Frost readers are no strangers to Tracklements, that Wiltshire-based family company who create quality food, using only proper, honest ingredients. I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating, all their products are made by hand in small batches, using ingredients sourced from farms and small businesses across England. I know, it’s incredible isn’t it? But true. And the proof is definitely in the eating.
Tracklements are constantly creating new and exciting products and I’m always enthusiastic to road test them, so I was delighted to learn of their two latest triumphs.
The first is Sriracha Chilli Mayonnaise. Even the thought of spicy fermented chilli combined with creamy mayonnaise got my taste-buds working overtime and a quick look at the ingredients confirmed that this was going to be good, very good. Chillis and garlic, fermented together for five days and then combined with, oil and eggs, vinegars, raw cane sugar, peppers, onions, mustard seed, lemon juice and anchovies – simple, traditional fare, with not one chemical additive in sight. As I tried it, my mind was buzzing with the potential. The taste was perfect – just the right amount of chilli heat, the subtle garlic overtones and the perfect creamy mayonnaise layers all merged in harmony. I was visualizing a barbeque – laughter in the garden, a chilled rosé and succulent meats and salad covered liberally in Tracklements Sriracha Chilli Mayonnaise – heaven on a plate.
But as if this wasn’t enough excitement for one day, Tracklements have a double whammy, with their Indulgent Garlic Mayonnaise. Garlic puree combined with a traditional mayonnaise recipe, this flavour was milder and less complex, simple and delicious.
The two mayonnaises work very well together and make succulent dips – for kebabs, chips, or chopped vegetables if you’re trying to be good. They add a kick to wraps or panini or frankly pretty much anything.
Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice
Think of Avenue Q, Little Shop of Horrors, Rocky Horror Show. Then watch Potty the Plant and you’ll feel you’re in the same irreverent, adult and theatrical territory.
Almost worryingly, at the beginning you’ll maybe think you’re watching a satirical pastiche of these musicals. But relax. This show quickly stamps its own character on the genre. It’s clever, upbeat and overflowing with sick childish humour. What the show lacks in panache, it gains in exuberance.
Lucy Appleton as Miss Lacey – with Potty
It has a feel of a show thrown together by some friends for Edinburgh. And, basically, that’s what it is. Thankfully, the show is on a journey of its own and will soon grow into a full-length production – because at just over an hour the audience does leave feeling a little short-changed. We want more! Which is a good thing, right?!? The all-singing, all-dancing ensemble are Baden Burns, Lucy Appleton, Ash K-B, Stephanie Cubello, Sam Ridley and Joe Winter. A little rough at the edges perhaps, but superb vocals more than make up for it.
Joe Winter, Stephanie Cubello and Sam Ridley – as the Nurses!
Set in a hospital with strange goings-on, our three intrepid nurses set about solving some appalling crimes happening all around them. Could the mysterious blood-thirsty Dr.Acula be the cause? And how come no one ever listens to Potty the Plant?!?
One thing to note: when attending this show (which you WILL enjoy if you’re not easily offended!) try to listen to the house music. It’s ‘hospital radio’ and the DJ says some very funny things – although, because of the chatter all around, it’s hard to hear. Most are unaware the show has already begun!
Photography Roan Lenihan Creatives Baden Burns, Sarah Burns, Aeddan Sussex
Musical Director Zach Burns Venue Wilton’s Music Hall, 1 Graces Alley, London E1 8JB
I think I did. I fantasised about being Charlotte Brontë or Daphne Du Maurier, and being a difficult woman living in a big house in the wilds. It was always going to be that or a musician or artists of some kind. I got lazy with music and art when I grew up but writing was a constant. I wrote my first book when I was seven, and I still have it. It was a sci-fi adventure about children who leave Earth in a protective cloud! I’m certainly a difficult woman living in a big house. Not in the wilds though, unless Spain is a sort of wild.
What books did you read growing up?
