Preheat the grill to hot. Bring a large pan of water to a rolling boil and cook the macaroni according to pack instructions. Drain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually, add the milk a splash at a time, stirring continuously to avoid lumps until a smooth sauce has formed. Stir in the mustard and ¾ of the cheese. Then add the cooked macaroni and stir until coated.
Tip into a 2-litre ovenproof dish. Scatter with the remaining cheese followed by the garlic & rosemary breadcrumbs, drizzle with olive oil and pop under the grill for 5 minutes until golden, bubbly and crisp on top. Serve with dressed salad leaves.
Finely chop the chives and stir into the choux batter at step 2 of my basic choux pastry recipe. Pipe the batter into 20-25 mini éclair shapes and bake as directed.
Flake the hot smoked rainbow trout fillets into a mixing bowl and stir in the creamed horseradish, double cream, crème fraîche, the finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon. Season with a little black pepper. Beat for a few minutes until the mixture thickens, then spoon into a piping bag and chill until needed.
Slice the cooled éclairs down the centre using a serrated knife and fill with the pâté. Sprinkle with a few chives and serve immediately.
Make the dressing by using a fork to whisk together the white wine vinegar, olive oil, honey, mustard and chopped dill.
Mix 50g softened unsalted butter with half of the dill dressing until smooth.
Generously spread 6 slices of rye bread with the flavoured butter, top with the gravadlax and drizzle with the remaining dressing.
Garnish with dill leaves, nonpareille capers and thinly sliced rings of red onion. Cut into small squares or slices and serve as canapés, or leave in larger pieces and serve with salad leaves as a starter or light meal.
Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment. Cut each aubergine lengthways into very thin slices (discarding the first and last slices as these will be mainly skin) to give about 10 slices from each. Place in a single layer on the baking sheets and brush with half the olive oil. Season and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the slices over, brush with the remaining oil and bake for a further 5-10 minutes until pale golden. Take care not to overbrown the slices or they’ll be too crisp to roll.
Combine the tomato paste, garlic and oregano, and spread very thinly over the aubergines. Sprinkle with the cheese and roll up, starting from a thin end. Secure with cocktail sticks and place on a baking sheet lined with clean baking parchment. Chill for up to 24 hours, or until you are ready to reheat.
To serve, preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Bake the wraps for 6-8 minutes to heat through. Transfer to a serving plate, along with a bowl of the tomato salsa for spooning over.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the potatoes and boil for 5 minutes (no need to peel them first). Rinse in cold water to cool the potatoes. Coarsely grate into a large bowl and stir in the fennel seeds, shallots and seasoning. This can be prepared a day ahead.
Drain the artichokes, reserving 3 tbsp of the oil. Stir 1 tbsp oil into the potatoes. Heat another 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan. Place a 5cm round cookie cutter in the pan and put a heaped dessertspoon of the potato mixture inside the cutter. Pack down firmly with the back of the spoon. Carefully lift away the cutter and make more rösti circles with about half the remaining mixture, spacing them slightly apart. Fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden. Transfer to a baking parchment-lined baking sheet and fry the remaining mixture in the same way using the remainder of the oil.
Spread a scant ½ tsp of the tapenade onto each rosti and top with a piece of artichoke. Sprinkle with the mozzarella, cover loosely and chill until needed.
To serve, preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Bake the rösti for 10 minutes until heated through. Garnish with coriander sprigs.
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
250g dark chocolate (70%), broken into small chunks
3 medium eggs
150g granulated sugar
1 tsp flaky sea salt
4 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp plain flour
300g leftover cooked Christmas pudding, crumbled
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
Heat oven to 180˚C, gas mark 4. Grease and line a 30cm x 20cm baking tin with baking parchment.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Remove from the heat and set aside. Whisk the eggs, sugar and salt in another bowl, before beating into the chocolate mixture. Sift over the cocoa and flour, folding through with all but a handful of the Christmas pudding, until just combine
Pour the brownie mix into the prepared tin, spread out and scatter the rest of the Christmas pudding on top, pressing it in gently. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a crust has formed on top. Cool completely in the tin before slicing and serving.
With festive season looming larger than Santa’s belly and many Brits returning to the familial bosom for the Christmas season, new research has explored just how security conscious the Brits are when it comes to their homes and possessions whilst they’re away.
The research, from Direct Blinds, suggests that more than a third of Brits are planning a Christmas getaway this year and this, combined with a mixture of oversharing online and a lack of security precautions, could mean that people are putting their homes at risk of criminal damage and theft.
With this on our minds as we sit in our home office typing (yeah, you heard us, potential burglars, we’re here!), we’ve compiled a few tips to help you keep your home as castle-like as possible. So, here are 5 IDEAL ways to keep your house safe while you’re away away for Christmas.
