Irish Blog Awards 2011

Last Saturday I travelled to Belfast with fellow food blogger Babaduck Babbles to attend the Irish Blog Awards.  I may have mentioned in passing *cough* that I was a finalist in the Best Food/Drink Blog category.  The awards were held in the Europa Hotel and that is where we set up camp for the evening.  While we were a little tight for time we did manage a visit to Hotel Chocolat where we literally had to drag each other away before emptying the shelves, and also to Cayenne, the restaurant of Paul Rankin.  Both were fantastic spots to visit.  I have been happily filling my face with Hotel Chocolat florentines all day and the meal in Cayenne was absolutely delicious, I sent 3 spotlessly clean plates back to the kitchen.  To start I had a seafood chowder with an oriental twist and the balance of chilli and coconut milk was perfect.  For my main I enjoyed delicious plump gnocchi, with a delicate crisp shell served in a rich cream sauce.  With my belly already full I opted for a selection(caramel, ginger and vanilla) of ice creams for dessert. 

A quick dash back to the hotel to change into our gúna's and we were all set for the main event.  For the past 6 years the awards have been organised by Damien Mulley and a small team, and hosted by Rick O'Shea.  The room was a buzz with chatter and laughter as bloggers chatted happily in groups before being called to order.  With that they were off.  The food/drink category was 2nd up on the night and the award went to the very lovely Aoife of The Daily Spud, a second win for Aoife and her excellent blog.  (If you haven't checked it out yet be sure to do so, especially if like Aoife you are rather fond of the humble spud)  The ceremony continued in a haze of t-shirt throwing, fake trophy pillaging, foam guitar playing and cup cake stealing, and the sound bite of the evening was "ouch my fanny hurts", which raised a chuckle every time.  A pretty great way to spend a Saturday night if you ask me.

I thoroughly enjoyed the awards and was more than a little disappointed at the end of the ceremony when Damien Mulley announced it was to be the last Irish Blog Awards.  It would be a shame to see the end of such a positive celebration of people who are so passionate about their subject matter and for this reason I hope to see the awards reinvented in a new guise or possibly organised by someone else.  I would like to thank Damien Mulley and all who helped to organise the awards and also the judges who took the time to read my blog and award it a finalists place.  Once again I would like to thank those who nominated my blog and all who read and comment.  I am very proud of my little blog and it's achievement in it's short life and I hope to continue to make it a blog you enjoy to read and follow.

Also, huge congratulations to the lovely Nessa Robbins of Nessa's Family Kitchen, who scooped the gong for Best Newcomer.

You can find a full list of winners here.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Picture from karenswhimsy.com

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all from an uncharacteristically sunny Dublin.  It generally piddles rain here each year on the 17th ensuring that all those participating in parades around the country and all spectators are soaked to the skin and frozen solid.  Rain or shine it is always a wonderful day full of celebration for what I think is a pretty great little nation.  As it is a national holiday I am going to be a bit lazy and take a break from baking but normal service will resume very shortly.  I am also going to shun the madness of parades and festivals and instead enjoy a nice walk with my husband surrounded by the best of Ireland, in one of the many national parks we are lucky to have on our doorstep.  Not a bad way to celebrate our patron saint, Patrick.  Wherever you are and whatever you are doing today I wish you a very happy St. Patrick's Day. 

Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh
Le grá
R x

Irish Foodies March 2011 Cookalong, Traditional Irish Part 2, Bailey's Chocolate Mousse

The monthly Irish Foodies cookalong rolled around on the 4th of March.  I have already posted a recipe for the potato scones I made on the day and here is my second offering.  The theme was traditional Irish to coincide with St. Patrick's Day which falls later this week.  While I am pretty sure chocolate mousse is not traditionally Irish, no one can argue that a pint of Guinness is, so I decided to dress my mousse up as a pint of the black stuff.  Add in a splash of Bailey's Irish Cream and sure St. Patrick himself would scoff the lot, to be sure to be sure.  Right that's enough of the Irishisms.

For the purpose of the photographs in this post I served the mousse in a tumbler glass and topped it with whipped cream.  This yielded 3 portions which I'm sure would prove a little on the large side for even the most ardent chocoholic.  Trust me, I gave it a good bash but it took two sittings to finish one off.  I would suggest that you serve the mousse in a tall shot glass or alternatively espresso cups.  You should yield 6-8 servings in smaller glasses.

