Half-price special offers at SuperValu, valid until Saturday October 3, include:

Denny Deli Style Ham Traditional/ Crumbed (100g) – now €1.24
Lucozade Sport (4 pack x 500ml) – now €2.40
Pantene Shampoo (500ml)/ Pantene Conditioner (400ml) – now €2.62

Click here for more details.  Continue reading »

At first I was surprised by the number of Chimay signs hanging outside pubs in Madrid. I had expected little over than hot-country lager to be on sale. But but perhaps it shouldn’t be any more surprising than the widespread availability of Cuban cigars or Argentinian beef in the former imperial capital.
The first pub we visited on arrival was Cafeeke, a small Belgian-themed bar as recommended by Ron.  Continue reading »

We’ve got several top wineries lined up for interviews over the coming months and we’d love you to ask the questions!
First up, Ben Glaetzer of Gleatzer Heartland Wines, who recently landed Gold in Decanter’s World Wine Awards for his ‘07 vintage of the Amon-Ra, will be taking questions from the audience.  Continue reading »

It’s been very difficult to choose a recipe of the month for September. There is so much in season and I found it hard to choose between two of my favorites, blackberries and mushrooms. In the end I plumped for blackberries as there seems to be a never-ending supply of them at the moment. After much experimenting I came up with two mouthwatering desserts, both different and both deserving of the September slot.  Continue reading »

RTE’S THE RESTAURANT

Do you want to dine in RTÉ’s “The Restaurant”?
Are you a foodie who loves to eat out?
Do you know your chilli from your cayenne?
Then we want you!
We would like to invite any interested members of Irish food & wine blogs to apply to be a diner on our upcoming series.
The Restaurant is back for its seventh series on RTÉ One.  Continue reading »

My vegetable basket runneth over.

…and that’s just the stuff you can see

I took delivery of a harvest hamper last week, very kindly supplied by the Best In Season folks, which included carrots, parsnips, celery, broccoli, red cabbage, york cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, yellow pepper, leeks and (last but by no means least) rooster potatoes. Phew! That’s enough to satisfy my 5-a-day requirements for some time to come.  Continue reading »

A few quick foodie links today:
http://dinnerdujour.org/ – A new Irish blog that sold me on the cookbook graphic selection alone!
http://www.housebeautiful.com/kitchens/barefoot-contessa-kitchen-of-the-year – Ina Garten’s 50 ideas for a better kitchen, lovely illustrations!
http://www.bestinseason.ie – A big thanks to Bord Bia for their lovely harvest hamper, this site is great as it outlines which fruit and vegetables are in season.  Continue reading »

THORNTON’S RESTAURANT 

5th of November 2009
 
CAPANNELLE
WINE DINNER  
Presented by Klaus Fetzner, Capanelle
 and Ralf Hoegger, Taste of Italy
 
Lightly Smoked John Dory with Brunoise Vegetable
 and Gazpacho Juice
Chardonnay I.G.T.   2006
~~~~
Bere Island King Scallop with White Truffle Mousse
Chardonnay I.G.T.   2005
~~~~
Braised Suckling Pig, Pomme Maxime
 and Poitin Sauce
Solare I.G.T.   2001
~~~~
Loin of Venison with Parsnip Cone and Valrhona Sauce
Solare I.G.T.   1999
~~~~
Cashel Blue Cheese with Muscat Grapes, Walnuts and Mulled Wine
Chianti Classico, Riserva DOCG 2005  
~~~~
Warm Chocolate Fondant with Milk Sorbet, Bergamot Marshmallow
 and 100 year old Balsamic Vinegar
Chianti Classico, Riserva DOCG 2000  
~~~~
Coffee and Petit Fours
Capannelle Grappa
 
€ 145 per Person
 
 BLIND TASTING
The Winner is going to stay two nights
at the Capannelle Vineyard, Italy.  Continue reading »

The Little Sister, who finishes college early on Fridays, was around yesterday so we took Little Missy for a walk that turned into an impromptu blackberry picking expedition. Not being very organised, we had to use LM’s hat for a basket, gathering (and eating) the berries while we strolled down the road.  Continue reading »

Our tasting of wines from three Australian wineries: Mount Langi Ghiran, Xanadu Estate and Yering Station on Wednesday turned out pretty well, I think.  Continue reading »

Went to The Wine Buff last night for a wine tasting – organised by Slow Food. Barry invited us along to taste 6 wonderful wines but the one I fell in love with was the Haut Tropchaud Pomerol. Wow what a wine….Barry started this wine himself earlier and was kind enough to share it with us. The pricetag is a bit steep with normally €60 but it is on special offer at the moment for €40 (nope, still haven’t won the jackpot….but I am hooked).  Continue reading »

Every Friday at Chew on That, we test your foodie vocabulary by quizzing you on a new foodie word and supply delicious recipes to match!
This week’s word is: bosc (noun).
Please choose the most appropriate answer. A bosc is a type of:

a.) tomato
b.) pear
c.) wine
d.) cheese
No cheating!

If you selected b.) pear, then you are correct!  Continue reading »

Autumn is a great time for wine tasting events and wine sales. As wine shops clear their shelves for the Crimbo, there are plenty of bargains to be bagged.
The first up is from Wine Buff with stores around the country – a brand which is really making a good name for itself via the quality and value of the wines they stock.  Continue reading »

Peas are one of my favorite vegetables. Probably because I grew up on mushy peas (an Irish delicacy). When in season fresh peas are a delight but in winter months dried split peas come in handy. They’re not only convenient since they don’t require soaking, but they’re also high in nutrients and low in fat and calories.
If you are concerned about coconut milk, turns out it’s gotten a bad rap over the years.  Continue reading »

Pubs around the world weren’t the only people celebrating Irish alcoholic production today, Thursday 24th September at 17.59 (Guinness had a large Arthur’s Day promotion on). Enowine held the latest of their Icon wine tastings, this time the theme was ‘Irish Wine Geese’. For the pleasure of their customers Enowine put on a selection of wines (mainly Bordeaux) with Irish connections.  Continue reading »

For the last six months or so, we’ve been considering doing a pink tub in support of marriage equality. For those of you who are unaware of the issue, there will probably be a civil partnership bill working its way through the Dail in the new year.  While it’s a big step in the right direction (if it happens), there are those who wish it to go further.  Continue reading »

Got US roots? This may be of interest   ….
We’re working on a really cool project this weekend. A major cable network and Parade Magazine are shooting a PILOT episode searching to find a unique, home grown recipe that deserves the title “America’s Best Recipe.”
http://www.gotcast.com/casting-calls/Americas-Best-Recipe/54938
It’s free to sign up and submit to the casting call, so feel free to forward on my message.
Thanks!  Continue reading »

More changes this week at CheapEats. Top chef Garth McColgan started a new monthly column on feeding the family on a budget, while the absolutely adorable Jacqueline Strawbridge joined the CheapEats team. A big welcome to them both, and to Rercy, who’ll be a much more regular voice on the site. We’ll be hitting our 1000th post at some stage within the next month or so, and we’ll entice you to give us feedback with another great competition.
That’s it folks.  Continue reading »

Photo: CheapEats photographer Sue Jefferson

Excessive profits in the restaurant sector? Never.
A new report from Failte Ireland, commissioned from consultants Howarth Bastow Charleton, claims that the relatively high cost of eating out in Ireland is due to input costs. It states that raw materials are more expensive, as are labour costs, VAT and excise, and utility and operational costs. Driving down costs in other sectors, it says, is essential for the restaurant trade to remain competitive.  Continue reading »