6 Home Cooks Share The Dishes That Look Impressive But Are Super Easy To Make

Posted on 20/04/2025 by Boris Clair

As a home cook, let me tell you a small secret: it’s so much easier than I act like it is.

Yes, I love a good fussy Ottolenghi dish as much as the next person but the classics that I break out whenever we have people over for food? That’s the time for easy-but-impressive dishes.

A whole roasted chicken with perfectly crispy skin? Not a problem.

Now, home cooks on Reddit are sharing their tips for the best impressive-but-easy dishes.

Risotto

Don’t let the richness of this dish fool you – risotto is surprisingly simple, and Reddit user FireWinged-April agrees, saying: “The secret is keeping the rice al dente, which restaurants can’t pre make in bulk, and also won’t stay that way for long.

“I prefer mushroom risotto and I serve with pan seared chicken breast or a white fish. Fancy plating tip – use a measuring cup or tea cup and invert onto a plate, top with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh shaved Parm, crack of pepper and fresh herbs of choice. Super easy and always a hit!”

Ice Cream

I love some ice cream but will admit I shy away from making desserts at home.

However, user TigerAqua-8 assures that it’s actually very simple, saying: “Beat cream until soft peaks and chuck in a tin of condensed milk. Beat. Add vanilla or anything else you want. Freeze. You’ll never buy ice cream again.”

If it is that simple, I certainly won’t.

Lamb chops with sautéed asparagus

Medigapguy shares his simple recipe:

Asparagus:

Salted, sautéed in iron skillet till you can cut with a fork. Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan and squeezed juice or half a lemon. Place skillet in a 300 oven.

Salt, pepper, garlic powder. Seared on a iron skillet with ghee. Till med rare.

Pull asparagus out and serve. With a dollop of mint jelly and some french bread

Takes around 15 min total

Done and done.

Modified puttanesca

Shatzakind advises: “Boil water and cook some penne pasta. Get a frying pan, set the burner on medium, and put some olive oil in the pan to coat it. Sauté some chopped garlic, sweet onions, and chopped basil, add some kalamata olives and capers, then toss in the pasta and mix everything together.

“You’re just sautéing enough to get the raw food soft and hot. Add some of your fav marinara sauce and heat. Plate and add parm cheese (shaved makes it look fancy).”

Smoked meat

Just ahead of BBQ season, user theFooMart shares their tips for delicious smoked meats: “Take your brisket, ribs, or pork shoulder. Rub mustard on the outside to make the seasoning stick. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic. Put it on your smoker at 250 until it’s done. If you want it even easier, use an electric smoker or a Traeger.

“Even a gas BBQ will work, although it won’t be smokey. Turn on the burners on one side, and put the meat on the other side.”

Rosemary salmon

1dzMonkeys shared their simple-but-fancy salmon recipe:

Buy a large-ish salmon fillet, fresh rosemary, red onions, lemons and olive oil.
Stack thusly, (listed from bottom to top):
1/2 of the bunch of rosemary sprigs
1/2 of the red onions, sliced
Salmon
Salt, pepper
Drizzle of olive oil
Rest of onions (sliced)
Rest of rosemary
Lemons, sliced thinly and arranged attractively
Roast in a 230C oven until salmon flakes.

“So fancy looking. So easy.”

Sounds it!

3 Easter Lamb Recipes That Aren’t Just Your Usual Sunday Roast

Posted on 19/04/2025 by Boris Clair

Lamb is traditionally served at Easter, but there are loads of ways to cook it other than your usual Sunday roast.

We asked chefs their favourite ways to prep lamb for a delicious feast. Be warned: you’ll want to try them all.

Lavender and rosemary leg of lamb

Chef Richard Corrigan, from Bentleys, says this recipe is one of his all-time Easter favourites. “The lavender adds a beautiful floral flavour to the dish and complements the honey nicely,” he says.

Ingredients:

2kg/4½lb leg of lamb, on the bone

1 small bunch of English lavender

5 sprigs of rosemary

2 cloves garlic

1 small jar of honey

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Remove the lavender buds from the stalks and add to the honey Pull the rosemary leaves from the stalks and place in a blender. Add the salt and blitz.

