My New Year’s Smorgasbord
Labubu, six-seven and everything else I’ve learnt in 2025
I’ve been trying to make sense of the year just gone, which feels important now that we’re supposed to be moving past it into something new.
A few things I’ve learnt…
1. AI companies are now teaming up to build enough computing power to slowly take over the world.
2. That a bug-eyed toy from China called Labubu became so collectable that some figures sold for thousands (we’ve all lost the plot?).
3. That my children won’t stop yelling “six seven” at me, a phrase that started at a basketball game and somehow became the year’s most inexplicable meme. I have no idea what it means and they can’t explain it either.
4. That the political ground shifted under our feet and we’re all pretending we know what comes next when nobody actually does.
Some of these things matter. Some are just noise. Most of us can’t tell which is which anymore, which might be the most worrying part.
The general advice for coping - eat better, exercise more, be mindful - feel like just another thing to fail at.
So what actually makes sense to cook right now?
My colleague Christina told me it’s traditional in Cyprus to eat plain kohlrabi with lemon and salt to start meals. Something to cleanse the palate before everything else arrives. Maybe that’s what we need - a palate cleanser for the year ahead.
So, for my New Year’s spread, a big smorgasbord of colour and crunch. Raw vegetables, creamy dips, something to lighten the load before the year really begins. People relax when they can pick at things, build their own plates, take what they need.
I’ve been working on two dips for this. One is black bean, beetroot, and walnut - earthy and substantial. The other is bright green and herby, served with a sharp carrot pickle on the side. There’s also a pickleback using the leftover brine - something to wake up your palate after too many days of cheese and gravy.
To make your board as beautiful as possible, there are two things to consider. First, how you cut your vegetables - long thick batons rather than thin sticks, uneven lengths, some radish tops left attached. Second, how you serve your dips - on lipped plates rather than in bowls, smooshed across to create a well for the oil and toppings you’ll drizzle over. (I’ll refer you back to my salad series for details!).
Serve your board with a variety of veg - we’ve used cucumbers, carrots, endive, radishes and kohlrabi.
I don’t have a neat answer about what 2025 taught us or what 2026 should be. Just this: sometimes the most honest response to a difficult year is to stop trying so hard and reach for something simple. A reason to gather around a table instead of retreating from it.
Happy 2025 to you all!
Cashew dip with spiced carrot and apricot pickle
A pickleback is a shot of whiskey, followed by a shot of pickle brine, and it is a delight for pickle lovers. This spiced apricot and carrot brine turns into a kombucha-like drink that is perfect for a New Years Eve pickleback. It can be eaten (and drunk) straight away but is even better once it’s had a week for the flavours to merge into the brine. You’ll need a glass jar or heatproof container that holds about 1 litre. If you don’t have a powerful blender, soak the cashews in boiling water for an hour to help soften them and drain before use.
Beetroot and black bean dip with walnuts and dill
This dip brings together beetroot, walnuts, and dill in the best way, believe me. Ready in just about ten minutes - it’s an easy win. Use shop-bought cooked beetroot or roast your own, but choose the kind not swimming in vinegar, just in its own juices. Serve with crackers, crudités, or warm pitta for scooping.
