2011-10-21

Whisky Chocolate Cake


IMG_0516

The second popular alcoholic drink in Ireland is whisky. There are three main distillers of whisky in Ireland: Dublin's Powers, Cork's and Bushmills from County Antrim. There are also varieties of whisky: Paddy, Redbreast, Green Spot and Tullamore Dew. Those are not so well known except for Ireland.
I don't like whisky but I know some people who love this beverage and who know much about it. I saw a big collection of whisky from many Irish and British distilleries. The owner of this collection offered us one of the oldest vintages of Tyrconnell whisky. He also showed me how to taste whisky and told me about the flavour content in that glass. Tyrconnell has an oily and wooden flavour and excellent light whiskey called Millar's, named after an old Dublin tipple,, is produced from it.

Still house wide
After that meeting I know a little more about whisky but I don't like it too much. I drink whiskey only when I am offered this beverage. However, I have found many recipes with whisky. My favourite dish with this expensive drink is Whisky Chocolate Cake. You will see the recipe below.

½ kg dark chocolate
½ kg biscuits
2 eggs
100 gram of butter
6 tbsp. of castor sugar
8 tbsp of whisky
3 tbsp of double cream
100 gram of whole hazelnuts
200 gram of crushed hazelnuts
100 gram of glace cherries

Whisk the eggs and sugar together. Melt the butter and chocolate in a pan and fold in the egg mix.
Mix in the crushed hazelnuts and fold in half the whiskey. Line a greased cake baking dish with crushed biscuits. Pour the chocolate mixture into the dish. Place in refrigerator overnight. Mix remaining whisky with cream. Remove cake from refrigerator and pipe top with the cream. Decorate with whole hazelnuts and cherries and serve.

2011-10-15

Mint sauce


Spring lamb in Connemara, Ireland

In Poland mint is used only as a remedy for stomach disorders or as addition to beverages or food decoration. In Ireland I discovered many other culinary uses of this herb. I often use mint sauce to lamb but I often experiment with mint and I add it to some Polish dishes.
There are around seven types of mint, three of which are more commonly used in cooking.
These are spearmint, peppermint and pannyroyal.

Spearmint is used for medicinal purposes and to stimulate appetite. This mint is used in sauces and jellies to flavour meat.

Peppermint has a high menthol content, and is often used as tea and for flavouring ice cream, confectionery, chewing gum, and toothpaste.

Pennyroyal was commonly used by the Greeks and Romans. The ancient Greeks often flavoured their wine with pennyroyal. A large number of recipes in Roman cookbooks of Apicius call for the use of pennyroyal, often along with such herbs as lovage, oregano and coriander. Although it was still commonly used for cooking in the Middle Ages, it gradually fell out of use as a culinary herb and is seldom used so today.

Ladybug

In Ireland mint is generally used to prepare mint sauce. Mint sauce can be made in many ways, but the basic recipe combines the flavour of mint with vinegar and sugar. The following mint sauce is classically used to accompany lamb or mutton.

3/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tsp caster sugar
1/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup white wine vinegar


Dissolve sugar in water. Place mint leaves with water and blend until fairly fine. Pour into serving bowl. Add vinegar. Add more sugar or vinegar to taste. Will keep about 2 or 3 weeks in refrigerator.
Quick Roast Lamb With Mint Sauce

2011-10-11

Oysters


Howth



I love shellfish and since I moved to Ireland this love has grown deeper. There is a wide selection of fresh shellfish the whole year. In the north of Dublin I discovered a fishing port. This port is located on the Howth peninsula.
There are many shops with really fresh fish and shellfish. I often visit this place and do the shopping.
When I lived in Poland, I tried just a few kinds of shellfish. In Ireland I have come across more sea animals. Here for the first time I tried scallops, octopus, lobster and oysters.
Oysters now are my favourite type of shellfish. I like eating it raw. My Polish friends are disgusted by my liking but it is their problem. 

Oyster Farm #12 
 
I tried Irish Oysters for the first time during a trip to Galway. In Galway every year there is Oysters Festival and every restaurant and pub serves Oysters. Some restaurants prepare special menu with this shellfish as the main ingredient but Oysters are often served raw with lemon. So, for the first time I tried raw Oysters. That was a really strange experience to eat something that is still alive but I like challenges. 
 
I laughed to my friends that I went back to the times before the discovery of fire.
The Irish love Oysters and they have many sea farms with this shellfish. In September in the whole country there are many Oysters festivals. The main one is in Galway. That is great time and Oysters are the best then.
The Irish PR invented new Irish breakfast. It is a plate with raw Oysters, lemon and a glass of Guinness, but you can see this breakfast probably only on postcards.

Oysters and Guiness

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