I’ve gone off script here and rated jarred chickpeas and tinned/packeted ones separately, because they’re such different beasts – and with a price point to reflect it. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by a few standouts in the tinned section, one of which is about to save me a fair amount of cash as … Read more
The restored heritage village of Old Petrie Town lies about a 90-minute drive from the farm in Queensland, Australia, where Karen Weideman lives. She and her husband, Michael, were visiting back in 2022 when she took this photo on her iPhone 11. “The town is spread across 48 acres of parkland, and some of the … Read more
The pan of beans on my cooker have taken a long time to prepare. It’s not just because I soaked them overnight and have now simmered them for about an hour: more than 12 years has gone into the creation and production of these beans. After all that, they had better taste delicious. These beans … Read more
It felt like a classic British beach outing, but with more reliable weather. Toting umbrella, towels, sun cream, water and a cool-box picnic, my husband, son and I turned our backs on the marina in Porto Palo, near Menfi in south-west Sicily, and walked west. About 10 minutes on a narrow signposted coastal path brought … Read more
In Great Yarmouth there are some signs of regeneration: the vast glass palace of the Winter Gardens is being refurbished and the ornate Cafe 1903 next to the historic Hippodrome is busy. But the bustling tourist industry of the Edwardian era is long gone. “When Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show came in 1903, the tent … Read more
Imagine a cheeseboard in a tart, but one you can have as a main course rather than having to wait for pudding: that’s the brief I set for myself when I was thinking about today’s recipe. First, I needed an excellent cheese, which is where the sweet, tangy dolcelatte comes in. Then something crisp and … Read more
Even the best-laid holiday plans can go awry. Illness, bereavements, break-ups, money problems, redundancy, pregnancy, jury duty, floods – all of these can throw a getaway into disarray. But while you may miss out on a break in the sun or relaxing city break, you do not necessarily have to lose all of your money … Read more
“When I started out 10 years ago, only three of the makers here were even in business,” says Felix Nash, gesturing to the reams of golden bottles that line the shelves of his shop. I’m at the Fine Cider Company in London Fields, east London, with its founder, having arrived with the hope of lapping … Read more
Winning tip: a beach backed by a waterfall in Pelion, Greece While staying on the northern Pelion peninsula in Greece we made our way by foot along the coast path to Paralia Fakistra beach, which is only accessible via a walk in from local villages along the coast. The white pebble beach is backed by … Read more
I recognise myself to be very contrarian, to the point of reacting in this fashion in every situation, regardless of what it is. How can I change this? Eleanor says: It sounds as though there’s a gap between what you want to do and what you do. You can see you’re being contrarian, you want … Read more