Friday 16 August 2013

Blue House and The Cherry Tree

We moved into a new house a couple of months ago. You've guessed it: a blue house! When we collected the keys and started to explore I was thrilled to find a healthy-looking cherry tree at the end of the garden. I love fruit-bearing plants - or, basically, anything that provides a constant seasonal supply of free food.

I've been on a nervous, teetering knife-edge ever since we moved in - waiting for the perfect moment for the cherries to be at their ripest, without leaving it so long they get spoilt and wasted. Last weekend I decided to take the first plunge and pick the ripest-looking fruit.

And, blow me down with a feather if delicious magazine didn't email me with a batch of cherry recipes right in time, last Friday afternoon! After about ten seconds' hesitation I got straight onto the Ocados to order the ingredients for this delicious-sounding cherry bakewell tart with amaretto. Oh boy, was it the right choice! It's easy to make, gratifyingly attractive and completely delicious.

I may not be able to provide the cherries for all of you ...

PS: thanks KT Tunstall for the title inspiration!

Saturday 10 August 2013

Dublin's fine fare city

What a wonderful thing Twitter is. All those failed attempts to build online communities, yet Twitter succeeds where they fail, and it does so without even trying. It truly bring people together.

A few days before I set sail (metaphorically) for Dublin, I tweeted a cheeky plea for restaurant advice: 'Hey everyone (particularly @MarinaOLoughlin and @jayrayner1 ) - where's good to eat in Dublin?' Within a few minutes I had a reply from the lovely Marina: 'afraid I'm not up to speed with Dublin. Maybe try @tomdoorley or @TrishDeseine?'

And within hours, I had around 10 restaurant suggestions and had started a bit of a debate among those in the know about food in Dublin. Thanks to the Twitter community, particularly the very helpful and charming Tom Doorley, I was suddenly spoilt for choice.

Unfortunately my visit fell on a bank holiday weekend and many of the big name places were closed. But I found time to swing by Chapter One, Restaurant 41 and The Greenhouse just to salivate over the menu and see what I was missing. Next time, perhaps. Fortunately our wandering took us past Dunne and Crescenzi, an Italian enoteca and restaurant. We enjoyed well-presented, fresh food and an amazing selection of wine (by the glass, too). The Pig's Ear was also well worth a stop.

Lobster hot dog at Fade Street Social
On Sunday I needed somewhere to take a group of six, some of whom aren't really fans of eating out or spending money! Step up 777, a funky and fresh Mexican restaurant famous for its special offer on Sundays (and on the seventh day, 7 dinner dishes cost only 7.77 euros). I loved the food here - I ate breakfast tacos with chorizo, egg and a smoky sauce. Guacamole was chunky, flavoursome and topped with pumpkin seeds.  Cocktails were imaginative and delicious. Service was attentive and fast. Try it!

We definitely saved the best til last. Monday lunch was another family group - mixed tastes, budgets and expectations. Plus it was my husband's birthday, so I wanted something a bit special and different. The gastro bar at Fade Street Social sounded just the ticket, and completely lived up to my expectations. I very rarely take photos of food in public, but just look at how cute this lobster hot dog is! Presentation is second to none in this cool, buzzy restaurant. And it's no slouch in the taste department - I didn't leave a scrap of my leek salad with hazelnut and parmesan, huge though it was. We even enjoyed puddings - it's rare for the 'afterthought' course to live up to the 'real food' for me, certainly.

I didn't know what to expect from Dublin's restaurants, but having some great recommendations improved my experience for sure. I'll be asking Twitter for advice next time I'm off somewhere new.

Get updates from me: