Tag: laethanta saoire/ holidays

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Do the hokey pokey

Just in the door from a long overdue trip north to Ramelton to visit my very good friend, Dinners.

All the chats, great food and drink and while the kids and menfolk surfed on Saturday, Dinners and I took to a beachside sauna and had a dip at Dooey Strand. Yes I was in the Atlantic Ocean on 2nd November. For about 30 seconds.

Wild Atlantic Sauna Dooey.

The proliferation of saunas beside beaches, lakes and rivers in Ireland is a welcome development. I think swapping catholic guilt and prudery for more saunas is a most excellent bargain. Himself and I thoroughly enjoyed our sauna on Ceann Trá (Ventry) in the wind and the rain last summer. I’ve also been to one beside the Boyne with friends a few years ago although Himself finds the idea of dipping in the Boyne a bit ick. This from the person who lept into the Seine near Fontainebleau a couple of summers ago. I did too, let’s be clear. One of the nicest swims I ever had after a day full of car and a very heated tent erection.

While we were away (Himself, me and Nipper 3.0) Nipper 2.0 had a “gaff” which is contemporary slang for a party. We returned to many empties but an intact house otherwise.

So a great weekend was had by all. I brought biscuits and cake with me (of course). A lemon poppyseed cake from Nigella’s Domestic Goddess book. I also brought these hokey pokey biscuits. The recipe is from a book called Edmond’s Cookery Book which is the equivalent of a Delia or a Darina cookery book for New Zealanders and was indeed sent to us as a wedding present by another friend named Linda from New Zealand. Hokey Pokey is what they call honeycomb toffee (the inside of a crunchy bar) in New Zealand. These are a cinch but do wait until the sugar/ butter mix has cooled down to start rolling out the balls.

Dinners texted me when we returned and asked me for the recipe so I thought you might enjoy it too.

HOKEY POKEY BISCUITS

  • 125 g butter
  • ½ cup sugar 110g.
  • 1 tablespoon golden syrup or treacle
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1.5 cups / 240g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda (bread soda)
  1. Combine butter, sugar, golden syrup and milk in a saucepan.
  2. Heat until butter is melted and mixture nearly boiling, stirring constantly.
  3. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool to lukewarm.
  4. Heat oven to 180degC.
  5. Sift flour and baking soda together.
  6. Add to the cooled mixture. Stir well.
  7. Roll tablespoonsful of mixture (25g) into balls and place on ungreased oven trays.
  8. Flatten with a floured fork.
  9. Bake at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 22.

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Gleanntain Ghlas Ghaoth Dobhair

So a great weekend was had by all oop north in a lovely wee thatched cottage near Kinncasslagh, home of Wee Daniel. A large amount of our time was spent at the weekend trying to work out which house was O’Donnell’s – the one with the big gates and the picnic area outside was a sure bet. Also the space for coaches was a bit of a giveaway too.

The weather was lovely on Friday and Monday while we were driving to and from – typical. Everyone save myself went surfing on Saturday – boohoo! But they had a great time and it really didin’t matter that it bucketed rain. I went to pick Mavis up in Gaoth Dobhair and we barely managed to find each other due to the lackadaisical attitude of the bus operators. I ask a local “Cá áit a stadann bus McGinley ó Baile Átha Cliath le do thoil?” Ise: “Áit ar bith is mian leat” Super useful!

So I had a nice relaxing afternoon including a snooze in preparation for my job as deisgnated driver for the evening. After a yummy lemon, leek and mushroom risotto if I may say so myself, we went off to Teach Hiúdaí Beag to hear the wonderful talented Colm and his band playing. It was grreat craic and I didn’t even feel tired!

Sunday the weather was miserable again but Derek called over with his cousin who is also Dins’ housemate and his two offspring – spring being the operative word. We took Aoife, the elder of the two and went for a walk on Carrickfin beach and even thought the weather was cat we had a great laugh. This was mainly due to the six-year-old and her insistence that everyone play stuck in the mud except the pregnant lady who can be on only once in every four gos. Logical.

After all the lashing around we headed off to a really nice pub called Bonners in Mullach Dubh (I think) which had a grand pool table and according to my companions great guinness and I had a grand cup of tea and loads of crisps. As we were playing pool, the sun came out and really it got very hot. We went back to the cottages and out on to the rock overlooking the sea with the Sunday papers, the fleece rug and cups of tea and eeryone promptly fell asleep.

Yummy dinner from the Ratser and then down to Iggy’s in Kinncaslagh – this time I took everyone in the one car -eek. But it was fine, just down the road and it meant everyone could have a few pints. And so they did. It was a great pub. It was like someone’s living room with a bar in it. When you went to the ladies you went into the house and up to the loo on the landing! The owner was sound and gave us loads of crisps on the house (spot the pregnant lady!) and even enquired as to who was driving – what a responsible man!

So Monday the weather was beautiful again which was kinda annoying as we were driving all the way back home. However most of the way we lstened to the Top 100 Floor Fillers of all time. Some weird choices in there…