It goes without saying that St. Patrick’s Day is one of my fav days of the whole year. Anyone who knows me knows that I am like a little girl on the day. I make sure I’m wearing my bit of green so no one pinches me (which in America is likely to happen if you aren’t wearing green). And though I am super patriotic about being American, I am deeply in love with my Irish ancestry as well. Duh, I’m a Yankee Doodle Paddy! The YDP motto reads “My heart beats red, white and blue but my blood runs green!” America + Ireland = LOVE
It is a natural love affair. So many Irish have migrated to America for starters. And Americans have always felt welcome on the Emerald Isle. Even when the rest of the world detested anything related to the U.S. (cuz they didn’t like our politicians or our super power status) the Irish were always nice to the Yanks.
My famous Chocolate Guinness cupcakes with Baily’s Irish Cream Cheese Frosting! So delish! And a reminder that St. Patrick used the shamrock to teach the Irish about the Holy Trinity.
St. Patrick’s Day celebrations occur all over the world. Partly because of the vast Irish diaspora. The Irish immigrants cultivated and nurtured the “Paddy’s Day” traditions in their newly adopted lands as a way to stay connected to their homeland. In my birthplace of Chicago, we even dye the river green for the St. Patrick’s Day festival to go along with all the parades and parties!
Now that Hubby and I are indeed Irish immigrants over here in London I understand the emotion now more than ever. I wrote a post about being an “Emigrant”, which you can read by clicking here. So this year, while I will still don my gorgeous green gear, I will also be wearing a burning lump in my throat. I’m missing my beautiful soul land. But I am focusing on the fact that I am Irish! I am lucky to have my citizenship and connection to a small island whose national holiday is celebrated in nearly every country in the world. March 17th is the Greening of the Globe! Just one look at this National Geographic photo gallery and you’ll see what I mean. #proudtobeirish as the rest of the world goes green in honor of St. Patrick, patron Saint of Ireland!
Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Duit,
YDP
ps. There is a funny hashtag going around social media at the moment that is:
#paddynotpatty since so many people (mostly Americans) use “patty” as a shortened version of Patrick. For the love of God don’t do that! Use “paddy” or else the man himself, St. Patrick, just might roll over in his grave!
I love this statue of St. Patrick which is rolled out each year on March 17th at our former parish church in Dublin.
This photo was taken almost 9 years ago exactly! On the eve of the 12 week Ballymaloe Cookery School graduation.
“With the Woman Who Started it All” was the name of the post on my blog from back in the day. A blog called “Karen in Cork” that was really more like a travel journal documenting my time on the Ballymaloe Cookery School course. I was so emotional about it that I literally only posted this photo. I didn’t add any text whatsoever. Being with this woman and soaking up all her wonderful wisdom, wit and of course recipes, was a life changing experience. How could that be put into words? So the glow on my face was my way to communicate the LOVE!
Fast forward to THIS blog and our weekly installment of Woman Crush Wednesday and one might wonder….”Geez Karen, you have done 20 crushes on 20 differently female chefs, aren’t you forgetting one?” Well my friends, I could never forget. I was just waiting for the perfect opportunity to share with you my infatuation with this incredible foodie. Darina Allen is a national treasure! She has literally transformed and guided a culinary movement in Ireland. Bringing attention to the fact that Ireland is leading the world in food ethos and care. It isn’t the quantity produced, but the quality.
From ‘seed to table’ isn’t just a clever buzz phrase invented by slick marketing teams, it is the way in which the Ballymaloe Team live their life. And what better day to choose then the day before the Feast of St. Patrick to share the love for my teacher, mentor, and dare I say idol in the culinary world!
When I left the States for the gorgeous countryside of County Cork in Southern Ireland, my American friends asked, “Well if you are going to a cookery school in Ireland does that mean you’re going to learn how to make stew everyday?” What they showed in ignorance, they gained in knowledge once they saw my weekly posts about the recipes, the people, the farm and indeed about Darina herself. Darina started the cookery school back in 1983. Since then she has written numerous award winning cookery books and graced the covers of magazines as well as been featured on television. But what she has created more than anything is a legacy.
I love this picture of Darina and her husband Tim from 1989. You really get the feeling that they are best friends and partners! A real inspiration!
