Latest news with #festive
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
This Country Produces The Most Pomegranates In The World
Pomegranates are a seriously underrated fruit. This ruby red gem is delicious and tart -- tasting great by itself, in drinks like Ina Garten's festive holiday batch cocktail, and even in savory dishes. Whether you like to eat pomegranates as is or use them in cooking, you can thank one country for producing mass amounts of pomegranates: India. India single-handedly leads pomegranate production, producing 2.4 million metric tons of pomegranates each year. In comparison to other countries, India produces nearly double the amount of pomegranates than any other country in the world. India has been a consistent leader in pomegranate production thanks to its hot climate, which has proven to be ideal for producing not only pomegranates but other fruits, too. India also happens to be the country that produces the most bananas for similar reasons. As such, this means that the pomegranates you grab from the store are more than likely exported from India's crop. Read more: 13 Meats People Used To Eat, But Are Now Illegal In The US Pomegranate Production Around The World Part of what makes India's pomegranate production so high is the fact that the fruit is grown year-round, making the exports continuous. Most of the pomegranates from India are produced in a state known as Maharashtra, which makes a majority of India's exported pomegranates. Several varieties of pomegranates are grown here and throughout India, such as Ganesh and Arakta pomegranates. Outside of India, pomegranates are also grown in other countries throughout the Middle East and Asia. Major pomegranate-producing countries include Egypt, China, Iran, and more. There is also some production in Europe from Spain and Turkey, as well as some additional production in countries outside of Eurasia, like Peru and Israel. These do not contribute nearly as heavily as the countries located in Asia and the Middle East. Out of all of these countries, China and Iran are the only countries besides India to produce more than a million metric tons of pomegranates per year. China produces roughly 1.6 million tons of pomegranates annually, with Iran following closely behind with 1.1 million metric tons. From there, production drastically drops to 559,000 metric tons and 380,000 metric tons from Turkey and Egypt, respectively. Read the original article on Chowhound. Solve the daily Crossword
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
M&S Christmas advert revealed as White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood films in winter wonderland
MARKS & Spencer has given a first glimpse at its magical new Christmas advert featuring White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood. The British actress, 31, was pictured on a 'snow'-covered festive set with trees, wreaths and ribbons setting a quintessential Christmassy scene. 5 Aimee looked stylish in a sleeveless cream top and smart, baggy black trousers. She wore her hair down and carried a faux fur leopard print coat in her arms. The popular star was joined by fellow cast members all kitted out in M&S winterwear. A source opened up to the Mail about Aimee's casting in the project, saying: "She was one of the most talked about women in the world at the end of 2024 so became a target for Marks & Spencer. "She's just so utterly charming and so very relatable, she's a superstar but she's down to earth with it. Marks have definitely set the bar for this year's Christmas ad battle, the others will be seething when they see that they have her. "It hasn't come cheap but the view at Marks & Spencer is that it is well worth it. They wouldn't be able to buy that kind of publicity." Hannah Waddingham, Sophie Ellis Bextor and Zawe Ashton have all starred in past M&S Christmas campaigns. Meanwhile, celebrity brand partners like Spencer Matthews and Mark Wright have helped reinvigorate the brand and boost its fashion profits. The battle of the Christmas adverts is now big business with brands going all out to outdo each other and win the festive crown. John Lewis famously led the way with superstar director Michael Gracey overseeing their 2007 effort with a £6 million budget. Aimee first found fame in Netflix's Sex Education before boosting her profile in global hit, The White Lotus, alongside Walton Goggins. The pair played love interests Chelsea and Rick, but there were rumblings of tensions when the cameras weren't rolling. Goggins denied that was the case, saying: "I adore, I love this woman madly." Aimee is dating Happy Valley star Adam Long after they met filming upcoming BBC comedy series Film Club. Stockport-born Aimee previously dated Connor Swindells, 28 — her co-star on Netflix comedy series Sex Education — but they split in 2020. 5 5
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Bizarre Christmas attractions in the UK that you can visit NOW – from sleigh rides to a festive hotel room
