Foie gras

That’s the one item that we did not have during the Deluxe 5 Stars Supreme Mega Gastronomic weekend.

I decided to blank out Dr Ross’s annoying self-righteous little voice about fatty liver nonsense.

Fuck that. Life is short.

And given the weekend’s good-food-that’s-bad-for-you excesses, life may be even shorter. I am sorry? Not in the least.

 

Fillet steak. With… with… WTF?! Is that an oyster stuck in the middle of it?

It surely is… Strange as it may seem, it works! Two very strong tastes. That don’t destroy each other. Surf and turf in the one mouthful. Washed down with Pinot Noir.

Make that three strong tastes competing for the limelight then…

Wild oysters. Provenance? Uncertain. Not sure if it was the spot just at the bottom of Nana’s field, or the one that’s 500 yards to the right…

Faisant pâté. Ingredients: thanks Uncle Martin. Preparation: thanks Nana.

Rabbit pâté. Ingredients: thanks Uncle Martin. Preparation: thanks Nana.

Lobster salad. Ingredients: thanks to the fisherman from Blacksod. Preparation: thanks to Cuffe’s Centra for the Light Mayonnaise.

Refreshment: thanks to P. de Marcilly

Wild scallops. Ingredients: thanks to Nana and Martin (and thanks to the spring tide for uncovering that precious bit of extra ground) Preparation: thanks Nana (I always knew there would be a way to put the corals to good use: marinated in lime, blended into a fresh cream and tabasco sauce. Brilliant!)

Fried Chinese dumplings. Just because they are Luca’s ultimate favorite.

Home-smoked wild Atlantic salmon. Jayzus, the phone camera doesn’t do it justice. Amazing.

Ingredient: thanks Uncle Martin! Preparation: thanks Uncle Martin!

Soda bread: thanks O’Donoghues’ bakery

Homemade Couscous Royal Imperial 

Ingredients: thanks Nana and Uncle Martin. In fairness, the homemade merguez stole the show. With a real mutton taste, like they tasted 50 years ago. The addition of the pork belly means that they did not receive the approval of the Imam from Belmullet’s mosque. Still, what tasty mutton sausages!

And for dessert?

Trifle. A trifling presence in the weekend of foodie wonders as far as I am concerned but the kids, and Nana, beg to differ.

They enjoyed making it. They enjoyed demolishing it. Especially Mimi, the ultimate sugar fiend.

I now need to walk, run, swim and kayak the millions of extra calories away.

But it was worth it. Oh yes, it was worth it.