AVOID OVERSHARING YOUR LOCATION
While you may be ‘driving home for Christmas’ and wanting to stoke up some enthusiasm for your return by sharing it with the world, these four words plus a loose attitude to privacy settings could reveal a house free of occupation and a potential target for criminals.
22% of people admitted to sharing photos on holiday, 19% will ‘check in’ to bars and restaurants, and 9% tag themselves at the airport when they are about to jet off. Some do not recognise this as being a potential issue though, with 12.6% of the public not believing that their online social media activity could be affecting their home security at all.
If you feel you must share your excitement for the festive season with the family, make sure it’s only directed at ‘friends’, and avoid any announcements on very public spheres such as Twitter and Instagram.
TURN ON LIGHTS OR RADIO FROM TIME TO TIME
A house shrouded in darkness and silence is a telltale sign that the residents are away. This tell is simply remedied by setting a timer to periodically switch on lights in the house to give the impression of habitance. Time your festive lights to come on outside. Go one step further and set your digital radio to turn on, say, in the evening, to give the impression of chatter.
HAVE A FRIEND OR NEIGHBOUR KEEP AN EYE OUT
Direct Blinds’ research states that 72% of people said that they feel safest knowing that their homes are being checked in on by a friend, neighbour or family member but despite this, only a tiny 10% regularly request this favour from a trusted person. This says more about what an introverted society we are, rather than provisions put in place for home safety, we think. Regardless, this is a secure, sensible method to ensure activity at your empty house as well as peace of mind that everything is ship shape.
FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE, LOCK THE DOORS!
Hey, the most obvious, the most failsafe, but also one which is sometimes neglected (we know we do). So, for goodness sake, remember to lock those doors! Break-ins usually result from opportunism, so don’t make things easy for potential thieves. And if you do lock your doors, at least make sure your locks work. Indeed, when you go away for Christmas it is always a worry leaving your home, especially if you don’t have the most secure locks in the world. So check out companies like Fast Keys who pride themselves on having some of the strongest, reliable locks out there.
CANCEL THE PAPERS AND MILK
A little old school, we know, but still a pertinent point and one which could apply to any delivery we think. Cancelling the daily newspaper or milk is essential, as a build up of stuff on your doorstep indicates either an extremely lazy resident lives here or more likely, one who is not present.
You should also give directions for packages arriving from the Royal Mail, ASOS et al, to place deliveries in a secure, hidden location for the same reason (and so it doesn’t get nabbed from your doorstep, of course!)
Tokyo, it’s fair to say, makes a confident and convincing case as the world’s culinary capital. With its record breaking frequency of Michelin-starred restaurants, a combination of the cutting edge and traditional, and its backstreet, pull-up-a-stool speakeasy spots, every taste is catered for here. But – and there is a but – as it’s also the biggest city on the planet, with a script, language and etiquette so unfamiliar, it’s also an impenetrable place at times. A little guidance then, goes a long way. With that in mind, here are 11 IDEAL must-try foodie experiences in Tokyo.
SPEND A MORNING AT TSUKIJI MARKET
If you call yourself a foodie, then you’ll know about the sprawling Tsukiji Market, which according to celebrated New York chef David Chang, is a ‘great wonder of the world’. We couldn’t agree more. The market’s tuna auctions are world famous and the giant fish go for astronomical prices; some bidders pay nearly £24,000. While planning is currently underway to move it to the Toyosu waterfront area by October of this year, you can still catch the frenzied fish sales in its original home till then. Get there early, preferably before 3am to get one of the 120 coveted spots given out each day to see the auction. However, if getting up at the crack of dawn in the land of the rising sun isn’t your thing, then anytime after 9am will do as most of the shops stay open untill about 4 pm.
There are two main areas of the market; the outer, which has numerous shops and chains offering kitchen wear, Japanese knives and all sorts of Japanese delicacies, and the inner market, which sells approximately 480 kinds of seafood daily. Here you can get everything from uni (sea urchin) to ikrua (salmon roe). It also has around 270 types of fruit and vegetables, if the pescatarian diet has made you grow gills. After the auction, get breakfast, and if you’re looking for a recommendation, one place on any foodie’s radar should be Sushi Dai – probably the most famous of them all. Oh, and make sure you bring a jacket with you as it’s pretty frigid inside. And bear in mind the ban on ‘inappropriate footwear’ – no sandals, high heels or flip flops, then.
EXPERIENCE A TEA CEREMONY
Just like you wouldn’t visit England without sampling afternoon tea, a visit to Tokyo isn’t complete without experiencing the ancient art of the tea ceremony. A tradition stretching back over 1000 years, Japanese tea ceremonies are a serious affair, full of grace and elegance. The ritual is a like a well choreographed dance; a cultural show preparing and serving matcha alongside wagashi, a traditional Japanese sweet to balance out the tea’s bitterness. While of course there are many places to experience a tea ceremony, we particularly love Kantoku-tei; set in the beautiful Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens that were built in 1629, it’s a stunning place to enjoy tea.
