Baking, Cakes, Christmas, Cooking, desserts, Food

Extremely Chocolatey Christmas Wreath

heypesto

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas around here – the tree is up, the lights are on and I’m doing up my Christmas menus which will include this Christmas Wreath Cake as an alternative to the traditional fruit cake

I may have mentioned that I’m not really a dessert person – give me savoury any day – but I love making desserts and watching others enjoy them! I came across this wreath cake a few years ago – in a copy of Good Housekeeping I think – and have been using it every Christmas since.

I should warn you that this is a cake for serious chocoholics and not for the fainthearted, but it makes a great centrepiece on Christmas Day!

It’s an easy cake to make and it freezes well (un-iced ) so you can make it in advance and take it out to decorate on Christmas Eve.

The only special piece of equipment you will need is a ‘wreath’ tin i.e. a 23cm spring form cake tin with a but missing in the middle! I use one I bought in  Ikea  but  I know my local  shop ‘Kit Your Kitchen‘  now stock similar .

Turn your oven to 180 C or Gas 4 before you start and grease your tin with butter.

What you need:

  • 1 * 400g tin of pears (in natural juice)
  • 50 ml milk
  • 1 tbsp.  espresso coffee
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 175g cocoa (I use Green & Black ‘s)
  • 125g plain flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 340g caster sugar
  • 6 egg whites
  • 250g crème fraîche
  • 175g dark chocolate (I use 70% )
  • Christmas decorations

What you do:

  • Drain the tin of pears and whizz in food processor to a purée.
  • Mix the pear purée with the milk, espresso granules, oil and vanilla extract.
  • In another bowl mix together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Whisk the egg whites and the sugar together at high speed until stiff and glossy
  • Add in the pear purée mix  to the eggs and whisk slowly to blend
  • Finally fold the flour mix into egg and pear mix.
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake in your preheated oven for 30 mins or until firm to touch
  • Allow cake to cool slightly in tin before turning out onto rack.

Cooling

  • As I said, if you’re making this ahead of time , you can freeze it at this point. Just make sure you wrap it carefully!
  • The icing is very simple : heat the crème fraîche in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.
  • Then remove from heat and add in chocolate. Allow to melt and then mix in until smooth.
  • Place pieces of parchment paper under the cake to protect your cakeboard/plate. Then using a palette knife spread icing over the cake . Remember you want it to look like a wreath so it doesn’t have to be smooth

christmas 11 006-001

Then it’s time for your (or your children’s ) imagination to take over…..

You can make chocolate leaves …..

christmas 11 008-001

…. use sprinkles ….Santas…..Robins….Snowmen……..

christmas 11 012-001

P1010008-001

……whatever you like!

But whatever you decide please be warned that this cake is INCREDIBLY rich and a little goes a long way!

Happy Cooking! 

PS I have been known to make this into an Easter Cake by covering it with flowers and mini eggs – you see a cake’s not just for Christmas!

Catering, Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Healthy Eating, Recipes, Vegetarian

Comforting Vegetarian Cuisine

heypesto

As I may have mentioned not only do I collect cookbooks I also collect recipes…. Also did I mention that I was a vegetarian for about 14 years?

I was talking to the guys in my local vegetable shop, The Farmer’s Gate, about recipes we could give their customers that use  produce from the shop.  So I went back through my recipe notebook for inspiration and came across this one for Savoury Vegetable Crumble. I think the original came from a  vegetarian magazine way back when I was dedicated to the cause. It’s been adapted a bit over the years and here’s the latest version.

You can use any mix of vegetables for this dish but winter root vegetables work really well. Tonight I used leeks, celery and carrot as they were in my vegetable rack. I also added a red pepper for colour.

What you need:

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 cm ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • Mix of vegetables  – such as 2-3 carrots, few sticks celery, 2 parsnips…..
  • 500 ml vegetable stock
  • 1 400g tin cannelloni beans
  • 75g/3 oz spelt flour
  • 50g/2 oz butter
  • 75g/3oz Kilbeggan Porridge Oats

What you do:

  • Sauté the onions and the chilli until soft but not coloured.
  • Dry fry the cumin and coriander seeds for a minute then grind in pestle and mortar with the other spices. Then add to the onions and chilli and cook for a few mins.
  • Add in the purée, cook for another minute, add vegetables and toss to coat in the spice mix.
  • Finally add in the stock and the beans. Bring mix to the boil and then simmer over a low heat for 15-20 mins.

