tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42505062412471369542024-02-01T23:09:09.730-08:00Lettuce Eat. Recipes from a Rainy Island.Living it up
in
IrelandThe Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-32364261354245598732010-12-10T02:36:00.000-08:002010-12-10T02:36:59.812-08:00World Bread BakingThe ever enthusiastic band of World Bakers are organising another challenge, the deadline being the 1st January 2011.<br />
<br />
An incentive to learn new recipes.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://tasteofpearlcity.blogspot.com/2010/12/bread-baking-day-35-breads-with-dry.html" title="Bread Baking Day #35 - Bread with dry fruits (last day of submission January 1st 2011)"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5003/5237421537_3a1f323abb.jpg" width="130" height="250" alt="Bread Baking Day #35 - Bread with dry fruits (last day of submission January 1st 2011)" /></a>The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-65470072912426883672010-07-19T04:36:00.000-07:002010-07-19T04:39:14.510-07:00This Year I Tried to Grow Lettuce...It still has not moved beyond the seed leaf stage.<br /><br />This, seen in a West Cork garden is an inspiration<br />to do better next time.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anouilh/4749239309/" title="Lettuce by rosewoodoil, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4749239309_d57504cfeb.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Lettuce" /></a>The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-89778279887838660242008-04-10T02:06:00.000-07:002008-04-10T02:11:53.458-07:00Eating Out in West CorkSpent two days seriously eating our way round West Cork last week.<br />While official restaurant reviews are not my brief here, I'll make<br />this short and sweet.<br /><br />West Cork is Heaven for anybody who likes fresh fish.<br />There are many mid-week special deals in chi-chi hotels<br />that make a trip away from city smoke very appealing indeed.<br /><br />I think I've gained weight...The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-37305167725743234872008-03-06T05:00:00.000-08:002008-04-12T01:19:33.305-07:00Giving Oneself and Fellow Bakers a Pat on the BackRecently I was asked not to put myself down in a chat room.<br />Little did the poster know me.<br />Anybody who has lived in France for more than five days develops<br />a glorious attitude known as "La Frime".<br /><br />Je suis frimeuse et j'en suis contente.<br /><br />In fact I have been patting myself on the back all week,<br />as I finally mastered photo link code for various blogs.<br />At last I can send congrulations to friends an fellow<br />bloggers around the Internet.<br /><br />Hope they are "Frimeurs" too...The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-6261813487193053422008-03-06T04:58:00.000-08:002008-03-06T05:00:02.847-08:00Irish Blog Awards 2008,Guten Tag!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The Internet has made photography a very sociable activity. <br />Many people have helped me over the past few year and I've <br />brought tips and ideas together here:<br /><br /><br />http://shortsights.blogspot.com/<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anouilh/2300359594/"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3098/2300359594_4a1a658471_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Cherry Blossom on Dublin Street" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://moderntwist2.blogspot.com/">moderntwist2.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.dublinblog.ie/">Irish Blog Awards 2008 Congratulations to the Winners</a><br /><br /><a href="http://bobbys-reflections.blogspot.com/">Irish Blog Awards Best Designed Blog</a><br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/tag/irish+blog+awards?authority=n&language=n">Updates for Irish Blog Awards 2008</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/photos/tag/iba08">Photos Tagged iba08</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://awards.ie/blogawards/">Irish+Blog+Awards</a><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><a href="http://technorati.com/photos/tag/irish+blog+awards" rel="tag">Irish Blog Awards Best Designed Blog Sponsored by BB Gardens</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.bbgardens.ie/">www.bbgardens.ie/</a><br /><br /><br /><img alt="Example" src="http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/1311/irishblogawards1wq2ut9.ava.gif" /><br /><br /><a href="http://awards.ie/blogawards/" rel="tag">Irish+Blog+Awards</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/anouilh/2280968321/"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2066/2280968321_3830a8b8b2.jpg" alt="Large Green Bokeh for Paddy's Day (Small)" height="334" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/superbmacroflowers/pool/" rel="tag">SuperbMacroFlowers</a>The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-60299306543335986962008-02-22T05:19:00.000-08:002008-02-22T05:22:11.818-08:00Pain et Chocolat<img src="http://photos-495.