2. Rub the lamb all over with the salt and place in a roasting tray.

3. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 20 minutes. After which remove the foil and leave to roast for a further 40 minutes (for medium).

4. Pour over the lavender and honey, return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.

5. Remove the lamb and leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes, with some foil on top to keep it warm. Serve with the pan juices and spring vegetables.

Lamb raan

Chef Will Bowlby, who works at modern Indian restaurant, Kricket, recommends changing up your Easter feast. “Why not spice up your Easter this year with a centrepiece alternative to your usual roast lamb,” he suggests.

Ingredients:

A leg of lamb on the bone

4 tablespoons ginger and garlic paste

2 tablespoons Kashmiri red chilli powder

Pinch of sea salt

2 fresh Indian bay leaves

3 star anise

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon cloves

1 cinnamon stick

400 ml (14 fl oz/generous 11⁄2 cups) white distilled vinegar

About 1.6 litres (56 fl oz/62⁄3 cups) cold water

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) double (heavy) cream

A generous pinch of saffron strands, soaked in a little warm water

3 tablespoons garam masala

Method:

1. Rub the meat with the ginger and garlic paste, chilli powder and a pinch of salt and leave overnight to marinate. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F/Gas 6).

2. Transfer the leg to a deep ovenproof pan, add the remaining spices and vinegar, then pour in the water (it should just cover the meat). Cover the pan and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.

3. Lower the oven temperature to 160C (320F/Gas 3) and cook for a further 4–5 hours until the meat is falling off the bone.

4. Remove from the oven, take the meat out of the braising liquid and allow to cool. The meat is cooked when you can easily pick it from the bone. Transfer the braising liquid to a heavy-based saucepan and boil over a high heat until it has thickened and the flavours have intensified. Strain the liquid into a separate pan, reduce the heat and add the cream, saffron and garam masala. Reduce for a further 5 minutes, adjust the seasoning to taste and set aside to cool.

5. When you are ready to serve, heat a large frying pan (skillet) over a high heat and sear off the meat to get a nice crispy exterior. Add the braising liquid to the pan and spoon the liquid over the meat until it coats it nicely. Serve the meat whole, in its braising liquid.

Lamb shoulder fricasee

Asimakis Chaniotis, chef at Pied à Terre, says: “Although it sounds French, lamb fricassée is a Greek Easter dish which I have grown up with. It’s so good, I could eat it all year round so it’s a shame it’s traditionally only eaten at midnight on the Saturday of the Easter weekend.”

Ingredients:

1kg of boneless shoulder of lamb with the fat and chopped in cubes

Good drizzle of vegetable oil

2 medium leeks, sliced

10 shallots, chopped

6 stalks of celery, with their leaves, chopped

5 cups chicken stock

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

6 heads of lettuce cut in half and then sliced 2cm thick

A bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped

A bunch of fresh parsley finely chopped

A bunch of chervil finely chopped

For the sauce:

3 medium eggs, separated

Juice of 2 medium lemons

1 tbsp cold water

1 tsp corn flour

Method:

1. Cut the meat into 1 inch chunks. Pat down the lamb to remove any excess moisture then brown it on all sides over medium-high heat in the vegetable oil in a large saucepan

2. Add the leeks, onions, and celery to the pot and sauté gently until the vegetables soften. Add the chicken stock to cover the mixture and season it generously with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 90 minutes, removing the lid for last 30 minutes

3. Chop all the herbs, reserving some for garnish. Chop the lettuce and add it to the pot, along with the herbs. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes, or, until the lamb is fork-tender and a small amount of liquid (about a cup or so) remains in the pot. Turn off the heat

4. Prepare the egg-lemon (avgolemono) sauce:

In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites with the teaspoon of cold water and cornflour until very frothy. Whisk in the egg yolks and lemon juice. Temper the avgolemono sauce by slowly adding one ladleful of the hot liquid from the pot to the small bowl with the eggs, while whisking the whole time. Continue with a second ladleful of the hot liquid and whisk again. Now add the avgolemono to the pot and stir gently to incorporate.
Shake the pot a few times to make sure everything is thoroughly mixed together.
If you need to reheat the lamb fricassée before serving, do so very gently, making sure the stew does NOT come to a boil (the egg will scramble).

