The weather this week has been absolutely amazing. I can hardly believe that its only the end of March and I'm covering the children in sun-cream, before they head out to school. With this beautiful weather comes Al Fresco Dining and this evening we are having our first barbecue of the season. Some meat is marinading, the burgers are made and all I've to do now is rustle up a few salads. What an easy way to feed a crowd -  I just love this way of dining! 

 All this sunshine has been very beneficial to the garden and it's really starting to show some growth. Our rhubarb is already growing at an accelerated rate. It seems that every time I cut a stalk, two grow back in its place. At this time of year rhubarb should be available fairly cheap at a farmer's market, so buy it when Irish rhubarb is in full season. If like me you have an abundance of rhubarb, wash it, slice it and pop it in the freezer ready for use all winter long. Otherwise you can use it up by making some very impressive jam for home consumption or to give as a gift.  There is something very satisfying about serving up your own homemade jam to accompany a scone. It is also delicious as a filler for a sponge cake or in jam tarts.  

 For the past few years I have been making a variety of jams. I'm certainly no expert and I'm ever in search of ways to perfect my recipes. However it seems to be trial and error and even if the jam doesn't set perfectly it will still have a flavour that's far superior to any shop bought variety. When making jam it is important that the fruit is fresh and in the case of rhubarb jam it's best made when rhubarb is in full season and not yet thick and tough. 

In recent years Jam making has come back into vogue, making it very convenient for the novice jam maker to get their hands on the necessary supplies of jars and covers. I tend to collect any food jars that would be suitable for jams and simply give them a good wash and sterilize them in an oven at 220 degrees centigrade for 5 minutes and allow to cool a little before filling with the hot jam. 
If you have yet to give jam making a go, try out this recipe and you will be surprised by how easy it really is!
Rhubarb and Ginger Jam

 Makes 8 x 1 lb (450 g) jars 

4 lb (1.8kg) trimmed rhubarb,
3 lb (1.36kg) granulated sugar
1lb (450g) Jam sugar
2 lemons, grated rind & juice
2 ozs (50g) bruised fresh ginger or 1 teasp ground ginger


1. Wipe the rhubarb and cut into 1 inch (2.5cm) pieces. 
2. Place the rhubarb in a large bowl layered with the sugar, the lemon rind and juice. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to stand overnight. 
3. Next day put the contents of the bowl into a very large saucepan, add the bruised ginger tied in a muslin bag{or the teaspoon of ground ginger}. Steadily bring to the boil until it is a thick pulp, which will take about an hour.
4. Test a teaspoonful on a cold saucer, place in fridge for 30 seconds, it the jam wrinkles when pushed by a finger the jam is set. If not repeat this process every 5 minutes.
5. Skim the jam and allow to cool slightly.
6. Remove the bag of ginger and then carefully ladle the jam, using a funnel to help, into hot clean jars.
7.  Cover with a waxed disc and allow to cool completely before screwing a lid on tightly. Stored in a dry airy cupboard, this jam will keep for many months!


The Jacob’s Creek ‘Wine & Dine Experience’ is back for another year, but this time they are hitting the road and will be visiting Dublin, Cork, Galway and Waterford. Last year's event, at the magnificent Christchurch Cathedral, was met with huge praise and anyone who attended the event was treated to a truly unique and special dining experience. This year's event promises to be just as impressive. This amazing night out is actually being offer, to enthusiastic foodies, for free and to be in with a chance of getting your hands on some tickets just go to the end of this post. Do put your name in the hat as you could be one of the lucky ones!

Official Press Release
This March and April, award winning Australian wine brand, Jacob’s Creek is encouraging food and wine enthusiasts across Ireland to ‘See Beyond The Label’. The brand is inviting guests to let their senses run wild to explore the true character of wine and food at a special free ‘Wine & Dine Experience’.

The Jacob’s Creek ‘Wine & Dine Experience’ Roadshow will visit Dublin, Cork, Galway and Waterford during the months of March and April. For one night only, 50 guests in each location will be given the opportunity to take part in a free wine tasting masterclass and delicious dining experience, which will encourage them to ‘See Beyond The Label’ and discover the true character of the wine and food on offer.

