How to grow lavender and the best varieties to plant now
English or true lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
These shorter, upright lavenders are the hardiest of all and they will survive cold winters in well-drained positions. They have grey-green narrow foliage and blunt-topped, fragrant cylindrical flowers in lilacs and purples in midsummer. They make perfect hedging and edging plants and they can live for 20 years if they're pruned every year. Cut them back to 9in (22cm) after flowering in early to mid-August. This encourages new growth within weeks and protects them over winter. If you fail to prune them, they will become leggy and die.
English lavenders to try
'Hidcote' AGM
Deep-purple flowers, held above grey foliage, make this one the eye-catching choice for hedging. Found at the National Trust's Hidcote Manor in Gloucestershire, it was probably planted by the garden's creator Lawrence Johnston and it's thought that he brought it back from France in the 1920s. 20in/50cm.
'Beechwood Blue' AGM
Another 1920s lavender, this one from William Wood's Beechwood Nurseries in Buckinghamshire. It's a compact mound-former with masses of deep violet-blue flowers held above grey-green foliage. As it is less upright, it forms an informal hedge. 24in/60cm.
'Ashdown Forest'
A paler, later-flowering lavender with mid-violet flowers held above greener foliage. Discovered in the 1980s, in a garden at Nutley in East Sussex, it's a perfect hedging lavender in a softer shade. 20in/50cm.
'Folgate' AGM
A bushy and bluer lavender, with a touch of the Aegean Sea, and the flowers are enhanced by sage-green foliage. Named after a long-gone Norfolk nursery. Norfolk Lavender has the correct plant and it's a stunner once evening light descends. 24in/60cm.
'Melissa Lilac'
This produces a soft haze of paler lavender flowers, with larger florets than normal, and woollier foliage. It was launched by the Downderry Nursery at Chelsea 2003, whose owners described it as 'a real marshmallow'. I staggered away with a very large potful at the Chelsea sell-off that year. 28in/70cm.
Growing tips for L. angustifolia:
If you want to dry the flowers, pick them during early July and hang them upside down.
Hard pruning encourages new growth – just look for the new shoots at the base and cut back to those.
You can delay flowering by trimming back half the plant in April or May.
Lavandins
Lavandula x intermedia
These are hybrids between hardy English lavenders, L. angustifolia, and the less-hardy spike lavenders, L. latifolia. Lavandins can survive down to -10C in well-drained soil, but they need a gentler pruning regime because they're not as hardy as English lavender. You can shape them in September, by just cutting into the foliage, or you can prune them in spring by going back to the new shoots nearer the base. They can last 10 years or more when correctly pruned, but eventually they lose vigour and develop ugly woody legs. These effusive billowing plants have slender tapering flowers, held on radiating stems, so they are best grown as single specimens because many are a little too floppy and expansive for hedging. New ones are cropping up, because lavandins are grown commercially for their oil. In the garden, lavandins provide good winter silhouettes and they can be shaped into roundels.
Lavandins to try
'Grosso'
This is widely grown commercially in the fields of Provence and the UK, for its camphorous oil. 'Grosso' is unique due to having bright-green foliage and deep-purple flowers, so it's not as soft on the eye as some. It was discovered by farmer Pierre Grosso in 1972 and yields lots of oil. 3x3ft/90x90cm.
'Phenomenal'
A newer earlier flowering lavandin with stronger stems topped by violet-blue spikes held above silvery foliage. Hardier than many. 30x30in/75x75cm.
'Heavenly Scent'
Raised from a new British breeding programme for commercial oil production, this is highly aromatic, with slender lilac-to-mid-blue flowers held above a dome of sage-green foliage. Fragrant and aromatic. 20x28in/50x70cm.
'Sussex' (syn. Arabian Night') AGM
This New Zealand-bred variety has the longest flowers of any lavandin, so it creates a haze of lilac-purple flowers above mid-green foliage. 36x42in/90x110cm.
'Seal'
Raised in Kent in 1935, this bushy, more erect blue-purple lavandin has notable grey-green foliage and it's vigorous. 39x48in/100x120cm.
Growing tips for lavandins:
Lavandins need space, because they form rounded plants that are often wider than they are tall.
Prune more lightly, especially if the foliage is grey and woolly.
