RNLI 2023 Diary and Greetings Cards, and a very tasty pasty!

On my way home yesterday I popped into the shop of the RNLI Lifeboat Station (website) as I do like to get one of their diaries every year, and I have missed a few years because of leaving it late! But not this year 👌 as I now have their 2023 pocket diary, and it only cost £4.50, decent price, and helping support the RNLI too, great stuff! Oh yes, and I bought 3 boxes of 8 Christmas Cards too, it doesn't hurt to be prepared. 

Also, I had had a few pints at lunchtime, so I was wee bit hungry as, except for a tangerine, I hadn't eaten anything since an early breakfast. So I stopped at the Albion Pasty Shack (facebook), open 10.30am to 4.00pm every day of the week, and of which I have written before (blog), because they do sell very tasty Traditional Cornish Pasties. Except my attention was caught by their spicy vegetarian pasty with kidney beans in it, and I wasn't let down, cost £3.80 and 'twas gorgeous... Sorry that I didn't take photographs of the kiosk open, or my pasty, I was too busy munching the pasty! 😉

I may just have another pasty soon, just to take a photograph, obviously! 😁

New Year Drinking in the Old Town

By Steve the Beermeister

Rock a Nore View This Week

Well. we've had a few gorgeous days this week, so I've been walking around Hastings, thus time to write briefly about pubs I've visited (in the Old Town) since the New Year arrived. First, the Albion, in George Street, plus they have an entrance opposite the seafront. They sell 3 ales from Sussex and Kent brewers, normally Harvey’s Sussex Best and a pale bitter and a darker beer; one usually from Bedlam Brewery. If visiting make sure you have a debit card with you (or other electronic payment device, how thinks change!) as they do not take cash. Oh yes, and great pasties too (below & blog).

I'm writing this in alphabetical order, so next the Dolphin Inn, Rock-a-Nore Road, with its balcony virtually opposite the Fish Market, and which has recently changed its ale range from 3 regular and 3 guest ales to 2 and 4 respectively. The regulars are Harvey’s Sussex Best and Dark Star Hophead (sometimes a different pale session ale from another local brewery too!), and the guest ales have been including a dark beer (Winter/Old Ale, Porter or Stout), an equivalent to a Special/Best Bitter from local breweries or Youngs Special, and usually an APA style dry pale bitter, often from Kent Brewery or Oakham Ales. Live music has returned on Saturday evenings.

The First In Last Out (FILO), up the High Street and on the right, past the old Roebuck Surgery, which brews its own ales a short way from the pub up Old London Road, and continues to sell 4 or 5 of their own beers, and 1 or 2 guest ales. Their range includes pale to darker beers, including a Porter, and had their own dark seasonal Winter Warmer when I last visited.

The Jolly Fisherman, East Beach Street, a cosy beer drinking establishment, continues to sell a good range of real ales in addition to crafty keg beers. Last weekend they had a Dark Beer Festival, with 10 Stouts and Porters on offer; outside of festivals they do sell darker beers too, not to forget some very interesting Belgian beers.

Finally, the Lord Nelson, at the bottom of East Bourne Street, sells Courage Directors and Harvey’s Sussex Best. Live music is played here on Sundays, early evening.

Cheers!

Cornish Pasties, and not just from George Street, from Cornwall!

I took this photograph a while ago, though not that much or a while, and just before this kiosk, outside the Albion, started serving up pasties... I saw Bob a few days ago and we chatted about how it was going, well...

Bob told me that they are selling their pasties, plus pastries, hot and cold drinks, and more, from 07.30 in the morning, this includes a Full English Breakfast pasty, that includes a sausage, bacon, egg and baked beans, apparently, and other variations, eg cheese & onion and curried pasties! Well, I had to return later and try one of their Traditional Cornish Pasties, sent over from Cornwall, and this was very tasty indeed, and decent value at £3.60. Now I love the excellent pasties they sell at The Cornish Bakery in George Street (website), but I will return here... and there! 😉