Neil Gits Into Pilchards

If there is one thing I’ve noticed about this year so far it is how much more adventurous I’ve been with food .. and believe me when it comes to my eating habits “adventurous” is not a word that sits easily with me ! Whether it’s been something on special offer at Asda or something I’ve seen someone eating on an online video, I’ve been putting it in my shopping trolley and dabbling in the kitchen with it … My You Tube channel subscriptions have taken the place of watching soap operas on TV !

Sauces are a good example. Up until this year, I’d always been strictly a tomato ketchup or BBQ sauce guy, with the occasional use of regular mayonaisse, but so far I have discovered & loved burger sauce and spicy mayo, whilst only last week I bought my first bottle of Hellman’s cheese flavour sauce after A13 Annie put some in a burger she cooked me – yum ! Jalfrezi has been added to my Indian meal rotation and Teriyaki slotted in alongside my normal Chinese/Oriental meals of choice to good effect too.

Not everything has been a success on the sauce front though. Having tried virtually the entire range of pasta jars, from bolgonese through chunky veg, tomato & mushroom and my latest discovery, sweet pepper, and enjoyed them all, putting pesto on some chicken was a disaster, possiby the worst thing I’ve ever had in my mouth ! And despite trying 3 or 4 various types & brands of tinned meatballs, they have gone on the ‘Never Again List’ too after all leaving a bad taste & giving me wind – yuk !!

Some things I’ve tried have actually been things I used to get served to me by my mum at home, but never really liked that much and have hardly eaten since. I got right back into Cream of Chicken & Oxtail soup this winter and have started trying jam on my toast instead of marmalade, whilst Jacobs crackers, Pot Noodles and tinned peaches have all made a welcome return to the cupboard. One item that caught my eye at only 60p a tin was pilchards. I thought I’d never tried them before in my life, but having had good success using tins of tuna lately, I thought I’d give them a go – and in actual fact they brought back childhood memories !

At one stage in my life I would nip into Lake Meadows park in Billericay on a Summer Sunday afternoon and watch the cricket for a while. The boundary was about 200 yards from my childhood home and though it wasn’t quite like watching England test match stars of the time like Derek Underwood, Alan Knott, Bob Woolmer and Keith Fletcher (who has the same birthday as me !) I enjoyed it briefly. Once home mum would have a cold tea ready on a plate with stuff like cheese, lettuce, cucumber and … pilchards which I ate a little begrudgingly ! Who would have thought that 50 years later I would be buying them with my own money, of my own free will and, served up on a couple of slices of toast,really rather enjoying them ?

Life is full of surprises and there are a few musical ones in store for you if you listen to the ‘Repeat Play’ at 5pm this Saturday – there’s a rap track included (shock horror!) a nice funky soulful R’n’B track by a 90s Euro-dance act and even an ‘Old Gits Jazzy Bit’ in the ‘Soul Connection’. Check the full playlist below and see what catches your eye then tune in at 5pm …

The Tunes – Monday 5th May 2025

Third World – Dancing On The Floor
Funk Deluxe – Tender Lovin’
Groove Association ft Georgie B – Upside Down
BT Express-Can’t Stop Groovin’ Now, Wanna Do It Some More
B T Express – Energy To Burn
Emotions – No Plans For Tomorrow
Najee – Betcha Don’t Know
Wax – When & If I Fall In Love
Patti Austin – Do You Love Me
Shalamar – There It Is
Sugarhill Gang – Rappers Delight
Tristan – Brand New Shoes (PROMOMP3)
Jeff Lorber ft Brian McKnight – I Love My Life With You
Nigel Martinez – Better Things To Come
Osibisa – Dance The Body Music
Prince – I Wanna Be Your Lover
Livin’ Joy – Deep In You
Cindy Horstman & Friends ft James Kings – Something New
Luther Vandross – Take You Out
Manhattans – Locked Up In Your Love
Phyrework – Listen To The Sound
Billy Ocean – Red Light Spells Danger
Gwen Dickey – If I’m Gonna Be With You(Michael Gray Extended Remix)

Feel free to get in touch with your soulful request or just for a mention on the show – put a post on “The Old Gits Soul Show” page on Facebook, text (01268)833978 or message me via e-mail : [email protected].

The Old Gits Soul Show is broadcast LIVE from 7pm–9pm every Monday, repeated on Saturday evening from 5pm–7pm, on Gateway 97.8FM in Basildon & East Thurrock, across South Essex on DAB and available nationally via the Radio Player on your TV as well as online via www.gateway978.com You can listen on your smart speaker or your phone too … plus you can hear it again anytime you like via the “Listen Again” button on the Gateway website – just search “Cool Soul” !