Dianne is cooking again.....

Cooking Lessons

Yeap, I actually gave a cooking lesson last night as a project. Wendy, Linda, Eileen, Linda and Derval came and watched me, trying to impress them with my food knowledge and cooking skills. The challenge was to cook 3 dishes within 30 mins and have the girls eat it in 30 mins......

... to make it short, I failed miserably to cook within 30 mins - even with everything peeled, chopped, measured etc. But made up in time when the girls started to eat. The final course was served and eaten within the limit of the hour.

Starter: Courgette and Orange Soup
Main Course: Chicken Stir-fry with broccoli and walnuts
Dessert: Greek yogurt with homemade granola and blueberries.

Anyhow, I made up questionnaires and asked the girls for feedback on the 'class' and I have to say, no friendship will be ending as yet :-) Feedback was honest and I know where to improve if I ever wanted to work as a cooking demonstrator or teacher.

Will hold another 'class' soon :-)

Brennan's Course Schedule is out...

...and I completely forgot to tell you about it. Check out the spring classes of Gary Masterson. Hopefully he will organise the Taste Of Cork again in 2009 (when restaurants chef come and demonstrate their skills).

I was in bread heaven

...another Wednesday at the bakery and what a night it was again. We baked white yeast bread this time and learned that you can add sour dough starter to a traditional white bread...and please let me tell you that it was simply yummy.

Declan also showed us how to make the bread in a food processor using the blades. I'd say that my kitchen machine will be very busy in the future.

The highlight was the different breadforms like sunflower and party My personal favourite was the tomato and herb bread (it looked like a foccacia but was told that it was a fogash - I bet this isn't spelt right) which I was allowed to take home..and now guess what I did when I got home.

Declan loves to share his knowledge with others and it is a delight to listen to him. He is interested in getting gap year students in....so guys if you know some students who would like to learn the craftsmanship of baking... get in touch with schools to get the program started. Declan tried himself but it seems that the schools weren't that interested ...but I can imagine that there are some kids out there who love a good loaf of bread as much as the next one...

Can't wait for next Wednesday....

Mulled Wine at Brennan's

One of the many advantages working for a company that looks after their employees (me and moi in this case) is that they are sponsoring cooking classes (at least this time ;-).

Last night we had a corporate event at Brennan's and their new head teacher, Gary Masterson, pulled out all the stops for us. We were greeted with a lovely - and i mean lovely- mulled wine. I am not the biggest fan of mulled wine but the brandy and port have helped healing this situation :-) it was really yummy.

For the health conscious we were served vegetable dippers with Tofu-Avocado mousse. If you remember last year's Cork Taste in Brennans, Gary has been one of the chefs on duty and he offered this dip there and I still love it to bits....thankfully i was positioned very strategically near the plates and bowls.

He went then on to explain how to bone a turkey and cook and serve it in portions...although the idea appealed to a lot of people (not to me...I want the full monty) they seemed rather squeamish at the sight of Gary 'butchering' the poor bird. That didn't stop them tho to tuck into the finished product which he filled with homemade stuffing.

His chocolate-orange-tart was just yummmmmmmmmmm and after the creamed potatoes I was filled up and had a grinning smile plastered over my face.

Nothing really new but a lovely evening as Gary is very entertaining.checkout Brennan's cook School for upcoming events.

Love Bread

Last night I went to Arbutus Bakery in Mayfield to learn the tips and tricks from the master himself. Declan Ryan opened the door to his award winning bakery and shared his passion for bread with us.

He is in love with bread today as he was when he started out. His respect for his team comes through every time he talks about them. Currently he is working with 5 bakers, one of them an apprentice who he teaches to become a superior baker.

His repertoire on stories about bread and their bakers is endless and he loves to share. Last night we made the best Soda bread ever (brown 'cause this is the only real one'). We then went on to make brown yeast bread...it is amazing what science is behind every single step of the process (I normally just knead the dough until my arms are hurting and then I leave it to rest). His dough was very very (and I mean WET) and I thought that can't work but....et voila...it came out better than my best breads ever were.


I can't wait until next Wednesday when we will learn all about Sourdough. Watch this space for updates....

Happy Baking

Bread Making Course

Declan Ryans Bread is offering a breadmaking course beginning this Wednesday November 12th and there are some places left.

The course runs for four weeks every Wednesday evening from 7pm.

Cost €250, and €220 for slow food members.

