A COFFEE LOVER’S DREAM…

Posted on August 21, 2018 by Sophia Mead

Did you know that approximately 95million cups of coffee are consumed a day in the UK? Especially for you eager beaners out there, we’ve pulled together our coffee collectables which are absolutely worth your investment and will help you feed your fix of the good stuff!

THE MULTI-CCINO MUG

If pricey coffee machines or tricky filters isn’t your thing, there’s a super simple, genius measuring mug which will help you perfect seven different types of coffee. Designed as a collaboration between the Museum of Modern Art and the School of Visual Arts in New York, this mug allows you to customise the proportions of espresso, milk and water using the handy indicators printed on the outside of the glass. Serves include espresso, macchiato, cortado, café au lait, Americano, flat white and cappuccino.

RRP: £16.99

ZOKU ICED COFFEE MAKER

Let’s face it, in the summer all we want is our coffee to be taken down a Celsius or two. The Zoku Iced coffee maker allows you to have a refreshing iced coffee without pesky ice cubes diluting the flavour. All you need to do is pop your Zoku in the freezer before pouring. It’s spill resistant and has a sipping straw – bonus!

RRP: £23.32

KRUPPS MILK FROTHER

Frothy milk is essential to any great latte or ‘cchino so it’s important you have a faithful frother to hand. We’d recommend Krupps – an easy-to-use frother with three functions for barista-quality results at home.

There’s non-stick coating for easy cleaning around those irritating milk stains, plus quantity markings for each function. Pricey, but worth it.

RRP: £109.99

MAIYADUO COFFEE SCOOP HYBRID

There’s nothing worse than finding your perfect bag of ground coffee and noticing the flavour’s escaped quicker than your milk has frothed. With built-in bag clip, these nifty scoop hybrids keep coffee fresh and tasting great by sealing the bag straight after use.

They also measure coffee quantities for cafetiere, filters and percolators so you’re covered. There are plenty of these on the market but we love the jazzy colours of the

RRP: £7.99

MINIPRESSO PORTABLE ESPRESSO MAKER

If you’re on the go and craving a cuppa, this ‘minispresso’ machine is the perfect sidekick. You can fill it with coffee grounds or capsules and just add hot water ahead of a simple pump.

It’s travel size, lightweight and super easy to use. A few squeezes and the pressure inside the Minipresso reaches a 116psi – the same as a traditional espresso machine – forcing full-bodied espresso coffee out of the spout and into your cup. Ahhh, perfect!

RRP: £49.99

NOMI Cold Brew Coffee

Posted on May 12, 2016 by Kesh

So summer is finally here and it’s time to start indulging in a refreshingly cool beverage but we think you should reconsider that Frappucinno guys because Cold Brew Coffee is making a stand and we’re going to tell you all the reasons you should swap your regular iced coffee for a cold brew instead.

What is cold brew I hear you say…?

Unlike many iced coffees which are brewed hot and poured over ice, cold brew is well… brewed cold for more than 16 hours and then filtered. We think that is serious commitment to coffee and whats more, the process of cold brewing ensures a less acidic, naturally sweet coffee no added sugars and no nasties. Take note when you’re looking for a cold coffee which won’t insult you with a sugar rush.

We recommend NOMI’s range of fantastic Cold Brew Coffee with a range of 3 fantastic bottled brews to try from inspired by founder, Kieran Goodacre, and his discovery of cold brew coffees in Japan.

NOMI Tokyo Black – Standard

NOMI Kyoto Iced – with milk

NOMI Osaka Almond

What’s more if you’re thinking about ditching the coffee machine for a longer term Cold Brew option, NOMI have got it covered. Subscribers to the site can enjoy a box of freshly prepared Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate which can be delivered straight to your office or home.

Our verdict is that NOMI is refreshing, subtle and versatile. Perfect for mixing in with cocktails and if you really do miss the warming comfort of a hot coffee, add hot water and Bob’s your uncle.

