Linda McCartney Vegetarian Mozzarella: Review

Linda McCartney Site

The Linda McCartney quarter pound vegetarian mozzarella burgers are hefty, and have a meaty feel to them.  They have a flavour which to me is reminiscent of the school cafeteria Salisbury steak that was served in high school, and a bit of an oniony aftertaste.

The burger itself is primarily soya which is backed up with chickpea flour.  There is a fair amount of barley and onion flavouring as well as yeast extract, and the who mix works fairly well.  The cheese content is enough to make it stringy when first cooked but it quickly set again as I ate.

Each burger has 238 calories with 17.8 grams of protein and 13.5 grams of fat.  The carb measures at 10.1 grams of which 1.3 grams is sugars.

It ranks well for me in the “fill you up” category,  without breaking the bank on the calories front.  I had the burgers on a plate, as a “steak-like” main,along with mash potato and corn on the cob;  but they would be ideal in a bun with some salad was well.

While I think I think I still prefer Quorn burgers for flavour and relative aftertaste, Linda McCartney’s is a more filling option with a better texture.

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The Session

Image by Pexels from Pixabay 

It was a rainy Sunday back when I was in high school.  I was spending the day with my girlfriend, Tracy.   She had always been a bit of a tomboy, and because of this, she took a lot of criticism from other girls who loved to tease her about her lack of “dress sense” and her husky voice.  They had spread a rumour that she was a lesbian, which in the 80s was still not a “done thing.”  This kept her from becoming popular with the with the boys as well.

I met her when I joined a Saturday bowling league.  We were paired up randomly as a team, and we hit it off almost immediately.  It was only when she started going out with me that there was any let of the ridicule she endured.   She was a great bowler, and what most didn’t know was she had an incredible voice.  That same huskiness they made fun of, gave her singing a Cher-like quality.

As I was saying before I digressed, It was raining, and the weekend seemed a “wash out.”  Just for fun, I suggested that she get her guitar and we would record some of her songs.  Being teenagers, and it being the Eighties, it was a stop and go process and our labours resulted in a cassette tape with three tracks we were happy with.  Again just for something to do, we looked up a music agent in the Yellow Pages and dropped the tape into the post on the Monday.

About three weeks later she brought an envelope to school which she had received the day before.  The stationery itself was high quality, and the pre-printed return address was that of the music agent.  She was too afraid to open it herself.  We stood by her locker and I gently teased the seal open as to not damage the fancy envelope, and then read the correspondence silently.

“He hated it, didn’t he?” Tracy said with her usual lack of self confidence.

“Love, actually,” I responded.  “Looks like you have yourself an audition at a real music studio.”

 

Padre

 

Based on some actual events but folded together into a single tale.

 

Tale Weaver – #255 – Weekend – December 26.: Weekend

FOWC with Fandango — Popular

FOWC with Fandango — Tape

Christine’s Daily Writing Prompt: Love, Actually

St Stephen’s Day (Or the Boxing Day) Sales

Henry V

 

This day is call’d the feast of  Stephen
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d,
And rouse him at the name of Stephen
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say “To-morrow is Saint Stephen’s.”
Then will he open his cupboards and show his purchases,
And say “These bargains I had on Stephen’s day.”
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What deals he got that day. Then shall all the names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words—
Debenhams, Primark and Curry’s,
M & S and Peacocks and Matalan —
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb’red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Steven Stephen shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—
We few, we happy few, we band of shoppers;
For he to-day that spends his cash with me
Shall be my fellow shopper; be he ne’er so rich,
This day shall lighten his pocketbook;
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their e-deals cheap whiles any speaks
That shopped with us upon this Boxing Day.

 

Padre

 

With sincere apologies to the Bard

Chandelier Of Meaning

#CCC59

 

Crown of Glory, for the King of kings

And tappers – bright symbols of the light He brings

Light of the Word, and yet destined to die

The cross motifs, His fate imply

 

Padre

 

Crimson’s Creative Challenge #59

 

Nativity: An Etheree

Pixabay

Sweet
Infant,
Manger born –
Angelic Hosts,
Your nativity
To the shepherds proclaim.
In David’s town, as foretold –
Emmanuel to Earth, You came.
Born King of kings and the Lord of Lords
Yet in the humble stable’s hay you were lain.

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Rare Encounter

Sarolta Bán

“Do you see that?” Tyler said pointing to the sky.