Please call Simone 086 8100386 for booking or further info.

New Cooking Classes at Brennans

Brennans published their autumn class schedule...read more. It seems that Gary Masterson from the former Fire & Ice Cafe in Midleton is the new head teacher in Brennans. I had the pleasure of taking one of his classes last year and he is very knowledgeable and funny. He is into healthy but yummy food.

Cheese Making

Went to Brennans last night to learn how to make cheese. Did I learn it? Not more than I already knew apart from the chemistry behind the processes. I already made my own Labneh and Paneer and Claire showed how this is done including how to make yogurt. Haven't done yogurt since my days in Turkey where everyone made it back then. So she shuffled me in the right direction again. Why buy stuff that was made in a factory when it is so easy to make it yourself at home. And the way, she served the Labneh was just yummy. The Queso Blanco was mixed with wilted spinach, garlic and roasted chopped almonds and then piped into little sweet peppers....gosh, was I in heaven (went to Tesco this morning and yupeeh....they have a jar of the small peppers...so guess what I will have tonight ;-).

And of course, Claire won't let us dry out...so she served a lovely white Cote du Rhone (LePas de la Beaume) from Bubble Brothers (€11.90). A mixture of 60% white Grenache, 35% Clairette, 5% Roussanne. Light, refreshing and a bit acid which went so well with the cheeses.

Again, I had a lovely time. Brennans will take it easy over the summer months (apart from the kids summer camp), so I am looking forward to the autumn season in which Claire will try to get a cheese making course in that includes cheeses with rennet (the proper stuff ;-)

Cheesy Greetings

Cooking Class VI

Have you ever wondered why there are so few female chefs???? I do since last night. Last in the current series but not the least....Mercy Fenton showed us what a girl in the kitchen can do...and she did it so well. A great sense of humour paired with great skills, she definitely shows 'girl power' in the kitchen. She is with Jacobs on the Mall for the last 8 years and I bet almost every Corkian has been there by now....so most of you will know what I am talking about.

So, what did she cook?.....She baked the quickest Soda Bread in history and it was one of the best I have ever tasted (normally not the biggest fan of Soda Bread but I am converted now). The bread went down well with the Cream of Onion and Cider Soup served with Caramelised Apples. We were then treated to a Spicy Tomato Stew with roast peppers and chickpeas topped with grilled Haloumi (that will be cooked at the weekend - it was yummy). The Crab Stuffed Chicken Breast put a smile on everyone's face and Mercy made a lovely Tomato Compote to go with it. The first pasta dish of this series was served with a sauce of cream, fried bacon, leeks, peas and mushrooms. Will try this sauce without the bacon and will let you know how it was. The fish dish was a simple fried turbot fillet with an aromatic warm dressing made with tomatoes, skinned peppers and chili....it was quickly made and is something for a lovely after work meal when you want to treat yourself but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen. The crowning glory were the lemon tarts which Mercy served with warmed blueberries and creme fraiche....Jealous???? Yeap you should be....;-)

Congratulations to Claire for a fantastic organised cooking class. It can't be easy to get the Top Chefs of Cork to commit ...but I bet her charm made it impossible for the chefs to turn her down. A great variety was offered and I met new chefs which is always a treat....who was my favourite????? ALL OF THEM WERE GREAT....so thanks a million to Claire for organising the Taste of Cork. I am awaiting the next series impatiently.

Cooking Class V

Ever been to Midleton??? Next time you drive through stop at Main Street and pay Fire & Ice a visit (www.fireandicecafe.ie) - it will be well worth it. Let me just say one thing about last night - fun, excitement and more fun. Gary Masterson is not only a very talented chef but has also a great sense of humour and is a great presenter. He is well used to demonstrate his cooking skills, having worked on the Queen Mary 2 for some time. So, what did we eat????

We started with a Tofu & Green Pea Guacamole (trust me guys......yummy) with vegetable dippers. The Thai Fish Cakes were fantastic. He didn't use any breadcrumbs or potatoes to hold the cakes together so we had the pure fish taste of the cakes. He served the cakes with a Green Mango Slaw (a fresh salad of unripe mango, shredded white radish and pepper - will find its way into Saturdays dinner party) and his homemade sweet chilli sauce (you can buy it in his restaurant - well worth it). We then moved on to Risotto. He made a Risotto base and mixed it then with Italian Sausage and Mushroom (tried the mushroom version and it was as a Risotto should taste). The Risotto was accompinied by a leaf salad with a basic salad dressing.

