लाइफस्टाइल

Munich (dpa) – Luxury consumers are moving away from owning traditional status symbols like expensive cars, designer clothes and yachts, and are instead prioritizing luxury experiences, new research suggests. In a study published in November, consultants Bain & Company and Italian luxury goods association Fondazione Altagamma describe a "tectonic shift" toward luxury experiences such as hospitality cruises and fine dining. The research tracks "a persistent and crucial trend among consumers globally as they favour 'experiential indulgence' over past trends of 'conspicuous consumption' as new symbols of status, pivoting toward wellness, connection and self-reward." "After the shopping spree era, experiences and emotions have become the true engine of luxury growth," said Claudia D’Arpizio, Bain & Company senior partner and lead author of the study. Consumer research has previously pointed to a broader shift towards experiences among various consumers in recent years, one that is "bolstering the growth of the overall luxury market and reshaping the industry across segments," the study argues. However, global spending on luxury items, including gourmet dining, yachts and private jets, is set to show a decline this year for the second year in a row, the study predicts. Luxury expenditure is running at around €1.44 trillion ($1.66 trillion) for the year. The figure for 2024 was €34 billion higher. The decline is unusual, as the market for luxury consumption has shown long-term growth. The figure for 2019 was €169 billion lower than the 2025 figure, and Bain continues to predict strong growth for the years ahead, forecasting between €2.2 trillion and €2.5 trillion by 2035. "Across luxury segments, cars are impacted by declining volumes across price tiers, with resilience only within higher-end sport-oriented vehicles, while yachts and jets continue to enjoy robust growth," the survey found. Detailing other segments, it said that fine art had stalled and design furniture had stabilized. The alcohol segment had disappointed, but "gourmet dining is booming across Asia, the Middle East, and resort hubs, fuelled by younger, experience-hungry travellers," it said. "New frontiers – travel activities, safaris, and elite sports – are meanwhile redefining modern luxury around immediate exclusivity," it found. Luxury car purchase continued to make up more than a third of expenditure, while showing a decline of 6% to €545 billion. Luxury alcohol sales were down 5% at €93 billion, and spending on art fell 9% to €31 billion. The study also noted the emergence of new markets, with the Middle East, Latin America, South East Asia, India, and Africa combined accounting for around €45 billion in 2025, matching mainland China. "From Gen Z's embrace of accessible luxury in South East Asia to India's surging middle class and Africa's emerging local players, these regions signal growing luxury potential," Bain and Altagamma said. The study noted a declining luxury consumer base from around 400 million in 2022 to around 340 million this year. The proportion of active consumers within this group is also in decline: whereas around 60% of the base were active buyers in 2022, that figure has fallen to between 40% and 45%. The following information is not intended for publication dpa ruc xxde bvi rpm coh

