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Run out of butter or eggs? Here’s the science behind substitute ingredients

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paulomi-polly-burey-404695">Paulomi (Polly) Burey</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> It’s an all too common situation – you’re busy cooking or baking to a recipe when you open the cupboard and suddenly realise you are missing an ingredient. Unless you can immediately run to the shops, this can leave you scrambling for a substitute that can perform a similar function. Thankfully, such substitutes can be more successful than you’d expect. There are a few reasons why certain ingredient substitutions work so well. This is usually to do with the chemistry and the physical features having enough similarity to the original ingredient to still do the job appropriately. Let’s delve into some common ingredient substitutions and why they work – or need to be tweaked. <iframe id="IitfH" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/IitfH/1/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <h2>Oils versus butter</h2> Both butter and oils belong to a chemical class called <a href="https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Map%3A_Fundamentals_of_General_Organic_and_Biological_Chemistry_(McMurry_et_al.)/23%3A_Lipids/23.01%3A_Structure_and_Classification_of_Lipids">lipids</a>. It encompasses solid, semi-solid and liquid fats. In a baked product the “job” of these ingredients is to provide flavour and influence the structure and texture of the finished item. In cake batters, lipids contribute to creating an emulsion structure – this means combining two liquids that wouldn’t usually mix. In the baking process, this helps to create a light, fluffy crumb. One of the primary differences between butter and oil is that butter is only about 80% lipid (the rest being water), while <a href="https://www.nutritionadvance.com/types-of-cooking-fats-and-oils/">oil is almost 100% lipid</a>. Oil creates a softer crumb but is still a great fat to bake with. You can use a wide range of oils from different sources, such as olive oil, rice bran, avocado, peanut, coconut, macadamia and many more. Each of these may impart different flavours. Other “butters”, such as peanut and cashew butter, aren’t strictly butters but pastes. They impart different characteristics and can’t easily replace dairy butter, unless you also add extra oil. <h2>Aquafaba or flaxseed versus eggs</h2> Aquafaba is the liquid you drain from a can of legumes – such as chickpeas or lentils. It contains proteins, kind of how egg white also contains proteins. The proteins in egg white include albumins, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5912395/">aquafaba also contains albumins</a>. This is why it is possible to make meringue from egg whites, or from aquafaba if you’re after a vegan version. The proteins act as a foam stabiliser – they hold the light, airy texture in the product. The concentration of protein in egg white is a bit higher, so it doesn’t take long to create a stable foam. Aquafaba requires more whipping to create a meringue-like foam, but it will bake in a similar way. Another albumin-containing alternative for eggs is <a href="https://foodstruct.com/compare/seeds-flaxseed-vs-egg">flaxseed</a>. These seeds form a thick gel texture when mixed with a little water. The texture is similar to raw egg and can provide structure and emulsification in baked recipes that call for a small amount of egg white. <h2>Lemon plus dairy versus buttermilk</h2> Buttermilk is the liquid left over after churning butter – it can be made from sweet cream, cultured/sour cream or whey-based cream. Buttermilk mostly <a href="https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(06)72115-4/fulltext">contains proteins and fats</a>. Cultured buttermilk has a somewhat tangy flavour. Slightly soured milk can be a good substitute as it contains similar components and isn’t too different from “real” buttermilk, chemically speaking. One way to achieve slightly soured milk is by adding some lemon juice or cream of tartar to milk. Buttermilk is used in pancakes and baked goods to give extra height or volume. This is because the acidic (sour) components of buttermilk interact with baking soda, producing a light and airy texture. Buttermilk can also influence flavour, imparting a slightly tangy taste to pancakes and baked goods. It can also be used in sauces and dressings if you’re looking for a lightly acidic touch. <h2>Honey versus sugar</h2> Honey is a <a href="https://resources.perkinelmer.com/lab-solutions/resources/docs/APP_Analysis-of-Sugars-in-Honey-012101_01.pdf">complex sugar-based syrup</a> that includes floral or botanical flavours and aromas. Honey can be used in cooking and baking, adding both flavour and texture (viscosity, softness) to a wide range of products. If you add honey instead of regular sugar in baked goods, keep in mind that honey imparts a softer, moister texture. This is because it contains more moisture and is a humectant (that is, it likes to hold on to water). It is also less crystalline than sugar, unless you leave it to crystallise. The intensity of sweetness can also be different – some people find honey is sweeter than its granular counterpart, so you will want to adjust your recipes accordingly. <h2>Gluten-free versus regular flour</h2> Sometimes you need to make substitutions to avoid allergens, such as gluten – the protein found in cereal grains such as wheat, rye, barley and others. Unfortunately, gluten is also the component that gives a nice, stretchy, squishy quality to bread. To build this characteristic in a gluten-free product, it’s necessary to have a mixture of ingredients that work together to mimic this texture. Common ingredients used are corn or rice flour, xanthan gum, which acts as a binder and moisture holder, and tapioca starch, which is a good water absorbent and can aid with binding the dough. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202036/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paulomi-polly-burey-404695">Paulomi (Polly) Burey</a>, Associate Professor (Food Science), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southern-queensland-1069">University of Southern Queensland</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/run-out-of-butter-or-eggs-heres-the-science-behind-substitute-ingredients-202036">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

“I’m being racist to eggs”: Wellness influencer slammed for innocent comment

An Australian influencer has been forced to address a "racist" comment she made about her son's lunch. Health and fitness influencer Sarah Stevenson, who is known by her millions of followers as Sarah's Day, was filming herself as she made lunch for her son. The 31-year-old stopped herself as she made her child a curried egg sandwich, saying he be dubbed “the smelly boy in the playground” if he took the meal to school. “Do you want to be ‘smelly curried egg boy’?” she asked him. While the seemingly innocent comment went unnoticed by many of her followers, one person sent her a message demanding an apology for her "borderline racist" comment. The entrepreneur and mum-of-two replied to the private message in a video response to her followers explaining that she meant the “egg smell” and didn't mean anything racist. “Didn’t everyone go to school with someone who brought eggs in their lunch and you’re like, ‘ew, you smell like rotten eggs’... not ‘you smell like curry!’,” she said in the video on her Instagram Stories. She said sarcastically, “I’m being racist to eggs.” Stevenson then doubled down on the follower’s outrage, following that with a cooking tutorial for “racist eggs”. The late night social media saga was re-shared by a popular account, where it was dubbed “egg gate” and plenty more people weighed in on the drama. “She should have apologised and taken it down instead she’s made it worse,” one commenter wrote. The general consensus from the public was that the original racism accusation “was a definite reach”, but she went too far with her explanation. “Honestly don’t think there was any malice in the original comment — she definitely scrambled (ha!), way too far in explaining herself afterwards though,” someone wrote. Image credits: Instagram

Food & Wine

Breathtaking winners of the 2023 Black and White Photo Awards

The stunning finalists of the <a href="https://bwphotoawards.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023 Black and White Photo Awards</a> have been revealed, with the talented photographers stripping all the colour out of their work. Having run for several years now, the annual contest was established to "nurture the spirit of monochrome photography". This year, thousands of images were submitted by record-breaking numbers of photographers from 92 countries around the world, with photos submitted under five categories: architecture, street, portrait, fauna and flora, and landscape. "The results have exceeded all our expectations," the judges said of the winners and finalists. Some of the winning photos include an icy sculpture in Antarctica, a full moon over the Canadian rocky mountains, a lightning storm in Italy, volcanic craters in Iceland, and a crowded train in Bangladesh. All image credits: 2023 Black and White Photo Awards

International Travel

How to buy the best eggs

Brown eggs vs. white eggs There are a lot of misconceptions about eggs, and chief among them is that there’s a difference in the health benefits of brown and white eggs. Unlike bread, brown and white eggs are equally nutritious. An eggshell’s hue is simply determined by the breed of hen laying it. Free-run vs. free-range eggs <div> Free run eggs are laid by hens housed in barns equipped with nests and perches. More space to scratch, peck and stretch their wings means less stress for the birds. In the case of free range eggs, the hens can roam inside barns as well as outdoors, weather permitting. Outside, they can sunbathe, dust bathe, and eat bugs, worms and grass. Are organic eggs the best eggs? When a carton of eggs is labelled as “organic,” it means the hens’ feed is free of herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and preservatives. A study by researchers at Pennsylvania State University found that organic eggs tend to have more vitamin A, D and E. What’s more, many pro chefs claim they taste richer. Certified organic farms adhere to specific standards and are inspected regularly, making their products the surest choice. What does it mean when eggs are Omega-3-enriched? The label “Omega-3-enriched” indicates the hens laying the eggs were fed high levels of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids – essential dietary nutrients for human growth, development and general health. In most cases, flaxseed or fish oil has been added to the feed, occasionally lending the eggs a mild fishy flavour and aroma. The best eggs for baking From peewee to jumbo, eggs are graded by weight. Unless otherwise specified, choose large eggs (approximately 60 grams) when following recipes – especially when baking, where precision matters. Health matters Pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems should stay away from raw or partially cooked eggs to avoid the risk, however slight, of salmonella poisoning. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/how-to-buy-the-best-eggs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </div>

