❌

Normal view

Cocktail of the week: Ayllu’s sakura no hana – recipe | The good mixer

30 October 2026 at 16:00

An elegant and slightly flamboyant Japanese-Peruvian fusion with delicate, floral notes and a fruity finish

Inspired by our restaurant’s Japanese-Peruvian roots, and to mark the 1-2 November Day of the Dead celebrations, this drink combines white rum and sake with a dash of bitters and a red-wine float: the result is a light, layered cocktail with delicate, floral notes, juicy berry fruit and just enough theatre to impress without being hard to make.

Shak Nematulloev, bar manager, Ayllu, London W2

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Rob Lawson/The Guardian. Drink styling: Seb Davis.

© Photograph: Rob Lawson/The Guardian. Drink styling: Seb Davis.

© Photograph: Rob Lawson/The Guardian. Drink styling: Seb Davis.

Gherkins galore! 17 delicious ways to enjoy pickles – from frickles to pickletinis

30 October 2026 at 08:00

One of the UK budget’s big surprises? A discount on gherkins. And while they’ll always be good on a burger, there are many more unusual ways to indulge, from fried cheese treats to savoury ice-cream

In John Healey’s first budget as chancellor this week, he announced that he will remove import tariffs on more than 100 products – including, crucially, gherkins. Baked beans and boiled sweets, too, but gherkins stole the limelight, perhaps due to gen Z’s long-held obsession with all things pickled, including cucumbers.

But for those who think of a gherkin as either something to be chomped straight from the jar or swiftly removed from a Big Mac, do not worry: there are, in fact, plenty of ways to get more bang for your newly discounted gherkin buck.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: LauriPatterson/Getty Images

© Photograph: LauriPatterson/Getty Images

© Photograph: LauriPatterson/Getty Images

❌