Posted on Friday, August 26th, 2011 by Pat Whelan in Press | No Comments »
Pat Whelan introduces the Long Table Dinner 2011 and some of the Tipperary Food Producers on TV3’s Morning Show.
Publish Date: 24 August, 2011
View: Full Episode Online
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Food Market Monkstown and Avoca Rathcoole. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Posted on Friday, August 26th, 2011 by Pat Whelan in Press | No Comments »
This is the season to give thanks for the fruits of land and sea
At harvest time, lovers of good food can tuck into fabulous fare all over the country, writes Lucinda O’Sullivan
Publish Date: 21 August, 2011
View: Article Online
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Posted on Friday, August 26th, 2011 by Pat Whelan in Press | No Comments »
Gillian Nelis writes an interesting article in the Sunday Business Post giving a background to the Long Table Dinner 2011 and how it is organized by the Tipperary Food Producers to showcase their local produce.
Publication Date: 21 August, 2011
View: Article Online
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Posted on Friday, August 26th, 2011 by Pat Whelan in Foodie Articles | No Comments »
I’m always interested in how food trends spread around the world and how we adopt and adapt other country’s traditions. For some reason Tapas have registered on my radar several times over the past few weeks. Perhaps it’s just the summer and people looking to warmer countries for inspiration.
So what is ‘tapas’ and where did it originate? Well first of all let’s dispel the myth that tapas are just a collection of starters. In Spain, tapas are a separate eating event altogether and not intended to be an appetiser before a main meal; tapas stand alone. Tapas are small plates of food to be consumed when drinking; “Eat when you drink, drink when you eat” is the Spanish philosophy. Traditionally Spanish men drink outside the home and generally with others. The ‘tapa’ (that’s not a typo) are not meant to be a meal. The idea is one tapa (plate) per person and a different one with each drink and then everyone in the group enjoys tasting and sharing. Tapas are usually made of good local ingredients and that’s why they vary from region to region. According to one source it started with a piece of bread with ham and cheese balanced over a glass to keep out the bugs; the word ‘tapa’ means cover.
We have taken this old Spanish tradition and trampled somewhat on this lovely, laid back ceremony. We have ‘Tapas’ evenings in our homes when the Spanish would only ever indulge in tapas in the proper setting of a bar or tavern. I’ve been places where a few olives crudely speared with cocktail sticks and cut rounds of French stick topped with razor thin slices of Parma ham are offered as this great Spanish cuisine. “Help yourself to some tapas”, said one particularly misguided host as she picked up and proffered a bowl of Bombay mix!
Instead of wrecking a tradition I am suggesting you try Tipperary Tapas. The idea came to me as I was lucky enough to attend the wonderful 2011 Long Table Dinner in Rockwell College last week. The Long Table Dinner is a showcase of Tipperary Food where an entire meal of several courses is made with locally produced food. It was a triumph on many levels but also gave me this idea for Tipperary Tapas (an ideal way to watch the upcoming All Ireland perhaps with a few drinks.) We have such an abundance of super cheese makers, meat specialists, fruit, vegetable and herb growers and bread makers that you wouldn’t have to leave the environs of the county to create a top Tipperary Tapas spread. I can guarantee that the hurlers will have travelled more miles from Tipp to Croke Park than any of the food at your party!
In Spain they successfully marry top quality meat and fish with the punchy flavours of olives, anchovies, capers and chorizo sausage along with fresh herbs, tender vegetables and citrus juices. At the 2011 Long Table Dinner there were several items on the menu that could be easily adapted. For example the canapés served consisted of Una O’Dwyer’s artisan black pudding was combined with Con Traas’ Bramley seedling apples and it was all wrapped in a crispy pastry and topped with red onion chutney from The Scullery. We also had Gortnamona goat’s cheese and Chargrilled Courgette Bruchetta with a Red Pepper Relish. This was simplycrispy croutes of bread from Hickeys Bakery topped with courgettes, Gortnamona Cheese from Cooleeney Farm and finished with red pepper relish from Crossogue’s Award Winning Preserves.
The range of breads available to use in the county is astonishing. On the table the basket had Crusty Brown Spelt with Honey and Mixed Seeds from Mags Home Baking, Handmade Olive Bread by The Tipperary Kitchen and a Traditional White with Poppy seeds from Hickey’s Bakery served with olive oil and a selection of dips by Browne’s of Tipperary.
