Gravy stains and tall tales await you!
Embark on a real foodie journey with Julie Harris
Welcome to Gravy stains and tall tales: A real foodie journey, where every dish comes with a story, and every stain has a memory. This blog isn’t about perfectly plated food or spotless kitchens – it’s about the messes we make, the laughter that echoes around the dinner table, and the unforgettable meals that leave a mark long after the plates are cleared.
From pub grub to family recipes passed down through generations, we’ll explore the real, unpolished side of food – the mishaps, the triumphs, and the tall tales that make every bite worth savouring. Pull up a chair and dig in!
Book Launch!
Lies, Theft and Shit on the Ceiling
A brutally funny true story of pub ownership, kitchen chaos, criminal customers and one Canadian woman wondering what the hell she had done.
Part memoir. Part cookbook. Completely true.
Explore
The blog…
Dive into delightful recipes that blend Canadian heritage with British flair! Julie’s creations promise to tantalize your taste buds and spark joy in your kitchen.
Get behind-the-scenes glimpses of pub life and learn how Julie transformed her dreams into reality, one dish at a time.
Travel partnerships, hosted experiences and story-led brand collaborations reaching a valuable female 45+ audience. View Julieās media kit and work together.
Unleash the foodie within
Indulge in the authenticity of homemade meals and the warmth of shared tales.
Well, this just happened…
Well, this just happened. One of the first endorsements for Lies, Theft and Shit on the Ceiling has come from Scott Taylor, publisher of Esprit de Corps magazine. Scott has spent decades publishing stories from soldiers, sailors, journalists, adventurers and…
Let me tell you a dirty little secret about hospitality.
The best meal youāve had this year probably wasnāt cooked by a committee. It wasnāt designed in a boardroom by six people called Simon studying a spreadsheet and debating whether a mushroom should cost 14p or 16p. It was cooked…
The things I miss most about running a pub
People assume I miss owning a pub because of the beer. I donāt. Beer is beer. You can buy it anywhere. What I miss are the people. Not all people, obviously. Letās not get carried away. There are some people…
HOW I ACCIDENTALLY BECAME A PUB LANDLADY
Nobody grows up in Canada thinking: āYou know what my future holds? A collapsing English pub, a screaming dishwasher, forty-seven drunk villagers arguing about cricket, and a giant sheepdog stealing Yorkshire puddings.ā And yetā¦ here we are. If youād told…
Japan doesnāt give a shit about your bucket list.
Thatās the first thing you learn. You fly halfway around the world with some cinematic fantasy in your headā¦cherry blossoms drifting through the air like a goddamn Kurosawa film, monks whispering wisdom, Mount Fuji standing there majestically while you have…
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šØ THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. šØ
I need a favour.
A big favour.
A āhelp a slightly unhinged Canadian pub landlady achieve something completely absurdā kind of favour.
Somehow, and I genuinely have no idea how this happened, my book Lies, Theft and Sh*t on the Ceiling has climbed to #7 in Amazonās Food Writers Best Sellers List.
The book sitting directly above me?
Jamie Oliverās Ministry of Food.
Letās put this into perspective.
Jamie Oliver has sold millions of books.
Jamie Oliver has television shows.
Jamie Oliver has restaurants.
Jamie Oliver has a marketing budget.
I once owned a pub where the glass washer screamed āDIE! DIE! DIE!ā every night at closing time.
I have a sheepdog.
And yet somehow weāre currently sharing the same bestseller chart.
This is the literary equivalent of your local Sunday league football team finding themselves one goal behind Manchester City.
So Iām asking for your help.
If youāve ever laughed at one of my storiesā¦
If youāve ever enjoyed my travel blogsā¦
If youāve ever owned a pub, worked in hospitality, loved a dog, burned a roast dinner, or made a terrible life decision that later became a great storyā¦
Please help me do the funniest thing imaginable.
Buy a copy.
Share this post.
Review the book on Amazonā¦ simply āGreat book!ā or āCouldnāt put it down!āā¦ it all helps!
Tell your friends.
Tell your family.
Tell random strangers at the bus stop.
Tell the bloke who keeps replying āfollowingā on Facebook.
Letās see if we can get a Canadian ex-pub landlady, a giant sheepdog, and a book containing stories about lies, theft, drunken disasters and actual sh*t on a ceiling ahead of one of the biggest names in food.
Will we succeed?
Probably not.
Will it be hilarious if we do?
Absolutely.
Amazon link in the comments.
FOR JUNO.
FOR THE PUB.
FOR CHAOS.
FOR GLORY.
And, most importantlyā¦
To give Jamie Oliver something to worry about.
The book is available here:
š¬š§ UK/EU: amzn.eu/d/09Fe064D
šØš¦ Canada: a.co/d/02ix35FJ
šŗšø USA: a.co/d/0eK4UIpj
32Ā°C.
The trains are melting.
The pubs are packed.
Every Brit in the country is complaining about the heat while simultaneously drinking a hot cup of tea.
Itās the most British thing Iāve witnessed all week.
Never change, Britain. š»āļø
#BritishSummer
#Heatwave
#BritishHumour
#PubLife
#LondonLife
Met a CAMRA director today at the Earl of Derby. J Mark Dodds
We discussed the future of British pubs, the challenges facing the industry, why good locals matter, and whether Britain can survive without them.
We also discussed my book.
Mainly because I kept bringing it up.
The thing about pubs is theyāre one of the last places left where complete strangers can sit down, share a pint, solve absolutely none of the worldās problems, and still leave feeling better than when they arrived.
Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.
Cheers. š»
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it’s usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it’s been deleted.