Month: September 2018

Mushroom hunting paul

Mushrooms

Recently Marcus Karl and 8 visited killarney to do a spot of mushroom hunting, with Marcus as our guide.
As luck would have it not 5oo many to be found. The summer has dried u o most of the moisture that would sustain these fungi throughout the summer months, heavy drought did not help. Never the less still some to be found if your eyes are peeled. To the right eyes mushrooms are easily found, Karl’s and mine not so good. However in the absence of fungus I spotted wild herbs that I myself required for the restaurant, decided to hijack the mushroom hunt for some green foraging.
Help a fella out. The day after Marcus and I met up once more and went hunting in another area, rich in hard white inedible “mushrooms” we noticed a number of these flying through the air, best not to follow as a 9 iron may be following the strange flying mushroom.
Anecdote over. Mushrooms are elusive just because they appear in one spot this year does not mean the same spot next year will be as plentiful.
As always with mushrooms be sure you have identified the mushroom as many dangerous ones share very similar characteristics as their safe to eat cousins
Chat soon folks

Chefs why we do it

Why do we do it……..

Family and friends will never understand
We work every weekend, holiday and special day
Mother’s day, fathers day, birthdays you name it we work it
Unless you have worked as a chef you could never understand the…Why….
For reasons you won’t understand…. not that’s it’s personal well it is but, beyond mosts to really understand ,
Our shortest days are longer than your longest
15 plus hours in a sweat box of heat under pressure from the moment we start till long after you go to bed
While you put on the pjs and brush your teeth we are scrubbing down writing orders filling out paper work only to start early again the next day
And for what…..!!!!!
To express ourselves through food , to tell our story
Lost on most
Boiling pots, sizzling pans , sharp knifes, in a tight space with everybody running around shouting behind , passing,
We cut ourselves, enough to send you to the doctor , we just use duck the or glue and carry on , pain …… we have no time for it …. No place for it ,
Burns that will blister , you don’t stop because of it

The order fly in the pressure mounts but it’s not just physical but mental it will test you and break you nightly
Phyiscally mentally and emotionally every night
For what ……. the few who get it …!!!!
Or care to ..
Well yes ,
We believe or hope that we make a difference to somebody sometime even onetime
Cause that makes it worth while
All the shit,the pain,the missing family
Yes it is worth it
That one moment
Makes it worth while
That one moment that one comment
The best meal ive had
You have made our night special
Yes it easier way the shit the pain the missing
For everybody …..No not even close.
Artist who’s art is never again seen
Poets who’s words are heard once
Painters who’s art is edible
Story.tellers …. but not our story…theirs the producers the grows the farmers
Their stories
We tell theirs not ours
We are the teller.of stories not the story ,

Does it make sense…. not even to us

Rock n roll is dead by Gorka

Rock n roll is dead by Gorka

There was a time no long time ago where our industry was ruled by bad ass , loud , genius, hard sweeting rock and rollers
This post might seem a bit nostalgic but I miss the era of no internet, google, master chefs, Netflix,TripAdvisor,bloggers……
There was a time when the chef was the person to admire,fear,loud….. he was a super rock and roll star
There was a time where everything was about products,suppliers,seasons….and skills
There was a time where the restauranteur was a passionate person, proud , father figure, mentor……not everything was about how many customers, how much money ,where can I buy it cheaper and make more profit ,holidays, more companies, more business, more money……….
There was a time when you where told to shut the f…. up and we were ok with it, we learn our craft and pursue our career and learn and learn and learn
There was a time where the was no shows, screams ,hungover,music
There was a time were food was not just fuel and we will eat what Mother Earth 🌏 provide us
There was a time where maitre d and waiting staff wore precise and immaculate uniforms
There was a time where a chef will appear on tv half drunk and still managed to cook a masterpiece
There was a time that recognition will come from one book and one book only every year , creating excitement and glamour
Funny enough I am posting this on Facebook so undoubtedly, there are good things about modern times
I see no more Marco Pierre whites in kitchen, we are a dying breed ….
Our industry is f…. and if we don’t rebel against it , we have lost
I don’t want to earn 50 euros p hour and put shit food in front of you
I want to cook good food , interact with you , please you , surprise you , be proud of your experience …….. I want the guitar to have this amazing solo…… and I totally refuse to wear skinny jeans and make up on tv…….
I love rock and roll !!!!!

TORTUGA RUM CAKE

Basic Cake Mix
2  cups cake flour
1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
4  teaspoons baking powder
1  teaspoon salt
1⁄2 cup butter, cut into bits
3  tablespoons  vegetable oil

For the Cake
1⁄2 cup  finely chopped walnuts
1 (3 1/2ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
1⁄2 cup milk
4  eggs
1⁄2 cup  whaler vanille rum (Hawaiian-style rum)
1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
1  teaspoon vanilla extract

Rum soaking Glaze
1⁄2 cup butter (do not substitute)
1⁄4 cup water
1  cup granulated sugar
1⁄2 cup  whaler vanille rum (Hawaiian-style rum)

Basic Cake Mix:
In a large mixing bowl, combine basic cake mix ingredients.On low speed combine ingredients until the mix is the consistency of fine gravel, and all particles are about the same size.This mix may be contained and stored for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 175 degrees.Spray a large Bundt pan (12 cup) with nonstick cooking spray.Sprinkle the chopped walnuts on the bottom.Place Basic Cake Mix, pudding mix, milk, eggs, rum, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl and combine on medium speed with electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, scrape down the bowl halfway through.Batter should be very smooth.Pour into Bundt pan.Bake for about 55 minutes- until fully golden and tester comes out clean and cake springs back.Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack while making the soaking glaze.

Rum Soaking Glaze
:Combine butter, water and sugar in a small saucepan.Bring to a boil carefully as mixture boils over very easily.Reduce to a simmer and cook until sugar is dissolved and syrup is well combined and a little thicker.Remove from the heat and add the rum, mix to combine.While cake is still cooling, pour some of the hot syrup on top of the cake, allowing it time to soak in (this may take a few minutes as there will be a lot of syrup) continue to add syrup until all of the syrup is added.Allow cake to cool completerly in pan before turning out onto serving platter.This cake is delicate, so once it is turned out, it can not be moved around easily.Can be eaten when fully cool, but even better the next day!

#chef thoughts by Noel

You are the world you have created
And when you cease to exist
This world you have created will also cease to exist

But for those with the understanding that they are living the last days of the world
Death aquires a different meaning
The extinction of all reality
Is a concept no registration can encompass
And then all the grand designs and all the grand plan’s
Will be finally exposed and reviled for they are
Death comes to the prey at speed
A silence of an arrow
I never tire of that
To see somone killed with elegance
Is moving to me
The hunter has grace & beauty
And purely of heart
To be found no where else
You can make no destitution between who they are
And that they do
And what we do is kill
But our faintness of heart is what has driven us to the edge
Prehaps you want to create but nothing iis cruelier than a coward
And the slaughter to come is behond our imagining