NOMI coffee is available by the box via their website www.nomidrinks.com

Individual bottles available in a range of café’s and deli’s across the country.

Spotlight On Coffee By Wendy Breckon

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Frostie

Espresso, Cappuccino, Americano, Flat White, Skinny Latte, Mocha, or Frappuccino

Which one do you choose? Have you ever wondered why you drink the one you do.

Mine is an Americano with cold milk and a jug of hot water. I have been known to enjoy a cup of filter coffee too, (although wrestling with the individual ones can be very stressful). Occasionally, for a change, I lose myself in the froth of a cappuccino.

In the 60s, my younger brother drank endless amounts of liquid Camp coffee … remember that iconic, nostalgic brand? Apart from a few subtle changes, the bottle looks the same today, as it did when it first appeared on our shelves in 1876. I am convinced my mother mixed this with the milk in his bottle. He is still totally hooked.

The first time the significance of coffee had an impact on my life was in the early 1970s. As students, we wrote our essays fuelled by cheap instant coffee and cut price biscuits. A group of us at a teachers’ training college in Hertfordshire had just heard the news. It was what we had been waiting for … WOW. Noel Edmonds was opening a new record shop nearby. Not to be missed. One of those occasions. My friend Sally, the original lateral thinker, grabbed our very large tin of instant coffee from the common room. She led us briskly down the street … we followed with more anticipation than the excitement of a first date.

All four girls squeezed into the smallest of spaces to see Noel. In our flared jeans, tie-dyed t- shirts and hippy beads, we bopped to Elton John’s ‘Crocodile Rock’, one of the chart sounds of 1973. The wonderful Noel Edmonds scribbled a good luck message on the side of the tin.

“Keep up the good work! Hope you become great teachers love Noel x”

So off we went, Sally still in control, newly motivated and inspired. And … of course a cup of cheap instant coffee suddenly became liquid heaven.

NEW YORK! NEW YORK! Don’t you just love that vibrant city. The energetic people; noisy yellow taxis; sparkling Times Square and the coffee…

I joined the queue of busy office workers, circling round the side of a lively, New York deli at eight o’clock in the morning.

“Next.”

“Coffee please.” Boy was I thirsty. “Just a cup of coffee”.

The waitress yelled in her New York drawl. “Just a cup of coffee?” Her desperate eyes gazed out for sympathy. “What kind of coffee?”

There was a collective gasp, a bit of a shudder. The line of workers collapsed like a pack of cards behind me. Panic set in. Sweat ran down my cheek bones. I hurriedly chose a coffee from her recited list. Off I slunk, suitably chastised, clutching my take-a-way frappuccino. Welcome to the ‘Big Apple’ Wendy.

In pursuit of my favourite beverage, I slowly saunter down Broad Street in Lyme Regis, to the Bell Cliff cafe on the right. The enchanting sea, sometimes still but often stormy, peeps out as you reach the bottom between the old buildings.

On a warm day, it is relaxing to sit outside by the old canon and black railings, overlooking Lyme Bay and the magnificent Jurassic Coast. Sometimes, I perch upon the cosy seat by the window inside. Tucked away, it is easy to find inspiration.

The owner of the cafe is the very friendly and delightful Paul Ranson, who took over fifteen years ago. Originally, this building was two fishermen’s cottages and was constructed from beams reclaimed from ships built in the seventeenth century.

The delicious coffee which I am addicted to is called Narobi American Filter. Paul feels that the type of water in an area can affect the taste. The soft water of Lyme Regis compliments the brand they use perfectly. As a customer I could not agree more.

Naomi, the manageress on the right, and Jayne the waitress are both very friendly and welcoming, especially when they are serving cake! Jayne told me an irresistible fact that seven years ago she married Chris, the man who delivered the coffee. A charming story.

As I enjoy my second cup, surrounded by yellow spring flowers in the window, the days of cheap instant coffee, flares, tie-dyed t- shirts and shaking hands with Noel Edmunds seem very far away.

