Tag Archives: Food

N.E.W. Metal Productions All Dayer – Nov 2025

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N.E.W. Metal Productions All Dayer

22nd November 2025

Mcleans Pub, Pentre, Deeside North Wales

Saturday night, and I was off to another Leo Sayer (that’s an All Dayer) at Mcleans Pub In Pentre, Deeside. North East Wales Metal Productions have been getting pretty regular hosting these events recently, and I didn’t want to miss this one. Seven bands of the Rock/Metal variety were on the bill, only one had played this venue before, so things were looking promising.

I wanted to get to Mcleans from the start to see the first band, Onion Mash. Intrigued by the name, I wasn’t sure if they were a comedy band or experimental nutters. They were neither. Onion Mash were a very capable Hard Rock five piece, and not silly at all! Solid musicianship and excellent female vocals provided a thoroughly enjoyable set. Onion Mash seemed a little concerned they weren’t “Heavy” enough – no need to worry, they added further variety to a stacked bill.

Onion Mash

Another somewhat different band name was on the stage next: Napierdalać. That may be Polish, it certainly stands out and is very cool. As a band described as “Symphonic, Blackened Death Metal” these guys shouldn’t have been able to set my church on fire, but I actually really enjoyed them. More old school Venom than I’d anticipated, Napierdalać played an outstanding set with their cheeky, confident stage presence and quality playing. Thoroughly evil and thoroughly good at the same time.

Napierdalać

Rattlesnakes are a young band with their feet firmly in the traditional metal of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Saxon and the like. Their early 80s sound was phenomenal, every note, every chord, every crash of the drums was perfect and played with an obvious joy and real talent. Then you have the voice: female vocals again this evening, and OH MY GOD this woman has the skills beyond skills! A sneaky Dio cover was irrefutable proof. Rattlesnakes live were an event – everyone loved them and if they don’t go far, this world is a disgrace.

Rattlesnakes

I’m hit and miss with Metalcore, but if Gnawing Hunger are a Metalcore band, then I’m a convert. These brawlers from Brum have enough classic metal riffs to get the blood flowing, melded to tight rhythms and a Hardcore intensity. With a new drummer and guitarist in place, they were all the same pretty damn tight. Ferocious fun, but sadly the crowd was too thin for a mosh pit! Hopefully Gnawing Hunger will return.

Gnawing Hunger

The only band on the bill that I was familiar with was Omega Throne, who played Pentre Fest in 2024. Very impressive previously, I thought I knew what t o expect from this band, but Omega Throne have developed nicely since then. Still brutal and uncompromising, they’ve developed some groove along with their Thrash/Death/Black Metal and are all the better for it – there are even more textures to their lethal sound. Performed with clear emotion and conviction, this set was unmissable.

Omega Throne

The Machinist are well loved by Ever Metal (Dark Juan, take a bow) but they were a new listen for yours truly. I was looking forward to hearing what all the fuss was about, and these guys pretty much ambushed me and kicked my ribs in. Black/Death Metal dragged through a filthy factory of Industrial tension, The Machinist are a law unto themselves. There’s even glimpses of melody amongst the dense noise. I think they threatened to physically harm me if this review wasn’t positive, but no worries there: honestly, a tour de force set.

The Machinist

The initial surprise I had at first sight of the final act, Foul Body Autopsy, didn’t last long. As the headliner, I wasn’t expecting a one man show – but this was far from Extreme Metal karaoke. The guy has serious chops! Perfectly in sync with backing tracks, the lead guitar was ridiculously technical – but more importantly, Foul Body Autopsy has RIFFS! Riff after stinking, fat, nasty riff, to be precise. An illuminating and impressive one man show, Foul Body Autopsy brought the evening to a triumphant end.

Foul Body Autopsy

And that’s it for November at Mcleans. but I’ll be back soon for more. And if you can get there, please do: N.E.W. Metal Productions work really hard to put these gigs on, and bands travel from all over the country – so if you can support them, please do. Ten quid for seven bands of this variety and quality? You’d be crazy not to.

