General Chat Thread II

igCorcaigh · 24-05-2026 09:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124496636#Comment_124496636

Completely understandable. There's an ebb and flow to things like this. But don't be hard on yourself! It's just food, not some performative competition.

Dial Hard · 24-05-2026 11:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124496922#Comment_124496922

I suspect there's a large "cobblers children" element to how chefs cook and eat at home, tbh.

sammyjo90 · 24-05-2026 11:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124496668#Comment_124496668

Honestly, after 5 years with one and currently single. I have come to the conclusion that I cant do it again lol having to always eat somewhere that had a steak or burger did my head in!

Bredabe · 25-05-2026 06:25PM

Am playing around with trying to make various dairy alternative milks, tried rice milk today and while its a bit thin yet seems ok. There is so much rice sludge left in the bottom the bowl that I feel all I have is rice water. I used the hand blender to break up the rice and have appox half of a medium sieve's amount of rice sludge, does this mean I need to get a stand blender or should I try to blend again with the hand one?

Eeshaw · 25-05-2026 06:36PM

Sorry, wrong thread.

sammyjo90 · 25-05-2026 11:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124499012#Comment_124499012

Maybe you need a taller container rather than a bowl? Something more cylindrical? Might be worth a go before committing to a new blender

Snowcast · 26-05-2026 12:31AM

Thanks so much everyone for taking the time to reply. Some great suggestions there, which I will take on board. I usually have stuff batch cooked (stews, bolognaise etc) so there is always that option too.

Definitely going to do more of what I want going forward - at the end of the day, the food will be there for them to try and see if they like it or not, and if not, well, they are capable of putting something together themselves.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124496668#Comment_124496668

Have to say, I too would have cancelled the date. Like all of you, I love my food. I spend my time thinking about what I'll do for my next meal, batch cook etc. and honestly I'd find it tough dating someone who only wanted to eat the most basic of food with no hope of trying different things. I know we're all different, but I honestly couldn't imagine my life without being able to try different things.

I do understand though that asd can have an effect on trying different things. Having a nephew with ARFID due to his autism and see the worry his parents go through is so tough. He still eats, and eats plenty but with no variation. He also hates anything with a sauce, so things like bolognese, they do the meat, veggies first and then take his out before adding in the sauce. Only way he will eat it, but at least he eats it.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124497268#Comment_124497268

Lol I am a bit like this. Having had a relationship where everything food-wise was on his terms, really made me appreciate being single. Been single a few years and I just love it. I don't miss being in a relationship at all tbh.

Dave_The_Sheep · 26-05-2026 09:26PM

Speaking of toast in the other thread. What's people favourite jam or marmalade? Brand or flavour wise, I suppose.

Started making my own marmalade there last year, enjoyable and since my partner doesn't like either, I can put whatever the hell I like in it.

HeidiHeidi · 26-05-2026 10:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124502097#Comment_124502097

Filligan's Seville Orange marmalade - made in Donegal, and it's the best I've ever tasted

igCorcaigh · 26-05-2026 10:15PM

I find most marmalades way too sweet. Is there any tart marmalade going, preferably with thin slices of peel?

sammyjo90 · 26-05-2026 10:21PM

Im a blackcurrant jam girl. But I dont really buy it that often.

New Home · 26-05-2026 10:31PM

My favourites, in order, are wild blueberries (aka bilberries), apricots (both Bonne Maman, when it's on special offer), then raspberry then strawberry then marmalade (Lidl and Aldi do some very decent ones).

But with soda bread it has to be blackcurrant.

HeidiHeidi · 26-05-2026 10:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124502232#Comment_124502232

Filligan's!

Dave_The_Sheep · 26-05-2026 10:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124502194#Comment_124502194

I will keep an eye out for it, thank you.

HeidiHeidi · 26-05-2026 10:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124502320#Comment_124502320

I was looking up the stockists to post here, and am delighted to discover that it's apparently sold in my local cafe!!

I've ordered previously from them online, their chutneys are amazing as well - worth it as a treat

https://www.filligans.ie/pages/where-to-buy

Dave_The_Sheep · 26-05-2026 11:13PM

Yeah, there's a cafe the town over that has it, few minutes away from me. Will pick it up next time I'm in the neighbourhood.

Space Dog · 26-05-2026 11:14PM

Don't like marmalade. My favourite jams are quince, redcurrant and strawberry.

New Home · 27-05-2026 02:24AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124502362#Comment_124502362

Ooh! Quince!! Definitely! And wild strawberry, but it's very hard to find.

