More goes into the design of a takeaway coffee cup than most of us realise.
For instance, you might not have known that placing the cover’s drinking spout opposite the paper cup’s “seam” can help prevent leaks.
And if you’re anything like me, you’ll have no idea why there’s often a tiny hole (separate from the main drinking point) in the lid either.
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Turns out it’s actually a pretty smart safety feature ― and makes sipping from the container easier too.
How?
According to the Aussie version of the food and drink site Delicious, it’s partly down to steam.
The minute vent helps steam to escape, they say ― though this doesn’t cool it down much.
Instead, it prevents steam from building up in the container, causing pressure to build and potentially leading to burst cups.
Additionally, the presence of another hole than the drinking spout allows coffee to run smoothly when you’re sipping from it ― otherwise, there’d be no airflow in the cup.
They write that the Viora lid’s “deep well and centred hole are designed to concentrate the coffee’s aroma.”
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It also helps to prevent spills
Per Delicious, the oft-unnoticed detail design also helps to keep your coffee where it should be (ideally, either in your mouth or in the cup).
It works for the same reason the hold creates a better sip; if there’s a lack of steady airflow, the liquid will move in jumpy, unpredictable ways.
Designer Louise Harpman and architect Scott Specht, who worked together on Coffee Lids: Peel, Pinch, Pucker, Puncture, say that trends, tech, and even legal cases have shaped the design of the mundane invention over the years.
For example, coffee lids became more dome-shaped as foamy, bubbly drinks rose in popularity; after the famous McDonald’s coffee court case, they told Atlas Obscura, brands started including more visible warnings on their lids.
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“Coffee lids are modest modern marvels, but we rarely slow down and take the time to consider, admire, or even wonder about these humble masterpieces,” Louise told the publication.
People, I have been humbled by roast potato facts recently.
I thought my recipe was foolproof until I realised that not only should I be adding Mary Berry-approved semolina to the veggies for an extra crunch, but I should also retire my extra-virgin olive oil additions.
And now, it seems I’ve been making another mistake on my way to crispy, fluffy perfection ― turns out it’s important to cool your parboiled potatoes before cooking them.
We’ve written before about how applying low-moisture semolina to the outside of potatoes can ensure they crisp up as they cook rather than steaming their skins to softness.
Well, the same philosophy applies here. When you parboil your roast potatoes, you infuse them with water (no shockers there). And the steam puffs out from the exterior of your potatoes for a while after removing them from the water.
This can interfere with the potatoes’ interaction with the hot oil you should be adding them to after roughing up their sides and adding seasoning. And if they’re seriously steamy, or even wet, you can get some dangerous splashback.
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You should “strain them and wait until the steam stops,” William shared. “You’ll never get a crisp result if they are full of water.”
In fact, Joe White, head chef at 10 Tib Lane in Manchester, even goes so far as to say “For the perfect roasties make sure to steam or boil them the day before and let them air dry overnight in the fridge. It will make the outside extra crispy when you roast them.”
What’s the right method, then?
According to Williams, “To get the perfect potatoes, peel them, add to cold water and bring to boil. Boil for around six minutes until the edges soften.”
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Shake them in the colander while hot to provide rough, textured edges, and apply semolina and seasonings while the spuds are still hot. Freshly-boiled potatoes will provide fluffier outer layers, and ingredients stick better to hot food.
Then, strain them and cool them. When you’re ready to cook them, place a fat of your choice ― duck fat if you want to be luxurious, though sunflower and vegetable oils are great options ― in a baking tray to get hot before adding the spuds.
“Roast for around twenty minutes in a hot oven before turning them over; this allows a crust to form underneath, so you won’t leave half the potato stuck to the tray,” Williams recommends.
We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about the three letters you should always look out for on Italian wine bottles to make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck.
Well bang is one thing, but what about fizz? After all, ’tis the season for a festive glass of bubbly ― and if you’re anything like me, you have no idea what to look for on a champagne label.
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Luckily wine expert Partner In Wine shared a TikTok video revealing how to “read” the drink’s bottle.
Let’s start with “Brut”
I’ll be honest here ― I thought “Brut” was a brand of champagne, but the wine pro says it’s actually to do with its taste.
“Brut is a common name for the sweetness of the wine,” she explained.
“So this bottle says ‘Brut’ on it, which means it’s a dry wine. If you want something bone-dry, look for the words ‘Extra Brut’ or ‘Brut Nature’.”
