I have a friend in cheeses

Picking Olives in Emilia Romagna

2012-03-01T19:26:00.002Z

A spilt but very much alive and very old olive tree

When it comes to training and education there is little that beats hands-on experience. Possibly (massive pinch of food obsessed salt) this statement is most true in understanding the food chain and how it can result in perfection, or in contrast be fouled. Therefore the invite before Christmas to join the UK Carluccio's team on a trip to meet one of our expert olive producers in Emilia-Romagna was an opportunity not to be missed. Not a herd of wild horses, as they say was going to stop me joining them....and what a fantastic experience it was!

A big bowl of olives

Tom Mueller's 'Extravirginity' (my bedside reading at the mo.) gives an interesting but negative perspective into the Italian olive oil business. However, it sells a very different reality to that of the passion, care and effort which I encountered with the Lo Conte family, who produce Carluccio's Olio Novello (new season E.V.O.O.) every year.

An olive picking rake lying on the olive net

The family go to great effort to ensure the quality of their E.V.O.O. by taking more than just a few simple steps to ensure extravirginity..... the basics of which are...carefully picked and netted olives, all (and only) from their own groves, pressed within 24 hours, under temperature controlled conditions (27 degrees ideally).

The Lo Conte olive groves

Biggin' up the little guy - Terra Madre

2012-01-09T23:19:00.002Z

I am labelling Terra Madre a 'must-go' restaurant for 2012.

Taste of Emilia was my eye catcher for 2010, with the best fare from Emilia-Romagna in a wonderfully informal setting. I will happily while away an evening with friends over a platter of meats and bottle of Lambrusco. In contrast, Eastern Seaboard Bar and Grill and its wonderful baking neighbour the Brownhound, stand out from all the rest of my Irish-oriented food trips (Sorry Cafe Paradiso - you came close) in 2011. I need to refresh my memory with a second trip very soon.

Terra Madre has already made its mark on me as perhaps the best local restaurant on the northside, if not greater Dublin. It is definitely the best Italian restaurant (in the purest sense) on the northside, with Plan B having burnt some serious bridges with price hikes no-longer justifiable for a bowl of meatballs and a decline in level of service. Peppe's the "ITALIAN RESTAURANT" in Stoneybatter is a quirky but reputable little venue, but has caved somewhat to the Irish palette...the obsession and need for cream added where it should not - it is by no means a stalwart of Italian cooking ingredients.

And so to the point - Terra Madre. I booked a table last minute on Saturday night for myself and four good friends - indeed my best-men included. I had fortunately, or unfortunately, just missed a call from James in Rigby's Deli who had a cancellation but fate drove us to the basement of No. 13 Batchelor's Walk. When we arrived, we were warmly greeted and I offered up my name for the booking......."Sorry, when did you book?". "Um, two hours ago!?".....as I scanned the twenty of so covers available, none looked like a free table for five. This was not to be a problem. I did not have to beat Ciaran Cuffe out of his seat in one corner, or the table of Italians, who were clearly in some way related by friendship, bed or blood to Marco and the crew who run this little spot.

But still I ramble. What of the food? The menu is compact. Two bruschetta, three anti-pasti, three pasta, & one meat. Either bruschetta would have kept me happy - one with caper sprouts ...a revelation....warmed slightly and dressed with olive oil and the other with Lardo di Colonnata... thinly sliced cured pork fat, again warmed onto the bruschetta. Both were excellent. Two of us opted for the anti-pasti - mine a 'carpaccio of porchetta' and the other a 'vitello tonnato'. I have always been quite thrown by the idea of vitello tonnato - thinly sliced veal served with a tuna mayonnaise. It sounds like never the twain should 'meat' but oddly it's a great dish and Terra Madre's version would hold its own in any Italian deli I have eaten it in.

I say three pasta but in truth it was one gnocchi and two pasta. We all opted for pasta - perfectly portioned bowls of fettucine with a rabbit sauce or tonnarello with a pheasant ragout. You can go wrong with neither but I did prefer the pheasant. The pasta is a fresh one, which is imported in from Italy, by a supplier who shall remain nameless, because they would not tell me.... but I could take a stab at it. It did raise the question - which is better - fresh or dried pasta? The answer is - it depends on the dish!

