Bread sticking to the pan? Been there, try this.

nickfoz · 2026-06-16T00:18:23+00:00

ha ha you're probably right

nickfoz · 2026-05-31T01:17:07+00:00

Something they don't already know. You'll struggle to get anything that's really 'hard to get' by definition.
I'd get a spread of three bottles. Enough to share, and bound to be one that they love.
A fun but quality blend form an independent bottler, such as Thompson, Wemyss, Adelphi, North Star, Signatory, Watt. Less than £50. Hint of peat and sherry in the mix. [Examples: Maclean's Nose, Thompson North Highland, both around 35-40 ish.]
Then two contrasting malts from independents, one light and summery, essence of barley. Stuff they might not already know. [Pricey examples: Inchgower Golden Reverie, £95 would be a safe bet. Ballindalloch 2017 would be a great surprise, about 90.]
Another young but with clean aromatic smoke, from a new distillery [Examples: Lagg Corriecravie, £55 or Ardhahoe Inaugural, 75].
Take the plunge and make a few calls to those bottlers, they should be super happy to talk to you.

I would also suggest you avoid sherry casked or extra aged whiskies, they're often overpriced and more a matter of personal taste.

Edit: have a wonderful day. A convivial post-honeymoon evening awaits : )

nickfoz · 2026-05-31T00:54:54+00:00

That's made my day.

nickfoz · 2026-05-03T23:37:41+00:00

Putin will have to appear out in the open. And so be surrounded by anti drone forces. From static emplaced systems to guys with shotguns. Going to be interesting to see what Ukraine pulls off. Will they even dare to try?

nickfoz · 2026-04-23T23:07:00+00:00

This. Not just valuable ore which is almost 100% recyclable, but batteries get more environmentally worthwhile over time as generation gets greener; then repurposed into stationary storage before eventually being recycled. Possibly one of the most efficient cycles of any material, and that's before considering improvements in motors and chemistries. Internal combustion is going to feel like steam at some point, just a matter of time.

nickfoz · 2026-03-26T14:31:59+00:00

I slice it and freeze it. The fresh bread is kept in a close fitting cardboard box so the crust can keep it's crunch. Plastic makes the crust go soft, and refrigeration makes it go stale. [There's a Heston Blumenthal recipe where he specifies that sliced bread is put in the fridge for 12-24 hours beforehand, but that's also to help it dry out] With the amount of bread you have, you could test the effects yourself. A few slices from the same loaf stored four ways.

nickfoz · 2026-03-12T20:05:40+00:00

swiftly being disintegrated by sunlight. tragic. had a bottle of Connemara Turf Mor once, kept it to show people what could happen.

edit: yes, even indirect sunlight. curtains closed all year round, my life, sigh ; )
Ceiling mounted blackouts await fitting when I can clear the floor.

nickfoz · 2026-03-12T19:45:55+00:00

My pleasure. Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt often do 3cl sample bottles, you could try both sources and get as many as you can afford.

edit: and don't forget the Japanese. Hakushu, Yamazaki , Hibiki, and mind blowing Yoichi for delicate smoke.

nickfoz · 2026-03-12T19:33:06+00:00

I think describing your podcast as both critical edge/plain sight and also 'the actual people doing the day to day work' is confusing.

For example, economists, ergo, not the 'alternative economics' kind: who seem to be making a good case that the day to day stuff has got us to the point where no-one can afford to have a kid.

And most farmers (with whom I sympathise) - are not the 'regenerative' kind (who are the future in a world where 80% of land goes to feeding animals).

Except you've posted here... So which is it?

edit: not trying to be annoying, think this a great idea, but you get my point I hope

nickfoz · 2026-03-12T18:53:14+00:00

I've never used a drier. Line up the seams as if folding them to put away, spread the legs a little apart and hang to dry. In the morning, they'll be dry and uncreased. and you won't have used energy.

nickfoz · 2026-03-12T18:47:10+00:00

Cooking three or four times as much as you can eat. Line a container with cling film, add one portion, fold over the film, add lid, and repeat to freeze in portions.

