The self titled county -The Peoples Republic of Cork has a gritty beauty to it that you don't see in the Not The Peoples Republic of Dublin. There's an old worldliness that charms you about Cork and there is no other food market in the country like The English Market -which offers you the freshest sea smelling fish at one corner, crubeens at the next and followed by a smorgasbord of local seasonal veggies. I gathered bread, dried hibiscus (just 'cause) and Gubbeen Smokehouse salami. We went next to Kinsale for hake -at half the Dublin price and we got ourselves some cheese, including Toons Bridge Dairy buffalo halloumi. The highlight of the weekend was cooking all our meals on the 100+60 year old stove in my brothers re-constructed railway station house/cottage/dwelling near Oyster Haven. It's hard to gauge cooking times when using open flames that need to be watched and tended to like a young child near a pond. The highlight of cooking on the stove was the pavlova that my brother made. The stove marketed as 'portable' because it would have been dismantled and taken off on hunting trips, has a two shelf oven where the soft meringue was lovingly placed to sleep overnight and gently dry out. The magic of cooking completely off grid certainly leant an indescribably delicious undertone to all of the grub.

the fire starter

dried hibiscus

hibiscus tea

dried tea caramel

playing with the accidental caramel

le pavlova assembly

the fire from whence it came

lunch 2

wild garlic in the woods

impromptu pancake monday

when you live so close to the sea you sometimes have to drive through it

magic

We also went to a benefit night in Cork city on Friday for a new vegan cafe My Goodness get yourselves there for a meatless feast.

Halloumi, halloumi, halloumi -if you've never tried it, get your hands on some of this delicious cheese. It's traditionally a Cypriot cheese made from goats and sheep's milk, it's quite salty but that's why it's so good in a salad. You can grill it or fry and it doesn't melt, it goes a little squidgy and gets a sweet golden exterior.....mmmnnnnn....Shop bought coleslaw is just wrong -but if you like it, then try making your own at home and you'll never go back!

So to make this simple salad -

slice up the halloumi cheese & gently fry on a dry pan until golden
grate some red cabbage, carrot & apple
mix the grated goodness with some lemon juice, a little mayonnaise & natural yogurt
add some raisins if you fancy, season with pepper & salt
now assemble your leafy salad....leaves, tomato,avocado - keep it simple
cut up the halloumi throw into the leaves
dress with lemon juice, olive oil & toasted pumpkin seeds

Cork you were good to me - a weekend spent eating

Halloumi salad with Homemade Slaw