Food & Wine

Eggs are so expensive right now. What else can I use?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> The price of eggs <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-14/egg-shortage-high-prices-blamed-on-shift-from-cage-to-free-range/102474282">is rising</a>. So many of us may be looking for cheaper alternatives. First, the bad news. Nothing can replace a boiled, poached or fried egg. Now, the good news. Lots of other ingredients can make foods puff and rise, give your meal a rich taste, or hold together ingredients. So try using some of these egg substitutes and save the real eggs for your breakfast. <h2>Why are eggs so popular?</h2> Eggs are incredibly <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/afcd/pages/default.aspx">nutritious</a>. They’re a <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/3/684">rich source</a> of protein, vitamins A and D, pigments called carotenoids, and minerals. Eggs are also versatile. We use them to make a range of savoury and sweet foods, sauces and drinks, not to mention breakfast. Their popularity and versatility lies in the unique characteristics of the two main parts of the egg – the white and yolk. Each contribute <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Food-Cooking-Harold-McGee/dp/0684800012">different properties</a> in cooking. <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/3/684">Egg yolk</a> is about 55% water, 27% fats, 16% protein (with small amounts of carbohydrate). <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/3/684">Egg white</a> is about 10% protein and 90% water, with only traces of fat and carbohydrates. Different types of protein in egg white contribute to them foaming when whisked. <h2>Eggs are versatile</h2> Eggs have a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0268005X2200131X?casa_token=1yXlEb1uvwQAAAAA:s3h5KCozwn-hjIn6kLOEoW45An255V6Z0G8TcJAQgTejfLEwV7nKqkS6VPWXiNkNxR4m5Mr2lHc">different role</a> in different types of cooking. 1. Eggs are a raising agent Beaten or whisked eggs act as a raising agent by creating pockets of air in foods, which expand with cooking, making the foods puff and rise. This gives baked products like cakes, biscuits and muffins volume and an airy feel. Using just the egg white leads to a remarkably light and delicate foam, as we see in meringues. In mousse and souffles the whites and the yolk are beaten separately, then mixed together. This leads to a light, airy and smooth texture. 2. Eggs hold together other ingredients Eggs combine ingredients and hold them together during cooking. This gives foods – such as vegetable or meat patties – their structure. 3. Eggs bind other liquids The liquid from eggs binds other liquids from other ingredients in the recipe into a soft, moist and tender mass. We see this in scrambled eggs, omelettes and egg custard. 4. Eggs act as emulsifiers The egg yolk contains different proteins (livetin, phosvitin) and lipoproteins (lecithin). These act as emulsifiers, allowing fat and water to mix together in foods such as mayonnaise and hollandaise sauce. 5. Eggs boost flavour The fat in egg yolks helps carry and release the flavour of some fat-soluble components of food. These foods <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224401000796">may taste differently</a> without the eggs. Eggs also contribute to foods feeling soft in the mouth. As eggs have different roles in cooking, you may need different egg substitutes depending on the outcome you want. Here are some cheaper (and vegan) options. <h2>Aquafaba</h2> Aquafaba is the liquid drained from cans of bean – typically from chickpeas as it has the most neutral flavour. This is the all-round winner, especially as most of us probably throw it away without realising what a gem it is. Aquafaba is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224421001424?casa_token=P45Z4G2SFdsAAAAA:DRy8adcAU_QHl96LONyWOEhUXvrExVZsJ18xKvc8OiPYeVKHSOkGOKefiixXFPY9UhdscEaHF70">versatile</a>. You can whip it up like egg whites to form a foam that can be used to make meringue (even pavlova), gelato, in baked goods, and for binding ingredients in patties. It also contains emulsifiers and can be used to make mayonnaise. You’ll need different quantities of aquafaba depending on the recipe. Generally, though, you use about two to three tablespoons of aquafaba to replace the volume of fluid from an egg. On the downside, aquafaba can taste a bit beany. So it is best to use it with stronger flavours to overcome this. Nutritionally, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224421001424?via%3Dihub">aquafaba</a> has small amounts of carbohydrate (about 2.6g/100 millilitre), and negligible levels of protein (about 1.3g/100 millilitre). You can also freeze aquafaba. <h2>Vinegar and baking soda</h2> Mixing a teaspoon of baking soda with a tablespoon of vinegar can replace an egg in most baked goods. This produces carbon dioxide, which is trapped into air pockets, and makes foods rise. This is a very cheap option, however its success may be limited by how heavy the rest of the ingredients are. This combination also has very little nutritional value. <h2>Commercial egg replacements</h2> These are available at most supermarkets, are very cheap compared with eggs, have a long shelf life, and are easy to use, with instructions on the packaging. Typically, they contain different starches from potato, tapioca and pea protein (which act as leavening agents and form foams), along with raising agents. They are recommended for use in baked goods. However they have very little nutritional value compared to an egg. <h2>Flaxseed meal and chia seeds</h2> Use either a tablespoon of flaxseed meal, or chia seeds, added to about three tablespoons of water. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes to form a gel. The gels can be used in baked goods, however this option isn’t as cheap as the others, and has a slight nutty taste. Both these seeds provide nutritional value. They are both rich in the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid. We <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/59/6/1304/4715808">can convert</a> this fatty acid into healthy omega-3 fatty acids, but at a slow rate. These seeds also provide fibre, polyphenols and antioxidants. <h2>Tofu</h2> Tofu, which is made from soybeans, is widely available and fairly cheap. It has the most “eggy” appearance and so makes it ideal as a substitute for scrambled eggs and in quiche. However, you will need to use silken tofu and puree it. Tofu is highly nutritious and provides protein, fat, calcium, polyphenols and anti-oxidants. You could also use soy flour. Add one tablespoon to three tablespoons of water, then use immediately in baking and for binding ingredients together. However, soy flour does not contain calcium, which tofu does. <h2>Mashed fruit</h2> Mashed bananas or applesauce are also used as egg substitutes. These mainly act to bind and hold moisture in the food and help carry the flavours. You also get the nutritional value of the fruit. Due to the natural sugar that in fruit, this will sweeten your baked goods so you will need to drop the sugar by about a tablespoon (or more) for each piece of fruit you add.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207837/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/eggs-are-so-expensive-right-now-what-else-can-i-use-207837">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

Bridgerton’s Adjoa Andoh responds to backlash for “terribly white” coronation comment

A star of the stage and screen, Adjoa Andoh HonFRSL, made waves around the world with her comments on the royal family’s post-coronation balcony appearance. Coverage of King Charles III’s coronation was available around the world from numerous providers, but it was the comments Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh made during ITV’s extensive coverage in the UK that set the internet ablaze. To kick off their day, the network broadcast a special edition of their Good Morning Britain show, with a programme hosted by Tom Bradby and Julie Etchingham to follow. Their show saw them welcome a whole host of guests - including but not limited to reporters out on The Mall for the day’s festivities. Their coverage was going as planned until they cut to their temporary studio for the royals stepping out onto Buckingham Palace’s balcony. Bradby and Etchingham asked for thoughts from their guests, and it was then that Andoh shared her take, noting that “we have gone from the rich diversity of the Abbey to a terribly white balcony. I am very struck by that. “I am also looking at those younger generations and thinking ‘what are the nuances that they will inhabit when they grow?’” A clip from the show went viral on Twitter soon after it was uploaded, where it was met with mixed - and loud - response. The comment stunned the ITV presenters, and Myleene Klass was seen staring at the actor as she spoke. The clip was later shared on Twitter, where it received a mixed response. Some people criticised Andoh for her words, while others applauded her for speaking out. Dozens raced to submit complaints to OFCOM, claiming that Andoh’s take had stemmed from racist ideals, while others rose to her defence, thanking her for speaking out. As author and activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu wrote, Andoh “told no lies in factual observation of ‘terribly White’ (literal & symbolic) Buckingham palace balcony at #Coronation in contrast to tokenism of race diversity at Westminster Abbey & got branded ‘racist’”. Meanwhile, conservative commentator Darren Grimes demanded to know “why is it ok to dismiss a white family for being white?” They were only two of such comments flooding social media, and were the exact kind Andoh addressed in her next public appearance, when she joined Paddy O’Connnell on BBC Radio 4. “I think I upset a few people yesterday,” she noted. “I was talking about the day and how marvellous it was, and then looking at the balcony at the end and suddenly going ‘oh, it’s so white!’ because the day had been so mixed, and I didn’t mean to upset anybody.” However, it wasn’t quite enough to stem the tide of feedback, while users all across Twitter taking sides, and sharing their opinion on the latest round of comment. “There's an old saying: "Think before you speak". Andoh thought about it and said it anyway,” one said. “Spare us the crocodile tears. You knew exactly what you meant.” “She said the right thing they didn’t want to hear instead of the white thing they did want to hear,” another wrote. “The firm had an extraordinary opportunity to show progress and inclusion, not to mention the perfect ambassadors for the Commonwealth - and they ran them out of town.” Images: Getty

