December cut to UK interest rates ‘nailed on’ after economy shrinks unexpectedly by 0.1% in October – as it happened
Economists are convinced that the Bank of England will respond to the UK’s weak economic performance by cutting interest rates next week.The Bank’s monetary policy committee will make its final decision of the year on Thursday 18th December, and a rate cut to 3.75% appears highly likely now that the economy shrunk by 0.1% in October.Ruth Gregory, deputy chief UK economist at Capital Economics, says:The surprise 0
Damn dalmatian! Fury erupts after David Jones cancels Christmas window display to promote joy of … its loyalty program
Two weeks out from Christmas, the footpath outside Sydney’s flagship David Jones store would usually be packed with eager-eyed families lining up to view the retailer’s traditional festive window display.But on Friday morning, Elizabeth Street was mostly empty. An upset-looking child in a pram stared forlornly at a Valentino advertisement.Sydneysiders have come out swinging after the department store replaced its famous Christmas window display with a celebration of its new loyalty program and associated mascot, Domino the dalmatian.Sign up: AU Breaking News emailA David Jones spokesperson said the company understood “how deeply sentimental the Christmas windows are for many families”, adding it “truly appreciated the feedback”
EU’s 2035 petrol and diesel car ban will be watered down, says senior MEP
The EU’s outright ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 is poised to be watered down, a senior European parliament politician has said.The decision, expected to be announced by the European Commission on Tuesday in Strasbourg, would be a divisive move, angering environmental campaigners who argue it would amount to the “gutting” of the EU’s flagship green deal.The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said on Friday he “supported” such a climbdown, having advocated strongly for changes to the rules on the end of the combustion engine for months.“The reality is that there will still be millions of combustion engine-based cars around the world in 2035, 2040 and 2050,” he said.Under the existing laws, approved two years ago, all cars coming on the market from 2035 have to be zero CO2 emissions, meaning the end of the road for hybrid vehicles as well as those running solely on fossil fuels
Card Factory issues shock profit warning during peak Christmas period
Card Factory has delivered an unwelcome early Christmas surprise for investors by issuing a shock profit warning during the greetings card retailer’s peak trading period, which sent shares plunging by more than a fifth.The retailer, which also owns the online card and gift brand Funky Pigeon, said economic pressure on shoppers has hit confidence in its most important trading period of the year.“Over recent months, the pressures facing the UK consumer have been well publicised,” the company said in a trading update. “It is an inescapable fact that these pressures have impacted consumer confidence and shopping behaviour, contributing to soft high street footfall.“Those conditions have persisted as we moved into our most important trading period, leading to a UK store sales performance which is lower than our previous expectations
Nationwide fined £44m by watchdog for financial crime control failings
Nationwide has been fined £44m by the City watchdog over “weak” financial crime controls that culminated in a serious case of Covid fraud that cost UK taxpayers £800,000.The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) fined the building society for failures stretching over nearly five years. It said the lender had been aware that some customers were using personal accounts for business activity, in a breach of its own terms.Nationwide did not offer business accounts at that point and so did not have the right processes in place to monitor potential financial crime risks, the FCA said.This resulted in a case where Nationwide failed to catch a customer using personal current accounts to receive 24 fraudulent Covid furlough payments, totalling £27
UK economy shrank unexpectedly before budget, data shows
Britain’s economy shrank unexpectedly in October as consumers held back on spending before Rachel Reeves’s budget, and car manufacturing struggled to recover from the cyber-attack on Jaguar Land Rover.Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed gross domestic product fell by 0.1%, after a 0.1% drop in output in September. City economists had predicted a 0
