Latest news with #LeCreuset
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Woman who calls herself ‘UK's poshest thief' fined for stealing Le Creuset cookware
A former criminology lecturer who calls herself the 'UK's poshest thief' has been fined for stealing more than £1,000 worth of Le Creuset cookware, steaks, wine and gin. Pauline Al Said and her husband, Mark Wheatcroft, have been fined £2,500 between them after the thefts from a garden centre and a branch of Marks & Spencer. Sentencing the couple, the judge, Keith Cutler, said shoplifters walking out of supermarkets with 'full trolley loads' was becoming more common and the public were calling for 'appropriate' sentences. He imposed the financial penalty after concluding Al Said would not comply with community service. The 35-year-old former senior criminology lecturer at Bath Spa University calls herself the 'UK's poshest thief' on her X account. She was found guilty of two counts of theft and Wheatcroft was convicted of one count of theft and one assault. Representing themselves, the couple, from Southsea in Hampshire, told Portsmouth crown court their actions were on the 'lower end'. A jury heard that the first theft took place at Old Barn garden centre in Horsham, West Sussex. Laura Duff, prosecuting, said John Dunkling, a security officer, saw Al Said walking toward the shop's exit with two bags without paying. On her way out, Al Said was stopped by another member of staff. One of her bags contained spirits including gin and spiced rum. The second bag contained more alcohol, Le Creuset cookware and a Le Creuset condiment set. The couple were asked to go back into the store and Wheatcroft threatened to punch Dunkling, the court heard. He then 'made contact' with the Dunkling's back. Al Said used a security tag remover to snip off and discard tags around the store, the court heard. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion The second incident took place at Marks & Spencer store in Winchester when an undercover security professional spotted Al Said loading meat into a trolley. She had more than 30 steaks and nine bottles of wine. Al Said was fined £750 for each theft offence and Wheatcroft was ordered to pay £750 for the charge of shoplifting and £250 for the assault.
Daily Maverick
4 days ago
- General
- Daily Maverick
Moroccan chicken tagine with dates, honey and almonds
The marriage of the spices favoured in Moroccan cuisine with honey creates a bit of sorcery in a tagine. A chicken tagine recipe needs fruit, and dates are the perfect fruity ingredient for a spiced chicken dish. This turned out exquisitely; easily the best chicken tagine dish I've made (he says with all due humility, promise). Just a few tricks to bear in mind: the skins of the chicken thighs must be removed as they'd become soggy and horrible while cooking; the sweetness and spiciness need to be balanced, and browning the flour-seasoned chicken pieces to begin with makes a massive difference to the quality of the outcome. Though I did cook it in a tagine, it can just as well be made in a heavy casserole of some kind. I have one of those Le Creuset ones with a heavy cast-iron base and a conical stoneware lid, my blue ceramic tagine having broken years ago. I had bought it at the annual French market that comes to the south of England every December, a real beauty. We'd also buy tins of pâté de foie gras and other French delights as a Christmas time treat during our Chichester years. Ingredients (Serves 4) 8 chicken thighs, skins removed, cut into two pieces each 2 medium onions, quartered 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp ground ginger 2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 scant tsp chilli powder 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 Tbsp cornflour Olive oil as needed 2 garlic cloves, sliced 1 x 2 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 1 cinnamon stick 2 bay leaves 2 cups chicken stock 3 Tbsp honey 1 x 400 g can chopped peeled tomatoes 1 x 400 g can chickpeas, drained 250 g pitted dates 100 g whole raw almonds, toasted Coriander leaves, chopped, f0r garnish Salt and black pepper to taste Method Mix the six dry ground spices (cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, chilli, turmeric) with the cornflour in a bowl and coat the chicken pieces all over in it. That blend of spices will give you the distinctive flavour of a Moroccan spice mix. Retain the leftover spice mix. Heat olive oil in a tagine and fry the chicken pieces in batches until browned on all sides. Add more oil if needed. Remove to a side dish and fry the onions for 4 to 5 minutes, then return the browned chicken pieces to the tagine and add any remaining spice-flour mixture, the garlic, ginger, cinnamon stick, can of chopped tomatoes, bay leaves, and the honey. Pour in the chicken stock and stir. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and add the dates and chickpeas. Cook for another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a pan until they turn a slightly darker hue, just 2 or 3 minutes, and chop the coriander leaves. Serve with couscous prepared according to the packet instructions, scatter the toasted almonds on top and sprinkle with coriander. DM
NBC News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- NBC News
The 13 best bridal shower gifts that any bride will love
