31 h. ago Tim Dowling: disaster strikes at a gig – they laugh at my jokes

Writing anecdotes that no one finds funny is not as easy as you may thinkThe autumn tour of the band I’m in continues, zigzagging across the south. In Gloucester, a dedicated fan named Jane gives me a hard time during the interval for telling a story about a mug in the first half.“I’m sick of that joke,” she says. Continue reading...

Events

31 h. ago Meera Sodha’s recipe for tahini beans with basil and pine nuts | The new vegan

Store-cupboard staples magically transform themselves into a warming autumnal mealI’ve been decluttering lately: throwing away or organising old cards, letters and photos, placing them in zipped folders and zapping them with labels made on my beloved Dymo. It’s given me such a great sense of freedom and clarity that I was thinking: I should do the same for my recipes. This one, for example, I would file under “magic”, because it comes together (mostly) from the store-cupboard, both in that easy way in which you throw things into a pot until they alchemise, but also because tahini and beans, together with a lemon, can, magically, become the most soothing antidote to cold weather.Join Meera Sodha at a special event celebrating the best of Guardian culture on Wednesday 26 November, hosted by Nish Kumar and alongside writers Stuart Heritage and Tim Dowling, with Georgina Lawton hosting You be the judge live. Live in London or via livestream, book tickets here. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Tim Dowling: after a year of ignoring each other, the cat and the dog have declared war

We arrive home from holiday to discover our pets scrapping constantly. Are they enjoying themselves? It’s hard to tellWe arrive home from our holiday to another household altogether: the oldest one, the middle one and the oldest one’s girlfriend have been in charge for more than a fortnight. The food in the fridge is strange, sourced from unfamiliar shops. The kitchen table looks like the centre of a boiler room stock fraud operation, with computer screens everywhere and power cords dividing the space at waist height. Below the sink, the dog and the cat are scrapping. After more than a year of avoiding each other, both animals have suddenly gone on the offensive.“They fight?” I say. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Meera Sodha’s recipe for jacket sweet potato with smoked tofu, slaw and crispy chilli mayo | Meera Sodha recipes

Swap in, swap out and, above all, enjoy this punchy, filling and thrifty dishNo-waste cooking comes in many forms. It doesn’t have to mean cooking banana peel. To me, it means finishing a bag of potatoes before they grow eyes, and making the most of that last awkward bit of cabbage. Even finding a cheeky new way with the sauces and condiments already in the fridge. Using ingredients you’ve already got to make a new recipe is, in my opinion, the most “no waste” of them all. So here’s permission from me to make substitutes – herb for herb, veg for veg, or anything you’ve already got – to make this recipe work for you.Join Meera Sodha at a special event celebrating the best of Guardian culture on Wednesday 26 November, hosted by Nish Kumar and alongside writers Stuart Heritage and Tim Dowling, with Georgina Lawton hosting You Be The Judge live. Live in London or via livestream – book tickets here. Continue reading...

Society

3 w. ago Tim Dowling: I’m under an azure Croatian sky – fretting about the roof back home

This should be a blissful break, but I’m distracted by the roofer’s messages relaying our house’s ongoing problems. My wife, meanwhile, remains firmly on holidayI’m sitting on a terrace overlooking a sparkling bay. Directly in front of me fishing boats rock gently on the water and tidy white houses are piled on the hill opposite. I’m looking at my phone.The video I’m watching is narrated by Michael the roofer, who has just sliced away a section of the flat roof at the top of our house. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Tim Dowling: II love books – but can’t remember anything about the ones I’ve just read

In bed I lie awake, staring at the books on my nightstand, trying to remember a single salient fact about any of themThe oldest one is recommending the book he’s just finished to me.“You should read this,” he says, handing me a well-thumbed paperback, which I turn over in my hands. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Tim Dowling: I love books – but can’t remember anything about the ones I’ve just read

In bed I lie awake, staring at the books on my nightstand, trying to remember a single salient fact about any of themThe oldest one is recommending the book he’s just finished to me.“You should read this,” he says, handing me a well-thumbed paperback, which I turn over in my hands. Continue reading...

Politics