There is a wonderful quote that says something to the effect of “the greatest thing in life is to create something that outlives you”. Obviously the school itself is amazing, and the team that Darina and her husband Tim Allen have put together is phenomenal. It is such a well oiled machine now that she and Tim can actually travel to far away places, such as India, when the school is in fact in session. But when she returns there are always more inspiring cooking demonstrations while she shares her glorious stories about their adventures.
However when you look at the number of chefs who have immersed themselves in her teachings and then gone off and left their own mark in the gastronomic realm, then you truly realize the reach that Darina has had. One of her students has even won Master Chef! On top of all that, several years ago she helped found the Ballymaloe Lit Fest. This yearly Food and Wine festival brings together chefs and food writers from all over the globe for a glorious gastronomic and literary weekend. In 2014 I had the pleasure of attending a day of the festival and it was one of the most stimulating and inspiring experiences I’ve ever had.
One of Darina’s more recent books is an example of how she is working to keep up the rich traditions of Irish kitchens.
So here I am giving homage to this amazing woman and will be recreating one of her recipes live on Snapchat (username: blissbakery). However, each week when I choose a chef, I make a recipe that I have never made before to show those watching that it is possible. Often folks are reluctant to make a recipe unless they have been shown how to do it. I like to model the notion that it is okay to just dive in and do it! But, bear in mind, I have likely made every Darina Allen recipe she’s ever published! Except this one today! And what a perfect time to make it with Paddy’s Day tomorrow. It is a classic recipe from early Irish farmhouse cooking. And it is made with an Irish staple, RHUBARB! It is featured in Sunday’s Irish Independent newspaper. And in typical Celctic style, this recipe is in fact a hand-me-down. The tradition in Ireland is to indeed share recipes from one kitchen to another passing the culinary torch so to speak. This is how Darina eloquently describes it…
“This dish is a perfect example of the way in which recipes originally cooked on an open fire can be adapted to produce the most delicious results today. Anna Dodd, who gave it to me, remembers how her grandmother would strew the bastible with chopped rhubarb, sweeten it with a sprinkling of sugar and cover it with an enriched bread dough. When the cake was baked, it was turned out so that it landed upside down, with the sweet juice soaking into the soft, golden crust. It was served warm, with soft brown sugar and lots of softly whipped cream.”
Ingredients
900g (2lbs) red rhubarb
255-285g (9-10oz) granulated sugar
Scone Dough
310g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
20g caster sugar
1 heaped tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
55g butter
1 egg
175ml whole milk
To Serve
Soft brown sugar
Softly whipped cream
23 x 5cm (9 x 2in) round tin – we use a heavy stainless-steel sauté pan which works very well
Method
Preheat the oven to 230ºC/450º/gas mark 8.
Trim the rhubarb, wipe with a damp cloth and cut into pieces about 2.5cm (1in) in length. Put into the base of your tin or sauté pan and sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
Sift all the dry ingredients for the scone dough into a bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and rub into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Whisk the egg with the milk.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the liquid all at once and mix to a soft dough. Turn out on to a floured board and roll into a 23cm round, about 2.5cm thick. Place this round on top of the rhubarb and tuck in the edges neatly. Bake in the fully preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4 for about a further 30 minutes, or until the top is crusty and golden and the rhubarb soft and juicy.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Put a warm plate over the top of the sauté pan and turn it upside down so that the pie comes out onto the plate. Be careful of the hot juices, they will be absorbed by the pie.
Serve warm with soft brown sugar and cream.
I had American guests here for dinner and served them this pie, which they loved! Except they wanted it with vanilla ice cream instead of the freshly whipped cream. But I sprinkled with the brown sugar and it really looked so pretty!
Truth be told, anything Darina makes is perfect in my book! And this recipe is no different. I could write a post a day on her and not make a dent in the admiration I have for her. A woman in her 60’s who eats butter, sugar, cream, meat, all the things “experts” say not to eat. And yet she is as beautiful, vibrant, and energetic as the day she stepped foot in the Ballymaloe House to work under the tutelage of the legendary Myrtle Allen.
