Far Side Cold Brew Coffee

Do you ever get the feeling that the very human need to enjoy some of our simple daily pleasures, is being slowly eroded away by reports that we shouldn’t be eating this or applying that because if it isn’t destroying the planet, then it is probably destroying us? Take the glorious indulgence of our routine grabbing of the 'first thing in the morning skinny latté with an extra shot’ - and judging by the desperation on some faces at The Amazing Blog we should perhaps make that ‘the glorious addiction…’ whichever noun applies here, the concept remains the same.

However, what if we were to tell you of a coffee company that could sweep away any feelings of guilt in one delicious and prolonged gulp, meet Far Side Coffee. For with every sip that is savoured, we are supporting an incredible initiative, engaging with members of The International Women’s Coffee Alliance which brings ‘every woman together in the coffee sector from Crop to Cup, by transforming their lives and wellbeing through strong relationships at regional and global levels’. However, maybe some background on Far Side Coffee would be appropriate here, as the company clearly shares their mission with this global movement of the empowerment women across the board. Founded by Kadie Regan just two years ago, Far Side Coffee began from a need to swig a really good brew … does that sound familiar? Some of us, simply pop in to grab a cup from our favourite barista, but Kadie went a whole other route further, brewing her libation from fresh, and distributing it locally throughout the South West of the UK. In order to expand to further markets, Kadie needed to prolong the coffee’s shelf life, but without compromising the cold brew process or adding any ‘nasties’. In 2018, the process was completed, giving a stable shelf life and no changes to the process or indeed flavour.

The results speak for themselves, and at our fingertips, we have a choice of two to enjoy - the Peruvian Cold Brew which offers up some intriguingly bold flavours and the Rwanda Cold Brew, which is an altogether more mellow journey with hints of maple nectar and a burst of lemon. However, the Peruvian probably nudges to the top of our chart for it’s darkly bold taste, with an unexpected top note of orange peel. For those who believe their coffee can only come hot in a cardboard cup, we urge you to give one of these two beauties a try. Despite their very different flavours, with each bottle containing the equivalent of 3 shots of espresso in caffeine content,.they are wonderfully refreshing (obviously drunk cold), which gives us the hit we need at whatever time of the day.

Priced at around the cost of our aforementioned latté, these goodies can be purchased in a pack of 12 for £36, or a pack of 4 for £13 from their online shop here where there is also an option to order a box of 12 containing a handy mix of origins. And in case the Taste Police are watching, they are all vegan, sugar, dairy AND gluten free, meaning a hit of the rich stuff comes without the pangs of guilt.

Necta & Hive - Red Gum Unpasteurised Honey

How about a bit of Latin to kickstart the brain cells today? Eucalyptus Camaldulensis to be exact, for that is the Red River Gum Tree which gives us - with the help of an amazing colony of hard-working busy bees, the truly delicious Red Gum Unpasteurised Honey from Necta & Hive. In a world where some of our favourite things are being added to, or having bits taken away, it is so refreshing to open a pot of this wonderfully lusciously thick liquid that is unadulteratedly pure. The temptation for us at The Amazing Blog is to simply stick a finger in and devour the whole pot! This is a danger that has to be resisted as this is a honey from the serious shelf in the larder, primarily because it is considered quite rare owing to the unpredictable nature of it’s production. The flowering intensity of the Red River Gum Tree varies, and therefore the amount of pollen the bees can collect from the delicate creamy leaves is changeable from year to year.

However, the resulting nectar is well worth waiting for, as it contains naturally occurring powerful antioxidants, flavonoids, known for their anti-inflammatory health benefits. The numerical TA rating of active honey indicates the strength of the antimicrobial potency of the honey. This 10+ TA Red Gum Unpasteurised Honey has medium antimicrobial activity and healing properties to maintain good health. The fact it also tastes delicious is the molten icing on the cake.

We tried out three recipes using this jar of sweet wonder from the suggestions on Necta & Hives website here - waffles doused in the golden potion with blueberries sprinkled on top clinging to the viscous liquid; and a pear mocktail which of course proved a very popular choice here. Clearly this honey is a versatile addition to any well-stocked cupboard.

