Gluten free mixes from Spice Queen

On a trip to Ipswich we stopped off in Chelmsford and enjoyed a walkround the town centre and market. we've always got our eyes peeled for gluten free things and so were pleased to see the Spice Queen stall selling a range of mixes that were gluten free.

The chap on the stall was very knowledgeable about gluten free needs and offered some samples which Emily tried and liked. We bought the Chicken Tikka, Chicken Curry and Any Bean Curry mixes.

The pots of flavour come with a recipe sheet and Emily made some great dishes with the mixes. Some photos of the prep and results of the delicious Chicken Tikka and Chicken Curry are below.

Ingredients and recipe sheet for the Chicken Tikka

Getting messy marinating the chicken

Sealing in the flavour

We like to cook chicken using the 'beer' can method. As I'm gluten free we opt for cider cans instead

The curry mix ingredients

A fine gluten free curry. A nice treat. Especially with an obligatory gluten free beer

You can find the Spice Queen team at farmer's markets across Essex. For more information visit the Spice Queen website.

Links:
- Spice Queen website
- Spice Queen on Twitter
- Spice Queen on Facebook

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- Emily's cooking
- Gluten free beer

Minigolf Clubs in the UK

Details of miniature golf clubs in the UK.

I'm a member of the reigning and two-time BMGA British Club Champions, the Midlands Minigolf Club, and Emily is a member of the Cambridgeshire & Essex Mini Golf Club.

The 2015 BMGA British Club Champions - the Midlands Minigolf Club. From l-r Seth Thomas, Michael Smith, Brenda Smith, Paul Johnson, Owen Johnson, Richard Gottfried, John Moore, Chris Smith

We compete as individuals on the British Minigolf Association Tour, with occasional forays into doubles and team competitions.

The 2015 bronze medalists from the Cambridgeshire and Essex Mini Golf Club. From l-r Chris Wood, Adrian Amey, Emily Gottfried, Mark Wood

There are currently eight miniature golf clubs affiliated to the BMGA - they are the Midlands Minigolf Club, Cambridgeshire and Essex Mini Golf Club, Kent Minigolf Club, Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club, Splash Point Mini Golf Club, Sussex Wasps Mini Golf Club, London Minigolf Club and the Brighton Minigolf Club.

Former / defunct / inactive minigolf clubs in the UK include (in no particular order) the Welwyn Garden City Minigolf Club, Tunbridge Wells Minigolf Club, Brighton and Hove Minigolf Club, Cwmbran Minigolf Club, Thames Valley Minigolf Club, Hampshire Minigolf Club, The Green Mini Golf Club, Cambridgeshire Mini Golf Club, Sandbanks Crazy Golf Club, Basingstoke Minigolf Club, Portsmouth & Southsea Crazy Golf Club, Luton Wanderers Minigolf Club, Bangor Minigolf Club and the Kentish Town Mini Golf Club.

Around the world there are over 900 minigolf clubs and 38,000 competitive minigolf players registered with the World Minigolf Sport Federation via the 46 member nations.

Active club links:
- Midlands Minigolf Club
- Cambridgeshire and Essex Mini Golf Club
- Kent Minigolf Club
- Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club
- Splash Point Mini Golf Club
- Sussex Wasps Mini Golf Club
- London Minigolf Club - no website, but there's some great old info on the LMC at MiniatureGolfer.com
- Brighton Minigolf Club - no website

Association links:
- British Minigolf Association
- European Minigolf Sport Federation
- World Minigolf Sport Federation

Like the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Facebook, check out our YouTube channel and follow me and Emily on Twitter.

My life as a Coeliac in LEGO form

This is why I avoid gluten!

I'm often asked 'what would happen if you ate some gluten?' The answer is above

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. So it's in a lot of food and drink - like hot dogs, pizza and pretzels. People with Coeliac Disease can suffer a wide-range of symptoms and health problems if even the tiniest amount of gluten is consumed.

Links:
- LEGO
- LEGO 60073 Service Truck
- Coeliac UK

Related blog posts:
- Coeliac
- Gluten free

A gluten free meal at Honest Burgers in London

Honestly one of the best burgers ever.

I recently visited Honest Burgers in London and I really wish I'd been there sooner.

On an evening out in King's Cross we were feeling hungry and as a Coeliac that's not always a good thing due to the limited choice available when dining out. Luckily Emily remembered that Honest Burgers on Pentonville Road served gluten free options - she'd noticed they served Estrella Damm Daura gluten free beer on a previous visit.

Honest Burgers stock a lot of beer, including the very good Estrella Damm Daura gluten free lager

We checked out the menu and saw they had GF options, including buns (although there is a £1 surcharge). As dining out is an anxious affair for me I steeled myself with another alcoholic beverage but then bit the bullet and decided to go there.

