A festive and fancy gin and lime with hints of cinnamon, a hit of apricot brandy and a sherbet-frosted rim

There’s a bit of prep involved here – you need to make the syrup a day ahead, for instance – but this is a great drink for impressing guests. If you opt to rim the glasses with lime sherbet, either buy some in ready-made or make your own by finely crushing a few lemon drop sweets in a mortar – dip the rim of the glass first in lime juice and then in the lemon drop dust. The excess syrup will keep in the fridge for about a month – use it up in puddings, apple-based ones especially.

Jack Porter, head bartender, Gothic Bar, The Midland Grand , London NW1

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Air fryers make short work of the choux pastry for these ring-shaped buns with a cinnamon glaze

I was sceptical about using an air fryer for baking, but it really does work – we even set air-fryer choux buns as a challenge on Junior Bake Off , and they were a real hit! The air fryer’s quick, even heat makes it perfect for choux pastry, but you can, of course, also deep-fry or bake these in the oven instead. This is just a speedy alternative.

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From morning drinks to bedtime sounds – and don’t forget a mid-afternoon boogie – experts share tips to help you boost your energy levels

“A side bend stretches the intercostal muscles between the ribs, making more space for inhalation,” according to the psychologist Suzy Reading, author of Self-Care for Winter, “and when we breathe better we feel more lively. Either seated or standing, breathe in and stretch one arm up overhead, forming a banana shape for your side body. Breathe out to lower your arm back down and come back to centre. Repeat five times on each arm.”

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Hannah Crosbie picks the best bottles for entertaining that won’t break the bank or your spirit

If you’re reading this, well done. It means you’ve survived the most expensive, sociable and digestively taxing part of the holiday season. Now you can focus all your efforts on getting through Twixmas (a phrase I prayed wouldn’t catch on) and the New Year’s Eve party. Livers and wallets, rejoice.

Perhaps you’re hosting such a party. On reflection, I feel last week’s column portrayed me as a little “anti-party”. It’s not that I’m allergic to them; more that I just can’t stand how they often bring out the worst in even the most unflappable friend. Hosting should be simple and, above all, not leave you deflated or penniless – or both. Plus, if you’re planning on giving up booze for January, you had better make these last few drams count, before you spend the whole of the next month grumbling about how expensive non-alcoholic options are and wishing you were drinking a pint of Guinness.

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The will simply to stay afloat has drowned most urges to do something meaningful with costly aubergines

Another year gone, and I edge closer to the afterlife I deserve, namely in hospitality hell. The service will be slow, the butter will come in naff wrapped portions, and chipper staff will squat at my table between courses and ask: “Any favourites so far?”

Before then, however, I’ll digest 2024 and regurgitate my findings. My year began recovering from a mini-break in Murwillumbah with Nigel Farage and Fred Sirieix. Food terrible. Tripadvisor: 1 star. Do not recommend. On my return, my first stop was my beloved King Cookdaily , a vegan kiosk with seats in Shoreditch that serves heavenly Lao bowls, udon and jerk. By the end of 2024, however, restaurant-land’s enthusiasm for “the vegan craze” has sunk like a chickpea-juice meringue. The will of most restaurants simply to stay afloat this year, serving whatever valve or offcut they can, has drowned any urge to do something meaningful with costly aubergines. Instead, we had Bébé Bob , which serves only chicken, and Eggslut , with its £15 egg sandwiches.

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Flaky pastry filled with seafood delicacy gains cult status and draws crowds to sleepy beach community

Celebrities have raved about them, politicians have bulk-ordered them, local people line up and tourists drive hours for them. The legendary pāua pie – a flaky pie filled with a New Zealand seafood delicacy – is enticing crowds to a remote cafe on the isolated East Coast.

The savoury pie may be one of the closest things New Zealand has to a national dish. From the basic mince pie found in corner stores and petrol stations to the more inventive gourmet pies offered in cafes and fine dining restaurants, wherever you go, there are pies.

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Grant will go towards repackaging food that would go to waste and delivering it to shelters, food banks and charities

Labour ministers have backed plans for a £15m fund to redistribute food from farms that otherwise go to waste, particularly around Christmas.

Grants starting from £20,000 will be handed to the not-for-profit food redistribution sector in England to repackage farm food and deliver it to homeless shelters, food banks and charities.

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What separates a good resolution from a bad one? Guardian readers agree: it has to be something you care about

For some, new year resolutions are an opportunity to grow. For others, they’re a pointless exercise in self-flagellation.

That might be because they’re hard to keep up. In the US , 44% of new year resolutions last two to three months; only 6% last a year. In the UK , 17% of people give up on their resolution within a month.

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Whether you prefer to pop the cork on prosecco, English fizz or alcohol-free, these sparkling wines are the best around

A celebratory bottle of bubbly doesn’t just mean champagne any more. Sure, it could be champagne, but it also could be méthode Tasmanoise, crémant or even English or Indian sparkling wine.

Whether it’s dryness, flavour, or a specific country of origin or you’re looking for, there is a fizz to fit the bill. Here’s a selection of the best supermarket, wine club and online picks to raise a glass with. Bottoms up!

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