WE are barely through summer and some locations are already looking to Christmas - including year-round spots. Cold winter days and merry jingles seem like a distant memory, but for some destinations across the UK, the holiday season has already arrived. 4 Chessington's Christmas room Missing your festive fix? Then stay at Chessington World of Adventures' year-round Christmas bedroom. Full of twinkling lights, garlands and even a perfectly decorated tree, Chessington's Christmas gets guests into the festive spirit no matter the time of year. There are Christmas mugs in the room as well, to have marshmallow-loaded hot chocolate in. While the room is all things Christmas you can switch seasons with a dip in the hotel's Savannah Splash Pool. The room starts from £77 per person, based on a family of four sharing. If you are feeling extra festive, you can arrange to have an Elf Wake-up Call or Reindeer Encounter too. Santa's Sleigh Ride, Sundown Adventureland Sundown Adventureland markets itself as "the theme park for the under 10s". And while the theme park does have numerous non-festive themed rides, it is also "Christmas every day at Sundown" as the attraction has a year-round sleigh ride. Santa's Magical Sleigh Ride travels through a winter wonderland and has appearances from a number of Santa's helpers like Mrs Claus, Rudolph and dancing snowmen. I visited Lapland's Santa Claus Village in the summer — turns out Santa's not just for Christmas Those on the ride are taken through several rooms, including a quirky house set up where you see woodland animals preparing for the big day cooking and wrapping presents. There is even a reindeer sat in bed and a toy store advent calendar, with doors opening and closing as visitors slide by in the sleigh. Harrods Christmas Store For many festive fans, shopping for Christmas decorations and presents is a day out activity. And some keen holiday lovers will head to specific destinations for this. One such location is the Harrods Christmas Store, which opened last month - yes, in July. Located near the books, Harrods' Christmas World features new decorations including highland cow baubles and jewelled peach decorations. 4 There is even a hair oil bauble full of pink glittering liquid. Several bloggers and vloggers have already headed to the store to document this year's offering, with one view having already racked up 114,000 views. And you can even purchase a nutcracker for £2,539... Bridmas, East Yorkshire The picturesque seaside town of Bridlington in East Yorkshire hosts an annual event called Bridmas. The Christmas-themed festival features a load of Christmas crafts, food, live music and even a panto dame - all in the peak of summer. The event aims to show that the town is more than just a summer staycation spot, and actually features year-round attractions. Bridmas only lasts for one day and includes showings of classic Christmas movies like Home Alone, a 'Santa Express' land train and festive-themed beach games. The event took place on August 6, so if you want to go - you will need to wait until next year. TUI launches day trips to Lapland for 2026 TUI has introduced a new 'extreme day trip' to Lapland for the winter of 2026. The trip, called "Search for Santa," allows families to fly to Kittila, Finland and return on the same day. Flights will be available from 11 UK airports, including Cardiff for the first time. The trip from Bournemouth airport is also returning for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. On the flight to Lapland, a cooked English breakfast is served, and a Christmas dinner is served on the return flight. Upon arrival, families receive snowsuits and boots before heading to the Snow Village. Activities include reindeer and husky sleigh rides and learning to drive a snowmobile. The day also features a magical journey to meet Santa and his elves. Some Christmas attraction tickets are already selling out – here is how you can still book. Plus, The Sun headed to Lapland UK - here is what it is like. 4
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Must-visit' festive shopping event to take over Glasgow this Christmas
A new festive shopping event is set to bring Christmas cheer to Glasgow. Deck the Halls will take over the SEC from November 28 to 30, promising an upmarket seasonal experience in partnership with the National Trust for Scotland. The three-day fair will feature up to 200 handpicked exhibitors offering artisan food and drink, exclusive gifts, and interactive festive workshops. (Image: Supplied) Deck the Halls is organised by Springboard Events, a company with 17 years of experience in Scottish trade shows, though this marks its first consumer fair. Mark Saunders, managing director of Springboard Events, said: "We're thrilled to bring Deck the Halls to Glasgow for the very first time. Read more: Meet the baby who beat Covid and is now starting school "With up to 200 handpicked exhibitors, exclusive workshops, and the support of the National Trust for Scotland, we're creating an experience that's all about quality, style, and festive inspiration — a must-visit for anyone looking to make their Christmas truly special." Visitors will find gift ideas from brands including Gather Homeware, Nutscene, Shearer Candles, and Selbrae House, as well as Scottish drinks producers such as The Gin Bothy, Angels Dare Cocktails, Cairn O'Mohr, and North Uist Distillery. Artisan food options will include Edinburgh Honey Co, Everything Chilli, Isle of Mull Seaweed, and Hungry Squirrel. The National Trust for Scotland will also offer a selection of heritage-inspired gifts, with proceeds supporting the charity's conservation work. Tickets start from £14 in advance or £16 on the door. For more information and to book, go to Caroline Reid, director of commercial enterprises at the National Trust for Scotland, said: "We're excited to partner with Deck the Halls for its inaugural event in Glasgow. "This festive fair is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the best of Scottish creativity and craftsmanship while supporting the National Trust for Scotland's vital conservation work. "It's a wonderful way for visitors to enjoy the magic of the season, discover unique gifts, and connect with the heritage that makes Scotland so special."
