Even though my favourite alcoholic beer is actually ginger-flavoured ― and though ginger wine has turned a bit trendy in recent years ― I’ve always wondered why completely child-safe fizzy ginger gets called “beer.”
After all, we don’t call lemonade “citrus ale” or cola “caramel shandy.”
It was fermented, and was often 11% alcohol ― that qualifies it for the “beer” title, if you ask us.
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Brittanica’s online encyclopedia explains this original recipe was “made by fermenting a mixture of ginger, water, sugar, cream of tartar, and yeast. Lemon peel and juice or citric acid may also be added.”
The name simply stuck, it seems.
Traditionally-made ginger beer will use fermentation, making it less fizzy than ginger ale; but nowadays, food site The Kitchn says, “Some ginger beers are brewed with champagne yeast, and some are finished with forced carbonation.”
But those are pretty rare craft products: some modern ginger beers are simply carbonated, like ginger ale (which was almost never alcoholic).
Ginger beer’s cloudiness or clarity is determined by its filtering process.
Anything else?
According to Tayport Distillery, ginger beer and ginger ale were both popular during America’s Prohibition because they were good at masking the smell of alcohol.
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“This clandestine use further cemented ginger ale’s place in mixology history,” they add.
The distillery says ginger ale, which was not usually fermented, was possibly invented in Ireland and made its way to Canada in the 1900s to huge success.
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If you’ve never heard of adaptogenic coffee before, I understand ― I was in the same boat until about two weeks ago.
But according to London Nootropics, who produce several varieties of the stuff, it’s pretty simple. The term refers to regular java mixed with other ingredients, like mushrooms.
They’re designed to counterbalance the jitter-inducing effects of caffeine while adding complementary and additional powers to the hot drink: lion’s mane mushroom, found in the brand’s Flow coffee, is meant to “support memory, focus and concentration”.
I’ll be honest: I’m not usually one for supplements or “superfoods,” and I was a little sceptical of the promises adaptogenic coffee made.
London Nootropic’s Mojo coffee, which is “designed for physical endurance, strength and vitality” promised to perk me up without the coffee shakes, while their Zen blend said it would make me feel “calm and alert.”
It all sounded too good to be true.
But looking at the site’s rave reviews (it’s got a 4.8-star average rating from over 8,000 reviews) and considering how terrible my energy levels have been recently, I thought I’d give them a try.
After all, I figured that a sceptic unwilling to test their beliefs is just as bad as a mindless trend follower. Plus, I really liked the branding.
As if to test my decision, I proceeded to have the worst sleep of my life ahead of a very early, very intense 6am workout. So yes, Mojo was my first choice.
If I’m honest, I was craving my beloved French press coffee to get me through the morning ― but in the interest of getting an unadulterated result, I tried the Mojo and nothing else (it’s “designed for physical strength [and] endurance” after all).
I opened the instant sachet and emptied it into my cup. It smelled slightly sweeter and nuttier than regular coffee and was way quicker to make than my usual cafetière kind.
The taste was a little more floral and funky (in a good way – a bit like matcha), thanks to the additions of energy-boosting ginseng and Cordyceps mushroom.
London Nootropics advises adding milk to the coffee, which I didn’t read ― I wish I’d tried it that way because I can imagine it tasting like a hazelnut latte, but it’s still impressively smooth without.
The taste was good, but its effects on my workout were even better. I went from as bedraggled as you can see me below to happily sweaty, despite having had the worst sleep I’d faced this week, my gym session was the best I’ve had in ages.
It seems I’m with the reviewers on this one. I’d give it a solid 9/10 for its energy boost and 8/10 for taste ― extra points for my lack of caffeine headache.
Amy Glover
Later the same day, I was trawling through my inbox when I realised I should probably try their Flow option.
My midday work slump was happening later than usual, but there was no denying it, I needed something to get me through the rest of the day.
Their Flow offering said it’d “help you discover motivation, mental clarity and focus” while also “reducing procrastination” thanks to its lion’s mane and Rhodiola add-ins.
Again, the smell was slightly sweeter than I’m used to ― it tasted a bit like rosewater combined with some nutty add-ins, which is nicer than I’m making it sound.
I don’t think it led me to become a hyperactive writing machine, but it was enough to get me to manage my tasks well for the rest of the day while feeling pretty good about myself.
Given that I’m usually null and void past three in the afternoon, that’s a huge win. I’d give it a 9/10 for perking me up at work and an 8/10 for the taste.
Amy Glover
It took until Wednesday for me to try the brand’s Zen coffee, which promised to relax, destress and “balance” me.
I thought I’d try it in the evening because I couldn’t un-frazzle myself from a busy day and frankly wanted to try anything I could.
