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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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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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Applications Reopen For Sky’s My Kitchen Rules

Written By on April 22, 2013 in News

My Kitchen Rules on Sky Living

APPLICATIONS have reopened for Sky’s My Kitchen Rules which is due to start filming shortly and will air on Sky Living.

Best-selling cook book author and chef Lorraine Pascale (See ‘Baking Made Easy’ here on Amazon)
teams up with Michelin-starred Jason Atherton of London’s Maze restaurant (among other ventures) for a ten part series which pits rival couples against each other to find Britain and Ireland’s most exceptional home cooks. The show itself is based around six couples with a real flair for cooking – be they husbands and wives, mothers and daughters, friends, siblings or neighbours, all competing against each other over the course of ten weeks.

If you’re interested in getting involved and fancy taking on other couples in Ireland and the UK then you can do the following

  • Email mykitchenrules@boundlessproductions.tv
  • Call +44 207 861 8248
  • Email MKRapplications@boundlessproductions.tv for an application form

If you’re interested, you’d want to get moving. Deadline for applications is midnight this coming Sunday 28 April. Check the Sky Living site for more.

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Entries Open For 2013 Blas na hEireann – National Irish Food Awards.

Written By on April 16, 2013 in News

Caoimhe Smyth, Detox Retox, Smithfield, Dublin 7, at the Blas na hEireann- Irish Food Awards at the Dingle Food Festival in Dingle, Co. Kerry. Picture: MacMonagle, Killarney. .

Caoimhe Smyth, Detox Retox, Smithfield, Dublin 7, at the Blas na hEireann- Irish Food Awards at the Dingle Food Festival in Dingle, Co. Kerry. Picture: MacMonagle, Killarney. Via Flickr.

Entries are now open for this year’s Blas na hEireann, the National Irish Food Awards. Each year, the awards search for and celebrate the very best of food and drink produced in Ireland. This year, organisers have introduced a new Producer Development Programme and there’s a new Chef’s Choice award.

Entries this year are €35 per product if you register before 31 May. The ultimate deadline for submission this year is 15 July with submissions between 31 May and 15 July costing €45 per entry.

The first round of judging takes place in August with shortlisted producers notified in September. The final round of judging then takes place on 3 October with the award ceremony proper taking place on 5 October.

Some of the winners from last year include Una’s Pies Chicken Leek and Cheese (Grand Champion), Gallagher’s Bakery’s Plain Soda Bread (Most innovative product), Atlantis Seafood’s Surf n Turf-smoked scallops and black pudding (Seafood Innovation) – and that’s not to mention the 50 category winners with awards at gold, silver and bronze level.

Find out more and get registered today by visiting IrishFoodAwards.com.

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First It Was Suspended Coffee, Now It’s Suspended Lunches

Written By on April 1, 2013 in News

Suspended Coffee

FIRST it was suspended coffees, now it’s suspended lunches.

What is a suspended coffee I hear you ask? The notion of it originates, the idea being that if you go to buy a coffee, you can buy another one and ‘suspend’ it for someone who can’t afford their own.

Consider it the Irish equivalent of “putting a pint in the barrel” for someone in your local.

Someone could then come into the coffee shop, ask if there was a suspended coffee or tea available and leave with a hot drink, presumably paid for by a stranger. There’s no guarantee that there would be a drink available but if there is, it’s up for grabs. Others have taken it a step further in that if any suspended drinks aren’t claimed by the end of the month, the monetary value of the drinks will be donated to a local charity.

Already the likes of Idaho cafe in Cork, Cafe Deli in Athlone, The Tea Rooms at Duckett’s Grove in Carlow, Brioche Cafe, Caffe Italiano and Soulful Bistro (all in Dublin) getting behind the Suspended Coffee movement.

Closer to home (for me) is Go Burritos in Kilkenny. The Newpark-based Mexican takeaway opens daily from midday serving up a variety of burritos, pizza and other hot dishes. The slow cooked beef burrito I had there on Saturday was by far and away one of the nicest takeaway dishes I’ve had in a long time.

The team at Go Burritos are taking it one step further from teas and coffees and are doing suspended lunches up to the value of €10 – anything on their menu with €2 pretty much the cheapest item on the menu. And again, the monetary value of any lunches that haven’t been claimed by the end of the month each month will go to a local charity.

It’s an interesting one to call. To those who can’t afford it, a hot drink or a hot meal can make a world of difference. Would you feel better giving your spare change over to a shop to ‘suspend’ a drink or meal for someone as opposed to throwing your change to someone on a street, not knowing exactly where it ends up? I’m sure as more businesses get behind the idea the debate will rage but personally, I love the sound of it and if I was in the tea or coffee business myself I’d be next in line to offer it up.

There’s a Twitter account and Facebook page tracking those offering suspended coffees in Ireland.

Is there anyone in your area offering the same? Have you suspended a coffee or a lunch for someone already? What do you make of it?

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Sow & Grow with GIY and Innocent

Written By on March 27, 2013 in News

I love what GIY do. Over the past year or so I’ve been involved with GIY via Mycrofilms for the production of some promo videos (not the one above), but I have to hand it to them for the latest video released for the Sow & Grow school campaign between Innocent and GIY- it’s equal parts adorable and informative at the same time.