Student Kitchen: Chevron Sausages

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As many of our younger family members will be returning to college or University soon – or going for the first time – I thought I’d do something altruistic for my latest blog. It seems like an opportune time to share some of my culinary expertise with those students, and help them find their feet in the crazy adult world.

This recipe, readers, is a classic I developed in my student years. It became a trusted dish that I ate regularly, so I hope it’ll help out those who are just learning their way around a kitchen. It’s a simple start, from which you can develop to the legendary skills that I possess.

Chevron Sausages

Ingredients:

  • Pack of sausages
  • Tin of baked beans
  1. Heat up the grill.
  2. When ready, place four sausages on the grill tray and cook for the recommended time. You may want to turn the sausages over to ensure they’re cooked evenly.
  3. Open the tin of baked beans with a tin opener.
  4. Place half of the tin of baked beans in a saucepan, and heat on the hob for several minutes. You will know they’re ready when the sauce starts to bubble slightly.
  5. Remove the cooked ingredients and arrange on a plate as shown in the image. An oval shaped plate is best.
  6. Safely stash the remaining beans and sausages in the fridge for the next evening’s meal.

And there you have it, a simple meal for any student strapped for cash and with limited knowledge. By using half of the sausages and half of the beans for one meal, I was able to feed myself for two nights.

I should also point out that I when I was a student, I used the cheapest ingredients available – i.e. supermarket value versions. And I also used a frying pan to cook the sausages, rather than the healthier option of grilling them. Because I was clueless.

Chevron sausages would be an easy meal I would cook for two years whilst I was a student. Two nights a week, for two years. It was cheap so I could spend less money on food and more on booze.

And now I’ve shared this masterpiece with the new generation. University – three years of loneliness, misery, stress, depression, being cold and hungry all the time. I still have nightmares…

Cocktail Time: The Steamboat

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Party season is in full swing – and if you need a refreshing alcoholic beverage to sip on your night out, don’t worry: Platinum Al’s got you covered! The Steamboat is a mix of sweet and tangy citrus flavours, you can’t go wrong.

I’ve seen some recipes for a Steamboat cocktail use whiskey, but at the Virtual Tiki Bar, we make this drink using Southern Comfort, lime juice and lemonade. Here’s the info:

Steamboat

  • Southern Comfort
  • Lime juice
  • Lemonade
  • Ice

Simply add a small amount of lime juice to the glass (I use a lime cordial) and carefully add some ice. Pour in two measures of Southern Comfort, then top up with lemonade (full fat works best). Garnish however you feel, a slice of lime works well.

There you go: a classic drink I never get bored of.

Again, I’m not on commission for this drink, I just want to share the appreciation with my discerning readers. Enjoy and drink responsibly.

Soundtrack: Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Hostess Fruit Pies

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Imagine, if you will, a baked pie that tastes so good, it can stop crime and make the streets safe. A flavour so amazing that evil doers will stop in their tracks and abandon their crazy schemes of chaos and destruction. Such a pie does exist: it is the Hostess Fruit Pie.

We’ve discussed the joy of Hostess products on this page a while back, when I considered the not inconsiderable charm of the Twinkie. But for me, the true classic is the fruit pie.

Hostess Fruit Pie

I first ate one of these amazing creations in my late twenties, on my first trip to the USA. Available in several flavours, it was the cherry version that quickly became my favourite. The others were OK, but cherry was supreme.

Like the Twinkie, I was first made aware of the Hostess Fruit Pie via advertisements in Marvel and DC comic books, that I read as a kid. After years of drooling over these unobtainable treats, I finally got to try one on that American trip.

They are now available in the UK, the sample pictured here was bought from an American sweet shop in Chester. They still taste great. If you get chance, and if tooth destroying sweetness is your thing, I suggest you indulge in the Hostess Fruit Pie.

Here’s an example of one of those adds that hooked me in as a child. Each one featured an established superhero foiling the plans of some wacky menace with the assistance of the pie (or Twinkies, or Cup Cakes, whatever). Marketing genius. It took me twenty years and a flight across an ocean, but eventually the pie would be mine.

