The Book Shelf...

Thu, Mar 21, 2013

With the BBC’s Masterchef now a couple of weeks into its ninth series, it is not surprising that the cookery book with the similar name is not far behind in reaching the shelves. Filled to more than 400 pages it has everything for the starter cook who cannot wait to get stuck into making everything from simple sauces or basic side dishes to more adventurous creations such as drink party canapés or an elaborate pear and blackberry cake. While the book is more of an in-house production with a team or writers (rather than a recognised author), there are a number of chefy tips from regular Masterchef presenters John Torode and Gregg Wallace.

Kelly's Kitchen

Thu, Mar 21, 2013

There is a stereotypical gender divide in food. Man food is slabs of meat, scotch eggs, big fry-ups, and anything wrapped in bacon. Women prefer yoghurt, quiche, cupcakes, and chocolate, preferably not all on the same plate. Whatever the truth of these clichés, most menus and venues lean more into one camp than the other. Kelly's was always a man's place to my mind, with burgers, pints, and the football on the telly. But Kelly's bar is fond of change. It is fair, I think, to say that Kelly's has had more re-inventions than Kerry Katona. The latest change the team have made is a new menu that just might be the most gender neutral menu in town.

One of the best things about Kelly's is that the owner, Joan, is from the Grealish dynasty of publicans and restaurateurs in town. In a Grealish premises there is no such thing as bad service. They just do not stand for it. Whether you are being given half a lobster dinner or a little bowl of soup, it comes with the same friendly, efficient, and approachable manner. Service is their obsession.

On the Wine Shelf...

Thu, Mar 14, 2013

Burgáns Albariño 2011 (Widely Available, €17.99)

While its green and orange label and Celtic name give it an Irish feel for St Patrick’s Day, this is made by Bodegas Martín Códax from 100 per cent Albariño in the slopes that run down the middle of the Salnés Valley in the Rías Baixas area of ‘green Spain’.

The Book Shelf...

Thu, Mar 14, 2013

On the threshold of the St Patrick’s weekend and the celebration of all things Irish, Rachel Allen’s newish cookery book with 120 of her favourite family recipes is a timely addition to the culinary bookshelves.

Get ready for the second annual Galway Food Festival

Thu, Mar 14, 2013

The launch of the programme for the second Galway Food Festival took place on Monday March 11 upstairs at McCambridge’s. The lovely Máirín Uí Chomáin, in a particularly elegant outfit and a covetable pair of shiny, fire-engine-red shoes, did the honours beautifully. As an author, the chairperson of Irish Food Writers Guild, and a true Connemara woman, she was perfect for the job. JP McMahon, festival chairperson, also spoke at the launch, in particular speaking warmly of the late lamented Gerry Galvin, who had launched the festival last year. A man who will be sadly missed.

The festival is bigger and better this year, running for five days from Thursday March 28 to Monday April 1 during the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, and I for one am certainly looking forward to it. Celebrating Galway as a food destination, the festival this year aims to highlight the importance of food provenance, sustainability, and healthy eating. Many of the great and the good of the Galway food scene were present at the event. Chefs, producers, restaurateurs, food educators, and… me! One of the best things about the launch being in McCambridge’s was that the nibbles were very nice indeed with chef Heather O’Flaherty and her team working hard behind the scenes. A huge amount of work goes into organising the festival with the committee members and many others giving freely of their time and expertise to make it a success. With some 70 restaurants, food outlets, and producers participating at more than 70 individual events, it must at times have been like an exercise in herding cats.

The Book Shelf...

Thu, Mar 07, 2013

Following the huge success of The Great British Bake-off (a format TV3 hope to imitate soon with The Great Irish Bake-off), Mary Berry’s star continues to rise among a whole new generation who were not born the first time she was famous. And, not surprisingly, the cookery books continue to be churned out to meet this new demand.

