bigfoodiemama

The Financial Advisor, the Blonde and myself decided to start our working week with a "breakfast meeting". Now this would suggest that a) we work together and b) it was an official meeting. Both are infact completely untrue. The fact of the matter is that the FA has moved business to a rural location, ruining our late lunch arrangement and necessitating getting up half an hour earlier...not a problem to the FA or me but nothing short of a crisis to the blonde. The location is not under negotiation...it has to be Earls' Kitchen in Navan, my favourite coffee shop, bar none. Sandra owns this haven down a little alleyway off the main street and although the savoury food is fantastic, when it comes to home baking she really excels. The smell of warm scones and brown bread greets you at the door and on passing by the muffins and cupcakes you arrive at the dessert counter ! My God, it is a masterpiece. The Strawberry roulade, lemon meringue, deep apple pie, sumptous Banoffi...th

Carlingford on Saturday for the Taste of Carlingford Festival. I brought my Dad Fat Freddie who was on a mission to sample some seafood chowder and I was on a mission to sample everything in sight.Unfortunately the weather meant that the beautiful Carlingford Lough and the Mournes were shrouded in mist and rain but we donned the waterproof jackets and headed into the village. After viewing the oysters from Morgans the want for lunch, became a need and we headed into Jordans, thinking it was the same Jordans as always, but found it has changed hands and the bar area lacking a little ....well any atmosphere. A very pleasant Kerry man advised us that although there was no chowder on the lunch menu, he was confident the chef would be able to produce some. Now Fat Freddie is a foodie in that he knows what he likes and knows how a dish should taste.A huge bowl of thick fish filled chowder arrived with fresh brown bread and I knew after spoon number 1 that Fat Freddie was a happy man. In the

Although I seem to have cast myself out in the world as a culinary expert ,there are things that I have repeatedly failed in the kitchen. Chocolate Caramel Squares are the mnost recent but the most frequent failure has been the humble yet complex scone ! Why oh why does my lovely soft dough come out of the oven with a texture fit to kill a duck if fired haphazardly. Why does something which looks so tempting taste so bad when you bite into it. Big Mamas Mil ( Mother in law)is still recovering from the last experiment, which I proudly presented at an extended family function, only to have them shot down in flames with much hilarity......gits ! Big Mamas Mama is a very acomplished scone maker but failed to had over the scone DNA required si I had to search the world for a solution. I googled "foolproof scones" and came up with a vast array of recipes, narrowed it down to 3 and set about testing. I decided in a vert brave moment to bring my first experiment results to my boss &q

Much to my delight Billie O'Shea of Fairyhouse Cookery School, posted me her latest list of upcoming courses. Now I first heard of Billie, when the Mad One, My mother " Big Mamas Mama" and myself booked to attend a course before Christmas 3 years ago. Unfortunately life intervened and we had to cancel at short notice, but Billie being Billie, insisted not to charge us and begged that we attend at another time. I booked in secrecy for another morning before Christmas, where myself and about 8 other ladies were entertained, taught, well fed and watered by the vibrant Billie and I still make her raspberry roulade and prawn starter. In the upcoming months , May 29th from 10-3 for 95 euro is Barbecues and Salads, with the true optimism only the Irish have in the summer months.Later options include Fast Fresh Fish, Italian BBQ and Al Fresco Food and Six Simple Suppers. On 17th June she will host a 7 Summer Solutions Demo with Lunch or Supper and glass of vino over a 2 hour peri

Today is glorious National Fish and Chip day thanks to ITICA ( the italian irish chipper assocation )125 years ago the first of many Itlaians from Val di Comino came over to Ireland and opened an authentic chipper.....none of us have regretted their arrival !Whether it be sole, plaice, haddock or the favourite cod, fish and chips are loved countrywide and today you can get yours half prcie from any ITICA member.......a recession busting idea I love ! Now, the Farmer I mentioned yesterday, whom I really need to rename the Spud Farmer happens to be coeliac so for many years Fish and Chips have only been chips for him. I dedicate this recipe to him today, so he can join the rest of us in appreciation of this national favourite. Gluten-Free (GF) Beer-Battered Fish Fry Recipe ( courtesy of glutenfreecooking.about.com) Ingredients: Oil suitable for high heat frying, (preferably coconut oil!) 2 lbs fresh fish fillets 1 cup gluten free flour ( eg Tritymil) 1 cup cornflower 1 tsp GF baking powd

