Bar Billiards and Darts at The Cock Inn, Luddesdowne

Playing some Darts and Bar Billiards at The Cock Inn, Luddesdowne.

Brad Shepherd playing some Bar Billiards at The Cock Inn at Luddesdowne

I do enjoy playing pub games, and ever since my mate Brad Shepherd introduced me to the sport of Bar Billiards, via the Indoor League, I've looked to play as many tables as I can find.

On a recent trip to Gravesend we made the short journey to the village of Luddesdowne - between Meopham and Cobham - to visit The Cock Inn to see the traditional pub games there.

Brad and I had a cracking game of Bar Billiards. Having not played in a while we got off to a bit of a slow start, but Brad then took the lead, only for me to mount a comeback (curtailed by a break wipeout), followed by another fightback to eventually win 990 to 810

There's also a 'standard' dartboard at The Cock Inn...

...as well as three examples of variant dartboards! This was the first time I'd seen a London Fives, Yorkshire Board or a Manchester Log-End Board in the flesh. Brilliant to see

There was also a Shove Ha'penny slate at the pub. I've played on a wooden board, but never seen the game on a slate before

Check out the Patrick Chaplin (aka Dr Darts) website for more on the history of the dartboard.

Related blog posts:

- Bar Billiards
- Darts

- Pub
- Pub games

Links:

- The Cock Inn website
- The Cock Inn on Twitter
- The Cock Inn on Facebook
- Bar Billiards Forum
- The All England Bar Billiards Association (AEBBA)

Crazy Golf at Woodlands Park in Gravesend, Kent

A revisit to the Mini Golf course in Gravesend's Woodlands Park.

Back in February 2009 we visited Gravesend and had a play of the abandoned Crazy Golf course in Woodlands Park. Six years on and I was in town again and had to have a look at the course.

Nothing much had changed.

The course on 28 February 2009

As the course looked on Valentines Day 2015

The course is still in an abandoned, derelict state, but surprisingly the felt and frame of the 18-hole layout still looks to be in a pretty decent condition.

At another unplayable course on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Interestingly when you look beyond the existing holes you can see the foundations of the course that was originally there. It looks like the course used to be similar to some of the Beton and Eternit courses more often found in continental Europe.

My guide for the day was Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd who had a walk round the course and reminisced about some of the holes-in-one he scored on the miniature golf course when he was a lad.

Local lad Brad showed me around the Crazy Golf course

  

 

The Woodlands Park Crazy Golf course was the 79th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Related blog posts:
- Minigolf Course Visit No. 79 - Woodlands Park, Gravesend
- Hole...in...one
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Dunton Hills Invitational Minigolf Tournament

Richard Gottfried wins the Dunton Hills Invitational minigolf tournament

Leagrave minigolfer Richard Gottfried got his 2015 minigolf season underway with victory in the Dunton Hills Invitational tournament played at the Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre in West Horndon, Essex on Sunday 15 February.

Luton Minigolfer Richard Gottfried in action at the Dunton Hills Invitational competition in West Horndon, Essex

Organised by the Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club, the Dunton Hills Invitational saw seven British Minigolf Association Tour Pro players compete over three rounds on the 18-hole miniature golf course.

Richard recorded a 54-hole score of 140 with rounds of 48, 45 and 47. Mark Wood of the CEMGC was runner-up with a score of 143, with Andy Wilde of the Sussex Wasps Mini Golf Club in third place.

Richard said “It’s marvellous to win the Dunton Hills Invitational tournament. The course is incredibly tricky and the competition was tough. It was a real battle for the title with Mark and it went all the way to the wire. Thanks to the CEMGC for organising the event, it was good fun and a great way to start the season.”

Full results of the Dunton Hills Invitational Minigolf Tournament:
1. Richard Gottfried (48-45-47) = 140
2. Mark Wood (46-44-53) = 143
3. Andy Wilde (50-49-46) = 145
4. Chris Wood (50-51-49) = 150
4. Brian Smith (48-54-48) = 150
6. Steve Lovell (46-51-55) = 152
7. Martin Greenhead (56-53-44) = 153

Next up for Richard and Emily is a trip to Hastings for the BMGA British Club Championships in March. Richard will be playing for the Midlands Minigolf Club, the 2008 national champions, while Emily will be competing as part of the Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club.