If (like me) facing the smell of coffee last thing is not exactly your ideal routine, good news ― this one had a lovely cocoa aroma, and it tasted a bit like it too.
I reckon if I had to mix milk into one of these, it’d be this one, but as it was I enjoyed the non-bitter, chocolatey taste.
I don’t know if it was the routine, the hot drink, or just taking the time for myself, but I agree again!
My mind usually races for hours after I finish my day, but this helped me to switch off (though you shouldn’t drink anything with caffeine too close to your bedtime).
It’s a 9/10 for taste and an 8.5/10 for calming me, I think.
The brand uses what it calls “barista-grade” coffee in all of its products, which might be why they don’t taste “off,” and they don’t use any artificial flavourings.
The best thing about them is the lack of those coffee jitters and headaches, which I hadn’t realised were so bad until I’d gone without them.
I’d recommend them with one caveat; the sachets can run a little pricey at around £1 a cup or 80p for a sachet in their huge box, which is undeniably bougie.
But if you want to give your health-conscious friend a gift or try the coffee yourself, we have a 15%-off code ― type HUFFPOST at checkout to get the discount until the 15th of October.
If you had to guess what the secret behind that distinctively malty Biscoff flavour is, you probably wouldn’t say sugar ― but that’s likely what it is.
Similarly, red velvet cake’s earthy, tender flavour isn’t created by crimson berries or beetroot; traditionally, it’s the action of buttermilk and vinegar on Dutch-processed cocoa and baking soda that gives it its signature taste and hue.
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It also contains vanilla.
So, it shouldn’t have shocked me that cola’s taste is partly down to an unexpected source; namely, the kola nut (yes, there is such a thing).
What’s a kola nut, and what other flavours are involved?
According to beverage company StrangeLove, “cola brands guard their own secret formulas with their lives, using generic terms such as ‘artificial and natural flavours.’”
Nonetheless, some ingredients stay constant, StrangeLove explains.
“Cola generally is a carbonated beverage which consists of these key ingredients; kola nut, citrus oils, vanilla and cinnamon,” they say.
This is usually mixed with a caramel base for that slightly sticky, moreish texture.
Kola nuts contain caffeine and are from tropical regions of Africa, Britannica says.
They look a little like the lovechild of chestnuts and cocoa beans.
They’re dried in the sun before being used in products like soft drinks and medicine, though Britannica says that “American and European soft-drink manufacturers, however, do not use the kola nut; instead, they manufacture synthetic chemicals that resemble the flavour of the kola nut.”
This is undoubtably the most interesting fruit I have ever been able to work with- the kola but. It is native to West Africa and is traditionally used for its high caffeine content. It grows in a pod similar to cacao. Now here’s where it gets interesting- it was used in the first recipe for Coca Cola and many say that it’s where the Cola part came from! Now every time I hear the word cola I’m going to think of this beautiful pink African fruit 🥹 It has a crunchy texture and a bitter flavor and I have been told that some tribes will eat it on its own with a little bit of salt and it also can be used to sooth a sore throat when mixed with honey. Once cooked with other ingredients the flavor is super pleasant. I boiled the Kola Nuts I had with fresh ginseng, ginger, yuzu peel, kumquats, clove, cinnamon, honey, and date syrup 🍵 #tiktoktaughtme#kolanut#cocacola
Given how secretive the biggest cola brand ― Coca-Cola ― has been about its 7x ingredient, many have speculated about what’s really in the world’s favourite fizzy drink.
A surprising amount of people use coriander seed in their attempted Coca-Cola remakes, alongside cassia (also known as Chinese cinnamon) and lavender.
Coca-Cola inventor John Pemberton is said to have written a recipe into his diary before he died that included lavender, coca leaves, alcohol, coca leaves, orange, cinnamon, lemon, coriander, nutmeg, neroli, and of course 7x.
Of course, the recipe has since changed ― it no longer contains alcohol and certainly uses no coca leaves, so it’s likely other elements have been switched as well.
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Given that the brand won’t even let the two people who know how to mix 7x on the same plane at the same time in case it crashes, I don’t reckon we’ll be certain any time soon…
MEL Magazine says the drink’s supposed main ingredient, pepsin, was marketed as a way to get rid of stomach issues.
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“A 1902 advertisement that was developed with at least the blessing of Pepsi inventor Caleb Bradham referred to it directly as ‘Pepsi-Cola (The Pepsin Drink),’” they wrote.
Pepsin is an enzyme your stomach makes to help digest proteins in your food.
Though I couldn’t find that specific ad, I did find a 1902 ad that says it “aids digestion” and a 1907 ad that reads ”[Pepsi] is an absolutely pure combination of pepsin ― for the ingestion ― acid phosphate and the juices of fresh fruits.”
However according to Pepsi themselves, “Despite its name and hearsay, pepsin was never an ingredient of Pepsi-Cola.”
