Diary of a busyish woman

Yesterday was a long day for us starting with production, then customers arrived to collect their orders and we did a few deliveries.  I had the unusual experience of being in the City in the late afternoon. Hayfield Manor kitchen was preparing Afternoon Teas - I felt like asking if 'there was any to spare, Sir', it looked so so good - variety, presentation and colour on a plate.Mouthwatering! Perry Street Market Café was absolutely buzzing and the aromas that wafted around were entrancing, but I couldn't stay. Another time, for sure. As I drove along from Half Moon St. and onto Academy St., I had to stop at the Paul St. pedestrian crossing. I looked right onto Paul St. and driving a van allowed me to look across the heads of most people. It was a moving mass - like an anthill that's been disturbed! Within yards, there was another sight - that of a man with a frown on his face standing just outside a restaurant, which appeared to be empty. But it's the empty rest

Still typing the ham labels and I've realised we've no more cooked spiced beef - not even enough for ourselves! I know we'll survive, but it's still a calamity. More ham orders last night, so William has to do a stocktake when he's finished picking everything this morning. Meanwhile I'll be heading to Cork to do a few extra deliveries. I might even take time out and get a cup of coffee - I hope. However until I return home and see what's left, I'm going to worry! I hate the idea of not being able to satisfy our customers. It's the nature of the job. In haste and until tomorrow Avril

For good or bad, it's the little things that we remember. On my own in our office trying to print off the labels for our ham orders. Yes, believe it or not, I actually do a separate label for every single piece of meat ordered directly from us. Having talked through how much meat each customer needs, then we must finish the job properly. As Willie says, 'attention to detail'. Slapdash doesn't work in the food business and neither do shortcuts. So this morning has been interesting. I spoke with one customer who told me that his ham was too big last year. Having discussed his numbers - 3-8, but only 5 eating meat probably, I recommended a kilo of our Rosscarbery Dry Cure Loin Bacon. If he needs another piece the day after St. Stephen's Day, it's surely better than looking at ham in the fridge on New Year's Eve! I've also been on the phone to a customer in France as we tried to co-ordinate a delivery by courier to a Dublin address. Result: everyone's ha

This is an open letter to the Road Safety Author ity and all concerned people: Coming home through Clonakilty Friday evening, I was stunned how many cars had no lights on in the middle of town at almost 5pm! It's dusk. Using lights helps people to see. Last week I was driving past C.U.H., when I realised that there was a cyclist in the cycle lane - no problem there - but nothing reflective on him or his bike. At 6am, there aren't too many cars out and about, but there are plenty of van & lorry drivers. If someone doesn't make an effort to ensure that he/she can be seen, then no driver should be liable for hitting the vehicle - bike, motorbike or car. That's harsh, but I'm tired of being scared out of my wits as I avoid people who aren't lit up. We now have theory tests and driving tests for everything, so a motorcyclist does tests for riding a motorbike safely; a car driver has to do the same to be able to drive a car; if one wants to hitch a trailer to

More years ago than I care to remember, I was a Girl Guide in Bandon , where I rose to the lofty heights of attaining my Gold Cords. I still have them, but they are just a tangible sign along with the host of badges I collected of the fun and the learning. Always having an interest in cooking, I managed to collect the Irish Cook, Cook and Outdoor Cook badges, but it's the recipes that I used that continue to draw me back. One such was this odd favourite of mine: Get a banana, wrap a slice of ham around it. Place in a lightly buttered dish and top with grated cheese. Bake for about 6-8 minutes at 180°C. Enjoy as a light nutritious meal. I wasn't prepared to switch on the oven tonight so my take on it was to chop 2 Caherbeg Free Range Dry Cure Streaky Rashers and cook them in an ungreased pan. Add in sliced banana. Toss for a few seconds to heat. Add two lightly beaten eggs. As the eggs begin to set, sprinkle with a little black pepper and some grated cheese. Remove from the he

I usually try to write my blog: Rosscarbery Recipes at least every two to three weeks and with one of my current recipes. At this time of year, all those good intentions go out the window as I have to focus on the physical work around our business, you know what I mean office work, production, deliveries and of course tastings. In respect of these, I know I'm going to be 'wired' because I always find that when I'm meeting interesting people, I learn so much it takes me a while to 'come down'. NO alcohol or other stimulants involved except perhaps for the coffee although I find that I restrict even that so that I get some rest. Waking up in the middle of the night with yet another thought of who I met, what wasn't done yesterday, what hasn't been planned and shared for tomorrow is the stuff of nightmares, I promise. You notice in my list of things to do, housework and cooking aren't mentioned because it really doesn't happen. I'm too busy an

Today, I enjoyed a few words with Fionnuala Harken & we reminisced. She owned the Little Italy Restaurant in Clonakilty, known to all and sundry as Fionnuala's. In fact, I don't ever remember calling it anything else and in recent years, if I needed to explain where Ashe Street is in Clonaklty, all I had to do was say it's the street where Fionnuala's was. Everybody knew! Now it's the home of The Farm restaurant and we're thrilled to be a supplier. For both of us our lives have changed considerably since our first meeting. Fionnuala's was a great place to get superb pizza etc in the company of two small children. Now of course she gets to take proper breaks while Willie has just completed our production and delivery plan right up to the first week in January 2015! Driving home from Clonakilty, I thought of the many people who live in a tunnel. I know I'm probably not going to explain myself very well, but I'll try. Growing up, entering the Ci

I was so thankful this morning to find it dry with a clear sky - I'm not an astronomer, but I love looking at the sky and thinking of those millions of stars we can see and the millions more we can't. It really puts things in perspective for me. Unfortunately rather than being in Cork at 6am, I'm still at home with a van that won't start. I'm trying to hold onto the earlier thankful thoughts, but it's hard. If we can get me van to start, then I'll have the worry all day that something will go wrong somewhere & I'll have to call for help. Honestly I really do hate the idea of doing that especially as I'm a complete numbskull when it comes to things under the hood of any vehicle. We'll see how the next few minutes go, but it doesn't look too good at the moment. Until tomorrow, or even a little later today.... Avril

Buying a present at any time is, in my opinion, a lottery. You have a good chance of getting it right but there are so many variables, it's more than possible to get it wrong too. Have I got it very right and very wrong? More times than I can count on fingers and toes. In my family, the stress has been reduced considerably since the introduction of Kris Kringle amongst the adults and the children. So all the first cousins buy a present for another cousin & there is a limit of €10. My two have had so much fun, I think, and have taken it very seriously to choose the right present for their recipients. The adults too have a price limit. The result is imaginative presents & just a few so no overloading. A few years ago, I bought a Hazel 'whip' each for Willie and the lads. No-one commented much, and after a few days the whips were planted by William. Later on that year, another member of the family enthusiastically wielded a strimmer and annihilated two of the three t