jozeemac

Oil Crisis?

Here’s a link to my recent Irish Examiner review of a tremendous – and tremendously important – book, Extra Virginity: The Scandalous and Sublime World of Olive Oil by Thomas Mueller (Atlantic Books) Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/books/virgin-on-the-ridiculous-why-olive-oil-will-be-hard-pressed-to-survive-187400.html#ixzz1qcVLcoJG Though I ate a shedload of Mediterranean food in London during the 80s, olive oil remained a rather nebulousContinue reading “Oil Crisis?”

Me new job at the Bridgestone Guide!

Apologies, generally, for the lack of consistent communication from The Swashbuachaill but the non-virtual world has been making fiercesome inroads on my time over the last couple of weeks. And one of those intrusions from the non-virtual world included a bolt out of the blue that left me near enough speechless – an invitation fromContinue reading “Me new job at the Bridgestone Guide!”

My reviews of the Electric (Irish Examiner & The Bridgestone Guide)

Honestly, The Swashbuachaill is not on a retainer from The Electric; it was sheer coincidence that I was asked to do these reviews within days of each other. Hardly surprising, when you think about it, as The Electric is getting noticed in a lot of places. Nominated for the Restaurant Association of Ireland awards inContinue reading “My reviews of the Electric (Irish Examiner & The Bridgestone Guide)”

My Irish Examiner review of Star Anise

It’s surprising how many people are unaware of the existence of Star Anise but Bridge St, where it is located, is a connecting street, a class of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it link between the quays and MacCurtain St, so perhaps that may be why. Actually, I worked on Bridge St many moons ago and it is one ofContinue reading “My Irish Examiner review of Star Anise”

Count Me Out – do restaurants owe us a responsibility to list calories on menus?

Haven’t had a chance yet to watch the Frontline programme on the issue on RTÉ last night but hope to see it this evening. Meanwhile, here are some more thoughts on the Calories on Menus issue.

Count Me Out – thoughts about putting calories on restaurant menus

When I recently learned of plans to bring in legislation requiring restaurants to itemise the calories in each dish on their menus, my initial reaction, rightly or wrongly, was one of absolute disgust at what I perceived to be idiocy in the extreme. Most alarmingly, it seemed this process was being shepherded through with almostContinue reading “Count Me Out – thoughts about putting calories on restaurant menus”

My Irish Examiner Review of Greene’s Restaurant, Cork

Greene’s is now of an age, nearly 20, which might qualify it for institution status in Cork but partly due to its location, a little off the main drag, and partly due to varying fortunes in the kitchen over the years, it seems to have lost some of its lustre. But the current chef, FredContinue reading “My Irish Examiner Review of Greene’s Restaurant, Cork”

Sage Restaurant, Midleton – My Irish Examiner Review

My review of Sage Restaurant in Midleton was published in yesterday’s Irish Examiner but I can always find a few more words to add to anything I have published, being a great man altogether for the guff. When it comes to Sage, I’d have no trouble at all filling a newspaper – I am aContinue reading “Sage Restaurant, Midleton – My Irish Examiner Review”

A Most Unmerry Sickmas!

Many thanks to all who sent lovely messages saying how greatly you were missing updates from The Swashbuachaill. I can only assume they were genuine as Dear Old Sainted Mother Swashbuachaill is currently barred from the local internet cafe after burning out three hard drives ‘liking’ my last post. So, I believe some sort ofContinue reading “A Most Unmerry Sickmas!”

Rachid Zaouia versus The Swashbuachaill’s Sweet Tooth

There’s an awful lot of stuff to be found in The Swashbuachaill’s head. What some may call weird, others call wonderful (that would be Dear Old Sainted Mother Swashbuachaill leading the charge on the latter) but all agree the biggest thing in The Swashbuachaill noggin is the Sweet Tooth.