Latest news with #foodies
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- Daily Mail
How to lose your holiday half-a-stone FAST: Diet experts reveal the 14 sure-fire tricks that really work... and no you HAVEN'T heard them all before
Nearly all of us are familiar with the holiday half-stone. You embark on your summer break at a certain weight, and a week or two later return having enjoyed a lovely time, but with perhaps a few unwelcome extra kilograms (and we're not talking luggage). It's totally normal to gain a bit of weight on holiday. The whole point is to relax and sample the delights of your destination's cuisine, be that pasta and gelato or tapas and sangria.
News.com.au
a day ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Sydney pub slammed over ‘insane' price of steak special
A suburban Sydney pub has come under fire after a diner vented online about the price of a 'chef special' steak that they believed was 'taking the p*ss'. The customer took to the @r/foodies Reddit forum to share a photo of the menu at The Peakhurst, a premium pub in the St George Area, 25km southwest of the CBD. The pub's prime cut special was a 350g piece of Scotch Fillet with a Marble Score of 4+, which indicates a high-quality grade of beef. It's served with buttery mashed potato, roasted root vegetables and Cafe de Paris butter, and was priced at $90. $90 for a pub steak 'At my local, 90 bucks for a steak, not even a 'recommended for two' type thing,' the poster wrote to the forum. 'I don't mind paying a bit of coin at a hatted restaurant where you're getting the service and the ambience, but this is beyond taking the p*ss. I went with the gnocchi off the regular menu ($28).' They thought the pricing was particularly 'insane' considering the pub requires you to fetch your own cutlery. 'Ridiculous' Many commenters agreed, saying this was well above what they'd expect to pay for a pub chef's special. 'Pubs are getting pretty out there with prices, especially when you consider most of it is just meat/veg/veg,' one of the top comments read. 'Nothing that isn't shared should be $90,' another remarked. 'The pub special vs. a la carte is becoming stupid,' a third quipped. 'This is honestly ridiculous,' someone else commented, as others agreed it was a 'rip off'. However, others noted that 'It wouldn't be on the menu if it wasn't selling'. Pub responds to post A spokesman for The Peakhurst told that the venue seeks out high-quality suppliers for its monthly chef special steak. 'The producer of this cut of beef, Little Joe's, is a small farm, the animals are extremely well cared for, they have an extremely high marble score, and have won numerous awards for being some of the best beef in the world,' they said. 'And while people might be surprised to see a $90 steak in a pub, all pricing is done based on a Gross Profit (GP) Margin foruma. 'It's the cost of goods involved in producing that item. From that, you have GST to pay for, service staff to pay for, utilities, chefs, all your overheads – that all comes out from your GP, and that leaves you with your net profit. And everything is getting more and more expensive. 'We can't give away a product at less than the margins we need to keep our business open.' The spokesman acknowledged that while people come to pubs looking for value, there are four other cheaper steaks on the menu. 'If customers don't want a prime cut of beef, they can make a decision based on their own affordability,' they said. So, is this pricing really so out of order? A $90 steak special at a Peakhurst pub is objectively on the pricier side, considering it's generally considered a suburban, working-class suburb. It's also an outlier for any Sydney restaurant or pub, even in an affluent or gentrifying area. At Bistecca in Sydney's CBD, often hailed as the best steak restaurant in Sydney, steak costs $21 per 100 grams, meaning a 350g piece would be $73.50, well below The Peakhurst's $90. The Peakhurst's other four steaks, which range from 200-300g, average around $45.5, comparable to the prices at the most up-market pubs in Paddington, one of Sydney's most expensive suburbs, where the median house price is $3.5 million. At The Village Inn Paddington, a 250g steak is $42; at The Paddington, 250g is $45; and at the Paddo Inn, a 250g steak is $38. It's worth noting that beef pricing is surging in Australia at the moment, partly because of Donald Trump's crackdown on imports, with limited stock seeing prices soar. Costs have also gone through the roof for hospitality businesses recently. Nearly one in ten food service businesses closed in the past year amid rising rents, labour shortages, cost of labour and economic pressures, according to a recent report from CreditorWatch.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- New York Times
