Chris Mandle
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The 8 Very Best Carpet Steam Cleaners
To keep carpets clean like a professional. While a good vacuum cleaner can get rid of a lot of the dust and dirt that gets trapped in carpet fibers, there are messes — spilled food, pet accidents, muddy footprints, plus the embedded grit that collects over time — that require a deeper clean. That’s where carpet cleaners and steam cleaners come in.
De cereais à peças de crochê: britânicos vendem produtos em homenagem à coroação de Charles III
Quando o médico Imran Haq era um estudante de medicina em 2014, ele teve um encontro casual com o rei Charles III em um evento. “Fiquei impressionado com o quão normal ele era”, disse Haq, cirurgião do Serviço Nacional de Saúde do Reino Unido em Sheffield, Inglaterra. Cerca de uma década depois, o monarca se tornou uma espécie de musa para o Haq.
Merch Fit for a King
Style|Merch Fit for a King https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/22/style/king-charles-souvenirs.html Products commemorating the coronation of King Charles III range from the usual (ceramics) to the unconventional (cereal boxes). Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share. Dr. Imran Haq, a surgeon for Britain’s National Health Service, made boxes of “Coronation Flakes” to mark the coronation of King Charles III.
The Scraps 2022 Gift Guide
A few people asked if I’d be doing a gift guide, and at first I thought: absolutely not. And then I thought: yes, this is a very good idea. That’s the rough inception of this bonus edition of Scraps. Gift buying is, in my mind, as easy or as complex as you make it, and even though there are some people on my list that I struggle with, mostly I think of gifting as quite fun.
Asa Butterfield on the Future of 'Sex Education', Filming in Jacuzzis and 'Your Christmas Or Mine?'
We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Mike MarslandGetty Images When Asa Butterfield thinks of “Christmas”, he thinks of his favourite festive movie, Die Hard. He thinks of the board games he plays with his extended family. And he thinks of the time he, along with his siblings and cousins, surprised his parents and grandparents by making them stockings, packed full of festive trinkets and tchotchkes.
It's soup season. Make a freezer soffriito.
Last year I developed an unhealthy relationship with a chicken, nduja, and kale soup from Sainsburys, so I thought nothing of picking a couple of cartons up whenever I did a shop. I had a staff job, so the £3.40 price tag seemed fine. Now, I think of soup as something that’s perfect for Scraps, because a) are you fucking kidding at that price, and b) it’s the most low-risk, high reward thing you can make. In the last month I’ve been making a batch of soup a week.
Emma D'Arcy, Rhaenyra en La Casa del Dragón: “Me parece bien que se vea a las mujeres parir con un realismo tan descarnado. Es curioso que a los personajes femeninos no se les permitan este tipo de escenas”
Durante toda la serie, se dice: "me elegisteis, y ahora no me habláis, joder". Se le encomendó la tarea de unir los reinos cuando se convirtiera en reina, pero al nombrarla su heredera, Viserys hace lo contrario porque su heredera es una mujer y eso divide al Reino. Ella le rogó que le enseñara lo que debía hacer porque no puede hacerlo sola, y creo que en esta escena recibe una suerte de mensaje de ultratumba cuando entiende que Daemon no es el elegido.
Emma D'Arcy Breaks Down the 'House of the Dragon' Season One Finale
This post contains spoilers for House of the Dragon episode ten, “The Black Queen.” House of the Dragon season one just capped off a slow-burning season with a devastating finale, as the simmering tension between would-be successor to the throne Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) reached a boiling point.
House of the Dragon finale delivers thrilling flames and feuds — review
Lurid fantasy series Game of Thrones was praised for its detailed worldbuilding, full of richly imagined characters.
Industry's Harry Lawtey on the Fine-Art of Risk-Taking
We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Harry Lawtey knows a thing or two about spontaneity. Aged 13, he went from awe-inspired theatre kid watching in the crowd to attending Sylvia Young drama school in the span of four weeks. Lawtey spent most of his childhood on a military base in Cyprus (his dad is an aircraft engineer), and after a West End production of Oliver Twist came to town, he was transfixed.
