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About Ken McGuire

I'm a web designer and web developer with an equal love for home cooking and dining out. I like trying new recipes, new food products, new restaurants. If you're an artisan producer or restaurant owner, I'd love to talk to you and hear what you're up to. Check out the Facebook page too or follow @anygivenfood on Twitter. You can email me directly on ken@anygivenfood.com.

Author Archive | Ken McGuire

Irish Food Tours Kicks Off, In Kilkenny

Written By on May 21, 2013 in News

Food in Kilkenny

Some of the market stalls on The Parade in Kilkenny during the Savour Kilkenny Food Festival

Wendy Kavanagh and Zack Gallagher are two names which would likely be familiar to Irish food bloggers or blog readers as the authors of My Chef At Home and the Irish Food Guide. They’re also the driving force behind Irish Food Tours, a new business venture that has been busy building up a network of specialised food tourism holidays around Ireland. Over the past few months they’ve been working with food producers, venues and tour operators, linking trails and stories to put together tailored food tours of Ireland for groups up to 20.

They’ve just announced the details of their very first tour and they’re hitting my neck of the woods in July with a three-day event that starts at the Pembroke Hotel on Patrick Street in the heart of the city on 5 July. Continue Reading →

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Review & Giveaway: Edward Hayden’s Food For Friends

Written By on May 20, 2013 in Books, Competition

Edward Hayden's Food For Friends

Want to win a copy of Food For Friends? Read on to the end of the post to find out how – winner drawn on Friday!

Food For Friends is the third book written in the past few years by Kilkenny chef Edward Hayden (he of TV3′s Ireland AM), published 29 April by The O’Brien Press. I had made the launch of Edward’s second book, Food To Love, two years ago, a jam-packed affair in the Springhill Court Hotel in Kilkenny with hundreds of fans of Edward piling in to get copies of the new book, just fresh off the press. The same occurred on the launch of Food For Friends, no doubt Edward’s character and reputation alone doing a lot of the selling of the early copies of this latest installment.

The book is already in the bestsellers list, hitting #6 in the hardback non-fiction charts within two weeks of its release. But is it any good? Continue Reading →

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A Word of Warning to Food Bloggers on Holiday

Written By on May 19, 2013 in News

View of the Pyrenees

If I have one piece of advice to food bloggers travelling abroad, it’s this: don’t let your bag out of your sight at any time.

My to my own despair, I get to learn this the hard and, unfortunately, expensive way. Last week I penned a short post on five fond food memories of France. Yes, I got to chase down each of them in turn and while I’m now back on home soil, my trip started out with the opening lesson.

Hindsight tells me it was against my better judgement to carry my 2 year old iPad (a present from herself), a year old white Sony Vaio laptop containing a wealth of photos and my six month old Canon 6D (the most expensive piece of kit complete with charger, spare batteries, memory cards and an additional lens) in my hand luggage, but I did just that. Packed tightly into a rucksack, never left my side from Kilkenny all the way to landing in Perpignan, until we landed at the airport. Continue Reading →

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5 Fond Food Memories of France

Written By on May 9, 2013 in News

Destination France

In what is a rarity these days between work, theatre and everything else, I get to leave the country this weekend for a break in France. My first visit to France was over 25 years ago (that’s just for flavour, I’m only turning 30 this month), but I haven’t been back there for a few years.

We travelled to France regularly, drove the length and breadth of the country for years between mobile home and campervan holidays and without a shadow of doubt it’s one of my favourite countries to holiday in, and likely the place I’d retire to if I happened to bag the Lotto some day.

When you start travelling and touring foreign countries at such a young age, you’re left with life-long memories that travel with you wherever you go so here’s five of them I’m looking to getting aquainted with again this weekend.

1. Orangina

This one goes top of the list. I’ve got one memory of us rolling off the ferry in Le Havre or Cherbourg and on the road out of the port, there were Orangina reps lining the road, prompting cars and vans to roll down their windows and they would pass a few bottles of that sweet nectar through. The plastic bottle just isn’t the same, has to be glass, otherwise it’s just not Orangina. Continue Reading →

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Spicy Tuna Steak with Peppadew Papaya Salsa

Written By on May 7, 2013 in Recipes

Spicy Tuna Steak by Rozanne Stevens

Rozanne Stevens‘ second cookbook, Relish BBQ and Al Fresco Food, launches tomorrow evening at the Gibson Hotel in Dublin. This is Rozanne’s second book, packing in 280 pages of mains dishes, cocktails, desserts, salads, sides and all with a Mexican, Thai, South African, Chinese, Indian or other ethnic twist. The book is a collection of some of Rozanne’s favourite recipes from her regular slot with Pat Kenny on RTE Radio 1, her newspaper column and cookery classes.

Relish BBQ and Al Fresco Food should retail between €20-25 and you’ll be able to pick it up in local shops as well as online via RozanneStevens.com and Amazon.co.uk in the next week or so.

Ahead of the launch of the book, I’ve got one recipe from it to share. If you’re a fish lover, you might like this Spicy Tuna Steak with Peppadew Papaya Salsa.

