Mmmmmm falafel.  There are few things tastier than those little deep-fried balls of crunchiness, and the flavours of the salads and sauces that they come with are pretty special as well.  Our reader Becky has helpfully given us a recipe for falafel that avoids deep-frying, and makes it a healthier choice.  It’s also an easy [...]

I’m really loving Anissa Helou’s fantastic mezze recipes, as well as the stories on her wonderful blog. She currently has a lovely tale to tell about chocolates made from camel milk. Here’s two more mezze recipes from her excellent book Modern Mezze; check out more of her books here. Mezze are so versatile: they make [...]

I’ve been watching Jamie Oliver’s New European Series – so far I’ve seen him in Morocco, Spain and, most recently, Greece. This episode was all about simple ingredients simply put together. He went spear fishing, met up with some bee keepers and nibbled on some goats cheese with a Greek Orthodox monk. Some of the [...]

I know for many, the idea of growing your own is just too damn daunting but there are certain vegetables and herbs that just won’t fail – I promise. Mint is unbelievable. It is a weed and it will grow anywhere and all year round. It’s such a sturdy plant that if you’re not careful [...]

This new-fangled internet thingy has been abuzz with talk of Keshk, a Middle Eastern restaurant for the cash-conscious on the wild plains of Upper Leeson Street. People like it, because you can bring your own wine and they don’t charge corkage. I went there for my birthday last week. I was an insignificant age so [...]

I had popped into the Rotana Cafe on South Richmond Street for lunch previously and was happy with the lamb shish I got for €7.50. A good sized portion, it was well spiced and although the lamb was a little tough, the authentic Lebanese flavour made up for it. My husband had tasty falafel which [...]

I’ve been a customer at Spiceland for years and always pick up a bargain. The store offers a wide range of canned goods and condiments, but the real savings are in their bags of spices and herbs. Situated beside Shabnam Foods on South Richmond street, Dublin 1, Spiceland trades in Indian, African and Asian foods, [...]