Happy Moments at Crust2Crumb, La Romain

Crust2Crumb's apple pecan cupcake
Photo credit: Yash 

Finally got around to this.

Breakfast is a concept I have only recently started to embrace, more because breakfast includes coffee, which is undeniably a daily morning ritual. With my calamitously busy week, my days off are filled with errands but before errands I make it a point to stop, have a cup of coffee and maybe a cheese puff (my favourite coffee go-with) or if I really want to live on the edge - an omelette or pancakes!

My usual breakfast nook - well, I have given that particular place a rest. Too crowded on a good day, but more because there was only so much of the surly service that I could reasonably take without doing more than sucking my teeth. 

So while I would pass Crust2Crumb on Dumfries Road, La Romain almost every Saturday morning on my way to the supermarket, I never stopped in to check it out until a few weeks ago. Admittedly, it was not a breakfast stop but a "Today sucks and I need a few minutes to compose myself" stop, but baby steps.

First off, the place was quiet. Located on Dumfries Road, it is away from the real hustle and bustle of San Fernando (though the traffic before the traffic lights is never cute) and there was parking, there was a corner table (major!), there was a nice peaceful ambiance. Already an A+. Even when filled, it is not overbearing which I can live with. With it being Carnival season here in Trinidad, the festive Carnival motif is very cool.

Service-wise - another A+. There was a smile, there was willingness to be of assistance. This is so important to me. I cannot bear bad service and I have no problem whatsoever in calling someone out on it or complaining about bad service - though in Trinidad, that sometimes makes no sense.

The coffee. Perfect. Along with an award winning cheese puff, I had a hazelnut latte - a break from my regular cappuccino or mochaccino. It was clearly prepared with patience and love, as was the awesome puff. I also gave their Mocha a gold star HERE.

My hazelnut latte and my cheese puff - coffee break of the stars!

I would try their breakfast and lunch menus later - with a preference for their breakfast menu, which is simple but to the point. Again, ever so accommodating, I got mushrooms in my omelette when the menu did not have mushrooms listed. You also have options like pancakes in banana, blueberry and chocolate chip, Eggs Benedict, English Breakfast - eggs, bacon and sausage (no baked beans?) as well as local options such as bhaigan (eggplant) choka, tomato choka and saltfish buljol.

Omelette complete with veggies and mushrooms

Lunch is good. Though they only teased us with the gourmet pizza menu on the afternoon (no pizzas when we were there), there is a salmon and cream cheese pizza that everyone wanted to try. I stuck with a roasted vegetable soup (and a cheese puff - see how real the puff love is?) while the fish and chips and chicken breast, garlic and cheese panini went down well around the table. Though not a huge sandwich person in general, I have committed to trying their Aussie burger one of these days - which from all accounts seems to be quite a hit. 

Roasted vegetable soup -lunch of choice on the day

Red velvet cupcake for the win!

And last but not least, their desserts are awesome. Stop in, have a coffee and a cupcake - maybe a double chocolate or a red velvet or an apple pecan. Have a slice of carrot cake - don't mind that you will need to run from San Fernando back to Port of Spain to burn that off, such is the decadent look of it. Swap your coffee (never!) for a fruit smoothie or a coffee chiller. 

They also do cakes for order, and take tea plate orders as well.

Whether you fancy a morning breakfast before getting your day started, a lunch far from the madding crowd, or just a coffee break alone with your thoughts, I think Crust2Crumb is an excellent option for whatever your life wants while in the Southland. Always happy when my side of the island brings on more amazing options for socialising or reflecting over food or a cup of coffee and a puff!

Crust2Crumb - Corner Dumfries Road and Arjoonsingh Drive, La Romain.

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Cue Rocky Music - This Week's Gladiator Moments

While my days are often challenging, as part of my 2015 mission to look for the positives, here are the winning moments from this week:

Did my 4.19 km with no regrets

Not passing out on my return to the Queen's Park Savannah
I hate running. Like seriously hate it. I am not a fan of working out on the whole but being able to tell my doctor this morning that I had made a small dent in the weight gain he so scoldingly jotted down in my file last year, was a bit of a victory.