Spicy Tuna Steak with Peppadew Papaya Salad
Serves 4
A quick lunch or dinner recipe, lovely and meaty tuna steak that stands up well to the spicy marinade.
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Ingredients
4 thick tuna steaks
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 limes, halved
Spicy Marinade
125ml (1/2 cup) tomato paste
juice of 3 limes
small bunch of fresh coriander stalks
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp agave syrup or honey
2 tsp chilli powder
Peppadew Papaya Salad
1 x 400g tin of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 x 200g tin of sweetcorn, rinsed and drained
1 papaya, peeled and cubed
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp chopped peppadews
zest and juice of 2 limes
1 ripe avocado, diced
15g (1/2 cup) chopped fresh coriander
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Mix all the marinade ingredients together and reserve 2 tablespoons for basting. Cover the tuna steak with the marinade and leave for 20 minutes.
Scrape the marinade off the tuna steaks and season well with salt and pepper. Place on a very hot BBQ and grill for 2–3 minutes on each side, basting both sides with the reserved marinade. Squeeze over half a lime on each tuna steak while grilling. Tuna steak is best served pink, so don’t overcook it.
To make the peppadew papaya salad, mix together the black beans, sweetcorn, papaya, red onion, cherry tomatoes and peppadews in a bowl. In a separate bowl, squeeze the lime juice and zest over the avocado, then add to the salad along with the fresh coriander. Check the seasoning and season well with salt and pepper.
Cut the tuna steaks in half so that you can see the juicy pink inside and serve with the peppadew papaya salad.
Ish Factor
Agave syrup is the sweet golden syrup extracted from several cactus varieties that are related to the tequila cactus. The syrup has a thinner consistency than honey and a more neutral taste, so it’s ideal for adding sweetness without the distinctive taste of honey. Agave syrup ranges from pale gold to dark amber in colour – I prefer the dark agave syrup, as it’s unfiltered and so retains more of the plants’ natural minerals.
Adapted from Relish BBQ and Al Fresco Food
Adapted from Relish BBQ and Al Fresco Food
Any Given Food http://anygivenfood.com/

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Views From The Big Shed at Ballymaloe LitFest

Written By on May 6, 2013 in Events & Festivals

Bookings hanging at Ballymaloe LitFest

Yesterday (Sunday) was spent at Ballymaloe LitFest in a work capacity as filming continued on an ongoing project for GIY Ireland. With myself and Mycrofilms‘ Alan Slattery hitting the road for a sun-drenched Ballymaloe House just after 7am, it was great to catch up with the GIY crew and some other food bloggers on the day.

Lunch time (with lunch taken care of by a a quick visit to Volcano‘s wood fired pizza stall outside) provided an opportunity to get a few snaps on the new camera so if you were reading about ‘The Big Shed’ on Twitter over the weekend, here’s a few closeups of what could be found within, starting with some of Gubbeen‘s meats on display.

Gubbeen Meats at Ballymaloe LitFest

Sweet Treats at Ballymaloe LitFest

The setting for The Big Shed is how I reckon every indoor country market should be. Loads of space, loads of height, plenty of room for seating (centralised), quirky furtniture, amazing smells, a buzzing atmosphere and more besides.

Grills were hopping, you could catch the smells of fish, breads, spices, cured meats, cheese, chocolate and more besides. Continue Reading →

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The First Ballymaloe LitFest This Weekend

Written By on May 3, 2013 in Events & Festivals

Ballymaloe LitFest

The first ever literary festival dedicated to the celebration of food and wine, the Ballymaloe LitFest gets itself underway this evening with a whole world of talks, tastings and demos taking place across Saturday, Sunday and Monday in the surrounds of Ballymaloe House.

While I’ve yet to step foot in the place, I managed to cylce past the front door last June Bank Holiday weekend as part of a charity cycle. This weekend, two of us that were on the cycle are heading down, video cameras in tow to catch up with some of the GIY crew and take in some of the inaugural festival.

On that note, if you spot me on Sunday, don’t be afraid to come up and say hello – the cameras won’t be rolling the whole time :)

Speakers across the weekend include the likes of Alys Fowler, Caroline Hennesy, Claus Meyer, Darina Allen, Donal Skehan, Ella McSweeney, John Bowman, John McKenna, Neven Maguire, Suzanne Campbell, Tom Doorley that’s only for starters.

When it comes to the talks, which kick off tomorrow, you can look forward to (grab a printable programme here) sessions on the Nordic Food Revolution, Food Writing For The Digital Generation, Modern Dessert Making, a workshop on self-publishing, Modern Irish Cuisine and more besides.

There’s also cookery events, wine events, workshops and more to look forward to.

The Big Shed too has a host of free events, with a chance to meet and chat to food producers, try wines, craft beers, whiskeys, walks, games and, the more you read, there’s pretty much something for everyone.

So, if you’re down Cork way for the weekend, consider popping along to LitFest, taking in some of the scenery around Shanagarry and soaking up the bank holiday in the People’s Republic.#

Get all the details and directions you need over at Litfest.ie.