We were welcomed by a member of staff and I asked her about the gluten free options, where the GF buns were heated and other food was cooked?

I received very confident answers on the preparation and cooking of the food and cross-contamination controls in place. Additional information on the cooking of the fries was also volunteered meaning I would be able to have a whole meal with no substitutions, or going without. This was all excellent.

When we were seated I was shown the allergy sheet so that I could see what was/wasn't OK to order. Thankfully for gluten free/coeliac diners most of the menu is OK. I chose the Special Burger - Beef, smoked bacon, Honest guacamole, Swiss cheese and Harissa mayonnaise. Served with rosemary salted chips.

It was absolutely delicious.

A very happy Coeliac with his gluten free burger, chips and beer

Check out the links below for more about Honest Burgers, the menu and locations.

I'm looking forward to returning and working my way through the other burgers.

Links:
- Honest Burgers website
- Estrella Damm Daura

Related blog posts:
- Gluten Free
- Coeliac
- Burgers
- Estrella
- Beer

Happy April Fools' Day from 'The Kentish Town Mini Golf Club'

Setting up a new minigolf club in the UK.

Emily and I have decided to set-up a new minigolf club - the Kentish Town Mini Golf Club.

Minigolf characters Richard and Emily Gottfried in Margate, Kent

I have played for the Midlands Minigolf Club since my rookie season in 2007, while Emily was most recently a member of the Cambridgeshire and Essex Mini Golf Club.

There were two main reasons for us creating a brand new club on the exciting and action packed British minigolf scene.

• Emily works in Kentish Town and is a mere eight minute walk away from the Clarence Way Crazy Golf course that we finally managed to play in 2012
• Since we moved from Luton to Leagrave in 2013 our local sports team is Kent Athletic Club - home to north Luton's number one football team, Kent Athletic FC

Last month we both competed for our respective former clubs in the BMGA British Club Championships and did well in the event. Now the time is right to build a new legacy. Starting today.

Richard playing the Clarence Way Crazy Golf course in Camden. Near Kentish Town

Back in 2011 Kent Athletic Club held a Bank Holiday Fun Day and one of the activities was Crazy Golf! The course became the 267th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the first we'd played on a football pitch.

A Crazy Golf course, with a windmill, set up on a football pitch, in Leagrave

We held the inaugural Kent(ish) Invitational Tournament on that course visit and the victory went to me with a score of 34 to Emily's 42.

The code of conduct of the Kentish Town Mini Golf Club is summarised below:

• Action - our events will be action packed 
• Playability - we'll play at any course. Anywhere
• Rankings - we'll set up the Kentish Town MGC ranking list for our members
• International - we welcome players from around the world to represent the KTMGC
• Lifestyle - we recognise minigolf is a lifestyle choice and we will have as much fun as possible while doing it
• Fun - see above
• Original - from it's name down, the KTMGC will be original in all it does
• Official - it is
• Longevity - we're in this for the long haul. Oh yes

The Kentish Town Mini Golf Club is open to all and for today only is offering free membership (the normal subs price will be £5 per player, per season). If you're interested in joining please get in touch via the comments below or on Twitter.

News of the British minigolf scene hasn't gone unnoticed. Mr Uri Foal from Kentish Town Council said "The forming of a new sports club in Kentish Town is always a cause for celebration. Having two fine minigolfers, Emily and Richard, committing their futures to the KTMGC is a sign of things to come."

Check out the links below for websites and Facebook pages of the other UK minigolf clubs.

Links:
- Kent Minigolf Club
- Midlands Minigolf Club
- Cambridgeshire and Essex Mini Golf Club
- Planet Hastings Crazy Golf Club
- London Minigolf Club - not online
- Splash Point Mini Golf Club
- Sussex Wasps Mini Golf Club
- British Minigolf Association
- European Minigolf Sport Federation
- World Minigolf Sport Federation

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Finally Playing the Camden Crazy Golf Course
- Crazy Golf in Luton - Charity Fun Day at Kent Athletic Club
- Richard Gottfried player profile
- Emily Gottfried player profile

Chad Valley Miniature Golf

Playing a 1960's Miniature Golf set.

My fellow minigolf enthusiast Paul 'Johnson Paul Johnson' Johnson recently acquired a 1960's Miniature Golf set made by Chad Valley and he kindly donated it to The Crazy Golf Museum.

The 9-hole Chad Valley 'Miniature golf' course was designed for indoor and outdoor play and includes two putters, balls, flags and tin plate holes

While at the Four Ashes Golf Centre in Dorridge last weekend we had to give the game a go.

Paul Johnson lines up a putt on a plateau hole

Putting using the Chad Valley miniature golf putters was very tricky

Chad Valley was founded in 1860 and the range of toys and games is now exclusively available at Argos.

