Sorry!!!!!! I’ve been such a bad blogger lately but life has just been mental and though I would have had time to blog it would have burned me out so I apologise for not being around much lately – and haven’t visited other blogs either so I’ve that to catch up on too!
I’m getting back into the swing of things with a great quick simple dinner – marmalade chicken. A one dish dinner which everyone will love (except my weird husband lol).  Continue reading »

I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but there’s been some confusion surrounding Australian Albariño of late, and it only came to my attention when I was reading an email from joint winemaker at Cascabel in McLaren Vale, Duncan Ferguson, who was considering planting the varietal himself.
“On the subject of Albarino, there’s a huge fuss here at the moment, it seems that due to a stuff up by the original importers (an Aust. Govt.  Continue reading »

Special buys at Aldi this Thursday June 25 include:
Inflatable Boat – €39.99
Canadian Maple Syrup – €3.99
Hershey’s Peanut Butter Cups – €2.19 per pack
Pet owners will be pleased with special buys for Sunday June 28, which include:
Rabbit/ Guinea Pig Hutch – €54.99
Meat Filled Dog Bones – €1.59 each
Neck Support Pillow – €9.99
Lastly, don’t forget Aldi’s Super6…  Continue reading »

Few terms have an effect on me like “bock”. It conjures up instant images of thick, sugary, dark-gold lagers which become nigh-on impossible to drink after the third sip. Conversely, however, Mrs Beer Nut is quite fond of her bock, so if I see one when I’m out and about, I’ll generally get it for her.  Continue reading »

Household chores are more than just a pain, they’re also an expense. But today’s specials at Lidl might take relieve some of the sting:
Tefal Prima Steam Iron – €24.99
Clothes Drying Rack – €14.99
Hand-held Vacuum Cleaner – €15.99
Then, on Monday June 29, Lidl’s specials include:
Touch Lamp – €11.99
Rucksack/ Shoulder Bag – €6.99
Assorted Tropical Plants – €5.99
And…  Continue reading »

Now I don’t know about you but when it comes to coleslaw I am extremely picky and only homemade will do. There is absolutely nothing worse than the soggy, boring, mayonaise laden coleslaws available from supermarkets which have been sitting in the salad bar all day long. Don’t get me wrong, some places can get it right, but they are few and far between.  Continue reading »

….and I want to share some of it with you.
Last Saturday I went to the Slow Food event in Gort Na Nain and what a day it was. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, the wind had a nice blow to keep us cool, Ultan Walsh was just simply the nicest guy on the planet and his partner Lucy was not only amazingly nice but also generous beyond believe. We were treated to a tour along his farm which I may add is impressive. He was so patient and answered all questions.  Continue reading »

No.1 and Slow Food Limerick team up
to host artisan summer market. 

The most exciting new addition to Limerick’s
hospitality scene, No.1 Pery Square Hotel & Spa, is set to host
a summer market in association with the city’s Slow Food movement.
The best local artisan producers will be descending on No.1 on Saturday
the 27th of June to showcase their products.  Continue reading »

Ah, summer in Ireland. Where you’re just as likely to be bathed in rain as in sunshine and where the organisers of outdoor events play a game of Russian roulette with the weather and hope that they are hit, if not with sunshine, then at least not with a fatal shot of precipitation.
As I made ready to head to the Midsummer Fair in Temple Bar on Sunday last, I peered out at grey skies and a persistent drizzle.  Continue reading »

If you want a quiet dinner at the Cliff House Hotel just make sure you dont go posting a photo or blog entry using the words “molecular gastronomy” anywhere near Martijn Kajuiter’s name beforehand. The Irish Times got away with it but I certainly didnt. This telling off didnt affect my meal too much and I would definitely without any hesitation say that this is the best meal I have ever eaten, of course eating in the company of 18 confirmed foodies is also a big bonus!  Continue reading »

So far so good. We’ve learned of several of our wines landing awards and accolades for 2009 already, with more that we’ll be advised on later.
Aureus Blanc de Blancs Brut: Decanter Silver Medal (Best in Class). This Crement de Loire is our sparkling star. Champagne quality at half the price, it has that classic biscuity nose, with pure fruit from the Chardonnay grape, and a perfectly dry finish. We knew this would be a great candidate for a Decanter Medal.  Continue reading »

I thought long and hard before writing about cupcakes. They’re just so dainty and feminine, eaten mostly by little girls and old ladies. It’s not that I’m particularly macho – or even slightly – but surely no self-respecting man should let one pass his lips, let alone ponder it, and then write about it.
But the…  Continue reading »

The gourmet burger madness continues.  I had to get a quick bite before a gig the other night but felt like something a bit more substantial than fast food. I thought I’d nip in to Bobo’s on Wexford St to try their burger and compare it against the depressing fish finger burger that Peter had…  Continue reading »

I found this recipe in an old edition of the Observer food magazine, and I’ve been living off it for the past two days. So incredibly quick to fling together, it’s great comfort food while still being light enough for these lovely summer days. I varied it a little by adding some fresh chopped chilli…  Continue reading »

CheapEats got a nice little mention in today’s Irish Independent, in a piece about eating healthy on a budget:
There’s plenty of help out there for reluctant chefs.
Frugalireland.com, cheapeats.ie and beyondbakedbeans.com are all sites run by hard-up folk determined to weather out the financial storm with cheap and cheerful recipes.
The piece talks about eating fruit and…  Continue reading »

We have just taken stock of some big, strong (therefore re-usable), bio-degradable (could be worse), unmistakably purple plastic bags.
These will allow our English Market customers to buy more bottles at a time than they have hands, which is good for us and them.  Continue reading »

The River bedWood SorrelMartin Chanders with Wild GarlicThe WaterfallThe Wheels on the bus go round and round.
I am a member of public speaking group Athy Toastmasters. The group shuts down for the Summer months but the idea of meeting up for an informal day in the countryside appealed to us all. We decided to take a trip into the Slieve Bloom mountains where the Barrow river, which flows through Athy, rises.  Continue reading »

For anyone interested, I will be on Moncrieff onNewstalk at around 2:35 pm today, talking about ice cream.

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Sounds exotic, doesn’t it? Commonly found in the “Starters” section on Indian restaurant menus, Aloo Tikki Chaat is a fried potato cake, flavoured with spices and fresh herbs. I like to add some toasted nuts (similar to a “batata vada”) to give a more interesting texture. The spicing here is simply a guide, adjust according to your own taste.
I like to serve these with some poppadoms, spicy mango chutney and some lime pickle. Oh, and a large frosty Cobra beer.  Continue reading »

 It looks like we’ll have a little Murphys shop in Tig Aine’s in Graig, Ballyferriter for the summer, and we’ll be serving ice cream, coffees, and some ice cream desserts in a cafe with one of the most beautiful views in Ireland.
Hopefully it will make a pleasant stop for anyone heading around the Slea Head Drive. I’ll keep you posted!  Continue reading »