With all the excitement of going to Paris, I forgot to write about a new development in the Dublin food scene. The most excellent Sheridan’s Cheesemongers have taken a space on the lower ground floor of Arnotts department store, and I visited before I flew out. As well as their tantalising cheeses, they have a great selection of tasty treats (including our ice cream!) Anyone on the North side should have a look in…
Technorati tags: Dublin, Sheridans, cheese, Arnotts, Ireland
I am happily back in Kerry now, and spent most of a busy bank holiday Sunday in our Dingle shop.
The most lasting impression of this last trip and the food world in Paris is how upscale many of the boutiques have become and how far ahead they are in terms of care of mouth-watering presentation and the sheer love of food.
From the excess of Hediard and Fauchon to tiny shops selling anything from olive oil to tea to cheese, there is an attention to detail that is lacking in Ireland. And boy, have some of them become super-posh!
Ireland has come such a long way, and it is now producing some gourmet food products that I believe are as good anywhere in the world. But in terms of the retail end of the food business, it has a long way to go.
This is not meant as a criticism, since we don’t have the same tradition of food, and for so many centuries we were lucky enough to eat anything at all. Still, I think that anyone with a food shop or cafe in Ireland would do very well wandering the streets of Paris to bring back ideas (that is, if you need an excuse). I know that I came back with a trunk load…
Technorati tags: Paris, France, food, ireland, gourmet, ice cream
It certainly is hard on the feet pounding the pavement in search of tasty treats in Paris, but it’s easy on the eyes and on the stomach! What a great time!
Here are my top Paris picks from this trip:
Best Chocolate: Patrick Roger on 108 boulevard St-Germain. This shop is irresistible from the scent of chocolate upon walking in to the huge circular display of treats. Truffles get top marks as does everything we tried. The fact that the chocolatier himself was inside made it that much more special.
Best Pastries: Pierre Herme 72 rue Bonaparte. His chocolates are wonderful, but his pastries are even better. The staff is pleasant and professional, and I could hardly wait to rip that pretty bag to pieces the moment I could (out of sight of more restrained eyes) to get at the goodies! (By the way, his ice cream, at 24 euro a tub makes mine seem an utter bargain!)
Best Breads: Erik Kayser 14 rue Monge - This is an organic branch just a few shops down from his flagship shop. Fabulous!
Best Hot Chocolate: La Charlotte de l'isle 4 rue St.-Louis en l'ile - Don't be shy - march into the back room of this little shop, sit at one of the little tables and indulge in the silkiest, thickest chocolate in the city accompanied by a crystal carafe of water. It's only open Thurs - Sun, but well worth the trip if you need a chocolate high!
Most Pretension - Marcolini 89 rue de Seine - The staff wouldn't even look at us in this stuffy shop, and you are taken in the back room to pay (assuming you're up to their high standards). I've never had such a hard time trying to buy chocolate. Ridiculous!
Most Interesting - Sadaharu Aoki 35 rue de Vaugirard - Japanese pastry chef meets Paris. Lots of interesting flavours and fun combinations. Don't go if you're astonished by 12 euro bars of chocolate!
Most Garish Foodie Place - Fauchon place de la Madeleine - They are celebrating their 120th anniversary, and the banners and posters are about the tackiest thing I saw in the city of lights...
Best Ice Cream - Has to be Berthillon 31 rue St.-Louis-en-l'ile - Even though they are closed until January, there is no shortage of places to sample their wares. Truly top on fruit flavours and sorbets...
Best Meal - Casa Olympe 48 rue Saint-Georges - Dominique (Olympe) Versini was the first female French chef to receive a Michelin star. We had a delightful dinner in her tiny bistro near Pigalle. And the value was exceptional!
Technorati tags: Paris, France, chocolate, pastry, best of, ice cream
 I am in Paris at the moment, having come over to attend the Sial food exposition. I did not stay very long at the Expo, however, preferring to wander around the streets of Paris and visit my favourite foodie haunts. More later!
Last week, 
I was delivering some ice cream down to Urru in Bandon, which is one of my favourite food shops in Ireland. It’s definitely worth a look and taste!
Ruth there told me they are opening a second shop in Mallow, hopefully by the end of next month. The lucky residents of Mallow! For us foodies in Kerry, it will just about enough reason to miss the train connection coming from or going to Dublin, just to stock up on goodies!
You will find the original Urru at: The Mill, McSwiney Quay, Bandon, Co Cork.
I’m just back from Dublin, Croke Park, and a comprehensive Kerry victory. Although it wasn’t much of a game in the end, it’s good to know all the same that Sam is coming back to the Kingdom!
Technorati tags: Sam Meguire, football, Kerry, All Ireland
Yesterday my brother and I went to the Taste of Dublin at Dublin Castle. The idea was to be able to sample some of the dishes of Dublin’s best restaurants, including Roly’s Bistro, L’Ecrivain, Chapter One, Diep le Shakar. In addition, there were food producers handing out samples or selling their wares, and cooking demonstrations by chefs.
The afternoon was sunny, and a huge crowd turned up. The wine flowed, the music pumped, and the various restaurants churned out small portions of their dishes on paper plates.
We met some friends there and had a good time, although it was a bit disappointing to see many big corporations such as the ubiquitous Starbucks along side the small Irish producers.
Today, on a damp, cold morning, we visited a few of our customers in the city and then headed home. As I crossed the border into Kerry, the weather improved, and it struck me as always just how lucky I am to be living in such a beautful place. I headed out the Dingle peninsula toward the sun listening to John Kelly’s Mystery Train and very happy to be out of the city and back home.
Technorati tags: Dublin, restaurant, food, taste, Kerry
I’m just home from Spain, so please forgive the silence over the last days. The internet connetions were troubling, to say the least.
However, it was an interesting trip. I have never been to the South of Spain before, and I would certainly go back.
I had heard many negative things about Marbella, but I must say that I enjoyed a couple of days there. There was a fiesta on, so maybe I had an unusual view of things, with lots of people in traditional dress and flamenco dancers of all ages thronging the streets.
It has a pretty old town, and the promenade is what one would expect…
From there we went on to Puerto Banus. Much too much bling for my tastes…
My favourite parts of the trip were the cities of Grenada and Seville.
Grenada, with its Alhambra palace, youthful population, and delightful town, and Seville for sheer ambience. The narrow streets with endless picturesque buildings and churches are made for wandering.
Both places are foodie heaven, and I could have spent the full week in either quite happily!
I finished the trip in the sherry country around Jerez and Cadiz. It’s not the prettiest area, but it certainly has its parts of interest.
The wind along that coast is something to experience, but it feels good after the heat of the inland cities. The beach in the old town of Cadiz is quite beautiful.
I didn’t make it to any of the bodegas, but I did bring back a couple bottles – one of sherry and one of port, and both should bring happiness to someone like me.
I’m already thinking about how to use them in the ice cream!