It's Another Freezer Week
Because Scraps is a globally renowned publication, and I am often whisked here and there on very important business, this week’s edition has been written in transit — I am on a train to somewhere in the midlands. When I think about the last couple of weeks, the word intense keeps coming up, because work has been quite full on and there is always a fire (small or otherwise) to put out. This is mainly because next week we’re going on holiday and I need to overwork to allow myself a week off.
The Very Best Air Fryers
10 items in this article 3 items on sale! Photo: Courtesy of the retailer Researching air fryers for this piece made one thing pretty clear: They’re more than a TikTok trend. They’ve ballooned in popularity since the late 2010s for their ability to make “healthier” fried food with less oil. Just as with robot vacuums, though, the people I spoke to faced the same problem when choosing an air fryer: What to do when the models look similar but offer wildly different things?
Reconsidering Pork Chops
A few issues ago, I wrote about short ribs — an inexpensive but weirdly luxurious and very on-trend cut of meat that is just as good seared, steak-like, as it is braised in a broth of tomatoes and spices for a long afternoon. Well consider this week’s Scraps on the opposite axis; pork chops always had something of an archaic glamour to me. We had them growing up, but I remember the meat being quite taut and the colour unappealing. That big bone jutting around the edge always put me off, too.
The 49 Best Gifts for Every Type of Dad
50 items in this article 23 items on sale! Photo-Illustration: Courtesy the retailer No two dads are the same, so when it comes to finding the perfect gift — for his birthday or just because — it’s good to get granular to get something he’ll really love. Are you buying for an artsy dad who reads every single line of text at a gallery? Or a pasta-loving dad who knows his garganelli from his agnolotti?
Inevitable Watermelon Week
Hello from self employment! One day in and I’d already describe it as a complete disaster. I went to the Apple store this morning to get a new Macbook, but Apple have run out of Macbooks. What a country! The journey home was a moist, mulchy slog, but I did grab an iced brown sugar espresso from Starbucks, which was pretty special. I make a lot of cold brew and I’m already wondering how to make my own version of this. This week’s Scraps is about the cooling power of watermelon.
The Salsa Equation
Love to take a mortgage out to pay for some fugly (albeit delicious) tomatoes It’s been a couple of busy weeks — I have to keep reminding myself it’s Actually Summer, and to try to enjoy it, so enjoy it we have. We were at Glastonbury, and we’ve had weeks where neither of us have really cooked together because one is out when the other is in. I’m also working my notice at my job, as I prepare to go freelance again in July.
Leftover chimichurri and spiced potato skins
Last weekend, we were supposed to be going to Amsterdam to see some friends. I found out on the tram to East Croydon, where I’d be getting the train to Gatwick, that the flight was cancelled. And because we were flying after work, there was no next flight to stick us on. We all jumped on a call to figure out whether a 6am flight the next day was worth it. Flying from Luton, at 6am, when you live in South London? The maths wasn’t mathsing. So we postponed the trip.
Slow Cooked Pork For A Lazy Weekend
The bank holiday feels like such a long time ago. This week is a week where errands — small, irritating, wasp-sized tasks — have occupied every hour of my day, swarming around my head. Can’t forget the meter reading. Need to go to the post-office. Something once-solid in the fridge has collapsed into a mulchy puddle and it is creating noxious fumes whenever I go looking for food.
The Very Best Hard-Side Suitcases
Photo-Illustration: Retailer A version of this story originally appeared on the Strategist U.S. Suitcases are classified as having either hard- or soft-shell cases. When we recently looked into the best suitcases, hard-shell cases were far more popular among our experts.
A really good (really different) roast chicken
It’s been a weird couple of weeks, you know. I can’t figure out how to explain it but something in the air just feels off. In some ways, I’ve found it hard to switch off, and in other ways I feel like I’m on autopilot. Everything’s just relentless, and then it’s relentless all over again.
The micro-luxury of short ribs
I’d never actually bought short ribs until a couple of years ago – but I always saw them in the pages of Bon Appetit, and Allison Roman seemed particularly fond of them (they’re also on an episode of Salt, Fat, Acid Heat). Now, they’re one of my favourite things to pick up at the butchers because they’re versatile – hence why they’re taking star billing in this week’s issue. One recipe is a fast sear that mimics a steak, and the other is a low-and-slow braise.