The meat was all local; James Whelan beef, free range pork from Crowe’s Family Farm which was complemented by Nora Egan’s black pudding from Inch House and apple jelly from Crossogue Preserves. We also had Seymour’s Organic lamb cutlet along with Una O’ Dwyer’s gourmet smoked bacon and cheese sausage en croutè. All of these can be miniaturised or cut and served as bites on smaller plates.
Then there was the cheese board that would stand up to any international offering: Cashel Blue, Crozier Blue, Cooleeney, Baylough Smoked Cheddar, Daru and Garlic and Dill Dunbarra served with Crossogue Quince Jelly, oat crackers, figs and Walnut and Raisin Bread from The Tipperary Kitchen.
The above are just a few ideas as I haven’t even mentioned the sweet items from The Cookie Jar, Kate and Michael Cantwell’s superb sorbet, the wonderful Boulaban Vanilla ice cream or the local herbs and vegetables from Cloughjordan House.
Thinking of it just makes me want to go through it all again as it was truly sensational, but the good news is that you can try it for yourself as a lovely evening of Tipperary Tapas. We really have it all at our fingertips here at home and it’s also a great way to try things without too much commitment. Enjoy and best of luck to the hurlers!
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Posted on Friday, August 19th, 2011 by Pat Whelan in Foodie Articles | 1 Comment »
The Butcher’s Apprentice; I just can’t help thinking it would make a great name for a heavy rock band or perhaps a race horse. It’s on my mind at present because apprentice positions have just opened up here at James Whelan Butchers and with the Leaving Certificate results hot off the presses, new careers are a popular topic. The question, of course, is how rock and roll is butchering these days and is it a valid life choice?
Obviously I’m quite biased as food is not only my life but is in my blood. I am a fifth generation butcher and the ancestral ‘passion for food’ gene has exponentially gained in strength down through the years. Today James Whelan Butchers offers not just an on the job training for future butchers, but an accredited International qualification which takes two years to complete (FETAC Level 5) and is recognised internationally. There is an expertly devised schedule of learning, theory modules and exams to complete alongside the practical work experience.
Becoming a butcher of quality definitely requires hard work and good upper body strength, but it also requires a certain X Factor; a passion for food and people. A few months ago I gave a talk at a careers’ night in a secondary school and I was asked “What are the qualities of a good butcher?” I was really impressed with the young person who asked the question as you could see they were thinking of butchering as a lifetime career rather than just a job. They were choosing to line up the required qualities with their own strengths; a great place to start with any choice.
Becoming a butcher is about a traditional craft and skill. It is the foundation for a lifetime working with food and the rewards and career paths are tremendous. Food is universal and so the skills of an excellent butcher are always sought after. While it may not be as recession proof as undertaking, I’d say it’s definitely up there. However being recession proof is not the right reason to choose it as a career.
In the rough and tumble world of butchering the days can be incredibly diverse. For anyone interested I would advise them to check out the JWB website where there are some pictures taken from a day in my own working life. There is the bloody and extreme work of the abattoir that requires guts and brawn to the finer points of the craft where beautiful cuts of meat are creatively prepared for sale. There is the noble and scientific learning of every muscle group and ligament in an animal’s body and how its nurture and nature contribute to the resulting food. There are the different anatomies of the various animals and the surprising similarities each and how we use them as food. There is the butcher’s golden knowledge to learn; the ability to use everything from nose to tail as nourishment and food and present it as such to the customer. It is seldom recognised loudly but butchering is a creative art form and for someone who loves food, enjoys a physical job that also provides the opportunity for creativity, married to a desire to work with people then it could be the perfect career choice.
For me personally I am first and foremost a butcher and that is how I earn a living, but it has opened so many other doors for fun and creative expression that it is sometimes hard to believe. Without my core skills of butchery for example I wouldn’t be writing this column nor would I have written a book. I wouldn’t be constantly creating recipes, dreaming up new ways of presentation or bringing new types of meat to the table such as my recent successful experiment with Waygu beef. I certainly wouldn’t be asked to give talks about and around food; food retailing or food and social media and I wouldn’t have met so many people and been involved in so many exciting projects. The narrow view is that it is just about meat for sale; the real view is that it opens the door to a field full of diversity and opportunity.
Looking back at my own school days and receiving my leaving cert results I feel so privileged to say that I definitely made the right choice in becoming a butcher. While it was the family business, I wasn’t forced or coerced as proven by my siblings who chose different paths. I wanted it because I always loved it and every aspect of it from the raising of the animals to the over the counter banter with the customers. It is my life and I juice it every day with great pleasure. I’m delighted to say that even with the usual modern pressures of business I rarely see it as work.
