Wake up and smell the coffee

I received an email from an American friend of mine recounting her recent experience with coffee.  She was invited to lunch at a friend’s house, whose husband is an Italian-born diplomat. After lunch, the hostess asked who wanted coffee. My friend was so excited to think that it would surely be an excellent Italian brew, maybe even a lovely cappuccino. It sadly wasn't. She popped the pot of filter coffee on the counter and served everyone.  ‘It's just not right,’ my friend thought, ‘I'm a coffee snob. Was I wrong to think an Italian home would have more refined taste?’

I, myself, have become the ultimate coffee snob.  My first memory of coffee was on a family trip to Portugal when I was four years old.  The coffee was served in the tiniest of cups; they looked like the cups from my doll’s tea set.  I still remember the smell; the aroma was so delicious, but the flavour left a bitter taste in my mouth.


When I moved to London more than 20 years ago, I was very disappointed to go into the kitchen at my office to discover Nescafe was being used for coffee.  To me, this instant, powdered drink was not coffee.  I had just arrived from Brussels where the most modest of coffees is served with a small biscuit or piece of rich, delicious chocolate.  At the time there was no Starbucks or Caffé Nero.  Tea was (and still is) the traditional hot drink. 

When I first met my Italian husband, he would bring coffee back from Rome in his suitcase.  He would go to

Caffé Sant’Eustachio and watch them grind the beans in front of him.  We had a traditional Moka pot and made espresso on the cooker.  Eventually we purchased an espresso machine in Italy which used capsules to make the coffee, producing a lovely, rich, frothy coffee similar to that found in a coffee bar in Italy.  But the capsules weren't available here in the UK so we had them delivered to his parents and brought them back in our luggage.  As a result, we had to ration them out.  We have now purchased a new Lavazza espresso machine and we can get the capsules here too, a real bonus as we can drink as much coffee as we want! 

After all these years of living in London, I still can’t call myself a tea drinker.  Coffee, on the other hand, is another story.  

Written by Eva Stock. Eva is Director of Sponsors Relations at FOCUS.

For more information about FOCUS visit:  www.focus-info.org

Pirouetting Ballerinas found in the wine of Burgundy

Do you ever drink wine and think of ballerinas pirouetting on your tongue or rolling around in a bowl full of cherries with a loved one?
If the answer is ‘no’ then you have not yet had the pleasure of experiencing a wine tasting led by the exuberant wine educator Quentin Sadler. FOCUS members recently enjoyed an evening led by Quentin and hosted by the BADA Antiques Fair which transforms the Duke of York Square each March.
After arriving at the fair, guests were led through the grand marquis displaying items from some of the most established antiques dealers to the Cellini Restaurant. Tables were set with glasses filled with a fine selection of  Louis Jadot wines and dishes of attractive parmesan crisps. Once we were all seated the real journey began.

Photos of the Burgundy region were shared as we moved from the Côte d'Or, through Côte Chalonnaise down to Mâconnais and ending in Beaujolais. Although, to be fair, we did not end with Beaujolais as from many who are passionate about wine that would have been a disappointment. We did in fact journey back to Côte de Nuits (which to my surprise stands for nuts, not night).
Quentin enlightened us all on the region - from the golden slopes to the colder regions noting the effect the climate has on the wine, colour of the grape and of course the taste. I enjoyed tasting cherries, nectarines, raspberries, currents and strawberries. Some wines were nutty and others smoky, some casual and happy and others angular; it all seemed to make sense at the time and  Quentin was certainly convincing.  Luckily we had a sheet for taking notes on the appearance smell and palate for each of the six wines.

We also were guided through the hierarchy of Village up to Premier Cru and right to the top with Grand Cru. We also were introduced to the oddly quirky system whereby the agricultural authorities in France determine what level the wine commands depending on the vineyards placement on the slope, the place, the reputation, and the price the wine commands.
Throughout the course of the evening Quentin entertained us with his stories of travel, wines and culinary excursions. He was able to bring a smile to everyone’s face in spite of there being guests of varying nationalities with competing views on where the best food and wine came from.
From now on I will wait for ballerinas to twirl on my tongue and look for that bowl of cherries…
Happy wine drinking!
 