Left to right: Rachel Allen, Myrtle Allen, Darina Allen and Rory O’Connell
Knowing the humble Darina, when she finds out that I have done a Woman Crush on her she will turn to give credit to Myrtle, the matriarch of the Allen clan and one of the founders of the Slow Food Movement. As well, Darina will say that all of the achievements are because of the T.E.A.M. My own acronym for “Together Everyone Achieves More” fits here as there are gardeners, teachers, office staff, housekeepers, as well as the students, literally hundreds of people who make it all work. In fact Rachel Allen (Darina’s daughter in law and also a #WCW recipient) as well as Darina’s brother Rory O’Connell, both principal teachers at the school, are two of my all time favorite people!
But let it be said, as it was the night the top photo was taken, “with the woman who started it all” none of this would be possible! I love you Darina! Thank you for being YOU!
While the title of this post might seem a bit dramatic, considering that I almost got killed the first week of using Snapchat, it’s actually quite accurate. I wrote about it at the time, which you can read by clicking here, but in a nutshell, I was “snapping” while walking and cracked my head on a large glass door. Yep, that’s what I do, Miss Clumsy. It made me think that this whole social media thing, which was quite new to me back then, was best left for the “youngins” and at 50 years old, I figured my sell by date had long expired for Snapchat. However, I left it up to the viewers to decide. In the first of many random draw competitions I’ve hosted, I asked folks to snap me a little text as to why I should stay on Snapchat. Amazing notes from strangers. “Imaginary friends” I referred to them at the time. Someone won a prize and well, I stayed on…six months later and I’m still here! Though, I attempt to be a bit more careful while I snap so as to not run into glass doors!
But the truth is that Snapchat has become such a part of my life now. I use it nearly every day and communicate with people all over the world, such as Australia, America, Ireland, Pakistan, Korea and here in the U.K just to name a few. I do cooking tutorials, a weekly outing called Foodie Fieldtrip Friday, Woman Crush Wednesday (where I choose a female chef and recreate one of her recipes live on Snapchat) and the much anticipated Sunday Spotlight Snap Sista (that focuses on one person from Snapchat Land whereby I share things about that person and explain why I follow them, while I shower them with love too). I have met some amazing people through this social media platform, and some of them I have been lucky enough to meet in person as well.
When I first moved to London with my husband I felt very homesick for Ireland. It is my soul home and while I love London and it has grown on me over time, seeing all the snaps from people in Ireland literally kept me going. When I longed to hear the gorgeous Irish lilting accent, all I need to do was turn to my Snapchat and watch some snaps from the old sod. I shared openly on my Snapchat story about my craving for anything Irish, and lo and behold many snappers from the Emerald Isle would send me private snaps of the rolling green hills and soft rainfall that I so missed. I am forever in debt to them!
Because I worked three jobs in Dublin, and I hadn’t yet gotten a job here in London, I had a hard time being idle. My hubby said I was a workaholic, but I like to think of myself as a “Productive-aholic”. The main thing for me was the social interaction. Going from meeting and working with several hundred customers a day, to being in our flat all day with only our doggie was a drastic change. So interacting with people on Snapchat felt like I had supplemented my need for human contact (even if it was through a 4×2 inch mobile device).
As I have said before, tech is not my thing. But I am very persistent and kept at it. Snapchat (to be honest here) isn’t the most user friendly social media app. But I kinda think they want it that way. It makes it fun, challenging and even intriguing, like an archeological dig, sorting out ways to post snaps, find followers and also to get your own message out there. You have to rely on “shout outs” from others to gain new followers, or by using your other social media resources to get people to join your Snapchat account. And though there isn’t anything formal, there is a kind of unwritten code of conduct amongst those in Snapland. I like to refer to it as “SNAPCHETIQUETTE”.
I’ve done an entire post on this topic as it is very important to earn the respect and indeed trust of those in the community. Here are just a few of the important points of snapchetiquette:
Shoutouts: It is the main way to gain followers. But there is a polite way to do it and receive it.
N-gagin: This is SOCIAL MEDIA for gosh sakes, so there has to be some eN-gagin’ going on!
Appropriateness: I think it goes without saying that any images or video on Snapchat should be appropriate and decent.
Promoting: Let’s face it, Snapchat is here to stay and is literally taking the social media world by storm. It has also become a place for companies to promote their products. No problem, but it is proper to have transparency and disclose this to those watching.
And that my friends, should be easy enough to remember as together they make the acronym S.N.A.P!