Bailey's Chocolate Mousse
serves 6

285ml/0.5pt Single Cream
200g/7oz Good quality Plain Chocolate, 70% Cocoa Solids
2 Large Eggs, separated
30ml/1floz Bailey's Irish Cream, or liquer of your choice

Whipped cream optional

1.  Place the cream in a saucepan and heat but do not allow to boil. 

2.  Remove from the heat and set aside for 1 minute before breaking in the chocolate.

3.  Stir until smooth and the chocolate has melted. 

4.  Beat in the egg yolks and Bailey's and stir until smooth.
5.  In a bowl whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk to form stiff peaks.

 
6.  Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in three stages.
7.  Pour into serving glasses and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Madrid, Feb 2011

Madrid in the spring sunshine

As part of my birthday present this year Mr. Boo booked a surprise trip to Madrid for the morning after the big day.  I felt a bit like Kathryn Thomas having just flown back in from Edinburgh on the Saturday, finding myself needing to pack again on Sunday for an early flight on Monday morning.  I don't know how she does it, I was bleedin' knackered, but we managed to drag ourselves to the airport none the less.  Thankfully the delightful Ryanair staff were busy fleecing a bunch of students for excess baggage fees so the very nice Service Air man waved us through without so much as glancing towards our cabin size bags and wished us a happy trip.  I nearly fell over. 

One windy and bumpy flight later we landed in Madrid.  The sunny weather felt almost tropical following a winter of freezing the choppers off ourselves in Dublin.  A short hop in a taxi brought us to our residence for the next 2 nights, the Vinnci Soho Hotel, on Calle del Prado.  The hotel is very centrally located and an ideal base if you want to see the city by foot.  All of the main attractions can be reached in less than half an hour, but most in 5-10 minutes.  The beautiful Plaza de Santa Ana is within spitting distance and Plaza de la Puerta del Sol is approximately 3 minutes away.  Madrids "Art Triangle" is approximately 5 minutes walk in the other direction so perfect for every one's cultural needs be they sights, shopping or art.   The hotel itself is beuatifully designed with a modern decor.  It was our second stay here and it was just as good as I had remembered from the first time round.  The staff are polite and professional, the rooms are very comfortable and the bar is a nice place to start off an evening out with a glass of cava.

Our room in Hotel Vinnci Soho, Calle del Prado

Mr. Boo and myself were both a little exhausted following the excesses of the previous weekend and so decided on a lazy break filled with wandering the cities streets, eating, drinking cava and beer, eating, taking a few photos, eating, shopping and maybe some eating.  Having dropped our cases in our room we set out for a wander and a bite.  The Madrilenos were all bundled up in winter coats and scarves so we followed their lead but had to derobe pronto as the lovely spring sunshine was proving too much for our Irish bones and we both exclaimed we were 'sweatin' (classy burd, I know) and needed to find somewhere to sit and have a cold drink and something to eat.  We decided to head toward the Plaza de Oriente to Cafe de Oriente.  We were the only tourists in the place and sat amongst locals enjoying a leisurely lunch.  We decided to share a plate of jamon Serrano which was served with crispy bread and some tomato & garlic.  It was delicious and we may have had a row over who was going to have the last slice.  Following that I indulged in a slice of moist, light, moreish chocolate cake while Mr. Boo satisfied his sweet tooth with an apple tart.  Both were washed down with cafe con leche.  I am not a big coffee drinker but have never had coffee as nice as the cafe con leche served in Madrid, it's almost worth going back for that alone.  Our bellies full we decided to wander back in the direction of our hotel.  On the way we stopped at a little bakery and before I knew it Mr. Boo had a box of sweet treats in his hand, they were like miniature iced donuts and tiny delicate pastries.  He happily started to stuff his face before catching a glimpse of my shocked 'I can't believe you didn't ask me if I wanted anything and that you didn't get anything chocolatey' face.  With his mouth full he offered the box forward and nearly had a strop when I took one.  Light with the most delicate crisp shell and perfectly sweet, if I can ever bake to that standard I will die happy. 

