Leek & Stilton tart .... Savoury for any time, from brunch to supper

With the holiday season upon us,when the kids are at home with their posse of friends all hanging around your kitchen,and without doubt working their way through your fridge,This is the time to draw boundaries and find some recipes that are just for your taste buds. Yes, time to be a little bit selfish, for let's face it, while we love them dearly, they tend to take over our lives. Hence, it is always nice to have something simple and light,at hand to fill that little peckish gap before moving on to yet another car ride to the cricket, football or rugby club or is it all three !!! more or less at the same time and in locations scattered across the city or God forbid , during this melee, unexpected guests or distant cousins & aunts turning up unannounced....with yet more Kids !!!!
Here is a quick ,easy yet delicious tart to prepare and it will take you from brunch to supper. As most kids don't like Stilton or blue cheese of any sort, you are perfectly safe that it will be all yours.
Ditch the apron, put your feet up, relax and enjoy.

EirGrid Euro-Toques Food Awards 2014

The very best of Irish produce were recognised and celebrated yesterday at the Euro-Toques Food Awards 2014. The event took place at the Residence Club on St Stephen's Green in Dublin at a reception hosted by Ella McSweeney with canapés featuring the Award Winning foods, stylishly prepared by Graham Neville of Restaurant Forty One.
With Irish Cuisine and produce currently enjoying international recognition, five producers from all over Ireland were presented with a coveted Euro- Toques Award for their outstanding produce.The Award also recognises innovation and the preservation of traditional methods handed down from generation to generation and these were very much alive with these winners, albeit an innovative twist but foremost, their passion for the survival of traditional techniques and skills and channelling those into thriving Artisan businesses.
The Winners were selected by  Ireland's 160 Euro-Toques Chefs; Central to the selection criteria among others were Taste;Environmental sustainability;Preservation of traditional methods and Provenance.

Elderflower & Vanilla Collins @MintBarDublin , WESTIN Hotel . Dublin

With this glorious weather beaming on us at present , what better ways to will away the afternoon lazily with friends , sipping some refreshingly and summery cocktails and the place to be is         "The Mint Bar"  at the Westin hotel , on college green , Dublin .

With an extensive cocktail menu , there is something for every taste , from Fizzes  to Collins , Slings and Rum , From the Classic to the Contemporary , you will be spoiled for choice .
 Karl Byrne , the Manager is there to talk you through and advise .Most Charming gentleman with an extensive knowledge of his Cocktails. A true Mixologist .

Jose Cuervo Tequila and a few ways to drink it

Tequila made from the blue agave plant, is primarily grown in the surrounding areas, north west of Guadalajara but can also be cultivated in the highlands, surrounding the north western Mexican state of Jalisco, where the soil is much richer. The blue volcanic soil of those areas are particularly well suited to the growing of the blue agave plant.However the blue agave growing in the highlands are larger in size and will produce a tequila sweeter in aroma and taste, where as agave harvested in the lowlands on the other hand, have a more herbaceous fragrance and flavour. Contrary to popular beliefs, the agave plant is not related to the cactus family but rather to the Lily.
Similar to Wine (AOC) & Champagne, Tequila carries a serial no (NOM) depicting in which distillery the tequila was produce, however Mexican laws state that tequila can solely be produced in the states of Jalisco and in limited regions in the states of Guanajuato, Michoacan, Nayarit and Tamaulipas and must contain at least 51% agave.
Although most well-known tequila brands are owned by large multinational corporations, some more exclusive tequila have remained as family owned brands like Jose Cuervo. The Cuervo family have been producing tequila from King Charles IV of Spain in 1795 and is today one of the largest producer of tequilas in Mexico.

Irish Kitchen Magazine. April / May issue 2014

 As featured in Irish Kitchens Magazine.... April / May  2014

Thank you Claire Craig for a wonderful interview .

The World's 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2014

In the understated elegance of Thornton's Restaurant, Dublin , haute cuisine devotees and companions of gourmet food & fine dining, while sipping Bollinger Champagne awaited breathlessly the announcement of The World's 50 Best Restaurant,Sponsored by San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna. This prestigious awards ceremony is one of the most important events in the gastronomic calender globally and has helped to propel former winners such as El Bulli, the Fat Duck and Noma to Worldwide Superstardom.
Suspense was building and tension was high to find out if the Roca brothers of El Cellar de Can Roca, would take back home the title for the second conservative year but alas it was not meant to be. The Winner of S.Pellegrino World's Best Restaurant 2014 was Noma, Copenhagen. Denmark.

Followed by last year's number one, El Cellar de Can Roca, Girona. Spain.
In third place, Osteria Francescana, Modena, Italy.
Fourth place, Eleven Madison Park, New York, USA.
Fifth place, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London, United Kingdom.
Sixth place, Mugaritz , San Sebastian, Spain.
Seventh place, D.O.M, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Eighth place, Arzak, San Sebastian, Spain.
Ninth place, Alinea, Chicago, USA.
Tenth place, The Ledbury, London, United Kingdom.
Most surprising though,was the absence of any French Restaurant in the top 10.
However, not being in the least bias, Our own Michelin * Chef Kevin Thornton should have been there too. We were treated to a sumptuous tasting menu, prepared by the Master Chef , Mr Thornton himself and his award wining team. Here are a few of the dishes we had , all copiously washed down by a selection of fine wines from Katnook Estate and of course buckets of Acqua Panna &S.Pellegrino.

Liquid Gems from Franciscan Well Brewery

Imagine gems like Amber, Citrine, Gold & Onyx, all in liquid form with zesty aromas of orange peel, hints of caramel and vanilla to lightly roasted coffee. Halfway to Heaven !!! nom....; Well yes it would be, and we are not at the top of Croagh Patrick in Co Mayo, and St Bridget hadn't just done her party trick where she turned a leper's bathwater into ale; But rather at the Launch of Franciscan Well Brewery's collection of new seasonal brews in the trendy conservatory bar of House Dublin on leeson street.
Defying Legend that the water from the well has miraculous and curative powers "that no doubt, the monks glugged down for medicinal purposes as they were the masters distillers of their time", Franciscan Well Brewery founder Shane Long instead encouraged and nurtured his brewer's creativity and skills, by challenging them to come up with a unique range of seasonal brews. It paid off with Padraig Scully winning formula " Coffee Porter " as the first seasonal beer of 2014.
Founded in 1998 on the North Mall in Cork City, the Franciscan Well Brewery is built on the site of an ancient Franciscan monastery dating back to 1219.  From grain to glass, this micro brewery has combined modern technology with age old traditions, brewing classic beers , including lager, ale, stout and wheat beers using additive-free ingredients.
The results are superb carefully crafted Irish beers made from malted barley, hops and yeast,
lovingly sourced from Ireland, UK,Germany,Czech Republic and the US.