All of this was supported brilliantly by a big Primitivo di Manduria red. Puglian wines have been a revelation to me in the last couple of years, along with Umbrian. I will hands-down order either ahead of Chianti's, Barolo's or indeed any other Italian wines. At €20 a bottle for any of the three reds (not listed on the menu), it's a wonderfully simple, uncomplicated way to manage your wine-list.

And this is at its core what I loved about the meal in Terra Madre on Saturday night - it represented the simplicity and straight-forwardness that I love about Italian food culture. It's not fussy, pretentious or confusing and does not strive to be something else. Terra Madre is what it is, a room to enjoy good food with good people, just as they do it all over Italy.

Put Terra Madre on your list of 'go-to' restaurants in 2012. I cannot wait to go back.

Bill was €180 for five of us, including three bottles of wine. We all had desserts!

Tips -

- Have an espresso, at very least to taste the chocolate-ness of it....that dry unsweetened flavour you get from 90% dark chocolate. And then add sugar, for the 70% sweetened version.

- Have a slice of the fig jam tart - the winner by a margin of four to one.

- Do book. Phone: 01/8735300

- If you smell pizza being cooked out the back at the end of the night.....do compliment the smells and you might be lucky like us and get to taste it when it's ready.

Italian love of presentation extends far beyond personal preening!

2011-11-28T18:53:00.001Z

Via Drappiere, Bologna

Here are a few more shots from my meanderings around Bologna the week before last. No doubt the Italian love of self-presentation, preening, style and fashion extends through to their food and merchandising! Or perhaps it's the other way around - chicken or egg? Either way, in and around Via Drapperie in Bologna, displays move from the beautiful to the bizarre......and your stomach growls with hunger and temptation.

Where's Wally? Waste not, want not

The variety of food available with which to create these presentations is astounding. The average butchers have far more than rashers, bacon, sausages, a few chickens & a side of beef. The pasta stands include such a selection of shapes and sizes, you can easily eat a different pasta shape every night for a month and only have skimmed the surface of options. The fruit and veg. stands have such an array of dried, fresh and cured produce the mind boggles at where to start.

Which mortadella would you like?

What really struck me was, on a street of six or seven fantastic delis, is how you can watch a local shopper work their way from one to next. They have clearly defined a pattern of shopping that shares the wealth across the retailers but also targets them for specific quality, price or perceived value. It's fascinating to watch, and reminds me of my Granny (Dad's mum), who would single out the right butcher for the right meat........and if she wasn't happy with it, the butcher knew all about it next time!

Pasta, gnocchi, pasta, pasta, pasta

Tip: If you love Italian food, a long weekend in Bologna is a must.

Packaging to match the product - Atti's of Bologna

2011-11-21T22:49:00.000Z

It goes without saying that packaging can make all the difference in marketing a product. From the own-brand factory biscuit to the artisan chocolate maker, packaging sets out the manufacturers stall for how they want their product to be both perceived and priced. For the customer it can be complete trial and error when blitzed with countless options for the same product!

In Bologna last week in Paolo Atti's deli, I discovered product and packaging that grasped me in equal amounts....and neither let me down. In short, the best handmade tortellini, boxed like I have never seen pasta boxed. Atti's, a fourth generation family business, have been on the go since 1900 and clearly know their customers and their food.

The tortellini were beautifully boxed, wrapped, ribboned with full storage and cooking instructions. In one minor hiccup, I forgot to ask what to serve them with so I made a simple cream sauce - cream, a little pasta-water as stock, some parmigiano, black pepper and a little nutmeg! Worked a treat.

Clams on a hot stone in Riccione

2011-11-16T08:07:00.003Z

A small part of dinner in Il Pescatore last night.

Antica Osteria de la Valle

2011-11-04T12:18:00.003Z

Truffled pecorino fondue makes for the centre-piece in this antipasti.

This is just a little taster - an amuse-bouche of a post shall we say - to give you an idea what I spent my time eating in Umbria in September. As a result, I have become somewhat obsessed with the culinary delights of Umbria.....truffles, pecorino cheeses, Norcian meats, Sagrantino wines. This antipasti selection was served up to us in Antica Osteria de la Valle in Todi, a very Umbrian restaurant run by a very Cumbrian gentleman chef called John!