5. Place on a serving platter, topped with the reserved chopped herbs. Good, crusty bread is a must and a Greek salad on the side is always a good idea.

Should Kids Really Stop Drinking Slushies? Here’s What A GP Says

Posted on 14/03/2025 by Boris Clair

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) say that children under the age of five should steer clear of “slush”-style ice drinks and under-11s should have no more than one slushie.

This is because its sweetener, glycerol, has the “potential to cause side-effects such as headaches and sickness, particularly when consumed in excess,” the FSA says.

But recently, researchers have said that kids under eight should avoid the cooling treat too.

A study published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood looked at 21 cases of children who ended up in A&E within an hour or so of drinking slushies.

It found that, especially when children drink slushies quickly, it can lead “glycerol intoxication syndrome” (which can cause unconsciousness and even seizures).

As a result, the paper recommended: “younger children, especially those under 8 years of age, should avoid slush ice drinks containing glycerol.”

But if the ingredient can be so dangerous, should any of us drink it? We spoke to Dr Olalekan Otulana, a GP at Ocean Recovery and Cassiobury Court, about how the information should inform slushie lovers and parents alike.

The GP agrees that children under eight should steer clear of the drink

“The advice to keep children under eight away from slushies containing glycerol is reasonable,” the doctor told us.

After all, the ingredient isn’t just a problem at A&E-visit-causing levels; milder cases of glycerol “intoxication” can still lead to nausea, headaches, and vomiting.

“However if you are extending [the advice] further to all age groups this may not be necessary,” Dr Otulana continued.

“Older children and adults are less likely to experience harmful effects unless they are consuming excessive amounts quickly. It is commonly used in food and is generally safe in small quantities.”

Indeed the FSA write that “glycerol is generally of low toxicity”, though they acknowledge “concerns about the effect on young children when large quantities are consumed over a short period of time.”

Still, the researchers of the recent paper say that because most customers have no idea how much glycerol is in a given slushie ― and because children’s weight and health differs so much ― “estimating a safe dose is… not easy.”

So, while Dr Otulana says most older children and adults are likely alright to enjoy “occasional consumption” of slushies, he warns against “drinking it in high amounts”.

Is the FSA thinking of changing its guidelines about slushies?

The FSA’s director of policy, Rebecca Sudworth, says the agency is “carefully” reviewing the new information.

“We continue to strongly encourage parents to follow [the current] advice which is that slushie drinks should not be given to children under four years old. Retailers are also advised to make parents fully aware of this guidance,” she said.

“While the symptoms of glycerol intoxication are usually mild, it is important that parents are aware of the risks ― particularly at high levels of consumption.”

I’m A Doctor — Focusing Too Much On Your Protein Intake Is Putting Your Health At Risk

Posted on 08/03/2025 by Boris Clair

In his latest newsletter, NHS Surgeon and TikTok creator Dr Karan Rajan reveals that back in 2018, he was doing pretty significant damage to his gut health without even realising it.

He says: “My Indian ancestors were spiritually shaking their heads at me, because despite coming from a lineage of fibre-laden dal, lentils, and spice-rich cuisine, my diet at the time contained about as much fibre as a wet paper towel.

“You could almost hear the garam masala, coriander, and cumin seeds collectively sighing in disappointment every time I ate yet another low-fibre, protein-heavy meal.”

However, his gut health seemed fine. He was regularly passing stools, still very active and, in his words, “Nothing about my daily life screamed -you are a fibre-deficient failure.”

However, his blood tests said otherwise

While the routine blood tests he undertook didn’t suggest that a heart attack was imminent, Dr Rajan did experience a bit of a shock to the system when they revealed that his health wasn’t quite where it should be.