EAT SOME WORLD CLASS SUSHI
Those who come back from their travels in Japan often declare that they’ll never eat sushi outside of the country again. Indeed, not all sushi is created equal and while there are the exceptions, the sushi generally found in the UK and countries other than Japan is pretty substandard. Tokyo, is where it’s at, sushi wise. There are there are approximately 5,000 sushi restaurants in Tokyo, so you’re spoilt for choice, to put it simply. You can find quality sushi everywhere in Tokyo, from the train station to the 7/11 (more on that later) to the dizzyingly priced plates of many a Michelin anointed venue. Generally speaking, Ginza is home to the best sushi places in Tokyo
GET LUNCH FROM A 7/11
Food is expensive in Japan, and while you may want a few blowouts on squeaky-fresh sashimi and sushi tasting menus, you’ll risk your entire budget on eating out if you don’t make use of the 7/11 menu. If you think this shop serves just your average convenience store food then think again. Locals don’t turn their nose up at a meal from here, so neither should you. Yep, they eat super-cheap noodles, soup dumplings, fried chicken sandwiches and loads of fresh offerings like octopus salad in basil dressing and more from these ubiquitous shops, all at a fraction of the price of a restaurant. We’d recommend you do too.
SLURP A BOWL OF RAMEN
Underneath the labyrinth of shops and restaurants beneath Tokyo Station, you will find (eventually) a street filled with some of the best ramen joints in all of Japan, on – wait for it – Ramen Street. This is the ramen epicentre of the world, a foodie mecca serving bowls and bowls of the good stuff. Choose any of the restaurants here and you’re guaranteed a deep, rich bowl of deliciousness. However, you’ll find phenomenal shops wherever you go in Tokyo and if you want to experience the best of the best, a Michelin-starred meal for under ¥1,000 at Tsuta is the place. Other ramen joints lauded by many chefs and well-heeled travellers alike include Afuri Ramen in Ebisu, Fungi, where you should order an intense bowl of tsukemen. Slurp away!
TAKE A FOOD CLASS
Working your way though the dishes of a country is a fantastic way to get to know a place, but if you want to take things to the next level, you should learn how to cook it. Immerse yourself in Japanese culture by taking a cooking class in Tokyo and come home with results ready to impress even the most discerning of dinner party guest. Cooking Sun offer authentic Japanese classes taught by local experts who all have an excellent command of English.
GO ON A SAKE TASTING TOUR
There are approximately 10000 different types of sake produced in Japan so finding one to call your own can be a little tricky. The best way to find a tipple for your taste buds, then, is to go on a sake tasting tour. On one, you’ll be shown places you’d never have discovered on your own, and that’s what it’s all about, right?
DON’T FEAR THE FUGU
If you’ve ever watched the late, great Anthony Bourdain’s cooking and travel shows, no doubt you’ll have seen the episode where he visits a Fugu restaurant, which specialises in the potentially lethal puffer fish. You’ve probably seen the Simpsons episode, too. For daring gourmands in search of a truly unforgettable dining experience, then sampling this deadly delicacy is for you.
EAT YAKATORI ON MEMORY LANE
Omoide Yokocho, which means “Memory Lane” (also referred to as ‘piss alley’ by the locals) is a tiny street lit up with red Izakaya lights and lined with Japanese bars and yakitori restaurants. It started back in the late 1940’s as an illegal drinking quarter and due to the lack of facilities, people relieved themselves on the street, giving it its somewhat charming nickname. Here the enticing smell of Yakatori – rather than an altogether sourer tang – wafts through the air and beckons you in.
While Yakitori unquestionably rules the roost here, nikomi, a stew like creation made of beef tendon, intestines, and vegetables, is also a popular choice. If you’re looking for something a little more on the wild side , head to Asadachi, a little restaurant where you can eat frog sashimi, grilled salamander and pig’s testicles. All of which, we were told, will make you ‘strong’. Gym membership? Who needs one when you’ve got some porcine balls?
VISIT A THEMED CAFE OR RESTAURANT
Just as you can’t leave Japan without partaking in ancient cultural traditions like the tea ceremony, there are some more modern, novel experiences you should also consider. Enter Japan’s whacky themed cafes. Tokyo is the world capital of themed cafés and restaurants, offering everything from cat cafes, where you can get your feline and coffee fix at the same time, to a Vampire cafe which serves spooky fare served by waiters with Transylvanian-inspired accents. Luckily they don’t go as far as fixing you a Bloody Mary made from actual claret, but this is Tokyo and really, anything is possible. There are numerous maid cafes dotted around the city too, more than 200 infact, and butler cafes are also a thing. While this experiences might not be for the serious foodie, it’s an insight into Japans fascinating and multifaceted culture; playful, embracing of the weird and most importantly, a whole lot of fun.
