Veggiestan – A Vegetable Lover’s Tour Of The  Middle East

TWO more books to add to your collection should you be so inclined.
Sally Butcher runs the acclaimed Persian food store Persepolis in London. In this upbeat guide to Middle Eastern vegetarian cookery Sally Butcher proves that the region is simply simmering, bubbling and bursting with sumptuous vegetarian traditions and recipes. Written in her trademark engaging and knowledgeable style, Sally takes a fresh look at many of the more exciting ingredients available on our high streets today as well as providing a host of delicious recipes made from more familiar fare. From fragrant Persian noodle rice to gingery tamarind aubergines, pink pickled turnips and rose petal jam, Veggiestan is filled with aromatic herbs and spices, inspiring ideas and all the knowledge needed to cook wonderful vegetarian food.

THIS dish formed part of the @cornstoreathome challenge a few weeks back and I was keen to share the recipe for this really quick, tasty and elegant dish.
I came across the pickling of cucumber in a dish some time ago but it required the cucumber to be sliced thinly and soaked in a pickling liquor for almost two hours.

However, with some tweaking and a different pickling liquor, here’s what I did to allow the slight smoke of the tea marry with the salmon. A great pair in fact.

WHAT YOU NEED
Ummera sliced smoked salmon for a starter portion per person
1 cucumber thinly sliced into strips
Earl grey and hot water
Sherry vinegar
Cold water
Capers
Rock salt, lemon and some cottage
loaf door step slices of buttered toast

WHAT started out as one thing ended up as something completely different. I suppose you could say it’s the same for many things that we try and dabble with, but this little journey took me to the wonderful world of Jaffa Cakes…

We all have a craving and a special treat that we like with tea or coffee. Be it a digestive dipped, a custard cream licked or a penguin bar sucked….. there’s something there for us all to enjoy. On the opposite side of the fence there are those that prefer the civilsed scone or two, cup cake or other similar baked goods.

I for one, will eat the lot, but I am partial to the odd Jaffa Cake or two. I’m sure, and there is no denying it, that a few could put their hands up and say they nailed a box in one sitting.

But that boxed confectionery aside, I looked into deconstructing the formidable force that is the Jaffa Cake.

It has been well documented that the tasting is on this week, but for those that are unsure about the invites or how to get in, here’s one. Tweet @FVDIE, call them or just turn up. The more the merrier.

For the first time, artisan food producers and entrepreneurs in the Atlantic Way region will have a unique opportunity to showcase their products to retail and food service buyers at a food event in Thomond Park, Limerick on Monday, October 3 next. The event is free and open to food producers from Clare, Limerick and Galway. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Mr. Simon Coveney TD, will address the audience at the conference and formally open the product showcase.
The objective of this regional food event, being organised by Bord Bia and Atlantic Way, is to stimulate awareness and demand for local food, thereby increasing the potential market for the region’s food producers and generating increased sales.
Speakers will include;

“WE are keen to show our new wines such as; Albarino, Picpoul de Pinet, Chateau Bauduc Blanc 2009, Mark Haisma Bourgogne Rouge and Emma Serjeant Bourgogne Blanc to name but a few”.
Those are the treats that await guests of the FromVineyardsDirect next wine tasting at the Absolute Hotel later this month.
Following the success of the From Vineyards Direct wine tasting in July at the Hunt Museum, Stuart and his crew are set to make a welcome return to the Treaty City where they have joined forces with Donnacha Hurley, GM at the Absolute Hotel to host the second of their wine tasting bonanzas.
Stuart says that “All of these guys hit the nail on the head with regard to price/quality ratio”.
September 22 has been pencilled in and Stuart will bring with him a plethora of vinified delight.

LITERALLY, launching their new “Explore to Discover” campaign, the people behind Carmen took to the skies of Kildare recently and thanks to a competition running over a number of weeks on the FFT page, one lucky winner will get to taste the air and a the delights of CARMEN wines in a hot air balloon ride over Adare, Co Limerick.
Dawn O’Loughlin of Cappanuke, Cappamore Co Limerick was first out of the hat to win the trip courtesy of the Chilean Wine brand and Edward Dillon and Co wines.
The launch, to coincide with the competition saw Sebastian Labbe, Carmen winemaker, explained that the brand is the oldest in Chile as it dates back to 1850. And as one of the most diversified producers in terms of terroir, their range scans some 50 countries through the export market, Ireland being one that some of the closest link have been established.