“Yes, it’s amazing!” Lisa responded.

“I bet we are the only people we know that will ever see it.  Are you getting it on your phone, we really have to post this one,” Tyler said excitedly.

“Got it,” Lisa said, and then began the post:  Family of yellow bellied sap suckers getting a take away.

 

Padre

 

Photo Challenge #295

Take away British  = Carry Out American

The Hart of Christmas: Haibun

Pixabay

Much has been made of the cold and foggy night which brought Rudolph onto Santa’s team, but he is a late comer as we all know.  Yes – ladies and gentleman, boys and girls –  Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, and Cupid all preceded the red-nosed star of song and film.  But when it comes the the true “Harts of Christmas,”  Dunder and Blixem, that Thunder and Lightening to you and me, were the original stars.  Isn’t it amazing what a good publicist can do for a scrawny red-nosed fawn?  Give me Thunder and Lightening any day!

True Christmas harts fly
Swift Lightening and Thunder
Tow Santa’s sleigh high

Padre

Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge December 24, 2019: “Heart of Christmas”

The prompt was for a poem, but I couldn’t resist the pun so went with a haibun.

The Loft (Attic) Conversion

Morguefile.com

The Allisons had saved for two years in order to convert their difficult to access loft into an office for Debera’s free-lance writing business.  It was a major investment, and they knew when it was done they would need to use only basic furnishings until they could save enough for quality replacements.  They were thrilled, therefore, when they saw an advertisement in the local free-paper for a renovations company which guaranteed the lowest prices.   And low they were!  The quote they were given by the Borisov Brothers was only 2/3 that of the next lowest.  Their portfolio photos seemed impressive as well so the contract was made.

For the next four weeks their was constant hammering and sawing, as burly workmen came and went.  At last, Sergei and Alexander summoned the Allisons upstairs to view the completed work.

Debera couldn’t believe her eyes.  The stairs leading into the loft-office ran at odd angles and multiple entryways were evident.  Some seemed to snake upwards, while others seemed not to go anywhere particular.

“I – I don’t know what you think this is, but it’s not what we agreed on,” David said accusingly.  “This is outrageous.”

“Why are you angry?” Alexander said confused.  “You asked for loft to be make easy.  We make easy to get in and out.  Can you not see?  We give you famous Russian steps.”

Padre

Fandango’s Flash Fiction Challenge #46

News?

Pixabay

“I am so confused,” Charlie said.  “‘Fake news,’ half truths, and everyone saying the other side is manipulating the facts.”

“I know what you mean,” Carol replied. “Like the Tories setting up a ‘fact finding’ website that was just to confuse voters.”

“Then there’s the papers,” Harriet piped in. “You have the left-wing Guardian and the totally right polarised, Express.  

“Telly’s just as bad,” Carol observed. “And it’s confusing.  People have accused the Beeb of being liberal in its views for years, but now Labour is saying the BBC commentators have conspired against them.

“Like I said,” Charlie reiterated, “I am confused.  Where can we possibly go to find the truth?”

“Maybe something foreign like Aljazeera or Fox will set us straight,” Harriet offered.

 

Padre

 

FOWC with Fandango — Go

Christine’s Daily Writing Prompt: The Polar Express

 

 

Christmas Traditional Lyrics: Wexford Carol

“Christmassy Music” is Jim Adams’ challenge this week, with emphasis on the terms Christmas, Holiday, and Snowman.  Here is a traditional offering, the Wexford Carol.  It is claimed by some to be 12th Century, and while this is debatable, it is assuredly 18th or 19th Century.

Variation of Lyrics:

[Good people all, this Christmas time
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending His beloved Son

With Mary holy we should pray
To God with love this Christmas day]
In Bethlehem upon that morn’
There was a blessed Messiah born

Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep
To whom God’s angels did appear
Which put the shepherds in great fear

“Arise and go”, the angels said
“To Bethlehem, be not afraid
For there you’ll find this happy morn’
A princely Babe, sweet Jesus born”

With thankful heart and joyful mind
The shepherds went that Babe to find
And as God’s angel had foretold
They did our Savior Christ behold

Within a manger He was laid
And by his side the Virgin maid
As long foretold upon that morn’
There was a blessed Messiah born

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Trad / Gavin Emmanuel Murphy

The Wexford Carol lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Christmassy Music