My parents had a full library and were avid readers. They didn’t prevent me or my sister from reading anything except perhaps the racy works of Jilly Cooper! I remember reading Jane Eyre when I was really young. I didn’t get any of the deep stuff obviously, but it gave me the distinct impression women were in an inferior position in life and even influenced my novel Land of Hope. I also treasured a book called The Wickedest Witch In The World by Beverley Nichols, who I was disappointed to find out was a man. But I still have that book, and it seems to be a sort of phenomenon for people who know of it. I also read Born Free and Tarka The Otter, and these left a big adventurous impression on me but now I can’t read anything about animals in case they die in the end. I think The Razor’s Edge by William Somerset Maugham had the biggest impression on me, and it was my father’s favourite book. I am still fascinated with the idea of running away like Larry Darrell in the novel. The Two Faces of January by Patricia Highsmith is the reason I became a serious writer. It’s such a slapped together novel with somewhat tipsy grammar and a funny arc but the storytelling is just stunning. I wanted to do that. It seemed almost delinquent and I loved it.
What was the idea behind Land of Hope? It has had an amazing reception. Did you expect that?
Yes and no. I think any writer who has their book published is both a complete egoist and suffers from imposter syndrome. I knew I’d written something special because I stopped seeing the seams after I wrote something. I’d read it back and congratulate myself because I didn’t remember writing it. I see that as a sign the muse has been at work and I’ve channelled the words successfully onto the page. I take no credit whatsoever. It’s the lady who sits behind me dictating the story from another world and time where my book already existed for aeons… I’m just the seer with typing fingers.
Can you tell us about your publishing journey?
I went to UCLA in Los Angeles to study screenwriting initially. I loved it and did very well but I found it all a bit banal when it came to sending out queries. So I started back on my novels, and interviewed for an MA course that caught my eye at City University in London. I was so taken with the leader of the course, Jonathan Myerson (award-winning novelist and screenwriter), who just seemed like a guru of all things literary, that I took the place and moved to London for two years to do it. I learned things I didn’t even know I didn’t know about writing. I was a complete pain on the course, as it was hard to go to uni in my forties. But I came out on top, won the prize for best novel (a different novel), and started looking for an agent. It took me about six months of hardcore Excel spreadsheet action researching and understanding you cannot just blanket query. Each submission must be thoughtful and you must want to be with the agent you are querying. They know somehow! And I got a lot of rejections, and a few near-misses before Sabhbh Curran at Curtis Brown took a gamble on me and we started working on the novel in earnest with many passes before she felt it was ready. Including an entire rewrite! She’s great because she invested in me and not just the book, and helped me develop as an author along the way so that by the time she got an offer from The Indigo Press for the manuscript I felt entirely ready to embrace the work.
Jonathan Myerson and I are still friends and it was the best decision I ever made to go to City. He’s interviewing me at the Haringey Arts Festival on July 18th in London at a book signing event.
What’s your writing routine?
I don’t write until it hits me. I’ll think and think. Then I’ll let myself just write as purple as I like, and maybe knock out a good 40k words to make sure the idea has legs. Oftentimes people think they have a book, but it’s just a premise with no development. This might be a whole night of writing, or a few hours here there. But it’s never when I expect it. I have to make room for that happening in my life. It entails shutting the door and entry is prohibited expect in the case of fire or flood. I might not eat or sleep. People are let down. Appointments not attended. It doesn’t matter to me if I’m on a roll. Then, I start out with a synopsis, a habit I procured from my screenwriting days, and I make a beat sheet (every beat of the hero’s journey). I was mentored by Claire Fuller at City, and she drew me a tiny diagram that shows the arc of a novel. I kept it and refer to it constantly! Then I talk each character’s journey through with someone, who is right now my assistant Arthur Lemon, a poet from Estonia who happens to be a fantastic editor and stickler for English grammar. I make a sort of diagram of the story with his notes, and then I take that to my desk and start with a few bits. Once I have a good 50k, I will give that to my readers, who will be Arthur, my husband Henry, and Jonathan Myerson for the next one. I get notes and impressions from them, and kick it all up. Usually I end up with about 20k words from the original 50k and have to really be tough with myself. But actually it’s a bit like cleaning a closet. It feels like a task but then I start enjoying chucking stuff out. I kill all my darlings to a serial level. When I finish, I don’t look at it for a while. There’s usually quite a lot of nonsense in it when I go back. I feel like writing a novel is more about what’s left when you’ve deleted almost everything you thought you’d done well with.
Who are your favourite authors and books?
I love a lot of older writers. Joan Didion’s essays, Emily Dickenson and Sylvia Plath’s poems, and Lucia Berlin’s shorts. I love Milan Kundera and Vladimir Nabokov. Modern writers I love are Michel Faber, Philippe Djian, Virginie Despentes, Rachel Cusk, and Suzanne Collins. But some of my favourite books are The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, The Red Parts by Maggie Nelson, Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller, and Surfacing by Margaret Atwood. I’ve also recently enjoyed Daisy Johnson’s The Hotel. I could go on all day.