I know I am not the “Miss Manners” of Snapchat, however, I do try to be the Spreader of LOVE and POSITIVITY. Because you end up getting it back threefold. I have laughed until I almost wet my pants at some of the funny snap stories out there. And I have also dried my tears until there were none left from some of the poignant things I have seen people share. Considering that hubby and I still haven’t hooked up our television set to cable, Snapchat is in essence my entertainment as well! It is so much better than Instagram in my book because it is raw and real. It is not doctored by food stylists, photo shop and filters (though people do like the funny filters with mouse faces and such). It is also a great creative outlet for some of us. I am a music fan so I enjoy incorporating music into my cooking tutorials and use the drawing option to circle certain ingredients in the pics of my recipes.
I feel privileged to have been a part of people’ s birthday celebrations, wedding hens (bachelorette parties), anniversaries etc through their Snapchat images and I try to send a personal congratulatory message when I can. I have also been touched to hear stories of illness and bereavement, of which I will offer a prayer or encouraging word. I have been fortunate to be asked to read people’s blogs and give feedback, which is the ultimate honor. Mostly, I enjoy getting to know people and feel inspired by their own personal quests and goals. I love watching all the babies, kids, dogs, cats, moms, dads and grandparents etc. I am a social being and feel totally blessed to use Snapchat to not only watch but indeed socialize with all these amazing snappers.
By the same token, I’ve received wonderful messages from folks out in Snapchat Land encouraging me when I’ve had a tough day. Such as the time, which I shared on here, when I celebrated my missing mother’s birthday. And another time I felt the support in a different sort of way was when Hubby and I had come through immigration in Copenhagen. The officer called me a “Plastic Paddy” because my Irish Passport lists my place of birth as U.S.A. I was literally in tears telling the man my blood is green I am so Irish, hence the Yankee Doodle PADDY! And some of the folks that watched that snap of mine took time out of their day to reassure me that indeed I am Irish, no matter what my passport or a mean immigration officer may say! As well I have had so many kind notes from snappers thanking me for brightening up their days.
I suppose I am not the only one that found a surrogate family through Snapchat. While some might be on Facebook (I am not and here is the story that explains why), Instagram, and Twitter, I think Snapchat is the most engaging and bond forming, even if it isn’t as user friendly from a tech standpoint. While I don’t have a business, or products to promote, I have a story to tell. I started this blog to tell the story and also share my love of food. On snapchat I don’t necessarily discuss my “stories” on my story, if that makes sense. I keep things on Snapchat light and happy. But if you’ve read anything on this blog you know that there are some powerful things that have happened in my life. Rather than bury those situations away, I have chosen to be open about them in hopes of inspiring others. I don’t ask snappers to go like my Facebook page or vote for me on a competition. However, I might steer them here to read about overcoming depression, getting through a divorce and how to heal from childhood abuse. Because I believe in transparency, I have my own bit of disclosure.
If people see me happy all the time (which I am) they might think, “I wish I had her life”. But once they read about it they might be more grateful where they stand. And also might realize that bad things can happen to good people. But it’s not what happens to them it is how they deal with it. In fact, six months ago, I could have said, “the heck with it, snappage isn’t worth it if I crack open my head”. But I decided, no I am going to keep at it because I have a purpose in life. That purpose is to spread LOVE. So Snapchat has saved my life, and I hope that I might be able to shine a bit of light into other people’s lives. And, maybe just a little bit of light is all that is needed to save another life!
Thank you Snapchat! And thank you to all the lovely Snappers out there for spreading the LOVE!
Happy to be alive,
YDP
(aka blissbakery, my username on snapchat)
This is what I wish I could have on my Snapchat code! Cuz this is my purpose, to spread the LOVE and this would let people know with one look what I am all about!
While a Foodie Fieldtrip Friday is freakin awesome on its own, when you get to incorporate it into meeting one of your fav people from Snapchat, it becomes a super duper Saturday Surprise! Since I was posting all this onto my Snapchat account (username: blissbakery) I didn’t tell them who I was meeting, so as to amp up the suspense! Haha!
The foodie destination was the famous bakery called Violet. Started by American Clair Ptak back in 2010, it was a natural out growth of her success selling cupcakes from a stall at Broadway Market. Claire had been a pastry chef for the award winning restaurant Chez Panisse in the Bay Area of Northern California. And she brought those fresh, natural and seasonal sensibilities with her when she landed in the U.K in 2005.