The Best Christmas Stocking Fillers

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Frostie

Christmas is coming in fast, October is nearly over and we are already hearing jingles when we are out. It may be a time of festivities but it is also stressful and shopping can be a nightmare. So we are bringing you Christmas Gift Lists. Lots and lots of Christmas Gift Lists, bringing you great ideas and suggestions for your nearest and dearest. First up: stocking fillers. We hope you enjoy and feel free to add any comments below.

Ringtons’ 2015 Diary set £4.99 available now

This fantastic 2015 Diary Set will make organising the coming year as simple as making a cup of tea. Offering fantastic value for money the set includes both a desktop and a slimline diary. Exploring Ringtons’ history and including recipes, stories, Ringtons facts and customer poems, this diary set makes a lovely keepsakee or gift. We thought this looked great and was very handy. The little one will fit in your handbag, the bigger one is great for more detail.

Front Door Toffee Tin £4.99

This gorgeous red front door with festive Christmas wreath lid lifts off to reveal a selection of traditionally made flavoured Devon toffees. With six different flavours to choose from – including vanilla, strawberry, rum and butter, liquorice and treacle clotted crèmes, as well as chocolate éclair – this is a must-have for toffee fans. We loved this. It looks great, couldn’t be more festive if it tried and the toffees are good too.

The Bay Tree Christmas Selection

One of the UK’s leading producers of fine preserves, The Bay Tree is celebrating 20 years in business and has launched a collection of Christmas products. They have wonderful jams, chutneys and biscuits. They look great and they taste great. We would like a stocking full of their stuff this Christmas please.

Christmas Mini Jar Selection

All delicious: This trio of festive favourites has all bases covered. The three mini jars may be small in size but each is bursting with flavour. The Christmas Pickle is a delightful mix of cranberry, apple and currants – far better with hot turkey than simply cranberry sauce. To add a dash of sweetness and spice to the cold meat platter is the Boxing Day Chutney – an aromatic blend of apricots and coriander seeds. You’ll wonder how you ever survived Boxing Day without it! To keep the over-indulgence running right through till breakfast The Bay Tree’s Christmas Marmalade is a decadent recipe made using wild Moroccan oranges and a luxurious mix of spices.

3 x 100g RRP £8.30

Mulled Wine Spices in a Tin

We love mulled wine at Frost. So much that we have been known to have it all-year round. This gorgeous tin has five Bundles for mulling your festive Wine or Cider in a pretty oval tin. £3.60.

Brandy Butter

Yum. We love this. Just wonderful. Rich, buttery and boozy serve with Mince Pies and Christmas Pud £3.00.

We are a sucker for a good notebook and they are always the perfect thing to buy someone-who-has-everything. These Style Notebook range are from one of the leaders in office products and accessories, Leitz. Ideal for the jet setter that likes as much style in her work life as her wardrobe, Leitz Style Notebooks are the perfect gifts. The elegant Notebooks are available Via Amazon.co.uk and are available in five slick colours: arctic white, garnet red, celadon green, titan blue and Satin black. The Style Notebooks are available in A5 or A6 and have an attractive soft brush look, perfect for everyday note taking and comes with special features such as a built in back pocket and two sticky note piles to ensure optimum organisation. With the choice of a hard and soft back, the Style notebooks are as practical as they are chic.

Buy a Leitz Notebook here.

Avlaki Olive Oil 250ml Presentation Gift Box

We are a huge fan of Avlaki olive oil and were delighted when they sent a beautiful gift box for us to review. Their olive oil is first-class, truly brilliant stuff: Avlaki have created a festive gift pack featuring two of their extra special finishing oils – one of which won a gold one star in Great Taste 2014 and 2013. It is the ultimate gift for lovers of fine foods and those who enjoy exploring new tastes and flavours. It is also the perfect treat for those who would like to add a touch of gourmet glamour to their festive feasts.