Cafe de Oriente, Plaza de Oriente

Following a power nap, shower and beautifying session we were all set for a night out.  We decided on Entre Suspiro y Suspiro for dinner, a Mexican located on Calle Canos del Peral just of Plaza de Isabelle II.  Unless you knew what you were looking for you would pass this restaurant by as it is just a doorway with no major signage and no large windows to show the delight that lies within as you walk past.  Once inside though, it is a very special place indeed.  The walls are covered in a mix of abstract artwork most of which depict el diablo in some form or other.  The colours are bright and punchy meaning you are never bored as you allow your eyes to wander around the walls.  The staff are very friendly and make some mean cocktails, we can vouch for both the margaritas and the mojitos.  Then there is the food.  My God the food.  This place is most definitely not style over substance and while some uber cool restaurants rely on their style over lacklustre food to draw customers Entre Suspiro Y Suspiro delights on both levels.  While I can't remember the names of the dishes I tried, my Spanish is very limited, I can remember how they tasted.  The mix of spices and fresh flavours combined beautifully to provide a real treat for the taste buds.  My mouth is actually watering just now thinking back.  To start Mr. Boo enjoyed prawns with guacamole and salsa served on flower shaped tortilla shells.  I had soft tortilla parcels stuffed with vegetables, served with guacamole and chipotle sauce.  I like my food spicy and my dish suited me perfectly, spicy but without rendering my palate incapable of tasting the course to follow.  I would happily have eaten both dishes again.  For his main course Mr. Boo had tender pork medallions served with rice and a mango sauce.  I opted for prawns served on soft flour tortillas with chipotle sauce.  I'm not sure that I can describe these dishes adequately so I will simply say that each dish was cooked, seasoned and flavoured to perfection and made with the freshest of ingredients.  I'm not sure I would ever be able to visit Madrid without returning to Entre Suspiro Y Suspiro, the food is probably some of the best I have tasted, anywhere. 

Entre Suspiro Y Suspiro, Calle Canos del Peral

The next morning we woke late and again headed out for a wander around.  For 'breakfast' (it was probably time for brunch when we rose) we headed to Museo del Jamón on Calle Mayor.  We stood at the bar amongst the locals (you have to battle for a spot, this place is constantly thronged) and ordered some bread rolls with jamon Serrano, freshly squeezed orange juice and cafe con leche.  The deli counter behind us had a relentless queue and I watched as the staff expertly cut wafer thin slices of ham by hand.  I was still feeling rather tired so didn't take as many pictures as I should have to show how fantastic this place is so apologies.  With a little fuel inside us we headed towards Carrera de San Jeronimo.  We walked and talked, took some photos and enjoyed the beautiful sunshine, when our limbs felt a little weary again we decided a break was in order and returned to the Glass Bar in the Urban Hotel which we had passed on our travels.  We settled ourselves down at a table in the window and watched as Madrilenos went about their working day, some ducking into the bar to enjoy a glass of cava or beer.  Our drinks were accompanied by some complimentary vegetable sushi and a bowl of nibbles, both of which I devoured.  Our limbs rested we set out again in search of tapas.  We cut through Plaza Mayor and out onto Calle de le Cava Baja.  On our previous trip to Madrid we hit this street on a Sunday and it was a hive of activity, tapas bar after tapas bar packed full of locals enjoying their weekend.  It was a very different story on a Tuesday, most of the bars were closed, possibly only opening for evening or weekend trade, but we did however find a few open and remembered one as particularly good so plonked ourselves at the bar to try some of the tapas on offer.  A couple of glasses of cava and sevorial tapas later and we were ready to head on our way.  By a happy coincidence we passed the cutest little bakery on our return to the hotel and well sure it would have been rude not to pick up a couple of cupcakes to try, right?

The Glass Bar, Urban Hotel, Carrera de San Jeronimo,

The Window of Museo de Jamon,

A bakery window.

