Ice Cream Ireland

 My father, always helpful, passed me on this story from the Daily Mail based on a study at the University of Hertfordshire: 

It appears that the more you resist chocolate, the more you are likely to eat. In fact, those who try to stop thinking about chocolate, eat 50% more on average, with women more likely to gobble than men.

Of course, in my chocolate-addled thinking, why in the world would you resist thinking about that delicious creation?

Technorati tags: chocolate, study, Daily Mail, health

I’m just back from Venice, and it’s a bit of a shock to leave the place. I can’t recommend it more highly, although I believe it must be unpleasant in the summer with the crush.

For anyone worried about the expense, just stay away from the cafes around St. Mark’s, and look for an apartment if you are staying more than a couple of days.

We had some meals out and some meals in, and all in all found Venice good value, especially if you avoid the patently touristy joints and make some meals from the market. And why wouldn’t you do just that? Delicious fish, fruit and vegetables at very low prices can make any meal an affordable feast!

I do hope to go back to that magical city soon, but now I’m in Dingle, and I can’t complain much about that!

I must get to the business of ice cream (and back to blogging about it!)

So here are the last photos from Venice…

Technorati tags: Venice, Italy, holiday, ice cream

This morning at 8:00, sirens sounded in the city of Venice, waking me from quite a sound sleep. Fire? No, it means “aqua alta” in Venetian or floods. At full moon in the Winter, high tide often floods parts of the city, and we decided to head down to Campo S. Marco for a gander.

For those who think that Wellies are unfashionable, the sirens let Venetians know that it is time to don the rubber boots, they do it in style.

Not only do they manage to look just as good, but they clearly take pride in the fact that they can wade nonchalantly through the flooded squares, avoiding the crowds of shoe-wearing tourists on the raised gangways.

The great thing about the high tide was Campo S. Marco was peaceful and empty. If you could wade to a raised spot, you were alone except for everyone on the edges. What a beautiful sight.

We did go into the Palazzo Ducale for a look at the Venice and Islam Exhibition, which had some beautiful pieces, and took a quick stroll around the Museo Correr. Then we went back out to the square, and enjoyed the flooded square some more.

What really made it pleasant was that even the pigeons kept to high ground, perching on the chairs of the flooded cafes.

Last night, by the way, we had a stunning meal in Al Fontego Dei Pescatori in Cannaregio. Highly recommended Venetian fare (my Venetian partner in crime compared it to her mama’s cooking - high praise indeed). Make sure you peruse their excellent wine list, and leave room for the sublime desserts if you visit!

Technorati tags: Venice, Italy, St. Marks, square

A week in Venice goes by very quickly! Even without the museums and other attractions, simply walking around the city offers enough diversion that the days fly in a series of beautiful images.

Of couse, visiting the mask shops was a must for us, since Wrens Day is coming up quickly, and what better costume for this year than a mask from Venice?

It is a bit surprising to me how strong tourism is here that even in the end of October, the place is packed with us. I cant even imagine what it is like here in Summer. Anyway… 

For any foodie, the market in Rialto is a visual treat, and lunch today will come from the chunks of fresh tuna bought there along with fresh fennel and other vegetables.

In terms of ice cream, Gelateria Nico in Zattere has been the best so far, and it is a perfect place to grab an ice cream for a stroll to see the gondolas being fixed in the boatyard or a wander along the lagoon.

It must be said that most of the ice cream around the place is utter junk, the then again, that is the case in most places…

The best meal has been in La Zucca, a delightful restaurant with good vegetarian options as well as the usual meats, etc. The pumpkin flan (not a dessert) is worth a trip in itself, and the desserts are definitely weighted toward the chocoholic (happy days!)

Today, I think, will be a lazy day, and I will get some work done on the book. On the other hand, there is the Venice Biennale on at the moment, and it certainly is tempting to go wander the pavillions and soak in some (more) art…

Technorati tags: Venice, Italy, Rialto, market

 It is so great to be in this city! The old buildings and faded grandeur are so refreshing coming from Ireland, where old is bad and every slightly weathered structure is ripped down in favour of spanking new semi-Ds.

I could spend a week simply walking, feasting on the visual treats. I’m staying in a rented apartment instead of a hotel, and it’s huge, quiet, central, full of charm, and brilliant in that I don’t have to have every meal out. Last night I made a pumpkin risotto with spoils from the market…

Tonight it’s a Handel and Vivaldi concert in Scuola Grande San Rocco beneath the masterpieces of Tintoretto, tomorrow it’s La Fenice. I’m so spoiled!