New laws may be considered after ‘harrowing stories’ from ex-Vodafone franchisees
The government may consider new laws to correct the power imbalance in franchise agreements in response to the “harrowing stories” of small business people running Vodafone stores.The move follows allegations of suicide and attempted suicide among shopkeepers who had agreed to deals to run retail outlets for the £18bn telecoms company, which were revealed by the Guardian on Monday.During Thursday’s business questions in the Commons, Justin Madders, a former minister, said: “I’m sure the department will have been aware of the coverage this week of some of the harrowing stories of the treatment of Vodafone franchisees … [The department] will no doubt recognise the power imbalance in that relationship and will they consider looking at some measures to redress that imbalance perhaps by a statutory code of practice or a national arbitration system?”Chris Bryant, a minister of state at the Department for Business and Trade, said: “I am happy to sit down with him and discuss whether there are specific proposals that we could bring forward which would address that issue of imbalance.”Outside the chamber another former business minister, Labour’s Gareth Thomas, added: “This case continues to raise disturbing echoes of the Post Office scandal and raises the question as to whether the law around franchising needs to be toughened up to ensure small-business owners are better protected.”On Monday, the Guardian revealed allegations that Adrian Howe, a former Vodafone employee who had agreed to become a franchisee in 2018, had taken his own life after becoming convinced his deal with the multinational company would prove financially disastrous
‘Squeaky bum time’ as Great Britain’s new rail timetable goes live this weekend
Billions of pounds of investment, years of engineering works – and now, the moment of truth. On 14 December a revamped railway timetable goes live across Great Britain, with the biggest fanfare and radical changes for the east coast mainline, where passengers are promised more train services, faster journeys and a new era of reliability.But the spectre of a previous, disastrous timetable change from May 2018 still looms over the railway. So will Sunday’s revamp be a great gift for passengers that the industry expects – or usher in a bleak midwinter ahead?LNER, the leading intercity operator on the line from London to Scotland, will have 60,000 extra seats a week in total, and cut the fastest journey times from the UK capital to Edinburgh to shortly over four hours, and to Leeds to a little over two, with six instead of five trains an hour out of Kings Cross most of the day.More TransPennine Express trains will run north of Newcastle upon Tyne and there will be more East Midlands services between Nottingham and Lincoln
Health and safety rules holding UK infrastructure back, says writer of government report
Overbearing health and safety rules are stopping Britain building new infrastructure, according to the economist whom Keir Starmer has cited as an inspiration for his growth strategy.John Fingleton, who recently wrote a report for government on how to encourage developers to build new nuclear power plants, told the Guardian regulators needed to change their attitude to risk if the country was to end its long economic stagnation.Starmer last week accepted Fingleton’s recommendations and said he wanted to use his approach to inform the government’s wider industrial strategy.Fingleton told the Guardian: “We need to have a more mature relationship with risk. Projects often do not go ahead because of concerns about safety but often all you are doing is moving the risk somewhere else
MPs announce inquiry into work of Office for Budget Responsibility
MPs have launched an inquiry into the role and performance of the Office for Budget Responsibility.The all-party Commons Treasury committee will investigate the independent agency’s forecasting performance and impartiality before considering whether reforms are needed 15 years after the OBR was set up by George Osborne when he was Tory chancellor.MPs on the committee are understood to be concerned after a row broke out between the OBR and the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, over budget briefings.Richard Hughes, the OBR’s then boss, complained to senior Treasury officials in the run-up to the budget about a flurry of leaks he said had spread “misconceptions” about the agency’s forecasts.He later cast doubt on claims that Reeves dropped plans to raise income tax in the budget because of rosier forecasts, pointing out that she knew about these well before the change of heart