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

After retiring from diving, Tom Daley is trying to get more people – including the young – to take up the knitting and crocheting he loves so much. London (PA Media/dpa) – Instead of impressing the nation with gold medal-winning performances off the diving board, Tom Daley is now hoping to inspire people in a radically different way: through his love of knitting and crochet. Daley, who retired from diving last year after a haul of Olympic, World, European, Commonwealth and British medals, has helped create a range of crochet and embroidery kits in the hope that people who’ve never tried the crafts before will pick up crochet hooks and sewing needles to create their own yarn and thread masterpieces. He’s teamed up with Hobbycraft to create the Made With Love by Tom Daley kits, hoping to build on the ‘Daley effect’ that saw a rise in interest in crafting after Daley was spotted knitting in the stands at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics – the Games at which he won gold in the men’s synchronised 10-metre platform event. He says: “All the time I spent when I was diving is now being spent on 'Made with Love,' which I just love being able to do. I feel very lucky to have found a second passion in life.” Daley, who now lives in Los Angeles with his American Oscar-winning filmmaker husband Dustin Lance Black and their two sons, Robbie, aged seven, and Phoenix, two, admits that knitting and crocheting replacing his diving still seems a little bizarre. “When I was diving, if anybody had said I’d probably be more known for knitting than diving at this point, I’d say it was kind of crazy,” he says. “The whole thing still seems slightly absurd.” Although knitting is a stereotypically older lady’s pastime, Daley wasn’t taught by his gran to knit – although he says both his grandmas do knit and have started doing it more since he took up the craft. “Since I started, they’ve picked the needles back up again,” he says with a laugh. He actually learned how to knit and crochet from YouTube tutorials, and picking up tips from people who saw him knitting or crocheting. “I was a late bloomer,” he says, “I started knitting just before lockdown, so I’ve only been doing it for five years. It came into my life at a time when I was trying to find something to do – I had a lot of spare time with waiting for the Olympics, and lockdown, and it gave me my little creative outlet. I was able to take my mind off everything and just focus on the stitches in front of me. “So it was something I picked up quite late in life, but became obsessed pretty quickly.” Now the 31-year-old, who hasn’t dived at all since the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he won a silver medal, spends at least an hour a day knitting, and is hosting the new Channel 4 show to find Britain’s best knitter, "Game Of Wool." And, of course, he recently appeared on the BBC’s hit reality TV show "Celebrity Traitors" as one of the faithfuls, getting ‘murdered’ by traitors Jonathan Ross, Cat Burns and Alan Carr during episode three. Daley, who admits he was constantly knitting when he wasn’t filming scenes for "Celebrity Traitors," says: “I got into knitting and crochet and all of the different kinds of crafts mainly because it was a great way for my mental health to be in the moment, be present and be mindful about lots of different things. I’ve always wanted to try and make it accessible to as many people as possible, so they’re able to slow down and sit and do something slowly with their hands. “I think it’s an important skill, and it’s very rewarding. It’s also something people love, when you’re able to make something and gift it to somebody else.” He says he likes to make clothes best, and has just made his sons matching jumpers for their school photo. And while he acknowledges that knitting and crochet are seen as an older person’s hobby, his aim is to attract the younger generation to it as well. “I want to try and reach a younger audience, so I’m trying to make things with more fun colours, and create patterns that are slightly different to what might be out there already,” he explains. “Compared to the historical audience for knitting and crochet, I think there’s starting to be a younger skew now, and that’s something that’s really quite exciting.” He says he’d love to help get knitting and crochet taught as crafts in schools, and points out: “It’s a great tool to be able to unwind and be mindful and as a form of meditation. And I think people are wanting to be able to do things and make things by hand a lot more, because it’s good to the environment, and it’s also very rewarding.” Daley hasn’t managed to get his husband to start knitting or crocheting, although he says: “Sometimes we do sit down together and because he has to catch up on his work, he reads while I knit, and it’s our way of being together, but being separate at the same time.” But knitting and crochet aren’t Daley’s only wellbeing fixes – he still works out a lot, and enjoys walking as well. “I retired last year,” he says, “but I still do exercise all the time, and that’s always formed part of my day-to-day life. “I like taking workout classes, and I go hiking with my husband every morning. There’s all kinds of different things I do. “I enjoy being able to go and have the freedom to do all of the different exercises that I used to never be able to do when I was training because of the fear of serious injury. But I find myself enjoying workout classes more than anything, because it pushes me in the same way as when I used to train with the GB team.” However, much as Daley loved diving, there’s absolutely none of that these days. “I’ve not actually set foot on a diving board since the Paris Olympics,” he says. “Diving is one of those hard sports to gain access to – it’s not like a swimming pool where you can go and do a couple of laps. It’s a very different scenario, because with diving you have to book things out in advance, and it’s not always as easy as just turning up. “There’s always that part of me that misses diving – it’s something that’s been such a huge part of my life, and I feel very fortunate that I’ve had something to transition into afterwards.” The following information is not intended for publication dpa pa arw

