indiefude

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FUDE SPY: Lotus (France), Speculoos Original Smooth

The Belgium original, via the UK, now in France, and actually just tastes the same as the original Biscoff spread.  It shouldn't be good, but it is!   Like the crushed-up and pasted child of a custard cream (but more biscuit than cream). Nice on toast, but even nicer just straight off the finger. The new Nutella? Never!

Mark: 6/10

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DUDE FUDE: Rota do Petisco 2014 (Algarve, Portugal)

On the move this week!  Enjoying the sunshine and all that the Algarve has to offer on the infamous Rota do Petisco and blogging daily from a different town on the route.

For those that are unfamiliar with the Rota, it's a food trail of over 100 local eateries with a Portuguese dish (and glass of vino!!) to sample for €2.50!  Each stop gets a stamp in the Rota passport! Fantástico!

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INDIE FUDE @ HOME: ED HICK’S, BACON JAM on ZAC’S BAKEHOUSE, WHITE SOURDOUGH

If you remember last week I dived snout first into some fine Irish “charcuterie”, well this week I haven’t strayed too far from the pigsty again, sampling the delicious and ingenious Bacon Jam from the deeply knowledgeable in everything piggy Ed Hick’s in Dublin.  Meaty and sweet with a subtle hint of spices, this pot of pork was a rillette-style wonder, oink oink.  Of course there was no point on slapping this down on any old bit of bread, so I treated myself to my new fave sourdough, made by Ricky at Zak’s Bakehouse in Ballynure. Like Ed, Ricky really knows his onions, or rather sourdoughs - a real depth of flavour, beautiful texture, and tasting all the better toasted day 2!! So it was kind-of-a sweet and sour combo, can’t argue with that!!

@EdHick

@ZacsBakehouse

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FUDE SPY: Gilda's Biscotti (USA), Bittersweet Bark

I am always on the lookout for something chocolaty, something moreish, and something new!  This "bark" was all of those.....

Basically the crumb ends, in random shapes or mishaps of chocolatey goodness . It reminds me of the biscuit base you might use in a caramel square or cheesecake, but finer crumb, packed and formed extra tight, and then smothered with the best (bittersweet) chocolate imaginable! So good, so addictive.

Mark: 9/10

http://www.gildasbiscotti.com 

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DUDE FUDE: Harbour Master (Dublin, Ireland), House Wings.

Apologies - the photo is slightly (very!) blurred, but so was I after several Blue Moons' waiting for a late train from Connolly St.  But the beer wasn't the highlight (though very refreshing) - it was of course the House Wings a firm favourite during a large number of previous train delays! They are so good that I keep going back!  Crispy, spicy (Frank's I think) and buttery - cooked to perfection with a side of homemade chips and dips. Beer food at its best!

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INDIE FUDE @ HOME: Irish "Charcuterie" Board

Peter Hannon's, Guanciale

Ummera, Smoked Duck Breast

Gubbeen, Fresh Chorizo & Pepperoni

Connemara Smokehouse, Honey Roast Smoked Salmon

It's not easy to make up a charcuterie plate of Irish products (surprising given all the pigs and cows we have!), so we came up with our own modified version! and boy was it worth it!

A bit of cooking was required to bring out the best of the Chorizo and Guanciale, but the rest were fresh from the packet.

Lets start with the Ummera smoked duck - delicately smoked, moist pink duck meat, with a sweet layer of duck fat. The star.

With roots firmly in Italy, Peter Hannon's cured pig cheek "guanciale" was next up.  After slow rendering and crisping, this was simply delicious - succulent, sweet, peppery and herby all at the same time. Mamma Mia!

Onto the Gubbeen duo next. First up - the fresh chorizo, cooked to release  a divine paprika rich garlicky oil (we simply mopped that up with a good loaf!).  It's great to see a Spanish favourite so successfully made in Ireland. Onto the baby brother - the pepperoni - meaty, smokey, sweet and fatty goodness! Beer fude!

In our final homage to Irish curing, we just had to finish with an old favourite - smoked salmon.  This was no ordinary smoked salmon, this was a honey roasted salmon from Connemara Smokehouse -  a perfect balance of meatiness, smokiness and sweetness - the sign of great curing!

@MeatPeter

@FingalFerguson

@OldSmoky

@Ummera

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FUDE SPY: Fat Toad Farm (USA), Goat Milk Cinnamon Caramel

Just as they say - rich and creamy!. Delicious depth of sweet, slightly runny, slightly sticky dark caramel, offset perfectly by the tanginess of the goats milk with a hint, and just the right hint of cinnamon. A little goes a long way.......but very fast!

Marks: 8/10

http://www.fattoadfarm.com

@FatToadFarmVT

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DUDE FUDE: Tommy DiNic's (Philadelphia, USA), Roast Pork Sub, Greens, Sharp Provalone, & Au Jus.

America's greatest sandwich, allegedly.....well we think so too! Tommy DiNic's is an institution in the eclectic and buzzing Ready Terminal Market in Philadelphia! The size of the queue in a place like this tells you a lot! Pork is roasted, finely carved and left to moisten in its own jus, before being stuffed into a fresh crusty rolls, topped with garlicky greens, the sharpest of sharp Provalone cheese, and of course more of that legendary pork jus, soaking into that bread...  Mouth watering pork perfection, oink oink!  

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INDIE FUDE @ HOME: Inistioge Food Co. (Ireland), Irish Craft Ale Marinade (Cajun)

The first in Inistioge's "Irish craft beer marinades" range was sent to us recently, and we just loved it! This Kilkenny/Waterford collaboration with the Metalman Brewing Co was a cajun marinade, recommended for chicken (so thats what we did!).  Coming in a dinky little package, with dry spices, liquid marinade, and a bag, the idea is to first cold marinade in the spices, then apply the beer marinade, and cook. Simple!  The result was perfectly moist chicken breasts (not easy at the best of times!), smokily cajun spiced with just the right amount of heat, and a beautifully rich, self-basting sauce, with just the right hint of good quality beer coming through to give that acidic edge required.

We loved the innovation, we loved the collaboration, and we loved the result! Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

@inistiogefoodco

@metalmanbrewing

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Hello friends of INDIE FUDE!

In the run up to our big online launch in October, we have decided to do that very trendy social media thing, and blog. A blog that we hope will bring us all, this side of the "pond", a little bit closer to the joys of #indiefood......

INDIE FUDE @ HOME (Friday)

Someone once said "there's nothing better than Friday night dinner at home", so that's why this is on a Friday! It'll be about some food trials and recipes that we have attempted using the best of local #indiefood.

(Beware! may involve photographs showing extreme caramelisation!)

DUDE FUDE (Saturday)

We love to to get out and eat too, especially at the weekends, around all sorts of diners, drive-ins and dives ;) oh, and markets and trucks too! This is about that.

FUDE SPY (Sunday)

We love travelling, we love eating, and we love collecting #indiefood goodies from all around the world. It's about time we shared our stash.

Of course we'd love to hear about your #indiefood recipes, #indiefood experiences, #indiefood findings, anything #indiefood really, so please share with us @IndieFude!

Please share this with all your friends that you think would like it.

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Opening October ‘14 www.indiefude.com (at Belfast, United Kingdom)