Aldi to sell over 75 new Irish made products as part of "Grow with Aldi" Supplier Development Programme

45 artisan food & drink producers win a new contract with Aldi, which has to date invested over €1.5million in Irish suppliers since the programme began in 2018.

45 of Ireland’s most innovative Irish food and drink producers have won a new contract to supply Aldi’s 142 stores through its Grow with Aldi Supplier Development Programme. Over 75 exciting Irish-made products will now go on sale nationwide as part of an Aldi Specialbuys event, kicking off on Sunday, 31st May for two weeks only. Aldi is investing €500,000 in the Grow with Aldi programme this year, and to date, has invested over €1.5million with small and medium Irish suppliers since it began in 2018.

A diverse range of products have been selected for 2020, including  Cordials, Artisan Chocolate, Baking Mixes, Piedmontese Beef Sausages, Irish Farmhouse Cheeses and Frozen Pizzas. The new artisan additions will compliment Aldi’s existing portfolio of Irish products. Aldi already works with over 200 Irish suppliers and will sell over €750 million worth of Irish goods this year.

 Developed in partnership with Bord Bia, Grow with Aldi supports small and medium Irish suppliers in listing with a national retailer. Suppliers receive tailored mentoring, workshops from the Aldi Buying Team and Bord Bia technical experts, teaching them the skills to help grow and develop their product, brand and business.

Five of the Grow with Aldi suppliers will then be given a further opportunity, winning a contract for their product to be sold in Aldi’s Irish stores year-round. In 2019, All About Kombucha, Galway (Kombucha), Funky Monkey Foods, Dublin (Curry Mix and Salt & Chilli Mix), Walls Honest Chips, Cork (Chips), Ballyvourney Pudding, Cork (Black and White Pudding), Pizzado Pizza, Co. Down (Fresh Pizza Bases) and Mama Bear Ketchup, Cork (Low Sugar Ketchup) all won a core listing in all 142 stores nationwide.

 Commenting, John Curtin, Aldi Group Buying Director, said:
“Now in its third year, Grow with Aldi has consistently delivered for everyone involved. Small and medium sized Irish suppliers get the opportunity to have their product sold nationally, shoppers get to enjoy the best Irish-made products being created and Aldi gets to work with even more Irish suppliers. With everything that has happened worldwide over the past few months, we couldn’t think of a better time to be supporting Irish suppliers more. These fantastic products that represent the very best of Ireland’s food industry.”

Tara McCarthy, Bord Bia CEO, said:
“As a nation, we love to purchase locally sourced products; recent research from Bord Bia showed that 76% of people use Irish produce where possible and over two thirds of those surveyed agreed that food of Irish origin was worth paying a little more for. Now more than ever this is hugely important, and Grow with Aldi not only helps meet consumer demand for Irish products, but also supports small and medium Irish suppliers as they develop the skills and capabilities their businesses need in the current climate.”

The full list of Irish products is as follows: 