DON’T FORGET DEPACHIKA (UNDERGROUND DEPARTMENT SOTRE)
Underneath many of Tokyo’s department stores, the bottom floor is the ultimate foodie destination; a culinary theme park if you will, selling what seems like limitless options of both Japanese and international delights. One of our favourites is Tokyu Toyoko Department Store, directly linked to Shibuya Station. Here the Tokyo Food Show is a self proclaimed ‘Theatre of Food’, and it’s a damn good show, too. Most of theses places cater for takeout only, so grab some Japanese delights and don’t forget to pick out a foodie souvenir to take home. Happy travels and happy eating!
There’s always plenty of debate around modern architecture. Like marmite, you either love a contemporary building or hate it. Just think of the Eiffel tower, even before the end of its construction, it was at the heart of heated discussion. Newspapers received angry letters from eminent artists protesting that the tower was a monstrosity and didn’t fit the ambiance of the city. Fast forward to now and it’s become France’s most loved and iconic structure.
Like the Effiel Tower, The AC Hotel Bella Sky hotel in Copenhagen has been named as one of the most famous structures in it’s country. However it too has caused quite a stir among traditional and modernist design lovers.
If you ask a Dane about the hotel, you get mixed reviews. Some view this structure as an eyesore. Others joke about it, likening it to the two towers in Lord of the Rings, and some believe it’s a spectacular skyscraper that perfectly embodies modern Scandanavia. Whatever your view or taste, there’s no denying that this towering hotel has become one of Copenhagen’s landmarks.
We recently had the pleasure of staying at The Bella Sky and decided we’re fans of the building. Here’s our review.
Idea
A unique four star hotel with 812 rooms where you can experience Scandinavian quality, comfort and service in exclusive surroundings.
Location
Only five minutes from Copenhagen City airport, The Bella Sky is located in the new district of Ørestad. For some, this may seem a bit far out, however the hotel has its very own metro station and it only takes eight minutes to get to downtown Copenhagen. It’s also right next to the enormous expanse of Amager Faelled. This park is the perfect place to ride a bike (which you can rent at the hotel) and enjoy some fresh air, scandi-style.
Decor
The architecture and ultramodern décor is certainly unique and the entire hotel has a spacey, futuristic feel. The design is like a representation of what all buildings in coming decades might look and feel like. And here the future looks impressive, if not a little outlandish. We love the remarkable living green wall, which shows the hotel’s commitment to sustainability and eco-consciousness. However it also reminds us that the future will have to figure out how to foster green spaces in order for us to survive.
Decor & Atmosphere
If you’re looking for ‘hygge’, then this place isn’t for you. This hotel is huge and is the opposite of cosy but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Here it’s more about beautiful and aesthetic design. There is a nod to producing some coziness and comfortable conviviality via some candles and low level lighting in the lobby, however ‘hygge’ this is not. That said, the stunning contemporary design of the hotel is impressive. It has it’s own New Nordic style and doesn’t give that typical impersonal and formal feeling you get in most large hotels.
As Scandinavia’s largest conference centre is next door, the hotel is geared towards business-travelling guests so there are lots of informal break-out areas throughout the property that create a conducive working environment.
If you’re a fan of Star Trek the Next generation, you’ll notice the rooms have a striking resemblance to the Starship Enterprise. Hints of the famed science fiction vessel can be seen throughout the hotel. The illuminated room numbers make you feel like you’re just about to enter the holodeck and the shape of the windows remind us of the triangle-shaped delta wing of the ship. At night it even feels like you’re in space, on the bridge, hovering over Copenhagen. In the day the rooms are filled with a lot of natural light, beds are super comfy (stupendously so) and have all the mod cons, including floor to ceiling electric blinds.
Food and Drink
The hotel has it’s own restaurant serving up New Nordic cuisine, however, as Copenhagen is every foodies dream city, we’d recommend going into the centre for a bite to eat. A visit to the hotel’s effortlessly cool Sky Bar on the 23rd floor is a must though. It’s located a whopping 76,5 meters above ground level and showcases breathtaking views of Copenhagen – it’s so high up you can even catch a glimpse of Sweden. The cocktails are good and if you’re peckish we recommend ordering the smørrebrød.
Facilities
This is every business travellers dream hotel with breakout areas, conference and meetings rooms galore. There’s a 24-hour fitness area and a spa which features cold and warm baths, an ice fountain, hot beds for relaxation, sauna and yoga on selected dates. Book well in advance to avoid disappointment as it gets full fast. The hotel also offers guests a 24-hour airport shuttle service.
Dry Shampoo is the ultimate staple product when it comes to sprucing up your style for a last minute dinner out, a festival or those times when you just don’t have time to wash your locks. You always want to look and feel your best and hair plays an important part of your overall appearance as it is one of the first things people notice. With the help of stylist to the stars Asgar Saboo, here are 6 IDEAL ways to make the most out of your dry shampoo.