Drax plans to convert part of its North Yorkshire power plant into datacentre
Drax has revealed plans to convert part of its power plant in North Yorkshire into a datacentre as soon as 2027 in response to the increase in demand for AI capability.The FTSE 250 company behind Britain’s biggest power plant told investors on Thursday that it had applied for planning permission to build a 100-megawatt datacentre at its site near Selby.The centre is expected to use the land, cooling systems and transformers that were once dedicated to the power plant’s coal generation before Drax converted its generators to burn imported wood pellets.The first datacentre to be built on its site will draw electricity from the UK’s national electricity grid, but in future there could be potential to use electricity from the Drax plant.The company set out the plans to safeguard demand for its electricity in its latest trading update, weeks after the government signalled that it would curb the amount of electricity it would subsidise from 2026
The UK’s pharma deal was vital – but the GSK boss is right about US dominance | Nils Pratley
That’s gratitude, eh? It’s not even a fortnight since the government agreed to raise the prices the NHS pays for new medicines and here comes the boss of GSK, Britain’s second largest pharma firm, to extol the virtues of doing business in the US.The US is “still the leading market in the world in terms of the launches of new drugs and vaccines”, said the chief executive, Emma Walmsley, in a BBC interview, explaining why GSK invests about three times as much over there as it does at home. Alongside China, the US is also “the best market in the world to do business development”.Her comments have caused a stir but, actually, are merely a statement of reality. It would be absurd to pretend the UK has suddenly shot to the top of the competitiveness table in life sciences as a result of the multipronged price and tariffs deal at the start of this month
Disney wants you to AI-generate yourself into your favorite Marvel movie
Musk calls Doge only ‘somewhat successful’ and says he would not do it again
ICE is using smartwatches to track pregnant women, even during labor: ‘She was so afraid they would take her baby’
From ‘glacier aesthetic’ to ‘poetcore’: Pinterest predicts the visual trends of 2026 based on its search data
UK police forces lobbied to use biased facial recognition technology
Trump clears way for Nvidia to sell powerful AI chips to China
AI researchers are to blame for serving up slop | Letter
EU opens investigation into Google’s use of online content for AI models
Australia launches a social media ban – and is AI a bubble about to pop?
‘I feel it’s a friend’: quarter of teenagers turn to AI chatbots for mental health support
Social media use damages children’s ability to focus, say researchers
‘It has to be genuine’: older influencers drive growth on social media
Labour is procrastinating over policy as UK’s economy goes backwards | Phillip Inman
There is a heavy cloud hanging over Labour’s Christmas celebrations.The most recent figures show the economy is going backwards and worse, the slide is prompting recession talk in the corridors of City banks.If there is a recession, it will only be slight, but with unemployment rising and businesses reluctant to invest, the economy remains stuck in first gear.In this gloomy atmosphere, not many Labour MPs will feel comfortable donning paper hats and toasting their leaders.Especially not when Whitehall is dominated by a single activity – procrastination
Zipcar’s rivals consider London expansion after it reveals UK exit
Several car-sharing companies are considering launching or expanding in London, with the imminent closure of Zipcar’s UK operation leaving a large gap in the market in one of Europe’s biggest cities.Free2Move, owned by the carmaker Stellantis, said it was “closely monitoring the London market”, and “actively assessing” options for its services. It already operates fleets in cities including Berlin, Paris, Rome and Washington DC.Enterprise Car Club, which already has some cars in London, said it “will continue to seek out opportunities to expand our network and provide people with alternative transport options by the hour or day”.Co Wheels, which operates across the UK and with a handful of cars in the capital, said it was “actively discussing” options with several London boroughs in recent days
YouTube channels spreading fake, anti-Labour videos viewed 1.2bn times in 2025
