Latest news with #Reuben
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Rude Food by Vir Sanghvi: Insta made me eat it
There are more restaurants in India than ever before. There are more cuisines available than we have ever known. And , inevitably, there are more menu clichés (what we call 'food trends ' when we are being polite) than we have ever seen. Call me a jaded old bore, but these are the current trends/clichés that I hate the most. Dirty Sandwiches There has always been a distinction between the European conception of a sandwich and its American counterpart. In Europe, sandwiches are clever combinations of ingredients that you can enjoy without feeling that a vat of ketchup has fallen on you. The classic American sandwich has usually been a little fatter (the Reuben, the Hero, the hamburger etc) and has required you to open your mouth really wide while simultaneously ensuring that ingredients don't drop out of the sandwich as you are eating it. That's fine with me, but what I object to is the trend to over-sauce sandwiches to create the so-called Dirty Sandwich. This kind of sandwich contains so much ketchup, mayo, melted cheese, hot sauce etc, that it is supposed to make your face dirty from all the sauce that will smear itself around your mouth or drip down to the front of your shirt. We have imported this trend and I really don't see the point. Loaded Fries The French Fry is one of the world's great culinary inventions and its many variations (matchstick fries, steak fries, shoestring fries, triple-cooked chips, etc) are delicious when made fresh with the right kind of potato. So, why do you need to dirty it? It's the same phenomenon as the Dirty Sandwich. They pour melted cheese on the fries or douse them in truffle oil (more about which later) or drown them in some tomato-chilli sauce. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why they need to do this. Do these people not really like fries? Is that why they have to destroy their natural flavour and texture? Matcha Just as we mindlessly import trends from America, the Americans themselves have long abused Japanese cuisine by plundering its flavours, dishes and ingredients for rubbish variations. One example is matcha, a specific kind of Japanese green tea powder, which has a distinctive flavour (if you use real matcha, which people outside Japan often don't) that I enjoy. But now, bogus matcha is used to flavour everything, partly because the real matcha is expensive and, thanks to massive demand from America, in short supply. You will get matcha versions of all kinds of food and drink now, from martinis to dumplings, and even when the Matcha flavour does not taste obviously fake, I have to say that I am fed up of the matcha overload and the extent to which people use it because it's trendy or they saw it on TikTok. Fermentation and Foraging Oriel Castro, who was head chef at El Bulli, and now owns the three-Michelin-star Disfrutar, held a super class (full disclosure: As Chairman of Culinary Culture I helped organise it) in Delhi last month and demonstrated how he had taken forward the techniques he had created with Ferran Adrià at El Bulli. A fair number of India's great chefs flew in to attend it, and I think all of them had the same thought as me: It is a shame that the advances of El Bulli and Disfrutar have come to be represented by talentless imitators who spherify liquids and put foams on everything. I feel the same way about the Noma legacy. If you talk to René Redzepi or eat at Noma, you realise that his food is about understanding the world around us and enjoying the best that the earth has to offer. But like El Bulli (where Redzepi once worked) Noma has been ill-served by its imitators who think that the food is only about foraging and fermentation. There is nothing I find more annoying than a chef who thinks that if he can pick up some dodgy-tasting leaves in a forest and ferment them for six weeks he can be the next René Redzepi. Cheesecake I love cheesecake, as I have often said on these pages. I am not snobbish about it; I grew up on frozen Birds Eye cheesecake not on some chefy version. But now, as we are overwhelmed by an avalanche of cheesecake, all I can say is: Enough already! My major problem with the cheesecakes I find at most places is that they are not very good. They are usually made by people who have no love of cheesecake but are simply replicating recipes they found on YouTube. Three years ago, they all made Biscoff cheesecake because the internet was full of videos that promoted a Belgian brand of Speculoo biscuits made by a company called Lotus. Because Speculoo is a ridiculous name, the biscuits were called Biscoff (short for 'biscuit with coffee' ) outside Belgium. The Biscoff cheesecake used a Speculoo base and (sometimes) Biscoff paste (a sort of Nutella for biscuit lovers). The people who made the cheesecake focused on the industrial Biscoff flavour rather than the cake. Now, because the internet is full of recipes for Basque cheesecake, the same people have switched to making that. Basque cheesecake is not a traditional recipe, but is simply a cheesecake created by a restaurant in San Sebastián in 1988, which made a normal cheesecake but burnt the top. Nigella Lawson made it famous in 2020/2021 and now, people act like it's the only cheesecake that matters. It's not. And I do wish people would go back to more interesting versions. Truffle oil It does not smell like truffles, but because of its low prices and ubiquity, people have actually begun to think that this is the aroma of truffles, having never smelled the real thing. I don't mind that it's fake. I have no strong views on vanillin, for instance, the bogus vanilla that is usually used in India, because it costs next to nothing. My problem with truffle oil is that it smells disgusting. To be in a restaurant that is serving truffle oil is like encountering a herd of farting goats. If you are unfortunate enough to consume it, the stink will stay with you: You will burp it up for hours afterwards! And yet, all Indian chefs use truffle oil, claiming 'this is what the market demands'. And finally As you can tell from this rant, I have only just hit my stride. Expect another instalment soon! From HT Brunch, June 21, 2025 Follow us on