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

London (dpa) – The third entry in the "Knives Out" series is again stacked with big names. Ex-007 Daniel Craig returns as eccentric detective Benoit Blanc, the lone constant across the three films, though he now wears his hair longer. Newcomers include Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Jeremy Renner, Andrew Scott and Kerry Washington. The Netflix production will play in cinemas for a limited time before arriving on the streaming service from December 12. The priest in training and former boxer Father Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) has been punished with a transfer to a small US backwater town, where he is to assist the local priest, Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), who is far from pleased. The charismatic cleric, who insists on being called Monsignor Wicks, is a powerful figure for the congregation. His sometimes very aggressive style is highly controversial among colleagues and drives away members. After a mysterious death, Duplenticy falls under suspicion. Police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis) asks Blanc for help. Cracks appear in the community’s pious façade. The devout Martha (Glenn Close), the lawyer Very (Kerry Washington), her loathed half-brother, conservative influencer Cy (Daryl McCormack), the doctor Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner) and the author Lee Ross (Andrew Scott) – almost everyone in Wicks’s parish has a motive. Blanc shows up noticeably late here compared to "Knives Out" and its sequel "Glass Onion". Most Agatha Christie books work exactly like this, writer-director Rian Johnson explained to dpa. In the first act you meet all the suspects, get a feel for the whole scene and already have a sense of who the victim might be. And then — bang — the murder happens at the end of the first act, and that’s exactly when the detective comes into play, Johnson said. The current political climate — especially in the United States — provided Johnson with plenty of inspiration. In particular, Brolin’s character will, to many, evoke US President Donald Trump. The film is not political, however. Like the first two instalments, "Wake Up Dead Man" is again a gripping and amusing "whodunit" that thrives above all on its impressive cast. The following information is not intended for publication dpa pde xxde coh

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

Berlin (dpa) – A sixth film in the "Hunger Games" series is currently shooting in Berlin, with a first trailer now released featuring a new star-studded cast including Ralph Fiennes, Jesse Plemons and Glenn Close. The film tells the backstory of future mentor Haymitch Abernathy, who is forced to take part in the 50th Hunger Games, 24 years before the events of the first Hunger Games film featuring Katniss Everdeen, then played by Jennifer Lawrence. The roughly two-minute trailer shows a Panem riven by political tension, a Capitol bristling with firepower and early, grim glimpses of an arena with harsher rules than ever. "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" is based on the book of the same name by Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins, published in March 2025. Once portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the original trilogy, Abernathy is now played by the relatively unknown Australian actor Joseph Zada.He is joined by a starry Hollywood ensemble. Alongside "Bugonia" star Jesse Plemons and Ralph Fiennes as Coriolanus Snow, the cast also includes Elle Fanning, Oscar winner Glenn Close and Kieran Culkin. In early July the production in Germany sought around 4,000 extras for filming near Cologne before shoots at a former airport in Berlin. With Francis Lawrence returning to the director's seat, the latest Hunger Games film is planned for November 2026. A prequel to the successful franchise, "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes", was released in 2023. The following information is not intended for publication dpa skc yyzz n1 cor lif

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

Fairy lights create a beautiful atmosphere, but if you buy the wrong ones, they can guzzle power, break after a few years and even carry toxic chemicals. Here's what to consider when buying a set. Berlin (dpa) – Fairy lights are everywhere in the run-up to Christmas, but not all sets are equal. From colour temperature to IP ratings and safety seals, here is how to pick lights that look great, last long and do not waste energy. Seven tips for buying string lights: Check the colour temperature:Some fairy lights emit a warm yellow light, while others are a colder, bluish white. You can determine this by looking at the Kelvin (K) value on the packaging. Lamps rated at 3,000 K or less will give a warm, yellowish white light and feel cosier. Prioritise quality:Check the expected service life on the packaging. LED string lights should last at least 20,000 hours, with some models rated for up to 50,000 hours. Use LEDs:To save energy, buy LED fairy lights, as these use about one tenth of the electricity of incandescent or halogen lamps and last roughly 100 times longer. Avoid battery packs:Unless you are decorating somewhere away from a power outlet, you should consider getting a set with a cable and plug, rather than a battery pack version. Battery power is around 300 times more expensive than mains electricity, not to mention the hassle of having to recharge. Look for splash protection:You may want to also use your fairy lights outdoors, which means you should check for protection against rain and moisture. Without this, using them outdoors will trigger a short circuit. Outdoor string lights should be marked with the droplet-in-triangle symbol or carry IP44, IP54 or IP64 ratings similar to many smartphones. There may be health and safety risks:If in doubt, go for a set that has some kind of trusted safety certification on the packaging and one that has been tested by a consumer protection organization. The CE mark on a box, widely seen in Europe, is only the manufacturer's self-declaration that EU standards are met. Studies of fairy lights in recent years have pointed to the use of toxic chemicals suspected of increasing the risk of cancer and damaging the development of children. Use a timer:You can of course avoid high electricity use by remembering to turn on and off the fairy lights when you see and need them. But it may be easier to buy a timer adapter for your socket or to get a set of fairy lights with an automatic timer built in. That way the lights come on every day at dusk and go off at bedtime. Year-round fairy lights for outdoors Fairy lights don't just need to be taken out and untangled every year for Christmas decorations. You can also use them to create some atmospheric lighting for a garden or balcony with chain of empty milk or juice cartons, where each fairy light lights up a colourful lantern. To start, collect some clean cartons and cut off the top part of each and cover the rest with gift-wrapping paper. Into each side, you cut a window measuring about 11 by 5 centimetres. Then you cover the windows with thin, colourful tissue paper (colourful serviette paper will also do). Cut two holes in the bottom of each carton and string the fairy lights through them, leaving one light in each carton. Your new party lighting system can be hung from two trees using a thin wire cable strung along the light chain. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn mod yyzz n1 sw

