Our resident food expert, Gary O’Hanlon, the Head Chef of Viewmount House Longford, joined us for a look at some seasonal goodies. The resident Chef on TV3's The Restaurant and a regular on the Seven O’Clock Show impressed Anton not only with his knowledge of treats popular around Christmas time in every Irish home, but also with his incredible homemade Irish cream liquor, made live on air! No, really, listen here:
Want to make it. Why, thanks to Gary, here’s how:
Ingredients
- 1 Cup of good quality Irish whiskey
- 1 Cup of cream
- 1 Cup of condensed milk
- 2 Tablespoons chocolate syrup
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or essence)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Method:
- Combine every single ingredient in a blender. Blitz for 20 seconds. Pour over ice. To make it, as Gary puts it, “more rock n roll” add more whiskey. The result, a glass of Christmas!
Gary and Anton also went through the treats that we can’t live without at Christmas time, including Sherry Trifle which is making a comeback and Gary’s method includes bought thick custard (shock! Horror!) but none of the tinned fruit! Just fresh fruit. A fresh fruit cocktail. Also add sponge (bought or home-made), raspberry or strawberry jelly made with sherry and hot water and several Flakes crushed on top.
In Gary’s house at Christmas there has to be the “box sets”. Not some rubbish TV show from Scandinavia, but two of the greatest things ever: Caffrey’s Snowballs and Tunnocks Tea Cakes. Gary reckons these should be bought by the box load. Believe it or not, until today Anton had never tried a snowball, which were made by the Irish Willie Wonka Thomas Caffrey. Tunnocks Tea Cakes, which our Ronan Casey brings into the office every Friday for the team, but invariably eats the lot himself are a work of art.
Gary also discussed the Roses and Quality Street tins which Anton feels are cheating the people of Ireland as we cannot store our nuts and bolts in a plastic tub. We demand the return of the tin! Treats also discussed included Afternoon Tea (and their missing Jelly Star, bring it back lads!) and the legendary USA Assorted biscuit mix as well as Milk Tray, After Eights and Ferrero Rocher which Anton thinks are an anti-climax.
You can follow Gary on Twitter at @gazzachef