Written by Nancy Dickinson.  Nancy is the Director of Events and Seminars at FOCUS. 

For more information please visit www.focus-info.org

RHUBARB: A FRUIT OR A VEGETABLE?

 

So glad it’s finally Spring!

I grew up in the Swiss countryside and my parents used to grow our own vegetables. I hated it! I didn’t like vegetables and the ones home grown actually tasted so intense that it took me even longer to swallow them than the ones we bought in the store.
Well, our garden didn’t make me like vegetables, but it did teach me the season of local vegetables and fruit. Even now living in the “big city” (like my parents would say), I try to buy seasonal and local (I place emphasis on “try”, because the winter is just too long to keep on eating 5 a day with apples, pears, carrots and cabbage alone, even by being very creative).
Every year, as soon as I see the first British rhubarb, my eyes light up and I go home and make my first Rhubarb Crumble. Here is my recipe:

Recipe for 4:

500g or 4 stalks rhubarb, chopped into ½ inch/1cm long chunks
6-8 teaspoons sugar or vanilla sugar (depending on how sweet you would like it)
4 tablespoons flour
6 tablespoons ground almonds
30 g butter
2 tablespoons light brown muscovado sugar

1.    Mix the rhubarb and the sugar and divide the mixture to 4 oven proof dishes.

2.    Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. To make the topping, rub the flour, almonds, butter and sugar together with your fingers until you have a crumbly topping. Scatter the topping over the rhubarb and bake for 30 mins or until the rhubarb is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve piping hot.
Do not hesitate to experiment with this recipe: try other seasonal fruit (the sweeter the fruit, the less sugar you
need to add), try oats instead of flour or other ground or chopped nuts, desiccated coconut or frangipane instead of almonds. You can also add spices like cinnamon or ground ginger and why not try pepper for a strawberry crumble.

It’s an easy and quick dessert and counts towards your 5 fruits and vegetables a day (1 serving = 1 portion of fruit). Enjoy!

  
Percentage of the recommended daily allowance in 1 serving     
Rhubarb is rich in:  
-    Potassium  (15%). Potassium is good for lowering high blood pressure, for brain and nerve function.
-    Calcium (9%). Calcium is good for bones, teeth, heart.

Almonds are rich in:       
-    B-vitamins, for nerve function.
-    Vitamin E (40%), an antioxidant.
-    Magnesium (17%), good for bones, muscles and nerve function.

Written by Evelyn Dorkel. Evelyn is an HCPC registered dietitian practising in the multidisciplinary practice Physio For All in Chelsea. She offers a client focused dietetic service in English, French and German.
www.nutrition4yourwellbeing.co.uk


For more information about FOCUS visit: www.focus-info.org

Top Funny English Idioms you may not know

An idiom is an everyday figure of speech or metaphorical expression whose meaning cannot be taken literally. Idioms often go against the logical “rules of language and grammar” despite being commonly used by the language’s native speakers. If you look closely at the literal meaning of most idioms, you will realise they are often downright hilarious. Here is a list of some of the funniest English idioms you may not know, most of which are drawn from British English. Enjoy!