National Duck Day: Diana Chan’s Luv-a-Duck Peking Duck breast with egg noodles, five spice sauce and fresh cucumber salad

The family owned business and Australia’s leading duck producer Luv-a-Duck has partnered up with MasterChef alum and duck lover Diana Chan, to officially launch National Duck Day, which falls on Tuesday May 23rd, 2023. Diana Chan is a Malaysian-Australian and won the 9th season of MasterChef in 2017. She has since become a well-known TV host, menu designer, product creator and restaurateur, turning her passion for food into her career. Diana Chan’s Luv-a-Duck Peking Duck breast with egg noodles, five spice sauce and fresh cucumber salad Serves: 2 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10 mins INGREDIENTS: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 2 x precooked Luv-A Duck peking duck breasts </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 1 x 400g packet fresh egg noodles (medium thickness) </li> </ul> For the five spice sauce: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 1 tbsp cooking oil </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 2 cloves garlic, minced </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 3 shallots, finely diced </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 50g galangal, sliced </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 50g ginger, sliced </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Leftover liquid from the packet </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 1 tbsp five spice powder </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 1 tbsp tapioca starch mixed with 2 tbsp of water </li> </ul> For the cucumber salad: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 1 continental cucumber, halved and sliced into 5mm thick chunks </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 30g coriander, roughly chopped </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 1 tbsp black vinegar </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 1 tsp sugar </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 1 tbsp soy sauce </li> </ul> To garnish: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Freshly sliced spring onions </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds </li> </ul> METHOD: <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Cook the peking duck breasts according to the packet instructions (microwave or oven) and set aside somewhere warm. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Preheat a large braising pot or wok. Add cooking oil. Add the garlic, shallots, galangal and ginger and fry until aromatic - about 3 minutes or so. Add the sauce from the packet and the five spice. Allow to reduce for 10 minutes. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Mix tapioca starch with water. Pour it into the sauce liquid while stirring at the same time and the liquid will start to thicken. You can add more tapioca mixture if you don't think the sauce is thick enough. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> While the sauce simmers, reheat the noodles according to the packet instructions. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> To assemble, remove the cooked duck breasts from the packet and slice them into 5mm thickness. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> In a mixing bowl, add in all the ingredients for the cucumber salad and mix to combine. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Place the reduced sauce into the serving bowls, divide the noodles into 2 portions, top with the duck breasts and pour over the sauce. Serve with the cucumber salad on the side. Garnish with some spring onions and sesame seeds. </li> </ol> Image credit: Luv-A-Duck

Food & Wine

Stars lead the Met Gala carpet in stunning black and white

Often dubbed the “Super Bowl of fashion”, the annual Met Gala has once again showcased the best that high fashion has to offer. The Met Gala serves as the annual fundraiser for New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, and gives the whos-who of Hollywood the chance to experiment with their wildest fashion choices. This year, the annual affair celebrated the exhibition “<a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/karl-lagerfeld-a-line-of-beauty-will-be-the-metropolitan-museum-of-arts-spring-2023-costume-institute-exhibition" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty</a>,” which honours the legacy of the late designer who died in February 2019. Lagerfeld helmed fashion houses such as Chanel, Fendi, and his own eponymous line, and raised funds for The Met’s Costume Institute while having an immeasurable impact on the fashion industry. As a result of this year’s theme, the stars largely turned out in various designs of black and white, which was a class colour combination that became Lagerfeld’s signature. Some looks on the star-studded carpet included Lagerfeld’s staples such as Chanel tweed, pearl embellishments, seemingly conflicting texture and endless, endless tulle. Celebrities such as Nicole Kidman, Glenn Close, Hugh Jackman, Pedro Pascal, Naomi Campbell, Jessica Chastain, Salma Hayek, and many many more graced the carpet, posing up a storm and showing off their intricately designed looks. One of the more unusual looks on the carpet came from actor and musician Jared Leto, who ran with his own unique interpretation of the theme and arrived dressed as Karl Lagerfeld’s cat Choupette, which translates to “sweetie” in French. While many of the celebrities in attendance interpreted the theme in their own ways, there is no doubt that the Hollywood A-listers who were lucky enough to be invited know how to make an entrance. All image credits: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

King Charles' signature coronation dish mercilessly mocked

With the coronation comes one of the most famed traditions in the Monarchy, the creation of a signature dish, made to be shared and enjoyed across the Commonwealth in honour of the new Monarch. The Queen’s coronation made history in 1953, with the ‘Coronation Chicken’, a recipe that has since embedded itself into British culture. Charles’ crowning marks 70 years since the last coronation, and with the event coming up on May 6, the reveal of the signature dish has been highly anticipated. A culinary delight, like Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘Poulet Reine Elizabeth’, that will make its way down from generation to generation. The Royal Family verified Twitter account shared the long-awaited dish. “Introducing… Coronation Quiche!”, the tweet read. “Chosen personally by Their Majesties, The King and The Queen Consort have shared a recipe in celebration of the upcoming #CoronationBigLunch taking place up and down the country.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Introducing… Coronation Quiche! Chosen personally by Their Majesties, The King and The Queen Consort have shared a recipe in celebration of the upcoming <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronationBigLunch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronationBigLunch</a> taking place up and down the country. <a href="https://t.co/aVcw9tNarP">pic.twitter.com/aVcw9tNarP</a> — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1647917367798939648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> King Charles III has officially unveiled his signature coronation offering, which will be served at the palace’s ‘Big Lunch’ event on May 7, also to be served at several community events and street parties across coronation weekend. The coronation quiche recipe consists of spinach, broad beans, cheese and tarragon, although Buckingham Palace’s chef Mark Flanagan says those who want to bake their own can easily make adjustments to suit their preferences. Charles, Camilla and Flanagan chose the dish because it’s a convenient “sharing” dish that can be served either hot or cold. The coronation quiche has left a bad taste in many individuals’ mouths, going viral online and becoming quite the laughingstock for a few reasons. The most profound stems from the well-known egg shortage in the UK, with production at its lowest in over a decade, according to The Guardian. In 2022, almost a billion fewer eggs were packed compared to 2019 due to producers hit by price hikes and a disastrous outbreak of bird flu. Shoppers calling for supermarkets to stock up on the ingredients for the coronation quiche have posted online to point out the obvious issue. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> And what are we supposed to make this Coronation Quiche with? <a href="https://t.co/nEmwQGmV0e">pic.twitter.com/nEmwQGmV0e</a> — Tavern Hoyden (@TavernHoyden) <a href="https://twitter.com/TavernHoyden/status/1648034778032009219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The UK: - There's a shortage of eggs in the supermarkets. Royal Family: - The "Coronation Quiche". <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronationBigLunch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronationBigLunch</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronationquiche?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#coronationquiche</a> <a href="https://t.co/xjEtjiUCuS">pic.twitter.com/xjEtjiUCuS</a> — Pauline (@tlnlndn) <a href="https://twitter.com/tlnlndn/status/1648016686937776128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> Aside from supply shortages, many people decided the egg pie wasn’t very fitting. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> whats the matter babe? you've hardly touched your coronation quiche <a href="https://t.co/3FZZwzMEZz">pic.twitter.com/3FZZwzMEZz</a> — Jake Johnstone (@hijakejohnstone) <a href="https://twitter.com/hijakejohnstone/status/1648083477693120512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Quiche?? For a coronation?? <a href="https://t.co/rsmwcicgZQ">https://t.co/rsmwcicgZQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/V8aKgf1ZKL">pic.twitter.com/V8aKgf1ZKL</a> — local swamp gay 🦝🦨🦉 (@localswampgay) <a href="https://twitter.com/localswampgay/status/1648094906957660161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This is the lamest thing I’ve ever heard. Imagine having 70+ years to think about it and choosing QUICHE. I despair. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Coronation?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Coronation</a> <a href="https://t.co/jEeXmxP1Ss">https://t.co/jEeXmxP1Ss</a> — Julie Lovell (@ficklishjlo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ficklishjlo/status/1648094645669224452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> Elizabeth’s coronation saw famed culinary school Le Cordon Bleu London’s creation of the ‘Coronation Chicken’, which consisted of cooked chicken meat in a creamy curry sauce with dried apricots. It was served with a simple salad. When it was first produced the dish came as a surprise due to many of the ingredients not being pantry staples and the country was still under post-war ration restrictions. The chicken dish has evolved over the years, with it now commonly served on a brioche bun and garnished with various trimmings from crisp coconut chips to mangetout and sultanas. Quiche the ‘Coronation Chicken’ goodbye and stay occu-pied with the recipe below. Pastry: <ul> <li>125g plain flour</li> <li>Pinch of salt</li> <li>25g cold butter, diced</li> <li>25g lard</li> <li>2 tablespoons milk</li> <li>Or 1 x 250g block of ready-made shortcrust pastry</li> </ul> Filling: <ul> <li>125ml milk</li> <li>175ml double cream</li> <li>2 medium eggs</li> <li>1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon</li> <li>Salt and pepper</li> <li>100g grated cheddar cheese</li> <li>180g cooked spinach, lightly chopped</li> <li>60g cooked broad beans or soya beans</li> </ul> Method: 1. To make the pastry: sieve the flour and salt into a bowl; add the fats and rub the mixture together using your finger tips until you get a sandy, breadcrumb-like texture. Add the milk a little at a time and bring the ingredients together into a dough. Cover and allow to rest in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. 2. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the pastry to a circle a little larger than the top of the tin and approximately 5mm thick. 3. Line the tin with the pastry, taking care not to have any holes or the mixture could leak. Cover and rest for a further 30 minutes in the fridge. 4. Preheat the oven to 190C. 5. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper, add baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes, before removing the greaseproof paper and baking beans. 6. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C. 7. Beat together the milk, cream, eggs, herbs and seasoning. 8. Scatter half of the grated cheese in the blind-baked base, top with the chopped spinach and beans and herbs, then pour over the liquid mixture. 9. If required gently give the mixture a delicate stir to ensure the filling is evenly dispersed but be careful not to damage the pastry case. 10. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until set and lightly golden. Image credits: Getty/Twitter