Using only their senses as a guide, guests will be taken on a virtual whistle stop tour through the Jacob’s Creek winery by top wine expert TV3’s David Whelehan, who will use the quality portfolio of Jacob’s Creek wines to reveal classic tips like how to understand a wine label and how to identify different grape varieties and wine styles. Throughout the evening, David will conduct blindfolded wine tastings to help guests develop their sense of smell and recognise the aromas of different wines. An award winning chef in each county will create a three course dinner menu using the Jacob’s Creek wine range for inspiration. Food on the night is guaranteed to tickle the taste buds and further tantalise the senses.

Aimee Milne, Jacob’s Creek Brand Manager, Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, said “Last year’s event in the Crypt Christchurch, Dublin was a great success and we saw a great demand from Facebook fans to bring the event closer to them. We decided to take the ‘Wine & Dine Experience’ on the road and offer food and wine fans in four locations around Ireland the opportunity to take part in the event. In keeping with the theme of seeing beyond the label, guests this year will enjoy wine and food in the unique surroundings of a contemporary art gallery, a 19th Century Jail, a museum and a Georgian Guild Hall. The Jacob’s Creek ‘Wine & Dine Experience’ is a fun and interesting way for consumers to learn something new about food and wine while enjoying Jacob’s Creek.”

The Jacob’s Creek ‘Wine & Dine Experience’ will take place over the following dates: Dublin 27th March, Cork 4th April, Galway 19th April and Waterford 26th April. To request a reservation at these special culinary events, logon to facebook.com/jacobscreekireland and enter your details on the ‘The Wine and Dine Experience’ tab or email jacobscreek@idl.iewith Jacob’s Creek ‘Wine & Dine Experience’ in the subject line, your name, date of birth (as drinks will be served), and contact details for you and a guest. Also please include which county event you would like to attend. Places are limited and guests will be chosen at random.

I think as a child, St. Patrick's Day was actually one of my favourite celebrations of the year. For the weeks preceding, many hours were spent making flags, banners, brooches and hats, all sporting green, white and gold. Of course, nowadays, all these can be bought for little or nothing, yet I feel for the children to experience the 'real' St. Patrick's Day a few homemade flags are completely necessary! The local parade was the highlight of the day where we got to stand at the side of the road for a couple of hours, mostly in the rain, waving frantically as neighbours passed by in their tractors and trucks. A couple of brass bands and some energetic Irish dancers would complete the lineup, and each year on the journey home we'd decide that the previous year's parade had actually been better. As simple as this day was, I have so many fond memories of St. Patrick's Day. I think the fact that it was a family day out really made the experience special and all the nicer.


 
Potato Cakes

Each year my Mother would serve a big fry up before we went to town, and my favourite part to this would be my mother's fluffy potato cakes. A big knob of butter placed on top before serving allowed the potato cake to don a silky buttery glaze. Only in recent years have I started to make potato cakes myself and the children love them. I have added some finely chopped scallions to my potato mix but if you prefer you can leave these out and make them plain or even add a handful of grated cheese. Enjoy!



Ingredients
450g (1lb) cooled mashed potatoes
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, slightly beaten
75g (3oz) plain flour
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 tbsp oil
Knob of butter

Method
  1. Place the mashed potato in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and add the egg. Stir in the flour and finely chopped scallions. Combine well to form a dough.
  2. Transfer the dough onto a floured work surface and lightly knead. Roll out the dough, about 3cm thick.
  3. Cut into circles using a pastry cutter making approximately 8 potato cakes.
  4. Place the oil into a pan and place over a medium heat. Add the potato cakes and cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
  5. Serve hot with a knob of butter on top.


