 I am delighted that Ice Cream Ireland has made it into the voting round for the Irish Blog awards in two categories – Best Specialist Blog and Best Business Blog. Thanks for the nominations!
If you’re feeling kind and generous, please vote me into the next round, or at least cast your vote on a huge range of interesting Irish blogs here. So very much appreciated!
Technorati Tags: Irish Blog Awards, Awards, Irish, 2007
Today, Ice Cream Ireland turns one. Yes, it’s been a full year since I started this blog while on vacation in Morocco in February 2006! Thanks to almost 20,000 of you who have checked out the site, and especially those of you who have found your way to Murphys Ice Cream.
There have been several high points to my first year of blogging including:
I’ve put together a little poll to help me with my focus over the next year, and here it is:
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Now it’s time to eat my ice cream!
 There are mixed feelings in Ireland about the recent influx of immigration from foreign parts. I have to say I don’t share those mixed feelings. For me, it’s a good thing. After all, historically we had more of a problem with people leaving than in coming, and it’s great to see that we have the jobs not only to keep our own here, but to attract others as well. There is a need for labour, especially in the service industry. Although we always try to hire Irish when we can, we have had some excellent non-Irish team members from the EU and further afield and have been grateful for their service.
What really makes me excited, though, is the accompanying influx of cultural and culinary influences. 
Want some Polish pickles, sausages, or herring? There has been an explosion of Polish shops, and even Dingle has one now.
Craving galangal, fresh lemon grass, exotic noodles, extra hot chilli peppers, or African spices? There is probably an Asian market near you (Killarney has a great one).
It is such a joy to peruse offerings that, until recently, one could have only dreamed about. I suggest a visit for anyone who wants to broaden their culinary horizons. For me, always looking for ice cream ideas, it is an inspiration…
Technorati tags: Polski, sklep, Asian, market, immigration, Ireland
Most Moroccan desserts use a combination of the following flavours – almond, honey, cardamom and rose. I decided to make an ice cream using two of the above. I think it is quite a special flavour. Here it is:
Murphys Cardamom Honey Ice Cream
1 Cup (237ml) Sugar
5 Egg Yolks
1 1/8 Cups (266ml) Cream
1 1/8 Cups(266ml) Milk
2 tbs. (10g) Ground Cardamom
3 tbs. (65g) Honey
Yield: 6 Servings
What to do:
1. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow.
2. Bring the milk to a simmer.
3. Beat the milk into the eggs and sugar in a slow stream.
4. Pour the mixture back into pan and place over low heat. Stir until the custard thickens slightly (around 70C). Use a thermometer, as at 75C the eggs will scramble!
6. Refrigerate over night.
7. Pass the mix through a fine sieve to remove the cardamom bits.
8. Whip the cream.
9. Gently fold in the custard.
10. Freeze using a domestic ice cream machine, or cover and place in the freezer.
Notes:
1. Since it’s a mostly cold extraction with the cardamom, it will need a bit of time, so that’s why I have the mix rest over night.
2. To pasteurise the eggs, heat the custard to 73C and keep at that temperature for three minutes. Use a cooking thermometer, though, and keep stirring! If the custard goes any higher than 76C, the eggs will scramble. Immediately cover and place in the freezer until cool.
This is going off to Meeta as part of her Monthly Mingle…
Technorati tags: honey, cardamom, Morocco, ice cream, recipe
We’ve decided this year to improve our tea selection in the shop, and yesterday I went to Munster Wholefoods and poked around their warehouse, looking for options. One of the things I came back with was organic Rooibosch tea (also called “Redbush” or “Rooibos”).
This non-caffeinated tea originated in South Africa with the Khoisen tribe, who used it as a natural remedy. It’s from the red bush shrub (Aspalathus linearis) and was brought into Europe by the Dutch.
According to the BBC, it can help with headaches, colic, asthma, insomnia, eczema, etc. In South Africa, hospitals routinely give children with skin conditions a bath in the stuff as well as giving it to them to drink.
However, I’m not so interested in the bathing or medicinal properties. I think it’s a delightful drink. It has half the tannin as normal tea, which makes it less bitter, and it can be drunk with milk and sugar, lemon and honey, or straight up. If you want a cup of tea before bedtime, you don’t want the usual herbal, and you want to sleep well, this is definitely one to consider…
I just came across the interesting news that Starbucks was rated lower for its coffee than McDonalds in a taste test of mega-chain’s coffees by Consumer Reports. Apparently Starbucks coffee “was strong, but burnt and bitter enough to make your eyes water… McDonalds, the winner, had the rather lukewarm review: “…decent and moderately strong. Although it lacked the subtle top notes needed to make it rise and shine, it had no flaws.” (Newsmax)
I guess if it’s good coffee you want, one way to do it is to follow the lead of Morning Coffee and Afternoon Tea and make it yourself! Me, I’m just delighted that our shops are back open and the espresso machine is waiting for me in the morning…
Technorati tags: Starbucks, McDonalds, Consumer Reports, coffee, taste test
Happy St. Bridgets day! I haven’t done too much in terms of links recently, so here are a few Irish blogs to keep an eye on:
Cúpla Focal – Great concept on Irish language issues. Hope it’s kept up.
Irelandlogue – Irish Travel blog.
Kerry News Blog – Does exactly what it says on the tin.
Munster Pub Crawl – A Munster pub run-down.
Small and Tasty – Another Irish food blog.
Stuff yer Bake – Northern Irish Foodie.
And Abroad:
Lobstersquad – Spanish foodie blog with stunning drawings.
Chocolate Obsession – Chocolate, more chocolate.
Su Good Sweets – A New Yorker with a sweet tooth.
Chocolate in Context – A Melbourne-based chocoholic.
Ice Cream Journal – A blog from Turkey Hill Dairy.
