Hydrate mate

As things start heatin' up, it's a given that hydration is a pretty essential part of, well, functioning. And while water in its purest form certainly wins in terms of its health credentials, it can admittedly be a little difficult, and perhaps boring, to get ya two litres a day solely via nature's little wonder resource. I've never been one for sugary sodas, but I do find that a lot more water gets gulped if it has just a hint of flavour.

Amid Berlin's Summer heat spell, I'm currently hitting my daily liquid quota with a little help from this easy-to-prep potion, which I keep well-stocked in my fridge for rapid replenishment at any time of day. 

    

The ingredients are totally open to modification and tweaks according to personal taste. Here's what I'm currently reaching for:

- Water 
- Lemon juice (freshly squeezed or bottled)
-  Apple juice not from concentrate (mine has a touch of acerola)
- Agave syrup (just a squirt)
- Optional: lemon slices

Fill approx. ¾ of your chosen vessel with water, followed by a few squeezes of lemon juice and a couple drops of apple juice. Slightly sweeten with a quick squirt of agave, then shake it all up. Add a lemon slice or two if you fancy. Store in the fridge for optimum refreshment.

I like to keep a healthy hoard of 330ml glass bottles - ChariTea or Lemonaid's are ideal - as they're a perfect on-the-go portion size, but of course any container works. Sip back and relax!

Breakfast Market @ Markthalle 9

They say a Sunday well spent brings a week of content, and I can wholeheartedly vouch for that little refrain. Above all in Berlin, where Sundays are just -- unparalleled. Even on a broken foot. This weekend was spent at Markthalle Neun, which is usually a midweek go-to for their sought-after Streetfood Thursdays. In many ways reminiscent of London's Borough Market, this fabulous market hall is a total haven for foodie folk like myself. Turns out, every third Sunday of the month, they also hold a reputed 'Breakfast Market', which actually runs all day (10:00-18:00) - so ideal if you're a late Sunday riser, too. 

While still pretty packed, it was happily less crowded than a Streetfood Thursday, making hobbling around the place marginally(!) less problematic. One issue I did encounter though, and hadn't considered, was tryin' to strike decent photo compositions one-handed and one-footed; turns out DSLRs and crutches aren't a compatible combo after all. And the sneaky spontaneous shots I usually try to capture were far from subtle; think this kinda grace and you've got a pretty accurate idea. 

Either way, I adamantly (and clumsily) managed to document a lil taster of the diverse food/bev spectacle that defines Markthalle, so y'all have some idea of what was on offer - vicariously tasting it all is the next best thing, right? 

Having already had breakfast (we arrived around midday), the clammy 36 degree heat made thirst-quenching our first priority. Craving something green, I went for a wheatgrass number from Dresden in Kreuzberg, comprising of their signature wheatgrass and super fresh apple juice blend. Hannah opted for an apple and mint ice tea, which looked equally refreshing.

Suitably revivified, the next testing challenge was settling on something more filling - difficult for me at the best of times, as the most indecisive person, like, ever. All the more so with such a resplendent, lip-smackin' display of top quality sustenance. 

After a lot - a lot - of deliberation and mind-changing, I eventually settled on the delectable-looking apple crumble offering which caught my eye within the first two seconds of arriving. Accompanied by the single most delightful handmade vanilla bean ice cream and dulce de leche sauce, it tasted even better than it looked. Which, as ya can see, says a lot.

We were later joined by lovely Spud, for an undersized but nonetheless top-notch iced coffee from the Kaffeebar stand. In sum, an afternoon of gastronomical glee at its finest; content doesn't quite cut it.

Ja(rs) Rule

I do love an unorthodox food/bev vessel. Drinking is just more FUN out of jars. Yesterday afternoon's post-workout jar snackette was an experimental avo-based blend. Before ya wince, avocados make the creamiest and indeed yummiest smoothies, as well as providin' a super source of healthy fats - don't knock it just yet. On top of packing an extra vit punch, fruit and veg combinations are more balanced on the taste buds, too (I reckon). 

M A K E

 Ingredients: 

1/2 an avocado

 1/2 a beet

1/2 a carrot

1 pear

1 handful of raspberries

2 mandarines

a few splashes of oat milk

To embellish:

 a drizzle of honey 

a pinch of cinnamon

P.S. Avocado and mango (with a squeeze of lime) is also a winning pairing!

So gooood.

This week I'm lovin'

 

Admittedly I wasn't exactly filled with 'wonder' at the prospect of drinking from a can labelled "sparkling fermented tea". But I am partial to an Asian pear and I'll try anything once (especially if it has nice packaging). Turns out this bubbly bev from Kombucha is more than palatable, and very refreshing indeed. So! Don't let labels deter ya (this applies to life in general, too). 

¡I need a bebida!

It was only going to be a matter of time before I'd wanna go on my coffee shop hunt here, so I used my free sábado [Saturday] to scour Madrid city in search of potential caffeine hit haunts. Amongst some other things, obviously. 

I'm sure I'll fashion some kinda Madrid guía [guide] à la the Berlin one I made earlier (once I feel knowledgable enough to do so of course), but in the meantime I shall just waffle about individual finds I come across on my little Spanish adventures.

So! My favourite and best spot so far: Toma Café.

Off the tourist track on Calle de la Palma, this pequeño but perfectly formed coffee/cake hangout (or 'casa de cafés & espressos' as it prefers) is a laid-back and lovely lugar [place] with a chilled atmosphere, sweet tunes, a cool clientele and a resplendent array of sugary treats. With its rather unorthodox but nonetheless super cute seating set-up and very aesthetically pleasing interior, not to mention its amazin' bebida [drink] presentation, Toma Café has gone straight to the top spot. It also has a bicycle theme; I'm not totally sure why. But I like it. 

Iced latte. Coz it's SO HOT here. Sorry.

I know the whole putting-drinks-in-jars phenomenon is a bit of a Marmite situation, with haters assigning it the all-pervasive 'pretentious' label. Hmm. Personally, I embrace an alternative vessel in which to store my bev of choice. And I think it's fitting for this kind of place; it enhances the overall experience and adds to its cute, quirky charm. But that's just me.

A floating bicicleta; why not.