1.    Do a Devon Loch
Devon Loch was a racehorse that collapsed just short of the winning line of the 1956 Grand National race in the UK.  If someone does a Devon Loch, they suddenly fail when everybody expects them to succeed or simply crumble at the very last minute when they are almost winning.
2.     Do a runner
When someone does a runner, he leaves a place in a hurry in order to avoid paying for something (like in a restaurant) or flees a difficult situation to escape punishment. Like many British idioms, this particular idiom originates from one of Shakespeare’s popular plays, Anthony and Cleopatra, a gripping story of romance and tragedy that was first performed in 1606.
3.     More holes than a Swiss cheese
While delicious, Swiss cheese is hard, pale yellow or white with many holes. If something has more holes
than a Swiss cheese, it has a lot of problems; there are many things wrong with it. It is incomplete or lacks important components.
4.     Fall off the back of a lorry

This is the British humorous way of saying you acquired something that was probably stolen, or you are trying to sell something that’s stolen or illegitimate. The American equivalent of the phrase is: “off the back of a truck.”
5.     Hairy at the heel
This disparaging phrase was originally used by the British upper-class to refer to someone who is ill-bred, dangerous or untrustworthy. The image of a hairy heel is indeed striking and funny.
6.     All talk and no trousers
Someone who is all talk and no trouser talks and thumps his chest a lot about doing big, important things, but doesn’t actually take any action. The thought of someone running his mouth with no trousers is funny.
 

7.     If you’ll pardon my French
“Pardon my French,” or “excuse my French” is an informal apology for the use of profane, swear or taboo words. The expression dates back to the 19th century when it was fashionable for Englishmen to use French words – a foreign language then – in conversation, knowing the listener may not understand.

8.     Cat got your tongue
Imagine a cat eating or holding your tongue! Would you be able to speak? No, probably not. That is exactly what the phrase means. If a cat got your tongue, you are unable to speak. Your silence is oddly suspicious. Apparently, the phrase stems from the middle ages when witches were greatly feared. It was said that if you saw a witch, her cat would somehow “steal” your tongue so you couldn’t report the sighting. Not a nice thought but definitely a reason why you would be speechless.


Written by David K Williams - Posted by Florence Tilkens. Florence is Social Media & Marketing Manager at FOCUS.

www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/15-funny-english-idioms-you-may-not-know.html

For more information about FOCUS visit:  www.focus-info.org

LONDON THEN AND NOW…

In July 2014, I moved back to London after 22 years in Paris. I had already spent sometimes in London, first in the eighties when I was a student, then in the nineties as a professional. I had been dreaming of my return to this awesome city.  Life is always full of commitments which take you away from what you dream about.  I had therefore to wait and simply be happy with week-end breaks or short business trips to London…

My arrival at St Pancras on a bright, glorious day, was a good omen:  I was returning to the place I had always loved… and was looking forward to find out

how much it had changed. 22 years make a big difference and London in the nineties bears little comparison with London today.

At the beginning of the nineties, London was just renewing with optimism after the gloomy eighties which had witnessed many troubles and taken their toll on the great city. I remember that London was just starting to consider itself as a global, multicultural place even if it was not as cosmopolitan as it is today and expatriates were far less numerous.  As regards the aesthetics of London, I have kept mixed memories: beautiful, ancient, listed buildings facing modern, concrete, soul-destroying blocs.

22 years after, London has become a beautiful and dynamic city where nothing seems impossible, where energy is endlessly channelled in and out. Enriched with a continuously growing flow of expatriates from the entire world, London offers such a great heterogeneity. Thanks to the Eurostar – I had just arrived in England when the works started in 1988 – London has become so easy to reach for Europeans.

As for the visual changes, the great city has undergone - and is still undergoing - a vast refurbishment. Take Victoria Street, where I used to work in the nineties, for instance. This street which runs from Victoria Station to Broad Sanctuary at Westminster Abbey used to be a gloomy, dark place where people were just passing by… It has now become a futuristic place, made of tall, bright, glass towers with nice restaurants, cafes, shops and even a beautiful Victorian pub dating back to 1855,  and it is now an enjoyable area to walk around… a true illustration of what London has become…


Posted by Florence Tilkens. Florence is Social Media & Marketing Manager at FOCUS

For more information about FOCUS visit:  www.focus-info.org

Heteronyms... this is brilliant!

