Slow Food Gourmet Evening at Limerick’s Cornstore will be held on  Wednesday March 11th and not February 25th as previously stated. Slow Food Limerick and region urges you to amend your diary’s for this divine dining experience.

The evening will boast a luxurious menu featuring the freshest of local ingredients expertly prepared by executive head chef Maura Baxter using seasonal and artisan produce to delight the discerning palate with a mouthwatering array of dishes.

Padraic Frawley has promised an exceptional menu for this special evening where the emphasis is on ‘slow’ fine food, kicking off with a champagne reception and finishing with exquisite desserts and cheese board!

THERE’s a plethora of books out there for the foodies amongst you and here’s another for you to digest. No matter what way you look at it, food is constantly in our headlines, politics and entertainment. But behind the celebrities, the hype, the catch words and the packaging, how much do we really know about the food we eat, where it comes from and what impact it has on the environment?
One of the first accessible, broad-ranging books on contemporary food, The Rough Guide to Food takes you from crop to shop. Including comprehensive background on topics such as GM food, climate change, and global sustainability, plus shocking facts about the food industry and the stranglehold of the big supermarkets. The guide also explores recent food trends such as food miles, organic and functional foods and reveals that not all food is as healthy as it looks.
With excellent editorial throughout, this book won’t just tell you how the world of food works but illustrates how you can control what you eat with simple steps. It contains a plethora of good honest advice, from avoiding vulnerable fish species to creating the perfect allotment or window box salad garden. It includes a guide for healthier kids’ packed lunches, and shows how to get the best from a veg box plus did you know that in some cases, an organic veg box can save you cash when compared to supermarket organic?
Here’s a few ‘Rough Guide Foodie Facts’:
• Tesco now makes more profit in less than five minutes than most farmers make in a year.
• Nearly one-fifth of total greenhouse gas emissions are due to livestock production.
• Americans typically consume 3747 calories per day, up to 1500 calories more than recommended.
• Worldwide Sales of Fairtrade produce rose by 47% in 2007 on the previous year.
• Each of us throws away our average bodyweight (70 kg) of food each year costing us millions and equals what we spend on international aid.
• 85% of us would like to see manufacturers put more animal welfare information on the label.

MOST of you will have the plans for this your Valentines weekend completely sorted and will be in the throws of it come Saturday evening, (cooking that is). So moving on, here’s some great ideas for the humble pea. Granted, you may not all like at once but do give them a try as the ease of preparation is only beaten by the taste the final dish gives.

WHAT YOU NEED
400g spaghetti
1 clove garlic, for rubbing
lemon juice from 2 lemons, freshly squeezed
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt to season
1 cup parmigiano cheese, finely grated, plus extra for sprinkling
bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
zest of 1 lemon, freshly grated
FAST food need not come from a carton, it can be quick and easy and most certainly done at home. Full of nutrition and flavour, pasta holds all the cards as a quick food item. Adding some simple flavours can transform a dish to something quite tasty.
WHAT TO DO
Place spaghetti in a pot of boiling salted water and stir immediately to prevent from sticking. Cut garlic in half and rub exposed area along the interior of a large serving bowl. This way the flavour of raw garlic will cover the inside surface of the bowl. Discard the garlic. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice and slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil while stirring. Stir well until the ingredients have emulsified. Mix in salt and parmigiano cheese.
When the spaghetti is ‘al dente’, drain and add to the serving bowl. Mix well. Sprinkle with parmigiano cheese, parsley and lemon zest. Serve immediately.

A survey into people’s eating habits found that more couples than ever are opting for a home cooked meal this Valentines Day. A surprising 65% of the men in relationships are also cooking up a treat for their loved one this year. The recent survey showed that 72% of women would prefer to have a home cooked meal from their partner than eat out this year. This means the expectation for men to knock up something extra special this year is higher than ever.
As well as reflecting the changing culinary habits of couples, the survey presented some amusing findings including 22% of people admitting to having made their partners ill through home cooking at some point.  Strawberries, oysters and chocolate were voted as foods with the most aphrodisiac properties and despite his tarnished reputation of late, Gordon Ramsay topped the poll for the celebrity chef most people would like to spend Valentines Day with.
Popular Valentines dishes included baked oysters with garlic and steak a la love!!

WHAT YOU NEED
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup fresh blackberries
1 1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 peach, sliced (skin on)
1 strips lemon peel (yellow part only)
3 cups chilled Champagne or sparkling wine
3 tbsp gelatin powder
fresh peach slices and mint, for garnish

Some will go big and others might like to have just plenty of little dishes to nibble. Many people have said that tucking into a big hearty meal is not the way to go and I might like to agree. So why not try several small dishes and make time to share the food and company.

Fresh Oysters with relish and scented oil