Review : Japanese Soul Cooking

Soul Cooking isn't usually a term you associate with Japanese cookery.  In fact if you ask most people what Japanese food is all about, they usually respond with one of two words : fish or sushi.  I was very interested in reading Japanese Soul Cooking by Tadashi Oro & Harris Salat when it landed on my desk and learning more about what defines food from Japan's kitchens and streets.

Review : Howard Street, Belfast

Howard Street is a new kid on the block which already hosts Deanes, just around the corner from the Fitzwilliam Hotel and the Opera House.  Very unassuming from the outside, inside it's big, cavernous and very noisy indeed.  Most definitely not the place for a romantic dinner or to pop the question unless your intended can read lips.   Howard Street is industrial in appearance with exposed pipe work and a long bottle green wall that reminds me a bit of school uniforms.  Tables are simple and wooden, as are the chairs unless you're sitting at one of the green leather banquettes along the wall facing into the room.  The long bar is busy with staff pouring drinks, making coffees and issuing bills.  Peroni is on tap (£4.50) and the house Prosecco is deliciously moreish at £5 per glass.

Smelling the Coffee

One of my favourite smells is coffee.  Whether walking by a café, sitting in a restaurant or even at my desk while the machine hisses gently in the kitchen, the aroma catches my breath every time.  Despite loving the smell of it, I don't drink a huge amount of coffee and have just one cup of really good coffee in the morning in work.  My love of good coffee doesn't mean that I'm not a fan of convenience and I love coffee capsules as they're no mess, no fuss and give great results every time and they work perfectly in the Nespresso* machines both at home & in work. As soon as I opened the Carte Noire box in work, I was practically mugged (coffee, mug - geddit?) to share the coffee with my colleagues.  The reaction was overwhelmingly positive and my own favourite is No. 7 Aromatique.

Francesca's Lasagne alla Pesto

Lasagne, as we traditionally know it, is a rich and comforting Italian dish with layers of lasagne sheets, bechamel sauce, meat ragu and cheese, baked until it's all bubbling and meaty and fragrant. This recipe came to me via the VBF who works in a big multinational company with colleagues from all over the globe. Her workmate Francesca brought some of this lasagne into work and the poor girl barely got a bite as the rest of them scoffed most of it.  Greedy gannets.

Review : Rosehips on a Kitchen Table

The world has always been full of foragers, whether it's just collecting blackberries in the autumn (from as high up as you can to avoid little doggie spray surprises...) or picking wild garlic in the spring.  Right now, it's the buzzword du jour and terribly fashionable indeed.  It's actually a lot of common sense if you know what you're doing, so leave the mushrooms to the experts and concentrate on finding food that you can eat safely.  Anyway, enough of my sound advice. Rosehips on a Kitchen Table landed on my kitchen table last week and it's all about foraging and growing your own.  It's a very cute book, compact enough to keep on your kitchen counter, but packed with recipes to appeal to all levels of knowledge.

Campari and Grapefruit Cake

One of the first drinks I had in France at the tender age of 16 was Campari.  I loved the ruby red colour but thought it tasted unbelievably bitter (to be fair, it was served with tonic, so what do you expect).  Over the years as my tastebuds have changed, I've come to appreciate the sharpness and sourness and I love it with grapefruit.  Speaking of grapefruit, I bought a few last week and was going to squeeze them for an after-work cocktail but a reminder from Lulu that I've been a bit slow on the cake front changed all that.  I'm making a cake with Campari and Grapefruit.  The tang of the grapefruit zest pairs wonderfully with the astringency of the Campari and the sticky grapefruit syrup poured on top gives the whole cake a lovely sweetness.

Dinner in 10 : Fusilli with Salmon and Peas

Tonight I was tired to the core.  I had physio on dodgy arm on Monday evening and I am black and blue - it's ok Lisa, I know you didn't mean to hurt me... much.  If there had been bread in the house, I would have settled for toast and jam for dinner.  But there was no bread - what's a lazy sod like me going to do with a hungry husband to feed?  Last night I went on a little road trip with Little Sis and the fluffy dog.  Her Hoover had broken (again - how much cleaning can one person do???) so we needed to visit The Hubs in work to get a new one.  Next door to him is a German supermarket so Sis dragged me in to get a few bits.  Twenty minutes later she was still faffing around so I decided to get a few bits for myself.  And those little bits made a dinner in 10 minutes tonight.  Excellent planning, wha?

Raspberry and Lemon Muffins

Sometimes I long for a little ray of sunshine on these dark and dreary days.  I want something delicious and light for a treat.  My Raspberry and Lemon Muffins are full of (frozen) raspberries and lemon zest to create a midmorning snack or afternoon slump-buster. You can make the batter, bake them and be cleaned up with a cup of coffee ready for the first bite in under an hour.  Sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar or some rock sugar before you put them into the oven for some extra crunch.  Little Brother tried them out and apparently they are savage. Yes, that means good, in Little Brother speak

Wining, Dining and Valentining

Oh no.  You've forgotten, haven't you?  Well here's your advance warning - Friday is February 14th, also known as Valentine's Day.  Or Mammys Birthdays in Maison Babaduck.  Yes, both my Mammy and the Mammy in Law celebrate their birthdays on February 14th.  What are the chances?

So, back to the matter in hand.  Valentine's Day.  A day of love, romance, lots of cards, presents, dinner, fine wine and the like.  If you've let matters slide, here's a positive plethora of ideas for you to plan a memorable evening.  Me, I'll be tucked up on the couch with The Hubs, the fluffy dog known as Sandie and a bottle of fizz. After dispatching pressies and cards to The Mammies, of course...

Image courtesy of Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa

A Masterclass at Saba To Go (and Childerbeasts with Chopsticks)

Back in pre-Childerbeast times, Little Sis spent quite some time in Australia and the Far East.  One of her favourite places where she lived for a while was Thailand living in a hut, cutting hair on the beach for beer money and developing a love of the local food.  Down where I live, Thai food is treated as a poor relation in the local Chinese restaurants and is a small add-on to the main menu.  This saddens me because Thai cuisine is so fresh and aromatic and MSG free for those who are sensitive to it.

Image courtesy of Saba

I was a very lucky duck recently to be invited to a private Thai cookery masterclass at Saba To Go, the takeaway arm of Saba restaurant in Dublin 2. I'm very familar with Saba's cuisine (and their excellent cocktail menu!) and I also own a copy of Saba: The Cookbook which is filled with exquisite photos of daily life in Thailand and some exceptional recipes, so I was very excited to learn more.