FOCUS ON THE T-SECTION
The key thing to know when using dry shampoo and when time is tight is to attack the areas that get the greasiest. This means focusing on the T-section, so the area where you commonly part your hair and then covering approximately a quarter of your head which frames your face.
BE CAREFUL HOW YOUR SPRAY
Treat the dry shampoo as you would a normal volumising spray, spritzing your hair in sections about two inches apart, working your way down from the parting to the nape. Position the bottle nozzle approximately eight inches from the hair and don’t remain on one region of your scalp for too long – you don’t want to face product build-up.
IDEALTIP: Gently shake your head as you’re spraying the product, to ensure it doesn’t all settle in one region.
TACKLING PRODUCT BUILD UP
If you accidentally do result in product build-up, don’t panic as there are a few key ingredients to help and they’re not what you’d necessarily expect…Apple cider vinegar and baking soda are two excellent home remedies for removing any product build up, however do make sure you rinse thoroughly after!
Once a month, wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo. These products are more acidic than others so do not use it regularly. The good news is if you use a clarifying shampoo monthly, your regular shampoo will have a better effect.
MASSAGE IT INTO YOUR HAIR
The most important factor when it comes to using dry shampoo is the correct absorption of the product as initially your locks are likely to have a matt finish which you don’t want.The technique to rub in the product is critical ~ once you have evenly spritzed the dry shampoo into your hair, massage it into your head as you would with wet shampoo in the shower. You need to ensure the product is all rubbed in and evenly distributed across your T section, for the best results.
DON’T TIE YOUR HAIR UP
A key note to remember is you should avoid tying your hair up once dry shampoo has been applied. By its nature this type of product gives hair that messy ‘bedhead’ vibe, but if you double that up with an unkempt top-knot then it creates a double negative and you result in a rather scruffy overall look.
Instead try to leave your locks to flow in tousled waves and keep a small bottle of dry shampoo with you for spruce-ups throughout the day, evening, festival or event… no one will know!
CONSIDER A TOUCH OF SILVER
Dry shampoos have completely changed the hair game in recent times ~ they have upped their offering in the beauty industry.If you want to create that overall silver shine which is trending amongst celebrities, VIPs and influential figures in the fashion industry, then opt for a revitalising dry shampoo which offers a touch of silver. The same method applies as the aforementioned dry shampoo, so follow these steps and you’re good to go.
With the party season fast approaching, the frequency of after-work drinks is going up faster than the nation’s Christmas trees. And seeing as you wouldn’t want to waste a second going home to change, the careful balancing act of finding attire fit for both work and play is now in your hands. So, inspired by AW18 fashion trends, here are 4 IDEAL style tips to help you go from desk to drinks this festive season.
DRESS UP A BLACK JUMPER DRESS
Fancy a full outfit change before you head out? Style down a jumper dress during the day with tights and flat pumps and dress it up for the evening with a cross-body bag and printed shoes. Black is the perfect colour for work transitioning into play as it gives off sophisticated vibes in a business meeting and creates a classy evening look when you head out to the bar.
Accessorise with chunky drop-earrings and statement rings to complete the look. Fortunately for us, knitted jumper dresses come in a range of styles today, suitable for all shapes and sizes. Choose one with a leg-split for something that’s less formal if you want to show off your pins post 5 pm.
USE THIS SEASON’S COLOUR PALETTE
Not all gatherings involve hitting the bars of course, so how should you style it out for a post-work meal out? We’d recommend keeping on trend with this season’s colour palette — autumnal brown. Choose a culotte waistline to show off your curves but keep it formal with a jumper and blazer. When it’s time to clock-out, swap your smart coat for a leopard print jacket and you’re ready for the evening. It’s that simple.
Bringing together different garments from the same colour palette is an on-trend technique that’s ideal for work-to-play outfits; it creates a look that feels just the right side of carefully curated and not too loud for work.
ADD SOME SPARKLE
Choose a no-fuss outfit that doesn’t take long to put together once you’ve clocked out. Like every year, we’re embracing the glitz and glam of the winter season so include a touch of sparkle in whatever you choose.
CHOOSE COMBOS
The chunky knit and skirt combo pictured below is perfect for a seasonal party, keeping you warm enough for when you’re walking from bar to bar but dressy enough for when you hit the dancefloor. The style of this jumper is ideal for the office, and the high-neck brings an edge to your workwear look. Simply pair with black jeans throughout the day and swap for a mini-skirt for the evening. Pair with your favourite pair of heeled pointed courts and clutch bag, complete with gold embellishments, and you’re ready for whatever the night holds.
It’s a familiar scene to many. The family’s designated cook, a picture of Christmas calm as they unwrapped presents and quaffed early morning’s buck’s fizz, is now charging around at a hundred miles an hour, spillages everywhere, a smell of burning, orders being barked. ‘Take that off the heat’, ‘pour that in there’, ‘quick, drain this’…and so on. We’re not sure who looks more frazzled, them or the turkey. Tranquil this ain’t.
