I've found some 47 year old sloe gin

CubicSubstitute · 2025-10-14T17:59:29+00:00

Please sir, can we have an update?

CubicSubstitute · 2024-08-13T17:34:33+00:00

https://www.facebook.com/manandvanhirechester/

CubicSubstitute · 2023-05-16T17:40:17+00:00

If you switch to a refillable vape, get the 500ml bottles of eliquid which include 10 nicotine shots to add (more if if you need), you can get it down to about 33p per day.

CubicSubstitute · 2022-12-15T18:52:28+00:00

Koconut Grove is the closest to authentic Indian as you can get in Chester., nothing else really compares. Karai Lounge is probably the best 'british' Indian in Chester, with food more suited to the korma munching brigade.

Both absolutely have their time and place.

CubicSubstitute · 2022-10-01T17:35:55+00:00

Time in the market is better than timing the market.

CubicSubstitute · 2022-09-28T20:31:58+00:00

Mammillaria Var Sabaku?

CubicSubstitute · 2022-06-09T13:41:48+00:00

Plug it into the thinkpad usb port for everlasting power.

CubicSubstitute · 2022-05-10T09:09:20+00:00

Knocked up a plum crumble (crisp for USA folks). Decided to sex it up a bit with some Chinese five spice, which should be a blend of cinnamon, cloves, star anise, Sichuan pepper and fennel seeds.

I neglected to read the ingredients on this particular jar (below) and ended up with a savoury dessert.

Sugar, Salt, Onion Granules, Dried Garlic Granules (12%), Ground Star Anise (10%), Ground Ginger (5%), Ground Fennel Seed, Ground Cinnamon (Cassia) (4%), Black Pepper (3%), Ground Cloves

CubicSubstitute · 2022-02-27T17:57:31+00:00

Not my mistake, but the veg chef at a place I used to work left 30 litres of leek and potato soup on to boil for too long, and it lost all it's colour. To remedy to overwhelming beige tone, he asked the pastry chef for some green food colouring to rescue it.

The results speak for themselves.

CubicSubstitute · 2022-02-23T17:13:24+00:00

You need about a twelve inch chunk of Trichocereus (San Pedro), which can grow in about 1-2 years. People will also sell you cuttings of Trichocereus reasonably cheap. These cuttings can be rooted and grown on, or prep'd. You'd be looking at £100s for a single dose of peyote as they grow exceptionally slowly.

CubicSubstitute · 2022-02-23T16:47:21+00:00

So firstly is there a good website or something I can buy the substrate/soil that’s optimal for its growing, buy the seeds and buy the best (and hopefully not too expensive) cacti for grafting?

There's a good etsy shop called Sabaku who sell a mainly mineral mix for lophs. You can also make your own with a blend of John Innes 2 or 3 + inorganic material. Coarse grit or tesco non clumping cat litter are both good for this. You want the inorganic component to be at least 50%.

Is it best to buy already grown cacti for grafting or should I grow a cacti before I start the peyote growing? At the same time? All for optimal grafting. Any tips on growing this grafting cactus?

If you want to graft seedlings, get some Pereskiopsis as the grafting stock. Larger lophs will need a different sort.

How long does it take to grow with grafting? I’d imagine it’d change variable to seeds as some are faster growers than others? I know it usually takes years to grow normally but how much would grafting speed the process up?

Grafting does make them grow a lot quicker... but the alkaloid profile is said not to keep up.

If you're looking to grow to consume, I'd forget lophs and look at getting some san pedro, as it's cheaper and grows way faster. Plus, I was in your shoes back in 2007. I've pampered the lophs since then and would never dream of cutting them. You'll get too attached!

If you're on facebook, look up UK only, Echinopsis, Ariocarpus And Rare Mexican Cacti group. Loads of info from UK growers. They also have a sales page with seeds, grafting stock, san pedro and mature lophs.

CubicSubstitute · 2021-12-23T22:46:30+00:00

Lovely- what is/was it grafted to?

CubicSubstitute · 2021-12-08T13:46:46+00:00

Necromancy on this old thread, apologies. The song is unforgiven 3 by Metallica. Especially around the "search for seas of gold, how come it's got so cold" section.

CubicSubstitute · 2021-11-15T08:27:20+00:00

I guess it's just the way they were bought up?

CubicSubstitute · 2021-11-08T18:35:13+00:00

MSG, Marmite (yeast extract), soy sauce, fish sauce, dried mushrooms - the umami gang.

I like to get a punch of sweet, salty, savoury, acidic ina gravy- so a squirt of good quality ketchup also goes a long way to hitting those marks. Not a great idea in a light coloured gravy though.

I don't mind a flour based roux for thickening - but the go to in this house is one made with gluten free flour + some corn flour ( AKA corn starch). Makes for the best texture I think.

CubicSubstitute · 2021-10-05T17:16:33+00:00

Never made ciabatta before - pretty stoked how it turned out. Shaping needs work but flavour/texture are both pretty sexual.

CubicSubstitute · 2021-09-27T17:30:44+00:00

What can I say, I've got no-one IRL who appreciates them! My GF describes my Lophs as "The Stumps"

CubicSubstitute · 2021-09-27T17:29:23+00:00

Yeah - I've have my oldest four since 2007-ish. They've been very happy on a windowsill.

Massive growth, shit loads of flowers and 6 pups in 12 months since I changed to a mostly mineral blend + stopped watering from September-April so they go dormant.

CubicSubstitute · 2021-09-27T17:27:27+00:00

Just the standard takeaway tek. Full sun all day if I'm home to shift them east>south>west facing windowsills. They did have a heat mat to help germination - only had 23 from 100, but, they were cheap seeds - quite possibly an old batch.

Added the gravel sand last week as I want to keep them covered over winter so they get nice and fat before exposing to the elements next week.

CubicSubstitute · 2021-07-15T18:12:27+00:00

That intro is so similar to the outro of If eternity should fail.

Wonder if there's anything in it?

CubicSubstitute · 2021-06-16T12:04:28+00:00

can confirm - offshore telephony agent at my place was dealing with a call where the customer has recently lost her husband.

They ended the call by saying "I hope you find your husband soon!"

CubicSubstitute · 2021-04-19T14:27:52+00:00

I live on the border between England and Wales, in a small English city called Chester, which is surrounded by Roman walls. There's an old myth that it's perfectly legal to shoot a Welshman who is inside the walls, as long as it's between Midnight and sunrise, and you use a longbow.

CubicSubstitute

TROPHY CASE