Sunday 3 April 2016

BLOG TOUR - ALAN JONES - BLOQ

Scottish author Alan Jones is back on the blog today as part of a blog tour promoting his latest book Bloq.


A gritty crime thriller. Glasgow man Bill Ingram waits in the city's Central Station to meet his daughter, returning home from London for Christmas. When the last train pulls in, and she doesn't get off it, he makes a desperate overnight dash to find out why. His search for her takes over his life, costing him his job and, as he withdraws from home, family and friends, he finds himself alone, despairing of ever seeing her again. 

At Amazon UK here.
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Alan has previously featured with reviews of his two earlier books - The Cabinetmaker and Blue Wicked, as well as a favourite features post regarding Books, Music and Film.

Today he has more of his favourites...........FOOD, DRINK and PLACES!

Food (I know there are more than ten but I love food.)

Cheese - Soft goat's cheese or Manchego

Vegetarian dish - Ratatouille

Breakfast cereal - Bran flakes with sultanas

Fast food - Burritos. Discovered these on holiday in California

Curry - Lamb Dhansak with naan bread

Bread -  White cob from the Co-op

Meat - Lamb just shades it, but roe deer venison superb

Dessert - Trifle just beats rhubarb crumble & custard by a whisker

Tapas - Morcilla; beautiful Spanish black pudding

Vegetable - Onion, followed by aubergine

Salad  - Rocket & spring onion, mustard dressing

Fish - Sea Bream or Turbot, with Scallops

Potatoes - Mashed with skins

Surf and turf - Beef fillet with lobster tail.

Drink (Just managed to keep this down to ten)

Real Ale  Leezie Lundie Pale Ale. I don't normally enjoy real ales but this one is lovely.

Cocktail - Jolly rodger (Particulary apt for the first drink in harbour after a rough day's sail.) Made from dark rum, Galliano, apricot brandy & orange juice

Short - Dark rum, usually with Coke

With a Curry - Cobra. Cold and crisp to put the fire out!

Stout - Guinness. A meal and a drink in one glass. Great when you're in the mood, or in Ireland.

Red wine - Syrah

White wine - Sauvignon Blanc just pips a nice Verdicchio

Heavy - Belhaven best

Cider - Magners. Hard to beat, sitting outside on a hot simmer day

Bottled beer - Peroni. A few bottles with pasta or pizza is just right.

Places

The first three are wonderful places to visit; even more magical to sail into.

Canna - Inner Hebrides. Wild outside, sheltered anchorage. Café Canna is the only eating place but it's fantastic.

Tarbert, Loch Fyne - One of the best natural harbours, great bars and eating places. Wonderful scenery.

Tobermory, Isle of Mull - Picture postcard beautiful. Great food and the Mishnish bar is one of a kind, often jumping with live music.

Tobermory
Malta - Small, with amazing architecture, culture and history. Notte Bianca in Valetta is an annual night of music and dancing and art, including street opera and cinema!

The Canary Islands - All year round sunshine, total relax-time for me.

Marseille - If I'm honest, the whole of the French south coast, full of spectacular food, wine and scenery. I find the people much friendlier than in the north, and they're happy when you make the effort to speak French.

Marseille


Glasgow - My birthplace and where I was brought up. It can be dark and brutal but it's warm and friendly, and the humour is second-to-none.

Edinburgh - In my opinion, no city in Britain matches it for the wow factor, and it's very European in its cultural outlook. Sacrilege for a Weegie!

Ceridigion, South-West Wales. The old Cardiganshire. I lived there for four years and I couldn't have been made more welcome. I even learnt welsh. Pob hwyl I chi.
Ceridigion

Barnsley, South Yorkshire. I worked on a farm just outside Barnsley as a student, and I still have great friends down there; fellow farm workers and all honest Yorkshiremen. The Old No. 7 pub in those days had the best juke box for punk in town, and I got a taste for Tetleys.

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The next leg of the tour is tomorrow at It Takes a Woman!

Thanks again to Alan for his time.