Arts
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Painted in about 1470/75, it is in the National Gallery. One of my favourite carols: Merry Christmas! OldTrout 2018
Culture
Arts
What a Father Gives
I first began editing the tribute I gave to my Father at his funeral for sharing here in August. Unfortunately that same month we lost yet another member of the family – my Godfather. He [more…]
Arts
Postcard from the Algarve, No 4
Ms Geeks and I do love a great escape to warmer climes. The Algarve ticks all the boxes for us: lovely freshly caught seafood, friendly people, plenty of spaces to park anywhere and a population [more…]
Arts
Pistachio Ice Cream
Ingredients : 8oz (225g) unsalted, shelled pistachio nuts 1 pint (570ml) double cream 1 pint (570ml) single cream 4oz (110g) golden caster sugar 8 large egg yolks 1 1/2 tablespoons of custard powder Method [more…]
Arts
Father Christmas
I wanted to write a seasonal piece for GP, but I’m a totally rubbish cook so a recipe is out of the question. What could I do instead? How about a brief history of Father [more…]
Arts
Christmas Chestnut Soup and Bacon Croutons
I have one rule for Christmas Day: Everything must be home made. No pre-prepared shop stuff because it’s naff. This is an easy starter for Christmas Day. I love soups for Christmas Lunch/Dinner because they’re [more…]
20th Century
A Sacrifice of Three
Robert Ryan was my great uncle. This fading photograph is the only one we have of him. He gave his life for King and Country when he died on 7th November 1942. He was 20 [more…]
Arts
The Geek’s Guide To Distilling Commercial Gin For £2.50 A Litre Bottle
First, for those people in the UK and other countries where it is illegal to distil spirits without a licence, here’s the legal bit: “It is illegal to manufacture spirits in the UK without a [more…]
Animals
Fish and their Chips
You’ve seen the creation of the Aquarium, introduction of the fish and corals and watched it settle in. The set up took around three months from initial purchase, fit out, water conditioning and maturing to [more…]