THEGAYUK

Category: Food And Drink

  • RECIPE | Sparkling Lavender Lemonade

    Homemade lemonade is so simple to make and when you use real lemons, it is bursting with vitamin C. Now that summer is here, it is a great time to have stock syrup in your larder.

    Below, I have included the recipe I use for a basic stock syrup which may be infused with many alternatives including; Elderflower, Rosemary, Star Anise, Mint – the list is endless but my favourite is lavendar which turns the lemonade a light shade of pink. Stock syrup will keep for many weeks in an air-tight kilner jar in your larder but lemonade is best consumed on the day it is made.

    Makes 1 Litre

    Ingredients.

    Stock Syrup:

    – 250g Caster Sugar
    – 250g Still Water
    – 2-3 Tbsp Dried Lavender

    Lemonade:

    – Juice of 3 Lemons
    – 750ml S. Pellegrino Sparkling Water

    Method.

    1. Place the sugar and still water in a saucepan over a gentle heat and bring to the boil. Place off the heat, add in the lavender and allow to infuse for a number of hours or preferably over-night in a small kilner jar.

    2. Strain the syrup, mix the lemon juice with the stock syrup in a large jug and gently pure over the sparkling water. Serve poured over ice-cubes.

     

  • Queerly Out Opens A New Night In London’s Escape Bar

    QueerlyOut presents new club night QueerlyPOP every Tuesday from 9-3am at Escape Bar Soho. Hosted by KLUBKIDS star Jason Prince and DJ Matt Unique , they present London’s best pop music and Karaoke entertainment.

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  • RECIPE | Easter Simnel Cake

    RECIPE | Easter Simnel Cake

    This traditional Easter fruit cake is a personal favourite mainly because it’s topped with toasted marzipan and also cooked with a layer of marzipan inside. The top is traditionally decorated with 11 marzipan balls to represent the 12 apostles (minus Judas), however I personally prefer to make a marzipan plait but you can decorate with chocolate eggs if you like. Either way it’s a great almond cake that gives you a chance to use up the marzipan and bags of fruit left over from the Christmas cake…

    Easter Simnel Cake
    CREDIT: TheGayUK

    Cooking Time: 1hr 45mins (Pre heat the oven to 150c)

    You Will Need: A 20cm or 8’ cake tin lined with greaseproof paper.
    Ingredients:

    250g Butter

    250g Dark Soft Brown Sugar

    250g Plain Flour

    4 Eggs

    Pinch Salt

    1.5 tsp Mixed Spice

    450g Raisins & Sultanas

    70g Mixed Peel

    1 Lemon Zest

    Apricot Jam

    450g Marzipan
    Method:

    1) Cream the butter and the sugar together in a bowl.

    2) Mix in the eggs one at a time

    3) Add the flour, salt and mixed spice and mix in

    4) Finally add the raisins, sultanas, mixed peel and zest of a lemon mixing for a final time

    5) Place half the mixture into your prepared tin and spread out flat

    6) Next add a layer of marzipan to the uncooked mix leaving a 1cm space around the edge.

    7) Next add the remaining mixture on top of the marzipan and level off the top. Place into the pre-heated oven and cook for 1hr and 45mins.

    8) Once cooked leave out to cool before pasting the top of the cake with a hot apricot jam (40 seconds in a microwave should be enough). Whilst the apricot is sticky add a layer of marzipan and any marzipan decorations you wish to add to the top. Place the cake under a hot grill until the marzipan starts to turn a golden brown.

    9) Again leave to cool before adding any chocolate eggs or serving with a cup of tea.

  • RECIPE | Traditional Irish Brown Soda Bread

    RECIPE | Traditional Irish Brown Soda Bread

    A Traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe is steeped in Irish heritage.

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  • RECIPE | Double Chocolate Sea Salt Brownies

    RECIPE | Double Chocolate Sea Salt Brownies

    The very best brownies I have tasted surprisingly have no flour. I have tried out so many brownie recipes over the years and I always find that flourless brownies are often times much nicer. You may wish to add some chocolate sauce, ice-cream or both but I like to keep it plain and simple.

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  • Subway Restaurant In France Excludes Gays From Sandwich Promotion

    A Subway restauranteur from Angers in France displayed a promotion in his window which excluded gay couples, because the marriage bill for marriage equality hasn’t officially passed.

    A Subway sandwich shop owner in Angers, France, which is 180 miles Southwest of Paris posted an advert in his window promoting a Valentine’s special for couples – two foot-long subs for €10.

    The owner of the shop indicated that only heterosexual couples were allowed to use the offer – and insisted he was within his rights because the marriage bill for marriage equality hasn’t officially passed in France.

    Translation of the advert, printed on Subway headed paper reads:

    Valentine’s Day

    Thursday February 14

    Lovers’ celebration for couples (M/F*)

    2 30-cm menu items for 14,00€

    *Discrimination (?): No, the marriage for all bill has not yet been ratified by the senate. So for the moment I’m using the freedom-of-speech law.