  • Make the crumble by rubbing the butter into the flour and then add in the oats.

  • Transfer the vegetable mix to a casserole dish and scatter the crumble over the top.

  • Bake the dish at 190 C/Gas 5 for 25 mins until crumble is cooked

I served the dish with some minted yoghurt – a perfect warming dish  for a dark winter’s evening!

Happy Cooking !

And yes, before you ask – it was the rasher sandwich that ‘brought me back’!

Baking, Cakes, Catering, Christmas, Cooking, Food, Recipes

When is a recipe a family recipe?

heypesto

When is a recipe a family recipe?  Does someone in your family have to develop the recipe from scratch or can it be a recipe that is used a few times and then becomes a family favourite?

I’ve been involved in several conversations on this topic and my maths brain tells me that there has to be a finite (albeit large)  number of recipe combinations so there are bound to be duplicates making it harder to credit the original originator of a recipe!

I believe that recipes  evolve  through sharing and experimentation. I have scraps of paper from family and friends glued into my recipe notebook  including a very precious  one dictated by my late Grandmother for her famous brown bread – once I figure out how much is in a ‘handful’ I’m sure it will work…..

I have a ‘to try’ box filled with recipes cut  from magazines and papers that I want to try …..someday

I have a vast collection of cookbooks that I love to cook from – but more often than not I’ll change something as I’m going along.

Don’t you hate it if  you  ask somebody for a recipe and they refuse to share it as it’s a ‘family secret’?

I make a lot of Chocolate Roulades – in fact it’s one of my main desserts. I love making a mini version to go on a mixed dessert plate.  I was given the recipe by the lady who owned the catering company I used to work for. I changed the quantities slightly to make it work in a bigger tin., and added the brandy! Years later I came across practically the same recipe in one of the Avoca books – so does the recipe belong to the person who first gave me the recipe, to the author or to me ???

I hate to think of myself as possessive so I’m more than willing to share this wonderful recipe, whoever it  actually ‘owns’ it.  I hope you like it.

What you need:

  • 6 large eggs, separated
  • 6 oz/175g dark chocolate
  • 6 oz/175g  caster sugar
  • 3 fl oz/ 75 ml brandy
  • ½ pt /300ml cream, whipped

What you do:

  • Melt the chocolate with the brandy, either slowly in the microwave or in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
  • Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until you get to the ‘ribbon stage’ – you really need an electric whisk for this unless you have really strong arms!
  • Fold in the melted chocolate into the egg mix. Then in a clean bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff (the egg whites not your arms!)
  • Using a metal spoon fold the egg white in stages into the chocolate mix. Then pour into a lined large Swiss roll tin
  • Bake at 180 C/Gas 4 for 12-15 minutes, until firm to touch.

Leave to cool completely

  • This is the important bit – cover with a damp towel and leave to cool completely
  • Dust the top of roulade with icing sugar and invert onto parchment paper.

  • Spread the cream evenly over the surface (feel free to add fresh berries as well)

  • Using the parchment paper to help  roll it up like a Swiss roll

  • Decorate the roulade with icing sugar and strawberries or grated chocolate

  • Serve and watch it disappear!

PS This works really well as a Christmas Log – decorate it with chocolate leaves and a robin – or lots of chocolate bark and sprinkles!

 

Anybody else got a favourite recipe they’d like to share ?

Happy Cooking !

book review, Chef, Cookbooks, Food, Recipes

Rosemary Shrager’s ‘Absolutely Foolproof Food for Family and Friends’

heypesto

A few years ago my friend Siobhan and I headed to Swinton Park in Yorkshire for a residential cookery course with Rosemary Shrager.  the location is beautiful and Rosemary herself gives the course and while she can be a tad scary she was great fun. We had an absolute ball and learned lots.

