Bircher Muesli with Figs and Raw Honey
I’ve always been big on breakfast, I’d go as far as to say it’s my favourite meal of the day. I mean, what’s not to love about Hollandaise sauce, perfectly poached eggs with soft warm centres, crispy dark chocolate croissants, berries… I’m that geek that is usually the only one ordering the health breakfast when I’m out for brunch with my friends, but not for any other reason that I genuinely love a fruity, healthy kick-start to my day. You see, I’m kind of like a boy in the regard that I wake up hungry and the first thing I think about is what to have for breakfast. My husband has had to learn that getting in the way of me and my breakfast has dire consequences for him.
The flavours of the Camino St Jaques
It was always a dream of mine to walk part of the Camino de Compostela. When I was eighteen, my mother decided to close her guest house, pack her life into her 6,5 kg bag and head on the life-changing adventure of walking the Spanish Camino from the Pyrenees mountains and ending in Santiago. All on her own.
I remember being so touched by this, partly because it was the time I was becoming an adult myself and it caused me to see my mother in a very different light- as the strong woman she is. Because, let’s face it, it took serious mental and physical strength to walk over 800 km of dusty road in one pair of shoes and three changes of clothing! It all sunk in for me when my mother met me in a backpackers in Dublin at the end of her trip with that same outfit she left with, only so much richer with the memories made, her grey regrowth hidden under a scarf and her skin a few tones darker – the signs of the time that had passed. (more…)
A foodie wandering in the desert
I’ve been on a family holiday in the small coastal town of Walvis Bay for the past two weeks and am really settling into the slow rhythm of life in Namibia. It’s a country that holds a special place in my heart as I was born here and lived here for the first ten years of my childhood. Coming back, after not having been here for three years, I am shocked at the development and change this little town has gone through, but also am pleasantly surprised by the culinary secrets I’ve discovered with the help of my local friends. This holiday we are only exploring the short strip of coast between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, and I thought a blog post on some of my not-to-miss culinary experiences is in order. So here goes:
Slow-Roasted Tomato Soup
Warm Baby Potato Salad
Okay, its official, winter is here. This is a beautiful salad for a lunch and is perfect for this time of year. It’s still hearty, but has a lovely freshness and crisp. I love potato salad and I love trying new and different ingredients in them. It all started when I visited Dublin and went to Cornucopia, this gorgeous little vegetarian cafe that serves good, honest food. You could immediately tell by the diverse people waiting on the sidewalk to be seated every lunch that there was something special about their food. From businessmen to students to urban hippies, this was obviously the place to be. I didn’t quite get the term ‘honest food’ until I visited Cornucopia… One of their acclaimed dishes from their daily buffet menu is their potato salad with roasted hazelnuts and home-made garlic mayonnaise. It is just amazing and it’s taken me down the slippery slope of adding nuts and seeds to most things, be it an open sandwich or a simple green salad. (more…)