Edinburgh Live
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Our Yorkshire Farm's Miles Owen opens up on career move away from Ravenseat
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Young star of 'Our Yorkshire Farm', Miles Owen, has opened up about considering a future beyond Ravenseat Farm as he assists his brother Reuben's plant hire and machinery business. Despite his intrinsic love for farming at 17, he shows a strong inclination towards machinery and the accompanying business opportunities. During 'Life in the Dales', Miles deliberated his impending career decisions. READ MORE - Brooklyn's new 'snub' to dad David Beckham despite 'immensely proud' moment READ MORE - Meghan Markle makes veiled dig at royals about 'truth' in latest podcast He acknowledged his role in supporting his parents at the farm but also indicated an interest in establishing a separate professional direction. Miles reflected on his father Clive Owen's gradual withdrawal from active farming duties, noting the increased need for his own participation at home, reports Devon Live. He detailed his farm responsibilities, "I really enjoyed growing up on the farm. One of my jobs was doing the chickens, collecting the eggs, looking after them, and feeding them. I'm doing more work with the cows and the sheep at the moment," as reported by Gloucestershire Live. Discussing his career objectives, Miles said, "I've talked to Reuben about the digging side and me helping more, getting more involved with his company, which I wouldn't mind at all." Still, he stressed the importance of balance: "But, I've got to balance it, because dad's getting on and he's slowing down a bit." Further illustrating his commitment, he added, "So, I've got to help dad when it's needed and I can't leave him to manage. Then, when Reuben needs it and he gets stuck, I need to go and help him." In a previous episode of Our Farm Next Door, Clive also spoke candidly about stepping back to let his sons take the reins. Acknowledging the march of time, he admitted that age had taken its toll. "The kids grow up and become men. I am getting older, and I am not as strong as I used to be so yeah, it is good that these young guys take over," he expressed with a hint of resignation. Embracing the inevitable transition, Clive said, "It's time to pass on the baton and let them do more and more, and that is how it is." He added with a touch of humour, "I am here to watch over them and annoy them, and we will get there in the end."
Daily Mirror
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
BGT star who went viral in emotional moment quits job for new challenge
Britain's Got Talent star Reuben Gray rose to fame on the contest in 2017 with an emotional original song written for his then-girlfriend Former Britain's Got Talent star Reuben Gray, who shot to fame in 2017 in an emotional audition, has picked up a new challenge that will raise money for charity. The talented Reuben was only 16 years old when he auditioned for BGT, with him leaving the audience in tears when his father surprised him in the crowd after telling him he couldn't make it to the show. During the audition, he shocked the room by performing an original song he wrote about his then-girlfriend, which earned a standing ovation from all four judges. Years later, at 24, Reuben and pal Matt Brinkley, also 24, decided to ditch their jobs to go on an 801-mile trek from London to Val Thorens in France. The two men are hoping to raise £35,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support and Snow Camp, which helps young people through snow sports. Whilst on the 45-day trek, they're using the opportunity to promote their new application made to make adventure planning easy. Speaking about the dangers of the journey, he said: "My cousin's a doctor, and he said we have a possibility of breaking our legs or having shin splints, we have a possibility of a hairline fracture, that sort of stuff on our on our legs. We have a possibility of ending up with sort of gangrene." However, the two are determined to complete the trek. Reuben added to MailOnline: "It's about smiling through the pain and about having a good time. "Even though it might suck I'm still doing it with my best friend. I'm doing it for something bigger than just myself only." In Reuben's audition in 2017, he revealed to the cameras his father couldn't be there to support him as he was in the army and overseas. "If I do well, I'll just give him a call," Reuben said. However, Reuben was completely unaware his dad was actually sitting in the audience waiting to surprise him. When Simon Cowell asked him who was his biggest supporter, Reuben said: "My dad." Simon asked: "What, more than your mum?" and Reuben's dad quickly got up to proudly yell out: "Yes I am!" The star was in shock as he looked to where the voice was coming from. "I didn't think he was here! I thought he was working!" Reuben excitedly admitted before he started crying. "He works away from home a lot. Whenever I play anywhere, he'll always come." The audition clip went viral and gained over 24 million views on BGT's official YouTube channel.