I use the recipes from the course regularly and also have a few of her booksthat are well-thumbed so I was delighted to receive a copy of her new book ‘ Absolutely Foolproof Food for Family & Friends’ from Octopus Books.

When I saw the title I assumed the book would be full of quick and easy recipes for everyday meals which is not like the Rosemary I love. My assumption was wrong – this is a book for dinner party dishes that you can impress with such as  Venison Carpaccio of Sea Bass with a Pickled Carrot Salad and Roast Crown of Pheasant , dishes for larger celebrations such as Salmon en Croute and even detailed instructions on curing pork and salmon.

There  is a lovely introductory section detailing all the kitchen equipment you may need (the only thing I’m missing is a potato ricer!), what knives to use and how to use them.  The recipe sections are divided by main ingredient such as vegetables, poultry, game and pasta. Each section begins with a very detailed technique complete with step by step pictures and complete with tips and ideas and possible variations on the main recipe.

My pet peeve as you know is cookbooks without finished photos of each dish – this book unfortunately falls into this category. This surprises me as I learned so much about presentation when I was at the Cookery School but the detailed technique pictures are good. The other thing that I found strange is that there is no dessert section in the book.

So what did I cook? Well for a change I gave my main taster  the book and asked him what would he like for dinner. The choice : Scallops en Papilotte with Curried Coconut Milk and Pak Choi and Roast Venison with Chocolate Sauce and Braised Chicory. 

I was unable to find either pak choi or chicory so I decided that as a starter the pak choi could be omitted and I picked up some curly kale to use with the venison. Rosemary uses loin of venison in her recipe but as I had two venison steaks (farmed I will admit)  in the freezer I used those.  I spent a very pleasant afternoon prepping the dishes – the recipes are well laid out and easy to follow.  The sauce for both dishes can be made ahead of time making them ideal for entertaining.

I julienned the vegetables for the scallop dish so when it came to dinner I just had to cook the scallops, assemble the parcels and put them in the oven for 10 minutes.

There was a lot going on this dish flavour wise but it all worked and the pak choi wasn’t even missed!

I decided to try the recipe for Fondant Potatoes and this was the only one I had any problem with – and I think it was my own fault for not adding enough stock. However I finished them in the oven and they were so tasty – they may even replace roast potatoes as my favourite!

The chocolate sauce took  time – and a lot of ingredients – but it was so worth the effort and it complimented the venison perfectly.

I would have preferred to serve the dish with chicory but he loved the kale (I stir-fried it with orange zest and juice).

Was it good? Well the Chief Taster certainly thought so …

This book has already earned a place on the ‘favourites’ shelf and if anyone can tell me where I can get partridge then Roast Partridge with Cabbage, Bacon and Apple is the next recipe I want to try  and Stuffed Yellow and Red Pepper Rolls has also been requested……

My verdict – if you want to impress your family and friends with your cooking then you need this book.

Pssst – if you want to try the Chocolate Sauce here’s the recipe:

What you need: 

  • 100g butter ( I don’t think I used quite this much!)
  • 150g leeks, finely chopped ( I used 2 leeks)
  • 1 rasher smoked streaky bacon, chopped
  • 250ml red wine
  • 2 tsp redcurrant jelly
  • 300ml game or venison stock  (I had to resort to beef stock)
  • 120 ml port
  • 15g 70% chocolate, finely chopped

What you do:

  • Melt 30g butter in pan, add the leeks and bacon and cook gently for 15 minutes.
  • Add the wine and the redcurrant jelly and simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency.
  • Add the stock and simmer until reduced by half.
  • Finally add the port and simmer to coating consistency.
  • Season then strain through a sieve into a clean pan (I prepared ahead to this point)
  • Reheat gently and stir in the chocolate until it melts
  • Cut remaining butter into cubes and whisk into the sauce a few at a time.
  • Check for seasoning and serve.

Happy Cooking !

