Posted on Jun 28, 2006 in Do, Eating Out, Return to Ireland | 0 comments

A sunny afternoon at Taste of Dublin

A sunny afternoon at Taste of Dublin
Friday afternoon was a good time to be at the inaugural Taste of Dublin event as blazing sunshine encouraged a cheerful and good humoured crowd to linger, sample and wander around a Dublin Castle courtyard crowded with stands and stalls. My €35 ticket (I managed to keep the dreaded Ticketmaster booking...
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Posted on Jun 26, 2006 in Food for Friends | 2 comments

Quiche Lorraine for a summer supper

Quiche Lorraine for a summer supper
In the summertime I love to cook quiches and tarts – although I do have to admit that I often cheat and use ready-made frozen pastry. When I’ve time to actually make the pastry as well as the quiche (all too often it becomes a trade-off), I use Susan Loomis‘ short, sumptuous and food...
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Posted on Jun 22, 2006 in Bake, Kitchen | 2 comments

Chocolate Ripple Sliver Cake and a new electric mixer

Chocolate Ripple Sliver Cake and a new electric mixer
Ever since I saw Feast@Home by New Zealand food writer Julie Le Clerk I’ve been wanting to make the cake on the cover – a Chocolate Ripple Sliver Cake. But, every time I’ve re-read the recipe, I’ve realised afresh that I simply can’t make it without an electric handheld...
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Posted on Jun 20, 2006 in Food Books, Read | 0 comments

Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell

Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell
Not long after food blogging first cropped up on my radar, I discovered Julie Powell’s blog, the Julie/Julia Project. I thought the idea was great – to document her attempts to cook the recipes in Julia Child’s classic cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking in just one year –...
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Posted on Jun 17, 2006 in Cook, Lovely Lunches | 2 comments

Magic mushrooms: Mushrooms in Olive Oil

Magic mushrooms: Mushrooms in Olive Oil
When the weather is good no one wants to spend time in the kitchen and, when the Boyfriend arrived home from the supermarket the other day with a large box of button mushrooms, I didn’t much feel like frying them or using them in an omelette strognoff or making a mushroom stroganoff or risotto or any...
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Posted on Jun 15, 2006 in Do | 2 comments

Food blogs in the Guardian

For anyone interested in reading a few more food blogs, there’s a great article in last Friday’s Guardian. Check out the best of the blogs, including several old favourites – Chocolate and Zucchini, 101 Cookbooks, Is My Blog Burning? and Food Blog S’cool. Well worth a...
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Posted on Jun 13, 2006 in Food for Friends | 3 comments

A mountain of couscous: Seven Vegetable Couscous

A mountain of couscous: Seven Vegetable Couscous
The Tax Advisor had decided to have another bring-a-course dinner party and, because the Boyfriend and I have plenty of space in our current Dublin flat – as well as small but useful items such as cooking utensils, crockery, chairs and a table – I volunteered us as hosts. Although there were to...
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Posted on Jun 11, 2006 in Do | 0 comments

Moroccan Market in Dublin

For anyone looking to experience some of the tastes, sounds and aromas of Morocco without having to travel too far, a Moroccan Market will take place next week, from Wednesday 14 to Sunday 18 June in Dublin’s Wolfe Tone Park next to the Jervis Centre. Situated in Temple Bar Square last year, apparently...
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Posted on Jun 9, 2006 in Do, Travel | 0 comments

Three perfect books to carry around Morocco

Three perfect books to carry around Morocco
Lonely Planet’s World Food Morocco Does exactly what it says on the tin. Having travelled and eaten our way around Thailand and Malaysia with the respective versions of these small, incredibly useful books, I recently added their Moroccan edition to my collection. Dense with information on everything...
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Posted on Jun 7, 2006 in Do, Storecupboard Specials, Travel | 4 comments

Moroccan (foodie) souvenirs

Moroccan (foodie) souvenirs
Honey – Moroccan honey is the most un-honey-tasting honey that I’ve ever eaten. We often had it for breakfast, the rich caramel sweetness drizzled across English muffin-styled Moroccan pancakes called beghrir or the flaky, multi-layered rghaïf. Accompanied with a tall glass of freshly squeezed...
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Posted on Jun 5, 2006 in Do, Travel | 2 comments

Back from Morocco

Back from Morocco
After two weeks of sunshine and heat in Morocco we’ve returned to an amazingly summery Ireland – perfect for last night’s sun-soaked family party to celebrate my Gran’s 90th birthday. Just in the door of our Dublin flat so sour milk has to be thrown out of the fridge, fresh supplies...
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