Great article in the Irish Times today by Lauren Murphy. Really really happy and a fantastically written piece.

I want to go to this dinner party please! What a lovely table layout...I'm stealing some ideas for some Dalkey Food Company events that I will be styling soon...

Charcuterie and Cheese Heaven...

Such a sweet setting...

Confit of figs and balsamic vinegar...yum!

Tummies rumbling?! Ours are...
Spotted at Rue Magazine

I was around at one of our suppliers last week picking up some samples and we gave me a little pressie of a jar of LA Organics EV Olive Oil. Aesthetically, it has a massive impact, the design is primarily by Phillippe Starck. Now of us two in The Dalkey Food Company, Ellie would be the more visually creative of us, however in a previous life I did study Industrial Design in NCAD and Phillippe Starck would be to design as Escoffier or Adrià would be to food. His iconic designs and architecture are novel and exciting. Just take a look at his ‘Juicy Salif’ piece he designed for Alessi. It looks like it should be in a HG Wells novel.

Now normally if some producer has a fantastically designed product, it is usually there to make up for the fact that the product itself is mediocre at best (see the Alfa Romeo 8C). But LA Organics oil was the exception to the rule, it’s punchy grassy flavours blew our collective heads off. Like proper, new season, olive oil should taste like. Almost akin to wheatgrass mixed with pepper.
Unfortunately all our oil is nearly gone as we ravenously devoured a loaf of our sourdough bread, drenched in this wonderful ambrosia.
Pick it up if you see it in your local good food shop, you will not be disappointed.

I love gluttony based days, loosely disguised as spiritual holidays (ah Christmas). And Shrove Tuesday, or pancake Tuesday as it's sometimes known as, is no exception. Inevitably your first, and last, efforts are something to be left to the chef, but otherwise they're delicious and a great social event for everyone to join in. Here are a few quick tips to help you on your way.

• Always use the exact measurements when making your batter. It should be about the consistency of puring cream. The thicker your batter, the thicker your pancakes will be and vice versa.
• Let your batter rest before you use it. preferably overnight covered in the fridge, but a few hours should do the trick.
  
• Use a non-stick pan with just a drop of oil. Your pancake will soak up any more oil than is needed and give a greasy texture.
• Make sure your pan is hot before you add your batter, and when you do, work fast to get it round the pan as quickly as possible. If you have the heat on full whack, it should only be able 30 seconds a side.
• Flip it only once. Unless you are seriously trying to impress someone or you want to redecorate your ceiling, your pancake needs to be only flipped once and will toughen up if you do any more.

Being in our mid 30s, Ellie and I know we are too old for pancake eating competitions, but that won't stop us. Some of the flavours we'll be enjoying will be,

• The Classic- Lemon and Castor sugar
• Nutella and Banana
• Orange butter with Cointreau
• Wild Mushroom with creme fraiche

Enjoy, and remember, lent is 6 long weeks so eat up!

Lovely mention about The Dalkey Food Company in today's Irish Independent by Aoife from I Can Has Cook, one of the trailblazers of the irish blogosphere. You should check out her site too, it's in our "Blogs we like" bar to the side