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Aussies race to the kitchen as CorningWare prices soar

For decades, CorningWare’s collections have been a staple of kitchen cupboards all across the country. And now, those family favourites have collectors everywhere reaching for those old casserole dishes, with prices skyrocketing online. The news may come as a surprise to some, given CorningWare’s US-based parent company Instant Brand’s announcement - just a few days prior - that it had initiated the process for voluntary court-appointed bankruptcy. The brand encompassed the likes of Instant Pot, Corelle, Pyrex, and CorningWare. Its products could be found on the shelves of major retailers all across the country, but with the rising challenge of inflation in the market and a reported $500 million USD in debt, Instant Brands had to make the difficult decision. And while some may have assumed things would go downhill from there, CorningWare items had other ideas, as people took to online marketplaces to list their old collections with never-before-seen price tags on the wares. When one seller listed their “Wildflower Spice of Life” casserole set on eBay, they asked for a staggering $25,000 - a price that topped the previous online auction high of $10,000. Another dish from the range was asking for much less, and still more than many would have bargained for - $13,000. Other dishes included more ‘rare’ designs from CorningWare’s previous collections, with its 1971-1972 “Floral” pieces making an appearance. A 5-piece L’Echaloto would given its next owners more than a few dishes to choose from, as long as they had another $25,000 to spare to get their hands on the set in the first place. And as one seller - who dipped her toes into the CorningWare online marketplace realm a few years prior - told 7News, the success of the dishes was certainly a surprise, though not a bad one. The items she’d managed to sell were off to a better life, too, as they’d just “been gathering dust in our home for years.” “I sold off a few pieces - with my mum’s blessing, of course - and have made about $9000 so far,” she said. “I have another one listed at the moment, which I’m hoping to get around $2500 for. “I would never have thought that it could be so valuable. When I was younger, I thought it was just daggy. “Now it’s making us more money than I ever dreamed.” Images: eBay

Money & Banking

King Charles' signature coronation dish mercilessly mocked

With the coronation comes one of the most famed traditions in the Monarchy, the creation of a signature dish, made to be shared and enjoyed across the Commonwealth in honour of the new Monarch. The Queen’s coronation made history in 1953, with the ‘Coronation Chicken’, a recipe that has since embedded itself into British culture. Charles’ crowning marks 70 years since the last coronation, and with the event coming up on May 6, the reveal of the signature dish has been highly anticipated. A culinary delight, like Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘Poulet Reine Elizabeth’, that will make its way down from generation to generation. The Royal Family verified Twitter account shared the long-awaited dish. “Introducing… Coronation Quiche!”, the tweet read. “Chosen personally by Their Majesties, The King and The Queen Consort have shared a recipe in celebration of the upcoming #CoronationBigLunch taking place up and down the country.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Introducing… Coronation Quiche! Chosen personally by Their Majesties, The King and The Queen Consort have shared a recipe in celebration of the upcoming <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronationBigLunch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronationBigLunch</a> taking place up and down the country. <a href="https://t.co/aVcw9tNarP">pic.twitter.com/aVcw9tNarP</a> — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1647917367798939648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> King Charles III has officially unveiled his signature coronation offering, which will be served at the palace’s ‘Big Lunch’ event on May 7, also to be served at several community events and street parties across coronation weekend. The coronation quiche recipe consists of spinach, broad beans, cheese and tarragon, although Buckingham Palace’s chef Mark Flanagan says those who want to bake their own can easily make adjustments to suit their preferences. Charles, Camilla and Flanagan chose the dish because it’s a convenient “sharing” dish that can be served either hot or cold. The coronation quiche has left a bad taste in many individuals’ mouths, going viral online and becoming quite the laughingstock for a few reasons. The most profound stems from the well-known egg shortage in the UK, with production at its lowest in over a decade, according to The Guardian. In 2022, almost a billion fewer eggs were packed compared to 2019 due to producers hit by price hikes and a disastrous outbreak of bird flu. Shoppers calling for supermarkets to stock up on the ingredients for the coronation quiche have posted online to point out the obvious issue. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> And what are we supposed to make this Coronation Quiche with? <a href="https://t.co/nEmwQGmV0e">pic.twitter.com/nEmwQGmV0e</a> — Tavern Hoyden (@TavernHoyden) <a href="https://twitter.com/TavernHoyden/status/1648034778032009219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The UK: - There's a shortage of eggs in the supermarkets. Royal Family: - The "Coronation Quiche". <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronationBigLunch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronationBigLunch</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronationquiche?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#coronationquiche</a> <a href="https://t.co/xjEtjiUCuS">pic.twitter.com/xjEtjiUCuS</a> — Pauline (@tlnlndn) <a href="https://twitter.com/tlnlndn/status/1648016686937776128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> Aside from supply shortages, many people decided the egg pie wasn’t very fitting. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> whats the matter babe? you've hardly touched your coronation quiche <a href="https://t.co/3FZZwzMEZz">pic.twitter.com/3FZZwzMEZz</a> — Jake Johnstone (@hijakejohnstone) <a href="https://twitter.com/hijakejohnstone/status/1648083477693120512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Quiche?? For a coronation?? <a href="https://t.co/rsmwcicgZQ">https://t.co/rsmwcicgZQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/V8aKgf1ZKL">pic.twitter.com/V8aKgf1ZKL</a> — local swamp gay 🦝🦨🦉 (@localswampgay) <a href="https://twitter.com/localswampgay/status/1648094906957660161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This is the lamest thing I’ve ever heard. Imagine having 70+ years to think about it and choosing QUICHE. I despair. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Coronation?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Coronation</a> <a href="https://t.co/jEeXmxP1Ss">https://t.co/jEeXmxP1Ss</a> — Julie Lovell (@ficklishjlo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ficklishjlo/status/1648094645669224452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> Elizabeth’s coronation saw famed culinary school Le Cordon Bleu London’s creation of the ‘Coronation Chicken’, which consisted of cooked chicken meat in a creamy curry sauce with dried apricots. It was served with a simple salad. When it was first produced the dish came as a surprise due to many of the ingredients not being pantry staples and the country was still under post-war ration restrictions. The chicken dish has evolved over the years, with it now commonly served on a brioche bun and garnished with various trimmings from crisp coconut chips to mangetout and sultanas. Quiche the ‘Coronation Chicken’ goodbye and stay occu-pied with the recipe below. Pastry: <ul> <li>125g plain flour</li> <li>Pinch of salt</li> <li>25g cold butter, diced</li> <li>25g lard</li> <li>2 tablespoons milk</li> <li>Or 1 x 250g block of ready-made shortcrust pastry</li> </ul> Filling: <ul> <li>125ml milk</li> <li>175ml double cream</li> <li>2 medium eggs</li> <li>1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon</li> <li>Salt and pepper</li> <li>100g grated cheddar cheese</li> <li>180g cooked spinach, lightly chopped</li> <li>60g cooked broad beans or soya beans</li> </ul> Method: 1. To make the pastry: sieve the flour and salt into a bowl; add the fats and rub the mixture together using your finger tips until you get a sandy, breadcrumb-like texture. Add the milk a little at a time and bring the ingredients together into a dough. Cover and allow to rest in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. 2. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the pastry to a circle a little larger than the top of the tin and approximately 5mm thick. 3. Line the tin with the pastry, taking care not to have any holes or the mixture could leak. Cover and rest for a further 30 minutes in the fridge. 4. Preheat the oven to 190C. 5. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper, add baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes, before removing the greaseproof paper and baking beans. 6. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C. 7. Beat together the milk, cream, eggs, herbs and seasoning. 8. Scatter half of the grated cheese in the blind-baked base, top with the chopped spinach and beans and herbs, then pour over the liquid mixture. 9. If required gently give the mixture a delicate stir to ensure the filling is evenly dispersed but be careful not to damage the pastry case. 10. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until set and lightly golden. Image credits: Getty/Twitter

