by John & Sally McKenna January 2001
The New Year
Every
new year is a chance to look back, and to look forward. What energies
dominated our eating last year, and what new energies, what new inspirations,
are going to prove to be significant in the coming year in terms of what
and where we eat?
We think there will be a change of emphasis in terms of the traditional
menu, and on this see our piece on Alain Ducasse's Spoon restaurant. We
have featured this new idea before, after a visit to Stockholm's Restaurangen
restaurant last year, and this new, small-courses-and-lots-of-them concept
is very beguiling, simply because it's such fun to eat.
As you will see from our vox pop from great Irish chefs, some of whom
undertook major changes of direction last year, the best chefs are always
open to new experiences and learn from them: read on for everything from
bio-dynamics to smoked chocolate.
But if restaurants are going to be changing their menu style, it seems
to us that decor will become ever more classical. Visit L'Ecrivain or
Clarets or The Left Bank Bistro, and you see a whole new design direction:
classic, muted colours, dark woods, banquettes, in other words, restaurants
as they used to be.
Arthur Guiterman's wise and lovely poem serves to remind us all that sterility
is the enemy of safe food and we also have a piece by James O'Shea on
eating in Paris. Ken Buggy talks about obtaining Irish ingredients and
we thought you would enjoy his cheese story, pictured right, so click
here to see it in larger format.
Chef's Inspirations!
We asked some great chefs - What single thing inspired you most in the year 2000? This is what they said. Find out more
January Competition
For this month's competition we are going to tell you a joke...Find out more
An American in Paris
James O'Shea isn't a real American, as he hails originally from Kenmare, Co Kerry, though he has lived in the States, in fashionable Litchfield in Connecticut, where he runs the much acclaimed West End Grill. Here are some of his stray thoughts about a recent trip to Paris. Find out more.
A Day's Hunting
Ken Buggy, whose illustrations appear on these screens throughout Megabytes, is also proprietor of the legendary Buggy's Glencairn Inn in Lismore, Co Waterford. We asked him, as a restaurateur, did he think he was getting peerless Irish ingredients? He wrote this reply.
Emily's Poem
Our friend Emily Green, food writer for the Los Angeles Times, sent us this poem, a cautionary note which strikes just the right note regarding our ridiculous excesses about sterile conditions when it comes to food. Find out more
Menu of the Month
Alain Ducasse's most successful recent idea, Spoon, is already open in Tokyo, Paris, London etc etc, and is a nifty idea. Basically, the menu is an offer where choices are numerous, and you can mix and match them whatever way you want. Find out more.
Off the Shelf
Sarawak is a word you may not be familiar with. We weren't until recently. It is, in fact, a region in Sri Lanka which has always been a great exporter of peppercorns. Find out more.
Now's The Time
Stop promising yourself that this will be the year when you will take that first step towards knowing more about wine, and just get yourself down to Erik Robson's super Ely Wine Bar, on Dublin's Ely Place, where Gerry Gunnigan will be hosting a series of wine appreciation classes.
Transgenic Wine: Those who responded to the Slow Food Campaign to lobby Snr Prodi in respect of transgenic wine were not alone.
Recipe of the Month
If we only look, there is wild food all around us, and none more so than sorrel. It grows wherever there is iron in the soil, which means it is plentiful in our ditches and grasslands, and it is certainly plentiful in our garden. So try this recipe for Sorrel and Onion Tart
Noticeboard
Peter Ward of Country Choice in Nenagh is importing produce from Spain which he thinks may be of interest to restaurants and shops around the country. Find out more
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Til next month's Megabytes!
text © John & Sally McKenna
illustrations © Ken
Buggy
