Thanks for the help Mr. Brennan's Bread Driver

On a daily basis in work, we try to provide a little energy, optimism and warmth for those stepping in from the mayhem of the world outside. It's all part of the job really - who wants to sell food if the customer is not enjoying the experience? 

I like to think karma gave us something back on Saturday morning!

Martin (one of our KPs) and myself were brushing down the paths of the initially flurry of snow overnight. It's a good 30 metres or so of pathway - just enough to cool the knuckles but also get the heart pumping. As we battled with the slush and ice, a Brennan's Bread van pulled up beside us - odd I thought, as I have never seen them deliver near us before. 

The driver hopped out and tut-tutted our brushing efforts, explaining "I'll show you how it's done".  As he said this he pulled out a bread tray - you know the ones they use to carry twenty-or-so slice pans at a time? Before we knew it, he had snow-ploughed a track three times the size of my brush, leaving a perfectly snow-free path. He handed over the tray, hopped back into the van and drove off!

To the driver, a sincere thank you..... for stopping,.... for giving us the tray,....for showing us how it's done....and for giving us a little light on a dark Saturday morning in November.  

First Ode to Theodora Fitzgibbon - No.1

I finally put time aside to sit down and pick a recipe from Theodora Fitzgibbon's Irish Traditional Food. My sister bought me a copy for Christmas last year and I have been flicking through on and off but have not actually tested any recipes. The cold and snow last night was a very encouraging factor in picking the fish pie recipe below. Playing sous-chef to Claire, we followed the recipe word-for-word and it works very nicely! 

Our notes: 

We used a 12 month Swiss Gruyère, which was on the money.

Fish used was smoked haddock and fresh cod from Fallon & Byrne and a handful of Ikea's frozen prawns.

A few more drops of Tabasco would have helped.

Recipe says serves 4-6...in reality that's more 4 than 6!

The Recipe: Fish Pie - Pióg éisc 

This can be extremely good and it is a pity the title is not more attractive, although names such as 'Fisherman's pie' are now being used. The amount of seasoning depends on what fish is used. Smoked fish is excellent, but if a plain fish is used then more seasoning will be needed. Some grated cheese added to the sauce is a simple but good idea. A mixture of fish is pleasant and, when available, prawns, or other shellfish added will turn it into a very good meal. 

450g (1lb) smoked cod or haddock or any fish or fish combination

450ml (3/4 pint) milk

1 rounded tablespoon cornflour

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

few drops of Tabasco

200g (7oz) can tomatoes drained or equivalent amount of fresh tomatoes, chopped and drained

50g (2oz) grated cheese

450g (1lb cooked mashed potatoes

Poach the fish in milk to cover, then remove the fish and strain the liquid and put back in the pan. Remove any skin or bones from the fish. Cream the cornflour with a little of the milk. Add the rest to the pan. Bring to the boil, then add the creamed cornflour, stirring all the time to avoid any lumps.

Add the fish, the parsley, the Tabasco and tomatoes and mix well, then add half the cheese and put the mixture into an ovenproof dish. Cover with mashed potatoes, scatter the remaining cheese over the top and dot with butter. Bake at 200C, 400F, Mark 6 for about 35 minutes, or until the top is peaking brown. Serves 4-6.

New player on the Northside

Grabbed the opportunity of the day off to wander down to Moore street. I wanted to check in with the guys in the Paris Bakery, who finally got their doors open on Monday. Although it's very early days for Yannick and co. the baguette we just had with dinner is testament to his baking abilities.  It worked as the perfect mop for the juices from the pork belly. Wonderfully French! 

The Bread Basket

First off the Paris Bakery is...a bakery, with a collection of breads all made fresh on site overnight - baguettes, sour-dough, walnut & raisin, apricot & hazelnut - matched with some wonderful madeleine, chocolate & honey tarts, lemon meringue pies, brownies, and soon to be followed with a selection of pastries. After that the Bakery is a cafe, soon-to-be restaurant and eventually completed with a function room.  

When I first got wind of the project I was not convinced of the Moore street residency. However, the Bakery I think will be a great addition to food life on the street which includes the fruit & veg. market stalls, FX Buckley butchers and further down the street the underground maze of the Moore St Mall, which is a hive of food activity. I will be keeping an eye on them as they develop and grow, and plan on making myself one of their best regulars....it helps that it is on my route home!