Food & Wine

Erin Molan dishes on her worst ever date

Erin Molan raised eyebrows when she made the unique decision <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/i-didn-t-want-to-do-this-the-truth-behind-erin-molan-s-surprise-solo-wedding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to wed herself as part of a 2Day FM radio stunt</a>, but if new insight into her dating history is anything to go by, her bold move may not be quite so surprising after all. Speaking to Confidential, Erin - who is known for keeping tight-lipped when it comes to her romantic pursuits - spilled the details on some of the worst dates she’s ever had the displeasure of being on. When asked if she could recall the bottom of the barrel experiences, Erin was quick to answer “yeah, my God. How much time do you have?” “I once went on a date with a bloke while I was working at Channel 9 in Willoughby, years ago,” the former Channel 9 sports presenter went on to explain. “He came and picked me up, and we went to a restaurant in Paddington. It was awful and awkward, one of those times when you know straight away that you’ve got zero interest.” She went on to reveal that she’d tried her best to bring the evening to an early end, informing her date that she had to be up early for work the following day. She accepted a lift home from him, but things took a turn for the uncomfortable when they missed their turn over the Harbour Bridge. “I kid you not,” she said, “he asked me for money for the extra toll.” And while Erin handed over the cash, she certainly “never spoke to him again”. A second unsuccessful romantic pursuit began in Hawaii, when Erin crossed paths with a Brisbane truck driver she believed could be her “future husband”. However, that dream was short-lived, with their flame fizzling upon their return to Australia. As Erin recalled, “I remember getting to his place, sitting on the couch with his housemate, and he couldn’t even look at me.” Despite her poor encounters, Erin dipped her feet back into the dating pool in 2022, but as of 2023 is single again - and she isn’t mad about it. “I don’t think you could pay me enough to entice me to date right now,” she told The Daily Telegraph. “The thought of it - I’m not going to say it would make me physically ill - but my focus is being the best mum I can be and getting myself into a really good place. That takes a lot of work.” Images: Instagram

Relationships

Gina Rinehart dishes out random $100k Christmas bonuses

Australia’s richest person has splashed the cash this Christmas, randomly awarding 10 Roy Hill workers a $100,000 bonus. Mining magnate Gina Rinehart was said to have told employees last week to “stand by for an important announcement”, a source told a Perth radio station on Monday. A caller said that the billionaire “announced the fact that she was going to call 10 names out of a hat”. “Those names would each receive a $100,000 Christmas bonus,” the caller said. An anonymous Roy Hill employee jumped in on Tuesday, confirming that the rumour was legitimate. They added that one of the winners had only been at the firm, which is controlled by Rinehart’s private company Hancock Prospecting, for three months. This left some long-term employees annoyed. Roy Hill was sought after for comments but has so far stayed quiet. The Pilbara operation is a major money-maker for Rinehart, delivering a net profit of $3.2bn for the year to June 30. The figure after tax was 28% weaker compared with 12 months earlier, with the shortfall being attributed to falling iron ore prices. Rinehart, who was born in Perth, is Australia’s richest person with a net worth of $32.6 billion. Image: Getty

