Meanwhile, A La Maison

from Ross Golden Bannon via http://www.broadsheet.ie/
"BREAKING Unconfirmed report that La Maison on Castlemarket St has closed and bailiffs have moved in. Staff cannot contact owners"

UPDATE: La Maison management say they'll be open 4 business 2morrow or Thurs. Book a table to ensure their great food survives 01 672 7258.

Skerries harbour

Found these fab pictures of Skerries harbour on http://www.broadsheet.ie/2012/05/23/skerries-north-dublin-looking-well-again/ . I'm sure you will agree that this is possibly the best place on earth and watching this sunset from Joe May's on a summer evening is as good as it gets.

Fantasy novelist Kiernan wins top children's book prize

"FANTASY AUTHOR Celine Kiernan was the big winner at yesterday’s Children’s Books Ireland Book of the Year Awards, receiving both the Book of the Year and the Children’s Choice Award for her supernatural thriller Into the Grey.
The book, her fourth novel, is set in 1970s Ireland and follows the lives of teenage twins, exploring their night-time encounters with ghosts and spirits.
The CBI Book of the Year Awards are the longest-running children’s book awards in Ireland.
Ms Kiernan, who won €5,000, said she was most proud of winning the Children’s Choice Award because it was chosen by a selection of junior juries from eight schools across Ireland.
The setting for her story was derived from her own childhood. “The story is set in Skerries. We used to go there a lot when I was a child and the entire setting is kind of ripped out of my childhood.”"
From: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0529/1224316867730.html

"Silent" at Abbey Theatre 30/5-16/6/2012

"Silent is the touching and challenging story of homeless McGoldrig, who once had splendid things.
But he has lost it all – including his mind. He now dives into the wonderful wounds of this past through the romantic world of Rudolph Valentino."http://www.abbeytheatre.ie/whats_on/event/silent/?utm_source=wordfly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SilentVideoECard#view_resources

• From Wednesday, 30 May 2012
• To Saturday, 16 June 2012

• SilentShowing on the Peacock Stage
• Running time: 75 minutes

Custard kisses

OMG! How beautiful are these? Don't you just want to pop one into your mouth now. I will be making these pronto and saving some before my ravenous tribe eat them all.

• 175g softened butter
• 50g golden caster sugar
• 50g icing sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g plain flour , plus extra for dusting

FOR THE CUSTARD FILLING

• 100g softened butter
• 140g icing sugar , sifted, plus a little extra
• 2 tbsp custard powder
• few drops yellow food colouring , if you have any

1. Heat oven 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix butter, sugars, egg yolks and vanilla with a wooden spoon until creamy, then mix in flour in 2 batches. Roll out thinly on floured surface, then use a standard 30cm ruler as a template to cut the dough into small, even squares. Do this by starting with the ruler flush with one side and cutting along the length of it. Repeat across the width of the dough, then do the same from the top down. Transfer to baking sheets and bake for 8-10 mins until golden.
2. While the biscuits cool, mix the butter, icing sugar, custard powder and food colouring, if you have any. Pipe or spread a little icing onto a biscuit, then sandwich with 1 or 2 more biscuits. Repeat until all the biscuits are used, then dust with a little more icing sugar.

Fully loaded Cajun chicken burgers

This is from one of my favourite recipe websites http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/ which I check regularly for inspiration in the kitchen. This recipe, though simple, is a nice alternative to burgers or plain chicken breasts.

• 4 skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 rashers smoked bacon
• 2 avocados
• 4 ciabatta rolls, split
• 4 thin slices of your favourite cheese
• 4 small handfuls baby spinach leaves
• mayonnaise , to serve (optional)

FOR THE CAJUN SEASONING

• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp paprika

1. Mix  seasoning ingredients together with black pepper and salt, then set aside. Heat grill to high. On a board, flatten out chicken , then drizzle half the oil over and toss in the seasoning until completely coated. Heat remaining oil in large frying pan, sizzle chicken for 5 mins on each side until firm, push to one side of the pan, then fry the bacon for a few mins until cooked.
2. While the chicken is cooking, halve, stone, peel and slice avocados, toast the cut sides of the buns. Cover tops of the buns with cheese, then grill until melted.
3. To assemble the burgers, spread the buns with mayonnaise if you want, top with a handful of spinach, then a rasher of bacon. To keep the avocado in place, slice the chicken, then alternate between a slice of chicken and avocado. Top with the bun.

Boots to cut cost of prescription medicines for customers in Ireland

Saw this article on The Journal website today and thought that I should share good news when it comes!

"BOOTS IRELAND has announced that it is lowering the cost of the majority of its prescription medicines saying it will lead to significant savings for Irish customers.
The pharmacy says that across the top-ten most expensive prescription medicines, all medicines will reduce in price, giving customers an average saving of 25 per cent."

For more read:  http://www.thejournal.ie/boots-to-cut-cost-of-prescription-medicines-for-customers-in-ireland-466824-May2012/