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

‘Women don’t fit into five sizes – it’s complete bull****’: British designer Edeline Lee has firm views on fashion’s body-image problem. The London-based artist reveals why there is such size bias in the high-fashion industry. London (PA Media/dpa) – We tend to assume that it’s fashion designers who keep the tyranny of the size-6 silhouette alive: the rail-thin runway model, small sample sizes and the implied suggestion that women must shrink themselves to fit the clothes. But that certainly isn’t the case for British-Canadian fashion designer Edeline Lee. “Women don’t fit into five sizes – it’s complete bull****,” she says, with the matter-of-factness of someone who has seen, up close, just how untrue the fantasy really is. Speaking from her East London studio, where clients regularly strip down to their underwear during fittings, Lee says she hears the private fears and body anxieties that women carry every single day. “If you get naked with someone, basically it’s a very intimate experience […] you end up having these conversations.” And those conversations make clear that the idea of a single ‘ideal’ body remains deeply embedded in luxury fashion – even if the public conversation suggests otherwise. “It’s not [like] the industry [is] saying as a whole, we only believe in skinny teenagers,” Lee stresses. Instead, it’s a logistical system that has barely shifted in decades, especially around sample sizing on runways. “When you have Fashion Week and you have 15 designers showing on one day […] it becomes easier if they’re all one size […] the second you add diversity and sizing […] it just amplifies [difficulty and cost] so quickly.” The designer, who graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2008 and is known for dressing powerful women from art-world leaders to senior executives and even royalty, says the system leaves countless women feeling like the body they inhabit is somehow defective. “That kind of mass idea that we’re all supposed to fit into something, it doesn’t help with insecurities, does it? “If you don’t fit into those five sizes, you feel like somehow, something’s wrong with yourself.” Lee, whose brand produces from size 2 to 24 and manufactures exclusively in the UK, argues the problem is structural, not personal. “Right now, it’s impossible to run a business and have 50 different sizes […] everyone would go out of business.” But she insists meaningful change is possible. In fact, she says shifting the industry’s ‘standard’ size would make designers’ lives easier too. “It would actually be easier for all of us […] it’s much easier to grade up and down from the middle rather than to grade from the bottom all the way up.” But what sets Lee apart from most luxury designers is her daily, unfiltered contact with the women she dresses. Clients walk into her Dalston studio and try on pieces in real time, creating a level of candour rarely seen in high fashion. “We have women coming here every day […] we might see in a week the same dress on seven different bodies,” she says – a crash course in real-life diversity that most designers never experience. The fittings expose everything from professional pressure to private emotional turmoil. “We have women who are the only woman on their board […] women who are very practised and need a workhorse wardrobe for TV […] or someone with a very complicated family situation.” And so her role extends beyond tailoring. “We’re trying to create something that [women] could put on that just makes them feel better […] feel strong and powerful.” Before conversations about body image became mainstream, Lee was already challenging the fashion world’s silence around women’s lived experience. She traces the shift to a game-changing 2018 collaboration with classicist Mary Beard. After reading Beard’s book Women And Power, Lee was struck by the historical roots of misogyny. “Women weren’t allowed to speak in public back then […] and it’s kind of carried through.” That realisation became the seed of her ‘Women And Power’ speaker series. “I’m always talking about dressing powerful women, and yet everything we do is shown on young, silent women […] why not put the voice of women on the fashion stage?” So she did. The first presentation featured 35 female speakers from politics, science, music, literature and more. Guests refused to leave and even high-profile attendees were struggling to get in. “Nobody wanted to leave […] it was so powerful.” It was the moment Lee understood her audience – and her purpose – more clearly than ever. Lee’s entire business is built on principles that most labels abandon early: local production, ethical wages and complete independence. “We pay UK wages in a globalised industry […] it’s a hard thing to compete,” she admits. “But the fact that we can do this and have a platform […] that’s the big thing that I’m really proud of.” Her designs have been worn by major cultural figures, including the Princess of Wales, whom she calls “a wonderful as an ambassador for British designers”. But for Lee, the most powerful woman is still the one standing in front of her in the fitting room. “When [women] feel that they need to stand up front, show up and be in their power. That’s when they look for me.” And that’s when the real work of challenging insecurities, dismantling ideals and rebuilding confidence, happens. The following information is not intended for publication dpa pa arw