Everything You Need to Stock a Nonalcoholic Home Bar, According to Experts
22 items in this article 3 items on sale! 22 items in this article 3 items on sale! Photo: Courtesy of the vendor It’s nice to have the option of a nonalcoholic drink that isn’t lemonade. A strong cocktail or IPA can be a satisfying way to take the edge off a stressful or anxious day, but an increase in nonalcoholic options means you can still enjoy a drink without any of the side effects.
‘Derry Girl’ Star Dylan Llewellyn’s Favourite Things
By Dylan Llewellynn as told to Chris Mandle Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photo: Joseph Sinclair If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what famous people add to their carts. Not the JAR brooch and Louis XV chair but the stain-remover pen and the tongue cleaner. We asked actor Dylan Llewellyn, who stars in Derry Girls (season three out April 12) and Big Boys (coming to Channel 4 in March), about the gaming headset, coconut hair mask, and memory-foam slippers he can’t live without.
Garlicky-lemon fried eggs on toast
Unrelated to the fact this week’s Scraps features a great recipe for eggs is the fact my friend, Bobby, has a book out in August called Isaac and the Egg. It is a massive coincidence. I promise. This isn’t a fake coincidence; by now you know the goal is to wing it as successfully as possible here and this week, for whatever reason, I’ve not had a ton of leftovers in. And I am also reading a book about an egg. So I thought maybe Scraps is just about that this week? A week of not using leftovers? Fine.
Tomato toast, sour-lemon cocktails, and (more) tacos
Sometimes, on Fridays, Rob works from home with me and even though we get through enough coffee to power a racehorse, it’s really laid back and relaxed and, after two years pandemic-ing alone, it’s great to have some company during the day. We play music from one of our highly-specific playlists, or we listen to a couple of albums we haven’t checked in on in a while (this week: Lover by Taylor Swift, truly an album of high highs and low lows). But the best part is lunch.
The Best Craft Seltzers and Sodas, According to Experts
8 items in this article Photo-Illustration: retailers Over the past year, discerning non-drinkers, drivers, or just hydrators have moved on from the humble can of San Pellegrino or bottle of Perrier. While non-alcoholic options used to be pretty limited — sickly-sweet and sugar-loaded sodas, or synthetic-tasting fizzy waters — that’s not the case in 2021. Almost every coffee shop, wine bar, deli, or general store is stocking a colourful array of craft seltzers and sodas.
Chicken-butter pasta and a hastily made tomato soup
While I was on holiday last week I did try and stay off my phone, but one thing leapt out to me while I was scrolling Instagram. Chef Jackson Boxer, of Orasay and Brunswick House, posted a picture of a dish that used chicken fat (also known as schmaltz) and butter to create a silky, umami-packed sauce for pasta to cling to. I thought about it for the rest of the trip. So when we got back home, on a Friday afternoon, I told Rob I was going to throw something like it together for tea that night.
Best Mother’s Day Gifts, From £5 to £100 2022
37 items in this article 1 item on sale! Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers/Getty; George Marks/Getty Images At the Strategist UK, we think we have a pretty good idea of what makes the perfect Mother’s Day gift, whether you’re buying for a mum who coordinates her local parkrun or one who prefers to watch Ted Lasso in the bath. But year after year, it can be hard to find that special sort of gift — something unique and personal or something she won’t think of buying for herself.
It's Freezer Week
It was one of those weeks where the thought of doing a food shop was a bit too much. Not least because Storm Eunice was battering the flat, making the thought of venturing outside seem pretty grim, but also because we’d booked flights for a friend’s wedding in Italy in September and were feeling a bit strapped. Rob was also out every night – it was time, I decided, to do a freezer week.
24 Highly Giftable Coffee-Table Books
Whether you love interiors, architecture, plant life, or Britpop, there’s a coffee-table book for everyone’s taste. They’re also a good option for a last-minute gift (whether for a friend with a new home, or a hard-to-shop-for relative). We’ve rounded up 24 of our favourites, including some from the Strategist archives. While most of these books are available on Amazon, we’ve found some options elsewhere, too, for those who like to shop around.