Frost-tender lavenders for warm sites
Frost-tender lavenders are shorter lived and less hardy, so they should only be tidied up and deadheaded, rather than pruned. They demand good drainage and a warm site and they are only hardy to -5C. The most effective ones have tufted 'ears' held above fat flower spikes, and these vary between a punk haircut and Isadora Duncan's flowing scarf. They tend to be pricier than other lavenders, but you do get three months of flower from May until August. Many of them are bred in New Zealand.
Frost-tender lavenders to try
'Flaming Purple'
This was raised at Downderry Nursery in Kent, which is no longer trading, but still has an informative website. Long purple ears rise above a dark oval head. 30in/75cm.
'Regal Splendour'
Introduced from New Zealand in 2001 by Patrick Fairweather, this has dark flowers with paler purple 'ears' and the foliage is grey-green. 28in/70cm.
'Willow Vale'
This stunning Australian plant, introduced in 1994, has three pinkish-purple 'ears' that fan outwards above a dark, almost black flower head. 30in/75cm.
Growing tips for frost-tender lavenders:
Frost-tender lavenders with ears detest wet winters, so drainage is key.
Only plant between April and June.
They can be grown in coastal areas and in containers.
Tidy and remove the faded flowers before winter sets in.
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Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Eight super simple Middle Eastern recipes from Sunday Brunch chef Sabrina Ghayour
WARM PAN-FRIED COURGETTES WITH GREEN YOGURT & PICKLED CHILLIES Simplicity is the mother of invention – and this is one of those dishes I make when I have courgettes to use because I nearly always have all the other ingredients to hand, and it's really quick and tasty. I'm known to add feta and even chopped preserved lemons, but it really doesn't need much else, as it's delicious enough all by itself. SERVES 4-6 olive oil, for frying 2 large or 3 small courgettes, cut diagonally into 1cm-thick slices sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper For the green yogurt 150g thick Greek yogurt 1 fat garlic clove ½ a small pack (about 15g) of flat-leaf parsley, some reserved to serve ½ a small pack (about 15g) of fresh coriander, some reserved to serve squeeze of lemon juice 1 tbsp olive oil To garnish 4-5 pickled red chillies, thinly sliced 2 pinches of nigella seeds 1 Put all the green yogurt ingredients in a small bullet blender or mini food processor with some salt and pepper and blitz well until smooth. 2 Heat a large frying pan over a high heat, drizzle in some olive oil and fry the courgette slices for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned, in 2-3 batches if necessary. Remove from the pan and arrange on a serving platter – don't worry about them cooling, as room temperature is ideal for serving. Season with salt and pepper. 3 Dot the green yogurt over the courgettes. Finely chop the reserved herbs, then sprinkle with the pickled chillies and nigella seeds, before serving. DUCK & POMEGRANATE SALAD WITH HONEY POMEGRANATE SAUCE This salad is a real favourite of mine. Duck legs are still relatively affordable, particularly if it's a special occasion, and the amount of meat you get from two legs is just perfect for this recipe. The 'quackling' (as Nigella once called it), or crispy duck skin, is an essential and rather sensational addition. 2 duck legs (about 460g) 3 fat spring onions 100g mixed salad leaves 100g pack of pomegranate seeds, juice from the pack reserved for the dressing handful of mint leaves, rolled up tightly and thinly sliced into ribbons sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper For the dressing 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses 2 tsp runny honey 2 tbsp olive oil juice from the pack of pomegranate seeds (see above) 1 Preheat the oven to 190C/ 170C fan/gas 5. Line a small baking tray with baking paper, and line a plate with a double layer of kitchen paper. 2 Position the duck legs on the lined tray, season the skin with salt and pepper, then roast for 1 hour. 3 Meanwhile, cut the white part of the spring onions into small batons, then slice very thinly into matchsticks. Put in cold water and set aside. Thinly slice the remaining green parts. 4 Once the duck legs are cooked, remove from the tray, leaving them on the baking paper, and set aside. 5 Increase the oven temperature to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. Line the baking tray with fresh baking paper. 6 Carefully remove the skin from the duck without breaking it (use a knife to help you release it from the underside), put it on the lined tray and roast for 10 minutes until extra-crispy. Remove the duck skin and transfer to the paper-lined plate to drain. 7 Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper and set aside. Shred the duck meat using your fingers or a pair of forks. 8 To serve, arrange the mixed salad leaves on a large platter, scatter over some of the pomegranate seeds and the green and white parts of the spring onions. Arrange the duck meat on top and season with salt and pepper, then add the remaining pomegranate seeds and the mint. Use a spoon to drizzle over the dressing. CHAPLI KEBAB These spicy patties are beyond delicious, and the obvious reason why they are so popular with Afghanis and Pakistanis is because they are deeply satisfying when smashed into bread. Given that they are popular in both regions, I don't dare suggest where they originate from – my only job is to share good food with you – but these beauties are an essential addition to your home repertoire. 