Money & Banking

Here’s how often you should be washing your dish towels

Easily forgotten job Most people are probably not throwing their dish towels in the washing machine quite often enough. It’s easy to forget them, and after they’ve air-dried, they look ready for another use. But too often, we keep using them long after they’ve gotten dirty, and all we’re really doing is spreading bacteria and germs on everything they touch. “Believe it or not, dish towels can be one of the dirtiest items in your home. From cleaning up spills to wiping off counter tops, they often get used more than they’re cleaned,” said Bailey Carson, head of cleaning at Handy. A study by the American Society of Microbiology showed that half of kitchen towels tested contained some sort of bacterial growth, such as E. coli or staph. Bacteria breeding ground Because dish towels are so absorbent, they are the perfect home for bacteria, mildew and even mould. Your damp, warm towel is also the ideal breeding ground for that bacteria. That smell you associate with your dish towels and washcloths? Yup. That’s mould and mildew. If your towels or cloths smell, it’s time for a wash in very hot water. If they come out of the dryer still smelling less than pleasant? It’s time to get a new set. Stopping the spread But exactly how often DO you need to wash your dish towels to avoid spreading germs? That answer is: It depends. It depends on what exactly you’re using your dish towels for. Are they just for drying your hands after washing them, with maybe a quick use to mop up some spilled water or a food stain on the front of your cupboards? In that case, Julie Finch-Scally, founder of The Duster Dollies, says that it’s all right to reuse that type of towel for three to four days. If you’re using your dish towels to wipe up anything other than your wet hands, they’re getting more use than a towel you use after you shower, and you’ll have to wash them more often than the average amount of time you should wait between washing your bath towels. Other surfaces If you’re using your dish towels to wipe down cutting boards, wash down stovetops, clean up after spills, or even for drying your dishes, you may have to replace them a bit more often. In this case, Liz O’Hanlon, director of Metro Cleaning (UK) Ltd, says, “Ideally you should change your dishcloths once a day. Unless you use the towel to wipe up spillages which include raw meat or fish; then the towel should be washed immediately after use.” Wash together weekly Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to run a load of a few towels every single day. Laura Smith, owner of All Star Cleaning Services, recommends collecting dirty towels in a small bin under your sink and washing them when you’ve got a full load. That way, once you’ve figured out how often you need to wash your bedsheets, you can throw them all in together. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/heres-how-often-you-should-be-washing-your-dish-towels" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Home & Garden

Brain cells in a dish learnt to play Pong

In a feat that reads like the plot of a science fiction movie, scientists have been able to get a collection of brain cells living in a dish to play a video game. The team were able to prove that their collection of 800,000 neurons, which they call DishBrain, could perform goal-directed tasks, including playing the popular tennis-like game Pong. To create DishBrain, they took brain cells from mouse embryos, along with some human brain cells created from stem cells, and grew them on top of microelectrode arrays. These arrays are capable of both reading the signals these cells produce and stimulating the cells - allowing them to play a cheeky game of Pong. Electrodes on the left and right of the array told the cells which side the ball was on, while the frequency of signals told them how far the ball was from the paddle. “The beautiful and pioneering aspect of this work rests on equipping the neurons with sensations — the feedback — and crucially the ability to act on their world,” says co-author Professor Karl Friston, a theoretical neuroscientist at UCL, London. “Remarkably, the cultures learned how to make their world more predictable by acting upon it. This is remarkable because you cannot teach this kind of self-organisation; simply because — unlike a pet — these mini brains have no sense of reward and punishment." Having published their findings in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2022.09.001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Neuron</a>, they now plan to find out what happens when they give DishBrain medicines and alcohol. “We’re trying to create a dose response curve with ethanol – basically get them ‘drunk’ and see if they play the game more poorly, just as when people drink,” lead author Dr Brett Kagan, the Chief Scientific Officer of the biotech start-up Cortical Labs, says. Because DishBrain was built using basic structures, rather than being modelled on AI, it can be used to understand how our brains function. “In the past, models of the brain have been developed according to how computer scientists think the brain might work,” Kagan explains. “That is usually based on our current understanding of information technology, such as silicon computing. “But in truth we don’t really understand how the brain works.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/dishbrain-gif1.gif" alt="" width="1326" height="946" /> DishBrain viewed under a microscope, where fluorescent markers show different kinds of cells. Where multiple markers appear, the colours merge and look yellow or pink. Image: Cortical Labs Dr Adeel Razi, the Director of Monash University’s Computational & Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, says this experiment could open the door for more discoveries. “This new capacity to teach cell cultures to perform a task in which they exhibit sentience – by controlling the paddle to return the ball via sensing – opens up new discovery possibilities which will have far-reaching consequences for technology, health, and society,” he says. “We know our brains have the evolutionary advantage of being tuned over hundreds of millions of years for survival. "Now, it seems we have in our grasp where we can harness this incredibly powerful and cheap biological intelligence.” The creation of DishBrain also creates the possibility for an alternative to animal testing for scientists investigating how new drugs work and gain insights into how conditions such as epilepsy and dementia affect our brains. “This is brand new, virgin territory. And we want more people to come on board and collaborate with this, to use the system that we’ve built to further explore this new area of science,” Dr Hon Weng Chong, Chief Executive Officer of Cortical Labs, says. “As one of our collaborators said, it's not every day that you wake up and you can create a new field of science.” Images: Cortical Labs / Flickr

Mind

Mum’s clever hack helps dry your dishes in record time

For many people, the ultimate kitchen pet peeve is when you open your dishwasher after its cycle has finished and while your dishes may be clean, they are still sopping wet. Rather than running the appliance through another drying cycle, one clever mum has discovered how to dry your dishes in five minutes flat. Known online for her cleaning hacks and recipes, Babs shared a video to her Instagram to share her savvy hack. "Has this ever happened to you? You're ready to unload the dishwasher, and guess what!? Everything is still wet," says Babs. "Don't hand dry - do this instead." <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChwtuzFAwfP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChwtuzFAwfP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Babs (@brunchwithbabs)</a> </div> </blockquote> She explains, "Take a terry cloth dish towel, open the door, lay it right over. Just close the door. Wait five minutes. You'll have dry dishes." Many people thanked Babs for the great tip and confirmed that it really does work. “Have been doing it since I first saw it here,” said one commenter. Another added, "Such a great tip! Mine are never dry at the end of the cycle. I'm definitely going to try this.” Despite the praise for her handy tip, ohers cautioned Bab’s viewers with a warning. "It can/will compromise the dishwasher seal and locking mechanism, causing costly repairs or early replacement," someone warned. Image credits: Getty Images

