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Hello, 2012!

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 16:47:37 -0500

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…

Psycho Juice - Red Savina

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:08:00 -0400

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.

At Seasons End

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 08:06:03 -0400

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.

Video

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:29:37 -0400

Dr Marten's

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 06:20:00 -0400

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...

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 07:18:47 -0400

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.

Kindle - Again!

Sun, 04 Sep 2011 16:27:00 -0400

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.

I know I’m a bit late to the game on this one, but the...

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 10:56:00 -0400

I know I’m a bit late to the game on this one, but the more I see of him the more the more I like him. And I sure hope His Beardiness is right on the Giants v. Red Sox World Series call.

On Pious Fish

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 06:44:00 -0400

I was watching the Red Sox v Indians game when something rather extraordinary happened… Asdrubal hit his second homer of the game, but it wasn’t exactly clear what had happened for a few minutes.

As spectacular as the play was, and as tense as the few minutes before it was called were, something else stood out. As the home run is declared one of the commentators exclaims, very clearly, “HOLY MACKEREL!”.

This led me on a little Google adventure, which amongst other things revealed to me that…

“The Sacred Cod of Massachusetts, also known simply as the Sacred Cod, is a carving of a codfish that hangs in the House of Representatives chamber of the Massachusetts State House in Boston, Massachusetts. The Sacred Cod measures 4 feet 11 inches (1.50 m) long, is carved out of a solid piece of pine,^[1] and symbolizes the importance of the fishing industry to Massachusetts.^[2] There have been a total of three Sacred Cods, the latest of which was carved in 1784 and presented to the House later that year by the Boston merchant John Rowe.

America is weird.

Trashy Blonde

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 04:55:00 -0400

Time for a review of another Brew Dog number, and - for the first time - it’s a negative review.

The first sip started off promising, with a hint of citrus and sweetness, but from there on in it all started to go downhill. A strong, overly bitter, aftertaste which gave way to metallic notes followed the initial promise, inducing a bit of a shiver and a grimace.

Equally, the level of carbonation was pleasing at first but became irritating a ‘tickly’ as the beer went on.

Compared to 5am Saint and Punk IPA this beer is severely lacking.

And the bottle, as with all other Brew Dog bottles, has the pretentious - if tongue in cheek - branding that is equal parts irritating and embarrassing. Normally, the quality of the beer eclipses this minor irritation, but with Trashy Blonde it just adds to my sense of distaste.

If bitter, metallic, hop-driven beer is for you then give this a go. If not, avoid it, because it’s not a nice one.

Brian Wilson, the greatest beard in the entire sports world?

Sun, 17 Jul 2011 11:38:43 -0400

Brian Wilson, the greatest beard in the entire sports world?

Hot, Hot, Hot!

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 05:13:00 -0400

A few days ago I ventured into Mr Burnorium’s Hot Sauce Emporium in St. Nicholas market, Bristol. This was most bizarre as my last memory as a teenager involves tears and sweat as the result of some very ill advised - and since regretted - hot sauce sauce eating.

None-the-less something caused me to buy a product named Satan’s Nuts…

… And by ‘eck, they weren’t half hot! Tasty too, there’s a nice - almost fruity - taste going on beneath the heat that makes them a compelling snack. From what I can tell (by astutely reading the packaging) they’re coated with flavouring derived from the Naga Chilli, also known as the Bhut Jolokia and at one time recognised as the hottest chill in the world - a title which now belongs to the Ghost Pepper.

Then, after sweating my way through the entire pack in a rather short period of time, I became curious as to why we enjoy the effects of, what is essentially, a defence system employed by these fruits that aims to put potential predators (if I can apply that word in this context) off.