If only they’d planned and prepared a little more ahead of time. This festive season, make this your bible; our 5 IDEAL tips for prepping your xmas dinner in advance.
MAKE YOUR SAUCES BEFOREHAND
For many, including us, a good gravy is the make or break of roast dinner success or sorry, but no. You can do most of the leg (and breast, and wing) work as ahead of time as your willpower wishes, then freeze. Simply defrost and add the deglazed roasting pan juices on the day. Both cranberry and bread sauce freeze brilliantly, too.
PREP YOUR VEG
With so much else to think about, vegetables are often bottom of the priority list, getting peeled by a 2 year old nephew with seconds until the bird is on the table. That’s a real shame, as carefully selected, thoughtfully paired veg can elevate your Christmas dinner from good to great. You’ll be pleased to hear that most of the prep can be done the day before. Peel preemptively, keeping items in a bowl of water in the fridge until they’re needed the next day. Par boil and then refresh in iced water if you must, drain, and keep covered in a bowl tight with cling film or in a container with airtight lid. This even applies to everyone’s favourite part of the feast; the spuds. Just whack them in a hot roasting tray with lots of fat the next day.
SOME THINGS TASTE BETTER WITH TIME
Prepping in advance isn’t only about saving yourself time. Indeed, some things actually taste better the next day, after a night of flavours bedding now together and getting acquainted. Red cabbage, for instance, benefits from a day in the fridge, as those beloved Christmassy spices need a little time to work their magic.
BRINE YOUR MEAT
Although it won’t necessarily save time on the big day, it will save stress, as by brining your chosen meat you’re pretty much guaranteeing it’s going to be tender, even if you mess up your timings a little. The type of brine you use will depend on the meat, but in general a 10% ratio of salt to water, with herbs, armoats and spices added, brought to the boil and then chilled before using works well. Submerge your meat in the salty water overnight, and be ready to soak up a lot of praise the next day.
SPEED STUFFING
While meat is still on the mind, we should add that you can also make (and cook) your stuffing in advance. It freezes well and can simply be warmed up (to a temperature of 80°C) on the day. With all this planning and preparation completed well ahead of schedule, the only thing you’ll have to worry about is putting the oven on. Merry Christmas!
Christmas dinner is just 18 more opened doors of the advent calendar away, and stress for some is building. After all, there’s so much that could go wrong; from turning the turkey to sawdust, to overseasoning the stuffing, all the way to dropping the Christmas pudding on your elderly grandfather’s head (just us, that one? whoops). But what if we told you that the best way to be war ready in time to face the inevitable last minute, ovens-on-full dash to the finish line isn’t only down to your food prep. Nope, it’s all about getting your kitchen qualified and equipped for the job in hand. With that in mind, here are 5 IDEAL ways to improve the functionality of your kitchen in time for Christmas.
THE RIGHT TOOLS
So much of cooking success depends on the tools you have to hand. We’re not suggesting you invest in a sous-vide machine, water bath and dehydrator, although if you’ve got the financial backing, that would certainly do no harm. Nope, we’re talking about the basics, the apparatus which grease the cogs of great cooking every day in kitchens across the country. A basic inventory should include a couple of heavy based pans, a slotted spoon, sieve, selection of spatulas, wooden spoons….the list goes on, and we wouldn’t want to insult your intelligence by noting everything. But the message is clear; if you want to turn out great dishes, use tools appropriate to the task.
ALL OF THE LIGHTS
A simple way to cook efficiently and effectively is by making sure the lighting is correct. You’ll want to see what you’re doing, where you’re chopping, what’s cooked, what’s raw, what’s clean and what’s not. By adding a dimmer switch or even an extra lamp, the kitchen space will be transformed. And so, hopefully, will your cooking.
STORAGE SAVVY
Professional kitchens are storage obsessed. Each night ends in a whirlwind of consolidating, reboxing and relabelling, throwing out what’s off and finding room for what’s good. This is all in the name of real estate. If you’re a keen home cook then you’ll know that space is king; the more marmalades, chutneys, breads, cakes, sauces and stocks you endeavour to be homemade, the more space you’ll need to store them in.
Fortunately, the kitchen tends to have a lot of dead space ripe for exploiting. Install corner carousels and pull out racks, hang utensils against the back wall, and store pots and pans neatly to maximise space. What’s more, throw out food which is past it and rebox those which are way too small for their containers. That way you’ll free up fridge and cupboard space for new, delicious, home-cooked arrivals.
KEEP IT CLEAN
You’re only as good a cook as your kitchen is clean. Indeed, keeping things neat and tidy, with clean lines and everything in its right place, is one of the cornerstones of culinary wisdom. It’s an ethos, a mentality, to do everything correctly and with care, that the very best chefs cherish. In short, your mise en place can make or break you. If everything is where it should be, and mess isn’t causing distractions and impeding movement, then getting things done to the best of the cook’s ability is as easy as an expertly cooked pie.