If you or someone you know is interested in exploring the idea of becoming a butcher then check out the James Whelan Butchers website where you will find full details of the course, the qualifications and the accreditation. I welcome your feedback to [email protected].
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Posted on Friday, August 19th, 2011 by Pat Whelan in Foodie Articles | No Comments »
As the old saying goes, necessity really is the mother of invention. I found myself with a small dilemma (tiny in fact as dilemmas go) over the weekend. Approximately half of a pound of butter that had been left out of the fridge was rapidly turning into a too soft, squidgy mess on the counter top; the hazard of an Irish summer. One of these days some clever engineer will come up with a self regulating, temperature controlled butter dish and I will be first in the queue to buy one. Keeping real butter at just the right point of spreadable softness is very difficult in the summer months particularly. I could have put it back into the fridge but it had past that point where the taste would be left uncompromised if it hardened up again. I toyed with the idea of making clarified butter or ghee to use some other time, as much of the melting had been done already and then I wondered if I could use it up in a recipe. Dinner for that evening had yet to be settled upon and so I had a root around to see what else was in the kitchen. Oh yes, my very own attempt at a self imposed Ready, Steady, Cook; great fun for a Saturday morning.
I had a fresh leek, some carrots, celery and red onions. Fresh rosemary and basil permanently grow at my house and there was some fresh cut coriander lolling around in the fridge not earning its keep at all. I also had my squidgy butter and there was just over half a bottle of white wine in the fridge from the night before. I decided on some herb butter baked lamb shanks and they were fantastic.
Basically I put the soft butter into a bowl and just chopped up some rosemary, basil and coriander and mixed it through with a fork. Instead of stuffing the shanks with the butter or even piercing the flesh I just buttered the entire shank really generously. On a tinfoil sheet I put some chopped carrot, celery, red onion and leek and then popped the shank on top. I drew the sides of the tinfoil around the shank, poured in a good splash of wine and then closed my silver parcels and bunged them in the oven at 170° for just less than 3 hours. It couldn’t have been easier and I served them with some leftover potato dauphanoise from the day before. It would have worked equally well with mash, baked or roast spuds for that matter. It’s a new dish for me and I will definitely be trying it again. I love it when I discover something new by complete necessity or accident rather than design.
I also couldn’t help noticing that the entire dish was Irish and mainly Tipperary and border county ingredients. In fact if the tinfoil had been made in Tipp we were almost totally home grown. I mention the Tipperary connection because next week (Wed 24th August) we will be doing it all again on a much grander scale as it is time again for the annual Long Table Dinner. This year we are taking to the hallowed halls of that great Tipperary educational institution, Rockwell College. Regular readers of this column will be familiar with the concept of the Long Table Dinner, but for the newbies let me explain.
The Tipperary Long Table Dinner is now in its fifth year. From humble beginnings in an orchard it has grown to a much anticipated annual food event. Basically it is a menu made entirely from Tipperary Food; a fun and exciting vehicle for bringing together all the excellent Tipperary producers and their artisan offerings. Sometimes it is hard to believe that all the food for this sumptuous banquet is sourced in Tipperary, but one need only take a look at the Tipperary Food Producers Network website to realise how much food is made here and some of the iconic brands involved. The Long Table Dinner is always
a fantastic event with much ‘oohing’, ‘aahing’ and ‘mmmming’ as course after course teases and tantalises taste buds and the crowd leaves sated and totally in love with the local epicurean delights! That’s the way it has gone for the last number of years anyway and we can only assume that this year will be similar. On top of the great food, which is always the star, we try to stage the event somewhere special. We have gambled with the weather and held it outdoors. The first time it was an orchard and the following year inside the ancient ramparts of Cahir Castle. We have eaten under canvass in the special surroundings of Kickham Barracks. Last year it was held simultaneously in four of Tipp’s finest restaurants and this year we head to Rockwell College. If you have any interest in food it is a night not to be missed and there are always the ‘added value’ parts such as interesting speakers and after dinner entertainment, but mainly people come for the food. Tickets for this year’s event cost €75 and are available at James Whelan Butchers, Oakville Shopping Centre, Clonmel on (052) 6182477 OR from any member of the Tipperary Food Producers network at www.tipperaryfoodproducers.com As I write there are only a few tickets left for this great event.