Baking, Cakes, Catering, Cooking, Food, Recipes

Chocolatey Caramelly Cheesecake

heypesto

Did I mention I’m not a dessert person? I know this may place me in a minority but in my defence I do enjoying making them for others. And sometimes I even find a recipe that tempts me to have a sliver……

I knew once I saw the Peanut Caramel Cheesecake in Good Housekeeping’s ‘Chocolate Collection’ that it was going to be one of those recipes destined to become a firm favourite. I tried it out for a family occasion but never got to taste as much as a crumb – which is always a good sign.  Then I did it for as part of dessert buffet and had several requests for the recipe.

So when some of my college friends came for a barbeque last weekend (and yes we did get to eat outdoors –  without fleeces and raingear!) there was no question about what I was doing for dessert! And it was a HIT!

I have made one or two changes to the original recipe including leaving out the peanuts in my last version cos I’m always worried in case someone has a peanut allergy. I hope you like it…..

What you need: 

  • 150g dark chocolate digestives
  • 50g butter, melted
  • 500g Philadelphia ( the full fat version please)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (vanilla paste would be even better ..)
  • 3 egg whites
  • 175g caster sugar
  • 50g dark chocolate ( I use 70% ) , chopped
  • 60g dried pineapple pieces *
  • 2-3 tbsp of Ballyshiel dulce de leche

* in the original recipe this is 75g salted peanuts

What you do:

  • Line a 22cm springform tin with butter and baking parchment.
  • Crush the biscuits in a plastic bag using a rolling pin. Mix the crushed biscuits and melted butter together and press into the base of the tin.
  • Whisk the cream cheese with the vanilla until smooth and creamy.
  • Then (in a spotlessly clean bowl) whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gradually add in the sugar to form a glossy meringue like mixture.
  • Carefully fold the meringue mix into the cream cheese using a metal spoon.
  • Then fold in the chocolate and pineapple into the mix.
  • Finally swirl in the dulce de luche and pour the mix onto the biscuit base.
  • Leave cheesecake to set in fridge overnight – or if you’re in a hurry pop it into the freezer for a few hours.
  • Remove the cheesecake from the tin and topwith more dulce de leche and grated chocolate…….
  • Serve and watch it disappear!

I dare you not to come back for a second slice!

Happy Cooking !

Food, Restaurants, Wine

On The Tapas Trail

heypesto

I buy lotto tickets occasionally and I’m ever hopeful but my luck came in a few weeks ago when I won a competition with the  Irish Food Bloggers  – an afternoon on the Campo Viejo Tapas Trail .

So on a rainy Sunday (well it is the Irish Summer!) I took the train to the capital to join a group of like minded bloggers in The Market Bar where we greeted by our  guide Paul  and organiser Anri with a very welcome glass of Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva .

It was lovely to meet up with some familiar faces including  Nessa from Nessa’s Family Kitchen and Paula from Paula’s Kitchen Table. I finally got to meet the delightful Fiona from Hunters Lodge and the lovely Magda from Madga’s Cauldron who became my ‘trail companions’ for the afternoon.

Our guide Paul outlined the event – 4 restaurants in the area , 3 signature tapas and a glass of Campo Viejo Reserva in each and a little sightseeing and banter along the way. I know – it’s a tough life but hey, somebody’s got to it!

The food was good – my personal favourites were the patatas bravas in the Market Bar and the black pudding and prawns in Havana; the wine was excellent and the company was most entertaining , just a pity about the weather!

I also learned lots along the way from Paul – who knew Dublin had so many links with Spain!

If you’re looking for something different to do in Dublin this summer then I highly recommend this – the Tapas Trail is on Wednesdays between 6.30 and 9 pm and Sundays between 2 and 4.30 pm and is great value at €20!

Thanks again to Irish Food Bloggers, Campo Viejo and Conway Communications for a great afternoon out!

Now I’m off to buy a lotto ticket……….

Baking, Cakes, Catering, Cookery Classes, Cooking, Food, Recipes

There’s no chocolate in it honestly!

heypesto

As you may have noticed  I  have a ‘slight’ addiction to cookbooks. I also have a tendency to collect recipes from magazines, newspapers etc  – I have a box of pages and clippings from various publications that I have garnered from numerous sources ………..

