Naomi

My dad and my brother got very sick after eating at a local resturant. They are fairly sure it was due to shellfish, because they were the only members of their party to have that dish. When my mother let the restaurant know, they were rude and defensive, rather than apologetic. It was very disappointing, because it is one of the nicest restaurants in our area. Now we cannot eat there, out of principle. The food poisoning, we could have accepted. Occasionally you can get a bad oyster. But the condesension and disdain. Well, that was unforgivable.

Aphrodite, by Isabel Allende. This is a delightful book, about love and food, and the sensuality of food. A good book for amorous foodies..

Potato Farls (potato bread) I am including this recipe because I have never seen this bread served anywhere apart from Northern Ireland. Eaten warm from the griddle, with butter dribbling off and down your chin, it's just heaven. Disproportionate pleasure for such a simple recipe. We call this bread "slim" at home - because it is flat.. not because it is slimming! 1 lb potatoes 1 c plain (all purpose) flour 2 oz butter 1 tsp salt Boil the potatoes until tender. Mash with the butter, then add the flour and salt and mix. Turn out onto a floured board and lightly knead to a smooth dough. (It is easier to get a smooth dough while the potatoes are still warm.) Half the dough and roll out into two circles about 1/3 of an inch thick. Cut these circles into quarters. Cook on a lightly greased flat griddle (or heavy frying pan or skillet) at a medium/high heat. They take a couple of minutes on each side to get golden brown. Eat warm with butter. You can reheat leftovers in the toaster. Good as part of a brunch. Keywords: Easy, Brunch, Snack ( RG792 )

Potato Farls (potato bread) I am including this recipe because I have never seen this bread served anywhere apart from Northern Ireland. Eaten warm from the griddle, with butter dribbling off and down your chin, it's just heaven. Disproportionate pleasure for such a simple recipe. We call this bread "slim" at home - because it is flat.. not because it is slimming! 1 lb potatoes 1 c plain (all purpose) flour 2 oz butter 1 tsp salt Boil the potatoes until tender. Mash with the butter, then add the flour and salt and mix. Turn out onto a floured board and lightly knead to a smooth dough. (It is easier to get a smooth dough while the potatoes are still warm.) Half the dough and roll out into two circles about 1/3 of an inch thick. Cut these circles into quarters. Cook on a lightly greased flat griddle (or heavy frying pan or skillet) at a medium/high heat. They take a couple of minutes on each side to get golden brown. Eat warm with butter. You can reheat leftovers in the toaster. Good as part of a brunch. Keywords: Easy, Brunch, Snack ( RG792 )

The funny thing about my old family recipes is that there is rarely any instruction given for methodology. It was assumed that you would know what to do with the ingredients. My granny won many trophies at country shows for her cakes. Sadly she was too senile to teach me to bake when I became interested. But my mum is still instructing me. My family are ulster-scots and so my recipe collection is big on bread and cakes. Potato bread, soda, wheaten bread, pancakes, scones... these were baked every other day. Boiled cake, seed cake, cherry cake, chocolate and sponge cakes and pies and tarts were weekend fare. I make many of these still, but with the scourge of Atkins that has hit recently, few of my friends will indulge.

Thank you. I've been lurking for a while and loving the boards. I think "poteen" is the anglicization of poitin. Having been to Ireland, you will know that it is pronounced "potcheen" or "potchin". At Trinity (college dublin), I took a course in Irish literature and my (English!) tutor pronounced the word poteen as it is spelt. After that I chose to use the Gaelic spelling. Moonshine sounds like it might taste a little better than poitin, with its sugar/molasses basis, rather than green potatoes. Maybe a bit like rum. All this talk about drink has put me in the notion of a wee dram. Think I may have to try out Santa's single malt Bushmills!

Moonshine. Now that I'd like to try. Is it homemade whiskey? I wonder if it is anything like poitin, our local illicit brew. Poitin is more of a potato-based vodka. It's not that nice! But one local home distiller produces pernod and baileys versions!

Given: Christmas puddings, shortbread, lots of chocolate cakes. People seem to love anything homemade. Mixed cases from the Sunday Times wine club. Received: -A microplane grater. These are new to us here in Ireland. Fantastic piece of equipment. I've skinned my knuckles already. -Nigella Lawson whisk -Fancy corkscrew. -Denby glasses and mugs. -Oven thermometer.. finally putting an end to years of wondering/arguing about the AGA. Two cheese boards (stilton, brie, port salut, cashel blue, cahill whiskey, cheddar, caerphilly) Single Malts: Auchentoshan Laphroaig Glenlivet 18yo Bushmills 21yo (we are whiskey fans in this household!) A delicious selection of wines and port. chocolates...lindt, godiva, "the chocolate society" and good old quality street... (these are gifts to/from our family, not just me!)

Gin is my "summer drink". In winter, I go for Scotch Whisky or Irish Whiskey. It is somehow warming and comforting. I'll have bourbon sometimes, if I'm feeling a little "rock and roll"!