NEW YOU TUBE APPLICATION

I recently added a you tube application to the site you can view it at the bottom of the page under the posts. In the videos you can watch real chefs in action in professional kitchens as in the sample video below. I will also be adding video recipes and tutorials in the future with help and tips on how to avoid the common pitfalls of most amatuer cooks.

NEW KITCHEN WORK BEGINS

Work began properly this week on our new kitchen at leixlip house hotel the kitchen was partitioned off at one end in order to remove a wall that currently separates the existing kitchen from the space we are expanding into we also moved our walk in cold room from the the old part of the kitchen to the new. The electrician is rewiring everything with out too much interruption which is a relief & yesterday our new Rolls Royce of dishwashers arrived with so much going on every day it`s getting exiting the only way you can describe it would be chef porn brand new equipment and work areas Hugh Hefner couldn't match that

In the photos you have top Pat the builder and then Mick the builder they can fix it. Then you have the refrigeration company lads and then the partition wall separating the new and old kitchens

OUR HERB GARDEN

We planted our own herb garden in plastic boxes on the flat roof over the kitchen 9 weeks ago half the plants we bought the other half we grew from seeds as you can see the roof top location has been hugely benifical the garden is flourishing. Among the herbs we have already used in the kitchen be it for garnishing plates as you can see in the photos or incorporated in the dishes the quality, range and flavour can not be bought. Included are Purple sage, Yellow Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Dill, Lavender 2 Varieties, Tarragon, Flat Parsley, Curly Parsley, Sorrel, Horseradish, Indian Mint, Apple Mint, BlackPepper Mint, SpearMint, Lemon Balm, Rocket, Baby Spinach, Chives and Coriander. We are also hoping to add salads to garden in the coming weeks.

SATURDAY NIGHT SERVICE

We tried out a few new dishes on Saturday night here's a pic of boudin of clonakilty black pudding with Apple Compote, Cider Jelly and Vanilla.

& Steamed Rondo Courgette stuffed with Oriental Stir Fry, Tomato Fondue, Basmati Rice and Coriander oil.

LEIXLIP HOUSE HOTEL

At Leixlip House Hotel we are very proud at what we have achieved over the past 24 months by raising the standards of the raw materials we use in the kitchen and treating them with the respect they deserve we have have improved the Leixlip House expierence for our customers and increased our Business as a result. Our hard work has also payed out critically as we have been the only restaurant in our area to be recommended by the Michelin guide. The grade they awarded us in 2007 & 2008 puts in the top 1000 restaurants in the UK & Ireland and the top 50 in Ireland alone. We have also been included in Georgina Campbells Best of the Best Guide and got a fantastic review to boot as well as 5 stars out of 5 for food in the local paper the Liffey Champion which never hurt business. Every 2-3 months we continue to strive to raise the bar with each new season and the divercity of our menus over the past 24 months shows this we have had no fewer than 42 different main course dishes alone. Now with construction started on an additional 60 seater restaurant and the doubling in size of the kitchen we cannot wait to get cracking on taking things to another level a Bib Gourmand from Mr Michelin is the next goal and we believe that this is achieveable and after that who knows.

A CHEFS LIFE

sorry everyone, if there is anyone. weekends not a great time for adding posts up the walls busy, as is the life of a chef no social life a neglected family and so on, moan moan moan u say you picked your career you could have backed out. The barber who cut my hair today backed out after 3 years. i asked him what he missed most about it and his reply is one of the reasons most of us Chefs keep going in this Chefy business " that BUZZ during service on Friday & Saturday nights " you know what i am talking about that build up, then the rush of adrenalin as the dockets start coming in thick and fast" 2 Duck 1 beef 1 sole service table 6 come on go" the buzz he speaks about keeps you up half the night on a high and in bed on Monday recovering.

HONEYCOMB

It has many regional names including: honeycomb toffee, cinder toffee in Britain, puff candy in Scotland, hokey pokey in New Zealand, sponge candy in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Buffalo, New York, or occasionally sea foam in Washington, Oregon, California and Michigan.
The main ingredients are typically brown sugar, Liquid Glucose/corn syrup (or molasses) and baking soda (Bicarbonate of Soda), plus an acid such as vinegar. The baking soda and acid react to form carbon dioxide which is trapped in the highly viscous mixture. The lattice structure is formed while sugar is liquid and then sets hard. I prefer to use caster sugar and leave out the vinegar. Honeycomb is also the centre of Cadburys Crunchy bar with its thank crunchy its friday advertising campagin.

Honeycomb

what you will need

• 90g of caster sugar
• 35g of liquid glucose
• 35g of honey
• 30ml of water
• 10g of bicarbonate of soda

method

• bring all ingredients except soda in a pot
• heat to 160 c on a sugar thermometer
• add soda whisking being careful as it will explode and double in size
• pour onto a silcone mat and cool completely
  

THE GREENSTAR JUICER

The Greenstar Juicer is the most versatile juicer in the market, it can turn almost all fruit and vegetables into juice or liquid quite effortlessly and it is also an excellent tool for making almond or date flours, walnut or vegetable pastes, sauces made with combinations of all kinds…As well as its great blending capacity it has the efficiency of its patented magnet system, which creates a magnetic field thanks to which the concentration of minerals is increased and oxidation is reduced, so that the juices and liquids maintain their nutritional values, and do not lost a jot of flavour.

Will be making its debut in the kitchen of Leixlip House Hotel on the 7th of july 2008 any as many unusual creations will follow in the months after.

OX CHEEKS

Ox and Beef Cheeks are a fantastic and cheap alternative to more

expensive cuts of meat and with a little care can be an entirely

more satisfying meal. Given the turmoil currently being experienced

in the global economy, higher fuel prices and the EU blanket ban

on Brazilian beef, have combined to raise the price of beef by 25% in the past 3 months, as result of this chefs and the general public have returned to cheaper less popular cuts of beef. However these cheaper cuts require more skill or even care in order to make the most of there qualities, for the beef I recommend that you roast the cheeks whole for 20 Min's at 190 c and pour over a red wine and herb vegetable stock then braise them at 95 c for 12 hours.