Testing the new Blogger App

2011-09-08T23:56:00.001+01:00

Whiskey tasting......

Gwen's Chocolates, Schull

2011-08-10T22:21:00.001+01:00

A little update by way of some pics taken on tour in Cork the week before last. With my romantic link regularly bringing me to deepest west Cork, I am always happy to pay a visit to Gwen's Chocolates down on the main street in Schull.

A personal favourite of both my mum and myself are the crystallised pieces of orange completely covered in dark chocolate. Always good to have a stash of them stored away! Gwen's (run by Frenchman Gwen) is a must see, a delight for the chocolate obsessed.

La Cocina Pop-Up

2011-07-18T00:50:00.000+01:00

Here's just a few snaps from a very spontaneous night in La Cocina last night. Brainchild of former colleagues, big foodies & friends of mine - Alfredo & Liam - La Cocina did two nights in the bowling club in Grosvenor Sq this weekend. And boy did they and their team do a great job!

Parmesan Bowling Balls & Curried Cauliflower Fritura

With a Spanish focussed no-choice-4-course-plus-petit-fours menu, I took particular pleasure in the curried cauliflower fritura in the Aperitivos. My ingredient of the year 'Samphire' made a starring appearance alongside organic Clare Island salmon en papillote. However, the highlight for the night was the slow cooked beef cheeks (carrilleras) which melted in the mouth with braised leeks on the side. More please!

Carrilleras by candlelight

Liam talking us through the Carne

I am definitely not doing justice to all the extra little touches that made the food and the night so fantastic. I will be keeping an eye on La Cocina's facebook page though in the hope it pop's up again!

Hazelnut pralines & pastry crisps

Designs by Fran Tyrell - http://www.frantyrrelldesigns.com/

A day trip to Nemi, Lazio

2011-05-29T00:35:00.000+01:00

In Italy last weekend, we took the opportunity of an overnight in Rome with my uncle Des to take a spin just south of the city (about an hour). The parents made the same trip to the town of Nemi last year and came home singing the praises of the little town on the crater-lake. It is a prize little town just beyond the Popes summer residence Castelgandolfo. The compact shops and restaurants lined along the small main street are a testament to traditional wall-to-wall food merchandising and are to be admired in awe - prosciutto (with and without the hair on), coppa, salami with all sorts of seasoning, lardo, pancetta, guanciale, coppieta,& endless local cheeses.

The added advantage of this food haven are two of the local specialities......Porchetta & Wild Strawberries (Fragoline). We indulged in both. They made for a very tasty lunch! That said the strawberries also made a special appearance in a local delicacy......salami with fragoline. Let's just say the sweet squishiness of the strawberries is not something I would personally go running back for.

Porchetta sandwich

Fragoline tarts

Salami with Strawberries

Ricotta & Lemon Tart from Antonio Carluccio

2011-05-16T23:44:00.008+01:00

I watched Antonio make this on the Two Greedy Italians last week with Gennaro. I had to give it a go! It is absolutely 'amazeballs'. Think summer, sun, lemons, sitting on the terrace & finished off sipping a chilled limoncello.

Ingredients:

400g puff pastry (& a little plain flour).

250g Ricotta

250g Mascarpone

200g Candied peel (I got my hands on some *Cedro, as Antonio recommends)

120g Caster sugar

6 Eggs (separated)

1 Lemon for zesting

Roll out the pastry so that it fits comfortably (hanging over the edge of your decent sized tart dish - 25/30 cm). Leave it aside covered with a damp cloth. (I used a pre-made frozen puff pastry, as I've a slight aversion to making pastry). It worked.

For the mixture, spoon together the mascarpone, ricotta, candied peel, 100g of sugar. Give it a good mix and then add in the yolks of 5 eggs. Keep one aside for glazing the pastry. Whisk up the 6 egg whites until well fluffy and add in the remaining sugar and whisk again to give it a good sheen. Gently fold in the egg whites to the cheese mix.

Get your tart tin and pastry out from hiding and pour the mix into the centre of the dish. Spread it carefully and evenly. Fold in the sides of the pastry and aim for the rustic uneven look rather than a perfected knife-cut edge. Glaze with the remaining egg yolk.

