Ready Burgers: Michael Rowan meets the new kid on the block and gets ready for Ready Burger, fast food that doesn’t cost the earth.

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A vegetarian for over thirty years, I must confess to suffering from FOMO (FEAR OF MISSING OUT).

Back in the old days, the only place to get a burger, was a Wimpey Bar and they did not offer takeaway.

Then along came McDonalds and Burger King, to join Kentucky Fried Chicken (now better known as KFC,) and soon no high street was complete without one, or all three. Friends would wax lyrical and have long conversations about the relative merits of each. Everyone it seemed had their favourite. I would listen in silence because there was nothing for me, the lone vegetarian, and even the advent of the Beanburger felt like an after-thought.

How times have changed, Vegans and Vegetarians are now so mainstream that most food outlets are clamouring for our attention, so I was delighted to be invited to taste the menu of Ready Burger, based in London’s Crouch End.

Fortuitously, I took along a younger colleague, who is exactly the market that Ready Burger is seeking to attract, and an aficionado of all things Burger.

Ready Burger opened in Park Road, Crouch End in May 2021, and if the constant queue of eager customers on the night I visited is anything to go by, this will be the first of many. Already plans are advanced to open in Finchley Road, followed by other venues in London and beyond.

Ready Burger presents a 100% plant-based menu offering a compilation of the world’s most popular burger favourites and classic sides at everyday prices, with inclusivity at the core. It is this inclusivity that appeals to vegetarians and vegans, people who care for the environment, and people who only eat Halal or Kosher meat.

The staff at Ready Burger are warm, friendly, and clearly passionate about their menu. Customers seeking advice are given time and as much information as they need to order, but from my tasting of the entire menu (I know, I know, I suffer for my art, but you’re worth it.) You really can’t make a bad choice, as it was all delicious. My colleague assured me that the food on this menu more than matched the more well known high street offering and we both raved over the careful seasoning of the fries and the chicken nuggets. Special mention to the vegan bacon and ‘cheese’ in my Cheeseburger, vegan cheese is notoriously difficult to get right, but Ready Burger have done it and then some.

Oreo Swirlee, is a tasty soft whip, providing a welcome desert and an utter steal at £0.99p. I can see why Ready Burger is so popular.

The brand is believed to be the first value driven, fully plant-based, quick service restaurant on the UK high street and Ready Burger’s signature ‘The Ready Burger’ (£1.99), is thought to be the only plant-based burger of its kind on the market for under £2.

A Ready Burger uses 70% less water to make than its beef burger counterpart. It also emits 92% less greenhouse gas emissions than a beef burger and requires 93% less land to produce.

The Crouch End Ready Burger is now open for collection via a hatch and digital order point kiosk, with a full menu of flavoursome plant-based burgers alongside classic sides, with premium and saver choices, as well as a range of premium value meals. Options range from; The Saver Menu Ready Burger (£1.99), to The Big Ready (£3.59), to The Chicken Challenger (£4.29), to the Saver Menu Double Cheeseburger (£3.39)

Ready Burger serves 100% plant-based fast food at affordable prices, using high quality proteins to create great tasting versions of the world’s favourite fast food, burgers and classic sides.

FOMO no more for yours truly, I will be heading back to Ready Burger whenever I need my fix of fast environmentally friendly, vegan food.

Ready Burger is now open at 16 Park Road, London, N8 8TD, open Monday – Sunday, 12 noon – 12am.

https://www.readyburger.co.uk/

 

Let’s go out for lunch at The Golden Fleece in Thirsk, said Margaret

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So off we went, into Thirsk Market Place, to our favourite, The Golden Fleece hotel. It seemed an enormous treat after looking at one another over the kitchen table for more meals than I care to mention, or remember. Oh,  to be out…

We pottered to reception, masks on. First we signed in with the NHS app. And why not,  for heaven’s sake, it’s no great pressure to show one’s phone to the  thingy. Then through to the dining room. We chose the armchairs near the door. Phew, weight off our feet. No, no, let’s not talk about weight. This weight issue is to be remedied – is being remedied. But it was my birthday, so a treat was in order. Yes, indeed, you are right, 42 again.

‘A large glass of Pinot Grigio,’ I decided. And waved back to the deputy manager who had poked her head round the door to check I was behaving. Wonderful Gabriel. How I’ve missed her. Dick chose a Pinot Grigio too, large, as mine was.

