Month: August 2018

Blueberry buckle

A Canadian dessert well worth a try blackberries work as well

1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 cups fresh blueberries
TOPPING:
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup cold butter, cubed

In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Fold in blueberries. Pour into greased 9-in. square baking pan.For topping, in a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over blueberry mixture.Bake at 375° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

#atyourservice by Diarmuid

What a wonderfull weekend on the #foodtrail to the Kingdom. I probably don’t need to go into any furthuer detail on my experience in Listowel & Tralee as I have well documented my reviews on Social Media. So I’m going to just ‘tip’ on being an owner/operator having spoken to both proprietors on my journey and from my own experience of being a bar and hotel owner in my own time. Firstly I want to acknowledge the guys in Listowel & Tralee and wish them continued success in the future. When I began my career in the late 80’s going to the pub/restaurant was in the Top 5 of places of interest to go socialise and meet with friends family etc. 30 yrs later with the advent of so many many forms of social activity people are more health concious and with the demise of the Celtic Tiger the f&b trade has suffered a major downturn and our customers are now finely tuned in to ‘value for your buck’ Bars & Restaurants are under constant screunity from not alone the well travel and versed general public but from also within by the governing food and drink bodies. I have heard on countless occasions people saying ‘oh I’d love to have a pub/restautant’ they see an operation on a busy weekend night and immediately marry the till take to a it’s a good money maker. It’s obviously not the case. Our guests do not see what goes on behind the scenes and what an enermous effort it takes just to open the door let alone keep it open and trading successfully. My point without over stating the obvious is the respect I have for the guys I met this weekend. Hard working conceious people as well as being food lovers they are employers they are fantastic chefs and front house operators. I personaly am fully supportive of anyone in business but in particular in our Industry. It’s 7 days 7 nights every week week in week out. It’s then sometimes that naturaly I become disappointed when I read the reviews of staff and premises on Tripadvisor. Posted up by ‘mini-private eye foodies’ without a seconds thought for someone’s career and someone’s hard work. I was brought up to the mantra if you have nothing nice to say don’t say anything and if you realy feel something is to be said at least be constructive. My point again coming from being an employer to a damm good employee is We should all help support and encourage those who make the brave step forward to become an owner/operator. We should all take time to be transparent with out customers and when an opportunity arises to explain how deathtraemtal someone’s unkind review can be on any form of Social Media. The good times are gradually coming back People have a few extra bob in their pocket and once again with thanks to will oiled professionals in hospitality who did not bail out people are coming back into our bars & Restaurants and the ‘steaks’ are high and we need to continue to produce the goods and the experience our guests now demand. And we will I know all of us here on TCG will endevour to produce the best to the best of our ability. So I encourage everyone to support the Owner/operator. I for One raise my glass to you guys this evening. After all… we are the willing led by the unknown doing the impossible for sometimes the ungrateful but we keep doing it! Why I ask. Because that’s what we do. #atyourservice 👤

#atyourservice by Diarmuid

The call to Arms it came! ‘Ask not what your blog can do for you but what you can do for your blog’ ‘and from this day ’till the day you lay dying in your bed, would you give all those days fron now untill to write a piece for your blog’ We have all see the great movies heard the great spine chilling speech’s we even at times felt compelled to jump off our couch and go out and take on the world.
So what am I referring to What does a blog I follow I read mean to me. I follow like most on social media alot of blogs. I follow food fashion sport and definately any current affair in the world. I love information. I love to be able to converse on most things that are current and to my mind relevant. It’s important to be abreast of All that’s happening in the World when operating at front of house. As I have explained before its my ‘tool of work’ it’s my way to break down all barriers it’s my secret weapon but more importantly I love information and most certainly not in a nosey neighbour way. Most of my Facebook twitter or blogs are not following facebook friends on their night out who they are with etc etc, no my feeds are full of blogs my Snapchat follows all the top bloggers in our industry and beyond.
Ok so what Am I referring to. Noel Keane called to ‘Arms’ this weekend so I thought for a while what I would right here today. I’m writing about ( in case you haven’t gathered ) Social Media. I’m talking about the Internet I’m talking about the importance of Social Media and how it is a massive benefit to all our careers point in case I’m writing this post this evening because Noel reached out thru Social Media on TCG to basically write a blog for the page. I am doing that now. I’m reacting on Social Media to that call. Here I am but more importantly here are you also. I’ve learned so much so often so quickly but more so informality thru Social Media. Long ago when I had my own business I used deligialantly listen to the radio watch TV and drive around in my car to get all the ‘goss’ and that was before going into work. I needed to know what as we say in Limerick ‘what the Craic was’ only to know to be informed to be prepared. I didn’t need to know just to be a nosey nellie ‘to be fore-armed is to be prepared. To gain my own information not second hand. I have that now everyday with just a touch of a button the flick of a screen or a simple search on the ‘net. So what’s new I hear you say. Well we all have our own particular likes and we all have our hobbies and Intrestes in life now Social Media just brought all that a little closer to us all. Some of my favourite past times are hiking walking and amature photography. I now can combine all 3 on one of my favourite blogs Ireland from the Roadside. Who would have thought hobbies and pictures opening new experiences and new friendships all thru SM. Anyhow I digress I think you all know the score at this stage. I now thru TCG appreciate alot more the love the passion and the commitment you guys put into your work. I watch the videos of foragging of fresh produce I admire the dishs you guys present to our guests and I won’t always understand you guys and your madness but I certainly have a huge appreciation and respect for the labour of love and talent you posess. For me I’m better armed better prepared and a bettter operator for all this. Again for me it’s teamwork accross the board and support and love of what we do. Social Media has brought my game now to a different level. I gain information ideas and thankfully when I have time I can share this with fellow bloggers. So yes Ask not what can you do for your blog not what the blog can do for you. That’s the way I see it anyways. Now I’m off to Instagram and follow what interests me next, how knows only last evening I started to follow a ‘gram’ in NY called NewYorksBesteats from all over the 5 boroughs. I’m learning more and I’m loving it. Thanks TCG.
Diarmuid Ring