caramel sauce

For the icing, you will need: 

• 75g soft salted butter

• 150g icing sugar

• 200g caramel sauce

• sea salt flakes

First, heat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, then line a 12-hole cake tin with paper cases.

Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, along with the vanilla extract, then mix in the flour until just combined. Finally, stir in the milk until the batter falls off the beaters.

Next, divide the mixture between the cases, leaving about 2 tbsp batter in the bowl. Add a pinch of salt to the caramel sauce, then add ½ tsp to the tops of each cupcake. Use a teaspoon to cover the caramel sauce with the remaining batter. Bake for 15-20 mins until springy and golden, then leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter and half the icing sugar together, then tip in the remaining icing sugar and whisk until pale and fluffy. Stir in half the caramel sauce, then spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a star nozzle. Pipe swirls of icing on top of the cooled cupcakes. 

To finish, stir a pinch of salt into the remaining caramel sauce, then drizzle over the icing and sprinkle a small pinch of sea salt over each.

Cafe2U - the perfect accompaniment to National Cupcake Day

Whichever cupcakes take your fancy, one thing's for sure - they'll taste even better with a cup of coffee. Get in touch with your nearest Cafe2U van here and let us deliver some of our top quality drinks to your door while there are still some cupcakes left to have with it!

Tips For Boosting Your Franchise in Q3 and Q4 2022

In the franchising industry, it's important to be aware of the financial year. Made up of four quarters, the financial year is a period of 12 months that enables both franchisors and franchisees to calculate their budgets, profits and losses and compare their results to previous years to ascertain whether or not the business is performing as well as expected.

The financial year also allows franchisees to evaluate their success in greater detail by enabling them to compare their results quarterly, instead of across a whole year. This means that, if necessary, they can tweak their business offering to help increase profits and/or hit targets before the end of a particular quarter.

With this financial year's third quarter (Q3) starting on July 1st, what should you do if your franchise could do with a shot in the arm heading into it? Here are our top tips.

Keep things new and exciting

One of the benefits of becoming a franchisee is being able to use the franchisor's already-established name to attract customers. However, those customers are likely to become bored if your product offering stays exactly the same every day, so it's important to add new items to your menu to complement your perennial best-sellers every so often to keep regular customers interested and attract new business.

Keep an eye out for opportunities like the August Bank Holiday, Halloween and Bonfire Night and offer products themed around them when the time comes. 

At Cafe2U, we celebrated the Platinum Jubilee by adding some new items to our menus that were fit for a Queen, including the Eton Mess Milkshake, Cucumber & Mint Iced Tea and the English Toffee Iced Latte. Thankfully, our customers loved them!

Make sure you're environmentally-friendly

For many customers in 2022, eco-friendliness has become a necessity, with a significant number refusing to do business with companies that aren't overtly sustainable. 

If your franchise needs to drive extra footfall between now and the end of the year, review your marketing material and online presence to ensure you're making customers aware of just how sustainable your business is.

At Cafe2U, some of the green initiatives our franchisees can shout about include:

• our reusable or compostable cups

• our paper cup and coffee grounds recycling schemes

• our fully digitised, paper-free head office

• our sustainable and ethical partners and suppliers, and

• our fleet of emission-free, fully electric vehicles

Hit the road

If you need to increase the profitability of your franchise, it's a good idea to get off the beaten track every once in a while.

Every Cafe2U franchisee has an exclusive territory in which to operate but, no matter how well they know the area, untapped opportunities can often be found within it. If there's a good-sized park or sports field in your vicinity, find out if any upcoming events are taking place there - funfairs, charity events and performances by local bands or amateur dramatics groups will all provide you with an excellent opportunity to make new customers.

And don't forget to let people know where you'll be and when. Social media sites like Facebook and Instagram are great for getting a message out; you could also have pamphlets and flyers made up for some more traditional advertising.

Treat your customers kindly

Not for no reason is the phrase 'the customer is always right' still prevalent in the business world!

If you need to sell more of your product, one of the first things to review is your approach to customer service. Every person who visits you should be made to feel appreciated - after all, there are plenty of other places they could spend their money. Make sure you greet every customer, make eye contact, engage in small talk, go the extra mile to make sure they're happy with their order and generally treat them like royalty. Where possible, offer them a loyalty card to increase your chances of repeat business from them too.

Remember, people are much more likely to tell their friends and family about a bad experience than they are about a good one, so keeping your regular customers happy and making your new ones feel important is paramount. Doing this will give your franchise the boost it needs.

Take advantage of your franchisor's experience

If you need a helping hand, your franchisor is always there to help and offer advice and support, so don't be afraid to ask for help if your numbers aren't where you'd like them to be.  

Franchising opportunities with Cafe2U

There's never a bad time to join the franchising industry and at Cafe2U, all our franchisees receive all the training and support they need to make their business a success. If you're interested in investing in a Cafe2U franchise, click here for more information.

Celebrating National Biscuit Day 2022

Unless you've been living underground, you'll be aware that a hugely important and patriotic event to honour one of the finest, most respected and internationally beloved British institutions ever is taking place in just a few days' time.

We're talking, of course, about National Biscuit Day.

That's right, May 29th is National Biscuit Day. A time to reflect. To bow down in awe at the altar of these delectable delights. To buy - or bake - as many guilt-free biscuits as you like.

We're also aware that another important occasion is taking place over the next week or so, as Her Majesty the Queen celebrates 70 years on the throne with the Platinum Jubilee. In honour of both events, and because we know that she definitely has a sweet-tooth, we've taken it upon ourselves to rank what we imagine would be the Queen's favourite biscuits to enjoy with a coffee.

The best biscuits to have with a coffee (if you're the Queen)

5. Custard Creams

Due to the importance of upholding her image, there are certain things the Queen can't be seen to enjoy and, due to the mess it would make if she spilled it, one of those things is custard.

Patient, reliable, uplifting and good for any occasion, Custard Creams and Her Majesty have a lot in common. We're convinced she'd find room for them on her biscuit menu more often than not.

4. Chocolate Hobnobs

One of the UK's most popular biscuits, Hobnobs are knobbly, dense and oaty, which means they're an excellent choice for people who like to dunk their biscuits in their coffee. What could be better? Covering them in chocolate, of course!

Yes, while classic Hobnobs may be a little unrefined for the Queen's royal palate, Chocolate Hobnobs are a whole different story. It's easy to imagine Her Majesty settling down to enjoy a hot brew accompanied by a whole plate of them and savouring every indulgent bite in preparation for a busy evening entertaining foreign dignitaries.

3. Jaffa Cakes

Their spongy consistency may make them impossible to repeatedly dunk into a hot drink, but the orange to chocolate to biscuit/cake ratio is absolutely perfect and the chocolate is exactly dark enough to bring out the best in a top quality cup of coffee. After a long morning spent waving at strangers, a light but filling Jaffa Cake is the perfect snack to assuage Her Majesty's hunger without spoiling her lunch.

And yes, we know they're not technically biscuits and blah blah blah. The fact is they're the best of both worlds: cake-like but biscuit-shaped. On this occasion, we're claiming them for Queen, country and Team Biscuit.

2. Chocolate Fingers

As a notorious chocoholic, eating Chocolate Fingers is probably always high on Queen Elizabeth II's 'to-do' list.

Their beauty is how easy they are to eat, both literally and figuratively - they're small enough that HRH could eat several in one sitting without feeling overfull and so moreish that even if she was full, she'd probably still find room for a few more. The fact that they're sleek and easy to munch on the go means they'd also be the perfect treat for Her Majesty to pop in her handbag so she has a quick snack available at all times.

1. Milk Chocolate Digestives

Over the years, HRH has become extremely adept at hiding her boredom. A parade here, a speech there, it's all in a day's work for Her Majesty, which is why you never see her yawning or losing her concentration while on official business. Behind closed doors, however, it's impossible to imagine her standing for a boring biscuit with her afternoon coffee.

Enter the Milk Chocolate Digestive.

