Yesterday’s masterclass cookery experience was built around cooking a range of dishes from our book “And for Mains…”
A lot of people don’t realise this book went on to become the first Irish cookbook in history to be shortlisted for the prestigious International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Awards in the US. There were some huge global names in there and honestly we thought we’d be laughed out the door.
Not only did that not happen… we won an international
Best Cookbook 2022.
The IACP Awards are considered one of the biggest honours in food publishing worldwide, judged by some of the most respected names in food writing, photography and culinary education.
We did get done a bit dirty with the timing though. Poxy lockdown…
Any other year we’d have been flown to Los Angeles for a full black tie, Oscars style gala surrounded by the global food world. Instead it all happened over Skype, sitting at home trying to process what had just happened. Pinch me moment.
The mad part is this whole thing started over a butcher’s block, a few pints and two lads with absolutely no clue how to make a cookbook… just a very strong idea of the kind of book we wanted to create. My mother always said there was a book in me and before she passed, she made me promise to do it. It was incredible putting together an A team and producing the best book we possibly could and had fun all along the way.
“And for mains…” WINNER OF THE INTERNATIONAL IACP COOKBOOK AWARD 2022
Surf ‘n’ Turf X Mixed Grill energy
•Garlic butter scallops
•Proper Portuguese linguiça sausages
•Runny Fried egg
Imagine this on a Monday lunchtime.
A cold pint waiting in the wings
Could definitely get behind this
Another one from our master classes; The humble Hollandaise, when it’s right, it’s hard to beat. It’s so important to learn the nuances and technique on this one to get that unctuousness.
We folded in some diced gherkins and capers and it turned into something absolutely lush.
Perfect poured over a bit of bangin’ fresh Irish Seafood and then face planted.
Rob wanted a little masterclass on cracklin’
So we did it properly
Two cuts. Two approaches. Same end goal… that savage crunch and that tappity tap sound that makes you grin
Belly on the bone
Loin rack
Showing the difference, how to handle each one, how to read it, and how to get it bang on instead of guessing and hoping
He nailed it, the crackling was so loud it set off a load of car alarms in the cul de sac when he carved it 😝
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