Aside from thinking about the best way to celebrate a bride in your life, one important part of any bridal shower is getting the perfect gift. You probably don't want to go with something too cliché or an appliance they probably already have, but at the same time, you want something you know they'll actually use. Zeroing in on the best bridal shower gifts is all about spending some time thinking about what will truly make them happy and thankful. Things like unique momentos, buy-for-life cookware and experiential gifts are great places to start. Below, we've rounded up the best bridal shower gifts worth gifting to someone special this year. Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter. Best bridal shower gifts in 2025All of the recommendations below are directly from NBC Select editors, favorite brands we've covered in the past and/or have at least a 4-star average rating from 500 reviews or more on Amazon. Surprise a bride in your life by gifting her a small and portable photo printer like the Canon Ivy. Around the size of a smartphone, the printer connects to their device using Bluetooth, allowing you to take tons of photos and print them immediately. The photos print on 2 x 3-inch pieces of adhesive peel-and-stick paper, making them easier to add to a scrapbook. Super fancy bed and bath gifts are great for anyone, but especially those who dedicate their time to self care. The Dorai stone bath mat is luxe but also incredibly functional — it's made of a quick-drying stoneware called diatomaceous earth and recycled paper that doesn't absorb as much water as a fabric mat. It's also much more hygienic than your usual bat mat; since it dries fast, you don't have to worry as much about musty smells and mold growth. Ideal for the bride who loves a good crime doc, puzzle or mystery game, Murdle is a book of 100 logic games, all of varying levels. Players can test their instincts by deciding who committed the crime, with what weapon and where. Plus, once they finish this one, they can move on to Murdle Volume 2. We're major fans of Lego sets at NBC Select, mainly because there's so many unique versions and a variety of skill levels available. Plus, Lego Botanicals sets act as beautiful decor in your home, making them a great gift for a bride. The Lucky Bamboo set has 325 pieces and is around 11 inches tall. The Artifact Uprising photo book is a safe, high-quality 7 x 7-inch photo album that the bride can use to house all of her photos. You can customize the book by choosing the type of foil you want for the title, the fabric color and how many pages you want — you can choose between 20 to 50 pages. If you're gifting a bride that loves to cook, a Le Creuset Dutch oven is a durable pot that can last a lifetime when maintained properly. It's available in more than 10 shades, including the popular color Flame and other more unique options. It's oven safe up to 500 degrees, and while it's dishwasher safe, too, the brand recommends washing by hand. I love everything about Calpak's bags — the look and texture is unique and incredibly durable, so I don't have to worry about my Luka breaking or ripping. It has multiple pockets on the inside, a space for a laptop, a key leash and padded straps. The bottom is also expandable and allows for so much more room for personal items. I gifted this to my aunt one year for Christmas and she loves the look of it so much, and the honeycomb design makes it reminiscent of old-school French bistros. I also love the typeface on the mug and the geometric look on the side. Also, it's 15 ounces so it's the perfect size for a substantial cup of coffee or tea. NBC Select reporter, Harry Rabinowitz recently reviewed the Skylight Picture Frame and highlighted how many styles the frame has to choose from and how easy it is to set up. The frame is a thoughtful gift for a bride who loves collecting photos and wants them all on display at once, as opposed to having to choose only one at a time. They can have multiple photos on rotation and if you give this as a gift, you can set it up remotely and share a gift code with the recipient. Cozy Earth has a wealth of high-quality bedding options, including sheet sets and pillows, but the brand's bath lineup is also worth gifting. This cozy bathrobe comes in multiple styles and sizes and is made of a blend of cotton and bamboo viscose (plant fibers). It includes an adjustable waist tie and has two pockets on the front to keep hands warm. NBC Select commerce editor Lindsay Schneider and I are fans of Quince, especially because of the quality and affordable pricing. I also love how many different department's the brand has — they have a ton of items for home, apparel, bath, perfume and so much more. If you have a giftee who wants home and lifestyle items that are made to last, a gift card is a simple but effective idea. Instant Pot is a go-to brand when choosing an electric pressure cooker, but the brand's air fryer is also just as useful. I gifted this to my brother last year and love how powerful it is and how quickly it cooks food, even frozen ones. It's available in both a 4- and 6 quart option, and has multiple modes, including dehydration, reheating and broiling. Gift a bride a fancy espresso machine to help her start building her at-home coffee bar. Perfect for someone who's a fan of lattes, cappuccinos and other espresso-based beverages, the Bambino brews freshly ground espresso and has a milk steamer. You can also choose between a single or double shot. Why trust NBC Select? Bethany Heitman is a contributing editor at NBC Select Cory Fernandez is a commerce editor at NBC Select who writes about many home and lifestyle topics, including cooking, cleaning, home appliances and more.
IOL News
5 days ago
- IOL News
PICS: Gucci slippers, Le Creuset pots and Louis Vuitton dupes discovered in Durban port bust
iol Police in KZN seized counterfiet Le Creuset pots and Gucci slippers at a depot in Edwin Swales on Tuesday afternoon. Police in KwaZulu-Natal have seized counterfeit goods with a street value of R400 million. The raid was made on Tuesday afternoon at a freight depot in Edwin Swales, south of Durban. KZN police spokesperson Robert Netshuinda said SAPS members were conducting a routine cargo profiling when they found two containers that contained counterfeit designer clothes, jewellery, and kitchenware. "Both containers were fraudulently declared to be carrying furniture.
IOL News
5 days ago
- IOL News
IN PICS: Gucci slippers, Le Creuset pots and Louis Vuitton dupes discovered in Durban port bust
iol Police in KZN seized counterfiet Le Creuset pots and Gucci slippers at a depot in Edwin Swales on Tuesday afternoon. Police in KwaZulu-Natal have seized counterfeit goods with a street value of R400 million. The raid was made on Tuesday afternoon at a freight depot in Edwin Swales, south of Durban. KZN police spokesperson Robert Netshuinda said SAPS members were conducting a routine cargo profiling when they found two containers that contained counterfeit designer clothes, jewellery, and kitchenware. "Both containers were fraudulently declared to be carrying furniture.