For our final meal in Madrid we chose El Cenador del Prado.  I knew it was close to the hotel but couldn't figure out exactly where so asked the concierge for directions as we left.  I felt like a prize idiot when he directed us a few doorways down the street, but was more than a little disappointed to find it was closed down when we got to the door.  As I have said my Spanish is limited so I'm not sure if it had closed completely or was simply closed for rennovations.  Mr. Boo was hungry and isn't one for waiting around when his stomach needs feeding so he made an executive decision and we found ourselves in an Argentinian restaurant near to the previous nights Mexican.  He had a hankering for some steak and this certainly seemed the place to be.  Again, the restaurant was full of locals so seemed promising, and while it wasn't bad, it wasn't great and I don't think I would waste another holiday meal returning there.  We finished off our night back at the Glass Bar with mojitos and yet more nibbles, I know, I'm a big piggy.

Some tapas, cupcakes and a plate of jamon Serrano

Madrid is a really beautiful city, especially with the glorious spring sun shining down on it, and somewhere I can see myself returning to time and time again.  It's a nice short flight and the airport is less than half an hour from the city so ideal for a mini break.  The locals are friendly and we encountered nothing but pleasant service while there.  Everywhere you turn there is a beautiful plaza or building or fountain, a real treat for the eyes.  The food is delicious, and barring that one mediocre experience, we were spoiled with delicious fresh food, expertly prepared.  If you haven't been I would highly recommend it, regardless of your holiday requirements I don't think you will be disappointed.  As a couple who like to take in some sights, eat good food and enjoy a glass or two of something refreshing we certainly weren't and my second visit lived up to the good memories from our first.

Finalist, Irish Blog Awards 2011

So, I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I had been nominated in the Best Food/Drink Blog category in the Irish Blog Awards 2011.  I was delirah, beside myself really, that someone or possibly sevorial someones had taken the time to nominate my little blog.  The day that the shortlists were released I nearly fell over when I spied my little blog still in the running.  By the grace of God I was sitting down on Wednesday morning when I logged in to twitter as people were congratulating me on becoming a finalist.  Had I not been safely perched on a chair I would have done myself a serious injury.  After I checked the Irish Blog Awards website a gazillionty times for confirmation I finally believed that it wasn't a little twitteratti joke.  I, me, Like Mam Used To Bake, have made it onto the list of finalists.  I'm not sure how it happened but I can't even begin to tell you all how happy and grateful I am.  I love my little blog.  It gives me a perfectly valid excuse to bake and eat cake weekly and I have met some really wonderful people since I have started blogging.

Again I would like to thank the person/people who nominated the blog.  I would also like to thank the judges who have deemed fit to place the blog on the list of finalists, Damien Mulley and all involved in organising the awards.  Lastly I would like to thank each and every one of you who read the blog and also comment, you make blogging so enjoyable for me and I hope that you continue along with me on my baking adventure.

My fellow finalists are truly fantastic bloggers, Dinner du Jour, I Can Has Cook?, Gimme The Recipe and The Daily Spud, and I am honoured to be named along side them.  I look forward to seeing them all at the awards ceremony next week and I would like to wish them all the very best of luck, not that they need it.  I don't rate my chances of winning too highly as I am up against such talented ladies but to have been nominated, shortlisted and become a finalist, well I couldn't possibly want more.  I have been given a beautiful cake with icing AND a cherry on top and sure who wouldn't be happy with that.   Thank you all once again.

R x

Pancakes

Pancake with Nutella, topped with chopped nuts

& toasted mini marshmallows

I know, I know, I'm a day early for Shrove Tuesday but I thought you might like to plan ahead for tomorrows flipping feast.  Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.  Lent, is traditionally a period of sacrifice in the forty days leading up to Easter Sunday.  Prior to this period of sacrifice a feast of pancakes would be consumed on Shrove Tuesday to enjoy foods such as sugar, eggs and butter which would be restricted during the Lenten season.  While the tradition of sacrifice during Lent is not as prevalent today, Shrove or Pancake Tuesday as it is more commonly known now has not waned in it's popularity. 

Pancake with peanut butter, topped with banana

& a drizzle of honey

When I was younger my mam would make the customary pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.  I don't remember ever having them at any other time throughout the year.  She made the traditional Irish style pancakes, thin and crepe like.  Despite my propensity to consume vast quantities of chocolate and rich desserts in a single sitting these pancakes always lay a little heavy on my tummy and I stopped eating them quite young.  My mam would still make them for herself and my sisters though (my dad doesn't like them either).  She would flip them expertly and when they were ready she would smear them with butter, sprinkle with sugar and roll them up before slicing. 

