Deli excellence — Olio & Farina

Thu, Oct 02, 2008

A really good deli should focus on certain food types and have staff that know the products inside and out. One of the problems that a consumer faces is that when confronted by shelves filled with jars, bottles, and things that are vaguely recognisable, is to try to make a decision. That is why you need expert help, someone who has tasted most of the items and who has a passion for food. I recall a visit to a fish shop where I asked the assistant what a particular fish tasted like and the answer was that she never ate fish!

Stuffed peppers

Thu, Oct 02, 2008

These delicious stuffed, roast peppers are great comfort food for cold winter evenings. Recipe courtesy of Clodagh McKenna, Irish ambassador for Aga.

Tomato and basil soup

Thu, Sep 25, 2008

This delicious, hearty soup is the perfect counterfoil to the cold days ahead.

Sheridan’s launches new duck confit

Thu, Sep 25, 2008

Sheridan’s Cheesemongers has introduced a delicious new duck confit to its artisan range of foods. Expanding beyond its fantastic range of farmhouse and European cheeses, the duck confit is a welcome addition for fans of the quality Irish cheesemongers. Sheridan’s premier range also consists of a variety of wines, cured meats, pastas, and olive oils among other specialities for cooking and eating. Sheridan’s was awarded Food & Wine magazine’s Hall of Fame award alongside Richard Corrigan at the annual Food & Wine awards in August.

Introducing Coole Desserts

Thu, Sep 18, 2008

A selection of signature sweets created exclusively for Coole Swan

Gourmet dinner on a budget

Thu, Sep 18, 2008

A lot of people are complaining that they cannot afford to eat out as often as before, prices are too high, less money in the home budget, cost of babysitting, etc. The cost of eating out is indeed high and that is why I recommend that you take great care when planning a meal out.

Hotel Meyrick - a fine dining gem in the heart of Galway

Thu, Sep 18, 2008

If you thought that a well cooked meal complete with great service and relaxing atmosphere was near to impossible to find in Galway these days, well look again, because there’s still a gem of a restaurant to be found at the Hotel Meyrick in Eyre Square.

Get to know your grapes with The Twelve’s wine tasting package

Thu, Sep 11, 2008

Whether you’re winging it when it comes to wine, or a wannabe sommelier, a new wine tasting package from The Twelve in Barna will bring you up to speed on choosing and appreciating wines for all occasions.

To celebrate the hotel’s latest accolade — a prestigious Wine Spectator Award of Excellence no less — The Twelve is offering a special wine package comprising a two night stay and a special wine tutorial with five course meal at the hotel’s award-winning West restaurant. If you want to pick up some handy tips on selecting the perfect wine to see you through dinner or you’re keen to build on your existing knowledge of a particular grape, there’s a lot to be learned at The Twelve. Bring a loved one or even make it a group event!

Festival foods

Thu, Sep 11, 2008

For those who do not attend festivals such as the Electric Picnic, Mantua, Solas, etc, you may wonder what the standard of food at such a festival is like in 2008. Perhaps you have children who attend these outdoor festivals and worry that they will be eating lots of greasy burgers and dodgy frankfurters. Indeed my own memories of concerts are that you could smell the chip vans long before you saw the concert stage, and yes it is a miracle that more of us were not as sick as dogs (we probably were but nobody cared too much).

Well have no worries about today’s fans; they are spoiled for choice at most festivals. Gourmet coffee stalls, falafel sellers, and gourmet sausage rolls are commonplace, and at the recent Electric Picnic concert there was what can only be described as a feast of great food available. In fact I believe that Tom Doorley and the Bridgestone Guide were to be there and review the food on offer. There were venison burgers, ostrich burgers, impala burgers, whole roast pig, sushi, fresh bagels with caesar chicken salad, and lots more.

Organic salmon and vegetable fritters with wild rocket and vegetable dressing

Thu, Sep 11, 2008

Wild salmon would be far better for this dish but due to the sustainability of wild salmon the organic salmon makes a good substitute.

Philadelphia, here we come

Thu, Aug 07, 2008

If like most people your knowledge of what to do with cream cheese extends to spreading it on a cracker with a sprinkle of chives, a new website launched by Philadelphia cream cheese is worth a visit.