How could people think it was a health drink?
Whether it comes from “dyspepsia” or “pepsin” (or perhaps a vague association with both), Pepsi was certainly marketed as a health aid at first.
As somebody that puts lemon juice in tea, rice, and every chicken dish I ever cobble together, let me tell you: there is never enough lemon juice to satiate my zesty needs.
With all of that being said, I don’t own a juicer. It’s not necessary, it’s not essential, but it does make the whole juicing process a little faster. I just keep forgetting to pick one up when I’m at the shops.
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However, one genius, one utter SAINT, has shared his hack to thoroughly juicing a lemon without a juicer and let me tell you, lives were changed.
How to properly juice a lemon without a juicer
TikTok user Michael Hayes, who has over a million followers, shared his tip for juicing a lemon without a juicer.
For his method, he simply slices a lemon in half and then puts it between tongs, and then squeezing.
How. Did. I. Not. Think. Of. This.
I did immediately run to the kitchen to try this and honestly, it worked a treat. Pretty ideal for doing directly over a pan or even just a cup of ginger tea. Obsessed.
The chef also urged people not to throw out broccoli stalks and instead, sauté them in soy sauce for a side dish that tastes “just like sautéed onions.”
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Health benefits of lemons
Thinking of becoming a fiend like I am and adding lemons to everything? Well, as well as being delicious and adding a tonne of flavour to dishes, lemons are also great for your health.
We’ve even covered the complicated origins of the name Smarties ― and yep, one US brand did call their sweets that because they believed the candy would make their consumers smarter.
But what about kettle chips, the shattering sensation I feel took over Britain’s “nice little nibbles” industrial complex in about 2010?
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Why are the crunchier, thicker, and respectfully, posher-feeling offerings “kettle,” while the regular sort must remain untitled?
It’s to do with how they’re cooked
Despite my misconception ― that “kettle” just meant “pricier” ― it turns out that the name refers to how thicker, crunchier crisps are cooked.
“The term kettle cooked refers to the vessel in which the chips [crisps] are fried,” food site Sporked revealed. They shared that throughout crisp history (crisptory?), people would finely slice spuds, fry ’em in oil, take them out when they were done, and begin another batch.
The container which holds the oil they’re cooked in is called a “kettle.”
That means crisps always used to take longer to cook than industrially-produced ones do, as the temperature of the oil drops every time you take an old batch of potatoes out.
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The longer they’re left in the oil, the slower they cook, and the starches have longer to break down and become crunchier.
In order to keep crisp factories running at a fast pace, some companies don’t cook regular crisps in batches ― instead, they use what’s called “continuous processing,” which involves dipping or showering the slices in consistently-hot oil for a couple of minutes rather than cooking them in a “kettle.”
A Science Direct article shows a diagram of a machine with a hot oil river at its base and windmill-like paddles which lift the product into and out of the fat.
Huh!
Right! So despite my thinking kettle chips only became “a thing” after the naughties, they’re actually the old-school way to do things.
There is, of course, also a company called Kettle which makes chips the old-school way, and they account for 40% of the fancy crisp market in the UK.
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But were I to take it back to my teenaged hungover habit of finely slicing some spuds, chucking them in the deep fat fryer, and dusting them with the contents of noodle packets (don’t knock it ’til you try it) ― yup, those are pretty close to being kettle crisps, too.
Have you noticed now that when you buy a bottled soft drink, the lid doesn’t fully detach?
It’s something social media users have noticed and they are truly not impressed, with one X (formerly Twitter) user saying, “whoever decided that bottle caps needs to be attached to the bottle now count ur days. worst thing ever.”
In their defence, at first, these caps were annoying. Being in the habit of taking them cleanly off and then finding that you simply… can’t anymore, is a little disorienting.
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However, there is good reason behind it.
Why the caps on bottled drinks changed
So, according to the retail experts at The Grocer, it was Coca Cola that originally brought this change in.
The Grocer said that Coca Cola implemented this in an attempt to ramp up the recyclability of their products because, although their caps have always been recyclable, they were often discarded.
However, this is now becoming EU law.
Sustainable Plastics said: ”[According to EU law] plastic caps must remain attached after opening on all single use plastic beverage containers of up to three litres from July 2024 onwards.
“Metal and glass containers are exempt from this obligation. The measure is expected to prevent 10% of plastic litter found on European beaches.”
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Additionally, the relevant part of this EU regulation for Caps & Closures production reads: “Plastic closures and lids used for beverage containers are among the single-use plastic items most frequently found as litter on the beaches of the European Union.
“Therefore, the placing on the market of single-use plastic beverage containers should only be allowed if they comply with certain product design requirements in order to significantly reduce inputs of plastic container closures and lids into the environment.”
