Recreating Expensive Trends in the Comfort of Your Own Kitchen
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Every now and then food trends pop up that are just really, really good – but also incredibly expensive, if you find them in your favourite café, bar or restaurant.
Sure, you’ll obviously also pay for the luxury of someone else having to make it for you – but as soon as you pay for an iced tea which is essentially an hour of work, it gets a bit much. Fortunately, a lot of recent trends are relatively easy to recreate at home. And the best part? Once you got the (every day) ingredients, you’re free to make as much as you like. Oftentimes, it’s just a question of digging a bit for the right recipe. Chances are good, people before you asked yourself the same question: “How exactly do I make this coffee?”
Rehydrating and Indulging in Flavours
There have been a lot of drinks that swooped over to us in the UK in the past years – and some of them are here to stay for good. Things like bubble tea or matcha latte or infused waters, all taste amazing, but are incredibly expensive if bought ready-made.
Truth is, they’re all relatively easy, or even therapeutic to be made at home. For bubble tea, for example, you can buy the pearls (boba balls) in a bigger volume and easily store and use them as needed – and the iced tea around it is literally just that, a well-made iced tea.
Simply strongly brew green or black tea (ideally several bags in only one cup), immediately cool it down with a chunk of ice, add a fruity syrup and/or sweetener of your choice and fill it up with ice-cold water.
That’s it! The same goes for things like chai lattes or matcha teas, which usually need some extensive steps to be created. You can, of course, get the materials needed for that, but did you know there are also matcha tea bags, that’ll do all the work for you, with the same smooth and earthy taste? No fuss, super quickly done – and only a fraction of the price. The same goes for fruit or herb-infused waters.
You can easily trade the pricey bottled beverages when combining still or sparkling water with slices of citrus fruits, berries, cucumber, and a few sprigs of herbs like mint or basil. You can also buy some cold-brew tea bags that will do the work for you, but there are also cheap-to-get reusable bottles that come with a little infuser inside of them. Perfect!
Fancy Breakfast Right Out of the Fridge
Since intermittent fasting, superfoods and, let’s be honest, food blogging is a thing, fancy breakfasts and brunches have become a hit, too. Most of them – again – can be recreated at home without that much of a hassle, for the same luxurious feeling and great, healthy taste as in your favourite café. For a good acai bowl, for example, all you need is to blend a mix of frozen acai, bananas, berries, and a splash of your favourite milk for a luscious base.
Add some granola, fresh sliced fruits, and a drizzle of honey and that’s it! Overnight oats are equally simple. Combine them with oats, layer them with yoghurt, milk, or plant-based alternatives and let them soak overnight. Add some frozen fruits if you have them, or slice some fresh ones in the morning, add buts and a drizzle of honey and again, that’s it!
Even something like avocado toast or grilled cheese only takes a handful of steps. The key to the secret is to try out different toppings, like poached eggs, microgreens, or even just a sprinkle of chilli flakes. Add some caramelised onions, roasted red peppers or slices of apples for the cheese, and your plate you’ll have yourself a restaurant-worthy-looking plate – with a fraction of the cost and from the comfort of your own home.