So, make sure your tools are so clean you could do your hair in them (don’t do that though – not hygienic) and surfaces are spotless. Organise and equip your space whole and holistically. Plastic chopping boards, of correct colour, are easier to clean than wood. Granite wipes down more totally than a textured concrete. And tiles – perhaps like these porcelanosa tiles available at Tiles and Bathrooms – are easier to remove splatter stains from than laminate and wooden floors. It’s all in the detail.
WORK OUT YOUR WORKFLOW
You may never have considered good kitchen workflow – consciously at least. But don’t worry, that’s just a fancy way of referring to the relative positioning of all your stuff within the room. It’s generally best to position your chopping area right next to the hob, in the name of preserving economy of movement – and food finding its way haphazardly to the floor. The bin should be as near to the sink as possible, to make the disposing of leftovers carry in to washing up seamlessly. And a bit of space between oven and food storage prevents the unwanted warming up of larder staples. Now you’ve got your kitchen ripe and ready for the festive season, it’s time to get cooking!
Hey you! Yes, you; the leaner-inner, eye squinter, shoulder huncher. Straighten up your back, adopt a safe reading distance, release the tension in your neck, drop those shoulders, and read on; this one’s for you.
Having bad posture is something that many of us are guilty of, and often we fall into it as a short-term relief provider from the aches and pains accrued throughout a day of sitting and typing. Ultimately though, it can lead to long-lasting damage. Recent research, which investigated the effects of technology on our posture, has coined the term ‘tech neck’ — pain and wrinkles across the neck and chest that are derived from time spent looking at computers and handheld devices. And that’s something we’re all prone to, as more and more work, worldwide, is done at the desk. With that in mind, here are 4 IDEAL ways to improve your posture in the office.
FOCUS ON BODY POSITIONING
If you maintain a bad posture, you’re not only at risk of ‘tech neck’, but it can lead to muscle problems and strains in other areas of the body too; something we all want to avoid. In fact, poor posture is known to be one of the major causes of back problems.
Ensuring that you’re positioning your body in the correct way is key — you’re likely to be sitting or standing like this for long stretches, five times a week, at least, so it’s important that you’re not doing yourself subtle, accumulative damage.
Health experts say that good posture is where the body is in perfect alignment. This is where your spine can maintain its natural curvature and isn’t strained unduly. The best way to sit or stand in this way is to imagine there is a string attached to the top of your head that’s pulling you up, like a puppet. Kinda. This should lengthen your stance, improve the way that you’re positioned, and stop you from slouching. You might find that slouching is temporarily comfortable, but over time it can lead to strain on already sensitised muscles and soft tissues.
BE CONSCIOUS OF HOW YOU SIT
If your job is deskbound, then a little slouching is inevitable. But what can you do to reduce the impact of being sedentary for large stretches of the day? Well, sitting back in the chair rather than perching on the edge is a good start, as this offers your back some support and again, stops you from slouching. Do not sit so far back that your feet dangle though, or the weight of your body will be spread out strangely. Positioning yourself so that your legs hang over the side of your chair causes gravity to pull your feet towards the ground and this tilts your pelvis backwards, which can lead to pain. If you sit on a high stool at work (or if you’re propping up the bar regularly) tuck in your feet in and rest them on the support.
When it comes to your shoulders, make sure that they’re in a relaxed position. Avoid hunching them up so that you can lean on the arms of your chair or rolling them forwards.
If you have a desk job, you’re also at risk of causing back and neck misalignment. Research has even shown that sitting time has a positive correlation with lower back pain and neck-shoulder pain intensity. However, you’ll be pleased to hear that there are some actions that you can take to maintain a good posture when you’re at work, whilst offering relief from back pain.
ASK FOR THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT
Good posture doesn’t start and end with us. The responsibility also lies with your employer. Not only do we need to sit in the right way, but we need to be using equipment that supports our good posture.
Having a supporting chair is an important piece of equipment to own. Luckily you don’t have to spend a fortune on one as there are plenty of budget ergonomic office chairs out there that designed to promote posture, comfort & movement. Armrests can help provide support, but they need to be the correct height. If they’re too high, this can cause raised shoulders, and if they’re too low, leaning.
As we mentioned before, make sure that your chair is the right height so that your feet are flat on the floor and your knees are parallel to, or just lower than, your hips. Your screen should be directly in front of you, around an arm’s length away with the top of the screen and at your eye level. A neck rest can also be used to help you relax your neck when you’re not typing if you wish.
You could benefit from a cordless headset if you’re on the phone a lot; you might find yourself cradling your phone between your ear and shoulder, which can add unnecessary strain to our neck, upper back and shoulders.