Before this week, my return to fitness was limited to the gym - the treadmill primarily. My mission was to build up some level of endurance in the privacy of the gym before going out in public and embarrassing myself. lol. I had put it off long enough though and after hitting the sack early on Sunday, I donned my battle gear, with some new fat busting tunes on the MP3 player, and hit the asphalt dark and early on Monday morning - determined.

The first day was rough, I will not lie. There is an old guy who was committed to showing me that he was much fitter than I was. I was committed to not letting this old man pass me. And so we went, but the cramps near Kapok did me in and as he passed me, I could see the glee and the smirk on his face as he claimed victory. By Wednesday though, even though physically exhausted, I managed to get back into a rhythm and finished strong.

(cue Rocky music)

Being generally healthy this week
My eating habits are a daily struggle and I treat them as such. I generally do eat well. My meals themselves are top notch for keeping it healthy. My problem has always been snacking. I bought 2 heaps of these lovely portugals both for juicing purposes as well as for snacking purposes. I did have brownies during the week and a cupcake today but this is victory nonetheless.

They sold me the sweetest portugals ever! Major win!

My happy corner at work
Cue free flowers and my happy corner on my desk was a major win. One has to do what one can to keep the smurfiness flowing, so the flowers were a welcome addition to my snack/tea/aromatherapy nook.

My little animals, my honey and my tea, my clusters, my water, lotions, nail polish. Perfect!

A perfect cafe mocha
I love coffee. I love chocolate. I love when coffee and chocolate come together in a perfect union. Unfortunately, this perfect union is hard to find, mainly because most times when I order a cafe mocha, I get a cup of hot, sickeningly sweet mess. Then I have to add water, dilute the espresso shots, negate the point of the drink in the first place. But Crust2Crumb gets a special award for a perfectly drinkable mocha today, to go with the awesome red velvet cupcake. This is why they are my new to-go place for coffee when I am on my side of the island.

Awesome Red Velvet cupcake to go with my perfect mocha

Saying hello to Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan in The Fall
So I continue this Netflix lethargy on lazy evenings, and I decided to try The Fall - a BBC crime drama series with Scully and the guy who will play Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey (never read the book(s) and have zero interest generally). I love love love Gillian Anderson and she is so good in this. The perfect Ice Queen. Strong, commanding, but still beautiful and feminine.

Gillian Anderson as Stella Gibson in BBC's The Fall

I am a bit hooked though not to the extent that I am hooked on Downton Abbey!

Simple victories this week - I don't ask for much! Hoping next week will be even better.

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Tobago Weekend Eats and Treats

I stayed at a self-catering apartment on my last trip to Tobago, but a carton of Dewlands Red Grape juice was the full extent of my meal preparation. While, I ventured to a few regular spots, I also had -

Dinner at Caffe Mia in Lowlands, Tobago. So we ventured to this spot after all the rave reviews about the food - something about it being the best food on the island was uttered somewhere by someone. After sorting out which place this was (minor culinary mix up), it was easy enough to find. One thing I absolutely adore about Tobago is that when I unconsciously during the "beat the traffic rush" walked out of my holiday rental wearing my bright orange shower slippers to go to dinner, I did not panic, except out of vanity. Noone cared. The only person who cared that I was wearing orange rubber flip flops with a green maxi dress, under which one could barely see the offending slippers anyway, was me. Tobago is just that kind of place - laid back, chill, awesome.

So we get there, and the place is small, but cosy. Very reminiscent of European cafe dining, with a patio that sits right on the road. The street is quiet enough that there is no real threat of traffic fumes and kicked up dust. The waitress, Patrice - a real ray of sunshine. So very warm and helpful. I ordered the calamari to start, and the spaghetti ai pollo as my main. I must say though, after all the hype, I was really disappointed. Maybe it was an off night or the fact that I saw who I assumed was the chef entertaining friends, but the meal was not the best. The calamari was super super super salty, as was my main, which was still edible, but just a bit too much salt. The portion sizes - generous. Just too much salt. I however, did not write off the place and will try it again.