Even if you can’t make it to Rockwell as there won’t be space for everyone, there is nothing to stop you experimenting with the concept at home. You really can make a superb meal entirely from the environs of Tipperary. In fact I challenge you to try it for yourself and let me know how you get on.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Posted on Friday, August 12th, 2011 by Pat Whelan in Foodie Articles | 1 Comment »
Looking back through my archive of musings for this column over the past three years it would appear that I could pull out the same article each August and reprint it and that’s mainly because of the predictably unpredictable Irish weather. We start off the summer full of anticipation of sunny days, picnics and barbecue parties but by August the barbecue is rusting from the moisture, the pretty picnic rug is still pristine in its plastic covering and the kids have been brainwashed by Cartoon Network; our unfulfilled summer dreams are almost as soggy as the grass in the garden.
The other difficulty with August is that it is that time in the summer where the joy of a less structured family routine is rapidly losing its appeal and a slight apathy has set in. It’s just too early for the full on back to school planning and yet the weather isn’t allowing us to take advantage of these days of so called leisure. Routine has gone out the window and for most families with school going children food and meals have become erratic and stressful. I see this in my customers who pace up and down the counter trying to decide what to cook. You can almost here the inner monologue of “What will be quick?”, “Will it be fine tonight and could we sit outside and barbecue?” “I fancy something different but what will be easy, I’m not in the humour for too much cooking?”
The problem is we are exhausted from waiting for the sunshine. If we are not careful we will eventually give up altogether and say Adios to summer ’11 and start planning for the winter. Sadly there is little more uninspiring that a wet August. Even a wet June and July still hold the possibility of a scorching August, but a wet August is just pitiful. When the sun shines food can be very easy. Picnic style suppers in the garden with crusty bread and an array of meats and salads are fantastic. Stoke up the barbecue for a little grilling and even the aromas of sizzling meat nourish the soul. On the other hand rain soaked, summer evenings call for comfort of a different kind.
Of course the weather could prove me wrong and by the time you are reading this the sun could be splitting the rocks. I hope it is and if so just stop reading and stoke up the coals; don’t waste a drop of sunshine. If it is still overcast or raining, I say let’s shake a fist at the weather, stand up to the elements and enjoy great food anyway. What we need are a few ideas and recipes that are designed for quick and easy cooking but are also nutritious and suitable for the season. First, let’s clarify something. When I use the word ‘quick’, I sometimes allude to the speed of preparation rather than the speed of cooking. It is a very important distinction. What does it matter if a dish is going to take several hours in the oven to actually cook, as long as it hasn’t used up your whole day in preparation? Food cooked long and slow has several other advantages. You can use traditionally tougher cuts of meat that are usually less expensive and as we are all a little more conscious of our spending these days, that should be welcomed. Many recipes that require long, slow cooking are also suitable for the freezer, so why not cook an extra large batch and freeze some portions for another time? The appreciation factor by the rest of the family on long, slow cooked food is often quite remarkable because of the flavoursome taste and the oven did most of the work.
When you mention slow cooking in some circles eyes tend to glaze over and there is a fear that all you can cook are various forms of stew, crock pot dishes or those with heavy gravy rich sauces. While these are often a staple of the winter, few want to know about them in the summer, deeming them too heavy for the season. All it takes is a little imagination. Slow roasted joints are often wonderful when sliced the next day as cold meat meals or as sandwich fillers. Slow baked spuds with fillings of your choice make a fantastic summer supper that go really well with slowly marinated steak or chicken flashed on a pan or a hot barbecue. Indeed a well marinated steak will take about eight minutes to cook on a hot barbecue – you couldn’t ask for quicker. Add some butter, bacon bits, beans and a little cheese to the baked spud and it’s a great accompaniment. Marinating can take several hours and I would recommend overnight if possible. Once again there is little work or effort for the chef. Even stews with a summer twist can work well. Many naturally hot countries have their own versions of stew; after all what do you think a curry is? Instead of a traditional wintery brown gravy base try a light tomato base with spices instead. Lamb shanks cooked long and slow in wine and tomatoes are a super summer dish. For a further summery feel ditch the potatoes and add some rice or cous cous.
Filo pastry will give a lighter approach to pies and pasties that can also be prepared in advance and are suitable to take on that impromptu picnic should the sun shine or can be eaten at home if it doesn’t. Quiches are a particular handy summer staple as they can be eaten hot or cold. A classic quiche can be great on its own or with a salad and for a real cheat why not pick one ready made at our deli counter in James Whelan Butchers, there is a great choice every day. We also do a great range of pre-marinated and prepared meats ready for barbecues which takes the time element out and makes it all easier. Even the humble sandwich can get a summer makeover. If you have access to the internet check out the sandwich ideas on www.tastydays.com/recipes/sandwiches. If you thought a sandwich was merely a filling between two slices of bread you were wrong! This site has great pictures and I have no doubt you will be inspired. If you are on line then you can also stop by the James Whelan Butchers site where there are more great summer food ideas.