Where plain Digestives are boring, Milk Chocolate Digestives are fit for a fit Queen. Are they tasty? Chocolatey? Dunkable? Moreish? Light but filling? Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes.

Quite simply, Milk Chocolate Digestives are the royal standard of biscuits and, as such, you can guarantee they're never out of stock in the royal biscuit jar.

Why not enjoy a Cafe2U coffee this National Biscuit Day?

If, like the Queen, you'll be eating a biscuit or two this Sunday, we have the coffee to pair them with. Find your nearest Cafe2U van here and let us deliver it direct to your door, then let us know if you agree or disagree with our royal biscuit selections - or have any other suggestions - on our social media channels.

Sustainability and the Coffee Industry

Taking place once a year, National Vegetarian Week encourages the public to switch to a vegetarian diet for a week in order to reduce carbon emissions, protect endangered wildlife and increase awareness of the benefits and pleasures of a meat-free lifestyle.

As our beloved coffee beans are already vegetarian-friendly, you might be wondering what this has to do with Cafe2U. What you might not be aware of are the steps we've taken to reduce our impact on the environment so, inspired by National Vegetarian Week, we've decided to round-up some of the ways in which we've made our business as sustainable as possible.

Offering customers sustainable products

To help alleviate the problem of disposable coffee cups, we offer our customers reusable Keep Cups. It is estimated that over 600 billion disposable cups are used and discarded to landfill globally every year. By using long-lasting cups which are made from durable, environmentally friendly materials, we're helping reduce the number of paper cups being used by the coffee industry.

We've also stopped using disposable paper cups altogether and replaced them with fully compostable cups instead. As well as requiring less carbon to produce, compostable cups reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and don't produce toxins when they break down, significantly reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. We've replaced all our plastic straws with biodegradable paper alternatives too.

Recycling

As well as offering a paper cup recycling scheme for customers who still use disposable cups, we've also launched a coffee grounds recycling initiative to counteract the 1.8 million tonnes of carbon emissions which are generated by the 500,000 tonnes of coffee waste disposed of in the UK every year. The initiative sees waste coffee grounds being recycled into bio-fuel pellets to power bio-mass boilers, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Going digital

In the last few years, we started doing away with paper. All files at head office have now been completely digitised and we've done away with traditional loyalty cards and physical pamphlets in favour of an app which allows our customers to receive news, offers and updates digitally instead, massively reducing the amount of paper we use.

Our partners and suppliers

We recently switched to an ethical and sustainable sandwich manufacturer to increase the range of products available to our customers. Real Wrap Co is the first food-to-go manufacturer in the world to achieve certified carbon negative status, meaning it removes more carbon from the atmosphere than it generates. It does this by supplying sandwiches in sustainable packaging which is plastic-free, 100% recyclable and sends zero waste to landfill.

We also have a long-standing partnership with a multi-certified ethical coffee roaster which uses traditional harvesting methods and cultivates long term relationships with its producers, buying from them year after year and paying sustainable prices significantly higher than the Fair Trade minimum.

Our vans

The most important sustainable change we've made in the last few years has been to our fleet of nearly 100 vans. First, we replaced their diesel generators with lithium-ion batteries, immediately reducing our emissions from in-van generators to zero. 

Then, in August 2021, we launched an all-new fleet of emission-free electric vehicles. By switching from petrol powered to electric vans, we expect to reduce our CO² emissions by a staggering 12,672g CO²/km per annum over time.

In addition to boasting zero emissions, the new vehicles are also silent, helping to combat noise pollution, and feature fewer moving parts and more effective brakes, meaning fewer replacement parts need manufacturing, reducing greenhouse gas emissions further still.

What plans do you have?

We're always looking for new ways to reduce our carbon footprint so we think National Vegetarian Week is a great idea and one we're firmly behind. If you're planning to go meat-free this week or have any other great sustainable ideas, let us know on our social media channels!

Best Coffee Cocktails

If you're the sort of superstitious person who won't walk under a ladder or open an umbrella indoors, the realisation that Friday the 13th 2022 is only a matter of hours away will probably have you trembling with fear. But on this occasion at least, there's no need to worry, because this Friday isn't just Friday the 13th… it's also World Cocktail Day!

A global celebration of the most fabulous and flamboyant of all drinks, World Cocktail Day takes place on May 13th every year to commemorate the publication date of the first definition of a cocktail way back in 1806.

In honour of this momentous day, we've picked out our top five coffee cocktail recipes for you to try at home. But first, some advice!

1) The key to good coffee cocktails is the coffee, so take the time to brew the best, richest coffee you can.

2) The following recipes are all extremely tasty but, in larger doses, caffeine + alcohol = headache, so please drink in moderation!

Black Russian

An all-time classic, Black Russians taste like fancy desserts and are guaranteed to give you an energy boost. Perfect as an after dinner drink, they're also incredibly simple to make. Okay, the recipe calls for coffee liqueur rather than actual coffee but let's not cut our delicious nose off to spite our face.

Ingredients

To make a Black Russian, you will need:

• 50ml vodka

• 25ml coffee liqueur

• ice

• 1 maraschino cherry

Just pour the vodka and coffee liqueur into a tumbler filled with ice and stir until well chilled, then add the cherry and serve.

Kentucky Whipped Coffee

Much as we enjoy an Irish coffee, this southern-fried variant is sweeter, smoother and enhances the coffee flavour, making it the perfect cocktail for true, moustache-twirling coffee aficionados.

Ingredients

To make a Kentucky Whipped Coffee, you will need:

• 4 tsp sugar

• 50ml bourbon

• 1 cup of fresh espresso coffee

• Double cream

Place the sugar and bourbon in a mug, then stir until thoroughly combined. Fill the mug with the coffee, then pour on a good dollop of cream via the back of a spoon to finish.

Dark Mint Dream Cocktail

For a refreshing twist on the coffee cocktail, this minty little number is chilled, indulgent and a dream come true for fans of iced coffee.

Ingredients

To make a Dark Mint Dream Cocktail, you will need:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup water

• 9 large mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish

• 1 1/2 fl oz white rum

• 1 fl oz espresso

• 1 fl oz heavy cream

• 3/4 fl oz mint simple syrup

• 1 fl oz club soda

• Whipped cream, for garnish

Start by making a syrup. Put the sugar, water and 5 mint leaves in a saucepan over a medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and cover. Leave it to steep for 20 mins, then remove the mint leaves and allow to cool completely.

Next, place the 4 remaining mint leaves in a cocktail shaker and gently mash with a wooden spoon (or muddler, if you have one). Add the rum, espresso, cream and syrup, fill with ice and shake well. Pour straight into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Top with club soda, then garnish with whipped cream and the sprig of mint.

Café Royal

This low-alcohol drink is richer but less sweet than most other coffee-based cocktails, making it the perfect option for lazy afternoons spent in the garden.

Ingredients

To make a Café Royal, you will need:

• 15ml coffee liqueur

• 1 cup of fresh espresso coffee

• Whipped cream

• Cocoa powder

First, warm a coffee mug by filling it with boiling hot water. Leave it to sit for a few minutes, then pour the water out. Pour in the coffee liqueur and fill to within one inch of the top of the mug with the coffee. Top with the whipped cream and dust with cocoa powder.

Espresso Martini

No list of coffee-based cocktails would be complete without this British-born showstopper. First appearing in Soho in the '80s, Espresso Martinis are now so popular that London hosts an annual five-day festival to celebrate them!  

Ingredients

To make an Espresso Martini, you will need:

• 50g golden caster sugar

• ice

• 50ml vodka

• 25ml freshly brewed espresso coffee

• 25ml coffee liqueur

• 2 coffee beans

Begin by making a simple sugar syrup - put the caster sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat, pour in 25ml water, stir and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Meanwhile, put a martini glass in the fridge to chill

As soon as the syrup is cool, pour ½ tbsp into a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice, the vodka, coffee liqueur and espresso. Shake until the cocktail shaker feels cold in your hands, then strain into the chilled glass and garnish with the coffee beans.