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

A dollop of creamy yoghurt and pomegranate seeds brighten up a tasty lentil salad that goes only too well with braised aubergine. Persuade even the most fervent vegetable haters to have a second helping. Cologne (dpa) – There are dishes that combine everything that conjures up the perfect flavour and makes food exciting: sweetness, acidity, bitterness and umami – plus a play of different textures and temperatures, from creamy to crunchy, from hot to refreshingly cool. Try this braised aubergine dish, cooked in the oven until the flesh is almost melting. Aubergines can withstand the high heat well and develop delicious roasted flavours. Enhance the taste with a little olive oil and soy sauce. The lentil salad is a highlight in itself, with the strong, nutty beluga lentils combined with spring onions, celery and fresh herbs. It's rounded off with a lemon dressing with a hint of Middle Eastern spices. Finally, creamy yoghurt brings harmony to the variety of flavours, while crunchy pomegranate seeds add a refreshing touch – a surprising contrast that makes the dish perfect. Ingredients for 4 4 aubergines 270 ml olive oil Salt 200 g beluga lentils 3 spring onions 1 stick of celery 15 g coriander (fresh) 20 g parsley (flat-leaf) 1 organic lemon 1/2 clove of garlic (small) 1/2 tsp fennel seeds 1/2 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp cumin powder 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp chilli powder (optional) Pepper 120 ml soy sauce 300 g Greek yoghurt 2 tbsp sesame seeds (roasted) 80 g pomegranate seeds Preparation Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (fan oven).Cut the aubergines in half and place them cut-side up on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Score the cut surface crosswise with a sharp knife, drizzle with olive oil (around 1 tbsp per aubergine) and season with salt. Bake the aubergines in the oven for about 30–40 minutes until they are deeply browned. At the same time, cook the lentils in three times the amount of water for around 30 minutes until al dente. Wash the spring onions, celery, coriander, parsley and lemon. Cut off the root and dark green part of the spring onions. Then quarter the spring onions lengthwise and chop finely. Cut off the woody end of the celery and dice it as finely as possible. Shake the herbs dry, pluck the leaves from the stems and chop the leaves coarsely. Finely grate the lemon zest and squeeze the juice. Peel the garlic and press it through a garlic press into a small bowl. Finely grind the fennel seeds in a mortar and add them to the bowl. Whisk together with the lemon juice, lemon zest and approx. 6 tbsp olive oil. Stir in the coriander powder, cumin powder and sugar. Season generously with salt and pepper (and chilli powder, if desired). After cooking, rinse the lentils in a sieve under cold water and drain well. Then mix the lentils in a bowl with the celery, spring onions, herbs and dressing. Leave to stand for 15 minutes.If necessary, bake the aubergines in the oven for 4 minutes under the grill until crispy and brown. Remove from the oven, mix the soy sauce with 4 tbsp olive oil and brush the hot aubergines with it. Place the aubergines on the plates, stir the lentil salad again and spread it over the aubergines. Add about 2 tbsp yoghurt per serving and serve the dish with pomegranate seeds and sesame seeds. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn cwg xxde xlt amc arw