He explains: “let’s just say certain fractions of my cholesterol were slightly higher than they should have been. My triglycerides were creeping up, whispering ominous things about my future and the overall pattern wasn’t what you’d expect from a “healthy” young person.”

Initially, it didn’t make sense to the doctor. He didn’t eat fast food, he regularly exercised and his diet appeared to be overall pretty good.

Then, he explained, “it hit me…I had completely neglected one of the most powerful metabolic regulators: fibre.”

Fibre: essential for more than just bowel movements

Dr Rajan says: “Most people think of fibre as nature’s plumbing assistant; helpful for keeping you regular, preventing constipation, and producing structurally sound poops.

“But fibre is a metabolic heavyweight.”

He explains that some of the benefits of fibre include:

Cholesterol regulation: “It reduces cholesterol reabsorption, meaning less circulates in the blood, keeping arteries unclogged”
Blood glucose control: ”High-fibre diets have been linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes… and if you already have diabetes, fibre can blunt those glucose swings”
Cognitive & neurological benefits: Emerging research suggests fibre indirectly supports brain health by feeding gut bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs reduce neuroinflammation, improve the gut-brain axis, and may even protect against cognitive decline
Microbiome & liver function: ”A fibre-rich diet lowers systemic inflammation, reducing fatty liver disease risk and keeping gut-derived endotoxins from overwhelming the liver”

The UK Government also urges that we should eat more fibre

On their website, The British Nutrition Foundation warns: “Adults in the UK are not consuming enough fibre. On average, we consume about 20g per day rather than the recommended 30g.”

The UK Government also urges that eating more fibre can reduce your risk of bowel cancer, adding: “Fibre is an important part of a healthy diet as it aids digestion, prevents constipation and helps to reduce your risk of bowel cancer. Foods like wholegrain cereals, wholewheat pasta, oats, beans, chickpeas, and lentils are all sources of fibre.”

How to add more fibre to your diet

The NHS recommends the following steps:

Choose a higher-fibre breakfast cereal such as plain wholewheat biscuits (like Weetabix) or plain shredded whole grain (like Shredded wheat), or porridge as oats are also a good source of fibre.
Go for wholemeal or granary breads, or higher fibre white bread, and choose wholegrains like wholewheat pasta, bulgur wheat or brown rice
Go for potatoes with their skins on, such as a baked potato or boiled new potatoes. Find out more about starchy foods and carbohydrates.
Add pulses like beans, lentils or chickpeas to stews, curries and salads.
Include plenty of vegetables with meals, either as a side dish or added to sauces, stews or curries
Have some fresh or dried fruit, or fruit canned in natural juice for dessert. Because dried fruit is sticky, it can increase the risk of tooth decay, so it’s better if it is only eaten as part of a meal, rather than as a between-meal snack
For snacks, try fresh fruit, vegetable sticks, rye crackers, oatcakes and unsalted nuts or seeds

Mary Berry’s No-Bake Banoffee Pie Recipe Is So Simple That I’ll Never Make It Another Way

Posted on 27/02/2025 by Boris Clair

Sometimes, you get hit with a very specific craving. For a while there, I had a hankering for sour cream and chive pretzels. No idea why — it’s not like they’re something that I have often.

Now, though, now I am craving the delectable, moreish joys of a banoffee pie. Sweet, soft, and with a lovely silky finish to it… I actually can’t think of anything I want more in this moment.

Thankfully, I don’t need to wait too long to tuck into this coveted dessert as the cake queen herself Mary Berry has a banoffee pie recipe that is so simple that it doesn’t even require baking.

Marry Berry’s banoffee pie recipe

As featured on her BBC One series Classic Mary Berry, this recipe requires:

around 10 digestive biscuits
butter
muscovado sugar
condensed milk
vanilla extract
double cream
bananas
dark chocolate or cocoa powder

Additionally, she advises, if you’d like to make a salted caramel version, you only need a teaspoon of sea salt. Yum.

The base can be made up to a day in advance and to make it, Mary advises doing the following: “Crush the biscuits to fine crumbs and melt the butter over a low heat.

