XMAS INDULGENCE !

SCOTTISH CRANACHAN!!                                                             xmas at its best here a recently discovered favorite of ours cranachan ! all elements that are in this traditional scottish dish , Oats ,Whiskey, Cream, Treacle , Honey,  Almonds , fresh Blackberries , Raspberries.

This desert  is a winner and since i have discovered it recently it is one that shall be adorning my xmas menu for many years to come and will definitely be wheeled out on special occasions.

Goatsbridge fish farm (thomastown)

 A class visit to goatsbridge fish farm  before the xmas break gave us the chance to learn about and  gain invaluable insight in to the supply of quality produce to the industry.During the relaxed tour of  the farm we were informed of the history of the farm and how it has evolved to what it is today a  local product in great demand at home and abroad.                                                                    

on stage ! demo! (my dish )

This class with chef quinn was about regional and national cuisine relevant to us as individuals, for my dish i had to plan , prepare and demonstrate how to make my chosen dish which was a traditional Scottish dish ,"STOVIES" as it turned out we thought it was going to be a very informal demo in class ! how wrong was i (ha ,ha) take centre stage grant!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

 The stovie ! a traditional Scottish dish
to stove something means to stew or braise / steam 
the meal derived from Scots  servants of wealthy lords or landowners in bygone years they would use the leftover foods from the tables, to make hearty meals that could last a few days at at time to feed themselves. (hence it tasting better the day after mmm )  the meal was served on its own but as it grew popular people started to serve this with a Scottish oatcake making it "seemingly" more appealing than having it by itself it was also a seen as a social statement at the time that you could have such an accompaniment  . i  remember  the dish from my  childhood and it  was always sold in paper cups from food vans  along entrance roads to football matches,the humble stovie has many forms and versions but i think simple slow cooked version stays true to its roots and i took great pleasure in passing my take on my mothers recipe for it on to the class and being able to give a little backstory to the dish.  

 heres a view from the comfort of my chair after going first in the demo ! To follow was an english bubble&squeak,polish braised cabbage dish , and a bangladeshi chicken curry . Great fun was had and what i took with me was the confidence to be able to speak openly and enjoy why we are training to become better chefs and recognise that theres a whole world of culinary cuisine  out there to be sampled and shared.

a local delight !

locally sourced honey from clonmel, local beekeeper fr.pj fagan a work colleague of my wife, great produce i brought a sample in to class and was deemed an overwhelming delicious !!! my order is already on repeat !.

stews !

a few of the stews i have made , beef stew and a white veal stew !