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The “drier” the champagne (or the more Brut force it has ― teehee), the less sweet it is, Champagne de Lozey say on their site.
If you’re after something a little more sugary, Martha Stewart’s site adds, you might want to go for a demi-sec or, for the sweetest sip, doux, variety.
Then, there’s the vintage to consider
“Most champagnes state ‘NV’ on the label,” the wine expert said, meaning they’re not vintage.
“This means it’s been made of a blend of grapes from different years.”
Though I always heard “vintage” matters, Partner In Wine explains that the blending method helps winemakers to produce consistent wine brands that taste the same every time you drink a different bottle.
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It’s a smart move because bad grape years spell disaster for your glass of bubbly ― mixing blends together can provide a better product.
With that said, Partner In Wine points out that if a winemaker shows you the year their product is from, that’s usually because its something to brag about.
“If there’s a year on the label, that means it comes form one exceptional year,” she shared. “This means it’s a vintage champagne, and they tend to be more expensive but also, more delicious.”
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Don’t let the word “vintage” lead you to think she means “ancient,” though.
Cult Wine Investment writes that 2008 is this century’s standout year, with 2013 and 2014 also yielding pretty great results. 2002 and 2000 went down well too, they add.
These days, it seems like more people are traveling than ever. So it makes sense that many travellers are seeking unique experiences that don’t feel like the same standard vacation everyone else is taking (and posting about on social media).
Fortunately, there are plenty of fresh and fulfilling types of trips you can take ― from “destination dupes” to “mystery travel.” But a particularly meaningful option is “heritage travel.”
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Below, travel experts break down this approach to travel and what you should know before you plan a heritage trip.
What is heritage travel?
“Heritage travel is when you explore destinations tied to your ancestry or cultural roots,” said Gabby Beckford, founder of the travel site Packs Light. “It’s about discovering more about yourself, your family stories, and your overall identity by traveling to places where you are, in some part, ‘from.’”
People interested in heritage travel ― which is also known as genealogy tourism, ancestral travel, roots tourism and DNA tourism ― can plan vacations around their family lineage and walk the path of their ancestors. This is all much easier to do in the age of services like 23andMe, AncestryDNA and MyHeritage.
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“It’s been popular for years already, but I think it’s really grown since the advent of at-home DNA testing products,” said Laura Motta, the senior director of content at Lonely Planet. “They can give people a ton of insight into where their families are from.”
For many, these home kits have awakened a desire to connect with their history and experience aspects of their ancestors’ culture firsthand. Now, companies like Ancestry are offering special guided heritage travel opportunities to customers who want to gain a greater understanding of their family’s past. Options include ancestral home visits, genealogy cruises and personal guided tours.
Heritage travel is increasingly common in places that experienced mass emigration or forced removal at some point and therefore have a large diaspora community in other parts of the world. Examples include Ireland, Ghana and Italy (as seen in Season 2 of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” which featured a three-generation Sicilian American family returning to their ancestral roots in Testa dell’Acqua).
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“Lots of countries and communities are working to enable and encourage heritage tourism, which makes complete sense. It’s big business,” Motta said. “Tour operators and tourism boards often have information to help you get started.”
Heritage travel can also refer more broadly to any type of tourism that involves visiting historic and cultural sites and immersing yourself in the destination’s past and present way of life. And this certainly applies to ancestry-focused tourism.
“Reconnection to the past is at the central core of heritage travel,” said Katy Nastro, a travel expert and spokesperson for the Going travel app. “A type of travel designed to better engage a traveler with the cultural heritage of a place, heritage travel is more about understanding a destination through genuine traditions and experiences rooted in history.
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What are the benefits of heritage travel?
There are many reasons why heritage travel might appeal to tourists.
“It can be really fascinating and can help connect people to their ethnic and cultural roots,” Motta said. “Of course, heritage tourism can mean very different things to different people. You might be chasing a complicated paper trail of baptism certificates and immigration records in Ireland, or finding your family’s former home in California, or learning about rituals that your ancestors performed in Ghana.”
Beckford said she personally finds the heritage travel trend to be very exciting.
“As someone who is multiracial, I understand that in a world that likes to put people into neat categories, not fitting perfectly into one can feel alienating,” she noted. “I believe knowledge is power, and traveling back to where your ancestors came from to understand how you became the person you are today can be not only fascinating but healing for many people like me.”
