Town Mouse on the power of ginger juice

Not so long ago, air-conditioning in cars seemed rather racy, the sort of pampering enjoyed in America, but not here. Now, I reflect, as I make my way back from outside the M25 on a day of Mediterranean temperatures, we depend on it. The air-con in our car has broken.

By good luck, a friend has given me a bottle of organic ginger juice: exactly what I need as a tonic. I empty half the contents into a glass and swig. It certainly wakes me up. I'm always telling my children to read the instructions, a habit that seems to have been bred out of the have-a-go computer generation, but, without reading glasses to hand, I've neglected my own advice.

I should have been warned by the name: Drop the Juice. This ginger, squeezed from the strong yellow kind that chefs like, should be added by drops, or-if you're feeling reckless-teaspoons, to orange juice, stir-fries, green tea, fruit salad: anything in the culinary line that could do with gingering up.

As an elixir of life, it's ‘as good as asprin', Hesther Alleyne, who launched the company in January (www.dropthejuice.com), tells me at her Saturday stand at the Duke of York food market in Chelsea. She looks slightly surprised that I survived taking the juice neat. Now, I'll try some with lemon and honey for my throat.