Let Cafe2U come to your rescue this Friday 13th

At Cafe2U, the only thing that scares us is you running out of coffee, so our baristas will be out and about on the roads as normal on World Cocktail Day. If you're trying one of our recipes but need some top quality coffee to do it justice, contact your nearest Cafe2U van here and we'll deliver some right to your doorstep.

How to Get Involved with National Doughnut Week 2022

For those of us with a sweet tooth, choosing between sugary treats has arguably never been harder. Cookies, brownies, blondies, cakes, biscuits, chocolates, ice cream - where do you start?

In the doughnut section, of course!

That's right, tempting as all the other options may be, nothing beats a good doughnut. Whether sprinkled with sugar or covered with confectionery, doughnuts come in all shapes, sizes and flavours. And if you love doughnuts like we do, you're in luck because May 7th-15th is officially National Doughnut Week!

What is National Doughnut Week?

National Doughnut Week takes place every year and sees schools and businesses selling doughnuts to raise funds for The Children's Trust, the UK's leading charity for children with brain injury.

Taking part couldn't be simpler - anyone interested just needs to fill in an online form (available here) and you'll receive a goodie bag to help you prepare and promote your efforts. After that, you just need to make (or buy) plenty of doughnuts, sell them and send the proceeds to The Children's Trust.

What is The Children's Trust?

The Children's Trust runs a range of specialist care, education and therapy services for children and young people across the UK, including:

• Residential rehabilitation for children with an acquired brain injury

• Therapy-led support in the community for children with an acquired brain injury

• Special education for pupils with learning difficulties

• Transitional care for children who are technology dependent

• Palliative care

The Trust has helped countless families since its inception in 1984 and currently supports more than 1,200 children. As a charity, its incredible work is made possible by the support of the public and, with 100% of the funds raised during National Doughnut Week going straight into its pocket, every doughnut sold goes towards helping a truly fantastic cause.

How to make your own doughnuts

If you're planning to make your own doughnuts to sell, plenty of recipes are available online but here are a couple of our favourites - one for deep frying and one for baking.

Sugared doughnuts

Sweet, sugary and easy to eat on the go, these baked delights are impossible to resist.

Ingredients

To make 20 small doughnuts, you will need:

• 250g plain flour

• 1/2 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast

• 50g golden caster sugar, plus 50g extra

• 2 egg yolks

• 150ml milk, warmed

• 50g butter, melted, plus 2oz vegetable or sunflower oil, for shaping

Start by putting the flour, yeast, sugar and a 1⁄2 tsp of salt into a large bowl, mix, then make a well in the middle. Beat the egg yolks, milk and melted butter together, tip into the well, then bring together with a cutlery knife. Leave to stand for 10 mins, until the dough begins to firm.

Next, oil your work surface and your hands, then knead the dough for about 5 mins until it is smooth and springy. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for about 2 hrs or until doubled in size.

Knead the dough again, then shape into small balls and place on baking sheets, leaving plenty of space between each one. Cover again, then leave for 1 hr until risen. 

Finally, heat your oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and bake the balls for 12-15 mins until risen. Melt 50g butter in a pan and put 50g sugar into a large bowl. Let the doughnuts cool for a few mins, then brush with butter, roll in sugar and serve warm.

Jam doughnuts

Soft and oozing with jam, these light doughnuts are perfect for sharing.

Ingredients

To make approx 20 doughnuts, you will need: 

• 500g strong white bread flour

• 60g golden caster sugar

• 15g fresh yeast, crumbled

• 4 eggs

• ½ lemon, zested

• 2 tsp fine sea salt

• 125g softened unsalted butter

• 2 litres sunflower oil, for deep-frying

• caster sugar, for tossing

• 300g jam for filling

Put 150g water and all the dough ingredients except the butter into the bowl of a mixer with a beater paddle. Mix on a medium speed for 8 mins then leave to rest for 1 min. Set the mixer to medium speed and slowly add the butter to the dough – about 25g at a time. Once it's all incorporated, mix on high speed for 5 mins until the dough is smooth and stretchy.

Cover the bowl with cling film and leave somewhere warm until the dough has doubled in size. Leaving the dough in the bowl, knock the air out of it, then re-cover and leave in the fridge overnight.

Remove the dough from the fridge and cut into 50g pieces. Roll each piece into tight bun shapes and place them on a floured baking tray, leaving plenty of room between each one. Cover with cling film and leave for 4 hrs. Fill your deep-fat fryer or heavy-based saucepan halfway with oil and heat it to 180C.

When the oil is heated, carefully slide the doughnuts into it using a floured pastry scraper. Do 2-3 per batch, depending on the size of your fryer or pan. Fry for 2 mins each side until golden brown, then remove from the fryer and place them on kitchen paper. Remember to keep checking the oil temperature - if it's too high, the doughnuts will burn; if it's too low they'll become greasy.

Once fried, toss each doughnut in a bowl of caster sugar while still warm. Then make a hole with a small knife in the crease of each one, anywhere around the white line between the fried top and bottom. Fill a piping bag with your favourite kind of jam (or custard!) and pipe into the doughnut until nicely swollen – about 1 tbsp per doughnut. Serve warm.

The best doughnuts to have with coffee

All this talk of doughnuts has got us thinking - which doughnuts go best with coffee? Obviously we had to find out! Here are our top three doughnuts to enjoy with a fresh brew.

3. Sainsbury's apple and raspberry jam doughnuts

Yep, sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees and if you refuse to go anywhere but specialist doughnut shops for your favourite snacks, you're definitely missing a trick.

These soft, lightly sugar-coated treats have the perfect ratio of jam to dough, ensuring you get plenty of the delicious jam with every bite. They go brilliantly with a cappuccino for a mid-morning pick-me-up and you can get five for £1!

2. Anything from Doboy Donuts

Sometimes you just want something simple and classic with your afternoon coffee. Sometimes, however, you want a massive glazed doughnut that's filled with cream and piled high with chocolate.

With a menu that changes each week, Doboy eschews subtlety in favour of banoffee pie doughnuts covered in whipped cream, Biscoff doughnuts stuffed with Biscoff cream and topped with vanilla fudge or bright pink Jammy Dodger doughnuts that have a whole Jammy Dodger sitting on top.

Probably not the place to go if you're on a diet but if it's a special doughnut you're after, look no further.

1. Krispy Kreme's original glazed doughnut

Grabbing a coffee and a doughnut for breakfast is as American as apple pie so it's no surprise that Krispy Kreme knows a thing or two about it.

These no-frills doughnuts are simply perfect. Light, flavourful, not too dense, not too chewy, seriously tasty and somehow made even better when paired with a flat white coffee. If you've never tried one, trust us, now is the time.

Happy Doughnut Week!

While doughnuts will obviously be the stars of the show over the coming week, there's a reason coffee and doughnuts are such a beloved combo. If you'd like one of our trained baristas to bring you - or your customers - a coffee while you man your doughnut stall, you can get in touch with your nearest Cafe2U van here.

How To Get Ready For The Jubilee Celebration

In February this year, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee in recognition of the unprecedented 70 years (and counting!) she has spent as head of state of the UK, the Realms and the Commonwealth.

To commemorate this momentous occasion, celebrations have been taking place throughout the year, culminating in a four day bank holiday weekend from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June.

Plenty of events and activities have already been organised across the UK but there's no reason you shouldn't gather your friends, family and neighbours together for a jubilee celebration of your own. Whether you're planning on throwing a garden or a street party, here are our top tips for ensuring your celebration is a right royal success.

Organising a Jubilee street party

As with any event, a fair amount of planning is required to ensure everything goes smoothly but the good news is that special dispensation has been granted, allowing anyone interested in hosting a street party to do so at any time over the bank holiday weekend, so no risk assessment will be required and you won't need a licence for consumption of alcohol, food or to play music.