Some look tantalising when I’m in the hairdressers or in a waiting room but once assigned to the ‘box’ they never leave, others make it straight to the kitchen for testing and some even go on to become firm favourites.

One such find was a recipe for an Espresso Tart – I think it came from a Food & Travel magazine and my apologies for not acknowleding the original owner of this recipe but your details aren’t on my valued clipping.

I’m not really a dessert person but I do like this (must be the caffeine).  Almost everyone who tastes it is convinced there’s chocolate in it but as you’ll see there’s none.

This  tart is divine on it’s own but can be raised to another level if you serve it with a mascarpone sorbet. I often make it into individual tartlets to serve at dinner parties and it’s always well received

Individual Espresso Tart with Sorbet

I brought one of these tarts to Inishfood in May and I’ve been asked to share the recipe – so this is especially for Donal, Imen and Bríd.

Espresso Tart

Oven Setting: 180ºC/ Gas 4

What you need:

  • Sweet Shortcrust Pastry *
  • 125g butter
  • 250g muscavado sugar
  • 2 tsp espresso coffee (finely ground – I use Illy)
  • 6 tbsp Kahlua or Tia Maria
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 50g self raising flour, sieved

What you do:

  • Line a 24cm loose bottomed tin with your pastry and leave to chill
  • For the filling, heat butter and sugar until sugar dissolves, then ad the coffee, liqueur and eggs.
  • Gently fold in the sieved flour and pour the mixture into the pastry case.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 mins – you want a ‘squidgy, fudgy’ texture- be careful not to overcook!
  •  Leave to cool before serving.
* I use 1lb flour, 8oz butter, 1-2 egg yolks, 1 tbsp caster sugar and a little water to make my pastry – this should give you    enough for 2 tarts. You don’t need to blind bake the pastry for this recipe.
Espresso Tartlets
As I said this tart can be served as an excellent dinner party dessert with ice cream or créme fraiche but best of all with mascarpone sorbet which is not as complicated as it sounds – please try it as the taste combination is divine!

Mascarpone Sorbet

What you need: 

  • 250g tub mascarpone
  • 250ml  milk (the proper full fat type please!)
  • 150g caster sugar

What you do: 

  • Whisk the  mascarpone with the milk until thick, smooth and lumpfree. Then stir in the sugar.
  • If you have an ice cream maker, pour in mix and leave to stir until thick and creamy, then freeze until needed.
  • If you don’t have an ice cream maker then pour mix into tupperware box and freeze for an hour. Then whisk in frozen edges back into centre of mix to break up any ice crystals. Freeze for another hour then beat again. Repeat until sorbet is thick, creamy and frozen.

Now all you have to do is sit back and enjoy – and now you know there’s no chocolate in it, honestly!

Happy Cooking !

 

Baking, Cakes, Chef, Cookbooks, Cooking, Recipes

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

heypesto

This post is especially for those of you looking for my Chocolate Biscuit Cake recipe….

I bought Tamasin Day- Lewis’  book ‘Tamsin’s Kitchen‘ a few years ago for two reasons:

1) I had watched some of her programs on TV and liked her cookery style

and

2) it was reduced in from something like €25 to €9 – who says I can’t economise?

It is a a mighty tome with the recipes arranged in sections designed to take you from ‘Easy Things’ to ‘Serious Skills’. At the start of each section there is an introduction on what to expect. She also includes little hints and tips at the top of each recipe. The downside – the recipes are written in paragraph form  rather than points making them (well for me anyway) less easy to follow and very few of the recipes have photos showing what the end result should look like.

So what have I cooked from this book in the last two years? One thing and one thing only – Tamasin’s Chocolate Biscuit Cake – and yes I know strictly speaking it’s not cooking!

I have added a few bits and pieces to the original recipe and left out the cream that she puts in the icing. These additions  may change depending on what’s in the store cupboard so my version is a cross between Chocolate Biscuit Cake and Rocky Road – but I’ve had no complaints yet!