Home & Garden

Howdy partners! It’s cowboy casserole time

Similar to cottage pie, but with a little extra helping of decadence, you’re going to swap out the traditional mash for potato gems with melted tasty cheese on top. Serve it with sour cream, guacamole and hot sauce and you’ve got yourself a comfort meal fit for any cowboy. Yeehaw! <h2 dir="ltr">Ingredients</h2> 2 brown onions, very finely sliced 2 sticks celery, finely diced 2 carrots, finely diced 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 bunch thyme, very finely chopped ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp ground coriander 500g beef mince 2 Tbsp tomato paste 2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season 400g can kidney beans, drained  and rinsed 400g can corn kernels, drained  and rinsed 700g potato gems 1½ cups grated tasty cheese Coriander sprigs, sour cream, hot sauce and guacamole, to serve <h2 dir="ltr">Method</h2> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced (200°C conventional). Cook onion, celery, carrot, garlic and chopped thyme in 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large deep frying pan over medium heat for 5 minutes, until well softened. Mix in cumin, paprika and ground coriander, then transfer to a bowl. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Add remaining oil to the same pan and cook beef mince for 5 minutes, until browned. Mix in cooked vegetables, tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Season, then simmer for 20 minutes, until thickened. Stir in beans and corn. Transfer to a 2.5L baking dish. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Top mince and vegetable mixture with potato gems in a single layer, then bake for 20 minutes. Scatter with tasty cheese, then bake for a further 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and golden. Garnish casserole with coriander sprigs, and serve with sour cream, hot sauce and guacamole on the side. </li> </ol> Image: Better Homes & Gardens

Food & Wine

Explorer finds abandoned cottage with dirty dishes still in the sink

UK-based YouTuber and urban explorer Daniel Sims, who goes by BeardedReality on YouTube, discovered an abandoned house in Anglesey, Wales, that included such finds as dirty dishes waiting to be washed in the sink, a gramophone, cabinets with shelves of china, and a taxidermied pheasant. Sims, who is from West Yorkshire, regularly explores abandoned and forgotten buildings and structures, a hobby known as ‘urban exploration’, or Urbex for short. He found this particular home following a recommendation from a fellow explorer, and decided to investigate the site with his friend Charlotte. They found a home on a vast stretch of land, complete with two caravans in the yard. Searching the caravans first, the pair found dishes, both clean and unwashed, scattered across the kitchen counter and sink. Sims described the caravan as having been left to overgrow. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oE6dMPY5mhg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> In the main house, the finds were a lot more varied. The front door and some windows had been left open, and an eclectic collection of art, homewares and technology was soon discovered. This included a framed Kellogg’s cornflakes advertisement, old photographs, and artworks that Sims said have obviously been damaged over time due to their exposure to the elements. Other discoveries included a gramophone, speakers, old records, a computer scanner and an old keyboard, as well as cabinets with shelves full of china. A variety of different wallpapers can be seen peeling off the walls throughout the house. In one of the final rooms he looked through, Sims found a single taxidermied pheasant in a glass case. While Sims said the place looked ‘foreboding and kind of creepy’, he nonetheless found it a fascinating place to explore, explaining, “It’s crazy to see what is left behind in a property like this, as it is kind of like the people that used to own the place are still there or just left, but you can clearly see that a vast amount of time has gone by with these items left out. “It felt like we were seeing a part of history that not many people get to experience, such as old artefacts and old brands that have long gone and disappeared from the shelves.” Image: YouTube

Home & Garden

Wedding guests made to wash dishes in couple’s cost-saving efforts

A wedding guest has shared the story of the nightmare wedding she attended, including the moment she was asked to wash dishes at the bride and groom’s reception in the couple’s effort to cut costs. The American woman took to Reddit and said the bride - who she was related to - and groom had massively overspent on the wedding’s location and the bride’s dress and needed to make cutbacks on the rest of the wedding. “The bride, a relative of mine, and groom, have gone all out, renting a gorgeous and expensive venue for their wedding,” the guest wrote in the post. “Beautiful ceremony, lovely pictures, etc. The buffet line and tables have been set up on the screened porch of the building. “Food looks great, I serve up my plate and go sit down. My boyfriend at the time, now my husband, has gone to the restroom.” Since the venue only had a few restrooms for guests to use, the guest’s partner took a while to return and be able to serve himself a plate. “He then comes back with an empty plate. When I asked why, he says there’s no more food,” she explained. “I find the bride’s mum and whisper that she should probably ask the caterers to put out more food,” she continued. “She gets a peculiar expression on her face and says there is no more food. What was on the buffet line is all that they have. Period.” To save money on food, the couple decided to “self cater” the event, with a family friend who was a chef volunteering to make the food. Since the couple wanted the food to be opulent and include “good cuts of meat, artisan breads and cheeses”, they could only afford enough food for three quarters of their guests. But the wedding was to become even more bizarre after the meal. “Dinner is over, we are starting the reception thing, when the maid of honour starts coming around and asking some of us to come with her into the kitchen. We go,” the guest said. “There is no air conditioning so this kitchen is about a zillion degrees. She shows us stacks of plates and cups and then tells us we need to wash them. “Apparently part of self-catering is you rent the dishes and glassware, and if they aren’t returned clean at the end of the evening you lose your deposit.” Since part of their cost-saving measures included foregoing the hiring of staff to clean up, the guest and nine others spent most of the night “elbow deep in soap and water”. “We miss the first dance and the cutting of the cake, which turns out to be for the best because (wait for it) they hadn’t purchased enough cake for everyone either.” Other users shared their disbelief, commenting on the “outrageous” behaviour of the newlywed couple. “That is INSANE. Imagine inviting a bunch of folks then having the gall to tell them 1/4 of them will DELIBERATELY be left hungry. Including cake!” one said. Another wrote: “If anyone was to wash dishes, it should have been the bridal party, not the guests. Or the couple could have figured out how to hire someone, geez.”

