People have good ideas every day but few make it from the idea stage to fruition. That’s why I love it when a good idea becomes a reality and I believe that we should give it our full support. Recently I was thrilled to be invited to launch a recipe booklet called, “Make It Simple”. It was the result of a local committee initiative organised by the Home School Community Liaison Coordinators in St Oliver’s N.S., S.S. Peter and Paul’s and Colaiste Chluain Meala. I was very honoured to be chosen to speak at the event and was there in my capacity as Chairman of Tipperary Food Producers Network.

This recipe booklet was inspired by a series of cookery classes for parents organised through the HSCL scheme in the three schools and funded by the VEC Community Education Programme. What a superb example of a practical way to get people involved with food and cooking. Schemes like this should be run in every school in the country. It is amazing the power of parents and it’s a power that is often ignored and negated. Parents, have the power to influence and change the world in their own home which will have a huge impact on their children. Most people do the best they can for their children with the result that most children lead lives similar to their parents. If you weren’t taught about food and nutrition as a child and you haven’t taken an interest as an adult, then it is likely that your own children will grow up without such knowledge either. Empowering parents with practical cooking skills and information on nutrition will naturally filter to their children, who are the adults and parents of tomorrow.

Such was the enthusiasm of the parents on the cookery course that they decided to produce a booklet that incorporated the recipes they had tried and tasted that could be given out to all the parents. The children also had a vested interest and a role to play as most of the recipes included were ones that had been popular with them. The booklet provides parents with a selection of easy to follow recipes that include soups, main courses and desserts with an important nutritional tip included in each one. There are also added value educational elements to the book such as a section that talks about handy store cupboard items. I just loved the down to earth practicality of the list and, unlike some of our fancy lifestyle cook books, the ingredients listed are versatile, available and inexpensive. There wasn’t a jar of squid ink or obscure Japanese seaweed in sight! The list of kitchen utensils was also accessible, realistic and sensible. Easy to read conversion tables and measurements and weights tables are user friendly and all contribute to creating confidence in the booklet and in cooking skills. At the end of the day that really is what it is all about. Real food is something we need every day of our lives. It is hugely important to our health and well being as well as our local economy and giving people the confidence, along with the necessary step by step, no nonsense instructions is a great place to start.

The recipes themselves cover all the bases from starters and main courses to desserts and snacks. Each recipe informs you how many people it will feed and the average cost per portion. This is a very useful guide and the financial savings alone in cooking for the family might just be the incentive we all need to get back into our kitchens and rattle those pots and pans.

While the information and recipes are the same, each school involved has an individual front cover which was designed by a pupil; creating involvement and ownership of the project and making it unique to each place. Now that it’s published you have to wonder why it wasn’t done before but, as I said to the organisers, I am well aware of the great deal of work that goes into creating something like this. However the first one is always the toughest and now that they have a template of how to do it, perhaps Make It Simple II isn’t such a leap of imagination!

Congratulations to all involved and maybe it is an idea that could be replicated in every school. Equipping people with simple skills and knowledge of food and cooking is so much more valuable than all the good nutrition preaching that has been going on. Cooking and eating real food will also tackle the obesity problem naturally without the need for reprimanding and scaremongering already stressed parents. Projects like this should be recognised and commended and I have no doubt that long after the excitement of the launch these recipe booklets will be used in local kitchens for years to come. Always remember good food is an investment in your future health and well being. I welcome your feedback to [email protected] Happy Easter.

This post was written by me, Pat Whelan, owner of James Whelan Butchers and a passionate advocate of local artisan food. My family have been producing quality Irish Angus beef for generations using a traditional dry aging process. This tradition is one that I continue to practice at our abattoir on our family farm in Garrentemple, Clonmel. These posts aim to impart some of the wisdom to readers and help them get the best out of the meat they eat! Our meat is available here online!