News.com.au
07-08-2025
- General
- News.com.au
What is nutmeg? (And why should you add it to your recipes?)
Second to our desire to actually taste food, I'm sure we can all agree there's nothing quite like the sense of smell to trigger an emotional response when eating. Now when it comes to special occasions like Christmas, we all have our unique food rituals that often come with familiar aromas. Perhaps nutmeg is a very well-loved spice in your pantry at this time of year? Nutmeg definitely has that festive aroma for me… and I think it's overlooked as an ingredient. Not just at Christmas time (hello, eggnog) but all year round – this spice can make a world of difference when it comes to flavour. My Nonna makes good use of it in all her cooking. What is nutmeg? Native to Indonesia, nutmeg can be identified as a large seed that grows inside a pear-shaped fruit on a tropical evergreen tree. Being a spice, it has a warm and slightly nutty flavour – pungent and therefore best consumed in small amounts. At 50c a seed ($3 a bag of them at Coles) or $2.50 for ground nutmeg, it's safe to say this ingredient is widely underrated and deserves to be celebrated (not just at Christmas time). What does nutmeg do? If you enjoy spiced food or have an extremely well-stocked pantry, you may have nutmeg in your rotation of spices already. If not, you heard it from us that it's extremely versatile and plays a vital role in bringing depth of flavour to both sweet and savoury dishes. Nutmeg is well-suited to rich, creamy savoury sauces such as cheesy bechamel sauce which is used in lasagne and moussaka. In fact, our Food Director Michelle Southan says that nutmeg is the 'secret ingredient for the best-ever white sauce.' 'Nutmeg adds a warmth and just a hint of spice which provides an extra depth of flavour to a creamy bechamel taking it to the next level', she explains. How to use nutmeg Now I know why my Nonna's food tastes so good: she peppers some nutmeg over her baked potatoes, in her bolognese, gravy – and needless to say – it works wonders. Michelle also loves using it with veggies such as pumpkin and spinach. The nutty flavour of nutmeg pairs beautifully with spinach and 'nutmeg and pumpkin work wonders together – adding extra warmth, nuttiness and a touch of sweetness', explains Michelle. The whole seed can be thrown into your cooking to diffuse flavour, before removing it when serving. Alternatively, you can grate the nutmeg to taste (this is our preferred method, as it means you can use the pod again). More dishes that thrive off nutmeg: rice, seafood, lamb, casseroles, souffle and carbonara. Desserts to use nutmeg in But it's not only savoury dishes that I love using this earthy spice in. It's great in sweet, warm milky drinks, rice pudding and anything with a custard base. When Michelle makes baked custard, she says: 'Nutmeg is essential.' 'The warm smells and comforting aromas of nutmeg bring back my childhood memories of going to my nana's house for Sunday lunch and waiting with excitement for her baked rice custard pudding to appear.' If you want your house to be filled with the aromas of nutmeg, then try our baked nutmeg custard recipe. This recipe really shows how nutmeg is a superstar dessert ingredient. Nutmeg benefits Taste aside, nutmeg's health benefits are in abundance. Our nutritionist Chrissy Freer once rated nutmeg in her Top 100 foods, saying: ' Nutmeg has antibacterial properties, thought to assist in destroying food-borne bacteria. It also contains eugenol, which acts as an antioxidant and may play a role in preventing heart disease by inhibiting blood clots. Nutmeg contains the minerals copper and manganese.' The appropriate question is: what doesn't nutmeg do? Nutmeg substitutes You're probably no stranger to cinnamon – which has a similar warmth and earthiness to nutmeg, but is slightly more suited to sweet dishes. There are other (less sweet) spices, including cardamom, ginger, and cloves (not the garlic kind) that could be used in similar ways. But in my opinion (and my Nonna's), nutmeg really is one of a kind. Nutmeg recipes Warm up with some of our best-ever nutmeg dishes:
