If you're one of the 50,000 runners taking to the streets for the London Marathon this weekend, you're probably already thinking about what to eat in the days leading up to it. According to official guidance, the days before the race should be all about carb-loading, while keeping fat, fibre and protein fairly low. In other words, it's the one week where white pasta, potatoes and toast are practically mandatory. We've pulled together 15 recipes that are perfect for this exact purpose – from sweet potato gnocchi and creamy porridge to salmon with white rice and beetroot bucatini. Plus, handy tweaks to make each one marathon-friendly (or just everyday delicious).
Elsewhere this week, we've been looking at the supermarket chicken scandal that refuses to go away. Despite years of campaigning, most major retailers – including Co-op – are still selling Frankenchickens: birds bred to grow so fast they can barely walk. As Co-op members prepare to vote on a motion to end the practice, we ask why it's proving so hard for supermarkets to do the right thing – and what needs to happen next.
Meanwhile in the world of wine, climate change could soon make Bordeaux too hot for Cabernet Sauvignon – and one new report says Hull may be the northern limit by 2100. But should the future of wine really be dictated by weather maps? Our drinks columnist Rosamund Hall argues it's time to get imaginative with grapes, blends and bottles – and for goodness' sake, can we get more 50cl formats on shelves?
If you're firing up the grill this weekend, former Turkish windsurfing champ Kemal Demirasal wants you to rethink what a kebab looks like. At his Notting Hill restaurant The Counter, it's not about quantity – it's about precision, balance and the slow discipline of real mangal cooking. He shares the recipes and philosophy behind the ultimate Turkish BBQ, from zeytinyağlı artichokes to spicy yoghurt pasta salad and a herb-basted rack of lamb.
And finally, we're thinking more about what food does for us, not just how it looks. In this week's gut health feature, Dr Emily Prpa explains why racking up "plant points" – that's 30 different plant-based ingredients a week – might be the easiest way to boost your microbiome. Plus: five recipes to help you do it, including spicy tomato baked eggs, lentil and tahini salad and a nostalgic rhubarb crumble.
Oh, and if you were wondering why pistachios have suddenly become expensive – or impossible to find – you can blame TikTok's latest chocolate obsession. It's yet another case of social media virality outpacing sustainability, and Helen Coffey is asking: when will we learn?
| |
|
This is why we can't have nice things: How your bougie taste in food is ruining the planet |
|
|
The Dubai chocolate craze is sparking a pistachio shortage while the West's obsession with matcha has put a Japanese town under strain. Helen Coffey asks why we're incapable of enjoying things sustainably – and whether social media is to blame |
The gap between "new product becomes viral sensation" and "demand for viral sensation product becomes problematic" seems to be getting shorter and shorter. The latest culprit – Dubai chocolate – appeared to make the switch within weeks. One minute I was reading a profile piece about how this sizzlingly on-trend confectionary, comprised of a pistachio cream filling, crispy kataifi (shredded phyllo dough) and tahini swaddled in milk chocolate, had become a global success story. The next, I was wincing at the oh-so-predictable follow-up: "Dubai chocolate TikTok trend triggers international pistachio shortage". It almost feels farcical at this point.
In reality, the trajectory from social media frenzy to real-world consequences was rooted further back in time. The original Dubai chocolate, made by FIX Dessert Chocolatier and named "Can't Get Knafeh Of It" in a nod to the Middle Eastern dessert that inspired it, launched in 2021. The first post praising this high-end, £15-a-bar concoction appeared at the tail-end of 2023. Then, like a snowball gathering ever-increasing velocity and volume as it hurtles downhill, the sweet treat's popularity swiftly spiralled out of control. More and more TikTok videos jumped on the bandwagon, sales rocketed, and copycat versions sprang up from the likes of Lindt, the sale of which had to be limited to two bars per person at Waitrose after multiple sell-outs.
Overnight, it went from being something most people had never heard of to the subject of round-ups listing the best Dubai chocolate-inspired products on the market in time for Easter 2025. Even Morrison's brought out a pistachio cream Easter egg this year in honour of the trend.
Now, we're faced with the inevitable dark side of all this hysteria. One chocolate bar's success has resulted in a global pistachio shortage and a corresponding price hike for kernels. Grown mainly in the US and Iran, the nuts were already in shorter supply thanks to last year's poor harvest in America; Dubai chocolate's stratospheric rise to fame has only exacerbated the issue. "The pistachio world is basically tapped out at the moment," Giles Hacking, from nut trader CG Hacking, told the Financial Times, adding that prices have shot up from $7.95 to $10.30 a pound in just a year. "There wasn't much in supply, so when Dubai chocolate comes along, and [chocolatiers] are buying up all the kernels they get their hands on … that leaves the rest of the world short," he said.
It's not the only example that epitomises the notion of "this is why we can't have nice things". Another bougie consumable popularised by social media is currently caught amid its own bout of supply-demand turbulence: matcha.
Read the full article here |
|
|
| M&S's big daddy pistachio bar has gone viral – but how does it taste? |
|
|
| The best London Marathon 2025 freebies you can claim with your medal. |
|
|
Don't forget to complete your registration |
We've noticed that you still have not completed your registration to The Independent. Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism. It allows us to better understand our readers and tailor your experience. |
By registering, you'll also gain access to a range of exclusive benefits, including: |
- Limited access to Premium articles
- Access to The Independent app
- Access to more than 20 newsletters
- Commenting on independent.co.uk
|
|
|
| More tasty recipes inside |
Enjoy endless inspiration with recipes, interviews and more in your latest Indy/Eats food and drink magazine, one of your Independent Premium subscription benefits |
|
|
| This book offers over 120 flavourful and accessible recipes inspired by Asian cuisines, designed to answer the perennial question: "What's for dinner?" From quick-cook dishes to one-pan wonders, you'll find meals like whole roast cauliflower pilaf and miso eggplant with salt and vinegar kale. This beautifully designed book is perfect for anyone seeking delicious, meat-free meals.
|
|
|
Take a look at our subscriber-exclusive newsletters | As a subscriber, you'll also enjoy unlimited access to Premium analysis and opinion along with ad-free reading, the daily edition newspaper, and more exclusive newsletters. |
|
|
| Written by Victoria Harper, Assistant Premium Editor |
|
|
| The Weekend Edit | Sundays |
Written by Victoria Harper, Assistant Premium Editor |
| |
A weekly round up of the best features, columns and reviews | | The Weekend Edit | Sundays |
Highlights of the week, carefully curated by our Premium team | |
|
Join the conversation or follow us |
|
|
Download the free Independent app |
|
|
Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's IndyEats newsletter. To unsubscribe from The Independent's IndyEats newsletter, or to manage your email preferences please click here. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345
Read our privacy policy and cookie policy
|
|
|
|
0 comentários:
Postar um comentário