What’s your favourite thing about being a writer? And the least?
Best? That I get to make up stuff for a living and don’t have to speak to anyone except my very favourite people in the world, and then only about abstract subjects. Worst? Writer’s bum. I have to make sure I get on that treadmill of a morning or all is lost.
What’s next?
I am working on my second novel’s synopsis for my agent, which will be in the vein of folk horror and fantasy once again. This time in East Anglia… I’m also looking forward to seeing what’s happening with selling the movie rights for Land of Hope, which is in the pipeline. And in July, Land of Hope comes out in the United States, which is truly exciting!
Many members of my family have itchy skin. It is not fun at all and finding a solution can be hard. This book, Living Without Itch, is a great and comprehensive book that covers a range of skin conditions, and how to manage itching. It is an essential read for anyone living with this annoying skin condition.
Chronic itch (medical term pruritus) can be incredibly annoying and has numerous causes, from inflammatory skin conditions, autoimmune disease, insect bites, skin wounds such as burns or scars, as well as treatment, age or illness induced pruritus. In recent years significant advancements in our understanding of mechanisms of itch and new treatments have been developed. Living without Itch offers the millions of people suffering from itch an essential and updated guide on how to find relief from their suffering. Researcher and clinician Gil Yosipovitch, MD, draws from his decades of experience caring for patients to share a treasure trove of easy-to-understand information to educate you on how to manage your itchy conditions.
This book comprehensively covers both acute and chronic itchy conditions, from hives, psoriasis, and eczema, to systemic and neurologic diseases, as well as recommendations for treatment options. Patients share their lived experiences and advice, while contributions from multi-disciplinary experts in nursing, psychology, and alternative medicine provide unique approaches to managing itch. This new edition includes:
Updated information about the itch pathway—why it occurs and the cascade of events that result in itch
Newly available treatments
Special considerations for populations such as individuals undergoing immunotherapy for cancer
Recommendations for lifestyle interventions, including nutrition, psychotherapy, allergy medications, and behavioural changes.
Completely revised and updated to include important developments in the field since the last edition’s publication, this guide provides the information you need to understand, prevent, and manage itch.
April 2025 | Paperback 168 pages | ISBN 9781421450469 | Price £20.00
As a freelancer my lunch is not always healthy. On busy days I will grab something and then feel bad about my diet. We got sent Nature’s Path Nice & Nobbly Organic Granola. It’s gluten free and it tastes great. If I need a quick breakfast, or lunch I can do so without feeling guilty. My kids also love it.
What’s more, it is packed with protein. You can add Nature’s Path Nice & Nobbly Organic Granola, to add a real deliciousness to everyday pancakes.
Perfect for kids, muscle building or a weekend breakfast treat that won’t leave you feeling guilty.
Nature’s Path Protein Granola Pancakes
Makes 6 pancakes
Ingredients:
150g Nature’s Path Nice and Nobbly Granola
30g vanilla protein powder
2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
90g Greek yoghurt
Cooking spray
Toppings:
Nature’s Path Nice and Nobbly Granola
Fresh strawberries, raspberries and blueberries
Greek yoghurt
Maple syrup or honey
Method:
Place the granola, protein powder and baking powder into a food processor and blend until fine.
Add in the eggs and yoghurt and continue to blend until everything is fully incorporated.
Place a non-stick pan over a medium heat and spray lightly with cooking spray.
Start by cooking 3 pancakes, approx 4 tbsp of batter per pancake, leaving adequate space in between each one.
Cook until risen and bubbles start to appear on the surface, this should take about 3-4 minutes, then flip each one and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the other side is browned. Remove from the pan and stack on a plate.
Repeat with the remaining batter.
Top the pancakes with extra Greek yoghurt, berries and granola before drizzling with maple syrup or honey.
On arrival this powerhouse of woman was there to greet us, full of enthusiasm, a smile to brighten any day and as always, a heart full of love for people and a strong affection and care for others, making us so welcome. As a crowd of approximately 100 gathered -dignitaries, fund raisers, anyone who had supported sister – were seated and the proceedings began.