Pop it in the pre-heated oven (180 degrees) for 25-30 mins. There should still be a definite wobble to the mix. Leave to cool. Zest a lemon over it. Stuff your face!

Notes:
Must try this with sheep's ricotta when I can get some. Should give a lighter texter & an extra little kick in flavour.

Used 250g of Ricotta & Mascarpone, as these are the packet sizes. Recipe recommends 300g to 250g.

*Cedro is particular type of lemon from Campania that is candied like other peels. It's almost a little sour in taste, even though candied, but works a treat. Some orange peel (as Antonio recommends) would help balance the sour with some sweet

Although loaded with eggs......it is not eggy or custardy. It is lighter than a typical New York baked cheesecake.

Ikea's Lingonbrod on a Sunny Day

2011-03-24T23:00:00.000Z

Dad had tried the Lingonbrod from Ikea recently and suggested I give it a go. The packet has been sitting staring at me for a month or so now but yesterday's sun encouraged a little baking effort. Cinnamon buns will have to wait for another day, when I can justify eating the whole batch with my big sis.

This is an uncomplicated pre-mixed bread. Add the attached dry yeast, mix, leave to rise, knead, spilt in two, leave to rise, bake (40 mins in the oven). Instructions are straight forward and in many languages, so take your pick and the majority of ingredients are good & wholesome. Ultimately it tastes pretty good too,....not extravagantly of the freeze dried lingon berries, but of good, wholesome, Northern European bread. Worth a try!

Bringing something new to Paris - Le Bal Cafe

2011-03-03T23:38:00.000Z

Welsh Rarebit made with Ireland's finest Guinness

Le Bal Cafe is offering a little twist to the norm in Paris. Top notch filter coffee, welsh rarebit, oxtail, bread & butter pudding and great service. Not to be missed for dinner or brunch if you're up around Place de Clichy. Yes, I am totally biased for reasons of friendship, but I will gladly be a loyal regular any time I'm in Paris 'cos they are that good!

David maintaining his filter focus!

Parisian treats

2011-02-10T00:05:00.002Z

I just like these photos! Both are from a busy little boulangerie opposite the Sainte-Maire des Batignolles church, about 5 minutes walk from Place de Clichy. I am not usually a (French) macaroon fan but these were top notch. The chocolate and almond twist was so fresh and yum. Happily would have worked my way along the pastry shelf!

French macaroons...never quite sure what the colours represent!

A few key snaps from the Place d'Aligre Market, Paris

2011-02-08T23:36:00.000Z

Claire and I rendezvous-ed in Paris, en route to Rome the weekend before last. We stayed with my very good friend Emily (host of some renown). She was very excited to have foodies in the house to appreciate the wonders of the Place d'Aligre Market!

Here's just a few shots from the wanderings through the stalls........health & safety......blow it out your ear. The French know how to do it properly!

They're just sleeping...like bats!

Real butchering - No dodgy sauces here!

I can get this just off shore down in Mayo. Anyone ever tried?

Claire's favourite

Ricci di Mare - couldn't find them on the menu last September in Puglia

It's been 2 months since my last confession....

2011-02-08T22:25:00.000Z

Just to get the ball back rolling after a time away.......I loved the way this local grocer near Place de Clichy, Paris just throws the laws of fruit & veg. merchandising out the window.
Why should fruit have to sit with fruit, the whole fruit and nothing but the fruit!?!?

Grocer Display in Paris

Thanks for the help Mr. Brennan's Bread Driver

2010-12-01T12:29:00.000Z

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

2010-11-28T16:07:00.000Z

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

2010-11-10T22:40:00.000Z

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

2010-11-05T21:07:00.000Z

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!

2010-10-28T23:43:00.000+01:00

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.

2010-10-14T00:12:00.000+01:00

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....

2010-10-12T23:24:00.000+01:00

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!

2010-10-06T23:44:00.000+01:00

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

2010-10-04T23:53:00.001+01:00

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....

2010-08-31T22:34:00.008+01:00

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!

2010-08-25T17:42:00.056+01:00

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!

2010-08-15T22:02:00.000+01:00

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

2010-08-04T23:30:00.001+01:00

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

2010-07-22T22:52:00.003+01:00

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

2010-07-19T18:20:00.001+01:00

"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!