A bit of googling, then, revealed the following article - Why do we eat Chilli? - which, surprisingly, answered my questions in an interesting, if not surprising, manner…

“Perhaps we seek out the painful experience of snacking on chillies while consciously maintaining awareness that there is no real danger to ourselves. After all, people seem to enjoy – and actively seek out – many other sensations that are otherwise undesirable but are ostensibly safe: the sensation of falling provided by rollercoasters or skydiving, the feelings of fear and anxiety while watching horror movies, the physical pain experienced upon jumping into icy water, or even the feelings of sadness that come while watching a tear-jerker. Perhaps it is this cognitive mismatch itself that provides the thrill: like strapping into a rollercoaster or popping Hostel into your DVD player over and over again, the burn of capsaicin only seems to be threatening.”

… maybe that’s it, but as a risk averse individual, I find it difficult to believe. Surely, there’s something else going on?

Kindle!

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:27:00 -0400

After umming and arring for months - and after coming into a bit of cash - I broke down and purchased a Kindle. Now, there’s little more I can add to the plethora of existing reviews but I’ve been so taken by the device I thought I should share some of my opinions.

Firstly, I’d like to share a few words behind my rationale for buying a dedicated e-reader. It seems like one of many tablet PCs may have fulfilled the tasks I wanted a Kindle for, with a great deal of functionality besides. And whilst it’s an argument I’ve heard frequently it’s not one that’s ever persuaded me.

In a world of consolidation I remain a strong believer in having one dedicated device per task. I have a phone for making calls and sending text messages, a camera for taking pictures, a netbook for my mobile internet needs, and now a dedicated e-reader. I could probably lighten my load by investing in a ‘good’ smart phone, but for me (whether a rational idea or not) those devices which do everything seem to lack all the refinement of those which perform one task well.

As such the Kindle seemed the best device for e-reading, for carrying around a plethora of books in a small package and for reading academic journal articles - which will become more and more a feature of my life over the next year - on. After all, that’s what it was designed for.

Secondly, then, is my opinion of the device. For those tasks discussed above, this is an amazing device. The screen is clear and crisp, the device light and easy to hold. I’ve spent all day sat reading Isaac Asimov’s “Prelude to Foundation” and there’s no sign of eye-strain. Equally, I’ve found myself less distractable than I am when I’ve got a book in my hand - perhaps a sad sign of the fact I feel more at home with bits and bytes than ink and paper…

None-the-less I’d heartily recommend one to those who are thinking about getting, and look forward to reading more and more.

Trojan Originals

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:11:52 -0400

So, I said I’d do a little post on the Trojan Skinheads box-set some time this week, but I decided against that. Whilst it’s a good album there’s not a great deal to say about it, other than the fact that most song titles include the word ‘Skinhead’.

Instead, I decided to write about the ‘Originals’ box-set, which quite nicely (and here comes the link) contains Symarip’s Skinhead Moonstop which I posted earlier in the week.

As with most Trojan box-sets this a 50 track number. It features some of the greatest songs ever released on the Trojan label and is a great introduction to Reggae and Ska.

If one has - or hasn’t - listened to the Rocksteady box-set I discussed earlier it’s a great way to get a foothold on this style of music. My favourite tracks include the aforementioned Skinhead Moonstomp and Eddie Lovette’s Too Experienced.

For now, however, I have little more to say. Have a look, check it out, and I might talk about something else later… I need to move away from Music and Baseball…

Cleveland Indians’ Asdrúbal Cabrera makes a pretty awesome...

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:16:11 -0400

Cleveland Indians’ Asdrúbal Cabrera makes a pretty awesome play. As impressive as a storming home run and, in my eyes, what Baseball is all about.

Symarip - Skinhead Moonstomp Another absolute classic, in a...

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 11:20:09 -0400

Symarip - Skinhead Moonstomp

Another absolute classic, in a different vein to Jimmy Cliff’s “The Harder They Come”, and one of my favourite tracks from the Trojan Skinhead box set. I was planning to post a little ‘review’ of that, as I did with the Rock Steady one, this weekend but I’ve been rather busy all week. Should have it done some time next week, in the mean time, enjoy this and the break from the rain we seem to be having.

