Get a little extra heat when seasoning the lamb chops if you like by adding some ground chilli to your salt and pepper mix

COMFORT can have style too and this is one case in point. Getting good quality produce and transforming it into a dish is the paramount objective of any cook, chef or food enthusiast. Great quality loin lamb chops, trimmed and kissed with a little flavour means that once they hit the pan and then the plate it will deliver on every level and more.
Even take the braised red cabbage in this dish and although it takes almost an hour to cook, it is the ingredients and the condiments with spices that go into this that lift it enough to accompany the lamb excellently.  The raita gives the fresh zing that is needed and transforms the dish to more than just comfort food.

Even stale, this loaf keeps on giving as it's the first step to the best garlic toast you'll ever have.

I made this back in the Summer (yes we had one) and I discovered that this is a great recipe to make a really good loaf of bread. Think of it as a dipping-bread for soups and stews and a step closer to making garlic toast a day or two after.  It’s not a garlic lovers recipe, but just has enough for you to know it’s there.
WHAT YOU NEED
1kg basic bread dough
4 shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
10 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp chopped basil or thyme (optional)

ONE year ago, Caroline Hennessy and Kristin Jensen launched the Irish Food Bloggers Association at the Savour Kilkenny Foodcamp. They set up the IFBA so that Irish food bloggers would have a place to get to know each other a little better, see what other bloggers are out there and get involved in food events and meet-ups. And that’s exactly what’s happened!
12 months on, “and we have over 200 food blogs listed on our blogroll, 450+ members on the site, almost 3,000 Twitter followers and 1,250 Facebook fans. We and other IFBA members have organised food photography workshops, dinners out, trips to food festivals, food producers and farmers’ markets, a cooking demo and were even (inadvertently!) behind the runaway success that became Inishfood,” Kristin wrote in a recent post online.

This Sauvignon Blanc will feature as one of the Christmas Crackers at the next wine tasting FromVineyardsDirect

STUART, our good friend @FVDIE FromVineyardsDirect, has vowed to bring another superb wine tasting to Limerick before Christmas and as the planning is in its early stages, final details have yet to be confirmed.
Speaking with the man himself this week, Stuart said; “It’s great to come to Limerick each and every time. I hope we can have another great tasting just in time for the festive cheer as we have some really great new wines that we would love to showcase.”
It’s been a few months now since the guys at wine merchants brought their show to Limerick and having had a sneak peak at their new collection, visitors and guests to the tasting, likely for the Absolute Hotel, will be treated to a world of vinified delights.
We will keep you posted, online, in print and via whatever means necessary.

IT might be a wise to stock up now as one of the most luxurious tipples that we have enjoyed in recent times is set to return to the price that matches its rank.
Despite the current heavy discounts that are in place for most bottles of Champagne, the price the grapes of the most popular region in the world is set to rise in the New Year after it was said that grape prices are to increase.
The rise in grape prices from the 2011 harvest means that the selling prices for the main brands will be forced to rise in turn.
A 3% rise is likely according to Decanter who add that grand cru grapes could see a rise of up to 5%.
Producers are saying that they will have to pass on the increase in the cost of the grape this time around and that not taking such a move would make their business “unsustainable”.
As of yet, retailers have not indicated the timing of such a move but they have noted that the increase will also be reflected in the duty paid.

Don’t think of it as a luxurious indulgence just yet, as I love fish and sometimes, it’s good to celebrate what we can yield from these waters around our island. However, while the lobster and the monkfish take centre stage, this recipe cam about through the design of colour and how flavours could (hopefully) work. I have to say, they did.

A NUMBER of weeks ago, I came across some delightful ingredients where one was an intriguing bag of violet potatoes.
Having heard of these little gems and seeing them before, I never had the pleasure of cooking with them until recent times.
And while not becoming the focal point of a dish, they certainly did enhance the lobster and monkfish collaboration I put together.
I added a smoked garlic sauce to accompany the fish and the flageolet beans, often known as the caviar of beans in French cooking, add a little depth and earthiness to the plate.
Here’s what I used and how I put the dish together.

DAMN those pesky scientists anyway as they have discovered that for some lovers of wine and beer, allergies such as red itchy eyes, nasal congestion, upset stomach and respiratory problems can present themselves to those allergic.
Louisiana State University Medical School educators have found that the reactions can be triggered by naturally occurring ingredients in beer and wine including barley, grapes hops, malt, oats, wheat and yeast.
They say that other potential allergens may be introduced to beer and wine during the processing including egg whites, which are sometimes used as a filtering agent.
Researchers said that understanding what triggers the allergies is key to finding an alternative drink.
They note that Individuals can be allergic to the alcohol itself or indeed an added ingredient but they must remember that the alcohol can worsen an existing allergy.
Skin rashes can appear for some and they also say that red wine can be the cause of headaches…not the overconsumption kind.