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The Awesome Apple & Chilli Chutney Venison Burger with Goats Cheese and Rocket

Written By on May 2, 2013 in Recipes

Tastefully Yours Apple & Chilli Chutney, Knockdrinna Snow and <a href=Elda Wild venison burgers” width=”650″ height=”433″ class=”alignnone size-full wp-image-3151″ />

THE TITLE might be a little long-winded but the flavour packs a punch and the ingredients are very much amongst the finest when it comes to artisan producers in the South East.

A day spent in Waterford catching up with Audrea and Norbert at Tastefully Yours over home made scones and awesome coffee was complimented by more coffee and chats with Jason Conway of Elda Wild Irish Venison, both businesses based at what today was a sun-drenched Dunhill Ecopark.

Leaving Waterford with some goodies to bring home, the only thing to do was make a bee-line for the kitchen once the office work was cleared for the day.

Frying Onions

It’s hard to beat the smell of frying onions – the new cast iron griddle pan gets a workout too. I took a half onion, sliced into rings, in a little sunflower oil on the outer edge of the pan.

Griddle Pan Venison Burgers

Pop two burgers on the pan in a little sunflower oil and they cook away just fine. 60 seconds, then flip. Repeat until you’re happy. There’s barely a trace (if any) of fat coming from the burgers. What goes on to the pan comes back off the pan so you’re in for a right treat.

Knockdrinna Snow Cheese

On of my favourite cheeses is Knockdrinna Snow, a fine soft goats cheese made just fifteen minutes out the road. (Disclaimer: Knockdrinna are also a client of mine and I’ve been doing a lot of ecommerce work for them of late, though that began long after I started keeping Helen Finnegan’s cheese in the fridge). They’ve recently been listed in SuperValu in Kilkenny, which happens to be on the route home and happened to make it’s way onto the base of the burger.

Topping Almost Complete

We’re almost set at this stage. Toasting two, cripsy, fresh buns under the grill, slices of Snow on the bottom, add a one of Jason’s venison burgers, top with some Tastefully Yours Apple & Chilli Chutney (an absolute ever-present in my kitchen since I first met the guys on the quay in Waterford a few years ago), add a wee bit of smokey goodness in fresh rocket and you’re left with this…

Venison Burger

A grand excuse for me to try out the new camera as well. Lord knows I’ve had it long enough but still haven’t really started taking it out in the kitchen.

Oh, and the whole apple and chilli chutney venison burger with goats cheese and rocket? Too good. Just too good. As for the camera in the kitchen, I think I need to work on getting some new props, plates and backdrops in order! Continue Reading →

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Events & Festivals In May

Written By on May 1, 2013 in Events & Festivals

Connemara Mussel Festival

The Connemara Mussel Festival takes place this month. Photo by Photography by Aoife Herriott

MAY HAS landed. The sun has been out for the day, the bank holiday weekend is just around the corner and that in itself brings a load of food events happening around the country.

Here’s a look at just some of the events happening in and around the country – today along having seen the Roscommon Lamb Festival, So Sligo 2013 and the Drogheda Fringe Festival kicking off. All things going to plan, I’ll be taking in some of the Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine this weekend – will you be there, or at anything else?

Don’t forget – if you’ve got any food events or new festivals coming up this year then be sure to get in touch. Drop me an email with photos and details to news@anygivenfood.com to get the conversation started, I’d love to hear from you.

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Recipe: Raspberry Soufflé

Written By on April 23, 2013 in News

Raspberry Soufflé

The folks at Siúcra have been in touch to share some recipes of late, one of those being a tempty looking Raspberry Soufflé. It might be time to tip into herself’s bag of Siúcra icing sugar in the larder. If you try your hand at it, let me know how you get on. It’s also obligatory to play ‘Raspberry Beret’ (Prince) during the cooking process, but swap out Beret for Soufflé. And now it’s stuck in your head…

This recipe serves 4 people. You’ll also need soufflé moulds to hand, pre heat your oven to 150 degrees and have some icing sugar on standby for decoration.

Raspberry Soufflé
Serves 4
Easy-bake raspberry soufflé dessert
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
35 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
35 min
Ingredients
4 egg whites
100g Siúcra granulated sugar
150g raspberries
Siúcra granulated sugar for greasing the moulds
Butter or margarine for the moulds
Instructions
Grease four small soufflé moulds and sprinkle sugar inside them.
Beat the egg whites until stiff. Add the sugar while still whisking.
Fold the raspberries into the egg white mixture. Divide the mixture between the moulds and place in the lower part of the oven.
Bake for about 25 minutes.
Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.
Notes
Be sure to pre-heat the oven as you combine ingredients, to 150 degrees celcius / 300 Fahrenheit / Gas mark 2 (approximate)
Any Given Food http://anygivenfood.com/
Mrs. Any Given Food-to-be is definitely the baker in the house but these look like they would be a breeze. You’ll find more over at the Siúcra Facebook page.

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