Heritage travel can take many forms and include a wide range of experiences. People may have different goals and approaches to their ancestral journeys.
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“I see many families, particularly second and third generations, taking heritage trips to reconnect with rituals, traditions, religions, holidays, or even to honour specific family members who have passed,” Beckford said.
By taking a heritage-focused trip, you have the opportunity to truly immerse yourself in the local culture and history as well.
“Travellers more and more are seeking an authentic travel experience, away from uber-popular tourist traps, traveling more purposefully,” Nastro said. “There is no better way to understand your current surroundings than by walking through its past.”
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She added that you don’t necessarily need to design an entire vacation around heritage travel, but can instead incorporate it through specific activities or experiences in your trip.
Gerhard Pettersson / 500px via Getty Images
Travel experts believe the rise of DNA testing services has led to increased interest in heritage trips.
Here’s what else you should know before trying this trip.
Although there are many benefits to these kinds of trips, heritage travel is not an inherently positive experience.
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“History is messy. Families are complicated,” Motta said. “There are plenty of reasons why people become estranged from their families and heritage. Chasing your personal history can lead to discoveries that are uncomfortable, unpleasant and even contradictory. For most, the upsides far outweigh this, but it’s something to consider.”
Another downside is the potential for mismanaged expectations.
“Visiting your ancestral lands may or may not provide the healing someone might be seeking,” Beckford said. “These places and their people naturally change and evolve with time, and some travellers might put too much pressure on a destination to be what they need it to be, rather than accepting it for what it is.”
Home cooks, check off these “secret ingredients” as they apply: do you put chocolate in your chilli? Sugar in your tomato sauce? Do you reckon everyone else would just loveee Brussels sprouts if only they oven-roasted them with some bacon or pancetta?
There’s nothing wrong with those tried-and-true pearls of kitchen wisdom; they do work.
But according to Dean Parker, chef patron of Glasgow restaurant Celentano’s, there’s another way to transform the humble sprout.
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When asked what his secret to brilliant Brussels is, he didn’t mention any pork products at all.
So what’s the secret?
“Hazelnuts and miso butter are my secret ingredient for my Brussel sprouts,” he shared.
Hazelnuts add the crunch of chestnuts that chefs like Mary Berry swear by (though she sometimes plumps for cashews), while miso butter creates both the umami tang you’d expect from meat and the decedent creaminess only butter can deliver.
You can pan-fry drained, boiled sprouts in the mix, like Mary Berry does with her cashew and pea version.
Alternatively, you can slice your sprouts pretty thinly for a bit more bite.
If you’re making a festive feast, Tommy Heaney, founder of Heaneys, Cardiff, swears by time and effort-saving a trick I’ve used and love myself.
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He recommends par-boiling your potatoes ahead of time, chuffing them in a colander, and then leaving them in the fridge overnight before cooking them the next day.
If you really want to be hands-off on Christmas, he advises, “Put them in the freezer until Christmas Eve and defrost overnight.”
“On Christmas Day, begin by frying them with plenty of oil or fat until coloured all over, add garlic and rosemary and then finish in the oven on a high heat.”
Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas ― but as someone who struggles a bit at social ’dos, I often wish there was a guidebook on how to be a good guest.
Well, it’s not quite the behaviour manual Jane Austen would have recognised, but new research from DFS offers more or less that.
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The company surveyed 2,000 adults based in the UK and asked them what they deemed to be the greatest guest offences over the festive season.
One answer stood out above all else, getting 47% of the overall vote (and 56% from those aged 65 and over).
Which is?
Being late seemed to annoy more people than any other faux pas, the survey found.
Body language and behavioural expert Adrianne Carter, who paired with the furniture company, explained: “Guests are expected to be on time because late arrivals can disrupt the planned schedule for food and activities.”
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She added, “Arriving late without a good reason can be seen as disrespectful to the host and the occasion, suggesting a lack of consideration for the effort put into organising the event.”
With that said, she advises against an early entrance, which can “throw the host into a tizzy and start the occasion off on the wrong footing.”
Bang on time (or thereabouts) seems to be the best-received choice.
What else annoyed people?
Per the DFS survey, the next-biggest bugbears for hosts were guests not bringing a drink (41%), then not taking their shoes off (33%).
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“Arriving with drinks, as 41% of hosts expect, is a gesture of contribution and support,” Adrianne said.
“It acknowledges the host is providing the majority of the effort and is a token of your appreciation. It also takes the pressure off the host having to provide every drink option.”
