Italy is bracing for an invasion of caramel frappuccinos, skinny soy mochas and cinnamon dolce lattes amid reports that Starbucks is to open its first outlets in Milan.

Since her early teens, Hannah Betts drank - to party, to console herself, to get through the day. Here, one year sober, she recounts her battle with the bottle.

One of my favourite desserts is a sort of Eton mess where you bash up some meringues and sprinkle them over icecream and strawberries or fresh fruit.

The menu is the sort that makes you want to return again and again, just so that you can try everything.

Three major companies work on reducing salt and sugar and increasing fibre to gain better ratings.

Millions of older parents lapse into an unhealthy lifestyle after their children leave home - because they don't have to set an example any more.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, so they say. But what about when life gives you 100ha fires? ''Fire pies,'' rural firefighter Will McBeth said. After a hard morning turning over a scorched hillside near Dunback with shovels and a digger, the firefighters of the Glenorchy Volunteer Rural Fire Force tucked into a pastry-lined lunch cooked in the hot earth. Source: ODT

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, so they say. But what about when life gives you 100ha fires?

Late-night Maccas runs and kebab stops prove too tempting for some, claims survey.

Find all your favourite bits from today's Bite magazine online.

Sid Sahrawat's modern Indian restaurant, Cassia, in Auckland's Fort Lane, draws on his cultural heritage growing up in India, as well as his flair for flavour and passion for New Zealand products.

One mouthful is all it took and the Marlborough sauvignon blanc legend was born. By Joelle Thomson.

For 100 years, the Babich family have stayed true to the ideals of their patriarch.

Portion creep is partly driven by marketing: we perceive a larger serve to be better value.

The second season of My Kitchen Rules New Zealand debuts tomorrow night. Living talked to two Group One teams.

Don't leave them just for dessert time. With their luscious, saucy, high-impact flavours and lighter levels of alcohol, sweet wines can be embraced any time of day.

Fresh blue cod, not often seen in Auckland, is the star at a new Federal St venue.

These instant noodles at least beat others on the health front.

Scientists have developed a natural dip that can extend the life of the banana by up to two days - doubling their shelf life.

Bluebells has become famous after opening its first sweet cakery in Hillsborough three years ago. This sister store is roomier and offers a wider variety of sweet and savoury treats.

Exploring the world around us through science can be fun, says Dr Michelle Dickinson. She uses food to explain the complexities of taste and smell.

Why are there days when you just can't stop eating?

Researchers have found you can eat the same calories as someone did 35 years ago and get the same level of exercise, but you will still weigh more.

The perfect spot to catch the rugby on one those big screens.

Videos of tiny food tutorials, often featuring tiny animals, are taking over YouTube. Here we've handpicked five of our favourites for your Thursday afternoon.

An East Auckland cafe owner is so confident the All Blacks will win the Rugby World Cup that he's willing to bet your breakfast on it.