The location is in a neighborhood on London’s East side and is much smaller than I had imagined. But it has two levels, the bakery and shop downstairs, and seating upstairs. As well there is a small back garden with seating and plenty of outdoor seating in front and the side of the bakery. I love the fact that the baking is done literally at arms length from the customers. You can see what the chefs are doing whilst they ice the cupcakes with the gorgeous buttercream or drizzle the lemon glaze on the tarts. The place smells incredible because of the open kitchen, which only intensifies the hankering for the gorgeous looking baked goods. They serve coffees of all sorts and, very exciting, they serve and sell Barry’s Tea (a staple in Ireland)!! I even spotted a famous Irish Lass on one of the magazines they have on offer in the upstairs dining area. I loved all the other bits and pieces of memorabilia and decor around the place. Like even a framed note from, HELLO, Nigella Lawson!
While I waited for my surprise Snap Sista to arrive I perused the bakery up, down, and side ways and drooled over all of it! Metaphorically speaking! I do know a thing or two about health and safety regulations! Very rustic and casual the way things are displayed allowed the pure beauty of the cakes to shine without any fuss! There are cases that are almost antique wood with glass fronts on them and with the natural sunlight dipping through the windows it felt dreamy, almost like a scene from a movie. A very tasty movie!
Can we talk about cakes though, seriously? The color of the mini layer sponge cake was such a pretty lavender and the cupcakes came in flavors such as rhubarb, salted caramel and chocolate. I think I might have died and gone to heaven at that juncture!
Though I arrived quite early for our meeting, my Snap Sista Miriam from Bake My Style showed up right on time! It was such a joy to finally meet in person after all this time! She is a lovely Irish girl from County Kerry and has lived here in London for the past four years. Besides following her on Snapchat and Instagram (her user name is @bakemystyle) I have used her restaurant reviews of London from her blog to help guide my gastronomic explorations here!
She’s even more gorgeous and sweet in person. She said it perfectly at the end of our visit (which could have gone on for days what with all there was to discuss) when she said her cheeks hurt from all the smiling. My sentiments exactly! Like when I met Kelly Lou Cakes on last week’s Foodie Fieldtrip Friday Adventure, it is wonderful to be in the presence of people whom inspire you! And both Miriam and I were delighted to try Violet for the first time as Claire Ptak is an inspiration for both of us bakers!
Claire has written and co written cookery books before, but this one is really world class! The Violet Bakery Cookbook is chock-a-block with sumptuous photos (from the amazing Kristin Perers) and recipes of the classic and popular treats Claire has become known for. And since Miriam had recently received a copy of the book, tasting the recipes made “in house” was the ultimate research! We each had a bit of eachother’s and I have to say the cupcake was not as sweet as one would think. Most American style baking can be too sweet, but this was very mild. Which allowed the rhubarb and vanilla flavor to come through without vying for attention due to being overly sweetened. The Buckwheat Blood Orange Cake was very tangy and luscious, quite a treat!
I left Violet feeling very full indeed. Not only with a delicious treat, but the treat of meeting the lovely Miriam. I do hope to be back again to try more baked goods on the menu. The savory ones looked divine as well. And I suspect I might be seeing Miriam again soon. With all the exciting things she has in store (of which I will let her reveal to you) I’ll be there rooting her on for sure. When people are excited to wake at all hours of the morning to bust out the mixer and fire up the oven to bake something new, the only ones who get it are in fact other mad bakers! So who knows, we might even have to join forces on a recipe one day! Until then, thanks Claire and Violet Bakery for the gorgeous desserts! As well thanks Miriam for a some great chats, bants and LOLz! My cheeks are still sore from all the smiling!
Sweet love,
YDP
P.S. Of course the Snapchat mascot himself #Snappy came along, as did his rose colored companion. Keeping it in the family so to speak, they had to meet Miriam!
Yipee I am back home and excited to share another week of infatuating on a female foodie! While I was away in America of course I allowed myself the splurge time. But now that I am back in London and no longer traveling I can plan ahead. Therefore, I decided to make this Woman Crush Wednesday not only a good one, but also a ‘good for you’ one! However, you know me, I like to eat, and enjoy my tasty food! So this is where our gorgeous gourmet gal Gizzie Erskine comes to the rescue!
