Bibliocook - All About Food

Award-winning blog of Irish food writer and broadcaster Caroline Hennessy.

Category: Do

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Gardening for Valentine’s weekend

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Look at these, just waiting for something nice to be cooked in them! This Le Creuset set has to be one of the coolest wedding presents that you could ever get – very appropriate for this time of the year too. I have to say, though, that there’s not going to be any cooking, romantic or otherwise, done around here this weekend as we’re off in Baltimore, staying at Rolf’s for a couple of nights while doing a two-day gardening course in the Glebe Gardens. Having visited the gardens while on honeymoon in the area in 2007, I fell in love with their potager-style layout, vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruit all mixed in together. I’m hoping to get lots of inspiration from these two days!

Cookery demonstration at the Killavullen Farmer’s Market 0

Food Events

Cookery demonstration at the Killavullen Farmer’s Market

In yesterday’s newsletter from the North Cork Organic Group one of the events flagged was a cookery demonstration. It will take place at the Killavullen Farmers’ Market in the Nano Nagle Centre tomorrow, Valentine’s Day, between 10.30 am and 1pm, using produce from the market itself. Geraldine Bass’ Old Millbank Smokehouse smoked fish, quality organic meat from Knockatullera Farm Produce, a range of cheeses from Gudrun Shinnick of the Fermoy Natural Cheese Company, great vegetables and eggs from the Nano Nagle Centre itself are just a few of the foodstuffs that you should see represented. The entry fee for the demonstration is €5 and the market will be taking place at the same time.

Mike Hanrahan: from Stockton’s Wing to Ballymaloe and beyond 0

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Mike Hanrahan: from Stockton’s Wing to Ballymaloe and beyond

One of my former Ballymaloe classmates, Mike Hanrahan, a great cook and a seriously talented musician (ex Stockton’s Wing) was featured in the Irish Times earlier this week. Not only did we get to appreciate his food in the kitchens (and wit in the classroom!), but Sunday nights in the Blackbird was one of the high points of the week, Mike playing at the regular sessions and ensuring that the pub was always packed with students.

Matching wines and blogs, the Sour Grapes way 0

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Matching wines and blogs, the Sour Grapes way

Check out the Lar Veale’s Sour Grapes wine blog for his entertaining entries on matching wine with Irish Blog Awards Food/Wine nominees. This piece has the first 13 blogs nominated and this one finishes off the list. Fortunately, as the Husband and I both went off Malborough Sauvignon Blanc last year (that’s what happens when you order too much wedding wine and decide to finish it off for yourself!), Bibliocook gets matched with Pinot Noirs from Central Otago or the Waipara Valley and, in the whites side of things, Riesling, Pinot Gris or Chardonnay. That’ll be a bottle of Babich Marlborough Riesling and Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir, please. I wish…

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Do / Foodtalk on Newstalk / Radio

Foodtalk on Newstalk: MP3s online

Chris Watson and Kevin Thornton recording in Thornton's kitchen

If you’re interested in listening back to any of the Foodtalk shows that were broadcast on Newstalk over the last six weeks (no more sending text alerts online – my Sunday nights have suddenly gotten very quiet!), they’re now all available as podcasts from the Newstalk website. You can see them all here and full details of the interviewees are below.

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Eating Out / Lovely Lunches

Lunch in Cork: Crawford Art Gallery Café

Crawford Art Gallery, Cork

I’ve had a sneaking fondness for the Crawford Art Gallery Café ever since I spent a Saturday working there while on the Ballymaloe Cookery Course and have returned several times since. The Husband and I were on a rare Saturday trip to Cork at the weekend, made all the hungrier for lunch by some cheese nibbling at our local Killavullen Farmers’ Market, courtesy of Gudrun at Fermoy Natural Cheese. Despite the crowds in the café, we got a table quickly, which was just as well as I had already spotted lamb’s liver on the menu.

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Ladies’ Tea Party at the 2009 Irish Blog Awards

Ladies' Tea Party at the 2009 Irish Blog Awards

If you’re heading to the 2009 Irish Blog Awards in Cork, it’s well worth your while turning up a little bit earlier for the Ladies’ Tea Party, hosted by Sabrina Dent from 4pm at the Cork Airport Hotel. There are only thirty places available at this pre-event event for the lady bloggers of Ireland so, if you’re interested, find out more and register at http://www.sabrinadent.com/2009/01/31/ladies-tea-party-and-knitting-circle-2009/ sooner rather than later. Refreshments will be provided by Curious Wines, iFoods.tv and Pinosa Cake.