Well it seems like a lifetime since my last post on Monday. Why? Well, I feel sad even admitting it. I’ve given up Facebook. Yes, I admit it – I am addicted. I spend hours wandering it’s realms chatting with friends, reading blogs, joining silly groups, playing scrabble, being a mobster… the list is endless and very very sad. When I heard 2FM DJ and fellow Blogger Rick O’Shea was challenging people to give up social networking for a week I volunteered.  Continue reading »

Cézanne used take an age to set uphis paintings of apples and other fruit.
Having spent some time foostering withthe Still Life here, I can see why.
Happy World Bread Day!

Dublin, Ireland, Europe.  Continue reading »

I’ve just got the first three weeks-worth of notes filed and already the first folder is bulging. That’s not too much of a problem – the stationary list we were sent before the start of the course specified four lever-arch files – much more of an issue is the actual filing system. In our house, now comprising of three students plus one Husband, there have been several debates over the best way of doing it. Does Tapenade fit under starters or dressings?  Continue reading »

Working with a web camera underTungsten Lightinggives some warm effectswhen photographingBread.
Dublin, Ireland, Europe.  Continue reading »

Bread and Chocolate,with Brazil Nuts.
Dublin, Ireland, Europe.  Continue reading »

Tomorrow is World Bread Day.
Photographers who do not bake mightlike to buy a loaf and record the eventfor posterity.
It’s a good way to find out aboutdifferent recipes and tastesaround the Planet.
Dublin, Ireland, Europe.  Continue reading »

This is a very good Tea Brack Recipe from the 1960’s.
It may be a bit sweet for contemporary tastes,but adding less sugar is an option.
It cuts very easily, probably because thefruit swells in the tea overnight.
~ Soak 1 pound of mixed dried fruit, 1 oz Glacé Cherries some Candied Peel (to taste) 8 oz Sugar
~ in 1 large Breakfast Cup (a mug will do) of Tea overnight.  Continue reading »

Well it’s been awhile since I participated in Fun Monday, but I figured I better get back on board!  Janet is hosting it and it’s a cute topic! The topic is as follows:
Describe your meeting with your spouse/significant other. I especially want to hear “meet cute” stories. And it doesn’t have to be your actual current sig/other. Perhaps the “meet cute” story is a former boy/girlfriend… or even a best friend. Illustrate with photos, of course.  Continue reading »

Everyone loves apples right? You would think, but my one year old will not touch them! I try and get them into her by cooking them, which usually works. Although not as good as the raw fruit, at least she’s getting something! These cute little popovers were one such attempt to get some apple into her and amazingly it worked! These are basically Yorkshire puddings with a sweeter note! They puff up nicely in the oven and are a slightly different breakfast, brunch or even dessert treat.  Continue reading »

Well I had hoped to be doing more posting, but my poor husband has been working crazy hours and I just haven’t had as much time as I would like! I had this post all prepared earlier this week but my computer crashed before I could save it. Hence the delay!
When I first moved to the states in the late eighties my sombre Irish palate had never experienced the confetti of Tex-Mex flavours. In fact I’d never even had broccoli!  Continue reading »

 
Ok, I think I have it now, here’s my interview from da radio for anyone who was away on business or doing something really important so they couldn’t hear it. I’d like to thank Ed  for being easy to talk to and encouraging. It was fun!
The Cook Book Swap Shop was on last night at my place. Of course I had decided to use a room that, until yesterday, was a storage area for all those boxes I hadn’t unpacked yet.  Continue reading »

Up at the crack of dawn on Saturday – well, at 6am it’s still pretty dark this time of year – to work on the Ballymaloe stall at the Middleton Farmers’ Market. As well as the compulsory practicals and demos at the Cookery School, we can also volunteer for other experiences.  Continue reading »

In The highly unlikely event that you happen to have cooked all 80 recipes we launched with in the last 2 months we are happy to announce that we have just added an additional 20. PArticular highlights include “The perfect steak” which is a follow on from the original video you saw here months ago and actually became so popular we choose to turn iFoods into a pro site!  Continue reading »

Imagine an awful of of dramatic handwaving for the following paragraph.
Ah, Dunne & Crescenzi. How you are truly my amore! But why, why must you be so disorganised? You know I adore your smoothest coffee and most delicious antipasti, but let me be honest with you: even on the best of days, you leave me waiting! There is only so long that I can covet your delights at my lonely table, and longingly gaze at the wonders of your fabulous homeland on the shelves.  Continue reading »

Last Saturday, I went fishing with my brothers and a few other people on a chartered boat trip out a little way into the Irish Sea (or the Atlantic, at that point, really) from Kilmore Quay in Wexford. Bear in mind, now, that I hadn’t been near fishing tackle since I was about sixteen, and even then it was only a nodding acquaintance.
We were onto the boat at half nine in the morning, and well out to sea by ten.  Continue reading »

 
Today is officially the best day fo my life. I’m sitting up in bed and my two big sons are cooking me breakfast. The house smells like it’s burning down and it sounds like hell’s kitchen down there but I’m adamant that I’m not going to interfere and I’m leaving them to it. No I’m not wringing my hands with anxiety…….The reason for this huge priviledge is a minor accident I incurred two days ago.  Continue reading »

Well, after an entirely miserable three weeks of no internet with the two weeks before that having very unreliable access, I am back online. I have well over 5000 posts to read in my reader, and too many emails to count. Please bare with me as I catch up with everything! We still have no land line – hopefully next week! The cell phone signal is awful out here and I can’t seem to find a cell phone booster that will work!  Continue reading »

Well what’s been happening here at iFoods.tv for the last couple of weeks, well quite a lot actually. We are happy to announce that the user foodwishes has won our first ever monthly brownie points competition. Check out his personal web page here He now has the luxury of being called the iFoods user of the month and is also the proud winner of $150! The competition was pretty hot towards the end but he just got over the finish line first.  Continue reading »

A quick reminder to anybody who makesmeaty stews… adding a handful ofplums before the long, slow cookinggive a very fine texture to the sauce.
Dublin, Ireland, Europe.  Continue reading »

on these damp drizzly day.
The 16th October has been chosen asWorld Bread Day.
Out with the rolling pins…
Dublin, Ireland, Europe.  Continue reading »