500g minced lamb (20% fat) 3 spring onions, thinly sliced from root to tip 1 small onion, very finely chopped 2 fat garlic cloves, minced 4cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated, or 1 heaped tsp ginger purée 1 tsp chilli flakes 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin 1 small pack (about 30g) of fresh coriander, finely chopped, plus extra leaves to serve 1 large tomato, deseeded and finely chopped, liquid drained 1 tbsp cornflour 1 egg sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper To serve flatbreads, warmed thinly sliced red onion thick Greek yogurt 1 Put all the kebab ingredients in a mixing bowl along with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Using your hands, work the ingredients together really well for a few minutes until you have a smooth and evenly combined paste. 2 Divide the kebab mixture into 8 equal portions and roll into balls, then flatten into thin patties (I do this between two sheets of baking paper). 3 Heat a large frying pan over a high heat and, once hot, fry the patties for 2-3 minutes on each side until nicely browned and cooked through. 4 Serve with the flatbreads as well as the remaining coriander, sliced red onion and yogurt. SPICED SAFFRON CHICKEN KEBABS Persians love a chicken kebab, and over the years I have created many versions of the classic saffron lemon chicken recipe. This is one I'm really proud of because it has hints of Turkish cuisine with the inclusion of pul biber, and a little sprinkling of Greek influence by way of the oregano and garlic combo. No matter which ingredients are used, as always taste is everything – and these are bursting with flavour, ideal for the barbecue or the oven. SERVES 2-4 650g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces olive oil flatbreads, to serve For the marinade 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 good pinches of saffron threads, ground to a powder using a pestle and mortar, then steeped in 2-3 tbsp boiling water 1 tbsp dried wild oregano 2 tsp ground turmeric 1 heaped tsp pul biber (Turkish chilli flakes) 1 tbsp caster sugar finely grated zest and juice of 2 unwaxed limes 150g thick Greek yogurt sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 1 For the marinade, put the onion and garlic in a mixing bowl, season very generously with salt and pepper and stir. Add the remaining marinade ingredients and mix well. Add the chicken pieces and a generous drizzle of olive oil then mix well again. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes, or overnight if you have time. 2 When the dish is ready to cook, preheat your oven to its highest setting. Line a baking tray with baking paper and place the chicken on it. (If you have metal or wooden skewers you can thread the chicken pieces onto them and place them on the lined tray.) Drizzle the chicken with a little olive oil, then cook for 18-20 minutes until nicely browned and cooked through. Serve with the flatbreads. CARROT CHIPS WITH ZA'ATAR YOGURT I love veggie chips – and carrot chips are among my favourite kind. This is a dish in itself, and the flavour combination makes it so incredibly moreish. Quite frankly, I could easily eat the lot in no time at all, so how many servings the recipe makes depends on how hungry you are in the moment. The yogurt also works well with shop-bought vegetable crisps, raw carrot sticks and other crudités. 1kg carrots, peeled olive oil, for drizzling sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper For the za'atar yogurt 250g thick Greek yogurt 1 heaped tbsp za'atar, plus extra to serve finely grated zest of 1 and juice of ½ an unwaxed lemon 1 tsp garlic granules 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line your largest baking tray with baking paper. 2 To prepare the carrots, trim the root end of each with a diagonal cut, then use a Y-shaped peeler to shave each carrot into long slices, or use a sharp knife to thinly slice them as best you can. Place the slices on a clean tea towel and dry off as much of the moisture as possible. 3 Spread the carrot slices out on the lined tray, drizzle with some olive oil (but not too much) and bake for 25-30 minutes until crispy – check after 22 minutes to ensure they are not burning, as every oven varies. Remove from the oven, season generously with salt and leave to cool. 4 Mix all the yogurt ingredients together in a bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread onto a platter or plate, finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a little za'atar, then top with the carrot chips and serve. PINEAPPLE, SPICED CARAMEL & THYME TARTE TATIN Tarte tatin has to be one of my favourite desserts of all time. Apples aren't the only fruit that deliver great results – pineapple is also fantastic and marries well with my love of spice. This is delicious served warm with whipped cream, custard or ice cream. SERVES 6 plain flour, for dusting 500g block of puff pastry 150g caster sugar ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme 500g fresh pineapple (avoid canned), thinly sliced 25g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1 Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas mark 6. 