The state of the nation

Thu, Mar 07, 2013

In France, there is a distinctive culture of French food that is undeniable, food made with pride, using exquisite ingredients and techniques. There are world renowned culinary schools and regional specialities. To not experience the food, is to not truly experience France. Produce is affordable and accessible. Food is part of French life in a natural way, a country with strong rural traditions and great respect for food from the farm.

A Cajun feast at Creole

Thu, Feb 28, 2013

Creole was an instant hit when it opened last summer. A long sunny evening in the terrace with a pile of ribs and a beer was time well misspent, and it has been popular ever since. Now, it's not really a place for vegetarians, there are only a few choices from quite a big menu. This is man food. In fact, when my current husband realised he could not join me at Creole, there was much gnashing of teeth. I brought The Bride instead.

On the Wine Shelf...

Thu, Feb 28, 2013

Atlantis 2011 (Independents, €14.99)
This is probably not the first bottle of wine that is likely to catch your eye. But if you are looking for something really different or unusual this is definitely worth considering. Made in the Santorini region of Greece (yes, Greece) from a whole bunch of grapes - Assyrtiko (90 per cent), Aidani (five per cent) and Athiro (five per cent) - that are by no means familiar, the nose has a mineral charm with a dash of lemon that is very inviting.

This is probably not the first bottle of wine that is likely to catch your eye. But if you are looking for something really different or unusual this is definitely worth considering. Made in the Santorini region of Greece (yes, Greece) from a whole bunch of grapes - Assyrtiko (90 per cent), Aidani (five per cent) and Athiro (five per cent) - that are by no means familiar, the nose has a mineral charm with a dash of lemon that is very inviting.

The Book Shelf...

Thu, Feb 28, 2013

Having just completed her 10th cookery book, food writer and stylist Michele Cranston turns her attention to her time at Marie Claire magazine – she was food editor there for five years – celebrating the last decade at that famous institution and monthly women's magazine that was first published in France, although it has obviously been published in a number of different languages throughout the world.

Forest Catering — the home of the roast

Thu, Feb 21, 2013

Forest Catering was created in 2003 by Paul Madden. It is based between Athenry and Oranmore. The company started small with the creativity to produce delicious, wholesome, food, and value for money, and grew to be a leading catering company in the west of Ireland.

Poppy Seed Cafe, Clarinbridge

Thu, Feb 21, 2013

Poppy Seed coffee house and restaurant opened in the heart of Clarinbridge in 2007. This cafe is a modern and spacious, light filled space along the banks of the Clarin river, set back from the hum of the very busy main road and with ample parking. It seems the sun can find its way into this room on even the dullest of days. With one wall opened into a Meadows & Byrne store, Poppy Seed provides a welcome break from the hard work of homemaking with its excellent homebaking, just the ticket to break up a busy day. Open seven days a week and with freshly baked breads and other treats every morning, Poppy Seed offers a good menu for breakfast including an array of its speciality handmade pastries and premium coffee. Lunch choices are both healthy and hearty with chicken pâté with brioche and plum compote, Galway Bay seafood crumble with salad and brown bread, gourmet sandwiches and salads, quiches, and quesadillas all on offer. In addition to all this fine fare, the retail space offers wines, handmade Irish chocolates and biscuits, plus an array of preserves, chutneys, and savoury treats. If you need a gift or a hamper Poppy Seed will make it up for you and wrap it prettily to boot.

Homemade treats at Le Petit Delice for sweet toothed Valentines

Thu, Jan 31, 2013

If you cannot decide what route to take for buying your loved one an ideal Valentine’s gift then why not go for simplicity at Le Petit Delice.

Salthill Traditional Fish and Chips opens second store in Galway

Thu, Jan 31, 2013

Salthill Traditional Fish and Chips has done it again, this time in Galway city. Its new store in Forster Street, close to the tourist office, has all the traditional fish and chip offerings people have come to love in Salthill.

