Here are some delicious, useful, fun and thoughtful Xmas Gift ideas. From brands I’ve tried and enjoyed this year.

Three sections:

1. Savour - Coffee recommendations from some of my favourite roasters this year. *Most available in smaller 200-250g bags and larger bags of 1kg to last the holidays!

2. Splash - Favourite Coffee Cocktail related spirits plus new ones I have discovered this year

3. Splurge - Gadgets and items to make you or your loved ones feel special and pampered

The TODAY Show NBC USA TV

I was on the Today show! The story? … COFFEE has surpassed TEA consumption in the UK!

This is something we artisan coffee enthusiasts set out to grow almost 2 decades ago. I was surprised by the data considering tea is such a strong part of British Culture!! 63% coffee over 59% tea!

As a New Zealander who came over many years ago, making 000’s of Flatwhite’s in Soho, unknown to virtually every customer who wasn’t a Kiwi or Auzzie its very satisfying to see the notable change. Having officially become a Brit, I’m very proud of being a part of history and inspired by how my friends in the specialty coffee industry has driven coffee culture through passion, expertise and courage. I’m super appreciative of how the humble beginnings of working in the first proper artisan antipodean cafe in Soho has lead to greater interest and popularity in Greater London, and I’m grateful that non-barista people(the public, coffee lovers) embraced our weird obsession and saw our staff, coffee work and cafes as inspiration too. 

I spoke to The Today Show correspondent for about an hour at the beautiful Hermanos Cafe on Portebello Rd, but there was A LOT that was left out of the aired piece. So I’m going to share the rest of my thoughts here.

But mainly this is an appreciation post to the passion and diligence of all the independent coffee cafes and roasters in London, particularly in the early days who pioneered specialty coffee, took risks to open cafes in a culture deeply “steeped” in tea 😉 and the UK people for just Loving Coffee!

I’m so grateful and in awe that people’s appreciation and interest in coffee is still growing

Coffee culture here differs from USA because thee way it is consumed, is completely different. In the sense that yes, we do drink “to go” coffees a lot, but we also still have a culture of sitting in and talking to our friends over coffee, something that is growing in the USA.

In terms of volume, USA is a completely different ball game, they tend also consume on a much much larger volume and quantity that you can’t compare their coffee consumption and habits to the UK.  However, Europe, not UK (thanks BREXIT) as a whole consumed almost* double the USA consumption last year!

The Artisan coffee movement spread faster in the UK due to multi-national corporations like costa, Nero, Starbucks rolling out Flatwhite’s on their menus, effectively introducing these drinks to the wider mainstream public. I quite disctinctly remember this moment. Then combined with the speed in technology and the likes of specifically social media, recipes, trends and information were able to be shared across the world faster than ever before. 

Why has coffee consumption increased - I believe it’s largely due to a few things; The pandemic, where there was a significant growth in WFH, DIY coffee and coffee becoming a ritual in peoples habits, inflation and cost of living has increased substantially therefore buying beans to make at home or in the office has become a cheaper alternative, which has increased the consumption of coffee. 

There is also possibly a generational shift where younger people are getting into coffee, and the that tea is remaining with an older more traditional market. 

You can watch the article here. (don’t blink you might miss me)

I hope you enjoyed my thoughts and please feel free to add yours in the comments below.

I’ve had a few people ask me for tips and suggestions on where to coffee and eat as many of you will be planning a visit to this wonderful city. I meant to get this out much earlier, but it’s been a busy couple of months, so apologies! I will update this soon as there are a few I’ve missed out.

Recently I spent a month in Portugal, mainly Lisbon with a couple of days in Porto. Lisbon is one of those places where the light is always just right. I’ve been to Portugal many times before (mainly to surf), so I had only spent a few days in Lisbon itself. It was great to get a better feel for the city, it’s people and what it has to offer.

It’s breezier (as in wind) than I remember, but actually the breeze is refreshing because the sun is so warming. That might sound strange, but it’s the kind of sun that feels like soft kisses on your skin, and the breeze allows you to breathe and keep being kissed!

Obviously travelling during the pandemic, it wasn’t so touristy (which I liked). It was quiet and chill. I imagine once the pandemic improves, things will be more lively and carefree like once before. I was really careful and didn’t’ visit anywhere too crowded and always wore a mask. In fact most people there wore masks outside too, so I felt disrespectful if I wasn’t wearing one! The worst thing would be to contract Covid in a foreign country, so it really is something to be vigilant about.

The main thing I took away from Lisbon is that generally you can walk around the city easily. I love walking, but there are a lot of hills. I’m ok with this, as it doubles as my daily exercise. However, if you want more flexibility a car is really really handy. The trams and buses are pretty straight forward too and cover the city regularly and very well. The main thing I noticed was how nice and helpful the locals are in general. They love their country and that’s a really great sign. They were so eager to speak English with me too - though probably because I kept trying to force my broken Portuguese on them.

So enough chat, here’s a quick list of some cafes and places I visited so you can too!

As I go back to Portugal, I will update this blog….

COFFEE CAFES

Comoba - Great little spot. I only stopped in quickly but the space is beautiful, creamy and modern. They are using a La Marzocco Strada and my flatwhite coffee was delicious! It has a great reputation with the proper specialty coffee crowd here. They are serving fair trade, organic specialty coffee, roasted in small batches by their partners at Outpost Coffee Roasters & Sgt. Martinho.

Milkees - Super cute place, but literally the week I left, they moved into a new location close by and probably more accessible. The owner was great to chat to and there were lots of local coffee beans to choose from. Their house coffee was by Roast Berry and there was a great selection of coffee from WOW coffee roasters that I took home with me. They do great baking and biscuits and are just doing something really good for the specialty coffee industry here. You can see they’re passionate and striving for excellence and just nice, humble, generous people and friendly conversation.

Hello, Kristof - This is a local cool spot. The coffee was ok, and the vibe inside reminded me of a modern library maybe because it is a magazine shop/cafe. Great, huge selection of creative hipster magazines that line the walls of the cafe and the whole vibe is scandi-chic. Great spot for a quiet meeting or some alone time over coffee.

The Mill - Owned by Auzzies, the breakfast menu reflects this comically but also for me it was nice and familiar. The UK is much better at breakfasts these days in line with what us antipodes are used to, but the best thing about this cafe is the vibe from the staff. Really fun. I like that they have good systems, but are relaxed and super personal. Say hi to Rubin if you go!

Neighbourhood - This is owned by an Auzzie too! You can hear it as soon as you walk in, that familiar twang! This is a great spot to watch the trams go by. There was a lot of road works when I went, but it’s a cute street. They get their coffee from Silo in Berlin (another great cafe) and they have Scandi style coffees like from La Cabra (Denmark) if you’re into lighter roasts. Great to see this here!

Heim - I have been here almost every time I’ve visited Lisbon. Mainly because I like that it’s small, has lots of plants, run by a couple of women and their pancakes are awesome! I like making pancakes, but these are goals! like their whole menu actually. It’s healthy but substantial. The outside dining is great because it’s limited seating on a cute quintessential narrow Lisbon street.

Fauna Flora - This place is cute and always very busy. So if you want an outside table, best to get in early or see if you can book. Inside is much bigger than I expected, so there are lots of indoor tables. I got takeaway the few times I came here and their card machine was down so that was annoying. But their food is really varied and a lot of it healthy. They serve nice coffee.

Lusophonica - This is in Cascais a super nice area just on the coast of Lisbon. You can catch a train out for less than £5 and it takes about 30minutes. A great little spot within the museum that doubles as an international indie radio station out the back and cafe in the front. The setting is incredible. Surrounded by blindingly beautiful white walls next to the famous lighthouse, you can get breakfast and coffee (from The Mill) here - and beers. I would coffee then jump in the lagoon next door. Perfection. You can listen to and watch their DJ’s live here: lusophonica.com PS: Watch this space though….😘

Fabrica Coffee Roasters - A crowd favourite and probably one that most people recommend first up. It’s good.

Copenhagen Coffee Lab & Bakery - There are a couple of these cafes dotted around in Lisbon. Nice to stroll to and get a tasty coffee and baked good.

Buna Portugal - they have just relocated from a little space to a much bigger space with more tables and an outdoor area. Unfortunately for some reason their Lamarzocco linear had only just been turned on before I arrived at 9.30am so I was told I would have to wait another ten minutes or so for my coffee. They open at 9am usually and maybe it was a slow morning with the new location change. I was in a rush to be at my ceramics class (most people in Lisbon don’t rush) but I decided to wait anyway to practice my not-rushing. My oat flat white was nice as I enjoy my coffees on the hotter side over tepid (against the annoying trend that was happening a while back). Definitely a lovely place to sit in a cute courtyard on a sunny day drinking good coffee from @dropcoffeeroasters from Sweden. I’ll go back soon and try their filter coffees soon.

Food and Other Places:

Da Noi Lisboa - I’ve been wanting to come here for ages. What a fantastic night i had here. I was with a bunch of amazing women most of who I only got to know through the course of dinner. Da Noi managed to squeeze eight of us into the back area (the restaurant is small and not many big tables) - but my friend is a regular so it wasn’t a problem. However, there was still a strict 2 hour sitting which I realised why, as they were super busy.I was in prime position near the pass so I could get a good glimpse of the food as it came out - my mouth watered at everything I saw. The food was brilliant as was the waitress. She was noticeably efficient, while not being imposing. For anyone in the hospitality biz, that’s a hard balance. She commanded a difficult table to wrangle with ease and yet still seemed like she was enjoying herself, making sure we would leave happy and giving us personal attention. I also dug their uniform. My negroni came over fast (and perfect) and I got nods of “I got you”. We had the grilled spatchcock chicken, tiger prawns, tuna tacos, white beans (which came highly recommended) as did the gnocchi (that I generally don’t like, but this was lovely) , asparagus and mushroom with egg and truffle (omg) , beef carpaccio and the burrata (divine). The dishes were delicious, and i’ll be back for sure - maybe for something a little more intimate next time ;)

Ponto Final Restaurant - is just on the other side of the Tagus River in Almada which you can drive or catch a ferry to. It is probably one of my favourite spots ever - There’s something about dining on fresh seafood right next to the water, watching the dolphins and sunset while drinking wine. It’s touristy, but if you can get a table on the pier, you’ll not notice. The food is delicious and traditional and if you arrive early, theres a small pop up bar around the bay where you can grab a mojito, sit on the grass and watch the sail boats. Booking essential.

O Frade Restaurant - Great little local place in Ajuda. There are a few tables outside and you can also sit at the bar which I did. The food was absolutely amazing. Razor clams, zesty cockles and cured tuna were just some of the dishes thoroughly enjoyed. Prices are comparable to London in that it’s not super cheap, but I think it’s reasonable and fair considering the quality. Alcohol is much cheaper in Lisbon than London, so the bill is less because of it. They have a great selection of wine too, but we went with the vinho verde because it’s so refreshing with good seafood and shellfish. Tip: Try to book before you go though!

IF* you try to walk in and they’re full, there’s a great little local spot around the corner on the left next to a pizza place (can’t remember the name!) It has traditional style grilled fish that’s really good too - and very cheap! Get the cockles if available!

LX factory - in Alcantara near the river. Super cool wide lane way of bars, restuarants and markets full of trinkets, indie designers and local businesses selling their wares. Really great vibe. I enjoyed white and red sangria in the shade, and got myself some comfy Tiger Pants! growl!

Prado Mercearia - the general store is a beautiful, casual place to get your deli items and sourdough breads, but if you can sit in and have a 3 course lunch, I’d recommend that too, with a glass of wine. A quiet spot with chic wares and classy clean vibes. They also have a more up market restaurant Prado Restaurant too that I hear is amazing.

Coyo Taco - There is a Coyo Taco originally started in Miami, there are now spots around the world like France and Panama. They’re modern, reliable tacos with great drinks. It’s not cheap like in LA or Mexico, but it’s good if you’re craving taco vibes. Lot’s to choose from here and they have a couple of great spots in the city.

Crispy Mafya - Great cocktails, KIorean chicken and 90’s hip hop, super fun vibe. What’s not to like. It’s also in the very popular area Principe Real. So, get in there. It also happens to be on a very cute street so you can take pics of the bougainvillaea and washing hanging outside buildings blowing in the breeze like I did. 😂😬

Mercado 31 de Janeiro - this is a fruit, vege and fish market. I’ve been to Campo De Ourlique Market which is great too, a little more. gentrified and “time out” vibes, but the Mercado 31 de Janeiro feels a little more local and authentic, even though it’s still really well laid out and nice. If you’re staying a while and find you want to cook at home a few nights, I found the people really helpful, but the veges were great quality and super cheap with loads of selection.

A Valenciana - I’m obsessed. A family owned and run traditional Portuguese Chicken restaurant/takeaway that is my favourite in Lisbon! Ask for Peri Peri if you like it hot. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve been. I don’t even eat much meat generally, but you can’t beat this charcoal traditional chicken and you find this in Nandos! It’s my axis point to anywhere in Lisbon as it’s the only place I know where it.is at all times. ha! They make their own hand cut and fried crisps too… #justsayin

Honest Greens Amoreiras - If you like big salads and fast service go here. Was great to get my vege intake in a modern “Eat” type fast service restaurant in a lovely setting.

Gate 1 & 2 Gallery - A sustainable fashion shop. There are two in Lisbon - Campo De Ourlique and Barrio Alto. I got a luscious hand knitted wool cardigan there, knitted by ladies who had lost their jobs due to the pandemic. They take end of line fabric and create their own limited lines and offer cute jewellery collected from around the world travels. Along with up-cycling designer clothes.

Praia Princesa, Caparica - If you’re looking for a boujee restaurant and beach lounge to feel all chic and fancy visit here! Book in for lunch and sit under a grid of white posted shade on a deck overlooking sun beds and ocean. Idealic really.

Bikes and Beers - if you want to go for a bike ride in Monsanto, you can hire bikes here (with helmets) and ride straight from the shop. The Trails range from easy to pretty gnarly and they will give you a map to find them. Afterwards ride back to the shop and grab a beer or 5! It’s pretty fun. If you watched my stories on instagram at the time, you’ll see I crashed and fell off a few time, but thats because I’m committed.

Please tag me on IG stories if you visit any of these places and dig them too!

@the_girl_in_ the_cafe

I will update this blog with Porto Recommendations soon!

I’ve had a crazy month or so working on the London Coffee Festival Virtual as the presenter of many segments and panels, as well as being the co-host live the entire day of the event (with numerous self-imposed outfit changes). Unfortunately I wasn’t able to watch the whole programme as it played, like viewers at home until this week. I thought it would be great to get someone else’s perspective on the programme, so asked my friend, writer and active specialty coffee lover Ronita to tell me what her favourite segments were during the LCFV and the LCF Fringe (two days opened up to other coffee related content creators) so that you can scroll on-demand straight to her top picks!