Fish Friday

Taste of the Sea, Glasnevin

In the last couple of months there has been a great little addition to the northside of Dublin the guise of Taste of the Sea up in Glasnevin. I have been planning a visit for weeks and come hell, high water or car-clamps, I was not going to miss the chance to finally visit today.

Whitebait

Taste of the Sea offers a great selection of seafood and related items for both the budding chef and those whole live in fear of cleaning, filleting and cooking anything vaguely related to a fish. The variety of fish is very impressive - monkfish tails, swordfish steaks, frozen octopus (adult and baby), crab claws, scallops, whitebait - many of which have useful little suggestion recipes to go with them. The unique selling point for the shop however is that all this comes freshly frozen, which brings advantage to those who want to shop for the days ahead. It also allows the shop give such a wonderful variety where smaller fresh fish stores cannot due to a smaller demand for quirkier items.

Octopi!

In my extra lazy state today, I decided to give one of the pasta dishes a whirl - the fagottini with salmon - slow fried up in the pan. (Roughly) following the recipe suggestion I popped in a little chilli and ricotta at the end.  I fried off a single king scallop to sit on top.  It did the trick and I'll be going back for more!

Drive by photo shoot!

I couldn't fit all the pumpkins in the picture!

Last week foisted the reality of Christmas in retail on me again, although in fairness we have been talking about it since June or so!  Two of us from work got the opportunity to go check out our Christmas product and displays in London and to do a pretty extensive tour of our sister Caffe's.  Fortunately the 48 hours of food (oh the pain) was not all work.  We managed a twenty minute spin through Wholefoods in Kensington and another twenty through the Borough Market. Both are fantastic for the senses... from the freshly baked breads as you walk in the door of Wholefoods to the walls of cheese in the Neal's Yard Dairy shop  down in the Borough.  Wholefoods emphasise seasonality and it is impressive....they didn't hold back on the pumpkins!  Indeed they do not hold back on anything as minimalists they are not. Sure why would you bother? Check out this example  below of 'big is beautiful'  from Neal's Yard.

Neal's Yard Dairy, The Borough Market

Chicken Parmigiano... tonight's sustenance.

Chicken Parmigiano is one of my simplest and probably tastiest recipes, but is…difficult…..to photograph, so there isn't a pretty picture to go with it. I discovered a basic version of this in my teens in a book somewhere at home and have worked up different variations since. It's straight forward, quick and requires very little attention.

For 2 people, roughly slice three chicken breasts and fry them off in a deep pan.  As the chicken starts to brown, chop lots of mushrooms in around it.

Pour in a half a glass or so of Sherry.

Place a complete layer of parma, or bacon (this needs to be fried off first)... or, as successfully trialed tonight, thinly sliced Speck.

Lastly, pile on top lots of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and spread it evenly. Leave it to cook away.  Generally this takes around 10 minutes.....while you're making the salads. When the sherry starts caramelising on the bottom of the pan, it’s ready to go.

Tips: 

Brandy works as well if you don't have any Sherry

The cheese does not HAVE to be Parmigiano.  This works as well with a smoked mozzarella, gruyere, or basic cheddar if that's all that's in the fridge. 

My precious....

I found this cluster of mushrooms at the back of our gravelly car-park at Tenuta Centoporte the other week, underneath an olive tree.  They looked harmless enough but I chickened out of bringing them into the chef and asking him to throw them on the pan, with a little garlic! I must ask Antonio next time he's over!! 

Dib dib dib......it's all about being prepared!

Be prepared

It is incredible watching the baristas in action in the busy coffee houses in Italy. The preparation and work-rate put in to give Italy its espresso caffeine fix is very impressive. From the Autogrill (don't dis it till you've tried it) flyovers across the Autostrade from Rome to Naples, to the more traditional but very stylish Caffé Alvino in Lecce the coffee turnover is phenomenal. 
I haven't quite figured out is the en-masse desire for an espresso simply an addiction or something closer to religion with millions of Italians worshipping  at the great altar of the barista. 