Necta & Hive pride themselves, quite rightly on sourcing the very best honeys to bring to the market place, it isn’t simply a matter of tickling the taste buds favourably, but also ensuring the provenance of each product. The purity of their honeys is paramount, with attention paid to the exact location of the apiaries, often in remote and protected places, making sure that they are located away from pests, chemicals and other contaminants. Each batch is regularly tested by an accredited laboratory to measure Total Activity levels (this one has a TA of +10), ensuring the integrity of the honey. For further details of the whole Necta & Hive range, visit here, where there are countless more recipe ideas too. To purchase you own pot of yummy Australian Red Gum Unpasteurised Honey see here it is £30 for a 250g pot, and a little really does goes a long way.

Friday Favourites: Hand Creams

Hand cream is an absolute must for us at The Amazing Blog and as we’re still in the throes of winter, we can’t help noticing our chapped hands and split nails. Today we’re going to introduce you to some TLC for your hard-working digits. Whether you’re looking for a quick light fix or a protective barrier cream, we have a selection of our #amazingfinds for you to try.

As regular readers will know we are fans of Rosenserien products and you’ll find our most recent post on their Shampoo & Body Scrub here. Now we are testing out their rather rich and delicious smelling Hand Cream this has 100% naturally sourced ingredients with more than 75% being organic, it is also vegan friendly and not tested on animals. Key ingredients are Aloe vera, coconut wax, jojoba oil, shea butter, calendula, vitamin E, soybean and rose oil.

What we particularly like about this hand cream is that it feels thick, nourishing and it lasts. It also smells deliciously of roses; this comes in 100ml tube for £17 here and a little goes a long way.

Yes, it’s yet another natural skincare brand that we have a bit of a crush for. We recently wrote about their Firming Body Milk here . This SOS Help Hand Balm they say is for ‘demanding hands that require special intensive care,’ and we couldn’t agree more. Perhaps not as thick as Rosenserien, but equally as effective. This is much lighter in texture and the cream absorbs quickly. Their organic actives include cacao butter, almond and macadamia nut oil (to relieve tautness) shea butter (for increased elasticity).

SOS Hand Balm certainly comes to the rescue leaving soft hand and hydrated; this is perfect in this current chilly weather. SOS Help Hand Balm is 50ml at a reasonable price of £6.95 available here.

This is a very different kind of hand cream from the others that we’ve mentioned. Cuderm Hand is more science-based and offers an intense hydration that forms a protective barrier. It has been created specifically for dry and sensitive hands and is fragrance free, SLS free, hypoallergenic, paraben free and alcohol-free. What makes this particularly unique is the key ingredient of their clinically proven colloidal oatmeal, which is obtained as a natural extract from oats. This helps to support, protect and promote healthy skin.

We think this cream is ideal for anyone with itchy or sensitive skin or who is exposed on a daily basis to environmental irritants. To purchase the 75ml tube for £5.49 see here.

When you talk about a Potato Hand Balm its doesn’t sound very sexy or enticing. However, I’m assured that potato juice is the thing and extremely rich in vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and potassium minerals. These all offer protection against dry and cracked skin and various skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Potato juice is also deemed safe for any sensitive skins.

Styx Naturacosmetic is one of our #amazingfinds; and with over 50 year standing, this family run Austrian skincare brand has a strong belief in sustainability. So much so, that they’ve scooped up many environmental awards along the way. They believe in using organically grown and locally sourced wild plant-based raw materials for their ingredients, and when we met with them, they were insistent that we had to try this Balm! In Austria potatoes have been used for centuries to help heal the skin. This Potato Balm is based on a traditional Austrian peasant farmers’ recipe used as a remedy for treating all skin blemishes, sunburn, rough and chapped skin. In the balm there are also cold pressed vegetable oils (jojoba and macadamia) with the addition of shea butter and of course the potatoes. We like the slight sweet nutty fragrance, and that there was no greasy residue and it absorbed quickly. Potato Balm is available in a 70ml tube at £14.26 from Amazon here.