Ronita has impressed me over the years with her curiosity and enthusiasm for specialty coffee, but mostly her active partaking in events both online and in real life to further her knowledge, network and confidence.

I’m so happy to have Ronita guest write on my blog this month (she’s my first guest writer!) I hope you enjoy the parts she has picked for you, links and all. Here it is!

London’s Second Virtual Coffee Festival

Highlights and Thoughts

By Ronița Dragomir

It’s been a little over a week now since this year’s London Coffee Festival went digital. As someone who’s binged most of its content (with tiny bathroom breaks here and there), I thought it might be fun to share some of my favourites with you, fellow coffee lover who is currently reading this!

Before we get to it, however,  I feel it’s only right to mention how much I appreciated and enjoyed to see somewhat of a change in the lineup scheduling, in order to include a wider array of topics, some of which, I’m sure we can all agree, were much needed and long overdue.

 From what I could tell after watching Friday’s talks and some Fringe events throughout the weekend, the first thing that stood out was the general shift to a more hands-on approach by making quality coffee skills a lot more accessible to the average consumer and helping to demystify the world of specialty coffee for whoever’s on the other side of the window, looking in.

I remember a time when I, too, was an absolute novice in this industry and felt completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of rules and information that was going around. Most people I would meet at these sort of events were champions or the usual coffee experts. It made mustering the courage to ask questions much more tricky and don’t even get me started on how much I felt the burden of my gender during those first few years, but that was then and I know better now. The feelings I’ve felt, however, will never leave me and I’m sure there’s more people like me out there for which joining the specialty coffee family can be quite intimidating - you’re not alone!

But before this piece quickly gets away from me, let’s get started on that list I mentioned.

One of my favourite talks during this year’s festival has got to be the “Making Space – Inclusion in Coffee & Hospitality: A Panel Discussion “ where Lorraine Copes, (Founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality), Amani Kiflemariam (Founder & CEO of Amatte), Christen Dali (My Lifeline Coldbrew Coffee), Julius Ibrahim (Second Shot Coffee) alongside Celeste Wong (@The_Girl_In_The_Cafe - obviously!) addressed the topic of racial and gender equality, as well as diversity and representation within the UK coffee scene. It was a truly important and powerful panel that I recommend watching, in case you’ve missed it live. I would personally love to see more panels like this in the future, maybe even during The Global Coffee Festival Live in September, wouldn’t that be something?

Another good episode. I’d suggest checking out is “In Pursuit of Best Practice: Putting Taste & Sustainability Centre Stage” during which Eva De Keyser (Senior Sustainable Development Manager at Alpro ) and Sierra Yeo (Alpro Coffee Specialist/ founder of The Kore Directive) talk about sustainability and what that looks like from a barista's point of view.

I also enjoyed hearing Kamal Bengougam (Eversys Group Commercial Director) talk about the Eversys new Enigma super automatic coffee machine and how we should try to not fear change, but rather embrace it, and allow technology to give us a hand in taking things to the next level - “A Journey on the Road Less Travelled”. (please scroll to 03:52:24) Don’t worry if you miss it though, as Celeste announced here that she will be hosting the Eversys Podcast coming out later this year, in which this will play. Excited for that!

Another super interesting coffee business talk I was excited to check out was WorkFair’s “Reimagining Work in Coffee - How to find, build and be part of a successful team”, this time on youtube as part of Saturday’s LCF Fringe Events. If you’ve ever worked in a café (or wanted to at least) trust me when I tell you, you’ll want to give this one a listen.

 I mentioned in the very beginning, that I really loved seeing an increase in short, easy to understand classes, particularly when it comes to tasting coffee. Who doesn’t enjoy a good cup tasting? Even more so if it’s in the comfort of your own living room and each step is beautifully explained to you by none other than Gwilym Davies, former World Barista Champion, coffee roaster and founder of The Naughty Dog - “The Global Coffee School: Cupping & Tasting at Home”. This is just a snippet of course; if you want to get the whole experience you can now register for the Global Coffee School’s module on cupping on their page. 

 My love for cupping is quite real and I am happy because it is also what led me to both Saturday’s Fringe event “Cross-Continental Cupping with Capsules” organised by Drink Morning, featuring the ever-so-lovely Sierra Yeo (Alpro/ The Kore Directive) and Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood (Founder of Colonna Coffee, Peak Water and co-autor of the Water for Coffee book) and Sunday’s “The Right Roast Presents: Live Cupping - Exploring four different coffee processes”.

As you’ve probably guessed, I could go on and fill page after page with things I’ve enjoyed seeing, doing and listening to during last week’s Virtual Coffee Festival, but, instead, I’ll stop here, in the hope that at least one of my favourites has made it on your list or, if not through this article I will have convinced you to go back and rewatch parts of it over a big, delicious cup of coffee.

 Article written by Ronița Dragomir

Watch on demand London Coffee Festival Virtual here.

With spring already here and Easter just around the corner, some good news were bound to follow. I’m referring of course to the fact that the Government has decided it can ease some of its restrictions such as the number of people you can safely hang out with - the keyword here being safely (let’s not forget we are still in a pandemic after all!).

So, you might ask, what can I do that’s fun and considerate towards everyone’s wellbeing? I have three words for you: Garden Coffee Party.

If you’re reading this blog, chances are we have a common passion for coffee, so why not share this with the loved ones in our lives by treating them to an amazing (caffeinated) outdoor experience?!

This weekend I’m having 5 and a half person garden party! (6 people are allowed in a private backyard here in the UK - and my BFF is bringing her wee 1 year old).

After thinking about this idea for a bit, I’ve come up with a list of cool products that will ensure you don’t get stuck in the kitchen for hours prepping or brewing cup after cup. The goal after all is to maximise the time you spend with your mates, not stress over which coffee went cold or who has yet to be served. That being said, let’s get this ball rolling, shall we?

1) The French Press

 Beginner friendly and hassle free, this is probably one of the most inexpensive brewing devices out there. The standard size holds 1L of liquid so you can easily make 8 cups in one go. If you’re worried that it’ll just be gathering dust afterwards, don’t be! You can also use it as a tea infuser or even as a low-level milk frother for the occasional home cappie. Just make sure to give it a thorough clean after each use if you intend to put its versatility to the test.

2) The Chemex 

If you’re a fan of both volume and gorgeous design, then this is the coffeemaker for you. There is one major difference between the Chemex and its above mentioned cousin and that is: the existence of a very thick paper filter. This stops coffee sediment and unwanted oils from ever touching your lips which therefore results in a much cleaner, more flavourful cup for you to enjoy. 

Although quite accessible, you may want to consider investing in a gooseneck kettle and weighing scale if consistency is something that interests you in the long run.

 It also makes for a pretty decorative element in your house, so you can use it as a centre piece and fill it with seasonal dried flowers perhaps - when you’re not using it, that is! 

3) The Melitta EPOS

An absolute favourite of mine, this electronic all-in-one pour over system will surely become every home barista’s bff in no time! 

Made to accurately simulate the beauty of manual brewing, Melitta has managed to come up with a product which perfectly captures the sensorial experience that is making coffee. It may seem like it’s a bit on the high end of things, but trust me when I say you’ll get your money’s worth in no time at all.

It’s super friendly design makes it easy to use and requires little prior coffee knowledge making it perfectly accessible to anyone in your household. All you need to do is fill the integrated grinder with some great beans, add water to the reservoir and push a button. All that’s left for you to do is wait - that’s the hard part, really. Or get your snacks ready while it’s brewing!

Now that we’ve talked about all these beautiful products, it’s time to shine a light on the actual star of the show.

 4) The Coffee

Regardless of which method you’re keen on using, the secret to a delicious cup of coffee is - you’ve guessed it- good, fresh beans. 

I thought I’d share with you just four (otherwise we’d be here all day!) of my favourite roasters, but no matter which one you’ll choose, make sure to buy a bag that works for your preferred method of brewing (filter/espresso) and don’t forget to check the roast date (up to 3 months guarantees freshness):

GWGC - Girls Who Grind Coffee an all-female specialty coffee roastery! They are stocked in many cafes now, but you can also order from them directly.

Small Batch Roast - in Brighton producing some mighty fine coffees.

Coffee By Tate (yes, they are the only Museum in the world who roast their own coffee) and intentionally source 70% of their coffee from female owned, grown and produced coffee farms!

TGITC My very own Brazil/Zambia blend that I’m super proud of and excited to be able to share with you guys! 

5) The Firetree Tasting Bar Gift Box

Last but not least, you might need to treat your, by now, overly caffeinated guests to some very special bite sized bean to bar treats. This way you can appease those sweet tooth cravings while also avoiding any cross contamination. Win win. 

Plus you can have some fun comparing your tasting notes with those from the bar as they are made from small batch cocoa beans from remote oceanic volcanic islands like Vanuatu and Madagascar, which give enriched and very unique flavours. I had an virtual tasting with them recently, and it was totally eye-opening and a flavourful journey. I was surprised by the 100% cocoa bar which was incredible, a lovely lingering after taste without bitterness. 

I only generally eat small amounts for dark chocolate that is over 70% cocoa as it’s good for cholesterol, is packed with polyphenols and generally good for health.

At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter which one you’ll pick from this list, what’s important is who you choose to share it with. We are, after all, our best selves when we’re next to those we love. Stay Safe, Be Strong and Be Nice to one another - this too shall pass.

Happy Easter, lovelies! xx

Well needless to say that this Coffee Face Mask won’t protect you from Covid-19 but it will make your skin feel and look great, so there’s that!

Skin is such a visual indicator of health, and I’ve found having smooth, glowing skin makes me feel so good. Though living in the city and being around pollution a lot of the time, or just not getting enough sleep, can really dry my face out and emphasise my tiredness.

I’ve had a few people in the past ask me for my coffee face mask recipe when they’ve seen my stories when I am making or using it.

Just to be clear,  this is a face mask, not a face scrub. I think scrubs can sometimes be harmful to our skin, especially the skin on our faces which are more sensitive and delicate. I think coffee scrubs are good for the body though because it is a great exfoliant, but our faces have much more sensitive skin and our bodies can handle the rougher scrub. So it’s important to note that this is a leave on coffee mask that when washed off will make your skin look sparkly and feel so unbelievably amazing - soft and smooth.

So. what’s the secret?… well, in this recipe I use fresh coffee (I have in the past reused coffee grinds). But I like to use fresh coffee mainly to get the most benefits from more caffeine into my skin - and I noticed the difference. If you want to change this recipe as a scrub for your body, you can use used filter ground coffee waste!♻️ 

Ingredients:

• 50-60g FRESH espresso ground coffee (as fine as possible). I grind mine in a Ninja Bullet which pulverises it into an almost powder.

• 6-8 Dried wild sage leaves pulverised into a powder or very fine (I ordered these on Amazon)

• 3 or 4 of your favourite essential oils about 4 d-6 drops each.

• 1 T Coconut oil slightly heated to melt

• 2 T An avocado/rapeseed blend (but you could just use cold pressed avocado oil and a drizzle of Olive oil) You can buy online or just find a bottle at the supermarket!

• Hand mix it all together until it forms a paste like consistency. Add more avocado oil as needed so the coffee looks saturated/wet

Essential Oils I used: 

1. Bergamot: purifies and is a natural cleanser

2. Ylang Ylang: balancing and regulation of oil production

3. Rosemary: antiseptic, hydrates and is good if you have skin conditions like acne or eczema (I have eczema/dry skin sometimes)

4. Sweet orange: anti-bacterial and. Helps circulation, encourages collagen and cell production.  Plus I love citrus smells. 

Method:

Spread it on your face with the back of a teaspoon or spatula. It should glide on easily and not too thick. Be sure to take a moment to breathe in all the aromas, and smile.

Leave it on your skin for at least 10 minutes but longer for 20-30minutes is good too. Then wet your face with your fingertips and gently wash off with warm water. You can use a flannel/reusable bamboo wipe - *be sure to not get it in your eyes. Rinse well with water if you do.

Voila! Your skin will look fresh, smooth and sparkly like mine!

EXTRA TIP:

You can buy tinted glass cosmetic jars on Amazon and fill them up with your coffee face mask! The tinted glass protects from the sunlight. The coffee face mask will be quite solid when you scoop it out but it will melt quickly once it touches your skin. If kept in the fridge it will last weeks!

They make great personalised presents too!

I hope this lifts your mood, it does mine!

Stay Safe all xx 

Body Scrub:

Added 2 August 2021

Recently , I ran out of body exfoliator and I haven’t got around to getting more yet. I had been planning on getting exfoliating gloves but then thought, why don’t I just use my old coffee grinds?! Yes, thats right. Old/Used coffee grinds! The face mask above calls for fresh, finely powdered ground for two main reasons: the skin on your face is much more sensitive and soft, so you want to use a more gentle exfoliant on your face than your body, always. Secondly, caffeine is good for your skin, so by putting unused coffee on your face, we are maximising that possibility. You are more than welcome to grind fresh beans for this body scrub, but it’s not so important here. We just want to get rid of the dead skin cells and make use of old coffee grounds.

The skin on my legs and thighs were really dry and I just felt like a good exfoliation and this really did the trick!

For my body scrub I’m using used espresso grounds, but depending on the coffee you drink, used filter coffee grounds should be ok if they are not too coarse. The mix is really simple, just coffee grounds, some soft brown (or caster) sugar, epsom salts if you have any and oil. You can use olive oil or avocado oil from the supermarket. But I used Caycay oil and Pomegranate oil I recently bought to try from my new favourite skincare range, Facetheory - a UK based natural sustainable skincare brand I’ve been trying for a while. They had a sale on, so I bought up. Side note, the pores on my face were really enlarged a few weeks ago, so I’ve been using their C-pores toner (with niacinamide) and my pores definitely have improved and my skin is so much smoother! (not sponsored!), So I think my coffee face mask will be even more effective now! I digress…

Body Scrub Recipe

• Coffee grinds ( depending on how much you have) lets say 150g

• Brown or Caster sugar (approximately 1/3 of the amount of coffee grounds, so 50g

• Epsom salts - 2/3 of the coffee you used, so abut 100g

• Oil - enough to get the mixture really wet and spreadable. If its a little more, then thats ok. It will leave your body feeling moisturised.

You’re more than welcome to add some drops of essential oils if you like, for a nice smell, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Your body will feel a little tingly. So moisturise afterwards. Don’t scrub too hard. Just massage in circles. It will make a bit of a mess in the shower, you can’t avoid that, so hopefully that won’t deter you! I would recommend using the body scrub about 2 times a week. And keeping it in a sealable container. You can also take a little away with you on summer holidays.

I hope you try this if you get stuck in a similar situation. This is a really cost effective and easy way to get your bod smooth and supple.

