Usually, when socialising, I’m one of the youngest when in the company of gentlemen. This evening, though, I was the eldest. But, I should say, only by a couple and a bit years.
I’d not seen Bobby in years, or Mick in months. So the time passed pretty quickly.
And nice food interfered with the pace of conversation.
Too much catching up in just a few hours.
I did decide on that second pint of Angara. It’s pretty addictive. Just looking at the menu. It’s a pretty small menu, but my second in command always tells me that small menus are better. You’re less likely to be served with freezer food.
Anyway, there are five veggie meals, two of which are labelled as vegan. That’s impressive, particulsarly since the other three look as though they could easily be veganised. And, worthy of mention since this, remember, is the northeast.
The Central’s a chain pub, belonging to the Head of Steam brand, now owned by Cameron’s. Hopefully, the other HoS pubs will have the same veggie-ness of menus.
I can’t stay today to try the food, since I have a family thing this afternoon. But, I shall soon return. Might have another pint of Angara before I leave though.
A text from my youngest daughter. And he was. I’d imagine he was staying round the corner, after playing at the Tuns last night. It was a good night too, although this was the first pie festival at the Tuns where I was unable to partake of pie-ness. There was one potentially vegan pie, but I didn’t want to chance it. They had plenty of vegetarian pies though, pretty impressive for Gateshead. Anyway, Mr Tudor Pole was very good last night; and a true gentleman.
All I want is black bean soup, and you to serve it to me. I recall an episode of Starsky & Hutch, from around 1975 or ’76, which involved black bean soup. And a little song about soup. Now, I know that I should feel a modicum of shame, but I was an impressionable child. And, of course, I was only two or three at the time.
Anyway, when in Liverpool a few weeks ago, we bought some cartons of black bean soup from a most unusual shop. When sober, the soup didn’t seem very appealing, so it’d remained in a cupboard following our return home. However, after a long day in London, I decided to try some.
I used to own a couple of Kirkland signature shirts. I say used to because they perished during a wash with my second in command’s chef whites. I’ve since bought another, but don’t often wear it because it’s not as non-iron as I’d believed. It’s quite nice though.
I mention the shirts because, as I opened a carton of soup, I noticed that it too was branded Kirkland signature. I compared the carton with the label in my shirt and they were identical. It seemed unusual at first that a manufacturer would produce both shirts and soup, but, in my experience, the two do often go together.
The soup was actually ok. The heap of pepper I’d added seemed to help.
I have a great fondness for samosas. They’re so simple, but delicious. They’re currently featuring on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen Live, including making the pastry from scratch.
However, I’m somewhat concerned by the statement It’s a traditional vegetarian recipe, but I’m using lamb.
I’m currently sitting in my most favourite pub in Peterborough. With a delicious pint of Sam Smith’s extra stout. We’re going to our favourite curry house next.
Food’s needed more thought since I started the vegan thing. But Manchester and Liverpool made life pretty easy. The Thirsty Scholar, on Oxford Road, near the O2 Academy is a great bar, with a brilliant vegan menu.
It’s brilliant because it’s all vegan. There’re veggie options, but the main offerings are vegan. It’s pub food, but like the chef (a great bloke called Andy) says it’s not healthy, but it’s not as unhealthy.
The food was really nice though.
Andy (I hope that’s his name) told us about a place in Liverpool, the Egg Cafe, for which I’ll be eternally grateful. It’s a lovely place with gorgeous food.
It’s great to know I’ve a couple of cool places to eat in a couple of my favourite cities.
We’re currently in the Castle, on Oldham Road, Manchester. It’s a rather beautiful old pub with a free jukebox.
I’m drinking Brooklyn lager, but last time I was here I had a bottle of Elbow beer. The old build a rocket boys variety.
And, speaking of Elbow, yesterday we fell down a hole in the neighbourhood of Oxford Road.
The Temple, followed by Big Hands.
And then Elbow at the Apollo. Which a pretty amazing gig, with lots of old stuff and a move away from a one day like this finale.
Biscuits or whiskey? If I had to choose, I’d opt for the biscuits. Unless I could have both, of course.
My mother bought me a tin. A bottle of JD wouldn’t quite fit, so I filled it with biscuits.
Strangely, though, there is a link between biscuits and whiskey.
Or whisky. But that’s ok because America doesn’t understand the difference either. Maybe even the UK too.
I’m currently watching the Elvis ’68 comeback special on Channel 5. If you disregard the stuff from the early days it’s actually rather good.
It reminds me of the Eels gig in Liverpool, a few years ago, where the band wore the same red suits as the band at the Elvis ’68 night.
Earlier this evening, I encountered something pretty disturbing by the castle in town.
I can’t help but wonder how many poor creatures contributed to this meal.
This weekend, I’ve had a burst of bathroom related energy. While it may not appear so, progress has been made.
And, somehow, I managed to break another pair of glasses. I now have two pairs held together with superglue while awaiting new glasses.
I’m only recently returned home, following an unplanned meal in Low Fell. It’s cold outside and the frost is creeping in.
The meal was excellent though, worthy of a huge tip. Afterwards, I enjoyed a pint of Old Rosey in the Aletaster.