YouTube channels spreading fake, anti-Labour videos have amassed more than a billion views this year, as opportunists attempt to use AI-generated content to profit from political division in the UK.More than 150 channels have been detected in the last year that promote anti-Labour narratives, as well as outright fake and inflammatory accusations about Keir Starmer.A study seen by the Guardian has found the channels have accumulated 5.3m subscribers and have created more than 56,000 videos, with a total of almost 1.2bn views in 2025
Gavin Newsom pushes back on Trump AI executive order preempting state laws
The ink was barely dry on Donald Trump’s artificial intelligence executive order when Gavin Newsom came out swinging. Just hours after the order went public Thursday evening, the California governor issued a statement saying the presidential dictum, which seeks to block states from regulating AI of their own accord, advances “grift and corruption” instead of innovation.“President Trump and David Sacks aren’t making policy – they’re running a con,” Newsom said, referencing Trump’s AI adviser and crypto “czar”. “Every day, they push the limits to see how far they can take it.”Trump’s executive order is a major victory for tech companies that have campaigned against legislative barriers to developing and deploying their AI products
Saracens fall just short in South Africa as Sharks survive Champions Cup storm
It is a long way to go for just a point, but Saracens all but took the maximum against Sharks in biblical weather in Durban. Now that South Africa has been incorporated into the Champions Cup, these long trips are part and parcel. It meant Saracens changing 10 of their starting lineup. It meant Sharks changing 14 – and a head coach to boot.JP Pietersen, the former Springbok, stepped up to fill his new role this week when John Plumtree resigned after the Sharks’ heavy defeat in Toulouse on Sunday
Racing honours Hunt family as outsider Glengouly hits jackpot at Cheltenham
This was an afternoon at the track when the big-race result was secondary to the cause it was supporting. For Faye Bramley it also marked a huge step forward in her training career as Glengouly, a 33-1 outsider, made all the running to win the Support the Hunt Family Fund December Gold Cup.The Hunt Family Fund was set up by the BBC racing commentator, John Hunt, and his daughter, Amy, after the murder of his wife, Carol, and daughters, Hannah and Louise, to raise awareness of violence against women and support causes relating to young women.Saturday’s race, the traditional feature of the December meeting, came at the end of a series of events over the past week, including a dinner and auction at Cheltenham on Thursday, which has raised nearly £500,000.Hunt called the race as usual for Radio 5 Live, and said afterwards that, like most of those watching from the stands, he had expected Glengouly to be swallowed up by either Jagwar, the 11-4 favourite, or Vincenzo, the 7-2 second-favourite, after the turn for home
Who is Al Carns? Former Marine and Labour minister with sights on leadership
A former special forces colonel, government minister Al Carns was this week on manouevres warning that the UK needs to be preparing for war with Russia.“The shadow of war is knocking on Europe’s door once more. That’s the reality. We’ve got to be prepared to deter it,” he said, in comments that go beyond previous warnings by his boss, the defence secretary, John Healey.“Collectively, everybody – what is their role if we get caught in an existential crisis, and what do they need to be aware they need to do and what they can’t do, and how do we mobilise the nation to support a military endeavour?”It was stark language from the 45-year-old Scottish-born MP, who has had an exceptionally swift rise to his role of armed forces minister
Starmer to pick new US ambassador as relations with Trump tested
Keir Starmer is poised to choose a new ambassador to Washington from a shortlist of three as relations with the US are tested over Ukraine and Donald Trump’s attacks on European leaders.The prime minister held interviews with three finalists for the role this week, the Guardian has learned, with Downing Street preparing to make an appointment before the end of the year.The trio of candidates seen by Starmer were Varun Chandra, his business adviser who has helped negotiate a series of deals with the Trump administration, Christian Turner, a diplomat due to become ambassador to the UN, and Nigel Casey, the British ambassador to Russia.Whoever is chosen will be taking up the role at a critical stage in US-UK relations, with insiders warning of rising tensions over Ukraine and the White House’s pugnacious national security strategy.Chandra, a former managing partner at the corporate intelligence firm Hakluyt, has played a central role in negotiating bilateral deals with the US on trade, tech and pharmaceuticals and is seen as the frontrunner