Enjoy!

Also, if you are looking for more eco-friendly ways to reuse and repurpose your used coffee grinds Above Average Coffee has made an EXTENSIVE list of 30 really interesting (some quirky) ideas that I’m going to try myself!

Please check it out here:

aboveaveragecoffee.com

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]]>Coffee Face Mask + Body Scrub (updated)Best CoffeebeveragesCafes LondonCafesCoffeecoffee blogCoffee Blogcoffee enthusiastcoffee equipmentCoffee Londoncovid 19FoodHome CoffeeKeto dietlondon CoffeeLondon Coffeenew ZealandNZ Coffeerecipesfitnesspersonal trainingcoffee and fitnessmental healthThe Girl in the CafeFri, 24 Jul 2020 10:16:06 +0000https://www.thegirlinthecafe.co.uk/blog/coffeeandfitness53651ba2e4b010f4395ea25d:53651c77e4b0e77173ca4f3c:5e89296e959bb658fc076ea6

If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that a while ago when I was “pivoting” my career from barista to producer, presenter, director, content strategist and lifestyle entrepreneur, I realised that habits are the anchor of almost everything if you want to be successful - and a few years back my habits were all over the place and were mainly bad ones. So I have sought to change that since and like many of you I’m sure, lately I felt some of the good habits I had developed start to slip which is why at the end of 2019 I wanted to make some changes.

The last time I felt this way was almost three years ago when I was at my heaviest, I was unmotivated and sluggish, both mentally and physically. It was the first time I had ever asked for help by enlisting a Personal Trainer and all round holistic therapist for help (she did acupuncture and massage). Before that, I had always thought personal trainers were pointless because I believed that people should have the motivation to do it themselves, until I realised at the time, I didn’t! At the end of twelve weeks with a Personal Trainer I lost about 4kg in fat, lost 6 inches off my waist and ate my own words. I became fit enough to do regular short duathlons and join my semi-professional cyclist friends on their recovery rides (which was long and challenging for me, but one I was still able to participate in!) The biggest reward in achieving was the underlying effect it had on my mind, my mental health. I learned to develop confidence in myself and my ability to achieve discipline in my health and body. My work became more diverse and my confidence to tackle ambitious ideas seemed less scary, more doable and that’s when I realised that I never wanted to slip back into a place where it became too daunting again.

I have come to believe in and benefit from a balanced diet and lifestyle which is why I’m not super crazy strict and indulge every now and then, but I do have an awareness of the bigger picture these days, which I never used to have. I usually try to exercise by doing circuit-like classes three times a week or if I don’t make a gym class I’ll replace it with a jog or bike ride. I believe strongly in consistency. As a barista that was always my personal goal when making coffee and managing a team too. I found that when times got tough (like if we had an unexpected rush, or a staff issue) my habits would come in to play and I’d be autonomous in those areas of good habit which enabled me to direct energy and conscious time or effort to problem solve the other unexpected things. Rather than have to worry about everything all at once. I found it helped lessen the overwhelm. So I try to apply that to my personal lifestyle too.

2019 was a year of a lot of travel with fulfilling work, love and adventures but I also found myself deviating slightly from my usually disciplined low-carb diet and regular exercise. I noticed toward the end of 2019 the habits that I had spent two years or so strengthening were starting to slide and my productivity, confidence and general attitude was sliding along with it (I’m sure I’m not the only one who has experienced this). I was making more excuses for not exercising and becoming generally unmotivated in most areas.

I didn’t beat myself up about it, because there’s no point in being annoyed at yourself otherwise you’ll just stay stuck in feeling bad. But I did take action to make some changes because I knew that everything would shift, eventually.

So I started looking for a new PT. I wanted someone close by and someone who was really passionate about what they do beyond the pay-check or possible social media adoration. I had been taking some classes at the local gym in Bethnal Green I belong to and was impressed by a metafit instructor called Miguiel Arroteia. I enjoyed his classes and he always had a great energy, attitude and seemed to truly love what he did (and you know I’m a sucker for that!). Then a new gym friend swore by his Personal Training sessions so that sealed it!.

I know we are all in a very different situation now being in a Pandemic, but bare with me, I will reveal how you can still benefit and perhaps see start to see things differently, even through isolation and limited physical social contact.

We met up for a coffee (thank goodness he loves coffee) to talk about working together and immediately I was struck by his enthusiasm for well-being and exercise and by the possibilities he could help me achieve and a programme he wanted to try with me. I had high expectations for both myself and of him. So we started immediately… January 1, 2020. Incidentally, he also believes coffee can really help with results….

Originally I had wanted to book him for 2 sessions a week for 12 weeks minimum, but had booked flights to visit my family in March, so we decided to do two sessions a week for two months and increase it to three per week towards the end of the two months. He would design me a bodyweight workout (which I’ll share with you below) that I could do while away. Ideally I’d recommend 12 weeks with a trainer, if you can, because it takes that long to go through the process of going through the initial resistance, then getting used to the routine and developing the habit of getting up and going to work out effectively, where you start to see results and then realise if you really dug in and tried, what might you achieve? Possibly something amazing!

You must ride the highs and lows and commit to the process as well as the potential outcome. Come to think of it, it’s pretty much the same process in any project or business, or even when you’re in a relationship!

Getting up for my first session at 8am on January 1st was my first test, but I was determined to shift my weight and my mindset. Miguel started me off gently with just a few exercises to see where I was at, and showed me how too use some of the equipment I would become familiar with. He also set up a google document for a food diary, which we later switched to “myfitt app” which recorded my food intake, calories and accounted for my exercise. I wasn’t calorie counting but I’d recommend doing this to use as a gauge for input and output (of food and exercise) and seeing where my moods or feelings sat in relation to my activities. On the first day we also did a weigh in where he measured my body fat too (at my request).

The first two weeks were mentally slow. He asked me to do at least 1-2 other forms of exercise sessions to make a total of four sessions (including his). Slowly I gained confidence, started too see changes and I felt more motivated because I was enjoying our sessions and the time I was spending loving myself through exercising. In less than two months I lost 2kg of body fat but I wasn’t looking at weight change, I was looking at body and mind transformation, as you can see the start of it here:

I wanted to post this blog a few months ago, but I wasn’t sure how responsible it was to recommend any kind of personal classes while the level of protocol for lockdown was still quite loose in the UK. But now that gyms are re-opening this weekend, you may still be feeling a little anxious about going in and really hitting the ground running. So I wanted to recommend an option you may not have thought of, and get in touch with Miguel as he does personal training sessions at his home and there is an option that he will come to you, so that you can be one on one and not be around others, or sharing equipment. I’m sure he offers online assistance too if you asked him. He’s very accommodating.

He is all about Mindset and very focused on technique which to me is super important, because the last thing you want is an injury. He listens, is always positive. The kind of person you want on your side!

Below I’m also sharing with you some exercises circuits he gave me to do at home which I’ve been doing a mix of while I’ve been stuck over in New Zealand.

Honestly, connecting with someone else with the knowledge to help you through something difficult is such a great opportunity to create for yourself. Whether it’s talking to him online or if you’re committed enough to have proper personal training sessions with him, he can also guide you on nutrition or make you diet and workout plans. Either way, you’ll definitely see benefits, I did!

We are all trying to navigate this weird time in the world and the best thing I can suggest is getting your body and mind healthy so that you are in a preventative position in the fight against covid-19 which is why I wanted to share my experience with you.

Much love.

Miguel Health & Fitness: Contact him HERE

Also! He is currently offering free assessment and PT session this month so get on it!

miguelcarroteia.wixsite.com/miguel

Good luck and I know you can do it!

Please comment or message me with your experiences… I would love to know if this helped you in any way.

I will post more recipes that helped my health and fitness journey on my blog too.

Extra ~EXTRA …

What does “healthy” look like for me?

It is a lightness of energy, an idea of being able to do simple physical and mental tasks with relative ease. Healthy to me is a clearness of mind and an ability to move without stress and stagnant effort.

The thing I wanted most was to have more energy so that my mind was alert and to feel connected with my body. I wanted to reinstate my good habits so that when I came back from my NZ trip, I wouldn’t be back where I started. Little did I know that a three week holiday abroad would turn into 5 months away from my UK home…I’m still currently still here but gearing up to head back to a world with Covid-19.

Getting in the work with Miguel before the world was put into lockdown has been so crucial to my state of mind.

Getting in the habit and routine was really important to ignite the shift. It’s meant that I have placed a much higher importance on my general health while in isolation, and have kept up regular exercise despite not being allowed in a gym. Here in NZ gyms are open again, but I’m about to head to the states for couple of months before I head back to the UK and will be in lockdown again so knowing I can do my exercises online with Miguel or just at home has been the best option. Activities that require movement can be incorporated into your day too and helps me feel more willing and involved. Now I know that it’s possible.

Awareness Exercise:

Ask yourself how you feel, what you think about yourself and try to notice when you say things to yourself. For me it was things like: oh I feel uncomfortable in this outfit and I noticed I was opting for the looser, baggier dresses rather than the skinny jeans and form fitting tops I’d more naturally choose when I was feeling more confident.

My Circuit Training exercises:

if you’re interested!

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]]>Coffee with a side of Personal TrainingAeropressaeropress coffeeBest CoffeebeveragesCafes LondonCafescoffeeCoffeeCoffee Blogcoffee equipmentCoffee Londoncoffee machineCoffee MakingHome Coffeehome coffee machineHome coffee roastingLondon CoffeeLondon CafesLondon Coffee FestivalThe Girl in the Cafeuk coffeeV60WBChome officefurloughedcovid 19wfhworking from homecoffee enthusiastThe Girl in the CafeWed, 13 May 2020 02:36:44 +0000https://www.thegirlinthecafe.co.uk/blog/home-office-essentials53651ba2e4b010f4395ea25d:53651c77e4b0e77173ca4f3c:5eb33670798fe74e1d195ee9

Ok, so the above image is probably the ideal spot to be working from but lets be honest, these days, most people will be working from home for the foreseeable future due to the ongoing health crisis. Although a home setup is the best way to stay safe, it goes without saying that adopting it can be quite the challenge. Fortunately, knowing the essentials of your home office environment can make a big difference in the way you work. That being said, here are some unnoticed yet highly important ones to invest in.

Coffee Maker

Are you missing the coffee shop that you'd pass by before heading to work? Or how about that little café that would help you get your creative juices flowing? Chances are, your morning cup of coffee hasn't tasted like it usually does ever since you've been working from home. Thankfully, investing in a new coffee maker not only will help you learn how to brew your favourite cuppa, but also discover new ways to prepare your drink. Whether it's the ever-efficient AeroPress, a meditative pour over cone, a posh espresso machine like a Rocket Espresso machine, Lamarzocco Mini, Sage Barista Pro or Melitta Avanza (some of my favourites at the moment), or an automatic filter machine (see below) ... practicing new ways to brew your morning beverage will surely breathe life into your new working environment — while also supplying you that necessary jolt of energy for the mornings!

TGITC Auto Brewer Recommendations:

• Cheap and cheerful: Melitta Aroma-boy around the £30 mark

• Lux: Mocca Master or Bonavita 8 cup coffee maker around £160-200

Insulated Mug

While you're at it, you'll want to ensure that your cup of coffee stays warm or cool so you can truly enjoy your drink. After all, hot coffee tastes rather dull after a few hours. Meanwhile, melted ice cubes can totally dilute the flavour of your brew. This is why putting your coffee in an insulated mug can make all the difference for your beloved beverage. Case in point, Campfire Magazine shares that Tefal's travel mug can maintain a drink's temperature especially when you need to interrupt your coffee moment with a trip to the bathroom or go answer the door to receive your delivery of fresh coffee beans! I personally am really enjoying the Café Concetto tumbler (in gold) and Sttoke which is the worlds first shatter proof reusable cup.  Alternatively, you can turn to a regular smart ceramic mug if you'd like a cozier option to store your drink. But remember to heat the cup first with hot water.

Ergonomic Chairs

Are you feeling stiff after working long hours at home? That is probably because your homework setup is not actually designed for work. Most offices invest in furniture that help employees stay seated for long periods of time. A guide to ergonomic chairs by Pain Free Working outlines how everything from the height of the chair to the depth of the seat pan can be adjusted. If you’re suffering from chronic pain, you might want to look into an ergonomic chair to provide your lower back the support it needs. Trust us when we say that good office furniture is often the element that most people miss from their workplace.

Laptop Stand

When it's time to work on your desk with your laptop, you'll likely find yourself having bad posture — from straining your neck to slouching your shoulders. As explained by Thrive Global, these examples of poor posture happen when your laptop's resting too low from your eye level. A simple yet effective to solve this matter is using a laptop stand that will elevate your computer screen one to two inches above your level. For instance, these laptop stands shown on T3 highlight how this device can instantly transform your working space.

Although working from home may not feel as structured as your office or go-to café, making a few adjustments here and there can help you ease into this new environment.

Stay Safe, Stay Strong, be kind to each other - we will get through this. xx

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]]>Home Office Essentials That Often Go UnnoticedThe Girl in the CafeSun, 23 Feb 2020 15:11:47 +0000https://www.thegirlinthecafe.co.uk/blog/sustainability53651ba2e4b010f4395ea25d:53651c77e4b0e77173ca4f3c:5e5271fefe69f273e6dab8ccSustainability

noun

1. the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.

2. avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.


Yep. sustainability is the latest buzz word…but lets start with disclosing I’m not vegan, or vegetarian and I’m far from perfect, obviously.

Over the years I’ve become much more aware of my consumption for both myself and for others in mind. I’m making more of a conscious effort to do my part to reduce, recycle and reuse. It took me a while to get my head in this frame of mind so if you haven’t already, maybe this is a good moment to push through and take some time to think about it.

It’s hard not to feel the shame when there are so many shamers out there.  I felt it too. We could get rebellious about it, or we could be intelligent. Shaming definitely doesn’t make me want to join in. I believe the attitude going into anything is always better when there’s an inner motivation. But that’s something each person needs to figure out for themselves. I can’t and I won’t tell you that but I can tell you how I came to something…

For me, it began when it was bought to my attention that low quality chemical sunscreens were actually killing off reefs around the world. I had heard of this, but I hadn’t seen it for myself. A beach in Hawaii I visited had only just been reopened. It was heaving with tourists and it was very sad to me that my nieces and I might’ve missed out on swimming with beautiful tropical fish that day all because people were only trying to protect themselves from the sun, but with poisonous lotions.

Then it got me thinking: EEK! We’re putting poisonous lotions on our skin??? If the reef is dying, then it mustn’t be good for us either! (there goes those selfish thoughts again). I don’t beat myself up for it though and neither should you.

This lead me down a path that I’m still currently exploring and finding challenging yet satisfying and I just want to write about it.