It looks like there are still 12 months in the year but I think they are moving much faster than before. I’m particularly conscious of this right now as this weekend sees the fourth Waterford Festival of Food weekend celebration. It seems like only a few short months since I attended the 2010 event and here we are a full year later and ready to go again. For anyone in South Tipp and the environs of Clonmel, the festival is but a short drive away. It seems to be a packed schedule this year with plenty to do for the whole family and while there are well known chefs in attendance and several ticketed food events, there is also a whole programme of free family fun to be had. By all means check out the website for the full programme at www.waterfordfestivaloffood.com

The weekend is about celebrating all that is good about food in Co. Waterford. I love it for the ideas and the new products and producers that seem to emerge each year. You also see how established producers are progressing their products and sometimes introducing new lines. I’m always impressed at how the organisers put an emphasis on family events and encouraging children to get involved in food and practical food demonstrations. When it comes to children it is also a great opportunity for parents to discuss food and its connection to the land. We forget sometimes that our urban reared offspring can inadvertently end up thinking that food comes from the supermarket without making that mental leap to the land or the sea. Talking of the sea, finally there is an emphasis on it which includes one event titled BBQ by the Sea. One can only assume this will involve fish and let’s pray that the weather is good as the success of events like that hinge largely on sunshine.

For the real food enthusiast Food Camp on Friday might be of interest. This is an all day conference for food producers, food lovers and those with an interest in the food industry to gather, share knowledge and discuss the future of Ireland’s food industry through speaking sessions and a panel discussion. The panel will be chaired by Peter Ward of Country Choice in Nenagh and will include Ella McSweeney from RTE’s Ear to the Ground, Eileen Bentley from Bord Bia, Michael Quinn who is head chef at Waterford Castle and food blogger Niamh Shields; among others. Niamh Shields is originally from Waterford but currently lives in the UK where she writes a very popular blog called, Eat Like A Girl. On Saturday the mobile farm is at King John’s Castle and is always fun for the kids and BBQ by the Sea will be taking place just opposite. Then on Sunday the highlight event of the weekend is the Farmers Market in Dungarvan Town Centre where we are being encouraged to browse fresh produce from the region’s finest food producers to a backdrop of live music. These are just a few of the free events and the whole programme is listed on the website.

Food festivals last for just a weekend but I suppose the idea is awareness and introducing the general public to what is available in their own locality. More and more people are seeing the value in local food and not just nutritionally but also to the local economy. The food business is quite difficult to sustain, particularly for a start up, as the market place is quite crowded. However, I do believe that quality and excellence will take a product quite a long way. That excellence has to reflect in taste, presentation and in price. This can be a hard combination to get right but those that persevere and rise to the challenge seem to survive.

While it may seem that we are trotting out the ‘buy local’ mantra regularly, I don’t think it can be said too often or too loudly. In Tipperary we have some of the finest producers and products in the country and this is evidenced every year by The Long Table Dinner, usually held in August, where all the ingredients for a lavish meal are sourced locally. While seeing local food displayed in such abundance gets the gastric juices going, it also sparks the creative juices and it makes me wonder how much more we can achieve. So with Easter on the horizon, that is my challenge to you this week. How much of your Easter Sunday dinner can you source from local producers?

Yes, it will have to be a conscious decision and, perhaps it will take you off the beaten path every now and again, but variety is the spice of life and Easter is a special occasion. I’m urging you to try some local lamb and other meats, local vegetables and the myriad of local cheeses available. In the Tipperary environs you can get everything from a cookie to a mushroom made and grown locally. All it takes is a little adjusting from the normal route of convenience where everything is sourced in one supermarket. Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for supermarkets but every now and again let’s try something different. We live in a county with luscious pastures, fantastic soil and passionate food producers and yet out of habit we often forget in favour of convenience. When we do that we miss out on great flavours, great taste and great local food.

If you need inspiration you can always check out tipperaryfoodproducers.com. There you will find a list of all the food and the producers that should spark some ideas. By all means drop into James Whelan Butchers where we will be happy to throw out some suggestions or go to our website at Jameswhelanbutchers.com. No excuses now, shop locally this Easter and I would love to get some feedback on how you get on! My email is [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

I had a foodie friend home from the UK last week and during the many hours that we drove our taste buds to distraction discussing food, the subject of poaching was raised.  We both agreed that poaching has become quite fashionable again and poached pears seem to be popping up on menus across the land.

