Kitchen HQ: All the latest tips, tricks, and trends for foodies

As the holiday season kicks into full swing, Kitchen HQ is here with the freshest trends and clever tweaks to make your Christmas cooking – and home – shine.

Whether you’re hosting a bustling family gathering or planning a cosy, low-key celebration, these festive hacks will save you time, reduce stress, and elevate your food game.

KITCHEN HQ: All the latest tips, tricks, and trends for foodies

CHILLED MAPLE MINT TEA WITH CITRUS SLICES

A delicious afternoon refresher with flavoured ice cubes!

1. For the tea, boil 5 cups water and ½ cup maple syrup in a large saucepan, then add 2 teabags and ½ cup fresh mint.
2. Let steep for 5 mins then discard the mint and teabags. Place tea in the fridge to cool.
3. For the maple ice cubes, mix 1 cup water and 3 tbsp maple syrup in a jug water. Put a mint leaf in each square of your ice cube tray. Fill ice cube tray with maple water then freeze for at least 2 hours.
4. Serve cold iced tea with maple ice cubes. Garnish with lime and mint leaves.

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5 SMART WAYS TO USE A ZIPLOC

1. Crumb biscuits Pop some biscuits in a Ziploc bag, seal it at the top and hit with a rolling pin for fresh biscuit crumbs without the mess.
2. Ice a cake Fill your Ziploc bag with frosting, then snip off a corner and pipe it directly onto cupcakes and other baked treats.
3. Remove crayon from walls Add some ice cubes to your bag and apply it to the crayon until it hardens, then scrape it away with a plastic spatula.
4. Plant some herbs Plant and water your seedlings, them pop them in a Ziploc bag to germinate (keep it slightly open to let them breathe).
5. Clean your tap Fill your bag with equal parts vinegar and water and secure it to your tap head, then leave to soak for 30 to 60 minutes.

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STAY SMART WITH LEFTOVERS

Follow these simple rules to avoid tummy bugs these holidays!

Less than 2 hours

2 to 4 hours

You can still eat food that’s been out for this long, but anything that’s left over should be discarded.

4 hours or more

Once this point has passed, food is no longer safe to eat and you should throw it out immediately.

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TABLETOP TRADITIONS

Fruit mince pies

Now often associated with Christmas Eve, fruit mince or mincemeat pies can be traced back to the Middle Ages and were originally filled with minced meat flavoured with spices, dried fruit and other ingredients. These remained popular until the 1800s, when fruit-only fillings began to take over.

Brussels sprouts

Many festive traditions we celebrate today were popularised by the Victorians, including Brussels sprouts. Imported from Belgium, these tiny cabbages reached peak popularity in England during the late 1800s. They became a festive favourite and they’ve remained that way since.

Plum pudding

Originally a kind of porridge, Christmas pudding can be traced to the 1300s. Plum pudding as we know it was created by the Victorians, who began the tradition of adding silver coins. Modern Aussie coins aren’t safe for cooking, but pre-decimal pudding coin packs are available for this purpose.