Food & Wine

Easter eggs: their evolution from chicken to chocolate

A lot of Easter traditions – including hot cross buns and lamb on Sunday – stem from medieval Christian or even earlier pagan beliefs. The chocolate Easter egg, however, is a more modern twist on tradition. Chicken eggs have been eaten at Easter for centuries. Eggs have long symbolised rebirth and renewal, making them perfect to commemorate the story of Jesus’ resurrection as well as the arrival of spring. Although nowadays eggs can be eaten during the fasting period of Lent, in the middle ages they were prohibited along with meat and dairy. Medieval chefs often found surprising ways around this, even making mock eggs to replace them. For Easter – a period of celebration – eggs and meat, such as lamb (also a symbol of renewal), were back on the table. Even once eggs were permitted in fasting meals, they kept a special place in the Easter feast. Seventeenth-century cookbook author John Murrell recommended “egges with greene sawce”, a sort of pesto made with sorrel leaves. Across Europe, eggs were also given as a tithe (a sort of yearly rent) to the local church on Good Friday. This might be where the idea of giving eggs as a gift comes from. The practice died out in many Protestant areas after the Reformation, but some English villages kept the tradition going until the 19th century. It’s not known exactly when people started to decorate their eggs, but research has pointed to the 13th century, when King Edward I gave his courtiers eggs wrapped in gold leaf. A few centuries later, we know that people across Europe were dying their eggs different colours. They usually chose yellow, using onion peel, or red, using madder roots or beetroots. The red eggs are thought to symbolise the blood of Christ. One 17th-century author suggested this practice went as far back as early Christians in Mesopotamia, but it’s hard to know for sure. In England, the most popular way of decorating was with petals, which made colourful imprints. The Wordsworth Museum in the Lake District still has a collection of eggs made for the poet’s children from the 1870s. <h2>From dyed eggs to chocolate eggs</h2> Although dyeing patterned eggs is still a common Easter activity, these days eggs are more commonly associated with chocolate. But when did this shift happen? When chocolate arrived in Britain in the 17th century, it was an exciting and very expensive novelty. In 1669, the Earl of Sandwich paid £227 – the equivalent of around £32,000 today – for a chocolate recipe from King Charles II. Today chocolate is thought of as a solid food, but then it was only ever a drink and was usually spiced with chilli pepper following Aztec and Maya traditions. For the English, this exotic new drink was like nothing they’d ever encountered. One author called it the “American Nectar”: a drink for the gods. Chocolate was soon a fashionable drink for the aristocracy, often given as a gift thanks to its high status, a tradition still followed today. It was also enjoyed in the newly opened coffee houses around London. Coffee and tea had also only just been introduced to England, and all three drinks were rapidly changing how Britons socially interacted with each other. Catholic theologians did connect chocolate with Easter in this time, but out of concern that drinking chocolate would go against fasting practices during Lent. After heated debate, it was agreed that chocolate made with water might be acceptable during fasts. At Easter at least – a time of feasting and celebration – chocolate was fine. Chocolate remained expensive into the 19th century, when Fry’s (now part of Cadbury) made the first solid chocolate bars in 1847, revolutionising the chocolate trade. For the Victorians, chocolate was much more accessible but still something of an indulgence. Thirty years later, in 1873, Fry’s developed the first chocolate Easter egg as a luxury treat, merging the two gift-giving traditions. Even in the early 20th century, these chocolate eggs were seen as a special present, and many people never even ate theirs. A woman in Wales kept an egg from 1951 for 70 years and a museum in Torquay recently bought an egg that had been saved since 1924. It was only in the 1960s and 1970s that supermarkets began to offer chocolate eggs at a cheaper price, hoping to profit off the Easter tradition. With rising concerns over long-term chocolate production and bird flu provoked egg shortages, future Easters might look a little different. But if there is one thing that Easter eggs can show us, it’s the adaptability of tradition. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/easter-eggs-their-evolution-from-chicken-to-chocolate-203074" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Food & Wine

Indigenous artist seeking white Australian to donate their “future deceased body” to an art installation

An Indigenous artist has put a call out for Australians of “British descent” to donate their “future deceased body” to an art installation. Nathan Maynard, a well known Palawa artist and playwright, put an advertisement for the unusual request in the weekend edition of The Age newspaper. Maynard signed the bizarre request as a “palawa” artist: one of the terms First Nations people from Tasmania use when referring to themselves. “Palawa artist wanting to find an Australian of British descent who is willing to donate their future deceased body to an art installation,” the notice read. “The work will speak to sacrifice for past sins perpetrated against the palawa. Potential applicants should see this opportunity as an honour.” “The body and memory of the successful applicant will be treated with the utmost respect at all stages of the project.” The call-out was quick to spark backlash when it was reposted on social media, with one writing, “You can’t just obtain bodies for display in newspapers now. This is very bizarre on multiple levels.” Others questioned the legality of the request, with one person writing, “I dunno that this would be legal, tampering with a corpse is a crime! You can donate your body to medical science, but I don’t think this.” Another wrote, “Borderline psychotic, definitely completely illegal.” Despite the criticism, Mr Maynard told Daily Mail Australia that since the notice went to print, he has received half a dozen applications for their body to be used in the installation in November. The artist said if white Australians are upset by the request, they should ask themselves why they didn't have the same reaction to the mass murder of Aboriginal people. “If you’re not an Aboriginal person and you’re upset by this, I think you should ask yourself why you’re not upset that there is still First Nations remains that have been stolen from their people, stolen from their country in institutions all around the world that are still not repatriated to their own communities,” he said. Nathan said the motivation behind his installation revolves around the fact that thousands of First Nations people were killed by colonists, with their remains being sent overseas to be displayed in institutions and museums without a proper ceremony. “So many Aboriginal people's remains are still overseas. People are trying to bring their ancestors home and they are being denied that right,” Mr Maynard said. “Human bodies are very sacred and they should be treated with respect.” “Whitefellas obviously don't know how to handle remains with respect, so I'm going to show them how,” he said. The artwork has already received support from the state-funded Tasmanian Museum and Gallery and the Hobart City Council, which has donated $15,000 to the unusual installation. The artwork has been commissioned to appear as part of an exhibition for the popular Hobart Current biennial exhibition in November 2023. Image credits: Facebook / The Age

Music

Warning against latest egg-stremely restrictive diet trend

A viral “egg diet” is the latest weight loss trend taking over TikTok as people continue to find ways to drop a few kilos. The #eggdiet has attracted over 68.5 million views, with a lot of people sharing their weight-loss success. Nutritionists warn the egg-stremely restrictive diet is simply unsustainable and just another eggs-ample of why most diets fail. According to TikTok users, the egg diet consists of eating only eggs for every meal, alongside low-carb snacks such as fruit, veggies, and some additional protein. While this diet is capable of boosting your metabolism and burning fat in the short term, it can then slow the metabolism and make it more difficult to lose weight in the future. One TikTok user trying the diet admitted she had broken it, writing, ”I think the last nine days of eating the bare minimum has caught up with me today. The whole day I just felt nauseous.” A diet focused on one food eggs-cludes many healthy food groups that are otherwise beneficial for your body. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies, an unhealthy amount of weight loss, mood changes, muscle weakness, and hair loss. A nutrition eggs-pert from Fitness Volt says most people fail to stick with their diet long enough for it to work sustainably. They make fast progress, but egg-ventually, they fall off the wagon and return to their previous diet plan. "That's why so many of us lose weight only to regain it shortly afterwards, and it seems long-term, sustainable weight loss is rare nowadays," Saini said. "Fortunately, healthy eating doesn't have to be complicated or unpleasant, and weight management doesn't have to take over your life. "You don't even have to give up your favourite foods. However, you will need to quit looking for short-term fixes and adopt healthier long-term habits.” It is clear the #eggdiet is not sustainable and the lack of nutrition is likely to leave your brain scrambled. The idea is a bit of a crack-up, but don’t whisk it. Image credit: TikTok