Then to the menu. I chose the above image; Roast Hake Fillet and Crab Ravioli with crushed new potoates, samphire and watercress veloute. Dick hesitated over the Sausage & Mash Cumberland Ring, and instead chose Teeside Parmo, in a gesture of solidarity with that area.

Our beautifully presented meals came… We saw, we tasted, it conquered. The ravioli was not as one might imagine, but had a glorious portion of dressed crab on top lying on a strip of pasta, with crushed potaotoes beneath and  the veloute peeping out from beneath the potatoes. And the hake… Fresh, two fillets, positioned either side of the crab.  As well, I had a side salad. Ladies and gentlemen, I call this a triumph, though admittedly I am an open door where crab is concerned. It was truly sublime.

Dick tucked into his Teesside Parmo. Chomp chomp, much as Montalbano devours his lunch in the series to which we are addicted. Crumbed chicken breast, bechamel, coachman’s cheddar, pickled cabbage salad and fries.At length, knife and fork were put together neatly. He was replete. ‘First class,’ said our Thirsk Montalbano. ‘And nothing left for Mr Manners.’

So, to pudding.

‘Shall we?’

‘Yes, why not’

‘The diet?’

‘Not today.’

So we chose Creme Brulee. Margaret threw herself to the floor, kicking and screaming such was the disappointment because it had gone, all gone, into mouths that had no right.  ‘A coffee then?’

A coffee indeed, and with it Maltesers which we felt more than entitled to crunch, because we had been forced to be good re pudding. But next time, we promised one another, we would check first re the creme brulee. And change to another day? Well, no. Not if it’s a meal at The Golden Fleece, because everything is wonderful, and what’s more we have a voucher from the children, so very there.

At The Golden Fleece, once a coaching inn, which could stable 70 horses, there are outside tables where the horses and coaches once were. Some tables are  in shade, some not, some under umbrellas.  We like the armchairs in the dining room, but I meet my pals for coffee outside. Everytime we all say, it feels  like being on holiday – after Lockdown. The pandemic has made us reconsider our lives.. A coffee, or a meal is something to cherish. So too friends, family. What’s more, we  are all alive, vaccinated, still distanced, still masked. But alive and kicking, as is The Golden Fleece. Hoorah. Hoorah.

And they are open for staying guests too. Say hello to wonderful Gabriel, and Jim, and Steve when you go. Say Margaret will be in again soon, and see them run, but they can’t hide… I will hunt ’em down.

The Golden Fleece, Market Place, Thirsk YO7 1LL  01845 623108.

Find out more HERE

My Writing Process Ellen Alpsten

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Ellen Alpsten author photo 4 (c) Andreas StirnbergWriting ‘Her-story’ –

Tell us about what you have written?
When hearing about the heroines of my novels ‘Tsarina’ and ‘The Tsarina’s Daughter’, people’s eyes pop: ‘How did you find them?’ No wonder – both belong to the family of which its own Nikita Romanov said in 1669: ‘Our men are meek as maidens, and our women wild as wolverines.’ Both books are the first ever published novels about either lady. ‘Tsarina’ Catherine I. rose from illiterate serf to first reigning Empress of Russia, while the country morphed from backward nation to modern superpower. ‘The Tsarina’s Daughter’, Elizabeth, the only surviving of Peter the Great’s fifteen children, lived the opposite of her mother: she fell from unimaginable riches to rags, before triumphantly rising from rags to Romanov.

What you are promoting now?
‘The Tsarina’s Daughter’ – the second book in a planned quartet – is published in July 2021. It was a privilege to write. Elizabeth emerges from the strict historical setting of the Petrine era – the construction of St. Petersburg, old semi-Asian Muscovy fighting the new half-European Russia – as a very modern woman. At her parents’ death, friends turned foe. Barely out of her teens, she was impoverished and isolated; even loving her was a crime that warranted capital punishment. Yet even when her path proved to be stony, Elizabeth would not surrender. She decides to take what is hers – Russia’s throne – even if it comes at a terrible price.