The plan behind the campaign is to get over 20,000 kids in Ireland sowing and growing their own and no better way to start than with a handy soil kit going into classrooms. It’s come a far cry from a bit of water cress in a tub back in my day, but the principle is the same – plant something easy, learn to nurture it, learn to grow and take pride in growing something of your own.

Grow Basil!

850 growing packs were released for schools to apply for, with each pack containing enough kit to get 30 students growing either basil, cress or peas. There also prize incentives for the school with the top growers coming away with 12 months of mentorship and €500 gardening equipment – great for those starting or running a school or class garden.

If you haven’t already signed up for one of the school packs, check out innocentdrinks.ie/sowandgrow

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Sunday Brunch #24

Written By on February 17, 2013 in News

Sunday Brunch #24

IT PAYS to get up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday sometimes. Even before Sunday Brunch is published, we’ve (myself and Mrs. Any Given Food-to-be) already taken in a fundraising breakfast and hiked the dogs through the woods, leaving a full run of the day before settling in for some Netflix time this afternoon with the feet, somewhat, up.

If you’re only settling down yourself at this stage, then here’s ten stories from the news this past week that you may have missed, in what was another rocky week not only for the Irish food industry, but the processed food industry across Europe so once again, your Sunday Brunch comes with a side of horse meat topics for reading.

Happy Sunday!

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The Food Detox Has Ended

Written By on January 31, 2013 in News

January Detox Food Journal

BACK AT the start of the month I mentioned that I was doing my traditional January detox. Usually this means staying off beer or alcohol for the month but (outside of 4 – count ‘em – Roses and two mini Kit Kat’s) chocolate, crisps, sugary sweets, non-diet soft drinks, takeaway chips, burgers, beer, wine and spirits have been off the menu.

Oh, and exercise has been back on.

The End Result

So how did it go? Well, my body is thanking me an awful lot more for it. It’s not easy to come away from foods you enjoy, however convenient and not-quite-good they are for you. The month has definitely had its challenges but in the last thirty days my sleep patterns have improved dramatically and I’m carrying 6kg less than I was on New Year’s Day.

Not bad going.

I don’t think I could carry it through February completely, but at the same time, I’ve put myself through such a radical shift this month with regard to food and eating habits that I wouldn’t see it being a problem. Going more hardline on myself (and as a result, enjoying much more home cooking and a whole lot of fish) has paid off and made me realise I don’t need have the things I’ve craved for so long.

Of course, it will all come crashing down this Saturday with the first Any Given Beer get-together while we plan and plot out where that blog is going to go. If you’re around Against The Grain in Dublin on Saturday night you’re welcome to pull up a stool at the table. I may need to run back to Kilkenny on Sunday, mind you, instead of drive but it’s a grand way to mark what’s been a great month for food.

Onwards and upwards for February!

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Kilkenny’s Town Of Foods Launches Today

Written By on January 24, 2013 in News

Kilkenny's Town Of Food Launches

Pictured with Bobby Kerr was from left David Brydone (farmer), Jason Paul Ryan (butcher), Emily Mulally-Trotman (baker) and Ted Donohoe aged 5 (lamb).

ONE OF Kilkenny’s rural towns or larger villages is in line to be named Kilkenny’s Town of Foods in the next six weeks with over €750,000 in grant-aid support available to the winning town in a competition launching today.

Spearheaded by Kilkenny LEADER Partnership, the Town of Foods is an open competition for said towns and villages in Kilkenny with the overall winner receiving grant-aid and support needed to transform their town or village into the county’s Town of Food.

The benefits for the winner include support for local small foro producers, increased employment, food training facilties and more.

Grant-aid of up to a maxiumum €500,000 at a 75% rate of costs towards the development of a Town Food Hub is among the top offers from LEADER, along with with up to €75,000 at the same rate towards marketing.

Towns seeking to apply must have a population of 500 or greater and expressions of interest 6 February. Following this, the deadline for submission of applications is 27 February with the winner being announced by Kilkenny LEADER Partnership on 6 March of this year.

For more details check out CKLP.ie.

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21 Days To Break A Habit

Written By on January 22, 2013 in News

Breaking The Habit

TWICE in the past two weeks I’ve been told that it takes ’21 practices’ to break a habit.

For example, if you took sugar in your coffee and had three coffees a day, once you’ve passed a week without sugar in your coffee (having consumed 21 coffees), you’re on your way to breaking the habit.

When I started the whole January detox thing I knew it wouldn’t be completely cold turkey on everything. Granted over 21 days in I’ve yet to have a glass of wine, a beer, a packet of crisps, and kind of sugary sweets, large bars of chocolate, takeaway chips, a burger… the list goes on.

I have had a few Roses (I can actually count six in the month), and a mini Kit-Kat with a cup of tea, but that’s the height of it. After three weeks I’ve substituted reaching for the Pepsi in the fridge with reaching for a bottle of water. Instead of the crisps, I’ve been reaching for a yoghurt. Brown bread for white bread, sugar for no sugar. All in 21 days.

The last time I did this was back in fourth year in college, having read a book the looked at food habits (can’t recall the title just yet) but again, that book had suggested it would take 21 days – not necessarily 21 practices – to change a habit.

22 days into 2013, I think I’m nicely on track to make those habit changes permanent.

Anyone else doing something of a January detox and enjoying success?

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