This review appears in the January 2012 edition of Bite Magazine.
In case you’re still suffering, I’ll whisper it – Happy New Year Biters! Ah, 2012, another year filled with the promise of good and tasty things to come.However, we have to get through the first challenge: January. Whether you’re ‘enjoying’ a week-long hangover, the fifth round of winter’s man-flu, or just missing longer days, it’s certain that a bit of extra pep can make all the difference. There’s also that delicate matter of detox and New Year’s resolutions. We all know the score. Those promises to yourself to ‘go’ macrobiotic and abstain from booze until at least, well, Burns’ Night.
In the likely event that your best laid plans fail by the first weekend, there are a few ways of keeping the immune system boosted. No, vodka and cranberry doesn’t count! Hula Juice bar on the West Bow (AKA bottom of Victoria Street) is ready to bring some much-needed sunshine to us ‘burghers. Open seven days a week, their team of pro-juicers are on hand with an arsenal of fruit, veggies and good stuff.
After a week of a stinking cold, I headed in to try out a couple of juices for research. I tried the Pink Lady, a refreshingly zingy mix of apple, lemon, lime and ginger. Also, a seasonal special called ‘The Rudolph’. Redder than that reindeer’s snoz, this was a combo of beetroot, celery, carrot, apple and ginger. I could practically feel the health seeping back into my bloodstream with each slurp! Hula also have warming bowls of porridge, toasted bagels with classics like smoked salmon,and a choice of freshly made soups every day.
You might own a juicer at home, check the cupboard, behind those other gadgets! I use mine a lot, as I love freshly-pressed apple juice. Hula’s owner, Sarah Doherty, is the juice expert and gave me some tips on trying recipes with beetroot at home. Apparently it’s ¼ beetroot juice, to ¾ of everything else. Gourmet Girl favourites like Tattie Shaws, Real Foods and Earthy Foods all stock a vitamin-boosting selection of fresh fruit and veggies to experiment with. If you have a sweeter tooth, summery smoothies are the way to go, with berries, banana and soft fruit.
With a birthday mid-January, chances are I’ll be needing one of these juicy cure-alls before too long. Pass me a straw!
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