The Mayoress Linda Scanlon opened the celebration event, next came the newly appointed Mayor Ehthesham Haque who thanked Sister for her tireless work in supporting local people.
Mayor Ehthesham Alderman Peter Wood Lynda Scanlon Mayoress Sister Mary Scholastica Alderman Mark Greenfield Former Tyne and Wear Lord Lieutenant Mrs Susan Whitfield
Next came the author, Kevin Lilley, who told us how the idea came about for a book and, how in 2022 “You raise me up” was no longer merely a vision. Sister Mary thoroughly enjoyed Kevin’s homage, laughing at his comments until… it was almost her turn. But let’s pause, and take a short look at the ways in which this remarkable woman has helped her beloved community, which is in fact, her adoptive home.
Sister Mary was born in Ireland, and it was at the tender age of 17 that she came to Sunderland to join the Convent of the Sisters of Mercy in order to live a life of service. And indeed, that is exactly what her life became as she worked amongst Sunderland’s wonderful and often needy community. Her work involved, amongst many other causes, the homeless, support for young people, respite care, and of course, the seafarers. Heavens, was there anything she wasn’t involved in? Well, no, the list goes on and on.
Mayor Ehthesham Sister Mary Scholastica
Ever modest, Sister Mary, beloved by so many, spent her launch celebrating and highlighting, not her life, but the efforts and generosity of so many people who helped and supported her over the years. Sister also took the opportunity to tell the mayor that more people need to be honoured, as ordinary folks are overlooked and do not get the recognition they deserve for the charitable work they do. (She never misses an opportunity to get her point across).
‘The list could have been much longer,’ she finally remarked, with her beautiful smile. Amongst those listening to Sister, were some of her family members, and for us, her friends, it was a humbling experience to be part of this auspicious occasion.
Columbia Community Association (Marion and Bob Taylor) along with Margaret Graham of Frost Magazine, felt privileged to be presented with a copy of the book which Margaret will be reviewing shortly. What a day, spent with fabulous people, lovely buffet and an amazing celebration of the one and only Sister Mary Scholastica “Angel of Mercy”. Raise me up will be published soon, at a cost of £20 and all proceedings will go the Seafarers Mission.
There is a new product on the block, Active Microscrub, the first exfoliating scrub from Teoxane. Designed to enhance your skin’s radiance by hydrating, strengthening the skin barrier, and gently removing dead skin cells.
Inspired by Teoxane’s ground-breaking dermal filler technology, Active Microscrub features the brand’s signature RHA resilient hyaluronic acid®, which is a cross linked form of hyaluronic acid, created through a patented process to deliver optimal hydration.
I have a new favourite thing: luxury alcohol-free wine brand, Moderato
With brighter days ahead and summer socials well and truly on the horizon, Moderato (the award-winning French wine brand shaking up the alcohol-free scene) is here to answer all of our non-alcoholic needs.
With so many of us choosing a more mindful approach to drinking during the summer months, Moderato’s Cuvee Revolutionnaire White Wine lands in Majestic wine stores at just the right time. With <0.5% ABV and no compromise on taste, this white wine is fresh and crisp. What’s more, it tastes just like the real thing. A typical grape variety from Gascony, our colombard is responsible for our non-alcoholic white (<0.5%), which is highly aromatic and slightly acidic and a true representative of the region.
So, whether you’re hosting a sun-soaked BBQ in the garden, picnicking in the park or simply enjoying golden hour with friends on the balcony, Moderato’s alcohol-free wine brings effortless elegance to the occasion – allowing you to make the most of your active summer social plans.
Founders Sebastien and Fabien created Moderato, together with Oenologist Frédéric Brochet, to pioneer a new approach to alcohol-free wine. Just last year Moderato has collected a total of four medals from the globally recognised international Wine, Beer and Spirits Competition of Lyon, as well as the World Alcohol Free Awards. Moderato’s full range of award-winning alcohol-free wines is available to taste and buy at the Club Soda shop, bar and tasting room, online at joinclubsoda.com, with Moderato Cuvee Revolutionnaire Colombard, Moderato Cuvee Revolutionnaire Merlot-Tannat and Moderato Cuvee Revolutionnaire Rosé available at Majestic Wines.
Moderato’s Cuvee Revolutionnaire white wine is available from Majestic wine.
Why not explore the rest of the Cuvee Revolutionnaire range (red, rośe and sparkling) at Majestic, Club Soda or Wise Bartender?