Homographs are words of like spelling but with more than one meaning. A homograph that is also pronounced differently is a heteronym. You think English is easy??  I think a retired English teacher was bored...THIS IS GREAT!

Read all the way to the end...  This took a lot of work to put together!
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong for me to wind the sail.
18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
21) Bare your own soul to bear a friend's burdens, but never go bare-naked!

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we  find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write  but fingers don't  fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't  the plural of  booth, beeth? One  goose, 2  geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One  index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't  preachers  praught?  If a vegetarian  eats  vegetables, what does  a humanitarian  eat? Sometimes  I  think  all  the  English  speakers  should  be  committed  to  an asylum  for  the  verbally  insane.  In what  language  do  people  recite  at  a  play  and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell.

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling  it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented  by  people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

PS. - Why doesn't 'Buick' rhyme with 'quick'?

You lovers of the English language might enjoy this. There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is 'UP.' It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver; we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car. At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.  A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP.   When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP. When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP.  One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, so.......it is time to shut UP!

Now it's UP to you what you do with this email.
One day, you will be just a memory to some people; try your best to be a good one...

Posted by Eva Stock. Eva is Director of Sponsors Relations at FOCUS

www.irv2.com/forums/f34/heteronyms-this-is-brilliant-194774.html

For more information about FOCUS visit:  www.focus-info.org

IB MOCK Exams...

For IB Students that finish their final year in May, January is usually a stressful month. With the holidays now in the past, the shock of returning to school is already quite harsh. Add to that the stress of MOCK exams that effectively set their predicted grades - a critical piece in the puzzle that is entering university - as well as the almost sudden realization that approximately 70% of all final course work is now due in the next few weeks, and you're left with a highly stressed student.

From experience I only operated in one of two modes to try and cope with the pressure. Mode A, was to procrastinate as much as I could leaving my coursework to the last minute, and Mode B, to continuously study and work as hard as I could to complete all my assignments. I alternated between both of them for what I thought were "good" reasons. In fact, looking back I still think they were valid reasons, which came from a genuine intent to succeed.  In Mode A I excused my procrastination for rest, thinking that if I gave myself time to rest once I went back to work I'd be more efficient, and in Mode B I thought that if I spread out the workload I would fell less overwhelmed.
I'm sure in reading this you notice the underlying validity of both those rationalizations. But, I also think you would agree with me that they are incomplete. Rest while necessary can take multiple forms, and mental rest isn't always best accomplished by prolonged periods of not studying. Likewise, to spread work out is a legitimate strategy (and to this day I still try to spread out my work as to not burn out), however it didn't allow for accurate resting time. The answer as it usually is, is somewhere in the middle - balance.

In times of pressure (such as the final months of the IB) we tend to operate in a binary mode. Binary is easier to process than ambiguity, and what I'm proposing is neither too much procrastination nor too much studying, a balance that I found extremely hard to identify during the final months of the IB. So my hope is that by writing this post, and in students reading it, they will have the epiphany I only had a few years later - meditative practices are often the most effective forms of rest in periods of high intensity.

Recently I've started to practice yoga. I did so to avoid further surgery in my lower back (yes, at the age of 23 I've managed to accomplish the not so pleasing feat of having had back surgery), and what I quickly found was the astounding improvement in mental clarity and high energy levels that resulted.

To bring my post full circle and to connect all the dots, I'm proposing a simple model for IB students. Ideally I'd suggest adding one hour of yoga three times a week as your "rest", but if yoga isn't your thing find a physically stimulating hobby that engages the mind in a different manner to active studying. Allow yourself the time at least three times a week, and see how it makes you feel. Then adjust the frequency and duration of your sessions to increase your feeling rested and energized.


Author Bio: Francisco Moreira graduated from Hult International Business school with a Masters in International business and works as a Business Analyst in Offerings Management at CSC based in London, United Kingdom. Francisco is the author of Find Your Rhythm, (www.findyrhythm.com) a self-help guide for International Baccalaureate Diploma students.