The ultimate coffee guide
It would seem that the UK is no longer a nation of tea drinkers. According to reports, coffee imports have risen by 75% since 1996, while tea imports have only increased by 25%. Maybe it’s got something to do with the dazzling array of different coffee drinks on offer… The key to making your own plethora of coffees at home starts with a good espresso. If you don’t have a super-fandangled coffee machine, never fear – this cheat’s guide will have you hacking the coffee shop and turning out perfect espressos in no time. You can then use them as the base to build any of the below classics. LATTE An espresso topped with steamed milk, including 1cm of microfoam. 1 part coffee 3 parts steamed milk Meaning “coffee and milk” in Italian, a caffè latte is a very milky…
10 tips for a proper picnic
When the weather is like this, everyone loves a picnic – however, some are better at organising them than others. I have a reputation among my friends as being “the prepared one” when it comes to eating outside. Perhaps it’s just the nature of my job as a food stylist, but I’ve always had bits and bobs for all culinary occasions, and this is one of the secret to throwing a really great picnic. One of the wedding gifts my husband and I received nearly three years ago was a super-cute picnic basket, lined with fabric and decorated with little buckles and a briefcase handle. It makes such a difference when preparing for an afternoon of outdoor dining. It is really helpful to have something to make carrying and storing things easier – summer picnics should be about having fun and relaxing,…
Spotlight on… cholesterol
With a number of reports presenting a “not guilty” verdict on saturated fats, have we got heart health all wrong and is cholesterol really worth all the worry? Kerry Torrens explains what cholesterol is, why we need it and what the latest studies are telling us. The subject of cholesterol has caused a lot of confusion in the past few years. We buy cholesterol-lowering foods and potentially take medication to keep levels balanced – but is this always necessary? Without doubt, for some of us this is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle – for instance for one in 500 people who have a condition called familial hypercholesterolemia. For these individuals and others like them, for whom genes play a big part, cholesterol management is crucial – but what about the rest of us? What is cholesterol? Cholesterol is a waxy fat, with…