Technorati tags: Venice, Italy, La Fenice, market

 The ice cream man is off to Venice for a boost to the soul and a bit of work on the book! The flight is to Bergamo, where I’m spending a night in an agritourismo (farmhouse accommodation) near-by. Then on to the Veneto and that loveliest of cities. I’ll post when I get a chance…

I haven’t put up any new links for a while, but here are a few sites I’ve been visiting:

Irish (why aren’t there more?!): Eat me Drink me - Good mix. No post since September, so hopefully won’t go away! ~ Fabulous Food Trails - Name says it all! ~ Well Done Filet - Musings of a Belfast waiter & his partner ~ Humble Housewife - Keeps getting better

Other: Ice Cream Man - Band/events and free ice cream ~ Baking and Books - Beautiful site ~ Kitchen Pantry - Tasty photos and recipes from an Italian PhD ~ 101 Cookbooks - One of the best… ~ Bong Mom’s Cookbook - Sophisticated recipes and lovely photos

 Here’s the ice cream recipe that Sean and I presented at the cooking demonstration during the food festival. We also made the chocolate whiskey sauce to go with it.

I know I have already posted a Brown Bread and Guinness ice cream recipe, but this has a new improved method for caramalising the brown bread - i.e. simply melting the brown sugar and adding the bread crumbs. It’s so much easier and tastes just as good!!!

BROWN BREAD ICE CREAM

Ingredients:

• 130g sugar
• 4 Egg yolks
• 220ml cream
• 200ml milk
• 1/3 vanilla bean
• 250ml volume stale brown bread crumbs
• 75g dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

What to do:

1. Cut the vanilla bean lengthwise and put in a saucepan with the milk.
2. Bring the milk to a simmer. Remove from the heat.
3. Stir for about a minute. Remove the vanilla bean.
4. Beat the sugar and egg yolks together until thick and pale yellow.
5. Beat the warm milk into the eggs and sugar in a slow stream (don’t over mix).
6. Pour the mixture back into pan, and place over low heat.
7. Stir until the custard thickens (around 60C).
8. Allow the custard to cool.
9. Stir in the cream.
10. Melt brown sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar crystals have dissolved.
11. Stir in the bread crumbs and allow to cool.  
12. Freeze the mix using a domestic ice cream machine, or cover and place in the freezer.
13. Add the brown bread once the ice cream is thick.

Notes: 1. Use a very dark brown bread for best results. 2. If it is a fresh loaf, you can crush it into crumbs, spread it on a baking tray, and bake it at low temperature (50C) for a couple of hours to dry it out. 3. A fast way to make (small) bread crumbs is to use a blender or food processor.

Technorati tags: brown bread, ice cream, recipe, Irish

 I forgot, in writing my previous post, to say how things went with us and our Sixteen shades of chocolate! Both my brother and I were slightly concerned at taking away vanilla, honeycomb, raspberry sorbet, and all of our other popular flavours for the food festival to make way for a scooping cabinet filled only with chocolate ice creams.

How foolish! Customers were transported. It made my chocoholic heart melt to see the ecstasy and beaming faces. We offered a scoop with Valrhona special reserve melted chocolate on top as a festival special. I don’t think we’ve ever witnessed such abundant happiness!

Many thanks to our staff, who staunchly coped with the onslaught and allowed me to run around on festival business…

By the way, Laura, who showed true pioneering spirit in coming down for the first annual festival (along with her “lesser-spotted specius ice-cream fiendius”), has posted a photo of my brother and I doing our cooking demonstration here. I think Laura and Fiendius definitely get the award for customers of the year!

On a final note, I think it would be pretty cool to somehow include food bloggers in the next year’s festival. Maybe we could set up a blogging wifi kitchen. Any ideas?

Technorati tags: chocolate, ice cream, food festival, Dingle

 I am happy but exhausted! The Dingle Peninsula Food and Wine Festival was a bigger success than anyone of us could have ever imagined.

Every event was packed, especially the cookery demonstrations in the church. For the last charity cook-off on Sunday, festival-goers even filled the balcony.

The only real problem the festival had was that everyone sold more food than expected, and many in the market and on the taste trail sold out either late on Saturday or early on Sunday. Still, one could have worse problems!

The wine tastings worked well, and there were many in Dingle with high spirits indeed! The highlight defintely was the Sheridan’s Cheese and wine tasting in the Dingle Framer’s Gallery. Talk about decadent!

The local support was tremendous and really ensured the success of the festival. We also raised a bundle for the festival’s charity - Hope Guatemala.

I think that there is little doubt in anyone’s mind that this will be an annual event. Clodagh McKenna’s TV program on Dingle should go out in March.

Technorati tags: Dingle, food, festival, wine, feile, gourmet