2 Select a large ovenproof frying pan for your tarte tatin. Dust a clean work surface with a little flour and roll the puff pastry out into a circle slightly larger than your pan. 3 Put the pan over a medium heat, scatter the sugar evenly over the base and sprinkle the cinnamon, pepper and thyme leaves evenly over the top. Once the pan heats up, swirl the sugar around in the pan (don't stir) until it has dissolved and turns a deep caramel colour. Arrange the pineapple slices nicely in the pan (this will be the top of your tart), then add the butter around the pineapple, turn the heat up a little and cook for a few minutes until the pineapple starts to caramelise on all sides, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent the pineapple from sticking. 4 Remove the pan from the heat and place your pastry circle on top, tucking the edges carefully all round the inside of the pan, being careful not to burn your fingers on the hot caramel. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is puffed up and deeply golden brown. 5 Wearing oven gloves, remove the pan from the oven, then place a serving plate larger than the pan over it. Carefully flip the pan and plate over together to turn the tart out on to the plate, and serve. TOMATO, CUMIN & ROASTED VEGETABLE PILAF Rice has always been a staple in my culture and my own diet. All the varieties, colours and different recipes – I just love them all. I also think rice can make a spectacular dish in its own right and not just as a side dish, and this vibrant and flavourful pilaf could certainly be the star of the show. But you can, of course, also serve it with roasted meats, fish, seafood or grilled halloumi and a myriad of stews and curries. It's also a great way to sneak lots of fresh vegetables into your cooking without the resistance often encountered when catering for a family. SERVES 6 1 large aubergine, quartered lengthways and cut into chunks 1cm thick 1 large or 2 small courgettes, quartered lengthways and cut into chunks 1cm thick 1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and cut into strips 1cm wide, then diced 1 yellow pepper, cored, deseeded and diced into 1cm cubes 1 tbsp dried wild oregano olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 6 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp ground turmeric 4 tbsp tomato purée 300g basmati rice 50g butter, cut into small cubes 450ml cold water Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 2 Place the aubergine, courgette and peppers on the lined tray. Add the oregano and a generous amount of salt and pepper and drizzle very generously with olive oil, then using your hands, mix to coat evenly. Spread the vegetables out on the tray and roast for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside. 3 Place a large saucepan over a medium-high heat (medium if using a gas hob) and drizzle in enough olive oil to coat the base of the pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent. Add the cumin seeds, turmeric and tomato purée and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes. If the ingredients start to stick, add a little water. Next, add the rice, butter and a very generous amount of salt and pepper, then stir until the butter melts and coats the rice. Pour in the cold water and stir well, then cover the pan with a lid and cook over a gentle heat (low if using a gas hob) without stirring for 30 minutes. 4 Fluff the rice with a fork, carefully fold in the roasted vegetables and warm them through for a couple of minutes, then serve. PRAWNS WITH COCONUT TURMERIC SAUCE Prawns and seafood in general would be part of my dream feast. Nothing makes me happier than chargrilled seafood with lots of different sauces, from sweet to spicy. I've spent a lot of time in Thailand and Southeast Asia and always feel so inspired when I return home, and this is one of those recipes that I've been making for a few years now as a result. SERVES 3-4 50g desiccated coconut olive oil 3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped 1 tbsp ginger purée 3 fingers of fresh turmeric, scrubbed and finely grated 1 tbsp caster sugar squeeze of lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve 250ml coconut cream 8-12 raw king prawns, about 80g each, peeled with tails left on handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 220°C, 200°C fan, gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 2 Spread the coconut out on the lined tray and toast in the oven for 7-8 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside. 3 Place a saucepan over a medium heat, drizzle in some olive oil and fry the garlic, ginger and turmeric together for a few minutes until the garlic begins to colour around the edges. Add the sugar, lime juice, coconut cream and a good amount of salt and pepper and mix well. Simmer gently for 8 minutes, then remove from the heat. 4 Heat a griddle pan or frying pan over a high heat. Rub the prawns all over with olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper, then add to the hot pan and cook for a couple of minutes on each side until firm, fully opaque and cooked through. 5 Quickly reheat the sauce and stir in half the toasted coconut. 6 Place the prawns on a serving plate, drizzle with the sauce and sprinkle with the rest of the toasted coconut, then finish with the chopped coriander and serve with lime wedges. NOW BUY THE BOOK Our recipes are taken from Persiana Easy by Sabrina Ghayour, with photographs by Kris Kirkham (Mitchell Beazley, £28, published on 14 August). To pre-order a copy for £23.80, go to or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £25.
