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.

E-paper

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