The Secret to a Great Tomato Salad Is in Your Pantry
'What is that?' my friend asked, an expression of joy and wonder on her face as she tasted this tomato salad. 'It's so … more.' More. Exactly. What she was trying to name was the salad's umami, but how do you explain that concept to someone who has just discovered it? Or to someone who thinks it relevant only to pretentious foodies? I could have told her about the fish sauce in the dressing, but I would have been revealing a secret I wanted to hold on to a little longer. Recipe: Tomato Salad With Dates I have a few of those. Not quite secrets, but little imperceptible flavor boosters. A splash of soy sauce or black garlic in Bolognese. Anchovies melted into vegetable soup. Fish sauce stirred into a caramel for a tomato salad. To anyone watching, it could look like a bit of magic. But there's a method to this. I'm chasing something that exists in the realm of sensation, a quality that doesn't readily announce its presence but still manages to make the food taste more, well … more like itself. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
The restaurant-quality hidden gems I always buy from Aldi Australia
Aussie foodies have uncovered a secret menu of sorts, but it's not at your local fine-dining hotspot. Instead, fans are raving about the tasty treats tucked away in the freezer aisles of their local Aldi. A recent foodie thread has unveiled what many budget-savvy Aussies are calling a 'secret menu' of restaurant-quality food - and they can all be found in the unassuming low-cost supermarket. From flaky beef pies that rival gourmet bakery favourites, to Greek-style spanakopita praised by actual Greeks, and buttery roti that's been declared 'better than any restaurant,' shoppers have taken to the Reddit page to spill the beans on Aldi's best-kept food secrets. The now-popular thread began with a simple question from a shopper praising the supermarket's frozen roti and once-stocked dumplings, asking others to share their own underrated finds. What followed was a flood of fan-favourite recommendations, tips and hot takes on the best-value, most delicious eats - many of which cost less than $7. 'I go to Aldi just for spanakopita more times than I care to admit,' one user confessed. While another said of the popular frozen pies, 'They're a dupe for the Herbert Adams pies - but half the price.' With Australia's cost-of-living crisis forcing many households to tighten their belts, it's no wonder this thread struck a chord. Shoppers are desperate for budget-friendly meals that don't taste like cardboard, and according to hundreds of Redditors, ALDI is quietly delivering restaurant-style flavour for a fraction of the cost. So, if you're tired of overpriced takeout or just want to upgrade your weeknight dinners without blowing the budget, this list might just change your grocery game. From spicy quesadillas to dangerously addictive Portuguese tarts, these are the cult ALDI products everyday Aussies can't stop raving about - and why you might want to stock up. First up were Aldi's Elmsbury Beef Peppercorn Pies ($6.49 for two) which have won major praise for their gourmet flavour at a budget price. 'I think the fancy frozen beef pies that are like $6 for two are actually super good,' one shopper wrote. 'Came here to say this! They are a dupe for the Herbert Adams pies which retail for $10. The Aldi ones are $6.49.' The only catch? Shoppers warn not to confuse them with ALDI's standard beef pies from the same brand, which didn't rate as highly. Next, shoppers listed the Urban Eats Spanakopita ($5.99), with some customers admitting they visit Aldi just to stock up. 'I go to Aldi just for spanakopita more times than I care to admit.' 'I'm Greek and I find their spanakopita to be excellent.' 'I keep them stocked in the work freezer, and bust them out in the sandwich press when I haven't brought in a proper lunch.' Other shoppers recommended pairing it with lemon juice, tzatziki or the chain's seasonal lamb koftas for a Mediterranean-inspired dinner. Described as 'elite' and 'better than any restaurant,' were their Urban Eats Roti Paratha ($4.99 8pack) on the other hand, with this flaky flatbread moonlighting as an Aldi MVP. 