Return of a classicThere were appreciative murmurs of recognition when Hadji Bey's Turkish Delight arrived in the office, even though the confectionery, which was originally made in Cork, hasn't been produced for almost 20 years.
Hadji Bey’s was first made in MacCurtain Street in the early 1900s. It is now one of a range of old-fashioned sweets made in Newbridge, Co Kildare by Leo and Rita Cummins of LC Confectionery. The new packaging is gorgeous, and each box contains a reproduction of an article from a 1964 edition of the
Guardian
newspaper, outlining the history of the brand. Hadji Bey’s comes with a mix of rose, lemon and orange-flavoured pieces – we really want mostly rose, thanks – and is now on sale nationwide for €8.95.
A taste of Abruzzo
Good quality Italian pasta sauces and antipasto ingredients can be very expensive, but the new Don Antonio range sourced by Anna Coleman, of Del Gusto foods in Dublin, is excellent quality and not too hard on the pocket. Coleman, originally from Rome, has been living in Ireland since 1987, and imports a vast rage of artisan foods from her homeland for distribution to food shops and delis. Don Antonio, a family firm in the Abruzzo region, produces premium bottled sauces and handy bruschetta toppings made with sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, caper berries and marinated garlic cloves and peppers. The sauces have a price tag of €3.59, while the bruschetta toppings range from €3.99 to €4.25.
Italian chef Riccardo Ragazzo will be demonstrating how to use the range, as well as cooking up some pasta dishes, at demonstrations in: Superquinn, Blackrock, today (11am to 6pm); Avoca, Rathcoole, tomorrow (noon to 4pm); and Donnybrook Fair, Dublin 4, next Saturday, June 26th (noon to 4pm). For stockists, see delgusto.ie
Not such a nutty idea
It’s not often that a food product stops you in your tracks and you just know it’s the very best that it could be. That was my reaction to Glór peanut butter, which I bought at the Point Village Market (also available from Fallon Byrne in Exchequer Street, Dublin 2 and Jam cafe/bakery/delis in Killarney, Kenmare and Tralee). It comes in three varieties – natural, and with honey or chocolate chips added – and it’s the nuttiest, richest-tasting peanut butter imaginable.
It is made in Killarney, Co Kerry by Oliver Heffernan, a chef and hotel manager, who is currently working as a barman while setting up his fledgling peanut-butter business. “I was a volunteer in Zambia five years ago, teaching for 14 months at a women’s development centre. They showed me how to make peanut butter in return.”
Last November Heffernan decided to set up in business, making the purest nut butters he could. He adds very little salt – less than a half a gram to two kilos of peanuts – and blends the South African nuts he buys from a health-food supplier with a mix of walnut and peanut oils. “I roast them for colour and flavour, and crush them with the skins on, while they are still hot.”
Heffernan stirs peanut butter into his breakfast porridge, and says the chocolate-chip variety is delicious spread on thick toast and then flashed under a grill so that the chocolate melts. It can also be used in satay sauces and to make cookies. The recommended retail price is €4.99 per jar, and you can contact Heffernan on 087-3160703 for more information on where to buy it (he is currently trying to expand his list of stockists).
mcdigby@irishtimes.com