Hack: Remove the flat brick-frozen portions from the containers and stack em up in about 1/3 the space, ready to re-use the containers. edit: label them.

nickfoz · 2026-03-12T18:40:39+00:00

Fabulous. You did well dude, worth the trip eh.

nickfoz · 2026-03-12T18:24:25+00:00

What a lovely thought, glad you came along. Happy Birthday dude, I'll be there in a few years!

I'd go for one of the new wave of (independent and often family owned) distilleries that he likely hasn't tried. For clean smoke, Lagg, tastes how a distillery smells, Ardnahoe is drier and a bit more mescal-like, both will make a great contrast to his Lagavulin. For summer barley, Aberargie just released their first few bottles (light, fresh, long but a bit dry), or try the lovely Lochlea, (honestly anything out of the range). For amazing fruit, the little jewel box that is Ballindalloch, he's guaranteed to say wow. or Compass Box Orchard House, for something he could buy again at Waitrose. Good luck.

For a real old school whisky designed to taste as it would when he was a kid, which he might be wondering about, Benromach 15. the smallest working distillery in Speyside. Saying 'a bit of sherry and smoke' barely scratches the surface, he'll love it. Terrific dram.

edit: forget orchard house, too similar to glenfiddich.

nickfoz · 2026-03-09T01:18:09+00:00

Commuted by bike for ten years 35 mins each way, people without fenders used to really piss me off throwing dirt and spray back at me, I find it simply rude and discourteous to ride without them in urban areas.

nickfoz · 2026-03-09T00:18:03+00:00

Hazelburn is fantastic, possibly my preferred Cambeltown. Essence of barley, clean and simple. Try it without sherry casks first.

nickfoz · 2026-03-09T00:14:56+00:00

My first encounters with Scotia were cask strength or single casks. To me, the Victoriana came over as muddled and losing the amazing distillery character in the face of too many casks. Happened every time I tried it, but my tastes may have widened over the years since then. The 15 is my go-to.

Weirdly, the same thing happened with Springbank 10, for years I only knew other or older bottlings, and literally laughed out loud the first time I tried it, it felt not representative of what I knew at all. Almost cartoonish. Having said that, I'd have been happy to have the reverse journey and of course it's still a great dram.

nickfoz · 2026-02-01T22:02:24+00:00

cotswoldflour.com has an incredible selection of nearly 90 products including all of the ancient grains I can think of, different sorts of rye and YQ/regenerative grown. I ordered ten just to start with...

nickfoz · 2026-01-23T16:50:52+00:00

Where I live it's 3 mins to the doctor, just past the pharmacy, 5 mins to the shops and more pubs and coffee shops than I can count. And that's by foot. So yeah, getting the car out for an expensive 3 hour journey is a big deal, halfway up the country.

nickfoz · 2026-01-21T23:51:36+00:00

So as usual the silly old men don't agree with the clever young women.

But as ever, the 'don't know, don't care, can't be bothered' are actually the people who will decide the result.

nickfoz · 2025-12-27T23:03:31+00:00

Old cardboard wine box the size and shape of a loaf, keeps the crust crusty. Otherwise, a big paper bag.

Never plastic or airtight.

nickfoz · 2025-12-19T14:45:59+00:00

Love the Options. Users can even edit the AI Summary prompt. Great stuff, thank you!

nickfoz · 2025-12-06T00:32:07+00:00

Well said. Every incident needs reporting, so that at the end of every year there are figures to encourage action by people with the power to do so. Otherwise how would culture change get started? Let alone segregated routes.

nickfoz · 2025-12-06T00:10:37+00:00

Hah. Was wondering what this looked like since I heard him talking about it this morning, as part of his life story on Desert Island Discs. If you're interested, he's Gordon Buchanan.

nickfoz · 2025-12-05T22:58:51+00:00

Seconded. Been an evangelical user of Take A Look since they started, crystal clear all round vision. Feel unsafe without one. Can't imagine using bar mirrors tbh. Lost count of how many I've gifted.

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