Ice Cream Ireland

 I’m feeling very tired, and very happy! Last night we launched the Book of Sweet Things a second time in our Dingle shop, and it was a great night. I don’t think the shop has ever been so full, and the party had to spill out onto the street.

Thanks so much to all our friends who came along (some old, some new), thanks to Mary and Eoin from Mercier Press, who drove up from Cork, to Tom Sheahan, T.D., to councillors Seamus Fitzgerald and Breandan MacGearailt, to Manuela Dei Grandi for the photographs, and again thanks to all our staff who made the night possible.

Now I need a cure for drinking too much champagne…

Technorati tags: cookbook, Book of Sweet Things, launch, ice cream, Dingle

 Well, folks, the Book of Sweet Things is officially launched! We had the first of our two launch parties in the Killarney shop last night (the second will be in Dingle tonight). 

It’s quite exciting to finally have it in our hands and I’m happy enough with the quality of the printing and presentation, and everyone who came along seemed quite happy as well. Michael Healy-Rae (above), the mayor of Kerry, was on hand to wish us well (and eat an ice cream).

We’re delighted that Adi Roche, founder of the Chernobyl Children’s Project (photo right with my father) came up from Cork as well. We’re donating profits from both launches to her very worthy cause. 

Anyway, onward to Dingle now, and another party tonight…

Thanks to our whole team, especially to Niamh, JP, Christophe, and the whole team in Killarney, who made the party possible and did all the work…

(Photos courtesy of Manuela Dei Grandi)

Technorati tags: cookbook, Book of Sweet Things, launch, ice cream, Killarney

 We’ve started receiving some of the goodies for the book launch next week, not least of which were some cases of Champagne.

Actually, it’s sparkling wine, since it’s not from Champagne at all, but rather from Alsace. We chose this Meyer Brut because it’s not only organic but biodynamic, and it comes recommended by Julian.

This is the second biodynamic sparkling wine I will have tasted. The first (Fleury) also came from Bubble Brothers in Cork, and we used to it make pink champagne sobet.  

The latest bottles will not be made into ice cream unless we fail to drink them all down, and that would seem unlikely…

In any case, come along if you can and lift a glass with us on the night (Wednesday 30th in Killarney, and Thursday 1st May in Dingle)!

Technorati tags: biodynamic, champagne, ice cream

  We’re getting close to publication now, and we’ve set the following launch dates for our up-coming cookbook:

• Dingle: 1 May 2008, 8:00pm, at Murphys Ice Cream, Strand Street
• Killarney: 30 April 2008, 7:30pm, at Murphys Ice Cream, Main Street *

We’ll try to make it a special event, and I promise there will be ice cream involved!

I think we’ll do both evenings as benefits for a good cause - we’re thinking Chernobyl Children’s Project.

I’m delighted that our Dingle launch will be part of the Feile na Bealtaine festivities, and anyone thinking of coming to Dingle would do well to arrive for that festival. Feile na Bealtaine is quite local in feel, international in aspiration, always interesting, and quite often inspiring.

In any case, we’d delighted if you could join us in either place!

    * To be confirmed…

Technorati tags: cookbook, Book of Sweet Things, launch, Feile, Bealtaine

I’ve received the first sample spreads for our book from Mercier Press, and it’s beginning to feel real! We’ve even made it onto the “Authors” page of their website. With a bit of luck, books should be in all the shops in Ireland by the end of April and available on-line as well…

I’m off to Dublin, with my wellies in the bag!

Technorati tags: cookbook, ice cream, Irish, publishing

Here’s the latest mock-up from the publishers for the cover of our up-coming ice cream book. I’d be grateful for feedback! Please comment. Do you like it?

Technorati tags: cookbook, cover, ice cream, Irish, publishing

 I’ve sent the manuscript with the text for the cookbook off to Mercier! Very exciting. I did include a credit to the bloggers who participated with the Ice Cream Party. Now I just have to finish compiling the photos…

(The above cover, by the way, is just my mock-up, not an actual!)

Technorati tags: cookbook, Mercier Press, ice cream, Irish, publishing

 I have started writing up the round-up for the ice cream party, but it will take me a few days, and I’m really under pressure now to finish the book (due this weekend). Since I’m being slack, I’ll add anything else that comes in before I post the round up. So, if you still want to take part, see here. I can’t thank everyone who tested the recipes enough. There have been so many helpful suggestions!

Technorati tags: test, food event, ice cream, cookbook, recipe

This is just the final reminder that there are just two days to go before I do a round-up of the Ice Cream Party! The idea of this is to help me test recipes for our upcoming cookbook. Anyone who wants to take part, see here, and get cooking! Thanks to everyone who has sent something in already!

Technorati tags: test, food event, ice cream, cookbook, recipe

This is just a reminder that there is just over a week to go before I do a round-up of the Ice Cream Party, so start making ice cream! The idea of this is to help me test recipes for our upcoming cookbook. Anyone who wants to take part, see here. Thanks to everyone who has sent something in already!

Technorati tags: test, food event, ice cream, cookbook, recipe