2010-07-18T17:32:00.001+01:00

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

2010-07-10T21:22:00.000+01:00

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

2010-07-10T19:43:00.001+01:00

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

2010-07-04T23:58:00.000+01:00

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.

2010-06-24T23:42:00.001+01:00

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

2010-06-23T16:01:00.001+01:00

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!

2010-06-14T22:51:00.003+01:00

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

2010-06-10T23:05:00.000+01:00

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

2010-06-02T20:45:00.001+01:00

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

2010-05-30T23:33:00.024+01:00

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.

McDonnells of Belmullet for a Pint

2010-05-20T23:15:00.004+01:00

We gathered last weekend for a few late pints in McDonnells in Belmullet. They provided an oddly good digestive for the insanely large barbeque we laid on for ourselves earlier in the evening. McDonnells is great little pub, which manages to balance the very traditional style and its regulars with the passing trade of young-wans en route to the club up the road. We fit somewhere between the two, I like to think!

Anything to distract from the cleaning!

2010-05-18T20:49:00.002+01:00

In an effort to distract from the pain of cleaning the house the week before last, I decided to attempt a pavlova for Claire and a couple of her workmates, who were coming over for dinner the following day. It is not like I have ever made one, and I didn't exactly do a lot of research into the process... I kind of assumed that since I have eaten many of my aunt Mary's pavlovas I would naturally know what to do. Turns out I was not far off.... although I have since had my methods refined by Tom's Will, and plan further consultation with Mary.

My very basic recipe: beat three egg whites until very firm and peaky with about 150 grams of icing sugar and bake it at 100 degree centigrade for 45 minutes on some greaseproof parchment. Cornmeal and dash of white wine vinegar I am now told are useful additions to keep the pavlova soft and guey rather than crisp and meringuey.

There are a couple of notes. Firstly sorry Jenny and Mark that I did not bring you any down but I wasn't sure how much the guys would demolish. It turns out...most of it!

Secondly, I lathered mine in cream. That is probably why it tasted so good.

Rungis Market

2010-04-27T23:30:00.003+01:00

As much as the front-of-house, customer facing life engages and energises me, there is a whole world behind the scenes that offers a foodie so much to appreciate and to be in awe of. Early enough in my fulltime food career I took the opportunity of a week in France to detour one morning to Rungis Market on the outskirts of Paris. Rungis is one of the central hubs for food distribution in Europe and is really more of a town than a market. When we arrived at 6.30 a.m. for a tour of the cheese sheds, the lanes...highways... were jammed with artic lorries driving like maniacs from lott to lott collecting pallets of produce.

Goat's cheese set and ready to leave the country!

You really need your wits about you as most of the workers have been up since very early morning. This became all the more obvious when we went to the Cafe in the centre of the 'town'. I dared to ask for a cappuccino.....and nearly got laughed out of the place. A quick scan of the bar explained why.... brandy and espresso was the drink of the moment...not a nice milky coffee. Sure what else would you be doing at 7 in the morning? Graciously however the barman did mock up a couple of frothy cappuccinos.

Provencal Sweetness; Understanding Regionality

2010-04-26T22:52:00.002+01:00

It was on a trip to Provence that I started to really appreciate regionality of food and drink on the continent. This is a topic which I think I will be coming back to time and again. For example, Provence has its Chateau-neuf, Gingondas and Bandol wines with distinctive features influenced by the infamous mistral winds and gravelly soils. What particularly caught my eye (no surprise) however, was the proliferation of sweet and chocolate shops. On a visit to Aix-en-Provence we found not just amazing olives but also chocolate olives. No no, don't worry, there was no olive in the chocolate. The prolific La Cure Gourmande provide some of the best examples and their merchandising is very impressive. Neighbouring shops sold Calisson by the truckload - little oblong sweets based on almond and candied fruit pastes. You will find these sweets elsewhere in France, but their origin and traditions are very much focussed in Provence.

Baskets of olives!

Dolceacqua for Pizza, '07

2010-04-25T19:28:00.004+01:00

We discovered it more by accident than anything. Driving from Menton on the french side of the France-Italy border we wound our way over the mountainous border to the quirky town of Dolceacqua. Apart from its quirky shape and architecture, there is a wonderful pizzeria Il Borgo's, which claims to be 200 years old. With prime seats by the hatch to the kitchen we had full view of the pizza-making and the open oven they are cooked in. The pizzas matched our expectations. We arrived at the restaurant starving and easily demolished everything put in front of us.

