Our Fine Water tells tales of adventure and intrigue, promising to have you sitting at the edge of your seat for the entire duration of the journey

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

About Candice Jansen

Certified
Water Sommelier & Water enthusiast

Living in the heart of Johannesburg, I spend my days transporting water around in the boot of my Volvo XC60 with my sunroof closed because I often forget I have one. Until it rains of course, I know sun roofs are meant for warm weather, mine is reserved for rainy days. I love watching rain drops fall to the ground, nourishing life as we know it.

The change of the decade has seen me at my best – being thirty something with the skill set to pair water with almost everything is by far the most amazing adventure yet.

Most people strive to get to that “happy’ place in life, my happiness isn’t a destination, it’s a journey I embark on every day to savour the moments we have now. Now is all we have.

A Refreshing Twist on Mixology

Exploring the World of Water Sommeliers and Sober Bars: A Refreshing Twist on Mixology

The beverage industry has witnessed a fascinating shift in consumer preferences, with a growing demand for unique and alcohol-free alternatives. The shift has given rise to the emergence of water sommeliers and the concept of sober bars, redefining the art of mixology.

While most people consider water a simple, tasteless liquid, water sommeliers beg to differ. These experts have made it their mission to explore the vast array of flavours, textures, and aromas found in different types of water. Similar to wine or coffee sommeliers, water sommeliers undergo extensive training to develop a refined palate capable of discerning the subtleties within carious waters.

Water tastings led by sommeliers offer participants a unique experience where they can discover the distinct characteristics of different water sources. From mineral content to pH levels and even regional terroir, water tasting provides a new appreciation for this vital resource. The expertise of water sommeliers has brought attention to the importance of quality water and education around this, encouraging responsible and informed consumption.

As the trend of mindful drinking gains momentum, the concept of sober bars has gained popularity. These establishments offer a vibrant social environment without the presence of alcohol. Sober bars are dedicated to creating sophisticated, alcohol-free alternatives that cater to patrons seeking exceptional and inventive drinks without the intoxicating effects.

At sober bars, skilled mixologists explore a vast array of ingredients to craft complex, non-alcoholic cocktails. These beverages are meticulously designed to offer intriguing flavours, textures, and presentation, ensuring a memorable experience for guests. From botanical-infused concoctions to exotic fruit blends and artisanal cocktails, the menu at a sober bar is an exploration of creativity and craftsmanship.

Water sommeliers and sober bars converge in their dedication to offering unique and refined beverage experiences. By selecting the right water for each drink, they enhance the overall sensory experience, creating a harmonious balance of flavours.

The incorporation of water-tasting events or education sessions within sober bars can provide patrons with a deeper understanding and appreciation for water.

As the beverage landscape continues to evolve, water sommeliers are here to transform the art of mixology. When these two worlds intersect, they offer a refreshing twist on traditional bar experiences. So whether you’re a connoisseur looking to explore the depths of tasting water or seeking a sophisticated water space, or experience, embracing a water sommelier is sure to leave you delighted and inspired.

Cheers to a new era of mindful drinking!

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

For selection of waters available contact – @originfloesa

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Water Exhibition & Tasting Room, with Candice Jansen

During the month of April and May 2023, I will be exhibiting a water library and tasting room. In the heart of Rosebank.

With over 1 million people in foot traffic each month, the venue is set to showcase the value and differences of water through visual displays and an interactive space for you ( individuals and corporates ) to take part in water tastings, pairings and more. All while discovering the journey of water and the value of tap.

The exhibition will display brands of waters from different sources and there will be an instagramable feature for you to snap & tag your journey.

Guests are encouraged to walk around and learn the stories of water through a dedicated interactive space.

For brands that would like to feature at the exhibition, please email Candice for details. candice@originfloe.com

Open to local and international brands.

@flow @thirstiwater @nevaswater @threebays_official @perlage_water @lofotenarcticwater @neue_water @antipodes_water @wossa.life @arlian.waters @mountainfallssa @sublime.water @15on_grace @phila1234 @vossworld

hello@candicejansen.com

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

For selection of waters available contact – @originfloesa

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Never announce your departure, only your arrival. You have arrived.

As I sit in a French patisserie, chorused with light music setting the ambiance, the hint of chatter from the other guests that dine here, the piano sounding through the lobby, and the smell of coffee that awakens the senses, I am reminded that life is an experience, we choose the place we frequent based on how they make us feel.

The natural hues entering the skylight, the warmth of the yellow tones from the light bulbs, the setting that encapsulates us into this world, forgetting the world on the outside, as the traffic of Johannesburg goes by.

Never announce your departure, only ever announce your arrival. A very wise TikTok-er once said. This is something I have adopted in my life, so, in the spirit of only ever arriving… the future is looking gold.

Talking about gold, when deciding which brands or restaurants to work with, my selection is carefully considered to ensure that my portfolio is also ways the best offering in the world. , and the brands featured on my menus are all gold winners, if not double gold winners in their categories of water for taste, and epicurean design.

That’s just how it’s done with Candice Jansen, Water Extraordinaire.

hello@candicejansen.com

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

For selection of waters available contact – @originfloesa

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Africa's 1st Fine Water Distributor

We specialise in water for taste, designed for the epicurean table.

When somebody says to me that there are too many bottled waters on the market, they’re wrong. When we look at what’s available in South Africa, there are many brands but often bottled from the same source, offering nothing more than branding. The packaging is also, far less than desirable. Glass doesn’t make you “premium”. Quality does. There may be plenty but not plenty of the right things.

When somebody says to me that water is just water, they’re wrong. Water has so many intricate nuances that each water has a different taste profile altogether. Assuming all water is the same speaks only to the fact that water holds no emotional value.

There may be many brands on the market, but there isn’t much choice. That’s where we come in, at Originfloe, our portfolio consists of natural waters for taste, designed to look amazing on the outside and even more so on the inside, that complement each other. We are not in the business of a one-water-one restaurant. We believe in having a selection of different tasting waters.

Water is a beverage – and good water doesn’t have to be limited to a restaurant either. Many of our clients order for home use, whether this is a luncheon or dinner with friends. Our e-commerce store is the simplest way to order amazing products. www.originfloe.com/shop

When it comes to our selection, these are hand-picked by Candice Jansen herself. Water Sommelier and curator of water menus, selecting the world’s finest products for the finest markets. Water is not just water.

Restaurants: We have a selection of local and international product that meets the needs of everybody. Still, sparkling or “imported” are not options, this tells us nothing about what you are serving. OriginFloe exists to cater to the epicurean need to offer water best suited to pair with wine or different food or just water for taste.

candice@originfloe.com

Available for dedicated events or entire menu creations. hello@candicejansen.com

Orders: candice@originfloe.com

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

For selection of waters available contact – @originfloesa

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Have you ever heard of a Sober Bar?

The idea isn’t new, it’s just getting your mind around the idea that a bar can indeed consist of mocktails and fine water cocktails, without the blurry memories of the night before.

Non-alcoholic beverages are a big business, even in spaces that aren’t necessarily alcohol-free. Increasingly, high-end restaurants & hotels are including non-alcoholic beverage pairings as part of their tasting menus alongside the traditional wine or cocktail pairing.

Mixologists are also now trending to new opportunities to create interest without the traditional use of spirits.

Having a sober bar means you can safely have a night out without feeling left out and without the additional UBER charge – or the unsolicited cab conversation. It’s also a healthy habit in developing a means to have fun without the social pressure to disguise your drink as something it’s not.

Candice Jansen, along with a dedicated team of mixologists and gourmet ice fanatics – can offer you the best night out you’ve ever had – with zero hangovers plus added minerals, through Sober Bar Experiences.

Available for dedicated events or entire menu creations. hello@candicejansen.com

Orders: candice@originfloe.com

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

For selection of waters available contact – @originfloesa

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Primal water, millions of years in the making

Does South Africa have incredible tasting water that’s well regarded around the world? Yes!

Primal Artesian Water competed in the 2017 International Taste Awards and won gold in its category for taste and bottle design. (This is the only year they competed)

Millions of years in the making, Primal is sourced from an aquifer in the North West province.

Historically the land was occupied mainly by active volcanoes which are now dormant and have contributed to the unique taste of Primal Water. 

Silk-like water that’s warm to the palate, full-bodied, and leaves mineral evidence of its history behind, in every mouthful.

I grew up in this part of the world, so perhaps my opinion is a biased one.  I remember afternoon showers while the sun was still shining – as children, we were memorized by the beams of light, contrasted by the heavy drops of water on our heads. Those are fond memories that are awakened when I think of Primal Water.

These are the experiences I speak of when I refer to creating an emotional connection to the source. When people visiting from afar find water from their region here in SA, they are automatically transported back to a time that brought them fond memories – which they relive all over again.

Do you have a water memory? I’d love to hear it.

Stay sparkling!

Orders: candice@originfloe.com

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

For selection of waters available contact – @originfloesa

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

The Water Glass

Have you seen the world’s next dedicated water glass?
 “I’ve pioneered the water glass to be one of elegance, delicateness, and beauty. It’s the glass that stands tall, differentiated from the wine glass, and easily distinguishable.” – Candice Jansen, Water Sommelier

This is THE water glass,
and this is what is stands for….

The stem has height that elevates water – recognizing that water is valuable and deserves our appreciation.

The thin rim of the glass allows the water to be your first encounter – soft to the lips, incredible for the palate.

The glass is not “heavy-duty”, but rather “handle with care”, the same way we should approach our use of water.

The foot of the glass represents the circle of life, the rain cycle and how we are continually nourished by Mother Nature.

The twinkle that draws your attention to the clarity of the water, represents that true water education is acknowledging that you see isn’t always what you get, and we need to start asking questions as to where our water comes from.

Can you keep a secret? We’re going National, which means access to this dedicated water glass is more readily available throughout South Africa, to those restaurants & hotels that want to join me in giving water value.

Orders: candice@originfloe.com

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

For selection of waters available contact – @originfloesa

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

What “Mineral” water means.

Shew! When speaking with people across the world, you realize how everybody interprets things differently and surprisingly, when it comes to water, there are some very interesting misunderstandings about

For selection of waters available contact – @originfloesa

Here they are:

1 – Mineral water doesn’t means sparkling water.

