Corinna Dunne

It appears that this is being added to the existing stable, so yes, plenty of airmiles. The article also mentions about JCN's experience of "bumping into Wayne Rooney's girlfriend Coleen in Dublin", his comment being that "all the birds from Manchester United" want to come to his cookery school. So he is obviously going to be a very busy man indeed. As I said, the general thrust of this piece was celebrity profile as opposed to foodie.

So, umami is elusive then? Despite the advice not to seek it, am I to understand that if we choose to follow this folly, msg could help to ignite this spiritual high? Would the pheromone hit from truffles be considered a good example of umami? As a matter of interest, do many of you use msg in your cooking?

I like your recipe Jaymes. I see you use soy sauce. I use this too and find it to be a 'magic ingredient' that manages to blend in without making itself known. LovebentonO, your lamb looks really good. I've used yoghurt marinades on chicken before, but never lamb. Must try this one.

The hottest news in Dublin at the moment is the appointment of Jean Cristophe Novelli as chef patron at La Stampa. He appeared on The late Late Show a few weeks ago, followed by a celebrity style interview in the Sunday Independent. He wasn't giving too much away, the most revealing comment being: "La Stampa is going to be one of the most romantic places in Ireland and the best restaurant in Ireland. Because I'm like this: everything I do, I do it very, very well. I will be here a lot". La Stampa the space, is grand and beautiful, but La Stampa the restaurant has been down in the cullinary doldrums for quite some time. So this is a big effort to put it back in its achingly trendy, celeb hangout niche. I understand that it is to be officially relaunched sometime in July, but am not sure on this.

I went out to get some scallops today, but there are none as the scallop fishermen in Ireland are protesting about government subsidies or something. What a disappointment! Johnnyd, what did you find was the best marination time for the ceviche, 1 hour or 4? And Godito, I'd be interested in any suggestions you have for making a sauce with the coral. I remember having it served that way in France some time back.

Bux, Los Caracolles still retains its sense of drama and theatre. We were hugely impressed with the powerhouse kitchen we walked through, with chefs energetically working away on the planchas. We followed with anticipation, through numerous crowded dining rooms to be shown to our table. And the reassuring thing was, that most of the people seemed to be local. (It was lunchtime on St Jordi's Day and there was a wonderful sense of family occasion). To start, we had snails (served straight up, unhoused and very good, although not my thing) and prawns in olive oil and garlic (the prawns were a tad tough/overdone but nice with the Catalan loading of slivered garlic). This was followed by a leg of kid and their famous spit roasted chicken. The kid was good, served with rustic potatoes.... but the chicken.... well, it finally landed on the table with a concessionary nod of apology a good 20 minutes after the kid. Not only was it late, it was cold. Not only was it cold, it was a bad bird to start with, overcooked to the point of 'wooliness', and graced a fatty, uncrisped skin that was over salted even by my standards. The waiter had of course scarpered. I had a few mouthfuls of this paltry excuse for poulltry and then just gave up. We didn't complain, it was St Jordi's day and I didn't want to be a spoilsport, but they never enquired about the barely touched, tardy bird. So that's the reason we won't be going back, and yes, it is based on just one experience which is perhaps unfair. And so, to Can Ramonet. Like Los Caracoles, when you walk through the door, you get an excited sense of anticipation. The route this time was not through the kitchen, but through a number of lovely, rustic dining rooms. We were seated at a nice table, in a nice room, but the overhead lights were so bright, they completely killed the ambiance. We started with a platter of fried fish, which were very good, except for the calamari which were just about warm and had obviously been cooked a bit earlier. For mains we had a type of Catalan fish soup (I can't remember the name of it) and turbot. Some of the fish in the soup was overcooked and it was served on a plate where a bowl would have been more suitable (but maybe this is traditional, I don't know). The turbot was good and cooked simply, but the potatoes were not cooked through, which I found unbelievable. We had 'wild' strawberries in Muscatel for desert, but they weren't the tiny little perfumed ones I was expecting, which was probably my own fault, because they wouldn't be around yet, so this was obviously a lost in translation glitch. To me, Can Ramonet felt uncomfortably mediocre and smacked of 'could try harder'. And, on the night we were there, there wasn't a local in sight. Perhaps we could have been luckier on another night with dimmed lights and their famous paella type dish, whch unfortunately, we didn't order. My overall feeling was that in Barcelona, we could easily have eaten better for a lot less money; and an awful lot better for only slightly more, hence my sense of discomfort in this mid price zone.

I would be really interested in reading this article when it's published. Could you possibly post a link to it when your mission is accomplished?