5AM Saint

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 11:32:00 -0400

I stumbled across quite a bargain last week; bottles of BrewDog’s 5AM Saint for 98p in Sainsburys. And thus, I felt I should do something I’m quite comfortable with, and review this rather tasty drink.

Well, what can I say? It’s a pretty tasty Amber Ale, though is surprisingly dark when poured. It leaves a lovely white head and smells of malt and honey. Taste wise, it’s quite malty with a strong citrusy after-taste, which must be the hops coming into play.

It’s got a rather earthy feel to it, even with the sweet and citrusy notes that shine through. All in all it’s a nice beer; the only way for Brew Dog to improve it would be to sell it in larger bottles!

Whilst it’s no longer on offer, it’s still a reasonably priced beer, at around £1.50. If you stumble across it, give it a go!

Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come Another classic for a lazy...

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 08:57:00 -0400

Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come

Another classic for a lazy Sunday afternoon. If only the weather was a touch brighter things would be pretty perfect.

An interesting little fact is that Jimmy Cliff is the only living musician to hold The Order of Merit, which is “part of the Jamaican honours system and is the third highest honour conferred by the nation of Jamaica. The Order of Merit is conferred upon Jamaicans or on distinguished citizen of another country who has achieved eminent international distinction in the field of science, arts, literature or any other endeavour.” (Thankyou, Wikipedia)

Let's Do Rock Steady

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 07:50:00 -0400

A little while back I started a love affair with ska and reggae music. Since then I’ve had an interesting journey, discovering new artists, sub-genres, and some tunes I’m surprised I hadn’t heard before.

Rather than explaining this all to you - however - I think it would be best if I took a small look at one of my favourite albums…

It should come as no surprise, to those of you with an ounce of knowledge about reggae, that I’ve chosen something produced by Trojan Records; they are, after all, the Granddaddy of all things good.

It’s probably useful to provide a quick overview of Rocksteady for the uninitiated before I continue.

Rocksteady is a distinct musical style, a successor to ska and a precursor to reggae, and has hints of both genres. Its name comes from a type of dance mentioned in Alton Ellis’s “Rock Steady”, which is - some what surprisingly - missing from this particular volume.

As a genre it’s generally a lot slower than ska, and makes a great soundtrack to a lazy afternoon.

This is a 3 disk box set, with 50 tracks all in all, and is one well worth searching out. There’s a few gems here,with Soul Tops’ “Rain and Thunder” and Keith Thompson’s “The Way I Feel” being particular favourites of mine.

If you’re going to start a reggae adventure, this might seem an odd place to start, but it gives you a feel for the genre’s origins and is - in that respect - invaluable. I recommend you give it a go.

Right down Broadway!

Sat, 28 May 2011 09:59:00 -0400

Something has happened to me, lately. And it is something that will surprise those of you who know me…

Having always poured scorn upon those who blow the act of moving one of a variety of balls around a variety of playing areas, or into a variety of receptacles, I seem to have become enamoured with a sport.

Baseball, America’s Favourite Pass Time, call it what you will. A couple of months ago I was sat at home with nothing to do, and after a bit of channel hopping I stumbled across a baseball match. Now, the video posted above is pretty much everything I love about the sport. A good, skill-full, defensive play.

The importance of a double play becomes apparent when you understand how the game works. Rather than being time limited, or limited by the number of pitches, a game consists of 9 innings, each inning being completed when three batsmen are out. A double play, then, gets 2 batsmen out without them scoring any runs, making the inning much easier for the defensive team.

And where as a lot of sport is fast, and seemingly hyper-competitive, baseball seems to take a more leisurely pace and the skill of players can be admired, rather than envied.

There’s not much more to say at the moment, save to note that this is likely to be the first of many baseball related posts, if my minor obsession continues unchecked.