Don’t let the weather dictate the fun. Ignore it to beat it and enjoy great food regardless. Just be prepared for the four seasons we cycle through in an average Irish summer week. Keep the umbrella, the wellies and the sunblock and sandals handy and you’ll be fine. Don’t waste the days, as come September you will yearn for the long, lazy days of summer and will have forgotten the sogginess! I welcome your feedback to [email protected]
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Posted on Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011 by Pat Whelan in Good Food, Occasions | No Comments »
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Posted on Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011 by Pat Whelan in Foodie Articles | No Comments »
It never ceases to amaze me the staggering amounts of money that government bodies, business organisations and educational institutions the world over pump into research, surveys and reports. Some are obviously valid but others verge on the ridiculous. For example a significant amount was spent on a research project in a British university that came to the conclusion that “the more you think about chocolate the more you are likely to eat it.” I could have told them that for free! And I could write a fascinating appendix to that study that says the more you think about juicy steaks/luscious sausages/creamy pies the more you are likely to eat them while conversely, thoughts of spinach or cabbage don’t strike the same note at all. I might have a future in this research lark after all. However, joking aside I was delighted to read some findings that now scientifically conclude that cooking is actually good for reducing stress levels. Oh yes, the very thing that you often believe to be the cause of your anxiety; the “What the hell will I get for the dinner” syndrome, can actually be cured and calmed by then making the dinner.
There are several elements of cooking that act as stress reducers. First of all there is what they call the “Voodoo” effect. While it conjures thoughts of carving an image of your boss/spouse/nemesis on a carrot and sticking pins into it, you don’t have to go that far. You just think of the irritants while you chop and butcher and take all your zeal out that way. If you’re upset enough you’ll be amazed at how quickly you zip through the preparation, but don’t get too carried away and mind your fingers. Apparently you’ll feel great by the end of it.
On a more positive note cooking also provides a natural aromatherapy session for you and anyone in the vicinity of your kitchen. For this reason learn to cook with herbs, spices and aromatics. Even chopping and preparing lovely, freshly plucked herbs releases the aromas and they are very calming. I’m not that naturally green fingered but I like to grow a small selection of herbs so I always have them to hand. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than snipping a sprig of rosemary or a bunch of chives or tearing a handful of basil or coriander. I have a friend who grows his herbs in a sheltered rockery on the edge of his lawn so he has the added stress release of having to go out into his beautiful garden when he needs them. Sometimes just the smell of the grass on a summers’ evening is enough to whip away the tension of the day. I didn’t know this until I looked it up for this article but the following are regularly used in aromatherapy so you could incorporate them in your cooking and baking. If you need energising or invigorating use orange, rosemary, or lemon; for stress relief choose lavender or sage. Lavender ad chamomile aids sleep and mint and basil are, according to the experts, mood elevators.
Finally there are foods that can actually reduce stress and anxiety and sadly there are foods that can have the opposite effect also. If you have had a harrowing day the last thing you need is to put dull, dead, overly processed foods into an already tired body. By doing this you are putting further stress on the system as it now has to digest and eliminate this stuff. On the other hand eating delicious, easy to digest, natural and nutritious meals will actually make you feel better, more energised, fuelled up and ready to deal with things and so ultimately you will feel in a better mood.
Personally I find cooking and preparing food very therapeutic. Unlike the study that suggests you take your anger out on the vegetables, I suggest that you just get lost in the activity. I find having to concentrate on the task at hand allows me to forget any niggles and literally leave the day behind. In the kitchen I am in total control and that simple act of preparing great food for my family is such a positive and uplifting ritual, even on the worst days. Admittedly if you have had a bad day or are very tired cooking always seems like a chore, but I promise you that if you push through that reluctance to the preparation, you will find it has great benefits. It is probably because as humans we like rituals and cooking is very ritualistic; there are steps to take and it gives us a feeling of accomplishment as there is a beginning, a middle and an end which hopefully is one of gratitude and plaudits and someone else offering to do the washing up!