Tell us a bit about your process of writing.
As a student, I worked as an assistant for the Parisian bestselling author Benoite Groult. Every evening I did my own writing in my little studio, 12 sqm in the 7th arrondissement: a million words before I ever got published. Nowadays, there is no writer’s block. The Muse has to present herself at 9.30 and she better bring coffee. Working on a PC is a blessing – I am in awe when seeing Dostoevsky’s handwritten manuscripts. To finish a novel is a challenge, yet the first draft is a drop in the ocean. Editing is schizophrenic, knowing the manuscript by heart yet reading it afresh countless times. Doing our best is a duty. Readers offer us their most valuable – their time, an ever-diminishing resource.

How do you structure a book?
Mme Groult’s advice for starting and structuring a novel was invaluable: ‘The first stanza is the novel en miniature.’ Which moment sums up the story’s conflict? A life’s ups and downs so not reel the reader in. Choose characters with care – who are they, why are they there, and how do they drive the story forward?

What do you find hard about writing?
Being a writer can be a Janus-faced existence. Lonely and introspective, at publication time the cruellest of lights may be shed on your innermost thoughts and feelings. The path to success is littered with rejection – in a former life, I was either a duck or a teflon-coated pan. Getting published traditionally is artistically the hardest challenge. A painting is judged in a second, a song listened to in three minutes. But convincing someone to read your 650-page tome?

What do you love about writing?

By writing, I am living my dream: making other people dream. The freedom we live, and the alternate worlds we create, are worth any moment of self-doubt. If you doubt, you work harder. Enjoy the trip, as the goals are forever shifting – and as utterly unattainable as the most elusive of lovers.

The paperback of Tsarina is published on the 24th June and the hardback of The Tsarina’s Daughter is out on 8th July,

Michael Rowan can’t help being impressed, as he enjoys a summer tipple with a clear conscience, thanks to Sea Change Provence Rosé and the Sea Change Negroamaro 2019 and both available to buy online at www.seachangewine.com

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Image: James Craxton

Sea Change Wine launched in 2018, has been supporting marine conservation and the fight against plastic pollution through its partnerships with charities such as Plastic Oceans UK (now Ocean Generation), Sea Changers and the Olive Ridley Project.

I cannot recall ever beginning a review, by mentioning the packaging but here it is, Sea Change is an eco-conscious wine brand, leading by example. The wines arrived with minimal packaging, with the unnecessary plastic wrap covering removed from the neck of the bottle and its label, made from plant based ‘Natureflex, clear’ which is fully biodegradable and compostable.

The bottle labels feature a unique sea animal illustration, hand drawn, to demonstrate the impact of marine plastic pollution. Sea Change is working hard to help turn the tide on plastic pollution by donating a percentage of each purchase to marine conservation charities, which personally, I find commendable.

As we head into Summer, my tastes change, and I feel less drawn to the heavier reds that I demand in autumn and winter, in favour of something lighter and refreshing.

Now in the interest of full disclosure, I should state that I am something of a Johnny Come Lately, where Rosé wines are concerned. However, over the last 12 months, I have had a complete ‘volte face’ and now for picnics, barbeques, and those rare trips to the beach, I am more likely to reach for a finely nuanced Rosé.

Image: Clare James

Which is where Sea Change comes in, with its exquisite Provence Rosé, packed full of zesty grapefruit, delicate white peach, and tropical pineapple flavours, and if that doesn’t scream picnic to you, I don’t know what will. Serve it chilled with summer salads, other light dishes and summer salads.

 The Sea Change Provence Rosé is available to buy online at www.seachangewine.com at £16.99 RRP. The Provence Rose

No matter how evangelical my conversion to Rosé wine, I could never forsake my first love that is red wine, in these summer months, I crave a lighter red. Step forward Negroamaro 2019, a real hidden gem of a wine, hailing from Pugila in Italy and blending the taste of fruit led Merlot and a flavoursome Malbec.

Versatile, easy-drinking, Sea Change Negroamaro is medium bodied with a velvety mouth feel, well balanced, with flavours of berry fruits, especially red and black cherry at the forefront. A lovely lingering finish is one to savour. Medium bodied with soft tannins, the initial burst of bright fruit is followed by a smooth, lingering finish.