New Statesman
2 days ago
- New Statesman
'I blame Maggie!' How sewage radicalised England
Photo by Andy Soloman/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images In classic English style, it was raining on the first day of the hosepipe ban in the Wiltshire market town of Marlborough. But this isn't classic England any more. Residents are furious – and not just about the prospect of their yellowing lawns. Hosepipe bans used to cause a disgruntled ripple across the Tory shires. Today, they open the floodgates to a torrent of rage against environmental vandalism and corporate greed that makes the middle-aged of Middle England sound like radical socialists. 'It goes far deeper now,' said one lifelong local. 'The trust is broken.' Why, residents ask, should we save water when the water companies have been frittering our money away? With sewage in the local River Kennet, rising water bills (the same local produces a letter informing him his water bill is going up £19 a month), and flooding in the town centre earlier this year, Thames Water is a dirty word in this once clean and pleasant land. I'm told children in some local schools have even been asked to bring in a spare pair of shoes – one pair to walk through the sewage-splattered ground outside, and another for indoors. The golf club put their own water tank in two years ago, bypassing a reliance on Thames Water. 'There's definitely been a change in mood,' says Charlotte Hitchmough, 56, who has been campaigning against sewage overflows in the River Kennet for two decades. 'It's a critical part of living here – the river defines the landscape, and because the water's quite mobile it's really different month-to-month: people here talk about the river like they talk about the weather.' A new government plan to streamline and strengthen regulation of the water industry hasn't quelled the anger. Locals I hear from feel they've been lumped with Thames Water's debt and believe 'they're cruising around the world on superyachts'. The proposed changes also don't cover the consequences of road run-off into rivers, which is environmentally damaging and visibly so. 'You can see the river change colour,' says Hitchmough. 'That's probably going to get worse, not better – it's the next big, scary thing.' Having started her career as a consultant for the newly privatised water industry, she now – like some other fellow residents – sees greater state oversight as the answer. 'Profit shouldn't be part of it because, fundamentally, water is not a resource that belongs to anyone. Water is a source that none of us can live without. It was like privatising air.' It should no longer come as a surprise that even in Marlborough – whose constituencies have never been anything but Conservative for a century – you hear support for renationalisation and the conclusion, as worded by one local: 'I blame Maggie!' This year, the Lib Dems and independent councillors took control of Wiltshire Council from the Conservatives. From seats in the south-west to the Blue Wall (where affluent commuter-belt and suburban seats are turning away from the Conservatives), voters are deeply concerned about the sewage spills, suggest new focus groups and polling released in May by More in Common, a research agency specialising in public attitudes towards politics and policy. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Sixty-one per cent of those polled say reducing sewage pollution should be the government's highest priority or a high priority. They still just about blame the Tories: half of voters say the previous Conservative government did a bad job on tackling sewage pollution, and 43 per cent say the same of the current Labour administration. Pollution of rivers and seas was a particularly motivating issue for people who voted Lib Dem in 2024. Asked for the top reasons why they voted for the party last July, more than one third (34 per cent) chose at least one environmental reason – the most popular being the party's campaign against sewage pollution. Local Lib Dem leaflets accusing Tory MPs of voting to pump sewage into their constituency rivers still haunt the Conservative Party – blamed in part for electoral losses in their former heartlands in the south. But it's not just Lib Dem/Tory marginals. Even Nigel Farage's Reform UK has a policy to take half the industry back into public ownership. 'In focus groups from Worthing to Clacton to Ilford North, people were bringing up sewage last year in the run-up to the election and in some since,' revealed Luke Tryl of More in Common. 