Posted on Nov 23, 2010 in Grow, Print, Work | 2 comments

Irish Examiner: A turkey for the table

Irish Examiner: A turkey for the table
As published in the Irish Examiner on 2 October 2010. “They’re rather…ugly,” said Scott, aka the husband, gazing intently at the pair of awkward-looking eight-week old turkeys that he had just wrestled from the boot of my car into their new home. All long legs, ruffled feathers and...
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Posted on Nov 23, 2010 in Grow, Print, Work | 0 comments

Irish Examiner: Turkeys – really, really stupid or just misunderstood?

Irish Examiner: Turkeys – really, really stupid or just misunderstood?
As published as a sidebar to A turkey for the table in the Irish Examiner on 2 October 2010. Barbara Kingsolver may be responsible for propagating the myth that turkeys are so suicidally dumb that they can drown just by gazing skywards as it rains but a quick online search will soon see you right. In 2003,...
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Posted on Sep 25, 2010 in Cookery Books, Read | 0 comments

Leon: Naturally Fast Food by Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent

Leon: Naturally Fast Food by Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent
Since the first Leon cookbook arrived at the cottage, it hasn’t been allowed to leave the kitchen. Crammed with whole food ideas and healthy, seasonal dishes, all the food is tempting and very, very tasty. The Indian Parsnip Soup is one of those recipes that is in constant rotation, Little Missy loves...
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Posted on May 27, 2010 in Bake, Food for Friends | 9 comments

Pizza for lunch: Pizza dough recipe

Pizza for lunch: Pizza dough recipe
In our house we really like pizza, especially when the parents aren’t about and the cottage turns into the Sunday lunch stop for the Sister, Little Sister and Small Brother. It’s easy to make the dough and sauce ahead of time, leaving the final assembly for when everybody turns up. That way they...
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Posted on May 4, 2010 in Food Events, Foodtalk on Newstalk, Radio | 3 comments

No win for Foodtalk at Media Awards

No win for Foodtalk at Media Awards
So, we didn’t win last night – but, as my producer said, that doesn’t mean that we aren’t great! An Australian show – The Main Ingredient: New Years Day, which was presented by Kelli Brett and produced by ABC Radio – took the 2010 Le Cordon Bleu World Food Media Award...
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Posted on Feb 26, 2010 in Bake, Life | 4 comments

Baking for babies: Banana Spelt Biscotti

Baking for babies: Banana Spelt Biscotti
Sometimes, in this house, baking is not just for the bigger members of the family and, along with the Flapjacks and Shortbread, there’s even a tin marked with Little Missy’s name. It’s currently filled with these twice-baked Banana Spelt Biscotti, which I love because they are easily made,...
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Posted on Feb 15, 2010 in Food Events, Food for Friends | 4 comments

Pancake Tuesday: Buckwheat Pancake Cake with Leeks and Mushrooms

Pancake Tuesday: Buckwheat Pancake Cake with Leeks and Mushrooms
Pancake Tuesday came early at the cottage this year. I always love to have friends come over to eat pancakes but with the Husband getting home from work late and a Little Missy who is decidedly not at her delightful best in the evenings, lunchtimes are a much better time to entertain. Sunday became our...
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Posted on Sep 17, 2009 in Cookery Books, Read | 2 comments

Basket Case: What’s Happening to Ireland’s Food? by Philip Boucher-Hayes and Suzanne Campbell

Basket Case: What’s Happening to Ireland’s Food? by Philip Boucher-Hayes and Suzanne Campbell
For generations, perhaps scarred by the shared memory of starvation, Irish eating habits were simply about having enough. Food was plain, but plentiful: steaming piles of potatoes, well-boiled vegetables (often home-grown) and meat from the local butcher. But in the last 20 years Ireland has become a...
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Posted on Aug 1, 2009 in Bake, Food for Friends | 6 comments

The best chocolate cake: Chocolate Orange Spice Cake

The best chocolate cake: Chocolate Orange Spice Cake
I’ve always liked to bake. As soon as I was old enough to co-ordinate reading recipes and using a wooden spoon, I was anxious for any cake-making excuse – and most of them involved copious amounts of chocolate. Over the years there have been many good chocolate cakes, from my early attempts...
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Posted on Jul 9, 2009 in Do | 1 comment

Loitering in the Lakes

Loitering in the Lakes
Five days in the Lake District didn’t give me as many opportunities to try local food as I would have liked but I did manage to eat vicariously after picking up Jane Grigson‘s authoritative English Food in a second hand book shop in Cockermouth. Reading it with the help of an English map helped...
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Posted on Dec 2, 2008 in Work | 2 comments

The Irish Times Christmas Supplement: Part One

The Irish Times Christmas Supplement: Part One
The first of my contributions to last Thursday’s Irish Times Christmas Supplement… A Foodie Getaway in Ireland: The Old Convent What do you want from a weekend getaway? A romantic location that is not too obvious, yet easily accessible? A relaxed atmosphere, stylish comfortable bedrooms, fabulous...
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Posted on Aug 23, 2008 in Do | 0 comments

Homebrewing at Ballyvoddy

I’m the Sourdough aficionado, using natural yeasts to raise my bread. Now – and it’s been brewing for a while (pun very definitely intended) – the Husband is just after taking delivery of his own yeasts as he prepares to embark on a long-discussed, thought-over and well-researched foray into...
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