Sam Walton

I felt that I should update this blog, as it’s been nearly two months since I’ve contributed anything and new years day is as good a time as any to do so.

I’ve been quiet for a number of reasons; firstly, all of my blogging energy has been put into Crisp Review, with moderate success (Walkers are sending me free crisps!); and secondly I’ve been pumping a lot of energy into my University work, and my Dissertation in particular. I decided that it was better to say nothing, than say something completely banal, and this silence may continue as the demands of my dissertation seem to be increasing exponentially. That said, I may have some musings on booze and food coming shortly, inspired by the Christmas season…

Having apologies for my silence - ostensibly an apology to my imagined readers, but mainly justification to myself - I wanted to extend a word of thanks to all the people who made last year so enjoyable. Don’t worry, I’m not going to descend into a self indulgent nostalgia trip, I just wanted to say it.

Since last time I posted I’ve had a fair few new hot sauces, of which the most notable is Marie Sharp’s Belizean heat, and acquired a new pair of Doc Martens (I know, I know, I swore off them but they were a gift!), but little more of note (that I want to share) has occurred.

There remains little more to say, then, than to wish you all a happy new year, and leave you with this…

Some of you may remember my post re: spicy cashew nuts and why we eat chilli. Some of you may not, so here’s a link. It seems, since writing that article - and thanks to a couple of friends - I’ve been well and truly bitten by the chilli bug.

I’ve tried a number of sauces, and spicy snacks, and thought I’d share my thoughts on one particularly delicious sauce with you…

Where should I start with this one, then? It’s produced for Dr Burnorium’s Hot Sauce Emporium which is a fantastic little shop in Bristol. The people there really know their sauces so when I saw this bottle, I knew I’d be in for a treat. It’s also a very reasonable price for the quality of the product you get.

I should say that the Red Savina is a specially bred Habanero pepper, which is hotter, heavier, and larger than a regular Habanero.

The ingredients are as natural as they come - 70% Red Savina Habanero, Water, Carrot, Onion, Cane Vinegar, Garlic, Salt, Lemon Juice - and the peppers really shine through. The sauce is thick, laden with seeds, and a nice strong red colour. The heat slowly builds after eating and gets quite intense, and very moreish. And whilst pretty darned hot, the sweet fruitiness of the pepper is evident, and complemented very nicely by the Garlic and Carrot.

It seems to go deliciously with everything; on chips, on pizza, in stews, in soups, in sandwiches… The list goes on and on.

If you’re into hot sauces, I’d highly recommend giving this a go. But if you’ve not ventured down this road before, it might be a little too hot to start with… so dive in, and try not to melt your face.

Well, the MLB season has come to an end, and the post season is under-way. And what a year it’s been. As I’ve said before, I’ve never been a sports fan but I’ve really gotten into Baseball, and I’ve really enjoyed the season.

It’s time to nail my colours to the mast for the Red Sox, having followed them for the majority of the year. They’ve had one hell of a season, with ups and downs, and unfortunately haven’t made the playoffs. It was quite sad to watch their September collapse, falling from the top of the AL Easter Division to 3rd place in spectacular fashion.

I’ve not got any great insights on the topic, which has been covered everywhere - including The Washington Post and Yahoo Sports - but I couldn’t talk about the end of the season without mentioning it.

Maybe next year, hey?

What else has happened? The Sox’s manager, Terry Francona who led them to their first World Series victory since 1918, has left after 7 years with the team. Whilst I’m not particularly attached to him it’s come as quite a blow for many Red Sox fans, and I’m interested to see what a change of manager will do for the team next season.

Despite not making the post season, then, it seems like I picked a good year to start watching, because I’ve experienced the highs and lows, and will better appreciate the changes next year.

And whilst I’ve no idea how transfers work, it’d be a dream come true if we could pick up Brian Wilson.

I’m looking forward to watching the post season matches. Seeing MLB’s best teams going head to head for the World Series title is bound to be dramatic. I just need to pick a team to root for, because all I’ve got to go on at the moment is the irrational desire that The Yankee’s don’t win it.

For those who fancy watching a bit of baseball, these resources will help a lot in understanding what’s going on. Go on, give it a go, I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Worn by British Postal Workers, Police, and factory workers, these boots gained a reputation as a hard wearing, multi-purpose, work boot. They maintain this reputation today, and are expected to last years.

Almost everyone has a tale of 10 or 20 year old boots, people wear boots owned by their parents, or older siblings, with pride knowing full well that they’ll get at least another couple of years wear. Some even belive that the boots are sold with a lifetime guarantee.

They’ve become something of a cult shoe, and the DM website states that…

“Once the genie had been let out of the bottle back in the 1960s, the vapours of Dr. Martens’ rebellious spirit could not be contained and the boot seeped into every corner and crevice of youth culture. Consequently, the subcultures who have championed Dr. Martens reads like a Who’s Who’ of youth culture: skins, punks, two tone, Oi!, hardcore, psychobilly, goth, industrial, grebo, grunge, Britpop, emo … the list goes on.” (http://www.dmusastore.com/t-history.aspx)

… and, despite the fatuous way that this is presented on their website, it’s true. I bet anyone who sees one knows what they are.

Dr Martens boots, essentially, have become a symbol of British manufacturing and quality. They trade on this assumption.

Unfortunately, my experience doesn’t hold up and has shattered the myth, for me, at least. I bought a pair of boots in January this year, and by July the soles had worn down to the air pocket, and had split from the upper on one boot. Since then, I’ve become aware that my experience isn’t a one off. I’ve spoken to people who’s stitching has come undone in 3 months, and who’s leather has split in less than a year.

And the cost, bloody hell, for a boot that retails at £65 upwards, you’d expect at least a years worth of wear.

Some claim that the fall in quality is due to the fact they’re now produced in China or Thailand, but I’ve got products produced in far off lands that have lasted years. The problem must be cost cutting on materials.

Sure, D.M.s remain aesthetically pleasing shoe, but their function appears to be lost. I doubt I’ll buy another pair of D.M.s ever again. And so, the hunt for a suitable replacement boot, begins.

Seasick Steve - Treasures

I’m having a real Seasick Steve binge at the moment, so thought I’d share one of my favourite tracks with you.

Well, I’ve had my Kindle for some time now so I thought I’d follow up my previous post with a more informed review.

What can I say? It’s fantastic. My initial impressions have been confounded, and I’m throughly pleased with the device. I’ve done more personal reading - that is reading which has not been dictated by  an educational agenda - since I got it than I have in the 2 years preceding. In fact I managed to read 8 books of varying lengths in a period of two weeks.

This is, however, a mixed blessing. Sure, more reading is better than less reading, but so too is more battery life better than less. Whilst I’ve heard of people getting a month between charges I’ve been fortunate to get anywhere near a fortnight this past month or so. But that’s not really a fault of the device, rather it’s my own enthusiasm for it.

If only there was some  way to harness the kinetic power put into pressing the switches to charge the device…

The no-glare claim is 100% true, as many are no doubt aware. Reading it in the bright sun abroad was no hassle, and the amount of strain on my eyes whilst reading was probably less than it would have been reading a bright white paper book.

And my favourite feature - one I had no intention of using when i got the device - has to be the ability to subscribe to magazines and newspapers. I’ve had a number of trials and subscribed to Analog - a science fiction and fact magazine, which I would heartily recommend to all and sundry. Receiving a  new copy of a magazine whilst just off the coast of Africa is wonderfully convenient.

All in all my only regret is not buying one sooner.