Well, it’s not quite here yet but it soon will be. With the shops already trying to convince us to start our Christmas shopping, it’s hard not to notice that it’s just round the corner.
So with this in mind I have decided to get started early on some Christmas treats, in particular Gingerbread houses! What else screams winter and Christmas time more than the smell of gingerbread cooking in the oven?  Continue reading »

A weighty tome for a weight subject, The Irish Beef Book by Pat Whelan and Katy McGuinness evokes memories of much loved linen bound cookery books found in my Grandmother’s kitchen.

This is a book that’s made to be a reference over time, to return to again and again. Pat Whelan’s first book, An Irish Butcher Shop, is one of the few that I can find by touch on my bookshelves.  Continue reading »

The achievements and contributions of nine Irish food companies were recognised at the Bord Bia Food and Drink Awards held in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham tonight. The Awards, which are held every two years, are designed to reward excellence within the Irish food and drink industry across seven categories – Exporting, Branding, Entrepreneurial, Success at Home, Sustainability, Consumer Insight and Innovation.  Continue reading »

The Winegeese. A New Generation.

Languedoc winemakers at L’Atitude

Bottom (l to r): Leslie Williams (Irish Examiner),Neasa Corish Miquel and Philip Grant.

A couple of modern winegeese were at L’Atitude in Cork lasted
evening and very impressive they were too. Both Neasa Corish Miquel and Philip
Grant operate in the Languedoc and, with Irish Examiner’s Leslie Williams linking and prompting the pair, we had a very entertaining evening and tasted some
excellent wines.  Continue reading »

If Adam was around today, I think Eve would be hard-pushed to find an apple to tempt him.
I grew up next to an orchard. I have no idea what varieties I – and my equally delinquent siblings – scrumped*, but there were a lot of tempting fruits. They ranged from tiny sour crab apples – perfect for jelly – through sweet pink-fleshed varieties, to enormous freckly cookers that needed just a touch of sugar and a little spice to bring out their best.  Continue reading »

Taste of the Week

Brioche and Almond by Arbutus Bread

It’s a Brioche and Saffron base, topped with a macaroon paste, plaited and topped with pearl sugar and flaked almonds.

More simply – it’s gorgeous.  Continue reading »

A haon, a dó, … a trí, a ceathair, a cúig… The Celtic Cask count continues to climb. Aon (1) and Dó (2) came at the end of last year, and as 2013 winds up the Celtic Whiskey Shop has released Trí (3), Ceathair (4) and Cúig (5). (And word is we might get a Sé (6) by Christmas too!)
All are bottled at 46% and, of course, are not chill-filtered or coloured. They come in wooden presentation crates.  Continue reading »

The wonderful Lawless family who are the people behind The Foods Of Athenry http://www.foodsofathenry.ie/ sent me an email inviting me to try out their new gluten free range of cereals http://www.foodsofathenry.ie/?treeid=46.  Continue reading »

A visit to Eastern Seaboard for brunch recently left me with a longing for French toast. I enjoyed some there topped with bacon and maple syrup, and well the memory of its deliciousness followed me around. I’m pretty sure its ghost spoke to me from the empty pit of my belly. True fact.
Last Sunday I caved in. As I pottered around my kitchen enjoying the sunny Sunday morning silence I popped a pan on the hob.  Continue reading »

This is a very proud day for me as the first of a four part series I’ve written especially for Irish Country Living has been published. I was thrilled when I was interviewed and featured in Irish Country Living during the summer, so to be given the opportunity to guest write this feature for the magazine was a real honour.

Irish Country Living – 14/11/13

As many of you will know, I was working as a nurse up until 2007.  Continue reading »

A coupe of week ago, I put a bucket of pears from my parents' garden to very good use.  I made a huge batch of Pear Puree which I froze in batches, knowing I'd find something very delicious to make with it all. The first recipe was a Pear Frangipane Tart and that was very well received indeed.  Because I've been away a good bit, I had temporarily lost my baking mojo but I soon rediscovered it last weekend.  Continue reading »

Taylor’s Late Bottled Vintage was launched in 1970 with the 1965
vintage. Not everyone welcomed this innovation. One unnamed source predicted
that ‘it will kill the Port trade, but it will kill Taylor’s first’. In fact
the contrary proved to be the case. LBV was a resounding success and gradually
other Port houses launched their own versions. 

From Taylor’s,
The Story of a Classic Port House.  Continue reading »

In what should be a welcome change for airline passengers who prefer to grab a bite on board rather than in the airport, Aer Lingus have announced the launch of their new Bia menu, designed by Clodagh McKenna. It’s rather timely for myself too with two Aer Lingus flights to catch this weekend.
The press release describes the new menu as bringing “gourmet food to the sky” with produce sourced from all over the country.  Continue reading »

Capri Bay La Trattoria

 Stuffed onion and stuffed apple are not a regular part of any local menu that I know of. Yet I came across the two at a lovely lunch in Youghal’s Capri Bay last Sunday as the rain bucketed down on the street outside. Capri is on the main street, on the right as you approach the Clock Tower from the city direction and, believe it or not, there is another Italian place directly across from it.

Had a quick read of the big specials board as we entered.  Continue reading »

My last Belgian beer was the most feminine one in the fridge. In the interests of gender balance I’m following it with the blokeiest: Deux Barbus, a 5.8% ABV porter with a label which bears more than a passing resemblance to those of Brasserie De La Senne. Well, with artwork that good it was inevitable that someone would borrow the style.
First impression is that it’s very pale: distinctly ruby rather than brown or black.  Continue reading »

Old Time Zaconey

An amazing 120,000 barrels make their way from the bourbon distilleries of America to Irish Distillers Ltd every year, arriving with a pool of golden bourbon resting inside. This is the origin of Zaconey (35% ABV), a new crafted spirit with a twist of American bourbon.

The new spirit, not a rum, not a vodka, was launched at Rearden’s Secret Garden on Tuesday evening with the sounds and sights of the fifties dominating.  Continue reading »

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via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/gqKBsNwNzz/.  Continue reading »

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/gqJ26SwNzk/.  Continue reading »

Cork has the English Market. The closest thing we have is Fallon and Byrne, the food emporium on Exchequer Street which also happens to do one of the best lunch and dinner deals in Dublin.
Today, from 4-9pm, Fallon & Byrne host their annual Christmas extravaganza. It’s a chance to meet producers, sample lots of food and wine, and get a sneak preview of new food products.  Continue reading »