We turn 5 in October and it's got us thinking about how far we've come.  With such a difficult few months with lock down and then reopening and getting back to normal it has made us very grateful for what we've achieved.  

Linsey and I became vegans a couple of years ago and thought about making Bread and Butterflies a completely vegan venue but we decided we did not want to ignore our loyal customers that had been with us from the start who also liked what we offered.  So we decided to be an inclusive cafe and ensure that everyone could enjoy delicious and affordable food and drink with us.

As well as our own products we also support a number of other local and Notts based writers and makers in the tearoom.  This provides a variety of goods that can suit all budgets as well as putting other small businesses on the map!

Our local community is great and we support them and try and give back when we can.  We've provided numerous raffle prizes, vouchers and drop off points to lots of local charities as well as making monetary donations to larger charities.  So far we've helped Brinsley Animal Rescue, Wands for Wildlife, The Red Box Project, Lymphoma Action, Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance, Trent District Community First Responders, Nottingham Mencap, Tara's Angels, RSPCA, The Friary and Foundation for Angelman Syndrom Therapeutics to name a few. 

We hope to be around for a while longer yet and hope that we can continue to provide our customers with a relaxing venue that always serves good food, good coffee and good cake to everyone.

Dear customers of Bread and Butterflies,
​
It has been a challenging time for us all these past three months, we are all dealing with different circumstances and difficulties.  With so many people struggling financially, mentally and with being separated from loved ones I feel very lucky to have gotten through this trying period.

I have been able to enjoy this time off from work with the financial support from the government and my mortgage provider.  Mentally I have had the support of my partner, Glenn, my dogs, Milo and Marnie, and the opportunity to continue with my yoga with on line classes provided by my good friend Sarah Luerken at Stay Well Health.  I have been able to speak to Linsey and see her when it was necessary for us to go into work and have been in touch with friends on line.

A three month holiday for me and Linsey was never a plan for us and we have been so lucky with the weather that we truly feel we have been abroad!  We feel healthy and happy.  We are also going through the process of renewing our lease in Lady Bay for a further 10 years and feel good about looking forward to what we can achieve with our business regardless of this unprecedented pandemic.

Our customers are who drive us and it is for this reason why we will have clear rules in place to ensure that we and you are kept as safe as possible from a second peak when enjoying food from Bread and Butterflies.  Our reduced menu will be displayed on a board to prevent sharing laminated menus.  Hand sanitiser will be available for all customers to use at the tearoom.  We will be wearing gloves whenever necessary and probe wiping the till and card payment machine after every use.  However, there may be times when we don't get it right, we are adapting to changing needs all the time and we ask that you are patient and bare with us.  Please, if you have any concerns, talk to us in the first instance so that we might rectify our methods and do things better.  We want to get it right and appreciate your support.

Big love
Lisa and Linsey

She has been kind enough to keep us in the loop about how she's been getting on and sent this update of her first few weeks meeting new people and deciding where she will continue her missionary work.

week 1:
ARRIVAL IN LOS ANGELES
Thursday 9th January, I got on my plane heading out to Los Angeles. After a long and tiring ten hours, I arrived at LAX. This is my stepping out the boat moment; a line in the sand. I don't know anybody in this city, I have to fully trust that God has prepared the way ahead of me.
I got to immigration, expectant to be bombarded with questions, but instead, almost miraculously, I was let straight through and met by one of the DTS staff, Mahi (she's really cool & funny!).

Our first weekend was relaxing and focused on settling into the routine; then classes started on the Monday. We follow one theme over a week, for just over two hours a day. Our first lecture was on 'The Character and Nature of God' taught by Peter Warren, who used to lead the Los Angeles base before moving onto Denver, CO. I found the teaching really interesting and eye-opening to how God is portrayed in the old testament. He then talked a little about world suffering and linked it back to the character and nature of God. We also started work duties; so, we're helping around base, keeping it clean, babysitting etc. Me and one of the girls, Emma, were put in the kitchen helping with dinner prep Monday and Wednesday every week. It's been really fun and rewarding preparing food for everyone on base and working in the kitchen! 