Finally I found a wonderful study that came from the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. It stated that you can cause a significant reduction in the number of stress hormones in the body by eating chocolate. In an experiment they found that people who identified as highly stressed ate a few pieces of dark chocolate on a daily basis for two weeks and lowered their stress levels. There’s nothing more to say about that but just take the advice and run with it as soon as you can. Other foods linked to stress release include turkey, walnuts, sweet potatoes, almonds and spinach.
I believe that all delicious, well prepared natural foods have benefits. I always feel good after a lovely meal. We should all embrace the hobby of cooking as a stress reliever. Let’s face it, in these times of austerity and stress it is much cheaper than going to the spa, better for you than drugs or alcohol and something you can share with family and friends. So in future if you’re feeling stressed drop into the James Whelan Butchers’ “Food Clinic” in the Oakville Shopping Centre, pick up something wonderful to cook and then rattle those pots and pans. You’ll feel better in no time at all!
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Posted on Thursday, July 28th, 2011 by Pat Whelan in Good Food, Occasions | No Comments »
TIPPERARY Food Producers are once again planning to tantalise the taste-buds of food lovers from all over Ireland with its annual, sumptuous, Long Table Dinner which takes place in the historic grounds of Rockwell College outside Cashel on Wednesday, August 24th.
The banquet promises to be a gourmets dream bringing 300 guests on a culinary tour of Tipperary with a special menu of seasonal products sourced exclusively from the 30 members of the Tipperary Food Producers network.
Excellence is the common denominator for the banquet. Members of the Tipperary Food Producers network include a host of well known brands such as Cashel Blue Cheese, Cooleeny Cheese in Thurles, The Scullery, Crowes Farm, Hickeys Bakery, The Cookie Jar, and James Whelan Butchers in Clonmel.
Other members include: The Apple Farm in Cahir, Seymour Organic Farm in Borrisokane, Barbara Russell catering, Red Nose Wine in Clonmel, Inch House, and many more. (For a full list go to www.tipperaryfoodproducers.com)
According to organiser and founder of the Tipperary Food Producers, butcher Pat Whelan from Clonmel, Tipperary food producers now employ 220 people directly, and have a cumulative turnover of €24m.
“The Long Table Feast is a great opportunity for us all to showcase the very best of our produce and reinforce the importance of supporting local producers to a local and national audience.” he said. “For every €10 spent with local producers and businesses €34 goes back to the local economy. For every €10 spent with large retail multiples, only €16 goes back to the local economy,” he added.
Special guest at this year’s Long Table Dinner is Michael Kelly, founder of G.I.Y (Grow It Yourself).
“Rockwell is one of the Country’s premier seats of learning and boasts former presidents, well known businessmen, household names from the legal profession and many international rugby players amongst its past pupils. What more fitting setting for this year’s feast,” said Pat.
While the venue changes annually and the demand for tickets grows, the core values of the Long Table Dinner remains the same: the event is a showcase for all things ‘food’ in Tipperary with “excellence” at the core of everything. The entire Long Table Dinner is created from local produce, with the producers sitting down and enjoying the feast.
This epicurean gala has evolved into a lavish, highly organised feast. It started in 2007 when a group of local food producers came together to dine at a long table under the abundant fruit trees in the orchards of the Apple Farm in Cahir one late summer’s evening. The producers were reviving an old Irish tradition and the entire meal was created using only local ingredients and produce.
It was a modest start, but it was the springboard to a much bigger gathering in 2008 when the producers sat down inside the ancient ramparts of Cahir Castle. By 2009, the event attracted 250 people under canvas on the grounds of Kickham Barracks. Last year the event employed the help of the internet and social networking and was held simultaneously in four of Tipperary’s best known restaurants: Chez Hans in Cashel; The Old Convent in Clogheen; Brocka on the Water and Inch House, attracting great media attention and making it, virtually, the longest table in history.
The Tipperary Food Producers Network includes producers of meat, beverages and bread, soup, sweets, pastry, catering, dairy, cheese, farm shops, preserves and condiments, jams, fruit and vegetables.