County	Supplier	Product	Price
Antrim	Mezze Magic	Smoked Black Olive Tepenade	€2.49
	Mezze Magic	Smoked Sundried Tomato Pesto	€2.49
Armagh	Burren Balsamics	Black Garlic Infused Balsamic Vinegar	€4.49
	Burren Balsamics	Blackberry and Thyme Infused Balsamic Vinegar	€4.49
	Burren Balsamics	White Balsamic Vinegar	€4.49
	Meadow Farm Foods	Orchard Smokehouse Smoked Chicken Wings	€3.49
Cavan	Ice Cream Treats	Yomega3 Greek Style Frozen Yogurts	€4.99
Clare	Inagh Farmhouse Cheese	St. Tola Divine Artisan Goat Cheese	€2.99
	Magic Mayan	Vegan Fresh Mint Dark Chocolate	€3.99
	Magic Mayan	Vegan Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate	€3.99
	Magic Mayan	Vegan Zesty Orange Dark Chocolate	€3.99
	Meere’s Pork Products	6 Dinner Sausages	€2.99
	Mrs. Doyle’s Tea	Irish Blend Tea	€4.49
Cork	Bó Rua Farm	Original Irish Farm Cheddar	€2.99
	De Roiste Foods	Ballyvourney Tomato and Herb Sausages	€1.99
	Finders Foods	Rocket Salad Dressing	€2.99
	O’Neill’s Irish Atlantic Sea Salt	Aromatic Garlic Sea Salt Flakes	€2.49
	O’Neill’s Irish Atlantic Sea Salt	Pure and Natural Sea Salt Flakes	€2.49
	Mella’s Irish Butter Fudge	Salted Caramel Irish Butter Fudge	€4.49
	Mella’s Irish Butter Fudge	Irish Butter Fudge Selection	€4.49
	Saturday Pizzas	Margherita Pizza	€4.99
	Saturday Pizzas	Pepperoni Pizza	€4.99
	Union Hall Smoked Fish	Smoked Mackerel Pâté	€3.29
	Union Hall Smoked Fish	Smoked Salmon Pâté	€3.29
Derry	The Popcorn Company	Blue Raspberry Candy Floss	€1.29
	The Popcorn Company	Green Apple Candy Floss	€1.29
	The Popcorn Company	Pink Vanilla Candy Floss	€1.29
Down	Hellbent	Coiled South African Sausage (Boerewors)	€3.99
Dublin	Dan & Monstro	Homemade Curry Sauce	€3.49
	Dan & Monstro	Homemade Pasta Sauce	€3.49
	Mama Nagi’s	Exotic Coconut Cook-in Sauce	€3.29
	Mama Nagi’s	Fruity Tomato Cook-in Sauce	€3.29
	Mama Nagi’s	Sweet Mango Cook-in Sauce	€3.29
	Meltdown	Hot Stuff Sauce	€3.79
	Nicky’s Plaice	Oak-Smoked Salmon	€2.99
	Safco Fine Foods	Fresh Falafel	€2.49
	Safco Fine Foods	Falafel Burger	€3.49
	Vada Pow	Croquette Tikka Masala	€3.49
	Vada Pow	Mumbai Potato Pie	€3.49
Kildare	Prokulture	Organic Kombucha – Ginger & Lemongrass	€2.99
	Prokulture	Organic Kombucha – Wild Berry	€2.99
	The Grill Shack	Original Hot Sauce	€3.29
Leitrim	Dromod	Irish Homemade Boxty	€1.99
	Jinny’s Bakery	Irish Stout Bread Mix	€3.65
Louth	KooKee	Gluten Free Double Chocolate Cookie Mix	€3.59
	KooKee	Gluten Free Spotaí Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix	€3.59
Mayo	Furnace Green	Meat Free Black Pudding	€2.29
	Furnace Green	Meat Free White Pudding	€2.29
Meath	Adriatic Taste	Grill Sausage – Extra Hot	€4.99
	Adriatic Taste	Grill Sausage – Spicy	€4.99
Monaghan	Hempful	CBD Infusion Health Bar	€2.99
	Hempful	Natural Hemp Original Hemp Bar	€2.99
	Hempful	Protein Boost Health Bar	€2.99
	Kahawa Coffee	Cold Brew Latte	€2.49
	Kahawa Coffee	Cold Brew Original	€2.49
Offaly	Biltong Chief	Chilli Beef Biltong	€2.85
	Biltong Chief	Traditional Biltong	€2.85
	O’Donoghue’s Bakery	Dairy Free Soda Bread	€1.45
	Mossfield Organic Farm	Natural Yogurt	€2.29
Tipperary	Blackcastle Farm/Irish Piedmontese Meat Company	6 Irish Gourmet Piedmontese Beef Sausages	€3.99
	Lisduff Fine Foods	Cajun Turkey Grills	€2.79
	Lisduff Fine Foods	Sage & Onion Turkey Grills	€2.79
Tyrone	Quinns	Hazelnut Gelato	€3.49
	Quinns	Vanilla Gelato	€3.49
Wexford	Jimmy’s Kitchen	Potato Cakes in Golden Batter	€3.89
	Jimmy’s Kitchen	Potato Cakes in Herb Breadcrumb	€3.89
	Naturally Cordial	Wexford Blackcurrant Cordial	€3.99
	Naturally Cordial	Lemon and Lime Leaf Cordial	€3.99
Wicklow	Guastalla	Italian Prosciutto	€3.99
	Guastalla	Salami Antipasto	€3.99
	Porter & Nash	Caramelised Onion & Balsamic Sauce	€3.29
	Porter & Nash	Original Gravy	€3.29
	Pure Treats	Berry Burst Mini Cake	€2.99
	Pure Treats	Lemon Drizzle Mini Cake	€2.99
	The Piccolo Pizza Co.	Basil & Garlic Pizza Sauce	€1.99
	The Piccolo Pizza Co.	Herb & Spice Pizza Sauce	€1.99
	The Piccolo Pizza Co.	Smoky BBQ Pizza Sauce	€1.99