    A spokes person from Subway said,

    “The SUBWAY® brand is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment around the world and does not condone discrimination of any kind. We apologize to anyone who was offended by this individual store’s Valentine’s Day promotion in Angers, France. All SUBWAY® stores are independently owned and operated. We are working with the owner to reinforce our corporate values and policies.“

    A Tweet from Subway France said, “the poster in question was removed IMMEDIATELY from restaurant in Angers.”

    The company also took to its Facebook page on Saturday morning, following an influx of negative comments.

    It is not known whether the person(s) responsible for the discriminatory advert will face any disciplinary actions by Subway.

    Subway has 38,809 stores in 99 Countries.

  • RECIPE | Salted Dulce De Leche Hot Chocolate

    RECIPE | Salted Dulce De Leche Hot Chocolate

    Especially for Valentine’s Dermie has created this gorgeous drink. Perfect for snuggling up on the sofa together.

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  • RECIPE | Dermie’s Jerusalem Artichoke And Crispy Chorizo Soup

    RECIPE | Dermie’s Jerusalem Artichoke And Crispy Chorizo Soup

    The one winter vegetable which I absolutely adore is Jerusalem artichokes, which one could mistake as being a root of Ginger; small, bumpy, rough, Jerusalem artichokes are difficult to find in food stores generally confined to food markets or Farmers’ Markets but you can grow your own in early Spring if you so wish.

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  • RECIPE | Dermie’s Orange Mince Pies

    RECIPE | Dermie’s Orange Mince Pies

    This recipe makes eighteen light zesty mince pies topped with a warm cinnamon crumble. When baking they leave a festive aroma which will linger throughout your home leaving an extra special welcoming for your guests. Serve with some softly whipped cream or a generous dollop of Armagnac butter, accompanied with a glass of mulled wine….

    ORANGE MINCE PIES
    CREDIT: Jakub Walutek Photography

    Shopping List

    Pastry:

    – 200g Cream Flour (sieved).

    – 150g Unsalted Butter (chilled & cubed).

    – 50g Caster Sugar.

    – 2 Orange Zest.

    – 1 Organic Egg (beaten).

     

    Filling:

    – 350g Homemade or Wexford Mincemeat.

     

    Cinnamon Crumble Topping:

    – 150g Cream Flour.

    – 125g Unsalted Butter.

    – 75g Caster Sugar.

    – 1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon.

     

    Armagnac Butter:

    – 150g Unsalted Country Butter (at room temperature).

    – 100g Icing Sugar (Sieved).

    – 3 Tbsp Armagnac.

    – 1 Tbsp Boiling Water.

    ORANGE MINCE PIES
    CREDIT: Jakub Walutek Photography

     

    Method

    1. To make the pastry, finely grate the orange zest evenly into the flour, rub the flour, butter and sugar to form a fine breadcrumb mixture in a mixing bowl. Pour in the beaten egg slowly to bring the mixture together (you will only need ½ of the whole egg to bring it together).

    2. Tip the mixture out onto a chilled floured marble surface, bring the mixture together gently with your hands and form into a rectangular shape. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for an hour.

    3. Lightly butter and flour a 12-hole muffin tray. Thinly roll out your pastry dough in between two layers of cling film. Cut out 12 circles with your pastry cutter large enough to fill the base of your tin. Press the pastry circles into each hole and place a tablespoon of mincemeat in each pastry circle. Chill for a further 15 minutes.

    4. Preheat your oven to 200C/Gas 6. Make your crumble by rubbing the flour, butter and caster sugar together to form a bread crumb mixture. Sieve in the cinnamon evenly into the mixture, cover the tops of each pie with just enough crumble to cover the mincemeat.

    5. Bake for 20 minutes until he tops are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the mince pies cool completely before removing from the tin. Place on a cake stand and cover with a dusting of icing sugar. Cover any remaining pastry with cling film and chill in the fridge to be used later in the week.

     

    For The Armagnac Butter:

    1. Beat the icing sugar and butter together until smooth. Mix in the water then add in the Armagnac.

    2. Store in the fridge over night.

  • RECIPE | Dermie’s Pedro Ximenez Chocolate Tart

    RECIPE | Dermie’s Pedro Ximenez Chocolate Tart

    Pedro Ximénez is a classic, luscious, sweet Spanish dessert sherry made using sun dried Pedro Ximénez grapes. It is dark mahogany in colour, reminiscent of raisins on the nose with a rich, sweet and velvety notes on the mouth leaving a very long finish.

    Pedro Ximénez Chocolate Tart

    Pedro Ximénez sherry is intensely sweet and has a real affinity with milk chocolate and is widely available in all good licensed premises. This recipe uses a generous helping of Pedro Ximénez to transform an ordinary chocolate tart recipe into something sensational.