In some countries, dating back years, there was no need to bottle still water as the water was always from a natural source and was available in abundance, it was only ever “sparkling” water that became popular, until STILL bottled water joined the party. Now, there are people out there, with the belief that mineral water means sparkling water, which certainly isn’t the case.

Mineral water is both still and sparkling.

2. Mineral water means water WITH minerals. In most countries, mineral water is considered “mineral” if it has more than 250mg/l.
Again, this can vary from country to country. It is important to note that there is no good or bad mineral level in water. If the water is natural, enjoy the minerals found naturally in this water.

Talking about minerals. Three Bays is sourced from Australia, loved by many, laden with 1300mg/l and can be found at these gorgeous restaurants in Jozi…

Kol Izakhaya – Hyde Park
Croft & Co – Park View

Keep hydrated on natural water

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

THAT expensive water.

What expensive water? You mean the beautiful-natural-mother-nature-crafted-beverage-that’s-now-been-given-the-attention-it-deserves?

This is the water you are talking about.

Until the water menu, if you visited a restaurant, especially a high end one, there was guaranteed to be a green bottle of sparkling water accompanied by the orange labeled water, of which, as soon as you opened the cap, this was charged to your bill – at a premium price.

This is what most restaurants do. They don’t give you choice, they put the water on the table when this was not requested, and then they charge you a standard industry price for the water once opened. The price of water has never changed in these establishments, and rightfully so. Water is priceless and is just as important as every other beverage on the menu – it deserves its asking price, never mind how much it costs the restaurant for you to sit in their seat.

For selection of waters available contact – @originfloesa

Nothing has changed, you have been paying for water all this time, the only difference is now, that you have choice, and that choice has alerted your senses to the price point of each water. The change you are perceiving as an “expensive water” experience is simply the new experience of choice, and water education. Apart from getting to choose your water, a water menu draws your attention to the difference sources of water. Perlage comes from a mineral well, Primal water comes from an artesian spring. There’s so much you didn’t know about water… and then there’s water for taste. Each water on the water menu tastes completely different to the next and restaurants with water menus are so proud to give you an amazing water experience – not just sealed water bottles on your table when you arrived.

There are over 6 different products on a water menu – each with a different taste, from a different place and with such a special story to tell you, and YES, they are priced according to source rarity. Nevas will cost you R750 in a restaurant as it’s the only water in the world that’s blended from two difference water sources to create the exceptional taste of Nevas, with a popping cork and a seductive black bottle. Every life experience costs something. Also, why do you regard the bottle of Dom Perignon as more precious than the “expensive water”, both are exceptional beverages that are immeasurable in quality, passion and sensation. Water has just not been valued to date.

Remember I mentioned there are at least 6 different waters on the menu? This means you have 6 different options, all ranging in price from R95 to R 750 – the choice is yours. There is a water for every person and every occasion. Don’t let the rich-boys-of-Instagram fool you into thinking that this water is out of your league – you are worthy and you are in our league! Water loves you.

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Carbonation on tap

Having a 5 star rating displayed outside your establishment used to mean that guests were guaranteed an exceptional experience – now, the 5 stars could be mistaken as part of your logo, because service just isn’t what it used to be.
You will know by now, that I am pro tap water, but tap water should be for free, it belongs in the tap, and should not be the only water option at a restaurant. Nor should tap water ever be carbonated for money.

For selection of waters available contact – @originfloesa

I visited an establishment recently, with nice enough glass bottles on the table filled with water. No labels, just water. I was very scared, I won’t lie. Water with no label makes me very nervous – how are we supposed to know where this comes from and what is inside the water? To make things worse, the water was c-a-r-b-o-n-a-t-e-d. Aibo!

Carbonated water in a refillable glass bottle, can only mean one thing ….. tap water manipulated and then sold for money. Aibo Aibo!

That’s what happens at these “exceptional” restaurants – they are buying into the lie that using refillable glass bottles is the solution to mitigating plastic use – but they are doing water an injustice.

Bottling tap water, adding sparkles and taking your hard earned cash – is not a sustainable practice.

Why is this not good practice?

  1. Where there is a liquor licence, there should be tap water for free. Why then do restaurants with such a license charge you for their sparkling tap water? It’s still tap.
  2. Using refillable glass bottles has its downfall – it hides the identity of the water inside, and most guests think they are getting “premium” sparkling water without realising that it is tap water that has been spruced up.
  3. Refillable glass bottles may remove plastic from the environment, but adds to the global misunderstanding that water does not have enough value to be labelled correctly, and that water in a sealed, correctly labelled bottle is an environmental issue, which it isn’t.
  4. They also stole your freedom of choice when they declared that they would rather save on water and not buy natural water for your consumption, forcing you to drink water you can’t even identify.
  5. Too many restaurants & lodges are trying to be more “eco” but are increasing their water footprint while doing this. The water they are filling in these bottles is thrown away if nobody drinks it.
  6. Water should only be served when asked for – this eliminates the unnecessary waste of water. Water is the most valuable resource on the planet. Why are more restaurants not doing this?
  7. Restaurants who choose to be “eco” friendly by using refillable glass are also the same restaurants that feel water isn’t worth their money – therefore, they don’t value water and they disguise their unwillingness to part with their money, as being “sustainable” – forcing your guests to drink one kind of water, water that has no identity, that’s misleading in its presentation and then charged for – is a No-No!

Carbonating tap water doesn’t make you fancy – it declares that you do not know what you are doing. Rather ask for help.

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Curated water menus

“I didn’t expect pages-of-water” is the best compliment I’ve had yet!

Here’s what you can expect from a water menu…

Does Jesus deliver the water himself? I would say yes, he gave us Mother Nature and she crafted the waters on the menu, so indirectly, yes, Jesus delivered this water 

The water menu is designed with purpose. To showcase that water is not just water, that every water is different. There is so much to learn about water from a water menu – such as where the water comes from, how many minerals are in the water, the vintage of the water and what the water tastes like. You will immediately notice that water in fact has taste and very interesting properties! Also, the Instagram photos of wine glasses with the water glass next to them, takes your IG photos to new levels of F-I-R-E. #justsaying

Perlage water – Available at @originfloesa

Yes, there are higher priced waters, but water is priceless, and for those that didn’t know, there are several waters on the menu that are all different from each other which are also priced differently, so there’s something for everybody. We also serve tap water at no charge, in the same dedicated water glass, served with love and appreciation, to hydrate you on request – this has its own page on the water menu!

What’s the difference? These are not waters you can get at home. Natural water and tap water are different. Natural water needs nothing added or taken away whereas tap water is processed to make it potable.

Water has taste! This is the song I sing everyday… water has minerals, and these minerals give water taste, and every water tastes different. A water menu is designed to give you this experience, something you cannot get anywhere else. You can now visit @kolizakhaya or @croftandco for a very inspiring water experience.

 I am passionate about giving water value, and I would love to help those who are eager to learn, to do so in a fun manner that transmits the value of water into your everyday lives.

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

The value of water - and I don't mean the price tag.

~ You didn’t see this coming did you ~

Water menus are niche – so yes – when you sit down to dinner and you’re brought the water menu along with the food menu, gasps of surprise are expected. I personally love the expression on the faces of guests. Pages-of-water are fascinatingly new – I get it! In absolute confidence, I can say that water has finally taken its place at the dining table where it is cared for and valued – and now, it-is-time for you to see the value in water as well.

Nevas water – Available at @originfloesa

~Water is life ~

Water is the most valuable resource on this planet – without water we have no life. Literally, when the municipality cuts off your water for repairs – the whole city screams and shouts in desperation of this resource. Now, can you image the rest of the world who doesn’t have access to water? Try imagine what your life would be without water. Go on….

~Water is not just water ~

Every water found on a water menu is precious beyond words. Water is not about the price tag but rather the experience, and in fact, there is no price we can place on water that will ever be great enough – water is priceless.

~Oh no you didn’t! ~

I was made for a moment such as this – the moment where a guest says that water is not worth paying for and they can just get water at home “water-is-just-water.”

What they said : Water-is-just-water.

What I heard:

“I don’t care about water, I don’t value water and I’m uneducated” I know this is hard to hear but it’s true. Openly declaring that your wine is worth more than your water is shameful. My heart literally breaks into tiny pieces – I am so sad to hear that the only thing sustaining life on this planet, means nothing to you.

~Aqua Women to the rescue ~

I’m not perfect – I too, have been schooled in many aspects of life, but I learnt from them, and sometimes I learnt the hard way. So, I’m not angry that the world is lost when it comes to water, but I am determined, more than ever, to make a difference regarding your perception of water.

~Water Menu ~

A water menu consists of natural waters – they are certainly not the same waters you can get at home. They are 100% natural, crafted by Mother Nature herself – with no help from you or I. They are designed to give you OPTIONS and TASTE experiences. Isn’t it lovely to finally have a choice, other than still or sparkling? Gone are the days of a single house brand of water.

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Water is a legal requirement. Say it isn't so?

The South African Liquor Act states that where an establishment has a liquor licence, they are compelled to serve water for free. Have you been somewhere that refused to serve tap water? (Mention them here, ask them to call me. Business card attached)

 

Nevas water – Available at @originfloesa

While most of us take advantage of free tap water in restaurants, it’s not actually something we’re always automatically entitled to. In fact, only restaurants that serve alcohol are required to provide free drinking water.

I have heard some scary stories about restaurants that refuse to serve their patrons tap water. The establishments feel they have already provided the seat for your bum, the glass you will use, the service you will receive and everything else it took for them to have you there – I really don’t blame them for their frustrations but if there is alcohol involved, there is unfortunately no choice in the matter.

There must be good reasoning behind this right? I would imagine so!

Water, as most of us will know, counteracts and offsets the effects of alcohol, therefore the more water you drink, the faster your kidneys are able to process your alcoholic beverage and the faster you will become more hydrated and less intoxicated – I am assuming only the water sommelier is excited about this!

Do water sommeliers drink anything other than water? Yes! Thank you for the offer of a bottle of sparkling water but we’re still human and a glass of Chardonnay never went the wrong way : ) It is important to note that we are VERY particular about the water that we do drink, do don’t feel smart for offering us bottled water assuming all water is the same – shame on you!

This year has big plans – as does every year – but may this year truly see water embraced more than ever before.