Sliabh Liag Distillery launches new Legendary Dark Silkie Irish Whiskey

Sliabh Liag Distillers, based in Carrick, County Donegal, has just released The Legendary Dark Silkie Irish Whiskey, a blend of carefully selected Irish Whiskeys which will reintroduce drinkers to the rich smoky peated turf fire Irish Whiskey style of the early 19th century.

James Doherty, founder and managing director of Sliabh Liag Distillers describes the whiskey. “The Dark Silkie is the first addition to our Silkie range and adds a smoky overlay to the signature Silkie style. It has always been my intention to bring peat smoke to blends and this is the first time we have been able to source the right smoky whiskeys for our Silkie. It’s the perfect stepping-stone for introducing the dry, rich, smoky style that we believe is true to Donegal and the wild Atlantic coast.”

James describes the tasting notes of the new Dark Silkie as "fresh apple, pipe tobacco and the comforting dry smoke of a peat fire. To taste, the whiskey is super soft with a salted-caramel sweetness, dark chocolate and liquorice, oak, leather, and a dry spicy smoke. The finish is warming with smoky malt, peanut butter and melts away,” he adds.

Dark Silkie has at its core a triple distilled peated single malt which is matured in sherry casks. This single malt is peated to 55 parts per million, which after the triple distillation results in a phenol level around 22 parts per million, giving a rich, sweet, smoky flavour. The peated single malt is blended with a double distilled single malt matured in bourbon barrels and soft grain whiskey matured in virgin oak casks.

As with the multi-award winning Silkie Irish Whiskey, the Dark Silkie is hand bottled at Sliabh Liag Distillers in Carrick, County Donegal and in keeping with the strong tradition of storytelling still prevalent in Donegal, The Dark Silkie is named after the Silkies of the Donegal coast. (Silkies are mythical mermaid-like shape-shifters, who shed their seal skin coats on a sandy moonlit shore to become beautiful sea maidens!)

Last month, Sliabh Liag Distillers joined the national effort in fighting COVID-19 by pivoting production to hand sanitiser, as James explains: “It has been a busy time with the pivot toward hand sanitiser in recent weeks, but in spite of the pandemic, we are pushing ahead with the new distillery build (in Ardara) and will only produce rich peated whiskeys with our "all grains in" process, which I think is unique to Ireland”.

The Legendary Dark Silkie Irish Whiskey has a retail recommended price of €42 and is available online at the Sliabh Liag Distillers online shop, Diceys.com, The Celtic Whiskey Shop, Amazon and Master of Malt.

Zack.

Fresh Fish and Seafood, Straight to Your Home

Like Fresh Seafood? You'll Love this! Donegal based seafood wholesalers, Starcrest Seafood, have recently launched a brand new service, Port 2 Door, which delivers fresh fish and seafood directly to your home!

Since the outbreak of the coronovirus pandemic, people have had to curtail their shopping habits due to social distancing and because of this we have become more inclined to limit our travelling and do most of our shopping in one place, or online.

This has meant that the choice of foods that we were used to buying has also been somewhat curtailed, especially fresh fish and seafood.

The pleasure of going out to restaurants with our family and friends, where we would often treat ourselves to something special has also had an impact on the amount of delicious seafood dishes that we eat.

Now, you can order the freshest fish and seafood from the extensive online Seafood Shop at Port2Door.ie and have it delivered directly to your door, with social distancing guidelines being applied at all times.

