Latest news with #garlic
Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
A cultural juggernaut returns – is it finally time to join in?
Last week, I described enjoying a lightly-roasted lamb rack (garlic and rosemary crumb, Greek salad on the side) to accompany episode seven of The Four Seasons. This week: cucumber gazpacho and Squid Game. How the mighty are fallen. I mean, the gazpacho part was all right. It seemed like a good idea when the thermometer hit 30C. I began with a recipe from the BBC website: peel a cucumber, then blitz it in a blender with 150g of white bread, 50g blanched almonds, a garlic clove, some fresh basil leaves, two tablespoons each of olive oil and sherry vinegar, salt and pepper and 500g of water. I didn't have any sherry vinegar so I used wine vinegar, and at the last minute – partly out of suspicion and partly so as not to disappoint my dinner companion who thinks I'm too stubborn ever to follow recipes precisely, though I suppose that comes to the same thing – I added an avocado. It was fine. It had that quality you get with risotto or spaghetti carbonara: the first few spoons are delicious, then it seems like an hour's gone by and you're still eating it. If you want to give this a go, I'd suggest you do it in shot glasses for a starter. I'm including it here only because I'm excited by my new 'recipe and review' format (it'll be really handy in those weeks when there's nothing much to say about the programme) and I won't get shouted at online for this recipe because it's vegan. Mind you, if you're vegan, I don't think you're going to like Squid Game. It's all blood and suffering. (Although if you're only vegan because it's fashionable then bingo! This show is Korean.) I hated it. Let's get that out the way early. I always reckoned I would hate Squid Game, but series three dropped on Friday and everybody's talking about it so (with a miserable sigh) I decided I should attempt to get at least a vague handle on what the whole thing's about. I feel much the same way about the situation in Iran. Squid Game featured so much visceral violence, I was relieved to be having cucumber gazpacho and not meat. Even a tomato gazpacho might have come up again. Another problem, though, is that I never have a drink with soup. It's a rule my parents gave us as children. I don't know why. Everyone's childhood had its own weird rules that you never hear of anywhere else, right? Like public schools inventing their own daft words for sport or chapel? In our house, we weren't allowed to mix two breakfast cereals in the same bowl, weren't allowed to open Maltesers before a film started and we never had a drink with soup. I follow those rules superstitiously to this day. So, having soup on the hob, I didn't open a bottle of wine for the first time in at least 18 months. Naturally, I was in a bit of a bad mood. (I know what you're thinking: wasn't it gazpacho? Aha, I only said the soup was on the hob. I didn't say the gas was on.) It's difficult to eat cucumber gazpacho and read subtitles at the same time, unless you particularly want a damp green lap. Thus, a lot of my experience on the evening in question was not actually watching television but simply drinking spoonfuls of cold soup to the sound of bleak Korean screaming. If that's your idea of a great night, there's some good news for you on Netflix. I didn't start with the new series, obviously. I started with series one, episode one. It's dreadful. It starts well enough: a desperate gambler meets a mysterious man who offers to play a game with him. So at least it was relatable. I've been in that situation many times, and I love the fictional cliché, whether it's the creepy curates on the train in The Box of Delights or Damon Runyon's earful of cider. Caveat ludor! That's a message I always find appetising. Unfortunately – as I expect you know, if you've paid any attention to the cultural conversation in the four years since Squid Game came out – this quickly descends, unlike The Box of Delights, into a harrowing dystopian gorefest. By the end of the first episode, we're watching hundreds of terrified people being plausibly gunned to death. And just to stop anyone but a sociopath from having a bit of distance on the damn thing, our trapped protagonist has a beautiful little daughter, and it's her birthday. Thanks everyone. It made me so angry. Admittedly I found myself watching at a time of particular 'IRL' horror around the world (that's 'in real life', if you're the kind of cultural abstainer who doesn't already know the plot of Squid Game), but the world is always full of horror and I never want to be reminded that some people get a kick out of seeing that. (A lot of people do, if the ratings for Squid Game are anything to go by.) There's a curious coda to this. The next day, for reasons I can't adequately explain, I found myself wanting to watch another episode. Despite having hated it, I felt a little craving for more. Something in the programme's DNA, clearly, has talent. I switched on episode two: a number of coffins were being slid one by one into a furnace. A coffin lid creaked open and an anguished hand pushed its way out. A masked figure shoved the hand back in and hammered down the lid. I had a sudden flashback to the foul taste of my first cigarette, many years ago, and the irresistible attraction of my second. The screen said 'Episode 2: Hell'. I switched it off.