If you weren’t aware, you can recycle almost every type of plastic bottle at home, including beverages. The only exception is plastic bottles containing chemicals, e.g. anti-freeze, according to Recycle Now.
Warmer days are nearing and for me, at least, this can only mean one thing: time for my daily iced coffee fix.
However, we’re in a cost of living crisis and as much as I would LOVE to treat myself to one every single day from my local coffee shop, I do have to *attempt* to be sensible at the moment.
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This seemed simple enough. Add coffee, add ice, add milk, and yes, of course, a hint of syrup. It just didn’t taste like I expected it would. I wanted that delicious hit, that sweet slurp of caffeine to get my veins pumping but instead I just felt a bit more buzzed and my coffee was, well, watery.
It turns out that there is a right way to make iced coffee and according to the coffee masters at Matthew Algie, I’d actually missed a good few steps.
The best way to make iced coffee at home
Speaking to HuffPost UK, Frank Ubsdell, National Training & Innovation Manager, and Gosia Lendzioszek, Account Development Manager at Matthew Algie shared their tips for making a successful iced coffee at home.
The experts said that the order you add your ingredients in can make or break your drink.
“If you’re looking for that layered effect, you may want to add espresso last. However, while this can look beautiful, it might not mix well and become milky at the bottom but very strong at the first sip.”
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Additionally, they said that hot espresso onto ice is a “common mistake” and yes, you guessed it, that was mine. They recommend making an espresso first and then making everything else, allowing it to cool. Add it after milk and ice so that it isn’t directly interacting with the ice and instead rests on top of your chosen milk.
They also warned against batch-making jugs of coffee the night before drinking it saying: “Many people batch make a jug of coffee the day before and let it cool in their fridge. This isn’t a good idea, as coffee is a product that is enjoyed best when freshly brewed.”
Finally, they crushed (get it?) my dreams when they said: “although crushed ice looks good, you should always opt for cubed ice as crushed dilutes the drink faster.”
The words ‘national treasure’ are thrown around far too lightly for my liking but when it comes to Mary Berry, they absolutely apply. First appearing on our screens in the 70′s, Mary has been teaching the nation to cook and bake for longer than I’ve been alive.
My first real exposure to her was obviously Great British Bake Off where her cheeky little smiles were a perfect sidekick to co-host Paul Hollywood’s gentle snark. Racing over to my friend’s after work, we’d tuck into some pasta, share a bottle of wine and talk about whether it was too late for Mary to adopt us as her granddaughters.
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With all of this fangirling in mind, it’s probably not a surprise to learn that I forked out for a vintage cookbook of Mary’s from 1975: “Beating The Cost Of Cooking”. It’s yellowed, bent a little in the middle and perfect.
Mary Berry’s vintage scrambled eggs recipe
I bought this book mostly to learn how much not only Mary’s cooking has changed over almost 50 years but how much food trends have changed in general. It’s a great read but there are some that I’m glad stayed right where they belong. In the 70s.
Take for example, the ‘sweet corn scramble’. I don’t know if it’s because I hate sweetcorn or because the illustration is… vile, but this one really got my stomach turning.
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Anyway, if sweetcorn isn’t an issue for you, you can try this vintage scrambled eggs recipe from Mary herself.
You’ll need:
6 eggs
6 tbsp milk
salt and pepper
15g of butter
175g of drained sweetcorn
toast
Then, simply beat your eggs in a bowl with milk, salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a pan and make scrambled eggs in your usual way. Just before the eggs are ready, stir in drained sweetcorn and cook until hot. Pile on toast and serve at once.
Despite this cursed illustration haunting my nightmares, I still love you Mary.
Food giant Walkers must pay VAT on its mini poppadoms after judges ruled they are actually more like crisps.
The PepsiCo-owned manufacturer hoped to escape paying the tax on its Sensations Poppadoms because, it argued, they were not made from potato and the product said poppadoms on the packet – meaning they are a food and not a snack that attracts the 20% levy.
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But in a win for the taxman, and one that could be costly for the company, a tribunal said they were indeed crisps in all but name since 40% of the ingredients were “potato-derived”.
The judgement, dated January 10, was withering about the name on the packs.
Tribunal judges, Anne Fairpo and Sonia Gable, said: “Nominative determinism is not a characteristic of snack foods: calling a snack food Hula Hoops does not mean that one could twirl that product around one’s midriff, nor is Monster Munch generally reserved as a food for monsters.”
The case has echoes of past battles with HM Revenue and Customs.
McVitie’s successfully argued in the 1990s that Jaffa Cakes are in fact cakes and not biscuits, therefore exempt from VAT.
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In 2008, Marks & Spencer won a protracted legal battle on overpaid VAT on its chocolate teacakes, with Europe’s highest court ruling they were cakes and not a biscuit.
