Cork

Cork for weekend, planned on Cafe Gusto, which we love, but closed, not mentioned on website last week, bit of a shame.  Went to Market Lane, really good, I had a wild boar ragu, she had an Asian salmon dish.  Both great, nice wine , finished with a chocolate pot.  Had some good craft beers, through the evening, starting in Franciscan Well, obv!  Meades bar 126 both night, love it, Arthur Maynes, Rising Sun Brewery, Gallagher's pub on MacCurtain Street for a bite to eat and a drink.  Honan chapel to look at the Harry Clarke windows after mass Sunday, and Crawford Gallery - bit quiet new exhibitions on way. 

Clonakilty and cooking

Had a coupler of days work in Clonakilty, West Cork.  Stayed in Fernhill House Hotel, fantastic breakfasts, obviously black and white puddings were excellent (Clonakilty is famous for black pudding), food smelt nice, but didn't eat there, eat in The Copper Pot, excellent monkfish in a salmon butter, had a less memorable burger in a bar the other night.  Pints in De Barra's famous bar and a couple of others.

Yesterday:
Last visit to allotment for the year, got a bag of spuds and about 10kg red and white onions, couple of ugly cauliflowers as well.  On way home called into Tesco, to get some short date mince, as I was out of Ragu, they had a couple of (non-free range) chicken for €0.90 each!!!  I would normally only buy free range, not that I give a toss about animal welfare, but because it tastes better, but at that price, as long as I can add flavour (and practise cutting up birds) could not loose.

Made a large amount of Ragu, took the wings off chickens dry rubbed them in coriander, chilli, cumin, salt and pepper and then roasted them.  Took legs off put into yoghurt and spices for a curry, that is cooking now.  Took breasts off, cubed them, made a lovely creamy chicken, mushroom as below.  Used rest of chicken to make a couple of litres of stock.

Creamy chicken and mushroom.

Fry chicken breast cubes, until golden, then reserve, add peeled shallots and small brown mushrooms to pan, brown, then add meat back in.  Pint of freshly made stock, pot of creme fraiche, couple of bay leaves and season.  Cook for about 30 minutes, lovely.  Freeze and will serve with rice or maybe boiled potatoes.

Roasted pork loin, roast potatoes, baby carrots (last from allotment), broccoli and gravy from freezer.  Excellent dinner.  San going out, so might have a bit of ragu, chicken wings or curry, should use the cauliflower, but does look grotty, so not sure....

Simly Fosh - Palma

5 course lunch in Simply Fosh in Palma, menu below:

Soup was fantastic, cheese very very good, we both had pork, good, I had serviola (swordfish-y), again good, San had quinoa risotto - stand out dish!  mango with olive oil cake brilliant, San liked the chocolate, but I'm not a fan of really dark chocolate, so didn't.   Bottle of their own label rueda, really excellent, staff great, had a walk then a nice local glass in a pretty hotel courtyard then went to Caxia Forum for a El Greco exhibition.  Pissing down again now, may not get a late drink, good job plenty in apartment....

More Palma

Gambas a la spaghetti was lovely, marinaded chicken in garlic and lemon overnight.  Had a great glass of wine out late with good tapa in local bar, can't remember what...

Couple of museums today, gorgeous brunch, San had tosada con tomate and I had a montadito of tomato and excellent jamon.  Had a couple of great pintxos in a little bar la 5a puenta.  The AirBnB man recommended 4 bars, 3 have been open and all excellent.

Made chicken fajitas, marinated chicken, peppers, bit of chilli and onion.  Salsa of spring onion tops, tomatoes (seem to be the best toms we've every had anywhere),chilli, salt and olive oil, warmed shop tortillas in oven, had some shop caesar dressing with it, really good, no plans for tomorrow, presume will go for glass later

Palma de Mallorca

So,
First visit to Balearic Islands, AirBnB in Palma, 2 roof terraces, great air-con, plenty of kitchen equipment, very very steep stairs..!

First thing to get used is they do not do what we think of as tapas.  They do what we call ( from out Andalucian / Madrid experience)  as media racions, so first bar we went in we has tapas of carne (stewed pork) and pulpo pica pica (spicy octopus), lovely but big.  Had tortilla, calamaries and mini muffin de calamari in La Rosa, good wine everywhere.

Yesterday found a few bars that did a free tiny tapa with the drink, few more today, back in the groove.  Had tuna / egg salad in apartment last night, bought gambas for spaghetti tonight, food in Palma seems to ave a huge amount of Italian, don't know whether that is tourism or historic invasions.  Not as busy or as touristy as I expected, very hot, bit of rain, really enjoying it.  Got a Michelin lunch booked for Friday, will be cooking in most of the week