Australian supermarket wheat crackers taste test: ‘All the reviewers knew which one was the real deal’

Nicholas Jordan risks it for the biscuits, sampling 19 wheat crackers in the driest taste test yetIf you value our independent journalism, we hope you’ll consider supporting us todayGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailI’ve been wanting to write this article for over a year but I’ve been too intimidated and confused to start. There are several hundred supermarket products that could be called a cracker. Imagine a taste test with 100 versions of the same thing. Do I have the stomach space or mental bandwidth to process that much? Otherwise, how do I decide what’s in or out? Even if I did, how do I rule what is a cracker or not? How do you determine the criteria for tasting something rarely eaten on its own? Do you rate the crackers for deliciousness or compatibility? Are those two things even that different?Then there’s the anxiety of spending several days agonising over all that, and conducting a taste test only to arrive at the conclusion that Jatz are great. Do people want to read an article about why Sir Donald Bradman is better than whoever the second-best-ever cricketer is?Instead of answering all those questions, I could just have a lovely afternoon making my way through 17 kinds of chocolate or many iced coffees

Same sheet, different dish: how to use up excess lasagne sheets

I’ve accidentally bought too many boxes of dried lasagne sheets. How can I use them up? Jemma, by email This is sounding all too familiar to Jordon Ezra King, the man behind the A Curious Cook newsletter. “It’s funny Jemma asks this,” he says, “because I was in this exact same situation earlier this year after over-catering for a client dinner.” The first thing to say is there’s no immediate rush, he adds: “It sounds obvious, but you can keep the boxes for a long time.” Fortunately for Jemma and her shopping mishap, however, lasagne sheets are also flexible, and their shape doesn’t have to dictate what you do with them

Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy recipe for chilli crisp topped noodles with tofu and cabbage | Quick and easy

I make variations of stir-fried mushrooms and tofu with noodles (or rice) all the time, but this one, topped with a homemade peanut chilli crisp oil, has gone straight to the top of my repertoire. And the chilli oil couldn’t be easier to make, plus there’s enough to stash in the fridge for the week to come – spoon over eggy crumpets, fried rice or cheese on toast.Prep 20 min Cook 15 min Serves 2-32 tbsp sesame oil5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated2 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced150g shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped280g firm tofu (I like Tofoo), cut into 1cm cubes15ml soy sauce½ sweetheart cabbage, roughly chopped 200g straight-to-wok udon noodles Sea salt, to tasteFor the chilli crisp oil50ml neutral oil – I use mild olive oil5g chilli flakes 50g salted peanuts, left wholePut a large frying pan or wok on a medium heat, then add one tablespoon of the sesame oil. Stir-fry the ginger, garlic and spring onions for 30 seconds, then add the mushrooms and fry, stirring, for two minutes more. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then stir in the tofu and fry for two minutes on each side

The nut secret: 14 easy, delicious ways to eat more of these life-changing superfoods

A handful of nuts a day can help manage obesity and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some kinds of cancer. Yet most of us don’t get enough. Here’s a no-fuss guide to getting your 30g a dayThe Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more

How to make the perfect beer cheese soup – recipe | Felicity Cloake's How to make the perfect …

Beer and cheese, two ingredients that don’t immediately scream soup to much of the world, are the cornerstones of one such midwestern speciality, particularly beloved in Wisconsin, with its prominent dairy and brewing industries. Beer soups are also found from Alsace to Russia (and, indeed, Wisconsin has a significant northern European heritage population). The cheese, however, appears to be an inspired American addition (though, seeing as Germany boasts both beer and cheese soups, I’m prepared to stand corrected), playing off the bittersweetness of the beer to produce a richly flavoured dish that’s perfectly suited to harsh midwestern winters. That said, it’s a treat on a cold day wherever you are.(Note: this is not to be confused with German obatzda, while a thicker version is a popular hot dip in Kentucky, in particular

Lilibet’s, London W1: ‘Pure joy, high drama, camp as heck’ – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants

My new favourite restaurantUntil last week, Punk Royale was easily the strangest restaurant I’ve been to all year. “We’re all wacky here!” cried those Scandinavian punks with pans, as covered in my review here a month or so ago. But they’ve already been usurped by a spot in a repurposed office block less than half a mile away.The fabulously bizarre Lilibet’s opened her doors with little or no fanfare in mid-September, beckoning us into her world of strange. Behold the antique fireplaces, the floral chairs and wallpaper, the multitude of gilt-framed, 18th-century French paintings, the pretty etched glassware, the monogrammed napkins, the tall dinner candles