That being said, you should still contact your local council at least six weeks in advance to find out if you need to complete an application form before the big day and to let them know if you want to put any temporary road closures in place. If you're planning on selling alcohol, you'll also need to check if you need a Temporary Events Notice - a short-term permission for licensable activities covering events of 500 people or fewer.

What to serve

The easiest way to ensure there's plenty of food to go round - and stop you having to spend all day in the kitchen - is to ask your guests to bring a dish. 

The most popular items for street parties consist of traditional finger foods like sausage rolls, cucumber sandwiches and egg and cress rolls but let's face it, if it's tasty, somebody will eat it, so really anything goes.

If you're planning something more formal, potato salads, giant pork pies and classic Victoria sponges are the way to go. However, if you are thinking of going more formal, you'll need to provide seating and tables, or ask your guests to bring their own.

When it comes to drinks, nothing says 'summertime celebration' like a jug of Pimms, packed full of fruit and fresh mint leaves. This recipe from BBC Good Food is a great place to start.

Wine and champagne are also fool-proof options, while soft drinks should be provided for non-drinkers and anyone under 18. And with the UK's famously unpredictable weather, you'll definitely want to have a range of hot drinks ready to serve.

Decorations

Nothing gets people in the mood for a party like colourful decorations and accessories, so get creative by hanging bunting between trees and around tables, and attaching red, white and blue bows, balloons and ribbons to chairs. Union Jack flags are essential too!

You can also bring tables to life by decorating them with vases, jars or milk bottles filled with flowers picked from your and your guests' gardens.

It's also important to get the party started by having a sound system ready to play music; if possible, set up a TV so your guests can watch the other celebrations taking place around the world too.

Organising a Jubilee garden party

Also known as 'the easier option', the requirements for organising a garden party are exactly the same as for a street party but on a smaller scale and without the need to run anything past the council first!

How Cafe2U can help

Whether you're hosting a Jubilee street party for dozens of people or a small garden party for your nearest and dearest, why not book one of our mobile cafés to come and handle the coffee-making duties for you?
Our baristas are trained to provide excellent customer service and to deliver the finest quality coffees. You can find your nearest Cafe2U van here.

The Best Coffee and Chocolate Combos for Easter

The Best Coffee and Chocolate Combos for Easter

Here at Cafe2U, we love treats that can be enjoyed with a cup of good coffee. So when Easter rolls around, our eyes light up, because if there's a tastier food and drink pairing than coffee and chocolate, we're yet to taste it.

If you need an excuse to get in the kitchen and make something indulgent this Easter weekend, why not have a go at making some of our favourite Easter bakes? We promise you won't regret it - and neither will your nearest and dearest!

Chocolate and coffee Easter cake
There's a lot to be said for a traditional simnel cake but if you serve this rich chocolate treat to your friends and family this Easter instead, this is the cake they'll be begging you to make every year from now on.

Ingredients

To make chocolate and coffee Easter cake, you will need:

For the cake:

- 200g margarine or softened butter

- 85g cocoa

- 140g self raising flour

- 200g sugar

- 4 freerange eggs

- milk

- chocolate mini eggs (optional)

For the icing:

- 300g icing sugar, sieved

- 100g butter, softened

- 40g cocoa powder, sieved

- 40ml very strong black coffee

- six squares of dark (70%) chocolate, melted

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 5, then grease and baseline two 20cm round cake tins. Then, in a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat thoroughly between each addition. Add the flour and cocoa, and continue to beat until fully combined. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a little milk.

Split the mixture between the two cake tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until risen. Remove and leave to cool in the tins, before turning out onto wire racks and letting them cool completely.

Next, make the icing by using an electric hand whisk on a slow speed to beat the icing sugar, cocoa and butter together. Add the milk, a little at a time, then beat in the chocolate. Turn the whisk to high and beat for 2 more minutes or until glossy. Use half the icing to sandwich the cakes together and the remainder to cover the top. Decorate with mini eggs and serve with a cappuccino for an indulgent afternoon pick-me-up.

Mocha chocolate slab

This easy-to-make Easter delight combines coffee with two kinds of chocolate for an eye-catching after-dinner treat.

Ingredients

To make a mocha chocolate slab, you will need:

- 400g white chocolate

- 100g 70% dark chocolate

- 2 tbsp good quality coffee beans

Begin by melting the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the water and the bowl never come into contact. In a separate bowl, do the same with the dark chocolate.

Next, line a baking tray with baking paper and pour the white chocolate into the centre. Using the back of a spoon, shape the chocolate into a rectangle (approximately 21 x 15cm). Drizzle over the dark chocolate and swirl into the white chocolate using a skewer to create a marbled effect, then scatter over the coffee beans and place in the fridge to set. Once set, break into pieces and serve with a latte for the final word in luxury desserts.

Coffee chocolate fondants

These show-stopping puddings are devilishly tasty yet deceptively simple to make.

Ingredients

To make six coffee chocolate fondants, you will need:

- 175g butter, plus extra melted butter for greasing

- cocoa powder, for dusting

- 175g good-quality dark chocolate

- 200g golden caster sugar

- 4 eggs

- 50ml good-quality black coffee

- 85g plain flour

- vanilla ice cream, to serve

First, heat your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, then use a pastry brush to grease six individual pudding basins and place in the fridge so the butter can set. Then grease again, dust with cocoa powder and set aside.

Next, melt the butter and chocolate together over a pan of lightly simmering water. In another bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until fluffy and light. Fold the chocolate and beaten egg together, then add the coffee and fold through the flour.

Divide the mixture between the pudding basins, then place on a baking tray and bake for 12 minutes until the mixture has risen and formed a crust. Turn the puddings out onto plates and serve immediately with vanilla ice cream and an espresso for a delicious twist on a classic Affogato.

Chocolate and coffee swiss roll

Give this timeless afternoon treat a new lease of life with the addition of strong coffee.

Ingredients

To make chocolate and coffee swiss roll, you will need:

For the sponge:

Butter for greasing

- 6 large free-range eggs, separated

- 150g golden caster sugar

- 50g good quality cocoa powder, plus extra to dust

- 50g good quality dark chocolate, melted

For the filling:

- 175ml double cream

- 35g icing sugar, sifted

- 1-2 tbsp strongly brewed coffee, cooled

- 15g chocolate covered coffee beans, finely chopped, plus extra, roughly chopped, to decorate

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, then grease and line a 30cm x 20cm swiss roll tin with baking paper. Put the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until thick and pale. Sift in the cocoa powder and fold to combine.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until the mixture forms soft peaks, then fold into the yolk mixture - one third at a time - using a metal spoon. Be careful not to knock out the air.

Pour the mixture into the swiss roll tin and bake for 15-20 minutes until risen and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly, then turn out onto a sheet of baking paper dusted with cocoa powder. While still warm, gently roll the sponge until you have a short, fat roll. 

To make the filling, combine the cream, icing sugar and coffee in a mixing bowl, then whip until it forms soft peaks, then fold through the chocolate-covered coffee beans.

Unroll the sponge, then spread with the cream, leaving a 1-2cm border and roll it up again, this time as tightly as possible. Sit the roll on its seam, still wrapped in the cocoa-covered paper and leave in the fridge overnight.

Remove from the fridge one hour before serving. Just before serving, remove the baking paper and dust with cocoa powder. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water and drizzle over the roll, then finish with more chocolate-covered coffee beans and serve with a mocha for an incredible chocolate experience.

Happy Easter from Cafe2U

We hope all our customers have a happy Easter and an enjoyable bank holiday weekend. There's usually plenty of chocolate to go around at this time of year but if you find yourself in need of some top quality coffee to go with it, contact your local Cafe2U van here and we'll deliver some direct to your door.

Why Franchising Remains a Good Option Despite the Cost of Living Crisis

As a result of the ongoing cost of living crisis, many people are experiencing financial worries and, if you're one of them, launching a business is probably the last thing on your mind.

However, if you've ever considered joining the franchise industry, here are a few reasons why doing so today could actually be a smart idea.