Body

How to make the most of your hard-earned savings

When you have a lump sum of money, it can often be very confusing to know what to do with it, when putting it into a bank offers little in the way of interest or reward. Chances are you might have been neglecting your savings, leaving them languishing in accounts that pay very little, if anything at all. But there is a better option that could see you drastically increasing your savings. A term deposit taker, such as boutique investment company Blue Sky money, can offer you far greater returns on your deposit – an impressive 7 per cent, around twice that which banks offer. Better yet, with all profits staying within and benefiting the community, you can also enjoy the knowledge that you’re helping to make a difference to New Zealanders while growing your nest egg. <a href="https://blueskymoney.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/12/Blue-Sky-7.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1062" /></a> Set and forget Most of us are far too busy and time-poor to spend too much time tending to our finances. But that doesn’t mean we don’t want to see them grow! At Blue Sky money, with a minimum deposit of $30,000 and a minimum 12-month fixed term, you don’t need to think about anything. You’ll have your own personal customer service agent, and can just sit back and watch as your interest is calculated and paid into your account monthly – no fees, no charges. Believing that looking after your finances should be a pleasure, not a chore, Blue Sky money prides itself on offering a superior service and being far more user friendly than banks, so not only will your money work harder, but you’ll enjoy the satisfaction of feeling part of a financial family that truly cares about your wellbeing. Blue Sky money can also assist with small to medium loans for land, houses or other assets, are on hand to help with reverse mortgages and are even investing in retirement villages. And in an exciting new addition, from 2023 Blue Sky is launching its own travel club for all those who place their deposits. You’ll receive special deals and tour packages, ensuring your money goes even further, while enjoying everything the world has to offer. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/12/money-laptop-happy-GettyImages-1307391886.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Improving New Zealanders’ lives And while getting some much-needed extra cash seems like a pretty good deal all on its own, you’ll also have the piece of mind of knowing that with Blue Sky money – a family run business owned by Blue Sky charity, which is registered in New Zealand – all profits stay within New Zealand. With a philosophy of trying to make the world a better place, Blue Sky invests in research and development to better New Zealanders lives – everything from groundbreaking cancer treatment using ultrasound, to sustainable energy, sea trailers and indestructible home builds. Blue Sky money can also assist with small to medium loans for land, houses or other assets, and are available to help with reverse mortgages. And in an exciting new addition, from 2023 Blue Sky is launching its own travel club, where you can receive special deals and tour packages. So if you’re looking to make your savings work harder for you, while aligning yourself with a humanitarian company that’s working to improve the lives of New Zealanders, be sure to get in touch with the Blue Sky team at <a href="https://blueskymoney.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blueskymoney.co.nz</a> <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/12/tropical-island-GettyImages-1360554439.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Images: Supplied. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://blueskymoney.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blue Sky money</a>.

Money & Banking

Can ‘voluntourism’ outgrow the white saviour stereotype and make a positive change post-pandemic?

As the tourism industry emerges from pandemic shutdowns and border closures, so too is “voluntourism”, the sometimes controversial combination of overseas volunteer work and more traditional tourist experiences. Although hard to measure, pre-pandemic estimates suggest voluntourism was worth <a href="https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/mje/2022/01/22/the-paradox-of-voluntourism-how-international-volunteering-impacts-host-communities/">US$2 billion annually</a>, with up to <a href="https://www.cbi.eu/market-information/tourism/save-tourism/market-potential">ten million volunteers</a> globally. While COVID shut the practice down for the duration, it remains a <a href="https://roadbook.com/opinion/negative-effects-of-voluntourism/">multi-billion-dollar industry</a>, now poised to <a href="https://www.sbs.strath.ac.uk/blogs/SBS/post.aspx?id=1420">return and rebuild</a>. But volunteer tourism has met with considerable criticism. Voluntourists have been accused of putting <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/109983663/nz-school-students-pay-thousands-to-visit-orphanages-and-volunteer-overseas">vulnerable people at risk</a> (<a href="https://drivingchange.org/do-no-harm-the-dark-side-of-voluntourism/">including children</a>), <a href="https://tourismteacher.com/commodification-volunteer-tourism/">commodifying volunteer work</a>, perpetuating <a href="https://darbymatt.medium.com/voluntourism-is-neo-colonialism-56b6a25f6924">neo-colonialism</a> and <a href="https://www.euronews.com/travel/2022/02/21/how-white-saviour-voluntourism-gets-you-famous-on-tiktok">reinforcing</a> a “white saviour” complex. Voluntourism is also <a href="https://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/2021/06/14/travel-opens-again-aid-voluntourism-needs-get-real">largely unregulated</a>, raising important <a href="https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/voluntourism/2019-09">ethical questions</a> about who it really aims to serve – travellers or hosts. These issues are now being felt in the Pacific, where voluntourism is a relatively new but growing industry. As <a href="https://e-tangata.co.nz/reflections/the-problem-with-white-saviours/">Simone Kaho wrote</a> of her experience in Tonga: <blockquote> In many cases, voluntourism asks the local community to stand back, and allow themselves to be helped. It turns helping into a business model. </blockquote> <a href="https://blog.geographydirections.com/2019/09/03/global-encounters-voluntourism-in-fiji/">My research</a> in Fiji has also highlighted the problems associated with the commercialisation and commodification of volunteering. These are real and important issues that need close examination as tourism in general picks up. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> End voluntourism and the white saviour industrial complex <a href="https://t.co/gMHkZfTlsf">https://t.co/gMHkZfTlsf</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/mailandguardian?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mailandguardian</a> — NGO Watch Africa (@NGOWatchAfrica) <a href="https://twitter.com/NGOWatchAfrica/status/1582376611449491457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2022</a></blockquote> Behind the ‘bula smile’ The Fiji case study – conducted with an international, for-profit, specialist voluntourism agency – tells a complex story about the benefits and downsides of voluntourism. Volunteers are hosted by local families and included in household life, attending church or religious functions, learning to cook Fijian food, and spending time with children and other family members. Through this, they gain an understanding of life behind the famous “bula” smile. As one staff member said: <blockquote> The host may get angry with you if you leave the light on, you may feel like you are back living with mum and dad because they may give you a lunch box, things like that. But it’s important that they see the person who is paid to smile at the Hilton, what they are like at home with their kids, how they make ends meet, how they eat. </blockquote> Hosts often put considerable energy into sharing their way of life and teaching volunteers Fijian culture. Most hosts and staff took pride in helping travellers find their way around and teaching them Fijian ways. In turn, this helped Fijian staff build knowledge and pride in their own culture. <blockquote> Also the good thing is that we keep up with our culture. Because if you are talking about it every day and you show them and try to talk about it, then the history remains […] Now when we go to the village we do the sevusevu [kava ceremony] and all those things, and we go with the elders. It was our mothers that did that, but now we are doing it, the next generation. When we have volunteers in a Fijian village we will go to any lengths to give them what they want, to try and serve them […] But of course then the volunteers change to become more Fijian! </blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Are you itching to start travelling, but want to do it with care? Listen to this week's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WisdomWalks?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WisdomWalks</a> to discover how you can avoid traps like voluntourism and greenwashing when travelling. 🎧 27 mins.<a href="https://t.co/f366FJcyQG">https://t.co/f366FJcyQG</a> — Curio (@curioio) <a href="https://twitter.com/curioio/status/1587821837932797953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2022</a></blockquote> A chance to improve voluntourism The growth of voluntourism in Fiji follows half a century of <a href="https://medium.com/tourism-geographic/paradise-the-noble-savage-and-the-white-savior-in-fiji-7ac7e302e5ec">mass tourism</a>, in which contact between Fijians and tourists has been largely limited and manufactured. Hosts embrace the opportunity to interact with tourists more directly and to build connections across the globe. However, the commercial nature of the encounter has the potential to significantly undermine these connections. The large fees paid by voluntourists mean they – like any tourist – are consumers. Volunteers have certain expectations, ranging from the mundane (internet access, good food and logistical support) to the more profound (a sense of accomplishment, a feeling they’ve made a difference). They will complain if these expectations aren’t met. The pandemic also raised questions about the sustainability of voluntourism. The organisation I studied cut its global workforce significantly. In Fiji it had provided jobs for about a dozen Fijian staff, as well as home-stay income for many households. While there is evidence that <a href="https://theconversation.com/traditional-skills-help-people-on-the-tourism-deprived-pacific-islands-survive-the-pandemic-148987">reliance on customary knowledge, systems and practices</a> helped tourism workers to survive and even thrive during the pandemic, the future for many is uncertain. COVID-19 has been something of a wake-up call that we need to move beyond voluntourism as a pseudo-development practice or as a commodified, profit-making experience. This is an opportunity for the industry to take on board the criticisms, examine past practice and reassess the role and impact of volunteering. Rather than rush back to business as usual, this is the perfect moment to look at reconfiguring the industry in line with the principles of sustainability and <a href="https://medium.com/activate-the-future/understanding-the-opportunity-of-regenerative-tourism-894136cafd3b">regenerative tourism</a>. In the process, perhaps voluntourism’s strengths – building cross-cultural relationships, learning and solidarity – can contribute more to meaningful social and environmental change.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/195719/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Writen by Sharon McLennan. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-voluntourism-outgrow-the-white-saviour-stereotype-and-make-a-positive-change-post-pandemic-195719" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Getty Images

