The BB cafe

[Kazzl]

The BB cafe is open for business!
Welcome all to a new chill and chat place for everyone on the forum.

The BB cafe is whatever you want it to be. There are comfy sofas, tables and chairs, coffee machines, a kitchen stocked with everything. There's a pool outside, a bbq area, an annexe with comfy beds for a quiet sleep, tv, dvd, books and whatever else you would like to have here.

Most of all, it's a place to meet friends and fellow travellers for a bit of company. Talk over problems, tell jokes, share your day, escape into a world of your making. Grab a coffee and pull up a chair ... 

So, with a nod to the wonderful Carole King (Hard Rock Cafe) ...

Now if you're feeling just a little bit lonely
Don't sit at home just mopin'
Come on down to where the friendship flows freely
You know the door is always open

At the BB cafe
Come to the BB cafe
They will help keep your blues at bay
At the BB cafe

Important Message from ModSupport: 
The main intention of the BB Cafe is to encourage light conversation. Please look after your fellow community members by nuturing the BB Cafe as a place to escape some of the more pressing issues in life and save those conversations for personal threads. 

[mmMekitty]

I'm always putting on the big pot to make enough for the Cafe, no worries.  We eventually got a little rain, but today it is clear & sunny. So little gets in pver the northern windowsill now, *sigh*

I'm happy when I will not freeze getting in& out of my shower. 😸But I thought it was still too cold when the arch of my foot cramped up - I have to ensure feet are thoroughly dry, between toes, before i can put on socks again. It was a struggle getting my foot relaxed again.

Earlier I was online food shopping, & trying to think of something for an upcoming birthday.

& while shopping, I discover my coffee has had a price rise of 50%. I guess I'm giving up coffee. It's going to be hard, but really - a 50% price hike? Maybe just some milk, or squeezing an orange, & diluting (as I do anyway) with soda water? Trouble is oranges come with their own natural sugars, & can't be substituted for sweetener.  Soups work out too expensive for a morning ritual. I really haven't worked out what I'd like instead of my big cuppa coffee in the morning.

At least the iceberg lettuce was down to $5.50 each, where I live. If I could send some to where it is more expensive, I would love to... 

*

Yay to the soccer winners!!😺Well done.

💖💖💖💖

mmMekitty

[ecomama]

Hey Kitty, you are a very resourceful person. Yep I've noticed the crazy price hikes in food too. Ugh. 

IDK if you have an ALDI close by you? 
We have one super close. 
I LOVE their decaf instant coffee! It's so creamy even without cream lol. 
I think it was only $4.50 when I bought it last time. $12.50 in the different supermarket for the same sized jar, so no way. 

I can't have much caffeine at all. 

I also grabbed a huge bag of Sushi rice at ALDI. IDK maybe 5 or 7kg lol under $10.
I love making Nigiri, it feels good for us to eat. Whether it is or not doesn't matter lol. It's not take away so that's that. 
I freeze whole bags of rice to store safely. 

Soups yeah, my kids won't eat cans of soup (cheeses)... it has to be home made. We have our faves. Mine is minestrone with barley cooked in the slow cooker. LOVE barley. It's so filling too. 

Take care
Love EMxxxx

[mmMekitty]

Hi EM & everyone,

I don't have an ALDI within walking distance, & unfortunately, their website is so very difficult & it seems they do not offer home delivery...yet...I just went onto their website, & googled Aldi coffee & found various flavours of coffee capsules, 16 per pack, so I don't think hat is what you are buying. I can't figure out how to find more (if any) coffee on their site. 

& I google 'Nigiri' & that sounded fine, if I could leave off the wasabi.

I'm imagining you have a very big, like industrial size, freezer - or are you using Croix's iceberg?

 mmMaybe, at my place, at some point, I'd be explaining to the kikds, if they want homemade soup, they'd better get on with learning how to cook it. I've often thought how great it might have been if I could stand to be in the kitchen with my (ex-)step-mother, & had learned how to cook from her. I know, she used a lot of recipes, & that is a legitimate way of cooking, & that eventually I would not want to be so rigid, & not mind if things were not the same everytime I made them. It still could have given me a much better foundation for my experimental cooking today. I have no patience for learning it all anew now.

💖💖💖💖

mmMekitty

[ecomama]

Nigiri is SO YUMMY, there's no need for wasabi lol. 
We love the Kewpi mayonnaise for these. Also sweet chilli sauce, Mirin, Vietnamese dressing... Alexa makes the best dipping sauce in the world lol - her own recipe.  