‘Every chef should train here’: Turkish restaurant ranks fourth on list of London’s top food spots
On a list of London’s best restaurants, you would expect to see the usual Michelin-starred suspects such as The Ledbury, Ikoyi and The Ritz. But high among these culinary heavyweights sits a humble salonu tucked away in the depths of north London.Neco Tantuni, a small Turkish eatery specialising in the foodie delights of Mersin, a city located on the southern coast of Turkey, has been crowned the fourth best restaurant in London by Vittles, the trendy food magazine that has become a bible for those looking for the best (and more off-the-radar) grub in the capital.“I’m totally shocked,” says Eren Kaya, whose parents hard graft has resulted in their restaurant, situated in a far-flung corner of Enfield, being placed near the top of the 99-strong list.The small shop, which was a greasy spoon cafe before being transformed into the hugely popular food hotspot, hasn’t fully shed the character of its former self
Roll up! Philip Khoury’s recipe for pistachio yule log | The sweet spot
This rich and moreish (and plant-based) yule log is a Lebanese Christmas favourite that harks back to the country’s French colonial pastI love a yule log, also known as a bûche de Noël. It’s a remnant from the time when Lebanon was a French colony, which lingers to the modern day, and is popular in Lebanese bakeries and patisseries over the Christmas period, often decorated with small figurines, plastic holly leaves and festive messages. Those decorations, and the trompe-l’oeil nature of this treat, enchanted me as a child, and I wanted to bring back some of that enchantment with this take on a woodland yule log.Prep 10 min Cook 3 hr 15 minChill 7 hr Serves 8–10For the chocolate chantilly mousse190ml plant-based milk, 100ml of it well chilled 120g dark chocolate (at least 65% cocoa solids), chopped For the chocolate ganache200ml plant-based milk, 100ml of it well chilled 50g muscovado sugar, or dark brown sugar150g dark chocolate (at least 65% cocoa solids), chopped For the pistachio praline200g shelled pistachios 100g icing sugar¼ tsp fine sea saltFor the aquafaba meringue mushrooms 75ml aquafaba¼ tsp cream of tartar150g caster sugarUnsweetened cocoa powder, for dustingMelted dark chocolate, for dipping For the pistachio sponge60g shelled pistachiosVegetable oil, for greasing 105g plain flour100g caster sugar¾ tsp baking powder¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda¼ tsp fine sea salt135ml soya milk¾ tsp vanilla extract1½ tsp apple cider vinegarTo decorate350g amarena cherries, or tinned cherries in syrup1 sprig dill Icing sugar, for dustingFor the mousse, heat 90ml milk in a saucepan on a medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer. Meanwhile, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, pour in the hot milk and blend with a handheld blender until completely smooth
My cultural awakening: The Lehman Trilogy helped me to live with my sight loss
I began to notice my sight deteriorating in my 40s, but not just in the way that you expect it to with age. I had night blindness and blind spots in my field of view. At 44, I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye condition that causes the retina cells to die. I had always been a very visually oriented person: I was a practising architect, and someone who loved to read, draw, go to the cinema and visit art exhibitions. So when black text disappeared on a glaring white page, films became impossible to follow and artworks only took shape once explained to me, I questioned who I would be without my vision
The Guide #221: Endless ticket queues, AI slop and ALL CAPS agony
It’s time for a big old moan. Next week’s newsletter will be a roundup of our favourite culture of the year, a bit of an annual Guide tradition by now, and something that’s great fun to put together.But do you know what’s even more fun? Complaining about things. So, this week’s Guide is devoted to cultural gripes, big and small, of 2025. Here’s what had us seething this year
Reform UK claims it has overtaken Labour as Britain’s largest party
‘There’s been a Badenoch bounce’: is the Tory leader finally cutting through?