This was Claire's - bresaola, parmigiano and rocket.

Burgundy 2007, a great vintage!

2010-04-25T00:05:00.004+01:00

This is one of my favourite pictures in my collection. I had the opportunity to continue my love affair with France and its food in early '07 with a trip to visit my good friend Donal. He chose to do an MBA for a year and we chose to join him for the best part of one of the weeks. We ate and drank our way through southern Ile-de-france and northern Burgundy - much fun!

The town of Chablis ended up as the target for one of our day trips. Fortunately we got side tracked by a much smaller pretty town just over the hill. Chablis may always remain famed for its wine, but town of great beauty and interest it is not! However, can I remember the name of that little town over the hill? Not a chance but when I find it, I'll post it.

The little old lady at the very back of the above picture hosted an impromptu wine tasting of her product. The whites - all Aligote - were just perfect for the heat of our late April tour. The 6 or 7 bottles we bought did not last very long.

Tips

- The reds we tried from the area.......were not recommendable.

- Although not from Chablis proper, the wines matched anything I have tried since from the area.

This is the church in 'the-little-town-over-the-hill'

In line with current volcanic goings on!

2010-04-23T20:49:00.004+01:00

It was a near life-long desire to travel to Iceland. The Brendan Voyage was an odd inspiration! To celebrate my 30th, Claire and I attempted a surprise visit to Haukur and his family in July '08. Although our arrival turned out to be not so surprising, we spent an incredible week in Rejkavik and its surrounds. We were welcomed by the Stefansson family with freshly caught wild salmon and two legs of Icelandic lamb spitted on the BBQ. I have always taken great pride in extoling the virtues of Irish lamb, but in fairness to the Icelanders they raise fierce sheep meat.

Later into our trip we rented a car for a day to tour the sights just beyond Rejkavik. After a morning of driving we settled on finding Fjorubordid restaurant in the little fishing village of Stokkseyri, south of the Capital. Fjorubordid turns up in many locals tourist lists and rightly so. Although quite the trek out of the city, the lobster soup fulfilled all my expectations. The views, the peace and quiet and the friendliness of the staff all helped too.

Tips

- Do not be upset by the small size of the lobster. The much colder northern water keep the lobster shorter and arguably sweeter!

- If you have no inclination to travel from Rejkavik (although that would be wrong) Saegreifinn down on the quays make an excellent lobster soup too. We didn't try the whale skewers.

Don't worry, I won this battle!

2010-04-22T22:47:00.002+01:00

When it comes to seafood the general rule is eat it as fresh as you can get it. I have been travelling to Mayo with family since age zero. This is where I notched up my earliest seafood experiences including mussel picking, mackerel fishing and trying to encourage fishermen to take more cash for their catch. October just gone, Claire and I were down in Belmullet getting some deserved rest and relaxation. Just at the end of the crab season (the weather generally does not allow for any fishing from late October) we spotted a small boat coming into the pier, so we hopped in the car and spun down to see if we could lighten their load. A bit of chat and €14 later, we walked away with 5 kilos of crab claws and a live crayfish! Bargain.

One boiled-alive crayfish later and many claws we still had a stockpile to dole out to the family the following day. They were absolutely delicious.

Tips

- Dressing does not need to be complicated - Maryrose sauce.....half mayo, half ketchup.....more or less!

- Any blunt object will do to crack the claws open.

Dinner in Umbria

2010-04-21T22:37:00.002+01:00

Not that I live in history but I am just trying to catch up on updates from the last 12 months that cannot be overlooked. As part of the first Italy trip last summer Claire and I spent nearly a week celebrating our good friends Gro and Haukur's marriage with friends and family. We ate our way through the little town of Citta della Pieve, and worked our way through some of the local vineyards too. Zafferano restaurant's slow whole roast pork legs with the crispiest crackling, thinly sliced rare beef with oranges and olives, and creamy saffron risotto were the highlights of the wedding dinner. This was contrasted the following night with the best antipasto, pizza and beers in a local pizzeria!

