19th Century
When Popes Took Coke
The rise and fall of coca wine Coca leaves have been used as a stimulant in South America for over a thousand years, especially in the Andes to overcome the fatigue of living and working [more…]
Drinking
Arts
Postcard From Zakynthos (Outtake)
As I pointed out in my previous missive from Zakynthos, the weather for the Thursday of our Greek adventure wasn’t going to be anything to write home about (I’ve never let that stop me before) [more…]
Arts
Postcard From Zakynthos
It isn’t just about swanning around the Lake District, visiting friends in Devon, Air B&B’ing to Barcelona, holidaying on the West coast of Scotland or nipping down to Essex for a couple of beers. There [more…]
Biography
The Erdington Chapter
‘Brothir, seyede Sir Launcelot, wyte you well I am full loth to departe out of thys reyllme, but that the Quene hath defended me so hyghly that mesemmeth she wyll nevir be my gode ladye [more…]
Arts
A (short) Postcard From “The Firkin Fox”
I have a good friend who lives in Essex, although we are very different people we’ve always got along well since we first met, we share a sense of humour that not everyone gets. We [more…]
Arts
The English Pub
After many years of leading tours of European battlefields I decided to add another string to my bow & took the course at St. William’s College to qualify as a professional guide at York Minster. I [more…]
Arts
The Geek’s Guide To Distilling Commercial Grade Whisky For £8 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
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…]