A couple of weeks ago I was invited along to lunch at the new Avoca in Monkstown, Co. Dublin. A new venture for the family run Avoca as the full premise is solely dedicated to food. There is a cafe which hosts an exciting seasonal menu, which certainly left me spoilt for choice. There is also a lavish food hall which is impressively stocked with fresh fruit and veg, cheeses, rotisserie Irish chickens, fresh breads and cakes, a craft butcher and many delicious Irish products. It's a food lovers haven, which has many of the best artisan products in the country all under one roof.
In the last number of years I have really come to appreciate the value of well produced, good quality food.  Lucky for us in Ireland there is an abundance of food producers that are truly dedicated to developing products that are held in high esteem world wide. We are blessed in this country to have fabulous land and in turn our animals are served an excellent diet, which results in premium meat and milk. The quality of Irish cheeses, yogurts, butter and meat all goes back to the land and how well that our animals are treated by the farmers.
As well as some well known Irish companies there is now an increasing amount of Irish artisan products appearing in our shops. Indeed these artisan products can be expensive but there is little comparison between them and their supermarket equivalent. It has never been more important than now for us to shop local and buy Irish. International studies have confirmed that 45c of every euro spent with local companies re-circulates back into the local economy. There was a fantastic campaign last year asking us to substitute even one product in our basket for an Irish equivalent. It has really made me think, so now when there is an Irish alternative to something on my list, I generally pick it up. 

White Soda Focaccia with Caramelised Red Onion & Cooleeney

Here is a recipe that is based on a bread I once saw Rachel Allen making in Ballymaloe. It's a recipe for a traditional Irish white soda bread but instead of popping it into a loaf tin it is cooked in an oiled swiss roll tin. The orginal recipe had some Cashel Blue and sliced garlic sprinkled over the dough, which was also delicious. I've topped it with some red onion that I caramelised on the pan with a little olive oil, some creamy Irish Cooleeney, a little grated cheddar, a drizzle of olive oil over the top and the result is a very tasty White Soda Focaccia. This makes the perfect accompaniment to soup but also often when I'm entertaining I will have one cut up into lots of cubes to enjoy with wine, cheese and olives. 


Ingredients
Olive Oil
450g plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon salt
400ml buttermilk
Topping
75g (3oz) soft cheese,  such as Cooleeney,  Brie or Camembert
handful grated cheddar
3 tbsp caramelised red onion
Olive oil

Method.
1.    Preheat an oven to 200 ̊C/ 430 ̊F/gas mark 7.
2.    Brush a swiss roll tin or baking tray generously with olive oil.
3.   Sieve the plain flour, salt and the bread soda into a big bowl.
      4. Make a well in the centre, pour in most of the buttermilk, and with one hand stiff and your fingers spread out like a claw, start mixing in a full circle once the butter milk has gone in.
  5. Keep mixing like this until you have a soft dough. Do not knead it but work it very gently to bring it together.
  6. Transfer to a floured surface and roll it out to about 35x20cms (14x8inches), and transfer it to the oiled tray.
  7.  Drizzle the top with some more olive oil and sprinkle evenly with the cheese and onions. 
  8.  Put it in the oven and cook for 18-25 minutes, depending on how thick it is. 
  9.  When cooked, it should feel firm in the centre and be gorgeous and golden brown on top.
  10.  Transfer it to a wire rack and cool for a couple of minutes, then cut it into squares and serve.
I really enjoyed the last season of River Cottage, which was completely dedicated to Veggie dishes, so I was thrilled to receive the accompanied book {River Cottage Veg everyday!} from one of my little men for Christmas. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's books are always packed with recipes that are fairly straight forward but so delicious and this book is no different. I'm sure producing a book completely dedicated to vegetable dishes wasn't an easy task, but Hugh has done this and excelled himself. With a lot of creativity and imagination he has created dishes that any dedicated meat eater would thoroughly enjoy.


