Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Lotsa Talk and Nothing to Eat
A while has passed again since I've been back here and I apologise sincerely. I have a good excuse though. I've had friends over from Germany and spent most of Sunday and all of the evenings with them. And together we spent quite a bit of time eating, exchanging recipes and talking about food, so there will be plenty of news during the coming days.Sunday was still fairly news-free, though. We started the day at the small cafe inside the Irish Film Institute (IFI). I had a chocolate Danish and a coffee, which were nice, but nothing to write home about. The price is worth a mention, though. Together the two came to €3.80, which, considering the location, atmosphere and quality, is actually pretty good. I don't know if they offer coffee to go, but if you are in a hurry and need an easy breakfast in the city centre, do grab a Danish there. At €1.80 it is only marginally more expensive than Centra and, although I was hesitant at first because they looked a bit dry, I can safely say that it is about ten times as nice. The ladies I was with were in more a lunch kind of mood, so they opted for fish & chips and meatballs. I did not taste either and can therefore not really comment, but both looked quite good and the fish & chips in particular smelled rather inviting. Rather than having been battered, it was covered in a fragrant herb and bread crumb mix, and came accompanied by nice-looking thick, hand-cut chips and tartar sauce. The meatballs were served on a bed of ramen noodles and smothered in a very yummy-looking sticky sauce, which looked a bit like a mix of soy sauce, mild vinegar, brown sugar and chilli flakes, cooked down to the gooey glaze, which adds that certain something to many Asian-inspired dishes. Judging by my fellow diners' response, it tasted as good as it looked, for when they were finished the plates were completely empty. On the other hand, neither dish seemed to really stand out, because during the ensuing discussion about the quality and prices in Dublin restaurants they all agreed that while the value for money here was OK, none would actively seek the place out were it not the only affordable option in the area. I am still unsure that this is a good enough reason to dine somewhere, though, so I will wait with an endorsement of the IFI until I have personally tasted their food. Also, I'm still hopeful that the claim is not true in the first place. I know that Temple Bar is quite expensive, but there has to be a good, reasonable-priced restaurant somewhere in the city centre. I will certainly keep my eyes out for it and would appreciate any tips you might have for me.
Our next stop was Books Upstairs, a small bookshop on Dame Street opposite Trinity College. Their focus is very much on literature and poetry as well as what might be considered special-interest books, such as gay and feminist literature, psychology, and philosophy. Good bargains can be had here, although the hunter of cookbooks and all things food related is most likely to leave empty-handed. I actually found something, a book that I am almost embarrassed to admit owning: Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver. My mum really likes Jamie Oliver, something that acted as a bit of a deterrent to me from the start. She tends to follow trends, often paying scant attention to the things she declares to be the best thing since sliced bread and quickly forgets when something new comes around. In any case, after having seen a lot about Jamie Oliver on TV, not a single show he was hosting, I decided to check out his Italian Escape on Channel 4 - and was in for a nice surprise. Unlike his advertisements for Sainsbury's or his school dinners appeal, this show seemed to have no patronising undertone and was not centred on the idea of quick, easy food. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I think I'm beyond needing to be told to eat my veg and go light on the meat, let alone have the existence of herbs and spices pointed out to me. This time, Jamie Oliver was more than a role model for pubescent teenagers; he was a great guide to Italian cuisine as well as to the people's eating habits and attitudes to food. So when I saw his book at the shop, I could not help but start reading. Before long, I was no longer prepared to just put the book down and leave. Luckily, it was marked down substantially and I am now the slightly embarrassed owner of a Jamie Oliver cookbook.
The others went to finish off the day with a jazz session at George Pub on George's Street. I wasn't up to it anymore, though. Instead, I headed home and browsed my new book. I must admit I'm still quite impressed. At close look there is still this undertone that reminds me of my parents when I was five and refusing to eat what's good for me. But I don't really mind it, because, firstly, he is right. Most Brits as well as most Irish people, Americans and Germans I know are absolutely clueless when it comes to healthy eating and many of them will readily eat things that make me wonder if they have any taste buds at all. Secondly, unlike the other two books of his that I had looked at before, most of the recipes in Jamie's Italy are just as interesting for the advanced cook as they are for the beginner because they combine simplicity in preparation with a certain kind of ... how shall I put it? ... sophistication, which can be found in a lot of southern European cooking, even that of everyday food from rural areas. In short, it's reasonably easy to cook, but still tastes of something when it's done.
Christine at 5:51 pm