The Sun
20-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
Gardeners told to use 22p kitchen staples for ‘vampire trick' which can banish slugs from your garden for good
A GARDENING expert has revealed a 22p hack to banish slugs from gardens using a very common kitchen staple. Now that summer is finally here, many Brits will be looking for ways to spruce up their outdoor spaces - including getting rid of any nasty critters. 1 Slugs and snails are notorious for wreaking havoc on gardens, in particular during rainy patches when they come out in their swathes to feast on crops and plants. Over the years, experts have come out with a whole host of - often ineffective - methods to combat these garden pests. From splashing beer and sprinkling eggshells on crops to surrounding veg patches with copper tape. But one savvy expert believes they have found a cheap, store cupboard hack that could rid gardens of these pests once and for all. Gardeners have been urged to introduce garlic to their gardens as a means of deterring the slugs. And at just 22p a bulb, this could be the cheapest hack yet. Garlic wash involves boiling two whole bulbs of garlic in two litres of water until they soften, then pulping them to make a juice. After removing the garlic skins, the concentrated liquid should be diluted with water and put into a spray can which can be used over plants. The liquid should then be sprayed on plants across the summer right into October. A gardening expert wrote: "We use garlic wash as a slug deterrent on the nursery. 6 ways to get rid of slugs and snails "Please find below the recipe that we use and find very effective. The quantities aren't exact and you can always alter them as you wish." If the smell of garlic is too pungent Homes & Garden writer, Thomas Rutter, suggests using cucumber instead. Stopping slugs and snails using the cucumber hack is surprisingly simple. While it may not eradicate these pests, it can help gardeners control their numbers. Rutter said: "First, raid your fridge drawer and retrieve a cucumber, before slicing it thinly. "Don't worry about the quality of the cucumber here, in fact, it is best to use those that are past their best." Rutter then advises to place the slices near your more vulnerable plants in the evening. Slugs and snails will be lured to the scent and moisture of the cucumber. Then, after a few hours or the following morning, you can collect the pests and dispose of them. It's not too dissimilar from companion planting or trap plants for pest control. But what's better is that it's a chemical-free approach, safe for pets and requires almost no effort.
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Travel + Leisure
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Travel + Leisure
The Largest Garlic Festival in the World Is Back—and Yes, There's Still Garlic Ice Cream
After a three-year hiatus, the Gilroy Garlic Festival will take place this year from July 25 to 27. Visitors can expect cooking classes, live music, lots of garlicky cuisine—including the event's iconic garlic ice cream—and more. California's highways cross through some of the world's most incredible scenery—and in some cases, they'll even take you on an odoriferous journey. Just east of Monterey Bay, Highway 101 runs through the small town of Gilroy, California, home to a little over 58,000 people. However, you'll most likely smell Gilroy before you see it—the pungent smell of garlic is sure to hit you, even if the windows are rolled up. Known as 'The Garlic Capital of the World,' Gilroy produces more than 100 million pounds of garlic annually, and for years, the town celebrated its famous aromatic crop with an annual soiree, the Gilroy Garlic Festival. After a tragic shooting in 2019, the festival went dark during the pandemic, and then closed indefinitely in 2022 due to financial constraints and insurance requirements requested by the city. However, it's officially back in action this year, and will take place from July 25 to 27 at South County Grove, located next to the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park, a horticulture-themed amusement park. Historically, the festival was held at Gilroy's Christmas Hill Park and welcomed tens of thousands of guests across a single weekend. This year, it will be far more intimate, with just 3,000 entrants per day. Nonetheless, the lineup is promising. There will be interactive cooking demonstrations and live entertainment. 'Gourmet Alley' will have stalls selling garlic-flavored dishes of all sorts, from pesto pasta, calamari, and scampi to pepper steak sandwiches, loaded tri-tip fries, and the festival's legendary garlic ice cream. "Some people like [the ice cream], some people don't,' said Cindy Fellows, a past president and a current board member of the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association. 'But it will be present—and it sure is an interesting thing to taste." From left: Fresh off the grill a pepper steak sandwich; a volunteer vendor heating up the grill. Gilroy Garlic Festival Association The Gilroy Garlic Festival has long been a fundraising behemoth for the Santa Clara Valley city—the festival is 99 percent volunteer-based, and proceeds go to local schools to fund things like camps and sports equipment, and other community needs. 'So many nonprofits really benefit from the Garlic Festival,' Fellows said. 'And over the last six years, they have suffered from its absence. We're thrilled to be back and to support them again.' Fellows, who is a Gilroy native, says the event has pumped $12 million back into the community since its inception. Gilroy, which is usually a sleepy town, comes alive during the festival, as locals are joined by travelers from across California and the country. Regional farmers, such as Christopher Ranch (the nation's largest grower of fresh garlic) are vital to the festival, too. 'Local farmers help us with peppers, onions, and different things," Fellows said. "It's a time to come together as a great community, and everybody jumps right in.'
Daily Mail
12-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
How to remove crusty brown skin patches and warts at home. Doctors often won't treat these unsightly growths. Now our experts reveal what really can help... and when to be concerned about cancer
What do banana skin, nail varnish and garlic have in common? They are said to help clear warts – and what's more, there is some evidence that they might actually work. Around 10 per cent of the population (30 per cent among children and young adults) are living with a wart.
Telegraph
07-06-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Garlic-infused broccoli and labneh dip
Inspired by Palestinian cuisine, where cooked greens often become delicious dishes, I decided to make a dip similar to the traditional taghmees. Luckily, I had most of the ingredients I needed already stocked in my kitchen. The idea was simple: blend cooked greens with yoghurt to create a creamy and herbaceous dip. It's a classic recipe that's often served with warm flatbread or as a side dish with other meals. With a drizzle of olive oil, it's ready to enjoy. Ingredients 4 tbsp olive oil 3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced 250g broccoli florets 350g labneh or thick Greek yoghurt 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 red chilli, finely chopped 10g dill, finely chopped 10g parsley, finely chopped 5g mint leaves, roughly shredded ½ tsp Aleppo chilli flakes (or regular chilli flakes) 2 tsp sumac Method Step Add 3 large garlic and cook for about 3-4 minutes, being careful not to burn it – you want it to be just golden brown. Carefully remove the garlic from the oil onto a plate lined with kitchen paper, then leave both the garlic and oil aside to cool down. Step Blanch the 250g broccoli florets in a pan of boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Then remove using a slotted spoon and refresh under cold water until cool. The broccoli should be bright green, with a good bite.