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

How do you fill your tacos? The choice seems endless from traditional Mexican fillings such as pork neck to vegan, with cauliflower and tahini. Plus some pro tips on technique, and what is hot right now. Cologne (dpa) – Taco time means grabbing corn tortillas and stuffing them with meat or vegetables, adding a tasty sauce, fresh herbs and a hint of spice. But what makes tacos so special? And which varieties are currently popular with taco fans? "The special thing about tacos is their brilliant taste, which doesn't always require a lot: a good tortilla, a filling that can also consist of leftovers from the day before, and a homemade salsa," says Andres Besson, founder and co-owner of the restaurant Los Carnales in Cologne. When guests come to the taquería, they like to order a plate of mixed tacos so they can try the different fillings: pork neck, chicken or vegetarian with soy filling. "When it comes to a single filling, we are particularly proud of our pastor," says Besson. "It's pork neck that melts on the trompo – a kind of kebab grill – in a secret, homemade pastor marinade," he says. He is half Mexican, and says among the many classic tacos in Mexico City, this dish is perhaps the most typical, and every taquería in Mexico has its own recipe. What are tacos, what is a tortilla? If you want to conjure up good tacos in your own kitchen, you should first know the difference between a taco and a tortilla. "If we compare tacos to a burger, the tortilla is the bun, and the taco is the whole burger," says Besson. Tortillas are round, flat flatbreads made from specially treated corn flour in Mexico. The process of nixtamalization dates back to the ancient indigenous cultures of Mexico and this too belongs to the art of tacos. "Only through this treatment with lime ash does the corn kernel soften and become accessible to the human body," Besson says. So, to make good tacos, you need good tortillas. Besson advises against using wheat flatbreads from the local supermarket, but rather Mexican-style corn tortillas, which can be found in specialist shops or online. When it comes to the filling, all cooks can get creative. "Unlike burgers, which are almost exclusively made with beef patties, there are no limits to the fillings for tacos, which results in enormous variety," says Besson. "Almost every taco should also have a combination of coriander, onions and lime. The filling is almost irrelevant, because this flavour alone makes you feel like you're in Mexico," says Besson, who originally studied Latin American regional studies. Spicy tacos It's also important to have a good salsa to top the tacos. Andres Besson's pro tip for this. "The spiciness of the salsa should be just above your comfort zone. This gives the taco an exciting spiciness that is thrilling but not overwhelming." Tacos can be filled with pork neck, chicken or a soy alternative. If you're using chicken and want to follow the original Mexican recipe, you shouldn't cut the meat for the tacos, but pull it apart, as Besson reveals. To do this, first cook the meat and then pull it into fine strips using two forks or your hands. "Marinades with chipotle chillies go very well with this – you can buy them in tins," he says. "If you don't like it too spicy, you can simply salt the pulled chicken well and fry it briefly on a high heat. Especially if there is still some skin on it, this will make it very crispy while still keeping it juicy." For the vegetarian version with soy filling, you can use soy curls which are available in well-stocked supermarkets. "When cooking, don't skimp on the salt, otherwise you'll end up with a dull soy flavour," says Besson. In his taquería, the soy filling is prepared with a secret pastor marinade. At home, as with chicken, a marinade with chipotle chillies is suitable for marinating the soy curls. It is also possible to fry the soy shreds on a high heat so that they become crispy. "It's important not to skimp on the fat," says Besson. Just fill a tortilla with these shreds, salad and fresh vegetables, garnish with salsa, and your delicious tacos are ready to serve. Vegan tacos with cauliflower filling If you want to try something new instead of the more classic fillings, Bianca Zapatka has just what you're looking for on her vegan food blog, where she shows how to make cauliflower tacos with tahini sauce. She serves corn tortillas with roasted cauliflower, black beans, red onions, cherry tomatoes, avocado and jalapeños. Parsley, sesame seeds, lime, various spices and home-made tahini sauce also add to the delicious flavour. Change the sauces, simply swap the ingredients Sound complicated? Not from Zapatka's point of view. "My recipes are easy to follow and guaranteed to work. It's important to me that everyone can make my recipes," she says. You can also swap ingredients and use your own imagination with this taco recipe. "Creativity is always allowed," says Zapatka. "Of course, you should stick to the basics to ensure success. But you can let your imagination run wild with the fillings and sauces." You could replace the tahini sauce with a peanut sauce if you wish. If you don't like cauliflower or want to try an alternative, you can also use radishes, shredded cabbage, peppers, corn, kidney beans or chickpeas for the filling. Basically, anything you have in your fridge or pantry that you like to eat can be used as a taco filling. Tacos for a party or a romantic evening If you don't have the ingredients for the tahini sauce at home yet, follow Zapatka's professional tip when shopping. "Tahini sauce is creamy and has a spicy sesame flavour. To prevent the sauce from tasting bitter, it's important to choose the right sesame paste," she says. "I prefer sesame paste made from roasted, hulled sesame seeds." Whether you add cauliflower or kidney beans, and tahini or peanut sauce, this is a dish "suitable for any occasion," says Zapatka. "It's perfect for a cosy evening for two or a party with friends." The beauty of tacos is that they can be served at any time with variety and a great taste virtually guaranteed. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn jfa cwg nhr xxde arw