Like most things I find, you only really feel the effects after you experience something you consciously act upon. You assume you’ll feel good, and people are quick to tell you so, as a way to entice you into whatever they’re doing. I hate to admit it, but I do feel a sense of feeling good about my choices to do the right thing that also isn’t something that’s just for yourself, but ultimately for others too.

Changing ones lifestyle,  or way of thinking is not straightforward or easy.  I only know this too well from my experience of putting myself through some kind of self imposed “boot-camp” a couple years back.

Some of us have been bought up all our lives with different cultures, backgrounds and beliefs. I was brought up in an immigrant Chinese household, with the reinforced message that meat is good for you and a sign of prosperity. Along with the aspirations of convenience and efficiency from my western influence (American Television and I was born in NZ) which unfortunately means easily discarded packaging and in general, less thought to how we are consuming. This unravelling can take years for some to realise and change.

Believe me – I know how hard it is to change your thinking and lifestyle.  I’ve moved from NZ to Melbourne, to London, and a couple of years back, completely overhauled my health and fitness, which was super challenging but I also know that it is possible.

Watching the Australian bush fires, Malibu fires, and Amazon fires recently… we can’t deny that global warming is upon us and that these fires have accelerated the degeneration the our environment, our world, which is why I think we do need to make some if not a heck of a lot more effort to lessen the damage.

I used to think that if you don’t go cold turkey or make some massive contribution then what’s the point?  But even if the big picture is a little removed from our immediate reality, I now I realise the point is that collectively we can start to make a difference where we can bit by bit, and we might learn to grow our efforts in the process.

This blog isn’t to shame you - far from it. I just thought I would share with you some of the small things I’m doing to try to reduce, reuse and recycle. Maybe we can help each other and pat ourselves on the back when we do some of them. I figure we all need to start somewhere and sometimes we need a little help. I know I’ve had to ask my more sustainable and environmentally conscious friends for advice, so I’m passing on what I’m trying and what I’ve learnt in hopes that you might find some of these things inspiring, helpful and doable. 

They’re not huge game changers but it’s a start and I imagine my journey will grow daily. I have a long way to go too, but do know that every little bit helps. Anyway see what you think….

Don’t consume at all…

Now this may seem ridiculous, but essentially this would be the perfect scenario. So if we can’t not consume (double negative there) then I guess we should try to consume less on the whole, and use and reuse what we have got. Easily said – but how?

Clothing:

I’m guilty of a massive wardrobe – I used to work in high fashion and style has always been apart of my expression. I know its hard but:

-       If you try to buy ‘classics’ or really good quality pieces, I guarantee you that there will be a fashion cycle where you’ll be able to wear things again years later. I’ve been able to re-wear amazing pieces that I hadn’t worn in ten years or more. So if you maintain them and they’re cool to begin with, classic pieces, they’ll be in again for sure. Buying things off the high street is fun but they’re so transient and often don’t have good production practices. You’ll always be able to re-vamp a past season’s outfit somehow, whether it’s with jewellery, a new hairstyle or with your evolving natural beauty and personality!

-       You can also buy from charity shops or vintage shops. Often pieces you find will be more original, rare and cheaper! Plus it’s not contributing to extra production.

-       Another thing you can do is sell your clothes on Ebay, Depop or donate to charity.  But know that a lot of clothes that go to charity are shipped off and dumped in Africa! I’m pretty bad at the Ebay/Depop thing, but I’ve been trying to sell some items there.  That way what goes around, comes around and you’ll be helping other people look great.

-       You can rent amazing clothes… yes rent. A company called Onloan lets you rent three pieces per month from really cool high St to luxury brands that are perfect for office wear.

-       Make your own clothes – this used to be very granny-ish but hey, apparently grannys are in and so is sewing! Personally I’m a terrible sewer but I like to think one day later, I might learn or teach myself. If not just as a hobby. I kind of like the idea of being able to choose myself a beautiful linen or rework something I already have. So if you’ve had any inclination to do so, I happen to know that Paper Theory (she’s one of my bff’s) has made it cool, VERY cool with her simple, chic and easy to follow patterns that have really cool modern styles. It’s all ethical and sustainable too. She’s sewn me a few sample pieces and I love them. I bet it feels good creating something of your own too.

Experiment with vegetarian and vegan meals

I’m Chinese and have been bought up on mostly rice, noodles, beef, pork, chicken (and vegetables! My mum would be annoyed if I didn’t mention the vegetables!) But overall our family were known for our ‘meat eating ways’ but some of my family members have been cutting down. So it’s quite a change we have all had over the years. Maybe it’s social influence, maybe its for health reasons – but I know that too much of anything is not good and can get boring!

Many of my close friends are vegetarian and when I met my boyfriend, he was vegetarian/plant based, though he calls himself a ‘flexitarian’. When we were in LA recently, I was the only one out of five people at the restaurant who wasn’t vegetarian! That has NEVER happened to me, and really highlighted the social shift.

 I admit, part of why I refused to change early on was probably because I didn’t want to be ‘wrong’ for how I’d grown up and had been taught to think, I also didn’t want to look like I was buckling under peer pressure. But as an adult who can think and feel for myself and know what I wanted for my life, I started to eat more vegetables and I noticed a difference in my skin (it was brighter), if I was under the weather I instantly perked up and seemed to get better very quickly if I ate predominantly green leafy vegetables.

When I was very young growing up in NZ, I was bought up by very outdoorsy hunting and fishing older siblings. I love animals but there is still some kind of disconnect for me, seeing some animals as a food source. My attitude is slowly changing – and I’m working on it. I think I would like to mostly become vegetarian some day soon or at least reduce my meat meals to one or two days a week.

If you want to or think you can make these changes, for environmental reasons, or for animal reasons then do it. I applaud you. If you’re like me, and sometimes things can take a little time, just start to integrate more vegetable meals into your diet and start to lessen either the amount of meat or the number of meals that require meat per week.

I have been doing this steadily for a couple of years and have a much better repertoire of vegetarian meals that I really love so it’s not such a mental block for me to make when I’m starving and more likely to jump to my old easy satisfying go-to meals. Once you get used to the different ingredients, they start to become more ‘staples’ in the cupboard or fridge. For me that’s things like black beans or chickpeas or miso paste and that back up tofu just in case. I never used to buy those things. I even like vegan grated-cheese (its made out of coconut and tastes really good!). The thing that has really made it more interesting though is that I have been experimenting and has made it into something I really enjoy. So I suggest just getting interested in what you can create that doesn’t involve meat, maybe just once a week or every couple weeks in the beginning. See if you can find a really interesting and yummy vegetarian meal that you go out, find those ingredients that you’ve never used before and see what you can do with it. There are loads of recipes out there on the internet. I’ll link a couple of my own soon.

Also if you’re not a confident cooker, there are companies like The Cookaway (who I’ve tried) who have chefs that come up with great recipes and send you the exact ingredients with instructions, down to the number of cardamom pods! Easy!

www.thecookaway.com/

For those baristas and coffee enthusiasts:

There’s been a huge shift to alternative milks from regular dairy milk over the past couple of years. To be honest, I’m generally a purest when it comes to coffee. I like it black, or sometimes with some heated textured dairy milk. Some alternative milks are difficult to balance with espresso. But I admit, when I tried Oatly for the first time at my pop up cafe for Jamie Oliver I was impressed. It didn’t affect the taste of my coffee as much as I expected (some milks like almond or soy can be a little thin, acidic and curdle). I still believe that good quality dairy milk tastes best with espresso, so I only drink high quality milk from most good specialty cafes like Northiam dairy or Brades Farm milk which is my favourite (as seen above) - who are leading the way in ethical, sustainable farming in the UK. The other part of the time I enjoy oat milk flatwhites (either Oatly, Minor figures or Califia). Very recently this week I discovered a pea protein based milk called Sproud barista milk (seen above), which I originally thought was made from mushy peas – I expected it to come out green! So I was unsure of what to expect, but it was great! Its made from split peas, not mushy peas and in the same town as Oatly (Malmo, Sweden). I’m yet to experiment more but it froths well and it’s much lower in sugar and carbs than Oat milks so, that is really attractive to me.

Mix it up a bit:

I’m going to list a few natural and sustainable brands below that I’ve been experimenting with and using. You can make your own judgements, but I’ve been pretty happy with them. I published some stories on my instagram yesterday

 Natural skin care:

This is something that I’ve really been focusing on a lot over the past few months. I’ve been using up my old products (so not to waste them) and replacing them with a lot of new, natural, sustainable, ethical brands. I have noticed a massive difference in how my skin feels and it has even increased my confidence to wear less make up. When I’m sleep deprived or stressed, I can get small patches of red dermatitis on my cheeks. It’s very irritating, and I noticed my previous products made my skin sting and exacerbated the situation. However since I’ve been using these natural skin care products, I haven’t had any problems, my skin seems brighter, less agitated and smoother. I’m definitely not changing back to the big brands that have synthetic chemicals and also often test on animals!

Ren Skincare – I’m most impressed with this company’s environmental efforts - they aim to be ZERO WASTE by 2021 (thats NEXT YEAR!). They make a lot of their containers using plastic from the ocean or recycled plastic, which is fantastic. I have their body wash (which smells amazing), a range of their moisturisers and I’m loving the Daily AHA tonic from their ‘Radiance’ range. I really like their Evercalm green range too, but want to try their anti-aging range! But their SPF mineral sunscreen is probably the best out there. I’ve tried so many different sunscreens – both chemical and mineral (and believe me it makes a difference in protection!) I made a IGTV video about it with my friend which you can see more on it here.

Face Theory Skincare - for skin and face cloths made from bamboo. I also use and really like their face wash a lot. It comes in a glass pump which means you never use too much.

Bybi Beauty – my favourite product of theirs so far is their bronzer which comes in a little pot, their Mega Mist spray is incredible. It makes your skin look dewy and plump. I poured some into a mini atomiser and I take it on long aeroplane flights and regularly spray my face and it makes me feel so fresh and shiny. I’m a bit obsessed. I interviewed the founders on my podcast Love What You Do ep #7 who are really inspiring. They did give me that little bronzer pot to try, but I bought the mist myself in Boots because it was Elsies favourite, and I can see why!

Green People UK has some nice moisturisers in a small pump which I’ve been using. I also really like their avocado and rose hip oil which I use nightly with a seaweed serum of theirs. I don’t find their branding particularly exciting, but their ingredients and product is actually really good and reasonably priced.

Bambaw Zerowaste - for reusable make up pads and corn floss! Used cotton pads apparently shouldn’t be flushed down the loo and can’t be recycled! So reusable pads are definitely the way to go!

Ethique is a NZ based company which has a huge following and seems to be particularly popular amongst my vegan friends. But I got a trial pack for Christmas. They are basically bars of shampoo, conditioner, face and body wash. It’s a different process than a liquid so may take a bit of time to get used to, but I actually really enjoyed using the shampoo and conditioner! I might get a bigger bar, I’m just not sure how to keep it in my shower without it leaving a mess.

Dandruff: Having black hair I’ve always had a bottle of Head n’ shoulders around just incase. But if you do suffer from the odd dry scalp, you could try Jason’s Natural Care dandruff shampoo. It’s quite smelly and to be honest I find it a bit over powering, but it’s a really good natural alternative if you’re not needing to use it regularly.

Loo Paper:

I received some samples a while back from a company called Smart Ass which is a pretty funny name. The toilet paper is made from sustainable bamboo and sugar cane waste. Their parent company is a NZ company called Decent Packaging who make compostable disposable products for the cafe industry. I’ve done work with them in the past on their video content so I learned a lot about them then. Initially the toilet paper didn’t feel as thick and plush as other readily available supermarket brands , but when I thought about it, and you’re literally wiping your butt and flushing it down the loo, why should it matter! So I did a bit of research into what the best value sustainable toilet paper is out there in the UK market (there are now quite a few), and this brand is the best value, and the best looking packaging by far. The other loo papers look a bit wack. So I bought a subscription to their product so that I don’t need to embarrassingly lug a huge 9 pack back from the supermarket because you get 42 rolls in a box! After using it for a while now, I don’t even notice any difference!

Dental Hygiene:

Natural tooth paste – Green People UK It’s takes a while to get used to because it doesn’t foam up like the regular toothpaste we are all probably used to, but I’m able to stick with it because I know it’s natural, organic and not harming to the environment. There are lots of toothpastes out there in jars, but that doesn’t work for me. My sister is a dentist so oral hygiene has always been important in our family. I did ask her opinion on natural toothpastes though, and she said that fluoride is really important in toothpaste because it helps repair decay, especially as you get older. This toothpaste doesn’t contain fluoride, so I’m wondering if maybe alternating it with a regular toothpaste or finding fluoride in other ways might be an option. Feel free to share your thoughts on this. Tbc.

Dental floss – is usually made from nylon, coated in wax and are not biodegradable. I’ve found a vegan dental floss made from corn. I bought a metal container with corn floss for travel (by sustainable company Bambaw Zerowaste ) and a glass container of corn floss for home by Better Eco (on amazon). They’re both really small and chic, and come with refills so no more little plastic dispensers!

My favourite re-usable coffee cups:

Sttoke – Is a non-breakable cup that has a ceramic inner. It looks chic and has a closable mouth piece too.

Café Concetto – metallic cups keep the heat in really well, and are a nice shape. I really like the look too. I even use it around the house.

Cleaning products:

I’ve been using Ecover dishwashing liquid for a while now, and I love it. One way not to over use it, is to put it in a glass pump bottle by the sink (I ended up reusing a soap dispenser that I had).

Method UK has natural window, anti-bacterial and lime scale sprays. I love the smell and feel so much better knowing that it’s made of non-toxic ingredients, especially as I have a cat! 

I’m yet to use Splosh, but I’ve just ordered and received it – so will update this later. But the concept is refills… so you don’t keep buying bottles. You buy the bottles once, then order refills that comes in recycled and recyclable materials. You can always refill other branded existing empty bottles with the Splosh refills. I quite like the cardboard stacked like books in the cupboard too!

ECO Laundry Egg

I’ve been using an Eco Egg for about 6 months now. I love that it saves me money as well as knowing that it’s environmentally friendly. I just bought some replacement balls that are fragrant! I also was unsure about detergents irritating my skin as I sometimes get eczema and now I don’t need to worry or think about this or worry that I’ve run out of detergent! (which always used to happen. I try to limit my washing generally (part lazy, part me wanting to keep the quality of my clothes) and I think detergent is a rip off. But give this a go!