Their selection available includes fresh fish like Cod, Hake, Salmon, Monkfish, Haddock, John Dory, Mackerel, Whiting, Mussels, Oysters, Diced Seafood Chowder Mix and also some pre-prepared seafoods like Smoked Salmon and Trout, Crab meat, Filo Prawns, Frozen Breaded Fish and much more!

Since 1994, Starcrest Seafoods has been a leading fish and seafood supplier to the food and hospitality industry all over Ireland. The McClay family have established a reputation for excellent service, quality products and good value prices and the company is trusted for its' consistency by chefs from Malin Head to Cork!

Fish has long been recognised as one of nature’s healthiest foods and with its rich package of nutrients it is one of the few foods that can truly be called a super-food.

Fish helps to develop a healthy body, for people of all ages, from teenagers to expectant mothers, and people of more mature years.  Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in Ireland, but people who eat fish can cut their risk of heart disease by up to 50%.

According to Bordbia, the Irish Food Board, you need to eat fish at least once a week to get the full benefit for your heart. It also has other benefits for your well being, and this is why nutritionists recommend that we eat fish twice a week. This should include at least one oil-rich fish – such as mackerel, herring, trout or salmon.

Children need to eat a protein food at lunch and dinner. Protein is needed by every part of the body – skin, hair, nails, heart, lungs as well as muscles and it is a vital nutrient for healthy development and fish can be a very healthy choice. Fish is rich in protein, the nutrient the body needs to build strong healthy muscles and bones as well as to help repair the scrapes and scratches that are part and parcel of growing up.

All products purchased are vacuumed packed for your convenience. Minimum Orders of €35 with FREE Delivery, at your door within 48 hours, Monday to Friday!

I'm very lucky because I live only a few hundred metres from Starcrest Seafoods and can just pop in for my fish, but you can simply go online to order your weekly fish and seafood at Port2Door.ie. 

Tell them Zack sent you!

Oven Baked Creamy Wild Garlic & Cheese Potatoes

Here is a twist on the classic potato gratin dish, using Wild Garlic. This is so easy to cook and super delicious!

Use a good floury potato like a rooster, because they'll be perfect for soaking up the creamy sauce. Roosters are a great all round potato being good for roasting, mashing, baking or making chips. I used a mix of white Cheddar and Parmesan Cheese because I like it. You can use any cheddar cheese or mix of cheeses that you like.

The taste of chopped wild garlic is much more subtle and sweeter compared to cloves of garlic and the flowers can also be chopped up and eaten too! When you pick the wild garlic, cut or break it off low on the stem of the leaf and the flower. Don't pull the complete plant out of the ground by the roots or it will not grow back next year!


My Ingredients:

1.5kg (3 1/2 lbs) Potatoes
500ml (1 pint) Whipping Cream
100g (4oz) Cheddar Cheese, grated
50g (2oz) Parmesan Cheese, grated
About 10 Wild Garlic leaves, chopped fine
Freshly ground Black Pepper


My Method:

1. Peel and slice thinly all the potatoes using a sharp knife or a mandolin. Place them in a large bowl.

2. Add all the grated parmesan cheese, most of the cheddar cheese, the cream and the wild garlic. Add 8-10 twists of freshly ground pepper.

3. Mix everything together well with a large spoon and then pour it into a 2" deep baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar cheese over the top and flatten everything down gently.

Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top of the dish

Another twist of black pepper can be added on top if you wish.

4. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 175°C, 350°F, Gas 4 for approximately 1 hour. After 30 minutes, take the dish out and gently press the potatoes down again to let the cream come up over the top of the mix. Pop it back in the oven to finish the cooking time.

The top of the potato dish will be lightly crispy and golden/brown and it is ready to eat straight away. If you want to, you can make this the day before a special dinner, let it cool completely when cooked and cut it into squares. When you're ready eat, it heats up in a hot oven or in a microwave quite quickly. Serve as a garnish, snack or a side dish.

A tasty and simple potato recipe for a side dish or a late night snack!

You can also prepare this in separate individual dishes if you wish so that each guest gets their own.

There you go, simple and very tasty - Oven Baked Creamy Wild Garlic & Cheese Potatoes. Yum!