Relationships

"Magic night": Jamie Durie dishes on engagement

Australian media personality Jamie Durie has shared about his recent engagement to singer/songwriter Ameka Jane on Valentine's Day. He joked he had to "lure" his partner out of the house so he could surprise her with the engagement. “I said, ‘darling, a mate of mine and his partner want to do a double date for Valentine’s Day, do you want to join us?’” he explained to The Morning Show. “She got dressed up and off we go.” Ameka was whisked off to a stunning waterside location where Durie had spelled out "marry me" in roses and Australian native flowers. “It was really good,” he said. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLxjWuoA93j/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CLxjWuoA93j/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Jamie Durie (@jamiedurie)</a> </div> </blockquote> The happy couple announced the news on Instagram, with Durie saying it was a "magic night for a magic girl". “She said YES ❤️! Thrilled to announce our engagement. Thank you to my beautiful <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/amekajane/" target="_blank">@amekajane</a> for turning my life upside down. I couldn’t be happier 🥰,” he wrote. The engagement ring is custom-made for his bride-to-be which features argyle champagne diamonds and green Asscher cut sapphires. Durie explained he chose the champagne diamonds because "they're the brown diamonds where I grew up in northwestern Australia" and green sapphires because his future wife has "got beautiful green eyes".

Relationships

Masterchef judge Melissa Leong moved to tears after tasting dish

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> It was an emotional episode for Masterchef judge Melissa Leong who was overwhelmed with joy after tasting a Malaysian curry dish. She was overcome with emotion as she tasted contestant Poh Ling Yeow's dish as memories of Leong's mother's cooking came flooding back. Monday night's episode was a Mystery Box challenge which saw the top six creating dishes inspired by the colours of a Rubik's cube. Poh selected red which was represented by chilli on the plate and served up a chicken and potato curry paired with herbed fried rice, fried whitebait, red onion and chilli relish as well as a roti. Leong said that the food tasted like "home". “If you come from South East Asia, it’s a taste of home, if you come from somewhere else, it’s a taste of soul and history and heart, and that’s what we love about your food.” “The balance of flavour and the depth of flavour you’ve managed to achieve in 75 minutes it’s impressive, and I think you’ve done an incredible job honouring your heritage,” she said, her voice quavering. “I think it’s really special … and I’m really proud to eat food like this,” she said, lowering her head as her eyes filled with tears. “I’m actually crying with joy, and that doesn’t happen very often,” she explained. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This is one dish that was made with an abundance of love 🧡 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MasterChefAU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MasterChefAU</a> <a href="https://t.co/iuixwCIHNF">pic.twitter.com/iuixwCIHNF</a> — masterchefau (@masterchefau) <a href="https://twitter.com/masterchefau/status/1277551821691604992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2020</a></blockquote> Judge Jock Zonfrillo was curious and asked where the emotion came from. “What is it about that specifically that made you cry?” Jock kindly asked Melissa. “I really miss my mum, and this is food she cooks,” the magnetic star replied through tears. “The way she can honour the accuracy of the flavours and the textures is absolutely spot on … Regardless of your culture, what she put in to this cook, that’s what we look for here,” she said, referencing Poh. Poh's curry sent her straight through to the top three to battle it out for the coveted immunity pin alongside Laura, whose white dessert wowed and Reynold who made a moss-inspired sweet dish that surprised the judges. </div> </div> </div>

Food & Wine

MasterChef’s Tessa Boersma slammed over steak dish

MasterChef contestant Tessa Boersma has left fans baffled with her meat and three veg dish during Tuesday night’s challenge. Tessa’s Tomahawk steak, which was served as part of the immunity challenge, failed to impress both judges and viewers. “I think the steak’s cooked further than it should be,” said judge Jock Zonfrillo. “You know, she had 60 minutes – more than enough time to cook that at a lower temperature.” Fans on Twitter criticised the dish’s appearance, saying Tessa’s use of the meat cut was wasteful. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This is something we could really sink our teeth into, thanks Tessa! 🧡 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MasterChefAU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MasterChefAU</a> <a href="https://t.co/D8N45aBodi">pic.twitter.com/D8N45aBodi</a> — masterchefau (@masterchefau) <a href="https://twitter.com/masterchefau/status/1272839229614231552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2020</a></blockquote> “Did Tessa just cook that entire tomahawk to get one middle piece? What happens to the rest of it?” one wrote. “The plating leaves a lot to be desired,” one posted. “It’s disgraceful that Tessa cooked that huge chunk of meat and is only using a slice,” another commented. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Did Tessa just cook that entire tomahawk to get one middle piece? What happens to the rest of if?!?! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MasterChefAU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MasterChefAU</a> — Noelle Perera (@noellemartine) <a href="https://twitter.com/noellemartine/status/1272836918695178240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Did Tessa shove the other 3/4s of the steak in her handbag for her dog?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MasterchefAU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MasterchefAU</a> — Nez (@fraggle73) <a href="https://twitter.com/fraggle73/status/1272839361248194560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Tessa's steak looks so tasty but that plating is truly awful. It's slapped on there with that green smiley situation. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MasterChefAU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MasterChefAU</a> — Lu, Luey, Lulu (@LuLuLoves_) <a href="https://twitter.com/LuLuLoves_/status/1272838337510780928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2020</a></blockquote> Despite viewers’ concern, the leftover food in the MasterChef kitchen did not go to waste. The remainders were donated to food charity SecondBite, reports said. SecondBite CEO Jim Mullan told <a href="https://10daily.com.au/lifestyle/a190626rdxnj/this-is-exactly-what-happens-to-all-the-left-over-food-on-masterchef-20190628">10 daily</a>: “Everything you see in the pantry that’s applied through the program, everything that we can possibly salvage, we collect and divert it to people in need, generally in the Melbourne area.” Contestant Laura Sharrad also told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/masterchef-2020-tessas-steak-dish-baffles-viewers/news-story/e7537f73e02c59135863587cb2a048f7">news.com.au</a> some of the unwanted produce went in the garden’s compost. “It’s so amazing to see all the split bin systems also in place to make sure everything is getting disposed of properly,” she said. Reece Hignell ended up winning the challenge, with Judge Melissa Leong describing his gin tart with ginger ice-cream, juniper berry meringue and quince puree as “to die for”.