The BEST smelling eco-handwash:

Kankan – it’s a new hand-wash and even though I know one of the founders, it’s honestly the most incredible smelling hand-wash I’ve ever used. Their packaging is amazing and their refills come in aluminium recyclable cans. Genius! You get one glass bottle pump then just need to buy the refill cans. Mine is mandarin and sage. I wash my hands even when I don’t need to, just for the waft AND they plant a tree for every can sold.

https://www.kankan.london/

This one is for girls only:

When Mooncups came out I admit I was a bit grossed out and couldn’t imagine using one. But I’ve been using a menstrual cup for over a year now. It took a while to get used to, but do bare with it because it gets easier and actually more convenient. You could mix it up and use both to begin with. Don’t worry you’ll find your own rhythm and ways to use it efficiently. It’s also a good way to monitor how much blood you’re actually loosing each cycle.

Best thing is that in the long run you’ll also save a bunch of money! I really love it now and I feel so much better using these over bleached tampons and flushing it down the loo into the ocean! Here’s a link to this one I found on sale here

Thanks for reading! I hope you have found this helpful and maybe a bookmark to refer to if you don’t know where to start. 

Feel free to email or DM me via Instagram if you have questions or share your journey with me by tagging me in your pictures

@the_girl_in_the_cafe

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]]>Buzz Word: SustainabilityBest CoffeeCafes LondonCafesCoffeecoffee blogcoffee equipmentCoffee LondonCoffee MakingCoffee Reviewcoffee Temperaturecoffee machineespresso machineThe Girl in the CafeTue, 10 Dec 2019 21:59:28 +0000https://www.thegirlinthecafe.co.uk/blog/melitta-avanza-bean-to-cup-home-espresso-machine53651ba2e4b010f4395ea25d:53651c77e4b0e77173ca4f3c:5dee624f9d16d153cba30bb2

I receive many different coffee-related products, machines and gadgets. Some are prototypes some already exist in the market, but unfortunately I don’t post about all of them. The ones I do are because I genuinely think that it will be of benefit to my audience!

Melitta have been sending me their products for a while and I’ve become somewhat of an ambassador, because what I like about this German brand is that it’s really affordable for coffee lovers who are interested in making coffee at home. Their products are generally not over complicated or fancy but the output is consistently good and I think thats really important. I show you a lot of luxury products too (many sold in my web shop) but I want people not to feel intimidated by the sometimes ‘exclusivity’ of the specialty coffee industry.

Good coffee should be available for everyone to enjoy and it doesn’t need to be made on something super expensive of fancy. But there is a time and a place for everything!

I digress….

Melitta sent me this Avanza bean to cup home espresso machine head of it’s release date at the time I filmed this video. But the good news is that now it’s on the market! If you’re looking for something compact, convenient, easy to use and consistent then this may be a really good option for you, especially if you are a small office or studio who might make 2-8 coffees a day. Lets take a look.

The water tank is holds a good amount of water (1-1.5litres) so it means you don’t need to fill it up too much (depending on how much coffee you drink! 😉 ) The water tank is detachable so you can either take it directly to the tap or if you’re like me use filtered or bottled water. Though it’s not very eco-friendly. So another option is to buy a filter cartridge separately from the Melitta website. It will prolong the life of your machine. If you do use a cartridge, they recommend that you only need to descale the machine once a year! London water is really hard, but can differ depending on where your water is sourced from. There’s a litmus hardness paper that comes with the machine so you can see for yourself how hard the water is, and you can set the machine’s water hardness level so that it knows when to tell you to descale the machine.

The hopper holds about 200-250grams of coffee beans which is about the amount that you would buy from a cafe or in a subscription. Unless you drink loads of espresso, you can just keep filling it up as you go.

There are only three grinder settings which keep it simple. I tend to have it on the finest setting possible. There are buttons along the front. The first button is for one cup, the second is for two cups. There are two sprouts where the coffee comes out, where you can put two cups!

There is a dial which is interesting because it controls how much coffee comes out. I’ve tested different spots along the dial and the lowest yields about 30 mls which is perfect for an espresso. If you want a longer coffee, I’d suggest filling a cup with a little hot water and float an espresso on top. (In New Zealand we call this a Long Black, which is a touch less diluted than an Americano coffee!)

There are three different settings for “strength” - going from weakest to strongest. I have mine on the strongest, obviously. It will tell the machine how much to grind.

There are still a few functions within the ‘service’ button that I need to play around with but it makes it easier to do things like change the water hardness settings, filter and cleaning programming , brewing temperature and setting the auto off/on function.

They also have a Cap-pu-ccina-to-re which I can’t pronounce correctly no matter how hard I try, but it’s basically a fun name for the steam wand! It’s quite a cool system because you can just place the tube into any milk vessel (a carton, bottle, jug) whatever the milk comes in and it can be steamed. Then you can just put it straight back into the fridge, no transferring or anything. The milk quality is good. It’s a good temperature, smooth, creamy and the texture is nice and thick.

Three Tips to get the best out of this machine and really any other coffee maker:

(you’ll have to watch the youtube video for the full explanation! ) Sorry!

This machine is quite cool because you can change the temperature of the water. The temperature of the water you are brewing at can change the taste of your coffee, so it’s a good feature to have. I’ve been using the highest setting, which has been producing good espresso brews for me!

The Avanza is intuitive - it tells you when you need to empty the tray and used coffee grinds so that it doesn’t over flow and make a mess and it turns itself off! Right before it turns off it also rinses itself so you don’t have to and gives you piece of mind that every time you use it, that it’s rinsed.

I’ve been a professional in the specialty coffee industry for over a decade now, so when I’m testing products and machines I try to get into the mind of who might be using this, in this case people at home or small or shared offices. My expectations are different from when I’m in the cafe. I look at it’s convenience, ease of use (also is it intuitive to use), and most importantly what is the taste and quality of the coffee like? It’s really important to know that home espresso machines will be different to commercial grade machines, but there are a few out there that can give you a resemblance of a cafe quality style coffee, but at home. Also for the £500 mark, this is pretty reasonable.

You may have seen in a previous blog that Melitta have an app. I started looking around the Avanza section of the app for the first time and it’s really interesting. It has all sorts of information on it. Like tutorials on how to descale and clean your machine and gives you diagnostics on the functions of each feature. It has a great source of information about coffee beans, the perfect grind, water, roasting coffee, harvesting etc. It’s pretty interesting so even if you don’t have a Melitta machine you could still download the app for some light educational coffee reading!

All in all it’s a really simple bean to cup machine that requires very little involvement and a lot of coffee enjoyment!

For more on this machine head over to melitta.co.uk or @melitta_uk (on instagram)

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]]>Melitta Avanza Bean to Cup Home Espresso MachineThe Girl in the CafeWed, 23 Oct 2019 15:31:54 +0000https://www.thegirlinthecafe.co.uk/blog/la-pop-up-cafe53651ba2e4b010f4395ea25d:53651c77e4b0e77173ca4f3c:5daad16aa6cdd33e2a940595TGITC

LA POP UP CAFE!

Click below to play this Video made by the dude! Jeff Newton from Americano Mondays !

At the start of the year I visited Los Angeles, and while I loved the cafes, the coffee and the growing specialty scene there I thought how cool would it be if the people of LA, the LA coffee industry and the enthusiasts all had a chance to all go to one local place and try all the best coffees from my side of the world and contribute to a local charity?! They could save on an expensive flight (apparently 63% of Americans have never left the USA), learn and experience these very unique different coffees from some of the BEST roasters in the WORLD, and do good!

So, this year in July I took TGITC international and flew to Los Angeles to do a four day pop up at my bike-crazy new friend’s shop The Golden Saddle Cyclery (GSC). I curated ten of some of my favourite UK and European Roasters and featured them at my pop up as filter coffee and I had an awesome local coffee roaster Bicycle Coffee LA on my red La Marzocco home mini, serving as espresso. We have international cuppings in the UK all the time and along with my travelling, I’m very fortunate to try so many coffees so I wanted to extend the growth to a city that seems to be slowly seducing me (haha) and share what we have, while having fun. So thats what we did!

All proceeds from the Pop up went to a local stray cat charity @luxepaws and to a Downtown LA women’s shelter!

To be honest, I was nervous about how this market might take lighter roasts, as LA on the whole seems to be more on the medium roast over lightly roasted coffee. Right before I opened I felt the fear: “Will anyone even come?” because I didn’t really know anyone in LA and I was worried people would think, “who is this random girl from NZ/UK bringing this coffee here?? Our LA coffee is perfectly fine!!!” (If you did, you know who you are). 😉

Though, I realised quickly that the customers who came through the GSC doors had a thirst for good coffee and new experiences, and were specifically into specialty coffee so that wasn't a problem at all!

It was like a coffee party everyday! Every customer who bought a coffee went in to a draw to win a bag of coffee and an Eastpak bumbag, with a big prize at the end to win either an Eastpak backpack. I want to make a special shout out to Eastpak and their team who helped me make it happen. They provided a THE best range of practical but cool looking bumbags and backpacks for me to give away to customers each day! I’m such a fan of their bumbags, especially when I’m working - they have such cool colours and designs so it really added to the excitement of the event. I even got to choose all of the designs and colours that I raffled out and people were stoked, dancing around the shop in them.

THE COFFEE:

It was a huge feat to feature such a large range of coffees over four days with just myself serving - but I’m so so happy with the range of coffee I received. Luckily I’m very familiar with each roastery and their coffees or know them personally so that made it much easier to inform and talk about. I can’t tell you how appreciative I am to all the roasters who got involved. They were extremely co-operative, had initiative, were enthusiastic and so professional, not to mention every single coffee tasted so good because they chose to send their best beans! Every single coffee roaster sent their coffee to my instructions (as I wanted it as fresh as possible) and they all arrived exactly on time. NO customs hold ups either - unbelievable, considering they were coming from all over England and Europe! It’s really great to know that these roasteries are so professional, yet involved and fun! Some of the roasters featured at my pop up are now even exporting to LA. So thats pretty cool!

The best thing? The customers who came by, LOVED the variety of coffee and the bike shop of course! There was a lot of interest in Colonna Coffee’s (Bath, UK) Rare Gesha, as well as Ballies Coffee (Belfast, Ireland) natural Guatemalan and their unique tie-dyed packaging! Also, there were many comments about the “juiciness” of Ozone Coffee’s Ethiopian Guji! We did many different tastings, and it was super interesting for all involved.

The most common question was what was my favourite?! My honest answer was "ALL of them"! Each one was so different and beautiful to drink, which enabled me to talk about them all individually because there were so many origins. I liked hearing what peoples preference and palette was like so I could direct them accordingly. Not one person had a bad thing to say about any of the coffees. It was really positive.

So how did I brew?

At any one time I had three batch brews available to drink (I used a Breville USA latest Precision brewer (see below in photo diary- it’s really great!) in 3 urns which I rotated, so people could try at least three different coffees side by side. I let people choose any coffee they were interested in, then I would make them a pour over from my copper Hario V60 (available in my webshop uk only) it and we could all taste and compare. It was a bit frantic with just myself, but obviously everyone was patient and really looked forward to trying all the different coffees - and of course we could get to know each other!

I tried to give every customer a good run down on all the coffees and some history about each roaster.

It was awesome to see and hear peoples reactions first hand to all the coffees. From packaging, to their opinions on taste, what they usually drink, and to hear the kind of questions they had, what they knew already and it was cool to get a sense of what they value, how they perceive coffee/the industry over this side (LA), what THEY thought about the LA coffee scene, questions they had about the UK/European coffee scene, how they make coffee at home, and how they generally consume was so insightful.

I'm so glad I had it at Golden Saddle Cyclery because Kyle and the whole GSC team was incredible, they’re a unique and special bunch for sure which made for a constantly positive and fun atmosphere and hard to leave!

GSC are a very popular bike shop, known also for their regular shop rides (often meeting at Intelligencia Cafe nearby first). On my last day, Kyle lent me his Surly electric bike took me on a shop ride to Black Top up in the famous Griffith Park to see the sunset. The views were amazing and so was the company and beer! Silver Lake is probably one of the coolest areas in LA so if you get the chance, you should check it out for sure. I'm particularly grateful (and amazed) that there were so many people who made the trip specifically to the pop up and for the coffee because I now know, LA peeps are spoilt for choice on events happening in this city plus everywhere is so far apart! You can’t just jump on connecting tubes or busses. So, many thanks to friends and followers who got behind this concept and helped spread the word through your networks, videos, pictures, texts, all of it! It helped a lot, and hopefully if you posted on Instagram, you saw yourselves being re-grammed too! :)

I had the BEST people on board. My friends at Decent Packaging provided me with their awesome compostable cups and I didn’t realise how into Sparkling water the LA crowd were until this trip. EVERYONE drinks canned sparkling water - its the thing to do apparently! So I was super psyched to introduce them to my UK mates: UGLY Drinks (USA) who came to the party with their whole delicious range of natural flavoured sparkling water. It was the bomb! In fact I made “Espresso Bombs” with them - a natural sugar free take on the Espresso tonic where they could choose which flavour Ugly would go with it. That was super fun and people were really in to it. If you’re in America, look out for them in NYC and in a few spots in LA. Otherwise in the UK they are in most good supermarkets and health food stores.

The Challenges

Milk and bottled water in LA is really expensive! (actually most of their grocery stores are expensive!) So… I decided to only use Oat Milk. My UK Oat milk friends Minor Figures had just recently launched in LA so I was able to use them exclusively. I was a bit nervous as I’ve never done a pop up with only an alternative milk… but it’s LA! So it was awesome. No one even questioned it…How cool is that?

From my experience of traveling around the world trying different coffees you get a taste for a trend or a sense of what the coffee is like overall. Of course there are outliers in every city or country, and I have in the past having visited LA many times (I have family there) that LA, in general seems to have a slightly different roast profile when it comes to coffee. I would say its just a fraction darker than UK/european roastered coffee, but thats not to say its not as good! It is! It’s different which is expected due to slightly different coffee cultures and history, which is why I’m fascinated by and love Americans and their coffee! Theres a genuine love for coffee that exudes from almost every American I’ve met, like it’s air - and I would agree!

There are some amazing reputable roasters in the USA which I hope to discover soon and maybe reciprocate and share with the UK/European coffee with them one day.

Post Pop - up

The day after the pop up finished and after the long pack down, I held a cupping with some coffee I saved, at Dayglow cafe on Sunset Boulevard for anyone who might have missed it during the day. Dayglow Cafe is such a sexy cafe! Tohm and Josh were particularly helpful in lending me some equipment for my pop up too and are one of the few cafes that often order coffees from Scandinavia/Europe and offer a hugely popular subscription and wide range of coffee/coffee roasters. At first I thought no one would turn up bc 1) it’s LA and 2) it was short notice... but in the end I think we had a bout 15-20 people and it was a really interactive evening. It was cool to meet some people in the industry. Dayglow has also just opened a new shop in West Hollywood (Weho) so get in there if you can!

I learned a lot… A LOT on this trip. Watch out for more developments coming soon. I hope you can be apart of it!