“Pour both into a bowl and mix to combine. Spoon into the base of the tin and press down with the back of a spoon until level. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes

The banana and cream should be made on the day and left for around an hour to set in the fridge.

The toffee is the only really tricky part of the recipe, requiring precision and focus. For that, you heat butter and sugar together and stir over a low heat until combined. Then you add the condensed milk and bring to the boil, stirring for a few minutes.

However, if you over-boil it, it will become grainy and more like fudge, which is not the vibe.

If you’re also ready to treat yourself to this delicious pie, you can view the full recipe here.

I Visited Dublin’s Guinness Storehouse And Learned The Iconic Stout Isn’t Actually Black

Posted on 24/02/2025 by Boris Clair

Guinness is having a renaissance right now in the UK. We’ve drunk our supply dry in recent months, you can’t have a pint in peace without being challenged to ‘split the G’ (getting half-way down the logo in one gulp) and there is now such a thing as ‘Guinn-fluencers’. Kim Kardashian, Paul Mescal and even the Royals have been spotted drinking a pint of the good stuff in 2024.

Talking of the drink’s surge in popularity in 2024, Diageo (who own Guinness) said: “This year, Guinness has continued to build on its legacy as a brand that celebrates quality, creativity, and connection. Its popularity has grown as part of a broader strategy that leverages its rich heritage while embracing fresh opportunities.”

Well, it’s certainly working.

Naturally, when Diageo asked if I wanted to come and visit Dublin to see where the pint of the moment is made at The Guinness Storehouse, it was the easiest yes I’ve had in a while – because where better to go than when Scotland has run out of Guinness than the home of it.

The Guinness Storehouse is a seriously jam-packed affair – it contains seven floors of sights, sounds and sensations in a building that has been brewing beer for over 250 years. Fortunately, it’s not going to stop anytime soon as Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease on the building all the way back in 1759, which you can see for yourself at the very start of the 90 minute self-guided tour.

The experience has welcomed a whopping 25 million visitors through its doors since 2000 (with 1.65 million visitors in 2024) and takes you on an immersive experience from grain to glass (with pints of the good stuff along the way).

We first learnt everything there is to know about how Guinness is brewed and were knocked for six at the fact that it… isn’t black.

Yup, its colour primarily comes from the roasted barley. When barley grains are roasted, they develop a deep, dark hue, which then gets transferred to the beer during brewing. And though we often perceive Guinness as being black, under light, you can see that it has a ruby-red tint.

The next stage is a gallery of iconic Guinness advertisements that have become pillars of Irish culture throughout the globe, followed by a guided tasting (can confirm, I like Guinness).

If you’re feeling peckish (or suddenly feel the need to reline your stomach), there are also several eateries dotted across the seven floors – unsurprisingly, Guinness is a key factor in the ingredients list. Since its opening, the Storehouse has seen 39,000 Oysters shucked, 58,000 slices of Guinness brown bread served and 32,000 Guinness & beef stews sold in 2024.

I skipped learning how to pour a pint of Guinness (in a bid to avoid painful flashbacks to my student bartending days) – but know a perfect pour is not easily achieved. The pouring process SHOULD take approximately 119.5 seconds, something the bartenders of the rooftop bar of the Storehouse have down to a fine art (no shock given that they served over 1.5 million pints of Guinness and Guinness 0.0 in 2024).

The best bit? Your pint with the best views of Dublin comes with your entrance ticket.

For those who want to learn even more on their visit, book onto the new ’Home Of Guinness Tour’ – a fully guided journey through the seven floors of the Guinness Storehouse, learning to pour your own pint in our Guinness Academy along the way, and finishing your tour with a pint of Guinness or Guinness 0.0 at the Gravity bar.

It’s no wonder that The Guinness Storehouse is Dublin’s most popular tourist attraction.

This year, the Guinness Storehouse is set to write a bold new chapter in its extraordinary journey, through Alive in 25, an exciting year-long campaign that sets to celebrate even more cultural events and community initiatives in honour of the Storehouse’s 25th anniversary. Be the first to know about upcoming events and experiences at the Guinness Storehouse in 2025. Follow @homeofguinness #Alivein25 and visit www.guinness-storehouse.com.