Munch’n’Scrunch Brunch

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Here we are at Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub, with a new recipe for you hot tubbers to enjoy. It’s been a while since I last featured some food ideas, and I hope you can dig this morning treat as much as I do.

Originally concocted from leftovers, this recipe is now a favourite in its own right. It’s easy to make and tastes phenomenal!

Munch’n’Scrunch Brunch

Ingredients

  • Chorizo (thin slices)
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Spray oil
  • Salt
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
  2. Take a baking tray, cover it in kitchen foil and place the tomatoes on the tray.
  3. Spray the oil over the tomatoes. Then add balsamic vinegar and season with salt.
  4. Place the tray of cherry tomatoes in the oven and cook for twenty minutes.
  5. After 20 minutes, take the tomatoes out of the oven and stir. Add the slices of chorizo and scatter them amongst the tomatoes.
  6. Return to the oven and cook for a further 8 to 10 minutes – or longer, depending on how crispy you want the chorizo.
  7. Remove from the oven and serve.

This Mexican inspired meal makes a great breakfast, or even better as a brunch. If you can think of a better name, please let me know. Enjoy!

Chicken Nachos

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Welcome back to the Virtual Hot Tub, where I’ll be sharing a recipe for a dish that has become a big favourite around these parts. Inspired by one of my favourite restaurants, this Mexican style dish is simply out standing. The Food Blog has been quiet for a while, so let’s jump straight back into action!

Chicken Nachos

This is a great recipe, which you can adapt to your taste – whether that be in terms of spiciness or experimenting with ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • Chicken breast
  • Tortilla chips
  • Chipotle paste
  • Feta cheese
  • Guacamole
  • Soured cream
  1. Place the chicken breasts in an oven proof dish, and add the chipotle paste (add this to your taste). Take a table spoon of water, and add to the dish – placing around the outside of the chicken and chipotle paste, not over it.
  2. Cover with kitchen foil, and cook for approximately 35 minutes. The length of time will depend on the size – for example, smaller chicken breasts will require less.
  3. When cooked, remove from the oven and shred/cut the chicken into small pieces.
  4. Then put the chicken back in the dish and stir it into the sauce.
  5. Cover with kitchen foil again, and cook for another 5 minutes.
  6. Put the tortilla chips on a plate. We recommend cheap or own brand tortilla chips – these work better for us as they have a less over-powering flavour.
  7. Add the chicken over the top of the tortilla chips, then crumble feta over.
  8. Finally, add the soured cream and guacamole to taste.

And there you have it! A delicious Mexican style meal that’s exciting and full of flavour. I hope you enjoy it!

A big shout out to the amazing Death by Tacos in Chester, for the inspiration behind this dish. They created something similar for my daughter a while back which she loved – we’ve been back for more and had to devise a similar type of recipe!

Kantouni Village Sausage and Tzatziki

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In this edition of the Food blog, I’m taking you on a journey to beautiful Parga in Greece – with an authentic Greek recipe and a rendition of a simple but tasty dish.

Charming and radiating a warm welcome, Parga is one of my favourite holiday destinations.  A small town on the mainland of north western Greece, the beaches and olive groves are idyllic and unforgettable.

Kantouni is a taverna in the centre of Parga’s small, winding streets.  The visitor is sat in a small square, tourists and locals milling around – it’s a wonderful location to put your feet up and watch the world go by.

The menu at Kantouni is varied and authentic, with lots of  traditional Greek food available.  My family and I have visited many times and it’s always delivered excellent food and service, in a unique setting.

Here I’m going to sow you how to recreate a basic taverna meal in the style in which it was served.  Kantouni offer many dishes that are more complex than this, but this is easy to replicate with the right ingredients – and attitude.