'The roti is amazing and same if not better than any restaurant I've been to,' one Redditor claimed. ''The roti is elite. We've been getting the pre-made Massaman [curry] from the fridge section and it's delicious with some jasmine rice and roti as an easy week night 'fakeaway'.' It's also vegan-friendly and cooks perfectly in a fry pan or sandwich press with no oil required. If you're into Taco Tuesdays, they just got easier with their Urban Eats Chipotle Chicken Quesadillas ($4.99 2pack) making the list These cheesy quesadillas are ready in minutes and pack a smoky chipotle punch. 'Pan fry those babies and you have a pretty decent meal for the price,' one person wrote. 'Definitely! I love them with salsa, jalapeños and sour cream. I'm going tomorrow, dinner is sorted.' 'Seconded! Just had one for lunch - absolutely top tier,' another wrote. For the sweet toothers, shoppers shouldn't go past Aldi's Sweet Haven Portuguese Tarts ($5.49 4pack), apparently. The golden, creamy custard tarts are a hit straight from the freezer and multiple shoppers say they should be illegal they're that good. 'Portuguese tarts are pretty good!' 'Those ought to be illegal! I love them.' 'Just tried these tonight. Pretty good is understating it.' 'I'll second that. They're a freezer staple for us.' For a pro tip, bake them in the oven for 10 minutes to get that fresh-from-the-bakery crisp. While many of these cult buys are available year-round, some may only appear during limited promotions, so fans recommended stocking up when you see them.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Retro Appetizer Our Readers Still Can't Stop Making In 2025
It really is the little things in life. And by little things, we mean the handheld, bite-sized bites waiting for you at the kitchen counter when you arrive at the party. From pontoon dip to pulled pork sliders, we've cranked out plenty of new appetizers in 2025. But one thing about our readers: 'in with the new' never means 'out with the old.' Some of our most popular recipes are the ones that have been around the longest. And one, named oh-so appropriately, keeps finding its way back to the top of the list. This year, make room on the table for Cheese Dreams. Get The Recipe What Are Cheese Dreams? Cheese dreams are pillowy bites of bread slathered in butter, topped with a generous layer of sharp Cheddar cheese, and toasted to golden, crispy perfection. You can think of them as an open-faced grilled cheese or a twist on the classic Southern cheese straw. And just like the cheese straw, cheese dreams have endless variations. Many of our readers grew up enjoying and making their own versions of this classic Southern dish, and the recipe is just as flexible as it is flavorful. Cheese Dream Ingredients In our recipe, we use freshly grated sharp Cheddar to achieve that indulgently cheesy flavor, but don't be afraid to experiment with different types of Cheddar (an aged white Cheddar would work wonders here). The flavor of our cheese mixture is further elevated by a touch of Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and ground red pepper. Everything comes together with the use of white bread, cut into attractive bite-sized sandwich squares. They're the perfect starter for any gathering. Whip up a batch and pair them with one of our favorite party drinks for a minimal-effort Lose A Recipe Again With MyRecipes, your personal recipe box, you can save and organize all of your Southern Living favorites and thousands more in one Reviewers Are Saying When our recipes take off, we have our readers to thank. Here is what home cooks had to say about this nostalgic appetizer: 'I made these for my first catering gig, and they flew off the trays! I used tramezzini bread and buttered each whole piece before stacking and cutting into smaller pieces. I served them with a chipotle scallion crema, but they would have gone in an instant despite this. It just made them slightly more decadent.' 'I made these as an addition to a small bites table for my daughter's high school graduation. By far, this was the most requested recipe! Such a surprise as it was the simplest dish to make of them all! Very delicate and moist, not to mention easy! I will definitely make these again in a pinch!' 'I love this recipe! When I have a free evening, I'll make a batch or two of cheese dreams to freeze. I just pop them in the oven while I'm mixing up drinks for company.' Read the original article on Southern Living Solve the daily Crossword