Avlaki’s finishing oils are completely different. They are made from olives grown at varying altitudes on Lesvos Island in Greece, under the watchful eye of producers Deborah MacMillan, an artist, and broadcaster Natalie Wheen. They are handpicked in December, milled and bottled as soon as possible to capture the explosion of flavours from the olives in the bottle – and all to the highest British quality standards.

Cordello Home have a great range of everyday homeward products featuring their iconic heart symbol. The launch collection is designed to bring vibrancy and fun into your home – a true reflection of what the festive season is all about. These cute mugs are £12 each. They are good quality and look beautiful. They also have cushions and plates with the same designs.

Beanies have brought out Christmas flavoured coffee. Yup, Christmas Pudding flavour and Mulled Spice flavoured coffee. All coffees are syrup free, sugar free and only 2 cals per cup. Great for stocking fillers.

Pebble Grey specialise in LED bathroom mirrors and cabinets. They have a recently launched range of LED vanity mirrors and we love them. This hand held mirror makes you feel like a Hollywood star whilst checking out your appearance in a very good mirror. Presentation is beautiful: it comes in a box and a velvet drawstring bag. Beautiful and functional. Available for £19.99 at www.pebblegrey.co.uk

American hot sauce Frank’s RedHot is the ideal last-minute present for students, food fanatics or the man in your life. Perfect for fans of spice. Slip this into their Christmas stocking, they will love it.

Choose from the classic Original recipe, authentic Buffalo Wings, tangy Chili N’ Lime and daring Xtra Hot
£1.49 from Amazon.co.uk, ASDA.com, Sainsburys.com, Tesco.com, WholeFoods.com, Waitrose.com and Ocado.com

If you’re struggling for inspiration this Christmas, fill your stockings up with Frank’s. Hot, flavoursome and authentic, it’s the must-have sizzling stocking filler that’s perfect for men and foodies. Watch and enjoy as your loved one cracks open their present to reveal one $#It hot saucy gift this Christmas.

Frank’s is the American classic beloved by foodies everywhere for its versatility and zest. Add a fiery twist to a Christmas classic and

put a drop or two on your Boxing Day sausage rolls. Or if you’re ‘Christmased’ out by the 26^th, take some leftover turkey and a splash of Frank’s Original to make some mouth-watering fajitas. We have recipe for you below. Yum, sounds delicious.

BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP

2 lbs softened cream cheese

2 cups blue cheese dressing

2 cups Frank’s RedHot® Sauce

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

8 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 cups finely diced celery

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese

Julienne vegetables, chips, crackers, etc. as needed

1. Whisk together cream cheese, dressing, Frank’s and crumbled blue cheese. Fold in chicken and celery, mix well. Portion 1 cup of mixture into shallow oven or microwave proof ramekins. Top each with 2 tbsp. cheese. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

2. For service reheat dip until golden and bubbly and surround with dips

My Little Day has a great range of decorations for children’s parties that are also stylish and festive enough for Christmas. Their napkins, straws and glittery decorations are all beautiful and first class. Highly recommended for adding a bit of class to Christmas.

Popcorn Kitchen

Popcorn Kitchen refer to their popcorn on their website in caps locks as “THE BEST POPCORN YOU WILL EVER TASTE, HANDMADE USING TRADITIONAL METHODS”. We like confidence here at Frost and we also love popcorn so we thought we might be on to a winner. Turns out we were right. The popcorn is hand-popped in a giant kettle and then they hand-sift it to remove unpopped kernels and then taste every batch to make sure it’s perfect. It works and is tasty, moreish stuff. Perfect for watching endless Christmas TV with.

What would you add?

Beech’s Chocolate Creams Review

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

Some things are more fun to review than others. Chocolate is one of those things right at the top of the enjoyable list.

We got sent a box of Beech’s Fine Chocolates Creams, actually, we got sent SIX boxes, and it really made our day. We devoured them in less than five days. Although we are not sure we should admit that.