The bar at Caffe Alvino

Caffe Alvino had thousands of extra incentives to keep you seated......arancini, calzone, fagottini (hot dogs and chips wrapped in pastry), rustico, crostata, dolci, biscotti.... I could go on! Yum!

Dolci at Caffe Alvino

The one that didn't get away

I have been a little quiet in recently, mainly in preparation for what was a fantastic trip to Italy last week. Here is just a little taster of what we discovered! Lots more to come....

This one didn't get away! Lunch in 'A Casa Mia', in Porto Tricase, Puglia

The times they are a changing....

It is the last day of August and time for a season change. Here are a couple of things to look forward to in September.

Emily's brother Anselme is on the brink of opening Le Bal Cafe near Place de Clichy in Paris, with his partner.   Check out their facebook page and 'Like' it.   I cannot wait to find a weekend to go over and check it out. I wish them best of luck in the coming weeks.

Slowfood Ireland are out in force the weekend after next down in Waterford.  They are holding a gathering of members from all over the country at the Waterford Harvest Festival.  If I could ignore the minor detail of working all weekend, I would be straight there.

However, I cannot really complain as Burrata here we come! The last week in September sees myself and Claire heading off to Italy. Based on tales from a recent trip by one of my staffers we are aiming for Puglia, right down the heel of Italy. Marine came back raving about the beaches, seafood, and blue blue sea and by the end of the conversation had me convinced it was the place for the next break. More on Puglian food post-holidays!

Apples in full growth

And, by the end of the month there should be Mum's apple cake, stewed apple with raisins (and cream), and apple tart with blackberries to look forward to. The apples will be courtesy of the orchard at home, which was looking very 'fruitful' over the summer. The local hedges will hopefully provide the blackberries. 

In search of Brunch in Dublin!

After Cathal's stag in Galway on Friday night and Sarah's birthday (21 again) back in Dublin on Saturday night, we re-grouped for brunch on Sunday afternoon in Kennedy's in Fairview.

I have been to Kennedy's Foodstore for lunch or coffee prior to Sunday's recovery session. Although parking nearby can prove a little difficult, it is a great stopping point en route to Dollymount strand or Howth for a decent sandwich or cake.

                                              Breakfast at Kennedy's

Brunch for me however is a real test of a venue. From food, atmosphere and on to service, brunch provides an altogether different challenge. Often the customer has just crawled out of bed, many with kids in tow, and chances are there are a few hangovers too. Most places either do not bother with taking on the challenge of 10 plates of eggs cooked in six different ways, or in contrast decide to offer brunch but forget that people are also in search of comfort and patience.

In fairness to Kennedy's they fairly near nailed it for us. We brought everything from the hangovers to the kids with us on Sunday and they did a fine job providing for us. The coffees were good, the breakfasts were perfectly brunch-like (scrambled, poached, Benedicted eggs), Bretzel toast, and a homemade brown bread that even our French guests were raving about! I would have preferred roast ham to parma in my eggs Benedict but that was a minor detail in an otherwise very pleasant and reasonably priced Sunday brunch.

Other brunch options - Carluccios, Odessa, Gruel, Plan B., and Eden. Let me know if there are any other places I should be trying.

Finding the new hiding in the old!

It has been a beautiful week here in Dublin.  With now 'fiancée-Claire' out of the country, I took the opportunity to catch up with some friends and family in some of the latest food offerings in Dublin and surrounds....like I needed an excuse.  Friday night Tom and I headed for the revamped Mulligans in Stoneybatter. Where I say revamped, I should really probably be saying....slight adjusted.  

The traditional bar holds true to itself in design but has added a great selection of beers - local and foreign.  The restaurant is at the back of the pub and has been kept low-key and unpretentious. We settled on O'Hara's Red Ale for the night and in fairness it did the job quenching Friday evening thirst.  The scotch egg and potted crab starters were both great.... the crab being good and lemony, although a touch cold.  The re-styled bacon and cabbage was flavourful and more than appropriate for the surroundings. Tom's lamb dish however, was a little lacking in support from perhaps some cous cous and needed longer stewing for the meat to loosen up.  Overall though Mulligans is worth a return visit for both pints and grub. 