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v120/224/48/704913495/n704913495_164600_2186.jpg" alt="Example" />The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-90261287475938981712008-01-30T03:01:00.001-08:002008-01-30T12:50:57.201-08:00<a rel="nofollow" href=http://www.p45.net/boards/attachment.php?attachmentid=11294&d=1148307069?v=0"><br /><img border="0" width="500" height="335" src="http://www.p45.net/boards/attachment.php?attachmentid=11294&d=1148307069?v=0" /></a>The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-88491751680184084182008-01-29T09:05:00.000-08:002008-01-29T09:09:10.468-08:00Irish Food BlogsThe short list for the Irish Blog Awards (Best Food and Wine Blog)<br />has been given a preliminary airing.<br /><br />Well done!The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-86061140154969829912008-01-17T08:34:00.000-08:002008-01-17T08:35:39.096-08:00RoughageWe got over the Christmas in jig time this year.<br />After almost a month of hearty eating I'm back making<br />simple scones.<br /><br />Today adding some Pinhead Oatmeal produced a very<br />chewable Afternoon Tea Treat.<br /><br />If you put some dessicated coconut over scones or bread<br />just before they are fully baked, the kitchen becomes <br />a scented haven, helping to forget the roaring winds<br />at the windowpane.<br /><br />Coconut burns easily, so turn the over off quite soon <br />after you have dredged the bread and leave for a few<br />minutes before taking the tray out of the oven.The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-10123550579961560892007-11-12T04:54:00.000-08:002008-01-08T13:25:12.349-08:00Happy New Year and Good Eating for 2008<a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/2175458281_309b2a9539.jpg?v=0"><img border=0 width=500 height=349 src="farm3.static.flickr.com/2336/2175458281_309b2a9539.jpg?v=0"></a>The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-55845776087094594342007-11-12T04:00:00.000-08:002007-11-18T01:54:50.464-08:00PumpkinA drab, colourless soup can be improved in<br />both texture and colour by adding pumpkin.<br /><br />Steam pieces of pumpkin about the size of<br />the palm of a small hand. Leave the skin on,<br />as firstly, it is a horrible vegetable to peel and<br />secondly, it keeps the flavour better.<br /><br />Work the cooked vegetable into the soup<br />and liquidize.<br /><br />If the original soup contains red lentils and<br />red peppers, the final colour is expecially appetizing.The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-74686890378753094862007-11-10T08:38:00.000-08:002007-11-10T08:43:47.786-08:00Fine Words May not Butter Turnips, but Very Dark Sugar Certainly Makes Parsnips EdibleAt last I get round to sharing the <br />one and only way to get parsnips <br />past the discerning noses of those<br />who hate them.<br /><br />Slice them lenththwise, the thickness of a little finger.<br /><br />Steam them very lightly, just to the<br />point where they are "al dente".<br /><br />Put in a hot oven, dabbed with butter and dark<br />demerara sugar.<br /><br />Use honey, if sugar is a dietary problem,<br />or oil instead of butter, for that matter.<br /><br />Bake until an appetising golden colour.<br /><br />Sit back and admire the contented faces.The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-83612489944492382302007-10-12T04:21:00.000-07:002007-10-12T04:36:24.481-07:00Ballymaloe Cookery Books, A Must for the Good FoodieOver the years I have collected some cookbooks<br />from the Ballymaloe writers, several generations<br />of lively minded ladies who know how to entertain<br />and delight every palate.<br /><br />I've given the book on Fish to a French friend.<br />It's one way of spreading good cheer in the World.<br /><br />This post is in answer to a question on Caroline's<br />post on Bibliocook. She is one of the lucky students<br />who is taking a course in the cookery school in County Cork<br />as I write. She wondered when I had visited the restaurant,<br />so here is the story.<br /><br />In 1980 we cycled round the South of Ireland<br />with a baby and all the necessary camping equipment<br />to stay dry and warm. The gentle landscape of East Cork<br />made travelling easy. Not too many hilly experiences and<br />lovely afternoon teas, if you knew where to look. <br />The numerous potteries, now World renowned names,<br />were pleasant stopping posts. They were usually set in<br />pretty gardens full of flowers, fruit and even colourful<br />vegetables. The climate seemed milder than the one I was<br />used to in Dublin.