Greetings T&T VIPs!
Well that was an eventful end to the winter and start to spring! The “Beast from the East” arrived to keep us on our collective toes for a week or so and it was glorious!
I grew up “up north” in New Zealand and didn’t even see snow until I was 9 years old. So every time it snows in my back yard I’m like a kid in a candy store.
Sure, it’s disruptive, cancels trains and is responsible for a lot of broken wrists (ouch!) but isn’t it great snuggling up inside gazing out the window at our usually grimy city all pure and white? (cont. pg 8)
(cont from pg 1) Nature is engaged in an infinite process of creation, and we’re all part of it. There is no “nature” separate from “you”: you’re it and it’s you. Take comfort and joy, then, in knowing that you’re a force of nature.
My grandfather was a passionate gardener. In his elder years, clearly exhausted, he nursed numerous aches and pains along with painful angina.
Once I asked if he would think about slowing down a bit or maybe reducing the area of his impressive rose beds.
“No” he said. “I need to have the earth under my fingernails every day. There is no better life, being connected to nature”.
Spend a few minutes today appreciating nature. Take a walk along the river, sit underneath a tree. Take a moment to appreciate it.
The “Beast from the East” was a welcome reminder of the Earth’s majesty and power. A real treat!
RK
Coffee Machine is back!
We are pleased to have our beautiful La Marzocco FB80 back from an extensive refurbishment undertaken by James from Espresso Fix. Recently celebrating 6 years of faithful service it was time for a break for some much needed TLC!
Going Zero Waste - One Family's Journey by Judith Russenberger
Eighteen months ago via a Lush advert I became aware of the concept of zero waste: a life style choice that avoids buying or using anything that cannot be recycled. A family discussion ensued and we agreed to give the idea ago for two weeks.
Step 1: We analysed our rubbish bin. What were we throwing away? Plastic bags from bags of carrots and apples, plastic packaging for dried fruits, pasta, cheese and breakfast cereal, plastic seals around jam jars and bottles of mouthwash, plastic foil around tea bags, chocolate and bars of soap, and plastic lined bags for coffee beans.
Step 2: Could we find alternatives for those things that produced non-recyclable waste?
The Whole Food Market sells unpacked grains and nuts etc which you take home in paper bags.. Waitrose sells a limited selection of loose fruit and vegetables. Neal’s Yard Dairy wraps it’s cheese in greaseproof paper, and similarly wrapped butter. Divine chocolate bars are wrapped in paper and foil.
A fortnight proved easy so we kept going. A month. Then another month and as we continued we found more ways of combatting waste.
Step 3: If there wasn’t an alternative, could we make it instead? We already made our own bread cakes and jams which helped. Now we experimented making yogurt, peanut butter and pasta. We bottled vegetables from the garden or the market as an alternative to frozen peas. had a also gave up buying some things altogether such as ground almonds and peanut butter.
Step 4: We looked for different places to shop where we could buy things without packaging or with recyclable packaging.
The Putney butchers, Parson’s Nose happily puts our meat into a reusable plastic box or wraps it in paper. My Cup of Tea sells loose tea, and Chairs and Coffee sells freshly roasted beans, both decanted straight into our own canisters. The local Farmers Market at Barnes sells a wonderful selection of unpackaged fruit and vegetables, and even milk which poured direct into our own container. In East Sheen the Micro Beer shop sells beer on tap so you fill your own bottle and Bella del Gelato will fill your own box full of lovely icecream. Lush sells unpackaged soap and shampoo.
We look for cafes, like Tried & True, where we drink good coffee in ceramic cups and water in glasses.
Step 5: We accepted that we had to live with some waste - blister packs for medical tablets - and that some things that just tempt us - Twix bars and McVities digestives.
After that first month we just kept going! We noticed that not only did we reduce what we threw away each week to about a litre of assorted plastic, but that the content of our recycling bin was less. If you want to give Zero a try, look at Heidi’s blog https://realisingchange.wordpress.com or get in touch for tips and encouragement - russenbergerjudith@gmail.com.
One step at a time!
JR
NEW SPECIAL - SWEETCORN FRITTERS!
Massi & the team in the kitchen are pleased to present the March special. Light and delicious sweetcorn fritters literally popping with spring flavours. Served with delicious spiced tomato jam, avocado and lime aioli they’re guaranteed to put a smile on your dial this spring.
They’re also vegetarian and gluten free unless you want to add a bit of our delicious streaky bacon on the side!
Clara's Crafti Corner
Elephants are my favourite animal . I love them and I’ve got a big collection of soft fluffy ones!
One day I went to visit Grannie Kiwi in the countryside and we made elephant from old milk bottles.
We had a lot of fun on a cold and rainy day inside and I thought you might like to make one too!
If you’d like to make your own milk bottle elephant then grab some milk bottles and lets get started!
YOU WILL NEED: – Plastic Milk bottles – Scissors – Glue – Tissue paper – Or stickers – Pom poms – Googly eyes
Start your own elephant family by cutting the bottles as shown with scissors (get an adult to help you).
Use big and small bottles if you have them. Make sure you cut off any rough edges to smooth them before little ones get stuck in too.
Stick the coloured tissue paper on with glue to make a pattern. You can also stick paper towel onto the bottle and paint it when it is dry.
Next cut some ears from cardboard or the bottom of milk bottle and stick on some googly eyes.
My friend Clementine made a cape out of felt for her elephant and stuck the bottle top on top. It looked really cool!
I hope you have a lot of fun making your elephants!
Send me a photo of your elephant and my daddy will put in on T&T’s facebook!
CJK
El Pedregal
Colombia
Weight 350G
Country COLOMBIA
Region NARIÑO
Producer MARCO TULIO ADARM
Variety CATURRA
Process WASHED
Altitude 2,130 MASL
Landed JANUARY
Tasting Notes
APRICOT/ BLACKBERRY/ VIBRANT
Square Mile have a fruit punch of a coffee to start their Colombian offerings! Vibrant, jammy fruit flavours of apricot and blackberry dominate, with gentle florals underlying these bold notes.
This lot from Nariño was so delicious on the cupping table that they immediately signed up for 10 bags of it, which is as much as they could get!
From the Tablón de Gómez Municipality, or El Tablón as people in the region call it, comes this Caturra from Marco Tulio Adarme and his partner Bella Muñoz. El Tablon is a small community nestled in the Macizo Colombiano, with a strong indigenous influence and culture. Tulio’s 3 hectare farm El Pedregal (translating to The Scree) is unusual in that it sits at a dizzying 2,130 meters above sea level, this creates a special microclimate that results in slow growth and maturation, which helps intensify the flavours in the beans.
Even processing and drying the coffee takes longer at these altitudes, on raised beds the washed coffee needs 20-30 days to dry, almost 2 weeks more than at your average farm!