About Me

Hello!

Welcome to the home of The Pickled Ginger. Some of you may know me in my past life as Gin Fuelled Bluestocking. After ten years of writing, and posting, it seemed like time for a change.

Oh and some of you may already know me from Twitter or Instagram.

For those of you who are here for the first time, my name is Charlie Hooson-Sykes. I live in Stretford, Manchester, and am a forty-something who loves writing about food and drink.

My work is published on several websites and occasionally in print. I love to write about subjects from food and drink, to health and fitness, feminism and sex, and even the odd technical foray as I’m a big geek at heart.

My specialist subject is alcohol, and whilst gin is my first love, I’m not shy about writing about whisky, tequila, rum or anything else! I’ve judged cocktail competitions, reviewed products, created cocktails for brands, and often can be found running a gin tasting or two. I’m also one of five people behind the World Gin Day Manchester events.

Away from the blogging, I’m a competitive powerlifter, and often speak out about weight, body capability, mental health, and exercise over on my other site, Coffee & Creatine.

In addition to writing on my own sites, I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to contribute to the following publications:

• The GuardianThe Times
• I Love Manchester
• University of Manchester
• Canal Street
• I-News
• Simply Homemade
• Crafty Magazine
• Within Magazine
• 4 Manchester Women
• Vintage Manchester
• 31 Dover
• Bitten Magazine
• Tasting Britain

You can also find me on screen. I have featured in a few television programmes such as Right on the Money (BBC One), Ruth Watson’s Hotel Rescue (Channel 4), Alex Polizi – The Fixer (BBC Two), BBC Breakfast, and on a number of programmes on That’s Manchester. I think I’m on speed dial for gin (and for talking about sexism in food and drink) for BBC Radio! This has led to be being mentioned in pieces on the MTV blog, The Telegraph, Refinery29, INews, and have spoken at events, including Food & Film in Manchester.

Finally, if you’d like to contact me, work with me, or have me work for you, all you need to do is drop me an email – and I’ll be in touch!