Kantouni Village Sausage

Ingredients:

  • Village sausage (available from Lidl in Greek week)
  • Pitta bread
  • Onion (1)
  • Tomato (beef tomato works best) (1)
  • Oven chips (French fry style)
  • Tzatziki (see below)
  1. The first step is make sure you know when Lidl are doing Greek week.  Get down there and buy a pack of the village sausage from their chiller section.
  2. Cook your village sausage in the oven for around 12 minutes.  Next, cut the sausage lengthwise (ie butterflying) and place in a frying pan to finish off for about 10 minutes.  This gives it a more char grilled flavour.
  3. Cook your oven chips in the oven as normal.
  4. Wash your tomato and cut into slices, then slice your onion.
  5. Pop the pitta bread in the toaster and toast till warm.

Yes, this is a very simple meal, but it’s all about recreating a basic dish in the authentic manner.  Serve the prepared ingredients on a plate as shown in the picture, together with mustard (American style is best) and tzatziki (we’ll discuss how to make this next).  You can eat the meal however you choose, but I recommend combining the ingredients in a pitta to make a sort of sausage gyros.

Don’t forget a glass of retsina or Mythos beer, and ensure you have some Greek music playing in the background.  I have an extensive library on Greek vinyl, all of which I’ve bought for pennies from charity shops.  So, no excuse.

And now, the really important part: a recipe for authentic Greek tzatziki…

Tztaziki (serves 2)

This is an authentic Greek recipe that was passed on to us from a Parga local.  You will need:

  • Full fat Greek yoghurt (half tub)
  • Cucumber (1/2)
  • Fresh garlic (2 cloves)
  • Fresh mint
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Lemon juice
  1. First of all, peel and grate the cucumber.  Put this in a sieve over a bowl.  Then put a clean tea towel on the cucumber in the sieve – placing a heavy weight on top to draw out the liquid.  Leave for 15 minutes.
  2. Scoop the cucumber up into the tea towel, then ring it out to remove as much liquid as possible.
  3. In another bowl, put the Greek yoghurt – half a tub should do the job.  You need the full fat version, low fat doesn’t work as you need the creaminess.  Add to this the cucumber, chopped fresh mint (as much as you like), and chopped garlic.  Then add 1 dessert spoon full of olive oil, a splash of lemon juice and salt.  Mix this all together.
  4. This is best made the night before, or at least on the morning that you’re going to serve it.  Adjust quantities to suit number of people.

There you go – an easy Greek style meal to make.  If you take care to add to the ambience with music and drinks, this can be delicious and bring back holiday memories.  Pretend you’re in Greece – a little comfort as travelling is so unlikely at the moment!

Thanks to Vanessa for doing all the work, and to Christos from Irini Studios for the tzatziki recipe!

The Best of 2019

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Happy New Year, readers!  And welcome back to Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub – the web’s number one virtual location for soaking in warm, relaxing waters and enjoying my virtual adventures.

What a year 2019 has been.  I’ve been to Comic Cons; written album reviews for Ever Metal; indulged in another traditional Halloween Horror Fest – and finally managed to get to a few gigs.  Food and drinks reviews, as well as toy and tat blogs, have also made a comeback.

But what have been the most popular and widely read blogs in the last year?  Let’s rewind the clocks and take a look, with a good ol’ countdown from ten to the number one spot…

10. Little Shop of Halloween Horror Fests

At last!  Some Halloween Horror Fest love, with my final set of reviews breaking into the Top 10.  A first for my horror movie reviews, as far as I remember.  A triple bill of The Wolf Man, Little Shop of Horrors and Lust for a Vampire.

9. New Deck 2019 – Death Skateboards Richie Jackson

All about my latest skate set-up, including sexy pictures of a very fine skateboard.

8. Ewok Village Playset

My vintage Star Wars Ewok Village playset made a welcome appearance.  I must feature some more of my collection in the future.

7. That Beer Place

Very happy to see such a cool local beer emporium prove so popular.  Well done, That Beer Place!

6. Liverpool Comic Con 2019 – Part 1

A great day out, and the blog didn’t fare too badly at all.  No sign of Part 2 in the countdown, though…

5. Death by Tacos, Chester

The number one food place in Chester makes a justified appearance in the Top 5 most popular blogs.  Awesome food and service.