STAY MOBILE
Try and keep moving if you can. Even if you’re sitting with good posture, being sat in the same place for a prolonged period can still be harmful. Moving around at work, on the other hand, has other fitness benefits too. In fact, when asked to interrupt their sitting at work every half an hour throughout the day, overweight/obese office workers showed a 32% reduction in lower back discomfort, compared to seated work. By standing during phone calls, taking a break from the computer every 30 minutes and stretching your legs, walking to a colleague’s desk instead of emailing them and doing some desk exercises, you’ll be reducing the sedentary way of work which is so detrimental to our health and well being. Good luck!
It’s incredible just how many contrasts can be stuffed into the traditional Christmas dinner in the hands of the wrong cook or host. Burnt, raw turkey? Check. Tough and bleeding due to over-heating and under-resting? Sure, why not. Potatoes both dry and woolly? We’ve all had them. Salmon less smoked, more sweating? Grr. The warm white wine which makes you pucker and grimace, yet manages to be the best bit in a sea of dinner table based tragedy? No doubt. The cracker whimpered, the novelty hat is torn and depressing, and the joke is missing a punchline. Welcome to the family festive dinner everyone. Cheers!
But it really shouldn’t have to be this way. And while a lack of skill, planning and good taste may indeed be holding us back, the main reason why Christmas dinner is often such a let down is our stubborn insistence on being slaves to tradition. Well, it’s time break free, with this; our 5 IDEAL ways to switch up your Xmas dinner.
WOW WITH THE CANAPES
Even with revolution in the air, you’re still expected to cook Christmas dinner within a fairly narrow set of parameters; a roast meat, crispy spuds, a gravy…..and that’s fine. People can only deal with so much change. That means if you’re gonna get creative and show off your sense of flair, theatre and culinary prowess, it’s got to be with the canapes. Although a lot of Christmas cooking tips advise dispensing with them altogether, we’re going to have to disagree. This is your time to shine.
Why not swap in some lightly cured, blowtorched mackerel for the traditional smoked salmon, served on hot toast spread with a seaweed butter? Proper cheffy and not a massive amount of effort, if truth be told. Instead of cocktail sausages, you could fashion (or buy in) sausage rolls made with game. Classy and healthier, too. Put the same effort into the veggie nibbles, too; you’ll wow no one with a stuffed olive, after all. Making your own choux pastry for cheese gougeres, for instance, shows flair and an understanding of the classics. The carnivores will be all over them too.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT TURKEY
While we’re not completely against everyone’s least favourite roast bird, we do think the sheer effort involved in making it edible often outweighs the benefits. First, you’ve gotta get a bird with a great fat to meat ratio. You’ve also got to brine well in advance, pay close attention to oven temperature and geography, careful resting….the list goes on. And the result is often disappointing. Especially when there are so many more delicious options out there.
Consider this year throwing the rulebook out of the window and bringing a centrepiece to the table which will give you as much back in flavour as you gave in energy to source it correctly. A proud rib of beef sitting centre stage will make everyone cast custom to the back of their minds, while roasting a game bird will still pay lip service to tradition but pay service to the lips, too, in flavour. Should you be intent on roasting game, then it’s all in the sourcing. And please, don’t just serve the side dishes to the veggies in the family, they deserve their own main event too.
CAST THE SUPPORTING ACTS CAREFULLY
Another well-accustomed Christmas dinner mistake is the pedestrian way in which we approach our vegetables. Get some parsnips, some carrots, chuck them in the roasting tray and hope for the best. But each vegetable side should not only be cooked to its own exacting requirements, but also chosen with seasonality in mind and served to complement the main event. If you’re serving duck, for example, then a parsnip puree is blissful alongside. Say you’ve gone for that rib of beef we recommended, then substitute the parsnip for celeriac; a root veg which makes beef sing (or moo, rather) at the top of its lungs. And keep thinking about every detail; your duck or beef from a few sentences ago’s fat could also be used to roast the spuds in, the herbs you use should be appropriate for the meat, and so on.
Oh, and don’t forget the wine; choose a grape, oak and barrel which do your cooking justice. There’s much more to it than white wine for birds, red for darker meat.
DITCH DESSERT
….well not entirely. But, we’re not sure if there are many out there who truly relish the Christmas pud’s arrival when already close to coma from the main course. A few carefully selected cheeses, homemade mince pies, or even a cranberry tart are a more elegant, less overwhelming way to close proceedings.
OUTSOURCE THE STRESS
Here’s a thought; you could not cook at all. Plenty of pubs and restaurants are open on Christmas Day, ready with open arms and ovens full of food cooked by professionals. When considering the amount of money (and stress) expended on the Christmas feast, heading out for lunch or dinner might actually be a more financially viable option. And the likelihood of all those family disputes rearing their ugly head after one too many ports is highly reduced if you’re out in public. Result!