It's a Reliable Business Model

Franchisors enable franchisees to operate under an established brand with an existing customer base. This means that buying a franchise is both comparatively low-risk and, with 93% of franchisees in the UK running at a profit, potentially lucrative. 

Needless to say that, during a cost of living crisis, these are two of the most desirable characteristics a new business venture can possibly have.

You Receive Training and Support

By investing in a franchise instead of starting your own business, you will receive all the necessary training from the franchisor before your business opens, as well as access to ongoing support from the franchisor and other franchisees.

When you start your own business, you're essentially on your own, so having your franchisor's expert advice and experience to help you become established and deal with any issues further down the line is invaluable and increases the likelihood of your franchise being successful.

It's Easier to get Funding

In the eyes of the banks, franchises are generally considered to be a less risky route to business ownership, even when the economy is suffering. This means that, so long as you have a robust business plan in place, receiving the funding you need to get your franchise up and running can be reasonably straightforward.

There's Less Competition

When the economy is booming, more people are emboldened to take a risk on a new business venture. However, when finances are being squeezed, people are much less likely to take the plunge. This means that if you decide now is the right time for you to buy a franchise, you'll be competing with far fewer other new businesses than you would be than if the economy was booming, increasing your chances of cornering the market in your chosen industry.

Consumers Aren't Going Anywhere

Even with a significant proportion of the population currently having less disposable income, there are certain products and services that people just can't do without. This means that, as long as you do your research and pick a franchise that operates in an industry which consumers regard as essential, there will be a guaranteed market for you to tap into.

You're Motivated

If the cost of living crisis is negatively impacting you, you'll naturally be more careful with your money and investments so, if you decide now is the time to buy a franchise, you'll have an incentive and be even more motivated to make sure it's a success. 

Cafe2U Franchise Opportunities

Our CEO, Martyn Ward, gives his thoughts on why investing in a Cafe2U franchise could be right for you despite the cost of living crisis.

"At Cafe2U, we have a robust and proven business model. We do everything possible to equip new franchisees with all the tools they need to make their business a success, from training and support, to organising networking events with other franchisees, providing them with exclusive areas in which to operate and helping them advertise their business to drum up interest before it launches and ensure it gets off to the best possible start.

"What's more, we know for certain how effective our approach is - despite the UK's financial issues, our mobile vans set a new sales record just last week! For anyone questioning whether a business such as ours would continue to be profitable in the current climate - there's your answer.

"Consumers love good coffee come rain or shine and it is becoming increasingly apparent that there is still a large market for it despite the cost of living crisis - where people might previously have treated themselves to a pair of shoes or a new jacket, they're now treating themselves to a top-quality coffee instead to reduce their outgoings while still getting a well-deserved pick-me-up.”

If you're interested in investing in a Cafe2U franchise, click here for more information.

Best Coffee Pranks For April Fool's Day

The 1st of April is better known as April Fool's Day, the day on which it is entirely acceptable to play practical jokes on your nearest and dearest with total impunity.

Although not an officially recognised national day, April Fool's Day is bound by a couple of inflexible rules. The first is that the person playing the prank must expose their actions by yelling "April fool!" at the recipient once the deed has been done. The second is that all pranking must stop at noon; anyone playing a prank after midday is considered the April fool themself.

With a number of excellent coffee-centric April fool's pranks having been played over the years, we thought it was only right to present our favourites to you today. If you're reading this before 12:00, feel free to try them out on anyone in the vicinity - as long as you're sure they can take a joke!

The Not-so-sweet Tooth

It's not big and it's not clever but it is funny and it is effective. We're talking, of course, about the old sugar-for-salt switcheroo.

Yep, if you regularly make coffee for someone who likes a sugar or two in theirs, simply substitute the sugar for salt, then get out of the blast zone as they take a big, glorious gulp and try not to spray it back across the room when their taste buds realise what's going on. 

An oldie but a goodie, this classic prank is a jokers dream as it requires no forward planning apart from ensuring you have some salt. Just be prepared to make your victim a fresh cup afterwards to make amends.

The Wet Shirt

Perfect if you're collecting a takeaway order from your local coffee shop for an office full of people, all the ‘Wet Shirt’ requires is a pen or pencil to make some holes in a disposable cup. 

Simply select a victim out of those who have ordered an iced coffee, then make holes all the way around their cup, just above the fill line. As soon as they take a drink, the cold brew will spill out of the holes and into their lap, leaving them just stunned enough for you to make your escape before they realise what's happened

The Fake Spill

This sneaky prank involves making a fake coffee spill using paint and glue, then positioning it on your colleague's desk to make them think someone's knocked a fresh cup all over some of their treasured possessions, like their laptop or a stack of important paperwork.

Although this practical joke requires some forward-planning and additional materials to pull off, trust us, it's worth the effort. All you'll need is a coffee cup, some brown paint, PVA glue and greaseproof paper - check out this video tutorial to find out exactly how it's done.

The Prankless Prank

Sometimes the worst thing you can do to somebody is psychological, like making them believe you've played a trick on them when you actually haven't. In this case, all you have to do is wait for someone to take their first sip of coffee, then shout "April fool!" to convince them that their brew has been tampered with (which it hasn't). 

If you're a particularly good actor, they'll refuse to touch another drop and spend the rest of the morning on edge wondering what you're going to do next. This fine line between anticipation and mild anxiety is what April 1st is all about!

The joke's not on you!

That's right - we may enjoy a joke at Cafe2U but we take our coffee extremely seriously, so we'll be out and about on April Fool's Day as normal, delivering our top quality coffee wherever it's needed most. Contact your nearest van here.

Perfect Coffee Gift Ideas For Mother's Day

Mother's Day is here again so it's time to get your thinking caps on and try to find the perfect present for your mum.

But with flowers too obvious and chocolates no longer the treat they used to be, what should you buy? As is so often the case, the answer is caffeine-related - why not surprise her with one of the coffee-tastic Mother's Day gifts? 

Hand Grinder

For mums who like to roll their sleeves up and grind their own coffee beans, this mini coffee hand grinder is a must.

Light yet sturdy, easy to use, transportable and boasting a stainless steel finish, this grinder takes approximately one minute to transform beans into grounds, so your mum will feel like she's earned her brew by the time she's finished using it. 

Bean to Cup Coffee Machine

If you like to push the boat out on Mother's Day, this tasty little coffee machine from kitchenware specialist Lakeland could be just the ticket.

With touchscreen controls, built-in grinder and filter that allows it to take beans or grounds and a host of features including a 30-minute keep warm function and variable size and strength controls, this discreet coffee machine will enhance any kitchen with its contemporary design and delicious results.

Espresso Cups and Saucers

Every coffee drinker needs an espresso every once in a while and every espresso drinker needs some suitable cups. This cup and saucer set from Scandinavian company Nordic Nest is among the nicest around and your mum is guaranteed to love them.

Available in four different colours, the cups are stylish and sturdy, while the accompanying saucers are large enough to accomodate a wet teaspoon or, even better, a couple of carefully-stacked biscuits. Pick up a set here.

Coconut Coffee Liqueur

If there's one thing most mums love as much as coffee it's booze, so this coffee liqueur is sure to go down a treat on Mother's Day.

A delicious combination of coffee, rum, coconut and dark chocolate, this liqueur is fantastic added to a coffee for an after-dinner drink with a kick, served neat over ice as a cocktail or poured over vanilla ice cream as a dessert from the Gods.

A Prepaid Cafe2U Card

If your mum is a Cafe2U customer, why not pick up her tab for their next few visits with one of our gift cards? Better still, if you pay for five, she'll get the sixth completely free!

Get in touch with your nearest Cafe2U barista here.

Happy Mother's Day!

We'd like to wish a happy Mother's Day to all the mums out there. Our vans will be on the road as usual across Mother's Day weekend so get in touch if you need some coffee delivering and we'll bring it direct to your - or your mum's - door.

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Irish Coffees

Known across the world as Saint Patrick's Day, March 17th is the day on which Irish culture and heritage are celebrated in all their glory in commemoration of Saint Patrick, Ireland's foremost patron saint.