All of these creams were amazing, although we all had different favourites. They are high quality, classy chocolates. Perfect for presents, if only to yourself.

Beech’s has been making chocolate since 1920 and contain only natural flavourings and colours.

£2.99 for 90g box.

Beech’s Fine Chocolates was opened in Preston in 1920 and has been supplying treats from its original factory in the town centre ever since, all made using only natural ingredients and traditional methods.

Beech’s currently supplies Marks & Spencer for its own brand Chocolate Brazils, After Dinner Mints, and Rose and Violet Creams.

Available from Amazon UK

www.beechsfinechocolates.com

Put Fairtrade First: Great Products With A Clear Conscience

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Frostie

We have tried a range of Fairtrade products from Sainsbury’s and brought you a selection. Their fairtrade chocolate is amazing and the English Breakfast tea is a personal favourite of Frost editor, Catherine. Get your hands on some of the selection below.

This Fairtrade Fortnight (24th February – 9th March), enjoy a selection of treats and everyday essentials from Sainsbury’s, the world’s largest retailer of Fairtrade products. With over 800 Fairtrade products now available in store, £1 in every £4 spent on Fairtrade in the UK is spent in Sainsbury’s.

As part of Sainsbury’s commitment to Fairtrade, all of its bananas, sugar, own label tea, ground and roast coffee and Taste the Difference South African wines are Fairtrade certified, more than any other major UK supermarket. Sainsbury’s is committed to ensuring farmers get a fair price for what they grow and can invest in communities in developing countries such as Kenya or Columbia.

Everyday essentials

Sainsbury’s Fairtrade loose Bananas

£0.68/kg

Sainsbury’s was the first major supermarket to sell 100% Fairtrade bananas back in 2007, and nowadays sells an incredible 650 million Fairtrade bananas a year – that’s 1,200 every minute. Sainsbury’s Fairtrade bananas are sourced from farmers in Central and South America, the Caribbean and West Africa where Fairtrade premiums are crucial to many smallholders.

Great bananas to eat with a clear conscious.

Taste the Difference English Breakfast Tea

£2.14/ 80 tea bags

Britons drink around 165 million cups of tea a day, so it’s refreshing to know that your everyday cuppa is supporting the communities in which it was grown. This Fairtrade tea is made from selected leaves from India, Rwanda and Tanzania. Sainsbury’s is the world’s largest retailer of Fairtrade products and all its own-label teas are now Fairtrade – including speciality teas.

A personal favourite of Frost editor, Catherine

by Sainsbury’s Original House Blend Coffee

£2.29/227g

All Sainsbury’s own label roast and ground coffee has been 100% Fairtrade since 2009. Sainsbury’s coffee is sourced from across Africa and South America where Fairtrade premiums are now benefiting thousands of farmers, their families and communities in these countries every year.

Great coffee.

Tasty treats

Taste the Difference Fairtrade Sauvignon Blanc 2013

£6.99/75cl

100% of Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference South African wine is now Fairtrade, and this fantastic zesty wine was awarded a silver trophy at the prestigious IWC awards in 2013.

This elegantly balanced wine is made with exceptional care to preserve the flavours of crisp lemon and lime, green pepper, gooseberry and tropical fruit notes. It’s made for Sainsbury’s at the famous Boekenhoutskloof Winery, which dates back to 1776, from carefully selected grapes harvested from the best vineyards in Malmesbury, Wellington, Robertson and Franschhoek. The fresh and intensely fruity flavours are particularly good with lightly spiced dishes.

A brilliant wine.

Taste the Difference Belgian Fairtrade Milk Chocolate

£1.40/100g

Sainsbury’s offers a great range of Fairtrade Taste the Difference chocolate, helping to improve the livelihoods of thousands of cocoa farmers in Cote d’Ivoire and the Dominican Republic.