Tickets for this year’s event cost €75 and are available at James Whelan Butchers, Oakville Shopping Centre, Clonmel on (052) 6182477 OR from any member of the Tipperary Food Producers network at www.tipperaryfoodproducers.com
Ticket holders are asked to be at the Rockwell College by 7.00pm sharp as the meal will commence at 7.30 p.m. Tickets are required for entry to the long table dinner event.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Posted on Wednesday, July 27th, 2011 by Pat Whelan in Foodie Articles | No Comments »
The longer I’m around food the more I am realising the miracle of natural ingredients. I’m talking about ingredients that haven’t been processed in a clean room, added to and no longer recognisable as their original selves, but real natural foods, grown or reared, that will eventually go off and are still alive inside. Tinned, processed and packaged foods that last forever are the Zombies of the food world. Now there is a place for these foods in certain circumstances, but they shouldn’t make up the bulk of our diets as they tend to. Natural ingredients are both fuel and medicine although we have long since abandoned the idea of the latter. While we may have lost the knowledge it doesn’t mean that the connection isn’t still there.
Now before I annoy anyone let me state clearly that I am forever in awe of the progress and discoveries of modern medicine and medical professionals. Despite the criticisms of Irish health care, my own personal experience has always been good. However I do believe that many of today’s illnesses are diet related and also many minor ailments can be dealt with using a host of natural remedies. If these two areas were removed from the remit of our GP surgeries and hospitals we may not have the overburdening problem that exists currently. Maybe if we all took a little more responsibility for our health and well being the Irish health crisis might become a thing of the past. It seems crazy that we are prepared to fill ourselves with toxic, dead food and expect to be well and healthy. After years of this abuse when we eventually make ourselves ill we then roll into the doctor’s surgery looking for a magic pill to relieve the symptoms and make us better while we continue to feed ourselves lifeless junk! It makes little sense and yet people in their thousands fail to see the link. It is like pouring coca cola into your car and expecting it to work like petrol and when it doesn’t then taking the car to a mechanic and saying you haven’t a clue what is causing the problem.
As humans we were built to eat and our food is all provided for us by nature; meat, vegetables, fruit, grains and dairy along with some great herbs and spices. A good friend of mine has a tremendous story of using natural remedies. She developed a painful condition of a stone in the salivary gland: similar to a gall stone or kidney stone, only near the face. After two unsuccessful surgical operations to remove the stone by going in through the floor of the mouth, the surgeon asked permission to operate from the outside. This would have left a scar and there was also a high risk of cutting nerves to the facial muscles, the tongue and lip muscles. While waiting for this elective surgery she found a good naturopath. His diagnosis was simple. Stones can only occur in an out of balance body, where the PH balance (remember that from science class with the litmus paper?) is too acidic. To restore the balance she had to give up cakes, sweets, biscuits, (general processed foods) and citrus fruits for about 6 weeks. During that time she had to drink a litre of natural apple juice and take apple cider vinegar every day to render the system more alkaline. After 6 weeks she had to start eating fresh lemon slices to get the salivary glands working which would, in theory, work the stone out. It sounded almost fanciful, but armed with a juicer, loads of apples and banning all sweets, biscuits and cakes she held to it diligently and remarkably, within about 7 weeks the stone did indeed come out. It was a rough lump of calcium about the size of an orange pip. I can tell this story because I got it first hand, but it is also a case where time was on the side of the patient. Let’s face it if your life is endangered by gall stones you won’t have six or seven weeks to be messing around with apple juice- you will need a surgical operation. The main point however is if the system wasn’t off in the first place then it wouldn’t have been necessary. This incident set my pal on a path for more information on food and health. Today she knows a whole lot about this area which I was happy to mine for this article.
As well as adding great flavour, fresh garlic is a natural antiseptic and was used in the trenches during the war to stop infection in wounds. It is also good for earache. Heat some olive oil and then crush some garlic into it and let it rest in the oil for about 15 minutes. Strain the liquid and soak some cotton wool in the oil and place it just inside the ear, letting the liquid run into the inner ear. The garlic combats any possible infection. Crushed in warm water, (if you can stomach it) garlic is also great for sore throats, although lemon juice in warm water with honey is more pleasant and very effective. At this time of year insect bites and stings can be the cause of many tears. Mix some honey and baking soda together and rub onto the site of the bite and this should relieve the itching. For wasp stings rub the affected area with cider vinegar or a slice of lemon and stop the irritation in its tracks. If it begins to swell badly, make a poultice with cider vinegar and baking soda and apply it directly. Cabbage leaves also have tremendous anti inflammatory properties. Wrap cabbage leaves around the swollen area and let it do its magic.