4. Tat Trek Update #8: Jo Guest Strip Pen

Miracle of miracles – an item from my Tat collection rockets into the most popular blogs for the first time ever!  Perhaps the saucy nature of the Jo Guest strip pen is to blame…

3. Wales Comic Con 2019

Always a great Comic Con, with fantastic guests and most importantly – as evidenced by this blog – amazing cosplay.

2. MCM Comic Con Birmingham 2019 – Part 1

The first part of my visit to the NEC for Comic Con made it to the number two spot.  Few words but plenty of brilliant cosplay.

And now – announcing the Most Read Blog of 2019 at Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub.  What could it be?  Why it’s…

1. MCM Comic Con Birmingham 2019 – Part 2

Only a couple of views more than Part 1, but Part 2 takes the crown for the most popular blog this year!

It’s great to see a variety of different topics be successful this year.  Comic conventions, food and skateboards always fare well, but I’m very happy to see Star Wars toys and a bit of tat break through for the first time.I’ll endeavour to deliver more in 2020 – who knows what we’ll see?

My thanks to all my readers over the last year – I appreciate every single view, like and comment.  I wish you all a healthy and prosperous 2020.

Fabulous Fish Dogs

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Tell me: do you like hot dogs?  Do you like fish finger butties?  If you do, then get ready for the taste sensation that’s sweeping the nation…

FISH DOGS

I want to share this amazing new culinary marvel with my valued readers of the Virtual Hot Tub here and now, so you don’t miss out.

All you need is a packet of frozen fish fingers – and an appropriate number of bread finger rolls.  Simply cook up your fish fingers as normal, and serve within the bread roll.

Garnish the fish dog with whatever sauce you prefer.  Try mayonnaise, salad cream, tartare sauce – even tomato ketchup if you’re a bit freaky.  Let your imagination run riot and add whatever you like.

You can dish up with fries (curly recommended), or whatever else gets your taste buds bursting with anticipation.

There’s no point me writing out a detailed list of ingredients or preparation instructions, the FISH DOG really is very simple.  You’re basically replacing the sausage in a hot dog with a fish finger.  That’s it.  Simple – but oh, so clever.

Once you try this spectacular creation, you’re sure to be entranced by its immense taste.  You’ll wonder why you’ve never tried FISH DOGS before.  You’ll wonder why it’s taken so long for this obvious, yet deliciously original meal to come to your attention.

Don’t delay – treat yourself and your family to FISH DOGS today!

Death by Tacos, Chester

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It’s been a long time since I wrote a food blog.  However, I’ve dragged myself out of self imposed food critic retirement, to plug a new local eaterie that I’ve become a huge fan of.  That establishment is Death by Tacos, in Chester market.

Anyone who knows me, or has read previous blogs, will know I’m a big fan of Mexican food.  So it’s no surprise that I love DBT.

On offer is authentic Mexican fare: freshly made, soft corn tortillas filled with a choice of various fillings and mouth watering dressings.  So far I’ve tried the chicken and the chorizo, and I’m working my way through the menu.  Both dishes were fabuloso!

There are also some amazing sounding sides available, like brisket loaded tortilla chips, that I want to try.  Plus with some groovy cocktails and beers, this is Mexican food heaven.

Sitting in Death by Tacos, I was right at home: a couple of skateboards on the walls and classic tunes (Black Sabbath and Smashing Pumpkins were on the playlist on my last visit!).  Plus the staff are friendly and helpful, making the whole experience a real joy.  Oh, I got a sticker and a badge too, wahey!

My chicken tacos
My chorizo tacos

Decks
Sticker and badge

Chester market has been revamped over recent months, and now features various places to eat and drink that are worth investigating.  On Friday evenings they’re open till 9pm, and there’s a real relaxed and fun vibe that I can recommend.

Death by Tacos is worth your time to experience, trust me.  Great food, cool surroundings, what more could you want?

PS: this review ain’t going on Trip Advisor, ‘cos everyone knows Trip Advisor is for FOOLS.

Death by Tacos, Chester Market, Chester CH1 2HH. 

07791 068464

https://www.facebook.com/DeathByTacos/

www.instagram.com/deathbytacos_