*Photos at Dayglow Cafe taken by Jeff Newton from Americano Mondays

Three Lessons I learned:

• I learned that good people who not only ‘get’ your vision and are passionate about their own product and work ethic are more reliable. So choose your partners carefully. I’m really grateful to all the people involved who helped make this charity event a success.

• You can try to be organised and prepared, but the unexpected will always happen so I had to learn to go with the flow a bit more and set my self up so not to stress as much and do what was needed.

• I learned to go outside my comfort zone - especially in a new space, around new people in a new timezone, and it was pretty awesome.

Massive Thanks to:

Eastpak

Golden Saddle Cyclery LA

La Marzocco USA

Ugly Drinks

Minor Figures

Decent Packaging

Olli & Co.

-----

COFFEE ROASTERS

Bicycle Coffee - LA

Bailies Coffee - Ireland

Bonanza Coffee Roasters - Berlin, Germany

The Roastery Dept - London, UK

The Dept of Coffee - London, UK

Colonna Coffee - Bath, UK

Dark Arts Coffee – London, UK

Three Marks Coffee – Barcelona, Spain

Square Mile Coffee Roasters – London, UK

Ozone Coffee Roasters - London, UK

Koppi Coffee Roasters - Helsingborg, Sweden

Dear Green – Scotland, UK

My PHOTO DIARY!

I’m very grateful to ALL the people who supported the cause - both supplier, brand partners and the people who came in and donated! Not one person or brand let me down. Thank YOU! And thank you for all the online support from afar too! I know the charities were very grateful for all the donations raised.

May be you’ll spot yourself below…

See if you can spot yourself or anyone you know?

Golden Saddle Cyclery - famous for their bike shop and awesome shop rides

To see more, from a customer/coffee geek perspective, also visit Fully Caffeinated Felix’s Blog !

When I first started making coffee well over ten years ago, my coffee mentor was already doing perfect double Rosetta’s in his milk! This was way before latte art was seen anywhere. It wasn’t even a thing.  I remember working really hard to even get some sort of formed ‘blob’ on top of the coffee. But I was told, if I get the milk texture (and temperature) right, the rest would come. I steamed and swirled that damn milk like no tomorrow so that I could get it smooth and creamy. Whether you’re a working barista, someone starting out or a home enthusiast and looking for another perspective, it’s always a good sign when you see some nice latte art so I’m going explain the basic science and concept of heating milk then share some pointers I use which will hopefully help get your milk texture right. 

Picture above: Baby-Me making coffee well OVER A DECADE AGO!

Latte art is really important in the presentation of coffee but it does not necessarily mean that the coffee itself is “good”. It is only one part of what makes a well-made coffee. It is however a good indication that the barista is practiced and has trained hard to control that aspect of coffee making, time and time again.

Many latte art championships won’t focus on the espresso, but in the business of cafes and consuming coffees, it’s very important to note that the espresso needs to taste good on its own merit. That is down to the quality of green beans, skill of the roaster, the experience and expertise of the barista to make sure the extraction is good.  The milk is just the cream on the top - so to speak.

Start with the basics; apples and hearts. Nail them, then move onto rosettas until you can do them (almost) literally with your eyes closed! It’s easier to do when you understand the science and importance of milk texture and of course, with loads of practice and repetition.

It takes practice to get consistently good latte art, and you can only really do good latte art with good milk texture. Ever tried to do it with bubbly, rigid milk?

Not gonna happen.

Above: Milk that is too bubbly & low stability Vs Beautiful silky smooth heated textured milk

To explain quite simply, milk is made up of fat, protein and carbohydrate (lactose) and when you heat it, the fatty acids begin to stabilise and that’s what gives you the ‘foam’. The higher the fat content, the better it will stabilise – ie: the foam will hold better.  I’ve heard a lot of people say that they think skinny milk is better to foam, but whilst it might seem ‘easier’, I tend to disagree. It is thinner and less viscous.

What you are aiming for are micro bubbles (yes, like in the McDonalds ad Ha!) - tiny bubbles that are joined together to form a density to your milk foam. If you let too much air in, the bubbles will be bigger and weaker – think back to 80's & 90's styled Italian cappuccinos full of cold foam scooped on top that was really airy and had no texture (look up pictures, but be sure not to drink one!). You want all the little bubbles to be nicely packed together like they’re in a dance club shoulder to shoulder, sweating it out ,having a great time and jumping up and down on clouds in unison.

When I’m training new baristas I often draw them a MILK JUG DIAGRAM. It really helped me visually when I first started learning, to understand what was happening when I was steaming milk.

Below, I got my friend Joanne to draw a much nicer rendition as I’m a terrible drawer!

• To get hot, ‘wet’ milk (thinner, ‘flatter’ foam – like in a flat white) position the wand nearer (but not touching) the base of the jug.  This position also heats the milk much faster, so keep an eye on the temperature.

• To get “latte” milk (smooth and creamy) position the wand under the surface about 2/3rds of the way down.

• To get “Cappuccino” milk (thick and creamy) position the wand closer to the surface of the milk. Be careful not to let the wand escape the surface of the milk otherwise it will make and awful hissing sound and also a mess. You’ll let too much cold air in and it’ll make your milk weak and bubbly.

Many people have their own “tricks” but to get that milk silky-smooth, here are just a few pointers I’d recommend to focus on:

Start with cold milk.

If you’re using a little left over milk, make sure you dilute it with fresh cold milk to bring the temperature down, and so you’re not using all second-hand heated milk. It’s totally fine to use a small amount of milk from the last batch, providing it hasn’t been over heated (over about 65degrees). Though it does mean that you need to look at your milk wastage. You can concentrate on steaming the exact amount after you’ve mastered your milk texture!

Position

Position your steam wand well under the milk surface when you turn on the steam.  This will prevent any unnecessary weak milk bubbles on top – which only makes it harder to get smooth milk and draw with. 

• Aim to swirl the milk, slowly.

It’s really tempting to turn the steam on to capacity to heat it faster, but I’d suggest starting out with the steam wand about ¾ of the way in the milk. That way you’ll have more control and it’ll give you more time to get your wand into a position where the milk can “spin” smoothly and consistently. Make sure you turn the wand pressure up high, not necessarily all the way to the highest pressure when you are learning as it will heat the milk too fast. But many people just turn the steam wand marginally and you will get very low heat and pressure. So you need to be brave and turn it up!

• Create a whirl pool effect.

Place the steam wand closer to the side of the jug (but NEVER touching) will allow the steam jets at the end of the wand to ricochet off the side of the jug to create that swirl. This will allow the fatty acids to bond as they heat. My 'whirl pool' is usually anti-clockwise, but either way is fine.

• “Stretch” the milk.

To create thicker foam slowly lower the jug so that the tip of the wand gets closer to the surface of milk (but never breaking the surface).  Then submerge the wand again if its thickening too much. Some people do this too vigorously (up and down repeatedly and fast) but that inserts air too quickly. The motion needs to be smooth and fluid – almost undetectable to the naked eye.

(see my diagram)

• Temperature

Ideally you should steam the milk to around 65-67 degrees Celsius. Although some people like it hotter and colder. But this is usually a good drinkable temperature to optimise the sugars and the texture.

Some people like to use a temperature gauge to begin with, which can help.

A general ‘rule’ I use when I’m training people is to place your left hand (or whichever hand is free) and place it firmly around the outside of the jug and count “1,2,3"“ and if your “4” is an "Ouch” then that is usually around 65 degrees! Not very scientific but I have tested it for myself and have been doing this forever, so my judgments are consistently accurate! Try it!

ART:

It’s important to experiment. Hold your jug near the centre of the cup (with espresso) and practice pushing the tip of the milk jug down, so that the ‘butt’ of the jug moves upwards - as if it’s but is in the air.

You will begin to see how the ‘wet’ milk is heavier and stays at the bottom, and the frothy milk will cascade over the top. Practice just watching what happens when you do one pour movement from jug to cup, both slow and fast, without wriggly movements.

Have a look below for some pouring tips from my Youtube channel.

Once you have seen how this works you can start wiggling… but I think thats for my next blog!!

Latte art has become a separate subset of coffee making with Latte art smack downs and competitions all over the world. No doubt being able to be artistic, creative and have a steady hand under time and audience pressure is exciting and fun. Here are a few instagram handles of people who are killing it in the latte art department to inspire your milk steaming skills.

I’d love to know if these tips helped so please contact me through my instagram

Or my website www.thegirlinthecafe.co.uk

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]]>LATTE ARTBest CoffeebeveragesCafesCafes LondonCoffeecoffee blogcoffee equipmentCoffee LondonCoffee MakingCoffee ReviewCoffee RoasterdrinkFASHIONHome CoffeeHome coffee roastingHow ToLondon CafesLondon CoffeeThe Girl in the CafeTravel bloghome coffee machineThe Girl in the CafeSun, 16 Sep 2018 07:45:29 +0000https://www.thegirlinthecafe.co.uk/blog/melitta-home-coffee-machine53651ba2e4b010f4395ea25d:53651c77e4b0e77173ca4f3c:5b817b0b758d46345dd834d5

Being a barista I was skeptical about good bean to cup machines, as I've tried many. But after trying this Melitta Barista TS Smart for a few months, I have found it has some interesting features. If you don't know how to make coffee or you know a lot about coffee, please watch this video or read on.

Being a professional barista for most of my life, I’ve been fortunate to be in control of the coffee that I drink and the coffee that I make. Needless to say, my expectations are quite high, some may say fussy...So when it comes to espresso coffee at home, I’m a bit sensitive about this topic. I wanted to see how this machine REALLY holds up and fits into my lifestyle so I’ve been using the Melitta Barista Smart TS for a few months now, and I have to say I find myself using this more and more each day! When I'm in a hurry to run out the door, I literally turn it on and press go, for a long black or espresso!

It’s hard to find a good bean to cup machine for home that is no faff and makes good coffee – believe me, I’ve tried quite a few! Usually they’re clunky, or confusing to use, and the coffee output is average to say the least.  It is very difficult to get the same quality of espresso or creamy steamed milk at home, that you would get in a café. The set up is different, the machinery is very different, so the power and all the elements that makes a café function and operate to make your crafted coffee is completely different. So even having the expectation that a machine at home would be as good as a café, needs to stop right there.

Well...there are always a few excellent exceptions, but like a lot of exceptions it comes down to purse strings. Even then, if you’re not a well trained barista, you might not get the best out of such a good machine because it relies on human skill as much as the machine itself.

This machine actually gets me quite excited though…. Read on!

I think the problem with home machines is that they try to be too clever,  and emulate a café machine so you do end up having to do quite a lot of the work yourself. Which is fine if you have time but even I have had to load a few espressos in other bean to cup machines numerous times until I was happy with the extraction (I told you I was fussy...). For example, filling the porter filter yourself, tamping and then inserting it into the group is fine, but the problem with these machines is that if it is wrong, you have to start that process all again.

The Melitta Barista TS Smart machine particularly makes me really excited for people who can’t make coffee, have no time or interest in making coffee but LOVE drinking good coffee! This machine is PERFECT for you. If you're a café owner, barista, chef or baker who doesn't want to make coffee on their day off, having this machine is total luxe. I know that when I've been working long shifts or a long week, sometimes I just want to stay inside on my day off - but I always need my coffee! Health and fitness people would really benefit from this machine too, as it's something I definitely use this when I need a quick espresso before a run or gym work out.

This Melitta Barista TS Smart is intuitive so therefore super easy to use. The controls have an easy touch and slide option and like an Iphone I’d be surprised if even someone who knows nothing about coffee or working a new appliance, found it hard use straight away.

The design is really slick. It looks minimal – I did think it was quite deep when it first arrived, but I understand why it is and I quite like it now. I saw the Dapper Chapper had it at his dapper home, and it fits in quite nicely on that sexy sideboard table!  (see right)

This machine looks slick and minimal, but it actually has so many functions.  The grinder has five different grind settings from coarse to fine (I use the finest setting personally) and it is so quiet when it grinds! No wonder when I looked into this, I found it has a prestigious "quiet mark".

The hopper actually has two air-locked chambers so the beans keep “aroma” fresh and you can have a dark roast in one and something a little lighter for more longer, filter-like coffee. There’s virtually no mess or wastage as well.  I was surprised to see it has a shoot for already ground coffee that you can also use, if you have your own grinder that you’d like to use! 

You can also brew two coffees at a time if you need and the water tank has filter technology so you don’t need to descale the machine as much. It comes with a pH water testing kit so you can test your tap water and set the machine up according to how hard or soft it is. I like to use filtered or bottled water anyway because London water is really hard and so it not only helps protect the machine even more so from limescale build up, but I also think it helps make the coffee taste better too. The water tank holds 1.5litres and is easily detachable so if you do use the tap, you can. But don’t worry, the machine will tell you when beans AND water need topping up, or when the drip tray and grinds need emptying (and it takes seconds to do). Though I do have to concentrate to balance the tray so that I don't spill it. You’ll normally get around 8-10 coffees before it tells you the grounds need emptying. I love all these features because I'm likely to forget to check. It really is designed so well to create more time. So it leaves your head with more space to fill with other stuff! 

Another reason this machine excites me is because, I made a coffee from the bathroom!! YES!! This machine can be operated by your smart phone through the Melitta connect-app. Through the ‘My Coffee & Smart Service’, you can create and save your own recipes and connect to the machine via Bluetooth. I woke up, turned the machine on, and after a few moments, put a cup underneath. I went to the bathroom, then started getting ready for the day. Half way through putting on my eyeliner I told it, via my app to make me a Long black. And by the time I walked down stairs it was there ready and waiting like a biblical halo in the clouds, full with the soundtrack of angels singing.

It already has 21 recipes to choose from but you can program in your own personal recipes too – I’ve programmed my long black to be 100ml of hot water and 35ml of espresso floated on top, on the “intense”, strongest setting and from the bean chamber 1, because thats how I like my coffee from this machine! You can make minor adjustments on the water temperature, which is great, but it would be nice to have more options on this for the next model perhaps? It can save profiles for up to 8 people so your flatmates, workmates or family can have tailored coffees too! 

It’s been so fantastic to use when I've been cooking, baking or making coffee cocktails. Part of what I do is recipe development for different brands, involving both food and drink, and usually always involving coffee. So when I’m testing an idea and need an espresso strength coffee it has been super handy and has saved me a lot of hassle. I just press the ‘on’ button, let it rinse, then press the espresso button. Done.  It's great if friends come over in the weekend to make Espresso martinis or any of the Baileys Irish cream cocktails you may have seen me post on instagram!

The espresso has good flavour but as I've mentioned it will depend a lot on the beans you use. The body of espresso isn't as 'full' as you'd get from a commercial machine, but it's unlikely most bean to cup machines will due to the temperature settings and pressure. But when I set it to full intensity and extract around 30-40ml, it always creates a nice crema. 