Pancake with salted caramel sauce,

topped with sliced apple

The next day we would go to church to have our foreheads marked with black ash and start into the annual period of sacrifice.  Every year it was the same for me, chocolate and sweets.  We received a special dispensation every Sunday and of course on St. Patrick's Day, you know the unwritten rule about being allowed to break your fast on a holy day.  It's been a while now since I have given anything up for Lent, I think it is the same for a lot of people.  I don't really see how depriving myself of chocolate, that I will naturally eat on the sly when there is no one around to see me, will make a big difference to the world at large.  Instead I try to make a bigger effort to be a slightly better person, grumble less, lift my head to say hello how are you to that neighbour that I really don't like, help someone out.  This year will be the same, I'm not sure it makes a huge difference to the world at large either but it's got to be better than a grumpy chocolate deprived me, right?

As I have said, I'm not a fan of crepe style pancakes, preferring thicker and fluffier American style ones.  I have tried a few recipes over the years, some I didn't like, some that just didn't work and through trial and error have created the recipe that works best for my tastes.  It produces thick, fluffy panckes that provide the ideal base for any number of delicious toppings.  Enjoy!

Pancakes
(makes 8+ depending on how many tablespoons of batter you use for each pancake)

150g/5.5oz Self Raising Flour
3tbsp Caster Sugar
Pinch of Salt
1 Large Egg
150ml Buttermilk
2tbsp Vanilla Extract

1.  Place the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl and mix to combine.
2.  Place the egg, milk and vanilla extract into a separate bowl and whisk lightly.
3.  Make a well in the centre of the dry mix and pour in the wet ingredients.  Whisk just until all of the ingredients are combined.  Do not overmix as your pancakes will be tough instead of light and fluffy.

4.  Place the mixture into the fridge to rest for half an hour.
5.  Set a pan over a medium heat and allow to heat for 4-5 minutes.  Add in 2tsp of oil and allow the oil to heat.
6.  Drop 2tbsp of the pancake batter into the pan and cook until bubbles appear around the edge.  Flip the pancake and cook on the other side until golden brown on both sides and the centre feels firm.  Repeat with the remaining batter.  (If you are making these for children you could drop 1tbsp of the batter onto the pan instead to give smaller pancakes.)

7.  Dress the pancakes with toppings of your choice, traditional ones are butter and sugar or lemon juice.  I topped mine with nutella, mini marshmallows and chopped nuts.  I popped them under the grill until the marshmallows were golden brown and toasted.  I topped others with peanut butter, chopped banana and honey; or salted caramel sauce and sliced apple for my husband. 

Irish Foodies March 2011 Cookalong: Traditional Irish, Potato Scones

Yesterday saw yet another Irish Foodies cookalong roll around.  As we are into March now the obvious theme choice was Traditional Irish to mark St. Patrick's Day which falls on the 17th of this month.  I actually found it quite difficult to settle on a recipe for the night.  I pondered and pondered and had a flick through some of my cookbooks but nothing jumped out at me.  Yesterday morning as I flicked through The Irish Farmers' Market book I spotted a recipe for some potato scones and thought they would be rather delicious with some smoked salmon.  I was right.  I enjoyed the nicest lunch I have had in ages and the colour of the smoked salmon was perfect for the Irish theme.  A very happy result. 

Potato Scones
( The original recipe states that it yields 4 scones but I rolled the dough thinner to make 7 scones)

3 Med-Lge Potatoes, peeled and cut in 3
40g/1.25oz Unsalted Butter
Salt & freshly ground Black Pepper
60g/2oz Plain Flour
1tbsp Oil

1.  Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil.  Reduce the heat to simmer for 10-15 minutes until cooked.
2.  Strain the water and mash the potatoes with the butter.  Allow to cool slightly.
3.  Season with salt and pepper and fold in the flour to form a dough.

4.  Transfer the dough onto a floured work surface and knead lightly.  Roll out the dough, about 3cm thick.
5.  Cut into circles using a floured pastry cutter.

6.  Place 1tbsp of oil into a pan and set over a medium heat.  Add the potato scones and cook until golden brown on each side.

7.  Serve while still hot.

I served my potato scones topped with smoked salmon, creme fraiche, some basil and a little squeeze of lemon.  Enjoy!