So far as shoes go, she advised us to at least ask if we should remove them: “even if the host says to keep them on, they’ll be pleased with your offer.”
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Some good news, though: only 11% of Brits say they’d be annoyed if guests turned up underdressed.
“The data shows that most hosts want the time to be enjoyable and relaxing for the guests,” Adrianne revealed.
“More formal dress code suggests a more formal atmosphere, which isn’t always conducive to the home environment, it can feel stuffy and rigid.”
I’ll be completely honest here: I know as much about plumbing as I do marine biology or rocket science (which is to say, next to nothing).
So when I told a friend “you know, I always think tap water is way colder in water,” I had no idea how to respond when she asked how I thought that’d happen.
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An even more embarrassing admission; I’m not even sure where the reservoir that holds the water that runs through my sink is, or if it’d even be possible for the liquid in it to be affected by the weather.
So, I thought I’d ask Myles Robinson ― former boiler repair company owner and current CEO of UK Composite Doors ― whether I was losing it in the run-up to Christmas, or if this was a real thing.
So… Is tap water really colder in winter?
Yes, Myles says.
He told HuffPost UK: “tap water is definitely colder in the winter. It all comes down to a combination of factors, the water source, the pipes, and how they interact with the colder weather.”
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“Most water systems draw from reservoirs, rivers, or groundwater. In winter, these sources naturally drop in temperature, especially in areas with freezing conditions,” he continued.
“Even groundwater, which is insulated by the earth, gets colder as the ground above freezes. So, the water entering your home starts off colder during winter months.”
If you’re thinking “wait, wouldn’t it warm up in the pipes?”, we were in the same boat ― but Myles has answers.
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“Pipes running through unheated spaces, like basements, crawl spaces, or underground, are understandably more exposed to the colder air or ground temperatures in winter,” he explained.
“As the water sits in these pipes, it cools even more before reaching your tap. The longer the run of pipe from the main supply to your tap, the more pronounced this cooling effect can be.”
Does tap water get hotter in summer too?
I knew I wasn’t imagining lukewarm glasses of water in the colder months!
“Interestingly, in the summer, the opposite can happen. Heat from the air or soil can warm up the water in your pipes, making it feel less refreshing than winter’s icy flow,” Myles said. Huh!
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By the way, if freezing tap water is bothering you, the home expert says there are steps you can take to get rid of the problem.
“If you’re noticing your tap water feels shockingly cold in winter, especially in older homes, you might want to check if your pipes are insulated,” he told HuffPost UK.
“Proper insulation won’t stop the water from being cooler—it starts that way from the source, but it can keep your pipes from freezing, which is a much bigger concern!’’
Poinsettias weren’t always a common Christmas flower in the UK ― but flower company Bloom & Wild say they became that way thanks to their festive colour and star-like shape.
So if you’ve got one in your home, chances are you’re trying your hardest to keep it fresh throughout the festive season.
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Thankfully, David Denyer, an expert florist at Eflorist, told HuffPost UK that there are some surefire ways to accidentally kill your festive plant before it’d otherwise fade ― including some “people often overlook.”
What could cause an early plant death?
“Pests are a big issue that people often overlook. Aphids, whiteflies, and mealybugs are drawn to the fragile leaves of poinsettias,” David told us.
“If the leaves appear curled or feel sticky, it’s often a clear indication of a pest problem,” he added.
You can protect other surrounding plants by removing the affected plant from their area and treating it with insecticide or neem oil.
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“Another comment problem is people often believe that yellowing leaves are solely due to overwatering, but in many cases, it could also indicate low light or a lack of nutrients,” David continues.
Poinsettias do need a bit of extra care in terms of nutrients, especially after they’ve been moved from one place to another or after Christmas. A slow-release fertiliser can make a difference in terms of overall health.”
How should I take care of poinsettia?
Even if you’re not worried about murdering your flower entirely, David has some tips for keeping it at its best.
Most of us over-water our poinsettia, he points out: “You have to focus on not letting the plant sit in water,” he stresses.
It’s an easy trap to fall into because people often water their poinsettias frequently, but they don’t check if the soil has good drainage. The plant’s survival is more about the quality of the watering routine than the quantity.”
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Misting the leaves with water is a much better option than drenching the leaves ― you shouldn’t leave droplets on the bracts or they’ll “develop unsightly spots,” David warns.
