Maybe it was just because I opened it immediately after finishing a particularly sugary dessert, but the first sip of Sierra Nevada Harvest Wet Hop gave me a sharp jolt of astringency which I really didn’t care for. The label makes much of the added complexity and spiciness that they claim comes from using straight-off-the-vine fresh hops, but to me this stuff is just bitter to the point of unpleasantly sour. An hour later it had mellowed a bit, but not hugely.  Continue reading »

This bread is made in homes all over Ireland. It uses bicarbonate of soda as a raising agent and the buttermilk gives it a subtle tang.
Ingredients

450g plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
300-350ml buttermilk

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 230°C.
Sift the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl. Mix well with a fork to ensure the salt and bread soda are well incorporated into the flour.
Add 300ml of buttermilk and mix through the flour.  Continue reading »

Frosty Christmas Morning

Everything outside was beautifully befrosted this Christmas morning. Inside, however, Santa clearly wasn’t sure whether I had been good or not this year.
Having just about regained my appetite in time for the biggest meal of the year, a power cut early on Christmas day looked like it might put the kibosh on all attempts to cook it.  Continue reading »

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Here’s a video of Wren’s Day in Dingle, yesterday…

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Eight weeks ago, my Christmas preparations started: for the first time I made steamed Christmas puddings. Being from a warm climate, Christmas pudding is usually of the icecream variety, but given my relocation to the northern hemisphere, I was determined to embrace this hubbley-bubbley festive tradition.  Continue reading »

These biscuits are great at Christmas and well, any other time of the year. My family love them and asked me to make 2 batches of them within one week!!The preparation does take a while, but it’s all worth it in the end. This recipe makes about 20 biscuits.  Continue reading »

These biscuits are great at Christmas and well, any other time of the year. My family love them and asked me to make 2 batches of them within one week!!The preparation does take a while, but it’s all worth it in the end. This recipe makes about 20 biscuits.  Continue reading »

I forgot to take a picture of my own dish, so I had to use a generic ramen bowl picture. Sorry!
So this recipe is so easy to throw together, taking maximum a half an hour to prepare and make. The ingredients are all ones that we lying either in the fridge or the pantry, but they could easily be replaced with anything that you fancy. Although this is not an authentic ramen recipe, it’s super tasty!  Continue reading »

I forgot to take a picture of my own dish, so I had to use a generic ramen bowl picture. Sorry!
So this recipe is so easy to throw together, taking maximum a half an hour to prepare and make. The ingredients are all ones that we lying either in the fridge or the pantry, but they could easily be replaced with anything that you fancy. Although this is not an authentic ramen recipe, it’s super tasty!  Continue reading »

I couldn’t help myself. I know it’s a day after Christmas, but above is my niece Una playing Mary with baby Jesus in a cardboard box. I though she was very cute, so I hope you forgive my sharing in this space. Once again, a happy festive season to all!
Now… it’s time to think about the Wren!

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Here’s a recipe for a rich and unctuous potato dauphinoise – perfect for using up your leftover Christmas ham and red cabbage. Unlike a lot of recipes I’ve seen for dauphinoise, I don’t start mine on the hob. I prefer to cook from scratch in the oven which allows me to season each layer of potatoes individually. This means the dauphinoise will always be perfectly seasoned.  Continue reading »

Well kids, here we are. Can’t believe it’s Christmas…………again.
The Missus and I just got back from a brilliant weekend back in Austin, Texas, sort of early Christmas if you will along with a big Texas piss up to celebrate my father-in-law’s 66th. All the in-laws were in attendance and I’m not sure there are enough words to describe all the madness.  Continue reading »

Away from the shops today at an icy Fota – see n-ice set of pics at http://corkandabout.blogspot.com Happy Christmas!!  Continue reading »

I picked up a cheap Trashy Blonde in the Sprucefield Sainsbury’s. I mean, who hasn’t? Brought her home, kept her in the attic a few months – you know the drill – and then finally plucked up the courage to pull her top off. Shall I stop now? Yeah.
It’s a beautifully golden ale with lots of clean refreshing fizz. The nose gives me lager malts and peachy hops.  Continue reading »

The blog and the book got a great bit of press this month, check out some of the pieces below!  Continue reading »

If you’re doing your last minute Christmas baking today just in time for Santa and the reindeers to arrive, check out all the Christmas recipes from the last few weeks see the links below for some inspiration to keep the big fella full on his travels!  Continue reading »

Sincere thanks to all who have supported us this year. We are very grateful to everyone and we hope our wine and service has delivered above and beyond your expectations.

It goes without say, enjoy alcohol sensibly this Christmas. Pace yourself, and if you must indulge, match pint of water for pint of beer/glass of wine. To avoid a sore head the next day, take an isotonic drink before bed. Half pint of orange juice mixed with a half pint of water and a pinch of salt.  Continue reading »

Pavlova and barbeques, hokey pokey ice cream and long blacks: we’ve abandoned the cold and damp of an Irish December for Christmas in New Zealand! The Husband, Little Missy and I left Cork last Saturday and eventually arrived in Nelson on Tuesday.  Continue reading »

A truly exceptional experience is often difficult to regale. So high is the feeling of adulation that vocalising it doesn’t seem to do justice. It’s for this reason that after recently dining at the Fat Duck restaurant, our party was left with only one word at the end of it all – ‘awesome!’
The Fat Duck is fourteen (or so) courses of the most unique, creative and exceptional gastronomy in the world. It’s a dining experience that’s not just lunch and not just dinner.  Continue reading »

If there’s one thing worse for a food blogger than having a dodgy stomach, then it’s having a dodgy stomach 3 days before Christmas.
Instead of indulging in bucketloads of hot port and mince pies, as would be customary at this time of year, yesterday I was confined to tea and toast. Today, feeling better but still a bit cautious, I made some plain-ish crackers, just with flour, a little butter and milk, and sprinkled, some with salt and some with poppy seeds.  Continue reading »