Snowcast · 27-05-2026 08:25AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124502097#Comment_124502097

Bonne Maman would be my go-to. Love their raspberry conserve.

I recently tried the Alpenhain Wild cranberry jam and it was gorgeous. Was lovely on a warm scone over butter.

magicbastarder · 27-05-2026 10:10AM

can i put a vote in for 'we don't have jam in the house'?

magicbastarder · 29-05-2026 12:07PM

my mother in law was in supervalu in ashbourne recently and picked up a packet of chicken skewers - and only because she recently had her eyes done, spotted that they originated in china in 'an EU approved factory'.

my wife has suggested to her that she brings it to the attention of the manager next time she's there, if they're still in stock. it raises the question whether they were shipped frozen, and dressed in ireland after defrosting, etc.; let alone the idiocy of buying chinese chicken in a shop which supposedly champions good quality irish produce.

Hotblack Desiato · 31-05-2026 03:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124496668#Comment_124496668

Ffs, even a kid aged 10 who wouldn't venture beyond that would be a bit worrying!

A grown adult who will only eat kiddies menu food. Hard for me to get my head around that.

Enjoying a good meal together, cooking for each other, are fundamental ways we bond with other people. Nuggets and chips doesn't really cut it!

Our kids are in mid to late teens now but were always good at eating pretty much anything. I think variety at a young age is key. When eating out it's depressing to see places which only offer nuggets, chips, fish fingers etc. for kids. Nothing that would challenge a palate even slightly. The best places will do anything off the adult menu in a small portion, and say so on the menu! Invariably they'll have the nuggets and chips too, for those who insist on it.

I would have loved to try to get those lamb sausages BTW, but I've never heard of lamb sausages in Dunnes and unfortunately their website hasn't either - the link posted only a week ago doesn't work and searching doesn't either.

igCorcaigh · 31-05-2026 03:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124514414#Comment_124514414

As a child I really disliked most traditional food like Sunday roast (still do). This was in the 1980s so the range of foods commonly available was limited.

I turned vegetarian around the age of 18, and introduced new foods like hummus and pulses to my parents, which they liked!

odyssey06 · 31-05-2026 03:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124514414#Comment_124514414

The Dunnes lamb sausages might be store specific or dunno how reliable the Dunnes site is for all stock.
They show up in my search (Charlestown). They'd be in the 3 for €10 section.

Dunnes Stores Irish Lamb Calabrian Style Dinner Sausages 330g
Buy 3 for €10
€4.49

Hotblack Desiato · 31-05-2026 10:19PM

OK that's weird, I put in "lamb sausage" (or indeed "lamb sausages") into to search on Dunnes Stores Grocery and it's now working, it wasn't this afternoon!

That's before logging in, so not store specific, when I do log in it allows me to add to cart so I must have a good look for them in the local Dunnes next time

I'm not going to buy nine packets to meet the €30 minimum delivery order 😄

On the theme of slightly odd sausages, FX Buckley butchers do a frozen South African style beef sausage, basically a big coil, anyone tried it?

L1011 · 01-06-2026 01:31AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124514414#Comment_124514414

ARFID is a thing. My mother was always a bit bad for that, but now she's descending in to dementia she's eating like a picky 8 year old again; in her late 70s. However she managed to move off the kids menu stuff before is gone.

I also know someone who eats like that in his 50s. Was at an event with him where his wife was attending later and ran in to her in the lobby - she asked me if her husband was "eating chips and ice cream again".

He had ordered chips and ice cream. Only goes for anything slightly more interesting when his wife is there to make him!

Dial Hard · 01-06-2026 02:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124515258#Comment_124515258

Boerewors. Aldi do a fresh version by Hellbent, which is CJ Stander and Schalk van der Merwe's baby. I find it far too salty.

New Home · 03-06-2026 08:40PM

Quick question, bakers, please. I baked two batches of oaties (recipe off the internet, I got it here), but when I tasted them after they had cooled I realised they had way too much butter and I could still taste some of the egg. They fall apart, too. If I reduce them to crumbles, can I add them to a fresh dough made with less butter or more flour/oats? Or is there another way of rescuing them? Thanks.

tampopo · 04-06-2026 08:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124502097#Comment_124502097

Home made blackberry or rhubarb only, really. Shop bought raspberry, an alternative, tastes too sweet-or different.

New Home · 04-06-2026 09:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124522191#Comment_124522191

In case it helps someone else, I did this and it worked, they turned out quite delectable (and over 180kcal each!).

General Chat Thread II

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