Saint Patrick was an Irish bishop who was kidnapped by Irish raiders and forced to work as a shepherd, during which time he found God. Tradition has it that God told Patrick to escape and head to the coast, where a ship would be waiting to take him home to Ireland. Upon his return, Patrick converted thousands of pagan Irish to Christianity, carving out the religious path that Ireland would follow for centuries to come.

Despite his death on March 17th, 461 A.D, his legend continued to grow and, in the 17th century, his death date was made an official Christian feast day observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and others.

Today, despite only being officially recognised as a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated all over the world. In fact, it's celebrated in more countries than any other national festival, with revellers typically enjoying public parades, traditional Irish music sessions, the wearing of green clothing and, of course, a glass or two of Irish beer, cider or whiskey. 

It's with the latter that we're concerned today.

According to legend, the first Irish coffee was created in the winter of 1943 by Joe Sheridan, a chef at Foynes Port near Limerick. During World War II, as the last port of call for seaplanes east of the Atlantic, Foynes became one of the largest civilian airports in Europe.

One evening, Chef Joe decided to make a warming drink with a kick for a group of weary passengers whose plane had been forced to return to Foynes midway through a journey. Not only did his combination of coffee, cream and Irish whisky go down a storm with the travellers, it went on to become one of the most popular alcoholic drinks of all time and one which is still enjoyed as an indulgent end-of-meal drink today and particularly on St. Patrick's Day.

So how do you make the perfect Irish coffee at home?

Irish Coffee Recipe

The saying goes that on St. Patrick's Day, everyone is Irish. If that's the case, there's no excuse for not giving this recipe a go this week. 

Ingredients

To make an Irish coffee, you will need:

• 2 tbsp double cream

• 150ml freshly brewed black coffee

• 50ml Irish whiskey

• 1 tsp brown sugar

• pinch freshly grated nutmeg

• mint syrup (optional)

Start by lightly whipping the cream until it starts to thicken, then set aside.

Next, pour the hot coffee into a mug then add the whiskey and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then float the cream on top by pouring it carefully over the back of a spoon held just above the surface of the liquid. Gradually raise the spoon as you pour until the entire layer is floated.

Finally, sprinkle with the nutmeg and serve hot. Add a dash of mint syrup for a green finish!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Our mobile baristas will be on the road as usual this St. Patrick's Day so, if you fancy making an Irish coffee and need some coffee delivering to your doorstep, contact your nearest Cafe2U van here and we'll do the rest. Sláinte!

The Top UK Franchising Trends

It's no exaggeration to say that the UK franchising industry is in rude health. Recent figures have revealed that it's both one of the most profitable in the country and one that is growing exponentially - in 2001, it contributed £5bn to the UK economy; today, that figure stands at £15bn, an increase of 200% in fewer than 20 years.

Following another positive year in 2021, in which the industry recovered impressively from the difficulties of the COVID outbreak and subsequent lockdowns of 2020, there's every reason to believe that 2022 will be another positive one for franchisors and franchisees alike. 

But what are the secrets of the most profitable franchises' success? We've highlighted some of the trends being adopted by them below.

Franchising Trends 2022

Before we get into the details, the first thing to mention is that all the current trends are geared towards growth. If 2020 was about survival and 2021 was about making a comeback, 2022 looks set to be the year when the most successful franchises consolidate and expand their businesses. 

This is how they'll be doing it:

By appealing to the growing number of prospective franchisees

As a result of the franchising industry's ongoing success and the fact that more than 50% of franchisees are now declaring an average turnover in excess of £250,000, interest in franchising is at an all-time high. Add in the fact that would-be investors are eager to make up for lost time when it comes to changing careers post-COVID and it's not hard to see why many people believe 2022 is set to be a year of major franchise growth.

So with an ever-growing pool of franchisees to attract, franchisors will be going all out to ensure they have the materials and systems in place to make their businesses as appealing as possible by creating strong marketing plans, installing expert franchise development teams and refining - or even completely redesigning - their websites.

By investing in public relations

This follows closely on from the previous point and offers significant benefits to those who can afford it.

Simply put, hiring a public relations (PR) company helps franchises communicate with the public or a specific target audience, increasing awareness of its image and improving its reputation and profile by positioning it as an expert in its field.

Although PR works hand-in-hand with marketing and advertising and has the same goal of securing the customers and sales necessary to increase the franchise's profitability, it differs from both by earning consumers' attention, rather than paying for it. To put it another way, adverts tell people how great your franchise is; PR convinces people to talk about how great your franchise is.

With growth at the top of franchisors' to-do lists, expect to see more and more of them adding PR teams to their pay-rolls.

By becoming more sustainable

With awareness of climate change and the threat it poses at an all time high, it has never been more important for organisations to reduce their carbon footprints and become as sustainable as possible. And, with prospective franchisees, employees and consumers all increasingly unlikely to deal with any company that isn't explicitly environmentally friendly, ensuring your franchise is as sustainable as possible has become non-negotiable if you want it to succeed.

While this is a trend which has been gaining traction for many years, 2022 is likely to be the year when record numbers of businesses become greener than ever, with shifts towards going paper-free by digitising records, using recycled/recyclable/reusable products and materials wherever possible and installing long-lasting LED light bulbs among the most common initiatives.

At Cafe2U, we're introducing zero emission electric vans to our fleet of vehicles, with the aim of becoming the UK's first carbon neutral coffee company.

By strengthening key relationships

Important in any year, strengthening relations with internal teams, other franchisees, suppliers and consumers is perhaps the most important trend for 2022.

Having reestablished key relationships in the aftermath of the pandemic, solidifying and strengthening them to ensure stability and repeat customers will almost certainly hold the key to business growth over the coming months.

Franchise Opportunities with Cafe2U

With the industry stronger than ever, now is the perfect time for people interested in investing in a franchise to leverage the strength of the industry and begin their journey towards becoming a franchisee.
At Cafe2U, our franchisees receive all the training and equipment they need to get their business up and running, as well as ongoing support, marketing advice and an exclusive area in which to operate. To find out more about our mobile coffee franchise opportunities, click here.

Best Pies to have with Coffee

Did you know that, in the UK, we each eat an average of 36 pies per year? Probably not, we imagine, but the fact that Brits eat a pie every ten days clearly shows why British Pie Week has become one of the country's favourite national awareness days.

Taking place from March 7th - 14th, Pie Week is designed to raise the profile of the humble pie even higher. Hot or cold, sweet or savoury, big or small, everyone has their favourite but one question still remains: which pies go best with coffee? We decided to not only find out but also tell you how to make them.

Banoffee Pie

When it comes to sweet pies, they don't come much sweeter than the legendary banoffee. These colourful delights go great with a coffee as a reward after a long day at work.

Ingredients

To make a banoffee pie, you will need:

• 4 bananas, sliced

• 394g caramel

• 300ml double cream

• dark chocolate (optional)

For the pastry, you will need:

• 100g butter, chilled (plus extra for greasing)

• 200g plain flour

• 1 medium egg, separated

• 1 tbsp golden caster sugar

Begin by preheating your oven to 190C/170C/gas 4, then make the pastry. Put the flour and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and sugar, then pulse again until mixed. Finally, add one tbsp at a time of very cold water - pulsing the processor after each tbsp - until the dough starts to come together as a single piece. When this happens, remove the dough and knead it with your hands until smooth. Wrap tightly with cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Next, grease a 23cm loose bottomed fluted tart tin, then roll the chilled pastry out onto a lightly floured surface and use it to line the tin. Leave an excess of approx a ½cm of pastry around the edge, then cut it to length with scissors. Place a piece of parchment paper on the pastry and weigh it down with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and brush the pastry with beaten egg white. Return to the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Fill the pastry case with half of the caramel, layer the sliced bananas on top, then add the rest of the caramel and place in the fridge. Whip the cream until thick and spread over the tart. Garnish with 2-3 pieces of finely grated dark chocolate and serve with a cappuccino to perfectly accentuate the bitterness of the chocolate and enhance the sweetness of the banana and caramel.