Mercado de San Miguel

2010-04-21T15:26:00.002+01:00

Last May we discovered the Mercade de San Miguel while on a two day gettaway to Madrid. Although it does not match the sheer scale and size of the La Boqueria in Barcelona, the displays, atmosphere and colours were no less impressive. The lumps of caramel being shaped into sweets, the fishmonger slicing and dicing with the bigget fish-knife ever, the oyster bar and the fruit sellers all make for a meal for the eyes.

Lunch that day however was just next door to the market in a tourist trap....but you can go wrong with a bagutte filled simply with a slice of Spanish omelette.

Trattoria Corrieri, Parma

2010-04-21T00:22:00.002+01:00

This is undoubtedly one of the best restaurants in which I have eaten in the last couple of years. Sooo good was this tip off from Clotilde, my Italian side-kick in work, that within a month I had brought firstly my girlfriend Claire and then my sister Jennifer to the Trattoria Corrieri.

Torta Fritta......pillows of deep-fried dough were the highlight. They arrive warm to the table. With a platter of the local prosciutto sliced fresh off the leg in the next room, the two make for a tasty anti-pasto. The tortelli di zucca (tortelli stuffed with pumpkin) are freshly made on-site and their sweetness requires no dressing other than a little (again local) parmesan.

If you are within 200km of Parma make the journey! Parma is a very good spot for food hunting for obvious gastronomical reasons and is well worth a wander.

They sell themselves...Bra, 2009

2010-04-20T23:33:00.002+01:00

Bra, Italy....funny by name and nature!

2010-04-20T22:35:00.003+01:00

Better late than never, eh? I thought I had better get posting a little more regularly.

So here's one short and sweet post.

The Cheese Festival in the little town of Bra in northern Italy last September was an eye opener. With a nice little chunk of cheese experience under my belt, I decided that I couldn't wait another two years for this fantastic fare of the worlds cheese. I dragged my sister along.... fortunately not kicking and screaming for a weekend of cheese, cheese, wine, breadsticks, and more cheese! I did get some strange looks from even the foodies in work who thought a cheese festival was more than a little odd sort of concept. After trying at least 50 cheeses in one day, I proved at least to myself that I could not disagree more. I will be heading back in 2011 with more people in tow.

Tips - Try and stay in the town. Commuting even a from local towns whether by public or private transport keeps you away from the social scene in the evenings.

Merchandising at La Boqueria

2009-05-05T20:55:00.003+01:00

Next time you are in Barcelona, this is where it's at! Every stall is food temptation.....fruit, smoothies, cheeses, cured meats! The works when it comes to Spanish food. Although I think we visited at the quieter end of the day (mid-afternoon), there was still much to admire. It's a 'must see'.

Claire's Tarte Tatin

2009-05-05T18:47:00.004+01:00

All credit due to Claire, whose baking is coming along in leaps and bounds. As part of a recent deception by Jenny and I of our mother, Claire was brought down to the family home for her first baking lesson. The goal was to covertly get family recipes for a cookbook we were writing. Things have stepped along very nicely and she's mastered (what I have always considered) to be the scary challenge of the tarte tartin.

Mayo saw her latest completion to close off our Easter weekend. It tastes even better than it looks. The stickiness of the hot carmel layered over the sweet apples and served with freshly whipped cream is just 'more'!

The Beginning

2009-01-21T22:08:00.001Z

This is where it begins! I have a friend in cheeses, but also in chocolate, coffees, salumi, fresh meat, cereal, pasta.... I don't like to discriminate. Although cauliflower.... cauliflower is not my friend! More about that another time.

It is cheese however that I identify with most strongly. It is cheese in its diverse glory as one moment being something soft, gooey, and smelly and the next granulated, salty and nutty that grabbed my childhood interest in food and made it a career choice.

So here it is. An ode to food, indeed any food that has influenced me since I was a kid, and to the development of food across the little island of Ireland and beyond. My plan here for this blog is to talk about everything that is food from what's new in the industry, to what's new on my table or the table of my friends and family. This will be about food for occasions, food for in front of the TV on Tuesday nights, first, second and third helpings, with some bread to soak it all up, while never forgetting that the peaks of food pleasure often comes best shared with others!