Gizzie is a well known British chef, cookery book writer, and television personality. After training at Leith’s School of Food and Wine she was featured in shows such as Taste andCook Yourself Thin. So she knows a thing or two about getting on the straight and narrow. But like me she has a healthy appetite. Not to mention she wrote a book called Healthy Appetite: Foods to Nourish Body and Feed the Soul. Okay, now we are talking! This leads us to Gizzie’s amazing and satisfying recipe for a Super Food Salad! That way, we can feel nurtured and not neglected when we work our way through the gorgeous colors on the plate to a full tummy.
Super Food Salad
Ingredients:
100g quinoa
320ml water
100g kale, blanched for 30 seconds and refreshed in iced water
100g fresh or frozen edamame beans
½ head of broccoli, cut into small florets
1 avocado, peeled, stoned and chopped
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
10 radishes, thinly sliced
300g perfectly cooked or hot-smoked salmon, skin removed and flesh flaked
1 tablespoon toasted black and/ or white sesame seeds
For the Japanese salad dressing
1 banana shallot, very finely chopped
3cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons sesame oil
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Pop the quinoa in a dry frying pan and toast over a medium heat, keeping the quinoa moving the whole time, until it’s lightly golden and nutty. Transfer to a small saucepan and add a good pinch of salt and the water. Cover, bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and, keeping the lid on, let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes to soak up the remaining liquid and get fluffy.
To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a clean jam jar and season with salt and pepper. Screw the lid on tightly and shake it like crazy.
Drain the kale and dry it on kitchen paper, then roughly chop. Place the kale in a large salad bowl along with the edamame beans, broccoli, avocado, spring onions, radishes and quinoa. Dress with two-thirds of the salad dressing, give a swift mix so as not to let the avocado break up too much, then plate up between 4 plates.
Top with the salmon and the remaining dressing and finish with a scattering of the sesame seeds.
Gizzie is no doubt a beautiful woman. And you have to give it up to her for owning her style. She is a 60’s retro Audrey Hepburn punk goddess!! She is also very confident and not one to shy away from having an opinion and stating it. Just one look at her Instagram or Twitter accounts and you get her point. So it isn’t a surprise that she has taken a stance about the latest food trends such as #cleaneating. Being passionate about food, yet knowing the importance of being healthy, Gizzie sets the record straight with the recipes in her latest book, as well as this exchange from a recent article in the Independent:
So, is food bound up with love for her? “Yes – I always associated cooking with love. It’s so emotive.” No wonder she’s not so keen on #cleaneating: it’s hard to express a lot of love through cucumber sticks.
Awesome that she equates cooking with LOVE! My kind of person! Her soft side is just as adorable as her cats Ponzu and Kimchi! And apparently she feeds them quite well! Even caviar according to this article in the Daily Mail! Well, we will certainly be well fed with this salad today, and likely tomorrow too. As this is not a typical mixed leaf salad that goes all wilted once you put on the dressing. With all the bits and pieces of tasty goodness and all the flavors and textures, it will hold up quite well indeed!
Thanks Gizzie for being such an inspiration to so many. On the day after International Woman’s Day I can say I am delighted to have you as a #WCW and look forward to many more years of your fabulous recipes!
Super (Gizzie) Food Love,
YDP
P.S. As per usual I’ve done a cooking tutorial with our Woman Crush Wednesday recipe. My username is: blissbakery. I had some bugs in my snapchat app but I didn’t let that stop me! Though it did take a bit longer to post. But if you like some 60’s music (accompanied by some bad singing and bad dancing by moi) than come check it out. Come to think of it, maybe that’s why it took so long to post. Poor Snapchat’s ears can’t take it! LOL!
Kelly Ging of Kelly Lou Cakes is not only a talented baker and brainy business woman, but she also has the sweetest smile ever!
Most people like to eat their savory foods first, then go for a sweet treat. Well for this week’s Foodie Fieldtrip Friday, I turned that notion on its head! AND, I headed out first to County Laois, Ireland to get a sugar high and meet one of my favorite Snapchatters, the lovely Kelly of Kelly Lou Cakes. She was a recent Sunday Spotlight Snap Sista (a weekly series where I focus on one person from Snapchat and give them LOVE and share a bit of info about them). Of course, I had to post this little adventure onto my Snapchat story for everyone else to see (my username is: blissbakery if you’d like to check it out). I was very excited to get to meet her in person and honored to get to taste her amazing creations.
