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Raise your picnic game with these 15 stylish buys, from £4
Raise your picnic game with these 15 stylish buys, from £4

Telegraph

time7 hours ago

  • Lifestyle
  • Telegraph

Raise your picnic game with these 15 stylish buys, from £4

A picnic is always a good idea. Given the glorious weather forecast this weekend, many of us will be grabbing blankets, baskets and beverages and seeking out the perfect picnicking spot, be that beach, park or back garden. But before you throw everything into the boot of the car and head for the hills, take a moment to check your kit and ask yourself what little extras might elevate your experience. An excellent blanket, a decent cool bag and a sunshade are all essentials. But to raise your game, reusable napkins, generous drinks pitchers and large trays – or even a folding tray table – are great additions. For extra picnic points, decant crisps, fruit, nuts, etc into prettier containers: the high street shops are full of patterned platters and stylish serving plates this summer. Bring games, speakers and ice packs, and don't forget the bottle opener. Here are 15 picnic picks for your summer 2025 kit list.

Martha Stewart sparks hot dog debate by defending condiment that others 'cannot abide'
Martha Stewart sparks hot dog debate by defending condiment that others 'cannot abide'

Fox News

time9 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • Fox News

Martha Stewart sparks hot dog debate by defending condiment that others 'cannot abide'

A lifestyle and culinary icon recently took a firm position on the age-old debate of whether ketchup belongs on hot dogs or not. Martha Stewart, founder of Martha Stewart Living, expressed her opinion in an Instagram reel on June 17. "I love hot dogs with the works," Stewart said in the video. She added, "It has to have bacon, mustard, ketchup, relish, sauerkraut." Her endorsement of ketchup on hot dogs polarized some of her fans — especially those in the Windy City. "I love Martha, but ketchup on a hot dog is f---ing diabolical," one user wrote. "As a Chicagoan, I cannot abide the ketchup on a hot dog," another chimed in. "That'll get you thrown right out of that town faster than disliking deep dish pizza." But others appreciated Stewart's vision and spoke out in favor of condiment-packed hot dogs. "Martha knows what she's talking about," a ketchup enthusiast wrote. "Me too, Martha," another said. Stewart took the pro-ketchup stance after sharing her Chicago-style hot dog recipe earlier in June, writing that "there's really only one steadfast rule – no ketchup." Her comment referred only to Chicago-style hot dogs, though. Still, some of her fans thought she was in their anti-ketchup camp. One admirer wrote, "Absolutely NO ketchup – love you, Martha!" Another chimed in, "Yes, queenie, no ketchup." One brave commenter came out in support of ketchup on hot dogs – and was promptly shut down. "Ketchup is a MUST," the ketchup fan wrote. "Not in Chitown," an Instagram user wrote. "Not in Chicago," another repeated. So why is ketchup considered such a controversial addition to hot dogs? Chris Christou, owner of Poochie's Hot Dogs in Chicago, told Fox News Digital his rationale behind skipping ketchup. Christou said the tomato-based condiment's flavor is too overpowering for a Chicago-style hot dog. "I always felt like ketchup, because of its sweetness, overpowered the rest of the condiments," the restaurateur said. "Especially the yellow mustard and dill pickle." But some devil's advocates continue to support the sweet-and-sour condiment. "Not only does it enhance the flavor, but adding ketchup offers some real health benefits." New Jersey-based dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade told Fox News Digital she encourages incorporating ketchup into more meals. "You need ketchup on your hot dog," she said, sharing her insights as "a registered dietitian and mom of three," she added. "Not only does it enhance the flavor, but adding ketchup offers some real health benefits." The dietitian said ketchup contains high amounts of lycopene, which has cancer-fighting properties. "[These] benefits [are] thanks to its high content of lycopene, which is more bioavailable in ketchup versus raw tomatoes due to the cooking process involved in making ketchup." Palinski-Wade added, "Studies link higher dietary intake of lycopene from tomatoes and ketchup with a reduced risk of stomach and prostate cancer, thanks to lycopene's antioxidant and anticancer properties." Fox News Digital reached out to Stewart for comment.

Where does pepper come from? All about the spice, plus a delicious pepper crab recipe
Where does pepper come from? All about the spice, plus a delicious pepper crab recipe

South China Morning Post

time12 hours ago

  • General
  • South China Morning Post

Where does pepper come from? All about the spice, plus a delicious pepper crab recipe

Of all the spices, pepper is probably the most ubiquitous. Green peppercorns, white peppercorns and black peppercorns come from the same plant – the Piper nigrum vine. The stage at which they are picked and how they are processed determines the colour. The green peppercorn is the unripe fruit and it can be used fresh, dried or pickled. It is aromatic and hot, but not as strong as black or white peppercorns. Black peppercorns are also unripe, but the fruit has been processed, fermented and dried in a way that develops the flavour – making it more pungent than the green variety – and turns the exterior black and wrinkled. Green peppercorns are the unripe fruit of the Piper nigrum vine. Photo: Shutterstock White peppercorns are made from the fully ripe fruit, which is processed and the exterior removed, leaving only the white core. White pepper is the strongest and hottest of the three, and a little goes a long way. It is used in pale sauces, where the dark specks from ground black pepper would be unsightly. The Piper nigrum vine can also yield red peppercorns – which should not be mistaken for pink peppercorns as those come from a different plant – but these are very rare.

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