​week 2:
GETTING INTO A RHYTHM
In our second week, in class, we moved onto 'Hearing the Voice of God' which was more difficult to learn in a classroom environment, just because it requires a lot more practise. Unfortunately, the women meant to be speaking got the flu, so our DTS leader Christie stepped in to teach, but she has so much wisdom, I found it really interesting listening to her speak and talk about the stories where God spoke to her.
We got given the two outreach locations on the Monday, one team going to the Philippines and the other going to Kenya and Mexico. After our school leaders talked a bit about the ministry in each location, we had 10 minutes to pray and decide. I felt drawn to the Philippines, even though, before coming to DTS I'd felt like God was going to use all the Spanish I'd learnt. Once we'd chosen where we wanted to go, the leaders prayed over our names to give God the final decision and collectively they felt like God was telling them to switch me. When they told me this, it was confusing and overwhelming. I had felt so sure God wanted me in one place and I couldn't understand why that had changed. Whilst I was praying over the switch, I felt God say "I will use you anywhere", almost as a reassurance that he still had better plans for me and I just felt so much peace over the decision. I had to trust my DTS leaders that they wanted what was best for me and that God was involved and in control of the situation.
This is my outreach team; together we're going to Mexico and Kenya! I'm super grateful for this amazing group of humans <3

What a great time to try a more plant based diet!  At Bread and Butterflies all the staff members are vegan and happy to chat with you about how we moved from a meat and vegetarian diet to a vegan diet, we also subscribe to Vegan Food magazine that is full of great recipes and advice if you need some questions answered.  We're also doing a weekend vegan special of American style pancakes with blueberries.  They have received rave reviews so why not try them for yourself and see how tasty a vegan alternative can be.  This runs alongside our regular vegan choices off the menu and we always have a few choices on the cake counter.  For drinks we do soya milk(free of charge) and oat milk (40p surcharge) and a milk free hot chocolate.

But what else is out there to facilitate your vegan journey this January?
Linsey and I went to the cinema on Tuesday to see Jojo Rabbit (great film btw!) and were also able to enjoy a Veganuary special menu at the Broadway Café.  They have collaborated with Mocky D to offer an amazing Vegan cheese burger.  We then went to All Bar One who have a great biscoff banana cheesecake that is to die for!

You may have seen in the news that Greggs, KFC, Burger King and all the main supermarkets are offering new vegan products.  So it's worth giving them a go if you want something that doesn't taste too different from the meat you possibly love.  The choices are great and wide, very different from two years ago and so now is the right time to eat more plant based, if not for animal welfare then for the environement.

​Good luck!

Although I love the sun, there's nothing quite like open fires, food, drink and presents!  We get very busy at Christmas time with commission gifts so if you haven't already got your orders in to us, get in touch!

What can we do for you?  Well we have gifts for everyone!  Whatever they're in to we can absolutely help you out!

Drawings (£10 an hour plus extra for framing)

Cushions (£26)

Crockery (items start from just £5)

Cakes (prices start from £14)

Guest artists (prices start from £3.50)

With a little help from Bread and Butterflies there's no reason why everyone can't have a beautiful, original gift, that doesn't cost the earth!

It's not often that Linsey and I get extended time away from the tearoom.  In our first year we didn't take any time at all, but we have allowed ourselves a Christmas break since then and this year we also took some time off in April for Linsey's friend's wedding.  We are in the very lucky position at the moment of having the lovely Rebecca working for us full time until she goes to America with YWAM.  This means that Linsey and I have been able to give ourselves an extra day off a week, which has been amazing and a great luxury.  But we have also made sure that we get a whole 5 days away to do with as we please.  It was my turn first mid October when I went to Carcassonne in France for a yoga retreat with my very good friend and fellow business owner, Sarah Luerken.  She, along with her husband Tom recently celebrated their first year in business.

I was lucky enough to get to go on their very first retreat and it was the most relaxing time away, and just what the doctor ordered. We stayed at Domaine de Mournac near Carcassonne.  A beautiful guest house with yoga studio.  Facilities were exceptional and the view outsanding.  Lots of walks to be had and places to visit.

The nearby Mont Sec trail was enjoyed and offered up some breathtaking views, and for when I wasn't feeling so energetic the view from my room was beautiful in itself.

We spent a day exploring the old city of Carcassonne, with a tour of the castle, a spot of impromptu yoga and some delicious food, even for me, finding vegan food was possible; like summer on a plate!

At Bread and Butterflies we have stocked some eco friendly products for a few months now and you have really embraced them.  But the whole community of Lady Bay has been inspired even further with the opening of the new, zero waste store, The Good Weigh.  It is a beautiful, well designed shop that is cutting down on plastic and waste.  What is not to like?

They've had a great start with lots of support and the people of Lady Bay really embracing the idea of cutting down on their waste. 