Prosecco Risotto and Herb Syrup
The weirdest change since Rob moved in is the way that actually, now I don’t have to cook every night. On Monday (which is usually my turn) I cooked the NYT’s pork larb recipe, which so good. I have it about twice a month, either with ground pork, or sometimes turkey. I also like the larby dressing with chicken thighs if I have everything in (which I usually do; it’s one of those recipes).
In Just 15 Seconds, This Steam Mop Makes My Flat Look Like a Show Home
Part of the Strategist UK team, staff writer Chris Mandle covers everything from menswear to kitschy carafes — but his first love will always be his German shower vacuum. Part of the Strategist UK team, staff writer Chris Mandle covers everything from menswear to kitschy carafes — but his first love will always be his German shower vacuum. Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photo: Retailer Like most people, I bought all manner of oddities during the pandemic.
Pork belly, pork belly, PORK BELLY
This week’s newsletter is a bit later than others – it’s just one of those things. Rob moved in at the weekend (!!) and I am working on a couple of projects outside of work, and we also have a TV unit that we need to assemble, so it’s all kicking off really. Also I spent a lot of last week eating leftovers. Live by the sword, etc. I don’t think this week’s newsletter reinvents the wheel, but it’s definitely a tribute to freewheeling a little bit.
The Rotisserie Chicken Edit
This morning I had a powerful urge to buy a rotisserie chicken and then eat it with my bare hands. Just like, while standing over the sink. This is most likely because I don’t eat breakfast, so at about 11.30 I become consumed by the thought of lunch. But, fighting that urge is another urge, one I learned in lockdown, which is: I get an hour for my lunch, and I won’t spend it frying, or sautéing, or whatever.
Colcannon Croquettes, Black Pudding Ragu
Welcome to Scraps. This is my newsletter about home cooking, and it’s where I’ll be writing about the things I make, and the things I make from the things I make, too. I would love to tell you more about what I want this space to be, but like with cooking, there’s a danger of over-thinking things. In fact, the first edition of Scraps was completely different to what you’re reading now.
What Kano Can’t Live Without
By Kano as told to Chris Mandle 7 items in this article 1 item on sale! 7 items in this article 1 item on sale! Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photo: Courtesy If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what famous people add to their carts. Not the JAR brooch and Louis XV chair but the stain-remover pen and the tongue cleaner.
These (Around $10) Tees Are the Jewels of My 48-Piece T-shirt Collection
Photo-Illustration: retailer A version of this story originally appeared on the Strategist U.K. This affordable, surprisingly sturdy T-shirt is available in the United States, so we’re syndicating it here. I recently audited my extensive, overstuffed, exhausted-looking wardrobe and found out that I own a ludicrous 48 T-shirts.
These (Around $10) Tees Are the Jewels of My 48-Piece T-shirt Collection
Photo-Illustration: retailer A version of this story originally appeared on the Strategist U.K. This affordable, surprisingly sturdy T-shirt is available in the United States, so we’re syndicating it here. I recently audited my extensive, overstuffed, exhausted-looking wardrobe and found out that I own a ludicrous 48 T-shirts.
The Best Dog Halloween Costumes, According to Hyperenthusiastic Reviewers
8 items in this article 4 items on sale! Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers Here at the Strategist UK, we like to think of ourselves as obsessive (in the best way) about the stuff we buy, but as much as we’d like to, we can’t try everything. Which is why we have People’s Choice, in which we find the best-reviewed products and single out the most convincing ones.
What Novelist Leïla Slimani Can’t Live Without
By Leïla Slimani as told to Chris Mandle 7 items in this article 1 item on sale! 7 items in this article 1 item on sale! Photo-Illustration: Courtesy If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what famous people add to their carts. Not the JAR brooch and Louis XV chair but the stain-remover pen and the tongue cleaner. We asked novelist Leila Slimani, whose new novel The Country of Others is out now, about the French dictionary, Afro comb, and 0.38mm pen she can’t live without.
