Projects
- Why You Should Start Brewing Your Coffee at HomeCoffee is a (very necessary) expense. But if you want to save some money in the long run or are interested in exploring more coffee flavours I propose you start brewing your coffee at home. This is the first in a series explaining the different methods of home brewing. Let’s start with the v60, which is my favourite method. It gives you light and fragrant coffee (with the exact same caffeine intake as espresso). How to prepare for your V60 Set-Up Cost: around £70 (£50 if you use pre-ground co
- Introducing: Dom RobinsonDom Robinson’s definitely one to watch; BBC Radio 1 have already pegged him as a pretty exciting up and comer. So far the Leeds based lad has released 5 EPs, gigged in Europe and Japan but has even bigger ambitions. His music is soulful and uplifting and his latest track ‘Pieces of You’ is so beautifully crafted it could bring tears to the hardest geezer you know. We sat down with the man himself to ask a few questions… Can you tell me about tours and big gigs that stand out for you? Last April
- Story- Cafe SobarLooks like it’s going to be a busy shift tonight. Ah perfect, a table with a screaming child, and an old couple who look like they might have died last week. People underestimate how hard it is to work in a restaurant serving absolute morons who think they know it all. Especially the really stupid ones that pronounce ‘merlot’ ‘mur-lot’. Speaking of the really stupid, there’s a table of three very likely looking prospects over there. I suppose it’s time to get started, I’ll see if they want any m
- TarantinoDirector and writer of stylised, satirical, non-linear story lines with iconic violent scenes interspersed with clever twists and extended dialogue. His use of high quality actors which fit the part perfectly; despite their current cultural relevance or fame has created a series of cult classics. Originating as a video store clerk with a failed acting attempt on the way, Tarantino taught himself to write and direct. Perhaps this failed acting attempt is the reason he has a small cameo in every film he makes. Tarantino has won countless awards but the real success of his influence can be seen in thousands of homes across the world; posters, T-shirts, DVD box sets, merchandise and fancy dress costumes. He has transcended the role of director and has himself become an iconic figure. His handling of race is as unflinching and candid as his depiction of violence. As well as this Tarantino was a purveyor of equality in terms of his inclusion of female characters. Kill Bill is one of the few films with a female protagonist (outside the romantic comedy genre) and his subtle portrayal of a female taxi-driver in Pulp Fiction shatters multiple stereotypes without entering the conscious of the viewer. One of the least known public appearances of Tarantino occurred in the 90s, immediately after the premiere of Pulp Fiction at Cannes. It took place where the 1992 British premiere of Resevoir Dogs took place, Broadway Cinema in Nottingham. Tarantino returned to England, bringing with him the same tape of Pulp Fiction shown at Cannes Film Festival and took it to the tiny cinema in Nottingham. It was the second time Broadway Cinema had hosted the British premiere of a Tarantino film and he described the venue as his favourite cinema in the UK. His understated and humble treatment of his own work shows his complete unawareness that he has created some of the most engaging, timeless and entertaining films in the past century and has influence modern film culture perhaps more than any other director.
- Introducing: FanshoreThere’s a lot of would be electronic producers knocking about these days. All over the world there’s an army of Souncloud warriors making mixes in their grubby bedrooms, but Suffolk born lad Tyler Darrington, who goes by the name Fanshore, offers something a little bit different. Working from London now, Darrington uses a blend of genres and his varied knowledge of music to create some pretty refreshing sounds. His latest release ‘Sunlight’ sounds like Loyle Carner at his most chill but with even more funk added into the mix. The rest of his tracks are equally as groovy and are basically the perfect soundtrack pretty much anything you can think of. Fanshore is relatively new to the producing game but what he’s put out is really listenable for such a newcomer. Weirdly, he’s already toured the UK – but under a different guise, in a dream wave indie pop band called Teen Brains back in 2015. An annoyingly impressive musical background for a 20 year-old. He’s not got loads of music out yet, but he’s always adding more and what he’s got already is definitely worth a listen.
- Arabica or RobustaMost people drink coffee. Whether it’s instant, espresso, filter, frappuccino, cappuccino, mochaccino, or any of type of 'cino', you’ve probably drunk it within the past 24 hours. There are hundreds of different ways to make and drink coffee, but most people only start to interact with coffee once the beans have been roasted, ground and packaged. So, where do these beans come from? There are two types of coffee bean: Arabica and Robusta. Depending on which of these beans is used at the start of the process, the final taste is completely different. Arabica and Robusta are grown in different ways, timescales and continents. Basically, Arabica is the higher quality bean (confusingly, however, this is not always the case, high quality Robusta beans are better than low quality Arabica) that is used for speciality and high quality coffee. The basic differences are these; Arabica is a smaller, more delicate plant which is grown on mountain or hill sides, ideally in the shade and takes years to mature. Robusta is much hardier, it can be grown on flat land closer to sea level, produces a much higher yield and does not take as long to mature. The reason for this is that Robusta has double the amount of caffeine than Arabica. This caffeine content makes Robusta, as its name suggests, more Robust against stuff like insects or disease. Arabica is an oval shaped, darker bean, whereas Robusta beans are more round and pale. So, the scientific bit: Robusta beans have 7-10% CGA (Chlorogenic acid content), whereas Arabica has 5-8% CGA. It’s important to note here that acids in coffee are actually a good thing, just not Chlorogenic acid because this reduces the perception of the good acids which are present. Arabica has 60% more lipids (fatty acids and oils that become important to the flavour further along in the process) than Robusta and double the concentration of sugars. The only real important difference you need to take away from this is that Robusta has a stronger, bitter almost peanut taste while Arabica has a softer and sweeter taste with the right sort of acidic taste. But it doesn’t stop there, coffee is a natural product so there is a massive variation in the organic compounds of each harvest, something as minor as the air being slightly more humid during growing can affect the taste massively. Because of this lots of coffee roasters use blends. Weirdly, though Italy, a country with a very good reputation for coffee often uses blends of Arabica and Robusta. This is because the two types of bean balance out each others bad qualities and enhance each others good. Only recently the trend has shifted to single origin coffee beans, which has come about with the rise in popularity of speciality coffee. Arabica and Robusta both originate from Africa, although now Arabica is predominantly grown in Latin America and Africa and Robusta in the East in countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia and India. Arabica still makes up 75% of all coffee sales across the world, despite being the more expensive choice.
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Work history
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Freelance JournalistVLM
- United KingdomFreelance
Writing music reviews, introducing articles, interviewing artists.
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Work ExperienceNottingham Post
- Nottingham, United KingdomInternship
Working with the What's On and Features team where I wrote my own articles, edited copy, used social media and worked with Facebook Live.
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Skills
- Feature Articles
- Blog Writing
- Social Media
- Writing
- Copywriting
- Press
Education
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BA English Literature and Creative Writing 2:1Nottingham Trent University
- Nottingham, United Kingdom
Background in Early Modern Literature, Postcolonial, Gothic, Modernist, Women's Writing, Gender and Sexuality and creative writing.