3 d. ago Olive oil: Can a daily shot of ‘liquid gold’ really help you to live longer?

The viral trend of knocking back olive oil might just be the kick-start you need for better health, says nutritionist Louise Pyne

Politics

6 d. ago Street food, fine dining and local cooking – a culinary journey through Jordan

Like so many of our meals in Jordan, the food keeps coming. Creamy hummus in pools of olive oil, fresh tabbouleh salad topped with parsley, fluffy bread still puffed up from the oven, tender cuts of lamb marinated in spices, and tomato stewed with herbs and mince topped with pine nuts. All finished with semolina cake soaked in syrup, and accompanied by cold limonana – a slushy minty concoction often considered Jordan’s national drink.

Society

6 d. ago Sandalheimer: can Christopher Nolan restore the grandeur of ancient

Once a prestige genre with lavish spectacle and global stars, it’s since grown pretty dusty and drear. But Nolan’s Odyssey may yet revive its bronzed vigourBack in the 1950s and 60s in the twilight of Hollywood’s golden era, the sword-and-sandals movie stood as tall as the Colossus of Rhodes. It was a time when burly men in togas and gleaming bronze breastplates fought existential battles with fate. When Ben-Hur had its chariot race, Spartacus roused cries of defiance and the odd moment of splendid anachronism, and Cleopatra had Elizabeth Taylor burning through costume changes like a pharaoh with an Amex card.And then, it all collapsed. By the 1970s, audiences weren’t interested in ancient glories any more; they wanted Vietnam war movies, paranoid political thrillers and antiheroes who didn’t spend half their films glistening in olive oil. By the time Star Wars arrived in the late 70s and early 80s, the genre had been survived only through low-rent Italian productions, where togas w...

Politics

7 d. ago Godstone: Expert explains why a massive sinkhole swallowed Surrey street

Investigations continue after a huge sinkhole opened up in Surrey

Politics

1 week ago I'm an olive oil expert and these are the best on the high street

Forget coffee, Brits are becoming obsessed with artisan olive oil, with every major supermarket selling high end versions. We asked expert The Olive Oil Guy to rate 12 of them blind.

Politics

1 week ago A perfect boiled egg in 32 minutes? Don’t let science ruin the joyful imperfection of home cooking | Alicia Kennedy

Yes, I’ve made balsamic vinegar pearls and sous-vide swede – but trial and error still produces the most delicious foodTo make pearls of balsamic vinegar, first chill a good amount of olive oil in a tall glass. While it waits in the fridge, in a small saucepan over a medium heat, bring the vinegar and agar-agar to the beginning of a boil – just until the agar-agar has dissolved. Let this mixture cool, remove the oil from the fridge, and use a pipette to drop balls of the agar-stiffened vinegar into the oil to form the pearls. Drain into another container using a small sieve to catch the pearls. Reserve the oil for another use.I remember making these, my first and only foray into what is known as “molecular gastronomy”, in 2013. It was already a bit passe at that time, but the science experiment aspect of creating a simple acidic garnish for a chocolate and strawberry cupcake that Valentine’s Day was undoubtedly fun. The lesson influenced how I’d go on to use agar-agar, a seaweed-der...

Society