I hate cleaning up. I've walked away from this machine a lot, but NOT because I was annoyed with it, I walked away because I could just leave it to automatically self-clean every time and switch itself off! If you’re using milk there’s an auto steam cleaning function option after every use. Cleaning is really so easy with this machine. When it's time, the machine will take you though a step by step cleaning regime to descale it. I haven't had to do this yet, Melitta recommends once a year, but I guess that’ll depend on how often you use it and the water you're using! The brew kit is removable too, so again, it’s really easy to clean.

If you like milky coffees, the flexible plug-in milk system is great. It can do everything automatically if you want it to make you a latte, macchiato, cappucino or flatwhite. But if you're like me and like a little latteart play, I just catch the hot steamed milk into a jug and pour my own flatwhite! I’m sure you’ve seen some on my insta-stories! It's pretty fun! If you're into alternative milks too, I tried putting Oat milk in and it frothed up well! If you can get your hands on Minor Figures or Oatly - that would be my recommendation as they taste great and foam well for coffees. 

When I'm done with the milk, I normally detach the tube and put the external milk box (which is tightly sealed) straight into the fridge ready for the next time I want to use it.

I’ve been so surprised at how this has fitted in so well. Of course it wont stop me from going to a café or making filter coffee, but it’s such a great luxury to have the choice of an espresso based coffee whenever I want!

The best thing is that the quality of coffee that is extracted is consistent and reliable which is a bench mark I believe is paramount for any café so why not at your home or office too. It's important to start with good quality beans (click here to buy TGITC beans ;) ) but at least you know your coffee is going to be consistent, and enjoyable. I personally believe that everyone should enjoy drinking coffee however they like it, and with this machine, you can experiment with different settings really easily to make you that coffee every time.

I know that there are cheaper products on the market, but I find with cheaper machines, you don’t end up using them as much because they are messy and you may have to have an external grinder or manually fill the porter filter each time. Which, don’t get me wrong, it's fun (I’m a barista and LOVE everything about making coffee) but if you’re making a few coffees a day, and depending on your available time, these finicky machines can just become a random appliance on the counter top that never really gets used.

To really get value for money when I am looking for an espresso machine for home, I want a something that looks good, produces tasty and enjoyable coffee, isn’t going to break the bank, and is going to be practical so that I can use it easily time and time again.

Just so many options to make it fun and different but also really simple so that if you just want standard no fuss coffees, it does that too, and consistently – which is all you can ask for really!

Barista TS Smart® (RRP £1,199). Available via Amazon, AO, Bella Barista, Currys, Dawsons, E-Cookshop, Hughes Electrical and Redber Coffee.

Please Watch Video here

Sexy Mazda MX-5 131ps Sport Nav with Black Leather in Soul Red Crystal Metallic…

Living life in the fast lane 

Sometimes, even when life is good and especially when things are busy, I get this feeling of confinement and crave freedom. Especially when I think about home and my family. Do you ever get that?

I’ve been in the UK for a number of years now and even though I’m lucky enough to get to see my family in NZ most years, I still miss the freedom and intimacy that coming from a small city allows. Like a decent beach, with Fish n Chips! You just can't always do that in London.

Just getting in a car and driving anywhere…even to the corner shop is a luxury! Something that I took for granted…

I was speaking to a kiwi friend about a weekend to Whistable that he recently went on, and I felt myself feeling incredibly envious. It’s a place I’ve been hearing about for so long, and especially being an Oyster-lover (We have the best Bluff oysters in NZ) I couldn’t believe I hadn’t been yet. And there were some coffee shops I wanted to visit.

So I teamed up with Mazda took their new MX-5 out on the road, because what screams “freedom” more than the latest sexy convertible with the wind blowing through my hair, as I play cheesy eighties rock down the boulevard?? Use your imagination…

AND what a great excuse to also check out some of the restaurants and coffee shops I’ve only heard about, along the way.

Two things I’ve never experienced before happened this weekend… Read on.

I didn’t know it was a thing in this country that people learnt to drive only on automatic cars, so I think the fact that I could drive a stick, impressed him... ;)

I had a secret though. I haven’t driven in the UK for….TEN YEARS. Sorry Mazda I should’ve said... So needless to say I was a little nervous in the beginning, navigating my way out of the stuffy, congested London town. But once we were out of the London mess, the road to freedom was so fun to drive!

Though, the first time getting in and locking the MX-5, was a hilarious debacle. I couldn’t work out the smart keyless entry. Clearly it’s me that’s not smart, but once I worked it out, I felt smart.

I drove straight to Driftwood beachhouse, Whistable Bed and Breakfast in around 1.5 hours. What an absolute find. The ower's Jez and wife Michelle greeted us at their 3 bedroom B&B which is across from the beach and right on the back of a reserve grassland. Dreamy! It’s a really creative, unique and affordable place to stay. Something I’ve not seen much of in England. Most privately owned B&B's are a bit grubby, musty and old. I appreciate those quaint old school B&B places , but I do prefer something that’s clean and a bit more modern, with genuine personality. This place had it all! ! It also had a great road nearby we could see what the MX-5 was made of!

At Driftwood B&B, I booked the Moroccan room which is obviously a huge inspiration to the couple running it. Every room has a private terrace area outside (which is still being renovated), along with a conservatory where I was able to do a little work (Yes, no rest for the wicked). The owners have built it up over the last couple of years and every room has its own private spa. Not just any spa though.  Ours was a Skarsgard hot-tub that was WOOD-FIRED! I’ve never been in a wood-fired Swedish hot tub before, and it was such an amazing way to spend a beautiful evening watching the sun set, tummies full of fresh seafood, drinking bubbles while being IN bubbles! The smell was so incredible, like toasted marsh mellows. And if it starts to cool down (which it doesn’t) you can just throw another log on the fire!) They are still doing it up a little, but in the end, I'm told it will be covered in greenery and plants.

Getting back to the fantasy of the wind in my hair, let's talk about how much hair-flying my new whip could generate, which was what I was interested in! I didn't happen. Even with the top and windows down I still couldn’t get much air in my hair, because it’s so aerodynamic! Annoyingly it was always the right amount of wind, refreshing, but not invasive. I had a lot of fun trying to get videos of myself in the passenger seat though, to get my hair all slow-motion. On the other hand, IF I was one to actually have my hair done, I’d have been very happy. (I was happy anyway, don't worry!)

Two firsts this weekend… Driving a sports car and basking in a wood-fired hot tub. Excellent.

Whistable is a cute little town where my main aim was to eat as much fresh seafood and visit Garage coffee’s pop up and Coffee Blueprint where I enjoyed reading their range of "Little people, big dreams" books by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara while sipping on my flatwhite roasted by Cast Iron Roasters.

TIPs for Whitstable:

• Dinner at The Whitstable Oyster Fisheries company and Samphire is a must. The oyster fisheries is right on the beach front and the sunsets are perfect to watch from there. It’s the kind of clean, white, but country interior décor that I love, especially when eating oysters.

• Stay maybe 10minutes drive from the town as its beautiful and quiet and still really easy to get in. There's enough parking around.

• Get to those charity and second hand shops! I picked up some great retro cocktail glasses and jelly mould. There were full vintage tea and coffee sets that I was considering too, at a fraction of the prices you'd find in London.

• DO book at The Sportsman. I naively thought I could just rock up, and even though they did their best to accommodate me, the Michelin star restaurant (Literally 10minutes walk from our B&B) is one to book way in advance.

Another place on my check list was Canterbury and Margate. Having a car makes it so convenient. We actually drove to both places, and Margate twice. In Margate we visited our friend Stu, who works for the Margate Fire Department, and gave us a tour of his fire station too! Those guys do such a great service.  

Canterbury reminded me a little of Cambridge with it's bunting and university vibes. 

In Margate we visited "Storeroom" by Curve Roasters. It was such a treat to be able to pull up, run in, grab a coffee and drive off on our way back to London. We got used to the interested stares and questions about our MX-5. It’s one of those eye catching cars that is more fun, than ostentatious, which is totally me. I have to say though what I really enjoyed was having a touch screen navigation system that connected to our phones so we could get around easily and listen to our own music on the premium bose sound system with NINE speakers!! Just an excuse for me to sing louder though...

Margate:

• We parked in the Dreamland carpark but didn't have time to try any of the rides! But I did manage to get an ice cream and fish n' chips to eat on the beach!

• There's an Itallian restaurant called Caruso which is really cute. It’s unusual to see a café or restaurant that serves stovetop coffee, so it was a treat to have this here. I know how Italians love their stove-tops!

• The Turner Contemporary gallery is also a great place to have a peruse. Lots of interesting work there and Tracy Emin still has a couple of pieces exhibiting at the moment.

• There's also a great little bottle shop on the sea front Marine Drive called The Bottle Shop. Lots of craft beers to drink in or take away if you please. (but no drink driving please!!

• Don't forget to eat a pint of prawns!

A few days away felt like an entire week! And it felt so satisfying to fulfil a fantasy of mine which was driving down the coast with the top down, drinking great coffee and eating amazing seafood, just like at home in NZ. I had so much fun away in this sexy Mazda MX-5. We're really so lucky to have such great places to explore in the UK. I always say how important it is to take some time away, refuel and go for your dreams! Your work, family, friends and relationships are much better for it.

One things for sure, I'll definitely be getting away again soon I hope, but next time to check out more coffee shops around the UK!!!

Don't forget to watch my video! :)

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]]>Born FreeeeeThe Girl in the CafeThu, 07 Jun 2018 18:44:43 +0000https://www.thegirlinthecafe.co.uk/blog/fathers-day-gift-ideas53651ba2e4b010f4395ea25d:53651c77e4b0e77173ca4f3c:5b194e5a1ae6cfe57dd035b2

Link to VIDEO HERE

Here are my new go-to gift ideas for birthdays, mother's day and father's day which is next weekend!! I found these new Melitta home pour over products that look great, make great coffee and don't break the bank! For more info and links , go to: www.thegirlinthecafe.co.uk

CLICK to watch video

With Father’s Day approaching, I’ve been thinking a lot about my dad and wanted to write a blog about the importance of Father’s Day or rather, how Father’s Day is really important to everyone else...

You see my Dad died when I was very young, and it’s had a pretty profound affect on my life, which I’ve not always been aware of. So when Father’s Day rolls around every year, I tend to think; “Oh what a nice day, for everyone else” and it sort of just passes by and I’m generally just thankful that I don’t have the pressure to come up with a present and spend lots of money buying things.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t completely get lost in the envy of others – although when I was younger I used to be slightly resentful at my much older siblings for having ‘so much more time’ with him!

I guess, Father’s Day could have always seemed to be a quiet reminder of what I didn’t have – a day of loss, glass half full, less-of kind-of-rubbish thinking.

But this is the exact opposite of how I generally (and consciously) choose to live my life.

Mainly, I wonder what my Dad would have thought of my eclectic career, mainly in coffee. Whether he would have supported me in being a barista and an actress over a doctor or a dentist, like my siblings. But mostly, whether he would actually like coffee? Something pretty majorly important to me!

Would his favourite coffee be a cappuccino with half a sugar like my mum? OR would it be a hard-core espresso?

I want to imagine that he’s a bit of a coffee geek and we’d meet in cafes to talk about life, general problems I can’t solve or that I could make us a pour over coffee and sit in front of the telly together talking about how good it tasted and where I got the beans from…

I’ve thought about the impact of fathers in my friends’ lives, and parents in general. Some of us grew up with so much angst, rebellion, criticism against them and the general misunderstanding that they were probably just trying to do the best they could with the knowledge and resources they had at the time. I can't imagine parenthood being easy for everyone.

On the other hand, others will have had an amazing relationship with their fathers (which I did too, until he passed away).

For me, I guess what I didn’t realise was that I was always searching for a “father figure” after my Dad died. And I realised that over the years, I really have had the best of an unfortunate situation. I’ve had so many fantastic male role models and “father figures” in my life for many different reasons: career, film, business, relationships… If you can imagine, it’s like splitting your Dad into multiple people – each one being a specialist in a different area of your life (which is really pretty cool) and I feel so fortunate. Organically, some of my ‘father figures’ move on and new one’s step in depending on what’s happening in life. But I imagine that would be the same with a living father where one might give advice or teach you something as and when it’s necessary.

But there IS one thing that all my “father figures” have in common and that’s COFFEE.

They’re all massive coffee lovers, which has been a connecting factor of all our relationships. Most of my most special and insightful times have been discussed over a cup of coffee – either me making coffee or drinking coffee.

I really can’t imagine that my actual Dad wouldn’t like coffee! In fact I know he would.

I think it’s incredibly important to let the people who actually have an effect on your life know that they did good! For me, Father’s Day is more of a reminder of that.

So, if you have coffee in common with your dad, I think anything coffee related to give your Dad on Father’s Day would be amazing. It’s a gift that says so much more.

Good quality specialty coffee gear can be really expensive – so it’s often hard to buy a full home pour over kit all at once. So I had a hunt for some gear that looks great and makes great tasting coffee, but doesn’t break the bank!

Melitta UK has just come out with some new home coffee gear, which I’ve been using for the past couple months and I’ve been really happy with it. I have since ordered a load of stuff to try. The range I’ve picked here is incredibly good value for money – especially for those dads (and mums) who are just getting in to making pour over coffee at home.

I’ve been using the Melitta unbleached cone filter papers for years now in my batch brewers and manual coffee makers, but I was super surprised to find out that Melitta actually invented the drip brew paper coffee filter!

An entrepreneurial German housewife named Melitta Bentz invented this on 8th July 1908 to filter out the coffee grinds after boiling it. What a lady!!

So Melitta has had a long history in coffee, mainly producing filter papers and coffee makers. It’s great to now see them expanding into modern manual coffee making products too.

If your Dad, father figure, (or even yourself) are into pour over coffees and want to start making them at home, then this is the perfect ‘kit’ to start with.

It’s often expensive getting started and you can mix and match brands but, as a general all-round kit, you can get everything you need to make pour over coffee at home for around £70 which is so much cheaper than when I was getting my first kit together!

I recently took the Gooseneck Kettle away with me surfing, which came in super handy, and the Thermo Mug has become an everyday accessory for both hot and cold drinks. It keeps the heat or cold in and it doesn’t leak. I take it everywhere!

If you want something extra and like creamy, textured milk in your coffee in the morning with your stovetop, a great gift is the Cremio...it's not actually out yet, but it is soon and it would be an awesome gift to any parent who has kids, because it makes great milk for hot chocolates!!

So I feel that I've chosen a few different pieces to make up a good range, that you can always build on. I honestly think any of this coffee gear I've mentioned here would be a really great gift and I’d be proud to give it to my Dad. Straight up.

Thanks Dad, Happy Father's Day. June 15th, 2025.

