Saying two nice things about Tesco in one day: I must be ill.
But they’ve updated thier advertised offers and they’re much better than what they were promoting earlier this week:
Half-price Irish pork steak – reduced from €9.99 per kg to €4.99 per kg
Half-price Petits Filous – reduced from €4.05 for a 12-pack to €2.02
More up-to-date…  Continue reading »

oops, a little bit late posting this but here’s the cake I made for my mum on Mother’s Day last Sunday.

I used the orange madeira recipe from before, but covered it in buttercream as a change from fondant icing. The sides were originally supposed to be piped in a basketweave pattern to make it a basket of flowers, as I bought this tip a while ago and wanted to try it out.  Continue reading »

 I feel a bit like the character Vianne from the movie Chocolat, since I’ve been writing so much about chocolate during Lent (she opens her shop in the middle of it). Apologies, to anyone who has given it up, but it’s what I’m working on at the moment!
I thought it might be a good thing to give a few points on making chocolate chips, in case you wish to make your own for your ice cream.
Here are a few options:
1.  Continue reading »

I’m off to beautiful Oxford today, for a six-day working holiday.  I’ll be spending the weekend swanning around pretending to be Virginia Woolf (I already look like her so it’ll be easy), and then attending the Fairsay Ecampaigning Forum for a couple of days.
I can’t wait: Oxford is one of the Most Charming Places Ever,…  Continue reading »

I can confirm that mint is extremely easy to grow; even I, with my black thumb of death, was able to grow some mint in my garden.
One of the many things that you can use it for is this incredibly easy but delicious, refreshing and healthy dessert.  My friend Oisin made it for me and…  Continue reading »

How times have changed, and how quickly. This time last year, who would have imagined that M&S would be driving forward competition in the Irish grocery market.
M&S’s dinner for two offer has really struck a chord with Irish shoppers. It’s a sign of well the company have responded to the recession that Dunnes have launched…  Continue reading »

One lb (454g) minced beef is on sale in Superquinn for €2, reduced from €4.69.
I bought 2lbs and made two lasagnas: four days dinners for two. Finally, we were able to resist the to resist the temptation for seconds -  normally we eat too much and are stuffed. It’s totally unnecessary and a waste of…  Continue reading »

Italy is a country known for making wines to go with food. They rarely sit down to a meal without a bottle being opened. Among its vast range of differing grape varieties and styles, expect to find big acidic reds, which are simply made for food, and crisp, refreshing whites, perfect as aperitifs or with white meat and fish. Like France, the Italian government has introduced categories to class wine.  Continue reading »

Plato and Aristotle explore organic farming in Ireland
Plato looked to an ideal essence from which our understanding of reality is formed, Aristotle looked at things. Heaven and earth, the sky and the ground, the astral and terra firma.
From fundos to realos (see history here), the organic movement has alwys had both practical and philosophical dimensions. The beginning of April is a golden opportunity to engage in both.
The least apt day of the year for the now departed Merf – Dr.  Continue reading »

Chateau Bauduc Bordeaux Blanc Sec 2007
Chateau Bauduc is the signature house white of none other then Chef Gordon Ramsey. This wine is exclusively available at Chef Ramseys restaurants in England, Scotland and Wales. However Curiouswines.ie here in Ireland has managed to secure some of this fabulous wine.
 Chateau Bauduc is a blend of 95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% barrel aged Semillon – so all you fans of Cape Mentelle and Cloudy Bay need to take note as this wine is almost half the price!  Continue reading »

I’m absolutely loving the Nigella Express book I got in the January sales. I’m pretty sure I’ve made loads more out of it than any other cook book I have.
I found some chicken drumsticks in the freezer and immediately thought of this recipe and I’m glad I did, because it was beautifully juicy and tender and full of flavour. Thank you again Nigella!!!  Continue reading »

Some offers I noticed at Superquinn:
Hellman’s Mayonnaise reduced from €2.69 to €1
Lloyd Grossman’s sauces – 2 for €3.50 or €2.89 each
Old El Paso dinner kits – half-price
Green and Black’s Organic chocolate reduced from €3.05 to €2
They are selling my favourite chocolate, Divine Fairtrade, at €2.35. Last time I checked, that’s 31c dearer than Dunnes and…  Continue reading »

Slow Food Ireland is having a Grandmother Day in April. East Cork are having kids cook in their schools with their nannies, West Cork are inviting Grannies to Hosford Garden Centre.
Cork City is eager to match all these events with their own Granny Day. We are looking for grandmothers who are willing to share their recipes, remedies etc. We would like to archive these on a DVD for future generation to enjoy and use.  Continue reading »

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Looking for a value menu that doesn’t consist of the fast food drive thru? You’re in luck! Citysearch just released a new Website called Three Buck Bites where you can find all sorts of cheap (but quality) eats sorted by city or restaurant. Every delicacy featured on this site cost $3.99 or less.  And Chew on That is a part of it! We’ll  be submitting our own Three Buck Bites from the city and suburbs of Chicago.  Continue reading »

It’s been a great few weeks on the Irish craft beer front. It started with the first Irish stout to be pulled from a cask in an Irish pub for over 50 years during the St Patrick’s Day celebrations, and this week we have the 6th Independent Irish Beer and Whiskey Festival being held at the Porterhouse. I chanced an invite to the press launch and must confess to thinking this was the first festival of this kind, being unaware of the previous ones.  Continue reading »

This week I have a recipe that has a little heat and some unusual flavours in there to try and confuse the boys as they have just been getting the matches spot on. In fairness I have been going easy on them with classics such as beef wellington and some simple steamed salmon so time to up the ante and see if they have the palate to match something up to this little beef in black bean sauce recipe.  Continue reading »

Excuse the rubbish photos! I found these shots from a fantastic birthday lunch my wife and I had in “Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud” last year. RPG (unfortunate initials!) is mecca for many Irish foodies. It is Ireland’s only Michelin 2-star restaurant and is located in Dublin’s swanky Merrion Hotel.

Myself and The Wife arrived at the Merrion and were ushered into RPG’s lounge. We ordered a couple of glasses of white wine while we looked over the lunch menu.  Continue reading »

I’m not sure if this post will embarrass Dave into it, but my back garden is a complete state. I don’t say this out of bitterness. After all, he did start it last year on probably 2008’s (or maybe that’s 2007 – it’s been that long I can’t remember) stormiest day. His bucket and spade are still lying out the back. No, there’s no bitterness at all (and yes that is a picture of Dave with a Pepper on his head).  Continue reading »