Today, with sister and brother-in-law in tow, I went in search of an altogether different offering.  Irish foodie Clodagh McKeena has recently set up stall in Lyons Estate, just along the canal in Kildare.  Her very feminine take on food and design are strongly emphasised across the cafe, shop and cookery school. The shop is beautifully laid out but perhaps a little light on stock and heavy on design.  Is there a market for more? 

The cafe was light and airy with a well designed menu.  The Croque Madame - strangely minus the egg.....and surely making it a Croque Monsieur?... had great chunks of baked ham with Gruyère melted on top, was by all accounts very tasty and looked the part.  My baked lemon ricotta cake was very tasty, but unfortunately the cappuccino I had ordered was not up to scratch.  The replacement espresso did the job though.  I am pretty sure it's Ariosa coffee, as it was on sale in the shop too.  For a quick way to step out of the city for some peace and quiet, a stretch of the legs and some good food, it is a recommedable spot!

Tip - Ariosa Coffee is sold and served in Fallon and Byrne & Lilliput stores and is worth a detour for a caffeine hit.

Supporting the West

If I find a new supplier or purveyor of fine foods that I like, I would normally just add them to my list (on the right-hand side of the page).  However, I thought I would give a little shout out to some recent discoveries of food developments west of the Shannon river.   I have been travelling to Mayo since I was one foot tall and although we have picked our mussels, bartered for crabs claws and spun for fish, good quality accoutrements for cooking...spices, herbs, sauces, wine....were always hard to come by!  They had to be transported from well east of the Shannon.

On advice from the parents, I pit-stopped in Cafe Rua in Castlebar for a simple but very effective mozzarella/parma panini.  We were slightly ragged from a day and night last week at the Galway Races and needed some serious grub en route to  Belmullet.  The panini did the trick but it was the rhubarb crumble that I bought for dessert that blew me away later that night.... and then for breakfast the next day...and dessert again. It was fantastic! Note that there are two Rua cafes run by the same people - aim for the one just off the main square for great take-away foods.

Temptation in the Gourmet Tart Company

Galway has Sheridans Cheesemongers & Wine Bar and the Gourmet Tart Company. The latter has a wonderful array of pastries and tarts at dangerously reasonable prices - I don't really need two chocolate & almond croissants in one morning but it is hard not to. Further north in Sligo town is Kates Kitchen.  It is a great little haven of artisan product from Ireland and abroad.  

The search continues for more out of Connaught.

Returning to the Scene of the Crime

It is a Tondo Chiaro di Nizza 

I spun down home again yesterday morning, between the torrents of rain, to see if I could poach anything fresh from the garden.  This week the courgettes were ready...and some!  One was heading for marrow status and is sitting in my fridge waiting for me (or a passing family member) to figure out what to do with it - probably a nice ratatouille.  We have a new courgette this year, picture above which I need recipe ideas for too. 

A quirky little addition to the borders of the veg. patch was this little pairing of mushrooms.  I thought they were really stunning but decided to best leave well alone without a little prior research.  I have Mum working on an answer to that!

Guest Contribution - Mum's Blackcurrant Fool

"When we started our garden we discovered that blackcurrants were very easy to grow and were very prolific. We had mountains of fruit that kept us supplied with delicious jam with plenty left to put in the freezer. Michael’s mother used to tantalise us with stories of the black and redcurrants she used to eat as a child, with lashings of cream from their farm.  As a result Blackcurrant Fool became part of our Summer repertoire. It is an easy and luscious dessert that never fails to get the taste buds tingling!"

How to make Blackcurrant fool

• First, pick your blackcurrants.
• Make a sugar syrup by dissolving 450g of sugar in 600ml of water. Bring this solution to the boil for 2 minutes, and allow to cool.
• Put 3 cups of blackcurrants into a saucepan and just cover them with the syrup solution.
• Cook them on a gentle heat until the fruit bursts. Now allow it to cool.
• Purée with a blender or a processor and sieve the mixture with a nylon sieve. 
• Add it to an equal quantity of softly whipped cream.
• Pour it into a deep bowl. I use an old cut glass bowl that I inherited from my Godmother.
• Decorate with a few whole blackcurrants and /or some blackcurrant leaves if you have them.

Spooning the Fool!

