Pizza Friday

If I have ever have the misfortune to find myself on Death Row (undoubtedly for some heinous crime committed whilst in the depths of extreme hunger, maybe conducting an armed robbery at a bakery or an artisan cheese shop) then I would have no hesitation in asking for my last meal to be a pizza. The pizza has a bad reputation due to it’s calorific content and is seen as the doyen of the junk food pyramid but I beg to differ. Yes, eating pizza every single day (although desirable) would most probably ultimately result in having to be airlifted by crane/helicopter out of one’s own home but a little of what you fancy is always a good idea. Consequently, in the Cherry household Friday is traditionally Pizza Friday. Yay!

I think the best pizza(s) I have ever had the sheer unadulterated joy to eat has been in Italy. I can’t actually recall the name of the litte restaurant as I’m sure my mind was on other things (probably food) but the eatery itself was up a little laneway in the sleepy village of San Marco di Castellabate which a beautiful little gem on the Cilento coast of Italy. An unassuming little place, we didn’t have any massive expectations as there was no sign to speak of and we went there purely based on the recommendation of a local man whose eyes glazed over at his retelling of the type of food that would await us. Later that evening we arrived and the little place was absolutely packed with local Italians (always a good sign). It was here the committed foodie had an internal battle of wills. Should I go for a beautiful plate of freshly-caught seafood in garlic and drizzled with the nectar-like olive oil (undoubtedly pressed by the chubby little mani of curly haired, doe-eyed cherubs) or would I go for a pizza? Decisions decisions…..it took me all of ten seconds to decide when the waiter passed by our table with a pizza the size of the moon and smelling of perfection…..

I had the Quattro Formaggi (Four Cheese) Pizza and I consider it now to have been a spiritual experience. It had a thick and crusty base which was good enough to eat on it’s own and then cheese. So much delicious, gooey, oozey, sticky, rich, oily, scrumptious and velvety cheese. I was so overcome I didn’t know whether to cry or laugh, it was what I can only describe as perfection. Cilento is the beating heart of mozzarella di bufala country and it was a sheer joy to have those beautiful snow-white blobs of creaminess melt into the thick crust. As was the crumbly and delicious Parmigiano-Reggiano, the tasty addition of glorious gorgonzola and of course delicous pecorino. I lived in Italy as a student and I know a good pizza but neither before or since have I ever encountered one so wonderful (except the next day when I dragged my poor unsuspecting now-husband along so I could have it again)!

Closer to home, I feel that Paulie’s Pizza in Dublin 2 is worthy of a mention http://www.juniors.ie/paulies-pizza.php Although the establishment is bijou, its flavours and quality of food make up for its compactness and anyone who appreciates a good pizza should promptly put this on their to visit list. The chef there deserves a knighthood for services pizza. I was there a couple of weeks ago and had the Super Picante (pictured) which is spicy salami, fresh chilli, red peppers, rocket, tomato & smoked mozzarella…..heaven!

So there we are, pizza Friday it is. And just as well I’m writing this on a Friday or I fear I would have had to make an exception – all this talk of pizza makes me want one as soon as possible.

Kitchen Delights!

I love nothing more than working my way around kitchen accessories and equipment shops. Some people get aroused when it comes to stationary and the titillating whiff of a magic marker, others get their jollies from shoes and the phallic undertones of a high heel (not that I’m in any way adverse to beautiful shoes you understand) but for me, kitchen shops make me a little hot under the collar. The STOCK shop on South King Street in Dublin 2 is a case in point. Regardless of your level of culinary expertise, Stock has something for everyone and has such a beautiful array of shiny and can’t-live-without stuff that you simply didn’t know you needed!

Another veritable little treasure trove is the wonderful Market 57 on Bridge Street in Westport, Co. Mayo – also known by it’s online moniker of www.kitchencookware.ie my darling husband bought me these adorable little egg pails there (pictured) a number of months ago which I love (these can also be found in Stock). Having moved to beautiful but rural West Wales I have missed the thrill of perusing such lip-licking emporiums and have undoubtedly kept the kitchen and homewares section of Amazon UK single-handedly afloat (especially after a glass of vino – tipsy shopping can be dangerous….I wish the wine bottle came with a warning that it can be bad for physical AND financial well-being). While this has been wonderful, nothing quite beats the joyful experience of touching and being able to marvel at the sheer brilliance of what amazing new inventions and fascinating curios there are to marvel at. Consequently, it was to my absolute delight this afternoon that I discovered the Bay Tree in a local market town within Carmarthenshire yesterday.

I’d passed the Bay Tree on a number of occassions and had made the ill-founded assumption that it was yet another Welsh souvenir shop. While a Welsh bonnet-clad doll may be a must-have for some people, it wouldn’t necessarily be featuring on my Christmas wish list. In any event I’m pleased to say that my preconcieved ideas were ill-founded. On having a  hurried glance in the window while passing by, I was literally stopped in my tracks by a display of what can only be described as an eye-catching and seductive display of goodies. I spent an hour in there. There were teeny, tiny, cheek-pinchingly cute and adorably lilliputian stoneware dishes with their own miniscule lids. I could picture hungry little elves crowded around a big pot of warm hearty reindeer stew or serving a delightful little single-serving of a warming fish pie.

There was every pot, pan, knife, whisk, ladel, dish and spoon known to and revered by any confirmed foodie and when I began to feel mildly faint and shaky the friendly proprieter told me to have a look upstairs….this was where all the baking accoutrements were waiting to be admired and an entirely new wave of desire struck. Adorable cupcake cases and numerous nozzles just begging to be used.  I came away with cupcake cases, a cake decorating kit, a plethora of nozzles, measuring cups, dainty and delicate little flower decorations and a big smile on my face. I hadn’t intended to start baking cakes but I think I’m going to have to now really, aren’t I?

Soup Glorious Soup!

What can I say? Where has this been on all my life? I recently went to visit my darling younger brother and his lovely new wife, Sarah. My sister-in-law is hugely enthusiastic about food (as am I) so we happily whiled away a few hours discussing all the amazing foods we have recently experienced. This brought us around to the subject of soup……, put it this way, smelling salts almost had to be administered post haste such was her shock to discover that I have never in my life made a pot of soup from scratch. I myself am not entirely sure where this gargantuan oversight has come from but I do know that since that fateful conversation, I am a voracious and eager maker of soup and have made up for lost time. I’m finding myself daydreaming about all the wonderful possible combinations of ingredients that could go into a delightful one pot wonder of magic. I’ve made her inspired carrot, ginger and chorizo soup served with my homemade Irish brown soda bread with butter. Today I’ve made spinach and potato soup with smoked bacon crutons…..who knows what delights tomorrow may bring!