There’s an awful lot of red wine in Spain. That may be an obvious statement – one that didn’t really need saying – but combined with the burning heat of the Iberian Peninsula it does at least explain why the Spanish do so many different things with the stuff. A glass of good-quality Rioja always goes down a treat, but under the oppressive sun a few drops of sangria or Tinto de Verano can go a long way.
Though indigenous more or less across the European continent, gooseberries are best known for their use, traditionally, in the British Isles, which has a climate particularly well-suited to their cultivation. Now, usually when I get my hands on a berry at this time of the year it immediately gets preserved –strawberry jam,raspberry jam,apricot jam– but it seemed a shame not to experiment a little with such a little used ingredient. So, Gooseberry and Stem Ginger Cordial it is!
Thoughmulled wine (gluhwein)is generally considered the most popular winter drink – at least in Europe –Mulled Cideris becoming increasingly common in the UK. As you can imagine, this warming drink is served almost universally in the cider pubs/barges/dungeons of the West Country at this time of year. With this recipe, it’s easy to bring the spicy, festive feeling of Mulled Cider home!
Sweet, bitter or white, hot chocolate is the ultimate hug in a mug. It is warm, luxurious and, most importantly, contains a rather popular stimulant about which you may or may not have heard. Personally, a rich and bitter hot chocolate appeals to my inner desires, so for this recipe pure (100%) cocoa paste seemed in order. Though the recipe includes both milk and sugar – two of three fundamental parts of milk chocolate – pure cocoa helps lift this rendition above the attempts of most cafés. Indeed, insipidity reigns supreme in the world of hot chocolate – time to turn things around.
That’s the New Year over and done with and despite the fact resolutions aren’t worth the mental toilet paper they are written on, it is perhaps time for something a little healthier. For those of you currently thinking along similar lines, you’ll not go far wrong with this extraordinarily frugal recipe for mixed berry smoothie.
People don’t seem to realise how inflated the prices of smoothies are these days. The leading smoothie company in the UK, which shall remain nameless, charges around£2 per 250ml drink尽管他们使用的食谱非常美味,你feel like you’re paying a premium to stay healthy. Fresh berries are similarly overpriced, so I highly recommend making your own smoothies and doing so with frozen berries which often cost less than half the price.