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

The Garden Route

It comes as no surprise that Fine Water is at the forefront of gastronomy and indeed elevates the dining experience. With the likes of Best Chef among others, taking part in aligning themselves to water brands, the fun has just begun with limitless possibilities in creating the most exceptional dining encounters.

 

Perlage is the proud partner of the International Best Chef Awards. One of the most prestigious publications in the world today where chefs from around the world compete for the title of Best Chef.

These are awards are proudly powered by Perlage. This incredible water is so deserving of this partnership and I am so excited for the future of this industry as a whole.

Year on year, water has gained attention for its taste, its minerals and its source.

Water is now celebrated for its unique contribution to the foodie scene with chefs across the world making use of carefully selected fine waters for their guests.

Whether this is a pairing of a water with a wine or simply an extensive water menu offering, water has finally been seated at the right table.

Perlage holds many accolades and as the official distributor for Perlage in South Africa @originfloesa, we are excited to be a part of a global movement in giving water value.

Water is not just water. Fine water is a refined beverage with unique and appealing properties that are best enjoyed alongside wine and curated cuisine.

Perlage is paired beautifully to desserts and dessert wines, and many other dishes that demand a high quality presence of water.

For more information about these prestigious awards, please visit https://thebestchefawards.com

Perlage – Available at @originfloesa

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

The Garden Route

I met up with a friend of mine recently where we exchanged tears of laughter at the horrific stories of events that unfold when you have small children in tow. How long haul holidays and family vacations turn into high intensity run-arounds where you can’t find your toothbrush or think why you left the house in the first place.

Home is our happy place and leading up to Christmas may mean doing the “Garden Route” this year. Literally staying home and venturing from the front garden to the back garden for the holidays – bliss!

Now, home doesn’t have to be the same old day-in, day-out routine. There’s festive meals and robust wines doing the rounds and then, there’s the cherry on top – fine water! All three play an incredible part in delivering the ho-ho-ho in your ho-liday.

This year I thought I would share my ultimate pairing suggestion with some traditional Christmas eats to make your moments merrier.

Ultimate Sweet Potato Bake, so much fun to make! With a dash of this, and a dash of that, and the perfect pairing of Perlage. The naturally carbonated water with the tiny bubbles that makes the creaminess and sweetness of this bake really pop!

Butter me up, I’m going prawn! There is nothing quite as fine as a succulent prawn blended in a beautiful white wine sauce – paired with Primal Water. The medium minerality water adds a tone of silkiness that reminds me of a honey glaze over your favourite roast.

If you’re home this year like many of us are, here’s wishing you a festive season of hydration, awesome water pairings and a glow to your 2022.

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Refillable & Reusable glass bottles for water

It is not uncommon practice to see refillable bottles on a restaurant table, filled with water. The idea behind this is to use less plastic or less single-use materials for bottling water, with claims that this supports sustainable living.
Here’s a look at behind the scenes….

Restaurant Alias: Please wait to be seated.

Type: Organic and plant based eatery ( packed all day )
Water options: Reusable glass bottle, brought to your table as soon as you are seated. (Water was not requested)

Still or sparkling: Still water only.

Source: Natural spring located underneath their store. ( I of course know this information, you may not )

Looking good so far right? Take a closer look…

Scenario 1:

Customer arrives and is seated. Water is brought to her table that she did not request. Size: Approx. 750ml – 1000ml. Still Water. Chilled. Glass: Short unattractive tumbler. Source: Natural ( Let’s assume she asked and she knows ) Customer opens the water and pours approximately 200ml in the glass ( the same glass that looks like it could crack your teeth before you could crack a smile 🙂 ) Customer eats, drinks and leaves. Not to touch her water again.

What do you think happens to the water that remains on the table after she leaves? You’ve got it….

It is poured down the drain.

All 550ml – 800ml of it. Fresh water discarded and tossed out, with no regard to its value.

While restaurant “Please wait to be seated” thinks they’re doing the planet a favour, here’s what they really did…

  • They openly declared that water has no value to them, no value at all.
  • They didn’t take into consideration the choice of their customer, including the customers right to information about where the water came from or what’s found inside the water, never mind that if you’re a sparkling water drinker, you were not included in this equation. Like it or leave is their policy.
  • Restaurant ” Please wait to be seated” declared they are trend followers and not trend setters. They chose to follow the senseless act of bottling water to reduce “waste” but then resorted to wasting fresh drinking water. ( I am completely beside myself in this equation. 1 +1 = You did not think this through ) Reducing our water footprint is included in the worlds plan for a more sustainable future – you’re ruining our chances of success.

Solution:

Serve smaller glass bottles, just enough for 1 or 2 people. Only serve water when this was asked for. Carbonate your water, limiting your guests is a cruel act. Use left over water to feed your crops – you grow everything yourself after all.

Conclusion: Refillable glass bottles are not always the answer. Saving water is a collection of acts that produce a real difference.

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Under Pressure? The viscosity of Water

In the famous words of Queen, let me elaborate on how wonderful this plant is because of water.
Artesian springs are few and far in between – they’re aquifers under natural pressure that expel water to the surface, with no human intervention necessary.

Artesian waters are the likes of Fiji Water, Three Bays and Primal artesian water. Each scarce and unique for this amazing characteristic of water that flows freely to the grounds surface – and who doesn’t love the consistency of things that flow freely.

Fiji water is one of my favorites, it is simply so unique to other waters. Every heard of viscosity?

The viscosity of a fluid is a measure of its resistance to deformation at a given rate. For liquids, it corresponds to the informal concept of “thickness”

Fiji water is thick and very different from others and this is attributed to the high silica levels found in Fiji water.

Try this at home: Buy a bottle of Fiji water and any other natural water you can find. Pour both waters separately. Sip and experience the difference. You will immediately notice that Fiji is thicker than the other and thus, you can confirm for yourself, that water in fact has viscosity.

Thus, I think it is fitting to say that not only does water have a vintage, a journey, a source, a mineral level, a mouthfeel, a taste and an experience, it also has viscosity.

Happy Wednesday Waterlings!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Water has a name, what’s yours?

I have frequented so many restaurants and the water selection is all the same – still & sparkling. There is no brand name, source information or indication of the TD level. Water is so much more than this.

Perlage

How many of you will drink a dark liquid out of a container that you can’t see inside of? Only the bravely insane! Yet, you do this with water every day. Although water is clear, it holds many elements and particles that you can’t see, and when you don’t know the source of your water, you don’t know what you’re drinking.
There is no way on this planet that I will order a still or sparkling water without questioning where it’s from, and what’s on the inside. The inside is all that matters.
If you are a restaurant which serves water and doesn’t have this on the menu, please add this. You stock the world’s most valuable resource yet you dot even mention this?!
If you are a restaurant with water on the menu listed as “still or sparkling”, please update this to include the brand name, source and TDS level. Water deserves attention!
If you’re a restaurant with a water menu – I know all about you! Sip Sip Hooray!
Water has value and water is not just water. Water has a source a journey, and we want to know what your water story says about you!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Sources of Water

Water doesn’t come from a tap, it has a source and a journey. As I photograph Lofoten for this post, I am reminded how extraordinary it is to taste glacial water while sitting in Africa, where most of us haven’t even seen a glacier, never mind bringing this close to our lips.

As I tried to get good angles, I knew there was no way that I was ever going to capture it in its truest form, no amount of changing its position was going to accentuate rarity and magic. You must see it to believe it. It’s just one of those pleasures in life that takes you by surprise.
During a water tasting some time back, we had such an incredible experience with Lofoten. Although the water was served at room temperature, it has an amazing cool mouthfeel, as if it has been in the fridge. Since then, we have experienced this time and time again – there really is magic in water. The coolness of the water can only come from the characteristic of its source.
It is such a pleasure to serve Lofoten at water tastings and at my restaurants – I am so proud of water. I am so proud that when people do a water tasting, they can taste the differences immediately and how their impression of water changes instantly. People fall in love with water, I can see it in their eyes, and their feedback ( even from friends who joined or people they know), is always, that they were blown away by the tastes of water.

If you have not had the opportunity to taste water in high definition just yet, we have some exciting events coming up before the close of the year and I would love to see you there.

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Gourmet ice

What’s your fine-ice-st moment? Clear Ice.

Clear ice is known as gourmet ice – exactly what the name suggests. It’s crystal clear without a hint of cloudiness. It melts slower, it tastes better and it looks cooler!

There’s a process to the way it’s frozen. It’s all about the layers. Ice needs to be frozen from the inside out, to eliminate any impurities or oxygen trapped in the ice that causes it to be cloudy. Clear ice does this exactly. The ice maker freezes it in layers to remove any bubbles that may be contained in it, as well as impurities. The ice freezes in one direction.

Actually, clear ice is very commonly found in nature. If you’ve ever seen icicles in the winter, then you’ll have noticed how remarkably clear they are. I’m a big supporter of Mother Nature; she’s just so finely tuned.

A prayer answered from heaven …. Ice that melts slower! Turns out I didn’t need to be praying so hard, It was here all along : )

Clear ice melts slower, because it’s denser than typical ice as it contains mainly water and not air, it can maintain its temperature for far longer than regular ice. Hello summer! The benefit of this is that your drink is not diluted when using clear ice.

Clear ice also tastes better since the impurities found in water are pushed out. I’m all for great tasting water and great tasting ice! And, then of course, there’s the look of the ice that turns more heads than I do (giggle). Seriously, I have never seen such gorgeous ice!

What does your ice look like? Show me yours, I’ll show you mine!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

25th restaurant in the world with a Water Menu

This week was all about next level food culture and an opening of the 25th restaurant in the world with a Water Menu, KōL Izakhaya – Robata, Sushi, Mixology and Fine Water!

Located in Hyde Park, Johannesburg, KōL Izakhaya offers curated contemporary Japanese cuisine with a 5 product water menu.

The menu includes the likes of glacial water, naturally carbonated water, ancient artesian spring water, rich minerality water and a cuvée water for celebratory moments.

Water menus are few and far in-between and we are very excited to see the culture of dining changing when it comes to water. We’re setting the standard for water service world-wide.

Not only does KōL Izakhaya have a water menu, they’ve also adopted water service etiquette with dedicated stemware, serving water at various temperatures across all our water sources, and offering the same love and appreciation to our tap water.

If you’re in the Jozi area, please join us at KōL Izakhaya for a food and water experience second to none.

