Duck — a tasty treat for any occasion

Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Duck meat is succulent and full of flavour but all too often only consumed on special occasions. There are many breeds of duck, each with its own distinctive culinary attributes. The Indian runner, Aylesbury, Peking, Norfolk, Long Island, Gressingham, Barbary, Rouen, and mallard are just some of the species of duck available for the table.

Wild duck should always be consumed within three days of killing and the duck shooting season is from September 1 until January 31. The duck was originally domesticated in China well over 2,000 years ago. Almost all domesticated duck in the western regions stem from the mallard duck, although some breeds are more suited to egg laying such as the Indian runner. Duck eggs, although not commonly used in most kitchens, make excellent eating and are also superb for baking due to them having a proportionally larger yolk than hen’s eggs. Duck eggs should always be consumed well cooked due to salmonella risks associated with the eggs of water fowl. The Galway market is the place to find fresh organic duck eggs, and if you get an opportunity to pick up a dozen don’t hesitate to give them a go.

Alan & Susan’s Pantry, Oranmore

Thu, Mar 19, 2009

I have made passing reference to this super new deli and now that they have had time to source all the goodies it is worth telling you about some of the unusual and great tasting items I have sampled. The word ‘deli’ is a highly abused term over the last few years and there are so many it is hard to tell the good from the bad — indeed a real deli is a distinct rarity and this is certainly the best for many miles around the Oranmore area. It is tucked around the corner from Main Street, Oranmore, facing the astroturf pitch with loads of free parking, even at the front door.

Eggs — a local food for any time

Thu, Mar 19, 2009

With all the talk of an economic meltdown it’s easy to consider locally produced food as a luxury that is for many beyond reach. The truth of the matter is fortunately far different — it’s possible to walk into almost any shop in Galway and find locally produced free range eggs.

Galway has a number of egg producers ranging from Galway free range eggs, Corrib eggs, Rockland eggs, and Piggott Pearse and Sons of Gort. Eggs are possibly the ultimate fast food and are considered a nutritionally whole food as all essential nutrients can be found in an egg. A freshly laid hen’s eggs simply boiled for three minutes and served with hot buttered toast is a feast fit for any person and any occasion. Also due to eggs containing a high proportion of protein a simple boiled egg is an excellent way to keep hunger at bay. Interestingly when it comes to boiling an egg the one rule to follow is not to let the egg boil, but rather allow the water simmer in a very gentle way.

Pizza prize for Bistro Bianconi

Thu, Mar 19, 2009

A team from Galway-based pizza company Bistro Bianconi has scooped a coveted award for best non-traditional pizza at the World Pizza Games in Las Vegas.

Thai style chicken with noodles and chilli

Thu, Mar 19, 2009

Thai cookery is in many ways unequalled in producing fine broth type dishes. The use of lime leaf, lemongrass, and coriander which are often enhanced with coconut milk and basil can produce broths with incredible depth and style. Another advantage of poaching foods in a broth is the healthy benefits of this cookery style. Although coconut milk has a high fat content it can easily be substituted by a low fat alternative. Another great thing about Thai food is that once you master the basics of how to balance the various Thai spices and flavours it is easy to alter a dish to include fish and vegetables. Aubergines work very well in Thai cookery. Thai fish sauce or nam pla is essential to achieving an authentic Thai flavour. Don’t be put off by this strong smelling condiment — when used correctly it can make a good dish great. Another handy point when using Thai curry paste — the green paste is the hot one and the red paste is the mild.

A night at Oscar’s

Thu, Mar 12, 2009

I called to Oscar’s Bistro very early on a Saturday evening, at 6.15pm, and was surprised to find several diners there already. They open at 6pm. By 6.30pm the restaurant was filling up nicely and there was a good atmosphere. One of the most striking differences since my last visit was the new pictures on the walls. There are very large stunning images, and upon further enquiry I discovered that they were all taken by the owner/chef, Michael O’Meara. In fact on the reverse of Oscar’s business card are the details of Michael’s other passion, www.foodandwinephotography.com. I recommend that you have a look as some of the images are stunning.

Classy cocktail classes — the perfect girls’ night out at the House Hotel

Thu, Mar 12, 2009

The art of cocktail mixing is known by very few, so why not add yourself to the elite list and learn to make the perfect Cosmopolitan? The city centre boutique House hotel is now offering the chance to learn from a professional mixologist how to create your favourite cocktails.

Let food be thy medicine

Thu, Mar 12, 2009

“Let food be thy medicine” — Hippocrates, c400BC

Fresh Irish crab

Thu, Mar 12, 2009

Far too often the only use given to this versatile and decadent decapod, this abundant and delicious crustacean, is to eat the claws and forget about the rest. Fresh crab when sold whole is one of the best value shellfish on the market. The culinary uses of crab are immense and range from simple soups to some of the great classic recipes of the world.

There are many species of edible crab common to Irish waters. The most popular crab used for the table in Ireland is the common or edible crab. The shell of the common crab is about eight inches wide and reddish brown in colour. Other superb table crabs are the velvet crab and the spider or spiny crab.

Restaurants — by design and some cool deals

Thu, Mar 05, 2009

A successful eatery is one where you feel good and do not want to leave, and one to which you will return regularly. It must of course provide great food and great service at an acceptable price. The more intangible ingredient is the atmosphere, the look and feel of the place. Some places have it naturally, eg, Moran’s of the Weir; others have to design it, and a stunning example of this would be the grand salon lounge in the g Hotel. Not everyone may love it but for many it has a wonderful wow factor as well as being an extremely comfortable space to relax in.

