In the “I wish I was still living in Dublin” category, check out the forthcoming evening of Italian food, wine and song organised by Greatfood.ie and the Italian School of Cooking for this Saturday night (29 March). Tickets for that are on sale at Greatfood2buy.com. Independent wine blog Sour Grapes – well worth taking a look at for some decent wine reviews – is organising a wine tasting event at Fallon & Byrne for 15 April. Sign up at Sour Grapes here.  Continue reading »

A new Irish Slow Food Convivium has been set up in Bantry, West Cork. The committee is made up of Anne O’Brien, from O’Connor’s Seafood restaurant, Eileen O’Shea, from The West Lodge Hotel, Val Manning from Manning’s Emporium Ballylickey, Cathleen Carter from Bantry House, Hannah Dare from Organico Bantry and Letty Baker, former Mayor and Convivium Leader.  Continue reading »

Technically, last Friday marked the first day of Spring. Usually a day of optimism, chirping birds and springtime weather, our beloved Chicago decided to dump one last 6-8 inch heap of snow on us for good measure. It did not technically feel like Spring.
But I have a choice.  Continue reading »

 I had an excellent surprise – in the middle of a day of proofing the latest version of the manuscript in the office and constantly running downstairs to scoop ice cream during this busy Easter week, I received a present of cupcakes.
It was Laura from Eat Drink Live, who was visiting Dingle from Limerick with her wonderful little daughter.  Continue reading »

The first of what I hope to be a monthly event, will take place in Fallon & Byrne, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 on April 15th.
How will these montly wine tasting evenings work?

We may switch between venues every month, suggestions most welcome
Every month may (or may not) have a theme, again suggestions welcome
We’ll open a couple of bottles and talk about wine and far more important stuff like the weather, girls, house prices and Web 2.0.  Continue reading »

On Easter Sunday I made a big pot of Leek and Potato Soup; which of course didn’t get eaten on Sunday. It did come in useful yesterday as a quick lunch before our hike up Croghan Hill; and again today.
This soup is really a variation of David Canter’s Cranks Recipe Book soup, which has evolved over the years. It is easy to make, very easy to eat and it is TASTY, warm and filling.  Continue reading »

The following are five wine books I reckon are a worth a read, all available on Amazon.
The World Atlas of Wine
I have the previous version of this one which is a little out of date but still has more than enough to keep you reading for years.
The Oxford Companion to Wine
This one’s on the shopping list, I’ve browsed it and left my grubby paw prints on it in quite a few book shops around Dublin. Jancis Robinson is probably the best writer out there.  Continue reading »

Here’s someone else’s appraisal of a wine we have in stock, but so far haven’t advertised – I mean it’s not on the list or the website or anything. We actually have the 2006 vintage. I bring it to your attention because I’m about to ring the domaine concerning our latest order for Damien’s rose “Riage Tournant” and the supple and luminous red blend “Ad Libitum”.
Jeremy’s Tasting Notes &c.  Continue reading »

Not having a TV, I’ve only just heard about Willie’s Wonky Chocolate Factory, a Channel 4 series about chocolate entrepreneur Willie Harcourt-Cooze and his dreams of growing, importing and manufacturing high-end chocolate products in England.  Continue reading »

Now that we can eat French food in Dublin and are no longerobliged to travel in order to savour new dishes, it’s worthtrying a little virtual exploration in the World of “Haughty Cuisine”.
Some nice tips and much information in the Book linked to here.
Dublin, Ireland, Europe.  Continue reading »

Well, both Paddy’s Day and Easter went by without a blog post from Val’s Kitchen, Tsk tsk, bad blogger me. Thanks to everyone who sent in their ideas for a name for the food festival, I’ll announce the winner once it’s decided by the powers that be. This year the Easter Bunny gave me the flu so I’ve been in the bed since yesterday and missed the turkey at the folks house, though I do have enough taste buds left to enjoy my amazing Easter egg from Skelligs chocolate.  Continue reading »

 
Paul O’Mahoney from Siopaeile has come up with this brilliant idea – a collaborative map of places one can buy food directly from farmers or artisan food producers in Ireland. Anyone can fill in their favourite haunts or hot tips here.  Continue reading »

I think my mother has one of her legendary Pavlovas already in the works for the aftermath of the Easter family lunch but, if you’re not going to be as lucky, these Chocolate Hazelnut Mini-Puds, adapted from a Nigella recipe, are well worth trying.
This mixture makes eight – serving our family of seven, with one left over to fight for – but it’s a very easy thing to halve the recipe if you are serving less people.  Continue reading »

I think my mother has one of her legendary Pavlovas already in the works for the aftermath of the Easter family lunch but, if you’re not going to be as lucky, these Chocolate Hazelnut Mini-Puds, adapted from a Nigella recipe, are well worth trying.
This mixture makes eight – serving our family of seven, with one left over to fight for – but it’s a very easy thing to halve the recipe if you are serving less people.  Continue reading »

Dublin, Ireland, Europe.  Continue reading »

I decided since it was Easter to use some of the biscuit cutters I bought recently.They’re German (Empire) biscuits to a recipe from an old cook book:

8 oz (225g) plain flour
4 oz (115g) butter
4 oz (115g) caster sugar
1 egg
1tsp vanilla flavouring
Jam and icing sugar for decoration

You will need 1 large, greased baking tray.

1)Cream the sugar and butter
2)Add in vanilla
3)Stir in flour and mix well
4)Add a little of the beaten egg and knead into a stiff dough.  Continue reading »

Happy Easter everyone, see you all in a week when I return from “Italia”!!
Ciao
L
xx.  Continue reading »

Here’s an urbane, friendly article from the Herald Tribune about the wines of Chinon.Eric Asimov: In Chinon, a wine value off the beaten path – International Herald Tribune
Good to see Wilfrid Rousse’s “Les Puys” (which we stock in the 2004 vintage – newer vintages travelling) getting more than a look-in, pipped into 3rd by a bottle from Nicolas Grosbois, who was such an amiable host to us when we travelled to the Salon des Vins de Loire last year.  Continue reading »

I have this thing for Irish coffee. For me, it’s a real treat and I often make one if sitting in on a Friday or Saturday night. I have many friends who are partial to the odd Irish / French / Baileys coffee and one thing that always surprises me is the amount of people that get it wrong. Personally, I think I make a mean Irish coffee and I’m not saying that mine is the best, but here are some tips that may help to improve on your versions.
1.  Continue reading »

I’ve been surfing already this morning. I was awake bright and early, sometime around six o’clock in fact. The waves were lapping gently on the shore as a cool morning breeze blew the clouds across the sky.
Rather than wake DG so early I spent my waking moments cursing my numb fingers and thinking about the summer to come. It was so bright, the daylight bursting through the cream coloured curtains covering my east facing window. Spring has definitely arrived!  Continue reading »