Zack

My Wild Atlantic Kitchen Cookbook published by Maura O’Connell Foley

My Wild Atlantic Kitchen: Recipes and Recollections is a compilation of Maura O’Connell Foley’s favourite recipes created throughout her career in Kenmare, County Kerry spanning over six decades. The dishes contained in the book follow Maura’s ethos of keeping food simple, cooking with care and using the best available local Irish produce.

Several years in the making, this book is a comprehensive collection capturing over 250 recipes of the food Maura has loved to cook throughout her life and successful career as a cook and restaurateur.

Since the early 1960’s Maura has been a chef owner of several successful businesses in Kenmare. Born in London during the war in 1942, she returned to Kenmare and opened a cake shop at the age of 19 with her mother, Agnes, who had worked as a professional baker in Fraser’s Tea Shop in Haverstock Hill, London.

Maura O'Connell Foley, author of My Wild Atlantic Kitchen

In 1963 Maura and Agnes expanded the business and opened  a restaurant, with Maura following her true passion of cooking in the kitchen mainly with fresh local fish including sole, cod, Atlantic prawns and lobster. She is largely self-taught, having completed a short course at Le Cordon Bleu in London in the 1960’s and undertaking stages with great chefs including Sonia Stevenson, the first woman to earn a Michelin star in the UK.

In the early 1980’s she renovated an old school house in Kenmare, where she had once been a student herself, and opened The Limetree restaurant with her husband Tom. During her tenure at The Limetree, she received great acclaim both nationally and internationally and earned a Michelin Red M. Later, in the early 90’s, she converted her uncle Packie’s grocery store to a more informal restaurant, simply called Packie’s Food and Wine. In 1990 she purchased a large run-down Georgian house and after five years of meticulous renovations Shelburne Lodge opened to guests in 1996. Maura and her husband Tom, continue to run Shelburne Lodge today.

Dover Sole Stuffed with Atlantic Prawns and Brandy Cream Sauce

My Wild Atlantic Kitchen features stand-out dishes from the first tea shop she and her mother Agnes opened in 1961, The Purple Heather Restaurant and Piano Bar, The Lime Tree Restaurant, Packie’s Food and Wine and also from Shelburne Lodge Guesthouse which she continues to run today with her husband Tom.

Maura said, “Over the years, I was approached on many occasions to write a book, but I just didn’t make the time. I finally put pen to paper, and I can tell you it has been a tremendous effort! The recipes are a diverse collection of the food I have loved to cook at various times in my life”.

Maura’s recipes are seasonal, classic and carefully organised into eight chapters in the book: Breakfast, Starters, Fish, Meat, Vegetables, Desserts & Baking, Sauces, Stocks & Staples, as well as a dedicated section on Dinner Parties. Examples include Drop Scone Pancakes with Dry Cured Bacon and Apple Syrup, Confit of Duck Leg with Pear and Ginger Salad, Twice Baked Hazelnut Goat’s Cheese Soufflé, Seafood Sausage with Beurre Blanc, Smoked Cod Cakes, Beef and Guinness Casserole, Dover Sole Stuffed with Atlantic Prawns and Brandy Cream Sauce, Chocolate Pots, Irish Barmbrack & Butter Pudding, and Spicy Apple and Rum Pudding.

Garlic & Ginger Crusted Monkfish

Working in close collaboration with Kenmare based graphic designer Éamonn O’Sullivan of Anchor Studio, the project was very much a labour of love, with Maura and her family undertaking the task of lovingly creating a beautiful book that would be a testament to her years of hard work and dedication to her craft.

Not only is this a cookbook, My Wild Atlantic Kitchen features Maura’s culinary recollections and stories woven throughout, accompanied by over 100 images of her recipes captured by Lynda Kenny and Maria Bell. In keeping with her love of art and the Irish landscape, the book includes photography by nationally renowned landscape photographer Norman McCloskey, illustrations by artist Christine Bowen and paintings from internationally acclaimed Irish artist Pauline Bewick.

Maura's Tunisian Orange Cake

The foreword is written by Irish Michelin starred chef Derry Clarke of L'Ecrivain Restaurant
in Dublin. He says “This book is the culmination of 60 years of passion, hard work and imagination and is a summary of Maura’s life working in busy kitchens. These recipes are timeless, classic and detailed. This is a book I feel every cook should have in their kitchen as there are so many brilliant and varied recipes. This is a book recording Maura’s legacy through the many years she has been at the forefront of Irish cooking. As a fellow chef, I am proud to know her and respect her for all her achievements.”