New Sunday service at The Skeff

Thu, Jan 31, 2013

Sundays at The Skeff Bar and Kitchen are changing. The Skeff has recently introduced a whole new Sunday food menu that will run all day on Sunday. The menu is made up of all the top selling dishes from all its menus broken down into Small Bites, Big Bites, Sandwich Bites, and Sweet Bites, so no matter what you are looking for The Skeff Bar and Kitchen has you covered.

A taste of the west at the g Hotel

Thu, Jan 31, 2013

The five-star g Hotel has launched a new menu in the award-winning Restaurant gigi’s, inspired by and using the best produce from the west of Ireland. A five course tasting menu, A Taste of gigi’s, will include fresh and seasonal ingredients from producers including Stefan Gannett fishmonger and Burke’s Fruit and Veg Galway. Prepared by head chef Pauline Reilly and her team, the menu is exclusively available until the end of February, at a cost of €40 per person.

The five-course tasting menu uses the best ingredients to create innovative seasonal and traditional dishes bursting with flavour. Enjoy a delicious mouthwatering five-course meal followed by petit fours and tea or coffee. Guests can also choose to upgrade to a wine pairing menu for an additional €20 per person.

the Galway Appetiser

Thu, Jan 31, 2013

New research from Bord Bia has revealed that supporting local businesses is a key consideration for members of the public when eating out, which may go part of the way to explaining why there is nearly always something of a queue up the stairs for a coveted seat in this small, but perfectly formed, cafe on Spencer Street in Castlebar. With the same research showing that over two thirds of the population rated the use of Irish and local produce as important when eating out for a meal, if you venture over the border to Mayo, Rua's impeccable pedigree of the origin of all elements on the plates delivers. And then some.

Lunch is for sharing at Lunares

Thu, Jan 03, 2013

It was the end of December with but one day to go till the start of the new year. The house had been hit by a veritable hurricane of small, pink, clothing. The combined forces of Santa and a little girl's December birthday had filled the house with tons of plastic. A previously unknown horror had entered my life, the truly vile invention that is Moon Sand, a force so insidious and evil that I could see no way to defeat it. The children had begun to make the relatively short word 'Mum' into a five to six syllable long whine that was slowly working on my already questionable sanity. And there was another week of this to go before the holidays were over.

I was hungry, but the aprés Christmas food fatigue had set in and I could think of more things that I definitely didn't want to eat than anything I did want. One thing was sure, I was not making anything myself. I packed up the family and we headed of to Lunares. Myself and the children were deposited at the foot of the colourfully-painted stairs next to Barr an Caladh in Woodquay, while my current husband went off to park the car in lashing rain that could only be described as biblical.

Win a Christmas turkey and ham with Eat Galway

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

To celebrate the run-up to Christmas we have a fantastic prize of an Irish turkey and ham for one lucky reader.

Taxing times, mistletoe and wine...

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

I think it is fair to say that the developing Irish wine market has hit something of a snag. Thanks to the unbalanced and, quite frankly, bizarre new tax on wine, all of our small retailers will have to increase the cost of wine in their shops at various stages between now and the New Year as their duty-paid stock runs out. This means that their customers will see various price increases per bottle, as many of the big supermarkets may very well hold their price, either by losing margin or by negotiating better deals with the big wholesalers. That some wine shops will close is certain, as the difference between what they can offer their customers and the below-cost selling of the supermarkets widens even further.

It is this below cost selling by the multiples that has been blamed as the cause of many of the social problems associated with alcohol. They unfairly use alcohol as a loss leader to build market share in the grocery sector. Yet the loophole still exists that when alcohol is sold below cost price, the retailer is entitled to a refund of the VAT differential, meaning in effect that the Government and taxpayers (that's you and me, folks) are subsidising any large retailers who can afford to sell alcohol below cost price. This is not by any means a fair or level playing field. In the absence of any coherent, balanced, national retail strategy, it is up to us as local people to buy from local businesses who wish to make an honest living by selling quality products to us.

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.