Latest news with #AngelaPatrone
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'My baked beans never tasted better since adding 1 simple ingredient - and it's a total game-changer'
Baked beans, a British kitchen staple, have become the centre of a lively Reddit debate on whether seasoning enhances this classic meal. One Reddit user raised the question, "Do most British people season their baked beans?". This prompted over 3,000 comments as Brits shared their tips for sprucing up beans. The individual who started the conversation added: "According to my boyfriend, you're only supposed to take them out of the tin into a bowl and microwave them, or to put them in a pot on the stove for like three minutes. The only allowed flavour is the tomato sauce they come with." READ MORE: Add these two ingredients to make 'best ever' scrambled eggs READ MORE: I tried seven different types of salted butter - the best one was so indulgent It turns out that smoked paprika emerged as a fan favourite for elevating beans to new culinary heights. A bean enthusiast on Reddit penned: "Try a bit of smoked paprika on baked beans. You're welcome." Another chimed in: "Smoked paprika adds some smokiness that you would normally get with bacon," as noted by the Express. Another also heralded the praises of smoked paprika: "Smoked paprika is a game-changer. It goes well with the flavours of baked beans." Intrigued by these suggestions, Senior Lifestyle reporter Angela Patrone decided it was time to test the popular advice and break out the smoked paprika from her kitchen cupboard. Angela shared her culinary experiment by stating: "Smoked paprika is one of those seasonings I love to add to my chicken or when I'm making homemade chips, but I never thought to add it to baked beans." She detailed her process: "I started by adding the spice to the beans in a bowl. While it wasn't mentioned how much smoked paprika to use, I opted for one teaspoon." Angela explained her time-saving method: "I usually heat my baked beans in a saucepan, however, I was short on time this day, so I used the microwave instead. I left the beans in the microwave for one minute before stirring them and putting them in for another minute." Upon tasting the modification, Angela enthused: "Opening the microwave after the second minute was up, I could smell the delicious smoky scent. I served the beans on a slice of toasted sourdough bread." She concluded with approval: "The seasoning offered a fantastic depth of flavour to the semi-sweet baked beans. I would say a teaspoon is just the right amount, as any more would probably overpower the baked beans."
Daily Record
21-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Record
'I tested chocolate from every supermarket and this £1 bar is better than Cadbury'
For the past few days, many of us will have indulged in quite a bit of chocolate. However, like many things in life, Easter eggs can get a bit pricey these days. For those who still want to indulge their sweet tooth without the expense, then a simple bar of chocolate poses a suitable alternative - and pretty much everyone knows that Cadbury remains one of the most beloved brands. That being said, many supermarket own brands can sometimes pose a more affordable, and often better tasting, option. Which is exactly why one reporter decided to try them all out to find if this was the case. Senior Lifestyle Reporter Angela Patrone from the Express recently pit the iconic chocolate brand against high-end and bargain supermarket options, with bars bought from the likes of Aldi, Lidl, M&S, Waitrose and more. Finding one budget bar that reminded her of the beloved Magic Stars from her childhood, the reporter detailed her thought on each confection, which we have provided in her full words just below. Morrisons Retailing for 80p, this tasted like your standard run-of-the-mill chocolate bar, slightly sweet and creamy, but nothing special. The smooth texture was delightful, but sadly, the chocolate didn't build on that with no memorable taste notes or even an aftertaste. Rating: 5/10 Sainsbury's This chocolate bar was much nicer than Morrisons' and melted in the mouth much more easily. The 75p bar also had a lovely taste, which was not too artificial like some chocolates can be. Rating: 6/10 Tesco This 55p chocolate bar from Tesco reminds me of cooking chocolate, and not in a good way. The chocolate from Tesco tasted like it was trying to imitate a mix of Galaxy and Dairy Milk, but very poorly. It has a chemical undertaste and melts quickly into a thin layer of chocolate rather than oozy goodness. Rating: 3/10 Aldi Aldi is known for its affordable items that won't put a hole in your wallet. Aldi has its Everyday Essentials range, which is supposedly cheaper than its other manufactured brands. Costing 59p for a 100g bar, the taste was very disappointing. It was rather salty and had a strange aftertaste to it. I felt it didn't really taste like chocolate, but as if it were some overly sweetened candy. Rating: 3/10 Lidl After tasting the Aldi chocolate bar, I didn't have much hope for this one, but it impressed me massively. Lidl is known for its cheap products, so it was the first place on my mind when I thought about an affordable chocolate bar. Slightly more than Aldi, the bar cost me £1.09, weighing 100g. In terms of taste and quality, it really took me by surprise. It was sweet, smooth, and the chocolate melted in my mouth. It brought me back to my childhood as it reminded me so much of Magic Stars. I would say it was better than Cadbury in terms of taste and value. Rating: 9/10 Asda For me, the Asda chocolate bar is on par with Tesco and Aldi, just ever so slightly better. Coming in at 59p per 100g, the chocolate bar was sweet, but it didn't melt in the mouth like a typical chocolate bar would. Rating: 3.5/10 Waitrose Costing £2.75, this was one of the most expensive chocolate bars in this taste test, but also ended up being the worst one. While I can appreciate the thick and smooth texture it had, it tasted very strong, and not in a good way. Rating: 2/10 M&S M&S was the last of the supermarket brands, and I had high expectations for this one. M&S have a range of delicious chocolate sweet treats all year round that receive glowing reviews, however, their cheapest milk chocolate is not something I'd repurchase. Retailing at £2.75 like the Waitrose chocolate bar, it lacked that sweetness and creaminess you'd expect from a milk chocolate bar. Rating 4/10 Cadbury Last up we have Cadbury. Straight away you are hit with a waft of chocolate to the nostrils when you open up the bar. Milk chocolate often contains a fatty coating in the harder centre, which Cadbury often perfects, but how would the iconic brand fare this time around? Very well is the answer; however, for me, it was a little too sweet. Rating: 8/10 Verdict Out of all the chocolate bars, Lidl came up as the top contender. Whilst the Cadbury bar was enjoyable, the Lidl chocolate bar just had the edge.