While I was gathering information for this article a customer of ours, Kay Fahey from Poulmucka came to me with a recipe for a burn ointment. Again I’m not suggesting you don’t seek medical help in the face of any serious incident, but for small burns or while you are awaiting medical attention it might be handy to have this natural ointment that you make yourself, to hand. The ingredients are: 3oz of lamb kidney suet, 5 laurel leaves, 100 ml extra virgin olive oil, 1 table spoon of honey and 1 table spoon of sulphur. To make: render the fat, chop the leaves and boil in the fat. Strain off the fat from the leaves and add the olive oil and honey. Leave to cool slightly and then stir in the sulphur with a wooden spoon. Leave to set and store in a sterilised jar. I haven’t even scratched the surface of the subject here but needless to say there are thousands of effective natural remedies around that are certainly worth trying as they can’t harm you even if they prove ineffective.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
Posted on Wednesday, July 20th, 2011 by Pat Whelan in Good Food | No Comments »
With the sunshine beating down and the craic as high as the temperature, the best of our indigenous food producers gathered for a fantastic food event recently called Totally Tipperary. This is Ireland’s newest food festival and judging by the response it has all the potential of becoming a super annual event. It was held within the lovely and very historic grounds of Cloughjordan House and attracted food producers, food writers, food bloggers and food lovers. It was a festival attended by a group made up of a wide and varied demographic with the common ground being a love of food. Instantly age, nationality and urban and rural barriers ceased to exist. The sensual pleasures of the taste buds and the olfactory organs bring people together and traverse all boundaries. Food is a universal language and that was proven once more at Totally Tipperary. The whole event was really well organised. I was mainly in the Meat Tent. Along with my fellow food producer and good pal T J Crowe we gave a cracking demonstration on butchering pork and lamb. TJ and I are becoming quite the double act and he’s not only fun but always a pleasure to work with.
There were plenty of other demonstrations as well. Joanna Schaffalitzky who hosts the food blog, Smorgasblog, gave a fantastic presentation. For her turn at Totally Tipperary she took four Tipperary ingredients and turned them into a great dish that anyone can do at home. She used chicken fillets from our good selves at James Whelan Butchers, stuffed them with the terrific artisan black pudding from Inch House and then wrapped the whole lot in luscious strips of streaky bacon from Crowe’s Farm. While the chicken was in the oven, Joanna prepared lovely apple gravy using local apples from The Apple Farm. The result was superb and everyone agreed that Joanna had totally nailed it for simplicity, locally available ingredients, value, and of course, great taste. I give particular mention to Joanna because the video of her demonstration is up on her blog so even if you weren’t at Totally Tipperary you can still catch it. Again the name is Smorgasblog, just google it and you’ll find it.
I suppose the bottom line is that as a food producer, whether it is meat, vegetables, bread or dairy, we often find ourselves isolated and operating in our own little food bubble. This isn’t surprising given the climate and the general challenge of a food business and producing excellent products. For that reason events like Totally Tipperary have many, many benefits and, in some cases, a value that can’t even be measured. Meeting other people as passionate as you are about food really recharges the batteries and often injects a burst of fresh enthusiasm that keeps you going long after it is all over. Seeing all the producers together also gives us a sense of how the local food scene is not only growing and flourishing, but is a great employer and collectively a great asset to the local economy. Then there is the joy of watching as the visitors and food writers discover new products and ultimately return to their blogs, magazines and friends with a positive message and a renewed zeal for Tipperary Food. It really was a great event and I feel that the seeds sown at Totally Tipperary will continue to produce a harvest well into the future for Tipperary producers. Obviously the weather was a tremendous help and the sun shone on us throughout. I was exhausted at the end of it but delighted to have been part of it.
The event also threw a torch light on the food community in Tipperary; it has created marvellous friendships and supports. That sense of community really strengthens the overall faith in the sector and you have to wonder if all this would have been possible in the more hedonistic days of the Celtic Tiger when there was no time to cook, little time for leisure and certainly no interest in growing your own. We have come along way in one sense and I can’t say enough about the great work of GIY. However there are also moments when I feel we could be in that old Ireland where people grew their own food, traded with one another and local and indigenous food was the only show in town. We are not too far off those days again, but thankfully this time without the sideburns and odd haircuts. While our love of food may have gone a full circle, thankfully our general sartorial style has definitely moved on!
Tipperary is a great place for food and the sooner we all embrace and take that message to the rest of the country and indeed the world, the better. Between food and hurling we really are doing fantastically on the national radar at present. In light of the hurlers’ astonishing performance on Sunday in the Munster Final, there will be plenty of mentions for Tipp throughout the summer and so we can definitely capitalise on that. Here’s to more sunny days devouring tasty Tipperary produced treats and chasing down the dream of a second All Ireland in a row; summers just don’t get much better than that.
We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers
