Food Bites and other stuff

No recipe post until later this week so I thought I'd tell you all about some food related its and pieces to keep you going until then. The picture above is one I took across Galway bay to the Aran Islands a few weeks ago when we were down there for the bank holiday weekend, this is one of the most beautiful views in the world to be and when we drive along the coast road from Ballyvaughan to Fanore it's like my heart has come home!!!!

Firstly I have to rave about a fantastic kitchen accessory site I came across last year, Kitchen Dresser, this is a fantastic site with lovely bits and pieces for the kitchen and I check it regularly to see if they have new stock.


I recently bought these lovely plates, bowls and a jug from them that you can see in the picture above that are so cute and pretty and have a lovely vintage look to them. I also have to compliment them on their outstanding customer service, when my order arrived a plate in the set of 4 I had bought was broken, I mailed them and received not 1 but 2 mails back telling me I would get a new plate and it arrived the very next day. I am seriously impressed with Kitchen Dresser and will definitely shop there again, the postage is only €8 to anywhere in Ireland aswell so no excuse to get some lovely bits for your kitchens laydees.

My second piece of "news" is that tonight I had this for my dinner, bruschetta ai funghi. Lorraine is always encouraging me to get back into mushrooms, I have a slight aversion to them due to a traumatic experience in Biology class when I was doing my leaving cert that involved an hour long video of the most terrifying mushrooms and toadstools actually detaching from the ground and moving!!!!!!! HORRENDOUS!!! This was a gorgeous recipe and I added a tsp of cream and some fresh thyme to it, I can't recommend it enough and actually mailed Lorraine to say how gorgeous this was.


Another food related piece of news that I am sure most of you know about was the release of Kieran and Seans fantastic Book of Sweet Things that came out at the beginning of May and a fantastic book it is too. I made rum and raisin ice cream, it being my favourite flavour, and it was SSSSSOOOOO good!! And Fairycakeheaven got a mention in the book which I am well chuffed about.


I have to tell about another book I got recently too - Ursula Ferriogno's Complete Italian Cookery Course, I got this for all of €6 in TK Maxx and it's one of the best purchases I have ever made there, I've used this loads and because of the wonderful pictures I have made a few risottos and have even graduated to making them with whatever I have and not just using the recipes which I am very proud of indeed. This is a must have book for anyone into Italian cooking and I even prefer it to Jamie's Italy and Giorgio Locatelli's Made in Italy: Food and Other Stories which have until now been my go to Italian books after Lorraine of course.

I am sure there are other things that I have meant to tell you over the last few weeks, I bought Carrageen moss at the weekend so I'll be making Carrageen Panna Cotta or Souffle over the next few weeks, the recipe will be from a book my grandmother owned and is a very treasured possession.

On a non food related bit, this is my favourite song at the moment, I am loving Duffy andI think her album is fantastic, she's very reminiscent of Dusty Springfield I think and very soulful without being depressing too. Let me know what you think.


Also, check out Desserts Magazine, an online magazine with great recipes and submissions from bloggers I read all the time, Helen's macaron tutorial is also invaluable for anyone who wants to make macarons for the firt time or who just needs a few tips in making them, I still haven't gotten around to making some but as this weekend coming is a bank holiday I'm hoping to give them a whirl so keep your fingers crossed for me.

And on that note I'll sign off for the night, I need my daily dose of scandal from Perez Hilton. Ciao laydees (and any gents but I don't think there are any apart from Niall) Rachx