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

What you need:

  • 4oz /110g Butter
  • 4oz/110g Dark Chocolate (I use 70%)
  • 2 tbsp golden syrup
  • 80z/225g digestive biscuits
  • 3oz/80g mini Marshmallows
  • 2oz/50g dried cranberries
  • Dark & white Chocolate to decorate

What you do:

  • Put the biscuits in a plastic bag and bash them to crumbs using your rolling pin (who you think of while doing this is your own business!)
  • Put the butter, chocolate and golden syrup in a saucepan and allow to melt gently over a low heat. Don’t allow mix to boil!
  • Add the mini marshmallows and dried fruit to the melted mix. Then stir in the crushed biscuits, making sure that they are well coated.
  • Turn the mix out into a lined shallow baking tin (approx 30 *20 cm).  Allow to cool then Leave to set for a few hours (or overnight) in the fridge.
  • Once the cake is set cover the top with melted chocolate, leave it for a few mins then cut into slices (it’s easier at this stage)
  • Then drizzle over some melted white chocolate (After a lot of trials I have discovered that white chocolate buttons are the easiest to melt – Thanks Nicola!)

Now that I’ve pulled this book from the shelves I really must try a few more recipes…….

Happy Cooking !

Catering, Cocktails, Food, Shopping

Summer (yes Summer!) Cocktails……..

heypesto

My poor blog has been much neglected of late. Despite all my resolutions there always seems to be something else that to done or somewhere else I need to be………

There’s lots I want to share – like the weekend at Inishfood and all the amazing food; the surprise no-menu that I had in Springfort Hall….and of course recipes that I’ve tried from my cookbook collection……..

So let’s start with the most recent – Summer Cocktails in Fallon & Byrne .

I love this shop – they have the most amazing selection of fresh fruit and vegetables; great variety of oils, vinegars, seasonings, savouries, cheese and chocolates to name but a few; one of the best deli counters for lunch or coffee and of course a very tempting wine cellar…….

So when I received a tweet from them asking for my email address I was intrigued…..and not disappointed when I received  an invitation to an evening of summer cocktails, nibbles and natter!  Through the magic that is twitter I soon discovered others that had received a similiar invitation and it looked like shaping up to a lively evening………

It didn’t disappoint – I met up with the lovely Aoife otherwise known as Babaduck and the  debonair Paul from The ShoeBox  in Kilkenny for a catch up and  wander up Grafton Street (there are times I regret leaving Dublin). The sun even made an appearance for the occasion!

Then at the appointed hour we presented ourselves at Fallon & Byrne where the wonderful Jennifer treated us like royalty (despite my falling up the stairs!)

We meet Paul Lambert the man behind the Cocktail Menu who explained that they were using the fresh produce from the food hall to add that difference to their cocktails – and on tasting we agreed! There was so much fresh fruit and herbs in the cocktails they were almost healthy.

I opted for the Poppy Honeysuckle to start – a blend of Jameson whiskey, elder flower liqueur, Sauvignon Blanc, honey, pressed apple juice, lemon juice & passion fruit syrup – all served in a ‘grown up’ Martini glass. I am not a whiskey fan but this was divinely palatable! My companions chose the French 75 and the Mojito.

The staff were most attentive and as soon as our glasses were empty they ‘insisted’ on serving us more….

I went for the Passion Fruit & Jalapeño Margarita (jalapeño-infused tequila, passion fruit, mint and lemon juice) on the recommendation of Lily from A Mexican Cook in Ireland. I’m a bit of a chilli addict and my taste buds loved this. This time my companions went for an Old Fashioned & a Rspberry Caipirinha.

We were also treated to some beautifully crafted canapés – naturally I was very interested (call it industrial espionage!!).  I need to work on getting mine to look this good!

My favourite was the goat’s cheese tartlets followed by the gazpacho – I loved the cups!

It was great to catch with friends and  put faces to more twitter friends –   Rozanne , Caitriona, Aoife (Daily Spud), Aoife (Icanhascook), Dorcas, Catherine….

Before leaving I had to try one more cocktail – a mojito on Paul’s recommendation! Then Cinders headed back to the country  whilst the rest of them partied on to the Tapas Trail launch……..