Cooks notes:

This recipe works just as well with gooseberries.

For a healthier option, use half cream and half good quality Greek yogurt..or Crème Fraiche.

The fool also looks good in individual glasses.

The syrup will keep for a week or two in the fridge.

Rory's tip:

The sugar syrup is also very useful for any number of cocktails!

Raiding the Vegetable Patch!

I took time out last weekend to spin down home and raid the vegetable patch.  I didn't want to see all those fresh fruit and veg. going to waste while the parents were away. Dad has always worked hard at maintaining a good supply of the best potatoes, onions, lettuce, runner beans, gooseberries, blackcurrants, raspberries and courgettes, to name but a few. For as long as I remember we have been treated summer after summer by Dad to the freshest garden produce, with the support of a key ingredient - quality local manure!

The lettuce is always crunchier and more flavourful than anything I have ever bought.  The courgettes will range from baby to full-on marrows. And I will always make a particular effort to seek out the new potatoes.  At the age of 10 or so I remember being incredibly impressed by the combination of boiled new potatoes, real butter and little pinch of salt.  Prior to this I had no appreciation of salt's importance to bringing out the best in food.  It is still a summer favourite!   

The berries are put to good use too, with jams and fools making a particular mark at family gatherings and events.  Gooseberry fool is an essential addition to weekend desserts, and credit goes to the gooseberries as much as the lashings of cream.  The blackcurrant jam is likely to feature in sponge cakes or bakewell tarts throughout the rest of the year. 

Presents from Provence

The parents are not long back from a couple of weeks in Provence (They are working on their guest blog contribution!).  Having covered around 4000km up and down the length of France, their holiday tax for myself and Claire included a beautiful selection of local saucisson.  The variety of flavours is truly amazing, with our little collection made up of a saucisson with figs, one with olives, one with lavender and one rolled in Provençal herbs.  Its this last one which played a central part of my pre-dinner snack tonight and it gets a big thumbs up from me.  The quality of texture and flavour is really fantastic.  More please!

Rosemary Garlic Potatoes

The great majority of my favourite recipes are ones that can just be thrown together with little or no care for weight or measurement.  For the evening that's in it - post-work, wet and just a bit mucky - I needed something simple to see me through the 3rd place World Cup match tonight.   

Chop up as many potatoes as you are hungry - not too small that they will dry out in the oven but not too big that they take too long to crisp up.  Lace the chips in olive oil, chop a few cloves of garlic into the mix and lots of fresh rosemary.  Add a little salt and pepper too.  Throw it all onto a hot baking tray and leave them in the oven - 200 degrees or so.  Generally about 45 minutes will do it, and tossing them half way through helps the crispiness. (A little cheese - Parmigiano Reggiano or just a bit of Dubliner cheddar - grated on top is a nice addition).

Celebrating the 4th of July

It was too nice a day to let the 4th of July pass without a decent burger with all the extras...avocado, smoked rashers, gherkins, tomatoes, swiss Gruyère and a good squeeze of ketchup.  I did not quite go as far a making the burgers from scratch.....it's Sunday, a day of rest after-all.... so bought some of Fallon and Byrne's finest beef burgers. I did however put some effort into the chips....par-boiled and then double fried with a little seasoning at the end.  Fortunately I also had some great company on hand to help demolish the lot. 

We took ourselves off to Edinburgh last week to visit Donal and Sandra and to take in the Snow Patrol gig in Glasgow.  By way of recovery from a very class concert we went in search of coffee and a catch-up with Agata - a friend I had not spoken to face-to-face with for 10 years!  Cutting that longer story short, we ended up in the Elephant House famed as a place of inspiration and relaxation for J.K. Rowling while writing Harry Potter.  Needless to say as a Potter fan (not avid but still a fan) I was quite impressed by my surroundings, the atmosphere and the view but the quality of the coffee in the Elephant House was not so enthralling. I am pretty sure there was coffee in there somewhere, perhaps hiding at the bottom of the massive mug.  Fun nonetheless!

Neal's Yard Dairy

A masterclass in merchandising at Neal's Yard Dairy, Covent Garden!  Speaks for itself. I could smell the store before I could see it, and it smelt good.

Mussels, with a little white wine, garlic and onion!