Irish Daily Mirror
14-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish mum says 'holiday of a lifetime' turned into 'nightmare' after horror fall
An Irish mum has recounted the harrowing experience of her three year old son needing brain surgery after a dreadful fall in Dubai, turning their dream holiday into "the biggest nightmare of our life". Deborah Duffy, hailing from Lettershandoney near Derry city, is sharing her story to highlight the critical importance of having travel insurance for unforeseen incidents while on holiday abroad. Speaking from Dubai, where her son Reuben is still hospitalised, she relayed the frightening incident when her young son had a slip by a pool just one day into their break on Friday (June 6), leading to a brain haemorrhage. The quick response from skilled doctors at the Saudi German Hospital in the UAE metropolis was crucial in saving Reuben's life, and now there's optimism he'll fully recover after an intense stint in ICU. However, without travel insurance, Deborah's family could have been slammed with a bill running into the hundreds of thousands. Deborah shared: "We literally just landed in Dubai on Friday morning. We did a few 'touristy' things for the first couple of hours. We travelled late on the Thursday night and we purposely picked that flight just because Reuben is only three and it would be easier for him to travel at night - he would be sleeping," reports Belfast Live. "We went to see the Burj Khalifa and that on Friday morning, came back to the hotel, and just went to the pool just to see what it was like. We had only arrived a few hours [earlier] and Reuben, just being a three-year-old, was carrying on - throwing shoes into the pool, just, you know, carrying on as a three-year-old does. "He turned around and slipped, and hit his head. He cried so we were, obviously, comforting him at the pool and then he came around. I said 'you know what it's very warm, we'll go up to the room', and he sat and watched his iPad for half an hour." However, things rapidly deteriorated, as Deborah elaborated. "He got very dizzy, couldn't climb onto the bed and, just, I knew as as a mother 'there's something not right here'. I actually got really upset because my son was just not acting right. He was just acting very different, so I rang reception and then reception brought the paramedics up. He [the paramedic] said, oh, 'he's just very tired from travelling' and I was like, 'no, he's not - he's suffering'." She insisted that Reuben should be taken to hospital in an ambulance - and the Derry woman's persistence would soon prove invaluable for her son's health. The little boy, it would turn out, had been very seriously injured in the fall. At the Saudi German Hospital in Dubai, Reuben was examined by a paediatric doctor and taken for scans. The scans showed that he had a bleed in his brain. After undergoing brain surgery at a Dubai hospital and spending several days in intensive care, including time on a ventilator, the young lad has been moved out of ICU to the children's ward. Deborah shared that he was out of intensive care since Tuesday, adding: "They [the doctors at the Saudi German Hospital] are very, very happy with him," but also noted "But he still has a long road to go. He will remain in the hospital probably for quite a while, and we won't be able to fly home for some time because I will not be putting him at risk at any time." She stressed the significance of travel insurance, saying: "I just want to tell people the importance of getting travel insurance. It's mental what this treatment will cost - right now it's standing around 140,000 - and if we're here for another substantial amount of time, it will obviously increase." Deborah also reflected on the suddenness of the accident: "If you look at how this happened - a typical three-year-old - this could happen anywhere or to any family in a split second. He was literally less than half-a-metre away from me when he slipped, fell, and this could happen to anyone." The Derry woman offered her heartfelt gratitude to the medical team at the Dubai hospital, stating: "Thank God for the treatment he received in this hospital. He had one of the best neurologists in the world and he saved his life. We never thought we would find ourselves in this position. We thought this was going to be a holiday of a lifetime, not the biggest nightmare of our life. The doctors here are just different class. At home, God forbid, he would have probably went to Belfast and maybe he wouldn't have been seen for hours or days." She continued to heap praise on her family and the larger circle for their support: Deborah remarked that she and Reuben's dad Niall tremendously appreciate the help from Reuben's gran and his aunty during these tough times since the mishap. The family's crowdfunding initiative has successfully gathered over €12,000 in contributions, a sum Deborah mentioned might go toward hiring a doctor escort when Reuben is well enough to fly back. Vist the GoFundMe page here.
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Kylie Minogue serenade leaves fan, 3, 'smiling ear to ear'
A three-year-old boy was left "smiling ear to ear" after being serenaded by singer Kylie Minogue, his dad has from from Matlock in Derbyshire, went to see the Australian singer with his dad Glen at a concert in Birmingham on 5 June. He took with him a pink rose to hand to Kylie, but Glen, 53, said they never expected him to get as much attention as he to the BBC, Glen said: "He's still excited about it. He thinks he's famous." Glen said: "We knew whereabouts we were sat, so we'd got an inkling that she may get to see him. "But we never expected what happened, we just expected a little wave or 'aw' with his age. "[Kylie] starts The Loco-Motion on the main stage, works her way over to the satellite stage, which is where we were stood."Glen said Kylie then picked people from the audience to give roses to, "then she sort of focused on Reuben". "She gave him a rose, and he gave her one back. His face lit up and she started a conversation with him," Glen added."The audience were watching on the big screen and 'oohing and ahhing' obviously, because he's a little boy who was smiling ear to ear. "She was really engaging, she was fabulous. She'd obviously got an affinity with him, and then she sang the song to him."Glen says Kylie initially spoke to Reuben about his clothing, as he was "bedazzled head to toe with Kylie signs and diamonds".Reuben was also wearing specially made shoes for the event, featuring a diamond. "He was stunned, he went quiet initially, which is unlike Reuben. He was just smiling with shock and surprise," Glen said."One of his first words was 'dam dam', which he was obviously trying to say 'Padam Padam'. "He is a real fan as well, but we initiated that. He lit up all night."Glen says as they were leaving the event, Reuben then got attention from other concert-goers."Because he'd been on the big screens everybody recognised him."People said 'you were really brilliant, weren't you Reuben', and he said 'yes I was'."We didn't expect all this," he said.
