Sponsored PostFreddy's Bistro on Theatre Lane (off Lower Glentworth Street) is much loved by Limerick foodies.  Continue reading »

From the unfashionable and sometimes controversial Riesling to the height of fashion and consumer tastes in the last ten years, this week we turn our attention to perhaps a more contemporary great ‘food wine’, Sauvignon Blanc.
Although quite different in character to Riesling, Sauvignon (as it’s often simply shortened to) shares some critical attributes that make it a successful partner to many different foods. Here’s my top 5.

1. Aroma.  Continue reading »

I was given Jamie Oliver’s “Ministry of Food” book for Christmas and have only recently been making stuff from it. There’s some great recipes in it and a lot of the book suggests varieties on each recipe too to help with learning and trying new things.
This is a straightforward recipe and a really delicious one and with some variety in the choice of glaze. I used mango chutney but you’ll see some other ideas in the ingredients list.  Continue reading »

Thanks to all of you who entered our Milano competition: it was our most popular competition yet.  The lucky winner is:
So congratulations, Teresa Finn – you’ve won a meal for two in any of Milano’s branches around Ireland.  We’ll be in touch with you shortly so that you can claim your prize.
Don’t forget that Milano…  Continue reading »

You can read here about a recent visit to our English Market shop by the man behind Robert Francis Wine.ie.
RF is based in Galway and his website provides not only
an independent review of locally available wine for all occasions

but also the invaluable resource of a summary of wine reviews in the Irish print press.  Continue reading »

You can read here about a recent visit to our English Market shop by the man behind Robert Francis Wine.ie.
RF is based in Galway and his website provides not only
an independent review of locally available wine for all occasions

but also the invaluable resource of a summary of wine reviews in the Irish print press.  Continue reading »

I was in Viewmount House in Longford for a wedding recently, and the food was just spectacular.  The good news is that you don’t have to be attending a wedding to eat there: the B&B has a full-time restaurant that serves evening meals and Sunday lunch.
We had a five-course meal and there was a much…  Continue reading »

Click here to view the embedded video.
In the latest of my video blogs I taste a Chardonnay Viognier from the South of France. After Irelands dramatic win on Saturday I had to do a wine with an Irish link.
Check out the video and see ya next time on Robertfranciswine.ie
Wine Tasted –  Galway Bay Chardonnay Viognier 2006. It retails for approx €8-€9 a bottle.  Continue reading »

A Visit to Bubble Brothers – English Markets Shop
As part of my recent visit to Cork, I paid a visit to Bubble Brothers Shop in the English Markets in Cork. I have been tasting and enjoying Bubble Brothers wines for a number of years now. As they sell a lot of their range to other wine shops around Ireland. The Drink Store on Manor Street when I lived in Dublin was my local quality off licence and it stocked a number of their wines.  Continue reading »

If you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner recipe, look no further. My Mum used to make us pork chops growing up because as you’ll see, they’re very quick and pork is still quite affordable. In this recipe I paired it with a spin on the classic Spanish piquant sauce. You’ll love how simple and nutritious this is.
Who says fast food has to come from a drive thru?  Continue reading »

At the peak of fruit season, Maxine wrote a great post on How To Make  A Fruit Platter. Now that vegetables are in bloom, it’s time we gave out some tips for a killer vegetable platter. After all, there is virtually no gathering where a vegetable platter wouldn’t be appropriate. Having family over for the holidays? Serve a vegetable tray to start! Entertaining friends at a barbecue? A vegetable platter would make a great appetizer! Watching the game? Ah, I think you get the point.  Continue reading »

Swopping
fever has taken over worldwide and now it’s coming to Limerick as
thestylexchange.net invites women of every age (over 18) and style to experience the ultimate girlie night out,
that’s great for the environment, your wardrobe and your social life!  Continue reading »

When I was old enough to explore Dublin city alone, and my palate began to reject McDonald’s/ Burger King, Simon’s Place was the first coffee shop I discovered.
This cafe and its owner Simon – who you’ll usually find behind the counter washing the dishes – have been a regular fixture at George’s Street Arcade for…  Continue reading »

Our rather alarmist headline in our newsletter of March 9th,  “Smoked Irish Eel will be extinct by the end of July“, caught the eye of some of the media!
The first to publish is the UK’s Country Life magazine with a piece by Marianka Swain entitled “ Ban on Irish eel fishing for 90 years“.
Look at the Wikepedia entry for European Eel. Note that it is labelled as “Critically Endangered”.  Continue reading »

The Herald recently reported that Gary Rhodes’ restaurant Rhodes D7, on Dublin’s Capel St, has gone mysteriously quiet.  The restaurant closed for renovations two months ago and was due to open again on March 17, but the reports say that it remains shut and that little visible work has been carried out on the building.
I…  Continue reading »

It’s with good reason that I find myself writing about Bordeaux, so soon after last weeks post on Gordon Ramsay’s choice wines from Chateau Bauduc. It has aroused some discussion among Curious customers, making it more obvious than ever before of how highly people rate wine of this appellation. And it’s the 2005 vintage that’s been getting all the hype. But why?  Continue reading »

Sunday Business Post – Tomas Clancy
TO TRY : Berry’s Own Selection Mosel, Riesling Kabinett 2007, €12.95, Berry Brothers & Rudd, Harry St, Dublin 2 and online at www.bbr.ie (89)

Why do German wines sell so poorly in Ireland? In part it’s because of the long shadow cast by 1970s offerings such as Blue Nun, but endless time spent talking about wine laws rather than gorgeous flavours hurts too. So let’s try another way.  Continue reading »

One of the many depressing things about this current recession is hearing about the decline in the sales of all kinds of good things: Fairtrade food, organic food, food from small independent producers.  But there’s one decline in sales that has a positive side, and that’s the slump in the sales of bottled water.
There’s very…  Continue reading »

I absolutely love this combination of flavours, it’s sticky and sweet and everything I want on my roast duck!

Sesame Honey Duck with Broccoli
With just a few simple ingredients this is an easy dish to create and is really tasty.
Serves 2 potions
1 head of brocolli chopped into florets.
2 duck breasts.
1 teaspoon of sesame oil.
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds.
5 tablespoons of soya sauce.
3 tablespoons of honey.
In a small bowl, mix the soya sauce, sesame oil and the honey until combined.  Continue reading »

When it comes to storing and buying our groceries, there are tons of ways we can help the environment if we just rethink our habits. You’ve probably seen reusable shopping bags for sale at your local grocery store, but what about biodegradable trash bags? Wherever there is unnecessary waste, there is a chance to recycle. This Guide to Reusable Bags for the Kitchen and Grocery Store helps identify some very helpful eco-friendly products for all of our grocery shopping and using needs.  Continue reading »