Coffee — the uber-cool beverage

Thu, Aug 07, 2008

When I was a lad the really cool thing to drink was Irel coffee. This came in a bottle and was a sticky black treacle like substance which you mixed with sugar, hot water, and a lot of milk. Later came Nescafé powdered coffee in a tiny tin, not much bigger than a tin of shoe polish, and if you used more than a half teaspoon you were in mega trouble. As time marched on pubs started to serve food and we had Cona coffee machines, which were good if your cup was served directly after it was made, however it could be (and often was) two, three, or four hours old. I have several memories (some quite recent) of sending coffee back while complaining that it was burnt/old only to be served a new ‘fresh’ cup from the same disgusting brew. The ‘fresh cup’ was inevitably accompanied by a comment like, nobody else complained!

Smoked chicken salad with mango and caramel cashews

Thu, Aug 07, 2008

This tasty Mediterranean style salad recipe comes from food company Kylemore. The nuts, seeds, and olive oil provide lots of heart-healthy monounsaturates.

Fine forecourt dining

Thu, Jul 24, 2008

Where could you get a dinner of braised lamb shank with roast potatoes and peas, cooked by a chef who has worked with Paul Rankin of Gourmet Ireland fame, for €6.99? The answer is at the Spar Express shop in the Corrib Filling Station at the Hill in Loughrea. I called in there recently and decided to browse the deli counter. I was surprised to see a selection of main courses just removed from the oven. They had roast breast of turkey cut in very thick juicy slices, roast of beef, lamb shanks, and pork pieces in a barbecue sauce.

Teriyaki pork with beansprouts and carrot salad

Thu, Jul 24, 2008

This is tasty low fat dish, but you don’t have to be on a diet to enjoy it!

Cases of bubbles

Thu, Jul 17, 2008

To mark the final in our short series of Cases Wine Warehouse wine columns, we are finishing in style by covering that most celebratory of drinks — champagne, or sparkling wine. Bubbly used to be for very special occasions but now, thanks to the great value on offer from all over the world, it is for any special occasion! Bubbles in wine bring celebrations to life. They bring an immediate sense of occasion to any event. Sparkling wines are the wine world’s way of saying “thank you”, “well done”, “congratulations”, “let the show go on”, or “it’s Friday!”.

It’s relatively easy to make a wine sparkle. It’s quite a different proposition to make a quality wine at the same time. Wine makers in the Champagne district of northern France have been paving a quality trail for a long time now. Their secret is that they make very fine grapes into a wine which they then blend together and allow to re-ferment and age slowly in the bottle over a lengthy period of time. Their cellars are carved out of chalk and are majestic cooling cathedrals hidden below the surface. Family skills are passed down through generations. Bollinger, Taittinger, Clicquot and Hiedsieck are among the most famous family names in the world.

Raclette — the DIY cheese dinner

Thu, Jul 17, 2008

What is raclette? It is an uncooked semi-hard cheese and its name is derived from the French verb racler, which means to scrape. There are lots of factory made raclette cheeses, however the one I am recommending is made by a very famous cheese maker Marcel Petite and comes from the Jura mountain region in France.

Raclette also refers to a way of eating that originated in Switzerland in the 19th century. According to the legend Swiss herdsmen put slices of the cheese on hot rocks around the campfire and melted the cheese to make it easy to pour over bread. It is a fun meal to prepare, it is cheap, it is very nourishing, and it is a great way to get kids to eat cheese. The cheese is sliced into thin slices, melted, and poured over baby new potatoes. It is accompanied by gherkins and an air-dried beef called viande de Grison. You could use ham instead of the air-dried beef. The idea is that diners put their own slice of cheese on the pan or hot stone, so it’s a form of fondue without the mess.

Get cooking... Pork

Thu, Jul 17, 2008

Pork is a delicious, versatile, and healthy meal option that can be prepared and ready in minutes. Pork is a great option either as a tasty simple meal for one, or a delicious family feast that gives value for money. These recipes can also be finished on the barbecue for a perfect outdoor treat.

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