What unexpected things can I make with asparagus?“The goal is to do as little as possible to it,” says Ben Lippett, author of How I Cook (published in September). “If you start dressing up asparagus with fancy cooking techniques, you lose its magic.” That’s not to say you should just boil the spears and be … Read more
If you study a map of Spain, in the south-east corner you’ll see a strip of empty space along the edge of the Mediterranean. It contains no major towns and barely any roads. Its coastline is equally barren – no ports or resorts; just a few tiny villages tucked away in intriguingly named coves – … Read more
When EA Hanks was 14, her mother announced she had bought a Winnebago and they were going to drive across the US in it. It was 1996, and Hanks (her initials stand for Elizabeth Ann), had recently left her mother, Susan, to go to live with her father, the actor Tom Hanks, in Los Angeles. … Read more
The hardest part of any new habit or activity is starting it. Do you need special equipment? How do you know if you’re doing it right? What are the basics you need to master before you can take your practice to the next level? In the series How to start, we ask experts to break … Read more
What’s the problem?I moved my spotted begonia from the kitchen windowsill to the bathroom. It’s had a massive growth spurt, and one of the stems has grown really long. Does it need repotting, or is something else going on? DiagnosisIt sounds like your begonia is responding to the increased humidity and lower light in the … Read more
When I saw the two little blue stripes on the pregnancy test, the first person I wanted to tell was my mum. The only person as excited as a new mum-to-be is her mother. Not only is she becoming a grandmother, she gets to experience one of the happiest and most life-changing events of her … Read more
One of my favourite ways of celebrating whatever vegetable is in season is by turning it into pakoras. Cooking them quickly allows the vegetable to sing, and a simple pakora batter is light enough to let spring onions and spinach do just that. With just enough gently spiced chickpea flour to bind the chopped veg, … Read more
For years, I loved smoking, slurping large glasses of wine and gobbling wings from overlit chicken shops. I tried to be healthy: I would make overnight oats; get only the small mixed sushi from Wasabi; and drink prosecco because someone said it was keto-friendly. I even did Veganuary back when it was such a gruelling … Read more
The UK has an extraordinary collection of gardens open to the public, from the manicured grounds of grand estates to more intimate green spaces where the owners have made their mark. Whether it’s a “secret” walled garden, a favourite urban green oasis or an unheralded horticultural wonder, we’d love to hear about it. The best … Read more
Name: Stubby lashes. Age: Genetically? Ancient. Done deliberately? New. Appearance: Dead tough. Unattractively short eyelashes? I’m finally in vogue! Steady on, hotshot. Are your eyelashes naturally short? Unfortunately, yes. Then I’m afraid it doesn’t count. If you want true stubby lashes, you have to have them shaved off by a hairdresser. With an electric razor? … Read more