<br /><br />I never got to Ballymaloe at that time but discovered Myrtle Allen's<br />wonderful book which has been entertaining me ever since.<br />It includes a recipe for ice cream that does not need to<br />be churned... very useful for busy mothers who can't afford<br />to spend hours in the kitchen.<br /><br />Finally, middle-aged and able to drive in comfort, <br />we visited the Ballymaloe Restaurant a few years ago<br />and ate in the sunny conservatory resaturant.<br />The wood-fired pizza oven, imported specially from<br />Italy, I think, was a talking point and I remember the<br />delighted grin on the young chef's face when, not really<br />thinking about what I was saying I almost yelled "Absolutely Delicious"<br />when I went to give a positive report on the excellent meal we had just<br />enjoyed.<br /><br />A leisurely walk in the "potager" followed and we have <br />warm memories of that day.The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-42072769299982830522007-10-10T08:19:00.000-07:002007-10-10T08:23:59.732-07:00Carbohydrates and HibernationSince the weather has got colder,<br />everybody is lashing into the carbs.<br /><br />Fruit cake is a tasty source of<br /> fruit<br />sugars.<br /><br />You can almost feel a few slices<br />warming the cockles of your heart.<br /><br />It was a strange and exotic luxury<br />to the French families I lived with<br />years ago. They had me baking happily<br />for hours, translating recipes and perfecting<br />my "Afternoon Tea Time" French conversation until<br />I sounded like a native.<br /><br />Happy Days, as our dear Nobel Laureate<br />would say.The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-88940402154967616832007-10-05T05:04:00.000-07:002008-12-13T03:15:12.848-08:00<span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">A recent visit to the<br />National Ploughing Championships<br />reminded me of all the work<br />that goes into producing<br />prime beef<br /> for the table.</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgU_pqX7UtjS5PJ5Em73D6ei5E-BbJ0LthcQ33uk9fuE3LQ-aRnlLF6NUv96iRR14dJVVM0RA-Ye5lIxRf_7qVK81LPKhIB4JAhHapndfAQPcMokf512UqiP98hxNV-yVRX64Z06Dt6WJ/s1600-h/The+Italian+Job+resized+and+burn.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWgU_pqX7UtjS5PJ5Em73D6ei5E-BbJ0LthcQ33uk9fuE3LQ-aRnlLF6NUv96iRR14dJVVM0RA-Ye5lIxRf_7qVK81LPKhIB4JAhHapndfAQPcMokf512UqiP98hxNV-yVRX64Z06Dt6WJ/s320/The+Italian+Job+resized+and+burn.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117822681322390626" border="0" /></a>The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-66885898410817093892007-09-24T02:27:00.000-07:002007-09-24T02:31:04.361-07:00Cuisine LocaleTo understand the cuisine of Northern<br />and Western Europe, you only have to look<br />at the climate.<br /><br />It rains. A lot.<br />Ireland is very green, almost preternaturally so,<br />because of the rainfall. This should be a blessing,<br />but this Summer was not encouraging for anybody trying<br />to grow vegetables in the Kitchen Garden.<br /><br />Not one radish or lettuce came to maturity in<br />my little space. An army of tiny slugs, one-fifth<br />the size of an average little finger's nail,<br />saw to that. <br /><br />Slug bait tips would be welcome.The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-27293194588591839872007-09-23T10:09:00.000-07:002008-12-13T03:15:13.027-08:00Damsons<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWERoNfYjYRJ2Ben3_ytrBzt-CdeuvNzi4pa2UxVQ5etjJvXIcAHUQv0VwjnGNOhgCLOQN7EduBRV933rfB6BvGlIvxmV7ZsmSpIi_2yqNyRr9_bKebdknfKQmVr609WBPj05rZAA3K2PL/s1600-h/Purple+Damsons+Mysteriously+lit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWERoNfYjYRJ2Ben3_ytrBzt-CdeuvNzi4pa2UxVQ5etjJvXIcAHUQv0VwjnGNOhgCLOQN7EduBRV933rfB6BvGlIvxmV7ZsmSpIi_2yqNyRr9_bKebdknfKQmVr609WBPj05rZAA3K2PL/s320/Purple+Damsons+Mysteriously+lit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113448291694962130" border="0" /></a><br />This is almost an<br />Artist's Impression<br />of this year's Damson Crop.The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4250506241247136954.post-82033700841315211532007-08-12T04:06:00.000-07:002007-08-12T04:08:48.813-07:00The Lettuce ConnectionThere is a moment for photographing lettuce.<br />Unfortunately, the moment is not yet right in<br />our garden. A wretched wet Summer has left<br />most vegetables languishing in pots, sulking<br />in the ground or looking pathetic in the<br />greenhouse. <br /><br />Here's looking forward to some warmth before<br />September arrives.The Fruity Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02863506910612054479noreply@blogger.com0