UK politics: Trump talks ‘complete nonsense’ about crime in London, says Met police commissioner – as it happened
Tory transport culture wars risked making roads less safe, says minister
Reform councillors accused of ‘rash promises’ as council tax rises loom
Dulwich college head responds to claims of teenage racism by Nigel Farage
House of Lords’ block on assisted dying bill is a big risk | Letter
UK politics: No 10 brushes off claims Streeting’s criticism of ‘technocratic approach’ refers to Starmer –as it happened
Trump wants to destabilise European democracy. Where on earth is parliament? | John Crace
US engaging in ‘extreme rightwing tropes’ reminiscent of 1930s, British MPs warn
UK denies Milei’s claim of talks over Falklands-era ban on Argentina arms sales
Sajid Javid told Boris Johnson he was Dominic Cummings’ ‘puppet’
Nine bring-a-plate ideas for Christmas drinks, barbecues and dinner parties this summer – recipes
Like nibblies, the concept of bringing a plate to a social event or a host’s home can be deeply confusing across cultures and generations. Are you carting canapes? Are you slinging salad? Are you delivering dessert? If we’ve learned anything from the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, it’s that communication is key. So if you’re unsure about what your host expects, just ask.Below are nine summer-friendly recipes to suit various bring-a-plate scenarios: one-bite snacks that go with cocktails, salads to bring to barbecues and make-ahead dessert for dinner parties, arranged in each category from easiest to most ambitious.And if time is seriously short, you could throw together a pleasingly arranged antipasto-ish plate comprised of Guardian Australia’s top supermarket taste test products: crackers, feta, salami and pickles
Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband no longer called ‘chocolate’ after recipe change
Toffee Crisp and Blue Riband bars can no longer be called chocolate after Nestlé reformulated their recipes due to the increasing cost of ingredients.The Swiss conglomerate now describes the treats as being “encased in a smooth milk chocolate flavour coating”, rather than being covered in milk chocolate.In the UK, a product needs to have at least 20% cocoa solids and 20% milk solids in order to be described as milk chocolate, a level each product fell below after a higher amount of cheaper vegetable fat was used.Nestlé said the changes were necessary due to higher input costs but were “carefully developed and sensory tested”, adding there were no plans to alter the recipes of other chocolate products.A spokesperson for Nestlé said it had seen “significant increases in the cost of cocoa over the past years, making it much more expensive to manufacture our products
How to use a spent tea bag to make a boozy, fruity treat – recipe | Waste not
Save a used teabag to flavour dried fruit, then just add whisky for a boozy festive treatA jar of tea-soaked prunes with a cheeky splash of whisky is the gift you never knew you needed. Sticky, sweet and complex, these boozy treats are wonderful spooned over rice pudding, porridge, yoghurt, ice-cream or even panna cotta.Don’t waste a fresh tea bag, though – enjoy a cuppa first, then use the spent one to infuse the prunes overnight. Earl grey adds fragrant, citrus notes, builders’ tea gives a malty depth, lapsang souchong brings smokiness, and chamomile or rooibos offer softer, floral tones. It’s also worth experimenting with other dried fruits beyond prunes: apricots, figs and/or dates all work beautifully, too
Christmas food gifts: Gurdeep Loyal’s recipes for Mexican-spiced brittle and savoury pinwheels
Edible Christmas gifts are a great excuse to get experimental with global flavours. For spice lovers, this moreish Mexican brittle, which is inspired by salsa macha (a delicious chilli-crunch), is sweet, salty, smoky, crunchy and has hints of anise. Then, for savoury lovers, some cheesy pinwheel cookies enlivened with XO sauce. XO is a deeply umami condiment from Hong Kong made from dried seafood, salty ham, chilli and spices. Paired with tangy manchego, it adds a funky kick to these crumbly biscuits
Festive treats: Adriann Ramirez’s recipes for pumpkin loaf and gingerbread cookies