My Wild Atlantic Kitchen: Recipes and Recollections (RRP €35) is available from the 26th of March on Amazon or directly from www.MyWildAtlanticKitchen.com and selected independent bookstores, hotels and stores nationwide.


Keep up to date with the latest news by following My Wild Atlantic Kitchen
on Instagram @MyWildAtlanticKitchen.

New Cavan Food and Drink Producers Brand Launched

A new food and beverage brand and producer directory for County Cavan, ‘Created in Cavan’, was recently launched on Wednesday, 26 February, in the Town Hall in Cavan Town.

This new brand, with its bold, distinctive logo, will provide consumers locally, nationally and on the international stage with the assurance that they are purchasing food or drink that has been lovingly created by dedicated local producers to reflect the unique landscape and culture of County Cavan.

‘Created in Cavan’ gives food and drink producers from the county a platform to showcase their wares and better communicate their unique food story. 

An initiative of the Cavan Food Network, funded by Cavan County Council with assistance from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, ‘Created in Cavan’ is an expression of the collective community of food and drink producers and food tourism services participating in the supply, production and service of quality local food and drink across County Cavan.

Members of the Cavan Food Network Working Group, (from left)
Margaret Farrelly, Margaret’s Eggs; Tara Smith, LEO Cavan; Kieron Moran, Moran’s Mega Jam; Charlene Brady, Charlene's Wholesome Pantry; Adrian Carter, Crover House Hotel; Cavan Food Network Chairperson Jonathon Scott, Scott’s Irish Cider ; Katrina Murphy, Katrina’s Artisan Cakes; Norbert Neylon, Oak Room Restaurant; Joanne Hayes, Cavan Tourism Development Officer; Deirdre Donnelly, Food Strategy Coordinator, Cavan County Council.

The Cavan Food Network works to enable consistent quality and a wide range of choice and variety in its produce, and now local consumers and tourists can be sure that wherever they see the‘Created in Cavan’ logo they are guaranteed quality local food and drink and memorable food-based visitor experiences.

Speaking at the launch at Town Hall Cavan Arts Centre on Wednesday afternoon, ‘Created in Cavan’ Brand Ambassador Neven Maguire said, “I feel proud to promote Cavan. I’m proud of where I come from. I love when people come from all over the country to our restaurant - they always comment on the good food and the local produce they’ve eaten in Cavan. 

Cavan Chef, Neven Maguire of MacNean House Restaurant, speaking at the launch of the Created in Cavan brand

“At the end of the day, as chefs, we are only as good as the produce that we use.Each food producer has a story to tell and we need to showcase what we have in this county, because it’s an exciting time for Cavan,” added Neven.

Cavan County Council Food Co-coordinator, Deirdre Donnelly said “This is a great day for Cavan food and drink as we launch our bold new ‘Created in Cavan’ brand and publish the first edition of the Cavan Producer Directory. Such exciting developments speak to the value of local collaboration and we in Cavan County Council look forward to continued partnership with the Cavan Food Network as we strive to continually grow and improve the Cavan food and drink offering”.

Chair of the Cavan Food Network, Mr Jonathon Scott said “As food and drink producers we are incredibly proud of our county and its produce and the ‘Created in Cavan’ brand will allow us to carry that message with us at shows and on shelves across the country and further afield.”

Director of Services with Director of Services, Planning, Community,and Economic Development with Cavan County Council said “Cavan County Council is delighted to work with the Cavan Food Network to deliver this exciting new brand, a key output of the Cavan Food Strategy. 

“I would like to commend all who have brought this project to fruition including our Food Strategy coordinator Deirdre Donnelly, the members of the Cavan Food Network, our elected members who have supported the development of Cavan food and drink from the outset, and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, who provided financial support through the Rural Innovation and Development Fund.