Food & Wine

Nicole Kidman dishes on early days with Keith Urban: “I was a goner”

Hollywood heavyweight Nicole Kidman has been married to her hubby Keith Urban for almost 14 years and has opened up about just what exactly made her fall so hard for him. “He's pretty much the flip side of neurotic,” Kidman explained of her “mellow” musician husband who she met in 2005, while speaking to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/nicole-kidman-cover-story-interview-11586970315?tesla=y%3Fmod%3De2igmag&utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-wsjmag&utm_content=later-6768717&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal.</a> The pair met accidentally while attending an industry event and Nicole says he rode her around on his Harley-Davidson to Woodstock, New York. The New Zealand born singer ended off the romantic night with a picnic in the woods - an experience Kidman could not deny as special. “I was a goner—I mean, c'mon.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_iELb_JgMW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_iELb_JgMW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Nicole Kidman (@nicolekidman)</a> on Apr 28, 2020 at 10:05am PDT </div> </blockquote> The couple now share two daughters together; Sunday Rose, 11, and Faith Margaret, nine, and she is determined to keep her family close knit. “I’ll pass on films,” the Australian beauty said, and went on to say she purposefully selects projects shooting on the East Coast when her kids are not in school so she can balance her work and family time. “We have a system worked out to keep the family together,” she explained. “When Keith's not touring, it's much easier. He'll be on tour next year, and then I just don’t work as much. Literally—it will become imbalanced, and we will change it. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6cd_Y6JJEX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6cd_Y6JJEX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Nicole Kidman (@nicolekidman)</a> on Dec 23, 2019 at 10:17pm PST </div> </blockquote> “We don’t have the answers, but the one thing we do know is that we will not jeopardize us.” When asked about her preference for movie roles is what she likes to choose, she admitted: “My taste is really out there. There's no sense. I'm a complete random nonconformist. “People are like, ‘What are you doing?’ I'm like, ‘I don't know what I'm doing.’ “I'll very much go on the record saying I have no idea what I’m doing.”

Relationships

He’s growing up so fast! Duchess Kate dishes on Prince Louis turning into a “little boy from being a baby”

Prince Louis, at just 21-months-old, is proving he is not too far behind four-year-old Princess Charlotte and six-year-old Prince George, according to his mother. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge travelled to Bradford for a day bursting with royal engagements and during one visit, Kate opened up about her youngest child. The couple joined in on a workshop for grandparents taking care of grandchildren and Jo Broadbent, who takes care of her six-year-old granddaughter, told <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://people.com/royals/prince-louis-21-months-is-proud-of-this-recent-milestone-says-mom-kate-middleton/" target="_blank">People</a> that the Duchess was a proud mom. "I asked how her children were," Broadbent said. "She said Louis had started to tell her 'he's balancing,' and she said it was really nice to see him turning into a little boy from being a baby. She’s obviously very proud of her children." The royal toddler is definitely growing up fast as well, with pictures of Prince Louis walking were first captured and released to the world in May of 2019. Soon after the young prince joined his family on the Buckingham Palace balcony during Trooping the Colour for the very first time and had hearts swooning all over the world. Scroll through the gallery to see Prince Louis’ adorable cherub face throughout the years.

Family & Pets

Prince William and Duchess Kate’s date full of love: Body language expert dishes verdict on couple’s night out

After eight years and three children together, the royal couple looked just as loved up as they would have been on their first date night, a body language expert has revealed. Judi James says both Prince William and Duchess Kate, who are not a couple to publicly display acts of affection, exhibited “subtly flirt” behaviour that royal fans got to see at the beginning of their relationship. While their displays of love and appreciation may be a little more downplayed than the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, James told<a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html"> FEMAIL</a>, they still signal they have a solid foundation rooted in mutual affection. The body language expert noted a photograph showing Prince William’s hand on the small of his wife’s back appeared “gentlemanly.” “William and Kate aren’t known for their overt PDAs and they can keep their touch rituals to a minimum in public but this back-touch from William looks unusually tactile and affectionate,” she said. “His smile looks almost shy here and the splayed hand appears gentle and gentlemanly, although that raised thumb suggests intense happiness.” It was not the only snap that showed the royal’s looking starry eyed and in love that got James’ attention though. An image shared by Kensington Palace’s official Instagram page displayed the Duke and Duchess in their seats at the London Palladium during the show. “The couple’s mirroring is always tight, showing like-minded thinking and a subliminal desire to present as an double act based on two empathetic equals,” James said. “Here though they add some strong eye-engage signals, leaning their heads together at matching angles to do so. “The eye contact has produced facial expressions that suggest the classic "look of love", with a softening of the features plus a dimpled smile from Kate.’ Once more, a picture of the couple laughing in their box during the show signalled to the body language expert that they were both having fun. “Royal Variety performances can prompt some smiles from the royal box but here William and Kate are literally rocking with laughter,” Judi explained. “Again it is mutual though, with mirrored movements, suggesting a shared sense of fun.” However, what stood out to her was a snap of the couple leaving the event and heading back to their car after a long night in public. “When any smiling public displays have been an act it’s the moment a couple take their seats in the car that you’ll often see masks begin to slip,” Judi said. “But if anything Kate’s expression of delight appears to intensify here. Her excited, widened eye expression, her rounded cheeks and her symmetric smile all make her look like someone on a first date.” Scroll through the gallery above to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge looking loved up on date night.

