Posts Tagged ‘reviews’
Albarino: Can Spain’s flagship white wine age?
Can Albarino white wines age – Peter Ranscombe joins an online tasting to find out. ONE of the most attractive elements of albarino is its freshness. Spain’s flagship white wine is the perfect example of “what grows together, goes together”. It’s high acidity and bright citrus flavours are the ideal foil for the seafood harvested…
Read MoreLooking to fight back against global warming
With a title that relates to the classic song Riders on the Storm by the Doors, this book immediately had my attention. However it is far from fun and games as it presents the seriousness of our situation and our rather pathetic fight against global warming. Despite the Coronavirus, Alastair McIntosh still deems global warming…
Read MoreA thriller taking a look at the Scottish oil industry
If you are interested in the pursuit of equality in the workplace but also have a mind for dark thrillers, political corruption, and corporate cover ups, this is the golden nugget. Black Blood follows the story of Danni, a corporate lawyer completing her traineeship before circumstances circling around an abusive partner force her out of…
Read MoreA gripping read that will keep youngsters happy
As a boy, I always loved the stories of Robert Louis Stevenson, Enid Blyton and Arthur Ransome, when young people became involved in the adult world. Somehow or other, the youngsters involved would manage to save the day, and stop the smugglers, the thieves, or whatever villainous plots the ne’er-do-wells had in mind. There’s an…
Read MoreLidl goes back to the future with French wine tour
Tomorrow’s Lidl wine tour promotion features French classics you may have forgotten, writes Peter Ranscombe. DON’T you just hate it when a tune gets stuck in your heid? I’ve been humming the theme to Back to the Future since getting a sneak peak at some of the wines in Lidl’s latest wine tour promotion, which…
Read MoreGrandfather’s notes make for a fascinating history
Historical discoveries are amazing things, especially if there’s a family connection. While canvassing for the Scottish independence referendum in 2014, MSP Neil Findlay made a discovery. Visiting the home that used to be his grandparents’, he was shown a plywood panel where John Jock Findlay, his grandfather, had written his life’s tale. Fascinated, Neil transcribed…
Read MoreOn the buses for a look back at Fife transport
Public transport is something that most of us see on a regular basis. David Devoy is a devotee of buses, and his chronicles the independent bus operators that have been deployed in the Fife area in this book that will definitely grab enthusiasts of the transport. Devoy knows his subject, having written several books on…
Read MoreA tremendous read in a study of humans and nature
Peter Wohlleben is a German forester who has written several fascinating insights into the trees he works with. The best-selling author, whose previous works include the international success The Hidden Life of Trees, indulges in his life-long love of the wooded world. In his new book, drawing on new scientific discoveries, The Heartbeat of Trees…
Read MoreTenuta Sette Cieli: Winemaking without a recipe
Tenuta Sette Cieli winemaker Elena Pozzolini doesn’t follow a recipe in the vineyard or the cellar, writes Peter Ranscombe. WHAT separates a chef from a cook? An inexperienced cook like myself has to follow a recipe line by line to make sure that the same risotto or carbonara or Bolognese appears every time. A chef,…
Read MoreA hugely amusing collection of tales from a Scottish vet
As a child, on long car journeys, my dad would often play talking book versions of the works of James Herriot. From an early age, I was taken by tales of the life of a vet, from the more difficult to the lighter side of life, and, of course, Only Creatures Great And Small was…
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