As a self-proclaimed America’s sweetheart (Julia Roberts isn’t using that title any more, is she?) who moved to the UK nearly 10 years ago, there are a few British traditions and customs that I have adopted, especially around Christmas time. However, there are also a few American ones that I hold on to staunchly: one is the pronunciation of “aluminum”, and another is the importance and beauty of a soft cookie. In both of these easy but delicious bakes to share, I use spice and heat to balance the usual sweetness with which the season can often overload us.Prep 5 min Chill 1 hr Cook 50 min, plus cooling Makes 10-12520g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 8g cocoa powder 8g ground ginger 3g ground cloves 5g ground cinnamon 3g aleppo pepper 4g coarsely ground black pepper 7g table salt 3g bicarbonate of soda 225g soft unsalted butter 175g caster sugar 1 large egg (60g) 77g treacle 77g pomegranate molasses 40g golden syrupFor the icing120g icing sugar 30g waterWhisk the first nine ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Either in the bowl of a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, beat the butter for a few minutes until light and creamy
Nutcracker stocking fillers: Brian Levy’s recipe for sugar plum and coffee cookies | The sweet spot
These festive cookies are inspired by The Nutcracker’s Land of Sweets sequence, in which coffee and sugar plums are two of the flavours used to conjure a fanciful world of decadent diversion. Anything from a hard candy to a candied fruit can qualify as a “sugar plum” and, in the case of these cookies, the sugar plum is represented by the amarena cherry. Coffee’s bitterness balances the sweetness of the fruit and the rich butteriness of the dough, while the oat flour adds a dash of shortbread-like delicateness.Prep 10 min Chill 30 min+ Cook 35 min, plus cooling Makes 36185g room-temperature butter75g sugar2 tsp instant coffee/espresso powder1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powderFinely grated zest of ½ lemon½ tsp vanilla extract⅛ tsp fine salt 180g plain flour 85g oat flour 36 amarena cherries in syrupTurbinado sugar, or pearl sugar or icing sugar, for dippingIn the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, coffee powder, cocoa, lemon zest, vanilla and salt, at first on low and then medium speed, until creamy and fluffy.Add both flours and beat just until combined with no dry flour remaining; don’t overbeat because this can toughen the texture
How to make the perfect Dubai chocolate bar - recipe | Felicity Cloake's How to make the perfect …
If you’re asking what on earth chocolate has to do with a city with an average annual temperature of 28C, then you must have been stuck in the desert for the past three years. Because, since its creation in the UAE in 2022, apparently to satisfy chocolatier Sarah Hamouda’s pregnancy cravings for pistachio and pastry, this bar has taken over the world. Though food (among those with the luxury of choice, at least) has never been immune to the absurdities of fashion, the internet has supercharged and globalised the process, so much so that pistachios, which back in January were dubbed “the new pumpkin spice” by this very newspaper, are now everywhere, from Starbucks lattes to Aldi mince pies.The thing is, however, that whatever your thoughts on green, sugary, coffee-adjacent beverages, Hamouda’s Dubai chocolate developed for Fix Dessert Chocolatier has triumphed, because it really does taste as good as it looks: crunchy pastry, sweet chocolate and rich, slightly savoury nut butter are an incredibly satisfying combination, so a big bar of it is guaranteed to impress under the Christmas tree. Experience demands that I suggest you wrap it in a pet-proof box, however – emergency vet bills are no one’s idea of a great present
The ultimate unsung superfood: 17 delicious ways with cabbage – from kimchi to pasta to peanut butter noodles
Over the last 50 years, cabbage consumption in Britain has declined 80%. But it’s versatile, full of vitamins, and perfect on a winter night. Here’s how to make the most of itIt’s not good news: despite a lot of messaging about healthy eating, Britons consume 12% less vegetables per week than they did in 1974, when the government’s Family Food survey began. And while the consumption of some specific vegetables – courgettes, say – has risen over the past 50 years, others have experienced a sharp decline. Among the biggest losers is cabbage
Christmas dinner in a restaurant or kitchen carnage at home?
