Ice, ice, baby

While tonic and coffee may not sound like an obvious morning choice, this duo have been dancing in San Francisco since the summer of 2014.

Coffee tonic is a deeply refreshing, sparkling rocket fuel that you must try, if only for anthropological reasons.

The bubbles in a coffee tonic help to escort the caffeine into your system faster than an electric volt to your derriere — every coffee aficionado’s wet dream.

So here’s the recipe. If, like me, trendy fads give your toes ignition, then you will love coffee tonic. Yes, you will probably hate it this time next year, but ditching fads is just as much fun as adopting them.

I’m crushing on Irish tonic water made in Wexford by Poacher’s. Find it in savvy off-licences across Ireland — or ask your local to stock it. The crisp quinine in tonic water pairs really well with fruity coffees, and makes me feel like Ziggy Stardust on a comet.

I love that coffee drinking is becoming a serious occupation, joining wine sommeliers and yogis in the quest for The Transcendental. Most major European cities have their own coffee trail for caffeine pilgrims and those in the market for a new religion.

Responding to this growing demand, coffee roasters at 3fe and McCabes are doing monthly subscriptions straight to your doorstep. You can sample a different single-origin coffee bean every month. I like to think of it as a software update for my brain. “It’s a fun educational tool,” I keep telling myself. Besides, I’m considerably kinder when I’m caffeinated.

It’s worth remembering that your body would prefer if coffee were treated as a hobby and not as a full-time career. Yes, coffee is a bean and beans are plants, but you can’t count it as part of your five-a-day (nice try).