The Mad One (my 11 month younger sister) was completely unable to cook when she got engaged to the Farmer. I decided that the marriage would soon come to an end if I did not do something to improve her culinary skills. I bought her Delia Smiths Complete Cookery as an engagement present and it proved ( in my humble opinion) to be the best gift she or the Farmer ever received. Once married, and realising that faremers don't come home a 6pm each evening, she took to Delia with a vengeance and through careful exact recipe following, became an incredibly competent cook. Much to my disgust, she has far surpassed me in his field, but the sisterly competitive nature in my is always looking to get one up on her. I used her phone today to call the Horsey One, to advise her of my blog, hoping I might entice another follower. She happily declared she would "follow me to the end of the net" and promised to check it out that evening.At that point she finished the chat by asking me to t

Summer has to my favourite time of the year for one reason only....the food festival circuit. It kicked off a couple of weeks ago with a local food and craft fair, where I sampled the great Aruna Sauce range of curries, produced in Ardee and had the best soup I have ever tasted. It was simply called Lebanese soup and was a moorish combination of chicken pieces, chickpeas and a barage of fresh herbs....amazing.It was the work of Assia El-Zarruk (assia3@btinternet.com) who will cater for any event and if the soup is anything to go by, no one will be dissapointed! This weekend sees Carlingford host their Taste of Carlingford event, with lots of events, for adults and childen alike, a a ramble for those who feel the need to do something healthy before tucking in.On Sunday we will venture over to Carnaross, for the Sheridans Food Fair, with loads of stands, and even a childrens cheese tasting...brilliant ! Bloom comes upon us the June Bank Holiday weekend and apart from the garden bits, has

Finally, I have recovered enough to write about the girlie weekend in Paris ! Last weekend, me, the financial advisor, the blonde, the newly single and preggers took off to Paris for the weekend, where we were met by the ambassadrice , my baby sister, and the tall one, baby sister of the FA and NS. Needless to say the weekend consisted of eating , drinking and shopping. Saturday night saw us dining at Le Petit Prince in the latin quarter. Although the service was gallicly slow, the food was sublime, particulalry the desserts. In fact, the blonde nearly slid off her chair having tasted the chocolate fondant. They must have sussed that preggers was preggers as she got three chocolate mousses !The ambassadrice was handy as she is fluent in French and pretty to boot, so the service dramatically improved when she fluttered her eyelids.Lots of great white Bordeaux meant it was a highly entertaining evening, before we headed back to Hotel Mansart, beside the Place Vendome, which was fantastic

Cake number 2 was presented to me completey by surprise at my twin niece and nephews Holy Communion party. The "Fraise", a french strawberry and creme patissiere masterpiece was created by my cousin Iseult from thecakestand.ie, which made it even more special. It sat beside my nephews Aston Martin Bond cake and my nieces very sophisticated Chocolate creation. They really were spectacular and devoured. All that is left today is the bonnet of the Aston Martin !Iseult's cupcakes completed the beautiful new cake stand I got from my birthday from one of my oldest friends...a truly bake-tacular birthday !

Oh yes..."pack a bag " turned into an evening in the wonderful Nuremore Hotel. Our room overlooking the lake was huge and beautiful and the bed the biggest I had ever seen. Dinner ....where do I start ! Well , our amuse bouche was Cucumber and Cumin Veloute, which we both followed with smoked pork belly with a seared scallop and caramelised apple....a masterpiece. The sirloin steak with ceps and reduction was next, a pre dessert of raspberry foam and lemon posset followed and then I had a warm Valrhona tart with cafe au lait parfait and ginger creme, while Gasp had a raspberry meuille feuille.......amazing !The service was impeccable, richly deserving of their Michelin recommendation. Truly my surprise night away was a littel bit of heaven. I very happily returned to collect the boys in Mums house and found Dad there too for a lovely birthday lunch with a littel glass of Moet, before the designer handbag cake ! Superb. I have been well and truly spoiled. If this is 40 then br

"Pack an overnight bag on Friday" he said, "your Mum is minding the boys". Well you could have knocked me over. You see on Saturday I turn 40 ! Oh yes, Big Foodie Mama will soon be the big 40 foodie mama ! My husband, the gorgeous , adorable, patient and suffering one, one who will be known as GASP, just dropped this into the conversation.Now my husband is nor renowned for his spontaneity so readers I am EXCITED. Of course he dropped this into the conversation, just before he let me know that his bosses wife loved the boiled fruit cake I had sent to the bosses mothers wake. He asked if I would give her the recipe and then added..."it would be really nice if you made her one "....the cheeky pup. Due to the contents of our previous conversation, I of course, had to say yes, so with the help of an Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, I set about making, what is my favourite fruit cake. GRANNY GRUNTS BOILED FRUIT CAKE 450 margarine 600 ml water 350 g brown sugar 450 g