Private Water Tastings? Enquires can be sent to hello@candicejansen.com

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

The Mclaren of water in a can – Lofoten.

Sports editions are always cooler, leaner, simpler, faster and more iconic – the same applies to water.

Meet Lofoten in a 473ml can – the supped-up version of water that saves the environment, tastes incredible and looks the part.

Sourced from glacial snowmelt and rainfall during the summer, Lofoten is a soft water with a crisp mouthfeel. Soft water means minimal minerals, superior virginality and clean tastes that match its environment.

This award-winning water comes in a very attractive aluminum can that offers the flexibility of an active lifestyle while maintaining a formal setting in a restaurant.

Not only is this water cool as glaciers, but it’s also now available in South Africa – through OriginFloe, your fine water distributor.

Along with other incredible tasting brands, Lofoten forms part of a water menu family filled with a variety of different tasting waters for your enjoyment.
What makes this water so special? Lofoten is not distilled. The source is located a mere 9km from the bottling facility (close to nature as possible ) and the water is unpolluted.

This natural water serves at the freshwater supply to over 5000 local inhabitants. I love that the communities it serves has access to this incredible source!

Oh – Lofoten also has numerous international awards! There’s a lot to be experienced with Lofoten.

Who’s in?

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Philosophy of Water: Improvise, Adapt & Overcome.

Have you ever watched Bear Grylls in action? He’s energetic, problem solving and downright too dangerous for my liking but nonetheless, he’s in touch with nature, and finding his way through dense jungles and flowing rivers seems like the least sensible thing to do but his willingness to improvise, adapt and overcome seems much like something water would do. I guess Bear Grylls has some competition : )

Water finds a solution to a problem without force or conflict, and teaches us to work in harmony with our environment instead of against it.

Water = Two Hydrogen atoms plus one atom of oxygen. A simple molecule but, to chemists, physicist and water sommeliers, a fascinating one.

Water has so many beautiful characteristics apart from the taste or experience. Water also teaches us humility, harmony and openness.

  1. Humility because water provides nourishment for the flowers of spring to grow and provides life to the billions that depend on it, and it does this without drawing attention to itself.
  2. Harmony because when water finds an obstacle, it just flows around it.
  3. Openness because water can adapt to change, by changing its form from liquid to gas or ice.

Not only is water essential for the human body, it’s essential for our minds! I personally look forward to time spent in Mauritius sipping cocktails watching the water for my sanity and relaxation. Talking about a vacation ….

Watching the Worlds Most Amazing Vacation Rentals on Netflix reveals that people are attracted to water, be it the river or ocean, and properties situated on the water are considerably higher in value than properties that are not set on the waters edge. So, essentially, water creates value to life by giving you places of R&R.

I can’t tell you how many people I interact with each day that clearly need more water in their life, what a wonderful world it would be if we were more like water.

In the words of Bruce Lee – “Be water my friend.”

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Water is pretty impressive

so I thought I would compile a list of things you didn’t know about how magical water really is – from magical happenings to actual products you can buy.

  1. Cloudy with a change of ISKILDE

Not all water is the same right? Exactly! ISKILDE is sourced from a cold Danish spring where the water emerges as a highly oxygenated beverage. So when the water is shaken and stirred, the crystal clear water becomes cloudy and milky – as a result of all the pure O2 in the water. Cool Right? While everybody is talking about turning water into wine, were talking about turning water into the Milky Way! @watersommeliersa

  1. Water can bend light.

We wouldn’t have rainbows if it weren’t for water. Ever heard of Refraction? Rainbows need 3 things to become a rainbow, Raindrops, Sunlight and Refraction. A rainbow has seven colours and these colours only emerge when sunlight hits raindrops, where water then bends the light (refraction) to create a rainbow! No water = No Rainbows.

  1. Just add water

Water is responsible for saving the planet billions in kilograms of CO2 emissions. Yes, water can save the planet. How? Dehydrated products.

Water is heavy – it makes product packaging bulkier and bigger than need be. By just adding water to dehydrated products, we can save the planet by not having to ship tonnes and tonnes of heavy, bulky containers around the world. We can ship more product using less water, and then adding the water later. Meaning more product per container, less CO2 emissions, less plastic, less containers and you can use the water you already have at home.
How cool!  www.forgo.se

For those of us with children – the below link is an extremely cool video to learn about Refraction. Perhaps even you for 🙂

https://youtu.be/m4HmNKbV1XU

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Taste & Design Awards 2021

Water is not just water, so much so, that there’s an annual event dedicated to Taste & Design where Fine Waters from across the world compete in the respective categories of minerality and design, in the hope to secure an accolade as one of the most prestigious waters of the world. 

The recent awards held in Bled, Slovenia, brought journalists and water connoisseurs together as the jury judged each competing water.

The event aimed at giving water value and highlighting the individual characteristics of each source, brings great gravitas to an industry that’s seeing more and more restaurants taking part in celebrating water. 

As the world focuses on climate change goals heading towards 2030 and beyond, our industry plays a vital role in giving water value, that we may find our time engaged in conversations about how best to make water relative to everybody, that they would see the importance and value of this resource.

@finewaters

The title winners at this years awards saw the likes of Thunderbird, La Sasse, Gaisberg, Vimerio, Amazon Air Water, Bambito, Beloka, Socosani, Nevas, Svalbardi, ROI, Cana Royal & Lofoten – all unique and exceptional in their presence.

( Check out www.finewaters.com for the winning results )

As you can imagine, tasting water for particular nuances isn’t an easy task, but it certainly is a fun one. It reminds me of the saying “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” 

Location, Location, Location! Bled, Slovenia is the most majestic location to hold such an event that also sees the Bled Water Festival taking part each year where the organisation seeks to find new and sustainable ways of preserving water for the environment and improving the quality in every field of life. The festival held over 2 days sees international representatives and state bodies meeting to discuss current topics on the conversation of water as well as present innovative and sustainable solutions for the preservation of the aquatic environment and water sources. 

The above might sound like a mouthful of water but in a world where everything seems so over processed, over exploited, undervalued and where kindness is hard to find, I would like to express huge gratitude to every individual who is focused in some way, in getting the world to recognise the need to change the way we feel about water. Kudos to you! You’re the winners here, every one of you, the brands, the organisers, the water sommeliers, hydrologists, water technologists, connoisseurs and even the everyday water drinker who has made the change from oblivious to an informed water conscious drinker. I salute you!

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Adding Charcoal to water to remove impurities

Japan is known for a few things, most popular being Mount Fuji, Tea Ceremonies ( BTW, SA has a Tea Sommelier, in case you didn’t know this already), Calligraphy, Origami and Binchōtan – active charcoal, used by the Japanese for over 500 years in absorbing impurities in water.

Yes, apparently adding charcoal to water to remove impurities is a thing, but then again, it’s not – and here’s why…

Unsplash

 The Japanese method of using Binchōtan involves rapidly heating up the charcoal by boiling this in a pot for approx 10 minutes and then adding the charcoal stick to the water you intend to drink, letting it stand for 8 hours, which in this time, removes all the imputes including chlorine – giving you better tasting water.

I must admit, the idea sounds really cool but really impractical. Who has 8 hours to wait for water?!? And who guarantees the quality of that water when its “ready to drink”? It claims to also reduce acidity in water and enriches the water with added minerals of Calcium and Magnesium – beginning to overdo it, in my opinion.

Another very good point to make is….

Water is very different to what it was 500 years ago. Tap water in particular has adopted a very different form in the last 5 years alone. We now have plastic particles, pharmaceutical traces and piles of other elements that can’t be seen – chlorine is the least of our problems.

 I do love the idea of a natural solution to filtering water, I love the idea that people think of these things – so credit is due here, for thinking out of the box, but natural means getting back to basics, and basics means protecting our water sources from contamination in the first place, and this is where our focus needs to be. We need to start caring for our water!

When it comes to drinking tap, if you choose to filter your water, choose to invest in a filtration system that is scientifically backed by evidence that proves it actually does what it’s supposed to do, and very important to note: filtration systems should remove harmful contaminates but leave the mineral composition ( TDS ) unchanged.

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands #watersommelier 

Naturally Crafted, Naturally Carbonated.

Apart from the fact that you would die without water, here are the magical elements that make natural water special.

The taste profile of water is naturally crafted by Mother Nature, it is not influenced by mankind. Water is not like wine or beer where different grapes and hints of berries or hops are blended to create a unique flavoring. The taste of water is completely uninfluenced by anything else other than the geographical make-up surrounding the area which water is sourced.

 

Candice Jansen

So, when I am asked what to expect when tasting water, my answer is simple, you aren’t going to experience deliberate alternations in flavours, you are going to experience exactly what Mother Nature prepared for you – smooth, creamy, silky, soft, crisp, heavy and even salty.  Water is not wine or beer, we are WATER.

Water can be naturally carbonated. I mean, c’mon! Naturally carbonated water sounds like something out of Avatar but it’s even hotter than that. There is a popular drinking water found in Spain that emerges from the ground at 60 degrees Celsius, that enters our atmosphere as a sparkling water. Natural carbonation all the way! Why would you settle for anything less than water with its own sparkle?

Out of interest, naturally carbonated waters often occur in regions where there is volcanic activity. Carbonic acid from the source originates deep within the earth. Cooled magma of volcanic mass releases carbonic acid, which then permeates the natural mineral water.

Water has a story which is fascinating from source to source. Not brand stories but water stories. They are not about how the water is bottled or what the bottle is designed to look like, but the story is focused on the source. Gaisberg water from Austria tells a tale of a mountain of power, recognised by the ancestors as a valued source of spirituality in mythical times and the taste described as a memory of pleasant summer rain. ( I just fell in love all over again! )

The water experience is surrendering yourself to the beauty and allure of water, waiting with bated breath at the fascinating tales and tastes of mysterious sources, and then imprinting YOUR moment into memory.

Water is so many lovely things.

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

7 Star hotels offer the highest level of luxury

Technically there’s no such thing as 7 Star hotel, this concept was created by a journalist who attended a prestigious hotel opening in Dubai and felt 5 stars didn’t do its decadence justice, but then again, a water sommelier wasn’t a thing until we made it one, so let’s roll with the 7 stars and talk supreme luxury.