I tend to associate poaching with eggs and fish only and even then I’m not sure if it would be my chosen method of cooking.  There are so many other things you can do with an egg that it fails to register on my method radar.  That has now changed and I have a new regard for this old technique.  I suppose my interest was really piqued when I was reminded that it was a healthy way to cook. Our conversation had strayed onto my current health regime and while I haven’t gone completely to that lettuce chewing, lycra wearing, green juice swilling side of life just yet, I am making small lifestyle adjustments and enjoying the benefits.

Poaching is a simple and low fat way of cooking that tends to allow foods to retain their inherent flavours very well.  From a scientific stand point poached food is easy to digest and so is very easy on the human system.  The foods best suited to poaching are naturally tender so eggs, fish, fruit and poultry are ideal candidates.  I do remember reading somewhere about poaching beef but I think I need to master the method with an egg first.  Given my novice standing I felt a sirloin strip was a tad ambitious.  So discovering that I had an experienced poacher in my midst and always willing to learn something new it didn’t take long to get him into the kitchen for a poaching lesson and a half.

Poaching is basically when a food is cooked in a liquid that has been heated to just below boiling point.  This is where the liquid is barely moving.  Poaching temperature is very important because if you allow the water to boil then, effectively, it’s game over.  Boiling will cause certain foods like unshelled eggs to disintegrate while it can toughen fish or meat.  You also need to make sure that the food being cooked is fully covered with the liquid but not completely drowned.  While we tend to associate poaching with water, stock, syrup and alcohol are also used in order to add taste or texture depending on what is being poached.  Liam also pointed out that the food being poached is infusing the liquid so, depending on the menu, he would often use the poaching liquid to cook other parts of the meal also.  When poaching eggs or fish it is common to add a little vinegar or lemon juice to the liquid and this helps to keep everything firm.

When choosing a pot to poach in, the pot should be a bit larger than the food with enough room to cover it with the liquid.  If all you plan on doing is eggs you should have plenty of choice.  It is also a good idea to match your food with the poaching liquid.  Chicken stock if you are poaching chicken, a vegetable stock or fish stock for fish or, of course, the catch all; plain water.  When poaching meat and fish it is also important to add all the herbs, spices and vegetables to the water before you add the meat.  These flavours will be absorbed by the food and that’s what poaching is really all about.  Don’t forget the vinegar or lemon juice!  I was advised that it is best to use fresh herbs where possible and you needn’t chop everything up, just stick them in the pot!

By all accounts at that point poaching was the holy grail of cooking, but I insisted that there must be a downside.  It would appear that the greatest disadvantage is that it isn’t a suitable method to cook many foods.  Also there is, without a doubt, a certain amount of skill required as the main difficulty seems to be in knowing when the food is properly cooked.  If you are frying or grilling something you can touch it during cooking and test it as it goes along.  With poaching, every time you want to check if something is done you must carefully remove it from the liquid.  Again this is where repetition is the mother of skill.  If you poach enough eggs or pears or chicken pieces eventually you will have a good feel for how long it takes without constantly needing to take it in and out of the liquid.

So here is my simple first lesson on how to poach an egg.

Fill a pot with three inches of cold water, add a pinch of salt and bring it to the boil.

Carefully break the egg into a small cup plate or bowl.

As the water reaches boiling point, reduce the heat and allow the water to simmer.

Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water.

Carefully (and I mean carefully as I failed in this step on my first attempt!) slide the egg from the cup into the water.  Keep the cup as close to the water as possible before tipping in the egg and you should be fine.

Once the eggs are in the water don’t be tempted to move the eggs around.  Allow them to cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  The time difference will depend on the size of the egg and how firm you like your egg yolks.

When done remove the egg with a slotted spoon.  You can trim any dangling bits of egg white with a knife.

Serve immediately on warm toast.

While I have to admit that the resulting egg on the buttered toast was delicious I do think that cooking eggs is probably the least you should do with poaching.  I’m definitely going to poach again and who knows, I might even get to the stage where I just might attempt that classic, poached pears in red wine. 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 Food Market Monkstown and Avoca Rathcoole. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers

Since my last column for the paper I appeared on the telly!  I was on the TV3 sofa with Sybil Mulcahy and Martin King.  I can only assume that my diet and fitness regime are working as I was introduced to the viewers as the “the small butcher who’s thinking big”.   I was very amused by this and imagined that when the camera panned to me, the audience would be expecting someone very short in stature.

