Gold standard bouillonOpinion is divided on the wisdom of Delia Smith's venture into "cheat cuisine", but long before she began extolling the virtues of frozen mashed potato and ready-chopped onions, she championed Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon, a gluten-free, non-MSG, instant stock in powder form. "If there were good ingredient awards, this would win first prize," she said.
Marigold is undoubtedly good, and Domini Kemp uses it in the healthy vegetable soup she writes about on page 26, but the Organic Vegetable Bouillon from the Organic Herb Company in Co Wicklow, is even better. It's a useful larder staple when making rice dishes and soups, and is packed full of flavour in the form of dried parsnip, carrot, celery, parsley, horseradish and lovage and basil. The company, which blends and roasts its organic ingredients, doesn't add any salt to its bouillon. It's also sold with seasalt added in Avoca shops, as part of the Avoca To Go range.
The Organic Herb Company's dried spices are also worth tracking down, especially the Organic Irish Garden Herb blend, and they've had a big run on their organic roasted seed mix. "The apple and mixed seed crunch is excellent sprinkled into natural yoghurt, or onto breakfast cereals," says Paul Pritchard, who runs the company along with Michael Martin.
Worth shelling out for
If the thought of cooking lobster, shelling and de-veining prawns, and sorting good mussels from bad, fills you with trepidation, and you don't know your octopus from your squid, book in for a cooking with shellfish course with Stephen Caviston at Ballyknocken Cookery School in Glenealy, Co Wicklow, 0404-44627. The classes run tomorrow, and again on Sunday, May 25th (2.30-6.30pm), and cost €110, including tasting plates of the shellfish prepared on the day. www.thecookeryschool.ie.
Currying favour
Fuchsia House restaurant in Ardee, Co Louth, has been widely praised by food critics, and now the owners, chef Sarajut Chanda and his wife Sarah Nic Lochlainn, have opened an Indian takeaway, Indish, in the town. Having sampled the chicken curry, a fragrant, oil-free delight made to a recipe passed down from mother to son, it could just be worth the delivery charge from Ardee to Dublin - it was that good. Indish is at Bridge Street, Ardee, Co Louth, 041-6871111.
Web watch: www.101cookbooks.com
San Francisco cookery book author and photographer Heidi Swanson's fresh and exciting vegetarian recipes. Recent posts feature citrus Parmesan farro salad, and black bean brownies.