7 Star hotels offer the highest level of luxury available in the world and have acclaimed this title to differentiate themselves further and are considered the excessive and sumptuous level of luxury. 

The question is “How many more stars do you need to add to your brand, to be distinguishable and differentiated as a hotel or restaurant, when water is still served with little to no care or consideration?”

7 Star hotels are associated with the likes of Rolls-Royce Phantoms, 24 hour butler service, gold plated iPad’s, helicopter transfers and caviar facials yet they’re still serving those green bottles of sparkling water which we shall not name here – you know the one!

To be frank, I don’t care how many stars you’ve given yourself, until I’ve given you a star of excellence for your fine water offering and water service etiquette, you’re not the finest dining establishment in the world – you just aren’t. Says who? Says me, try and tell me differently.

Is fine water for the rich and famous? No, but water is the most valuable resource on this planet, not 24K gold, and water is also the most well known and featured resource in everybody’s lives, so yes, water is famous, and I think for these reasons alone, water deserves the very finest presentation and deliverance at a fine dining table. Guests are paying for an experience and what experience are you hoping to have when the same water is served over and over again, where everything changes, except the water?

2020 saw the COVID pandemic, but the last Centuary has seen the “one-water-one-restaurant” pandemic. A pandemic that has infected the world and has limited us to thinking water is just water and serving the same brand of water in every restaurant, with every meal, across every star rated establishment, at every celebration is the only option we have – may this pandemic leave with a bang!

Sumptuous luxury is a culmination of impressive high quality service offerings, entailing grand experiences of Fine Water.

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

The impact of a water menu.

If you ever thought water was just water – think again. There are so many elements to water in a restaurant setting. Here, are but a few…

One – Water has a footprint and millions of litres are lost each day to patrons who order water but do not drink it – taking a sip doesn’t count! In some countries, water is prohibited from being served unless it was requested – what a wonderful way to ensure water is not being wasted unnecessarily.

As we can all imagine, there is no surer way to irritate a patron than by restricting their basic human right and not offering free tap water with their meal – but what a great opportunity to rethink water consumption in this space! Valuing water in a dining environment is the perfect platform to impact people without having to actually sit next to them.

The impact of a water menu?

Water menus allow guests the choice to order water (whatever water they choose ) without the obligation of ordering something they won’t actually consume – so no wasting takes place. Water that’s poured at your table without you asking for it, is a waste of a natural resource – if you aren’t going to drink it.

A water menu drives education and gives water value. A typical water menu should include fine waters as well as free tap water as a feature for guests. Not everybody wants to pay for water but everybody does want choice. For those wanting to chose natural waters with taste, a water menu gives you plenty variety, and for those that just want tap, that’s available too.

Two – Water has a cost for restaurateurs – tap water isn’t free, and most restaurants have resorted to using fancy filtration systems that add to this cost of running a restaurant, to justify their asking price. In some countries, there is no obligation to provide water for free, and in others, restaurants are happy to offer you a glass on the house, and then – there’s the restaurants that are regulated to do so whether they like it or not. If water really is so expensive, surely tap water can be built into the menu price along with everything else, so we are never faced with paying for tap water?

In South Africa – where there is a liquor license, there is a legal responsibility to serve free tap water. Interesting huh? According to the country’s Liquor Act, 2003 – free water, even if it’s from a tap, must be provided by on-consumption liquor outlets. To be frank – this makes me very happy. Water doesn’t always have to come at a high cost, especially when it applies to everyday hydration and tap water should not be made to be the enemy.

Three – We’re all doing it, we’re going green. Many restaurants are sourcing local and shockingly – even serving tap water in glass bottles and charging for these. This is the craziest notion. While I understand the need to charge for water, I don’t believe this applies to tap water, and while I also understand that tap water costs money, refer to point TWO and build this into your cost, rather than irritating people.

Four – We are never going to escape bottled water, and in entirety, I wouldn’t want to, but we can certainly make sensible and sustainable choices where applicable. I personally, won’t drink tap water if I don’t have too. Especially when away from home. I just don’t know what’s in there! My tap water at home is filtered to remove harmful contaminants and leave the good for health minerals behind, so I’m covered in this regard, but dining out is another story.

Furthermore with regards to the water menu – water menus are not designed to be pretentious or to commoditise water. Water tastings are a tool we use as water sommeliers to give water value, and to start conversations – such as these. We need to drive water education through water offerings, we need to engage with the public to grow their understanding of water, and a water menu speaks directly to this. Also, there are so many incredible waters out there, to the likes of Radius 99, that you have to try at least once in this lifetime. Its source was discovered by accident, sourced from the Taunus Hills of Germany, truly hand crafted, bottled by hand, and designed to share the experience of a brand that was originally bottled out of somebody’s garage, today known as a popular low minerality water with a hint of sweetness and an extraordinary story of passion in a brand. 

While I appreciate the offering of free tap water at a restaurant, this has nothing on a gorgeous bottle of fine water, sourced from a natural source and designed for the fine dining table.

Yours in hydration

Minister of Fine Water Affairs – Candice Jansen

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Rainwater

Rainwater has been harvested for centauries and is typically associated with island nations that use this as a part of their everyday hydration.

In recent years, companies have begun bottling rain water from unpolluted parts of the world.

Rain waters are considered young waters, since rain lands at the exact place it will be sourced, this is instantaneous. Rain water will not have a vintage, much like a water that has to travel for years before it reaches its final destination.

Rain waters are delicate. They provide a very low measure of minerality but offer warm memories of summer days, where the rain fell while the sun  was still shining and the smell of the grass comes to life.

Of course we can all experience the taste of rain water by standing outside with our mouths wide open, as we did when we were kids, but now that we’re grown, we’re probably looking to experience this a lot differently.

“Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.” – This is a beautiful quote by Bob Marley, adopted by King Island Cloud Juice in Tasmania, who harvests rainwater for the fine dining table. Founded in 1977, this beautiful brand has been bottling rainwater for special moments, 9750 raindrops to be exact, in every bottle of Cloud Juice.

A less appetizing use for rainwater is water harvested from your rooftop for use around your home. Stored in water tanks and filtered/disinfected for home use, it a great way to ensure you’re not affected by interrupted water supply or exorbitant costs related to municipal water.

There are some considerations you need to make when using rainwater that’s harvested this way, filtration is one of them.

While boiling water and adding chlorine kills most harmful contaminates, it also leaves a bitter chalky taste to the water which isn’t very pleasant.

Filtering water to remove these unfavorable taste elements and harmful contaminants is certainly the way to do it.

The World Bank has warned that demand will exceed supply by 17% by 2030 – it’s a good time to start harvesting your own water now if you haven’t already considered this.

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

There are only 24 restaurants around the world with a water menu - pretty niche huh?

With this kind of number, we know the need and desire for a water menu are there, but those responsible for splashing out on this experience aren’t always the bold type – more of the tried and tested type. 

From experience, not all those that carry the power to influence or to effect change are willing to do so. Positions of power vs those who wear futuristic-amazing-guest-experience-goggles are two different things. 

Three Bays

With this kind of number, we know the need and desire for a water menu are there, but those responsible for splashing out on this experience aren’t always the bold type – more of the tried and tested type. 

From experience, not all those that carry the power to influence or to effect change are willing to do so. Positions of power vs those who wear futuristic-amazing-guest-experience-goggles are two different things. 

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Premium water is not Fine Water.

Fine water is not premium water, Fine water is elite water.

I can feel my facial expression change when she says “premium water” as she describes the ordinary glass bottle they plan to use when bottling their new water brand, using water from a very ordinary source and marketing it as premium. The wrinkles I have on my face are smile lines, and this lady isn’t responsible for these with her “premium water”.

I’ve learnt that my advice isn’t always music to ones ears, most are expecting the water sommelier to fall off her chair in excitement, at the story of their premium water, and then I gently have to remind them that I am an advocate for water, not for brands. Premium and fine water are two very different things and falling off my chair is reserved for a very elite few

Capelli La Vita

A premium water often has a few size options, more than one, and are guaranteed to have a 5L counterpart somewhere in the background. A premium water brand also has to market itself as premium, because how else are they going to sell their ugly plastic bottle? If it’s in a plastic bottle, it’s a premium product.

Fine Water is a title reserved for the elite, the very best in their category of water. They are companies that bottle water for themselves, they don’t use a generic source that bottles for several brands. Their water is so incredible, they keep it for themselves. Fine Water bottles are designed to be elegant, classy and luxurious. In fact, they are left on the table during a dinner because they are that beautiful to look at.

Fine Waters may be natural waters, but they are far more than just this. Fine Waters have stories, emotional love tales of discovery, tastes that were discovered by accident, bottles that were created to be art and experiences that make you fall off your chair.

Now you know : )

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Sustainability: Please use common sense.

Everybody’s talking about sourcing local, to reduce their environmental footprint but are they also using common sense?

Do you understand what sustainability is? It is the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the future generations to do the same.

Here are some of the common “sustainability” misconceptions, busted!

Argument: “We’re reducing our carbon footprint by creating our own bottled water business so we don’t have to source from anybody else, we can supply the local region and make larger profit margins”

Is it common sense to reinvent the wheel when the wheel already exists? Please don’t start up your own bottled water business when there are already hundreds of bottled water companies that could use your support. You’re just adding more bottles to the environment than what we need, when you could just have helped your neighbour, and in doing your own thing, you’re creating more of an environmental load than just keeping things to a minimum. If you’re wanting to offer your customers “premium water” with your “premium wine”, source premium water from the people who have been doing this for years. Sourcing locally is not necessary if you are sourcing smartly.

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Argument: “I only buy bottled water in glass or aluminium because there is far too much plastic in our oceans”

Fishing nets – not plastic straws, bottles, or microbeads – make up nearly half of the world’s plastic ocean pollution. Fishing gear is used to catch fish, yes? So, for as long as you’re eating fish and supporting the industry that pollutes our oceans, your plight in “saving the ocean” is non-existent. You can keep buying canned water all you like, you’re still littering if you’re not eating plant based.

Argument: “We want to provide bottled water to our customers and we’re a sustainable business, so we don’t want imported water.”

Sustainability is more about WHAT you eat or drink and less about where it’s from. Bottled water has the smallest water and energy footprint of any packaged beverage.