Christmas dinner? At home or in a restaurant? It’s at this juncture of the year, with Christmas dinner hurtling towards us, that you may well find yourself muttering: “Well, we could always go out!” Who could blame any home cook for wanting to shove this great burden on to someone else’s back, especially since every culinary TV show, magazine article and advertising break since mid-November has hammered home what a colossal faff Christmas dinner actually is. No, it’s not just a slightly posh Sunday roast with a few more guests.Christmas dinner in the UK these days is more like a cross between dinner at Balmoral and 4 July at Mar-a-Lago. The table has to be heaving with holly-embossed crockery, the carrots must be bejewelled in star anise and Himalayan pink pepper, the turkey has to be brined in aromatic salt water and your roasties shaken in polenta and smothered in duck fat. If you’re the designated martyr organising proceedings, field-marshalling everything and cooking this tinsel-strewn palaver, it is common to try instead to divert it all to the local pub, where they’re doing “turkey and all the trimmings” for £79 a head (and including a cracker and a pre-dinner “glass of something sparkly”)
Christmas mixers: Thomasina Miers’ recipes for fire cider and spiced cocktail syrup
Despite being known for shaking a cocktail on Instagram now and again, very little will induce me to last-minute cocktailery if I am entertaining a serious number of guests. However, a good drinks recipe that you can prep in advance is a lovely thing to dazzle your friends with and to gift over Christmas. With or without alcohol, this pair look good and taste delicious, and should help everyone ease into the December festivities.This makes a delicious base to which you can add soda, juice, tonic or any other mixer for a thirst-quenching and delicious alternative to an alcoholic drink in the evening. Prep 15 minInfuse 1 week+ Makes 500ml bottleFor the fire cider2 jalapeños, finely sliced seeds and all1 large thumb of ginger, peeled and finely sliced2 branches fresh rosemary1 cinnamon stick3 heaped tbsp honey2 garlic cloves, peeled1 thumb turmeric, peeled and finely sliced (optional)350ml apple cider vinegarFor the cranberry fizz (serves 1)30ml fire cider 75ml cranberry juice1 wedge of orange Sparkling water, to topMix all the ingredients for the fire cider in a sterilised 500ml jar, then put in the fridge for at least week, and preferably three to extract the most goodness from the ingredients
Jamie Oliver to relaunch Italian restaurant chain in UK six years after collapse
Jamie Oliver is to revive his Jamie’s Italian restaurant chain in the UK, more than six years after the celebrity chef’s brand collapsed.Jamie’s Italian is poised to be relaunched in the spring, starting with a restaurant in London’s Leicester Square.Oliver’s return to the UK restaurant scene is being backed by Brava Hospitality Group – the private equity-backed group that runs the Prezzo chain – which intends to relaunch the brand across the UK.“As a chef, having the chance to return to the high street is incredibly important to me,” he said. “I will drive the menus, make sure the sourcing is right, the staff training, and ensure the look and feel of the restaurant is brought to life in the right way
Maximum protein, minimal carbs: why gym bros are flocking to Australia’s charcoal chicken shops
From El Jannah’s webpage dedicated to ‘health-conscious individuals’ to Habibi Chicken’s ‘Gym Bro’ pack, businesses are catering to the post-leg day crowdGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailPopularised in Australia by Balkan and Lebanese immigrants, charcoal chicken has long been part of our comfort-food canon. But recently, the humble chicken shop has had a renaissance – driven by fresh takes on the classics, the expansion of longstanding chains and a surge of protein-conscious gym goers.In June, charcoal chicken chain El Jannah, which has more than 50 stores, launched a page on its website dedicated to protein and macros – complete with recommendations for the best post-leg day order – a clear nod to the fitness crowd.In Wagga Wagga, Habibi Chicken has a “Gym Bro” pack – a half or quarter chicken, tabbouleh, pita and toum, no chips. Co-owner Mariam Rehman says it’s a top seller, designed to maximise protein and reduce carbs
‘Like lipstick on a fabulous gorilla’: the Barbican’s many gaudy glow-ups and the one to top them all
Maria Balshaw to step down as director of Tate after nine years
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Barbican revamp to give ‘bewildering’ arts centre a new lease of life