Besides the fact that I got lost on the way down there due to some turned around traffic signs, it was all good. Kelly Lou Cakes is a little bakery and cafe in the back of the Baker & Cook shop located in Kealew Business Park in Portloaise. It is filled with lovely pastel colors and loads of sample cakes to make it all look pretty. I especially love the gifts and wedding area. So festive!
Kelly majored in business at university, but her pastry talents are self taught. Growing up in a home where her mom did a lot of baking, she may have come by it naturally. But Kelly is such a hard worker and is always perfecting her sugar craft skills, testing new recipes and working VERY long hours creating bespoke wedding and celebration cakes! Nevertheless, she still posts weekly baking tutorials on Snapchat (her username is: kellyloucakes).
But, of course my fav parts of the excursion were meeting Kelly and indulging in some of her beautiful baked babies! Like my all time top flavor ice cream, but as a cupcake. Yep, Rocky Road!!! DELISH! Kelly and I had a great chat while we each had toasted cheese sambos. She shared some future goals, which I will let her reveal. But no doubt they will come to fruition. With her business acumen and warm and charming ways, the sky is the limit for her. She has already been featured in Confetti Magazine for a wedding cakes special, and been asked to speak at several women in business seminars.
Typical Irish, we didn’t meet with empty hands. She and I both had little gifts for each other. But her gift was so amazing! I’ve been doing a little story on my Snapchat about the mascot (which I call Snappy) that was given to me when I visited the Snapchat Headquarters in Venice, California. Along the way he gained a little friend (Rose Kitty) and, well, let’s say their love story is trending. LOL! Anyway, I had made some Snapchat logo cookies which Kelly saw on my Snapchat story. Well, she surprised me with this incredible Lemon Sponge Layer cake with Snappy on top! Wowza! And then even posted a pic of the lil gift I gave her (just a small cupcake shaped tin of mints) onto her story. She really is even nicer in person than the already kind lady she is on social media.
All of her baked gorgeousness is also mobile! There is a lil camper van called Gloria which travels to different music festivals and is very popular as a treat for wedding receptions. I absolutely loved my visit out to Kelly Lou Cakes , and can hardly wait to go again! What are you waiting for? You ought to go yourself. Only one hour drive outside Dublin, that is if you don’t run across road signs that have been turned around!
While driving back to Dublin, I had some “messers” in the back seat! Haha! But I was bound and determined to finish off the Foodie Fieldtrip Friday with a savory stop. Of course, finding locations are always an adventure for someone that has yet to embrace new fangled technology! Remember, I’ve already disclosed my lack of technology skills on the ABC of YDP!
I’ve heard it said many times that certain foods can be thought of as medicinal. Meaning if eaten frequently it serves as a medicine, tonic, healer or immunity booster. One of those foods is curry. Got a sniffle coming on, then go eat a spicy curry dish and this too shall pass! Though I’m feeling good at the moment, everyone I know is sick. So looks like the second half of the FFF (Foodie Fieldtrip Friday) will just have to include something hot and flavorful!
I ended the day at the coolest curry restaurant in which I’ve ever been. And, since I now live in London and have frequented the famous “Curry Mile” numerous times, this is a big compliment. Kerala Kitchen has been in business for a while now, but only as a mobile restaurant. They had been serving their gorgeous food at markets and music festivals for years. But they finally got their brick and mortar (located at 5 Baggot Street Upper) and it is beautiful!
When you first walk in you notice the cool decor and vibe, with large copper pots (traditionally used to cook the curry in) transformed into the lighting fixtures. And the stunning framed photographs taken in India make you feel like you are practically there. Especially when you get a whiff of the the beautiful aromas coming from the kitchen!
I love the wood floors, the family style seating on long tables with benches, and I really adore the signage. I mean how cute is this sign for the men and ladies toilets? The antique wooden hutches filled with kilner jars of spices also give you the feel you are in someone’s home, very cozy! There are even seat cushions made from the rice bags! As you guessed, Snappy and Rose Kitty were there too!
But when one goes to a restaurant, though the physical environment is important, what is most important is indeed the FOOD! Well, this was without a doubt the best tasting Indian food I have ever had. It was tasty, light, clean, satisfying and inventive. I mean who knew you could get a salad (which if you read my Salad Scentral post on here then you know I’m a salad addict) like this one at a curry shop?
