Articles

Popular author and TV chef Edward Hayden is well known from his appearances on TV3's 'Ireland AM' and perhaps even more so from his classes and demonstrations in a cookery schools and venues around the country, where his cheerful nature and relaxed presentation goes down a treat.
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This month Marilyn Bright talks to Patricia Kennedy of The Moorings in Portmagee, Co Kerry, where even traditional accompaniments like colcannon and boxty have been given a local seafood twist
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Although it is, as they say themselves down there, ‘easy to reach but hard to leave’, Carlow somehow remains Ireland’s undiscovered county - which is, of course, the secret of its charm, so perhaps things are better left that way. But not if James and Cait Coady have anything to do with it, as their stylish boutique hotel, The Step House, has made the pretty heritage village of Borris a popular destination for short breaks and weddings.
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This month Darina gets stuck into one of her favourite topics - foraging. Wild and foraged foods are once again becoming part of chic restaurant menus as well as family meals. Beware; once you get on the foraging groove it becomes totally addictive. Every walk whether in the woods or the countryside turns into a foraging expedition and it’s free.
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In last month’s review of Biddy White Lennon and Evan Doyle’s book Wild Food Natures Harvest: How to Gather, Cook and Preserve (O’Brien Press), I promised to give some of the recipes in April when (it seemed reasonable to suppose) the countryside would have lost its bleak late winter look and be in the full spring mode that tempts us all to venture out and explore.
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They say bread is the staff of life … or should that be beer? There’s a theory that agriculture developed in order for societies to grow enough wheat and barley not so that they could bake bread, but make beer.
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This month Martin shares a very special recipe with us: Tranche St Remy. Last year I had a special dinner on my terrace for twelve people and I decided I wanted to produce a killer starter. I had a memory of an extremely delicious hors d’oeuvre which we used to produce in The Wife of Bath in Kent where I worked in the seventies under chef Michael Waterfield.
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It’s hard to believe that this time last year, we were basking in 20 degrees heat and headed for the beach over the Easter holidays. This year it’s a case of wrapping up well and trying to endure persistent freezing temperatures. It does all seem rather unnatural, particularly since it feels like it should be spring now that we’ve planted the potatoes.
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Wild herbs and edible flowers are a great addition to any kitchen and Biddy White Lennon and Evan Doyle devote a chapter of ‘Wild Food’ to these charmingly pretty and colourful foods. Wild Primrose (Primula vulgaris *Irish sabhaircin) and Wild Sweet Violet & (Viola odorata * Irish sail-chuach chumhra) are low-growing, common and easily found in woodland, hedgerows, and banks in spring and summer time. Violet leaves are almost evergreen while the primrose dies back after flowering.
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At last our cows are grazing outside full time. This means less time feeding silage and bedding the sheds with straw. The expense of dairy ration has also been cut out of their diet. Now it is AI season. For six weeks any cow that comes into heat will be artificially inseminated.
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