Roast Chicken Pie

Pork pies are sensational, obviously, but if you're going to the effort of making your own savoury pie, why not push the boat out with this chicken, bacon and leek filled classic? One of the greatest dishes ever created, this goes great with a frothy coffee when all you want to do is kick back and get comfortable.

Ingredients

To make a roast chicken pie, you will need:

For the pastry:

• 250g flour

• 1 tsp salt

• 60g cold butter

• 60g cold lard

For the filling:

• 1 whole chicken, rubbed with butter

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon, chopped into lardons

• 3 leeks, sliced into rounds

• 45g butter

• 45g plain flour

• 225ml milk

• 200ml chicken stock

• 100g petits pois

• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard

• 25g pack parsley, roughly chopped

• 1 egg, beaten, to glaze

Heat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 5, then season the chicken and roast for 90 minutes or until the juices run clear.

To make the pastry, sift the salt and flour into a bowl, then grate in the lard and butter. Rub the mixture with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs, then add 2 tbsp cold water. Continue to add cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the mixture binds together, then wrap tightly in cling film and leave to rest.

Next, in a large, non-stick frying pan, heat the oil and fry the bacon. Once browned, reduce the heat, add the leeks and cook until soft. Mix the butter and flour together and add to the pan, ensuring it coats the bacon and leeks. Gradually add the milk while stirring continually, then add the chicken stock and petit pois and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mustard and remove from the heat.

When the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes, then carve - discarding the skin and bones - and add to the pan along with the parsley.

Increase the oven temperature to 220C/200C fan/gas 6, then roll out two-thirds of the pastry and use to line a 25cm pie dish. Spoon in the filling, then roll out the remaining pastry for the pie topping. Brush the edges of the pie with water, then lat the top over it and crimp and seal the edges. Brush with beaten egg then make an X-shaped incision in the middle to allow the steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes until golden. Serve to hungry friends or family with a latte for maximum indulgence.

Apple Hand Pies

These irresistible golden treats are perfect hot, cold, on their own or served with cream or custard and are the perfect accompaniment to a strong cup of coffee.

Ingredients

To make five apple hand pies, you will need: 

• 2 cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into 3cm chunks

• 50g light brown soft sugar

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

• 25g salted butter, cubed

• 320g sheet of ready-rolled shortcrust pastry

• 1 tbsp cornflour

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 tbsp demerara sugar

Put a saucepan over a medium heat, add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until the apples soften. Tip the mixture into a bowl and leave to cool.

Unroll the pastry with the short side facing toward you, cut in half lengthways to make two rectangles, then cut each into five smaller rectangles.

Once cool, toss the apple mixture with the cornflour and spoon into the middle of half the pastry rectangles. Brush the exposed pastry around the mixture with some of the beaten egg, then carefully place the plain pastry rectangle on top of the filling, pressing down around the sides to encase. Seal the edges by crimping with a fork, then use just the tip of a knife to cut three lines across the top of the pies to allow steam to escape. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, arrange the pies on top and brush all over with more of the beaten egg. Chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. Next, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, brush the pies with the remaining egg, sprinkle with the demerara sugar and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Serve with an espresso for the ultimate pick-me-up.

The Pie’s the Limit!

Here at Cafe2U, we can't resist a good pie/coffee combo and we're sure you'll love it

too. To have some of our top-quality coffee delivered straight to your door, contact your nearest Cafe2U van here.

Best Pancake Recipes to Go with Coffee

Christmas pudding and Easter eggs are all well and good but let's be honest, no public holiday has better food associated with it than Pancake Day.

Whether you prefer them thin and covered in lemon and sugar or thick and fluffy with bacon, there's a pancake for everyone. And better still, they're the perfect accompaniment to a cup of coffee.

With that in mind, we've rounded up some of the best sweet and savoury pancake recipes the culinary world has to offer for you to make at home on March 1st and enjoy over a cup of the good stuff.

Polite pancake notice

If you're planning on making several pancakes and serving them up together, preheat your oven to a low heat and keep the pancakes warm in there - just place them on an oven-proof plate and cover with tin foil.

Cheese and ham pancakes

Not got much of a sweet tooth? No problem - these simple savoury sensations will have you counting the days until Pancake Day 2023. 

Ingredients

To make four cheese and ham pancakes, you will need:

• 200g plain flour

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 500ml milk

• oil, for frying

• 130g ham, cut into small chunks

• 150g cheddar cheese, grated

Start by combining the flour, eggs and milk with a generous pinch of salt in a large bowl. Next, heat a crepe or frying pan until very hot, add a little oil and swirl it around until evenly distributed. Ladle a spoonful of the pancake mixture into the pan, tipping it to ensure an even covering.

Cook for 30 seconds, then flip. Add some cheese and ham and cook until the cheese starts to melt. Sprinkle on a little black pepper and serve immediately with a freshly made latte.

Chocolate pancakes

Why are you wasting your time reading this bit?! CHOCOLATE PANCAKE RECIPE BELOW!!

Ingredients

To make 16 pancakes (that's right!), you will need:

• 225g self-raising flour

• 50g cocoa powder, sieved

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tbsp caster sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 400ml whole milk

• 100g dark chocolate chips

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 50g unsalted butter, cubed

First, mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and sugar together in a large bowl, then add a pinch of salt. Add the eggs and whisk until you have a smooth batter, then slowly whisk in the milk and mix in the chocolate chips. 

Next, heat a little oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan until sizzling. Using 2 tbsp of batter per pancake, cook for 2 mins until the pancake's surface starts to bubble. Flip and cook for 2 more mins, then serve immediately with a cappuccino. 

Top the pancakes with whipped cream, ice cream, berries or maple syrup if you really want to push the boat out.

Vegan banana pancakes

Everybody deserves to enjoy Pancake Day and this gluten-free recipe will have vegans licking their lips in no time.

Ingredients

To make 12 vegan banana pancakes, you will need:

• 1 large ripe banana

• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar

• ¼ tsp fine salt

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for cooking

• 120g self-raising flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• 150ml oat, almond or soya milk

• syrup, sliced banana and berries, to serve (optional)

Begin by mashing the banana in a mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar, salt and oil, add the flour and baking powder and mix thoroughly. Make a well in the centre and gently whisk in the milk until the batter combines and thickens.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the batter and fry on each side for 2-3 mins until golden, then serve with the syrup, sliced banana, berries and a black coffee.

Coffee pancakes

Because the only thing better than coffee and pancakes is coffee pancakes!

Ingredients

To make four coffee pancakes, you will need:

• 250g plain flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 large egg

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

• butter, to cook

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium sized bowl. Next, beat the egg and buttermilk together in a small bowl, then whisk in the instant coffee until completely blended. Combine with the dry mix and whisk until almost smooth.

Heat a heavy-set pan over a medium heat and add 1 tbsp butter. Add 4 tbsp of the batter and cook until bubbles form on the surface of the pancake. Flip and cook until golden brown, then serve with a little butter and your coffee of choice.

Celebrate Pancake Day with Cafe2U

We love a pancake (or three) at Cafe2U but don't worry, our mobile baristas will still be out on the roads on Pancake Day, so you can still have your favourite coffees delivered direct to your home or office. Get in touch with your nearest van to place an order here.

What Actually is a Cappuccino?

According to database company Statista, cappuccinos are UK consumers' second favourite type of coffee, with 48% of respondents picking one up when in a cafe or restaurant or on the go.

With so many being consumed every day, we thought it was high time we gave the foamy masterpiece some time in the spotlight.

Where Do Cappuccinos Come From?

The cappuccino originated in Italy and was influenced by the Austrian 'Kapuziner', which was made with whipped cream and various spices. 

The drink spread to Italy in the early 20th century, where the recipe was altered and perfected, resulting in the cappuccino we know and love today. Similar to a latte but with less steamed milk and more foam, cappuccinos comprise a shot of espresso with hot milk and a foamed milk topping. 