Head over to Melitta.co.uk 

For a pour over kit, you’ll need:

1. Pour over cone

2. Filter paper

3. Calibra Grinder

4. Coffee (TGITC - but Melitta have coffee too)

5. Gooseneck Kettle

6. Automatic Filter coffee Machine (my favourite of their automatic coffee machines - along with the *aromaboy)

7. Coffee book- by me 😉

For these reasons:

• They’re a fantastic price (I’ve looked and done my research)

• They look great and makes tasty coffee!

• Are good value for money (Good quality)

• It’s a chance to bond over something you (both) like (maybe you can teach him to brew)

• It’s relaxing

• Every time he uses it, or drinks coffee, it will remind him of you

***I’ve been continuously testing and reviewing all their other products over the years

*original post 07 June, 2018

Other Stockists online:

These retailers have the Father’s Day suggested products in store - Redber, Bella Barista, Another Coffee, Harts of Stur

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]]>Thanks Dad!The Girl in the CafeThu, 17 May 2018 22:02:52 +0000https://www.thegirlinthecafe.co.uk/blog/rapture-surf-camp53651ba2e4b010f4395ea25d:53651c77e4b0e77173ca4f3c:5af9bbaf0e2e728c2c3d74e9

Watch Video: The Girl in the Cafe TV

The surf beach about 200m from Rapture Surf Camp Apartment

I’ve wanted to learn to surf for the longest time, and with the last six months of cold London weather, busy schedules and in need for some growth, inspiration and creative space, I jumped the gun before the official summer holidays, grabbed my BFF and booked flights to Portugal, which is renowned in Europe for it’s good surf!

So if you're thinking of where to go and what to do on your next summer trip... read on! 

As you know, I'm a keen traveller and I'm always up for figuring out how I can have great coffee where-ever I go, so I took the opportunity to take some new coffee gear to test and coffee beans to drink while embarking on my first surf experience with Rapture Surf Camps.  I’ve noted my favourite recommendations for light-weight and convenient brew methods that you can take with you when travelling, but I’ll report on that in my next upcoming blog....

But first…

Where? Rapture Surf Camp:

After doing some research, I came across Rapture Surf Camp, which has four surf camps around the world; Portugal, Bali, Nicaragua and their newest camp Costa Rica, which look incredible! All looked ideallic for what we were after, which was safe, private, convenient accommodation on site to work from and chill, whist being surrounded by beach to learn how to surf. But not wanting to travel too long from London, Portugal was the winner.

Arriving in Lisbon, we were picked up by Ewen, one of their Scottish drivers. It costs around 30euro for airport transfer each way, which I’d definitely recommend because within 40 minutes we were at the camp without any messing about trying to find the right mode of transport! Catching a cab to the camp could cost around 40-60euro in a local taxi.

When we arrived, we were shown around the “camp” which isn’t really what I’d traditionally envisage when I hear the word ‘camp’. To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive that it would be too basic and primitive, but it’s far from that. Rapture Surf Camp houses a clean white multi-levelled traditional Portugese building with beautiful ‘hang out’ areas all over the site, overlooking vast green farmland on one side and over looking the surf beach on the other!

My friend Tara (from Paper Theory - who you should by the way, check out for all things fashion, ethical and sustainable here) and I had our own private apartment which actually had beds for seven people! So it’s perfect if you’re with a larger group of friends! It came in handy for us too, as after a tiring surf lesson, a couple of drinks and some good food, it turns out my snoring gets "horrendous"… so I woke in the middle of the night to see Tara had left our twin room to go sleep up stairs! Unfortunately it’s not ALL glamour with me… ;) It's worth noting there are cheaper hostel accommodation options on site too, but for me and my snoring it’s better off I'm contained!

Our apartment was clean, simple and complete with a kitchen (which for me is essential). It had two balconies so you can check out what’s happening down in the camp and also check what the surfs up to! The apartment didn’t have a kettle, but I bought my own Melitta gooseneck kettle to try, and that came in super handy every day. (See main video)

Dinners and breakfasts are served daily so you can just go down and join other guests, which is a great opportunity to meet new people and chat about how everyone is doing with their surfing. There were so many interesting people from all over the world, with varying surf abilities ranging from never surfed before to advanced. It felt really supportive and provided a super fun atmosphere.

As you all probably know, having good food, coffee and drink is one of my top priorities in life at all times, and can seriously impact my experience.  The food at Rapture Surf Camp is cooked by Chef Mikey, who made such an incredible and varied spread everyday, I was so impressed. The food is definitely not cafeteria ‘camp food’. Breakfasts ranged from continental, to fried eggs (they have their own 32 free range chickens which is my ultimate dream), pancakes, apple cake, banana bread, yoghurt and fresh fruit (often grown on their own land too!).  I generally made my own coffee (because you can’t take the barista outta me) but there is batch-brewed filter coffee supplied every morning and you can make your own espresso from a little home machine, which will totally get you through the day if you’re not as ‘fussy’ as me...

Meals can be catered for vegan and vegetarians (Tara is vegetarian) and dinners ranged from Risotto, vege curry with naan bread and on one of the days I saw Pumpkin soup on the menu which I thought was strange to have on a hot day, but Mikey must have had inside knowledge (or an accurate weather app) because by dinner time, we were tired and cold because the weather had turned really chilly.  The pumpkin soup was EVERYTHING we needed - one on the best I’ve had. It was so silky smooth with a touch of spice. I even asked him for the recipe! On Saturday nights they have a BBQ which offers the whole camp a relaxed night where the beer fridge, foosball table and ping pong table is heavily utilised. On Sundays they taxi all guests into the town of Ericeira (about 10 minutes away) to try the local restaurants for dinner. Ericeira is a cute fishermans village, so all the seafood in the area is fresh, cheap and amazing. I was ridiculously excited by it. There's even a cute little specialty coffee shop called Casa De Tres! (*now Dear Rose Cafe)

I loved the freedom of the camp because if you're not surfing, you can choose to hang out on their big outdoor cushions, grab a bike (super cool chopper-eque with big tyres) or skateboard to explore the area, paddle board in the river, go to Ericeira or even just have a snooze in your room. They offer massage and yoga classes on the rooftop, which was incredible to do in the setting sun, looking up into the deepest blue sky you’ve ever seen.

The staff were friendly and helpful, and very keen surfers. The best thing is they all seemed like a great team working together, like a family. I come from a hospitality background so I’m always looking at team culture and service so it was great to see and be around. They’re also very diligent on guest safety, which gives you piece of mind. We all had to get permission if we wanted to take a board and surf on our own, where they’d check the tides and waves, because the surf can get a bit dodgy and as an excitable novice surfer, you need professionals to guide you appropriately.

The Surfing:

Honestly, I was freaking out before I left, that I wasn't going to get up on a surf board and that I was going to FAIL miserably and feel defeated.... but guess what? I was able to get up on my surfboard in my very first lesson! Yes. This gave me a huge sense of encouragement.

I had never surfed before, so from me to you, if I can do it, you definitely can! It's a hugely challenging sport and there are so many levels, so respect to the surfers who make is look so easy! But be warned, its HIGHLY ADDICTIVE! (Check out their website here).

Rapture Surf Camp have amazing surf instructors who are incredibly professional, and fun! They have a partnership with Ericeira’s 3 Surfers Surf School, so there are always plenty of instructors for the number of people surfing. The group ranged from 10-15 people per day, but it felt like one-on-one lessons, as it was about 5 people to one instructor and they would continuously give us individual feed back and coaching on each new wave. The best thing is I always felt safe and guided. There were a couple of days where the weather made the waves a bit choppy and tough to navigate, but they always implemented a good system to give us the best opportunity to practice our new surf skills.

Massive shout out to Drew from Rapture (who also happens to be from NZ) and Joao, the local head surf instructor who were so awesome to learn from, sometimes standing neck deep in the cold Atlantic ocean for hours, guiding us flailing seals on to each wave. Joao was strict on us (in a fun way) which I loved, because I was determined to improve each day.  There are also optional surf theory lessons that you can rock up to with teachers who know the sea intimately. This gave us some good insight into surf terminology, etiquette and how to read waves better and get out of rips. All important and interesting stuff!

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Rapture Surf Camps and am super fired up to do more surfing asap! Being back in the city again, it feels so great to have booked a holiday that was active and full of fun - yet still beautiful and chilled out. Surfing wasn't as hard as I expected. It's definitely challenging though, and to be really good at it will take a lot of concentrated practice. But similarly, the feeling I get when I'm rolling on a skateboard or gliding by on my bike, theres that unique sense of freedom and happiness you just can't deny even on the tiniest wave.

You don't even realise that you're exercising too, because it's so fun and you really have to be in the moment - now that's how I'd like to spend more of my days. I’m curious to try one of their other camps too, maybe next time!

If you’re a beginner or slightly more advanced or even remotely thinking about a chilled, but fun surf trip I would definitely recommend booking for summer now! You’ll have a great time, and the weather and waves will be even better come June – August!

For more details on prices and packages and to book here

Extra tip:

We caught a bus to Lisbon for a day (try to get the short-trip bus, because even though the journey is very scenic on the long-trip bus, roads are very windy!). It's definitely worth spening some time in Lisbon, as it's a gorgeous city, with so much good food and coffee, not to mention the buildings are gorgeous! So I'd suggest having 2-3 days there first, then go to Rapture Surf Camps to ride the waves!!

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]]>Pre-summer Surf Break, Portugal with Rapture Surf CampCafesCoffeecoffeecoffee blogCoffee Blogcoffee equipmentcoffee kettleCoffee LondonCoffee MakingCoffee ReviewCoffee RoasterCoffee RoastingdrinkFoodFrench CoffeeharioLondon Coffeelondon CoffeeLondon Coffee FestivalThe Girl in the Cafeuk coffeeV60 brewersV60ScalesCoffee ScalesBrewistaThe Girl in the CafeWed, 28 Feb 2018 17:53:10 +0000https://www.thegirlinthecafe.co.uk/blog/brewista-scales53651ba2e4b010f4395ea25d:53651c77e4b0e77173ca4f3c:5a940f6e085229b26402fbc7Now for those baristas out there, I don’t need to tell you how important a scale is! It has become one of the things I most rely on as a professional barista. I even take scales with me when I travel. 

It’s true, you can still estimate and get a good brew, but if you are looking for consistency, then I’d say its essential for anyone making coffee at home or in a café to have a good set of scales on hand at all times. 

I’ve written a blog before (here) on my top five products for brewing (a V60) and usually I use Hario Scales, which are excellent  – but for the past few weeks I’ve been using and testing the newly released Brewista Scales! Finally they are available in the UK from Coffee Hit!! Yay!

What’s so different about these scales, you ask? Weeelllll…..read on!

These MyBrewista scales are slightly more advanced than your average weighing scales – they actually calculate the brew ratio for you AND you can change your brew ratios really easily! 

What is a brew ratio?

It is the relationship between the amount of dry coffee and the amount of coffee extracted, so a ratio of 1:2 means that for every gram of dry coffee, we will extract two grams of espresso coffee. When we are talking about filter coffee, the ratio is larger, so it’s sometimes harder to calculate those brew ratios quickly without getting your phone out or a calculator to find out how much water is needed to brew according to what dose of coffee you are using.

These Brewista scales will tell you exactly how much water is needed to brew coffee with the amount of beans you’ve weighed. It’s particularly useful if you’re at the bottom of the bag and have less than what you’d normally use for a brew (eg: 14g instead of 20g) or when you are a gram or two off what you intended to sprinkle into your V60. You can calculate exactly how much water to use, to get the brew tasting consistent to how you normally like to drink it!

Sometimes I keep a reminder with a formula close by to change brew ratios, in case I forget – especially if I’m under time pressure or doing multiple brews with different methods, if I’m doing a workshop or am busy in the café.  So these scales are great if you’re not so mathematically inclined (like me)! There’s also a target-rate bar that guides your speed of pour against your target end weight.

To accompany the video (above), here is a brief guide on HOW TO USE these scales and show you some features that I really like. 

How to set different ratios:

• Press and hold the RATIO button for 3 seconds.

• It’ll display in the top righthand corner

• Press the RATIO button until the ratio you want is displayed.

• It has 7 pre-set ratios. 1:14 up to 1:20.

• I usually set mine at 1:16 - which is my go to ratio.

Now onto the pourover:

1. To power the scales press: ON/OFF

2. The brewing ratio will display in the upper right for 3 seconds then go blank. Wait until the LCD displays ZERO.

3. The mode allows you to choose between a manual scale and an automatic scale that works out all your brew ratios. You’ll see the indicators denoted by an ‘A’ (automatic) or ‘M’ (manual). Using it on manual is similar to a regular scale – except here you can still use the target-rate bar as a guide. Using the Automatic mode, you’ll be able to see how cool it is to use the ratio calculator.

4. Place the whole vessel on the platform. (The pad is silicon so it provides a good non-slip grip.) In 3 seconds the Brewista scales will auto-tare.

5. Grind your beans

6. When the coffee bean icon appears add your grounds.

7. Press ratio. This will tell you how much water is needed to brew coffee with the amount of beans you’ve weighed.

8. The “kettle” icon will appear which tells you when you should be pouring water over your coffee and you can start your pouring process. There is a Target rate bar to guide you along the pouring and time continuum against the proposed target weight and what you’re actually pouring – this is great for new baristas and people learning how to make consistent pour overs! Each ‘target’ rate segment appears in 10 second intervals. When the weight is close to the calculated ratio the screen will flash and turn white once the target has been reached and you now have your perfect brew!

 I love this bc you can use this information to calculate how much water goes into any other coffee brewer you have at home or cafe too! - like your Caffetiere (French press) and aeropress! I’ve been using this function to check my water levels are correct for my (automatic batch brewers ) – the bonavita 8cup brewer, Moccamaster, and Oxo water-tank pourover - this is one of the main reasons I like these scales because it provides on demand brew ratios for any brewer

Some other great features that I like about these scales is that you can charge them with a USB which makes it super convenient – you don’t need to run out and get batteries or have spares in the drawer. There is also a battery icon that shows you how much power it has left, so you know when to charge it. I hate it when things spontaneously run out of power, and it's always at times when you need it most!

You can also set the scales to turn off automatically (I know this is normal for a lot of scales) but you can set it to varying time increments to save even more battery power!

If you are thinking of having this at the cafe, and have multiple baristas making brews, you can set the scale so that everyone is brewing to the same ratio or the head barista can choose different ratios for different brew methods and be confident that all the baristas will be following the same recipes, if they are using these Brewista scales.

Regardless, the main point I’m making here is that it’s really important to have a good reliable and accurate scales. I definitely think this Brewista scale is unique, straight forward to use and really handy if you want to brew consistent coffee with different ratios

If you want more information, check out them out here and don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more reviews and vlogs!

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