Pretty sad there's no ALDI near you! Wow they don't do home deliveries yet - so surprised! 
I'm the only one in the house that drinks tea and decaf, yes it was instant decaf granules I was talking about. 
Most "Home Brand" tea is yuck to me, same with all the decafs too but it was so surprising the ALDI decaf was the nicest flavour I've ever tasted. 

I hear you. I most definitely was banned from cooking in the kitchen of my childhood. I had to learn, am self taught. 
I involved my own kids with cooking and cleaning up since 1yo, sitting up on the kitchen bench with a wooden spoon and mixing bowl as babies. 
They are all very good at cooking, but all working and studying now, so seldom make a whole dinner for everyone, it happens but not often. 
I LOVE the soups we make at home too! lol. 
I have to cook and / or bake every day. It's just a part of life for me, it's far too expensive for me any other way. 

All good! 

Have a wonderful week Kitty and everyone, 
Love EMxxxx

[sbella02]

mmMekitty,

I don't think that's boring at all, I find it super interesting learning about what people get up to during the day. Unfortunately for me, my routine doesn't really vary that much day to day, between uni work, paid work, gym and occasionally heading out with friends. 

Ecomama,

Baking is such a cool hobby, I wish I knew how to make something other than toast or a sandwich. What's your favourite thing to cook?

Speaking of soup, today at the BB Café I think I'll treat myself to a nice warm bowl of chicken soup, that sounds divine. 

[On The Road]

Good evening everyone

I do drink tea sometimes, I agree with EM that most home brand teas or coffee are yuck😂 

No one around me loved baking or ate anything homebaked, we just bought bread or brownies from the bakeries.  Shokupan (Japanese milk bread) is one of the best things I ever had 😋 

and I'll have what sbella02 had tonight at BB cafe: a warm chicken soup bowl! 

[mmMekitty]

Hi OTR, SB, EM, & everyone,

I like how thie people come here, with knowledge of things have not heard of, & I get curious enough to go off & google, & learn something new, almost every day! 'Shokupan' is next in the search box. 😺 I like the idea of milk bread, sounds yummy.

Instead of one day to treat myself, I'm taking at least three this year! Why not, since that was the plan last year, but I was feeling too uncomfortable about staying in a hotel with COVID being the concern it was, & this year not looking much better to me... doh! Maybe next year?

So as constricted as I feel, I'm treating myself. I got a couple triple choc muffins, some thick custard, some cheesey pretzels, & some (what I hope is) Tiramisu. Not the ice cream version I had, but another brand, so I am hopeful. It was either that or finding a place to order online & have delivered, (but I don't want an app on my phone). & I intend to make myself a little pizza again, with a store-bought base. I know that'll be pretty good. I have enough treats for three days at least! Happy, happy to me - I'm approximately 63! (Not telling exact date). 😹

Anyone want a share? You better be quick.

Warmly,

💖💖💖💖

mmMekitty

mmMekitty 

[ecomama]

Lol Kitty, I think I read your cryptic post correctly... did I? 
If so HAPPY BIRTHDAY! For whatever date your birthday is on lol. Miss Approx 63 lol, you're so funny. 
I'm so glad you bought yourself some yummy treats. Awesome! 

Hey sbella, it's so worthwhile having a go at cooking something or baking something. It's been more of a necessity than a hobby tbh lol. But it's a terrific set of skills to have. 
It's a loaded question asking what my "favourite" thing to cook is... I'd probably rather not cook at all lol!!!
Butttt upon thinking more about it... I have 3 tops: 
* Moroccan Orange and Almond Cake - takes 8-12 eggs, whole oranges, almond flour. BEST eaten with King Island Cream IMO, 
* Arancini - made from left over risotto (I always make a double batch of risotto for Arancini). Only with mozzarella cubes in the centre and only with Panko breadcrumbs as the coating, 
* Nigiri - our latest fave, with avocado and chicken schnitzel or crumbs minute steak on top. Nori as the wrap around. 
BUT these take me 2-3 days from beginning to end result, due to time constraints.
DON'T panic! Hahaha there are REALLY easy and usually quick recipes over on the Easy Peasy Recipes Thread lol. 

OTR, that Japanese bread sounds so interesting! I have some Middle Eastern bread recipes I'm going to have a go at when I'm next on Leave. 

FUTSAL Night! I can hear the BB Cheer Squad already lol. 
Love EM

[Paw Prints]

Happy Happy mmMekitty 🎂🎈🎁

Hugs

Paws

[mmMekitty]

Futsal!👏👏Futsal!👏👏Futsal!👏👏YAY!!