International Travel

How to make your retirement money go the distance

Retirement should hopefully be a long and rewarding experience and you’re obviously going to need to fund it. Here are a few tips to assist you and your nest egg in supporting your plans. Planning Planning for an unknown timeframe is a challenge, but the bottom line is the more effort you put into preparing and regularly reviewing your options, the better. A key starter is determining your needs. It might be worth sitting down with a financial planner to review your circumstances. Try to visualize the lifestyle you want during retirement – travel, moving house, new car, new hobbies, interests. Then look at the cost implications of this lifestyle and whether you’re going to be able to afford it based on your current income and spending. Understand your retirement accounts Take the time to review all your investments, accounts and other services to ensure they are the best fit for your retirement lifestyle. Rebalance your portfolio to align your finances with the most effective investments for this stage of life. Income An obvious choice for extending your income is deferring retirement. This doesn’t necessarily have to mean continuing with full time work – it could just be part time or casual work in order to create additional income. You might be surprised at the variety of work opportunities available as our workforce becomes increasingly focused on part time, casual and consulting roles. It may also be possible to make money from your hobbies or crafts. Downsizing While you might be comfortable with the lifestyle you have enjoyed for a while, downsizing on some aspects of life can assist greatly in getting more mileage from your retirement savings. Housing is the most obvious and usually the most beneficial in terms of boosting savings. This might be in the form of a smaller home but it may also involve looking at where you live. You might consider a more cost-effective suburb, shaving those mortgage repayments or bolstering your savings even further. The same downsizing might apply to cars, boats and memberships, just to name a few. Health As you may be requiring health services more often in retirement, remember that the most cost-effective way to approach this is through prevention by ensuring your ongoing health and fitness is as good as it can be. Keeping active with a healthy diet and regular exercise is the best way to stave off illness and health issues, often without spending anything extra. Entitlements Become aware of the broad range of concessions, discounts and entitlements that are available to you in retirement. Always keep your senior status in mind with future purchases and payments – it never hurts to ask! Sell stuff Now’s the perfect time to clean out the garage, attic and storage of all that accumulated stuff. While you probably want to save your biggest treasures for the family, sites like eBay, Gumtree and Craigslist are an easy way to make a bit of money out of items you no longer want. Image credits: Getty Images

Retirement Income

You've got to be yoking! Easy boiled egg hack that actually works

The not so enjoyable part of the holiday season, the food prep. Everybody would agree that one of the most messy and time-consuming chores is de-yolking hard boiled eggs. If devilled eggs are on the menu this one is for you. TikTok user, US based woman Andrea VanDerweker demonstrates her hot tips to extracting the hard-boiled egg yolk perfectly. She uses her knife to gently cut the perimeter of the egg, like you would with an avocado. <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@andrealanev/video/7166718280185417006" data-video-id="7166718280185417006"> <section><a title="@andrealanev" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@andrealanev?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@andrealanev</a> I’m just now figuring this out after almost 30 years on this spinning rock? <a title="♬ original sound - Andrea VanDerwerker" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7166718301282994990?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound - Andrea VanDerwerker</a></section> </blockquote> With the knife, she pulls the egg along the cutting board and the egg yolk just pops right out with no messy residue left on the inside of the egg-whites. "Hey, if you guys all knew about cutting hard boiled eggs like this, and you didn't tell me, we're gonna have some serious beef," she joked as she shared the tip. The simple and very effective technique has left viewers stunned. "$22,000 for culinary school and THEY DIDN'T TEACH ME THIS," read one of the many comments. Make sure you try this throughout the holiday season and let us know if it really works! Image: TikTok

Food & Wine

Wimbledon to make key change to all-white dress code

<a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/beauty-style/female-tennis-stars-speak-out-against-all-white-wimbledon-dress-code" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wimbledon’s controversial all-white dress code</a> is expected to undergo a major change after the prestigious tennis competition faced months of pressure from female athletes. The 1880s rule restricts players to wearing only white clothing - including undergarments such as underwear and bras - and has been the subject of criticism for the toll it takes on female players in relation to their periods. Current guidelines require players to wear all-white, with undergarments that can be seen during play or because of sweat only allowed to have a “single trim of colour no wider than one centimetre”. Now, Wimbledon bosses are due to scrap the undergarments rule for female players, which will come into effect from 2023 and will allow for different coloured underwear and bras to be worn. The archaic rule became the subject of widespread attention after stars spoke about the anxiety around getting their period while competing, including Australian player Daria Saville who admitted she has needed to skip her period altogether and British star Heather Watson revealing she would likely take birth control to stop her period ahead of Wimbledon. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/Wimbledon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Wimbledon</a>, wanna chat periods? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AddressTheDressCode?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AddressTheDressCode</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wimbledon2022?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Wimbledon2022</a> <a href="https://t.co/mcjAioqMw4">pic.twitter.com/mcjAioqMw4</a> — gabs (@gabriellaholmez) <a href="https://twitter.com/gabriellaholmez/status/1543197239182508033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2022</a></blockquote> At the same time,the rule drew fresh criticism when Romanian player Mihaela Buzarnescu was forced to swap her bra for her coach’s prior to her first-round match in July, after officials noticed hers was too dark. "My bustier was too black and could be seen up here," she told Eurosport at the time. "The white one I had was too transparent and you could see everything underneath and I couldn't wear it, so I borrowed from my coach, I took her bustier.” A group of protestors also made headlines during the ladies’ singles final, gathering outside Wimbledon dressed in white shirts and red undershorts with signs reading “About bloody time”, “Address the dress code” and “You can do it Ian Hewitt”, referring to the All England Club chairman. Gabriella Holmes and Holly Gordon, who organised the campaign Address the Dress Code to highlight the anxiety women face while competing in all-white, were among those protesting, telling <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jul/09/protesters-at-wimbledon-urge-end-to-all-white-dress-code-due-to-period-concerns#:~:text=3%20months%20old-,Protesters%20at%20Wimbledon%20urge%20end%20to%20all%2Dwhite,code%20due%20to%20period%20concerns&text=Campaigners%20are%20urging%20Wimbledon%20organisers,female%20players%20who%20are%20menstruating." target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Guardian</a> they began calling for change after opening up to each other about the challenges of playing sport while menstruating. “We’ve come down today because we want Wimbledon to address the white dress code that doesn’t take into consideration female athletes on their periods,” Holmes said at the time. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/wimbledon-protest.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Members of the public have begun calling for action too, including Gabriella Holmes and Holly Gordon, the women who started the campaign Address the Dress Code. Image: Getty Images “We want to make it really known to Wimbledon that the rules they are making at the top, they’re all already filtering down to grassroots levels. We are already seeing tons of young girls who drop out of sports when they start their period or by the time they’ve hit puberty they’ve stopped sports altogether. “We think it’s the time to address those barriers for young girls getting into the sport and it starts at the top, so that’s Wimbledon. We want women to be able to focus on the tennis and on the sport and not have to worry about other factors when competing at this level.” More athletes have since spoken out about the issue, with Andy Murray’s mother and coach Judy describing it as a “traumatic experience” and noting that other sports had already dropped similar rules. “One of the biggest problems previously in sport was that it was always white shorts, white kit and so on in lots of different sports,” Murray told the Daily Mail. “Everything was white. Nearly all sports have moved over to colour now. “I think it’s certainly a much more open talking point, if you are wearing all white and then possibly have a leak while you’re playing. “I cannot think of a much more traumatic experience than that.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Indeed, it is time to address the dress code in sports and especially in Tennis competitions like Wimbledon. #<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AddressTheDressCode?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AddressTheDressCode</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZMD9OXg1iN">https://t.co/ZMD9OXg1iN</a> — OJEApads (@OJEApads) <a href="https://twitter.com/OJEApads/status/1555134095717441541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2022</a></blockquote> Since the announcement of the rule change, tennis icon Billie Jean King has slammed the rule, saying it was one of her biggest “pet peeves”. “My generation, we always worried because we wore all white all the time,” she told CNN. “And it’s what you wear underneath that’s important for your menstrual period. “And we’re always checking whether we’re showing. You get tense about it because the first thing we are is entertainers and you want whatever you wear to look immaculate, look great. We’re entertainers. We’re bringing it to the people.” In a statement, the All England Club stated they were in discussions over ways to support players and prioritise women’s health. “Prioritising women’s health and supporting players based on their individual needs is very important to us, and we are in discussions with the WTA, with manufacturers and with the medical teams about the ways in which we can do that,” the statement read. Image: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

