Nougat – the dessert of royals

nougat_healthy-ice-cream

Nougat (pronounced nu-ga) is a classic confection commonly found in candy bars and famous for it’s chewy consistency. There are many legends and obscurities surrounding this wonderful traditional sweet loved by many all over the world. Some believe it was first discovered in the Middle East, whilst others trace its beginnings back to the Roman times, but amidst the discussion and debate we cannot be sure.

Nougat is traditionally defined as ‘roasted seeds (almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, pine nuts) kept together by a sweet paste made with honey, egg white, sugar and in some cases flavours’ but nowadays we can find a range of concoctions, varying in colour, texture, taste and form:

10/09/2016 /  1

Coppa della Maga awarded for innovation in Paris for a second time

Coppa della Maga selected by SIAL Innovation for a second time

We are extremely proud to share with you the news that Coppa della Maga has been selected for a second time amongst 7000 companies and tens of thousands of products from across the globe as one of the most innovative products by the prestigious SIAL Innovation Selection jury in Paris.

SIAL Paris is the largest international food exhibition. Established over half a century ago, and held every two years, it is a renowned event attracting professionals from all over the world. This year celebrity gourmet chef Joël Robuchon (titled “Chef of the Century” by the Gault Millau guide and with 33 Michelin stars to his name – more than any other chef in the world) will be the patron of the event, testifying to SIALs commitment of pursuing excellence and innovation.

All Coppa della Maga products are:

01/09/2016 /  1

Where does taste come from?

Where does taste come from?

It’s easy for us to know which foods we like and which foods we dislike, but why is it we have these particular preferences? Where does taste come from, if the tongue can experience only five basic flavours: sweet, salt, bitter, sour and umami?

We experience taste mainly as the flavour of the chemicals in the gasses released by the food as we chew it in our mouths. Some scientists argue that the experience of taste is so complex that it should be categorized as a separate sensation. It is predominantly a dual sensation as it’s composed of substances inhaled through the nose and the aromas released at the back of the nose during chewing and exhalation. When we study images of the brain the picture becomes even more intricate: when we smell and taste food simultaneously, the brain combines both smell and flavour to create a whole new sensation of taste that is larger than the two on their own. That is why taste is called a multi-sensory experience, whereby surprisingly, the main organ, responsible for whether we would like certain food is not the tongue or nose, but our brain.

24/08/2016 /  1

5 things you might not know about the coconut

Coconut_healthy ice cream_Coppa della Maga

It seems we are all a little nuts for Coconut, whether that be for coconut oil, coconut water or coconut creams. It’s sweet scent and pure taste, instantly transports us to summer. With its exotic freshness and super hydrating properties there’s no wonder coconut water is one of the most loved summertime drinks.  It contains high levels of fibers, proteins, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, which makes it the ideal sports drink, as well. The fleshy part of the coconut is rich in Mangnesium, Potassium, and Copper and is used both in sweet and savory dishes as well as a variety of cosmetics. So, would you like to learn 5 fun facts about this miraculous plant?

10/08/2016 /  1

Which are the good sweeteners?

Healthy sugarfree sweeteners ice cream Coppa della MagaIf you read our previous article on sugar, you’ll probably be keen to know about the healthier alternatives out there. We all know one thing for sure: to avoid aspartame, which comes with a multitude of negative side effects. However, how much do we know about the natural sweeteners stevia, xylitol and maltitol? It’s important to undestand how these affect our bodies rather than simply judging them based on familiarity and word of mouth. For example fructose, which although derived from fruits, can be harmful when consumed in abundance.

First and foremost, it’s best to avoid not just sugar, but also fructose – which is worryingly one of the most frequently used sweeteners.

29/07/2016 /  1

La vie en rose…ice cream

Roses for healthy ice cream Coppa della Maga

Each year in the month of June, the famous ‘Rose Festival’ takes place in the remarkable Rose Valley south of the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. This is home to a very rare and special type of rose that produces the finest rose oil in the world, used by top perfumery houses such as Chanel, and also used by us at Coppa dell Maga for our stunning Yogurt & Rose petal flavor.

16/06/2016 /  1

Born with a silver spoon

Led by our constant pursuit of pleasure and perfection, we have enlisted the help of jewelry maker Atanas Konstantinov to create our limited edition art pieces out of pure silver. Our exquisite spoons – as much art as functional objects – have been designed to give you the perfect bite-sized scoop of ice cream:

03/06/2016 /  2

Are you an emotional eater?

Еmotional eating healthy ice cream

If you have often felt bored and trying to distract yourself with food, or have experienced any of the following, you are most probably an emotional eater: in certain situations, some people tend to compensate their stress with food. If, during difficult situations you feel you need to eat that burger with fries, it may well be down to the stress hormone cortisol which elevates cravings for both fatty and salty foods. The act of binging provides a quick energy boost and a short-term satisfying, feel-good effect.

Many people use food as a coping mechanism to avoid negative emotions, whether that be – anxiety, sadness, irritation or simply boredom. In fact, boredom and hormonal imbalances are two of the most common triggers for emotional eating. We must, however, also consider how our behaviors surrounding food have been shaped during early childhood. For instance, if sweets were given to us as a reward or consolation as children, there is a high chance we may have developed an automatic association between food and comfort, prompting us to reach out for those sweet treats when feeling low and in need of a pick me up.

20/05/2016 /  1