FOOD FILE: Organic milk, sheep's cheese, free-range chicken and smoked salmon were the mystery ingredients chef and restaurateur Derry Clarke was charged with incorporating into the Irish Food Writers' Guild Food Awards lunch at his L'Écrivain restaurant on Monday. Traditionally, the awards lunch showcases the products singled out by the guild to be the recipients of its annual honours list.
Nicky McLoughlin of Nicky's Plaice in Howth was the recipient of a lifetime achievement award in recognition of more than half a century at the helm of the Co Dublin fishmongers, and his produce featured in a starter of beautifully subtle smoked salmon with crab salad and cucumber.
Another award winner, Fermanagh free-range chicken from Kettyle Irish Foods in Enniskillen, was the inspiration for the main course - the seared breasts of chicken served with barley, cured bacon and turnip puree.
Moonshine organic milk, from the family farm of Gerry and Mary Kelly in Mullingar, was praised by Guild members for its "real" taste, and the fact that it is not homogenised, and pasteurised "gently and slowly". Clarke used it to make Moonshine organic ice-cream and milkshake, served with a chocolate pavé. Knockdrinna Meadow farmhouse sheeps' cheese, made by Helen Finnegan in Stoneyford, Co Kilkenny, was served as a rarebit, with port and pear puree and candied pecans.
The environmental award was presented to Joe and Eileen Condon's Omega Beef Direct in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, in recognition of the sustainability of their farming methods. The awards are sponsored by Bord Bia.
The Appliance Of Science
Is your oven working as hard for you as it might? Or do you, like me, just use the basic functions and leave the mystery buttons well alone? Considering how technically advanced kitchen appliances have become, and how expensive they can be, a couple of hours spent watching a pro working with them can be time well spent.
Chef Neven Maguire will be at the Miele Gallery in Citywest, Dublin, next Saturday (10.30am-12.30pm), cooking some of his signature dishes with the company's induction wok, combi-steam oven, and 90cm oven (which can roast three chickens at once in its rôtisserie).
Readers interested in attending this event should e-mail eva.weber@miele.ie and four applicants will be selected at random to receive tickets.
At Houseworks on Upper Erne Street, Dublin 2, former Ballymaloe tutor Ruth Wassell runs regular demonstration classes using Gaggenau, Neff, Siemens and Bosch appliances. Next Saturday she will be cooking "Decadent Desserts", and the price for the demo, plus lunch and a glass of wine, is €45. See miele.ie and houseworks.ie for further information on upcoming events and details of how to book.
What's in your basket
Michael and Sarah Browne set up Browne's Soups in 2003. The Brownes, who formerly worked in the food industry and in financial services, have seen their business expand to the stage where they now employ 10 people in Tipperary town to make their very tasty, gluten-free, low-salt soups.
In keeping with their family business ethos, when it came to a recent redesign for their packaging, the Brownes roped in all four children - Emily, Robert, Jamie and Charlotte - for a photoshoot, and that's them grinning from the packs of mushroom, carrot and coriander, chicken and veg, country veg, Mediterranean tomato, which has a welcome spiciness about it, and leek and potato soup.
Browne's soups taste more "home-made" than many of their competitors, and they are widely available, priced at €2.99. See msbrowne.com.
mcdigby@irishtimes.com