It's all me, me, me

The Mediterranean weather of the last week meant my time was spent outside, armed with either a picnic or a disposable barbeque at the beach. Truth be told, I forgot all about my blog, and all about cooking. But then yesterday the heavens opened and I got hungry so I cooked some fantastic wok-fried sea bream, a Jamie recipe, with a haul of goodies from the Asian supermarket on

Drury Street

. The fish were wonderfully zingy, being marinated in a muddle of lime, soy, garlic and lemongrass, then fried and dressed in a similar melange but with tons of fresh coriander and basil thrown in for freshness. They were lightly dusted with flour and fried for a short time to make them as crisp as tempura, served on a bed of steamed bok choi this dish brought me all the way back to a seaside table in Vietnam. Where is the photo of this amazing fishy dish you ask…. Well fried fish with heads on just don’t look so good. I did take the pictures but drooling got the better of creativity and I threw down my camera and tucked in till all was left was a messy pile of bones. Son No.1 loves this too. Served with a hill of steamed Jasmine rice and some pork belly in soy and garlic for Son No.2 who don’t like fish, we were a happy and full-bellied bunch.

 

A happy surprise awaited me today in the postbox, a large package containing two copies of the Bridgestone Irish Food Guide by John and Sally McKenna. The McKennas, based in

Cork

, have been publishing this guide along with the reputable Top 100 Restaurants Guide for many years now. Walk around

Ireland

and you will see plaques awarded to those who make the grade proudly fixed on outside walls of restaurants and food shops.

John and Sally asked me to contribute to the guide and I had the happy task of eating in restaurants, and giving out about bad food and having someone listen to me, the joy. Lots of Limerick places were on my list and I’m happy to see a heavy

Limerick

presence in the book. Fellow bloggers Lor and Bru from La Cucina get a mention, as do Ivan’s shop where we buy our newspapers and where award winning blogger and baker Laura sells her tasty treats. The Milk Market has a good write up but, rightly so, it is mentioned that it needs extra support from the City Council and local authorities to help reach its full potential. The Sage Café gets a well deserved half page, and the orange cheese cake makes an appearance, pre smaller portion time I think. The

Jasmine

Palace

, a popular family haunt gets in as does Ducarts at the historic

Hunt

Museum

, and of course the excellent Brulees. To see my name in the list of contributing editors made me jump around the kitchen with happiness, my name in a book, I had no idea and I’m chuffed. Well enough about me and the unlimited frontiers of the blogosphere.

 

With the sexy new Hilton Hotel overlooking the river Shannon and the Marriot in the city centre ( am I writing for the

Limerick

tourist board?) maybe it’s time to don your eating pants and head to this culinary jewel of the south. We could all meet up for a pint, or some artisan cheese, or a pizza, or some muffins…….

 

Comments

[Val]

Hi Lorraine

That's great news, those plaques always look impressive. I'm moving back to Limerick in July. I'm all excited and up to my eyes with the move. So for now I'm doing no cooking, I even burned an M&S steak pie yesterday!Help

Val

[Lorraine@italianfoodies]

Hi Val. We got our letter from them today so we'll be getting our plaque for outside the shop.Always nice to get a mention!

[Val]

Hi Lorraine
The launch is on June 26th so I figure you can get a copy in Easons at anytime, or at the Bridgestone web site. Well done on the mention, and they said you are cool too!
Val

[Lorraine@italianfoodies]

Well done Val! I'm all excited that we got a mention, where can I get a copy??

[Laura]

Congrats ma! Thanks for the lovely link!