These days few people get excited about things but not me.  I wish I could pretend to be blasé and tell you that the whole thing was tedious but I can’t; the whole experience thrilled me and it really was great fun.  Maybe it is quite dull for someone who is used to being on TV but for me it was all shiny and new.  Now I’ve appeared on television before, but usually I am interviewed in my own surroundings, this time I had to go to the TV3 studios in Dublin.

You are probably wondering what they wanted with me.  One of the people we communicate with through our Twitter page, Adrian Shanahan, told TV3 about our website and on line meat offering.  In turn they felt it was newsworthy and also quite novel and so they called last week out of the blue and it caused quite a stir in the office.  To be honest when they contacted me I was a tad hesitant but it didn’t take long to convince me to go and I was very proud to fly the flag for Clonmel and for Tipp.

Now the strange thing about television is that the actual broadcast time is short and passes really quickly, but you have to be there ages before your slot so you get to drink in the whole thing.  Up close and personal nothing is really as it seems.  TV3 is a very modern studio and much of the tech stuff is controlled remotely so contrary to what you might think there are not lots of people behind cameras or running around with clipboards.  It is actually relatively relaxed and given time I’m sure you can forget you are on television and just get into chatting with the presenters.  Anyway it went well, I enjoyed it and it was great publicity for our website Jameswhelanbutchers.com and a little bit of diversion from the normal week.

So with the excitement and glamour behind me it was back to business once more and thoughts of food.  Personally this week I am planning for Mothers Day which is coming up this Sunday.  I have two women to think of; my own mother and my wife; mother of our children.  Given that they are all under seven, they understand the concept of making it a special day for Mammy but they need my help to procure the gifts and help with arrangements.  Their idea of what their mother would like as a gift is often touching, sometimes crazy and other times quite ingenious.  In a recent pre shopping chat someone suggested that, “Mammy might like a new set of Star Wars Lego!”  (Mental note to self, “Teach the children to be less mercenary!”)

When it comes to my own mother I am finding it increasingly difficult to come up with fresh ideas for gifts come any occasion, but particularly Mothers Day.  I have friends who have echoed a similar sentiment.  Flowers, chocolates, ornaments are all great and suffice for a time but then suddenly they seem lame and inadequate.  Maybe you only feel this way once you become a parent yourself and suddenly you appreciate your own parents more.  Perhaps our gift anxiety is more about trying to repay, when really that is quite impossible.

I have recently discovered that what humans ultimately appreciate more than anything is simply time spent together.  A friend of mine who is in her late fifties concurs completely.  She pointed out that as an older woman she has everything she needs materially.  She has lost interest in collecting more stuff and is, in fact, giving things from her house to her adult children as she feels it is one less thing to dust.  She told me that at this point in her life she is collecting memories; days spent with her grandchildren, browsing shops with her daughters and, of course, long lazy family meals where they all get together to break bread and fellowship.

That conversation certainly gave me a fresh perspective.  What’s interesting is that the origin of mothering Sunday has its roots in that idea of family.  Traditionally girls in service at the big houses were allowed home to visit their mothers on one Sunday during Lent.  Commercialism, as with many other traditions, has wrestled the day from our hands and packaged it in flowers, schmaltzy poetry and expensive cards.  Obviously if you are out of the country there is little you can do but send the cards and flowers but if you are here then you could make a bigger effort to do something that costs time rather than money.

So this year I’ve decided to cook at home.  Many people like to take their mothers out for lunch on Mothers day and if you have a group of adults that may be fine.  Sadly with small children it is my least favourite option.  There is a false sense that it will be alright as they are usually well behaved for the first 20 minutes and then you spend the rest of the time trying to restrain them from running around the dining room or escaping and getting lost.  Someone always wants to go to the loo just as your dinner arrives to the table and inevitably there will be row, a spillage or some other potential calamity. Eating under such conditions is unpleasant for all, even the doting grandparents and that’s before you deal with the disapproving looks of the strangers around you.

The recipe below is ideal for a family lunch at home.  There are also plenty more on the website with ‘How to’ videos as well so no excuse for not creating the perfect Mothers Day meal this Sunday.

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