“Supporting our local food and drinks businesses is also central to supporting the local economy. ‘Created in Cavan’ aims to bridge the gap between the fantastic food and drinks industry in Cavan and our local tourism industry. By doing this, we can build our food identity, boost local economies and reduce the environmental impact for everyone,” added Mr Jennings.

Chairperson of Cavan County Council, Councillor Shane P O’Reilly, said “Cavan food and drink, and Cavan hospitality is worth shouting about, and this brand conveys gives our industry the means to do so. I’m sure all of our local producers will get behind this wonderful new initiative, and I would encourage the people of Cavan to look out for the ‘Created in Cavan’ logo on shelves and in hotels, cafes and restaurants.”

For more information on ‘Created in Cavan’ and the Cavan Food Network, or to get involved, email  food@cavancoco.ie 

Pancake Tuesday & an Old Fashioned Pancake Recipe

Pancake Tuesday (or Shrove Tuesday - depending on your people's history) when I was a wee boy, was a very important day in the family calendar. It was the day when you had to tell the rest of the family exactly what you were giving up for Lent, which started the next day, on Ash Wednesday.

The reason for making such a declaration was so that all your brothers and sisters could keep an eye on you and each other and make sure you weren't breaking your fast!

In general it was Sweets that we gave up for Lent, but we were allowed to put any presents that were given to us into a big jar or box to keep for the 40 days duration of the fast. We were allowed to 'break Lent' for St Paddy's day which usually left you with a sore tummy after gorging on your stash of goodies.

Pancake Tuesday was traditionally a serious day in the Christian religious calendar. It marked the day before Jesus Christ went into the desert to think about his future and fight temptation. So that's what we had to do too, when we were younger!

Because many people went off meat, eggs, tea, milk and other things like this during Lent in the older days, Pancakes were made and ate for all meals during this day to use up any food products that needed using up.

Pancakes were probably the first thing I ever learned to make from my mum and I still enjoy making them, with sweet or savoury fillings, for any reason. There is not much difference between Crepes & Pancakes, a thicker mix and a smaller pour is about it!

One of my neighbours makes her Pancakes with buttermilk and duck eggs, which are Delicious!! If you don't have any buttermilk add a dash of lemon juice to the milk. This gives a wee zing to the flavour and also helps create a lighter batter by reacting with the baking powder.


This is a simple recipe for Old Fashioned Pancakes:

My Ingredients:

300g self raising flour

1 tspn baking powder
pinch salt
pinch sugar
2 eggs
300ml milk
25g butter, melted
a little oil for the pan

My Method:

1. Put the flour into a mixing bowl with the baking powder and give it a quick whisk to mix it, lighten it and smooth any lumps (much handier than sieving).

2. Add the salt, sugar, milk and eggs

3. Whisk together until creamy making sure there are no lumps.

4. Pour in the melted butter and whisk into the mix. The butter lifts the taste of the pancake and helps them get a lovely golden-brown colour in the pan.


You will need a good heavy-based frying pan. Pre-heat the pan to medium for perfect pancakes.

Pour them gently but quickly on to the pan

Let the pancake mix stand for ten minutes and whisk again before you use it. You don't need to let it stand if your making very thin crepes.  Just rub a little oil on the pan with a kitchen towel.


5. Pour 3 or 4 scoops of the pancake batter onto your hot pan. You don't have to shake or stir the pan, just let the pancakes find their own place.

6. Let them cook until the bubbles start to rise and just start to pop on top of the pancake. This means they are ready to turn.

7. Cook on the other side for about 30 seconds and that's them ready!!


Get them off the pan and repeat the process until all the mix is gone. A tea-towel over the top of the pancakes will keep them warm. That is if you can keep little hands off them in the first place!

Enjoy with your favourite spreads. I love my pancakes with real Butter and home-made Jam or real honey!

Here's a link to my post with the recipe for Crepe Suzette: 

http://www.irishfoodguide.ie/2011/03/crepes-pancakes-crepe-suzette.html

Pancakes in the Old Days - The Irish Cultures & Customs Website

Here is a link to a website with a nice nostalgic piece of Irish Pancake history that I found. It tells the Irish pancake story from a time back quite a few years more than my memories and from a family of Irish living in London in the 40's & 50's. Lovely.

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/ShroveTues.html 

zack