I was always the slowest in my class so was the easiest to catch but once I was "it" I couldn’t catch anyone else. Much of my schoolyard playtime was spent running around in increasingly desperate circles trying to find a snail slower than I was.Thankfully this is not that kind of tag. The lovely Lorraine has tagged me for a meme that is doing the rounds at the moment.  Continue reading »

You may remember my affirmation a few weeks ago that pre-made mixes are nothing to be ashamed of and I’m happy to say that many of you agreed with me. It was very encouraging.
So I bought another box. (I probably should have bought a case at the rate I’m going…) Same five minute prep, same addition of chocolate chips, but this time I poured the batter into a muffin tin.

Incredible isn’t it?  Continue reading »

You may remember my affirmation a few weeks ago that pre-made mixes are nothing to be ashamed of and I’m happy to say that many of you agreed with me. It was very encouraging.
So I bought another box. (I probably should have bought a case at the rate I’m going…) Same five minute prep, same addition of chocolate chips, but this time I poured the batter into a muffin tin.

Incredible isn’t it?  Continue reading »

Businesses with web intentions should take note that Google Local Business Center now takes in Ireland. Read more at Richard Hearne’s Red Cardinal blog.
Meanwhile, I’m trying to come up with something to let customers of the Natural Foods Bakery in Blackrock know that we’re here just down the road, selling wine. Any tips on how to make a DL-size flyer irresistible? Branded paper napkins, maybe, instead?  Continue reading »

Eating out in Dublin can be great but sometimes the effort can become a bit too much. On a recent wandering around where I live in Dublin I passed by an interesting new restaurant/wine bar, Ely HQ (HQ – Hanover Quay), and took note. I have visited the Ely wine bar on Ely place previously and was suitably impressed, mainly by the substantial wine list. This wine bar has now spawned 2 more restaurants/wine bars (Ely CHQ in IFSC and Ely HQ on Hanover Quay).  Continue reading »

Picture me singing the opening number to Fiddler on the Roof here. Somehow it always gets into my head around the holidays – wonder why that would be?
When I hosted Fun Monday a few weeks ago I asked to hear about your holiday traditions, but neglected to share any of mine, mainly due to the timing. A Foodie Froggy in Paris also asked for me to share a holiday recipe several weeks ago, so here I go!
This is a Christmas must in all Irish homes – Christmas Pudding.  Continue reading »

Thanks to Michael Logan for tipping me the wink on this one – you can now get some local perspectives on wine and so on not only from this here blog, and sourgrapes.ie, but from Irish Wine Contemplations.  Continue reading »

Last week I had a really good time in the kitchen with lots of ideas for my final three-course exam meal. We have to have the menu and a detailed list of ingredients in for Wednesday, alongside the occasion for the meal, the reason for the choice of menu and accompanying wines.  Continue reading »

The Recipe4Living Thanksgiving Recipes Contest will be coming to a close tomorrow night at 11:59 PM CST so get your recipes in!
You could win a Mini Cuisinart Food Processor, how cool is that?!
And this year we’re picking not just one…or two…but five winners!
We’re picking one for each category: stuffing, cranberry, squash, sweet potato, and of course, turkey! Sooo get your recipes in if you want to win!  Continue reading »

The Recipe4Living Thanksgiving Recipes Contest will be coming to a close tomorrow night at 11:59 PM CST so get your recipes in!
You could win a Mini Cuisinart Food Processor, how cool is that?!
And this year we’re picking not just one…or two…but five winners!
We’re picking one for each category: stuffing, cranberry, squash, sweet potato, and of course, turkey! Sooo get your recipes in if you want to win!  Continue reading »

Almost any bread dough can be broken into small piece and cooked quickly on a griddleor pan. A mixture of sunflower oil and butter, or olive oil is usually a personal choice for giving these breakfast treats a golden crust.  Continue reading »

First of all I have no decent excuse for the lack of posts, well that’s a lie, maybe just one, the fact that by the time I cook the recipe I want to post about, it’s dark, and when it’s dark the pictures look pretty terrible, and when there’s no pictures the posts don’t look as nice. So with that in mind, I decided that I’m just going to have to blog ahead regardless of pictures!  Continue reading »

First of all I have no decent excuse for the lack of posts, well that’s a lie, maybe just one, the fact that by the time I cook the recipe I want to post about, it’s dark, and when it’s dark the pictures look pretty terrible, and when there’s no pictures the posts don’t look as nice. So with that in mind, I decided that I’m just going to have to blog ahead regardless of pictures!  Continue reading »

Dingle beat the might of An Gaeltacht yesterday in the West Kerry Semi-Final Replay in a major upset: 8-7 in a close match. I love going to some of the local games, where you can see players that have become so famous for their county scrapping it out in front of a small crowd.
Of course, you could just call it procrastination from writing the ice cream book!
Technorati tags: Dingle, football, Kerry, GAA.  Continue reading »

Four of our wines are listed in this year’s thirteenth edition of the Best of Wine in Ireland 2008, which was launched in Dublin on the 17th October.
Tsarine Cuvee Premium
Alessandro Speri’s Prodigo Malbec
Wilfrid Rousse’s Chinon ‘Les Galuches’
Damien Delecheneau’s ‘Ad Libitum’
Click on the links to see each wine on our website.  Continue reading »

There it is, I’ve said it. I Love Champagne!
This weekend I had the pleasure to enjoy 2 beauties:
Firstly Tarlant Rose Prestige 1997:

A delicious vintage Rose from Oeuilly. 85% Chardonney & 15% Pinot Noir, this wine was made from a blend of red and white wine (as opposed to the saignee method). This was a very quaffable effort with a very light stream of bubbles. Delicious delicate red fruit flavours (strawberries/cherrys) on the palate and very pleasing on the eye.  Continue reading »

I went along to the Wine Board of Ireland fine wine tasting on Friday evening. Hosted by Nigel Donnan, the wines he opened were all Pinot Noirs from the Côte d’Or in Burgundy. Eight wines were opened, and most of them way, way above my price range.
The skeptic in me wanted to confirm to myself that there was no way these “fine wines” where that much better than wine for €15-20. I was wrong. Most of them were the best wines I’ve ever tasted.  Continue reading »

How interesting, thanks Lorraine. I got to the end of Lorraine’s list, laughing at the similarities between her answers and what mine would be when i see that I’m invited to do the same. So here goes
What 4 Jobs I have had
I worked in Dunnes when I was 16, after school and on weekends. We made great money and had lots of fun, you can do anything when you’re 16. I gave it up to concentrate on school for my leaving cert.  Continue reading »

Forget The Rainbow Warrior sinking. Forget the shock French 1999 rugby world cup victory over New Zealand. Hell, forget the more recent 2007 French victory (if you can). This is serious.
Two “old world” Pinot Noirs from Burgundy (”Bourgogne”) are pitted against two upstarts from New Zealand.
The Crossings Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2004. 13% ABV. €19.99
This wine looks light, and starts out light and fruity but ends up with a bit of an alcohol kick.  Continue reading »

Clodagh McKenna’s recipe in today’s Examiner is well worth a try. But where do you buy Marsala? Use up the left-over sherry from last Christmas? I think not. Rush on down to Bubble Brothers, of course. We really do have the best Marsala you can get here, imported from the Frazzitta family in three grades: Fine, Superiore and Vergine.  Continue reading »