Fried calamari 

For breakfast, Kariwak. I had written off Kariwak many years ago after spending time there for a conference and the meal prepared for us after a long day left a lot to be desired. This was back in maybe 2004. Yep. I am brutal like that when I have a bad experience. Needless to say, this was not my first choice for breakfast but I conceded to friendship. I know there are many who worship Kariwak and their foodie goodness, and I will admit, breakfast was pleasant. I am not really a breakfast person so I kept it simple with a basic omelette and some bread and coffee, but I stole some of my friend's coconut bake after the fact and it was lovely. Service was a bit slow and I hate that we attribute this to it "being Tobago". I cannot support that. But hey...it is what it is.

Breakfast at Kariwak Village, Tobago

Then I also tried a new patisserie on Store Bay Local Road - J'adore Patisserie. I had passed it during my trek back to my car after the John Legend show, when you cannot help but see the sights around you during your stroll. lol. I popped in one afternoon to check it out. Really clean and sleek interior and nice presentation of treats - mostly desserts.  I will say, the girls - warm and willing.I enjoyed my vanilla cone and mocha while people watching at the window, including the spontaneous church service at the side of the road, to which the shop owner jokingly commented, "I wonder if I give them pastries, if they will be quiet." He didn't but it earned him a chuckle and made my treat that much sweeter.

Assortment of desserts at J'adore Patisserie, Store Bay, Tobago

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Kitchen Porn: Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

For the past few weeks as you know, I have been eating better, and this has included no alcohol and no dessert.

No alcohol - not as hard for me as it may be for some, as I am not a huge drinker, but I do love a nice cocktail on a Friday afternoon or a glass of wine every once in a while. I mean, I CAN have it. I just choose not to right now. Saving up...

No dessert - this is a bit harder. lol. Snacking has always been my problem, and while I prefer salty snacks over sweet stuff, I do like a nice cake or Haagie moment. This being said, I have only had one Haagie moment in 3 weeks, after a bad day at work last week - and that was a Haagie mini cup I have had in the "rescue me from life" box in the freezer for the past month. However, I have been dreaming of cake and thus decided to try my hand at a dessert where I had the control. Enter the Greek Yogurt Cheesecake.

So while it is not a fat buster, it is not coming in at the whopping 710 calories minimum at which the regular cheesecake comes in with no kinda shame. I wanted to bake but also wanted to be able to eat whatever I baked.

So again, I am poor with measurements so I will send you to the pros at the end of this, but I started with some wheat digestives, pecans, rolled oats and cinnamon. This crust was going to be to my specifications and you can do as you like with yours. Threw it all in the processor and got me some crumbs, to which I added some butter.

Now, seeing that I had never made this before, and in fact had never even made a real cheesecake before either, I was not committing to a full cheesecake but instead decided on minis, so I thumbed my crumb mixture into some cupcake liners. Thrust these babies into the oven for 5 minutes and then took them out to cool.

Next, the filling and I added 2 cups of vanilla Greek yogurt, as this was the closest to plain that Hi-Lo had available (just lucky they had any at all as last week there was no Greek to be found) to a bowl.

Next I added some Angostura bitters, 1.5 eggs (1 full egg and the white of the other), some lemon zest and a tsp of custard powder as I did not have cornstarch. I tell you, I am an innovator. lol. Whip whip with the hand mixer. Note, no sugar anywhere in all this innovating - the ingredients themselves have more than enough.

I poured my Greek mixture into my cooled crumb cups, and using about 4 tbsps of the mixture, I added some chocolate powder, so I could make some pretty swirls in my mini-desserts. Note - unsweetened.

Thrust these babies into the oven at 340F for 35 minutes, then left them to cool before chucking them in the fridge for another 3 hours. And voila...

Got some edges that were victims to the liners (okay, so I slightly burnt these critters...slightly...lol) but the texture is amazing and the taste - well, it's cheesecake! I am really beside myself with joy.

I added some spreadable fruit and I am having one of these Greek yogurt minis during Sunday primetime.

I must say, they are really good, and shave more than 500 calories when compared to the real thing. I am a convert though I will still splurge on a Haagie and a real cheesecake slice every now and then. This was also my 400th blog entry since I started this blog so good to have cake to celebrate!

For the more step by step, albeit slightly different version of this dessert, click here.

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