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

A small area at a comfortable height that provides fresh vegetables almost all year round. A raised bed is a small investment that can supply a surprising variety of treats and is easy on your back, too. Berlin (dpa) – If it is winter where you are, your garden may be in hibernation. But there is one area that can be used for a variety of gardening activities even now – the raised bed. If you have planned ahead, now's the time when you will be able to harvest vegetables that you planted in late summer, such as spinach and lettuce. Creating a new raised bed If you don't yet have a raised bed but enjoy the prospect of your own winter harvest, you can use the cold weeks to create a new one. Doris Kampas, a German expert who has written several books on gardening, says even beginners can create a raised bed with relatively little effort. "If you cultivate 2 square metres of raised bed, you need an average of half an hour per week for maintenance," she says – and  it's easy on your back too. Raised beds are usually made of wood and placed on the natural soil. To prevent rodents from settling in, gardening journalist Antje Grosse-Feldhaus advises laying the base with a dense wire mesh. When it comes to lining, "sturdy foil protects the inner walls from rotting," she says. And Kampas recommends using materials from the garden to fill your raised bed. The bottom layer of the raised bed consists of waste timber. You can use everything except conifers. Place a mixture of perennial cuttings, grass cuttings and old potting soil on top of that. "The third layer is made up of easily decomposable leaves from the garden," says Kampas. The tannin-rich leaves of walnut and oak are best avoided, as are pine needles. Add compost on top. An organic substrate for growing vegetables is best for the final layer. If you don't have everything you need at home, you can find suitable material at your garden centre. Raised beds are comparable to a large compost heap, so the material sinks over the course of a season. If you already have a raised bed, you can simply add new material to it in winter. Kampas starts by using leaves and grass cuttings to stimulate life in the soil. Add fresh organic substrate on top. Protecting your plants You can protect plants more effectively and better in a raised bed during the winter. Kampas puts empty large glass jars over the ripening vegetables or uses a cold frame to cover winter onions, beetroot and lettuce. Fleece also helps to prevent frost getting at your plants. Without this kind of protection, the soil in the raised bed will be just like the natural soil in the vegetable garden. However, it is easier to provide protection in raised beds, and mulch also helps to keep out the cold. "You can mulch the plants with sheep's wool to protect the sensitive root collar between the roots and stems," says Kampas. Start of raised bed season Your raised bed comes to life much earlier in the springtime if you cover it during winter. The activity of the microorganisms starts a few weeks earlier, which in turn increases the temperatures in the soil. "As a result, the roots grow faster," Kampas says. This provides a jump-start, as the optimal growth of plants in raised beds is primarily based on good root growth. In general, the season starts around the beginning of March, if you are in northern Europe, when seeds can be sown again. But Kampas warns that "it depends on the weather when exactly you put the first seeds in the ground." If the weather is mild, you can start sowing at the end of February, but Kampas warns that "the first vegetables must be frost-resistant." Of course some plants are more robust than others. "Early varieties of radishes, carrots and spinach are the best place to start," says Grosse-Feldhaus. With more sensitive vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes or cucumbers, however, you shouldn't be tempted by the young plants on offer in the shops, or plant them before the beginning of May, or depending on your season. Kampas says that it's important that the recommended planting distances are adhered to so that lettuces, leafy and root vegetables develop well and do not compete with each other. A distance of between 10 and 30 centimetres is usually recommended. You should also remember that not all plants suitable for raised beds get along with each other, so you need to combine plant neighbours accordingly. For example, carrots and lettuce and spinach and kohlrabi go well together, but cucumbers and tomatoes, and potatoes and peas should not be planted next to each other. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn dwa xxde bzl lue amc arw

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)