Links:
- Dunton Hills Family Golf Centre website
- Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club on Facebook
- CMGC website

Related blog posts:
- CEMGC Invitational Minigolf Tournament 2014
- Minigolf at Dunton Hills Golf Course in Essex
- Playing the Dunton Hills Miniature Golf Course in West Horndon, Essex
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf in Essex
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date

Indoor Mini Golf in Leeds

New 9-hole indoor minigolf course to open in Leeds.

The Roxy Ball Room in Leeds has announced the opening of a brand new indoor miniature golf course at their venue.

The 9-hole layout will be the latest addition to the bar and pizza place's leisure activities that also include beer pong, pool, ping pong, billiards and tenpin bowling. It sounds like my kind of place!

The new indoor crazy golf will be opening in a few months time.

You can find the Roxy Ball Room on the 1st Floor Trinity Square, Boar Lane, Leeds, LS1 6HW. Check out the links below for more information on the venue.

Emily and I are looking forward to visiting and playing the course as part of our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

We've enjoyed playing a number of Indoor Mini, Crazy and Adventure Golf courses over the years and the new set-up sounds like it'll be in a good spot.

While in serious competition alcohol and minigolf sport do not mix, in the fun side of the game they are a great combination.

Links:
- Roxy Ball Room website
- Roxy Ball Room on Twitter
- Roxy Ball Room on Facebook
- Roxy Lanes website

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Indoor Mini, Crazy and Adventure Golf courses
- Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in Pub Beer Gardens

Isabel's Gluten Free Dough Balls Mix

Cooking up some cheese dough balls with a free from mix from Isabel's.

On a recent shopping trip to Asda we spotted a product in the Free From section that we hadn't seen before - the Gluten Free Dough Balls Mix.

The 250g box makes approximately 24 dough balls and Emily made exactly two dozen delicious 'pão de queijo' snacks from the mix.

The pão de queijo' made from the Isabel's gluten free dough balls mix

They were really nice when eaten warm and with plenty leftover we've found them to be great cold too.

Putting a twist on the recipe on the packet Emily added brie to the mix, a good choice as it melted perfectly inside the dough balls.

As someone with Coeliac Disease I pore over the ingredients, claims and small-print on every single item of food and drink I buy to ensure it's safe to consume, it's pleasing to see that all of Isabel's products are naturally 100% gluten and wheat free.

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- Emily's Cooking

Links:
- Isabel's Free From website
- Isabel's Free From on Twitter
- Isabel's Free From on Facebook
- Asda
- Coeliac UK

Gluten free chips for Chip Week 2015

A blog post for Chip Week 2015.

This year Chip Week is taking place between 16 and 22 February.

As someone with Coeliac Disease my life is somewhat dominated by my strict and life-long gluten free diet. However, I try not to let this stand in my way of having a good meal and enjoying one of my favourite dishes - Fish & Chips.

The very first gluten free chip I ate as a newly diagnosed Coeliac in 2008

Obviously, potatoes in their 'natural' form are gluten free. However, in the journey to become chips and to land on your plate they often undergo an interesting journey where they become contaminated with gluten, and therefore unsafe for Coeliacs.

So at home we normally make and cook our own chips, fries and wedges. It's a lot safer, and often tastier that way.

The two bags of oven chips that are always a stock item in our freezer are by McCain. The Original Oven Chips (Fat Chips - Straight Cut) and Quick Cook French Fries are both gluten free. You might think that more oven chips would be gluten free, but you'd be wrong!

On our travels around the UK's seasides we're always on the lookout for gluten free Fish & Chips. After my diagnosis in May 2008 the first place I managed to find some were at Rossi's in Swansea in August of that year.

A large portion of chips, with fish. With a side order of chips. All gluten free and served up at the Fish Factory in Worthing

If you are looking for gluten free chip options when out and about do make sure you double-check on the source, preparation, cooking and serving of the chips to ensure that cross-contamination with gluten-containing food items hasn't and doesn't happen. On a number of occasions I've been told that gluten free food is cooked in the same fryer as gluten-containing food!?