As a water sommelier, let it be known that I am not pro bottled water alone, I am an advocate for water across every sector, which includes speaking for the people who live everyday lives with NO safe drinking water. (I can hear your thoughts… water is life, blah blah blah) Water IS life, and can you for one moment put yourself in that space where you don’t know where you are going to source water from today, the resource your body desperately needs to stay alive? There are billions of people with this problem. Why don’t we as businesses focus on giving our clients the very best, no matter where we choose to source it from, and rather spend our energy, backed by our money, and actually give back? Set your cash aside and build a water well or access to a water source for communities that need it and worry less about doing what everybody else is doing.

Your reputation is not at stake if you’re serving imported bottled water for the taste, the olives are also imported, your cars too. Do something that meaningfully sustains your activities.

Common sense is the ability to think clearly without being clouded by the pressure of others and the impression you may make on somebody else, common sense means doing the right thing, the right way, every time, because its logical to do so.

I would love to see more companies focused on truly making a difference in this world, using water, whether bottled or tap, local or imported to their benefit, and to the benefit of others.

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Great Beer?
It’s in the water.

90% water, add malted barley, hops, and yeast, and BOOM, an all-natural ancient remedy of crafted beer.

If the water tastes good, we assume the beer will also taste good. While this may be true at times, the composition of your water will substantially change the taste of your final product.

I was thrilled to see that there are craft beer companies that already understand the value of natural water in their products but do these companies also understand that managing wastewater requires their efforts for future sustainability?

Making beer is quite a water-intensive exercise, utilizing 7 times the volume of water to make a single serving of this golden ale. Water is the most overlooked beer ingredient used in the process, and given that it is a majority shareholder in the business of beer, it certainly deserves a conversation, from taste to conservation.

Sustainability requires everybody’s participation, not a quote off Google, posted on Twitter stating that “billions of people don’t have drinking water” when you’re doing nothing about it. Sustainability requires action!

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Water has a huge impact on the taste of beer and in 1,2,3, water will determine the flavour of the beer, the pH level will impact the bitterness component and using water that isn’t natural is a recipe for disaster. Natural water does not contain chlorine which negatively affects the taste of beer and some describe this as “off”.

The sound of “municipal water sources” makes the hair on my head stand up. Many famous beer brands have carefully positioned their plants to make use of the natural water nearby. If you’re not in this position, then perhaps you need to consider sourcing water from a natural source one way or another, the taste of your beer depends on it. Plus, who wants to drink beer mixed with traces of pharmaceuticals and chlorine? Natural water is worth the investment!

In order to raise awareness of what’s in our water, we also need to ask breweries what’s in theirs. Water is not just water, remember that the next time you order your favourite Pale ale or stout. To the incredible crafters of natural water beers, I am so proud of you, you should be proud too. Marketing your brand as a premium natural water craft beer is a huge feather in your cap , share this information with your guests, you’ll be glad you did.

When it comes to conserving water, we need to ensure we recycle water accordingly; every drop counts in our efforts to save water for future generations. That may sound cliché, but the actions we take today determines the outcome tomorrow, and water scarcity is a real issue!

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Water Service in restaurants

There are very few things that I consider to be substantially important and incredible service is one of these. I can’t tell you the number of times, 5 stars or not, that I have visited a place and the service was average or substandard, and we only have ourselves to blame.

 Have you ever seen the popular meme, “Don’t be a Karen”? These memes talk about a middle-aged woman with an asymmetrical bob asking to speak to the manager, who happens to be as entitled as she is ignorant. She’s a woman who’s upset with everything from the moment she walks into a restaurant and isn’t happy until she’s spoken to the manager or received something for free.

 We have become so complaisant with service to the point that we no longer complain to the manager when service is bad. We simply leave on a bitter note, never to return, and this proves to be a vicious cycle for the hospitality industry. The idea of service is to have people return.

 How is one to know that service is substandard if nobody ever says anything? We don’t have to be Karen about it, but Karen does make a few good points. We cannot expect more when we accept less. We need to be more vocal, coming from a place of love, about the experiences we have at restaurants, for our benefit and for theirs.

 Water, as you well know, has become last on the list when it comes to dining, where buying water comes down to the need to supply a hydration beverage at the cheapest price and this is the first error restaurants make. They don’t value water and sadly, you get what you pay for. Then comes the appalling service that accompanies that water. Part of me doesn’t blame restaurants for not giving water value at the table, because the water they are serving has nothing to write home about. As a water sommelier, I understand this differently though. I know, hands down, that buying water, based on quality, bottle design, and experience, takes water to a new level and creates an environment for water to be valued, and to form part of the overall service experience, leaving no element of service unattended too.

NEVAS WATER

Water Service in restaurants is pretty much non-existent. Service, as I know it, applies to all aspects of dining. Whether at a coffee café or a casual restaurant, right up to a fine dining establishment, service applies to the entire experience, not just selected categories of food or wine.

Do you know that there are only 24 restaurants across the world, that offer a water menu along with water service to some degree, and all of these restaurants know full well, that water is an experience not to be missed, do you know this too?

The demand for different tasting waters has grown exponentially over the last 2 years and as more people become aware that water is not just water, so the demand grows even more. Like the band, Incubus lyrics go “ It’s so much better when everyone is in, are you in?”

 There are so many reasons to have a water menu and unrivalled water service to accompany this, that attends to stemware, pouring, temperature, presentation, and more. Water menus are niche, they’re informative and fun, they give water value. Not on price but on experience.  Water Menus have also become a huge revenue centre for restaurants, guests are now buying water for the taste, no longer simply for thirst. Having a few options on your menu is really going to have people coming back for more, and we all know that more people equals more moola.

Here’s the exciting bit …. Next week we go live with water service training for hospitality professionals in South Africa. The first of its kind. You are now able, as a restaurant, hotel, or cafe, to book your water service workshop with Candice Jansen – professional water sommelier.

The Water Service workshop is designed for the professional, for F&B Managers, Heads of Service, Waiters, and Butlers, to become a part of the global movement of excelling at water service, surpassing global standards, and essentially lifting the service level of South African restaurants. Watch this space. Website link to follow. Sip Sip Hooray!

In the meantime, if you really cannot wait, please give me a shout at www.candicejansen.com

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

How to handle life when life hands you lemons

 Who would have thought that as a water sommelier, lemons would have taken the spotlight this week? With various news publications posting articles on how you’re drinking water wrong, I was faced with a lot of sour faces, as lemons seem to be a very zesty topic of discussion.

 I believe the concept of adding lemon to water became popular when the evidence of health benefits became apparent, from brighter skin to improved kidney function, and maybe people didn’t have very great tasting water back then, which required a disguise. Let’s face it, not all waters are created equal. I know plenty of people who add lemon to water to make the taste more pleasant, instead of finding better water that makes them happy.

Vichy Catalan

Today I frequented my regular spot in Johannesburg with a friend who ordered water because that seems to be the thing that one does around a water sommelier, and without further ado, along arrived the lemon wedge. I’m certain I ordered water, not watered down lemon?!?

 Nonetheless, I shook the lemon out of the glass and poured myself a decent amount of water. I figured the ever so slight lemon residue on the glass wouldn’t make a difference, but it did, it made all the difference, in a not-so-subtle way.


 Lemon packs a punch, but lemon also doesn’t know how to take a hint very well when it’s given one, the linger of lemon simply overwhelmed my water experience.

I don’t think we can call lemon water, water, just as you don’t call Coca-Cola, water. Let’s recategorize this as a watered-down lemon beverage.

 When I talk about the experience of tasting water, it’s for that exact purpose, to taste the water. It is simply impossible to taste water any other way other than straight up, hold the lemon.

 With the incredible waters we can experience today, there is certainly no need to hide behind the bright yellow bulb of a lemon. Water is quite capable of creating its own tang, and if you are a fan of a twisty lemon beverage, then Vichy Catalan offers an incredible lemon drink which caters for all of those who need a kick to their water. I‘m all for personal choice, and if lemon is going to turn your frown upside down, I’m happy to support you all the way.

For the rest of us, who can’t wait to splash out on different tasting water that is not enriched with lemon, plants, or sunlight (wait for it, the full report is coming ) I encourage you to truly give water your attention this week, and if you’re making the switch from lemon to lemon-less, I applaud your efforts, when life gives you lemons, return them to sender.

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Pairing wine is an art, pairing water to wine is a water sommelier!

I am often asked what water has to do with wine and why the two are relevant to each other, why the wine list needs more water and why water needs a menu.

Three Bays Mineral Water

Here’s the lowdown.

Water has a TDS level that affects the taste of water, apart from its terroir. Much like wine, water gets its subtle nuances from the location at which it’s sourced.

Fine Water makes all the difference when you’re dining out. The wine list is extensive but the water menu is non existent, and if there is water mentioned anywhere, it is still or sparkling with no brand choice.

I would like to remind those that are the gatekeepers of their water service that water is not a dictatorship but rather democracy. Guests should have a choice when it comes to water, not simply your choice.

Wines are designed to be an experience, they create an ambiance in a room, the aromas are pleasurable, the bottle feels substantial, the incredible tones of plum and blackberries are evident from the moment it touches your lips. Wine was made to be memorable!

Fine Water is not here to replace wine, it’s here to accompany the wine. The nuance of water gently allows the wine to express itself in ways that you haven’t had the opportunity to experience just yet if you haven’t paired the two.

A water menu is a must. There are different sources, stories, and TDS levels to pair to different wines and as a water sommelier, I am excited to pair these for you. No matter the wine, there’s a Fine Water companion. There is so much excitement in a water menu and you’ll learn this the moment your fingertips turn over the glossy pages in view of water bottles designed with dining in mind, there to offer you an array of sources, tastes, mouthfeels, and origins. Water will never again be the same!

Should you need more convincing, please contact me at hello@candicejansen.com to book a wine and water pairing!

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Love is the fragrance in the air, and it smells like coffee.

Anyone who has ever lived in Johannesburg will know that the winter here is relentless.

RE-LENT-LESS!

We have glorious sunny days accompanied by negative degrees, where watering your windscreen will result in an iceberg on your bonnet – it’s seriously no fun. (I do hope my counterparts living in Svalbard are not reading this, they may laugh at my inability to survive the winter when they live in minus 9 degrees, on a good day!)

What is fun in the winter though is coffee!

Perlage Water

Ah – two things I cannot live without. Coffee. Water.

