Electric food, Electric Picnic, I’m ready

Sunday, September 02, 2012

Should you find yourself at the Electric Picnic this weekend, do swing by the Theatre of Food (www.electricpicnic.ie/food).

The Menu will be putting down a few shifts at yet another splendid gastronomic cultural mash-up of top Irish culinary stars in demos, discussions, debates, tastings and all manner of food-related high-jinks including a ‘Girls v Boys’ pro-chef cooking competition featuring Clodagh McKenna.

The only downside for The Menu will be missing the ongoing Holy Mackerel festival (Aug 31-Sept 2) in Youghal, combining two of his favourite things, the criminally-overlooked East Cork town and that piscine prince, the eternally delicious mackerel, alarmingly scarce on our shores this summer. There is a host of other entertainment celebrating the town’s angling heritage. www.youghal4all.com

Add your ingredients to a tasty book

The Menu is constantly on the lookout for green shoots of an evolving modern Irish cuisine to call our own, a unique combination of local and global influences and traditions based around our own world-class produce.

So it roundly applauds an endeavour by Goodall’s to document progress to date via a cookbook benefiting two worthy charities, Cork Penny Dinners and Crosscare. Furthermore, this book could well feature a contribution from your own good self, dear reader, as it is to be compiled from recipes submitted by the general public.

Submit your personal interpretation of a modern Irish recipe and a few lines stating why you believe it to represent the best of Irish cooking and the source of your inspiration along with a high-res photo. With the 50 best entries making the cut, closing date is Sept 7. Entry guidelines: www.goodalls.ie

Munster carves out a niche for itself

The Menu sends his best to the Munster finalists (Bobby Byrne’s Bar, Limerick; Bull McCabe’s & The Elm Tree, Cork) in Unilever’s Best Carvery in Ireland with the Grand Final in Dublin on Sept 4.

Hopefully, one of those will be continuing celebrations the following day at the Cliff Townhouse’s inaugural Oyster festival, running until Sept 9. www.theclifftownhouse.com

Today’s Special

What on earth, sez you, was The Menu up to last week, eating Christmas pudding in August?

Working diligently on behalf of his beloved readers, actually, munching through an astonishing range of baked goodies, brainchildren of the remarkable Siobhan Lawless of multi-award-winning The Foods of Athenry.

Specifically, The Menu was checking out a range for those with food intolerances (gluten, dairy, sugar etc) but could find no earthly reason for the population at large to not also indulge in an exceptional Very Berry Granola and some truly evil Flapjacks, along with the Craicker range (Hazelnut and Cranberry Craic-kers sampled with a little soft goat’s cheese).

All impressed, but it was the Snickerdoodle that snared, a feather-light, sweet, crisp cookie, shimmering with cinnamon and only crying out to be nibbled in conjunction with a freshly-poured espresso.

Contact Joe McNamee at themenu@examiner.ie

BEER OF THE WEEK

Béal Bán golden ale 5% abv 750ml €7

There is something special about Beoir Chorca Dhuibhne (aka the West Kerry Brewery), particularly their Carraig Dubh porter, one of the best Irish products of any type I’ve tasted.

It’s been joined recently by this golden-brass-coloured English-style ale, its nice savoury malt set off by both a vivid fresh spritz, and a lovely contrasting sensation best described as like toast with honey.

Apart from the brew-pub itself, stockists include Bradley’s and Abbot Ale House in Cork. Better again, sample it while meeting the people behind this and dozens of other at the Irish Craft Beer Festival at the RDS from Thursday to Sunday.

By Blake CreedonHome