This wine is the perfect accompaniment to any Italian dish, like a wholesome tomato-based pasta or crispy stone baked pizza – both taste great alongside a glass of Sea Change Negroamaro

Best drunk when youthful and fresh (the wine not the drinker), at room temperature, or just below. Sea Change Negroamaro 2019 RRP £10.49 www.seachangewine.com

The Serial Killer’s Wife by Alice Hunter Book Review

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the serial killer's wife
I am going to go all in and say The Serial Killer’s Wife is one of the best books of 2021. I was turning every page in anticipation. It is the perfect twisty thriller. It is original and the characters are written so perfectly. Outstanding.The Serial Killer’s Wife is a must-read.

Every marriage has its secrets…

Beth and Tom Hardcastle are the envy of their neighbourhood – they have the perfect marriage, the perfect house, the perfect family.

When the police knock on their door one evening, Beth panics. Tom should be back from work by now – what if he’s crashed his car? She fears the worst.

But the worst is beyond imagining.

As the interrogation begins, Beth will find herself questioning everything she believed about her husband.

They’re saying he’s a monster. And they’re saying she knew.

The Serial Killer’s wife is available here.

 

My Writing Process Joe Thomas

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psycho, joe thomasWhat you have written, past and present

I am the author of a quartet of standalone but connected novels set in São Paulo, where I lived for ten years – Paradise City, Gringa, Playboy, and Brazilian Psycho. I have also published Bent, a historical crime novel set in Soho in the 1960’s and behind the lines in Italy during the Second World War, based on the life of war hero and notorious detective Harold ‘Tanky’ Challenor, who was in the SAS with my grandfather.

What you are promoting now

My latest novel, Brazilian Psycho, is an occult history of the city of São Paulo from 2003 – 2019, told through the lens of real-life crimes. It reveals the dark heart at the centre of the Brazilian social-democrat resurgence and the fragility and corruption of the B.R.I.C economic miracle; it documents the rise and fall of the left-wing – and the rise of the populist right.

The novel features the chaos and score-settling of the PCC drug gang rebellion over Mothers’ Day weekend, 2006; the murder of a British school headmaster and the consequent cover-up; a copycat serial killer; the secret international funding of nationwide anti-government protests; the bribes, kickbacks and shakedowns of the Mensalão and Lava Jato political corruption scandals.

psycho, joe thomas

A bit about your process of writing

I am a crime novelist interested in fiction based on fact, inspired by true stories of structural inequality. My fiction addresses the discourses of power and the specificity of crime, why something happened precisely where it did, and is an attempt to illuminate the reasons why. 

I tend to plan my novels loosely and read a good deal before beginning the writing. Once I have a defined structure, then I write in earnest. At this point, I will research, plan, and write at the same time. What this means is that I write one section of a novel and read around the section that follows. I find that this keeps everything fresh! 

In terms of structure, I tend to think in units of time, so do I want each chapter or section to cover a day, a week, six months, etc. As so much of what I write is based on reality, these units of time are often defined for me; I simply follow what happened and when! I find this both an anchor and liberating, too, in terms of having that tightly defined framework to exploit fictionally.

I want to be thought of as a writer pushing the form and writing political, meaningful, literary crime fiction. My goal is to build a body of work and I am very lucky to have the opportunity to do just that.

What about word count?

I have a very irritating habit: whenever I stop writing, or even pause for a moment, the word count has to end in either zero or five. I will tinker with sentences for this to be the case! In some ways it helps with editing; in others it is likely counter-productive!

What do you find hard about writing?

Having to overcome my own irritating habits! I used to think that I had to write first thing in the morning to produce anything of quality; since having a son – who is now twenty-months old – I am learning to use any part of the day I can. This is not always easy!

What do you love about writing?

I love that the days when I do it feel better than the days when I don’t.

Brazilian Psycho by Joe Thomas is out now in hardback by Arcadia.

 

How to Fix Properly Crawl Space Problem?

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Are you having problems with your crawl space? If so, it’s probably time for it to be inspected. A wet crawl space floor can lead to a variety of problems for the home if you haven’t had it inspected. An often-ignored crawl space problem can lead to mold growth, damage to the structure of the home, as well as possible health hazards for the family. When a crawl space begins to leak, it’s important to immediately fix the problem. While waiting could result in further damage, it will also put you and your family at risk.

How to Fix a Crawl Space Problem in St Louis?

