The ULSTER Regional Final of the Santa Rita/ LIFE Magazine Irish Restaurant Awards 2013 took place in The Merchant Hotel, Belfast, last night and the chosen top restaurants in the region were named.

The Ulster region covers the six counties in Northern Ireland: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Derry, Fermanagh and Tyrone & three counties in the Republic: Cavan, Monaghan & Donegal.  Continue reading »

It’s about time. Both Jean and I separately emailed M&S to ask when the Dine In deal would be back, as it had been gone for over a month. We were getting withdrawal symptoms.
The deal is back at a new slightly increased price of €13.50.  This increase was almost definitely applied to account for the €1 duty on wine that was applied in the last Budget. The price for the UK version of the deal remains the same at £10.  Continue reading »

It’s about time. Both Jean and I separately emailed M&S to ask when the Dine In deal would be back, as it had been gone for over a month. We were getting withdrawal symptoms.
You know the drill: main, side, and dessert plus bottle of wine for two people for €12.50. Full details on the M&S website.
The post M&S Dine in for two for €12.50, April 18-23 appeared first on CheapEats.ie.  Continue reading »

Whatever about their products and their prices, it’s hard to fault De Dochter van de Korenaar on the self-confidence front. They like to name their beers like they’re the best thing out there, and sure why wouldn’t you?
For conjuring majestic elegance what better name than Noblesse? This is billed as a blonde but turned out more of an orange-amber shade.  Continue reading »

I absolutely love love love brownies!! They’re the best snack imaginable- half cake, half fudge, all chocolate, mmmmmmmmmmm…..

Anyways, I had made these brownies years ago and only again quite recently. I intend on testing out some brownie recipes in the coming weeks because my family were horrified at the amount of butter that went into these. 250g doesn’t sound like a lot, but I assure you, if anybody has high cholesterol, evacuate them!!  Continue reading »

I am prone to over-scheduling, and I dislike letting occasions go by without acknowledging and celebrating them. Half-birthdays, anniversaries of engagements, and especially holidays are excuses to make and eat great food and celebrate. Read on to see the big (and little) days that are on my calendar and appropriate recipes for each occasion!
The Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 4:  Wear your silliest big hat or bow-tie and celebrate this horse race with your friends and family.  Continue reading »

Bourillon Dorleans, La Coulee d’Argent, Vouvray 2009, 13% abv,
€20.65 Karwig Wines 

Got
another lesson here when I clicked on their website to get some background
information and found I had a choice of two language: one was French and the
other Chinese. No Irish! Wouldn’t have been so surprised if this was a Bordeaux winery.

Colour:
Straw, with traces of grey.

Nose:
Is moderately aromatic, hints of herb, white fruit, even blossom.  Continue reading »

It’s been a very busy day here, baking and taking photographs. I wanted to share a little sneak preview of what i have been doing all day. The rest of the photos will be released in about a weeks time, so watch this space!

Enjoy….  Continue reading »

A cookery demonstration with Darina Allen and Pamela Black at Grandmothers’ Day 2012

GRANDMOTHERS’ DAY 2013 takes place this coming weekend, the two-day mini festival returning to Sandbrook House in Ballon, Co. Carlow this Saturday and Sunday.  Continue reading »

WHETHER we see him or not in a green jersey again remains to be seen (in my books anyway) but with one eye on the Lions tour this year, Brian O’Driscoll traded rugby greens for chef whites recently in a video produced by HSBC at Saba in Dublin. Take a look as BOD tries his hand at spring rolls with sous-chef Yo before doling out tips on how to get a pass off.  Continue reading »

The
Black Pig Wine Bar

If you find yourself sitting on a sheepskin covered bench
on a painted concrete floor with a fire blazing in the stove alongside and you are
trying to decide which of 80 wines you’ll sample, then you are in the Black Pig, Kinsale’s newest wine bar.

It opened on Lower O’Connell Street just a few weeks
back and is operated by Gavin and Siobhan who have considerable experience from
their years with the Ely Wine Bar in Dublin.  Continue reading »

So I asked on my facebook page which recipe I should blog about first and the resounding winner was for my gluten free chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips. I would love to say that I made this recipe from scratch, but alas, this is very much an existing recipe, which I converted to gluten free goodness. 

The original recipe is Reese’s Chewy Chocolate Cookies, found on the back of a packet of Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips.  Continue reading »

My great friend Frank has just moved back to Dublin from London’s trendy London, and has a query for us:
Can I ask you a hopeless returned emigrant question? I am now clueless about Dublin. Everything has changed except for old man’s pubs. Any recommendations for kid friendly but still nice for adults early evening food joints in town?

When I bring my young one out for food, it’s generally at lunchtime when there’s loads of options, but early evening is a bit trickier.  Continue reading »

If you were to go shopping, I’d recommend you bring a list with you.  Before you made that list, I’d tell you to do a stock take of your cupboards to see what you have.
I’d tell you not to go shopping on an empty stomach.  Then to go at a quiet time with no distractions.
Yesterday (Tuesday) was a shopping failure for me. If you want to know how not to go shopping, read on.
Lists? Who needs lists? I knew I only needed bread. Just bread.  Continue reading »

The first savoury post up here- there’s a first time for everything! 

Like most non-Americans I was always intrigued by the concept of Mac and Cheese. Recently, Roma Pasta brought out a cut macaroni so when I saw it, I knew what had to be done! This is ridiculously indulgent, and if you love cheese as much as I do, you’ll never look back!  Continue reading »

Gilbey’s Portfolio Tasting

Jon Smith talking to visitors
at Gilbey’s Wine Portfolio in the Clarion.

Enjoyed my tour of the Gilbey’s
Portfolio Tasting in the Clarion Hotel (Cork) yesterday, the first time that
the event has been held in the city.

Quite a few restaurants and bars represented
at a very impressive display by Gilbey’s with eight tables, each with a  different wine theme, and a ninth stand that
displayed the company’s growing beer selection.  Continue reading »

Yesterday I took out the pound of minced beef that I’d intended to use for meatballs. Then himself rang and said that he’d like to go to the allotment straight after work so asked could I make something handheld that he could eat on the go. The dinner plan changed from meatballs to burgers in homemade soft white rolls. It kind of suited me anyway as the boys like to eat food with their hands, particularly the smaller one who is still a bit at weaning stage.  Continue reading »

With a background of the  Food Security Futures and Hunger, Nutrition and Climate Justice events happening last week and this in Dublin, Oliver Moore delves deeper into the issues.
(Note: can you believe, I was the only journalist at the Food Security Future’s event? The only one, for the entire two days?  Continue reading »

Today is National Stress Awareness Day. The best way to combat stress is of course exercise, but try getting me to run after a long, stressful day at work. It’s not going to happen.
A slice of orange cheesecake pie is what really hits the spot. Or a strawberry tart, or blueberry lemon tart…. I can always hit the gym later.
These delicious desserts are from the folks at Pillsbury.  Continue reading »

On
the Pig’s Back

Jack McCarthy, Arbutus Bread,
Ardsallagh Goat Cheese, Ardrahan, Durrus, Milleens, Gubbeen, Lorge, O’Conaill, Caherbeg
Pork, G’s Jams. Familiar food names, local producers. You’ll see lots of their
excellent stuff, not forgetting Willie O’Callaghan’s organic vegetables, when
you visit On the Pig’s Back in Douglas Woollen Mills.  Continue reading »