CoffeeBeer >> Double Shot Buzz >> Le Blé
After catching up with the coffee shops and roasters I visited in California last spring, I’ve finally returned to my list of Sheffield cafes to review. Sadly one of them, which made great bagel sandwiches and sold CBD products, seems to have closed down, just like the kitty cafe way back before lockdown which closed before I had a chance to visit.
But there are plenty of new places to explore, including Le Blé, where I stopped in one autumn day after an eye exam at the nearby Boots. Located on a corner next to the Sheffield Cathedral, this place is conveniently close to not only a Supertram stop, but it’s also across from where I catch either of my buses back to Walkley or Crookes.
The interesting thing about Le Blé is that it’s more Greek than French, although the cafe style and the gorgeous pastries definitely suggest a strong French influence. According to their website, ble means "blue" in Greek and "wheat" in French, so the name refers to the blue Mediterranean and the wheat used in baking. Anyway, I stopped in one day to have a coffee and some lunch. Because there wasn’t anything I fancied on the small display of ready-made sandwiches, I went for a spinach and feta triangle (or what I know as spanakopita). It would have been nice if the woman who served me had offered to heat it, which they seemed to be offering with the sandwiches, so it wasn’t quite what I was expecting, as I do like my Greek savoury pastries to be at least warm.
But my cortado was absolutely gorgeous. It was served in a heavy black cup, possibly ceramic. I was seated at the tiny table in the corner by the window, with a view of the tram tracks to the front and the cathedral to the side. The windows are huge, there are four small tables, and the dusty pink environment with the shiny glass and mirrored ceiling suggests Euro style. There seemed to be a small business conference happening next to me that was being conducted in Greek, although the cafe advertises its food as also French, Italian, Turkish, and Lebanese, and those are very good choices as far as I’m concerned. In the centre of the bakery is a large display of lots of gorgeous patisserie creations, one or two of which I intended to take home along with a savoury pasty and, of course, half of my spanakopita, as I can’t eat a whole one in one sitting.
But back to the star of the show: my coffee. It was very, very smooth, but it had a most interesting character. I asked the young barista about it, and he smiled widely and said they get the very best roasted beans sourced directly from Greece. Ah, that’s the secret! I will happily come back for a coffee again.
Before I left I bought to take home a baklava, a very syrupy slice of walnut cake, and a feta and olive pastry. There was so much more that I could have bought, but hey, there will be plenty of opportunities to come back.
Speaking of opportunities reminds me of a recent logic problem that my Bay Area friend emailed to me, relating to the new Real ID card now required for Americans who don’t have passports if they want to fly:
I got my California driver’s license renewed in June and applied for a "Real ID" card, which meets the new TSA security requirements. But it doesn't look any different from a regular driver’s license, and I still have the same number. I'm assuming the "real id" card is for domestic fliers who use their license as photo ID to board flights, and if one has a passport that works the same way. Have I got this right? Yes, that's the way I understand it. According to the California DMV website, "You may not need a REAL ID to fly or enter secure federal buildings if you currently have a valid passport, military ID, Global Entry Card or other federally approved document. While a passport may allow you to fly within the US, a REAL ID does not replace a passport for international travel."Related Links