Most often, a homeowner tries to address crawl space repairs on their own without the proper tools or access to the right information. When this occurs, many homeowners discover that they were incorrectly doing something or were not working in the correct area.

This often leads to costly mistakes that could have been prevented. In some cases, a homeowner may try to tackle a crawl space problem on their own and find out that the problem is much larger than they originally thought. This can be especially true if a homeowner is inexperienced in crawl space maintenance.

Eliminate Mold:

How to Repair Crawl Space Problems in St Louis By hiring a professional company to help with crawl space repairs in St Louis, homeowners will eliminate mold from their homes in as little as three days. This time is significantly better than waiting for the mold to grow and only discover later that it had already spread into other parts of the home’s interior.

A professional company will use modern technology to safely repair various portions of a crawl space using environmentally safe products. These methods will also leave the crawl space completely free of mold and other harmful bacteria.

How to Properly Treat a Crawl Space Foundation?

When it comes to crawling space repairing in St Louis, there are two main options for addressing the problem. One option consists of removing the soil surrounding the foundation. This process is referred to as “scavenger cleaning.” The other option is to treat the soil surrounding the crawl space by using professional contractors who specialize in crawl space foundation repairs. If the foundation has been damaged, the professionals will install durable steel frames around the area to prevent future infestations.

Work Properly:

It is important to note that there are many different options when it comes to crawling space repairing. When seeking assistance for basement mold removal in St Louis, it’s a good idea to have a plan in place. There are several options when it comes to repairing a foundation. For one of these options to work properly, the foundation must be made level. To achieve this goal, it’s important to hire professionals who know how to accurately grade and level individual walls and footers.

Regardless of which type of foundation repair one chooses, St Louis mold removal professionals should be hired to ensure the job is done properly and up to code. Foundation repair can not only improve the quality of life for residents but can help prevent other structural problems from occurring. If foundation problems are detected before they become severe, a foundation specialist can make the necessary changes, get your house inspected, and restore your foundation to its original function and state.

 Collaborative post with our brand partner. 

Every author’s dream is to have a novel optioned for screen – so read on, and also enjoy a glimpse of Joffe Books offers of the week. .

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HAIRPIN BRIDGE by Taylor Adams, is, say Joffe Books, the must-read thriller of summer 2021 Only 99p/99c (half price for a limited time) 

Three months ago, Cambry drove out to Hairpin Bridge in Montana, and jumped two hundred feet to her death. She left behind a vague suicide note and no answers.  Lena, her estranged twin sister, is convinced Cambry was murdered. Lena heads to Montana to get answers from the highway patrolman who was the last person to see her sister alive — but she already knows he’s a liar.
Now Lena is trapped in the middle of nowhere with no one around and no phone signal . . . And an angry armed highway patrolmen.

                                                           

Murder as predicted. by Linda Mather @ 99p/99c

 Sounds interesting, so if you are you looking to discover your next favourite mystery series…
Wait no longer – meet your new favorite private detective and astrologer, Jo Hughes

Along with perenial favourite:

Helen H Durrant with Dead Sorry, a classic novel, with endless twists and turns @ £2 / $3.99

The past comes back to haunt them.

Twenty-five years ago, a schoolgirl was attacked. Now, the mother of one of the girl’s attackers is found murdered on the Hobfield housing estate. Written on the wall in the victim’s blood is the word “sorry”.  Crikey. 

And now for even more exciting news from Joffe Books – and it’s every author’s dream.

THE SILENT LISTENER by Lyn Yeowart has been optioned for screen by Deanne Weir of WeirAnderson Films. Deanne Weir is a former media lawyer and executive turned producer, investor and company director. She is passionate about storytelling, change-making and gender equality.

Deanne is very excited about about Yeowart’s work to the screen: ‘First and foremost, The Silent Listener is a cracking read, a complex multi-layered story that leaves the reader thinking well beyond the last page.

‘As a genre piece, whether you call it a gothic psychological thriller, or a murder mystery with gothic themes, there is definitely a global market for well-made stories of this kind.

‘By bringing the story to screen, we can make it accessible not just for those who have loved the book, but for a whole new audience who may then turn back to the book to go even deeper into Joy’s world. ‘

THE SILENT LISTENER by Lyn Yeowart is available on Kindle and paperback next week.

For more information about the huge range of Joffe Books available, go to here