Wild Timor Cafe, Coburg

Lately I have enjoyed visiting Wild Timor Cafe in Coburg a few times.  It is slightly South of the main shopping strip, which I imagine is very convenient for the people living down that way.  It is also just near a second hand book shop and the St Vincent de Paul opportunity shop.  It is a cafe run by the Wild Timor Coffee Company that was set up in East Timor to help sustain local villagers.  So you can have your ethical coffee and then head off for a spot of sustainable shopping too.

I checked back through my photo archive and found that I had been here for a beetroot chckpea burger with kale and tahini in 2015.  It seemed so long ago but I remember enjoying the meal which I had with my mum.  The  menu has changed since then but they still do burgers, albeit haloumi burgers right now.

 

I was surprised at how little the interiors seem to have changed according to my photos 7 years ago (from which I have spared you).  They still had the blue tiles by the counter and distressed brick walls but they are looking fresh so I guess thay have had a refresh since I visited.  I think the blackboard is new.

I recently met a friend there and could not resist trying the drink special: bubblegum kombucha.  It was a weird combination of a modern health drink and childhood junk food.  The bubble gum flavour was there in the chemical artificial way it is in a stick of gum.  Once was enough but it was fun to try.

My friend Kerin was slightly late and sent a text asking me to order her a dirty chai latte.  It was the first time I had heard the term and had to check if it was a typo.  So I learnt it means chai latte with the coffee!  And I had the fruit toast with butter.  It was delicious.  A little like brioche.  Soft and rich with a hint of lemon.

I met Faye there for lunch a few weeks later.  She chose the vegan version of the Breakfast burrito: spinach tortilla stuffed with mushrooms, beans, advar relish, avocado, jalapeno and tomato salsa, and red cabbage slaw.  It looked impressive and she was happy with it.

I was tempted by the Hola hibernation bowl, a tex mex combo of beans, corn, rice, avo, rice and more.  But instead I chose the Wild poke bowl of brown rice, edamame, cucumber, cabbage, carrot ribbons, broccoli, avocado, lemon, pickled radish and ginger, marinated tofu, with a creamy vegan dressing.  It needed the extra dressing and lemon but was lovely and healthy.

And then I met Kerin there again and had the watermelon and rhubarb juice which was superb.  Refreshing and great flavour.  I also ordered the special: Polenta bites with rocket and chilli tomato sauce.  I would have liked them crispier but otherwise they were pretty good.

Update May 2023: I had these amazing French Toast with berry compote, seasonal fresh fruit, orange cream and caramelised bananas on the side.  It was the perfect way to warm myself up on a cold morning and so satisfying.  I am not usually a baked bananas person but these were wonderful with the rest of the dish.  I think it was on the specials.

Good food.  Friendly staff.  The space is not huge and can fill quickly on weekends but is worth a visit.

Wild Timor Cafe
282 Sydney Rd, Coburg  VIC  3058
Hours: 8am - 3pm
wildtimorcoffeecoburg.com

In My Kitchen: June 2022

I am in denial that is is June and just about halfway through the year, even though the recent chilly weather had hit us with peak winter.  We have been spoiled by mild weather this year until recently and now we are digging out coats, winter woollies, and brollies.  Mortgage rates are up and we face huge spices in gas prices.  May was busy with Mothers Day, crystal craft, the nervous wait for the Federal Election, pub lunches at work, lost glasses, flu injection and doctor appointments for asthma.

The top photo is of most of the Darrell Lea mother's day pack that Sylvia gave me for mothers day.  Almost all of it has now been eaten.  I enjoyed lots of chocolate and licorice.

There is still not heaps of cooking happening, although a few more stews and side salads.  I am trying to cut down on the beige.  Above is a meal of haloumi chips with aioli, hash brown, and coleslaw.  

We have this sort of "fresh" ravioli or agnolotti pasta pasta -about once a week right now.  Usually we have spinach and ricotta but I was excited to find this broccoli and potato version recently.  I quite enjoyed it with garlic olive oil, brussel sprouts, peas, baby spinach, brie, parmesan and seasoning.  I really liked how the brie melted to make a creamy sauce that pulled it all together.