Links:
- The Crazy Golf Museum
- Miniature Golf and Crazy Golf toys and games at The Crazy Golf Museum

Related blog posts:

- The Crazy Golf Museum

Novelty Automation arcade in London

A visit to London's Novelty Automation arcade.

We recently visited the excellent Novelty Automation amusement arcade near Holborn in London.

A nice relaxing break

We had great fun playing the mad arcade games. My favourite was definitely My Nuke - a personal nuclear reactor!

Playing on my own personal nuclear reactor

After 'successfully' playing the My Nuke game I received a piece of edible nuclear waster

The arcade is full of home-made games machines built by enthusiasts. And very well built they are too. Games include Test Your Nerve, Pet or Meat?, Chiropodist, Is it art?, The Expressive Photobooth, Divorce, Money Laundering, Cycle Pong, Alien Probe, Microbreak, Instant Eclipse and Autofrisk.

Getting an Autofrisk!

They have some great merchandise for sale too. I picked up some nice badges and a keyring.

Emily visited the Chiropodist

You can find Novelty Automation at 1a Princeton Street, London, WC1R 4AX and it's a five minute walk from Holborn Tube Station.

Cycle Pong was out of order. We'll give this two player game a play next time

It's open Wednesday to Saturday and admission is free. Each of the games costs between £1 and £3 to play - each is token operated.

The Alien Probe is a game of precision. And surprise

And what marvelous tokens they are too.

Brilliant tokens

I'm looking forward to returning.

A reason to return

If you're ever visiting the East Anglian coast then I suggest you also visit Southwold Pier as it's home to the original Under the Pier Show.

I was far better at Test Your Nerve in London than in Southwold

There's also a FREE TOKEN offer running at the moment - check out the Novelty Automation website for more info!

 I won at DIVORCE

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

Related blog posts:
- Novelty Automation amusement arcade in London
- Under the Pier Show - Southwold
- Southwold
- Amusement Arcades
- Ephemera

Crazy Golf in Tamworth, Staffordshire

Playing minigolf in Tamworth's Castle Grounds.

On our recent visit to Tamworth, Staffordshire we played the Crazy Golf course in the town's Castle Grounds.

Minigolf adventurers at Tamworth's Crazy Golf course

The course has a great scorecard

Emily on hole 1. This obstacle is often used as a last hole ball collector

Playing hole 2

Over the bridge on hole 4

Emily on hole 5

Emily plays hole 7

Tackling hole 7

Emily about to ace hole 8

The Castle Grounds Crazy Golf course became the 590th visited and 356th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on Saturday 21 March 2015. In our match-up I managed to beat Emily by one-shot - 24 to 25.

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 6

Hole 7

Hole 8

Hole 9

The Crazy Golf putters and balls can be hired from Dave Owen Cycles.

Dave Owen Cycles offers a lot more than Crazy Golf

Dave Owen Cycles and Crazy Golf hire is based in the old Lido

Tamworth Castle - flying the flag of the ancient Kingdom of Mercia

The Crazy Golf course in Tamworth's Castle Grounds is open seven days a week from 9am. The price is £2.50 for adults and £2.30 for children. For more information check out the links below.

We really enjoyed our trip to the town and would definitely visit again.

Links:
- Dave Owen Cycles on Facebook
- Castle Grounds on Tamworth Borough Council's website

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Humpty

Videos:
- A visit to the Crazy Golf course in Tamworth
- Crazy Golf in Tamworth - Hole 4
- Emily plays hole 6
- Richard plays hole 6
- Richard plays hole 8

Postcards from Abingdon in Picture Postcard Monthly

Article about postcards from my home town in the top magazine for postcard collectors.

Check out the latest issue of Picture Postcard Monthly (April 2015) to read an article, written by yours truly, entitled 'A postcard from Abingdon-on-Thames'.

I grew up in the town before leaving in 2000. Since then I've returned for several Bun Throwing events and kept an eye on news from the town. I've also built up a collection of postcards of the town dating from the early 1900's to the present day and these make up the feature in the magazine.

Outside the former County Hall in Abingdon-on-Thames. The building is now home to the town's museum, while the basement is a new cafe. The market place itself has not changed a great deal over the decades, illustrated by the postcards featured in my article

You can buy hard copy and PDF editions of Picture Postcard Monthly online. Check out the links below for more information.

Related blog posts:
- Postcard
- Postcards
- Picture Postcard Monthly
- A visit to Abingdon County Hall Museum

Links:
- Reflections of a Bygone Age (publishers of Picture Postcard Monthly up to issue no. 432 April 2015)
- Chimes Publishing & Postcards (publishers of Picture Postcard Monthly from issue no. 433 May 2015)
- World of Bun Throwing