 In the past couple of months I've tried quite a few of the recipes and this is one of my favourites. Often times I stumble upon a recipe that I enjoy so much, that once I've made it a couple of times, I start to include it as one of our regular dinners. This is one of those recipes, as it consists of ingredients that I will always have in my press. Grant it, the list of ingredients may be long but I'm sure you may already have most of them. Feel free to put whatever you please into the chilli, adding more or less spice, according to what you like. The pinto beans can be replaced with mixed beans or chickpeas while the courgettes and peppers can be swapped for mushrooms and squash. The chilli keeps perfectly in the fridge for 2-3 days and also freezes really nicely. The way I like to serve this is in a big bowl, in the middle of the table, with lots of smaller bowls consisting of  basmati rice, guacamole or just sliced avocado, sour cream. grated cheddar and some lettuce. I then let everybody help themselves which makes it a very handy dish for entertaining. Tortillas or flat-breads also work fabulously with a chilli. The flat-bread in the photo is one I made using Hugh's recipe (see page 176) which turned out quite nice.


Pinto Bean Chilli

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
3 onions
2-3 green chillies, to taste, deseeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
2 courgettes, cut in 1cm dice
1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and cut into 1cm dice
2 tbsp tomato puree
400g tin plum tomatoes, roughly chopped and any stalky
ends and skin removed
400g tin of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
100ml red wine
A good handful of parsley, finely chopped
A good handful of coriander, finely chopped
A handful of fresh oregano or tsp of dried
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Method 

1.Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium-low heat, add the onions and sweat, stirring from time to time until very soft and just starting to take some colour.
2.Add the chillies, garlic, cumin, cayenne and allspice and stir for a minute.
3.Add the courgettes and red pepper and stir to coat in the spices. 
4.Add the tomato puree, tinned tomatoes with their juices, pinto beans, red wine, parsley, coriander and oregano. Pour over 200ml of water and add some salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the veg are all tender and everything is thick and saucy. If the veg starts to stick, add a little more water. 
5.Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a little more salt and/or pepper if you think it needs it.

It can sometimes seems unbelievable the amount of actions and events that can happen as a result of Twitter. Only last year a huge foodie festival was organised in Donegal, which simply started with a tweet between a few foodies that were planning on having a dinner at Harry's in Inishowen. This festival soon became known as Inishfood and it will be happening again this May. Another recent event organised as a result of a tweet by Dorcas Barry, is a workshop with the well known and hugely respected American food writer Diane Jacobs. This will be taking place in September and there are details on the IFBA website. 
My most recent account, of something wonderful to happen because of a tweet, was one sent by Kathryn Thomas on Thurs night. It read - "My friend is heading to Belarus in May. They urgently need babies nappies of any kind. Can anyone help? Pick up nationwide no problem". I responded to Kathryn and she forwarded me Jim Kavanagh's number, a gentleman from Co. Kilkenny. I rang Jim on Friday morning and he told me how Adi Roche had been in the Vesnova orphanage in Belarus last week and it turns out that their supplies of disposable nappies are very low. Jim will be driving out there, with a container, in early April and he's hoping to bring with him a good supply of nappies. These people do such amazing work that I really wanted to do something to help.
 I'm planning on getting together some packs of nappies to give to Jim, to bring to Belarus. Any size, any variety or any brand would be brilliant. If anyone would like to donate a packet of nappies, I will have different collection areas, around Moate, set up for the coming fortnight. I'm waiting on some drop off areas to be confirmed, but so far here are some places that I will be collecting from. Once more are confirmed tomorrow I will add them to this list.

 Castledaly N.S. - Nappies can be dropped in there this week, up until this Friday 2nd Feb.
Mount Temple Hall - I'll be there on Wed morning 7th March between 9.30 & 11 am.
Tir ná nOg Playschool, Moate - Nappies can be dropped between Tues & Fri 2nd March. 9.15-12.15hrs
Mount Temple N.S. - Nappies can be dropped to the school on Fri 2nd & Mon 5th March.

 Jim will collect nappies from anywhere in the country, so if you can organise a few packs contact Jim and he will collect them from you. Just pop me an e-mail at nessasfamilykitchen@gmail.com and I will pass on his number to you.

Update March 2012 - Thank you all who supported this appeal. Together we collected over 7,000 nappies.