Umpleby's Bakery & Café

The Super Bowl is this Sunday so allow me to suggest a couple different ways to enjoy watching it
on the food side. Since the Giants aren’t in it I can’t help you with the actual game but since we are in New England I suppose there are some Patriots fans out there who might be interested in how the game unfolds.

The first method is to do it the way Australians watch the Grand Final  and by that I mean meat pies and sausage rolls.   The ones that we do are a much tastier version than the four’n twenty pie.  Check out the lunch page on our website to get all the different flavors that we do.  They are perfect eats for the Super Bowl (once again, even if the Giants aren’t in it).

The second way is the more traditional method but I don’t mean wings.  Instead I call your attention to our sandwiches.  Check out lunch menu on our webpage or you can download it here:   

Maybe you want to make your own sandwiches –  in that case I would suggest our rolls, baguettes or sour dough breads.  They all make excellent vehicles for whatever you want to put inside.

So have a think of which style you would like to do and then call us with your order!

Let’s go Giants!

I am looking over the seed catalogues again today in anticipation of placing my 2017 order.  I first start by looking at what seeds I have leftover from last year and go from there.  Please note: seeds from the onion family don’t age. Toss them and start with a fresh batch! Novice me,  I learned that a couple years ago from my farmer friends.    And don’t forget your tubers!   I am a big advocate of Moose Tubers – a subsidiary of Fedco.     The deadline for early shipment of taters is March 3 so get going!  February is a short month so it will be here before you know it.   As I believe I have mentioned before  I love seed savers for their tomato and pepper selection.

And also don’t forget about cutting flowers and herbs.  Two very big categories to choose from and grow.  We plan on going crazy this spring on the cafe patio and have planters and boxes stuffed with sweet smelling flowers and savory smelling herbs!  It’ll be like a little jungle out there if all goes well.

What else is there to say   –  I’ll be posting the Super Bowl notice in the next day or so and then there is Valentines Day.

February 14th will be a study in chocolate.  We’ll keep you posted.

Australia Day is next week on the 26th.  And as fate would have it, an auspicious news item appeared in the NYT yesterday – Vegemite is coming back home – after over 60 years of being owned by an American company the vegemite brand is being bought by an Australian company.  You beaut!!

As I am sure most readers of this blog will know, my wife Carolyn, who is now an American citizen by the way,  was originally from Australia.  And one thing she made sure she brought with her on the plane from Tullamarine was a rather large supply of Vegemite. I can only speak as a Northern Hemisphere native but I have to say I really don’t care for vegemite that much.  The flavor is too strong for me. It is I believe an acquired taste.  Carolyn of course grew up with it and she still eats it on occasion – especially if she feels homesick or is in a blue mood.  For her, as well as a lot of Australians, I imagine it is a comfort food. Our children started eating it at an early age – in fact I think it was one of the first solid foods that they ate.   Their lunches when they were toddlers often times consisted of toast with a thin spread of that dark yeast extract.

So I am happy to read that this Aussie icon is now back in the hands of the people who love it so much.  Welcome home Vegemite!

Now if only Blundstones could return to being made in Australia as well!