The Friday 5 #125
40% off flash sale, the best bargains I’ve ever found in Aldi and this month’s cookbook giveaway
I think it’s fair to say this week has not gone entirely to plan.
After two weeks off over Christmas plus an indulgent extra week’s all day après ski in the Dolomites I was raring to get started on 2025 when, sod’s law, I immediately went down with a vom bug. (Fortunately short-lived but I have dutifully spent the week making sure I don’t give it to anyone else.)
And fantasising about things I’d like to eat rather than dry toast and boiled rice. Like Nigel Slater’s divine-sounding bread pudding with ham, Comté and Taleggio, the January 15th entry in his Christmas Chronicles although you can find the recipe online if you haven’t got the book. Along with his wholemeal apple cake spiced frosting which would be perfect for a wassail. (An ancient pagan celebration in the apple orchard. Lots of them about. Look up the National Trust site.)
Anyway I finally got my arse into gear and headed down to Aldi to research a new regular feature on this ‘Stack: Off the shelf.
Like most wine writers I base most of my wine recommendations on tastings but I’ve always been conscious that’s most likely notthe experience my readers have. Plus the tasting may have happened months ago and the wines may have changed (in price and in taste).
So once a month I’ll be descending on a supermarket, picking up whatever wines seem a good buy and running them through their paces. Today it’s part of the Friday 5, in future it may have its own slot.
Yesterday I found seven wines under £5, two of which were amazing value, three a bit meh and the other two perfectly drinkable. Plus two slightly more expensive ones - still under £8 - that are well worth picking up too.
As usual with my specific recommendations these are for paid subscribers but because I’d like you to benefit from them and so as not to be too much of a tease I’m holding a flash sale this weekend which brings an annual sub down from £42 to £25.20 - just over £2 a month. So if you’ve thought of signing up it’s the ideal moment to do so.
You will also be able to go in for this month’s giveaway which is Mark Diacono’s gorgeous book, Vegetables (read his Substack too) and join my live online tasting on Sunday which is all about WHISKY in advance of Burns Night next week. (Here are some suggestions from my last Burns Night feature for the Guardian)
Oh, and one other new feature for free subscribers because, believe me, I do appreciate you being here given how much STUFF comes into all our inboxes,
In this week …
Each week I’ll unlock a previous post from this time of year from the paywall for a few days. This week it’s
The Friday 5 #85 from January 2024
In praise of duck and declassified Bordeaux, a fantastic whisky bargain and two really tasty store cupboard recipes
Anyway, onto this week’s round-up
The wines you can’t afford to miss from Aldi