You might want to move your plant from that spot by your window too, the flower expert says.
“Poinsettias are incredibly sensitive to changes, particularly temperature fluctuations. Avoid placing them near places where drafts or sudden warm air from vents can affect them,” he told HuffPost UK.
“The changes in temperature can be subtle but enough to cause them to shed their leaves.”
And “While they enjoy bright, indirect light, some people make the mistake of giving them too much direct sunlight, which causes the leaves to burn.”
While this is said to be the happiest time of year, with many of us putting up our Christmas decorations and enjoying a festive night out or two, it doesn’t quite have the same magic for those in poverty.
In fact, the latest government figures show that 159,380 children across England are spending this winter in temporary accommodation – the highest number on record.
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A figure that is a 15% increase on last year.
Housing charity Shelter says: “The figures also show that there are 9,550 families with children stuck in B&Bs and hostels. Government rules say families should only be put in B&B accommodation as a last resort and only for a maximum of six weeks.
“B&Bs and hostels are considered some of the worst type of temporary accommodation as families are often cramped into one room, forced to share kitchens and bathrooms with strangers and where children have no space to play and are unable to have friends over.”
“They had cockroaches, mice, beetles, bedbugs and a bee infestation”
As part of Shelter’s collaboration with B&Q, people who have stayed in temporary accommodation shared their stories, which inspired a range of charity baubles.
Lauren, who was made homeless with her three sons says: “It was one room with one double bed and two single beds. It had a tiny fridge freezer, which kept defrosting and you couldn’t really store anything in it, and a microwave which was absolutely filthy, and we didn’t use”
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Aimee and her two young children faced similar issues of cleanliness in their hotel room. She explains: “On the day we moved in we found old chips and ketchup stuck to the windowsill. They had cockroaches, mice, beetles, bedbugs and a bee infestation. The water came out of the tap a dirty colour and the toilet backed up.”
Sam and his family were actually placed in a flat but it was overrun with rodents and wasn’t fit to live in. He says: “We’ve got mice. We’ve got rats in the ceiling – running, fighting in the middle of the night. We had no electricity for two weeks, had no shower for about a month. It feels like I’m in a prison sometimes.”
Temporary accommodation is often unsanitary
Shelter’s ‘Living in Limbo’ report surveyed over 1,000 people living in temporary accommodation.
The report found that a devastating four in 10 reported problems with damp, mould or condensation, over a third had issues with insect or animal infestations and over half of parents say that living in temporary accommodation has harmed their child’s health.
“Utterly unacceptable”
Polly Neate, Chief Executive of Shelter, says: “It is utterly unacceptable that so many families will spend the festive season homeless and trapped in overcrowded, damp, unsafe temporary accommodation.
“Sky high private rents combined with a dire shortage of genuinely affordable social homes has caused homelessness to spiral and sadly it’s children who are paying the price. Too many are growing up sharing beds with siblings, in one-room hostels infested with cockroaches, bedbugs, and rats, in conditions that harm their health and futures.”
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To find your nearest B&Q to purchase your tree and help donate towards B&Q and Shelter’s shared mission, visit their website.
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As Christmas draws near, I’ve been feeling the panic pretty much anyone who’s hosted a big dinner has experienced ― how am I meant to cook everything I need to when I’ve only got one oven?
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Don’t get me wrong, I love my slow cooker (where I’m planning to make some spiced apple red cabbage on the day), and I’m not completely against steamed veggies.
But with Yorkies, stuffing, pigs in blankets, roast parsnips, spuds, and some kind of fowl in the mix, I genuinely started to lose sleep over how it was all going to come together.
That was, of course, before I spotted this £12 universal oven rack from Amazon, which instantly made all my fears look ridiculous.
It’s got adjustable arms that you can tighten or loosen with the bolts attached to both sides of the rack.
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You don’t need any tools to tighten or loosen it ― a simple twist with your thumb and forefinger is more than enough.
It extends from 36cm to 59cm, making it perfect for most ovens (it only took about a minute to make it fit mine).
After I’d fitted it into my oven, my first step was to try a dry run of the Crimbo dinner (basically, I did a roast).
I’ll be honest; I was worried there wouldn’t be enough height in my oven to properly accommodate everything I wanted to include, but by placing the top and bottom racks at the highest and lowest ridges respectively, I got away with a lot more than I thought I would.
So it’s pretty safe to say I’m sold on the addition ― you can nab your own here, if you like.
