My friend Todd has done it again. A beautiful book of photos and illustrations and funny comments and blurbs about some of his favourite food establishments. I am so psyched to be included!!! We have known about this book for some time so the fact that it is finally hitting the shelves is just too good to be true.
Have a look at the piece in the NY Times x
This Wednesday 7th March we are having an impromptu wine tasting event with Marco Sara, a lovely young winemaker from northern Italy. We are all very excited at Violet to be hosting this event with Guillaume Aubert of Aubert & Mascoli. Guillaume and I shared a stall together at Maltby Street Market for a while and have been talking about doing an event together for a long time. Marco was in town, and he not only makes beautiful whites and reds but he is renowned for his sweet wines, so it seemed like the perfect fit.
Marco’s wines are 100% organic and natural as he believes that organic agriculture respects the earth and therefore the vines and is the best way to preserve the quality and authenticity of the grapes. This is something that is close to my heart as well, coming from an agricultural community in Northern California. Many of my friends there are organic farmers and I have always strived to make Violet as organic as possible.
Please come and join us Wednesday at 7:30 at Violet for an hour and a half or so of tasting. We will have some charcuterie and bread and cheese to keep the hunger at bay whilst tasting. I will also make a couple of simple cakes to taste with the sweet wines, mainly using almonds and olive oil in keeping with the Italian palette.
The cost will be £15 to taste. Marco’s wines will be available for purchase on the night only, as we don’t have any storage space in our already teensy shop.
Please RSVP by email only to Violet subject: Marco Sara Event. Space is extremely limited so please get in touch ASAP
We look forward to seeing you this Wednesday!
We just think we have THE coolest customers. All the Violet girls are always saying what a pleasure it is to serve people that are so friendly, appreciative, interesting and, of course, have such great taste in cakes. One of our fav customers, and the girl responsible for my favourite sneakers (as seen below and on me whilst walking Shuggie in London Fields), has put a lovely little mention of us on the Top Shop website (click the London link) 
We love her and the awesome Twin magazine she is the fashion director of. We have a copy of the latest issue upstairs at Violet so have a look with a coffee and a mince pie if you don’t already own it.
The lovely John and Julie have arrived in London with their adorable vintage wear for kids up to age 10.
All day Saturday and Sunday upstairs at Violet. Hope to see you there.
Come along tomorrow for W+K cupcakes and egg sandwiches and live music by Dakota Jim!
We are putting some tables in the streets but bring more down if you can x
Join us and The Other Side of the Pillow and Wilton’s and the Spurstowe and all the other shops and residents. x
from my garden
Things are going very well with the new hours and with the addition of our espresso machine. Thanks to all of you who have been coming to the shop. I have just finished writing another cookbook and a huge weight has been lifted. I have some seeds that I am going to plant in the garden and finally have the time to do it!
These violets grow along one of the beds and I am planning to put in some rocket leaves and echinacea. I also have my eye on some hazel that I am going to use as bean poles. A little early yet, but I am really looking forward to getting them into the ground.
Any tips welcome x
I was given dozens of roses by a photographer friend recently after he had completed a Valentine’s Day shoot.
The buckets of them filled the back of my old Mercedes estate and when a friend walked me to my car, she proclaimed, Mrs. Dalloway! I laughed and nodded. It reminded me how much I love that book. Worth a re-read.
What are you reading at the moment?
Also, have you seen that we extended our hours of operation?
our holiday is almost over but prepare for new beginnings
Back from Morocco and ready to roll!
We are opening Wednesday the 12th January with our new espresso machine and new counter! Whoop whoop!
Couldn’t hold out any longer.
Too many bewildered looks when we try to extoll the virtues of filter coffee to a groggy mum in search of a latte have propelled us into the world of Italian-style coffee.
We will still feature Coleman Roasters and Square Mile’s single origin beans for our filter coffee (which I gotta say are SO good) but we are now adding espresso drinks to the mix as well. We are also opening at 8am!! (7:45 if you ask nicely) so you can grab a coffee and one of our fruity muffins on your way to work.
Will you come will you come???
x claire
New hours of operation:
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 8-6
Saturdays 10-6 and 9-4 at Broadway Market and 9-2 at Maltby Street Market
Sundays 11-5
and I think it looks so great! Here is her new project.
Just under the Violet sign
So we are one month in and loving Wilton Way…
Longtime customers from the stall, these two had a coffee and a cake and set the tone for the shop.
It was the first day with my new/old french table and when Lazlo walked in wearing those stripy trousers, I knew I had chosen the right piece of furniture for the window seat.
We are now serving delicious sandwiches daily on St. John sourdough along with our already popular savoury tarts and quiches. You can have either with a leafy green salad on the side and make a meal of it.
I have been testing some whoopie pie recipes this week and we are soon going to have a Whoopie Weekend at the stall and in the shop to celebrate all the new recipes I have been working on. Get ready guys…
xx claire