Dinner ideas
5 cabbage dinners that are not boiled cabbage
A cabbage head can become a roast wedge, a noodle-like skillet, a bean dinner, a chicken tray and a crisp topping without a pot of boiling water.
Guides
Comparisons, buying guides and the answers to "which one is actually better".
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Buying guides
How to choose broccoli with tight green florets
Fresh broccoli feels heavy, looks green and keeps its florets closed. A few marks are harmless; open yellowing flowers and a soft stalk are the signs to avoid.
Buying guides
How to choose potatoes for roasting, mash or salad
The best potato depends on whether you need a fluffy centre, a crisp edge or a piece that keeps its shape. Use the label and a small test to choose well.
Storage and keeping
How to keep carrots fresh for weeks
Cut off carrot tops, keep the roots cold in a breathable container and control moisture. A dry towel inside the drawer helps, but a wet one needs changing.
Buying guides
Fine beans vs runner beans: which cooks more evenly?
Fine beans are the easier choice for quick, even cooking. Runner beans have more character and a broader texture, but their width means you need to cut and test them carefully.
Cooking technique
Plant proteins, ranked by what you actually eat
Most protein rankings quietly compare dry lentils to cooked tofu. Measured the way food reaches the plate, the order changes.
Buying guides
How to choose a peach that will ripen at home
Choose a peach with a fruity stem aroma, firm unbroken skin and a little room to ripen. Avoid bruises and fruit that is either rock-hard and scentless or already leaking.
Cooking technique
Why passata can taste flat straight from the carton
Flat passata usually needs concentration rather than more herbs. Reduce it in a wide pan, season in stages and finish with fat after the water has gone.
Buying guides
Tinned or dried chickpeas: which should you buy?
Dried are about a quarter of the price and hold their shape better. Tinned take four minutes. The honest answer is that you want both.
Dinner ideas
5 ways to turn cauliflower into dinner
Cauliflower becomes dinner when you give it a browned surface, a filling partner and a finish with contrast. Here are five routes from one head.
Storage and keeping
How to keep broccoli crisp after shopping
Broccoli stays in better shape when it is kept cold, dry on the surface and loosely wrapped. Use the stalk first if the crown starts to open.
Storage and keeping
How to store potatoes without sprouting them
Potatoes sprout faster in warm light and can develop an unwanted sweet taste in a cold fridge. A dark, dry, ventilated cupboard is the useful middle ground.