Posted on Dec 23, 2010 in Life | 4 comments

Final countdown: Cranberry, Orange and Port Relish

Final countdown: Cranberry, Orange and Port Relish
The baking is done, there are jars of homemade mustard sitting on the counter alongside Lemon and Passionfruit Curd and the second turkey is almost ready to go. We’re due to leave the cottage tomorrow, abandoning our iced up windows – it’s just not melting these days, and that’s...
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Posted on Dec 21, 2010 in Cookery Books, Read | 1 comment

Cookbooks at Christmas

Cookbooks at Christmas
Some might say that it is too late for Christmas shopping but, as the Little Brother informed me this morning, there’s loads of time yet. Which would be fine if he wasn’t supposed to be buying for me – my family does Kris Kringle so that you only have to buy for one person – and most...
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Posted on Dec 21, 2010 in Grow, Print, Work | 2 comments

Irish Examiner: Feasting on family fowl

Irish Examiner: Feasting on family fowl
Caroline Hennessy had some misgivings about her plan to rear and then kill the family turkeys for Christmas and Thanksgiving but, after the Turkey Killer did his job, she gained a fresh appreciation of the festive feast. As published in the Irish Examiner on Saturday 18 December, following on from A turkey...
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Posted on Dec 16, 2010 in Bake, Life | 4 comments

Christmas baking: Mincemeat and Polenta Shortbread

Christmas baking: Mincemeat and Polenta Shortbread
Although I made mince pies for the Christmas Cookalong, that was the night I realised why I don’t normally make them. As I fiddled with the pastry and Little Missy stuck her hands, once again, under my rolling pin – difficult to avoid when she’s standing on her wee stool directly in front...
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Posted on Dec 15, 2010 in Read, Work | 0 comments

Lyric fm: Chocolate at Christmas – 300 years ago

Lyric fm: Chocolate at Christmas – 300 years ago
It wouldn’t be at all unusual to come across something like Chocolate Cream or Whipped Chocolate Syllabub on a modern day menu. What is surprising is that these are dishes that may have been eaten at an Irish Christmas celebration during the 1700s, at least from the evidence of Mary Cannon’s...
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Posted on Dec 14, 2010 in Bake | 0 comments

Christmas cookies: Salted Caramel and Hazelnut Squares

Christmas cookies: Salted Caramel and Hazelnut Squares
Shortbread, salted caramel, roasted hazelnuts and dark chocolate, with a little dusting of sea salt – how could you possibly resist these? I don’t make them very often but they’re a great Christmas gift, just perfect for layering in a little tin, wrapping up safe and sending to someone...
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Posted on Dec 6, 2010 in Radio, Work | 3 comments

Lyric fm: Today’s Special at the Cork Film Festival

Lyric fm: Today’s Special at the Cork Film Festival
My Culture File report for Lyric fm on the Slow Food screening of Today’s Special during this year’s Cork Film Festival is now online and can be listened to here. Each year the Cork Film Festival, in collaboration with Slow Food Cork, screens a food-related film. It’s a popular event,...
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Posted on Dec 6, 2010 in Cookery Books, Read | 2 comments

Food From Plenty by Diana Henry

Food From Plenty by Diana Henry
Ever since the sunshine soaked warmth of Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons I’ve been a fan of Diana Henry’s food writing. Her follow ups – Roast Figs, Sugar Snow (warming dishes from colder climes, perfect for this kind of weather) and the does-what-it-says-on-the-tin Cook Smart (the sausages...
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