Now, I hear your complaints about how drinking water in the winter sounds horrendously unpleasant, however, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that coffee tastes better with water. Water inside and water on the side.

Here’s my winter advice before we go any further… Water before coffee.

Here’s why…. Did the dinosaurs drink coffee before water? Did your coffee bean mysteriously appear from a magic coffee beanstalk or was this grown using water? Did God create the deep before he created your Soya latte? I think I’ve made my point. Water is essential and this is the very first hydration sip you should be taking this winter.

 As a millennial, I am not familiar with what “normal” coffee is. I have to laugh at my mother in law who frequently orders normal coffee when we’re out and about. Both the waiter/waitress and I are always unsure what precisely that means. We are the generation of Latte’s, Soya Caps, double espresso’s, almond macchiatos, and creamy flat whites. There is nothing normal about coffee.

Want to know one of the biggest reasons coffee shop coffee often tastes better than home-brewed coffee? I’ll give you a hint: this one doesn’t have anything to do with the coffee.

Coffee is 99% water. Great water opens the pathway to great coffee. It has nuance, complexity, and richness.

Water quality is more important than most people realize.

I would encourage experimenting this winter with your coffee ( not your first cup of course ), splash out! Frequent different coffee spots, ask what water they’re using, and order natural water on the side to keep you hydrated as you learn.  My preference is always Perlage with my coffees.

 Off you go Waterlings. Make me proud.

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Did somebody say Sorbet?

Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from sugar-sweetened water with flavouring, and since 2021 is the year that 2020 failed to deliver, giving sorbet something special makes so much sense and very well deserved.

NEVAS WATER

Fine Water Sorbet – Sip Sip hooray!

I can imagine the excitement at an event where they serve Blood Orange and Mint fused sorbet using NEVAS water. I have been singing the song that water is not just water, for so long that when this striking sorbet came along, it gave me new inspiration and affirmation for those on the fence, that water cannot just be water if it can create something so spectacular in sorbet!

Not all frozen desserts are created equal – some are finer than others.

Most restaurants will use sorbet as a palette cleanser during multi-course meals because its intense fruit flavour is extra refreshing, plus its incredibly easy to make. I would insist on this at your favourite restaurant! Not only is sorbet stunning to stare at but now using NEVAS, it’s a sensation overload.

A little bit of history to take you back a few thousand years… it is believed that sorbets originated in ancient Persia. There are a number of origin myths, that attribute to the origins of sorbet to historical figures like Nero, Marco Polo and the Italian duchess, Catherine de Medici.

I love how the dishes we know today can come from eras so long ago and that still, we are able to reinvent these to create master pieces of culinary art – Fine Water never fails to impress.

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Water Based Chocolates

Today is a chocolate kind of day – who am I kidding, most days are!

“I don’t go looking for trouble, trouble usually finds me.” And chocolate is the right kind of trouble I wouldn’t mind having today.

Peter Svenningsen

For the longest time, Chocolatiers have made it their job to create jewels from an array of spices, berries, fruits and nuts, combining them with rich and pure ingredients, turning chocolate making into more than just art.
After all, what would the world be if it weren’t for more luscious treats?

Danish Chocolatier, Peter Svenningsen, is all about the chocolate he uses, specializing in making non-dairy water ganache chocolates, which he pairs with natural ingredients – Another not-so surprising story that the world can do with less dairy and more water!

Water is an imperative base ingredient for many chocolates and finding the right balance and compliment between emulating these ingredients makes all the difference. Ganches are now ultra-glossy, smooth and light on the palate, allowing emphasis to be on the chocolate experience.

Ganache traditionally made as a glaze or icing made from chocolate and cream, has now been surpassed by water.

Anything is good if it’s made of chocolate but everything is finer if chocolate is made using fine water.

“The greatest tragedies were written by the Greeks and Shakespeare…neither knew chocolate.” Sandra Boynton

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Great wine, Fine Water.

Water and wine can seem on the opposite end of the spectrum, except, they’re not.

Wine has terroir and water has terroir.

Both water and wine can be acidic. Just as wines from hot climates have a lower acidity and wines from cooler climates have higher levels of acidity, water does the very same. With water, we call this the Orientation. Different pH levels affect the acidity or alkalinity of water, and this applies to taste profiles only.

Nevas Water

The biggest fad of the 20th century is that somebody convinced somebody else, that a balanced pH water was the better “health” choice.

pH levels affect that taste of water but not much else. Despite claims, there is no medical evidence that higher level pH water is best. “It’s all about the marketing!” Water will always have a natural variation depending on its mineral content.

Wine and water both have vintage or age. Vintage in water applies to how much time water takes to reach its final destination, whereas wine gets better with age.

Water can have a vintage of a hundred years to hundreds of thousands of years. The vintage of water is important to note because it adds such richness to the back story of water, just as aged wines are of higher quality.

Water and wine both share a love for a popping cork. NEVAS water as a matter of interest has been blended from 2 artesian springs to create a unique cuvee that offers all the pleasures of water, with a popping cork.

It’s evident that there are a lot of similarities between water and wine, but what happens when these two are purposely paired together?  Wines become layered further with flavour and concentrated to make heavier wines feel deeper and softer wines feel more delicate. Fine Water never compromises the aromas of wine but rather encourages the rich tones to dance on your taste buds as opposed to being flushed away by chlorinated water which leaves nothing but chalk and bitterness behind.

Fine Water embraces wine, as if the two have known each other for a lifetime. Perhaps it’s time for wine to embrace water?

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

What does your water glass say about you?

After a warm welcome, glasses are the next best opportunity to make a great impression, and how you serve water is an invitation to say so much! Short glasses translate into “sip and say goodbye” whereas long stem, deep bowl glasses say “stay a while”.

The glassware world is almost as complex as the drinks served inside them. Although it’s not the most important component, using the appropriate wares shows that care and attention to detail went into your drink.

Candice Jansen

Glassware makes a fine statement and water served in stemware with clean straight lines gives the perception of luxury.

A white Bordeaux glass is typically used for water in an epicurean setting, as it has a slightly smaller bowl and is taller than most. The tallness allows you to swirl the water, aerating it, much like wine. It also just looks sleek and inviting. Looks really do matter!

Does having a fancy glass really make that much of a difference? The answer is always yes. The length of the stem and the shape of the bowl are vital parts to your drinking experience.
While a typical tumbler has always been a popular choice for water, these all share the same characteristics and are often used by completely different organisation settings from school functions right through to the fine dining table. There is nothing “fine dining” about using glasses that represent the same flat, round bottom drinking experience at you’re your PTA meeting and then having them served to you on date night.

When it comes to glassware, the sexier vessels always get the glory – and rightfully so.

Water deserves epicurean attention and etiquette describes stemware, to raise the appreciation of water as well as water service at a restaurant.

Your guests may not notice that you served water in a wine glass at first, but trust me, they will notice when you don’t.

 

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

A water tasting

“I did a water tasting with a water sommelier!”

During a water tasting, there’s subdued excitement at first.

“It just tastes like water.” she says, so confidently.

This is true for the most part because this is just the beginning.

A water tasting starts with low to high TDS still waters followed by sparkling ones.  The build-up through TDS levels is where the magic lies.

Candice Jansen

As I begin to tell the tale of Lofoten and how the water is renewed by glacial snowmelt, snow and rain all year round from the surrounding mountains, guests soon realise they have embarked on the most epic adventure, rather than just a tasting of waters.

On the next pour, we meet Iskilde, a medium minerality water from Denmark, that when “shaken, not stirred” changes from crystal clear to milky, showing off its high oxygen content – like only Iskilde knows how.

Loren Eiseley was right, If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water. My guests are memorized at this point.

We then sip our way towards Three Bays. The unicorn of mineral waters. Three Bays has a humble origin story that begins in the backyard of the Mornington Peninsula, Australia.

When my guests realise that Three Bays is the very same water from the Netflix documentary “Down to earth” with Zac Efron, they are star gazed!

Three bays is known for its high mineral content, having 23 out of the 24 minerals required for good health, never mind the fact that it tastes so good too!

The chatter in the room is captivating, everybody clings onto their glasses to shake the last drop out before the next water arrives, and before you know it, there’s Perlage.

“It’s like a Berocca in a glass!” That’s exactly right. Perlage with its gentle effervescent fizz is much like a champagne, the bubbles last and last which means the fun never has to end. The blue bottle also gives the guests something to admire for a short time, buying a moment to myself in amongst the energy and laughter in the room, to prepare for the eruption of Socosani.

Socosani, in its sparkling version, offers a high minerality mouthfeel. While we’re all coming to terms that this ‘water tasting’ is a legit thing, I share stories of the Peruvian valley, known for active volcanoes, Arequipa having the most dangerous of these. Where does Socosani come from? You guessed it! Arequipa. I also share my love for all things vintage and explain that this water takes a 150 year journey through the earth before it reaches its destination. Socosani really does come from an oasis, considering that Peru is more desert than anything else. Now that things have heated up, we are off to meet a Spanish beauty named Vichy, Vichy Catalan.

Vichy Catalan, with a TDS over 2900mg/l is a very popular water in Spain and a very fancy water to the rest of us. This naturally carbonated mineral water emerges from the ground at 60 degrees Celsius. I joke that it doesn’t get hotter than this. “I am in my element” says a lady sitting in the back who didn’t seem to have a voice, until now. I smile, because there is a water for everybody and seeing her face come to life, made my morning. “It’s about getting people to fall in love with water again”

I must admit, by the end of the water tasting we are watered down, our glasses are empty but our imaginations are filled with endless questions about the sources, the tastes and how on earth I become a water sommelier.

After hydrating for most of the morning, we take some time to chat, connect, make friends and charge our glasses filled with crisp cold bubbled over champagne, to the fact that water indeed has taste!

Looking to book a water tasting for a private event? Enquiries can be directed to candice@originfloe.com

 

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Perlage

At one glance, perlage does seem foreign, making it ambiguous to pronounce. Most people pronounce it as per-lahdzh. Technically, it is a French word, but the Italians mostly use it to refer to a sparkling wine’s head or bubbles.

In this instance, Perlage speaks to sparkling mineral water from Poland, effervescent to be exact. Tiny bubbles made to feel like champagne, with all the bells and whistles of water.