Tell us what you want — and the cheapest dinner in town (with wine)

Thu, Feb 26, 2009

Many restaurant owners are busy designing new menus, special offers, early birds, etc. However I would like to ask you the readers what you would like to see from our eateries in Galway, and what matters to you and your family when eating out. I will publish the most popular requests in a future article and the restaurant proprietors can take it from there. Send me an e-mail, [email protected] with your comments, don’t agonise over it, just tell me the first one, two, or three things that come to mind or things that are most important to you when eating out. For example: types of food, pricing, parking, opening hours, service, food and wine matching dishes, special gourmet dinners, etc.

Alternative cookery classes at Ard Bia

Thu, Feb 26, 2009

IN MARCH Ard Bia Nimmo’s will be hosting organic cookery classes, creative workshops, wine tasting, and a new knitting series.

On Saturday March 7 and Sunday 8 there will be an introduction to whole food cooking. The class will discuss what foods belong to a vegetarian diet. It will also look at kitchen essentials and equipment, how to use a grain mill, juicer, and blender, and there will be food tasting.

Artisan Restaurant, Quay Street

Thu, Feb 19, 2009

If you enjoy great food and have not yet discovered the treasures awaiting you at the relatively new Artisan Restaurant in Quay Street, then you have a real treat in store for yourself. It is located upstairs over Tigh Neachtain’s pub where Ard Bia was located before its move to the Spanish Arch. The restaurant is run by Matt Skeffington who does the job of maitre d’ in a pretty cool and efficient style. The kitchen is run by head chef Sylvain Gatay, and he has produced a menu which is quite wide ranging and with regional French flavours to many of the dishes on offer. The restaurant is not large so booking is recommended at weekends. The food is brilliant and the atmosphere perhaps could best be described as cool, lively, and happy.

Get ready for Pancake Tuesday

Thu, Feb 19, 2009

Twenty five per cent more Tesco Ireland customers choose to buy milk, flour, and eggs to make their own pancakes rather than buy convenience pancake products, a survey by the supermarket chain has revealed.

It’s no wonder, given that any number of delicious home-made pancakes can be made using these three ingredients, and the result is far tastier than the just-add-water variety available in supermarkets.

Home expressions

Thu, Feb 19, 2009

Consumers’ increasing interior design confidence and personal tastes make any style fashionable for 2009. From sleek, glamorous, leather suites and corner units to fabulous floral and print fabric suites, home décor is now geared more towards self expression and glamorous living experiences.

Conlon’s Oyster Bar and fresh fish in Ballybane

Thu, Feb 12, 2009

During the summer of 2008, Conlon’s Seafood Restaurant moved to its new premises, a few doors away in Eglinton Street. As you enter the new restaurant, there is a gorgeous art deco feel and the off white decor and furnishings add to a sense of openness. They have several different menus, a great value lunch menu offering a choice of five or six main courses for €9.90, eg, seafood risotto with salad and garlic bread, grilled fresh plaice with creamed potato and vegetable, and good old fashioned fish and chips.

Quality Irish lamb from farm foods direct

Thu, Feb 12, 2009

Everyone is looking for value for money at the moment. Farm Foods Direct in Tuam can offer exactly that. Dedicated to producing and supplying quality free range lamb and beef direct from the farm, Farm Foods Direct lamb and beef is excellent value compared to supermarket prices. Buy direct from the farm — not only do you save money but you get quality Irish food products produced locally fresh from our farm and help support local farmers.

Farm Fresh Foods is now taking orders for spring lamb. You can buy a half lamb or a whole lamb. A half lamb weighs approximately 10kg and a full lamb weighs approximately 20kg and contains four half legs, two shanks, lamb stew, and approximately 70 lamb chops/cutlets from rack, shoulder, and loin.

Ready to go dinners and tips for dining out on a budget

Thu, Feb 05, 2009

Goya’s in Kirwan’s Lane has expanded its range of foods to include dinners to go. All the meals are cooked on site with the same attention to raw ingredients as if cooking at home. There is also an interesting range of salads that you can purchase by weight and when I asked Emer, the proprietor, why they are any different from their competitors, she said that it is the attention to small details like boiling the potatoes with their skins on before chopping into potato salad, or shredding all the cabbage by hand. Some of the dishes are: chicken in coconut, chilli, and lime, buttered squash and chorizo risotto, pork in cider sauce with roast vegetables, and Moroccan spiced lamb. The dinners are €8.50 each and if you are fairly local they will also deliver. As the selection varies it is a good idea to phone first on (091) 567010. They have a special offer of two free desserts if you purchase two dinners, which means you have dinner for two for €17 — not bad. The dinners are also available in Alan and Susan’s pantry in Oranmore and McCambridge’s in Shop Street.

A spoonful of Manuka honey is the best medicine

Thu, Feb 05, 2009

Most of us have heard of the new miracle remedy called Manuka honey. Manuka honey is made by bees that collect nectar from the manuka bush which grows wild in New Zealand. Manuka honey has traditionally been used for its health benefits and is renowned for warding off infections, and promoting natural healing and general wellbeing. The honey has been researched for decades, but only recently has a team of researchers from Germany identified its active ingredient, called methylglyoxal.

Changing times

Thu, Jan 29, 2009

It is a frequent comment among restaurant customers that they would like a particular menu changed more frequently, however sometimes customers do not want a restaurant to change its menu, especially when it has been in place and very popular for 10 to 15 years. This fact was brought home to me recently when I was talking to Charlie Chan, the owner of the original Royal Villa in Shop Street. Two years ago he moved to a new location in Oranmore and called the restaurant Asian Fusion. While it has been very successful and has some dishes that I particularly like, many of his old customers from Shop Street asked him to consider bringing back the original menu.

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