Made for Sainsbury’s in Belgium, this luxurious milk chocolate is smooth and creamy without being too sweet, and melts in the mouth with a delicious caramel flavour.

Enjoy Sainsbury’s fairtrade products on their own, or try making these Fairtrade Banoffee Tarts at home

Banoffee Tarts Recipe

A crisp pastry base filled with smooth, sweet caramel, and topped with bananas and cream…Naughty but so nice.

Serves 10

Preparation 40 minutes

Cooking 20 minutes, plus 45 minutes chilling time

Ready 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

180g Sainsbury’s British plain flour

120g unsalted English butter by Sainsbury’s, cold from the fridge, cubed

3 tablespoons Sainsbury’s Fairtrade caster sugar

1 medium British free-range Woodland egg yolk by Sainsbury’s, mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water

75g smooth dark chocolate by Sainsbury’s, melted

½ x 397g tin Carnation caramel

2 small Fairtrade bananas by Sainsbury’s, sliced

200ml fresh British double cream by Sainsbury’s

¼ teaspoon Fairtrade ground cinnamon by Sainsbury’s

2 teaspoons Sainsbury’s cocoa powder

Method

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Lightly rub in the butter with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, then the egg yolk and water mixture, and use a round-bladed knife to bring everything together.

2. Use your hands to form a dough, handling it as little as possible. (Alternatively, make the dough in a food processor to save time.) Wrap the dough in cling film, then chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C fan, gas 6. Roll out the pastry to a thickness of 0.5cm, then cut into 6 pieces. Line 6 individual 10.5cm tart tins with the pastry and chill in the fridge again for 20 minutes.

4. Line the pastry cases with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake ‘blind’ for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 2 minutes, or until golden.

5. Pour or brush the melted chocolate around the inside of the tart cases and allow it to harden for 5 minutes in the fridge. Divide the caramel evenly into the pastry cases and top with the banana slices. Whisk the double cream until it forms stiff peaks, then spoon on top of the tarts. Dust with the cinnamon and cocoa powder and serve.

Cook’s tip:

This is delicious served with half-fat crème fraîche by Sainsbury’s.

What The Tube Map Looks Like During The Strikes

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Frostie

Can’t get to the office? Can’t get anywhere at all and need to work? Chris Ward has visited coffee shops in London and worked out of each of them in his quest to get ‘out of office’.

Chris Ward is author of no.1 best selling book ‘Out of Office’ How To Live An Awesome Life Without An Office Job!

Chris Ward has visited every single one of these coffee shops, and believes it’s time for a re-think on how the working week is viewed.

Here is an excellent coffee-shop based London tube map

www.workwhereyoulike.com

What do you think?

Forget Starbucks, enjoy unlimited coffee at Hush Holborn

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Catherine Balavage

With reports of a tax scandal at Starbucks, forget drinking coffee that exploits the UK taxpayer and enjoy unlimited, good quality coffee at Hush Holborn.

From today, enjoy quality Italian Roast coffee, free wi-fi and complimentary newspapers, all in the relaxed and intimate surroundings of Hush Holborn. And to show just how dedicated the team at Hush are to ensuring relaxation and comfort, slippers are also available on request.

If you’re feeling peckish, there is also a wide selection of croissants and cooked breakfasts to ensure you start the day on the right foot.

Find Hush at:
95-97 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6LF

Frost Magazine

Books and Lifestyle

Tag Archives: coffee

A COFFEE LOVER’S DREAM…

NOMI Cold Brew Coffee

Spotlight On Coffee By Wendy Breckon

The Best Christmas Stocking Fillers

Avlaki Olive Oil 250ml Presentation Gift Box

Beech’s Chocolate Creams Review

Put Fairtrade First: Great Products With A Clear Conscience

What The Tube Map Looks Like During The Strikes

Forget Starbucks, enjoy unlimited coffee at Hush Holborn

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Avlaki Olive Oil 250ml Presentation Gift Box

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: