A cure for what ails you!

After having escaped the bugs and viruses that have been floating around all winter long, I can feel a cold brewing - super sore throat, scratchy eyes, and a bit of a stuffy nose. 

                                                     

 With the sun shining (finally!), the last thing I want to do is come down with a cold. 

My best plan of attack is vitamin C, and lots of it. 

One day, while travelling by train from the Oxford Rail station, I came across a fantastically yummy super-C drink . Goodness2U is an independently-owned juice bar that makes the most yummy scrummy smoothies and fruit juices. (They also have porridge, granola, and other delicious snacks available.) 

I tried one of their hot super vitamin C juices - a blend of hot orange, pineapple, ginger and honey -exactly what I needed!

So this morning, when I woke up feeling less than sparky, I knew exactly what would help.

I don't have a juicer, so I made mine with a blender, and it was still delicious. 

Warm Orange, Pineapple, Ginger with Honey

3/4 cup of orange juice

1/2 cup of fresh pineapple, cut into pieces

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into pieces

1 tsp of honey

Place all of the ingredients into a blender (or using a blender wand) and whizz until smooth. Pour into a mug, and warm in the microwave until hot (about 2 minutes). You could also warm on the stove.

Enjoy!  

Monday morning...

After a very busy weekend at Couva Studios, and with a very busy week ahead, this picture sums up my morning. Wherever you are, I hope you're enjoying your Monday morning! 

(Photo: Sanka, 1952)

Coffee Creativity

While taking a mid-afternoon break, I stumbled across some of the most amazing coffee-based creations I've ever seen! They seem to be VERY "Blumenthal-esque" if you ask me... I'm not sure I'll ever be able to look at coffee the same way again. 

Cookie Cup 

The Cookie Cup is biscuit in the shape of cute little espresso cup that can be eaten once the coffee has been drunk. The pastry is thicker than a normal biscuit and coated with a special sugar glaze to withstand the heat of the coffee.  What a great idea for a dinner party!  

It actually reminds me a little of that scene in the original "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" movie when Willy Wonka picks up a daffodil cup, drinks the contents, and then munches the petals. (Created by  Enrique Sardi, Lello Parisi and the Lavazza Team).

Coffee Caviar 

Coffee caviar is definitely a magical hybrid of science with food. Using a syringe, small droplets of a coffee and alginate mixture are added to a diluted solution of calcium chloride. 

What you end up with are little pearls of coffee, each one offering a tiny explosion of intense coffee flavour.  (Created by the Lavazza Team & Ferran Adrià)

Cappuccino Nitro

At first glance, I wasn't quite sure what these strange  coffee-coloured orbs were. These are Cappuccino Nitro is a form of cappuccino that has been “cooked” in liquid nitrogen at -196° C. The result is an incredibly crunchy frozen meringue with a creamy centre as it warms to room temperature. I'm not sure this one should be attempted at home! (Created by the Lavazza Team & Ferran Adrià)

Coffee Floss 

How fun is this creation?! For the young-at-heart, Coffee Candy Floss is made like traditional cotton candy, but with the addition of micro-ground freeze-dried coffee. This would certainly put some pep in your step at the fair! Certainly not for the little ones...  (Created by the Lavazza Team)
 

Coffee Lollies 

 

Another one for the kid in us all, Coffee Lollipops are made from sugar, water, glucose, and powdered coffee is added when warm. These don't sound too difficult to make, and would make a fantastic gift for the coffee lover in your life (Created by the Lavazza Team).

For more beautifully tempting coffee creations, visit the Coffee Design page from Lavazza. 

(All photos from http://www.lavazza.com/corporate/opencms/en/coffee-passion/training-center/coffee-design/products/)