Loretta Lynn was more than a great songwriter – she was a spokeswoman for white rural working-class women

Loretta Lynn’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/04/arts/music/loretta-lynn-dead.html">death at the age of 90</a> marks the end of a remarkable life of achievement in country music. Her dramatic life story – retold in the 1980 award-winning film “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080549/">Coal Miner’s Daughter</a>,” based on <a href="https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/loretta-lynn/coal-miners-daughter/9781538701690/">Lynn’s 1976 biography</a> – made Lynn a household name. She grew up in poverty in a small Kentucky mining town, marrying and starting a family as a teenager before reaching unprecedented heights of commercial success as a recording artist of modern country music. But as a <a href="https://arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/music/faculty/faculty-directory.host.html/content/shared/arts-sciences/music/new-faculty-profiles/vander-wel-stephanie.html">scholar of gender and country music</a> and author of “<a href="https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p084959">Hillbilly Maidens, Okies, and Cowgirls: Women’s Country Music, 1930-1960</a>,” I know that Lynn represented more than just star power and fame in country music – she spoke to the concerns of women, especially white working-class women in rural and suburban America. <h2>Speaking up, singing out</h2> Lynn’s rise in the 1960s took place when country music appeared tied to conservative politics. It was a time when Merle Haggard’s “<a href="https://academic.oup.com/california-scholarship-online/book/28551/chapter-abstract/238414028?redirectedFrom=fulltext">Okie from Muskogee</a>,” with its attacks on counterculture, marijuana and draft-card burning, became a populist anthem for the country’s cultural conservatives. In contrast, Lynn’s songwriting continued the legacy of <a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-kitty-wells-20120717-story.html">Kitty Wells</a>, <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/09/25/country-music-hall-famer-jean-shepard-dead-82/76568704/">Jean Shepard</a> and other women in country music who were willing to speak up about the concerns of American women. Lynn’s songs defied societal expectations by connecting her musical representations of working-class and rural women to broader social issues affecting women across the U.S. She aimed for her music to articulate the fears, dreams and anger of women living in a patriarchal society. It railed against those who idealized women’s domestic roles and demonized outspoken feminists. <h2>‘There’s gonna be some changes’</h2> Specifically, for a generation of predominantly white women in the 1960s and 1970s who did not identify as urban or college-educated feminists, Lynn’s music offered candid conversations about their private lives as wives and mothers. As Lynn <a href="https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/loretta-lynn/coal-miners-daughter/9781538701690/">stated in her autobiography</a>, her audience recognized her as a “mother and a wife and a daughter, who had feelings just like other women.” She did this through clever and witty songwriting and lyrical techniques that combined the vernacular of her audience with her resonant voice. Meanwhile, the song arrangements of Owen Bradley of Decca Records directed Lynn’s musical talents to a broad audience. He combined the edgier sound of honky-tonk instrumentation – electric guitars, pedal steels and fiddles – with the polish of the Nashville sound by including the smooth sounding vocal harmonies of the vocal quartet the <a href="http://www.jordanaires.net/">Jordanaires</a>, as heard in numerous country, gospel and rock ‘n’ roll recordings. This provided a sound of strength and conviction to accompany Lynn’s bold and forthright songs as she laid bare the double standards of gender roles. With her assertive and resonant voice, Lynn, in her 1966 track “<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/loretta-lynn-best-lyrics-songwriting-175002/">Don’t Come Home A Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)</a>,” warns men not to expect women to be waiting at home, sexually available for them after they’d spent the night drinking: <blockquote> Well, you thought I’d be waitin’ up when you came home last night You’d been out with all the boys and you ended up half tight Liquor and love, they just don’t mix Leave that bottle or me behind And don’t come home a drinkin’ with lovin’ on your mind </blockquote> In a similar vein, Lynn, who <a href="https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/loretta-lynn/coal-miners-daughter/9781538701690/">claimed that her songs about wayward husbands</a> were inspired by her fraught marriage to Oliver “Doolittle” Lynn, confronted the “other woman” in songs such as 1966’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough” and 1968’s “Fist City.” <h2>A lasting legacy</h2> Fully aware that her personalized accounts became political messages for her fan base of women, Lynn co-wrote and recorded “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/10/04/loretta-lynn-the-pill/">The Pill</a>” in 1975. It was a rare foray into the topic of women’s reproductive rights for country music. In typical fashion, though, Lynn approached the issue from the perspective of a rural working-class woman: <blockquote> I’m tired of all your crowin’ How you and your hens play While holdin’ a couple in my arms Another’s on the way This chicken’s done tore up her nest And I’m ready to make a deal And ya can’t afford to turn it down ‘Cause you know I’ve got the pill </blockquote> The song’s sexual innuendos about cavorting roosters and hens incorporated the double entendres and humor of early blues and country, while providing a frank discussion about female sexual pleasure. It also addressed the right for women to take control over their bodies and reproduction. The song came out just two years after <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/410/113/">the Supreme Court passed Roe v. Wade</a>, granting women the ability to govern their own reproductive health through abortion. Indeed, Lynn commented on the Supreme Court’s ruling in her autobiography “Personally, I think you should prevent unwanted pregnancy rather than get an abortion. It would be wrong for me. But I’m thinking of all the poor girls who get pregnant when they don’t want to be, and how they should have a choice instead of leaving it up to some politician or doctor who don’t have to raise the baby.” Her recording “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/10/04/loretta-lynn-the-pill/">The Pill</a>” spoke to married women who wanted to be able to space out their children and prevent unwanted pregnancies so that they could pursue educational and professional opportunities. In interviews, Lynn discussed at length how female listeners flocked to her after concerts, relieved to find a public figure with whom they felt comfortable to discuss birth control. Not everyone was thrilled, though. Male country <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/after-country-stations-banned-loretta-lynns-the-pill-it-became-her-biggest-pop-hit">disc jockeys banned</a> “The Pill” from the airwaves. Nonetheless, the recording became her biggest seller in 1975 and furthered Lynn’s reputation as a spokeswoman for white rural working-class women. Her music also inspired the women in country music who followed her to further explore issues of gender roles. Lynn’s legacy lives on in the music of female country artists – such as <a href="https://www.reba.com/">Reba McEntire</a> and <a href="https://www.mirandalambert.com/">Miranda Lambert</a> – who learned from Lynn how to create music that confronts and triumphs over the societal obstacles that women face. While all of country music will mourn the death of Lynn, it is perhaps her female fans who will feel the loss more acutely. Lynn gave them a social and political voice, and helped make country music a genre relevant to the complexities of women’s lives. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/loretta-lynn-was-more-than-a-great-songwriter-she-was-a-spokeswoman-for-white-rural-working-class-women-191932" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

Bacon and egg tarts

Ready to eat in half an hour, this delicious recipe for bacon and egg tarts is the perfect with morning or afternoon tea will become a family favourite! Serves: 8 Ingredients: <ul> <li>8 rashers bacon</li> <li>4 eggs</li> <li>20g butter</li> <li>1 onion, finely chopped</li> <li>½ cup cream</li> <li>Salt and pepper</li> <li>2 sheets puff pastry</li> <li>100g mozzarella cheese, cubed</li> </ul> To serve <ul> <li>Tomato relish</li> <li>Rocket salad</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Pre-heat oven to 210°C.</li> <li>Trim the bacon of rind and cut each rasher into two pieces.</li> <li>Melt butter in a small pan and sauté the onion over a medium heat for three minutes. Remove and cool.</li> <li>Break the eggs into a small bowl and add the cream. Using a fork to gently blend together but do not beat. Season with salt and pepper.</li> <li>Cut each sheet of puff pastry into four equal squares and place into greased muffin pans.</li> <li>Arrange the two pieces of bacon in each pastry case, place a few squares of mozzarella into pastry case. Pour the egg mixture slowly into each pastry case.</li> <li>Bake the tarts in the pre-heated oven and bake for 12 - 15 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden. Allow to cool for five minutes in the tin prior to removing tarts.</li> <li>Serve hot with tomato relish and fresh garden salad leaves.</li> </ol> Image: Getty

