minichef

i have found as i have gotten older, that i no longer need to have breakfast. I used to wake up starving, but now i find that i have to wait an hour or two before actually becoming hungry. I still have breakfast anyway if i'm hungry or not out of pure habit, usually toast with lots of butter,or a high fibre cereal or porridge with jam and cold milk, juice and tea. I've found since moving back to Ireland from Barcelona, my eating habits have changed incredibly; In spain it would be breakfast at midday, lunch at five and dinner at midnight, whereas here, often if im working (in a restaurant) dinner is before service at five o clock. Big difference. But i think i prefer the Spanish pattern.

I am doing some research for a college paper on disgust, and food dislikes, and the psychology of food choice is proving fascinating... I originally got interested in the area as my brother who is only 18 months younger than me, was such a fussy eater when he was small, and used to puke when the disliked foods were put in front of him, whereas I liked pretty much everything. Now, years later, my boyfriend also has frustratingly incomprehensible food dislikes i.e. all fruit known to mankind (although has been known drink oj if there is no oter liquid available), in fact the thought of a baked apple makes him queasy; he will eat only a very few vegetables ie onions, spinach, mushrooms, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and sometimes carrots and celery if disguised integrally into the dish. His diet is mostly protein and starchy carb based, whereas I would live on salad, fruit, and cheese. I eat nearly everything except tinned tuna (but i have eaten it, and its not that bad, its just the overpowering smell that puts me off), peas (i'm not fond of these little blighters because as akid it was congealed rice and peas reheated in the microwave-which i will eat now if in another dish, or in soup form; i just dont buy them), and possibly some of the more scary organs, or possibly nothing live either (i have tried neither). What do you guys not eat? and why

bona sort! bon profit!

here's the link for youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LkzOMMBK70 hilarious.

I have started studying an elective advanced wine module as part of my culinary arts degree, with a view to carrying on to do the WSET(Wine and Spirits Education Trust) diploma. This module is roughly equivalent to the WSET advanced level, which is necessary for entry to diploma level. In 2005 I completed the WSET intermediate course, which was great fun, and covered the fundamentals of wine. This course is much more advanced, and highly interesting, and we are moving along at a rapid pace, having covered vit/vin; France ie Bordeaux & SW, Burgundy, the Rhone, Alsace, & the Loire. If any other eGulleters are studying wine, formally or informally, I would appreciate any comments regarding resources, books, tasting techniques (I find tasting excruciating but exiting , in a weirdly masochistic way....altough I'm told all it takes is practice) or anything else any one finds interesting in the way of learning about wine. A good resource for total newcomers is winefornewbies.net with Bill Wilson, totally unassuming and educational. Our class is invited to a Californian tasting on Monday, so I will let you know how that goes. mini.

I have tried to watch wine library TV several times, as it has some really interesting material but can't help feeling annoyed by Vaynerchuk's frenetic loudness. does that make me a snob?

the best places to eat if you are on a budget (i am a student, i should know), include for dinner gruel, little sister of the mermaid cafe on dame st -good for a roast in a roll or a stew; as mentioned before l'gueuleton & the winding stair; town bar and grill is relatively expensive as is the mermaid, but you won't starve in either, and both are excellent value. for lunch cafe irie for a sandwich if in temple bar; the temple bar market which is on saturdays; cornucopia on wicklow st which is vegetarian; soup dragon on the north quays or capel st... the one on the quays has sambos and smoothies and salads; panem on the north quays beside the milennium bridge does nice savoury filled croissants and cookies and things; the italian places in the 'new italian quarter' across the milenium bridge. cafe bar deli is good too, for simple pizza and pasta and salad, go to the one on grafton st where Bewleys used to be ,the room is gorgeous with stunning stained glass windows. Pub Grub if you fancy a pint and some food, two places i highly reccommend are Grogans, for a guinness and a cheese and ham toasty. The South William for a glass of whatever and a-to-die for pie. I suppose it depends how tight your budget is, what i would do if visiting a new city would be to walk around all day, sniffing out restaurants for the evening, and have something simple for lunch like in the places i have mentioned, and save my appetite and money for dinner. This is my favourite way to explore a city. Good luck and happy hunting.

I have a litany of kitchen mistakes; the most painful of which includes cleaning herb butter from the rotary baldes of a hand held blender while talking to my mother, getting distracted, and pressing the 'on' button. It was definitely one of theose laugh or cry moments. I laughed. The herb butter was a decided shade of red though.