Relationships

A debate is brewing over the right and wrong way to handwash dishes

When it comes to cleaning the dishes, everyone has their own process. But, when discussing how people handwash their china, there were two standout categories. According to Bon Appetit magazine author Nikita Richardson there are those that wash the bottom of their dishes, and others that don’t. Her article titled “Please, I’m begging you, wash the bottom of your dishes” has sent Twitter into a meltdown over the weekend, as it sparked a debate between those who do and those who don’t. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who wash the bottom of their dishes and those who don't. <a href="https://t.co/CVmjEw6biG">https://t.co/CVmjEw6biG</a> — Bon Appétit (@bonappetit) <a href="https://twitter.com/bonappetit/status/1165253440093773831?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">24 August 2019</a></blockquote> A lot of users were surprised that this was even having to be reiterated, believing it to be common knowledge. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> <a href="https://t.co/YXHJ7ybvha">https://t.co/YXHJ7ybvha</a> <a href="https://t.co/R82AxPL6Ws">pic.twitter.com/R82AxPL6Ws</a> — Ayrryk (@ayrryk) <a href="https://twitter.com/ayrryk/status/1165261928526168067?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">24 August 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en-gb"> What kind of monster doesn’t wash the bottom of the freaking dishes? Does a surgeon only wash the palms of his hands?! Hell no!! — 🇺🇸Cpt. FunkaDunk🇯🇵 (@cptfunkadunk) <a href="https://twitter.com/cptfunkadunk/status/1165437061949796352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">25 August 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> You have to wash them they sit inside the other dishes, wtf. — Jill Valentine, Mother of Dagons (@milfgaardian) <a href="https://twitter.com/milfgaardian/status/1165253672760037376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">24 August 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en-gb"> This is so gross, dishes get stacked and sit in the sink, the bottoms are frequently greasy and dirty!! I’m upset — Amanda Mull (@amandamull) <a href="https://twitter.com/amandamull/status/1165338377350275072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">24 August 2019</a></blockquote> Others admitted that the thought never crossed their mind. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en-gb"> This has 100% never occurred to me. — Tammy Gordon (@tammy) <a href="https://twitter.com/tammy/status/1165255269535932416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">24 August 2019</a></blockquote> And on the other end, there were those who decided to share their stories of disgusting housemates and family members who weren’t up to par on the hygiene front. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en-gb"> My friend's ex-boyfriend would wash the dishes OK, but then he would put them away wet. Wet, stacked plates in the cabinet, festering. — Amy Rey (@Amy_Rey) <a href="https://twitter.com/Amy_Rey/status/1165504059442438145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">25 August 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> I was at my parents house one weekend for a family gathering, and saw a younger (but, adult) relative fill a glass with water, drink it, and PUT THE EMPTY BUT UNWASHED GLASS BACK IN THE CABINET. I think about that a lot. <a href="https://t.co/zC4SettPnq">https://t.co/zC4SettPnq</a> — BombayK (@BombayK2) <a href="https://twitter.com/BombayK2/status/1165259882070794240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">24 August 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-lang="en-gb"> this is super gross but very unsurprising. i used to have a roommate who would “clean dishes” but leave dried cheese and sauce on the rims of the dishes and stack them with actual clean plates after that i just resigned myself to washing all the dishes <a href="https://t.co/0BKy1UjZTP">https://t.co/0BKy1UjZTP</a> — bowi3 (@shinbowi3) <a href="https://twitter.com/shinbowi3/status/1165376784919126016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">24 August 2019</a></blockquote> But thankfully, most sided with Richardson on this one, who pointed out: “Not washing the bottom of your dishes is the first step on a slippery slope toward half-assery.”

Retirement Life

IKEA product designer claims that her $1.49 design is the “world’s best”

Iina Vuorivirta “loves doing the dishes” and it was this passion that took the IKEA product designer to the ultimate level. She was given a brief from Ikea to make “the best dish brush in the whole world”, which is a dream come true for the designer. “It still makes me a little bit shaky,” Ms Vuorivirta said to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/why-this-149-ikea-product-is-the-worlds-best/news-story/b38a51076082b5d3b93d874da95cf3c9" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>. The brush that you can buy for a low $1.49 from the furniture giant might not look like much, but it took a full 18 months of design, testing and iteration to meet five requirements set by IKEA. These elements are: <ul> <li>Form</li> <li>Function</li> <li>Low price</li> <li>Quality</li> <li>Sustainability</li> </ul> Vuorivirta worked across the whole product range but said that her favourite products are “these kind of everyday life little heroes that you sort of take for granted, but when you have them right it’s a fluid part of your daily routine”. She spoke at IKEA's recent Democratic Design Days conference in Almhult and went into detail about the extensive testing the dish brush went through. “It was a long learning curve, together with a big amount of people to get this thing done,” she said. “We made it out of recycled plastics. I even designed air bubbles inside the handle to be able to maximise the material but not (compromise) when it comes to the ergonomics, how it feels to handle, how balanced it is, and how it of course looks.” <img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" class="post_image_group" src="https://over60.monday.com/protected_static/657795/resources/37749882/big-Screen%20Shot%202019-08-12%20at%2010.18.20%20am.png" alt="" data-asset_id="37749882" data-url-thumb="https://over60.monday.com/protected_static/657795/resources/37749882/thumb-Screen%20Shot%202019-08-12%20at%2010.18.20%20am.png" data-url-thumb-small="https://over60.monday.com/protected_static/657795/resources/37749882/thumb_small-Screen%20Shot%202019-08-12%20at%2010.18.20%20am.png" data-url-thumb-big-scaled="https://over60.monday.com/protected_static/657795/resources/37749882/thumb_big_scaled-Screen%20Shot%202019-08-12%20at%2010.18.20%20am.png" data-url-large="https://over60.monday.com/protected_static/657795/resources/37749882/large-Screen%20Shot%202019-08-12%20at%2010.18.20%20am.png" data-url-big="https://over60.monday.com/protected_static/657795/resources/37749882/big-Screen%20Shot%202019-08-12%20at%2010.18.20%20am.png" data-url-original="https://over60.monday.com/protected_static/657795/resources/37749882/Screen%20Shot%202019-08-12%20at%2010.18.20%20am.png" data-filename="Screen Shot 2019-08-12 at 10.18.20 am.png" data-is-gif="false" data-post-id="411604433"" /> Photo source: IKEA The brush went on sale in Australia in April and has since sold 20,000 units. Ms Vuorivirta said that a lot of thought went into the whole process. “With this one we didn’t only want to make the best dish brush in the whole world but also we were really being picky when it comes to the price tag,” she explained. “This will be the dish brush for the many people and the price tag also needs to be according to that. So it was a long journey. But it still makes me really happy.” IKEA is known for the obsessive and minute changes that are made across its entire range which is used to drive down costs. “You would be surprised if you knew how much time we spent on each single detail of a product,” said Henrik Heegaard, product design manager and co-create Ikea manager. “Cut down assembly by five seconds, cut down the time it takes from the start of the production line to the end, these things make the whole difference.” Heegaard also explained that the recent addition of sustainability to the design requirements of Ikea have meant that sometimes, the company may compromise on price. “Where we look at products where we supply high volumes, of course we are very, very keen on making sure that is planet-positive — how can we go from virgin plastics to recycled plastics, for instance — and today that is more expensive,” he said. “There we go in and say, you know what, here we take our responsibility and put recycled plastic in there since this is a need our customers have. Then there's also times where we need to have a very specific price point where we just need to try harder to add in sustainability."