    If you wish to add extra depth to the chocolate tart then replace milk chocolate with dark chocolate in this recipe. Enjoy.

    Shopping List:

    Pastry:

    – 190g Cream flour.

    – 100g Unsalted butter (diced).

    – 75g Caster sugar.

    – Pinch of salt.

    – 1 Organic egg (lightly beaten).

    – Egg wash.

    – 10″ tart tin (26cm).

     

    Chocolate Filling:

    – 400ml of double cream.

    – 200g Valrhona / Lilly O’ Brien’s / Lindt milk chocolate.

    – A generous pinch of sea salt.

    – 25g Caster sugar.

    – 2 Organic eggs.

    – 100ml Pedro Ximénez (double serving).

    – 1 Tsp vanilla essence.

    Pedro Ximénez Chocolate Tart

     

    Method

    1. Place the flour, sugar, salt and butter into a food processor. Using the pulse setting, pulse the mixture a number of times slowly until the mixture resembles curse breadcrumbs. Add in the egg until the mixture comes together. Do not over work the dough as it will make the pastry tough.

    2. Flatten out the dough on a floured surface into a rectangular shape 2cm thick. Then wrap in cling flim and place in the fridge for 30mins. Alternatively place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

    3. Grease your loose bottom pastry tin lightly with butter and remove the pastry from the fridge. Roll out the pastry on a cold floured marble surface to a width of half an inch. Ensure you are rolling a circular shape enough to cover the sides and ends of your tin using the round loose base as your guide.

    4. Using a pallet knife gently lift the pastry over your tart tin. With some of the left-over pastry, roll a small 1 inch ball of pastry dough and use this to smooth out the edges of your tart tin. Using a folk, prick the base, cover with cling film and place the lined tin in the fridge for 30 minutes.

    5. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees or gas mark 4. Take the pastry tin out of the fridge and line with baking parchment coming up over the sides of the tin. Fill the tin with baking beans and ‘bake blind’ for 20 minutes until the pastry is dry.

    6. Take the beans out of the pastry tray, brush the pastry with egg wash and place it back in the oven for a further 3-5 minutes until the pastry is pale and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you make the chocolate filling.

    7. Heat the cream in a heavy bottomed saucepan over a gentle heat until it reaches the ‘shivery stage’. Remove from the heat, add chocolate and stir until melted. Then mix in the sea salt, Pedro Ximénez and vanilla.

    8. Whisk the eggs yolks and the sugar until they form a thick, white, froth and gently fold into the chocolate mixture so as to not knock out any of the air.

    9. Bake for 20 minutes until just set with a very slight wobble in the centre. Do not over cook the chocolate mixture as you will dry out the tart.

    10. Cool completely before serving. It is perfectly fine to make this tart the evening before your dinner party. Serve with a glass of Pedro Ximénez, a dessert wine or a strong black coffee.

     

    Cinnamon Cream

    – 150ml Cream.

    – 3 Tbp Icing Sugar.

    – 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon.

     

    Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to soft peaks.

  • Chandler’s Tiple: Galway Hooker

    Irish Pale Ale

    Whilst the Campaign for Real Ale has not yet caught on here in Ireland as much as it has in Great Britain, there are still a few places you can get a good brew. Now, I am quite happy to drink Guinness on an evening out – in fact I will drink most anything, but variety is the spice of life, and small-batch beers and real ales provide a lot of variety.

    Lager is a particularly prone to over simplification to meet the taste demands of the masses. Basically the big brewers stay away from any strong flavours so as not to offend people. As a result most lagers are decent enough, but subtle bordering on bland. To simply slake your thirst maybe this is not a bad thing, but to tantalise the taste buds, we must look elsewhere.

    I was out with colleagues after work the other day at our usual place, Peter’s Pub in Dublin. They pour a lot of Guinness, like most pubs in Ireland. You can also get lagers like Carlsberg or Heineken there or even some flavourless American stuff. However, they have a one small-batch keg that is well worth a go – have a ride on the Galway Hooker.

    It is hard to resist a beer with a good name. I like going up to the bar and ordering a “pint of Trouble” or “another Hooker, please.” Galway Hooker, a pale ale, has all the right ingredients to wake up your palate. It is light and bubbly – the sort of thing you want to drink in the summer. Compared to your usual lagers, the Hooker has distinctive bitter notes from extra hops and longer, natural fermentation. You get some citrus flavours, which are bright on the tongue, and this Pale Ale has a refreshing dry finish. It is not heavy, so you can drink it all night.

    I’m afraid you might have to visit Ireland to get a taste of the Hooker. There are several pubs in Galway and Dublin and a few more dotted around the country. They have a nice little Web site that shows you exactly where:

    www.galwayhooker.ie

    Until next week, bottoms up!