  “Perlage, let the magic in”

Perlage is worldly recognised for its superior taste, winning awards left right and centre. Not to mention the deep blue glass bottle that has attracted many fans of its design and extraordinary colour. 

Upon opening a bottle of Perlage, you are embraced by the gentle fizz that clings to your palate like it was meant to last a life time. Estimated at 400 years before the water is bottled for your enjoyment, this water is held sacred by Mother Nature, reserved for the discerned water connoisseur.

Perlage, with their idea to combine the highest quality water with well-selected wines and excellent food, have achieved just that, and with the skillset of a water sommelier, this combination is impressive.

Some of the most exquisite dishes are crafted with Fine Water in mind.

Pairing Suggestion : Steak tartare from Lublin lamb with leaven bread.

 

Perlage offers 3 different size options:

700ml Glass Bottle

300ml Glass Bottle

330 ml Can

Available at OriginFloe

Enquiries can be directed to candice@originfloe.com

                               

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Primal Artesian Water

“Think! Think and wonder. Wonder and think. How much water can 55 elephants drink? – Dr Seuss.

We’re not elephants but we are mammals that consume an average of 58 000 litres of water during our lifetime – conservatively. That’s a lot of water. Surely, at that volume and given its importance, we should carefully consider what’s in our water before drinking it.
There are so many brands of bottled water on the shelves these days, with a new brand coming out every couple of months, it’s tough to keep up. Most of you will be lured into the lie of purified water being good for you, or how the new eco packaging is a friendly choice for the environment, but at what cost to you, and does the environment actually benefit?

The most important question to ask yourself when it comes to water is “where does my water come from?”
The answer to that question will make buying bottled water very simple.

If the answer looks something like this, you’ve been duped, tricked, hoodwinked, mislead, fooled and outwitted. Get the drift?

Candice Jansen

                                   ”PREPARED WATER”

Here ‘s the honest truth – prepared water, no matter what packaging it comes in, is deemed unnecessary for the environment. Their environmental claims about saving the planet through more eco conscious packaging means nothing if the water you’re putting in there is water from a municipal source, the same water we have at home in our taps? Why should we pay for something we can get at home for free? ( Almost free, Municipal T’s & C’s Apply ) THINK, says Dr Seuss.

Prepared water is defined as bottled water that has undergone treatments acceptable for bottled waters and may originate from any type of water ( scary! ) including municipal sources. Prepared water is not naturally potable, it has to be treated to ensure its potability. Wouldn’t you rather be drinking water that doesn’t require so much effort to prove itself? Such as a natural water. THINK AND WONDER, Says Dr Seuss.

Prepared water should never be an option for purchase, stick to your tap at home if you’re going to go this route anyway and save your moola.

Tap water will do, but we call it tap water for a reason – because it belongs to the tap! Imagine if companies sold us “bottled tap water” instead of “prepared water”, wouldn’t that be a laughing matter? WONDER AND THINK Says Dr Seuss.

“I meant what I said and I said what I meant” Dr Seuss. Prepared water is not 100%!

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Perrier

Oh Perrier –  it’s more than a matter of taste.

I am often reminded to appreciate the things we take for granted. This week I listened to a podcast by Will Self & Martin Rise on the Ultimate Beverage and their discussion about mineral waters.

I couldn’t help but feel like the room I was in had changed in ambiance, that all of a sudden there was a French chicness bubbling around & a mystical invitation to the natural sparkle of Perrier.

I looked around frantically for a glimpse of its emerald complexion so that I could sit and stare at it, while I was transported through the history of Perrier and how its curvaceous bottle is now a popular choice in mineral waters. I was captivated by its unassuming presence.  

I tossed my Mac book aside and headed to the kitchen for a wine glass and the nearest couch so I could delve further into the world of Perrier, dubbed the champagne of mineral waters.

Capelli La Vita

Established in 1863, this mineral water is best known for its naturally occurring carbonation. The spring from where Perrier is sourced is naturally carbonated and both the water and Co2 are captured independently. 

The craze for bottled water began when Perrier intensified their advertising in 1977, so successful that people now ask for Perrier when in fact, they are simply asking for sparkling water, just as they once asked for a Kleenex when they meant a tissue.

The bold bubbles of a Perrier offer a crisp and bright taste profile, encapsulated with French vigour. While Perrier now comes in many flavours, I am still swept off my feet by the original, authentic bang of Perrier.

Next time you see this full-bodied French beauty, be sure to grab a few bottles, who ever said you can’t buy love.

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Ninety-nine wines but waters not one?

There are some seriously impressive wine menus out there but little to no fuss about water.


Still & Sparkling are not options, they are restrictions.

Who came up with this crazy idea of limitless wine but limited water? I’d like to have a word with them please. Seriously, phone me!

Wine is one thing but water is ninety-nine others. Literally there are 99 things I could tell you about pairing water to wines & food.

Candice Jansen

One,

Fine Water accompanies wine, it enhances the nuances of wine and creates an equally enjoyable experience to both elements.

Two,

Fine Water helps those succulent grapes pack a more pleasurable punch by allowing the tones to linger longer rather than washing them away.

Fine Water was made for a moment such as this!
Water pairings are limitless and the choice of drinking water for taste is infinite.

Next time you find yourself with no choice in water but plenty in wines, ask for the nearest exit.

 
 

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Ice Etiquette & Whiskey

We’ve all been there, where we made the unconscious choice of adding ice blocks to our water, unaware that we were committing the biggest water faux pas.

The water in your bottle and the water from the ice tray are not going to be from the same source. The ice cubes are more than likely going to be tap water while your bottle water would have come an even further journey to your table.

Tap water isn’t the problem, it’s just that tap water doesn’t belong with natural bottled water.
The right way to do things would be to properly chill water before its consumed to avoid the ice all together.

Unless you’ve found a fantastic restaurant that has incredible water service in place to handle “ice like it’s hot!” I am personally looking forward to experiencing an establishment as classy as this.

Candice Jansen

Whiskey all you want

Neat, on the rocks, or with a dash of mineral water.

While you might think drinking cask strength whiskey makes you look smooth and authentic, you’re probably missing out on the flavours that make whiskey-drinking worth it.
Although most whiskeys are already diluted, further dilution with a few drops of Fine Water makes all the difference. The molecules that give whiskey its flavour and aroma may be more likely to rise to the surface of the drink if it’s diluted with water. Even better is the choice of Fine Water to mix whiskey with.

Raymond Chandler said that “There is no bad whiskey. There are only some whiskeys that aren’t as good as others” and just as there is no “best” water, there are just some waters that are better than others – Fine Water.

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Svalbardi

If I knew then, what I know now.

If my future-self came back in time to say that someday, I would be tasting water for a living, I would be rolling on the grass in sheer entertainment at that very notion.

Then, Twenty-Twenty happened, and here I am telling the world that water has taste.

If only I knew then, what I know now. I would have taken water a lot more seriously.

All Fine Waters are premium waters, but not all premium waters are Fine Waters.

The art of tasting water has been around for longer than we can appreciate, and today, our options are endless.

The ultimate objective of a water tasting is to learn how to appreciate this amazing beverage, drinking it with the aim to perceive its characteristics, emotionally connecting with the source and giving water the appreciation it deserves. No two waters are the same.

If you’ve imagined drinking iceberg water as an improbability, erase that thought.

Candice Jansen

Hello Svalbardi!

Source: Icebergs.

Location: Norway.

Mouthfeel: Light.

Taste: Crisp followed by a slight sweetness.

Their mission: Saving the Arctic.

Svalbardi is bottled in the arctic outpost of Longyearbyen and is super low in minerality. The reflective glass bottle and handcrafted cork are designed for exclusivity and rare experience. Svalbardi is out of this world on the “too cool for school spectrum” and their mission as a family is to save their melting Svalbard home. www.svalbardi.com

Food pairing suggestion:

Svalbardi & Oysters with shiraz mignonette. Here’s why…

Super low minerality waters, pair well with foods that are less potent on the palate but equally pleasurable. Light and springy. With the above pairing you’ll encounter the charm of both elements, Fine Water & Oysters, without distracting from either.

Who would have ever thought, water could taste and look this good.

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands

Meet TDS

Total Dissolved Solids. You’ll hear these words a lot in the company of a Water Sommelier.
There is probably so much you hadn’t realized when it came to water, like how water has taste. Yes, t a s t e!

Water, much like wine, has terroir.
Say it with me (“tehr·waar”). The terroir of water is the geographical condition at the source that affects the taste of water. Water is made up of minerals, this mineral composition is known as TDS. Next time you find yourself buying bottled water, have a look out for this in the fine print, it’s there. You’re welcome.

Talking about minerals, no two water sources have the same mineral fingerprint. They each possess their own identity in mineral makeup and can offer incredible taste experiences.

TDS levels range from super low to very high. Consider rainwater, rainwater never touches the ground so there is little to no time to absorb minerals thus producing a low mineral water with a crisp and fresh taste. Higher TDS waters have a far more pronounced taste due to the higher mineral content and feel more substantial. Vintage plays an important role when it comes to water. We all know that the water cycle starts and ends with precipitation, collection, evaporation and condensation. Water that has a vintage of thousands of years means that the collection process takes this long before water reaches its final destination. During this process, water is filtered through the earth through layers of rock, embedding water with all the minerals we get to experience in each sip of Fine Water we take.

 

 

Fine Water is water from natural source that has terroir and a story to tell. Imagine traveling through the foundations of the earth and getting to the other side without having anything to say? We think not. Water has incredible stories to share and their taste experiences are something to be desired.

Loving and appreciating water means completely forgetting the idea that the only function of water is for hydration. Fine Water is a refined beverage with interesting and appealing properties. Not only to quench ones thirst but also to appreciate its aromas and flavours.

When it comes to tasting water, there are a few do’s and don’ts that I’d like you to know.

  • One, use an elegant glass, water deserves epicurean attention and stemware is a vital tool in elevating water.
  • Two, mixing two water sources together makes no sense. Natural water served with purified ice blocks? This will completely change the profile of your water and its best to make your own ice cubes at home using your favourite fine water.
  • Three, adding citrus or any other components to water, unless you’re deliberately mixing a G&T, isn’t recommended.
    “If the taste of water is to be perceived and enjoyed, then the lemon wedge will just lead you astray.”

 

#capellilavita #savourlavita #savourwithcandice #waterbrands