You are making me so hungry with these wonderful shots. I've never tried ceviche with scallops, always just panfried them in butter. You've inspired me, I must try it now. We have some nice scallops too over this side of the Atlantic and I have a good source, but not as incredible and iimmediate as your band of "good" friends ("good" being an obvious understatement in this instance!).

I agree. It has become a bit formulaic, very much in the 'Faking It' mould. 1. The scenario is presented... it's a disaster! 2. We see a glimmer of hope, Ramsay gives good advice... maybe they can do it 3. The big dinner with the new menu... it all goes horribly wrong 4. Post programme analysis... here's what you have to do if you don't want to lose your restaurant, house, car, number plate, children, pet, mind, all of the above 5. The result.. Ramsay returns, wow, looks like they are pulling it off! Regarding the recap after ad breaks, this is very much an American formula, so this user freindly option probably has a very keen eye on that market. I loved this episode too. There was a real feel good factor running through it, and you just got the sense that Ramsay and Mama are going to be friends way after the credits have rolled. She also demonstrated great confidence and ability in her move from being completely hands-on in the kitchen to handing over the reins and taking control front of house, where she is just amazing. The 'Soul in a Bowl' concept is marketing genius. I am a huge Gordon Ramsay fan and I think he is incredibly multi-faceted, but hearing that catch phrase did make me wonder if there are some marketing/management consultants working on the series. No shame in this, if it is the case, I would expect him to employ the best minds. But I'd just love to know if he actually came up with the phrase himself. Anyone know?

... And yes, another vote for Rafa's

I just heard yesterday that Maine is experiencing problems with the red tide and there are no local clams as a result. Apparently the heavy rain a while back has made it particularly bad. The reports on lobster continue to be good!

I've had second thoughts about Sawyers in Chatham Street. I was probably unfair and based my reservations on a bad experience I had some time ago when I was trying to get a lot of different fish for a bouillebaisse type fish stew (no rascasse). At the time I was disappointed that some of the fish were not quite as fresh as I expected from a shop with its reputation. If you are city centre shopping it is the best place to go and also has good poultry and some game.

We really enjoyed it, but I am a new gastronomy novice compared to some of the people on the Forum. I did a post on it under the Comerc 24 thread. I haven't been to Alkimia or Cinq Sentits (which sounds great), so will be really interested in your feedback. If you have any extra time, really suggest you add Can Roca to your itinerary. This was the highlight of our trip (see Can Roca thread). Re Belfast tastebuds, I can confirm that they will be up to the job as one of the people we dined with at C24 is from there! Have a wonderful time.

There is absolutely no comparison on taste... homemade wins hands down, even with my children. And even though it doesn't take that long to make, there are definitely times when Hellman's wins on convenience (eg for quick sandwiches); but never for anything special like homemade hamburgers, fishcakes, dips etc. And definitely never for aioli. Regarding shelf life, it is not a problem we encounter because it gets gorged up pretty quickly. I don't agree that lemon juice can kill anything harmful like salmonella, and would never serve homemade mayonnaise to someone pregnant, young babies/toddlers or the elderly.

Rafa's in Roses is nearby and a wonderful experience if you love seafood. Also, it is definitely within your budget. There is a lot of information on it on the thread:elBulli the blinker effect. I found eating in mid priced restaurants quite precarious in Barcelona (as it is in many cities) and was disappointed in both Can Ramonet and Los Caracolles. The advice upthread is good. Also, it is well worth your while doing a thorough search on this Forum. You will learn so much more than you can ever garner from a simple 'go here' list. Before my recent trip, I printed off a load of the threads, and took them with me. Have a wonderful holiday.

I had heard about this 2 tier approach too, and for that reason, made sure to say "we eat everything" and then asked for the chef to select for us or opted for the tasting menu if there was one. In fact, in Comerc 24, the waiter visibly relaxed and smiled when I uttered these 'magic' words. However, I love to get good descriptions of whatever dish I am eating, which I find adds to the experience. As I said, the language problem is mine. I realise that when Spanish people come to Dublin, our waiters are unable to give them much help with translations.