'You get this with every type of voter, because it's such a visible example of state failure – it is up there with failing to stop the boats, because people can't understand why government is allowing it to happen and isn't able to stop it. That's what makes it such a potent force.' For years, polling has indicated growing public appetite for state intervention and left-economic solutions – a trend exacerbated by the pandemic. Voters of every party support more regulation of water companies, for example, and a majority feels water should be publicly owned. While these sentiments may have benefited Labour in opposition, they aren't necessarily good news for the party in government as it pursues cautious, incremental fixes to broken bits of the state. Whether you were a Conservative voter fearing a Labour government, or a supporter who backed it, you see Labour as the party most likely to stick it to bonus-hungry executives and asset-stripping investors. Ministers' arguments about fiscal rectitude and balancing books fail to resonate because they 'go against the grain' of the party's traditional brand, according to one polling analyst. All the while, voters watch dirty rivers wriggling through their towns and grow impatient for change. If Labour's plan to regulate water better doesn't bring tangible results before the next election, the confused politics of England will – like its weather – become less and less predictable. Thames Water has been contacted for comment. [See also: Who is accountable in privatised Britain?] Related
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Simple mistake everyone makes when frying eggs and how to fix it
Whipping up a batch of fried eggs is a simple process, but there are a few easy-to-forget steps that can make a massive difference to your breakfast, brunch or dinner Whether it's nestled in a full English, crowning a bowl of ramen or paired with a portion of chips, nothing quite matches the taste of a flawlessly fried egg. You might reckon you've got your egg-frying game down pat, but there are plenty of easy-to-overlook steps that novice cooks often miss in their quest for crispy edges and a lush, runny yolk. Just because it's a quick job doesn't mean there aren't loads of ways to jazz up your eggs – and you could be making blunders without even knowing it. Foodie news hub, Mashed has put together a comprehensive guide highlighting the easy-to-forget steps when frying eggs that, if remembered and applied, can lead to cracking results. From the type of eggs you're using to whether you're sizzling them in fat or oil, there are numerous tricks to take your eggs up a notch, with one glaringly obvious, yet frequently ignored, error, reports the Express. Think back to the last time you fried up some eggs, perhaps for a lazy Sunday brunch or as a hangover remedy. Can you recall which pan you used? By opting for the wrong kind of pan to fry your eggs, you're setting yourself up for a flop, which can be sidestepped with a top-notch non-stick or cast iron pan. If you're going for the latter, make sure it's well-seasoned to prevent your eggs from sticking or breaking up while they're bubbling away. This nugget comes courtesy of Joseph Provost, a chemistry and biochemistry professor at the University of San Diego. Mashed has quoted Joseph speaking to the Washington Post, revealing that "most pans, even the really good ones, are actually filled with little cracks and crevasses," which means when they're heated up, the metal expands and egg liquid gets caught in those tiny gaps. To dodge this culinary pitfall, opt for a non-stick solution, which acts as a slick barrier between the pan's surface and your eggs. Bear this tip in mind next time you're frying up eggs – it could be the game-changer you never knew you needed. For those on a quest for the ultimate fried eggs, consider cooking them in some form of fat – it adds taste and creates an additional protective layer on any pan, echoing the previous advice. It's also wise to preheat the pan before introducing the eggs. This principle holds true for most foods when frying, searing, or aiming for a golden crunch. If you're using fat, as suggested, wait until the pan is sizzling hot before adding it, then let it heat up a bit more before popping in your eggs. And here's a final nugget from the egg aficionados: let your eggs reach room temperature before cracking them open. If you cook straight from the fridge, you risk a rubbery white and an overdone yolk.