I couldn't of put it better myself. The Quayside Fish & Chip shop and restaurant in Whitby has the right idea

Check out the Chip Week website for more information, recipes, facts, fun and a quiz on chips.

Barley Malt Vinegar isn't safe for Coeliacs as it contains gluten, that's why I'm always pleased to see restaurants and takeaways serving non-brewed condiment with food. You can't beat chips covered in salt and vinegar

This year Coeliac UK will be running it's own Awareness Week between 11 and 17 May and focussing on changing the current state of diagnosis in the UK.

Chip Week Updates:

While shopping in our local Co-op we picked up a bag of potatoes to make some wedges with this week - the bag had a Chip Week sticker on it

Lots of chips for Chip Week. And some tasty veg. And oh look, a rib eye steak is on the plate too

Non-brewed condiment - great with chips and a stock item in my cupboard as Coeliacs can't tolerate barley malt vinegar

Links:

- Chip Week 2015 website
- #ChipWeek
- The Potato Council website
- The Potato Girls on Twitter
- Love Chips on Facebook

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free Fish & Chips that we've found on our travels
- Coeliac Awareness Week 2015

Novelty Automation amusement arcade in London

An amusement arcade - with a twist - is opening in London!

The Novelty Automation amusement arcade features 16 intriguing, crazy and bizarre 'arcade' games. Believe me, they are certainly not what you'd expect to find in a seaside style amusement arcade!

Each of the games has been created by madcap inventor Tim Hunkin and the Novelty Automation arcade in London's Holborn area is twinned with the renowned Under the Pier Show seaside arcade in Southwold.

Back in 2009 we visited the Suffolk coastal resort and while walking on the very nice pier popped into the Under the Pier Show. We were amazed at the array of mad games to play, having a go on such wonders as Fly Drive and Mobility Masterclass.

A proper fly-ght simulator. Seated on the 'Fly Drive' arcade game at The Under the Pier Show in Southwold

The Novelty Automation can be found at 1a Princeton Street, London WC1R 4AX (nearest tube stations are Holborn and Chancery Lane) and will be open Wednesday to Saturday from 11am to 6pm (7pm on Thursday).

We're big fans of Amusement Arcades (aka The Buttons) - even going so far as holding Tat Challenge Tournaments - and so we can't wait to get along and have a play of the machines at the Novelty Automation arcade. Although I do remember the 'Test Your Nerve' game at the Under the Pier Show was bloomin' scary!

Testing my nerve on the worryingly interactive housebreaking simulator

Visit the links below for more on the Novelty Automation arcade.

Links:
- Novelty Automation website
- Novelty Automation on Twitter
- The Under the Pier Show website

Related blog posts:
- Under the Pier Show - Southwold
- Southwold
- Amusement Arcades

Gluten free Gnocchi from Rustichella d'Abruzzo

Cooking up some dishes with Rustichella d'Abruzzo senza glutine Gnocchi.

While on a recent visit to the West Berkshire town of Newbury we popped into Oldbury's Deli for a look round and were pleased to see they had a gluten free section. It was also nice that there were some interesting and different products on sale.

The one item that really caught our eye was the gluten free Gnocchi. Something that is not a stock item in most shops. Emily has tried to make Gnocchi before, with mixed results, so we decided to buy a bag and give it a go.

Gnoccho di patate senza glutine from Rustichella d'Abruzzo

The Gnocchi (senza glutine) is from Rustichella d'Abruzzo, and is made to strict standards to avoid cross contamination in the production process.

Gnocchi with a tomato and basil sauce

Emily cooked up two sauces and prepared the Gnocchi two ways. We had boiled Gnocchi with a tomato & basil sauce, and a fried Gnocchi with a lemon & sage butter. Both were delicious. I really liked the fried version.

Gnocchi with a lemon and sage butter

Being on a strict life-long gluten free diet can be frustrating and a little boring so it's great when Emily and I spot something new to cook and eat. The 500g bag of Gnocchi cost £5.80. We would buy it again.

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- Emily's Cooking

Links:
- Rustichella d'Abruzzo website
- Rustichella d'Abruzzo on Twitter
- Oldbury's Deli website
- Coeliac UK