How Are They Made?

Although the methodology remains largely the same, cappuccinos do actually differ from country to country. 

For example, in Europe, the espresso is poured into a 150ml - 180ml cup - which usually has a handle - followed by a similar amount of hot milk, with foamed milk then added on top. In America, however, the cup tends to be significantly larger - approximately 360ml.

In Italy, the espresso/milk/foam ratios are stricter than in some other countries, with an authentic cappuccino comprising 25ml of espresso; the rest of the cup is equal parts milk and foam. The foam should measure at least 1cm in thickness. Elsewhere, however, you can expect your cup to be filled with ⅓ espresso, ⅓ milk and ⅓ foam.

Can You Make Them At Home?

Yes!

Making your own cappuccino at home is quick and easy. Simply heat a cup of milk in a saucepan over a medium heat until it bubbles but before it boils, then remove the pan from the heat and whip the milk with an electric whisk until it has 4-6cm of foam on top. Finally, make some espresso coffee, carefully pour the milk on top and enjoy!

Cappuccino2U

Making your own cappuccino is all well and good but let's be honest, nothing beats one which has been freshly prepared by an expertly trained barista. 

At Cafe2U, not only can we make an excellent cappuccino, we can even bring it to your door, regardless of where you are. To arrange a delivery from your nearest van, click here.

Valentine's Day Coffee Gift Ideas

Regardless of your relationship status, you're probably aware that Valentine's Day takes place on Monday, February 14th. If you're in a relationship and you've only just realised that Valentine's Day is just around the corner then a) you're welcome and b) don't panic - we've got some gift ideas that your significant other is sure to appreciate. Assuming they're a coffee connoisseur, that is! And if they're not, maybe it's time to reassess your life choices…

So read on to find out which coffee-related presents we're recommending this Valentine's Day.

Milk frother

For many people, the best coffees come topped with a glorious, thick, bubbly layer of foam. However, making coffee shop-quality foam at home is almost impossible without a good quality frother.

The good news is that a wide variety of them are available for home use these days and our favourite is Italian coffee company Lavazza's milkEasy frother. Not only does it produce fantastic results across its three settings, the milkEasy is also spacious without taking up much room on your kitchen side, quiet as a mouse and a doddle to clean. Brewtiful.

Coffee storage container

If your partner is a coffee lover, they'll almost certainly have a favourite coffee bean they like to keep a steady supply of in their kitchen. But getting hold of quality coffee counts for nothing if it isn't stored correctly, so why not pick them up a stylish storage container to help them keep their precious beans fresh by keeping them away from moisture, air, heat and light?

This stainless steel container from Coffee Gator is an excellent bit of kit, with a CO2 valve for freshness, a measuring scoop and, best of all, a date tracker to ensure the beans never go bad. It looks the business too and will have your other half wondering where it's bean all their life.

Something to read with their lunchtime brew

Having a coffee with friends is one of life's great delights but so too is enjoying one all by yourself, with nothing for company but peace, quiet, a couple of biscuits and a good book.

But if your significant other loves a good page-turner, finding a new one you're confident they'll enjoy can be a minefield. So what do you do? Get them a book about coffee, of course!

While there are literally hundreds to choose from, we had a great time reading Brian Williams' The Philosophy of Coffee. The brains behind the popular 'Brian's Coffee Spot' blog, this bright and breezy book takes a look at the culture and history of coffee in an accessible and entertaining way - perfect for a lazy afternoon on the couch. You can order a copy here.

Ceramic coffee cups

Something about fancy mugs just makes coffee taste better so what better way to say 'you mocha me so happy' this Valentine's Day than with a set of ceramic coffee cups?

These 320ml stacking mugs from Japanese company Kinto come in a range of colours, are the ideal combination of style and substance and are guaranteed to brighten up any coffee table. We're getting thirsty just looking at them!

A prepaid Cafe2U card

If your partner is a Cafe2U customer, you can pick up the tab for their next few visits with one of our gift cards; pay for five and they'll get the sixth completely free! Words cannot espresso how much they'll appreciate it.

Get in touch with your nearest Cafe2U barista here.

Happy Valentine's Day!

We love a bit of romance at Cafe2U, so we hope everyone has a great time on Valentine's Day. Our mobile baristas will be out and about all day as usual so get in touch if you need a cup of the black stuff delivering to your door.

Lattes, Camera, Action: The Most Iconic Coffee Moments in Movies

Following the unveiling of this year's BAFTA nominees - and with the shortlist for the Oscars due next week - we've been thinking about the best coffee scenes in our favourite movies.

From European art house films to Hollywood blockbusters, coffee has always been one of the most popular ways of setting a scene or defining a character, so we had plenty to choose from. 

Read on to discover our top 5…

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Everybody with even a passing interest in movies knows about Breakfast in Tiffany's, from Audrey Hepburn's little black dress to 'Moon River' and all the other iconic moments in between.

One such moment takes place in the very first scene. In it, socialite Holly Golightly exits a yellow New York taxi and makes a beeline for the window of luxury retailer Tiffany & Co. to gaze at the jewellery inside while drinking from her takeaway coffee cup.

While we'll never know how many people were inspired to pick up a coffee to go as a result of the film, one thing's for sure - drinking coffee has never looked cooler.

Pulp Fiction

Coffee features throughout Quentin Tarantino's black comedy/crime drama masterpiece, with two scenes standing out in particular. In one, Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta's characters try to distract attention from one of their misdeeds by complimenting their unhappy friend on the quality of his coffee, to no avail - he's the one who buys it; he already knows how good it is.

Even more famous is the opening scene in which a couple of armed robbers discuss plans to hold up the same diner in which they're currently drinking bottomless coffees with their breakfasts. All together now: "Everybody be cool, this is a robbery!"

Don't be alarmed though - drinking coffee doesn't increase your chances of becoming a career criminal.

Coffee and Cigarettes

Let's face it, you'd be pretty annoyed if you bought a ticket for a film called Coffee and Cigarettes and it didn't have anything to do with the black stuff!

Filmed before smoking was outlawed in cafes, this low-key classic is a collection of short films about people meeting up for, you guessed it, coffee and cigarettes while discussing an enormous array of topics, such as Paris in the '20s, caffeine popsicles, the cult of celebrity, acoustic resonance and many more. 

With an incredible cast including Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Steve Buscemi, Steve Coogan and members of hip-hop collective the Wu-Tang Clan, this film is all the proof you need that catching up for a chat with a friend over a good cup of coffee is the cure to many of life's ills.

Thor

When Thor, the God of thunder, is cast out of his kingdom and forced to live among mere mortals on Earth, he soon realises he's going to have to get on board with some human traditions if he's going to fit in with his new surroundings.

Under the watchful eye of a caring scientist, Thor tries his first sip of coffee while visiting a local diner and is instantly hooked, loudly proclaiming his love for it before getting carried away, smashing his mug on the floor and demanding more. We know how you feel, big guy.

The Usual Suspects

If you've seen Bryan Singer's Oscar-winning thriller/crime/whodunnit classic, you'll already know exactly which scene we're talking about. And if you haven't seen it, go and watch it before somebody spoils the ending for you!

The film concerns a weary, coffee-fuelled U.S. Customs agent's attempts to uncover how a ship with nearly 30 people on board ended up on fire in a dock in LA by interrogating one of its only survivors. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that a mysterious criminal overlord is behind the whole thing but it's not until the final scenes that the agent figures out the kingpin's true identity.

As he finally puts two and two together, he freezes and drops his latest cup of coffee to the floor in disbelief, all in glorious slow motion. While it's a shame to see a good cup of joe go to waste, there's arguably never been a more iconic coffee scene in the history of cinema.

What are your favourite coffee scenes in films?

Like most people, we love a good movie but let's face it, our expertise is in coffee, not cinema! If we've overlooked one of your favourite coffee scenes, let us know on our social media channels and we'll be sure to give it a watch on our next movie night.