Want To Bake But You’re Out Of Eggs? Only 1 Tablespoon Of This Simple Egg Substitute Packs Extra Fibre

Posted on 20/02/2025 by Boris Clair

There is something just so lovely about spending a Sunday baking up a storm in the kitchen. Radio on, pyjamas on, cup of coffee to keep you going and suddenly you realise – you don’t have any eggs in!

Momentum is falling. There’s no way you’re putting on proper clothes today. No way you’re heading to the shops. Yuck.

We’ve all been there, right?

Well, it turns out that there is an egg substitute that you can use and actually, you don’t need to go to a specialist shop for it. You probably don’t even need to go further than your kitchen cupboards.

A simple egg substitute that takes no time to prepare

This magic ingredient is in fact chia seeds!

Yes, the seeds you swear by for smoothies and protein muffins are actually perfect in place of eggs in case of emergencies or intolerances and preparing them is very simple, too.

The baking experts at Minimalist Baker recommend creating ‘chia eggs’ by mixing 1 Tbsp chia seeds + 2.5 Tbsp water and urge that these can be used in all kinds of baking!

Minimalist Baker also adds that this is actually possible with flaxseeds, too, and is a perfect hack for anybody looking to get into vegan baking.

Health benefits of chia seeds

According to Harvard Health, chia seeds come with a wealth of health benefits, including:

The health experts add: “Chia seeds contain a variety of nutrients including fibre, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and various vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus that are beneficial to your health.”

Happy baking!

This Is The Absolute Best Way To Cook Sweet Potato (And It’s Very Simple)

Posted on 20/02/2025 by Boris Clair

Every home cook thinks they’re the best home cook there is – and you know what? They’re right. Including me. I am the best home cook.

My most-perfected dishes are my weekly lemon and ginger chicken thighs and, without a doubt, my baked sweet potatoes.

Before I could even cook – well, before I binge-watched cooking channels for inspiration – I could always cook a mean baked sweet potato.

They’re really high in potassium and are versatile enough that they can be loaded up with chicken, tuna, cheese or honestly just a blob of butter, and still taste delicious.

The best, easiest way to cook sweet potatoes

First of all, heat your oven to around 190°C.

Next, give your sweet potatoes a good scrub and dry them with paper towels. This ensures that the oil soaks in a little easier later.

Now, you just need to prick a few holes in them using a fork and put them in the microwave for around five minutes.

Once they’re out, rest them on tin foil, pour a little vegetable oil on them as well as some mixed herbs (or whatever herbs and spices you’d like), rub the oil and seasonings into the skin and wrap them in the foil.

You should then put your sweet potatoes in the oven for around 30 minutes before checking to see if they’re soft enough using a fork. Sometimes, if they’re a little bigger, this can take up to an hour.

If yours still isn’t soft enough, check it every 10 minutes to see if they’re ready.

Finally, add your toppings and tuck in!

What about leftovers?

If you’ve made too many sweet potatoes, you could blend them with vegetable stock and make a little soup for later.

Health benefits of sweet potatoes

According to BBC Good Food, the health benefits of sweet potatoes include:

May reduce the risk of cancer
May support digestive health
May help manage type-2 diabetes
Good for eye health
May support immune function
May support the brain and nervous system
May support heart health
May be liver protective.

Long live the sweet spud!

So THAT’s Why Takeaway Coffee Cup Lids Have A Second, Tiny Hole

Posted on 20/12/2024 by Boris Clair

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.

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.

According to Atlas Obscura, who interviewed the authors of Coffee Lids: Peel, Pinch, Pucker, Puncture, the vent can be used to boost the coffee-drinking experience too.

They write that the Viora lid’s “deep well and centred hole are designed to concentrate the coffee’s aroma.”

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.

“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.

Well, that’s changed for me, at least…

I’m A Wine Expert ― Always Check These 2 Signs On Champagne Bottles

Posted on 18/12/2024 by Boris Clair

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.

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’.”

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.

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.”

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.