Ever had fresh fruit with basil & chilli sugar????? You missed a great experience as it is just outstanding and still so simple. Being not the biggest chocolate fan on the planet.....I was still amazed by the chocolate tart which was surprisingly light...What else is there to say.....go and see for yourself in Midleton.

Clare...not only a pretty face but very creative...served us a Black Pepper & Vanilla Pod Sangria....(don't pull a face until you tried it). It is basically vanilla infused vodka, red wine, white lemonade, slices of oranges, limes and lemons, crushed black pepper and the seeds of a vanilla pod....trust me, it was yummy. Nibbles were this time brown tortillas with goat's cheese topped with Chorizo....

Last but not least..the wine...Julian from Bubble Brothers and Clare found the perfect balance again. The white wine was a Domaine Reine Juliette from the Languedoc coast (€11.90). A refreshing wine without too much sweetness. The red wine was Novo Bazan (€10.90). Full body of cherry flavours at the start with no harsh aftertaste. The dessert wine was a red Mas Amiel with 100% Grenache from the south of France. I am still not a lover of dessert wines but it went so well with the chocolate tart..So, I hope your mouth is watering by now.

Next weeks 'winner' is Mercy Fenton from Jacobs on the Mall. Will tell you all about it of course. So long and happy cooking...

Cooking Class IV

I am not sure what you done last night...but I bet I had a lot more fun than you. It was the fourth of the 'Taste of Cork' series and Denis Cotter showed some incredible dishes. As most of you know, Denis Cotter is my Veggie-Hero and he did not disappoint. He cooked a warm salad of roasted aubergine with chillies, feta and a citrus Pomegranate dressing, a beetroot & goat's cheese tartlet with watercress pesto, spring cabbage dolma of squash, red onion & puy lentils with harissa sauce and cardamon yoghurt and wild rice, fennel and shallot pilaf......my favourite???? You are kidding, right???? All of it was so yummy that I went already shopping this morning...this woman here had a big fat smile on her face last night driving home. If you haven't done yet....pay Cafe Paradiso a visit. I promise you won't be disappointed. Clare took some pity on us and created a lovely dessert of white chocolate creme brulee....she is one talented chef ..... will make that dessert at the weekend.

Clare is very inventive when it comes to create little nibbles and pre-dinner drinks. She created a spritzer from elderflower cordial, sparkling Pinot Grigio and mineral water. Her nibbles were litlle filo tarts with goat's cheese and chopped nuts...wish I would have been the only one last night.

Austin from Bubble Brothers and Clare have choosen again the perfect wine to the food. The white wine was a Mas Des Bressades.A bit too dry for my taste although I love the Grenache grape...but it went well with the bitterness of the warm salad of aubergine. The red option was a Rosso del Molise Villa Marianna (2005) which was more to my liking and was the perfect match for the dolmas and wild rice pilaf.

And now you want to know who is coming next week......of course you do, Okay, it is Gary from Fire & Ice in Midleton. So far I haven't eaten in Fire & Ice yet but I have heard great feedback from them. So you can imagine that I am really looking forward to next week. And of course I will tell you all about it.

Cooking Class III

Wow what a night.Last night was the third night of the 'Taste of Cork' series in Brennan's Cookery School and we had the pleasure of Lambros from Star Anise and his lovely wife. He started of with background information on his career and the beginnings of Star Anise. But then the 'serious' part kicked off. I was a very very happy woman as the menu was very diverse. He cooked Pan-fried Seabass with Aubergine Chutney and Paprika Oil. The skin of the fish was crispy, the aubergine chutney was spicy without burning the throat and the paprika oil added a nice touch to the dish. Then we moved on to a Tartiflet (basically a potato-onion dish with a big piece of cheese on top which melts devinely into the dish). The Bulgar Wheat with spiced butternut squash was a winner not only with me but with the rest of the 'gang' as well (this dish will find its way into my lunchbox, that's for sure). The slowcooked lamb in filo pastry looked impressive and the 'hmmms' and 'yums' were a clear indication how it tasted. But I think the star of the night was the prawn tempura with the fennel and orange salad....wow wow...couldn't stop nipping away on it...I might be using this dish actually in my next dinner party in 2 weeks.

I have been in Star Anise a couple of times over the last few years, mostly with French friends and was always impressed with the food (check out http://www.menupages.ie/Cork/Restaurants/Cork_Centre/Star_Anise.aspx for reviews). Will have to go back there soon.