This is a winter montage.  A cheese and vegemite pie from Zaatar for a warming lunch.  A lime off our tree and one of my favourite pears in season - Packham Pears.  Bike lights are a must at this time of year when it gets dark so early.  And a friend gave me that cute knitting badge.  I really need to find my knitting mojo this winter!

I bought these"Veggie Snaps because I was curious.  Occasionally I have bought veggie chips fro the health food section at the Supermarket.  I was interested to see how Thins do it, as a more mainstream chip company.  The "snaps" were closer to regular crisps - ie thinner and more processed.  Nice but really really salty.

My mum gave me this zuccchini relish that she made.  It is really nice change from the tomato relish we often have in the fridge.  Great with pastry and fritters.

Being back at work last month, I find that making lunch is hit and miss.  I sometimes find some leftover stew in the freezer and occasionally make a sandwich.  This sandwich was made after I roasted some pumpkin.  It was excellent with relish, baby spinach and cheese.

I bought this crystal ring making kit for Sylvia.  She enjoyed making rings with it.  I enjoyed just looking at all the pretty colours.

Once Sylvia had made lots of new rings she needed somewhere to keep them.  She made saltdough to shape into bowls.  Once baked (I think they took about 4 hours at 120 C) and cooled, she painted them.  They look great on her desk.

 

On 21 May we had the Federal Election.  Above are a selection of How to Vote brochures that I was handed on the gates of the school where I went to the voting booth.  For those who don't have preferential voting like in Australia, we have political parties handing out a list of their recommendations on what order to vote the candidates.  And elections mean democracy sausages (ie fundraising BBQs) and cake stalls.  The selection of cakes I bought is also in the above photo.

I made us nachos for dinner on the evening of the Election.  It is so long since I made nachos I forgot to buy avocados.  But I enjoyed the rapid refried beans with them.  And I made some limeade to serve with them.

This election the preferences had a lot of sway over who won seats.  It was notable not just for change of government but also for the high percentage of votes that went to the minor parties and independents.  It was such a nail biting wait to hear the election called for the Labour Party.  So it took me a while to get over my election nerves and join an interstate friend on a zoom election get together! 

We had a work morning tea for IDAHOBIT Day.  (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia - I still have to look this up to write out the full name.)  I loved the Licorice Allsort Slice I made for IDAHOBIT last year, I made it again.  It delivered yet again.  However I kept some at home which Sylvia liked ... without the chocolate on top!  I don't get it!  The combination of licorice allsortsand chocolate is the best bit.  At least it was appreciated at work!

And there was also Mother's Day.  I thought it was a bit cynical to call this marketing ploy of calling the Strawberries and Cream Twist Yoghurt, the Mother's Day Edition.  I liked the sound of the flavour but did not break it open on Mother's Day.  I went to Geelong to see my mum and eat roast potatoes, eggplant bake, and cauliflower cheese, pavlova and cheesecake with family.

When I got home on Mothers Day I had some stewed rhubarb from my mum.  I stirred in raspberries and made a rhubarb and raspberry sponge to share with Sylvia.  We had leftovers for a couple of nights.  I didn't get to photograph it til the last night when it was past its best.  It was our first dessert, despite the weather not getting ridiculously chilly til the end of May.

A few weeks later, I mixed some farmers market strawberries and soft peeled pears with lime juice and maple syrup.  I baked this with this crumble topping.  It wasn't my finest crumble - too much butter in the crumble and too much liquid in the fruit.  However a fresh baked dessert is always delicious and we enjoyed it with the uncrumbly crumble and extra juicy fruit.

 

Lastly, here is our cat, Shadow, coming through the new cat door in our security door.  He is loving being able to go in and out even when the security doors are shut.  Of course it will be even better in the warmer months but we are already loving it.  The photo is not in the best focus as I needed a long focus to catch him in the act!  If you know cats, you know that they never deliver when you want so you need to catch them unawares!

 
I am sending this post to Sherry of Sherry's Pickings for the In My Kitchen event.  If you would like to join in, send your post to Sherry by 13th of the month.  Or just head over to her blog to visit more kitchens and her wonderful hand drawn header.