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Name: Romcom age limits. Age: 60. Appearance: Twinkly (but slightly less twinkly than before). Are we sure we should be doing this? We’re going to get hammered for ageism, surely. Nah, it’s fine. Really? We’re definitely going to get letters. No, it would be wrong and offensive if we were the ones saying that people … Read more

When you think of your mailbox, what comes to mind? Fliers that head straight to the trash, tax forms and bank statements, the dreaded jury duty notice. Maybe a magazine or two, if you’re lucky. Most likely, it’s been a long time since you’ve been excited to get snail mail. But after nearly five years … Read more

I like pre-packed gnocchi as much as the next person, but it has never been something I can get particularly excited about (I’m obviously not including handmade gnocchi in this statement, because that is heaven sent). However, frying ready-made gnocchi so they are golden and nutty on the outside, elevates them to something lighter, tastier … Read more

Before rhubarb was paraded around like a fruit, crowning pavlovas, cakes and tarts, it was – and, in fact, is – a vegetable. We shouldn’t forget this, because the crispness of raw rhubarb is perfect in salads, sambols and pickles, while in cooked form it sits beautifully alongside rich, fatty proteins such as mackerel, pork … Read more

I’m gassing myself up to say agarra la barra, the Spanish phrase for “grab the barbell”. It’s a nightmare: the double rolled Rs, the “a” sounds that should sound identically light, the soft “g” and “b”. I’d never attempt such an ambitious sentence with a human, but Christian, an AI chatbot, gets me. “I’ve grabbed … Read more

Name: Dinner plate sunnies. Age: People have been protecting their eyes from the sun’s harmful rays for yonks. Inuits made slitted goggles from flattened walrus ivory, the Chinese developed smoked glass to reduce glare in – or before – the 12th century and Louis XIV watched the 1706 solar eclipse through a telescope with a … Read more

Make the most of free trials You can normally only sign up for free trials once, but there are lots of them to work your way through, especially when it comes to music, audiobooks and TV and film streaming. For example, Spotify Premium offers a month free (normally £11.99 a month), Apple TV+ a week … Read more

I’m sitting in my kitchen, a pot of coffee by my side and the remnants of yesterday’s passion fruit and saffron creme caramel taunting me (I’ve already convinced myself that it is an acceptable breakfast, so should probably put it away before it becomes an acceptable lunch). When I was younger, I wanted to race through … Read more

When people learn that my job as a sexual wellbeing specialist involves reviewing vibrators for the Filter – as their official Vibe Rater, if you will – they assume I’ve got it easy. That my work, in every conceivable way, must be a pleasure. But I get my hands dirty, probing everything from sustainability to … Read more

An easy weeknight stir-fry that comes together in just 10 minutes. I love the subtle, mouth-numbing effect of Sichuan peppercorns, but be aware that more is not more when you’re adding them to a dish – a half-teaspoon is all you need, otherwise you’ll get the culinary equivalent of a bowl of clove oil for … Read more