Wine was again provided by Bubble Brothers and Clare does know how to make a woman (at least this one here) very happy indeed. She started of with a Raboso, a rose Prosecco (my favourite Prosecco in the whole wide world...just ask Austin at the English Market ;-). The red was a Sinfarosa Primitivio (2006) from Italy. A smooth wine with no harsh aftertaste. I haven't tried this wine before and now I wonder why that is...check out http://www.bubblebrothers.com/ for more info (they also have a cool blog with tons of information run by Julian). Clare also mixed a wine 'spritzer' for us which was a nice pre-dinner drink (a mix of Martini, white wine, sugar syrup, sliced oranges and lemon topped up with sparkling water).

Dennis Cotter is the star of next weeks 'show'. Can't wait for his new recipes. I really hope he will cook some dishes from his new cookbook.....watch this space....see ya later....

Cooking Class II

Last night class in Brennans was simply one of the best organised ones I have seen in a long time. Paul Smith of Isaacs came in with trays and pots and boxes and tons of goodies..his class started bang on time and he managed to cook all the recipes within the time given....wow...that was impressive. He cooked for us Moroccan Lentil Soup (spicy without burning your throat and yummy), Mediterranean Fish Stew with Rouille (never knew stew can taste that good), Tempura of prawn and vegetables with a dipping sauce, Pheasant & Potato Tart with Beurre Blanc Sauce (didn't taste that one but everybody around me had THAT look on their face...you know the one) and finally the bread & butter pudding with creme anglaise (nope, it did not taste like old shoe soaked in milk - it was very light and fluffy actually). Paul even had time to throw in a bonus recipe for panfried prawns with a tomato reduction, garlic butter and chili ginger sauce...which will be put on my own menu, that's for sure.

Paul is a very energetic person who has been with Isaacs for the past 10 years. He explained all the steps of the preparation so that it was easy for everyone to follow - even if you don't have much cooking experience. If you are planning lunch in town...pay Isaacs a visit and order the fish stew....check out http://www.ireland-guide.com/establishment/isaacs_restaurant.4189.html for more info (they don't seem to be on menupages.ie ).

Claire chose some nice wine to go with the scrumptious food...the white was a Vin D'Alsace Gewurztraminer from Marks & Spencer. As my closest friends will know, I am not the biggest drinker of white...but if it has to be a white I normally go for a good Chablis or for a Gewurztraminer. It is just not always that easy to get hold of. The wine is not too sweet with a tiny bit of sparkle. This wine will be added to our next wine tasting, that's for sure.

The red was a Grenache Noir from the Old Vines Vinyard. 100% Grenache grape and quite fruity but with a chocolaty afternote.... I love a white Grenache (which of course is rose) and this wine followed the same direction without being either too sweet or fruity. This wine is also available from Marks & Spencer.

I have to admit that I did not try the dessert wine on offer....simply because I only have a dessert wine with blue cheese (I know I know, I am a snob ;-)

Next week we will be seeing Lambros from Star Anise waving his magic spoons.....will tell you all about it of course...;-)

Cooking Class

Brennan's Cookery School is running its 'Taste of Cork' classes again and of course, I am part of it. They invite chefs from restaurants around Cork to demonstrate their best dishes and you are normally in for a treat as you can sample all the goodies. Places are limited and this guarantees an atmosphere that makes it easy to connect to other guests and chefs. Last week was the first night of the current series and Seamus O'Connell from the Ivory Tower cooked some lovely fish dishes with red mullet, cuttle fish and ray wing. Tried them all....(still not the biggest fan of cuttle fish, squid or octopus). His Risotto Nero was to die for and the ray wing with thai sauce....out of this world. Claire - who is running the cookery school with charme and her own expertise - offered refreshing drinks (home made of course) and her own sushis (she is giving sushi classes at the school as well - the next one is 26th April). Wine was supplied by Bubble Brothers. The Chinon, my favourite red at the moment was served (check the spreadsheet from our first wine tasting for rating) and some white (sorry, forgot to write down the name) went down very well indeed. Tonight we will be seeing the chef of Isaac's in action....will tell you all about it tomorrow...keep cooking...and while you are at it...check out http://www.divshare.com/download/3770428-d44 for their latest brochure. Or go to their website www.brenco.ie .... hope to see you there....