Will this ‘Doritos-inspired’ hot cross bun cause some spicy full-scale anarchy – or is it merely weird-smelling clickbait?
Alyx, I tried one of the orange bread-things you left in the office kitchen,What was that?That, Julia, was the apotheosis of this year’s Easter rush of frankenfoods, a “Doritos-inspired” cheesy jalapeño hot cross bun,The trend of turning everything into a hot cross bun and turning hot cross buns into everything has been going for a while now, and this year the world’s biggest food companies got on board like brands at a pride parade in 2015,A savoury take is the most obvious of the not-crosses, which is why I bought it, but I also walked past a shelf filled with discounted Iced Vovo hot cross buns, alongside a bunch of other Arnott’s biscuits,If I’d gone to Woolworths instead of Coles, I could have picked up various CadburyxHXB collabs; and Aldi is doing a carrot cake number.
Australia isn’t alone in our novelty bun affliction, by the way,Now, a question for you: what did you think of it?Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morningI am passionately opposed to Doritos in chip-form, but strangely I really enjoyed this spicy hot cross bun iteration,Is there something wrong with me?I’m not saying you’ve got a broken palate, but you are close to the sole dissenter here – only one other person thought they weren’t bad,Our colleagues called the buns “so wrong, with or without butter” and “a bad version of a Bakers Delight cheesy roll with a weird smell too”,Many remarked on the artificial, “Pizza Shapes” odour.
One likened it to the unholy progeny of a sexual union between a Dorito and a marshmallow, while another said: “It tastes exactly like I imagined – an inappropriate blend of two completely different things.” Those with higher expectations had them thwarted: “I was hoping for a cheesy scone or jalapeño cornbread, but winced just at the smell of it.”Personally I found them claggy, unevenly spicy, synthetically sweet and skimpy on the dried fruit (jalapeño is, technically, a fruit).After I put one in the office panini maker, it compressed into a crispy puck with a gooey centre and some of the parmesan notes came out, so it ate a little like a meagre, maltodextrin-coated toasty.A perfectly acceptable 3pm office lunch.
I really feel they missed a trick by not making the cross out of cheese though.Great idea – Coles, take note! But now I’m questioning everything – not just my own sense of taste, but the very essence of a hot cross bun.If something savoury and sans-raisins fits within the hot cross bun umbrella, where does it end?Starting an authenticity bunfight is kind of the point when it comes to culinary clickbait.If you can get people to try it once, their job is done.That means it never ends, only escalates.
You could respond by opting out and becoming a hot cross bun purist who insists only sultanas, candied orange and cinnamon qualify – or you could embrace hot cross anarchy.Next year, make a cross out of avocado mash on a tray of nachos and call it a guac cross bun.
‘I’m not a superhero. I’m just a boxer’: Moses Itauma on racism, identity and living on £7 a week | Donald McRae
Britain’s heavyweight prospect puts his unbeaten record on the line against Jermaine Franklin on SaturdayMoses Itauma might represent the glittering future of heavyweight boxing but right now he is locked in the present. In the back seat of a car, while being driven from one swanky hotel to another in Manchester, the 21-year-old turns to me and says: “Let’s get going.”I know how much Itauma dislikes interviews and so the only sensible option is to resist this blunt invitation to rush through our 45 minutes together. On Saturday night, in Manchester, Itauma fights Jermaine Franklin, the tough American who should provide his first notable test after he has won all 13 professional fights so far, with 11 ending in brutal stoppages. So he nods, just a little grudgingly, when I suggest we wait until we are sitting face to face
Kimi Antonelli pips Mercedes teammate George Russell to pole for F1’s Japanese GP – as it happened
Giles Richards reports on another Mercedes front-row lockout, this time in qualifying at the F1 Japanese Grand Prix.And that is all from me … Giles’s report will be along shortly, and do join Joey Lynch tomorrow for the race itself.Andrea Stella, the McLaren principal, is pleased to be mixing it with Ferrari this weekend. He says they are getting a bit more out of the chassis, but more the power unit. He says Piastri has been faster here and indeed all season, but just not able to show it, with his two did not starts
Kimi Antonelli on F1 Japanese GP pole in Mercedes lockout with George Russell
Kimi Antonelli demonstrated he intends to be front and centre in the Formula One world championship battle after claiming a commanding pole position for the Japanese Grand Prix, driving his Mercedes with an assured confidence beyond his tender years.The 19-year-old delivered a hugely impressive lap on a Suzuka circuit that rewards drivers who can push to the edge and beat his teammate George Russell into second by 0.298sec. This was no little feat despite the British driver struggling with setup issues on his car.Antonelli, fast-tracked into Mercedes for his F1 debut last season, is delivering on the promise the team had seen in the young Italian
Tiger Woods released on bail hours after arrest at crash scene on suspicion of DUI
Tiger Woods was released on bail on Friday, hours after the golf star’s Land Rover clipped a truck, rolled onto its side and he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to officials.Martin County sheriff John Budensiek said Woods was driving a Land Rover that overturned after attempting to overtake a truck on a narrow two-lane road shortly before 2pm near Woods’s residence on Jupiter Island. The vehicle clipped a trailer, veered off and came to rest on its driver’s side after sliding along the roadway.The truck had been slowing to turn into a driveway when Woods approached at what the sheriff described as a “high rate of speed” on a road with a 30mph limit.Woods, who was alone in the vehicle, was able to exit through the passenger side
Australia break new ground to thump West Indies in first women’s ODI
Australia have powered to a 103-run win over the West Indies, despite Stafanie Taylor’s breakthrough one-day century.Opener Phoebe Litchfield top-scored with 77 and five other teammates reached the 40s as Australia made 341 from 49.5 overs on Saturday (AEDT) in St Kitts. It is a record women’s one-day team total in the Caribbean.After sweeping the three-game T20 series, the tourists then restricted the West Indies to 238-8 from their 50 overs in the first of three one-dayers
Sinner continues Zverev domination to set up Miami Open final against Lehecka
For one intense, gripping hour inside Miami Open’s stadium court, Alexander Zverev outperformed the modest expectations of his sceptical audience. Under sustained, suffocating pressure from the best returner in the world, he held his own serve and kept Jannik Sinner honest as a competitive second set culminated in a tie-break. Eight points in, nothing could separate them.Things changed abruptly. At 4-4 on his own serve, Zverev set up a routine overhead that would have moved him narrowly ahead
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