Over the years I have managed to convince any number of friends of the pleasure gained from picking mussels fresh from the seashore.  Yes, so there is a little advance work necessary... rinsing out the sand, cleaning off the barnacles and tearing out the beards but it is worth every second.  There have been occasional misfires with regard the accuracy and quality of the product and to Donal in particular I apologise!  I have not got it wrong since.  

From a very young age our parents encouraged Jenny and I to forage on the rocks and sand along the Belmullet peninsula for mussels, oysters, and cockles.  Over time, with a little local advice,  we tracked down great spots for gathering scallops - both king and queen.   Mussels remain my personal favourite, and the dish above could not be more simple or tasty......once the grunt work is done first!

Dice up an onion, finely chop some garlic, and fry them off gently in a little oil for a minute or so in a big pot.  Throw in your mussels, add a glass of white wine and stick a lid on top to steam them. After a couple of minutes shake the whole pot to rotate the shells and steam a little longer.  

The muscles are done when they all start to slowly pop open.  Serve straight away, with bread to mop up the juices, but be careful not to overdo it....the level of salt in the stock can have you drinking water all night long!  You can add a little cream and simmer down the stock for ricer sauce if it takes your fancy. 

Key Tip - a mussel is alive if.....when you lightly tap it, it seals itself shut.  A mussel is cooked... when it opens during cooking.  Do not try to force a cooked sealed mussel open - this is natures way of saying....'don't touch'!

Triskel Goat's Cheese

Just the other day Kevin, friend and former colleague from the cheese counter in Fallon and Byrne suggested I check out a new cheese that was imminently expected. Triskel is a fine discovery on their part - nice work Rachel.  Although French in its grey colouring, French in its pyramidal shape, and produced by a French lady Anna Leveque, it is wonderful to see Irish milk being used to create such a tasty cheese.  As a firm but creamy goats cheese it mixes it up against the crumblier St. Tola's and Bluebell Falls.  Indeed I was so impressed with Triskel that I forget take a photo before completely demolishing it.  So, picture to follow!

Kevin also tells me there is a buffalo milk robiola en route to the counter too.  Can't wait to try it as the mixed milk (cow, goat and sheep) robiolas are in my top three cheeses of all time.  I'm a huge fan! 

The Most Simple of Summer Salads

There is always place at my table for a mozzarella and tomato salad but this extra little bit of heat and sun over the last couple of weeks has made it even more desirable.  I get my buffalo mozzarella in Carluccio's, Fallon and Byrne and most recently Taste of Emilia...yes over the northside!  All provide excellent examples of this southern Italian delicacy.  I do my best to match the mozzarella with some good tomatoes, which are also a little easier to come by with the better weather.  After that a few leaves of fresh basil, some cracked pepper and a good extra virgin olive oil and bob's your uncle!  Oh, and some bread to soak up the flavours. 

Sheridans Food Fair

I'm not long in the door from a trip to Carnaross on the Meath/Cavan border with Mum and Dad.  Sheridans Cheesemongers held a food fair today at their new supply depot and store just by the old Virginia road train station.  They did a fine job!  There was a real buzzy atmosphere with many of Ireland's best food producers selling their wares, and it gave me the opportunity to catch up with some of them.

David Tiernan from Glebe Brethan Farm is as always welcoming and does the north-east proud with consistency of flavour and texture from his gruyere style cows milk cheese.  Fingal and his mum Giana Ferguson from Gubbeen Farm never seem to forget a face and their generosity of advice and interest in food is heartening.  Fingal's fresh chorizo sausage is a very useful ingredient and is a staple in my fridge to fry up and flavour pastas, sauces and casseroles. (Claire loves to push the point that many of my favourite producers are from West Cork.  Not 'Cork'..... West Cork!)  


There were so many wonderful stands to visit but Mum and I were very happy to find Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese as we had both gone mad for their goats cheese pesto when we tasted it at the Crafts Fair in the RDS at Christmas.  It is not easy to come by and I have nearly finished my jar already....on Mum's brown bread of course.  I hadn't seen this goat log by Knockdrinna before. It's worth a try and I think I can make good use of it either crumbled on a salad or grilled onto a little toasted ciabatta bread.