Food & Wine

How whiteness was invented and fashioned in Britain’s colonial age of expansion

Fashion <a href="https://www.routledge.com/The-Force-of-Fashion-in-Politics-and-Society-Global-Perspectives-from-Early/Lemire/p/book/9781138274228">is political — today as in the past</a>. As Britain’s Empire dramatically expanded, people of all ranks lived with clothing and everyday objects in startlingly different ways than generations before. The years between 1660 and 1820 saw the expansion of the British empire and commercial capitalism. The <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/ca/cotton-9781845202996">social politics of Britain’s cotton trade</a> mirrored profound global transformations bound up with technological and industrial revolutions, social modernization, colonialism and slavery. As history educators and researchers Abdul Mohamud and Robin Whitburn note, the British “<a href="https://www.bl.uk/restoration-18th-century-literature/articles/britains-involvement-with-new-world-slavery-and-the-transatlantic-slave-trade">monarchy started the large-scale involvement of the English in the slave trade</a>” after 1660. Vast <a href="https://www.routledge.com/The-British-Cotton-Trade-1660-1815-Vol-2/Lemire/p/book/9781138757943">profits poured in from areas of plantation slavery</a>, particularly from the Caribbean. The mass enslavement of Africans was at the heart of this brutal system, with laws and policing enforcing Black subjugation <a href="https://schoolshistory.org.uk/topics/british-empire/economic-consequences-of-empire/slave-resistance/">in the face of repeated resistance from enslaved</a> people. Western fashion reflected the racialized politics that infused this period. Indian cottons and European linens <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/global-trade-and-the-transformation-of-consumer-cultures/A7517EB8FB5003114662BA428501AB79">were now traded in ever-rising volumes</a>, feeding the vogue for lighter and potentially whiter textiles, ever more in demand. My scholarship explores dimensions of whiteness through material histories — how whiteness was fashioned in labour structures, routines, esthetics and everyday practices. <h2>Whiteness on many scales</h2> Enslaved men and women were never given white clothes, unless as part of livery (servants’ uniforms, which were sometimes very luxurious). Wearing white textiles became a marker of status in urban centres, in colonizing nations and in colonies. Textile whiteness was a transient state demanding constant renewal, shaping ecologies of style. The resulting Black/white dichotomy hardened as profits from enslavement soared, with a striking impact on culture. Whiteness in clothing, decor and fashion was amplified, becoming a marker of status. Elaborate washing techniques were used to achieve material goals. British sociologist Vron Ware emphasizes “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1215/9780822381044-009">the importance of thinking about whiteness on many different scales</a>,” including “as an interconnected global system, having different inflections and implications depending on where and when it has been produced.” Accordingly, fabrics, laundry and fashion were entangled in imperial aims. <h2>Pristine whiteness in garments</h2> Laundering was codified in household manuals from the late 1660s, a chore overseen by housewives and housekeepers. Women with fewer options sweated over washtubs, engaged in ubiquitous labour with the aim of pristine whiteness. In colonial and plantation regions, where lightweight fabrics were key, Black enslaved women were tasked with this never-ending drudgery. Only a few profited personally from their fashioning skills. This workforce was vast. Yet few museums have invited visitors to consider the processes of soaking, bleaching, washing, blueing, starching and ironing required by historic garments. A recent exhibit at <a href="https://agnes.queensu.ca/connect/about-agnes/#about-agnes">Agnes Etherington Art Centre</a> at Queen’s University <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bDY3oy0tbA">curated by Jason Cyrus, a researcher who analyzes fashion and textile history</a>, examined <a href="https://agnes.queensu.ca/digital-agnes/video/black-bodies-white-gold-unpacking-slavery-and-north-american-cotton-production">slavery and North American cotton production</a>. <h2>Laundry labour of enslaved women</h2> The skilled labour of enslaved women was a core component of every plantation and an essential colonial urban trade, given the resident population and many thousands of seafarers and sojourners arriving annually in the Caribbean — all wanting clothes refreshed. Ports throughout the Atlantic were stocked with wash tubs and women labouring over them. Orderly material whiteness was the aim. Mary Prince recorded her thoughts about a demanding mistress in Antigua, who gave the enslaved Prince weekly “<a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5149/9781469633299_prince">two bundles of clothes, as much as a boy could help me lift; but I could give no satisfaction</a>.” Prince only earned money laundering for ships’ captains during her “owners’” absence. Within port cities, including the Caribbean and imperial centres, this trade allowed some enslaved women mobility and sometimes self-emancipation. But fashioning whiteness was a fraught process, with many historical threads. <h2>Colour scrubbed from recovered statues</h2> From the 1750s, European fashion and artistic style was increasingly inspired by perceptions of the classical past. Countless portraits were painted of wealthy people as Greek gods, the classical past becoming, as cultural theorist Stuart Hall observed, a “myth reservoir.” These became sources <a href="https://doi.org/10.1515/9781478021223-023">for imagining Europe’s origins</a> and destiny. European scholars and the educated public viewed this cultural lineage as white. <a href="https://www.rom.on.ca/en/exhibitions-galleries/exhibitions/kore-670">Remnants of polychrome colouring was scrubbed</a> from recovered <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-vibrant-long-overlooked-colors-of-classical-sculptures-180980321/">Greek sculptures</a>. This supposed heritage of a white classical past defined <a href="https://mymodernmet.com/what-is-neoclassicism/">what became known as neoclassical</a> styles further expanding the craze for light, white gowns, a political fashion needing endless care. In this era, “the term classical was not neutral,” as art historian Charmaine Nelson explains, “<a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/42631206">but a racialized term</a> …” Nelson states that the category “classical” also defined the marginalization of Blackness as its antithesis. Today, some scholars are wrestling <a href="https://www.famsf.org/about/publications/gods-color-polychromy-ancient-world">with the legacy of racism built into classical studies</a>. <h2>Racialized masquerade</h2> Neoclassical gowns reflected this zeitgeist, as ladies disported themselves as Greek goddesses. Ladies’ magazines urged readers to play-act as deities. Simple socializing en vogue would not suffice. Fashion required a wider stage. Masquerade balls became the venue where whiteness and empire aligned, as goddesses robed in white mingled with guests in blackface or regalia appropriated from colonized peoples. Masquerades became staple occasions, revels led by royals, nobles and those enriched through trade and slave labour. <h2>Race hierarchies enforced</h2> Seemingly banal routines (and stylish affairs) reveal cultural facets of empire where race hierarchies were reinforced. In this era, everyday dress and celebratory fashions demanded relentless attention. These routines were enmeshed with empire and race, whether in the colonial Caribbean or a London grand masquerade. The proliferation of white linens and cottons were purposefully employed to enforce hierarchies. The rise of white clothing and neoclassical style can be better understood by addressing mass enslavement as an economic, political and cultural force shaping styles, determining vogues and promoting the fashions of whiteness. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-whiteness-was-invented-and-fashioned-in-britains-colonial-age-of-expansion-175027" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

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Run out of butter or eggs? Here’s the science behind substitute ingredients

“I’m being racist to eggs”: Wellness influencer slammed for innocent comment

Breathtaking winners of the 2023 Black and White Photo Awards

How to buy the best eggs

Eggs are so expensive right now. What else can I use?

Bridgerton’s Adjoa Andoh responds to backlash for “terribly white” coronation comment

National Duck Day: Diana Chan’s Luv-a-Duck Peking Duck breast with egg noodles, five spice sauce and fresh cucumber salad

Stars lead the Met Gala carpet in stunning black and white

King Charles' signature coronation dish mercilessly mocked

Easter eggs: their evolution from chicken to chocolate

Indigenous artist seeking white Australian to donate their “future deceased body” to an art installation

Warning against latest egg-stremely restrictive diet trend

How to make the most of your hard-earned savings

Can ‘voluntourism’ outgrow the white saviour stereotype and make a positive change post-pandemic?

How to make your retirement money go the distance

You've got to be yoking! Easy boiled egg hack that actually works

Wimbledon to make key change to all-white dress code

Loretta Lynn was more than a great songwriter – she was a spokeswoman for white rural working-class women

Bacon and egg tarts

How whiteness was invented and fashioned in Britain’s colonial age of expansion

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Run out of butter or eggs? Here’s the science behind substitute ingredients

“I’m being racist to eggs”: Wellness influencer slammed for innocent comment

Breathtaking winners of the 2023 Black and White Photo Awards

How to buy the best eggs

Eggs are so expensive right now. What else can I use?

Bridgerton’s Adjoa Andoh responds to backlash for “terribly white” coronation comment

National Duck Day: Diana Chan’s Luv-a-Duck Peking Duck breast with egg noodles, five spice sauce and fresh cucumber salad

Stars lead the Met Gala carpet in stunning black and white

King Charles' signature coronation dish mercilessly mocked

Easter eggs: their evolution from chicken to chocolate

Indigenous artist seeking white Australian to donate their “future deceased body” to an art installation

Warning against latest egg-stremely restrictive diet trend

How to make the most of your hard-earned savings

Can ‘voluntourism’ outgrow the white saviour stereotype and make a positive change post-pandemic?

How to make your retirement money go the distance

You've got to be yoking! Easy boiled egg hack that actually works

Wimbledon to make key change to all-white dress code

Loretta Lynn was more than a great songwriter – she was a spokeswoman for white rural working-class women

Bacon and egg tarts

How whiteness was invented and fashioned in Britain’s colonial age of expansion

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