Whether your hand cream is made from roses, nut oils, colloidal oatmeal or potatoes; we hope that we’ve given you a ‘helping hand’ to try something just a little bit different.

Dr. Lipp's Moisturising Lip Tints

Happy Valentines Day from us at The Amazing Blog! Whether you’re spending the evening with a loved one, or are planning to snuggle under a blanket with some chocolate and a chick flick - you’ll want to be taking care of your lips. Particularly at this time of the year, we’re subject to dry and cracked skin, which is only made worse by chemically laden lip products. This is where Dr. Lipp steps up the lip product game! Founded by Norwegian entrepreneur and artist, Pontine Paus, this brand is perfect for sassy women who want to know what is inside their beauty products.

Created out of just four, all natural ingredients, this brand really created a lifestyle movement of full disclosure skincare. Pontine Paus explains “sometimes the best things have been around for centuries, we just need to learn about them”, something we couldn’t agree more with. Their products are 100% natural, with the brand being particularly famous for its Original Nipple Balm. Designed for dry skin, this balm has won multiple awards, and is know for its glorious richness and ultra-effective long-lasting moisture. In fact, we reviewed this product last year (see here), so we were more than excited to try their new range of Moisturising Colour Tints.

These tints have the same base as The Original Nipple Balm, made from medical grade lanolin, ditrach phosphate (a natural pigment disperser) and glyceryl caprilate (a natural preservative made from organically grown vegetable oils). The difference however, is the addition of pigment, with three different colours sourced from organically grown plants. The first, a natural pink, comes from the use of sweet potato pigment, while the deeper burgundy shade is derived from elderberry pigment. Flavour and fragrance-free, these tints will leave your lips kissably soft. Additionally, for red lip lovers, the red radish pigment creates a bold, yet moisturised finish.

To purchase your own lip tints (free from parabens, animal testing, sulphates and mineral oil), then visit the Dr. Lipp website here. You can purchase them as a lip set for £18 or individually for £6.99 (8ml).

Kapronca's Cordials

Mid-way into February, and we're pleased to report that our ongoing health kick is still just holding-up! One thing we initially struggled with at The Amazing Blog, was finding alternatives to our favourite processed fizzy drinks. Thankfully, that issue is no longer, thanks to the discovery of Kapronca, a brand providing delicious and refreshing cordials for generations. Based in Northern Croatia, their diligence to top-quality cordials has made our quest for healthier alternatives all the more simple.

Now it would be wrong to assume that these are 'healthy' cordials, as they contain sugar. However, we love that the ingredients are both natural, and locally sourced - so much better than the over-processed and artificial flavourings in many other drinks. We were sent these three flavours to try: Elderflower, Raspberry and Mint - all of which proved to be a hit in the office. Using fresh and hand-picked elderflowers from the local region of Northern Croatia, the Elderflower Cordial is made by infusing top-notch ingredients with water and is subsequently our favourite flavour. That said, the Raspberry Cordial is a close second, made with the equally natural ingredient: cold-pressed raspberry juice. The third cordial, Mint Cordial, is perhaps more of an acquired taste - but was one I personally love. By infusing fresh mint, it has an authentic and natural flavour, and we're pleased to say that it doesn't taste artificial in the slightest.

Drawing back to our original point about healthy beverages, you might be wondering how we consume these cordials. We found them delicious when mixed sparkling water (for a fizzy drink without the artificial flavours), but have also become quite partial to the Raspberry Cordial when consumed with boiling water and cinnamon - the perfect way to warm up given the current cold temperatures! That said, on days when we're feeling a little more adventurous (and indulgent), we have discovered the Mint Cordial to be the perfect addition to a mojito mixture, and all three to work well with prosecco. If that's not enough, then all three are also lovely when drizzled over a good quality vanilla ice cream.

Equally tempted to up your cordial game? Then you can order each cordial (0.75l) directly for £8. This includes the shipping cost, but a minimum of 6 bottles must be purchased (to fill a box). London based readers (or anyone planning to visit) will also be able to find Kapronca available at the Taste Croatia Deli in Borough Market from Spring 2019. Enjoy!