So to tap in to this enthusiasm started by The Good Weigh we decided to get our customers involved!  We get told we ask a lot of questions when customers are placing their orders, but this is because we want to make sure you get what you want and we are not wasting ingredients and food unnecessarily!
As a rule this is what we might ask:

Customer:  Hi, can I get a coffee?
Bread and Butterflies: Of course, what sort of coffee would you like? An americano?
Customer:  Yes, please.
Bread and Butterflies:  Would you like a large or regular?
Customer:  I'd like a large, please
Bread and Butterflies:  Would you like milk with that?
Customer:  Yes. please
Bread and Butterflies:  Anything else?
Customer:  Yes.  I'd like salmon and scrambled egg.
Bread and Butterflies:  Would you like granary or white sliced toast with that?
Customer:  Granary.
Bread and Butterflies:  Would you like one or two slices of toast?
Customer: Two, please.
Bread and Butterflies: Would you like butter for your toast?
Customer:  No thank you.
Bread and Butterflies:  Anything else?
Customer: Yes, I would like a toasted teacake, please.
Bread and Butterflies:  Would you like just butter with your teacake or some jam as well?
​Customer: Just butter, thank you.

Phew!  It's around the question about milk with the americano that customers can start wondering why we ask so many questions.  At Bread and Butterflies we throw away a ridiculous amount of butter, jam, milk and toast.  We obviously want you to have a great experience with us and are happy for you to have as much of all of those things as you'd like, but in the interest of cutting down on waste please be prepared for the long list of questions at the counter!  Feel free to preempt them and give us all the information at once!  It's all on the menu; the bread choices, the type of milk we do, different prices for large or regular coffees etc

It is also standard practice to serve a side salad and coleslaw with your sandwiches.  If you hate coleslaw, let us know and we can leave it off your plate.  

Every day we throw away our used coffee grounds.  But apparently they are great for your soil and your garden!  Why not come by the tearoom at about 4 to collect the day's grounds, it saves it going to landfill and will make your flowers blooming lovely!

Sometimes food waste is unavoidable, and the ideal would be for us to have a compost at Bread and Butterflies, but we are limited to outside space.  For all our customers who have a compost why not come by Bread and Butterflies at the end of the day and collect our food waste to add to your compost? Just bring a tub!

One of the brides has a severe nut allergy and is also coeliac, as are a number of her relatives. There were also a number of vegans attending the wedding and a guest who was coeliac and allergic to dairy!  At Bread and Butterflies we were able to devise a recipe for the wedding cake that ticked 3 out of the 4 boxes, and prepared separate cupcakes for the vegans.  So after tasting a number of options the brides chose a gluten free sponge that was also nut free and dairy free, filled with strawberry jam and covered with a dairy free frosting. 

The colour theme was rose gold.  I also got hold of edible gold leaf to make the cake special.  Really hard to work with!  But I think the effect was good.  The rosettes I did in a variety of shades of rose gold.  I knew the bridesmaids were all wearing different dresses in different shades, so thought this would work really well. I also used the same shades to graduate the frosting from dark to light.  I covered some of the cupcakes with a pink powder to give them a bit of shine!

It was a bit of a production line, but everything got decorated and boxed up ready for me to drop off to the venue.  We had also got hold of a perspex stand for the day, with the cupcakes on the lower layers and the 9 inch cake on the top.  There were 80 wedding guests and there was plenty for everyone, with the cake feeding 30, 46 vanilla cupcakes and 4 vegan chocolate cupcakes.

The wedding was a blast, with a lovely venue, beautiful brides and a delicious cake. If you would like to have a chat with us about ordering a wedding cake, and learning of our limitations, then drop in and we'd be very happy to help you.

At Bread and Butterflies we value all of our customers for supporting us since opening in 2015.  Without them, we would not be able to continue running our business or help numerous charities along the way. 
Every so often, however, we are blessed with the company of some well known clientele.

Throughout the last year we have had regular visits from the lovely Shane Meadows.  Linsey and Lisa have always been big fans of his work and so it is always a pleasure to see him. Chatty and friendly and didn't mind having his photo taken.  If you've not had a chance to see his latest work, The Virtues, do see it on Channel 4 catch up. Very thought provoking and powerful.

Throughout the month of July we will be accepting donations to the White Elephant Raffle, so please give what you can: bottles of wine, cans of beans, toys, smellies...We're hoping it will be a huge success and thank you all in advance for your support!