Home & Garden

5 mistakes home cooks make whilst cooking traditional Italian dishes

Cooking pasta sounds like a task that should be easy, but creating an authentic Italian pasta dish is trickier than you think. From the exact formula that makes up Bolognese sauce to how the pasta should be cooked is up for debate by many home chefs. However, Giovanni Rana, who has been making pasta since the 1960s in Italy, has revealed the secrets to capturing the authentic taste of Italian cooking in your home. He’s shared a few tips to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6872245/How-cook-traditional-Italian-dishes-home.html">Daily Mail:</a> 1. Follow the instructions on the pasta packaging “There are a lot of urban legends about al dente pasta but in Italy not everybody loves al dente pasta,” revealed Giovanni’s daughter-in-law Antonella. “In the North they love it a little softer, into the South they love their pasta almost raw. “I’d suggest always following the time printed on the packet. Fresh pasta is the quickest. We’re talking about just two minutes.” Antonella revealed her personal way to cook pasta. “I personally love to drain the pasta 15 seconds before the full cooking time. If it’s written two minutes, I drain at 1:50 and in the very last 10 seconds I use a mixing bowl to mix the sauce in. This way you don’t overcook your pasta.” 2. Don’t add too much sauce Although it might seem like a good idea to cover your pasta in sauce, too much sauce could be a bad thing. Using the wrong proportion of sauce to pasta can be a dead giveaway to an inexperienced chef preparing Italian food. “When you're speaking about fresh pasta tortellini, the filling has its own taste and power, as Italians we try not to cover it too much with the sauce. “Especially ricotta and spinach which is so delicate and so pure, that if you add a lot of sauce, you will see the pasta swimming in the sauce. It’s not a good sign,” Antonella explained. “In general, the most traditional way to eat fresh filled pasta is to be very respectful of the proportions. The queen is the pasta and the sauce is the tool.” 3. Never add ketchup! Using tomato ketchup instead of fresh tomatoes in sauce is another common mistake that is made by home chefs. According to Antonella, it’s just not the same. “Tomato ketchup for me, means burgers and casual food. “In the tomato sauce you can really play with more veggies, for example garlic, onion, carrot, celery or you can play with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.” There is a way to make contemporary Italian sauce. “If you want to do something more, try to work on doing tomato sauce in the Italian way. Roughly chop onion, garlic, fresh ripe tomatoes and cook for a few minutes. “Then add fresh basil, this is the most contemporary Italian sauce.” 4. Loss of flavour by adding already grated cheese Although it might be easier to use already grated cheese, you’ve already lost half the flavour in parmigiana. “Always buy parmigiana reggiano in a whole piece where you can see the crust and the stamp. Never buy it already grated, as you’ve already lost half the flavour,” Antonella said. 5. Not using extra virgin olive oil According to Antonella, extra virgin olive oil is a must-have in authentic Italian dishes. “Extra virgin oil, it's a facilitator and platform that you can’t miss, never buy just olive oil as this means the olive fruits have been pressed two, three times and also their bones,' said Antonella. “When you buy extra virgin it means they’ve pressed the olives just once and they press the pulp – the colour, flavour, nutrients and everything is better. “If you like light flavour buy from the North of Italy, if you like medium body then you go for the centre such as Tuscany. If you like bold, spicy flavour, you buy from Sicily.”

Food & Wine

No scrubbing necessary! Genius way to remove stains from stainless steel pots

Unfortunately, dirty pans and pots with impossible to remove stains are sentiments we know all too well in the kitchen. After a few uses or even after one bad mix up in the kitchen, our stainless steel appliances can become scorched and stained, and require a muscle workout to get them looking sparkling clean and brand new again. However, there is a solution that has become extremely popular on social media that has proven to work wonders – and the best part is the cleaning trick requires no elbow grease and zero scrubbing! To get a pot or pan back to its glorious original condition, all you need is a dishwashing tablet, a little time and boiling hot water. By placing a dishwashing tablet in your dirty pot with boiling hot water, the dirt, grime and hard-to-remove stains will lift and instead be replaced with a sparkling, unscratched surface. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7826196/dirty.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/666454068f4e41649065b66095be0cab" /> Dishwashing tablets have proven to be a magic trick in the kitchen – and not just for the dishes. Not only are they reported to do wonders on your stainless steel kitchen appliances, cleaning whizzes say they're also able to transform a dirty oven door and also your clothes as a replacement for laundry detergent. Will you be using this simple trick in your kitchen anytime soon? Let us know in the comments below.

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IKEA product designer claims that her $1.49 design is the “world’s best”

5 mistakes home cooks make whilst cooking traditional Italian dishes

No scrubbing necessary! Genius way to remove stains from stainless steel pots

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