Thanks to Fallon & Byrne for a lovely evening and to Jennifer for her hard work in organising the event

Take my word for it you should go and try their cocktails for yourself – they will definitely brighten up your summer and if you want my recommendation go for the jalapeño margarita  …

Pssst they have “buy one get one on the house’ cocktails on Mondays & Tuesdays…………….

PS Special thanks is also due  to my ‘chauffeur’ who put up with my post cocktail  giggling all the way home!

Catering, Cooking, Food

A Grand Experience – my brush with fame!

heypesto

I grew up in Tullamore. I went to school beside the Grand Canal. I even went on my holidays to Vicarstown- on- the- Canal (well somebody had to!) . But until a few weeks I had never been on the canal ! In fact I’m ashamed to say it I had never even been inside the inner harbour in Tullamore (that’s the one behind the big gates on Harbour Street , yes the clue is in the name!!!)

Now I can say not only have I been on 2 barges but I have cooked on one!

After Taste of Offaly I received a phone call asking me would I like to cook local produce as part of A Grand Experience,  a film documentary being made by Mixed Bag Media about the Grand Canal and all Offaly has to offer. Would I what? Just try and stop me!

Meetings were held and I was dispatched to source lots of local food – and do you know we have a wealth of amazing produce in Offaly?

The film is a part of Offaly County Council’s public art project and follows 3 local artists  on the six-day journey along the Grand Canal on the historic Lora Marie 68m barge. The artists were Offaly playwright and Pure Mule author Eugene O’Brien, singer-songwriter Wayne Brennan and Veronica Nicholson, a photographer and installation artist who were recording their impressions of Offaly during the journey

The night the 68M arrived in Tullamore Harbour with crew and artists on board – I fed them Offaly Lamb from Annaharvey with a Moroccan Twist and  Sticky Toffee Pudding. I wasn’t ‘acting’ that evening – just delivering! The 68M is a fabulous Heritage barge lovingly restored and I’m only sorry I didn’t get to spend a week on it!

The following morning everything kicked off – well for me anyway! I was cooking brunch on another barge, Saoirse ar an Uisce – well I thought I was cooking brunch until a panic phone call told that due to engine trouble it would now be breakfast! See the joys of stardom!!

So early on the Thursday morning I loaded up on my fabulous Offaly produce and headed for the canal to start cooking.

On the menu was:

Kilbeggan Oats Granola with Glenisk Yoghurt & Rhubarb Compote

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Pigs on the Green Black Pudding Sausages & Streaky Bacon

Tullamore Meats  Black Pudding with Hey Pesto! Red Onion Marmalade

Clanwood Farm Leek & Potato Tortilla with Mossfield Cheddar

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O’Donohue’s Traditional Soda Bread

Derryvilla Farm Blueberry Muffins

Coolfin Gardens Country Loaf

*********

Mossfield Farm Cheese, Butter & Milk

Derryvilla Farm Blueberry Jam & Relish

Limefield Honey

Hey Pesto! Geashill Strawberry Jam

*********

O’Donohue’s Fruit Scones

Kilbeggan Oats Cookies

Ballyshiel Mini Banoffee Pies

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 Cooking in a galley kitchen  whilst 1) waiting for local dignitaries, the artists and 2) trying to ignore the camera crew was different and great fun! (Did I mention I love the variety my job offers?)

The Bacon Sizzling!

The Artists enjoying the granola – the sausages were a big hit too!

This was me trying not to laugh and ending up looking ridiculous in the Galley

Once everyone was fed and watered I was delighted to stay on the barge (engine trouble sorted!)for my first canal trip and follow the 68 M albeit only as far as Boland’s Lock .

I had to say goodbye as I was off to Dublin to cater another job.

I want to say a huge thanks to all the Offaly Food Producers who were so generous with their fabulous produce and to Martina & Garett for inviting me to part of this project, and to everyone who made me feel so relaxed and welcome on the day.

I’m looking forward to the Film ‘Premiere’ and keeping my fingers (and toes) crossed that I don’t end up on the cutting room floor! I’m available for autographs………….

PS now that you see what a wealth of local food we have why not support our local producers? You can buy the products listed in The Farmer’s Gate and Farm Factory Direct both in Tullamore and in  The Organic Store in Birr.