Clockwise from the bottom left: Poppadoms, Naan Bread, Salad, Chicken Tikka Masala, Kerala Coconut Chicken, and Pilau Rice
Of course, I way over ordered as I do, and had so much food, but ate it for left overs too! I also got a Saag Paneer (a spinach and Indian cheese dish) but didn’t eat it with this plate of food. There was no room. But it was absolutely delicious! I’m going to be dreaming of this food now for months! Yep, those are the kind of dreams I have. The good news is that the price is budget friendly, and the upstairs dining room with the tall ceilings and giant windows looking down onto the street make for a wonderful casually elegant experience! But if you wanted to eat at home in your PJs, they offer take away and delivery as well. But the service and staff are top notch and friendly so you’d miss out on that aspect if you were hunkered down at home.
All in all it was a one of my favorite Foodie Fieldtrip Friday’s EVER! And now writing up this post is making me want to go back to both Kelly Lou Cakes and Kerala Kitchen right now! But until then I will savor the memories of this FUNtastic day!
Can you believe it is time for another recap of our incredible infatuations of our female chefs? Yes we have had 19 super fun Woman Crush Wednesdays now, and have made some very tasty food. We have also learned a bit more about these fabulous female foodies! I did a recap of the first seven honorees back in November and here is the link if you’d like to have a peek. Then back in January, I took another gander at the next six lucky ladies that had been chosen. You can click here for the detailed synopsis.
And since then, there have been six more delicious dames and I just want to take a moment to appreciate them again. And also marvel at how I was able to keep up the weekly tradition of #WCW with all my travels through America during this time!
Rachael Ray is one of the sunniest personalities out there. You just want to wake up to a happy person like that! And when I think of waking up I think of Rachael because her Oatmeal Cookies Pancakes are so good! Click here if you’d like to bask in her sun, and maybe even look at the recipe and think, “Ah sure, I have most of those ingredients in the cupboard anyway so I think I’ll make it!” You won’t be disappointed!
I had thought a nice healthy pasta would be in order on this particular day, and lo and behold I ran across the Ellie Krieger pasta recipe that changed my world. Yes it is that good! Trust me, if you want to indulge in flavor and taste without going overboard, then make this or any of her recipes. She defo knows a think or two about smart and clean nutrition.
This was such a fun #WCW because Harper my granddaughter joined in while we did the tutorial for snapchat. We made Rachel Khoo’s puff pastry wrapped banana and chocolate recipe. Harper even got into the whole dancing around the kitchen as well. Click here to see the recipe (sorry you can’t see the dancing and singing part as the video expires in 24 hours, but you can still see my snapchat: blissbakery).
While visiting my friend in Southern California, I knew I just had to do a cooking demo with a Gaby Dalkins recipe. She is the quintessential L.A. girl! But this wasn’t just any recipe, this was the awesome Asian Chicken Slaw. It was divine and yes, I am craving it again! You’ll defo want to make it too so here is the link to whet you appetite.
Olivia Wollenberg (aka Olivia’s Kitchen) may be from London, but she has the healthy eating down pat like she’s from L.A.! Geez! I did a demo of her lovely Chocolate Chip Blondies. But they are totally guilt free! No wheat, dairy or refined sugar. My granddaughter was delighted as she doesn’t eat anything with dairy products. So having a treat that suits her dietary needs are a real treat indeed. And these keep for a week in an airtight container. Here is the link if you want to see how good, these good for you, dessert bars look!
Finally, just as Chrissy Teigen’s first cookbook was about to launch, we were making her decadent Cereal & Milk French Toast Casserole With Salted Frosted Flake Topping. Click on the link here if you’d like to see this beautiful momma to be’s #WCW story and the recipe. And with Mother’s Day in Ireland and the U.K. this weekend coming (March 6th) this would be a good time to pull it out for the day that’s in it!
Thanks so much for the support of this very popular weekly series. It sure is fun for me to recreate a recipe from one of the #WCW recipients. Long may it last!
Recappin some lady love,
YDP
P.S. In a way, today was still a #WCW as I finally met my Snap Sista Melanie Morris (her user name is: melanierjmorris). I have mentioned her before as she was the one who recommended a Foodie Fieldtrip Friday to Moon Juice in Venice. Well she kindly invited me to an evening with Image Magazine featuring a lecture on Digital Media. Hello! Need! Want! Grateful!