Hi rajsuman. There is a fish market in the Smithfield Markets in the city centre, but I understand that this is only for wholesalers. As tomweir mentioned, Howth is a wonderful place to get fresh fish (and a beautiful place too), but it is a bit out of town. On the southside, Caviston's in Glasthule is good too, but you could go directly to their source at The Ice Plant on Dun Laoghaire Pier. This too is a train journey to the coast. In terms of shopping in central Dublin, I have not been particularly happy with Sawyers in Chatham St in the past. Likewise, the fishmongers on Lr Baggott St, near Fitzwilliam Sq. However, I have been to neither in a long time, so I may stand corrected on this one. I agree with you on Superquinn. It is by far the best of the multiples for buying fish. So rajsuman, it boils down to where you live. Because if you are within reasonable striking distance of Walkinstown, a Dublin southside suburb, there is a great little fishmongers there, and I find it more convenient than hiking out to Dun Laoghaire or Howth. It is just before the crossroads for the Submarine Pub. The fish here is unbelievably fresh, and what is on offer is dependent on the catch. If they've been landed, he'll have your sardines, although I'm not sure on the tiger prawns. He's great on scallops, lobster, mussels and then of course all the usual suspects. And... the prices are really good too. A word or warning, he closes the shop when he's sold everything, and this can be quite early, particularly on Fridays, so go in the morning. Also, I don't think he is open on Saturday. Hope this helps. PM me if you need further directions to get there. origamicrane, I don't know where you'll be staying in Dublin, but if you're looking for good meat, the 2 best organic butchers are in Terenure, which is a suburb about 3 miles from the city centre and a mile or so from Walkinstown. They are called Downey's and O'Tooles. Downey's is my favourite. There is also another branch of O'Tooles in Glasthule, so you could do all your shopping out there if you prefer to hit the coast (in which case you should book lunch in Caviston's. I've a post on this on the Casual Dining in Dublin thread). Edit: In town, be sure to catch the Farmers Market in Temple Bar on Satuday mornings for great organic produce. Wonderful meat and game, but as far as I know, no fish except sushi and oysters. You can sit at a communal table and indulge in freshly shucked oysters with brown soda bread and a glass of nicely chilled white wine very cheaply. However, remember the 'r' in the month rule. This applies to Galway oysters, which are truly the best in the world: quite small, wonderfully plump and they literally tingle on your tongue. Phenomenal!

How does Kosher salt differ from other salt? I see it mentioned quite a bit on the Forum, but in Ireland, it is not a common item. I looked it up in Claudia Roden's Book of Jewish Food, but apart from discussing the religious significance of salt, she just alludes directly to the difference between English and French sea salt, and salt extracted from underground deposits. This is an unusual and interesting thread.

Thanks Mallet. My 'La Technique' is old (1985), so doesn't cover this. It sounds like a good rule of thumb. Now all I have to do is make it... sometime!

Thanks Shalmanese. A great tip. Have you tried this method with poultry or fish stock?

Me too... except it was the crust of my mother's brown soda bread, straight out of the oven. Cutting the bread when it was hot used to make it crumble and fall apart, but she knew I was incapable of waiting. I also loved 'the scrapes'... licking the raw cake mixture that was left on the bowl, particularly madeira cake.

Glace de viande... you've got my attention! I just looked it up in Jacques Pepin's 'La Methode'. It says that if the reduction is correct, it will keep almost indefinitely (loosley wrapped, but not in a closed jar). It doesn't give much direction for this alchemy, apart from mentioning that when the water is evaporated, the mixture becomes firm and can be cut up into cubes for storage. Does anyone have experience of determining the exact moment when all the liquid has been evaporated as it sounds like timing is an important factor? Also, I presume that this method applies to poultry stock as well as meat. And what about fish stock? I'm fascinated.

I had Copper River salmon for the first time last Saturday. My husband brought it back on the plane (48hr packaging) from Seattle, with a cedar plank. We cooked it on the plank in the oven with just a bit of Maldon salt and served it with petit pommes, asparagus and hollandaise. We had a bottle of 2002 Vacqueyras to go with it which I felt was not quite robust enough. Next time maybe a Gicondas. It was really, really good, but if I was to cook it again, I think I wouldn't use the plank, which I think is more suitable for a salmon of lesser quality. The leftovers made wonderful fish cakes which we had the next day with aiolli and a mixed green salad with crunchy sliced fennel. Really delicious!

And a bit of good news I forgot to mention: If your mayonnaise does split when you are making it, don't throw it away. You can start again with another egg yolk and gently drip in your split mixture while you whisk.

Please tell me more of this sof shelled lobster you speak of.. ← Aah... I don't mean to confuse the issue here. The difference is subtle (it's not like a soft shell crab). Basically, the hard shell lobsters take more work to crack, and are packed tighter with meat than their softer shelled pals. I'm too impatient to put up a fight, so normally go for the softer option. But I'm not a Maine die-hard. I only started going there 9 years ago, so still have a lot to learn! On the other hand, my mother-in-law, who is a true aficionado, is always prepared to do battle with the harder shell variety. On the small v large question, I prefer to go for a medium sized lobster and share an additional one rather than go for a really large one, which I find just a little bit tougher. But from where I'm sitting now, this is a very moot point indeed!