7 Things Comedian Rose Matafeo Can’t Live Without
By Rose Matafeo as told to Chris Mandle 7 items in this article 1 item on sale! 7 items in this article 1 item on sale! Photo-Illustration: Courtesy Avalon/BBC/HBOMax If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what famous people add to their carts. Not the JAR brooch and Louis XV chair but the hair spray and the electric toothbrush. We asked comedian Rose Matafeo, the creator and star of Starstruck on HBO Max, about the canned tuna, underwear, and ballpoint pens she can’t live without.
Scraps
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I Use This Jumbo Chilly’s Dupe to Take My Chardonnay to the Park
A dupe, to be clear, is not a knockoff. A dupe is a product that in some ways works as well as — or better than — a fancier, more famous thing, and we’re sharing our favourites. Welcome to Dupes Week. A dupe, to be clear, is not a knockoff. A dupe is a product that in some ways works as well as — or better than — a fancier, more famous thing, and we’re sharing our favourites. Welcome to Dupes Week.
Strategist Investigates: What’s the Best Dupe for Apple AirPods?
Ad will collapse in seconds… A dupe, to be clear, is not a knockoff. A dupe is a product that in some ways works as well as — or better than — a fancier, more famous thing, and we’re sharing our favourites. Welcome to Dupes Week. A dupe, to be clear, is not a knockoff. A dupe is a product that in some ways works as well as — or better than — a fancier, more famous thing, and we’re sharing our favourites. Welcome to Dupes Week.
These £14 Tees Are the Jewels of My Extensive, 48-Piece T-Shirt Collection
A dupe, to be clear, is not a knockoff. A dupe is a product that in some ways works as well as — or better than — a fancier, more famous thing, and we’re sharing our favourites. Welcome to Dupes Week. A dupe, to be clear, is not a knockoff. A dupe is a product that in some ways works as well as — or better than — a fancier, more famous thing, and we’re sharing our favourites. Welcome to Dupes Week.
What the Hosts of The Receipts Podcast Can’t Live Without
By Tolani Shoneye, Milena Sanchez, and Audrey Indome As Told To Chris Mandle 8 items in this article 3 items on sale! 8 items in this article 3 items on sale! Photo-Illustration: Courtesy If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what famous people add to their carts. Not the JAR brooch and Louis XV chair but the stain-remover pen and the tongue cleaner.
How to Make Cold-Brew Coffee at Home, According to Baristas
13 items in this article 4 items on sale! Photo: The Washington Post/2017 The Washington Post Cold brew is one of the best ways to enjoy coffee in warmer weather, but if you’re paying £5 a cup from your favourite café, you might want to consider making your own at home. “It can seem a bit daunting, but cold brew is actually very easy to make — and you don’t need to buy a whole lot of stuff,” says Jamie Strachan, head of coffee at Dark Arts in Hackney.
What Rose Matafeo Can’t Live Without
By Rose Matafeo as told to Chris Mandle 9 items in this article 1 item on sale! 9 items in this article 1 item on sale! Photo-Illustration: Courtesy Avalon/BBC/HBOMax If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what famous people add to their carts. Not the JAR brooch and Louis XV chair but the stain-remover pen and the tongue cleaner. We asked comedian Rose Matafeo, whose show Starstruck is on BBC iPlayer now, about the oat milk, fancy yarn, and ballpoint pens she can’t live without.
What Róisín Murphy Can’t Live Without
8 items in this article Photo-Illustration: Courtesy If you’re like us, you’ve probably wondered what famous people add to their carts. Not the JAR brooch and Louis XV chair but the stain-remover pen and the tongue cleaner. We asked singer Róisín Murphy, whose fifth studio album, Crooked Machine, is out now, about the cashmere scarf, mindfulness app, and “spongy floss” she can’t live without. This is what I take on tour — it just rolls out the door. It fits on the tour bus, no problem.
Which PCR and Lateral-Flow Tests Should I Buy for International Travel?
Part of the Strategist UK team, staff writer Chris Mandle covers everything from menswear to kitschy carafes — but his first love will always be his German shower vacuum. Part of the Strategist UK team, staff writer Chris Mandle covers everything from menswear to kitschy carafes — but his first love will always be his German shower vacuum. Photo: Liane Kruse/Newsday via Getty Images As the U.K. and E.U. continues to open up, you may be considering a trip abroad.
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